"What are we doing?" Toby asked, twisting awkwardly around to look at the Goblin King.
Jareth said nothing, only pointed him back to what he'd been instructed to look at. "What do you see?" he asked quietly.
Toby sighed, just as he had done for the last two hours. "I see a tree," he said flatly.
"Then pay attention and look again," Jareth snapped.
"Your Majesty, I see a tree in a forest," Toby groaned, "The leaves are green and the bark is brown and the sky is blue. I see moss and lichen and grass and what looks like a lizard."
Jareth frowned a little and rubbed his eyes with the fingers on his right hand. "How is it that you see so little and misunderstand so much? Are you sure you're not blind?"
"Your Majesty, I do not have magick sight! How am I supposed to see anything except what any mortal would?" Toby was getting very frustrated. He did not usually sit on the grass. He did not find it relaxing to meditate. And he sure as hell did not appreciate whatever it was his educator was trying to do. He was not used to it, and it annoyed him.
It annoyed Jareth too, because the Goblin King simply turned around and stalked away without another word. He was clearly not going to press the issue any further.
Toby stood up and brushed himself off, muttering softly to himself. The morning had started off with such promise, even if it had been a little… strange. Vague memories of the night before were still haunting him and it was disconcerting to remember just how seduced he had been by nothing more than a bath of water.
He chastised himself soundly in his head, put it down to the recent upheaval in his life and went back to the Castle, summoning Yava to ask her whether there was any task- no matter how menial or rough it was- that he could set his hands to.
The little goblin's little eyes seemed to start from her head with surprise as she craned her head up. "You- you want work, Mr. Williams?" she asked timidly.
He nodded, going down on one knee so that they were face-to-face. "Yeah, if it is not too much trouble. I would appreciate it."
"But- but it isn't right, Mr. Williams!"
He sighed and then looked her in the eye. "Yava, I am sure that you know how disconcerting His Majesty's expectations can be. I would appreciate having something with which to work out my frustrations."
She nodded then, relief dawning on her face. "Yes, yes, of course, Mr. Williams. I… that is- there is a job… but it - it involves cleaning the armour, Sir. There are goblin servants but with all the work…" her voice trailed away and she looked plainly terrified by her own presumption.
The Goblin King's ward was not someone meant to clean armour, no matter how well made.
But the Goblin King's ward nodded and seemed quite pleased with the job. He stood up and smiled down at her. "Thank you, Yava. You needn't worry about Jareth's temper on this; I take full responsibility."
And so it was. Talk stopped in the armoury near the kitchens as Toby was ushered in, but Yava barked at them in Goblin and they hurriedly went back to work. A plain wooden chair was supplied to the mortal, along with the other necessities and a pile of breastplates. Nodding around, Toby bent his head and got to work, concentrating on the grubby metal.
Yava watched him for a few minutes and then scurried back to her own busy schedule. It was puzzling, and her goblin mind revolted against this state of things. But he had asked. There was nothing else she could have done. And he did seem somewhat restful now.
Yava needn't have worried, had her employer known, he would only have said something scathing about mortals being good for nothing but servants' tasks.
Jareth was in a fine temper. He hadn't woken up in a very good mood, what with his sleep being disturbed. Not that the dreams had made their presence felt- it had been a restful night, whatever he had enjoyed- but there had been far too little of it. The morning had been a new start and he had intended to keep his promise, to make sure that some kind of understanding was established.
But Toby was so thick! What was he to do if the mortal wouldn't even try!
Disappointing. There was so little promise in him. Though those were perhaps the wrong words. The Goblin King had seen brief flashes of promise- a glimmer of amusement, a wide look of abandonment, a bolt of icy anger- but they had quickly disappeared into God-knew-where. For a short while that morning the fae had wondered if perhaps Toby had only buried his personality from some well-meaning need to fit in. But that was clearly not it, because he didn't seem to have a personality.
Or at least, not one that Jareth found particularly appealing.
The Goblin King had always surrounded himself with strong personalities, if for no other reason than that those who were easily pushed around were tedious and boring. There was no fire in them, no spark of intrigue. The Lady Pandora was right in so many respects- Jareth liked to experience things through others. And with a predictable personality, there was no fun.
Elban was so close simply because he was so passionate, so affectionate. It was annoying, but endearing as well. Jareth could see what he felt. There was no subterfuge, no lying; and yet Elban still had the ability to surprise him. When the forest sprite had found out about Sarah- and how Jareth's heart twisted at the very thought of that name- he'd been unexpectedly gentle.
Jareth stopped his endless walk and looked down as he summoned up a crystal. Elban was not busy. He seemed, in fact, rather bored. Without any other preparation, he took himself to Fair Havens, taking care to apparate outside Elban's door. It wouldn't do to just appear in the room. And if anyone could distract him from the irritation in his Castle, it was Elban.
He knocked, didn't wait to be allowed to enter, but swung the door open and walked in, a teasing smirk on his face.
Elban let out a short shout, jumped and then glared at him. "You," he hissed, almost sounding full of loathing. Almost.
"Are you not happy to see me?"
"No. Go away."
"Tsk, tsk, Elban." Jareth put his hands on his hips and felt his smirk widen. "Surely you would not throw your king out of your house?"
"If you're threatening me…"
"Be still, Elban. I'm not threatening anyone. May I sit?"
"If you must."
"I would like to."
Laughing mismatched eyes met smouldering dark ones with a demure smile. Elban ground his teeth, sat down and jerked his hand to the vacant chair. "Do sit," he bit out, sugaring his voice, "And tell me to what I owe this honour."
Jareth sat down and conjured up a crystal and flicked his wrist, turning it into a peach. He offered one to Elban and the forest sprite softened somewhat. He hesitated a minute and Jareth smiled at him, still with the peach held out in offering.
"Well?"
"Thank you." Elban sighed, taking it and putting it down on his table. As if by some stray thought, the forest sprite straightened in his seat fast enough to injure himself, dark eyes growing round as he directed a piercing stare at his friend. "You are not supposed to be here!" long-lasting
Jareth looked around. "Why? Does Beran still suspect me of trying to seduce you?"
"It may sound funny but I assure you that it isn't. Simply because you can not find it in your heart to enter any kind of enduring monogamy with anyone does not mean that the tradition is overrated. And that stupid dwarf insists that I plan to cheat on him." Elban was not in the best of moods. "And you do encourage him; you and your peaches!"
A dark brow lifted and the Goblin King almost smirked. Almost, but not quite. "Your lover is your concern," he laughed, "I don't involve myself with your private issues."
"Yes, I know. Insufferable mischief-maker. And speaking of all the ways in which you annoy people, why are you here?"
The smirk faded. Jareth sat back in his chair and swung one long leg over the other, black boot bobbing in a restless tick. "I was choking on the tension," he said blandly.
Elban drew his legs up under him and crossed them, nodding absently in encouragement. Jareth did not just pop in whenever he wanted. Beran had made it very clear to the both of them that he did not appreciate it. Fair Havens was, after all, his house. Jareth respected that for the most part. Strange, really. Considering he usually went where he wanted with no thought for anyone else. Jareth did have a few sparks of humane goodness in his soul.
The silence stretched on the longest time, punctuated only the restless rustling of a brocade waistcoat against a velvet chair-back.
Elban had no clocks- he had a hatred for the things- and Jareth found himself missing that rhythmic ticking. He craved it now and the silence was driving him mad. But he calmed himself and settled down, stilling his awkward movements as he sank slowly back into a state of self-control.
Clearly, Elban was therapeutic to his fidgety mind.
"Jareth, stop play with that medallion. It is rude."
The Goblin King laughed good-naturedly and dropped it. "As you wish. Is there any news?"
"About what? Beran is away or I might have…"
"I asked," Jareth interrupted, "About you." He waved a gloved hand in his friend's direction, a new thought occurring to him. "What do you do all day?"
"As you know very well, I do nothing," came the arch reply, "Though sometimes I write poetry."
Jareth nodded, openly bored. "Oh. Very nice. Have I read any of it?"
"No. Jareth, seriously- why are you here? This is the first morning of Toby's educating. Should you not be there with Toby?"
"Educating is highly overrated," Jareth waived, "He will find something with which to occupy himself. Or not. Either way, I do not want to see him right now."
Elban looked worried, pausing in the midst of braiding up his loose hair. "This is not… about last night, is it?" he asked delicately, "Did something happen?"
"Last night?" Jareth uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"You just looked upset, as if he had done something wrong. Forgive me, but the way that you looked after Sarah defeated you."
That threw him, it really did. Toby's lack of perception was nothing at all to the stab of misery that Sarah's rejection had been. And besides, Jareth made it a habit to never use the same emotion twice, particularly when the emotion involved was so vitally all-consuming. Disappointment, yes; but not rejection.
"Jareth?"
"Are you accusing me of feeling for Toby what I felt for his sister?"
Elban was only rarely treated to that soft voice. From the way Jareth's gloved hands were clenched together, the Goblin King had taken the unexpected path of insult. Elban would have expected sadness or amusement, not fury.
"Answer me."
"No. No, I am not."
"Good. Because it might please you to know that I want nothing to do with him. He is nothing to me of any value but some nostalgic trinket that serves to remind me. Are we clear?"
"Yes."
Jareth nodded and got to his feet. "Entirely unimportant," he added, "A worthless scrap of humanity."
"Jareth, you are being a little harsh. I am sure that you have no interest in him but he is hardly worthless," Elban burst out hotly, "For mercy's sake, listen to yourself!"
"I find nothing wrong in what I have said."
"Well, I do. You are meant to make him an adult. How can you possibly be of any use to him when you despise him so?"
"Despise him?" The Goblin King chuckled and shook his head. "It sounds cruel, but I really cannot bring myself to care enough to despise or hate him. She loved him. And for Her sake, I will do all I can to make his life as painless as possible. He will have what I can give him, but as for liking him… the man is singularly oppressive to me."
"Then give him up," his friend urged, "Send him away. This- this is humiliation!"
"And sending him away in his need will not be?"
Elban frowned. "You did it before," he pointed out, "When you first saved him."
Jareth stopped and looked down at his hands. "I did, did I not?"
"Jareth?"
"Hmmm? Oh. I need to return. Doubtless he will have rearranged the papers in my desk according to importance by now."
"Your desk is too disorganized, Jareth. Beran and I have always told you so," Elban laughed, relieved that the conversation had swung to something a little lighter in tone. All this talk about hatred and dark themes had made him dizzy. It was the one part of Jareth that he didn't understand- his ability to just use people for what they could give him.
"Ah, no," Jareth mocked, shaking his finger at the shorter male, "Order in chaos, my love, order in chaos. There must be some perks to being the Goblin King, if only to sense what is chaff and what is seed. In order, chaos is stifled and the senses lose their effectiveness."
"And in pure chaos, the senses have supreme control and anarchy looms like a thundercloud," Elban retorted, "Speaking of which, are we never to have rain again in the Underground? I don't think you've ever unleashed a good storm since you came to power."
"Where will be the use?"
"I would have thought you would relish experiencing the power you hold over nature."
"I do what I do. Are you trying to question my motives again?"
"Because I have ever managed to rationalize you?"
They shared a smile and Elban gripped softly at his friend's arm. "Take care of your emotions, Jareth."
"Elban…"
"No, just because you go dangerously close to letting your senses rule you. There is no stabilizing force in you."
Jareth shrugged. "I have never needed it. My senses never steer me wrong." He left, leaving the last mocking gift of a scattering of glittering around the room.
Elban coughed and spat out a few sparkling pieces from his mouth, irritated but fondly filing it away as just another of Jareth's annoyances. The peach still sat on the table where he had left it and the forest sprite's delicate hands grabbed it up and tossed it from hand to hand in contemplation.
He worried about his friend. Always had. And not in any way that made him anxious or scheming on his behalf, but simply served to make him wrack his brains to figure out why the Goblin King was as he was. Chaos, order… Jareth hadn't changed simply because he controlled those magicks, now. He always had been so. Ever since they had been friends, Elban was aware of something not quite right with the Goblin King, a kind of imbalance. And he knew what it was- it was that instability.
Surprising in itself because no one could have wished for a more stable household, or a closer family. The Lady Pandora and Lord Galen had been the best sort of parents, if a little inclined to high expectations. But that was the prerogative of all parents and there could be nothing wrong in that. The family seemed quarrelsome; Elban well remembered the first time he had stayed in the house with them. He'd almost had a heart attack at the way they insulted each other. Lord Galen had been the one to burst out laughing at his awe-struck face and explain the matter gently, if a little bluntly.
It wasn't a fight, he'd been told. They spoke their minds and they mocked each other. Out of this freedom came the respect for a parent and sibling, came a respect for the individual, came a sharing of ideas both good and bad and the ability to stand up for what one believed. The fae family were advanced thinkers in that respect.
And Jareth had seemed to relish that freedom to the extent that it made him the proud, seemingly arrogant person he now was. Elban could think of no other reason. It wasn't a bad thing; it was just there. Yet all through the wandering, restless exploration of ideas and possibilities that instability had existed.
Until Sarah.
Sarah had captured his attention, even when Jareth denied making one of those rare trips Aboveground to see her perform her make-believe in the park. He'd seemed… peaceful, completely at one with his feelings, not as if he could feel them and yet stand aside from his own person and watch himself. She had seemed to steady him. His schedules- more bizarre in those days- were regulated by her waking hours and her sleeping hours. His bad habit of wandering around the Underground in unpredictable patterns became more ordered, more relaxed. He became more relaxed.
And for that, Elban could only have been grateful to her. Even her rejection of everything Jareth had offered her had been a good influence. The Goblin King had picked himself up, had scoffed at any sympathy and ignored the widespread mockery and had gone about his business as if to prove that she was not constantly in his thoughts or senses. He had stopped daydreaming and actually begun to take an interest in his Kingdom, as if to make himself a better person for Her.
Not that she would have noticed, Elban thought bitterly, she spent the rest of her life pretending to curse his name. He had attempted to reach out to her again, to show gentleness no one had ever seen in him and to curb his impulsive nature because it obviously frightened her. And what had Jareth had to show for it? A slap in the face and a seething demand to leave her alone. Elban had winced for the Goblin King, then, beginning to understand that while Jareth probably deserved to be made to work for her regard, the price on his pride seemed a little harsh.
"Mou," he called, exiting his room and looking for the goblin that was never far from his side, "Mou!"
"Yes?" Two bright eyes popped up from nowhere, before the rest of the goblin followed it.
Elban hesitated. He had been intending to ask that Beran be sent for immediately. Thinking of Sarah always made him feel as if he didn't appreciate his lover enough. After all, Beran was a kind person and gentle to a fault. He had his imperfections and Elban knew people had whispered behind his back about ugly dwarves and the shame that a forest sprite possessed of looks and social position should have chosen a glorified koern-herder to bed with for the rest of his life. But Beran was… steadying. And he was gentle. None of which had anything to do with the fact that Elban was hopelessly, tactlessly in love with a dwarf, but there you had it- the indignity didn't matter so long as he had his lover.
"Is- is Beran still with his breeder?" he asked, sounding subdued.
Mou looked a little concerned, but chalked it down to the last two weeks of excitement. "Yes, Sir."
"Oh. Do not disturb him, then. Just- tell him when he is free that I would like him to join me, if he has nothing else to do."
Gods, yes! Elban would have offered his soul to the Deity that had sent such a love his way. Now if only Sarah had been such a one for Jareth.
