Special thanks to my talented beta and friend, Scattered Logic. Also thank you to Lady Jamie for her support and friendship.
Chapter 31: Life's twists and turns.
3 months later
Sarah opened her eyes and glanced around the darkened room. She smiled as she felt Jareth's warm body curled against her own. It was the same every morning as it had been for three months. The two would awaken in each other's arms. Sometimes they made it out of bed on time to do their chores and other times they didn't.
Sarah sighed as she realized that although it was light out, the sun had not risen. Yet another morning where she would be awake for hours before Jareth even stirred.
Absentmindedly, she twisted the two rings on her left hand. Realizing that she was once again indulging in her latest habit, she stopped and spread out her fingers in front of her to gaze at the rings. Both were on her ring finger and although they looked terribly out of place together, Sarah loved them dearly.
Her copper ring with the quartz crystal was on the top. It was her favorite ring, although she wouldn't tell Jareth that. Although it was crude in design, he had made it for her with his bare hands and it was her engagement ring.
The ring beneath it was fancy with its beautiful sparkling diamonds and the finest silver she had ever seen. Jareth had created this one with his magic.
Elizabeth always talked about it, often claiming that William would buy her a bigger ring when he asked her to marry. She had also claimed that Jareth stole it because there was no way he could have paid for it. Jareth made a small white lie up that it was his mother's and now it belonged to Sarah.
Sarah remembered the small argument she and Jareth had over the ring the morning after their wedding.
"It is a ring fit for a queen and that is what you are, Sarah. A queen. MY queen," Jareth told her. "I won't have my wife wearing that horrid looking thing that a peasant's wife should be wearing." His eyes narrowed as they focused upon the copper ring on her hand.
Sarah drew her hand back to her chest, her eyes wide. "Horrid? Jareth, you made this ring for me and I love it."
"And I've made another one that is more fitting for your position as Goblin Queen."
Sarah shook her head. "But I don't want another ring. I love the one I have. Jareth, the point of me giving you a ring wasn't for you to make another for me. I love the one that I have." Sarah glanced down at the copper ring on her finger and then over at Jareth's hand. The ring she had made for him fit perfectly but he seemed to misunderstand her intentions. She had explained that she wanted to follow a custom of her people and present him with a ring, and he had blown the whole thing out of proportion.
She looked at him and noticed the angry and upset expression on his face had not yet vanished. Sarah sighed.
"Jareth, I'll make a deal with you. I will accept the new ring that you want to give me and you will accept that the ring you made me without magic will never leave my finger for as long as I live." Jareth opened his mouth to protest, but Sarah shook her head at him. "We've been married for less than a day and we're having our first argument as a married couple. I would rather we could compromise whenever possible instead of ruining things with our stubbornness and tempers."
"Who are you calling stubborn?" Jareth asked.
"Both of us," Sarah told him gesturing to him and then her. "If we're going to make this marriage work, we have to compromise and be willing to bend on occasion. Otherwise, this marriage won't work and I can't even bear thinking about the possibility of us separating."
Jareth looked at Sarah for a few moments. He noticed the tears in her eyes. "Did you become a sage overnight?" he teased lightly.
Sarah blushed and then laughed. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was one all along."
Jareth laughed and pulled Sarah into his arms. He buried his face into her hair and purred into her ear, "Oh, really?"
Sarah nodded.
Jareth pulled her even closer and Sarah let her head fall back with a sigh as she felt him press his hardening erection against her.
Sarah smiled at the memory. It was the first of many mornings when they gave into what their bodies craved. Jareth was a wonderful lover even though she had no one to compare him to. He was her first, what she envisioned a husband and a lover to be and she vowed he would be her only. He was gentle and passionate; always interested in fulfilling her needs if possible before his own. And each time they made love, he used his magic to protect her.
Her smile faded as she thought of the last month. They'd been making love less and less and Sarah knew that it was her fault. Some nights and mornings she was just too tired and not aroused enough to indulge in sex. Jareth never complained and would curl up against her, content with falling asleep with her body pressed to his. She smiled as she thought about him. She had been wrong. He wasn't what she envisioned a husband and lover to be. He was much more.
Sarah yawned softly and gazed over at the window. Still no sun. Sighing, she looked down and noticed two mismatched eyes staring back at her. A concerned hand reached for her face and smoothed her cheeks with long thin fingers. She wondered how long Jareth had been awake without saying anything.
"Trouble sleeping again?" he asked.
"Just a little. But I'm fine," she told him softly.
Jareth sat up, the sheets of the bed pooling down to his waist. His expression was one of concern. "You look exhausted." He traced the dark circles under her eyes with a finger and then leaned over to kiss her lips. "Mrs. Henry has you working entirely too hard," he told her after pulling back.
Sarah laughed and shook her head.
But Jareth wasn't laughing. "Each night before we sleep you look exhausted and in the morning you look the same." Jareth reached down to caress her face.
Sarah sat up and waved him away. "Really, I'm fine. Stop fussing."
Jareth frowned. "I am not fussing. I'm justconcerned."
She studied him for a moment. His brows were drawn together and his eyes were filled with concern. He was worried. She could see it as plain as day on his face. She knew the more time they spent together, the more he opened up to her. His expressions were no longer unreadable or hidden behind carefully erected masks. She smiled and then stroked his face, her fingers coming to rest on his chin.
"I know you are, but I'm fine." She kissed his lips softly and drew back. "Really."
Jareth did not like that Sarah awakened each morning still appearing tired and he liked her brushing it off as nothing even less. Also the decision he'd made the previous night was weighing heavily upon him. He didn't know how he was going to tell her about what he had agreed to do with Jacob.
Jareth and Sarah had grown closer in their marriage and the thought of being away from her for even a few days tormented him, as he knew it would torment her.
He gave a heavy sigh as he laid his head down on her lap. He felt Sarah's fingers gently begin to comb his hair.
How was he going to tell her?
* * *
Sarah was stirring the dough for cornbread and she was half-aware of the conversation that Mrs. Henry and Elizabeth were having. She'd been uninterested at the start. Elizabeth had been bubbly about William coming to see her the next day. Sarah would make sure that she was in the attic when he arrived. She didn't like William. Not after the way he had spoken to Jareth and herself when she was recovering.
Something in the conversation made her stop what she was doing and listen. She realized that the topic of the conversation had turned from William to news that a friend in town had announced that she and her husband were expecting their first child. Sarah gathered from the talk that the woman was someone Elizabeth knew. Someone she had gone to school with at some point.
Sarah wondered what it would be like in the future when she and Jareth found out that she was pregnant. She imagined that Jareth would be excited. He had mentioned a baby a few times; often catching himself at the last moment because he knew it was not wise at this point in time. She knew he wanted a child, but they both had agreed that they wouldn't try for one until they were in a more stable environment. Raising a baby during a war in a world that was still unfamiliar to them was not a wise course of action.
"Isn't it wonderful?" Elizabeth asked Sarah. The blonde was beaming.
"Hmm?"
Elizabeth made a distasteful noise. "Didn't you hear a word we said? My best friend is having a baby."
"Oh, that's nice," Sarah told her softly.
"Nice? It's wonderful!" Elizabeth bounded away across the kitchen and Mrs. Henry laughed at her antics.
Sarah didn't laugh. She suddenly felt empty and miserable inside.
She excused herself from the kitchen, ignoring the strange looks that Elizabeth and Mrs. Henry gave her as she went. She walked outside into the warm sun, moving towards the woods with her arms wrapped around herself.
In the short time that she was alone, she put a few pieces of a puzzle together and made a startling discovery.
* * *
Jareth paced back and forth in the attic. Sarah was downstairs helping the women wash and dry the dishes. She had been lethargic at dinner and it worried him. Something was wrong and he desired to know what it was. He also knew he had to tell Sarah about his decision. He would be leaving in the morning and she had no idea. The thought of distressing her even more bothered him greatly.
The door to the attic opened and Jareth jumped, startled out of his thoughts. He spun to face the visitor, his heart suddenly racing.
Sarah gave him a quick nod as she entered the room. She looked away from him as she shut the door, untied her apron and tossed it onto a nearby chair.
"Sarah, we have to talk," Jareth blurted out. The suspense was killing him.
Sarah turned to face him and Jareth felt his heart twist painfully in his chest. Her eyes were full of tears and he only hoped that one of the Henrys had not mentioned the trip that he and Jacob would be taking.
Jareth stepped closer to her and reached to take her into his arms. Sarah took two steps back. He frowned.
"Sarah, what is it?"
Sarah wiped at her tears. "Tell me what you have to say first."
Jareth swallowed and suddenly felt as if he were a child again, standing before his father being forced to tell something bad he'd done.
"I'm going away tomorrow," Jareth told her softly.
Sarah looked panicked. "What? What do you mean going away? Where to? For how long?" She couldn't help the questions that tumbled from her lips.
Jareth lowered his eyes and then looked into Sarah's again. "Only for a few days. I agreed to go with Jacob and a few men to deliver supplies that will be on route to Newport, Rhode Island."
"Jareth, that's too dangerous and Newport is too far away!"
"Sarah, it involves little danger. We're not going to Newport. We will transfer the supplies to another group in Taunton who will bring them to Newport. Besides, I have my magic to protect me."
"Your magic won't do you much good against iron weapons or if you're shot again!" Sarah cried out.
Jareth sighed. He had expected her to take this badly. "We are only delivering supplies and we will be away from British soldiers. Going with Jacob is the least I can do after all that he has done for us." He reached for her again and she batted him away with her hands. Jareth felt his heart sink into his stomach as she began to cry.
Once the tears started streaming, they wouldn't stop. "You can't go. Iforbid it," she told him in between sobs.
Jareth's eyebrows arched over his eyes. "You forbid it?" His tone had become cold.
Sarah began to cry even more. She buried her face into her hands, unable to stop the tears that came. Jareth made no move to comfort her and it hurt her. She needed him now more than ever. She pulled her hands from her face and looked at him with tears still streaming down her cheeks.
"You can't leave me and the baby," she blurted out.
Jareth's eyes widened and his heart began to pound in his chest at her words until he realized there was no baby. She was upset that he was leaving and she was making something up that she knew would convince him to stay.
"Sarah, there is no baby," he said as calmly as he could.
"Yes, there is! I think I'm pregnant," she sobbed.
"You think? If you thought even harder about what you just said you would have realized that that's impossible. I protected you with magic. You can't possibly be carrying my child." Jareth's tone was still cold but his voice cracked as he spoke the last sentence.
Sarah buried her face into her hands once more and sobbed harder. After a few moments she looked up again. She wiped at her eyes and said, "You think I'm making it up, but I'm not. Jareth, I'm always tired."
"Mrs. Henry works you too hard," he told her.
Sarah shook her head. "I'm gaining weight."
"You've been eating better."
"I've missed my periodmy cycle for 3 months."
Jareth had no reply to that. He stood there just blinking at her. He paused before speaking. "Are you sure?"
"I think I would know if I missed my cycle or not. If I'd had it you would have known."
Jareth knew that was true. He'd never known much about the reproductive cycle of females until Sarah. One day he'd questioned her and he'd learned much more than he'd wanted to. Thinking back, he realized that Sarah had not spoken of having her cycle for the last 3 months.
Sarah watched Jareth's jaw begin to tremble. "Sarah, this can't be. I protected you with magic. We took precautions to insure that this wouldn't happen."
Tears continued to stream down Sarah's face. "I don't think your magic worked one of the times that we" Her voice trailed away. Her voice cracked as she spoke again. "The signs are there. I've missed my period for 3 months. I'm always tired. I'm gaining weight. And my breasts have felt sore. "
He tilted his head, his brows drawn together as he said, "Why did you not put all these things together earlier?"
"Because I never really thought about it. You used your magic. I didn't think it could happen. But Elizabeth and Mrs. Henry were talking about someone they knew being pregnant and suddenly I started putting things together about myself."
Jareth felt his breathing become uneven. "But the magic"
Sarah started shaking visibly. Jareth wasn't taking this as she had hoped he would.
"How long have you known? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Jareth sounded both hurt and angry.
"I only figured it out this afternoon. I didn't know how to tell you. I've never been pregnant before. I thought you would be happy but II didn't know." Her voice was soft and she continued to tremble.
Jareth saw her shaking and he noticed the tears streaming down her face. He realized how this must look to her. He stared at her, and then he glanced at her stomach. A child was growing within her. His child.
Jareth had her in his arms in a crushing embrace before Sarah even had time to blink. He buried his face into her hair. He felt Sarah return the embrace and heard her begin to sob all over again. He held her a long time, until her sobs quieted.
He stepped back, holding her at arm's length. There were tears in his eyes and a broad smile on his face. His hand moved to Sarah's abdomen and his smile broadened. "We're having a babe," he told her.
She smiled and nodded. Relief flooded her at his reaction.
Jareth's laughed. "It's true. I can sense it. Its life force is faint as it is so small, but I can still sense it."
Sarah's eyes widened. "You can sense the baby?"
Jareth nodded.
"Is it a boy or a girl?" she asked eagerly.
Jareth grinned. "I cannot tell that yet. My magic is not strong enough and the babe is too young."
Jareth pulled her to him again, one hand still resting on her stomach and the other stroked her face. Sarah rested her cheek against Jareth's shoulder. She reached up and traced lazy patterns on the fabric of his shirt.
"This is so wonderful." Jareth purred into her ear.
Sarah lifted her head. She smiled. "It is wonderful." Immediately after her words, a strange look appeared in her eyes and her smile faded.
Jareth lowered his head. He knew what she was thinking. "It's only a few days, Sarah. I'll be back before you know it."
"Please don't go. Please," she pleaded. "It's too dangerous and the baby and I need you."
Jareth sighed heavily. He knew that she would use the baby as barter to make him change his mind but he couldn't. "Sarah, I gave Jacob my word and I will not break it. It is only a few days and then I will be back."
Sarah fell limply against him and the tears started to fall again.
Jareth held her tightly as he kissed her hair and rocked her in his arms.
* * *
Neither Sarah nor Jareth slept that night. Instead they held each other and late into the night they made love for the first time in a while.
Morning arrived too quickly, and it took Jareth several attempts to get out of bed to get dressed and ready to leave. Sarah kept trying to convince him to stay but he wouldn't. Finally dressed and ready, together they walked to the barn.
Jacob was there alone tacking up his horse, Flame. He nodded to Jareth and Sarah and felt his heart drop into his stomach when he saw Sarah's tear stained cheeks. Jacob tried not to watch them as they tacked up Dannarra but he couldn't help it. It was obvious that Sarah and Jareth were both miserable.
A short time later Mr. and Mrs. Henry entered the barn. They announced that William had arrived and that he was visiting briefly with Elizabeth and that they should leave soon.
Jacob agreed.
Everyone was saying goodbye and offering wishes of a safe journey when Jacob rode his horse over to Jareth and Sarah.
Jareth was running his hands through Sarah's hair as they embraced each other.
"Jareth, there has been a last minute change in plans," Jacob told him.
"What do you mean?" Jareth asked. He slowly pulled back from Sarah and patted Dan's neck.
"If I leave, there will be no one to protect my family."
"Your father is here and there have been no reports of skirmishes for at least a hundred miles."
Jacob sighed. "My father is not as well as he used to be. While he can handle a musket and bow and arrow better than anyone I know, he does not have the strength or stamina to lead my family to safety should the need for it arise."
Jareth's eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you saying?"
Jacob sat up straighter in his saddle. "I want you to stay behind and protect my family."
Sarah felt relived at the request, but Jareth wasn't feeling the same. "Jacob, I gave my word. I was serious when I agreed to go on this journey."
Jacob nodded. "I know you are serious and I know that you mean well to the cause. But my family needs protecting. It would be a great favor if you would do this and it would allow me not to worry on the journey."
Jacob turned his horse away and then turned in his saddle to look back at Sarah and Jareth. "This is not your war. Stay here and protect your wife." Jacob looked over at Sarah. "And your baby." Jacob nudged his horse forward to a walk.
Jareth's eyes widened, and it took him a few moments to get over the initial shock of Jacob knowing about the baby before he rushed after him. Jareth ran and grasped Jacob's reins, jerking his horse to a halt.
"How did you know?" Jareth demanded.
Jacob gave him a sad smile. "An accident I assure you, and my family does not know. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I had gone to speak to you and while outside your door I heard the news. Congratulations."
"Thank you, but if this is what made you change your decision for me to go"
Jacob shook his head. "I was skeptical about leaving my family with no one to protect them." Jacob glanced back at Sarah who was standing a few yards away watching the men and then back at Jareth. "With you staying behind it will ease not only my fears and worries but those of your wife." Jacob leaned over in the saddle and extended a hand to Jareth.
Jareth shook it heartily.
"Stay well," Jacob told him.
"And you. May your journey be swift and trouble free."
Jacob grinned. "I'm counting on it." He gathered his reins, gave his horse a kick and trotted over to William. The two men spoke a few words and then Jacob urged his horse into a gallop.
William's horse pawed anxiously to join Jacob's. William glared at Jareth and Sarah, not once looking at Elizabeth, and then galloped off after Jacob.
* * *
The trend of hot and humid weather finally ended in mid September. The weather that followed was considerably colder and very rainy.
Sarah and Jareth told the Henrys that they were expecting their first child and everyone but Elizabeth seemed overjoyed. Mrs. Henry had not bothered Sarah or Jareth very much as time had passed. It was obvious to her and her family that Jareth did mean to take care of Sarah.
The older woman had embraced Sarah upon learning of her pregnancy and immediately began making sure she took care of herself and didn't overwork. As annoying as it was at first, Sarah began to enjoy being pampered.
One week passed since Jacob and William had left to deliver supplies and everyone was beginning to worry.
Mr. Henry assured everyone that a horse could have gone lame or a wagon wheel could have broken as well as a hundred other simple things that may have extended the journey. Everyone hoped that he was correct.
It rained heavily for 3 more days and still there was no sign of Jacob.
The rain finally stopped during the night and the following morning it was incredibly foggy. The fog was so thick that it was difficult to see things just a few feet away.
Jareth was helping Mrs. Henry bring firewood into the house when the sound of hooves could be heard striking the ground.
Mrs. Henry clutched the firewood tighter to her body. "I think someone is coming." She smiled at Jareth. "It must be Jacob. EDGAR, ELIZABETH, THOMAS, SARAH, COME OUT HERE! JACOB HAS RETURNED!" she cried out.
The porch door swung open and all four of them came out of the house. Thomas helped his father hobble over to the group gathered near the dirt driveway to welcome Jacob home.
It felt like forever until the sound of the horse came closer.
Jacob's horse, Flame, appeared through the thick fog, but Jacob was not on his back. Instead, a young man that Mr. Henry recognized as Allen Morton was sitting upon the chestnut horse.
Allen's dark hair, his skin and his clothes were soaked in blood.
Mrs. Henry gasped and dropped the wood she was holding. She wavered unsteadily on her feet as she noticed the limp body slung over the front of the saddle.
"No" she started saying.
Jareth's eyes widened and he felt Sarah clutch his arm tightly. He also let the wood he held fall to the ground.
A silence fell over the group until Allen began to speak. Tears streamed down the man's face. "We didn't even know they were in the woodsnothing we could do" He lowered his head and began to sob like a child.
Sarah's eyes filled with tears and she covered her mouth with her hand.
Mr. Henry limped over to Flame. Allen was still sobbing, his face buried in his hands. Thomas was standing perfectly still, and he couldn't seem to move when his father gestured for him to join him.
Jareth made a move to help Mr. Henry but the older man shook his head and gestured again to Thomas.
It was a few moments later that Thomas joined his father. Due to Mr. Henry's injury and Thomas' lack of strength it was a struggle to lower the body to the ground.
Jareth left Sarah's side and helped them finish the awful task. When it was completed, he returned to Sarah.
Mrs. Henry and Elizabeth started wailing when they saw Jacob lying in front of them. They held each other as they cried.
Sarah stared in disbelief and she kept shaking her head. Finally, unable to stare at the gruesome sight any longer, she buried her face into Jareth's neck and began to let out loud ugly sobs.
Jareth held her tightly against him, unable to take his eyes off the body lying on the ground just a few yards in front of him.
It was fairly obvious by looking at Jacob that he had been tortured extensively and then finally shot in the chest.
Jareth watched as Thomas lowered his face into his hands and began to cry, the cruel shock of reality finally washing over him.
Mr. Henry, normally a strong man emotionally, someone who had already been through a war, fell gracelessly to the ground by his son's body and began to sob quietly.
Jareth looked away, unable to witness anymore. He rested his chin against Sarah's head and held her as she cried. The feel of her body against his helped Jareth cope with the numb feeling that was spreading through him.
Jareth didn't know how or why it had happenedbut Jacob was dead.
To be continued