AN: The battle that is discussed in this chapter took place on June 17, 1775, while my timeline would have put the date to be June 11th. It pays to check and make sure that the dates we find for research are correct. My encyclopedia (book form) claimed the date for the battle was June 10th; while later researching the battle with several other sources, I discovered it was actually the 17th. And it's a bit too late to change things now since my chapters have already been posted. My apologies about the mess-up.
AN2: My thanks to everyone who has continued you to review this story on ff.net, at my website, on the jsfanfiction list or by e-mail.
Special thanks to my incredible beta and friend, Scattered Logic.
Chapter 23: Beneath the Moonlight
Sarah opened her eyes, wondering how it was that she had fallen asleep in the first place. Smiling lazily, she remembered what had happened earlier that morning between her and Jareth.
They had both fallen asleep in her bed and had ended up being a tangled mass of arms and legs, not to mention one persistent arousal that had been prodding her stomach.
Still smiling, she turned toward the door and noticed something on her bedside table that had not been there earlier. She sat up slowly, still feeling a bit weak, and her jaw opened slightly at seeing a beautiful bouquet of spring wildflowers in a glass vase.
"I was wondering how long it would take you to notice them."
Sarah turned toward the window to see Jareth leaning against the wall twirling 3 crystals on his gloved fingertips. She frowned at the sight and swallowed the lump in her throat.
"They're beautiful," she told him of the flowers. "Where did they come from?"
"I picked them on my way back from the barn. I found you sleeping after I changed and bathed. Realizing that you were all right, the least I could do for Mrs. Henry was feed the livestock."
Sarah smiled. Even though he appeared to be the Goblin King as he twirled his crystals, he didn't act like the man that had forced her to run his Labyrinth so long ago.
"Thank you."
He nodded.
She gazed at the crystals that were moving on his fingertips and she listened to the slight clinking of the glass touching each other. "It looks like you got your magic back."
Jareth noticed the disappointment in her voice. "Not all of it I'm afraid. While my crystals are stronger and clearer, they are nothing but court jester's cheap illusions." He frowned openly. "They have little to no power to them. I tried to produce some flowers on my own and the result was less than I had hoped for." He turned his wrist and all three crystals vanished as if they had not been there at all.
He pointed in the direction of the desk and Sarah noticed that a white porcelain vase was filled with wilting brown stems. There were no leaves and no flower petals. It looked as if someone had filled the vase with dead grass.
She turned back to Jareth. "It will come back. Your crystals looked stronger today than they did yesterday."
Jareth nodded and moved away from the wall. "You're quite right. I'm just afraid that patience is not my style."
She smiled.
"Are you hungry? You missed breakfast and I'm sure Mrs. Henry will be along soon with our lunch," he told her.
"Not yet. Maybe in a little while."
He nodded and just stood watching her across the room.
Sarah met his gaze for a moment with one of her own and she quickly scanned her eyes over his form. He wore dark colors today. A dark navy shirt that was almost black was unbuttoned halfway down his chest. He usually tried to fit in and buttoned his shirts to his neck as the other men did, but today he seemed a little rebellious. A little more like himself. He wore dark gray breeches that clung to his lithe form a little more than his borrowed wardrobe usually did and black knee high boots finished the outfit off.
His gaze was intense and grew to be uncomfortable for Sarah and the room suddenly felt full of tension.
'Stop thinking about how tight his breeches are and ask a useful question.' Her mind told her. She quickly looked away from him and, biting her bottom lip, asked a question.
"So, um…does anyone know how I got sick?" She fussed with the sheets of the bed, smoothing them on the mattress beside her before she dared to look at Jareth again. "Did the Henry's say if cholera was a common thing around here or not?"
"Apparently, it's not." Jareth frowned. "From what I understand, it usually happens in the city and not out in the country."
"I don't know much about it. We used to hear about it briefly in history class. It's been around for a long time though it usually is found in places that are filthy. Places that have spoiled food. I haven't been exposed to any of that." She snorted. "I just must have been the lucky one to get sick out of nowhere."
Jareth watched Sarah carefully. "What did you eat at the guesthouse?"
Sarah's brows furrowed. "What does the guesthouse have to do with anything?"
"The doctor told Mrs. Henry that 4 people had developed cholera and all of them had eaten at the guesthouse in the past few days. I learned this morning that 3 of them died, meaning you are the only survivor."
"Three people died from what I had?"
Jareth nodded. "I do not think you understand how ill you were. You very nearly died."
"And why didn't I? How could I have survived and those other people didn't?" She sounded guilty for being alive.
Jareth shook his head, his blond hair spilling down his lean shoulders. "I don't know, Sarah. As of right now, it is a question we may never know the answer to."
Sarah glanced at Jareth's gloved hands and remembering the crystals asked, "Could it have been your magic?"
"I don't think it's possible. My magic is too weak. I could not even create flowers this morning, never mind save a life. Even now, I can only feel magic as a slight presence within me, when normally I should be able to feel it like blood coursing my veins."
"I don't understand."
"It's better not to question what has happened. Fate has given us another chance. We would be wise to use it."
Jareth was staring at her intently again, and Sarah opened her mouth to ask what he meant when there was a knock at the door. She noticed that Jareth broke his eye contact quickly and he crossed his arms over his chest.
"You can come in." Sarah called, turning toward the door.
She was pleasantly surprised and smiled when she saw Jacob enter. But the smile faded when she saw the look on his face.
Jacob nodded to Jareth across the room and then stood a few feet from Sarah's bedside. "I couldn't believe it when my mother told me that you had survived the night and that you were recovering. At least one good thing has happened."
Sarah frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I won't burden you with the information. I just came to see how you were faring."
"I'm feeling much better, but tell me what happened," Sarah pushed.
Jacob paced to the far side of the room and both Sarah and Jareth watched him carefully. Jacob clasped his hands behind his back as he walked, his head bowed. He finally stopped by the bookshelf and turned to Jareth and Sarah.
"It's a very sad time for everyone in the colonies, yet it also is a time for rejoicing. We have lost our first major battle against the British at Breed's Hill, but we have shown the British that we can stand up to them."
"What happened?" Jareth asked.
"The British have Boston by sea," Jacob started, speaking all business. "Their warships fill Boston Harbor and they can sail south down the Charlestown River. They've been in Boston for a good deal of time and when we heard that they planned to expand into Dorcester Heights, the colonists decided they'd had enough. We engaged them at Breed's Hill while Charlestown was fired upon by cannonballs from British warships and began to burn to the ground."
"Oh, no!" Sarah cried out. "But wait a minute, Breed's Hill? I thought it was Bunker Hill?" She remembered learning about the Battle of Bunker Hill in history class. The first major battle between the British and the colonists.
Jacob shook his head. "General Prescott and General Putnam were ordered to fortify Bunker Hill which I believe is taller than Breed's Hill, but they changed their plans and chose to fortify Breed's Hill. It's smaller but closer to Boston. Many didn't realize there as a difference between the two and have begun to call it 'The Battle of Bunker Hill.' And how did you know about Bunker Hill?"
Sarah paled. "I…um…my father took me into Boston when I was a child. I must have gotten the two hills mixed up in my mind." She let out the breath she was holding when Jacob nodded and seemed to accept the answer.
It wasn't too much of a lie. Her father and her mother had taken her into Boston several times when she was a child. Her mother had even preformed at a theatre in Boston once or twice. Sarah remembered seeing the large obelisk that could be seen from the highway. It marked the site of the battle and she always remembered it because it reminded her of the Washington Monument in Washington DC. But this was the first time she had heard of Breed's Hill.
"We held them for a good deal of time and thousands of British were killed and wounded, while we only lost 400 men," Jacob continued.
"How do you know all of this if you were not there?" Jareth asked.
"We received a letter in Concord during our meeting, from an acquaintance outside of Boston. An elderly man by name of Lancaster has been sending letters by horseback during the night to us for weeks now. His son fought in the battle and lived to tell about it. He told of the colonists not firing until they could see the whites of the British's eyes. He said the men fought bravely and while we lost the battle, our courage and our ability to stand up to professional soldiers has given renewed interest in many."
"It sounds as if it wasn't a total loss then," Jareth injected.
"It was still a loss and on many accounts a serious one. It's rumored that General Warren was killed." Jacob reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small pocket watch on a chain. "I only meant to stay a few moments and check in on Sarah and now I'm rambling about the war. Forgive me, I must go. We're due to have company tonight and I must help prepare."
"Company?" Sarah asked. But Jacob didn't hear her. He had stuffed his watch back into his pocket and was rushing away. He closed the door behind him and his footsteps could be heard on the stairs.
"So it appears that this place has gone to war," Jareth said softly.
"What's the matter? You didn't believe me when I told you where you dropped us?" Sarah asked him.
"Even with all we have been through, I was hoping that you were wrong." Jareth frowned. "During war you never know who you can trust. I've seen war. I've seen what it can do to people, to families, to entire lands."
"You've been through a war? You never told me that."
"There are many things you do not know. I'm over 500 years old. There would be too much to tell you." Jareth moved across the room when he saw Sarah open her mouth to speak. "I'm going to see if Mrs. Henry has made lunch."
Sarah nodded and watched him leave.
* * *
Jareth returned later and he balanced a wooden tray with two sandwiches on a plate and two glasses of water. "I'm sorry not to bring you a better meal, but Mrs. Henry and the other women are cleaning the house and preparing for the guests arrival tonight. I'm afraid that my sandwiches will have to do." He handed Sarah a glass of water and she eagerly drained some of it.
"Did you happen to hear what kind of guests are coming?" she asked as she lowered the glass from her lips.
"A few men who are thinking of joining the Continental army. Mr. Henry has fought with the British before and they wish to learn information about the British which may help them win a battle."
Sarah raised her brows. "Battle strategies. Interesting."
"I told Mrs. Henry that I would go downstairs early to get something for us to eat. She's assured me that what I've requested will be followed through."
Sarah frowned. "What did you request?"
Jareth sighed. "After all that has happened between us, the colonists and the British, I thought it wise that we should remain up here. Jacob was with the men that captured me and I don't know if he still communicates with any of them. While Jacob seems to be a good man and he believes us to be harmless, I don't know what his friends would believe. I refuse to put us in unnecessary danger. The men won't be staying the night and I've been assured that we will be left alone."
"Jareth, you're scaring me."
Jareth noticed the expression on her face and she did look frightened.
"War is frightening, Sarah." He reached toward her and swept a few strands of hair from her face. "You've seen men die here and it's only going to get worse." He removed his hand from her hair and helped her sit up. He lowered the plate onto her lap and taking one sandwich for himself, sat in the chair beside her bed.
They ate in silence.
* * *
Dinner was eaten in much the same manner. With the talk of the battle and hearing the voices of men they didn't know downstairs in the normally quiet Henry house, it made their situation seem more realistic.
Jareth and Sarah didn't speak. They listened to what was being said downstairs. All the men were riled up, including Jacob and Mr. Henry. Even the women were joining in the discussion. Mrs. Henry and some other woman were arguing about something, while Elizabeth and someone else argued about a different matter.
Sarah listened as they all continued to argue and then stopped, trying to make sense of the chaos. She was absently aware of Jareth's gloved hand holding hers, his thumb stroking the skin on the back of her hand.
Sarah was afraid. This felt much worse than when she was a child and she was hiding somewhere so her parents wouldn't find her after she'd done something wrong. She loved to hide in the attic and she remembered one particular incident when she was about 5 years old. She had eaten all the cookies left in the cabinets. She knew after she had eaten the last one that her mother would be furious. She'd run up the stairs and crawled up into the attic, hiding behind an old bureau. She could still remember hearing the sound of her mom coming closer, and fearing that she would be found.
Though this was a much more serious situation, the feeling was still the same. The adrenaline pumped through her body. Her senses were sharp and aware of every sound, every smell and every sight around her. The fear raced through her and caused her heart to pound almost painfully in her chest as she tried to steady her breathing.
Jareth continued to stroke Sarah's hand. In the darkness, he hid his own fear very well. It wasn't until he heard people leaving 4 hours later that the fear slowly left him.
In the course of the past hour, Sarah had leaned closer to him and was resting against his shoulder. It was an odd feeling, but a welcome one.
The house sounded quiet now. Jareth noticed that Sarah seemed to feel heavy against him and he realized that she had fallen asleep. Carefully, he laid her down on the bed and pulled the blankets over her. He sat in the chair by her bed and spent a sleepless night watching over her.
* * *
A knock at the door awakened Sarah from her sleep. She rubbed at her eyes and yawned. She looked over and saw that Jareth was sitting in the chair beside her bed. He gave her a slight smile.
There was a knock on the door again and it was more persistent. Sarah pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail so she looked more presentable and bid whomever it was to enter.
"Good morning! And don't you look well?"
Both Jareth and Sarah exchanged glances at each other when Elizabeth entered the room. She carried a tray of breakfast food and was bubbling with joy.
"Good morning," Sarah replied quietly.
"Mama asked me to bring you both some food and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to introduce you to William." She smiled sweetly as she placed the tray down.
Jareth frowned and Sarah noticed that he seemed to stiffen with tension.
Jareth wanted to politely decline the introductions, but he realized it was too late when he saw a young man standing in the doorway. Jareth got to his feet immediately, standing protectively in front of Sarah.
Elizabeth rushed to the doorway and she took a hold of the man's hand, leading him from the darkness of the hall into the room.
Jareth swept his wild hair back off his shoulders, realizing that he must look horrible to both Elizabeth and this man.
Elizabeth didn't seem to notice Jareth's wild hair or that his shirt was unbuttoned halfway down his chest, but the man did. He gazed curiously at Jareth.
"William, I'd like you to meet Jareth and Sarah." Elizabeth smiled.
William was a tall man. Taller than Jareth but a bit bulkier. He had dark hair that was tied back and wore clothing that suggested he came from a wealthy family.
William grinned. "So these are the two house guests."
He made certain to stress the word 'guests' and Jareth could only imagine the stories that Elizabeth had fed this man.
"I've heard much about you both and I was surprised that you did not join us for dinner last night."
"Sarah has been ill," Jareth said immediately. He already distrusted this man.
"Cholera wasn't it? You should thank God for sparing her. Three others were not so fortunate," he said bitterly. "But you are not ill, Jareth. Why didn't you join us? Does the idea of war turn your stomach?"
Jareth gritted his teeth, but he forced himself to appear calm. "Sarah has been extremely weak. I didn't want her to be left alone."
"Indeed," William replied.
Sarah sensed tension in the air between William and Jareth. "How did things go at dinner last night?" she asked. "Jacob told us about what happened at Breed's Hill."
William turned his attention to Sarah. He gave her a sly smile. "Jacob has spoken highly of your knowledge. He was telling me just this morning that he was impressed with you knowing that there were two different hills. Dinner went well. In a few weeks time some of us will be heading south to join the Continental army."
William turned back to Jareth. "When your friend is well again, do you plan to participate in the war or are you just going to sit around and allow other people to fight for you?"
"That's not fair!" Sarah shot back. "This isn't our war!" she blurted.
"Sarah…" Jareth warned.
But William had not missed her words. "Not your war? Yet you reside in a house that has a family full of Yankee Patriots? Do you live in the colonies?" He didn't wait for a reply. "Then this is your war as well and to think otherwise is traitorous. You would be wise to watch what you say, little girl, or someone might believe you to be a loyalist!" he spat.
"What's going on up here?"
Everyone turned to see Mrs. Henry, dressed in an apron and covered in flour, standing in the doorway.
"It's nothing, Mrs. Henry. Elizabeth and I were just leaving," William told her. He nodded quickly in Sarah and Jareth's direction and left the room.
Elizabeth shrugged and followed him.
"Is everything all right? I heard shouting."
"We're fine," Jareth said coldly.
Mrs. Henry put her hands on her hips.
"We're fine, Mrs. Henry. I think William was just a little riled up because of the war," Sarah told her.
Mrs. Henry sighed. "It's best to let him settle down. He was volatile last night almost to the point that I thought he might come to blows with some of the other gentlemen."
"And yet you allow your daughter to court him?" Jareth asked.
"He may be sensitive about the war, but William is a good man from a good family and he's wealthy. I'd like to see my daughter well off. If things work out, he will take good care of her."
Jareth had to keep from snorting in disgust. He could tell that Mrs. Henry didn't really approve of William but since money was involved in the situation she was willing to let it go. He thought her a better person than that.
"Besides, all the men are sensitive about the war," she continued, sounding like she was making excuses for William.
"They fear losing to the British which would mean lord knows what kind of life we all would come to lead. They fear for their families." She glanced at Jareth and then at Sarah. "In fact, you two seem a little too calm. War is upon us. You might want to think about that carefully." She shook a finger at them and left the room without another word.
"This is such a mess," Sarah sighed.
"You know the history of this place. It must all work out in the end."
"It does, but what happens until then? Freedom is still far away."
She frowned and fidgeted restlessly in the bed. "And I can't stand lying here in this bed for another moment while it all goes on around me." She swung her feet over the edge of the bed, which alarmed Jareth.
"What do you think you are doing?"
"I'm tired of being in bed. I want to know what's going on and I want to go out. It's beautiful."
"You're not well," he told her.
"I'm well enough," she fought back.
Jareth sighed. "Just one more day of rest. I will strike a bargain with you."
Sarah eyed him warily. "What kind of a bargain?"
"If you rest all day and by rest I mean sleep," he lowered his voice, "when everyone else has gone off to bed tonight, I'll take you to the pond. It's beautiful at night."
"I don't want to go at night. I want to go outside now." She started to climb off the bed and Jareth moved in front of her to block her.
"Sarah, you're still weak and if Mrs. Henry saw you out of bed so soon after a near brush with death, she would send you directly back. I don't believe that she would allow you to go outside."
"But I feel much better!"
"Try to walk then." Jareth stepped back and gave her the room that she needed.
Sarah got to her feet. Wobbling unsteadily, she took a few short steps and fell forward.
Jareth caught her in his arms. "You are not completely healed. You feel well but you are still weak and vulnerable."
Sarah looked as if she might cry. "I'm tired of being in bed."
Jareth looked into her eyes. "I know that you are. If anyone knows how you feel right now, it's me."
She gave him a sad grin. He'd been shot and confined to a bed for days. He knew exactly how she felt. "If I'm too weak to walk very far then how can I go out tonight?"
"I'll have to carry you out. Like this." He picked her up into his arms, cradling her against him before he laid her down on the feather mattress of her bed.
Sarah looked incredulous. "You would do that for me?"
He nodded. "But you must rest in bed all day."
Sarah sighed. "Fine. I'll rest."
Jareth smiled and lifted the blankets over her as she lay down.
He sighed as she rolled over and closed her eyes, attempting to sleep.
He needed time….Just a little more time.
* * *
After eating a late dinner, Jareth urged Sarah to sleep and rest until it was time to sneak out of the house. It took a lot of convincing on his part and a promise that he would awaken her when it was time.
Finally, around midnight, Jareth heard Mrs. Henry in the hallway. She was blowing out any lanterns that had been left burning. When Jareth heard the sound of her door closing, he gently awakened Sarah.
"Mrs. Henry has finally gone to sleep. She stayed up reading much later than she usually does."
"Isn't that just my luck?" Sarah whispered as she yawned and stretched.
Jareth grinned. "Well, if you're too tired to go…"
"Don't you even think about weaseling your way out of our deal. You promised."
Jareth smiled wickedly. "I did promise and I intend to keep to my word." He strode across the room and went searching through Sarah's drawers. He tossed a dress and a shawl at her. "Put these on."
"With you in the room? I don't think so."
Jareth chuckled in amusement. "Sarah, I've seen you in your undergarments before, but if it comforts you I will stand by the window."
Sarah watched him as he moved to the window. She looked down at the floral dress he had tossed on her bed. She quickly changed out of her nightgown and put the dress on. "I'm going to need a bath tomorrow."
"I'll arrange it," Jareth told her. He was still gazing out the window.
"You can turn around now. I'm dressed."
Jareth turned and saw that she was dressed and she was standing on her own. He stepped close to her. "The rest seems to have done some good. You appear stronger than you did this morning. Are you ready?"
She nodded and carefully Jareth lifted her into his arms. She turned the doorknob as they made it to the door. As he stepped with her out into the hall, she reached over and closed the door behind him.
Jareth walked slowly down the stairs, wincing each time a board would creak under his feet. He finally made it to the bottom and moved quietly past the dogs that were sleeping by one of the chairs. One of the dogs awakened and growled.
"Go back to sleep," Jareth told the dog. Recognizing the familiar voice, the dog settled.
Jareth sighed thankfully.
He and Sarah slipped out through the kitchen and once outside, Jareth began to walk quickly. The sooner they were away from the house, the better he would feel.
When they made it to the woods Sarah began to laugh. "Well, this sure beats staying in bed."
Jareth smiled.
"Can you put me down? The pond isn't far and I'd like to try and walk on my own," Sarah told him.
Jareth hesitated but finally agreed.
He placed her down on her feet, but he kept an arm around her waist as they began to walk. They went slowly and Jareth was amazed how much one day of rest had helped her. Though her steps faltered every so often, she was doing fine.
The pond came into view several minutes later. Sarah gasped at the sight. A full moon shone brightly in the sky and its reflection could be seen on the water. Everything was covered in a pale blue light.
"It's so beautiful…" Sarah gasped.
Jareth smiled. "I thought you might enjoy it at night."
"How did you know that it would look like this?"
"I came here several times at night when I needed to think. It's quiet and peaceful not to mention beautiful."
Sarah smiled. It was quiet, other than a few bullfrogs calling to each other. There was a slight breeze but it was fairly warm.
Jareth lead her closer, moving slowly so she wouldn't fall.
"Oh, Jareth, look!" Sarah lifted her hand and pointed to purple flowers that were growing around the eastern side of the pond. "Blue Flag Irises," she told him. "My grandmother used to have some growing by her pond. We would always pick a few and put them in a vase on the table in her sun room." She smiled at the memory and then frowned.
"What is it?" He asked softly.
"I haven't seen flowers like those in so long." She looked cautiously into Jareth's eyes. "My grandmother died when I was 7. I don't remember much about her other than her laugh and her love of flowers."
"I'm sorry," he told her.
"It's all right." She gazed at the flowers.
Jareth followed her gaze and then stepped away from Sarah.
She watched him curiously and gasped when he transformed into a barn owl right before her eyes. Before she had time to question what he was doing, he took to the air, swooping over the pond and circling around the small patch of purple flowers.
In owl form, the side of him that had been shot was still sensitive but he was not in so much pain that it compromised his flight. He swooped lower and clenched the flower by its stem with his talons. He pulled upward, but the flower was persistent and didn't want to leave its watery home. He tried again and again until he was finally able to pull one free.
He was so delighted that he'd been able to pick a flower that as he flew upward, he didn't watch where he was going.
"Jareth!"
He heard his name being called and then moments later he let out a shriek as his wings and back contacted a low hanging oak branch. He fell forward quickly and tumbled into the pond with a splash.
He flapped his wings wildly in an attempt to rise from the water but it was no use. His feathers were saturated. He could see Sarah panicking at the shore and as he began to sink in the water, he realized his idea hadn't been a very good one.
He tried to swim but the water was too deep. Were he in a shallow body of water, he might have been able to fly out, but he was literally over his head. Transforming to his humanoid form was out of the question, as he had never learned how to swim. Either way, he was doomed.
He heard a splash and noticed that Sarah was throwing sticks and logs into the water. He kept moving his wings in an effort to keep his head above the water. He watched a few sticks and logs floated by him but he was unable to reach them.
Finally, one drifted his way and he tried to climb onto it. That didn't work as the log rolled with his weight, so he hooked his beak onto the wood and floated. It was several minutes later that he finally made it to shore.
Sarah was there waiting for him and she was frightened.
He climbed onto the shore and shook himself, trying to get the excess water off. He walked a few feet and then transformed into his humanoid form. Exhausted from his watery adventure, he collapsed to his knees.
"Of all of the stupid…You idiot!" Sarah yelled at him. "What did you do a thing like that for?"
Jareth was thankful that he had decided to shake before transforming. He had been able to get rid of most of the water and, thankfully, he was no longer saturated, just extremely damp. His clothes were damp and cold against his body.
Sarah rushed at him, falling to her knees. She quickly pulled off her shawl trying to dry him with it.
"I'm all right," He told her, trying to wave her off. He could feel his face flushing with embarrassment. He was Fae, supposedly a graceful creature. Yet whenever he was around Sarah he seemed to have the gracefulness of a falling rock.
Sarah ignored him and rubbed his shoulders and his chest vigorously with the shawl. "Why didn't you turn back into yourself?"
"Because I can't swim," he told her softly.
Sarah's eyes widened. "You can't swim?"
"No! If I had transformed, I would have sank to the bottom like a stone."
"If you can't swim than why did you go and do such a silly thing like flying over the pond? You could have drowned!"
"I wanted you to have the flower. It meant something to you," he told her quietly.
"The flower is just a piece of an old memory. You are much more important to me than some stupid flower," she blurted.
Jareth's eyes widened. Sarah saw his reaction and she immediately went quiet. She concentrated on trying to dry him.
Jareth watched her. She refused to look into his eyes and busied herself with seeing that he was all right.
"Why did you run away from me?" The words were like an explosion in the quiet that lingered between them.
"What?"
"Why did you run away from me the last time we were here?"
Sarah looked away.
"Why, Sarah?" he asked again. "I need to know."
She closed her eyes and opening them, cautiously looked into his mismatched eyes. "Because I was afraid." She looked past his face to his shoulder as she began to try and dry him off again.
Jareth reached for her hand and stilled it. Then he pulled it and the shawl away from him. "What were you afraid of?"
Sarah watched a drop of water drip down his hair onto his shirt. She sighed heavily. "I was afraid of being hurt. I'd never told anyone about my past before. You were the first."
"You thought I would use that knowledge against you."
Sarah nodded.
"Would it make you feel better to know that you were the first to learn of my past as well? I've never told another living soul."
Sarah's brows rose in surprise. "Really?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"I'm sorry that I ran away. I just…I thought that you still wanted revenge, even though you said that you didn't." She gazed at him with a guarded expression. "We haven't exactly been on good terms and every time we do start to get along, something happens."
"You were protecting yourself from it occurring again."
Sarah nodded and reaching forward, she attempted to dry him off, even after he batted her hand away.
"Stop fussing, I'm fine," Jareth told her.
"You're still all wet." She reached for his hair and moved the long damp strands away from his face. "You'll catch cold and get sick," she told him, continuing to run her fingers through his hair.
"It's a warm night with only a slight breeze. I'll be fine," he whispered as he watched her.
His eyes bored into hers and suddenly feeling uneasy, she pulled her hands away.
"Maybe we should…um…get back to the house. It's growing late," Sarah suggested. She got to her feet but didn't get very far when she felt Jareth's hand wrap around her wrist. He had held her hand before, but this time it was different. It was skin she felt and not leather. She turned to look at him, unsure of why he had stopped her.
He got to his feet and gazed deep into her eyes.
"Do you trust me?" he asked softly.
"What?" Sarah asked.
"Do you trust me, Sarah?" he asked again. "Yes or no?"
She hesitated for a moment. Her heart was pounding in her chest.
"Yes," she whispered.
Jareth's eyes seemed to sparkle as he leaned forward and lowered his lips to hers.
Sarah's eyes closed instinctively as she felt Jareth's lips brush against her own. His lips were soft and warm, gently caressing her mouth. She had never felt anything like this before and she wavered unsteadily on her legs.
Cautiously, Jareth drew away. He watched as Sarah's eyes fluttered open and a confused expression appeared on her face. He tilted his head and gave her a lazy smile, all the while trying to still his heartbeat.
'Why-why did you do that?" she asked.
Jareth's hand hovered in the air in front of her and gently he pushed back the dark locks that were falling into her face. He brushed them behind her ears, marveling at the silkiness against his bare hand.
"Is this not what one does when they wish to express affection for another?" he asked softly.
Sarah's brows furrowed at the words and her eyes closed once again as Jareth moved forward to capture her mouth with his.
His kiss was more demanding as it turned from pressure to friction, but he was careful not to move too quickly. One hand slid to her waist while the other rested on her back and pulled her closer to him.
Jareth felt his heart leap when she didn't resist him and she slowly began to respond.
He pulled back to take a breath, resting his forehead against hers. He had expected her to pull away from him. He certainly had not expected her to respond.
Sarah moved forward unexpectedly and recaptured his mouth. Her kisses were clumsy and he noticed that she was trying to mimic what he had been doing earlier.
He carefully took the lead, moving his mouth over hers and then giving her time to imitate what he had been doing. She learned quickly and before he could stop himself, Jareth was moaning softly against her.
Sarah responded automatically to the sound and she followed his lead with a fervor of her own. She moved closer to him, her hands resting on his chest as she pressed her lips more firmly against his. She was barely aware of his damp clothes beneath her palms.
Jareth felt bold and he began to place open-mouthed kisses on her mouth. She responded and he slipped his tongue into her mouth as her lips parted.
Sarah froze at the sensation of his tongue in her mouth and noticing her tension, Jareth slowly pulled away.
Sarah was blushing and she ducked her head as Jareth watched her.
"I'm sorry…I…" she started. She drew her hands to her chest and realized that the front of her dress was damp from being pressed against him.
He reached for her chin with his fingers and lifted it so he could look into her eyes. "It's all right," he told her with a smile. "You were doing just fine."
She frowned at his words. If he was trying to praise her, then he probably knew.
"It's just, I've never…Brian…" she tried to explain. She looked into Jareth's eyes. "Brian wasn't a very good kisser and I'm afraid that I'm not either." There…It was out. She lowered her head feeling ashamed at her inexperience as well as her embarrassment.
Jareth smiled and slid one hand over hers. He gently caressed her fingers and then brought her hand to his chest. He used her fingers to push the damp fabric away from his skin and then pressed her palm flat against him.
Sarah could feel the pounding of his heart beneath her hand.
"There is no need to be embarrassed. We all have to start somewhere," Jareth told her, smiling.
"It's like dancing," he explained as he leaned forward. "One takes the lead and the other follows."
"Okay…" Sarah whispered as his lips loomed closer. She closed her eyes and waited.
He brushed his lips against hers and started slowly. He waited until she didn't feel so tense before he tried anything different.
She responded well and he was pleased when he felt her hands slide up his chest and shoulders as her arms wrapped around his neck.
He could feel the tension slipping from her body with each passing moment and noticed a boldness as she moved her mouth against his.
He encouraged her, teasing her with his mouth. His movements drove her to move toward him. He noticed that one of her hands had slid back down to his chest and she was clutching the fabric of his shirt.
Her inexperience was obvious to him with her occasional clumsiness and her repeated movements, but he didn't mind. In fact, it was a refreshing change.
Her boldness grew in intensity and before long she was taking the initiative and brushing her tongue against his, causing him to pull her tightly against him.
His body trembled with the urge to lie her down so that he could explore her entire body. But somehow a small voice made it through the desire that raged in him, and he listened to the warning it spoke of.
She was inexperienced and still held her virtue. She could frighten easily and now that she had showed him she felt something for him, he was not about to do anything that might push her away.
He tried to ignore the blood pounding in his ears, the blood rushing to his groin. His body would have to wait until another day.
Regretfully, he pulled his mouth from hers and she looked at him in confusion.
"Why did you stop? Have I done something wrong?" Her brows drew together as she looked into his eyes.
He shook his head and placed a quick kiss on her swollen lips. "No. You've done nothing wrong." He caressed her cheek with his hand, rubbing his thumb over her smooth skin.
"We must take this slowly, before it becomes too much and neither of us can stop." He allowed his gazed to fall between them and Sarah followed it, suddenly understanding what he meant. For the second time in just a few days, his arousal was pressed firmly against her belly.
She closed her eyes as feelings of warmth and desire flowed into her. He was strong and solid against her. With how she felt, her body tingling with desire, she knew how easy it would be to lose herself to him right now.
She licked her lips and nodded in agreement. She knew that Jareth was holding himself back for her and his patience was something she would not forget any time soon.
She opened her eyes when she felt his hand once again brush her cheek.
Jareth looked into her eyes, his gaze very intense. "Remember when I told you that you were not ready to hear what I had to say?"
Sarah nodded, feeling her heartbeat quicken.
"If I tell you, will you promise not to run away?" he teased lightly.
Sarah grinned. "I promise."
"Do you think you can cope with what I have to say?"
She nodded again, noticing how incredibly serious he had become. He was looking deep into her eyes, as if he could see into her soul. For a moment he looked like a child, afraid that he would get punished for admitting something he had done wrong.
Sarah's brows furrowed and she prayed what he had to say would not hurt her. Things were going so smoothly. Too smoothly, she realized sadly.
Jareth watched her brows draw together, watched as uneasiness clouded her eyes. She was afraid and he was unsure of how to deal with that. But it was now or never.
He moved forward and placed a delicate kiss on her lips. Pulling back, he looked deep into her eyes.
"I love you, Sarah," he whispered throatily.
The words seemed to echo between them, stretching out the moment much longer than it should have been.
Jareth began to panic when there was no significant reaction.
Sarah stared at him, eyes wide, but her expression was otherwise unchanged.
Moments later, her eyes filled with tears and she began to cry. She fell forward against Jareth burying her face into the warmth and comfort of his chest.
Jareth's brows drew together in confusion. He had thought that she would be happy with his declaration.
'What is it? What's wrong?" he asked.
Sarah tried to compose herself. She lifted her head and gazed upon Jareth's confused face. She lifted a shaking hand and stroked his cheek and then buried that hand in his damp hair. "No one has ever told me that they loved me….Are…are you sure?"
Jareth drew back slightly. "If I wasn't sure, I would not have said it, Sarah." His brows furrowed. "Do you not believe me?" His heartbeat quickened. Was she rejecting him?
She laughed. "I believe you…and yet, it's so unbelievable…" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she leaned forward, pressing her lips firmly against his.
"No one has ever told you that they loved you?" he asked.
She nodded.
"What of your parents?"
She shook her head.
"Your brother?"
"He's too young to understand."
"Other family? Friends?"
She shook her head again and moving forward, brushed her lips lightly against his. "You're the only one. That's why I cried…It was so unexpected."
Jareth pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. "It won't be unexpected any longer." He lowered his face into her hair and held her against him.
In the haziness of love and desire, he wondered why it had been so difficult to admit what he had felt earlier. The fact that she was mortal was no longer an issue to him. He still loved her.
"It's taken me a long time to admit what I've been feeling all along, but I love you, too," she whispered against him. She felt his arms tighten around her.
Beneath the moonlight, Jareth stroked her soft hair and held her against his body.
He vowed that as long as he drew breath, she would never feel unloved again.
To be continued….
OK, so are you happy now!?? J/S goodness! NO more threatening the author!