This is Not the Way
Chapter 4
****
Once Sarah had a slightly regripped her physical surroundings, she immediately shifted from the Goblin King's possesive grip, and fell, rather ungracefully, against something unbudginly sturdy yet deliciously soft. Out of instinct, her hands went rigid in front of her, to prevent falling and making a complete idiot of herself. Luckily, all her hands ended up catching were handful's of the finest satin she'd ever touched. Forgetting her situation briefly, Sarah's thoughts drifted to the dreams she'd had of marrying, and wearing satin as royal as this, flocking the bodice and full skirt of the most beautiful dress anyone had ever seen or imagined. She snapped back to reality when she heard the cold laugh resounding from every direction around her. Swirling around abruptly, nearly falling again, she came face to face with her captor. His eyes captured her contemptous stare, and though his expression was unchanging, a flint of another emotion lit through his eyes, spreading first through his warm hazel and then to the icy blue of the other. Amusement. He had been amused with her, over this situation no doubt. Raw anger flooded her veins as she began her tirade of insults.
"You arrogant bastard! Why am I here?" She exploded, the fifteen-year old in her taking over.
Arching his brows, Jareth regarded her cooly.
"Is that the tone you would use with a King?" He replied, not missing a beat.
"I would greet a proper King with respect and the admiration he deserved, because he would be proper and chivalrous; but you, O Great One, posess neither of those traits. And stop trying to dodge my question. Why am I here?" Her voice took on a particularly menacing tone with him as the words 'You have no power over me...' came flooding back.
"The question lies not in why you are here but why you do exactly what you... do," he socratized.
"No, the question is," Sarah paused and gritted her teeth. He was provoking her. He wanted to see the angry little girl he still believed existed in her. She would prove him wrong. "The question is why am I here? In the Labyrinth. With you. In of all places, what appears to be your bedchambers." She answered with a calm air.
"Ah, yes, well, that question has quite a lot of merit in your particular case. But it shouldn't be directed at me, but at, your dear stepmother," He replied elusivly. With a fluid movement of his wrist, a crystal rest atop his fingers. Inside the tiny globe, was a miniature Karen, reading from a tiny speck of red, which upon very careful examination, the gold embossed letters: Labyrinth, could be made out. Though the tiny Karen was silent, it was quite obvious what phrase rolled effortlessly from her tongue. Sarah immediately raised her gaze to the Goblin King's eyes, who were already focused on her. When she saw his proud expression, the direness of her situation setting in. Uncertainty flitted through her eyes and that was all the King needed to see to know that she could be broken.
"So you see, Sarah, you are mine, to do what I please with," Jareth stated. It wasn't a choice she was being offered this time, it was a fact she had to accept. She swallowed and said what she had believed.
"But... but I said it, I said you have no power over me! I said it 6 years ago, it still is in effect, and if its not," She paused, recollecting strength that had previously eluded her, "Then you have no power over me, Jareth," she repeated, using his name rather than his title. He smirked and shook his head, light hair shaking over his shoulders.
"Ah, Sarah. You always took things at face value. That was the fairy tale you wanted to live out, and I being the fool I was and having a spark of emotion towards you, allowed the fairy tale to be lived out, just for you," his last words had a mocking tone to it.
She shook her head in disbelief.
"No, it can't be. I can't be here. I have to be at home, I have things to do. I can't-- take me back Jareth," her voice took a commanding tone.
"Hmmm," he mused, humming it softly in the back of his throat. "No."
"You have to. I have a life aboveground. I have a house to care for. I have a job," the words just poured from her, and the last bit was narrowly heard it was so closely silent. "I have bills to pay..." Jareth's eyes narrowed at the last bit but took no worry.
"You have no life aboveground anymore. You left a letter about leaving, the police are aware that nothing sinister," his lips curled into a smirk at his own choice of words, "has taken place, 'Josh' is well aware of his job of taking care of the home now, and you no longer have that... job," he announced, pronouncing 'job' with a certain air of distaste. "So now, dear Sarah," he mocked, "You have a new life, here."
"And what does that entail?" she asked quietly, defeated.
He used his head to make a gesture towards the bed that she had collapsed upon on hearing the news of her 'new' life. Her eyes followed the movement and grew wide with shock.
"You may have me trapped here, Goblin King," she sneered, "But no way in HELL will I EVER sleep with you!" She yelled. Jareth was quickly growing annoyed with her and besides the fact that she had labeled him not worthy of her, he became angry.
"Its either there," Jareth started.
"Or where?" Sarah said, defiantly.
"Or, the tower," Jareth replied, cooly.
"Lead the way, O Prestigious One," She quickly answered. Jareth smirked and decided to allow Sarah the freedom she wanted so bad.
"Now, that would mean that you need me. But no, Sarah Williams doesn't need anyone. Find it yourself," he said, and with a slight movement of his hand, she was on the other side of the door, banging on it loudly and demanding that he take her to the tower.
****
"FUCK!" Sarah screamed. After giving up banging on the door, she decided she would find the tower herself. After hours of going up staircases all in different locations, her temper was flaring and patience had long since faded. She had tried many doors, attempting to find solace in one of them, yet not one door had opened, unless there was a staircase to be revealed.
Sinking to the floor, Sarah mentally admitted defeat. There was no way in hell she was going to find that tower, not with Jareth's ability to manipulate the castle as he did the Labyrinth. With her strength gone, she relished in the warm feeling taking over her, as sleep claimed her slowly.
The process had almost finished when she heard a door creak open. Startled and afraid of who or what it was, Sarah's defiant nature automatically came forth as she rose from her fetal position on the floor. When nothing came out of the now-opened door, she cautiously moved towards it and, stepping back as she did so, pushed it open. Still, nothing attacked her, so with her courage building, Sarah stepped in the room.
Three burning candles placed strategically around the otherwise black room offered the only visual assistance. Sarah gasped at the beauty of the room, although it was not nearly as splendid as Jareth's bedchamber, though she did not expect it to be so. The bed was made of a fine mahogony, she determined, based on the grain and the rich colors. The wood supported a mediocre size matress, bigger than her own, but not the biggest she'd seen. Upon feeling of the matress, she decided it was the softest thing she'd ever felt, and couldn't wait to christen it with her sleeping body. She pulled down the covers, revealing amazingly soft sheets, made of flannel to keep warm. The comforter and duvet mattered little, as she wouldn't even use them.
Turning around, Sarah saw a wardrobe that matched the mahogony bed. She assumed it had a few measly garments in it, on one level, but deep inside she hoped Jareth had stocked it full of gorgeous clothes that she could model in the full-length gilded mirror on the opposite wall. She sauntered over to it, not totally wanting to leave the softness of the bed beneath her. Slowly, she opened the double doors, revealing... a night-dress. Disappointment bloomed in her depths, though she really shouldn't have expected much, based on her poor attitude earlier.
She removed the item from its hook where it resided in the wardrobe, and moved over to the mirror. Holding it up against her womanly form, Sarah found it matched her every measurement. Looking around the room for prying eyes, and finding none, Sarah slipped the gown on over her clothes, not wanting a repeat of earlier this evening. She managed to remove her shirt and jeans without showing any indecent areas of skin. Once the task was complete, she tore off towards the bed, and landed with a soft thud. She snuggled under the covers and was lost to her own thoughts of the day.
****
Jareth watched from one of his crystals, turning away as she changed, to be safe. He watched her jump as a happy child into the bed, and snuggle down into the warmth of the sheet. She still warmed his heart, however many years later it was. He watched until her breathing became rhythmic as she slept; eager to be by her side.
Once he noted her breathing to be equally spaced and deep, he apparated to her side. She continued breathing evenly, unaware of his presence. He watched her, a longingness burning deep within the pits of his soul. He reached down and stroked her hair, not noticing he awoke her.
****
Taking in her surroundings, Sarah realized that someone was there, touching her hair. She went rigid, as a possum in front of a car would.
"Go away, please, Jareth," she quietly stated. Her speaking shocked him, and he withdrew his hand.
"Why do you so wish to keep away from me, Sarah?" His voice queried, after a few moments of silence. She remained silence, no reply answered, but surprising him when she did.
"Because you have condemned my brother to his own hell," she said, nearly silent.
"How, Sarah?" Jareth inquired earnestly.
"You've brought me," she began, voice hitching in the back of her throat as tears clouded her vision, "here." Taken aback, Jareth contemplated her words, thinking of what he could have done to cause that.
"Tell me, tell me what you mean, Sarah," he gently commanded.
"You've brought me here, away from my home and his. Now I can't p-," she started, unable to finish as a heaving sob racked her chest. He waited until her crying abated, tempted to rub her back to ease her pain, but deciding against it, for her to continue. "I can't pay his school tuition," she said, finally.
****
El Fin chapter 4!!
I really am sorry its been so long since I updated; its ridiculous. I have, however, come up with a plotline which I fully intend to follow. More shall be added, and SOON.
3 to all my reviewers and readers, should you actually still read it!!
queen_of_swing
****
Once Sarah had a slightly regripped her physical surroundings, she immediately shifted from the Goblin King's possesive grip, and fell, rather ungracefully, against something unbudginly sturdy yet deliciously soft. Out of instinct, her hands went rigid in front of her, to prevent falling and making a complete idiot of herself. Luckily, all her hands ended up catching were handful's of the finest satin she'd ever touched. Forgetting her situation briefly, Sarah's thoughts drifted to the dreams she'd had of marrying, and wearing satin as royal as this, flocking the bodice and full skirt of the most beautiful dress anyone had ever seen or imagined. She snapped back to reality when she heard the cold laugh resounding from every direction around her. Swirling around abruptly, nearly falling again, she came face to face with her captor. His eyes captured her contemptous stare, and though his expression was unchanging, a flint of another emotion lit through his eyes, spreading first through his warm hazel and then to the icy blue of the other. Amusement. He had been amused with her, over this situation no doubt. Raw anger flooded her veins as she began her tirade of insults.
"You arrogant bastard! Why am I here?" She exploded, the fifteen-year old in her taking over.
Arching his brows, Jareth regarded her cooly.
"Is that the tone you would use with a King?" He replied, not missing a beat.
"I would greet a proper King with respect and the admiration he deserved, because he would be proper and chivalrous; but you, O Great One, posess neither of those traits. And stop trying to dodge my question. Why am I here?" Her voice took on a particularly menacing tone with him as the words 'You have no power over me...' came flooding back.
"The question lies not in why you are here but why you do exactly what you... do," he socratized.
"No, the question is," Sarah paused and gritted her teeth. He was provoking her. He wanted to see the angry little girl he still believed existed in her. She would prove him wrong. "The question is why am I here? In the Labyrinth. With you. In of all places, what appears to be your bedchambers." She answered with a calm air.
"Ah, yes, well, that question has quite a lot of merit in your particular case. But it shouldn't be directed at me, but at, your dear stepmother," He replied elusivly. With a fluid movement of his wrist, a crystal rest atop his fingers. Inside the tiny globe, was a miniature Karen, reading from a tiny speck of red, which upon very careful examination, the gold embossed letters: Labyrinth, could be made out. Though the tiny Karen was silent, it was quite obvious what phrase rolled effortlessly from her tongue. Sarah immediately raised her gaze to the Goblin King's eyes, who were already focused on her. When she saw his proud expression, the direness of her situation setting in. Uncertainty flitted through her eyes and that was all the King needed to see to know that she could be broken.
"So you see, Sarah, you are mine, to do what I please with," Jareth stated. It wasn't a choice she was being offered this time, it was a fact she had to accept. She swallowed and said what she had believed.
"But... but I said it, I said you have no power over me! I said it 6 years ago, it still is in effect, and if its not," She paused, recollecting strength that had previously eluded her, "Then you have no power over me, Jareth," she repeated, using his name rather than his title. He smirked and shook his head, light hair shaking over his shoulders.
"Ah, Sarah. You always took things at face value. That was the fairy tale you wanted to live out, and I being the fool I was and having a spark of emotion towards you, allowed the fairy tale to be lived out, just for you," his last words had a mocking tone to it.
She shook her head in disbelief.
"No, it can't be. I can't be here. I have to be at home, I have things to do. I can't-- take me back Jareth," her voice took a commanding tone.
"Hmmm," he mused, humming it softly in the back of his throat. "No."
"You have to. I have a life aboveground. I have a house to care for. I have a job," the words just poured from her, and the last bit was narrowly heard it was so closely silent. "I have bills to pay..." Jareth's eyes narrowed at the last bit but took no worry.
"You have no life aboveground anymore. You left a letter about leaving, the police are aware that nothing sinister," his lips curled into a smirk at his own choice of words, "has taken place, 'Josh' is well aware of his job of taking care of the home now, and you no longer have that... job," he announced, pronouncing 'job' with a certain air of distaste. "So now, dear Sarah," he mocked, "You have a new life, here."
"And what does that entail?" she asked quietly, defeated.
He used his head to make a gesture towards the bed that she had collapsed upon on hearing the news of her 'new' life. Her eyes followed the movement and grew wide with shock.
"You may have me trapped here, Goblin King," she sneered, "But no way in HELL will I EVER sleep with you!" She yelled. Jareth was quickly growing annoyed with her and besides the fact that she had labeled him not worthy of her, he became angry.
"Its either there," Jareth started.
"Or where?" Sarah said, defiantly.
"Or, the tower," Jareth replied, cooly.
"Lead the way, O Prestigious One," She quickly answered. Jareth smirked and decided to allow Sarah the freedom she wanted so bad.
"Now, that would mean that you need me. But no, Sarah Williams doesn't need anyone. Find it yourself," he said, and with a slight movement of his hand, she was on the other side of the door, banging on it loudly and demanding that he take her to the tower.
****
"FUCK!" Sarah screamed. After giving up banging on the door, she decided she would find the tower herself. After hours of going up staircases all in different locations, her temper was flaring and patience had long since faded. She had tried many doors, attempting to find solace in one of them, yet not one door had opened, unless there was a staircase to be revealed.
Sinking to the floor, Sarah mentally admitted defeat. There was no way in hell she was going to find that tower, not with Jareth's ability to manipulate the castle as he did the Labyrinth. With her strength gone, she relished in the warm feeling taking over her, as sleep claimed her slowly.
The process had almost finished when she heard a door creak open. Startled and afraid of who or what it was, Sarah's defiant nature automatically came forth as she rose from her fetal position on the floor. When nothing came out of the now-opened door, she cautiously moved towards it and, stepping back as she did so, pushed it open. Still, nothing attacked her, so with her courage building, Sarah stepped in the room.
Three burning candles placed strategically around the otherwise black room offered the only visual assistance. Sarah gasped at the beauty of the room, although it was not nearly as splendid as Jareth's bedchamber, though she did not expect it to be so. The bed was made of a fine mahogony, she determined, based on the grain and the rich colors. The wood supported a mediocre size matress, bigger than her own, but not the biggest she'd seen. Upon feeling of the matress, she decided it was the softest thing she'd ever felt, and couldn't wait to christen it with her sleeping body. She pulled down the covers, revealing amazingly soft sheets, made of flannel to keep warm. The comforter and duvet mattered little, as she wouldn't even use them.
Turning around, Sarah saw a wardrobe that matched the mahogony bed. She assumed it had a few measly garments in it, on one level, but deep inside she hoped Jareth had stocked it full of gorgeous clothes that she could model in the full-length gilded mirror on the opposite wall. She sauntered over to it, not totally wanting to leave the softness of the bed beneath her. Slowly, she opened the double doors, revealing... a night-dress. Disappointment bloomed in her depths, though she really shouldn't have expected much, based on her poor attitude earlier.
She removed the item from its hook where it resided in the wardrobe, and moved over to the mirror. Holding it up against her womanly form, Sarah found it matched her every measurement. Looking around the room for prying eyes, and finding none, Sarah slipped the gown on over her clothes, not wanting a repeat of earlier this evening. She managed to remove her shirt and jeans without showing any indecent areas of skin. Once the task was complete, she tore off towards the bed, and landed with a soft thud. She snuggled under the covers and was lost to her own thoughts of the day.
****
Jareth watched from one of his crystals, turning away as she changed, to be safe. He watched her jump as a happy child into the bed, and snuggle down into the warmth of the sheet. She still warmed his heart, however many years later it was. He watched until her breathing became rhythmic as she slept; eager to be by her side.
Once he noted her breathing to be equally spaced and deep, he apparated to her side. She continued breathing evenly, unaware of his presence. He watched her, a longingness burning deep within the pits of his soul. He reached down and stroked her hair, not noticing he awoke her.
****
Taking in her surroundings, Sarah realized that someone was there, touching her hair. She went rigid, as a possum in front of a car would.
"Go away, please, Jareth," she quietly stated. Her speaking shocked him, and he withdrew his hand.
"Why do you so wish to keep away from me, Sarah?" His voice queried, after a few moments of silence. She remained silence, no reply answered, but surprising him when she did.
"Because you have condemned my brother to his own hell," she said, nearly silent.
"How, Sarah?" Jareth inquired earnestly.
"You've brought me," she began, voice hitching in the back of her throat as tears clouded her vision, "here." Taken aback, Jareth contemplated her words, thinking of what he could have done to cause that.
"Tell me, tell me what you mean, Sarah," he gently commanded.
"You've brought me here, away from my home and his. Now I can't p-," she started, unable to finish as a heaving sob racked her chest. He waited until her crying abated, tempted to rub her back to ease her pain, but deciding against it, for her to continue. "I can't pay his school tuition," she said, finally.
****
El Fin chapter 4!!
I really am sorry its been so long since I updated; its ridiculous. I have, however, come up with a plotline which I fully intend to follow. More shall be added, and SOON.
3 to all my reviewers and readers, should you actually still read it!!
queen_of_swing