Chapter Four
Nobody Owns Me
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Piper opened an eye and looked towards the door.
"Come in," she yawned and the door opened quickly and three very chipper goblins dashed in.
"Hello," they said in unison. Piper smiled at the three, she knew it was early (it was still dark out) but they seemed to mean well.
"Hello," Piper replied "I'm Piper."
"I'm Biag," the smallest one said. He looked more like a gremlin than anything with his ears flopping about like they were. "And that's Laume and Boon."
"Its nice to meet you all," she smiled and Jareth looked in from around the corner.
"What did I tell you about waking people up this early?" he growled and the three goblins all ducked down.
"Its alright," Piper said trying to keep his temper under control "I was aware that they were coming this morning. I talked to Luther last light." The four all looked at her oddly.
"How can you talk to Luther?" Biag asked "he cannot talk."
"Only Sire can communicate with him fully," Boon added.
"Cause he's got teleplay… telephone… tellepoleen…" Laume growled in frustration.
"Telepathy," Piper corrected.
"Yeah!" Laume clapped "that!"
"How did you manage that?" Jareth asked taking a step closer.
"There's something humans have come up with," Piper explained "its called sign language. I learned it when I was younger and I took an interest in it, especially when I learned my piano teacher was mute and had to write everything down. So I learned it to the point that I could say just about anything. Though last night I did have a problem figuring out the word goblin. Unfortunately, that word didn't come up much in piano lessons." Biag laughed, his yellowish teeth gleaming from the light that still came from the fireplace.
"What's the sign for goblin?" Boon asked. Piper pulled her hair back so they could see and grabbed the tops of her ears with her index and thumb fingers, letting go of her ears but still looking as if she was holding them she moved her arms up as if she was letter her ears grow out long and pointed. The three goblins all tried it and laughed at themselves.
"Alright," Jareth growled "lets let the girl get some sleep, alright? She's not you guys you know? We're not ALL morning people."
"Sorry," they called in unison and waved as they left her room.
"It was nice meeting you!" Piper smiled as they left and Jareth entered the room. "I like the room a lot," Piper yawned "thank you."
"I was wondering," Jareth mused "if you know all these signs if I could read your mind and, possibly, copy the information." Piper paused a moment, well, Luther was right, he DID ask.
"I'll still remember it, won't I?" Piper asked worriedly.
"Of course," Jareth nodded "its just, I figure it'd be a lot easier for Luther to talk with his hands rather me going into his mind all the time." He paused. "If you don't mind I mean, I won't go into anything privet or memories or anything, just this."
"Sure," Piper shrugged "I see no problem with that." Jareth looked at her oddly. "What?"
"Are you not afraid of," he paused "anything?"
"Ha," Piper laughed "I'm afraid of a great deal. But you reading my mind so you can communicate with Luther because he doesn't have anyone else to talk to is right up there on the list with cute baby chickens and ice cream." He laughed a bit and rolled his eyes.
"Just," he said closing his eyes "clear your mind as best you can." Piper did, for the most part though she kept thinking about how odd her first day was already. But not in a bad way though, it wasn't everyday she got woken up by a band of hyper active goblins and got her mind read at four in the morning. But then, the goblins WERE very nice and Jareth was doing this for a wonderful reason. Jareth looked up at her and went back to concentrating. Seriously, Piper thought grandpa MUST have had that story all wrong. There is no way that this guy scared Sarah, unless Sarah was afraid of chivalric men that saved young girls and babies from their abusive homes. Or if she was terrified of people that learn sign language so they can talk with someone since no one else understood them.
"Or maybe she was just intimidated by older men," he mumbled and Piper have him a dry look. "I told you to clear your mind."
"Sorry," she chuckled "its hard to when I've got three jillion things going on at once." They didn't say anything for a long time and then Jareth nodded.
"Done," he smiled.
"Really?" Piper asked "already?" He nodded. "Dang, and it took me a year to learn all that too." He smiled and patted her on the shoulder.
"Just one of those perks of being fae I guess," he smiled.
"Yeah," she agreed and he started to leave.
"Well," he shrugged "get some sleep and, I'll send someone to get you for lunch." He didn't give Piper a chance to even say alright or anything, he just closed the door. She flicked off the light and settled back into bed, figuring that the fire in the hearth was magick since it hadn't gone out yet. There was ANOTHER knock at her door.
"Come in!!" she growled and Luther cracked the door a bit. Piper sat up and waved him in and he quickly started signing things but it was too fast for her to read. "Alright, hold on. Go slower."
You taught Jareth how to sign! he signed a BIT slower Piper that's great! Thank you so much now I don't have to be weirded out by him reading my mind all the time.
"Your welcome," she smiled "I take it you just saw his highness in the hall." He nodded and waved her goodbye and she snuggled back down to sleep. She waited a while, wondering if someone ELSE was going to show up in her room but no one did. She soon fell back asleep and slept all the way until ten. She opened her closet and saw it was filled with dresses and skirts and kaki pants. She looked through them and found a deep crimson skirt with black design at the bottom. She took out an emerald green shirt and a dark brown vest and set them on her bed. Looking in her drawers she found they were stocked with underclothes and she pulled out a bra and some underwear. Going into the bathroom with her new clothing she noticed that he old clothing was gone. She shrugged it off and ran a bath for herself. She hadn't had a bath since, forever, only because all school had was showers. She stripped her nightclothes and folded them nicely and set them on the sink. Slowly she slipped into the hot water, trying to grow used to all of this.
Jareth had watched the girl pick out her clothing for the day, she had impeccable taste. He'd gone a little far with the mind reading thing though. Unknown to her, he'd gone farther than just learning sign language. He'd looked into a bit of her past, a bit of her emotions and completely drowned himself in what she thought of him and the Underground. He knew he shouldn't have, but how could he help himself? She was right there, so open with everything, so blunt and creative with her thinking. He was sure if he asked her what she though she'd tell him, but, it would've been a little strange to ask her what she thought of him, his home, wouldn't it? Maybe not to her. But then again.
She held that same strength, that same, power Sarah had. But she wasn't near as stubborn, no… that wasn't it, she was stubborn. Maybe it was just because she wasn't so proud. Yes, that's what it was, she wasn't as proud. She was willing to show affection, gratitude, maybe… maybe even love? Jareth tried not to think about it but it just kept coming back to his mind. This girl, no, this young woman was captivating him so easily. She didn't exactly hate him either but Jareth feared he might make the same mistake he made with Sarah. He quickly promised himself, he wouldn't try to own Piper. If she wanted to be with him he would worship the very ground she walked on. And if she didn't, then he would just have to deal with it.
"But under no circumstances," he promised himself "will I try to own her."
