She couldn't believe he had asked such a question. Actually she could, but the answer was none of his business. After all, who was he to know her emotional scars that she still carried and forever would? "Wh-what?" 'Maybe I heard wrong.' The hope was futile but delay she did all the same.
"Why don't you trust people?" Her jaw was momentarily unhinged. She knew what he meant, why didn't she give anyone her complete trust. Oh she trusted people, and Under-worldly creatures, just not with all her heart.
"I trust people. Not you of course. Not in a good way at any rate." She tried to scoot back but his hold on her leg was as firm as a shackle. Crossing her arms she looked away haughtily and tried to do some fast thinking. She sure as hell wasn't going to bare her soul to him and she knew he wasn't going to take the crap answer she had just spilled out. She gave a startled noise when the fingers making spirals on her ankle moved up slightly. It tickled lightly and she had the maddening urge to itch the patch of skin beneath his fingers. Glaring to him she was met with a steady, expectant, look. "Why do you care anyway?" She nearly hit herself, she had just admitted to him that what he had said was true. His answer was to trail higher up. Now tormenting the area just below the back of her knee. She didn't make the mistake of trying to move away.
"The answer Sarah, all of it. And true." She stuck her tongue out at him, completely ruining her act but making her feel slightly better.
"I trust people. I trust Mick. He knows more about me than anyone else I know. He understands me and knows how to handle my mood swings. I've been there for him when he needs me and he's always been there for me. Prior experiences with you excluded. The girls I met at theater productions as they were the other actresses and Mick was the one to introduce us. I met Berny and introduced him to Mick and they are now living happily together. I trust them, the fact that I told them about you should be proof enough of that."
"And yet you still keep them at an arms distance."
"I do not." She defended convincingly. His hand was just above her knee; if he went any higher she would either slug or slap him. "Stop that." She shifted her weight, one hand moving out to do something to get his hand to cease having the affect it was on her leg. The goosbumps were rather annoying. His hand gently slapped hers away. She merely moved it faster and began to scrape her nails across the territory of her leg he had already crossed. Red marks marked her actions.
He frowned as she began to lightly scratch her leg. The skin turned pink and she had successfully undone whatever affect his light touch may have held on her. She tried for a second time to move his hand but he merely pat it away again. Glaring she set her jaw, as his fingers gained elevation he watched as her fingers dug into the skin of her arms. "And what do you think you're doing." He teased lightly, she could remain silent and he would explore more of her delightfully smooth skin, she could answer and he would stay where he was. She could lie through her teeth, and well, all the more fun for him. He soon discovered that she wore a pair of short pants beneath her overly large and unflattering shirt. She stiffened but gave no vocal reaction. This wasn't like her, looking back to her face he noted and acknowledged the battle glint in her eyes. Focusing back on her fingers he saw in dim horror the blood she was drawing with her nails. "Stop that." He commanded, she raised her chin lightly but did not loosen her grip.
"What for, you forget Goblin King that I am not going to make anything easy. You want a reaction I'll give myself a distraction. Pain works for so many things." Another hint to her past, she knew pain, and had learned to harness it and make it aid her.
"I told you to-." He growled, grabbing her hands and forcing her to stop. Dream or not if she harmed herself here the damage would link to her body. "To stop."
"No!" She fought as he pulled her to her feet, she struggled and hissed out terms he had only heard his Goblins use, though in their native tongue. When she tired herself out he pulled her off her feet. Cradling her in his arms. She couldn't fight him in this position, couldn't run, couldn't leave.
"Sarah!" She froze at the sound of her name. "Look at me." His voice was calm but there was still the undercurrent of power that he controlled in it. Slowly she met his eyes, barely doing so. Setting her legs down he held her close and used his newly freed hand to make her face him. "Don't hurt yourself Sarah. It will aid you not."
"Ya, well." She tried to move her chin but failed in doing so. "What do you know about me? Other than that I'm a stubborn idiot who wished her half-brother away. Mick knows me better than anyone ever has with the sole exception of maybe Merlin. And I would greatly appreciate it if you would drop the inquiries. I'd sooner spill my life story to Karen than you."
She doubted that he understood the magnitude of her words. She didn't care. Her arms stung but she would live, after all, it was only a dream.
"I will." He whispered, she raised her eyebrows at the two syllables.
"Will what?"
"Will know you. I will know more than just your dreams, I will know your thoughts, desires." She felt her back press against a tree and his warm breath on her lips. But somehow couldn't quite bring herself to move. What was he doing?
"And I." She felt a shiver run down her spine at the sensation of his warm body pressed to hers. Each time before her anger had clouded her. Now that she was so drained it was not able to protect her from the reactions he could and was causing in her. "Will become acquainted." His lips were brushing hers and for once she was too confused to fight. "With the depth of your passion. I will see how hot the fire inside of you burns." She tensed up when his mouth fell on hers and fear began to override whatever spell he had wove around her. But it was a short one, and when he pulled away he gave her the space she so desperately needed.
"What did you do to me?" She hissed, using the most accusing tone she could muster. He smiled in a satisfied way that made her want to hide.
"Nothing Sarah, you merely did not fight me. Showing me what I already knew. You are attracted to me in the same way I am to you."
"I am not!" She screamed defensively. "I hate you!"
"What is hate Sarah?" He scoffed. "Or love for that matter?"
"A feeling, an emotion." She hissed in reply. Inadvertently stepping forward.
"Passion. Passion dear Sarah. And that is something that runs through your veins in everything you do. There is such a thin thread to divide love and hate. And you walk so close to it." They were toe to toe by this point and she was too angry to notice that her head was tilted just perfectly to have a kiss stolen. This did not go unmissed by the King but he knew now was not the time to explore the many ways to bring her fire to new heights.
"Get me out of this dream." Her voice was cold and void of emotion. She had gone what she called cold. Nothing could harm her when she was like this. Nothing affected her and she was at her most lethal verbally. The man before her smiled indulgently and took a step back, bending slightly in a mock bow as he did so.
"As my lady wishes, but remember Sarah. I can call you here, or anywhere else in my relm and imagination at will. All you need do is close your eyes." She had been expecting the threat and had already thought of her solution. And the interest that sparkled in his duel eyes as her mouth curled told her that he hadn't thought that she could fight him on this.
How wrong he was to underestimate her once again.
"Caffeine, Jareth dear." She sneered, using his name towards him for the second time. "Is a wonderful drug."
Well what do you think? Back to squabbling as you can tell. Did anyone see that coming though? I'm serious. Well REVIEW, I love reading them.
~BUM~