...Though We're Strangers Till Now
by Jacqui
Note - All the original characters do NOT belong to me, although the rest of them do. Last names of those characters who didn't or don't have them are entirely fictional. This is my first attempt at Labyrinth fan fiction, so reviews would be really nice and appreciated. This story is mostly based on the movie, but there's a few elements from the book thrown in here and there. I read Labyrinth analyses, various fan fiction, and also came up with my own conclusions and ideas. So, this entire story will entail all three of those sources of information. It may be weird, it may be good, either way, as I mentioned before...feedback is always appreciated and adored. :) Oh yeah, Jim Henson, Brian Froud, and everyone who had a hand in creating this movie are geniuses.
Jareth had returned that afternoon, and the first place he went was to Sarah's room. But when he knocked on the door and didn't get a reply, he tracked down Helori and found out that she had been in his office most of the morning shortly after taking a bath. Helori mentioned that she appeared distraught about something, but she wouldn't discuss it with anyone, and she requested that all servants not disturb her. Hearing this, Jareth's worry about her increased as he hurried toward his office. He didn't knock as he threw open the doors and walked inside.
"Sarah?" he called out, but didn't see her anywhere. Just as he was about to leave to look around the rest of the castle, he heard Sarah's voice very faintly.
"Jareth?" she whispered, moving out from behind the bookcase next to the door. She heard him call to her, she just didn't believe it was him until her senses kicked in and forced her to double check.
"Sarah...what happened to you?" he shouted, hurrying up to her. She looked at him with bloodshot eyes.
"It's really you. You're back, right, Jareth? I'm not dreahicdreaming am I?" she asked in a shaky, slurred voice. Jareth looked down at her hands and found that she held the bottle of alcohol he kept there strictly for meetings between colleagues. She stumbled into his arms, embracing him as tightly as she could, and broke down into tears. "Oh Jareth...I missed you so much, I hic I--"
"What happened to you, Sarah?" he asked gently, placing his hands on either side of her face and lifting her eyes to meet his. She couldn't look him straight in the eyes, she had drank so much that she was way past drunk. Her body shook as he held her up straight. Moving his hand slightly, he noticed the now black and blue bruise around the corner of her mouth, as well as the swollen skin.
"I can't...don't leave me ever again, Jareth...please. hic Promise me..." she said, lifting the bottle to her mouth so that she could flush away the pain and anguish she was feeling. Jareth snatched the bottle from her and threw it at the wall. As it shattered, Sarah jumped, then let her eyes fall onto the ground beneath her. "I'm so sorry, Jareth. I didn't listen to you...but if I had only listened...hic it never would have happened..." she cried. She was wearing the same long-sleeved shirt and jeans she had on the night he answered her call. He couldn't see the rest of her bodily injuries, but the one on her mouth was reason enough to enrage him.
"Who did this, Sarah?" Jareth asked calmly, praying that it wasn't the individual he had in mind.
"I..." Sarah started to answer, but flung her arms around his neck and clung to him tightly. "Can't we just let it go? I just want to forget all about last night..." she said in between breathy sobs.
"Last night?" Jareth said to himself, confused. Sarah shook her head frantically, hiding her face with her hands.
"It was so horrible, Jareth. I hic I didn't know what to do...I was so scared..." she whispered shakily. Jareth could tell how much she was crying because he felt his shirt growing damp with her tears. He needed to know the answer to his question, and he planned on getting one.
"Sarah, darling...shhh..." he whispered to her, taking her arms slowly away from his neck. He held her wrists as he removed her arms, she made a small sound as if it hurt her.
"Jareth...promise me you'll never leave me alone like that again...I couldn't bear it if he--" she stopped herself before finishing. But Jareth's attention and concern was already piqued more than ever.
"'He' who?" he asked, his voice reflecting his underlying anger. Sarah winced slightly, trying to slip her wrists out of his grasp.
"Don't make me rehicrelive it...please Jareth," she replied, looking away from him.
"I just want you to tell me who 'he' is," Jareth said sternly, releasing her hands. She clasped them behind her back as if hiding something, but Jareth didn't notice.
"I don't want to hic hurt you, Jareth..." she said, her lower lip shaking. Jareth sighed, placing his hands back against both sides of her face. Then he lifted her eyes, still red and full of tears, to meet his.
"Sarah, I love you. Do not be afraid to tell me anything," he said finally.
"I just don't ever want to go through that again," she whispered, searching his face for signs of forgiveness before she told him.
"I know you did not do this on your own. Helori told me that you injured yourself on your vanity, but now that I have seen for myself, there is no way you will get away with telling me a story such as that. Someone else has hurt you, and I can not make assumptions or place blame unless you tell me who it was. Because it could have been anyone," he said to her, lightly brushing her lips with his thumb. Then he kissed her gently on the lips, but Sarah whimpered and pulled away, feeling unworthy of him even touching her. Jareth didn't know what was going on, but he had a good idea about who was behind it. Sarah bit the inside of her mouth, as painful as that was, and shook her head.
"I need some time to think about it, Jareth," she whispered, pulling away from him.
"Sarah--"
"Trust me. Please?" she cut in, turning to walk toward the door, her balance unsteady. Jareth pursed his lips together.
"Sarah," he called out just before she opened the door, "you take all the time you need." Sarah smiled faintly.
"Thanks, Jareth," she replied, then left the room.
Two days had passed by, during which she spent most of that time in her room. Jareth began to wonder if he had to force her to tell him, or if she would finally do it on her own. Regardless, he had become very impatient. Not only that, he missed her company, and had been unable to inform her of her new title. But one night, finally coaxing her out of her room, the two of them had dinner together. She had on a pale green dress made of velour-like material. It had sleeves so long that they covered almost her entire hand. The bottom of the dress barely missed the floor as it came to an end at the bottom of her bare feet. Jareth couldn't help but notice that Sarah barely spoke at all, unless it was to make a comment on something that bothered her. He breathed in deeply, and looked up from his plate, directly at her.
"Sarah?"
"Yes, Jareth?" she replied, but never looked at him.
"I think it is time you give me the name of the one who has changed you so much. I do not wish to see you this way any longer." Sarah sighed, moving her hands from the table to rest in her lap.
"Alright, Jareth," she said, a monotone feel to her voice. His eyes gleamed with skepticism, but he listened more intently to her.
"Who was it, Sarah?" She looked up at him finally, her eyes already brimmed with hot tears of shame. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, her mind flashed back to what Saerin had told her that night at Katharine's estate. 'If you tell him, I will make sure you never speak again.'
"I can't..." she whispered, torn between her life and her love for Jareth. She knew now what Saerin was capable of, and she wouldn't risk hurting Jareth to save her own self worth or bring Saerin to justice. She loved him far too much to have him see or treat her differently because she had to be so naïve and stupid. Suddenly, Jareth got up from his seat and moved to Sarah's side.
"Stand up," he said. Sarah twitched, feeling the fury in his voice now. She did as he said, and he gently took her arm, forcing her to face him.
"Ow!" she cried, pulling her arm away as she looked up at him, "If you want me to look at you just ask!" Jareth tilted his head back slightly.
"Why can you not tell me anything, Sarah?" he asked. Sarah clenched her fists and huffed.
"I'm not ready to tell you yet," she said, trying to hide her urge to tell him everything.
"I do not believe you. You are afraid to tell me. Did they threaten to hurt you if you told me what they did? Or make any threats at all?" Jareth retorted, folding his arms.
"Can I be excused?" Sarah asked bitterly, turning to leave the room before he had even given her an answer. But just as she grasped a corner wall to swing around it, she heard Jareth's voice from behind her.
"Oh, and Sarah," he began, "my hand barely touched you just a moment ago, it was nothing that would have caused you pain before. Do you have anything else to hide from me?" Sarah had stopped walking away from him, her hand frozen on the cold stone wall. She could have kept going, but his words told her that it was over. He had to know everything, and in order to do that, she would have to tell him what happened to her. She would have to explain her pain, fear, and self hatred. All of it. And she had to tell him that Saerin was the cause of it. She feared telling him, but she found no other avenue of escaping it any longer. Then, her hands dropped limply to her sides as she turned back around to face him. Jareth saw the silent anguish on her face as her eyes blinked, and the tears began to fall. Unable to hold back any longer, Sarah ran back across the room and threw herself against him. She sobbed into his shirt as he embraced her tightly to him, trying to comfort her. They remained that way for several minutes, and eventually she quieted down and looked up at him.
"Okay Jareth. I'll tell you everything, but..."
"But what?"
"Promise me, whatever comes out of it, that you won't stop loving me when it's over..."
"Sarah," Jareth replied, gently lifting her into his arms, "I promise I will never stop loving you." And with that, Sarah put her head down onto his shoulder as he carried her back to her room.
Jareth closed her bedroom door with his foot, then he slowly put Sarah down. She took his hand and led him over to the end of the bed, and they both sat down.
"Well?" Jareth said as he squeezed her hand tenderly.
"You'll never stop loving me, right?" she whispered, looking into his eyes hopefully.
"No, Sarah. I will not."
"Alright...it started at the ball..."
"What ball? You went to a ball by yourself? Who was the host?" Jareth said, already beginning to get angry.
"Countess Katharine Dálaigh's ball, for your success with the fae and gnomes treaty..."
"Saerin's sister?" Jareth asked himself.
"I think so. But anyway, Saerin invited me...and he asked to be my escort..." Sarah said, constantly watching Jareth's face as his expressions kept changing.
"You went with Saerin? Sarah..."
"Let me finish," she interrupted, already beginning to feel uneasy. Jareth nodded in apology, and Sarah continued. "We danced and did the same things we did at your parents' party, but after awhile I began to feel tired and my head was hurting. So...Saerin suggested that we go somewhere quiet and where there was a lot less light to help my headache. We went down a long hallway, and into a darker room which was like a waiting room for guests I suppose...and I laid down on this sofa-like chair. Well, eventually my headache went away and I felt better after resting for a little bit. Saerin came over and sat next to me, and I thought he was going to help me up...but he...he touched my face. I thought it was inappropriate behavior so I tried to take his hand away...and before I knew it...he had me held down and I couldn't move..."
"Saerin did this?" Jareth asked, and she could feel his fury as she watched the muscles in his jaw tighten.
"Jareth, I'm not done..." she whispered meekly, pulling her hand from his. She put her hands in her lap and began to fidget wildly with the fabric of her dress. "I tried to talk him out of it...and I even told him that I was going to tell you about it. That's when he hit me..." she brought her fingers up to the bruised and swollen side of her mouth. Closing her eyes, several tears slid down the side of her face, burning hot with regret. "I did manage to get him off of me, but he wound up using magic against me...and he..." she hesitated, "he had me pinned against the door. He held my hands above my head the entire time so I couldn't escape. That was when he put his fingers inside me...Jareth I was so scared...he forced himself on me...and then he suddenly stopped." Jareth's eyes had slanted, and she could feel how this entire story was going to ruin their relationship. She was going to lose him if she finished it.
"Keep going," he demanded, now standing up from the bed. Sarah simply nodded and kept telling her story. "We left the ball early...and he brought me back here. I thought that...that was the end of it...he just wanted to touch me...but that's not all he wanted from me. He forced me to show me where my room was...and then he brought me here..." she lightly ran her hand over the sheets on the bed as if she were showing him instead of telling him. Jareth kneeled down in front of her and took her hands into his, trying to ease her tension. "He threw me on the bed...and then he took off all of his clothes..." she sighed, "after he was on top of me...he ripped my clothes off without even thinking twice about it..." She pulled her hands away from him and brought them to her face to hide it.
"Sarah..." Jareth said softly, trying to entice her further.
"Then he put his hands all over me...not the way you did...he was rough and cold..." she whispered through her fingers. "He forced my legs apart...I tried to talk him out of it, but he hit me again...I even screamed...but no one heard me...I...he was holding my hands above my head so I couldn't push him off...I tried so hard to get him to reconsider...but he didn't listen...he wouldn't listen...even as he forced himself inside me...and even as I screamed...he just kept going. He was so rough with me...I tried to imagine it was you...hoping maybe that would help things...but I know you don't...he hurt me and didn't stop hurting me until he was satisfied...Jareth I'm such a fool.." Sarah said, letting her head down as she cried into her lap. "He raped me Jareth...he took advantage of your absence...and me..."
"Shhh..." he cooed, sitting back on the bed and pulling her to him. As he caressed her hair, he was far beyond the point of madness when Sarah had finished. He was livid with rage. His body was shaking so bad that Sarah had to pull away from him in shock.
"I feel unworthy of you now Jareth...I feel so worthless to you...he made me feel like a whore..." she choked, sobbing more and more as she looked at him. "I don't understand how you can still touch me without being disgusted..."
"Sarah, real love is impenetrable. Even as you have told me this, my heart still feels the same way for you as it did before I left. That will never change. I would rather perish without you, and I want you to believe that," Jareth replied, taking her face into his hands once more.
"It's so hard for me to believe it, Jareth. He raped me...rape is an ugly thing...and he made me apart of that...he--"
"You are beautiful. No matter what he has done to you. I see no change in you, you are still the same woman I fell in love with. The same woman I still want to become my wife."
"Jareth...I may be the same...even after what he's done to me...it's just so hard...and I don't understand why you don't see or treat me differently..." she cried.
"Then I will have to show you," he said finally, taking her hands and pulling her up to a standing position in front of him. "Show me what he has done," he whispered. Sarah looked up at him in surprise, more tears streaking her face.
"B-But--"
"Show me, Sarah." She nodded, reluctantly pulling the shoulders of her dress down. She pulled her arms out of the sleeves, then pushed the dress to her feet and stepped out of it. Covering her chest with her now visibly bruised arms. He saw the marks everywhere, but it didn't sway him into thinking the way she did about herself. Jareth removed his boots, and then his shirt. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her onto the bed with him. He motioned for her to lay down, and she did as he asked. He brought a hand to her throat, and trailed his fingers up and down. Then he bent his head down and placed soft kisses on her skin, starting from her fingers, working his way to her collar bone. He did each arm in this manner, even kissing the bruises he saw there, without stopping. He ran his hand lightly over her abdomen, then touched his lips to the skin there and slowly moved up to her breasts. His lips felt so soft and tender against her that she wanted to cry from happiness, but she refrained. She bent her legs up as he gently kissed the sensitive skin around her breasts. Tears lightly continued to seep through her lashes and slide down the sides of her face as he proved his love for her.
He progressed next to all areas below her waist, lightly touching his lips to the skin of her upper and lower legs, and her thighs as well. When his lips had finished traveling over her body, he moved himself up to face her. She pulled her hands up, and her fingers delicately stroked the sides of his face. He brought his lips down to the skin on her throat, and slowly moved to her chin, cheeks, nose, and forehead. Then he pulled away and looked at her. She saw nothing but love and adoration in his eyes, the exact emotions she thought she had lost. Her hands still resting against his face, she pulled him down and their lips met. Jareth slowly pushed his tongue past her lips, and she did the same with hers. He felt her lips move slightly to accommodate the widening of her mouth, then Jareth kissed her more passionately. He felt Sarah's arms slide around his neck, and he slipped his underneath her so her back could rest against them. They parted their lips occasionally for air, but they didn't end the kiss for several minutes. The pain between her legs had lessened over the past couple of days, but she still felt some leftover throbbing. Once they had finally pulled their lips apart, Sarah spoke first.
"Jareth...you can--"
"I do not want to hurt you," he whispered.
"Please...erase what he's done..." she replied, loosening her hold on his neck.
"Is that what you want?"
"With all my heart. I love you, Jareth...I wouldn't ask if I didn't want it," she replied. Jareth nodded, and slowly removed his pants, pushing them off the side of the bed. She let her arms fall onto the bed, and he moved himself between her legs.
"You are sure?" he asked once more, double checking. Sarah spread her legs willingly, and pulled them up to lock around his waist.
"I am." Jareth brought a hand down, and slid himself in slightly. Then he brought his lips back to hers as he slowly pushed himself inside her. Sarah tightened around him, and her body shifted slightly as she released a short whimper of pain. Jareth's tongue sought hers as he continued to gently thrust his hips against hers. He bent his forearms and let them rest against the sheets as he deepened the kiss, hoping her discomfort would go away. Eventually, Sarah's pain subsided, and it began to feel natural again, despite the mild throbbing of her inner walls. Sarah gasped into his mouth as he began to penetrate her pleasure point. Jareth pulled his mouth from hers, suddenly, feeling her body tense up more than it had before.
"Do you want me to stop?" he whispered against her lips, in between breaths.
"No," she replied quickly, arching her back and pressing her lips to his. As she arched her back, her breasts slid against his chest, and he reached down to pull her legs higher against his waist. As he continued to drive himself against her, always making sure he didn't push hard enough to hurt her, his lips stayed with hers. Sarah's body moved with his in perfect rhythm, and her soft moaning kept him informed that she didn't want him to stop. Sarah smiled as she finally felt the happiness that Saerin had stolen from her. Her face was completely soiled with tears, and she felt more tears flow down her cheeks as Jareth finally reached his climax. He stayed still for a moment, releasing her lips so he could breath and bring himself back to a calm state. Sarah fell back against the pillows, her chest heaving with excitement and relentless joy. She loved this man so much, yet before, she saw so many reasons for him not to return that love to her. As Jareth pulled himself out, he looked down at her. Their faces were mere inches from one another as he softly kissed her on the lips.
"Are you all right?" he whispered, bringing his fingers to her face to brush away a strand of hair.
"I am now," she whispered back, "point proven." Jareth smiled, then gently moved his body off of hers, only to rest on his side next to her.
"Now we both have no reason to question our feelings further," he said, pulling the sheets over their bodies. Sarah turned onto her side and moved back until her shoulders were against his chest. Jareth brought an arm around her from behind and hugged her closer to him.
"Unless you decide to cast me out after all this," she said, laughing nervously as she tried hard to bring back the humor they had once had. She felt Jareth's chest vibrate as he chuckled to himself and kissed her shoulder.
"I remember what happened the last time I tried to keep you away from me, my love," he whispered into her ear.
"Yeah, I said those magic words..."
"That you did. It is lucky for me that they only worked because you believed in them. Once you stopped believing, I was free to come back and get you," he laughed.
"I love you, Jareth," Sarah whispered. She wiped away her tears, quickly cleaning up her face what with having so much experience at doing it recently. As they both settled in to bed, the last thing she heard was Jareth's reply.
"I love you as well, Sarah. Now and forever."
by Jacqui
Note - All the original characters do NOT belong to me, although the rest of them do. Last names of those characters who didn't or don't have them are entirely fictional. This is my first attempt at Labyrinth fan fiction, so reviews would be really nice and appreciated. This story is mostly based on the movie, but there's a few elements from the book thrown in here and there. I read Labyrinth analyses, various fan fiction, and also came up with my own conclusions and ideas. So, this entire story will entail all three of those sources of information. It may be weird, it may be good, either way, as I mentioned before...feedback is always appreciated and adored. :) Oh yeah, Jim Henson, Brian Froud, and everyone who had a hand in creating this movie are geniuses.
Chapter 12: Denial And Absolution
Sarah sat in front of her vanity, staring at her naked body in the mirror. The corner of her mouth had bruised and it was swollen, her arms and legs had also gained bruises from the night before. She still felt a heavy aching between her legs, and it pained her to even get up that morning. Saerin had long since departed before she had woken up, and finding him gone was the best feeling she had felt since Jareth proposed to her. Helori had come in that morning just as Sarah had arisen from her sleep. So, she was able to hide her body from the maid by claiming that she felt ill and wasn't well enough to get out of bed. She fingered the bruises, taking caution not to put pressure on them for they were very sensitive. She stared for the longest time at the corner of her mouth and the bruises on the rest of her body, where Saerin had left his mark on her. She still felt ashamed, and moreso than that, she felt dirty. How would Jareth ever be able to handle this? How was she going to handle it? Rape probably wasn't a big issue in the Underground, she guessed that it may not have happened often enough to be considered a real threat. But she had to tell Jareth sometime, because she couldn't hide herself from him forever. The more Sarah thought about it, the more disgusted she became with herself.
"I love you Jareth...but I don't know if I am good enough to marry you anymore," she whispered to her reflection, as her facial features remained blank. She picked up a brush on the corner of the table and began brushing out her hair. She pulled and tugged as the brush got caught on tangles and a few matted areas. But once her hair was restored to its usual mess-free look, she set the brush down and sighed heavily. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the ring that Jareth had left for her to help her decide whether or not to marry him. She shook her head, tears welling up as she gazed at the beautiful red color that shone brightly in the morning sunlight.
"Miss? Are you finally awake?" Helori called from outside, knocking lightly at the door instead of barging in like she usually did.
"Yes, I'm up."
"Good," she said, and opened the door. As Helori caught sight of Sarah's battered appearance, she gasped and dropped the pile of clean laundry she was carrying. "Oh my goodness, miss, what happened to you?!" she shrieked, rushing to Sarah's side.
"Oh, I was very clumbsy last night. I was trying to move this vanity to the other side of the room, and stupid me tripped on one of my shoes and fell right on that post there," she lied, pointing to one of the thin wooden bars that held the mirror. "My mouth is kind of sore, but it's lucky I didn't choke on it, right?" she faked a smile.
"Well how did you get those other bruises then, miss?" Helori said, pointing to the various bruises on her arms and legs.
"Oh, well, like I said, when you move something that heavy, it tends to dig into your skin a bit, right? I may have been holding it so tight that the sides of the table just decided to sink themselves into my skin for support. But as you can see I didn't succeed in moving it, so I suppose it will stay here until Jareth comes back. Maybe he can help me move it." Sarah had made up the lie only a split second before Helori had come into the room.
"Well let me run you a hot bath, miss. You look like you are in some pain from all of that. Please do not do things that are so stressful on you, you can ask me or one of the other servants here any time," Helori stated, her voice reflecting true concern.
"Thanks Helori, I appreciate it," Sarah smiled again. Then the both of them realized that Sarah was completely naked, Sarah's face first turned bright red, then Helori quickly excused herself so she could go prepare the bath. As Helori closed the door behind her, Sarah looked around the room. Then she spotted her ruined dress from last night, in a heap of torn fabric on the floor next to her bed. Sarah shook her head, brushing away tears as she brought a hand up to cover her eyes. Her bottom lip trembled, and she began to cry. She didn't know what to do now, and she felt as though her whole identity, as much as her self respect, was stolen from her.
Jareth had returned that afternoon, and the first place he went was to Sarah's room. But when he knocked on the door and didn't get a reply, he tracked down Helori and found out that she had been in his office most of the morning shortly after taking a bath. Helori mentioned that she appeared distraught about something, but she wouldn't discuss it with anyone, and she requested that all servants not disturb her. Hearing this, Jareth's worry about her increased as he hurried toward his office. He didn't knock as he threw open the doors and walked inside.
"Sarah?" he called out, but didn't see her anywhere. Just as he was about to leave to look around the rest of the castle, he heard Sarah's voice very faintly.
"Jareth?" she whispered, moving out from behind the bookcase next to the door. She heard him call to her, she just didn't believe it was him until her senses kicked in and forced her to double check.
"Sarah...what happened to you?" he shouted, hurrying up to her. She looked at him with bloodshot eyes.
"It's really you. You're back, right, Jareth? I'm not dreahicdreaming am I?" she asked in a shaky, slurred voice. Jareth looked down at her hands and found that she held the bottle of alcohol he kept there strictly for meetings between colleagues. She stumbled into his arms, embracing him as tightly as she could, and broke down into tears. "Oh Jareth...I missed you so much, I hic I--"
"What happened to you, Sarah?" he asked gently, placing his hands on either side of her face and lifting her eyes to meet his. She couldn't look him straight in the eyes, she had drank so much that she was way past drunk. Her body shook as he held her up straight. Moving his hand slightly, he noticed the now black and blue bruise around the corner of her mouth, as well as the swollen skin.
"I can't...don't leave me ever again, Jareth...please. hic Promise me..." she said, lifting the bottle to her mouth so that she could flush away the pain and anguish she was feeling. Jareth snatched the bottle from her and threw it at the wall. As it shattered, Sarah jumped, then let her eyes fall onto the ground beneath her. "I'm so sorry, Jareth. I didn't listen to you...but if I had only listened...hic it never would have happened..." she cried. She was wearing the same long-sleeved shirt and jeans she had on the night he answered her call. He couldn't see the rest of her bodily injuries, but the one on her mouth was reason enough to enrage him.
"Who did this, Sarah?" Jareth asked calmly, praying that it wasn't the individual he had in mind.
"I..." Sarah started to answer, but flung her arms around his neck and clung to him tightly. "Can't we just let it go? I just want to forget all about last night..." she said in between breathy sobs.
"Last night?" Jareth said to himself, confused. Sarah shook her head frantically, hiding her face with her hands.
"It was so horrible, Jareth. I hic I didn't know what to do...I was so scared..." she whispered shakily. Jareth could tell how much she was crying because he felt his shirt growing damp with her tears. He needed to know the answer to his question, and he planned on getting one.
"Sarah, darling...shhh..." he whispered to her, taking her arms slowly away from his neck. He held her wrists as he removed her arms, she made a small sound as if it hurt her.
"Jareth...promise me you'll never leave me alone like that again...I couldn't bear it if he--" she stopped herself before finishing. But Jareth's attention and concern was already piqued more than ever.
"'He' who?" he asked, his voice reflecting his underlying anger. Sarah winced slightly, trying to slip her wrists out of his grasp.
"Don't make me rehicrelive it...please Jareth," she replied, looking away from him.
"I just want you to tell me who 'he' is," Jareth said sternly, releasing her hands. She clasped them behind her back as if hiding something, but Jareth didn't notice.
"I don't want to hic hurt you, Jareth..." she said, her lower lip shaking. Jareth sighed, placing his hands back against both sides of her face. Then he lifted her eyes, still red and full of tears, to meet his.
"Sarah, I love you. Do not be afraid to tell me anything," he said finally.
"I just don't ever want to go through that again," she whispered, searching his face for signs of forgiveness before she told him.
"I know you did not do this on your own. Helori told me that you injured yourself on your vanity, but now that I have seen for myself, there is no way you will get away with telling me a story such as that. Someone else has hurt you, and I can not make assumptions or place blame unless you tell me who it was. Because it could have been anyone," he said to her, lightly brushing her lips with his thumb. Then he kissed her gently on the lips, but Sarah whimpered and pulled away, feeling unworthy of him even touching her. Jareth didn't know what was going on, but he had a good idea about who was behind it. Sarah bit the inside of her mouth, as painful as that was, and shook her head.
"I need some time to think about it, Jareth," she whispered, pulling away from him.
"Sarah--"
"Trust me. Please?" she cut in, turning to walk toward the door, her balance unsteady. Jareth pursed his lips together.
"Sarah," he called out just before she opened the door, "you take all the time you need." Sarah smiled faintly.
"Thanks, Jareth," she replied, then left the room.
Two days had passed by, during which she spent most of that time in her room. Jareth began to wonder if he had to force her to tell him, or if she would finally do it on her own. Regardless, he had become very impatient. Not only that, he missed her company, and had been unable to inform her of her new title. But one night, finally coaxing her out of her room, the two of them had dinner together. She had on a pale green dress made of velour-like material. It had sleeves so long that they covered almost her entire hand. The bottom of the dress barely missed the floor as it came to an end at the bottom of her bare feet. Jareth couldn't help but notice that Sarah barely spoke at all, unless it was to make a comment on something that bothered her. He breathed in deeply, and looked up from his plate, directly at her.
"Sarah?"
"Yes, Jareth?" she replied, but never looked at him.
"I think it is time you give me the name of the one who has changed you so much. I do not wish to see you this way any longer." Sarah sighed, moving her hands from the table to rest in her lap.
"Alright, Jareth," she said, a monotone feel to her voice. His eyes gleamed with skepticism, but he listened more intently to her.
"Who was it, Sarah?" She looked up at him finally, her eyes already brimmed with hot tears of shame. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, her mind flashed back to what Saerin had told her that night at Katharine's estate. 'If you tell him, I will make sure you never speak again.'
"I can't..." she whispered, torn between her life and her love for Jareth. She knew now what Saerin was capable of, and she wouldn't risk hurting Jareth to save her own self worth or bring Saerin to justice. She loved him far too much to have him see or treat her differently because she had to be so naïve and stupid. Suddenly, Jareth got up from his seat and moved to Sarah's side.
"Stand up," he said. Sarah twitched, feeling the fury in his voice now. She did as he said, and he gently took her arm, forcing her to face him.
"Ow!" she cried, pulling her arm away as she looked up at him, "If you want me to look at you just ask!" Jareth tilted his head back slightly.
"Why can you not tell me anything, Sarah?" he asked. Sarah clenched her fists and huffed.
"I'm not ready to tell you yet," she said, trying to hide her urge to tell him everything.
"I do not believe you. You are afraid to tell me. Did they threaten to hurt you if you told me what they did? Or make any threats at all?" Jareth retorted, folding his arms.
"Can I be excused?" Sarah asked bitterly, turning to leave the room before he had even given her an answer. But just as she grasped a corner wall to swing around it, she heard Jareth's voice from behind her.
"Oh, and Sarah," he began, "my hand barely touched you just a moment ago, it was nothing that would have caused you pain before. Do you have anything else to hide from me?" Sarah had stopped walking away from him, her hand frozen on the cold stone wall. She could have kept going, but his words told her that it was over. He had to know everything, and in order to do that, she would have to tell him what happened to her. She would have to explain her pain, fear, and self hatred. All of it. And she had to tell him that Saerin was the cause of it. She feared telling him, but she found no other avenue of escaping it any longer. Then, her hands dropped limply to her sides as she turned back around to face him. Jareth saw the silent anguish on her face as her eyes blinked, and the tears began to fall. Unable to hold back any longer, Sarah ran back across the room and threw herself against him. She sobbed into his shirt as he embraced her tightly to him, trying to comfort her. They remained that way for several minutes, and eventually she quieted down and looked up at him.
"Okay Jareth. I'll tell you everything, but..."
"But what?"
"Promise me, whatever comes out of it, that you won't stop loving me when it's over..."
"Sarah," Jareth replied, gently lifting her into his arms, "I promise I will never stop loving you." And with that, Sarah put her head down onto his shoulder as he carried her back to her room.
Jareth closed her bedroom door with his foot, then he slowly put Sarah down. She took his hand and led him over to the end of the bed, and they both sat down.
"Well?" Jareth said as he squeezed her hand tenderly.
"You'll never stop loving me, right?" she whispered, looking into his eyes hopefully.
"No, Sarah. I will not."
"Alright...it started at the ball..."
"What ball? You went to a ball by yourself? Who was the host?" Jareth said, already beginning to get angry.
"Countess Katharine Dálaigh's ball, for your success with the fae and gnomes treaty..."
"Saerin's sister?" Jareth asked himself.
"I think so. But anyway, Saerin invited me...and he asked to be my escort..." Sarah said, constantly watching Jareth's face as his expressions kept changing.
"You went with Saerin? Sarah..."
"Let me finish," she interrupted, already beginning to feel uneasy. Jareth nodded in apology, and Sarah continued. "We danced and did the same things we did at your parents' party, but after awhile I began to feel tired and my head was hurting. So...Saerin suggested that we go somewhere quiet and where there was a lot less light to help my headache. We went down a long hallway, and into a darker room which was like a waiting room for guests I suppose...and I laid down on this sofa-like chair. Well, eventually my headache went away and I felt better after resting for a little bit. Saerin came over and sat next to me, and I thought he was going to help me up...but he...he touched my face. I thought it was inappropriate behavior so I tried to take his hand away...and before I knew it...he had me held down and I couldn't move..."
"Saerin did this?" Jareth asked, and she could feel his fury as she watched the muscles in his jaw tighten.
"Jareth, I'm not done..." she whispered meekly, pulling her hand from his. She put her hands in her lap and began to fidget wildly with the fabric of her dress. "I tried to talk him out of it...and I even told him that I was going to tell you about it. That's when he hit me..." she brought her fingers up to the bruised and swollen side of her mouth. Closing her eyes, several tears slid down the side of her face, burning hot with regret. "I did manage to get him off of me, but he wound up using magic against me...and he..." she hesitated, "he had me pinned against the door. He held my hands above my head the entire time so I couldn't escape. That was when he put his fingers inside me...Jareth I was so scared...he forced himself on me...and then he suddenly stopped." Jareth's eyes had slanted, and she could feel how this entire story was going to ruin their relationship. She was going to lose him if she finished it.
"Keep going," he demanded, now standing up from the bed. Sarah simply nodded and kept telling her story. "We left the ball early...and he brought me back here. I thought that...that was the end of it...he just wanted to touch me...but that's not all he wanted from me. He forced me to show me where my room was...and then he brought me here..." she lightly ran her hand over the sheets on the bed as if she were showing him instead of telling him. Jareth kneeled down in front of her and took her hands into his, trying to ease her tension. "He threw me on the bed...and then he took off all of his clothes..." she sighed, "after he was on top of me...he ripped my clothes off without even thinking twice about it..." She pulled her hands away from him and brought them to her face to hide it.
"Sarah..." Jareth said softly, trying to entice her further.
"Then he put his hands all over me...not the way you did...he was rough and cold..." she whispered through her fingers. "He forced my legs apart...I tried to talk him out of it, but he hit me again...I even screamed...but no one heard me...I...he was holding my hands above my head so I couldn't push him off...I tried so hard to get him to reconsider...but he didn't listen...he wouldn't listen...even as he forced himself inside me...and even as I screamed...he just kept going. He was so rough with me...I tried to imagine it was you...hoping maybe that would help things...but I know you don't...he hurt me and didn't stop hurting me until he was satisfied...Jareth I'm such a fool.." Sarah said, letting her head down as she cried into her lap. "He raped me Jareth...he took advantage of your absence...and me..."
"Shhh..." he cooed, sitting back on the bed and pulling her to him. As he caressed her hair, he was far beyond the point of madness when Sarah had finished. He was livid with rage. His body was shaking so bad that Sarah had to pull away from him in shock.
"I feel unworthy of you now Jareth...I feel so worthless to you...he made me feel like a whore..." she choked, sobbing more and more as she looked at him. "I don't understand how you can still touch me without being disgusted..."
"Sarah, real love is impenetrable. Even as you have told me this, my heart still feels the same way for you as it did before I left. That will never change. I would rather perish without you, and I want you to believe that," Jareth replied, taking her face into his hands once more.
"It's so hard for me to believe it, Jareth. He raped me...rape is an ugly thing...and he made me apart of that...he--"
"You are beautiful. No matter what he has done to you. I see no change in you, you are still the same woman I fell in love with. The same woman I still want to become my wife."
"Jareth...I may be the same...even after what he's done to me...it's just so hard...and I don't understand why you don't see or treat me differently..." she cried.
"Then I will have to show you," he said finally, taking her hands and pulling her up to a standing position in front of him. "Show me what he has done," he whispered. Sarah looked up at him in surprise, more tears streaking her face.
"B-But--"
"Show me, Sarah." She nodded, reluctantly pulling the shoulders of her dress down. She pulled her arms out of the sleeves, then pushed the dress to her feet and stepped out of it. Covering her chest with her now visibly bruised arms. He saw the marks everywhere, but it didn't sway him into thinking the way she did about herself. Jareth removed his boots, and then his shirt. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her onto the bed with him. He motioned for her to lay down, and she did as he asked. He brought a hand to her throat, and trailed his fingers up and down. Then he bent his head down and placed soft kisses on her skin, starting from her fingers, working his way to her collar bone. He did each arm in this manner, even kissing the bruises he saw there, without stopping. He ran his hand lightly over her abdomen, then touched his lips to the skin there and slowly moved up to her breasts. His lips felt so soft and tender against her that she wanted to cry from happiness, but she refrained. She bent her legs up as he gently kissed the sensitive skin around her breasts. Tears lightly continued to seep through her lashes and slide down the sides of her face as he proved his love for her.
He progressed next to all areas below her waist, lightly touching his lips to the skin of her upper and lower legs, and her thighs as well. When his lips had finished traveling over her body, he moved himself up to face her. She pulled her hands up, and her fingers delicately stroked the sides of his face. He brought his lips down to the skin on her throat, and slowly moved to her chin, cheeks, nose, and forehead. Then he pulled away and looked at her. She saw nothing but love and adoration in his eyes, the exact emotions she thought she had lost. Her hands still resting against his face, she pulled him down and their lips met. Jareth slowly pushed his tongue past her lips, and she did the same with hers. He felt her lips move slightly to accommodate the widening of her mouth, then Jareth kissed her more passionately. He felt Sarah's arms slide around his neck, and he slipped his underneath her so her back could rest against them. They parted their lips occasionally for air, but they didn't end the kiss for several minutes. The pain between her legs had lessened over the past couple of days, but she still felt some leftover throbbing. Once they had finally pulled their lips apart, Sarah spoke first.
"Jareth...you can--"
"I do not want to hurt you," he whispered.
"Please...erase what he's done..." she replied, loosening her hold on his neck.
"Is that what you want?"
"With all my heart. I love you, Jareth...I wouldn't ask if I didn't want it," she replied. Jareth nodded, and slowly removed his pants, pushing them off the side of the bed. She let her arms fall onto the bed, and he moved himself between her legs.
"You are sure?" he asked once more, double checking. Sarah spread her legs willingly, and pulled them up to lock around his waist.
"I am." Jareth brought a hand down, and slid himself in slightly. Then he brought his lips back to hers as he slowly pushed himself inside her. Sarah tightened around him, and her body shifted slightly as she released a short whimper of pain. Jareth's tongue sought hers as he continued to gently thrust his hips against hers. He bent his forearms and let them rest against the sheets as he deepened the kiss, hoping her discomfort would go away. Eventually, Sarah's pain subsided, and it began to feel natural again, despite the mild throbbing of her inner walls. Sarah gasped into his mouth as he began to penetrate her pleasure point. Jareth pulled his mouth from hers, suddenly, feeling her body tense up more than it had before.
"Do you want me to stop?" he whispered against her lips, in between breaths.
"No," she replied quickly, arching her back and pressing her lips to his. As she arched her back, her breasts slid against his chest, and he reached down to pull her legs higher against his waist. As he continued to drive himself against her, always making sure he didn't push hard enough to hurt her, his lips stayed with hers. Sarah's body moved with his in perfect rhythm, and her soft moaning kept him informed that she didn't want him to stop. Sarah smiled as she finally felt the happiness that Saerin had stolen from her. Her face was completely soiled with tears, and she felt more tears flow down her cheeks as Jareth finally reached his climax. He stayed still for a moment, releasing her lips so he could breath and bring himself back to a calm state. Sarah fell back against the pillows, her chest heaving with excitement and relentless joy. She loved this man so much, yet before, she saw so many reasons for him not to return that love to her. As Jareth pulled himself out, he looked down at her. Their faces were mere inches from one another as he softly kissed her on the lips.
"Are you all right?" he whispered, bringing his fingers to her face to brush away a strand of hair.
"I am now," she whispered back, "point proven." Jareth smiled, then gently moved his body off of hers, only to rest on his side next to her.
"Now we both have no reason to question our feelings further," he said, pulling the sheets over their bodies. Sarah turned onto her side and moved back until her shoulders were against his chest. Jareth brought an arm around her from behind and hugged her closer to him.
"Unless you decide to cast me out after all this," she said, laughing nervously as she tried hard to bring back the humor they had once had. She felt Jareth's chest vibrate as he chuckled to himself and kissed her shoulder.
"I remember what happened the last time I tried to keep you away from me, my love," he whispered into her ear.
"Yeah, I said those magic words..."
"That you did. It is lucky for me that they only worked because you believed in them. Once you stopped believing, I was free to come back and get you," he laughed.
"I love you, Jareth," Sarah whispered. She wiped away her tears, quickly cleaning up her face what with having so much experience at doing it recently. As they both settled in to bed, the last thing she heard was Jareth's reply.
"I love you as well, Sarah. Now and forever."