Chapter 73: Playing to Win

At a couple of points, one or the other of them sent down to the kitchen for their meals to be sent up via the crystals, but aside from that they had no outside contact for the rest of the day. They did, however, have plenty of inside contact, and when the huge yellow moon rose over the Labyrinth and shone in their window, it illuminated their intertwined bodies, unclothed and lost in a dead sleep of exhaustion.

Next morning, Sarah awoke first, and smiled lazily at her sleeping husband. She didn't want to wake him, but he looked entirely too delicious for her to leave alone. She leaned over and nipped his ear lightly, grinning as he grunted and batted blindly at her. She leaned down to press her lips to his, and let out a startled squawk when his arms closed around her and pulled her closer. His lips closed over hers, and they kissed for a long time before she finally rolled off him, panting.

"Good morning, my queen," Jareth said softly.

She kissed him again. "Good morning, my love."

His eyes closed. "Even though I'm immortal, I doubt I'll ever get tired of hearing you say that." He blinked them open again and looked up at her with a steady grey gaze. "So who won the wager?" he asked.

Sarah blushed and kissed him again. "I honestly don't remember!"

"Ah," said the ever-practical Jareth. "Then we'll have to try again!"

It was a measure of Jareth's constant will to win, that he was somehow able to transform himself into the Goblin King--with all the resultant dignity and formality--while he was naked in bed with his new bride.

Not to be outdone, Sarah instantly became the Goblin Queen, and raised a challenging eyebrow at her king. He smiled faintly and rolled himself on top of her, slanting his mouth over hers until she was gasping for breath. Not to be outdone, she gave him a mocking smile and began her own onslaught. She took control, rolling him off her, and then starting from the top and working her way down.

They were very late down to breakfast. In fact, breakfast was given a miss altogether, and they barely made it down in time for lunch.

xxxXXXxxx

On the first Court Day after the wedding, Jareth and Sarah walked into the throne room a bit early to get settled before they had to show their public faces. Jareth saw something on the wall and went over to examine it. "Sarah, what is this?"

She grinned. "Isn't it gorgeous? My father gave me the frame for a graduation gift."

"But what is it?"

"It's my degree that I earned from the university."

"And why is it hanging on the wall of my throne room, instead of in your chamber?"

"Well, aren't you Mr. Possessive? I thought it was our throne room. Anyway, it's hanging here because it seemed more appropriate for a place of business than a bedroom." She took his arm and grinned up at him. "There is more to ruling than just knowing the names of all the Underground rulers for the last millennium. Don't you want your people to know that you have a well-educated queen?"

Jareth laughed. "You're never going to let me forget that, are you? That I made you learn all that, before our wedding?"

Smiling, she shook her head. "And rest assured, my love: I will never stop paying you back, either." She pulled him down to her level and kissed him, a slow, lingering kiss.

"If that's how you plan to do it, feel free," he replied with a smile.

The framed degree stayed where it was, and it became a tradition for Court Day to be attended by both king and queen... because they could never remember who had won the wager the night before... even though they never gave up trying quite frequently.