Disclaimer: *sighs* Jim Henson...Jim Henson...do I really need to say
more? We all know.
A/N: Sorry for the delay everyone. I almost *cringes* deleted this story because I'm just not happy with the way it's turning out. I see so many things that need to be fixed. But my guilty mind wouldn't let me. So a definite remake will come along AFTER I finish it. I feel this story has so much more potential in it and I just don't think I'm doing it justice. Let me know what you think :)
Chapter 10: Instincts Foretell
Something startled Sarah from her slumber. Curious, she wrapped herself in a robe and walked out onto the balcony. Gazing over the Labyrinth her eyes were drawn to the dark forest on the edge. Something didn't feel right.
Debating on if she wanted to try and use her magic, Sarah shrugged. "What the heck, might as well," she mumbled. Stretching out with her mind she shivered at the heavy darkness she felt. A cold sensation started creeping up her spine.
A hand touched her shoulder making Sarah jump. "What are you doing up so late?" Jareth asked, concern in his voice.
Sarah looked up at him and then back at the forest. "Something woke me up." Pausing, she concentrated once again on trying to sense what it was. Sighing in frustration she gave up, the feeling having disappeared.
Jareth stood by her and watched as she gazed off into the darkness. He could feel Sarah struggling to control her magic. "What is it that you feel?"
"There was something out there," Sarah motioned with her hand. "In that forest. It wasn't a pleasant feeling," she said, looking up at him with a worried expression.
Jareth glanced out to where Sarah motioned, his face turning darker as he concentrated. "Excuse me for a moment Sarah. I need to talk to Jacen." He vanished before she could say anything.
Sarah sighed, looking back out at the forest. She had a bad feeling about something but didn't know what it could be. Fear trickled down her spine as she recalled the eerie feeling she had.
"I need to stop being scared of shadows," Sarah whispered to herself as she crawled back into bed.
*******
Jareth appeared beside Jacen's door, giving it a hard knock. An ever alert Jacen appeared, worry creasing his forehead. "What is it your Majesty?"
"There is something in the Dark Forest that is not right," Jareth muttered, entering the room.
"Nothing is right in that place Jareth," Jacen replied, smoothing his hair back.
"Sarah sensed something. It had awakened her. I would like for you to take some guards and check the forest out. I don't need anymore surprises right now," Jareth commanded, looking hard at his captain.
"As you wish my Lord," Jacen answered, bowing. He dressed quickly and gathered his weapons. Sending a summonings crystal Jacen exited the room.
He sent small groups of goblin guards in different directions, instructing them to search for anything out of the ordinary. Jacen turned to the Royal Guardians that had been stationed in the Labyrinth. "We get the dirty job. I want us to search the dark forest," he announced.
Grumbling erupted from the Fae guards as they checked their weapons. Jacen knew where they were coming from. The dark forest was a forbidding place; sunlight is unable to penetrate the thick canopy of trees and no magic worked there that he knew of.
Pairing off, they transported themselves to the outer edges of the forest. Jacen signaled for them to enter and they quickly disappeared into the blackness.
*******
As Jareth made his way back to Sarah's room the castle started coming alive with the dawning of a new day. He quietly entered her bedchamber, noticing she was curled up on the bed sleeping.
Jareth started to leave when he noticed that Sarah was struggling with a nightmare. Sitting next to her on the bed, he gently reached out a hand and swept the hair off her face. Her forehead was covered in a fine sheen of perspiration.
Sarah bolted upright in bed, her eyes frantically searching her room. They fell on Jareth, a look of terror in them. "Jareth?"
"What is it Sarah?" Jareth reached out and wrapped her in his arms. A sob escaped her as she tightened her grip on him. The nightmare had seemed so real to her.
"Shh...it was just a dream," he said as he stroked her hair, rocking her back and forth. "Do you want to discuss it?"
Sarah finally pulled away, trying to push the images away. Jareth waited for her to explain the nightmare to him but she couldn't bring herself to do so.
"I...I can't talk about it right now," Sarah hesitated, looking away from him. "I just don't want to think about it."
Jareth sighed, knowing it would be best if she would tell him. Not wanting to cause any strife between them he let it go. "Since we are both awake at such an early hour why don't we have breakfast?" he asked, changing the subject.
Sarah smiled tentatively at Jareth, knowing she would not be able to go back to sleep. "I will meet you at the dining hall then," she replied, standing.
Jareth let a brief smile tug at the corners of his mouth. "Why don't we have breakfast on the balcony?" He made a sweeping gesture towards the double doors. "It is a beautiful morning."
Sarah narrowed her eyes at him. "Well can I at least get dressed first?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"Go ahead. I will wait for you," Jareth smirked, watching.
Sarah crossed her arms, tapping her foot on the stone floor. "You can at least wait for me at the table."
"Ah, if you wish," Jareth replied, disappointed.
Sarah laughed at his mischiefness. Debating on what to wear for the day she rummaged through the clothing in the closet. Sighing in frustration she started tossing some clothes onto her bed.
Jareth walked in wondering what was taking Sarah so long. He watched as she threw different dresses on the bed. "Can't find anything to wear my dear?" He asked, walking towards the closet.
"I was hoping to find some kind of pants to wear today," Sarah huffed.
"Why would you want to wear pants?" Jareth asked, confused. "Are the dresses not comfortable enough?"
Sarah looked up at him, arching an eyebrow. "The dresses are fine, it's just I'm not use to wearing them all the time." She went back to digging when Jareth placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Here, try these." He thrusted a package in her hands and walked back out onto the balcony.
Sarah hurriedly opened the package and was ecstatic to find a pair of blue jeans and a cream colored poet's shirt. Dressing quickly in the new clothing, she rushed out onto the balcony.
"Thank you so much! You don't know how much I missed wearing jeans," Sarah said, giving him a quick hug.
Jareth laughed as he pulled a chair out for her to take. "You are welcome," he whispered in her ear.
*******
Breakfast was quickly over when Jareth stood and held his hand out for Sarah to take. "Let's go down to the gardens. I want to show you a few tricks that will come of use around here."
Sarah raised an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side. "You are going to teach me some magic tricks?" she asked, skeptical.
"You think me not capable of doing so?" Jareth questioned, a hurtful note in his voice.
Sarah grabbed his arm and started pulling him towards the door. "I was just teasing you," she exclaimed. "This is going to be very interesting," Sarah mumbled under her breath.
"I heard that," Jareth proclaimed, grabbing Sarah by her shoulders to make her face him.
Startled by his sudden movement Sarah gasped. "Hey!"
"This will be your first lesson." Jareth smirked, wrapping her in his arms.
Sarah felt a sudden jolt run through her body. The sensation traveled from her toes up to her scalp, creating rippling goosebumps all over her body. It tickled so much that she started to giggle.
"Jareth! St...stop!" Sarah gasped between giggles, not able to stand it anymore.
Jareth laughed as she started to squirm in his arms. Releasing her from the spell, he held her up as she tried to regain her breath.
"What in the world did you do to me?" Sarah asked, finally able to stand. She placed her hands on her hips, waiting for his answer.
"How do you feel?" Jareth asked nonchalantly. He leaned against the wall trying to smother a smile.
Sarah eyed him for a moment before turning her attention back to the sensations running through her body. Her eyes widened as her surroundings suddenly seemed more alive.
Feeling a bit dizzy, Sarah reached her hand out to the nearest wall. "Wow...what in the world did you do to me?"
"I just awakened your senses." Jareth held his arm out to her. "Ready to test your abilities now?"
Sarah nodded, taking his arm. Looking around with new sight, Sarah was amazed at how brilliant the colors were that surrounded her. "This is amazing!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.
Jareth grinned at the expression on Sarah's face. "This is only the beginning my dear," he whispered in her ear.
Sarah shuddered at the tingling his breath caused. She glanced up at him, noticing how amused he was. "Yes, you are correct. It is just the beginning," she smirked.
Reaching the garden, Sarah felt a sudden urge to try something. Concentrating, she held her palm out. Surprised by the sudden appearance of a perfectly formed crystal, Sarah glanced up to see an equally surprised Jareth.
"How did I do that?" Sarah asked, staring at the clear orb in her hand.
"Your instincts are very strong." Jareth gently took the crystal from Sarah's outstretched palm and hurled it against the stone pathway, watching it shatter.
"Why did you do that?" Sarah asked, perturbed.
"Do it again," Jareth commanded, an intense look on his face.
Sarah made a waving motion with her hand and another crystal appeared. She smiled triumphantly at Jareth who was shaking his head at her. He took the crystal and again tossed it, crystal shards exploding on impact.
Sarah narrowed her eyes at him. "Why do you keep breaking my crystals?"
Jareth motioned for Sarah to follow him as he approached a bench. Taking a seat he turned to face her. "I want you to conjure a smoke crystal."
Sarah gave him a puzzled look. Giving it some thought, she made another motion with her hand and handed the crystal to Jareth.
Jareth took the crystal from Sarah and looked it over. He could sense a difference in this one. "I am amazed at your abilities Sarah," he stated as he hurled the crystal. It exploded in shards and produced a thick grey smoke that crept over the garden. "Your instincts are guiding you well."
A broad smile spread across Sarah's face as she watched the smoke dissipate. She stood and reached for Jareth's hands. "Teach me to transport from one spot to another," Sarah said, smiling as she pulled him to his feet.
Jareth laughed at the eagerness with which Sarah was showing. Her excitement was spreading to him as he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Close your eyes and concentrate. Picture in your mind's eye where you want to go."
Sarah closed her eyes and concentrated. The lake that Jareth had taken her to a few days ago came to mind and she focused on that. A pulling sensation swept through her as she felt the transportation happening.
Giving a surprised yelp, Sarah found herself submersed in cold water. Gasping at the sudden shock, she looked over to see Jareth lying in the grass laughing.
Seething, Sarah waded out and approached him. "Why aren't you wet?" she asked, her hands on her hips.
Jareth sat up, holding his sides. "You forgot to transport me with you." He stood as Sarah gave an exasperated sigh. "Now is a good time to show you how to dry your clothes," Jareth replied, trying to keep the laughter from his voice.
Sarah glared at him, knowing he was teasing her. A sudden idea struck her as she conjured a crystal. Before Jareth could react Sarah tossed it at him, hitting him squarely in the chest. The crystal bursted on impact, drenching Jareth in a wave of water.
"Oh you are going to pay for that!" Jareth exclaimed, stalking towards her.
Doubled over with laughter, Sarah couldn't get away from him. He wrestled her to the ground and placed his hands on her shoulders, sending jolts of magic through her body.
Sarah started to laugh harder at the tickling sensations he was creating. Struggling to regain some control over the situation, she placed a hand on his chest and sent some of her own magic into him.
Jareth suddenly rolled off of Sarah, surprised by the jolt of magic she gave him. Pure white-hot energy coursed through her touch. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. "Alright, enough!" he announced breathlessly.
Sarah halted her assault on him, shocked at his tone. He noticed her shock and reached out, drawing her to him. They laid in the grass, regaining their strength. After a few moments, Jareth sat up and looked down at Sarah.
"I never felt anything like that before," he replied, astonished at the lingering feelings still running through him.
Sarah puzzled over the expression on his face. "All I did was return what you were doing to me."
Jareth shook his head. "No you didn't. You sent me what you were feeling at the time."
Sarah nodded her head. "That's exactly what I wanted to do."
"Sarah, you don't understand. You sent me your emotions, not the sensations that I was creating within you," Jareth replied, taking her hand in his. He was still amazed at the depth of emotions that had come from Sarah through her magic.
"Oh..." Sarah frowned in disappointment.
Jareth gave a gentle laugh at her expression. "Don't worry love, we just have to work on controlling your emotions. They are a powerful influence over how our magic is used." He stood and helped Sarah to her feet. "Now, let's see about drying ourselves off, shall we?"
After a few attempts, Sarah was finally dry. Steam rose from a few places on her clothing where she had used a little too much magic. "I think I'm getting the hang of this," Sarah replied, smiling at Jareth.
Suddenly Jareth pulled Sarah behind him, looking at where she had been standing. A Fae Guard appeared, bowing.
"My Lord," the guard stood and glanced at Sarah. He hesitated before continuing. "We found some old campsites on the far side of the forest near the border. The captain wants to show you something that he had discovered there."
"Tell Jacen I will meet him on the border."
The guard bowed and disappeared, leaving a worried couple behind. Sarah grabbed Jareth's arm, turning him around to face her.
"Jareth, please don't go in that forest," Sarah begged, horror written all over her face.
"I have to protect my kingdom Sarah." He reached out and caressed her cheek. Jareth frowned when she started to tremble. "What is it?" he demanded.
Sarah glanced away, lowering her head. She took a few steps away from him, trying to calm herself. Warm arms wrapped around her, encasing her in a feeling of security.
"My dream," Sarah hesitated, closing her eyes against the flood of tears. "I...I saw you being attacked and..." She couldn't bring herself to finish as sobs wracked her body.
Jareth turned Sarah around in his arms and held her to him. His first thought was to shrug it off as a bad dream but Sarah's reaction caused him to take it more seriously.
"I will be careful. There will be guards surrounding me Sarah," Jareth soothed, rubbing her back gently.
Her sobs started tapering off at his words. She knew Jareth was still going even if she were to beg him to stay. "Promise me that you will be back in time for dinner," Sarah said with a little laugh.
Jareth smiled down at the beautiful woman in his arms. "That is a definite promise." He leaned over and gave Sarah a gentle kiss.
"Let's get you back to the castle," he said.
Sarah watched as Jareth waved to her a last time before transporting himself to the forest. She prayed with all of her heart that he would be coming back to her.
*******
Desdemona321: I'm happy that you really like my story. Sorry for the major delay. Hope you enjoy this chapter. *HUGS* you back. Thank you.
draegon-fire: LOL Aw...cute...Thank you for leaving a review.
Rocket: Thank you for your review. I'm happy that you liked it.
JemStar13: There's nothing like a romance between Jareth and Sarah...can you tell that I'm a huge fan of JS stories? I'm glad you like it...Thank you.
Magenta5: Yes my first 4-5 chapters need some major reworking. I'm going to rewrite those when I finish so that no one is left hanging while I straighten things out. I saw that I was trying to throw too much all at once in my first few chapters instead of spreading it out. Thank you very much for your review.
Xaviere Jade: LOL You caught the one I missed! I have such a bad habit of doing that...my fingers have a mind of their own sometimes when typing. I immediately went and fixed it on my copy LOL. I was having a little difficulty with the whole Jareth teaching Sarah thing but I also wanted it to be more of an instinctual thing with Sarah's control of her abilities. I hope it came across as that without too much confusion. Thank you for your review...Let me know how this chappy went.
vorquellyn: I don't know just how far I will be getting into something like that yet. If I do try something I definitely need to do some research so that it doesn't come out totally lame. Thank you for your review.
Jessica White: Wow! Thank you very much...you made my day! That is good to know that the constructive criticism I'm receiving is paying off. *Gives a standing ovation to her reviewers*
anonymous: I'm happy you like it, thank you.
*******
A/N: How can I not continue this story with such wonderful reviews? I really wanted to delete it and start over but it can wait until I'm finished. I know I would be after an author's hide if they did that to me LOL. Thank you all once again.
A/N: Sorry for the delay everyone. I almost *cringes* deleted this story because I'm just not happy with the way it's turning out. I see so many things that need to be fixed. But my guilty mind wouldn't let me. So a definite remake will come along AFTER I finish it. I feel this story has so much more potential in it and I just don't think I'm doing it justice. Let me know what you think :)
Chapter 10: Instincts Foretell
Something startled Sarah from her slumber. Curious, she wrapped herself in a robe and walked out onto the balcony. Gazing over the Labyrinth her eyes were drawn to the dark forest on the edge. Something didn't feel right.
Debating on if she wanted to try and use her magic, Sarah shrugged. "What the heck, might as well," she mumbled. Stretching out with her mind she shivered at the heavy darkness she felt. A cold sensation started creeping up her spine.
A hand touched her shoulder making Sarah jump. "What are you doing up so late?" Jareth asked, concern in his voice.
Sarah looked up at him and then back at the forest. "Something woke me up." Pausing, she concentrated once again on trying to sense what it was. Sighing in frustration she gave up, the feeling having disappeared.
Jareth stood by her and watched as she gazed off into the darkness. He could feel Sarah struggling to control her magic. "What is it that you feel?"
"There was something out there," Sarah motioned with her hand. "In that forest. It wasn't a pleasant feeling," she said, looking up at him with a worried expression.
Jareth glanced out to where Sarah motioned, his face turning darker as he concentrated. "Excuse me for a moment Sarah. I need to talk to Jacen." He vanished before she could say anything.
Sarah sighed, looking back out at the forest. She had a bad feeling about something but didn't know what it could be. Fear trickled down her spine as she recalled the eerie feeling she had.
"I need to stop being scared of shadows," Sarah whispered to herself as she crawled back into bed.
*******
Jareth appeared beside Jacen's door, giving it a hard knock. An ever alert Jacen appeared, worry creasing his forehead. "What is it your Majesty?"
"There is something in the Dark Forest that is not right," Jareth muttered, entering the room.
"Nothing is right in that place Jareth," Jacen replied, smoothing his hair back.
"Sarah sensed something. It had awakened her. I would like for you to take some guards and check the forest out. I don't need anymore surprises right now," Jareth commanded, looking hard at his captain.
"As you wish my Lord," Jacen answered, bowing. He dressed quickly and gathered his weapons. Sending a summonings crystal Jacen exited the room.
He sent small groups of goblin guards in different directions, instructing them to search for anything out of the ordinary. Jacen turned to the Royal Guardians that had been stationed in the Labyrinth. "We get the dirty job. I want us to search the dark forest," he announced.
Grumbling erupted from the Fae guards as they checked their weapons. Jacen knew where they were coming from. The dark forest was a forbidding place; sunlight is unable to penetrate the thick canopy of trees and no magic worked there that he knew of.
Pairing off, they transported themselves to the outer edges of the forest. Jacen signaled for them to enter and they quickly disappeared into the blackness.
*******
As Jareth made his way back to Sarah's room the castle started coming alive with the dawning of a new day. He quietly entered her bedchamber, noticing she was curled up on the bed sleeping.
Jareth started to leave when he noticed that Sarah was struggling with a nightmare. Sitting next to her on the bed, he gently reached out a hand and swept the hair off her face. Her forehead was covered in a fine sheen of perspiration.
Sarah bolted upright in bed, her eyes frantically searching her room. They fell on Jareth, a look of terror in them. "Jareth?"
"What is it Sarah?" Jareth reached out and wrapped her in his arms. A sob escaped her as she tightened her grip on him. The nightmare had seemed so real to her.
"Shh...it was just a dream," he said as he stroked her hair, rocking her back and forth. "Do you want to discuss it?"
Sarah finally pulled away, trying to push the images away. Jareth waited for her to explain the nightmare to him but she couldn't bring herself to do so.
"I...I can't talk about it right now," Sarah hesitated, looking away from him. "I just don't want to think about it."
Jareth sighed, knowing it would be best if she would tell him. Not wanting to cause any strife between them he let it go. "Since we are both awake at such an early hour why don't we have breakfast?" he asked, changing the subject.
Sarah smiled tentatively at Jareth, knowing she would not be able to go back to sleep. "I will meet you at the dining hall then," she replied, standing.
Jareth let a brief smile tug at the corners of his mouth. "Why don't we have breakfast on the balcony?" He made a sweeping gesture towards the double doors. "It is a beautiful morning."
Sarah narrowed her eyes at him. "Well can I at least get dressed first?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"Go ahead. I will wait for you," Jareth smirked, watching.
Sarah crossed her arms, tapping her foot on the stone floor. "You can at least wait for me at the table."
"Ah, if you wish," Jareth replied, disappointed.
Sarah laughed at his mischiefness. Debating on what to wear for the day she rummaged through the clothing in the closet. Sighing in frustration she started tossing some clothes onto her bed.
Jareth walked in wondering what was taking Sarah so long. He watched as she threw different dresses on the bed. "Can't find anything to wear my dear?" He asked, walking towards the closet.
"I was hoping to find some kind of pants to wear today," Sarah huffed.
"Why would you want to wear pants?" Jareth asked, confused. "Are the dresses not comfortable enough?"
Sarah looked up at him, arching an eyebrow. "The dresses are fine, it's just I'm not use to wearing them all the time." She went back to digging when Jareth placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Here, try these." He thrusted a package in her hands and walked back out onto the balcony.
Sarah hurriedly opened the package and was ecstatic to find a pair of blue jeans and a cream colored poet's shirt. Dressing quickly in the new clothing, she rushed out onto the balcony.
"Thank you so much! You don't know how much I missed wearing jeans," Sarah said, giving him a quick hug.
Jareth laughed as he pulled a chair out for her to take. "You are welcome," he whispered in her ear.
*******
Breakfast was quickly over when Jareth stood and held his hand out for Sarah to take. "Let's go down to the gardens. I want to show you a few tricks that will come of use around here."
Sarah raised an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side. "You are going to teach me some magic tricks?" she asked, skeptical.
"You think me not capable of doing so?" Jareth questioned, a hurtful note in his voice.
Sarah grabbed his arm and started pulling him towards the door. "I was just teasing you," she exclaimed. "This is going to be very interesting," Sarah mumbled under her breath.
"I heard that," Jareth proclaimed, grabbing Sarah by her shoulders to make her face him.
Startled by his sudden movement Sarah gasped. "Hey!"
"This will be your first lesson." Jareth smirked, wrapping her in his arms.
Sarah felt a sudden jolt run through her body. The sensation traveled from her toes up to her scalp, creating rippling goosebumps all over her body. It tickled so much that she started to giggle.
"Jareth! St...stop!" Sarah gasped between giggles, not able to stand it anymore.
Jareth laughed as she started to squirm in his arms. Releasing her from the spell, he held her up as she tried to regain her breath.
"What in the world did you do to me?" Sarah asked, finally able to stand. She placed her hands on her hips, waiting for his answer.
"How do you feel?" Jareth asked nonchalantly. He leaned against the wall trying to smother a smile.
Sarah eyed him for a moment before turning her attention back to the sensations running through her body. Her eyes widened as her surroundings suddenly seemed more alive.
Feeling a bit dizzy, Sarah reached her hand out to the nearest wall. "Wow...what in the world did you do to me?"
"I just awakened your senses." Jareth held his arm out to her. "Ready to test your abilities now?"
Sarah nodded, taking his arm. Looking around with new sight, Sarah was amazed at how brilliant the colors were that surrounded her. "This is amazing!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.
Jareth grinned at the expression on Sarah's face. "This is only the beginning my dear," he whispered in her ear.
Sarah shuddered at the tingling his breath caused. She glanced up at him, noticing how amused he was. "Yes, you are correct. It is just the beginning," she smirked.
Reaching the garden, Sarah felt a sudden urge to try something. Concentrating, she held her palm out. Surprised by the sudden appearance of a perfectly formed crystal, Sarah glanced up to see an equally surprised Jareth.
"How did I do that?" Sarah asked, staring at the clear orb in her hand.
"Your instincts are very strong." Jareth gently took the crystal from Sarah's outstretched palm and hurled it against the stone pathway, watching it shatter.
"Why did you do that?" Sarah asked, perturbed.
"Do it again," Jareth commanded, an intense look on his face.
Sarah made a waving motion with her hand and another crystal appeared. She smiled triumphantly at Jareth who was shaking his head at her. He took the crystal and again tossed it, crystal shards exploding on impact.
Sarah narrowed her eyes at him. "Why do you keep breaking my crystals?"
Jareth motioned for Sarah to follow him as he approached a bench. Taking a seat he turned to face her. "I want you to conjure a smoke crystal."
Sarah gave him a puzzled look. Giving it some thought, she made another motion with her hand and handed the crystal to Jareth.
Jareth took the crystal from Sarah and looked it over. He could sense a difference in this one. "I am amazed at your abilities Sarah," he stated as he hurled the crystal. It exploded in shards and produced a thick grey smoke that crept over the garden. "Your instincts are guiding you well."
A broad smile spread across Sarah's face as she watched the smoke dissipate. She stood and reached for Jareth's hands. "Teach me to transport from one spot to another," Sarah said, smiling as she pulled him to his feet.
Jareth laughed at the eagerness with which Sarah was showing. Her excitement was spreading to him as he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Close your eyes and concentrate. Picture in your mind's eye where you want to go."
Sarah closed her eyes and concentrated. The lake that Jareth had taken her to a few days ago came to mind and she focused on that. A pulling sensation swept through her as she felt the transportation happening.
Giving a surprised yelp, Sarah found herself submersed in cold water. Gasping at the sudden shock, she looked over to see Jareth lying in the grass laughing.
Seething, Sarah waded out and approached him. "Why aren't you wet?" she asked, her hands on her hips.
Jareth sat up, holding his sides. "You forgot to transport me with you." He stood as Sarah gave an exasperated sigh. "Now is a good time to show you how to dry your clothes," Jareth replied, trying to keep the laughter from his voice.
Sarah glared at him, knowing he was teasing her. A sudden idea struck her as she conjured a crystal. Before Jareth could react Sarah tossed it at him, hitting him squarely in the chest. The crystal bursted on impact, drenching Jareth in a wave of water.
"Oh you are going to pay for that!" Jareth exclaimed, stalking towards her.
Doubled over with laughter, Sarah couldn't get away from him. He wrestled her to the ground and placed his hands on her shoulders, sending jolts of magic through her body.
Sarah started to laugh harder at the tickling sensations he was creating. Struggling to regain some control over the situation, she placed a hand on his chest and sent some of her own magic into him.
Jareth suddenly rolled off of Sarah, surprised by the jolt of magic she gave him. Pure white-hot energy coursed through her touch. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. "Alright, enough!" he announced breathlessly.
Sarah halted her assault on him, shocked at his tone. He noticed her shock and reached out, drawing her to him. They laid in the grass, regaining their strength. After a few moments, Jareth sat up and looked down at Sarah.
"I never felt anything like that before," he replied, astonished at the lingering feelings still running through him.
Sarah puzzled over the expression on his face. "All I did was return what you were doing to me."
Jareth shook his head. "No you didn't. You sent me what you were feeling at the time."
Sarah nodded her head. "That's exactly what I wanted to do."
"Sarah, you don't understand. You sent me your emotions, not the sensations that I was creating within you," Jareth replied, taking her hand in his. He was still amazed at the depth of emotions that had come from Sarah through her magic.
"Oh..." Sarah frowned in disappointment.
Jareth gave a gentle laugh at her expression. "Don't worry love, we just have to work on controlling your emotions. They are a powerful influence over how our magic is used." He stood and helped Sarah to her feet. "Now, let's see about drying ourselves off, shall we?"
After a few attempts, Sarah was finally dry. Steam rose from a few places on her clothing where she had used a little too much magic. "I think I'm getting the hang of this," Sarah replied, smiling at Jareth.
Suddenly Jareth pulled Sarah behind him, looking at where she had been standing. A Fae Guard appeared, bowing.
"My Lord," the guard stood and glanced at Sarah. He hesitated before continuing. "We found some old campsites on the far side of the forest near the border. The captain wants to show you something that he had discovered there."
"Tell Jacen I will meet him on the border."
The guard bowed and disappeared, leaving a worried couple behind. Sarah grabbed Jareth's arm, turning him around to face her.
"Jareth, please don't go in that forest," Sarah begged, horror written all over her face.
"I have to protect my kingdom Sarah." He reached out and caressed her cheek. Jareth frowned when she started to tremble. "What is it?" he demanded.
Sarah glanced away, lowering her head. She took a few steps away from him, trying to calm herself. Warm arms wrapped around her, encasing her in a feeling of security.
"My dream," Sarah hesitated, closing her eyes against the flood of tears. "I...I saw you being attacked and..." She couldn't bring herself to finish as sobs wracked her body.
Jareth turned Sarah around in his arms and held her to him. His first thought was to shrug it off as a bad dream but Sarah's reaction caused him to take it more seriously.
"I will be careful. There will be guards surrounding me Sarah," Jareth soothed, rubbing her back gently.
Her sobs started tapering off at his words. She knew Jareth was still going even if she were to beg him to stay. "Promise me that you will be back in time for dinner," Sarah said with a little laugh.
Jareth smiled down at the beautiful woman in his arms. "That is a definite promise." He leaned over and gave Sarah a gentle kiss.
"Let's get you back to the castle," he said.
Sarah watched as Jareth waved to her a last time before transporting himself to the forest. She prayed with all of her heart that he would be coming back to her.
*******
Desdemona321: I'm happy that you really like my story. Sorry for the major delay. Hope you enjoy this chapter. *HUGS* you back. Thank you.
draegon-fire: LOL Aw...cute...Thank you for leaving a review.
Rocket: Thank you for your review. I'm happy that you liked it.
JemStar13: There's nothing like a romance between Jareth and Sarah...can you tell that I'm a huge fan of JS stories? I'm glad you like it...Thank you.
Magenta5: Yes my first 4-5 chapters need some major reworking. I'm going to rewrite those when I finish so that no one is left hanging while I straighten things out. I saw that I was trying to throw too much all at once in my first few chapters instead of spreading it out. Thank you very much for your review.
Xaviere Jade: LOL You caught the one I missed! I have such a bad habit of doing that...my fingers have a mind of their own sometimes when typing. I immediately went and fixed it on my copy LOL. I was having a little difficulty with the whole Jareth teaching Sarah thing but I also wanted it to be more of an instinctual thing with Sarah's control of her abilities. I hope it came across as that without too much confusion. Thank you for your review...Let me know how this chappy went.
vorquellyn: I don't know just how far I will be getting into something like that yet. If I do try something I definitely need to do some research so that it doesn't come out totally lame. Thank you for your review.
Jessica White: Wow! Thank you very much...you made my day! That is good to know that the constructive criticism I'm receiving is paying off. *Gives a standing ovation to her reviewers*
anonymous: I'm happy you like it, thank you.
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A/N: How can I not continue this story with such wonderful reviews? I really wanted to delete it and start over but it can wait until I'm finished. I know I would be after an author's hide if they did that to me LOL. Thank you all once again.
