Part Four - To Rule and be Ruled
As she had predicted, she soon saw Jareth striding along the corridor through the open doorway, the heels of his riding boots clicking sharply on the marble floor. As she shooed away her attendant and closed the door Talia raised an eyebrow.
"You take many liberties Lord Jareth. Is there a particular reason you have so presumptuously decided to dispense with the services of my attendants?" her voice echoed icily in the bare room but made little impact on the approaching lord.
"My apologies you majesty, please forgive my assumption," his tone lacked sincerity and his eyes met hers with a slight challenge, "If you would prefer I could retrieve your attendants and any other audience you should like to summon before I give you my report."
Jareth stood arrogantly before Talia and she noticed that despite her instructions to him he was still wearing his 'Goblin King' attire. Blonde hair now framed his face in uneven feathers and his legs were encased in trousers so tight as to be indecent. She sighed and wondered if she had made a mistake in entrusting so much power to this man who seemed determined to defy her at every turn.
At one time it had been what attracted her to him. He had always possessed the wild quality of a man who, unlike the others, did not seem to care that she had the power to destroy him on a whim. He had never attempted to fawn over her or pay her ridiculously embellished compliments. He challenged her every decision and thought nothing about going against her orders if the mood took him. It had been refreshing after so many years of having every whim pandered to. She had attempted for years to tame him like her other courtiers, unable to resist the challenge, and yet he remained as he was - unconcerned that for all effects and purposes the he had won the heart of the Queen of the Underground.
Of course she would never say the words, or even acknowledge him officially to her other courtiers, but still Talia was aware that at times her passion for this creature verged on the ridiculous. She was the ruler of the kingdom and yet he had her at his beck and call. And, in particular recently, she had simply begun to grow too tired to pull him up on these petty challenges on her authority that he persisted in. She no longer seemed to have the energy to play the game as it had always been played between the two of them over the last thirteen years and she worried that because of this, ultimately, he would win. She would end up handing over to him everything that she had fought so hard for. The fight was not over yet though, no matter how confidant her treacherous love may be of the outcome Talia knew that she had not yet played her final hand.
"Proceed."
Jareth's eyes flared briefly at her abrupt tone.
"The girl travelled through the labyrinth and was able to win back the child. She met her fears and desires and yet conquered them." His tone clearly indicated that if Talia wanted the details she would need to ask.
"Is it time?" Talia already knew that Sarah had been able to successfully solve the Labyrinth, she was more concerned with what was to follow.
"As I understand it she is ready. I offered her her dreams and she refused them. The girl is no longer a child. The only problem I foresee is persuading her of where the future lies - you have taken a dangerous chance .." Jareth's voice dropped off, this was an argument that had taken place before. It would do no good to repeat his misgivings.
"It was a risk that needed to be taken. The girl needed to realise that the Labyrinth was not the fairy tale fantasy that she envisioned. It is not some Utopian realm that she can escape reality from, ultimately it will become the only reality she will know and we could take no risks over any misillusions she may have. She needed to realise that before we could proceed."
(It's not fair!)
"And yet you still expect her to return."
"She won't be able to prevent herself, I've taken care of that.." Jareth looked towards Talia and he nodded slightly.
It had never been spoken between them but he had realised that here had been an ulterior motive in the Queen's choice of Goblin King. Though she had never spoken of it Talia was certain that, just like her, Sarah Williams would be unable to resist the charms of the creature that stood before her. The only thing that remained to be seen was how Jareth himself had reacted to the girl.
It had been a chance that Talia had had to take. She was a Queen not a woman, and sometimes sacrifices had to be made.
As she had predicted, she soon saw Jareth striding along the corridor through the open doorway, the heels of his riding boots clicking sharply on the marble floor. As she shooed away her attendant and closed the door Talia raised an eyebrow.
"You take many liberties Lord Jareth. Is there a particular reason you have so presumptuously decided to dispense with the services of my attendants?" her voice echoed icily in the bare room but made little impact on the approaching lord.
"My apologies you majesty, please forgive my assumption," his tone lacked sincerity and his eyes met hers with a slight challenge, "If you would prefer I could retrieve your attendants and any other audience you should like to summon before I give you my report."
Jareth stood arrogantly before Talia and she noticed that despite her instructions to him he was still wearing his 'Goblin King' attire. Blonde hair now framed his face in uneven feathers and his legs were encased in trousers so tight as to be indecent. She sighed and wondered if she had made a mistake in entrusting so much power to this man who seemed determined to defy her at every turn.
At one time it had been what attracted her to him. He had always possessed the wild quality of a man who, unlike the others, did not seem to care that she had the power to destroy him on a whim. He had never attempted to fawn over her or pay her ridiculously embellished compliments. He challenged her every decision and thought nothing about going against her orders if the mood took him. It had been refreshing after so many years of having every whim pandered to. She had attempted for years to tame him like her other courtiers, unable to resist the challenge, and yet he remained as he was - unconcerned that for all effects and purposes the he had won the heart of the Queen of the Underground.
Of course she would never say the words, or even acknowledge him officially to her other courtiers, but still Talia was aware that at times her passion for this creature verged on the ridiculous. She was the ruler of the kingdom and yet he had her at his beck and call. And, in particular recently, she had simply begun to grow too tired to pull him up on these petty challenges on her authority that he persisted in. She no longer seemed to have the energy to play the game as it had always been played between the two of them over the last thirteen years and she worried that because of this, ultimately, he would win. She would end up handing over to him everything that she had fought so hard for. The fight was not over yet though, no matter how confidant her treacherous love may be of the outcome Talia knew that she had not yet played her final hand.
"Proceed."
Jareth's eyes flared briefly at her abrupt tone.
"The girl travelled through the labyrinth and was able to win back the child. She met her fears and desires and yet conquered them." His tone clearly indicated that if Talia wanted the details she would need to ask.
"Is it time?" Talia already knew that Sarah had been able to successfully solve the Labyrinth, she was more concerned with what was to follow.
"As I understand it she is ready. I offered her her dreams and she refused them. The girl is no longer a child. The only problem I foresee is persuading her of where the future lies - you have taken a dangerous chance .." Jareth's voice dropped off, this was an argument that had taken place before. It would do no good to repeat his misgivings.
"It was a risk that needed to be taken. The girl needed to realise that the Labyrinth was not the fairy tale fantasy that she envisioned. It is not some Utopian realm that she can escape reality from, ultimately it will become the only reality she will know and we could take no risks over any misillusions she may have. She needed to realise that before we could proceed."
(It's not fair!)
"And yet you still expect her to return."
"She won't be able to prevent herself, I've taken care of that.." Jareth looked towards Talia and he nodded slightly.
It had never been spoken between them but he had realised that here had been an ulterior motive in the Queen's choice of Goblin King. Though she had never spoken of it Talia was certain that, just like her, Sarah Williams would be unable to resist the charms of the creature that stood before her. The only thing that remained to be seen was how Jareth himself had reacted to the girl.
It had been a chance that Talia had had to take. She was a Queen not a woman, and sometimes sacrifices had to be made.