Part 8 - Afterglow
Jareth shifted slightly as the icy cold from the bare stone floor that he was lying on slowly seeped through the layers of clothing that he was wearing. In the distance he could hear the muted noise of music that suggested that the entertainments had began in the grand hall and that the courtiers had began the prolonged dances; which would continue well into the night. That at least gave him some indication as to the time and as far as he could ascertain he was still within the walls of the palace .
In the darkness of the bare room Jareth's mouth shifted slightly as he forced his muscles to form a slight smirk. The old girl was growing soft. If the truth be known he had been deliberately pushing for a response. Perhaps it was even a relief to find himself lying in, what he would assume, was a locked cell - suffering from the after effects of her temper.
Though Jareth was curious to discover if there was a means of escape, he was not quite so sure as to his ability to raise himself from the floor. The full length of his body ached and there remained a slight 'tingle' from the surge of energy that had rushed through him and then quite literally knocked him off his feet.
It had been a sensation that had been slightly reminiscent of a far more pleasurable activity and Jareth felt completely spent. His entire length screamed in protest when his muscles shifted but there remained a contented lethargy to his condition that forced Jareth to wonder if the Queen of the Underground treated all of her enemies to that particular side to her temper or if it had been an energy force conjured specifically for him.
Jareth focussed on the red clouds that hovered in front of his closed eyes and forced them aside. He then gathered his energy and parted his eyelids. The room remained dark. In the distance he could make out a vaguely grey shadow that gave the suggestion of light but had no sense of distance that would indicate to him how large the room was or where this light originated from.
Jareth lay still for several moments as he waited for his vision to settle and slowly lifted his right arm. In the dark he was unable to make out the shape of it as he raised the hand in front of his face and it was only when he held his hand steady, right in front of his eyes, that he was able to make out a slight indication of shape and shadow that provided the evidence that his hand had actually moved and was not still pinned to the ground by his hip.
Jareth remained still for a moment as he registered these facts. Without moving his hand from before his faced he closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them again. Interesting, there had been no change.
The cold continued to seep through his body and Jareth wondered if there was a chair or cot in the room that would lift him away from the cold of the floor. Instinctively he knew that his crystals would have been removed from his person and so he would be unable to use any magic to aid his situation. The best that he could hope for was that when the politics of the court was over and the dancers had retired Talia would come to see him. Perhaps this was all part of a plan to see him grovel, he hoped not. It seemed beneath her somehow. When she came that would be the time to wonder about to what purpose it served to have him incapable of seeing his surroundings - or anything else for that matter.
Jareth shifted slightly as the icy cold from the bare stone floor that he was lying on slowly seeped through the layers of clothing that he was wearing. In the distance he could hear the muted noise of music that suggested that the entertainments had began in the grand hall and that the courtiers had began the prolonged dances; which would continue well into the night. That at least gave him some indication as to the time and as far as he could ascertain he was still within the walls of the palace .
In the darkness of the bare room Jareth's mouth shifted slightly as he forced his muscles to form a slight smirk. The old girl was growing soft. If the truth be known he had been deliberately pushing for a response. Perhaps it was even a relief to find himself lying in, what he would assume, was a locked cell - suffering from the after effects of her temper.
Though Jareth was curious to discover if there was a means of escape, he was not quite so sure as to his ability to raise himself from the floor. The full length of his body ached and there remained a slight 'tingle' from the surge of energy that had rushed through him and then quite literally knocked him off his feet.
It had been a sensation that had been slightly reminiscent of a far more pleasurable activity and Jareth felt completely spent. His entire length screamed in protest when his muscles shifted but there remained a contented lethargy to his condition that forced Jareth to wonder if the Queen of the Underground treated all of her enemies to that particular side to her temper or if it had been an energy force conjured specifically for him.
Jareth focussed on the red clouds that hovered in front of his closed eyes and forced them aside. He then gathered his energy and parted his eyelids. The room remained dark. In the distance he could make out a vaguely grey shadow that gave the suggestion of light but had no sense of distance that would indicate to him how large the room was or where this light originated from.
Jareth lay still for several moments as he waited for his vision to settle and slowly lifted his right arm. In the dark he was unable to make out the shape of it as he raised the hand in front of his face and it was only when he held his hand steady, right in front of his eyes, that he was able to make out a slight indication of shape and shadow that provided the evidence that his hand had actually moved and was not still pinned to the ground by his hip.
Jareth remained still for a moment as he registered these facts. Without moving his hand from before his faced he closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them again. Interesting, there had been no change.
The cold continued to seep through his body and Jareth wondered if there was a chair or cot in the room that would lift him away from the cold of the floor. Instinctively he knew that his crystals would have been removed from his person and so he would be unable to use any magic to aid his situation. The best that he could hope for was that when the politics of the court was over and the dancers had retired Talia would come to see him. Perhaps this was all part of a plan to see him grovel, he hoped not. It seemed beneath her somehow. When she came that would be the time to wonder about to what purpose it served to have him incapable of seeing his surroundings - or anything else for that matter.