*
AN: Tee hee. Oh the reviews are sooooo lovely, guys. More 'action' in this one. Sort of. It's a bit longer then most in any case. Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
*
Strangely Devine: Chapter Sixteen: Yet Another Dark Corridor
*
Sarah did her best to avoid Jareth in the coming week. Of course, she could not get out of seeing him at dinner so she blatantly ignored him. The Goblin King had found it amusing at first, how she would blush if he stared at her for a very long time and then look away. But it was slowly becoming very annoying. Mostly because she had been right, and that hadn't stopped the fact that she acted like he didn't exist now.
"So--- what happened?" Gaeton asked leaning against the wall of Jareth's study.
"She's ignoring me" Jareth said coldly.
"Why?" Gaeton prodded
Jareth shot him a look. "Use your imagination"
Gaeton made an exasperated sound. "Oh fine, if you won't gossip with me I'll just get it out of Gwen"
Jareth watched him leave, only to return minutes later looking downcast. "Sarah won't tell her anything either, but apparently you are just a sex crazed bastard. This leads me to believe you did something erm--- sex crazed?"
Jareth rolled his eyes.
"Look" Gaeton pressed "Don't make me use my psychic powers on you, mate. I will."
The Goblin King gave a derisive laugh. "You're not psychic Gaeton, you just have visions"
"Same difference, I'll figure it out does she even know how you---"
"No" Jareth bit out.
It was clear the conversation was over.
*
On Gwendolyn's end, she was having just as much trouble, only from a pre menstrual head case who was trapped in the wrong world.
"He's just--- ugh! He tried to use his seductive Fae thing on me!" Sarah exclaimed as Gwendolyn helped her into the corset.
"Seductive Fae thing?" Gwendolyn repeated
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have a seductive Fae thing?"
"I wouldn't know" Gwen sighed "I've never tried to use it on anyone but Fae"
"Oh" Sarah nodded, and then a thought struck her "Did you use your seductive Fae powers on Ilareo?"
Gwendolyn turned a violent shade of embarrassed red "Don't ask questions like that" she sputtered
Sarah laughed. "Oh, I bet you did. When's the wedding, by the way? You haven't told me if you've set a date?"
"Oh, next weekend, I imagine" Gwen sniffed "Saturday seems a nice day for a wedding"
"So soon?"
"You know" Gwendolyn ventured, changing the subject back to Jareth. "Since you've been here this last month I've noticed you're feelings towards his majesty have gone from deep loathing to, not so deep loathing, to indifference and now you seem a bit offended by him for reasons you wish not to tell me. I wonder if it's playing havoc with his mind like it is mine?"
"Oh, do we have to talk about this?" Sarah whined. "God, I can't see why he'd care what I think about him."
"Well, yes, you are the only person to best his Labyrinth"
Sarah sighed "Even more reason why he shouldn't care". She had managed to convince herself that last night had been entirely his fault for being so attractive and such a royal slut. Well it was true! It seemed nearly every day she met another one of his past conquests. In any case, it was his fault.
Okay, so perhaps there had been moments in the past where Sarah would dream about him in a manner that didn't befit enemies. She blamed that on hormones. And it seemed to her that if she was going to live in his castle it would be fine to be friends, that had *seemed* to be where the relationship was going as of late. Obviously, tingly feelings down her spine every time he so much as brushed past were excluded from this conclusion. She wasn't sure what to blame that on.
"Sarah' Gwendolyn moaned, "I don't understand you. His majesty does care about you"
"I know he cares," Sarah said softly. "I mean, he doesn't wish for me to die or anything"
"Well, I hardly think if he wished for you to die, he'd pull his seductive Fae thing as you so eloquently put it" Gwendolyn smiled.
"Oh bloody hell, I don't know what to make of that"
"Well, are you attracted to him?"
Sarah gave her an impatient look.
"Ok, dumb question, obviously. He is very nice looking, I suppose anyone can see that"
"And arrogant" Sarah added helpfully
Gwen shot her a confused look "What does that have to do with you being attracted too him?"
"It doesn't" Sarah admitted "I just felt I should add in some of his bad qualities"
"To convince yourself you're not in love with him" Gwendolyn asked dryly
Sarah snorted incredulously "I am not in love with him. Just because I--- we--- well I've just barely started to like him, Gwen. And somehow I think it would be tragically ironic and cliché if I did." She paused "And I don't"
"Why would it be ironic and cliché?"
"Christ, how over done is the love hate thing? Fine, so maybe you don't have a cinema nearby to watch 'When Harry met Sally' or 'Ten Things I hate about you' but Shakespeare, you've read some of that, Romeo and Juliet, right? 'My only love sprung from my only hate.' Come on." Sarah sighed and stepped into the pale green dress she was supposed to wear for the day. It was comfortable and they were going to be teaching Cymboline's children again. Well, Gwendolyn would teach, Sarah would hold the baby and watch.
"And Ironic" she continued in a bored voice "In the Labyrinth book, it says that the Goblin King fell in love with a girl and --- and just before I beat Jareth, oh, sorry. His majesty said something to the extent of" she tried to remember the exact words, it had all happened so fast and she had been so frantic to get out of there that she'd only half listened to him. "Fear me, love me, I'll be your slave. Whatever." She shrugged and looked up to meet Gwendolyn's eyes. "Gwen? All right?"
Gwendolyn had stopped buttoning the dress and was simply staring at Sarah's reflection with amazement written across her face. "He said that?" she whispered
Sarah swallowed, "Erm-yes." Did she even dare to ask why?
"Oh" Gwendolyn nodded and looked down at the buttons of the dress with renewed interest. "Oh, I didn't know that."
"Is it important?"
"No" Gwendolyn tittered nervously. "No, course not, dear"
Sarah was decidedly disturbed.
*
At dinner another silence raged on between Sarah and Jareth. She was to tired to spend her time attempting to make conversation with Egeus and Aislinn after a day of chasing round the twins and codling a crying baby James. Taliesin (who was gradually becoming one of Sarah's favourite people at court) had given her a flower and asked for the privilege to escort her to diner. Oh, it was adorable. She quelled the urge to laugh because he'd looked so serious and instead expressed her deepest apologies as she was bound to dine with the king.
"But" she added dramatically, at seeing his handsome little teenage face drop into a frown. "I would be honoured if you'd come sit between the King and I so we could talk"
"Yes, I'd like that Lady Sarah"
So maybe Sarah was exploiting his little crush on her to get out of speaking to Jareth. But Keely hadn't shown up with her royal charges yet and it was getting on the second course.
Jareth wasn't eating much again, just pushing his food around like a pouting child while she refused to look at him. Why was she so infuriating? Did she do it on purpose?
The red blonde head of his nephew, Taliesin appeared at Jareth's elbow. The goblin raised an amused eyebrow as Taliesin bowed to both of them "Uncle, Lady Sarah"
"Ooh, Taliesin, hello"
To Jareth's great surprise the little Prince took her hand and kissed it. Sarah bit her lip to keep from laughing and bowed her head at him.
"Shall I summon a chair?" Jareth asked wryly.
"Oh, let Sarah do it" said Taliesin, taking his eyes off Sarah to look at his uncle while he spoke. He was beaming ecstatically. "She's getting really good, nearly as good as Gwendolyn"
Jareth's eyebrows arched higher. Sarah? Do magic? Did no one bloody well tell him anything anymore? "Oh is she?" he fixed Sarah with a look and she blushed.
"Ah-no you better do it. It might --- land on Prince Dacian's head or something equally as tragic" she said
Jareth snorted "As much as I'd like to see that-there you are" he waved his hand and Taliesin was suddenly sitting in a plump chair just like the others at the table. Sarah did notice that Taliesin's was a bit lower though, possibly Jareth's way of asserting who was the High Prince and who was just a prince.
"You've got to teach me that, uncle!" Tailspin laughed, running his hand over the arm of the chair. "Put me in the chair I mean, not summon it"
"Some other time, perhaps" Jareth said coldly, his eyes trained on Sarah. "How long have you been doing magic?"
Her green eyes looked everywhere but his as she muttered a reply. "A week or so. Gwen says it's because I've been in the Underground for so long"
"Yes," Jareth said softly "That would make sense"
"Um" Sarah faltered and then turned to the young Prince at her side. "So Taliesin, can you do a lot of magic?"
"Well I'm only fif-" Taliesin shot Jareth a wary look "I mean fourteen, so only a little bit. When you're as old as Uncle Jareth you can do a lot more"
He made the Goblin King sound as if he was ancient and Jareth's eyes flashed dangerously at his nephew for the inclination. Sarah put her hand to her mouth to hide the fact that she was dying to laugh but it obviously wasn't working.
"Oh really?" she asked,
Taliesin nodded casually. "I mean, I'm fourteen and I can only do a bit. You're twenty-two so you can do a bit more. We're *only* seven years apart you know" he seemed to want to stress this fact so Sarah nodded seriously.
"Of course,"
"And Uncle Jareth. Well, he's in two hundred and twenty nine, so he can do a load of magic because he's so old" Taliesin shrugged innocently.
Sarah looked at Jareth, she wasn't surprised to see him looking rather offended. Most likely having trouble not making some vain comment like the fact that he wouldn't be two hundred and twenty nine for another few months. She giggled, "I thought he was only two hundred and twenty eight?"
"Same difference"
Sarah was very glad she had invited Taliesin to come talk to her. Soon Keely was calling him back over to eat his diner and he bid them good bye.
"He's so cute" Sarah couldn't help sighing.
Jareth snorted, "I'm sure he thinks very much the same thing about you"
"Oh well" Sarah shrugged, trying to keep her voice normal. Stop talking to him, her conscience ordered. For some reason her conscience really didn't like Jareth. "That's what makes it so cute." Her voice turned sarcastic "Perhaps if I'm still to be married off they can give me to him"
Aislinn turned around at this. "Prince Taliesin?" she asked incredulously, her blonde eyebrows were raised so high they were practically shooting off her forehead. "What about Jareth?"
Sarah shot her a horrified look and Jareth started laughing. "I was *joking*" Sarah lamented. "And what do you mean-'what about Jareth?'"
Aislinn waved her hand airily, and next to her Egeus was shooting his wife an amused look.
Sarah was very confused. "No what do you mean?" she demanded
Aislinn was saved answering because just as the third course was being served Prince Dacian appeared in front of their table. Jareth made a sound that might be described as a snarl and pulled Sarah's chair closer. She tried to scoot away but he wouldn't let her, his arm clamped down firmly across her shoulders.
"Prince Dacian!" Aislinn cooed, fluttering her arms at the Vampire. "Oh we were just talking about you, weren't we lady Sarah?"
"What?" Sarah stopped struggling and stared at Aislinn horror. She moved her body to the edge of the seat and grabbed at Jareth's jacket.
"Where you really?" Dacian purred, he raised an eyebrow at Sarah and she felt fear race down her spine.
"yes!" Aislinn cooed "About that lovely walk you took. Oh, I do think Lady Sarah would like to take another. Wouldn't you Sarah? Oh yes, I know you would. Dacian?"
Dacian's black eyes focused on Sarah and his mouth twisted in a grin. "I--- "
"Actually," Jareth said in a cold controlled voice "Sarah and I were just about to go to bed" He seemed not to care how bad this sounded and everyone in hearing distance raised their eyebrows.
"Ah-' Sarah blushed at the looks Dacian was sending her and let go of Jareth's jacket. "He means our separate beds--- don't you?" She twisted her head around and looked up into his face. Eugh, why was he so bloody gorgeous?
Jareth sneered at her and his mismatched eyes sparkled. "Of course, luv" he said quickly before lowering his mouth to give her a chaste kiss.
Sarah froze. The only movement she seemed capable of making was to jerk her face away when he removed his lips. It seemed like every person in the room was suddenly staring at her even though they had been already for most of the evening. Instead of blushing she paled and felt light headed.
Jareth quickly said their farewells and then vanished them to a dark hallway.
"I-" Sarah sputtered, she was shaking and absolutely furious with him. "You- -- you--- Everyone was watching!"
Jareth's face relaxed into an amused grin. "So?"
There were only a few feet between them and Sarah had quickly stalked across the distance and hit his arm a few times. He started laughing so obviously she wasn't hurting him.
"Madame, control yourself" he chuckled
"They all think that you and I are--- are something!" she shouted, balling her hands into fists at her sides. "They probably think we're sleeping together"
"Darling, they've thought that for quite a long time," Jareth drawled callously.
Her green eyes went as wide as saucers "No they-I--- you are so infuriating!"
Jareth's eyes darkened and he stepped closer to her. "And you aren't? You've been ignoring me all week"
"Like I don't have a good reason" Sarah scowled, she backed away from him and ended up backing into a wall.
Jareth raised his eyebrows and stepped after her until he had her pinned against the stones. Sarah's heart started beating faster and he cocked his head to the side, giving her a satisfied little smirk at the panicked expression on her face.
"We've been in this position before, luv" he dipped his head closer to hers and then pulled back just as quickly, his lips twitching into an amused smile.
"Go away Jareth" she snapped
"You're highness" he corrected, his voice was low and silky "And don't you remember?" he reached out for her arm and walked his fingers up to her shoulder.
"Remember what?" Sarah asked, jerking her arm away from him.
He pressed his palm into her shoulder and held her firm against the wall "Mmm--- I think I'd better show you" he said in a singsong voice.
"Don't show me anything" she was sure he was about to kiss her, or something similar but he pressed his hand over her eyes instead.
Sarah felt like she was drowning she couldn't breathe and everything felt fuzzy. She could only feel his hand, cool and heavy against her face. Images snapped across her vision like fast paced movies. Taliesin grinning moonily, Rhian and Morawen playing ring-around-the-rosie, Gwendolyn holding the pale green dress she wore, a book of maps, Jareth staring down at her, Jareth kissing her, Gwendolyn laughing uproariously, Jareth again.
They started slowing down here and when she opened her eyes Jareth's hand was still there. She felt something leaning on her shoulder and something tickling her face. She just gapped for a moment, still not quite able to believe what had happened. Wait, what *had* happened?
Sarah pushed Jareth's hand off her face and tried to shake him off. He was leaning quite heavily on her now, his chin propped up on her shoulder and his hands on the wall behind her head.
"What did you do?" she demanded
He pulled back and Sarah saw that glassy expression in his eyes like after he had changed Bella's memory. She fought the panic that was rising in her stomach and continued to glare at him. "Did you change my memory?"
Jareth laughed sharply "No, luv. I helped you remember what happened"
"What happened when?" she asked
He cocked an eyebrow shrugged callously. "Try to remember"
She thought back and oh god. Oh god. Oh fucking hell, this is why you're not supposed to remember what happens when you drink. She assumed by the pleased smirk on Jareth's face that she must have looked properly horrified.
"That-we didn't--- I didn't-you" he stuttered
Jareth took advantage of both his position and her momentary stupidity to kiss her softly. Sarah jerked her face away.
"Don't do that!"
"Sorry, luv" Jareth grinned crookedly
"Stop calling me luv" Sarah said desperately, "I'm not your love and I don't love you and you don't love me and--- and it makes you sound like you're from Liverpool or--- oh god"
"Where's Liverpool" Jareth asked softly. He pressed her further into the wall, trailing his mouth down her throat.
"North of England" Sarah's voice sounded weak to her own ears. "Where the Beatles came from"
"Who're the Beatles?"
"Jareth" she pleaded "Get off me."
Quite unexpectedly he did as she asked, although not quite in the manner she had hoped for. Jareth's knees suddenly buckled and he slid sideways into the wall.
Sarah yelped and caught him. She slowly helped him to sit against the wall.
"Are you all right?" she asked softly, drawing back
Jareth pushed his hair off his face and moaned "Just don't make me do anymore magic on your brain, Sarah"
She laughed despite herself. "Sorry"
"No" he shrugged and let her smooth his hair down.
"Where are we?" Sarah asked after a long time. She sat next to him and tried to ignore the fact that she was sitting on the floor in a very fancy dress that she was probably ruining.
Jareth sighed and looked over at her. "To be honest" he paused "I don't know"
"Oh good" Sarah snorted, "How come we're here then?"
He smiled "I just thought of a corridor. Any corridor that would get you away from Dacian"
"Gee" Sarah said nervously "Thanks"
His voice was wryly amused. "Well it's not every day I have to save pretty mortal girls from evil, nasty, black magic Vampire princes"
"I think he's rather prettier than I am" Sarah teased. "Don't you?"
"I see through your blatant attempt to get me to admit that I want to have sex with Dacian" Jareth said dryly. "And frankly darling, I'm rather amused by your fetish for boys who like other boys"
"I was joking" she muttered
Jareth touched her hair suddenly and she looked over at him. "Actually, you're prettier." He said softly, his eyes darted across her face "Beautiful, really."
Sarah didn't know what to say. She clamped her mouth shut and looked down at her hands. She heard him sigh and put his head against the wall.
"Anything I can do?"
His eyes snapped open and regarded her thoughtfully. "How much magic can you do again?"
"I can summon things" she shrugged "Transport myself across room and just basic stuff. Water into tea and that"
He nodded and put his arm out, beckoning her to come closer. He laughed softly at her expression. "I'm not going to hurt you Sarah, you've a bit of magic in you, and it can help. A bit."
"Oh" Sarah blushed and slid her body over until she was leaning against him. He closed his arm around her and she tried to make herself relax. It was very hard with his hip digging into her leg. "You're very bony you know" she pointed out without thinking about what she was saying.
"Well if you're going to be like that--" he started to say, a grin pulling at his lips. "I'm just thin"
"Thin, borderline anorexic" she teased
"Oh, shut up, you're not helping" he told her, his voice holding an unusual playful tone.
"Sorry, luv" she sneered.
"Its quite alright." He paused "So, since we're sitting here. You may as well tell me who they Beatles are"
Sarah laughed. "Oh, alright. Remember how I told about hippies and their long hair?"
"Yes" he nodded seriously, pulling her somewhat closer.
"Ah, well. The Beatles were musicians who started the long hair thing. Uh- they had funny accents and made really good music that generally everyone in the Aboveworld likes."
"Will you-"
"No I will not sing one of their songs"
Jareth chuckled. "How did you know I would say that?"
"I could just tell. You sounded all mischievous." She started giggling. How he had gone from evil and cruel to mischievous in her mind was unthinkable.
"I'm sorry" he said softly. "What do I have to do to here you sing?"
For some reason sexual favours jumped top of the top of the list but Sarah quickly pushed that idea aside. "I'm not singing"
"Oh fine" he pouted.
Sarah laughed. "You wouldn't sing if I asked you to"
"You don't know that" Jareth said conspiringly "I might just sing for you"
"I'll hum" she conceded
"Oh alright" he sighed "What will you be singing--- sorry--- humming"
She thought about it and then hummed a few bars to 'Across the Universe' feeling completely stupid. It was that or Love Me Do, and somehow she didn't fancy humming that to Jareth in a dark corner.
"That was horrible," he told her, "I obviously have to hear the words. I can't see what's so fabulous about it"
Sarah made a disgusted sound. "You'd be hung for saying that in the Aboveground, you know. If they hadn't already killed you for your hair."
"What's wrong with my hair?" he asked, sounding offended.
Sarah laughed and tugged at a strand of it. "Nothing. I mean, I like it. People aboveground might have liked it twenty years ago when Tina Turner was popular"
"I don't know what a Tina Turner is, but I have a feeling I should be insulted" Jareth admitted
"Er-possibly" Sarah snickered.
He clicked his tongue and sighed "I won't throw you in the dungeons for insulting me if you sing"
"Oh sod off, I'm not singing" she laughed and tipped her head back to look at him. "Are you better yet?"
"Possibly" he admitted slyly
She glared at him "And you just let us sit here when we could be---" She stopped herself from saying 'in bed' because it sounded horrible. "Er--- in our own separate rooms" . Jareth smiled at her sweetly "You looked like you were enjoying yourself"
"Oh," she sighed, exasperated "Just take me to my room"
"As you wish" Jareth grinned.
The next moment they were standing in Sarah's room. She twisted out of his arms and avoided looking at his eyes. "good night" she said shortly
Jareth smiled and tipped her chin up so she would look at him. "Goodnight" he said, lowering his head to kiss her lips.
Sarah found herself caught up in the kiss and she reached up to touch him, but her hand moved through vacant air decorated by the slightest bit of glitter.
He was gone.
"Oh you bastard" she said darkly and sighed heavily.
Bed looked lovely right now. Oh god, how was she going to get out of the dress though? She didn't dare attempt to pop the buttons of by magic, she'd end up splitting the whole thing or something.
Moaning and trying not to think about Jareth, Sarah stomped out of her bedroom and down the hall towards Gwendolyn's room. Honestly, they needed to make it so these dresses were easier to wear. Corsets were bad enough but one should be able to dress one's self.
Sarah was three doors away from the one she knew was Gwendolyn's when something slammed her into the wall. Her first instinct was to scream but then black eyes flashed in her face and the scream caught in her throat.
A pale finger traced her mouth "Dear Sarah" Dacian whispered harshly. "Don't be frightened"
Dacian's head jerked down and he sank his teeth into her neck.
*
AN: And they say I don't do cliff-hangers. Psh----- By the way, I only picked across the universe because it's one of my favourites, there's no meaning or anything.
AN: Tee hee. Oh the reviews are sooooo lovely, guys. More 'action' in this one. Sort of. It's a bit longer then most in any case. Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
*
Strangely Devine: Chapter Sixteen: Yet Another Dark Corridor
*
Sarah did her best to avoid Jareth in the coming week. Of course, she could not get out of seeing him at dinner so she blatantly ignored him. The Goblin King had found it amusing at first, how she would blush if he stared at her for a very long time and then look away. But it was slowly becoming very annoying. Mostly because she had been right, and that hadn't stopped the fact that she acted like he didn't exist now.
"So--- what happened?" Gaeton asked leaning against the wall of Jareth's study.
"She's ignoring me" Jareth said coldly.
"Why?" Gaeton prodded
Jareth shot him a look. "Use your imagination"
Gaeton made an exasperated sound. "Oh fine, if you won't gossip with me I'll just get it out of Gwen"
Jareth watched him leave, only to return minutes later looking downcast. "Sarah won't tell her anything either, but apparently you are just a sex crazed bastard. This leads me to believe you did something erm--- sex crazed?"
Jareth rolled his eyes.
"Look" Gaeton pressed "Don't make me use my psychic powers on you, mate. I will."
The Goblin King gave a derisive laugh. "You're not psychic Gaeton, you just have visions"
"Same difference, I'll figure it out does she even know how you---"
"No" Jareth bit out.
It was clear the conversation was over.
*
On Gwendolyn's end, she was having just as much trouble, only from a pre menstrual head case who was trapped in the wrong world.
"He's just--- ugh! He tried to use his seductive Fae thing on me!" Sarah exclaimed as Gwendolyn helped her into the corset.
"Seductive Fae thing?" Gwendolyn repeated
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have a seductive Fae thing?"
"I wouldn't know" Gwen sighed "I've never tried to use it on anyone but Fae"
"Oh" Sarah nodded, and then a thought struck her "Did you use your seductive Fae powers on Ilareo?"
Gwendolyn turned a violent shade of embarrassed red "Don't ask questions like that" she sputtered
Sarah laughed. "Oh, I bet you did. When's the wedding, by the way? You haven't told me if you've set a date?"
"Oh, next weekend, I imagine" Gwen sniffed "Saturday seems a nice day for a wedding"
"So soon?"
"You know" Gwendolyn ventured, changing the subject back to Jareth. "Since you've been here this last month I've noticed you're feelings towards his majesty have gone from deep loathing to, not so deep loathing, to indifference and now you seem a bit offended by him for reasons you wish not to tell me. I wonder if it's playing havoc with his mind like it is mine?"
"Oh, do we have to talk about this?" Sarah whined. "God, I can't see why he'd care what I think about him."
"Well, yes, you are the only person to best his Labyrinth"
Sarah sighed "Even more reason why he shouldn't care". She had managed to convince herself that last night had been entirely his fault for being so attractive and such a royal slut. Well it was true! It seemed nearly every day she met another one of his past conquests. In any case, it was his fault.
Okay, so perhaps there had been moments in the past where Sarah would dream about him in a manner that didn't befit enemies. She blamed that on hormones. And it seemed to her that if she was going to live in his castle it would be fine to be friends, that had *seemed* to be where the relationship was going as of late. Obviously, tingly feelings down her spine every time he so much as brushed past were excluded from this conclusion. She wasn't sure what to blame that on.
"Sarah' Gwendolyn moaned, "I don't understand you. His majesty does care about you"
"I know he cares," Sarah said softly. "I mean, he doesn't wish for me to die or anything"
"Well, I hardly think if he wished for you to die, he'd pull his seductive Fae thing as you so eloquently put it" Gwendolyn smiled.
"Oh bloody hell, I don't know what to make of that"
"Well, are you attracted to him?"
Sarah gave her an impatient look.
"Ok, dumb question, obviously. He is very nice looking, I suppose anyone can see that"
"And arrogant" Sarah added helpfully
Gwen shot her a confused look "What does that have to do with you being attracted too him?"
"It doesn't" Sarah admitted "I just felt I should add in some of his bad qualities"
"To convince yourself you're not in love with him" Gwendolyn asked dryly
Sarah snorted incredulously "I am not in love with him. Just because I--- we--- well I've just barely started to like him, Gwen. And somehow I think it would be tragically ironic and cliché if I did." She paused "And I don't"
"Why would it be ironic and cliché?"
"Christ, how over done is the love hate thing? Fine, so maybe you don't have a cinema nearby to watch 'When Harry met Sally' or 'Ten Things I hate about you' but Shakespeare, you've read some of that, Romeo and Juliet, right? 'My only love sprung from my only hate.' Come on." Sarah sighed and stepped into the pale green dress she was supposed to wear for the day. It was comfortable and they were going to be teaching Cymboline's children again. Well, Gwendolyn would teach, Sarah would hold the baby and watch.
"And Ironic" she continued in a bored voice "In the Labyrinth book, it says that the Goblin King fell in love with a girl and --- and just before I beat Jareth, oh, sorry. His majesty said something to the extent of" she tried to remember the exact words, it had all happened so fast and she had been so frantic to get out of there that she'd only half listened to him. "Fear me, love me, I'll be your slave. Whatever." She shrugged and looked up to meet Gwendolyn's eyes. "Gwen? All right?"
Gwendolyn had stopped buttoning the dress and was simply staring at Sarah's reflection with amazement written across her face. "He said that?" she whispered
Sarah swallowed, "Erm-yes." Did she even dare to ask why?
"Oh" Gwendolyn nodded and looked down at the buttons of the dress with renewed interest. "Oh, I didn't know that."
"Is it important?"
"No" Gwendolyn tittered nervously. "No, course not, dear"
Sarah was decidedly disturbed.
*
At dinner another silence raged on between Sarah and Jareth. She was to tired to spend her time attempting to make conversation with Egeus and Aislinn after a day of chasing round the twins and codling a crying baby James. Taliesin (who was gradually becoming one of Sarah's favourite people at court) had given her a flower and asked for the privilege to escort her to diner. Oh, it was adorable. She quelled the urge to laugh because he'd looked so serious and instead expressed her deepest apologies as she was bound to dine with the king.
"But" she added dramatically, at seeing his handsome little teenage face drop into a frown. "I would be honoured if you'd come sit between the King and I so we could talk"
"Yes, I'd like that Lady Sarah"
So maybe Sarah was exploiting his little crush on her to get out of speaking to Jareth. But Keely hadn't shown up with her royal charges yet and it was getting on the second course.
Jareth wasn't eating much again, just pushing his food around like a pouting child while she refused to look at him. Why was she so infuriating? Did she do it on purpose?
The red blonde head of his nephew, Taliesin appeared at Jareth's elbow. The goblin raised an amused eyebrow as Taliesin bowed to both of them "Uncle, Lady Sarah"
"Ooh, Taliesin, hello"
To Jareth's great surprise the little Prince took her hand and kissed it. Sarah bit her lip to keep from laughing and bowed her head at him.
"Shall I summon a chair?" Jareth asked wryly.
"Oh, let Sarah do it" said Taliesin, taking his eyes off Sarah to look at his uncle while he spoke. He was beaming ecstatically. "She's getting really good, nearly as good as Gwendolyn"
Jareth's eyebrows arched higher. Sarah? Do magic? Did no one bloody well tell him anything anymore? "Oh is she?" he fixed Sarah with a look and she blushed.
"Ah-no you better do it. It might --- land on Prince Dacian's head or something equally as tragic" she said
Jareth snorted "As much as I'd like to see that-there you are" he waved his hand and Taliesin was suddenly sitting in a plump chair just like the others at the table. Sarah did notice that Taliesin's was a bit lower though, possibly Jareth's way of asserting who was the High Prince and who was just a prince.
"You've got to teach me that, uncle!" Tailspin laughed, running his hand over the arm of the chair. "Put me in the chair I mean, not summon it"
"Some other time, perhaps" Jareth said coldly, his eyes trained on Sarah. "How long have you been doing magic?"
Her green eyes looked everywhere but his as she muttered a reply. "A week or so. Gwen says it's because I've been in the Underground for so long"
"Yes," Jareth said softly "That would make sense"
"Um" Sarah faltered and then turned to the young Prince at her side. "So Taliesin, can you do a lot of magic?"
"Well I'm only fif-" Taliesin shot Jareth a wary look "I mean fourteen, so only a little bit. When you're as old as Uncle Jareth you can do a lot more"
He made the Goblin King sound as if he was ancient and Jareth's eyes flashed dangerously at his nephew for the inclination. Sarah put her hand to her mouth to hide the fact that she was dying to laugh but it obviously wasn't working.
"Oh really?" she asked,
Taliesin nodded casually. "I mean, I'm fourteen and I can only do a bit. You're twenty-two so you can do a bit more. We're *only* seven years apart you know" he seemed to want to stress this fact so Sarah nodded seriously.
"Of course,"
"And Uncle Jareth. Well, he's in two hundred and twenty nine, so he can do a load of magic because he's so old" Taliesin shrugged innocently.
Sarah looked at Jareth, she wasn't surprised to see him looking rather offended. Most likely having trouble not making some vain comment like the fact that he wouldn't be two hundred and twenty nine for another few months. She giggled, "I thought he was only two hundred and twenty eight?"
"Same difference"
Sarah was very glad she had invited Taliesin to come talk to her. Soon Keely was calling him back over to eat his diner and he bid them good bye.
"He's so cute" Sarah couldn't help sighing.
Jareth snorted, "I'm sure he thinks very much the same thing about you"
"Oh well" Sarah shrugged, trying to keep her voice normal. Stop talking to him, her conscience ordered. For some reason her conscience really didn't like Jareth. "That's what makes it so cute." Her voice turned sarcastic "Perhaps if I'm still to be married off they can give me to him"
Aislinn turned around at this. "Prince Taliesin?" she asked incredulously, her blonde eyebrows were raised so high they were practically shooting off her forehead. "What about Jareth?"
Sarah shot her a horrified look and Jareth started laughing. "I was *joking*" Sarah lamented. "And what do you mean-'what about Jareth?'"
Aislinn waved her hand airily, and next to her Egeus was shooting his wife an amused look.
Sarah was very confused. "No what do you mean?" she demanded
Aislinn was saved answering because just as the third course was being served Prince Dacian appeared in front of their table. Jareth made a sound that might be described as a snarl and pulled Sarah's chair closer. She tried to scoot away but he wouldn't let her, his arm clamped down firmly across her shoulders.
"Prince Dacian!" Aislinn cooed, fluttering her arms at the Vampire. "Oh we were just talking about you, weren't we lady Sarah?"
"What?" Sarah stopped struggling and stared at Aislinn horror. She moved her body to the edge of the seat and grabbed at Jareth's jacket.
"Where you really?" Dacian purred, he raised an eyebrow at Sarah and she felt fear race down her spine.
"yes!" Aislinn cooed "About that lovely walk you took. Oh, I do think Lady Sarah would like to take another. Wouldn't you Sarah? Oh yes, I know you would. Dacian?"
Dacian's black eyes focused on Sarah and his mouth twisted in a grin. "I--- "
"Actually," Jareth said in a cold controlled voice "Sarah and I were just about to go to bed" He seemed not to care how bad this sounded and everyone in hearing distance raised their eyebrows.
"Ah-' Sarah blushed at the looks Dacian was sending her and let go of Jareth's jacket. "He means our separate beds--- don't you?" She twisted her head around and looked up into his face. Eugh, why was he so bloody gorgeous?
Jareth sneered at her and his mismatched eyes sparkled. "Of course, luv" he said quickly before lowering his mouth to give her a chaste kiss.
Sarah froze. The only movement she seemed capable of making was to jerk her face away when he removed his lips. It seemed like every person in the room was suddenly staring at her even though they had been already for most of the evening. Instead of blushing she paled and felt light headed.
Jareth quickly said their farewells and then vanished them to a dark hallway.
"I-" Sarah sputtered, she was shaking and absolutely furious with him. "You- -- you--- Everyone was watching!"
Jareth's face relaxed into an amused grin. "So?"
There were only a few feet between them and Sarah had quickly stalked across the distance and hit his arm a few times. He started laughing so obviously she wasn't hurting him.
"Madame, control yourself" he chuckled
"They all think that you and I are--- are something!" she shouted, balling her hands into fists at her sides. "They probably think we're sleeping together"
"Darling, they've thought that for quite a long time," Jareth drawled callously.
Her green eyes went as wide as saucers "No they-I--- you are so infuriating!"
Jareth's eyes darkened and he stepped closer to her. "And you aren't? You've been ignoring me all week"
"Like I don't have a good reason" Sarah scowled, she backed away from him and ended up backing into a wall.
Jareth raised his eyebrows and stepped after her until he had her pinned against the stones. Sarah's heart started beating faster and he cocked his head to the side, giving her a satisfied little smirk at the panicked expression on her face.
"We've been in this position before, luv" he dipped his head closer to hers and then pulled back just as quickly, his lips twitching into an amused smile.
"Go away Jareth" she snapped
"You're highness" he corrected, his voice was low and silky "And don't you remember?" he reached out for her arm and walked his fingers up to her shoulder.
"Remember what?" Sarah asked, jerking her arm away from him.
He pressed his palm into her shoulder and held her firm against the wall "Mmm--- I think I'd better show you" he said in a singsong voice.
"Don't show me anything" she was sure he was about to kiss her, or something similar but he pressed his hand over her eyes instead.
Sarah felt like she was drowning she couldn't breathe and everything felt fuzzy. She could only feel his hand, cool and heavy against her face. Images snapped across her vision like fast paced movies. Taliesin grinning moonily, Rhian and Morawen playing ring-around-the-rosie, Gwendolyn holding the pale green dress she wore, a book of maps, Jareth staring down at her, Jareth kissing her, Gwendolyn laughing uproariously, Jareth again.
They started slowing down here and when she opened her eyes Jareth's hand was still there. She felt something leaning on her shoulder and something tickling her face. She just gapped for a moment, still not quite able to believe what had happened. Wait, what *had* happened?
Sarah pushed Jareth's hand off her face and tried to shake him off. He was leaning quite heavily on her now, his chin propped up on her shoulder and his hands on the wall behind her head.
"What did you do?" she demanded
He pulled back and Sarah saw that glassy expression in his eyes like after he had changed Bella's memory. She fought the panic that was rising in her stomach and continued to glare at him. "Did you change my memory?"
Jareth laughed sharply "No, luv. I helped you remember what happened"
"What happened when?" she asked
He cocked an eyebrow shrugged callously. "Try to remember"
She thought back and oh god. Oh god. Oh fucking hell, this is why you're not supposed to remember what happens when you drink. She assumed by the pleased smirk on Jareth's face that she must have looked properly horrified.
"That-we didn't--- I didn't-you" he stuttered
Jareth took advantage of both his position and her momentary stupidity to kiss her softly. Sarah jerked her face away.
"Don't do that!"
"Sorry, luv" Jareth grinned crookedly
"Stop calling me luv" Sarah said desperately, "I'm not your love and I don't love you and you don't love me and--- and it makes you sound like you're from Liverpool or--- oh god"
"Where's Liverpool" Jareth asked softly. He pressed her further into the wall, trailing his mouth down her throat.
"North of England" Sarah's voice sounded weak to her own ears. "Where the Beatles came from"
"Who're the Beatles?"
"Jareth" she pleaded "Get off me."
Quite unexpectedly he did as she asked, although not quite in the manner she had hoped for. Jareth's knees suddenly buckled and he slid sideways into the wall.
Sarah yelped and caught him. She slowly helped him to sit against the wall.
"Are you all right?" she asked softly, drawing back
Jareth pushed his hair off his face and moaned "Just don't make me do anymore magic on your brain, Sarah"
She laughed despite herself. "Sorry"
"No" he shrugged and let her smooth his hair down.
"Where are we?" Sarah asked after a long time. She sat next to him and tried to ignore the fact that she was sitting on the floor in a very fancy dress that she was probably ruining.
Jareth sighed and looked over at her. "To be honest" he paused "I don't know"
"Oh good" Sarah snorted, "How come we're here then?"
He smiled "I just thought of a corridor. Any corridor that would get you away from Dacian"
"Gee" Sarah said nervously "Thanks"
His voice was wryly amused. "Well it's not every day I have to save pretty mortal girls from evil, nasty, black magic Vampire princes"
"I think he's rather prettier than I am" Sarah teased. "Don't you?"
"I see through your blatant attempt to get me to admit that I want to have sex with Dacian" Jareth said dryly. "And frankly darling, I'm rather amused by your fetish for boys who like other boys"
"I was joking" she muttered
Jareth touched her hair suddenly and she looked over at him. "Actually, you're prettier." He said softly, his eyes darted across her face "Beautiful, really."
Sarah didn't know what to say. She clamped her mouth shut and looked down at her hands. She heard him sigh and put his head against the wall.
"Anything I can do?"
His eyes snapped open and regarded her thoughtfully. "How much magic can you do again?"
"I can summon things" she shrugged "Transport myself across room and just basic stuff. Water into tea and that"
He nodded and put his arm out, beckoning her to come closer. He laughed softly at her expression. "I'm not going to hurt you Sarah, you've a bit of magic in you, and it can help. A bit."
"Oh" Sarah blushed and slid her body over until she was leaning against him. He closed his arm around her and she tried to make herself relax. It was very hard with his hip digging into her leg. "You're very bony you know" she pointed out without thinking about what she was saying.
"Well if you're going to be like that--" he started to say, a grin pulling at his lips. "I'm just thin"
"Thin, borderline anorexic" she teased
"Oh, shut up, you're not helping" he told her, his voice holding an unusual playful tone.
"Sorry, luv" she sneered.
"Its quite alright." He paused "So, since we're sitting here. You may as well tell me who they Beatles are"
Sarah laughed. "Oh, alright. Remember how I told about hippies and their long hair?"
"Yes" he nodded seriously, pulling her somewhat closer.
"Ah, well. The Beatles were musicians who started the long hair thing. Uh- they had funny accents and made really good music that generally everyone in the Aboveworld likes."
"Will you-"
"No I will not sing one of their songs"
Jareth chuckled. "How did you know I would say that?"
"I could just tell. You sounded all mischievous." She started giggling. How he had gone from evil and cruel to mischievous in her mind was unthinkable.
"I'm sorry" he said softly. "What do I have to do to here you sing?"
For some reason sexual favours jumped top of the top of the list but Sarah quickly pushed that idea aside. "I'm not singing"
"Oh fine" he pouted.
Sarah laughed. "You wouldn't sing if I asked you to"
"You don't know that" Jareth said conspiringly "I might just sing for you"
"I'll hum" she conceded
"Oh alright" he sighed "What will you be singing--- sorry--- humming"
She thought about it and then hummed a few bars to 'Across the Universe' feeling completely stupid. It was that or Love Me Do, and somehow she didn't fancy humming that to Jareth in a dark corner.
"That was horrible," he told her, "I obviously have to hear the words. I can't see what's so fabulous about it"
Sarah made a disgusted sound. "You'd be hung for saying that in the Aboveground, you know. If they hadn't already killed you for your hair."
"What's wrong with my hair?" he asked, sounding offended.
Sarah laughed and tugged at a strand of it. "Nothing. I mean, I like it. People aboveground might have liked it twenty years ago when Tina Turner was popular"
"I don't know what a Tina Turner is, but I have a feeling I should be insulted" Jareth admitted
"Er-possibly" Sarah snickered.
He clicked his tongue and sighed "I won't throw you in the dungeons for insulting me if you sing"
"Oh sod off, I'm not singing" she laughed and tipped her head back to look at him. "Are you better yet?"
"Possibly" he admitted slyly
She glared at him "And you just let us sit here when we could be---" She stopped herself from saying 'in bed' because it sounded horrible. "Er--- in our own separate rooms" . Jareth smiled at her sweetly "You looked like you were enjoying yourself"
"Oh," she sighed, exasperated "Just take me to my room"
"As you wish" Jareth grinned.
The next moment they were standing in Sarah's room. She twisted out of his arms and avoided looking at his eyes. "good night" she said shortly
Jareth smiled and tipped her chin up so she would look at him. "Goodnight" he said, lowering his head to kiss her lips.
Sarah found herself caught up in the kiss and she reached up to touch him, but her hand moved through vacant air decorated by the slightest bit of glitter.
He was gone.
"Oh you bastard" she said darkly and sighed heavily.
Bed looked lovely right now. Oh god, how was she going to get out of the dress though? She didn't dare attempt to pop the buttons of by magic, she'd end up splitting the whole thing or something.
Moaning and trying not to think about Jareth, Sarah stomped out of her bedroom and down the hall towards Gwendolyn's room. Honestly, they needed to make it so these dresses were easier to wear. Corsets were bad enough but one should be able to dress one's self.
Sarah was three doors away from the one she knew was Gwendolyn's when something slammed her into the wall. Her first instinct was to scream but then black eyes flashed in her face and the scream caught in her throat.
A pale finger traced her mouth "Dear Sarah" Dacian whispered harshly. "Don't be frightened"
Dacian's head jerked down and he sank his teeth into her neck.
*
AN: And they say I don't do cliff-hangers. Psh----- By the way, I only picked across the universe because it's one of my favourites, there's no meaning or anything.