Chapter 37: Banter
Jareth walked down the hall and knocked on the door that was on his right.
"Come in!" He heard
Sarah say. He walked in and saw Sarah sitting on a sofa in the corner of the
room. There were other ladies with her. He bowed to the women and then to
Sarah. Walking over to her he knelt down beside her and kissed her hand. Looking
to the ladies he said,
"Sorry to disturb you
ladies. Did I interrupt anything?"
"Oh no Jareth it is quite
alright! We were just having girl talk that's all." Sarah smiled.
"So you have been
enjoying yourself?" He asked looking up at Sarah lovingly.
"Indeed, I am!" She
smiled back down at him.
"Good!" He looked up
at her and then pulled up to kiss her on the lips.
"Well ladies I think that
it is time that we leave, King Jareth and Queen Sarah alone." One woman whispered,
as she smiled to them and began to get up.
"Oh no, excuse me, I will
leave you ladies alone. I have some unfinished business to attend to." Jareth
said looking at the woman and getting up from the floor. He kissed Sarah once
more and walked back to the door.
"I will come back later
and find you, my love!" He smiled looking intimately at Sarah.
"Okay! I will be right
here." She smiled. And watched Jareth begin to close the
door.
"Or in
the gardens!" She shouted to Jareth before he got the chance to
shut the door completely. When he heard her he quickly swung it open again and
shook his head, smiling to let her know that he heard her. Then began to shut
the door, but Sarah called out again,
"Or in the study! Or...or...or in the dinning room having tea!" She
shouted. Then she just heard Jareth laughing as he closed it all the way and
continued to laugh walking down the hall.
"God I love that woman!
She is just to much!" Jareth left the castle
going out onto the grounds. He walked around to see if anything was in need of
repair. He also spoke with the guards and warned them that they were going to
have to work extra hard and keep a firm ground. To watch out for any trouble
makers and make them pay the price, for any wrong doings. After that Jareth
went back to the Underground. There he, sat and waited for calls from the
Aboveground, of kids wanting their siblings taken away. There was one, so he
went to the Aboveground and bursted through the
window of a little boy's home. He frightened the child.
"You're him aren't you?
You're the Goblin King!"
"Jon, go back to your
room. Play with your toys and your costumes. Forget about the baby!"
"I can't!" The boy
wined.
"I've brought you, a
gift!" Jareth stated in his routine tone.
"What is it?" The
boy asked curiously.
"It's a crystal, nothing
more...." Jareth began twirling a crystal around his hands, moving it
around like it had a mind of it's own.
"... But
if you turn it this way and look into it. It will show you, your dreams.
But this is not a gift for an ordinary boy who takes care of a screaming baby!
Do you want it?..." The boy just looked at him
thinking how much he wanted the crystal. "...Than forget the baby!"
"I can't! It isn't that I
don't appreciate what you're trying to do for me. But I have to have my brother
back. He must be so scared!"
"Jon! Don't defy me!..." The Goblin King screamed. "...You're no
match for me Jon!"
"But I have to have my
brother back!" Jareth sighed once again. He would get annoyed with these
mortals and their decisions. One minute they don't want their siblings, and the
next, when he was nice enough to grant them their wish. They want them back.
And have to go through the Labyrinth. So Jareth stepped aside and continued
with his routine lines.
"He's there, in my
castle! Do you still want to look for him?"
"Is that the castle beyond the
Goblin city?"
"Turn back Jon! Turn back
before it is to late."
"I can't, don't you understand
that I can't?"
"What a pity!... You have thirteen hours to reach the soul of the Labyrinth,
before your baby brother becomes one of us, forever. Such a
pity." Jareth laughed and then vanished from the boy's sight,
leaving him to wonder the maze of hell. Jareth was back in the Underground. As
he was seated at his throne,
"I just don't understand
these mortals. They are all so stubborn. Can't they just appreciate what I am
trying to do for them. After all I go out of my way to help them, and they just don't see
that!" Jareth yelled taking his riding crop and whipping it onto the arm of
his chair. It caused a loud sound which startled the goblin council. Jareth
looked at them and then got up from his seat. He walked out of the room and
down the hall. He stopped to look at the painting of him and Sarah. He smiled
at the sight of his beautiful wife. Then walked into their
bed chamber. He flopped down on the bed and rubbed his temples. He was
getting a tremendous headache. He closed his eyes and sighed, attempting to
fall asleep, but failed miserably. He wanted Sarah to be with him. He conjured
a crystal and looked at Sarah. She was still in the room that Jareth saw her
last. She was talking with the ladies and Jareth could see her smiling. He also
saw that at every chance she could, when the ladies were not looking at her,
she would rub her belly, and smile, biting her lower lip.
Back
in the Half-ground:
"Sarah?...Sarah!"
"Oh. Yes?"
"What ever is the matter
child?"
"Oh, nothing at all. Why
do you ask?"
"Well it seems that you
are not paying any attention to what I say."
"Oh, I'm sorry! I have a
lot on my mind. That's all... Nothing bad of course!"
Sarah stated as she looked to the woman on her right, seated on the sofa. Who's eyes were now wide and attentive.
"Ah! Right.
Now as I was saying...." The women went on speaking, but again Sarah had
her mind on other things. So she could barely understand what the woman was
talking about, nor did she care. Sarah decided that she wanted to go and get
something to eat. So she stood up, bowed to the women. Who nodded in response. And walked out the door.
As she shut the door, she leaned against it. Tilting her head
back to rest on the door. She closed her eyes and sighed. Just then she
heard someone clear their throat. So she tilted her head back down and opened
her eyes to see who it was. It was Banter.
"Hello my lady!" He
bowed and took her hand, kissing it gently. Sarah sighed again.
"Hello, Banter." And
she began to walk away. But Banter sped up in front of her, which caused her to
stop, so she would not collide into him.
"...Ah, where are you
going?" He asked.
"Why does it
matter?" Sarah said impatiently. She wanted to continue to the kitchen and
really did not want to be bothered. She wanted to be alone.
"Well, I just feel that
you should not be walking around here alone." Banter stated, in a worried
tone.
"Banter I have walked
around here many, many times alone before. Why should it concern you now?"
"Oh no
reason!" He smirked. "Please allow me to escort you to your
destination." He stated simply, while putting out his arm, offering it to
her.
"Come on my Lady, I don't
bite." He laughed....
Jareth
had been watching this whole thing from the crystal and was furious that Banter
was speaking with her. Even after the warnings he gave him. Jareth threw the
crystal and then transported to the Half-ground.
"I don't think that will
be necessary Banter!" Jareth stated. Walking over to
Sarah. Sarah was about to say hello to Jareth but had no time. Before
she knew it Jareth was kissing her passionately. Wrapping his arms around her
and pulling her to him. He began to moan with each kiss. Banter just turned his
head and growled. Jareth broke free from kissing Sarah and he looked at her and
smiled. Then kissing her forehead, still holding her close.
"Banter are you alright?" Sarah asked. But Banter did not
answer.
"You answer your Queen
when she asks you a question Banter!" Jareth yelled. Sarah turned to
Jareth and frowned.
"What is going on
Jareth?" She demanded. Jareth turned and looked at Banter who as beat red
and frustrated.
"Well it appears my love,
that someone else is crazy for you as well!" Jareth stated simply. Sarah's
eyes widened as she turned to Banter too.
"Is this true Banter? Do
you have feelings for me?"
"Yes...my lady."
"But how can this be? You
know that I am wed to His majesty?" Sarah laughed in a shocked tone.
"I know my lady. That's
what makes you all the more irresistible..." Sarah walked up to him and
slapped him across the face.
"...I can't help what I
feel!" He mumbled rubbing his stinging cheek. Sarah walked back to Jareth
and took his hand.
"Well you are going to have to
control that!" She yelled. "Let's go Jareth!" And she turned
around and began walking with Jareth.
"I am not done with you
yet Banter!" Jareth shouted, before disappearing with Sarah.
