Chapter 4: Falling in Love
They had been wondering through the new forest for about an hour. Thankfully, there had been no fireys or goblins, but everyone was exhausted, and pretty hungry. Danielle sighed and looked at Tana unhappily.
"Why didn't you pack any food for this part?" she hissed angrily.
"I didn't have time to get to the kitchen! Besides, look at Hoggle. If my guess is right, we'll both be getting peaches pretty soon anyway." Danielle sighed nervously. Tana glanced at her concerned. "What's wrong? This is the part you should be most looking forward to!" she whispered in reply.
"I am! I...just can't... dance very well. I'm really nervous. What if I screw it up?" Danielle answered. There was a faint growling sound.
"Was that my stomach or yours Ambrosious?" Didymus asked.
"Hungry..." Ludo added. Danielle sighed.
"Yeah..." she said, distractedly.
"...but we can't stop now. Maybe we'll find some berries or something..." Tana finished. She glanced at Danielle with a smirk. "Three... two... one..." she mouthed.
"Danielle... Tana..." Hoggle called quietly from behind. The girls turned.
"Yeah?" they answered.
"Here..." he said, handing them the peaches. Tana bit into hers quickly.
"Thanks Hoggle!" she said. Danielle smiled at the dwarf, who had flinched when Tana bit into her peach, and knelt at his side.
"Hoggle," she whispered in his ear, "we forgive you. Go catch up to the others. Don't worry about us."
Hoggle pulled away and looked up at her wide-eyed. She smiled and bit into her peach, feeling the effects of the spell almost immediately. Hoggle ran ahead and Danielle collapsed next to Tana.
Jareth still sat in the window overlooking the city, twirling his crystals. He felt the magic in the peaches activate and smiled, beginning to send his crystals into the air as bubbles to draw them into the "dream". He absently wondered how his crystal for Danielle would manifest itself. He raised his last crystal. His clothes changed and he disappeared.
Danielle opened her eyes, looking around. The ballroom wasn't right... but the music was the same. She looked down at herself to check if she was wearing Sarah's "Abomination Barbie Dress" and was suprised to see that she was wearing the gown she had described to Tana. It was a deep crimson velvet with gold trim. Her hair was half pulled back, out of her face, and secured with a garnet hair clasp. It hung down her back in curly waves, which suprised her, since her hair didn't support curls very well. Around her neck was a black chocker, with a golden pendant shaped like Jareth's. It also had a garnet in the middle.
She looked around and spotted Tana dancing with a man in a burgandy frock coat with bloodstones sewn on it and black breeches and boots. His hair was long, blood red, and pulled back out of his face so that it hung to his mid-back. Tana also wore her gown, with her unusual hair pulled back in a bun, with emerald pins holding it in place. Tana smiled and sent a signal behind her partner's back, motioning toward the center of the room, then turned her attention back to her partner.
Danielle was suddenly struck with the feeling that she and Tana should be somewhere else, doing something important, but she shook the thought away and made her way down the marble steps, toward the center of the dance floor. She sensed someone watching her intently and glanced around. Near a thirteen hour clock that read eleven thirty, that also struck her as important somehow, she saw him. He was wearing a demon mask, but revealed himself as her eyes met his.
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...
At these lines, Jareth smirked and began a game of hide and seek. Danielle sighed unhappily and allowed her instincts to guide her as she made her way into the sea of people.
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
Danielle saw him again, flirting with another woman as they danced. She made her way over, but he had disappeared. Danielle sighed in disappointment and turned back to her search.
As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill has gone
Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you
As the world falls down
Falling
Danielle saw him on the other side of the room with another set of ladies. She hurried over, but he was gone. She turned away and walked off. Jareth revealed himself behind one of the women's fans. He smirked.
'Damn his magic!' she thought angrily.
It's falling down
Falling in love.
Danielle made her way into the center of the room. She was a bit nervous, because she could sense many men leering at her. It was odd, because none had made a move toward her. She caught sight of Jareth near Tana and her dance partner and made her way over. Of course, when she got there, he was gone.
"He's doing this to annoy you, milady," he said with an amused smile. Danielle frowned.
"Thank you for that amazing revelation, milord," she retorted.
"Danielle, don't pick on him! Now, get back out there! He's about to start the second verse!" Tana scolded. Danielle nodded and returned to the center of the room again.
I'll paint your mornings of gold
I'll spin your valentine evenings
Though we're strangers till now
We're choosing the path
Between the stars
I'll lay my love
Between the stars
At this point, Danielle was fed up and ready to escape. When she turned around, he stood there looking handsome in his blue frock coat and blue highlights in his wild blonde hair. She smiled as he took her into his arms and swept her into a waltz.
As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every Thrill has gone
Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you
As the world falls down.
Danielle smiled up at him as they danced. He smiled softly, pulled her closer, and murmured the last lines of the song in her ear.
It's falling down
Falling in love.
When Tana first opened her eyes, she had expected Danielle to be standing right next to her, however, the other girl was not. She glanced about in confusion at the black room that looked familiar but different at the same time. Glancing down at herself, Tana found herself wearing the very dress she had shown Danielle. It was a deep forest green and clung to her, around her neck was a black chocker with a silder cross hanging low on her chest, around her wrists were two silver bands that had silk string of the same color winding up her forearms. Her hair felt tight and reaching back she found that it was pulled back in a bun, done up in pins to keep it in place while her bangs fell to frame her face.
She took a couple of steps onto the dance floor, her eyes roaming to catch a glimps of her friend or perhaps the Goblin King himself, to make sure she was in the actual ballroom. Tana took another look around when she saw neither, however a tall handsome man walked towards her and held out his hand toward her, Tana hesitated only a moment before finally accepting. He said nothing as he nodded his head to her.
This strange handsome man gave her a charming smile when their eyes met once more, and he led her further into the dance floor. Tana watched him, entranced as he turned to face her once more and pulled her close. She wanted to ask who he was and what was going on, however, Tana finally caught sight of Danielle, wearing the very dress she had told Tana of. She was torn between going to her friend or staying with this man. Tana's dancing partner noiced and gave her a minute shake of his head. He leaned in close so he could whisper in her ear. "She must do this on her own, my lady."
A shiver ran through her at the deep purring tone of his voice. Tana nodded her head and looked up in time to catch her friend's eye. If Danielle stood where Sarah had in the movie, then Tana had a rough guess as to where the Goblin Kind himself stood. Tana may not be allowed to help Danielle out right, but that couldn't stop her from giving the princess a hint or two.
Tana smiled as she sent a signal to Danielle behind the man's back and motioned towards the center of the room, when she was sure Danielle got her hint, she turned her attention back to her partner.
The first notes of Jareth's song reach their ears and Tana knew that the game between Jareth and Danielle was about to begin. Tana's unknown dancing partner took this time to sweep her off in the oppisite direction, she gave him a questioning look but he merely shook his head. They both watched the wild chase around the floor, all the while, Tana's un-named partner made sure to keep her far away from them.
At last the two finally met and began dancing. Tana and her partner both let out a sigh of relief before Tana looked at the man suspiciously. "Not only were you keeping me away from Princess, but you were making sure Jareth had a partner... why?" She asked quietly.
The man smiled. "She had to find him on her own." He replied and then added. "I had also invited him here. I only want what is best for Jareth. No matter how much he denies it, I know he is lonely."
Tana raised an eyebrow at him. "You invited him?"
"Yes. I am the lord of these lands, serving under my brother, the Goblin King." He replied.
"Your brother?" Tana said in shock, really looking at him. "How could I have missed it? Your eyes are a dead give away..." She lifted a hand to lightly brush her fingers down the side of his face. "What is your name?"
He took hold of her hand and brought it to his lips. "I am called Aiden, my lady." he introduced himself, kissing her hand softly. "I have been watching your journey with Lady Danielle and I must say, I am intrigued and totally captivated by you."
Tana's face flushed slightly though she tried to ignore it. "I don't see how." She mumbled, glancing over at the dancing couple. Danielle and Jareth looked breathtakingly beautiful together. "I'm not that interesting..."
"But you are." Aiden replied, turning her face gently back to him. "And I hope that you will stay so we can better get to know eachother. There is much more I'd love to learn about you."
Tana looked at him, unbelievingly. "I don't know. We still have Jennifer to save, though I would rather see her turn into a goblin..." Tana trailed off and looked over Aiden's shoulder instead of in his eyes. "When this is over, the after-effects of Jareth's spell will take effect. We'll forget everything."
Aiden gave a light chuckle. "Do not worry on it now Milady." He said, pulling her into his arms once more. "For now, let us just dance." She smiled and gave a light nod of her head before they were turning around the dance floor.
Danielle sighed and leaned against the Goblin King's chest. It just seemed so right to her, even if he was supposed to be the enemy.
'If I never leave this moment, I'll be content,' she thought absently. Jareth looked down at the mortal girl in his arms and smiled a genuine smile.
Of course, as all stories do, at that moment both couples were sent spiralling back into reality as the clock began to chime 12:00. Battle lines were drawn again, and they became opponents once more. Danielle sighed unhappily.
"I may forget everything," she muttered, "but my heart will not forget this." She stood on tiptoe and kissed him lightly. She never gave him the chance to respond as she pulled out of his embrace and ran. She looked back once and saw the sad look in his unguarded eyes. "I'm sorry..." she whispered.
She shoved her way out of the crowd and ran past Tana and Aiden. Tana hesitated for a moment, looking up at Aiden, then called out to her retreating princess:
"I'll catch up to you at the gates!"
"Be careful!" Aiden called as Danielle shattered the dream by jumping off the balcony. She fell into darkness, a single tear slipping down her face.