Chapter 7 - Jareth's Vision

Do you remember loves first kiss?

The dance beneath the sky

A warm and gentle shifting breeze

The swift and hard goodbye.

A time when moments linger on

Desire burns like a fire

A look, a touch, a simple thing

The human heart inspired.

Jareth looked at Sarah with a longing barely concealed. This was the woman he had always wanted, always waited for. Sarah, if possible, looked even more beautiful than she ever had. Not one to lie to himself, Jareth admitted to looking in on Sarah from time to time. What use was infinite power if you didn't use it? Her beauty had grown truer with her age and no man could resist it. "Her eyes look so sad" Jareth thought "Have I made her unhappy somehow?" Realizing he had done nothing but stare at her for the last few minutes Jareth motioned her to enter.

Jareth knew his room was magnificent, he designed everything himself, but he took pleasure in her evident approval of his sanctuary. Jareth eyed his bed covetously, Gods he was tired. Just being out of bed was a drain on his very limited energy resources. Gesturing to the small seating area in the corner Jareth sunk gratefully into one of the wide chairs. Was she ever going to say something? Jareth thought, torturing himself with visions of why she had come. What would he do if she left him? Jareth looked at Sarah expectantly, his eyes showing none of his panic. She wasn't talking. Damn the woman, well Jareth was damned if he would speak first. Telepathically summoning a goblin to fetch a bottle of his best wine Jareth settled into his chair to wait her out.

"You know why I have come?" Sarah asked. Jareth raised an eyebrow, was he supposed to know? He didn't even know how she figured out to say the damn words. Sarah sighed, "Hoggle has informed me that you are...ill." She said finally "I see this is true." Jareth was shocked, was his condition so obvious? He sighed. He couldn't very well tell her that he was dying because she didn't love him. Once a fool was once too often for Jareth's tastes. Never again would he give this mortal woman a grip on his heart...or soul. "Many things have changed since you were here last Sarah" he said evasively, trying to sound like his usual self, when all he wanted to do was curl up and sleep. "My kingdom has changed and I have changed with it." What! What the hell was that? He thought to himself, she's never going to buy that load of rubbish. Oh Gods just dump me into the Bog of Eternal Stench and be done with this torture. Sarah was frowning, "You are dying because things have changed? This makes no sense," she said. Jareth smiled, she still had the nerve to challenge him. How empty the days had been since she defeated him. Dying? How the hell did she know that! Jareth smiled, hiding his seething rage "Whoever said I was dying?" Sarah's face clouded with anger, God she was beautiful. "I was lead to believe your situation was quite bad, I was told I was needed here" she said, "If this is untrue then I will leave." Jareth sat bolt upright in his chair, she couldn't leave! What would he do if he lost her again? "Leave?" He questioned in a hard voice, trying valiantly not to betray the shaking fear inside his heart, "You will do no such thing." Sarah looked really mad, that was the wrong thing to say and Jareth regretted the words as soon as he had said them. "I will do whatever I wish Jareth, I am not yours to command. You have no power over me." Sarah spat the angry words into Jareth's face. The words struck Jareth's soul. No Sarah! He longed to cry out, I am yours to command. But the weight of a man's pride is immeasurable and so Jareth said nothing. Jareth simply sat there, chest heaving with the effort not to break down. The night itself seemed to wait with baited breath.

A/N: Well, this is the other side of the coin. Let me know what you think. I will have more posted tomorrow hopefully. R/R and enjoy as always.