Hello faithful readers. I have more for you and I hope it was worth the wait. More angst awaits our heroes. This chapter should be much more satisfying than the last. MayRaven
Sarah couldn't sleep. Every time she began to doze a cramp formed in her leg and her side would go numb. In the darkened room her form twisted and turned restlessly. Jareth could not see her through the darkness, but heard her agitation.
"This is ludicrous," he whispered, barely awake.
"You're telling me," Sarah yawned in agreement. Wrestling the one blanket that was never quite covering her. Giving up, she lay flat on her back. "I can't believe we seriously have to make due until morning. This is not my idea of rest," she huffed.
Jareth smiled devilishly to himself in the dark. "There is something else we could do until morning if sleep truly eludes you."
Sarah heard the silky tones in the man's voice and she didn't like it. "I haven't given up yet," she grumbled with a rustling of fabric as she rolled on her side once more. For a moment there was no reply from Jareth and Sarah was satisfied. She blinked at the nothingness before her eyes; however upon reopening her eyes Sarah swore there was a form next to her.
"Really Sarah," Jareth whispered lying next to her. Sarah's skin jumped from her bones. "Are you this stubborn in all aspects of your life?" he asked coyly
Sarah flopped onto her back again as Jareth lifted himself on his elbow intently. "I don't think that my life is any of your concern."
"Oh, is that so? I was simply curious as to how you got on with your husband? Boyfriend? Significant other? You see we haven't really addressed that, you and I, not since you've been back. I can't imagine a pretty thing like you alone and unloved all this time."
Sarah remained silent staring up at what would be the ceiling if she could see it. Jareth traced a finger along her arm to get her attention and she promptly knocked it away. "That's it then? I don't deserve to know you?" After a pause he continued, "I know you're a writer, you told me that much. What is it you write exactly?"
Sarah sighed, "If you must know I write children's stories about monsters and nightmares."
"Humph, that's awfully grim. No fairytales and princesses anymore? Did you lose interest or just your faith?" Jareth prodded.
Angrily Sarah flipped herself to face the former Goblin King. "What do you care? You gave up didn't you? You lost your kingdom, your goblins, your powers, you lost everything and you haven't done anything to get any of it back! Have you?"
"No, I never cared until…until you were suddenly back in my life and I had no choice but to look at how pathetic I'd let it become. So, thank you. Thank you Sarah for shedding light on the piteous cavern of nothing my very existence has become."
"I'm sorry," said Sarah, her voice barely audible. "I'm not really angry at you. I didn't mean those things. I need to get Toby back and it isn't your fault this time. Forgive me."
There she'd said it. For her angry words just now or for her harmful words all those years ago. Jareth wasn't sure, but her apology felt genuine and it was all he'd longed for, some feeling of her remorse. He smiled hoping Sarah could see. Then he boldly ungloved his left hand and caressed Sarah's warm cheek with naked fingers. Instantly Sarah understood this man's gesture and she felt at ease. All of her anger and frustration melted away. Things had happened in both their lives since they'd last been so intimate, but none of that matter in this moment. Sarah was overwhelmed with a feeling of coming home and she willingly folded into Jareth's embrace. He kissed her, softly at first and then deeper. With one fluid motion the former Goblin King lifted Sarah in his arms and lay her gently on the low mattress.
Jareth traced the line of Sarah's neck with delicate kisses and slipped his bare hand under her blouse. She moaned in full response when he undid her buttons and passionately enraptured her breasts. Sarah in turn ran her hands through Jareth's blond locks and massaged his neck and back. Then quite forcefully she brought his face back to hers and they kissed once more.
As the night bore on, Jareth and Sarah made love in that small pitch room in the recesses of the Oracle's fortress. Sarah had never felt more loved or desired in her entire adult life. They moved rhythmically as one until they collapsed in ecstasy Jareth fell asleep with his head resting peacefully on Sarah's chest where she held him until she too fell into a deep slumber.
The next morning a blinding light piercing through the doorway, which had magically re-appeared, woke Sarah and Jareth. A very short and stout servant waited while they awkwardly dressed to escort them to the Oracle. Neither one said a word to the other. Sarah secretly thought that the Oracle must have known what was going to happen between Jareth and herself. She blushed at this thought and tried to hide her face.
Upon arriving in the grand hall the servant turned abruptly and left. Once alone with the golden Oracle, Sarah and Jareth were invited to sit and feast at a large banquet table filled with fruits, freshly baked breads, nuts of all kinds and exotic wines. Sarah found this a bit more than she was accustomed for breakfast, but she'd had a rigorous night and felt surprisingly hungry.
The three ate in silence. Sarah tried not to look at Jareth for fear that she'd see something deceitful reflected in his expression. And she couldn't bear to look at the Oracle knowing that he knew what they'd done. This made her feel like she'd committed a great sin, which was not sitting easy with her. In fact now she began to feel ill.
Jareth noticed Sarah place her cutlery down and stare into her lap. Resentful that they had not been given time to speak before their rude awakening he desperately wanted to sooth her, but knew that would be inappropriate in front of the Oracle.
When breakfast was over, the oracle moved their party by the large fire. He sat contently and allowed their conversation from the previous night to continue.
"Now, Miss Sarah, we were addressing the issue of finding your brother," said the Oracle in one lyrical breath.
Sarah's eyes brightened. "Yes, I asked you how I could find him."
"The answer is simple. You simply need to find Hope."
Sarah blinked back tears. Suddenly the stress was getting the better of her. Was this some kind of cryptic joke? She just wanted her little brother back.
"What exactly does that mean?" asked Jareth putting a gloved hand on Sarah's knee to calm her.
The Oracle sniffed at Jareth's gesture and chose to ignore it. "I simply mean that by finding the one named Hope you will find the one name Toby."
"Oh, the one named Hope," repeated Jareth rubbing Sarah's knee roughly. "You se it's that simple."
However Sarah was unsatisfied. "How do we find this Hope person?"
"To find her you only have to ask an old comrade or yours, my girl."
"And who would that be?" asked Sarah with a quiver in her voice, eyes darting at Jareth, who could only shrug.
"I believe his name is Hoggle," smiled the Oracle, all pearly teeth shimmering between his equally sparkling lips.
"Hoggle?" Sarah and Jareth spoke simultaneously.
"Why yes. He holds the key to your journey. With your desires answered, I do have other matters to attend to."
Sarah stared at the flickering flames of the fire while Jareth rose and bowed as the Oracle left them. Yes, her desires had been answered, but somehow she felt worse than before she'd come to the fortress.
"Come Sarah, we have a dwarf to interrogate and possibly skin alive," said Jareth offering an arm.
"I don't understand," Sarah whispered. "How could Hoggle have known all this time and not told me?"
"It just goes to show you that you can't always trust even the closest of friends."
Jareth's comment made Sarah shudder. If even Hoggle couldn't be trusted, why should Jareth? She suddenly felt as though the floor had been pulled out from under her and she was falling.
"Fine let's go then," she said finally. "Hoggle must have some good reason to have betrayed me."
As Sarah stood trying to rally what resolve she had left Jareth thought to himself, It didn't take much from him to betray my trust. What makes her think she's any different? However he kept this to himself seeing that Sarah was already visibly unnerved.
TBC…Reviews pleaseJ
