Too wired to sleep and needing an outlet she rushed for her closet and pulled out her dancing bag. Upon her return she had searched out a room with a smooth hardwood floor, having cleaned the sunshine filled room and cleared the floor she had made it her own personal dancing studio. Slipping in and shutting the door behind her she looked to it once more. The floor was smooth and after she had finished with it, clean. The wall along the opposite wall was full of shelves and the chairs that had been spread out across the room were partially stacked and pressed against the inner wall. To the left was a wall of windows. If she were to look out it would show her the garden and part of the hedge section of the Labyrinth. Dropping the pack she soon began digging through it, changing into her dance clothes she performed her usual warm-ups before donning her toe shoes.
Knowing the room by heart she closed her eyes and let the music from memory to play from her mind. Channeling her pent up energy through dance she let her mind take the back burner and her body gain control. She didn't want to think, didn't want to feel, just move. Everyone escaped their problems in different ways. Alcohol, drugs, sex, food, for her it was dance, to her it was therapy. It was also the only escape from Jareth she could find, when she danced she felt untouchable. Nothing could hurt her and nothing could stop her. Mick understood this about her, and had often forced food down her throat when she was particularly stressed. Glancing at her reflection in the window she winced. She may not have been hungry but she better start eating if she wanted to remain healthy. She was half entranced by the ghostly figure that was her reflection when she felt him appear in the room. "What are you doing here?" He sounded almost angry. Franticly she tried to think of what she might have done to upset him. It angered her that she was so afraid but after that morning he finally had her expressing that fear he had demanded so long ago.
"I-I was, the room, I mean." Forming a fist at her side she found her bit of courage and met him eye for eye.
"How did you get in here?" Her confusion took a turn from fear to curiosity. He hadn't ever forbid her from entering a room; did this room mean something to him? "You shouldn't have been able to snoop in here."
"I wasn't snooping."
"Then how did you get in here?" Tapping her toe-shoe on the wooden floor she brought his attention to her feet with the sound it created.
"It was the only room that had a level wood floor."
He hadn't expected that for an answer, looking to her feet he saw the shoes that had harmed her feet when she had worn them Aboveground. He hadn't appreciated finding her in his mothers solar. This had been the Queen's hiding spot from his father, he had charmed it too keep out curious goblins and snooping nobles. Sarah hadn't been doing either, only searching for a floor to dance on.
He felt a twinge of guilt at frightening her like he had. He had never told her to stay out of the room and here he was yelling at her for doing as she wanted in her free time. "Sarah." Her arms crossed over her chest and she looked away, still she watched him from the corner of her eye. "I apologize." Her head snapped and he read the blatant shock in her eyes and expression. "I should not have yelled at you, this is my mother's room." Sarah gasped and looked around with sparked curiosity. "I've spelled it to keep the curious and nosy out, obviously you were doing neither when you entered. Otherwise you would have found the door locked."
"Oh." He glanced to her disturbingly thin figure clothed in the odd outfit her friend had gifted her. Thinking it best to change subject her decided take a less threatening pose.
"You're far too thin." She glanced to her reflection in the window and back to him.
"I was thinking the same thing; I hate to think of what Mick would do to me if he saw me right now. Last time I did something like this he baked up a storm and tied me to a chair. He can't cook." Her grey tinged eyes danced at the memory while her face gave an expression that spoke of terrible taste. Loathe he was to admit it he felt a flicker of gratefulness towards the boy for taking care of Sarah. The only difference was that while she would listen to the boy she would refuse to eat just to be stubborn if he tried such a thing. Her willfulness while enticing was infuriating when working against his wishes. How was he going to get her to eat, he knew she would starve herself just to annoy him, but with his spell in place over her he could order her to eat. But somehow he could bring himself to do that to her, the terror that had flashed in her eyes when she had realized his hold over her, he never wanted to see that again. Not even if he was forcing her to do what was best for herself.
"Then will you dine with me?" She gave him a measuring look, she would make an excellent Queen someday. For all her brashness she saw quite a bit for one so young.
"Is that a request or an order?" His lips twitched in amusement.
"A request." Holding out his hand for her to take should she choose he waited.
"I'm still angry with you." Her words were strong; her hand touching his was hesitant.
"I know."
"You went beyond way too far."
"Yes."
"Don't do that again…please." She was stepping over her bounds ordering him to do that, but her nearly whispered begging softened his disposition. He had frightened her and she was asking in her backward way for him not to do it again. Sarah was more like him than he had originally thought, they both had their layers and different ways of expressing their feelings. He didn't say anything, to apologize would be telling her she had won, to mock her would be akin to taking even more steps back. Silence was neither forfeiting their latest squabble or winning. She didn't press for an answer, it seemed she understood their tenuous truce. For however long it would last.
Well would you look at that, no major fights. They'll actually spend some time together NOT fighting in the next chapter. Oooh would all LOVE to know what I have planned for our poor heroine. You all just have to wait. Yes I am evil. Yes I am proud of this. REVIEW.
~BUM~