Chapter 10 A Planning In The Works
It had been quite some time before either had spoken, while they rested on the bench. The sky was getting darker, with the possibility of heavey rain at any given moment. But it did't seem to bother either of the two. Jareth just sat and stroked his darling Sarah's hair, and she just watched the wind blow through the tall green grass. Already, the flowers had withered away, and were in the process of shutting themselves up, for the winter. The grass, in only a matter of hours, had taken on an amber tinge, and the weeping willow was crying away its precious leaves. It was beautiful. The sound of the brook, was peaceful, and soothing. It all combined to make it their own, small piece of paradise. A retreat for a weary Goblin King, and his precious love.
Then, Sarah heard something. It was so strange. It was like a soft whisper in the wind, calling to her. It was calling her name, hypnotizing her as it did so. She could feel everything in her mind melting away, and she could only concentrate on where the whispers were coming from. Jareth watched the blank expression come over her now pale face, and began to worry. He could not hear anything, and he was trying to speak to her, but it was like she couldn't hear him. She stood up, and began walking towards the edge of the valley, through the few trees, and then she came to a grown in path. A path that she had never seen before.
It was a narrow dirt path. A path that Jareth recognized from centuries ago, during the war between Olaris's kingdom, and his own. He had travelled it many times, the last being to carry the bodies of his slain parents to their final resting place. Since then, no one had travelled the path. He had forbidden anyone from trodding on it, and had placed certain repercussions into effect to prevent any disobedience. But he wondered how Sarah could have found it so easily. This valley was a truly foriegn place to her. And yet- yet there she was, walking toward a place Jareth had tried so hard to forget about. A place that haunted his nightmares each and every night when he was alone. A place that he dreaded more than anything in the world.
He followed her through the winding path, over grown with small trees and shrubs, lichen, and ferns. He called to her, but she would still not respond. As if in a trance, she kept walking, paying attention to no one. Jareth looked up at the sky. He knew that the rain would not hold off for much longer. But the shock of teleproting her back to the castle may have sent her into disarray. He did not know what to do. What course of action to take was a mystery to him. Mortals were so fragile compared to Fae. They wounded so easily, and were much harder to repair, than any member of the Underground.
Branches brushed her shoulders, and leaves, long since dead, crunched under her slippers. The wind was beginning to become quite strong now. A storm was brewing, and it blew Jareth's cape angrily behind her. Her eyes were blank, and then, the heavens opened, and the rain began to fall. It was soft at first, but soon became full force, stinging as it hit their flesh.
"Sarah!", Jareth yelled at the top of his lungs, but it was no match against the combination of the strong wind and rain. He sprinted up to her side, and grabbed her by the shoulders. He shook her gently, trying to rouse her from the seemingly trance she was in. But it was to no avail. He was only met by her blank stare.
Then, he looked infront of them, where she was seemingly staring into the face of oblivion. He was met by a slight horror. An intense shock that frightened even the Goblin King, himself.
Before them, stretched out the massive cemetery, where the fallen from the war had been laid to rest. Goblins, and fae alike, side by side, with small shrines and monuments to mark their now permanent homes. Jareth hadn't visited this place since the day he had helped his comrades lay his parents in the family mausoleum. And, the place that haunted his dreams, lay before him, with the family symbol of a horned beast set atop the entrance.
This place was in stark contrast to the valley he had taken his bride-to-be. It was a desolate place, full of the stench of death, and a sinister reminder of the past. Jareth, now soaked to the bone, himself, feared not only for Sarah's health, but for her mind as well. He knew that she had never held any magical capabilities of her own. The path had been hidden away from all. Even he could not remeber exactly where it had been. But Sarah- Sarah had found it without error, and with such ease. As if she had known all along where it was, and where it took her.
Then, just as suddenly as it had happened, Sarah snapped back into reality. Jareth seen a terrified expression come over her face. She began to shake and shiver madly, from the cold wind and rain. She kept repeating his name over and over, her voice reflecting the fear on her face, and how cold she was. Jareth pulled her close to his body, for what little warmth he had left, then they disappeared.
When she opened her eyes, she was in her chambers, still enveloped in Jareth's arms. He was speaking her name, asking her if she was alright, but she was in too much shock to answer. Her mind was still blank, and she was desperately trying to recall what had just hapened. But- there was nothing. Just a vague blurr of the events.
Jareth picked her up in his arms. Her velvet gown was weighed down with the water that it had absorbed, and her hair stuck to her face. She was looking around her surroundings madly, wondering what had just happened to her, and why she could't remember where they had just been. She kept repeating Jareth's name, as a plea for help. However, he was more concerned, about getting her into a a tub of warm water, to ease the chill, and prevent her from becoming ill.
It hadn't occurred to him to call Maddie, to help Sarah. He had taken it upon himself to remove her clothing, and ease her into the tub. The fragrance of the water, a soft rose smell, relaxing her mind somewhat. But she was still rather fearful. Jareth could sense that in her, even though she was rather groggy at the moment. He sat next to her, at the edge of the tub, still soaked himself, pouring water over her dark hair. For once, he was worried for another. For once, he actually cared about another being.
Then, as if to soothe her troubled mind, he bagan to sing a soft song. A song that she remembered from their last encounter. A song, that the musicbox he had given her played. His voice carried it throughout the bathroom, and it were almost as if the soft melody carried with it.
"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel, open and closed, within your eyes; I'll place the sky, within your eyes.
There's such a fooled heart, beating so fast, in search of new dreams; A love that will last within your heart; I'll place the moon within your heart."
Sarah listened to him. It brought her a great sense of peace to know that he was there, trying to comfort her in any way hat he possibly could.
"Jareth? Jareth what happened? Why can't I remember?", she pleaded, hoping that he could give her the answer that she so desperately seeked.
"I do not know, Love. But I intend to find out. I will find out. I promise." He caressed her cheek. "Are you feeling alright now? Are you in pain?"
She shook her head, indicating her answer was no. But she was dizzy. It made her sick to her stomach.
"I'm naked.", she whispered. "It isn't right."
"Shhh. I won't tell, Sarah." He smiled a bit, thinking that that was all she was really concerned about. "I won't look.", he promised. And she did not put forth any further protest. He helped her up, and wrapped a thick towel about her body. She was fatigued. He knew that for certain. But that seemed to be all that was wrong with her. He just hoped that she would not fall ill from exposure. He knew how susceptable humans could be to the elements of the environment. Extreme heat or cold could harm a human body to the extent to being beyond a state of possible repair.
His face was reflecting his sincere concern for his Sarah. She was now the jewel of his life. His reason for being. He lifted her into the bed, and covered her with the soft blankets. Hir lips were showing signs of cyanosis. However, her flesh had taken on a darker shade of pink. Sleep was coming rapidly for her, and that pleased him greatly. But he still wondered what had happened in the valley. He didn't know what had led her to the cemetery, or why. This not knowing ate at his mind, much like a mouse nibbling on a piece of cheese. So many why's, and no answers. But, the fact of that matter was that Sarah seemed to be in good health at present. And that was all that mattered to him at this point in time.
He watched her sleep for a moment, before leaving the room. For precaution, he posted two goblin guards at the bedroom door. Pitiful, as though they were, they would serve their purpose: to prevent Sarah from leaving the room under any circumstances until he returned.
He sat in his library, deep in thought. So many things were happening so fast. He could barely keep up with everything that was happening to them. He had taken care of her family, and they had her father's blessings. Now, they had a wedding ceremony to plan, and hopefully, the Head Council would give them their blessings at the same time, along with siding with Jareth in the matter of Olaris' proposed law he wished to enforce.
The look on the Goblin King's face reflected his level of deep thought. But, he knew that it would be worth every ounce of pain he endured, to spend an eternity with his beloved Sarah. She was all that mattered to him, now. Nothing else compared to her level of importance.
Outside, the rain teamed against the castle. The wind pounded against the stone, and produced a whisteling sound through the trees that swayed madly in the force of the wind. In the distance, thunder could be heard. It was turning into a miserable day. And the night would no doubt be any better. Once her looked out the window. But it brought him no consolidation, so he turned to his books, and declarations that littered the tables. Anything to keep himself busy, so as not to worry about Sarah.
Early evening soon came, and it was then that he decided to check on her. She was still asleep, her chest rising and falling with each and every breath that she took. Her color had returned to normal, and her lips had taken on thir beautiful deep red. She looked alive, and no longer sickly, and cold. The fire in the fireplace was roaring, spreading warmth within the room ,and taking away the dampness that had inevitably come with the rain. He sat on the edge of the bed, and touched her forehead. Her eys fluttered open, and she smiled at him.
"Hello.", she said quietly, shutting her eyes for a moment, and then looking at him, once again.
"I trust you slept well?", he asked, raising his eyebrow, and placing his hands in his lap.
"Very. But-I remebered...", she trailed off, and this caught his immediate attention.
"What is it that you remember, Sarah? You must tell me." His looked had changed to complete seriousness.
"I remember the valley.", she said as she closed her eyes, shaking her head gently. "There was a soft voice that kept calling to me. Then,", she blushed a bit." I remember you seeing me naked. And the song that you sang. That's it. I don't even remember coming back to the castle."
He looked down at his boots, somewhat dismayed with her answer. He had hoped that she may have been able to provide him with a little more information so that he could have come up with some logical answer to what had happend. But, it was a dead end. The best that he could do, was to try to prevent it from happening again. But how do you prevent something for which you do not know the cause of? It was merely impossible. Even in the Labyrinth, where everything is possible, and nothing is what it seems. But he quickly dismissed his thoughts, and concentrated on the here and now. He smiled at Sarah, and cupped her chin in his gloved hand.
"I am having some dinner brought up to you, as well. I thought that it would be best if you stayed in bed, to rest. Especially after what had happened today."
"What did happen today?", she asked, rather concerned. His face contorted for a moment, and he shook it off quickly.
"I am not sure, Sarah. But it is over now. That is all that matters." He walked over to her book shelf, and picked up one of the thick novels, that had leather binding. "I recommend that you read this.", he said smiling. ""A Royal Affair", was a rather good story. But I won't spoil it on you. However, seeing that you liked "The Labyrinth" so well, I think that you will enjoy this one." He chuckled slightly, finding the irony of it all rather amusing. Afterall, for Sarah, a fairytale that she had taken to
be no more real, than a fairy with no wings, had turned out to be quite the opposite. It had turned out that a thought-to-be imaginary place was now her home.
Strange as it was, Sarah seemed to sense what he was thinking, and crossed her arms, clearly not amused being the center of ridicule. Jareth didn't need to do more than merely look at her, to see that she was not amused. But, it quickly passed between the two of them, and their spirits lightened.
Maddie brought Sarah's supper into the room. She was intimidated by the king, but she didn't stay long to show any signs of it. It was clear that Jareth was happy now. No longer just content. But purely happy.
"So, when do we leave, tomorrow?", Sarah asked as she sipped on her glass off alderberry wine.
"Early. I'm afraid that we may not be able to return tomorrow. As a king, I am expected to pay visits to my loyal supporters. Mostly ambassadors, and such. But I believe that you will find it to be rather enjoyable. Despite the purpose of our journey. Aside from that, you will have the great privledge of meeting Lord Byron, and his wife. A rather wonderful couple. But, I warn you. Don't offer too much information to the the people you shall encounter. Especially that rat, Olaris. I am afraid that he will do everything in his power to disrupt our marital plans."
Sarah listened intently, as he told her things about the Fae kingdom. It sounded more beautiful than Hoggle had ever explained to her. She anticipated the trip much like her own wedding. She had such plans for that day. She would be the most beautiful bride that had ever graced the Underground. She had been warned by Jareth, that many of the Fae, especially in the Great City, would not take kindly to her, being a mortal. But, there was not much she could do about that. Her opinion on the matter was that if they did not like her, it was their loss. Not hers. But, Jareth did not agree with that. It may have been due to his complete lack of understanding towards mortals. They had such different ideas and values towards everything, compared to the Fae. Men were viewed as dominant in the Aboveground, in several circumstances. The balance of power always seemed to shift, and nothing ever remained constant. But here, everyone was equal. If not in strength, then in power, and gifts. Not physical gifts, but gifts of intelligence, wit, magic, almost anything. Everyone possessed a single quality that balanced power in such a way, that no one was above the other, except in status. Yes, even here, there were issues of status. Someone always wanted to be at the top. That would never change. But all were equal.
In the Labyrinth, Hoggle was being rather stubborn. He sat in his shack, huddled next to a small fire. The roof was leaking, and the place was filled with smoke, but it didn't seem to bother the dwarf. He was thinking about Sarah. She had been his first friend. Despite all that he had done to her, she had forgave him. But why Jareth? Why did she seem to care about him so much. Afterall, he had put her through alot more than what Hoggle had. He had stole her baby brother. He had made her run the labyrinth to get him back. He had made hime give his only friend a poisoned peach. He had forced a kiss upon her. But why did she have to love him? Jareth was so cruel, and Hoggle was now so kind. He took a deep breath, and let out a large sigh. He felt bad. Maybe he was being selfish, wanting to have Sarah all to himself, but maybe Jareth could give her more than what he ever could. He looked at the bracelet on his wrist. She had given it to him. True, he had accepted it as a payment for his services, but she had still given it to him. He then remembered their first meeting. She had caught him unawares, so-to-speak. He laughed slightly to himself, remembering how he had tried to hide his embarassment by chasing after the fairies with his spray gun. He really enjoyed it. It was like a sport to him. But Sarah had thought it to be cruel. That is, until one bit her.The look on her face made him chuckle. That had been her first encounter with the idea that nothing was what it seemed to be.
But, Ludo, and Sir Didymus. Yes, they still lingered in his mind. They were her friends too. Strangely, they were not very concerned with the idea of her marrying Jareth. Sir Didymus had expressed his opoinion by clearly stating that his lady must do as her heart bids. Even though it may go against her friends judgements, be they for the better or the worse. Ludo, agreed with his "brother", as well. So, Hoggle found himself standing alone, with no support. And there he was, still huddled by his small fire, in his dismal home, writhing in his loneliness, that he felt he could do nothing about.
In the distance, the evening stars were beginning to show through the clouds. But to no consolidation, they did not stay visable for long. The storm soon made them disappear like a wave would make a rock when it crashed upon the shore. Here and there, goblins scurried about, trying to get out of the rain. Some just stayed out, savouring it, as there hadn't been rain in weeks. But many despised the idea of being "cleaned" by the pure water that fell. And, there, in the middle of an empty street, one small goblin, with no hair, and a rather long nose, sat quite naked, wallowing in the mud, much like a pig would when trying to keep cool, in the hot summer months.
Sarah shivered as a bolt og lightening lit up the sky. The rain sounded so cold now, as it hit her balcony doors. She watched it bead down, and form large droplets. Jareth sat with her, and together, they read a book that he had selected from her small library. Another fairytale. How she loved them. Especially the way that they swept her away to another palce. And now she found herself right where she wanted to be. With a man that she loved more than life itself, and with the only true friends that she had ever had the privledge of having.
It had been quite some time before either had spoken, while they rested on the bench. The sky was getting darker, with the possibility of heavey rain at any given moment. But it did't seem to bother either of the two. Jareth just sat and stroked his darling Sarah's hair, and she just watched the wind blow through the tall green grass. Already, the flowers had withered away, and were in the process of shutting themselves up, for the winter. The grass, in only a matter of hours, had taken on an amber tinge, and the weeping willow was crying away its precious leaves. It was beautiful. The sound of the brook, was peaceful, and soothing. It all combined to make it their own, small piece of paradise. A retreat for a weary Goblin King, and his precious love.
Then, Sarah heard something. It was so strange. It was like a soft whisper in the wind, calling to her. It was calling her name, hypnotizing her as it did so. She could feel everything in her mind melting away, and she could only concentrate on where the whispers were coming from. Jareth watched the blank expression come over her now pale face, and began to worry. He could not hear anything, and he was trying to speak to her, but it was like she couldn't hear him. She stood up, and began walking towards the edge of the valley, through the few trees, and then she came to a grown in path. A path that she had never seen before.
It was a narrow dirt path. A path that Jareth recognized from centuries ago, during the war between Olaris's kingdom, and his own. He had travelled it many times, the last being to carry the bodies of his slain parents to their final resting place. Since then, no one had travelled the path. He had forbidden anyone from trodding on it, and had placed certain repercussions into effect to prevent any disobedience. But he wondered how Sarah could have found it so easily. This valley was a truly foriegn place to her. And yet- yet there she was, walking toward a place Jareth had tried so hard to forget about. A place that haunted his nightmares each and every night when he was alone. A place that he dreaded more than anything in the world.
He followed her through the winding path, over grown with small trees and shrubs, lichen, and ferns. He called to her, but she would still not respond. As if in a trance, she kept walking, paying attention to no one. Jareth looked up at the sky. He knew that the rain would not hold off for much longer. But the shock of teleproting her back to the castle may have sent her into disarray. He did not know what to do. What course of action to take was a mystery to him. Mortals were so fragile compared to Fae. They wounded so easily, and were much harder to repair, than any member of the Underground.
Branches brushed her shoulders, and leaves, long since dead, crunched under her slippers. The wind was beginning to become quite strong now. A storm was brewing, and it blew Jareth's cape angrily behind her. Her eyes were blank, and then, the heavens opened, and the rain began to fall. It was soft at first, but soon became full force, stinging as it hit their flesh.
"Sarah!", Jareth yelled at the top of his lungs, but it was no match against the combination of the strong wind and rain. He sprinted up to her side, and grabbed her by the shoulders. He shook her gently, trying to rouse her from the seemingly trance she was in. But it was to no avail. He was only met by her blank stare.
Then, he looked infront of them, where she was seemingly staring into the face of oblivion. He was met by a slight horror. An intense shock that frightened even the Goblin King, himself.
Before them, stretched out the massive cemetery, where the fallen from the war had been laid to rest. Goblins, and fae alike, side by side, with small shrines and monuments to mark their now permanent homes. Jareth hadn't visited this place since the day he had helped his comrades lay his parents in the family mausoleum. And, the place that haunted his dreams, lay before him, with the family symbol of a horned beast set atop the entrance.
This place was in stark contrast to the valley he had taken his bride-to-be. It was a desolate place, full of the stench of death, and a sinister reminder of the past. Jareth, now soaked to the bone, himself, feared not only for Sarah's health, but for her mind as well. He knew that she had never held any magical capabilities of her own. The path had been hidden away from all. Even he could not remeber exactly where it had been. But Sarah- Sarah had found it without error, and with such ease. As if she had known all along where it was, and where it took her.
Then, just as suddenly as it had happened, Sarah snapped back into reality. Jareth seen a terrified expression come over her face. She began to shake and shiver madly, from the cold wind and rain. She kept repeating his name over and over, her voice reflecting the fear on her face, and how cold she was. Jareth pulled her close to his body, for what little warmth he had left, then they disappeared.
When she opened her eyes, she was in her chambers, still enveloped in Jareth's arms. He was speaking her name, asking her if she was alright, but she was in too much shock to answer. Her mind was still blank, and she was desperately trying to recall what had just hapened. But- there was nothing. Just a vague blurr of the events.
Jareth picked her up in his arms. Her velvet gown was weighed down with the water that it had absorbed, and her hair stuck to her face. She was looking around her surroundings madly, wondering what had just happened to her, and why she could't remember where they had just been. She kept repeating Jareth's name, as a plea for help. However, he was more concerned, about getting her into a a tub of warm water, to ease the chill, and prevent her from becoming ill.
It hadn't occurred to him to call Maddie, to help Sarah. He had taken it upon himself to remove her clothing, and ease her into the tub. The fragrance of the water, a soft rose smell, relaxing her mind somewhat. But she was still rather fearful. Jareth could sense that in her, even though she was rather groggy at the moment. He sat next to her, at the edge of the tub, still soaked himself, pouring water over her dark hair. For once, he was worried for another. For once, he actually cared about another being.
Then, as if to soothe her troubled mind, he bagan to sing a soft song. A song that she remembered from their last encounter. A song, that the musicbox he had given her played. His voice carried it throughout the bathroom, and it were almost as if the soft melody carried with it.
"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel, open and closed, within your eyes; I'll place the sky, within your eyes.
There's such a fooled heart, beating so fast, in search of new dreams; A love that will last within your heart; I'll place the moon within your heart."
Sarah listened to him. It brought her a great sense of peace to know that he was there, trying to comfort her in any way hat he possibly could.
"Jareth? Jareth what happened? Why can't I remember?", she pleaded, hoping that he could give her the answer that she so desperately seeked.
"I do not know, Love. But I intend to find out. I will find out. I promise." He caressed her cheek. "Are you feeling alright now? Are you in pain?"
She shook her head, indicating her answer was no. But she was dizzy. It made her sick to her stomach.
"I'm naked.", she whispered. "It isn't right."
"Shhh. I won't tell, Sarah." He smiled a bit, thinking that that was all she was really concerned about. "I won't look.", he promised. And she did not put forth any further protest. He helped her up, and wrapped a thick towel about her body. She was fatigued. He knew that for certain. But that seemed to be all that was wrong with her. He just hoped that she would not fall ill from exposure. He knew how susceptable humans could be to the elements of the environment. Extreme heat or cold could harm a human body to the extent to being beyond a state of possible repair.
His face was reflecting his sincere concern for his Sarah. She was now the jewel of his life. His reason for being. He lifted her into the bed, and covered her with the soft blankets. Hir lips were showing signs of cyanosis. However, her flesh had taken on a darker shade of pink. Sleep was coming rapidly for her, and that pleased him greatly. But he still wondered what had happened in the valley. He didn't know what had led her to the cemetery, or why. This not knowing ate at his mind, much like a mouse nibbling on a piece of cheese. So many why's, and no answers. But, the fact of that matter was that Sarah seemed to be in good health at present. And that was all that mattered to him at this point in time.
He watched her sleep for a moment, before leaving the room. For precaution, he posted two goblin guards at the bedroom door. Pitiful, as though they were, they would serve their purpose: to prevent Sarah from leaving the room under any circumstances until he returned.
He sat in his library, deep in thought. So many things were happening so fast. He could barely keep up with everything that was happening to them. He had taken care of her family, and they had her father's blessings. Now, they had a wedding ceremony to plan, and hopefully, the Head Council would give them their blessings at the same time, along with siding with Jareth in the matter of Olaris' proposed law he wished to enforce.
The look on the Goblin King's face reflected his level of deep thought. But, he knew that it would be worth every ounce of pain he endured, to spend an eternity with his beloved Sarah. She was all that mattered to him, now. Nothing else compared to her level of importance.
Outside, the rain teamed against the castle. The wind pounded against the stone, and produced a whisteling sound through the trees that swayed madly in the force of the wind. In the distance, thunder could be heard. It was turning into a miserable day. And the night would no doubt be any better. Once her looked out the window. But it brought him no consolidation, so he turned to his books, and declarations that littered the tables. Anything to keep himself busy, so as not to worry about Sarah.
Early evening soon came, and it was then that he decided to check on her. She was still asleep, her chest rising and falling with each and every breath that she took. Her color had returned to normal, and her lips had taken on thir beautiful deep red. She looked alive, and no longer sickly, and cold. The fire in the fireplace was roaring, spreading warmth within the room ,and taking away the dampness that had inevitably come with the rain. He sat on the edge of the bed, and touched her forehead. Her eys fluttered open, and she smiled at him.
"Hello.", she said quietly, shutting her eyes for a moment, and then looking at him, once again.
"I trust you slept well?", he asked, raising his eyebrow, and placing his hands in his lap.
"Very. But-I remebered...", she trailed off, and this caught his immediate attention.
"What is it that you remember, Sarah? You must tell me." His looked had changed to complete seriousness.
"I remember the valley.", she said as she closed her eyes, shaking her head gently. "There was a soft voice that kept calling to me. Then,", she blushed a bit." I remember you seeing me naked. And the song that you sang. That's it. I don't even remember coming back to the castle."
He looked down at his boots, somewhat dismayed with her answer. He had hoped that she may have been able to provide him with a little more information so that he could have come up with some logical answer to what had happend. But, it was a dead end. The best that he could do, was to try to prevent it from happening again. But how do you prevent something for which you do not know the cause of? It was merely impossible. Even in the Labyrinth, where everything is possible, and nothing is what it seems. But he quickly dismissed his thoughts, and concentrated on the here and now. He smiled at Sarah, and cupped her chin in his gloved hand.
"I am having some dinner brought up to you, as well. I thought that it would be best if you stayed in bed, to rest. Especially after what had happened today."
"What did happen today?", she asked, rather concerned. His face contorted for a moment, and he shook it off quickly.
"I am not sure, Sarah. But it is over now. That is all that matters." He walked over to her book shelf, and picked up one of the thick novels, that had leather binding. "I recommend that you read this.", he said smiling. ""A Royal Affair", was a rather good story. But I won't spoil it on you. However, seeing that you liked "The Labyrinth" so well, I think that you will enjoy this one." He chuckled slightly, finding the irony of it all rather amusing. Afterall, for Sarah, a fairytale that she had taken to
be no more real, than a fairy with no wings, had turned out to be quite the opposite. It had turned out that a thought-to-be imaginary place was now her home.
Strange as it was, Sarah seemed to sense what he was thinking, and crossed her arms, clearly not amused being the center of ridicule. Jareth didn't need to do more than merely look at her, to see that she was not amused. But, it quickly passed between the two of them, and their spirits lightened.
Maddie brought Sarah's supper into the room. She was intimidated by the king, but she didn't stay long to show any signs of it. It was clear that Jareth was happy now. No longer just content. But purely happy.
"So, when do we leave, tomorrow?", Sarah asked as she sipped on her glass off alderberry wine.
"Early. I'm afraid that we may not be able to return tomorrow. As a king, I am expected to pay visits to my loyal supporters. Mostly ambassadors, and such. But I believe that you will find it to be rather enjoyable. Despite the purpose of our journey. Aside from that, you will have the great privledge of meeting Lord Byron, and his wife. A rather wonderful couple. But, I warn you. Don't offer too much information to the the people you shall encounter. Especially that rat, Olaris. I am afraid that he will do everything in his power to disrupt our marital plans."
Sarah listened intently, as he told her things about the Fae kingdom. It sounded more beautiful than Hoggle had ever explained to her. She anticipated the trip much like her own wedding. She had such plans for that day. She would be the most beautiful bride that had ever graced the Underground. She had been warned by Jareth, that many of the Fae, especially in the Great City, would not take kindly to her, being a mortal. But, there was not much she could do about that. Her opinion on the matter was that if they did not like her, it was their loss. Not hers. But, Jareth did not agree with that. It may have been due to his complete lack of understanding towards mortals. They had such different ideas and values towards everything, compared to the Fae. Men were viewed as dominant in the Aboveground, in several circumstances. The balance of power always seemed to shift, and nothing ever remained constant. But here, everyone was equal. If not in strength, then in power, and gifts. Not physical gifts, but gifts of intelligence, wit, magic, almost anything. Everyone possessed a single quality that balanced power in such a way, that no one was above the other, except in status. Yes, even here, there were issues of status. Someone always wanted to be at the top. That would never change. But all were equal.
In the Labyrinth, Hoggle was being rather stubborn. He sat in his shack, huddled next to a small fire. The roof was leaking, and the place was filled with smoke, but it didn't seem to bother the dwarf. He was thinking about Sarah. She had been his first friend. Despite all that he had done to her, she had forgave him. But why Jareth? Why did she seem to care about him so much. Afterall, he had put her through alot more than what Hoggle had. He had stole her baby brother. He had made her run the labyrinth to get him back. He had made hime give his only friend a poisoned peach. He had forced a kiss upon her. But why did she have to love him? Jareth was so cruel, and Hoggle was now so kind. He took a deep breath, and let out a large sigh. He felt bad. Maybe he was being selfish, wanting to have Sarah all to himself, but maybe Jareth could give her more than what he ever could. He looked at the bracelet on his wrist. She had given it to him. True, he had accepted it as a payment for his services, but she had still given it to him. He then remembered their first meeting. She had caught him unawares, so-to-speak. He laughed slightly to himself, remembering how he had tried to hide his embarassment by chasing after the fairies with his spray gun. He really enjoyed it. It was like a sport to him. But Sarah had thought it to be cruel. That is, until one bit her.The look on her face made him chuckle. That had been her first encounter with the idea that nothing was what it seemed to be.
But, Ludo, and Sir Didymus. Yes, they still lingered in his mind. They were her friends too. Strangely, they were not very concerned with the idea of her marrying Jareth. Sir Didymus had expressed his opoinion by clearly stating that his lady must do as her heart bids. Even though it may go against her friends judgements, be they for the better or the worse. Ludo, agreed with his "brother", as well. So, Hoggle found himself standing alone, with no support. And there he was, still huddled by his small fire, in his dismal home, writhing in his loneliness, that he felt he could do nothing about.
In the distance, the evening stars were beginning to show through the clouds. But to no consolidation, they did not stay visable for long. The storm soon made them disappear like a wave would make a rock when it crashed upon the shore. Here and there, goblins scurried about, trying to get out of the rain. Some just stayed out, savouring it, as there hadn't been rain in weeks. But many despised the idea of being "cleaned" by the pure water that fell. And, there, in the middle of an empty street, one small goblin, with no hair, and a rather long nose, sat quite naked, wallowing in the mud, much like a pig would when trying to keep cool, in the hot summer months.
Sarah shivered as a bolt og lightening lit up the sky. The rain sounded so cold now, as it hit her balcony doors. She watched it bead down, and form large droplets. Jareth sat with her, and together, they read a book that he had selected from her small library. Another fairytale. How she loved them. Especially the way that they swept her away to another palce. And now she found herself right where she wanted to be. With a man that she loved more than life itself, and with the only true friends that she had ever had the privledge of having.