Chapter 32: The day after
The next morning Jareth woke up with Sarah asleep in his arms. He began stroking her hair.
"I love you my queen!" He smiled knowing what had occurred the night before, hoping that his seed would find a way to one of Sarah's valuable eggs. Jareth laid there for about an hour, until Sarah woke up herself.
"Ummm… Good morning Jareth." Sarah smiled as she kissed him on the lips passionately.
"Good morning my love. I trust you slept well."
"Ummm…indeed I did. And you, my love?"
"Just wonderful." He smiled.
"Good!" Sarah said tightening her grip around Jareth.
"Well shall we get up and get started on our day?"
"Oh do we have to? Can't we just stay here and stay in each-other's arms?"
"We could do that, if you would like my love."
"Good." Sarah was rubbing Jareth's arm.
"It is quite cold this morning." Sarah whispered as she began to shiver.
"Oh well here let me keep you warm." Jareth said, stroking Sarah's back, and putting his legs around hers, while pulling up the covers.
"Is that better?" He asked.
"Oh yes, thank you."
"Of course." He replied kissing Sarah's forehead.
"Jareth?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you… for last night." She blushed.
"Your welcome Sarah. But why are you saying that?"
"Because, you made it so special."
"Well yes I had been planning for that moment for quite some time."
"I could tell. Well I mean very thing was just beautiful and the food was delicious…And you weren't to bad yourself." Sarah joked.
"Well I can't say the same for you. You were wonderful. And it was the best night of my life."
"Jareth."
"Yes?"
"I love you, so much…" She began to cry. "…more than you will ever know."
"Well I doubt that. Of course I know how much you love me. And I love you just as much. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me." He said and began kissing Sarah intimately. They laid in bed for a few more hours and then Jareth suggested that they get up. He kissed Sarah and then climbed out of bed, walking into the wash chamber. He turned on the tub and then went back to Sarah.
"Come on Sarah, we have to get you washed up." He ordered, leaning over to picking her up.
"No…I don't want to get up" she moaned pulling the covers over her shoulders. Jareth took the covers and pulled them down.
"Oh yes Sarah! You are going to get up, whether you like it or not!" He laughed. Jumping on the bed and tickling Sarah.
"Okay, okay I give up. You win…you win…!" She cried in laughter.
"That's better." He said picking her up and carrying her into the wash room. He carefully placed Sarah in the tub and began rubbing her body with the sponge to clean her body, from the dried sweat from the night before.
"Well Jareth you are going to have to get clean as well. For what ever you have planned. So why don't you come in here with me."
"I thought you'd never ask." He smiled while stepping in. He sat down facing Sarah and she began to wash him as well. Jareth leaned over and kissed her on the lips. Once they finished their bath, Sarah stepped out and grabbed a towel. Jareth followed her and Sarah handed him a towel as well.
"Thank you." He stated, kissing Sarah on the cheek and wrapping the towel around his waist.
"Your welcome." She wrapped her towel around herself and grabbing another towel she began to dry her hair. She walked into the bed chamber still rapidly rubbing the towel through her hair, as she watched Jareth pick something out to wear and place each article of clothing on the bed. She had never seen a men pay such attention to how he looked. He was now walking back and forth thinking about the outfit he had chosen.
"What do you think Sarah?" pointing to the clothes on the bed.
"Well, I think they are just fine."
"Well fine is not good enough. It needs to be excellent."
"Okay."
"How about you chose something for me to wear? This will be a nice change for once." When Sarah heard this she stopped rubbing her hair and said,
"You want me to choose you outfit?"
"Why yes." Jareth replied shocked by her question.
"Okay." Sarah smiled. She dropped the towel on the floor and walked over to the chest and pulled out all of his shirts and laid them on the bed. Then she grabbed all of his tights and put them on the bed as well. Walking over to the wardrobe she took all of his vests and coats.
"What are you doing Sarah?" Jareth laughed.
"What do you think? I am picking out your outfit." She smiled. Jareth just watched as she looked so serious.
"Jareth!"
"Yes!"
"Stand over here please."
"Okay." He laughed again. Sarah took two shirts and held them up to Jareth's chests.
"Hum?" She thought for a brief moment and then placed one of the shirts one the chair in the corner of the room and the other back on the bed. She continued this routine over and over, with all of the shirts, all of the tights, coats and vests. Until finally there was only one shirt, one pair of tights, and one coat, lying on the bed.
"Okay Jareth. Here is the outfit that you are going to wear." She said pointing to the articles of clothing lying on the bed. Jareth started laughing hysterically. As he noticed that the clothes that Sarah chose for him to wear were the same ones that he had laid out before.
"Well are you sure Sarah?" Jareth joked.
"Yes! I am sure." She laughed, while blushing.
"Good decision."
"Thanks."
Jareth dropped the towel and sat on the edge of the bed. He took the pair of tights and slipped them on. While he was getting dressed Sarah took all the rest of the clothes and began to put them back where she got them. When she finished Jareth was putting sitting in the chair watching Sarah. He had finished dressing. Sarah looked at him.
"What are you looking at?" She questioned.
"Only at the most beautiful thing in all the worlds, and I am thinking how lucky I am to have it."
"And what would it be?"
"You, my darling, you." He replied looking intently into her eyes. Sarah giggled and turned red. *God he's good!* she thought.
"Now what are you going to wear Sarah?"
"I don't know yet. I have to go to my bed chamber and look."
"Ah. Sarah."
"Yeah!"
"This…is your bed chamber." Jareth smiled. Sarah looked around and then it clicked. *Oh yeah we're married, duh!* she mused.
"Right!"
Jareth laughed at her sudden realization.
"It's okay! Don't worry about it…Here." Jareth waved his hand and then all of Sarah's things were now on his bed. Laid out neatly. Sarah walked over to the bed and put her hand on a gown that she wanted to wear, but was stopped by Jareth.
"Nope." He stated. So Sarah put her hand on another gown, that she thought about wearing, and was about to pick it up…
"Nope." Jareth shout out again.
"Okay then! You pick!" She mocked.
"Hum?" Jareth started walking around Sarah and scanning her up and down.
"Hum…Hum…Hum…" he repeated, tapping his finger on his chin.
"Well?" Sarah interrupted impatiently.
"I'm thinking! Now stand still." He walked over to the bed and picked up two gowns and brought them over to put in front of Sarah. Sarah just laughed because he was teasing her and copying what she did to him.
"This is going to be very difficult. Something is not right. Come stand over here!" He ordered. Sarah obeyed and stood in front of the balcony. Jareth snapped his fingers and suddenly the towel she was wearing was gone, and was replaced by a beautiful gown. It was a plum purple color. It was fitted around the bodice. The sleeves hung off her shoulders and were also fitted around her arms up to the elbow. And from the elbow to about the middle of her hand they flared out. There was gold trim around the hem of the gown and covered the seams along the rest of the gown. And just above the waist was gold rope that when tied, dangled in the front. From the waist down the gown flowed freely to the floor, with a simple train in the back. The neck line was low and revealed cleavage.
"Ah yes that is much better." Jareth sighed, gazing at how beautiful Sarah looked in it. And pleased with his choice. Sarah ran to the vanity and looked in the mirror. She loved it. Running up to Jareth she hugged him tightly.
"It is beautiful. Thank you."
"Yes well one thing is missing, that will make this complete." Jareth walked over to the vanity and opened the draw, carefully taking out a gold tiara. He smiled at Sarah and then placed it on top of her head.
"There! That's better!" Pleased with himself he kissed Sarah on the lips and took her hand.
"Now it is time to go."
"Go where?"
"To the Half-ground!"
"But why?"
"To claim our new kingdom. Of course."
"Oh. Now? But we just got married." Sarah frowned.
"I know, I am just joking. I'm taking you into the city, so that we can pick up that painting you like so much."
"It's done being cleaned?"
"Yes."
"Well finally! It's about time."
"What do you mean?"
"Well it has been gone for so long. I was beginning to think that you were never going to get it back. Besides, why does it take so long to get a painting cleaned?"
"Okay to tell you the truth Sarah, I did not get it cleaned."
"So you lied to me?"
"Well yes."
"Why? What did you do with it?"
"You will see. But believe me I only lied, because it is a surprise, and I don't want to you know what really happened to it."
"Why?"
"That's that surprise Sarah. You will have to wait and find out." He smiled kissing her hand.
"Shall we go than?" He asked.
"I guess so."
