It's Further Than You Think
The next two weeks passed by uneventfully. That is, as uneventfully as was to be expected. Every meal Cattie served got thrown back at her. Jareth had almost gotten hit in the face five separates times. Llewellyn almost got his decapitated when he forgot and let Sarah have a knife. Still, two weeks passed by as uneventfully as was to be expected.
It was with great relief that the entire kingdom watched four carriages pull up to The Castle Beyond The Goblin City. Jareth immediately rushed forward and pulled each arriving monarch into a tight hug, surprising Belladonna into silence instead of her usual laughter upon arrival.
It was Galvin who first commented on Jareth's appearance. In typical Wizard fashion he said, "Jareth, my friend, you look like death itself."
Keenan and Amaryllis shot the Wizard Prince disapproving glances, Belladonna giggled, and Jareth smiled and said, "It's been hell here."
The next week was, indeed, the hardest. At the end of the week, everyone was exhausted. Especially Hoggle and Sir Didymus, who had recently been used as darts, thrown at the target that was Ludo.
On the night the doors unlocked for Sarah, the entire kingdom was asleep, save for Jareth and the four visiting monarchs. It was out in the gardens, underneath a clear sky, that Sarah found her royal friends.
Keenan and Jareth walking in a friendly debate about the regulation of vials for potions, the other three monarchs listening intently.
Belladonna, the youngest and easiest to be distracted, started looking around. As her eyes fell on the newly released girl, her eyes widened and she almost shouted, "Sarah!"
The others whipped around to see the girl standing there, circles under her eyes. Jareth took a couple of slow steps forward, and Sarah rushed to him. Wrapping their arms around each other, the couple fell to their knees.
"It's late," Keenan said. "I think I'll retire."
"As will we," Amaryllis said, grabbing the Prince and Princess on either side of her and dragging them into the castle.
"Sarah," Jareth said quietly, hands holding her face and thumbs caressing her tear-stained cheeks, " I love you."
"I love you, too," Sarah whispered, admitting for the first time what she had known since she was fifteen.
"Marry me, Sarah," Jareth whispered, gently kissing her forehead.
Sarah stood up slowly, pulling Jareth up, as well. "Ask me in the morning," Sarah said, placing a hand on Jareth's cheek. Things always look different in the daylight."