Disclaimer: See Chapter One! I still want to mention the Emperor of China simply because, for some odd, mysterious reason, even though I've never actually seen him or heard him talk, he makes for nice comic relief.
AN: Okay, I have good news! An amazing person has kept my story on file and is going to zip it and send it to me. Now I don't have to feel too bad about losing both of my back-up discs to the great unknown… Another thing: I'm still continuing this revised version of the story simply because it needs it, though I will now have assistance from my previous version of this story. I guess there is no other real news to report, so on with Chapter 1!!!!!!
CHAPTER 1: One More Addiction
First the good news
It's gonna feel very nice
Then the bad news
You gotta pay a heavy price
Rip tide, we slide we ride on a deep forbidden sea
Under we go – so slow
And you're hanging onto me
And I say
Oh oh one more addiction in my world
Oh One more connection to let go
Oh floating down the river
Out of sight forever from my world
It's the only thing I know how to do
I reject you
But I can't follow through
I'd forget you
But you'd end up tappin' on my back door
Somehow I lost myself
In a tunnel long and black
Somewhere at the end, I pretend
There's a way of turning back
And I said
Oh oh one more addiction in my world
Oh One more connection to let go
Oh floating down the river
Out of sight forever from my world
Take a breath
Let it out
All the things you frown about are meaningless of course
Unless you're doing this for real I guess
I meant to but
I don't know what
Is in the way and could I say
It's you I bet
I won't forget
Maybe I'm not ready yet
Oh oh one more addiction in my world
Oh One more connection to let go
Oh floating down the river
Out of sight forever from my world
Natalie Imbruglia One More Addiction
An unsteady sort of croak woke Jareth sometime later, and he started groggily, trying to jump out of his chair and failing miserably, unsure of where he was or what was making that noise. Then he remembered: the cold water, the dark head sinking in defeat, the exhaustion of pulling a fully-grown human through the rift. He sat up more gingerly, conscious of the aches and pains that would be present for days after this ordeal. Sarah was trying to cry out, but was unable to, probably from all the salt water she swallowed. Before he was forced to drag his sore body from the chair and pour her some water from the carafe by her bed, Raven came in the door and completed the task for him. Sarah lay back down and closed her eyes.
Then, brushing the wild blond hair back from his cheek with a tender hand, Raven poured him a glass of the magically chilled water as well, watching carefully until he finished. Then she took the glass from him and sat down on the edge of the bed facing him, straightening his blankets as she did so. Assuring herself that he was comfortable, her soft violet eyes hardened, and the Goblin King knew what was coming.
"So, my dear Jareth. Here you are. Having returned from a trip Aboveground to save some helpless human in distress. Now, after almost killing yourself trying to pull her dead-weight through the rift, you sleep by her bed and have her watched over at all times. Let's review this: callous Goblin King rescues young human girl and almost kills himself trying to drag her half-dead body back home. The rumors are spreading like a cancer, Jareth, and none of them benign. Most of the southern provinces have withdrawn their negotiators. They think you've gone mad and found some human concubine to satisfy your lusts until you die from blood poisoning or some such. There is talk about the rest of them drawing back as well, and joining the war effort. One must stop to ask oneself: Whatever possessed you to do it?"
Jareth coughed softly and smiled. "Well, Raven, I knew that you would be skeptical, but I didn't think you would attack me the moment I woke up! Can't a king get some rest and recovery?"
"No, Jareth, not with things the way they are. You don't have to answer me – I am after all nothing but another one of your subjects. But as one of your best friends since childhood I would love to know."
He sighed. "I understand Raven. Probably better than you, but I still don't…"
"Don't what?" She prompted.
"I don't know what I'm going to do. Sarah is not going to be happy with me when she wakes up."
"Sarah?" Raven turned around to gaze at the girl who had turned over in her sleep with her back to them. "The Sarah? Jareth, what were you thinking?"
"That's just it… I wasn't. All I know is that I heard her scream and then I was desperately trying to find her before I even knew what had happened. And now here she is, Underground again. And what am I going to tell her when she wakes up? Answer me that Raven." The color had gone out of his cheeks, and he stared at her with eyes as dead as space.
She pursed her lips and replied with silence, but as always with Raven, Jareth could not interpret the unspoken language of the elfin beauty and was forced to wonder if she was truly angry with him or contemplative. Long lashes hid her sparkling amethyst eyes from him and she stood to leave, saying over her shoulder as she slipped out the door, "If you need anything else, please call."
Jareth sighed and shook his head. Women were a complete and total mystery to him. But Raven was not the problem. Jareth had known her for more years than he cared to count, and she would deal with her inner demons in her own time and in her own way. His real problem was the mysterious human girl that lay with her back facing him.
Unable to find a comfortable position in his chair, he pulled his blankets up around his shoulders and studied the still form closely. He noticed some changes from the last time he had seen her. The jet black mane was a little longer, brushed out and well cared-for thanks to the motherly administrations of Raven, who had dedicated an hour to combing it. It rippled across the pillow behind her, and he longed to reach out and touch it. He stopped himself just in time, and shook his head. The smooth, silk comforter clung to her curvaceous form with a tenacity that made Jareth envious. He remembered a dream he had had, some night not too long ago. And though any dreams were a rarity for immortals, this one in particular Jareth remembered: Sarah, dancing the night away with him, as she had done before, in the Labyrinth. But this time, she did not resist his call. This time, she stayed with him.
He mentally slapped himself. What was he thinking? Sarah was Sarah: A mortal girl; a spiteful, willful creature that would be so unhappy once she found out about her situation that she might actually try to kill him. And besides, she was beautiful, yes, but she was nothing compared to some of the women he had turned down. And even if all that was not true and she was everything he was looking for in a woman, she was a mortal! The High King would have his head and then divide his kingdom up between the surround five provinces without blinking an eye. And the man would have no qualms about doing it either, because Jareth was already under council scrutiny over that fiasco with Teriel and Raven. The last thing he needed was a fling with some girl, especially this one…
Raven, pressing an ear to the wall, listened for noise within before knocking three quick, successive taps. Long moments of silence passed before a loud thump issued from behind and heated whispering, then two knocks answered. She gave Ter a moment to step back, and then traced a quick rune on the wall in front of her. There was a brief moment and then a door opened up where there was none before.
Ter stood in the middle of the room, half-dressed, an abashed look on his face, and his sheets missing from his bed. "Hehe, sorry, sis… I was, uh, otherwise occupied."
Raven noticed a large ruby necklace on Teriel's bureau and she shook her head, torn between laughing and scolding. "My dear, dear brother… Will nothing sate your lusts? Here we are on the brink of war, Jareth's going through some sort of mortal passion phase, and you're sleeping with the Countess of Rel. Might I point out that she has a husband reputed to be most skilled swordsman seen in a thousand years? What will you do when he comes to defend his wife's honor? Will you plead with him that you are, yet again, otherwise occupied?"
He drew himself up to full height and tried to look as stately as possible in half-laced breeches and a shirt that hung from one arm. "No, sister. I will respectfully decline on the premise that I have no doubt of his wife's honor, and he shouldn't either."
Raven laughed. She loved her brother for the hopelessly carefree spirit that he was. But she also knew that his charm and his wit and his way with ladies would get him into trouble he couldn't get out of one day. There was absolutely no sense in telling him that, either, because he would scoff and reply that that day wasn't upon him yet. And maybe he was right.
"The human Jareth dragged in last night was none other than the Sarah. Yes, it seems that Jareth is a little more familiar with the girl than he understands. He refers to her as 'Sarah', and wonders what he will say to her, as though he had to explain to her that he saved her life. As though he couldn't just order the little wench around."
Ter, attempting to straighten his clothes, stopped to study his twin closely. Normally, Raven was a light-hearted if grave being who held no grudges. He did not want to know the demon that had put her into such a spiteful mood.
"Hmm, sister. What makes you so hateful towards the girl? Am I sensing jealousy?"
Raven wondered as well what made her upset about the mortal. It was no more Sarah's fault that Jareth chose that moment to fall in love with her than it was her fault that she was human. And besides, Raven understood that it was no more her place to judge the girl than it was her place to judge Jareth.
"No, brother. You know better than I that it is not jealousy, but you are right. I guess it's all this tension from the threat of war. I mean, what right has Jareth to take off in the middle of war negotiations and just go chasing after his forbidden love. And of course, Ter, this is just that. Oh, how he's tried to hide it, but we've both heard him mutter her name more times than I care to remember. Of course, now, when we need him most of all, when his kingdom needs him most of all, he has to rush off after a woman that will never be his. And on top of all that, his father will have his head if he ever found out!"
"You're right." Ter agreed as he settled his dark jacket over his clothes. "But we both know Jareth. His heart is set and there will be no changing it. And the High King can be dealt with, if and when that situation comes. It may just be that the human will not survive in this atmosphere and we will have no worries. But I fear that fate has chosen different for our friend."
Raven settled on the well-tossed bed and hugged her knees to her chest, resting a delicate chin on her arms and closing her eyes. "Will we ever have peace, my dear brother?"
Ter, looking his normal stunning self in his sleek, black clothing, merely laughed. "That is for time and a lot of good wine to decide. Come with me to take some dinner to our beloved Goblin King."
Raven watched him waltz out of the door as though cares were something for lesser beings, and wanted to cry.
Then she remembered the resolution she had made to be strong and no longer a burden to anyone. She lifted her chin and blinked back her tears before chasing after her twin with her head held high.
They walked in on quite an amusing scene. The Goblin King, having regained his legs and changed his clothes, stood near the huge roaring fire. The mortal girl, Sarah, curled on the bed as far away from Jareth as she could get, her sheets wrapped about her as tight as she could get them. Both glared at the other, and were unaware of the other two people in the room. Sparks flashed between hazel and changeling eyes and Teriel could feel the heat between them. Just what Jareth needed: A woman as stubborn and willful and spiteful as himself.
Ter, being a man and more importantly one particularly tuned to the opposite sex, realized from the moment he saw Sarah what about her captivated his friend. She was no mere mortal, but a fire goddess, her every feature imbued with what looked to be all the magic and passion of a raging volcano. She had a beauty quite unlike anything Ter had ever seen, and he had looked upon and touched plenty of that. He felt a deep heat down in the pits of his stomach.
Raven, who had yet to come through the door because he was blocking it, gave him a rough nudge, and he stumbled forward. Trying to hide his embarrassment, he began to talk rapidly. "Uh, um, Jareth… We brought you and your visitor something to eat but this looks like a bad time so I guess we'll leave…"
He turned to go, but Raven was blocking his way and soon Jareth called him back. "No, Teriel, that will be quite alright." Ter noticed that the man didn't tear his gaze from the human's. "I was just getting hungry, and I'm sure my dear guest will be as well."
The twins knew that tone of voice all too well. Jareth was obviously angry that his will had been thwarted, but unlike anyone they had ever seen, Sarah was not about to back down. She just pulled her bedclothes tighter around her. "Thank you. I would love something to eat right now."
Ter offered her the tray, accidentally brushing his hand against hers as she reached for it. She stopped, and there was a shrewd look in her eyes as she gingerly set the food on the bed. Ter knew that Jareth had seen, and felt like melting into the floor.
Raven saw as well, and wanted to slap her brother for making matters worse. His days as a skirt chaser would soon be over if she had anything to do with it. She would have to have a talk with him later on that evening if the Countess of Rel wasn't occupying his time.
She cleared her throat. "So, uh, Jareth. Are you feeling up to coming to the war council in a few minutes? I can, ah, arrange for Sarah for the moment. Perhaps a hot bath and some, ah, clothes?" She gave Sarah a tentative smile which the girl returned full force with a nod, contented to ignore the two men in the room, which was probably for the best considering they both had the maddened looks of two rutting dogs fighting over one female.
"Um, Jareth, Ter? Are we ready to go? It would not be wise to be late…"
The Goblin King grumbled unhappily and stalked out the door, but Ter remained behind. Sweeping the human a graceful bow, he reached out and took her hand before she realized what had happened. Kissing it softly, he whispered, "We shall meet again soon, my dear lady." He gave her one of his most dazzling smiles but could do nothing else before his sister cuffed him upside the head and practically dragged him out of the room.
With the door safely closed behind them, Raven smacked her brother again. He ducked underneath her third blow and grasped her hand to stop the abuse. "What in the name of all the Gods was that for?!"
"You deserve a thousand times more!" She whispered heatedly. "Are you trying to start trouble for both of us? With all this talk of war around us, the last thing we need is you and Jareth fighting over some girl! And a human on top of that! What if the High King found out? Huh? Our position of sanctuary, nay, our lives will be forfeit! And don't you think for one moment that I will go down with you over your voracious lusts!"
Ter's initial reaction was to shake his head and tell her that he didn't know what she was talking about, but he saw the look in her eyes and realized the danger he faced. So, he bowed instead and gave his sister the most completely innocent gaze he could muster. "I'm sorry, sis. I don't know what came over me. I just had to do it. She has these eyes…" He trailed off when he saw her tense up, the fire rekindled. "Anyways, we need to be getting to that war council now. I'm sure Jareth's just lost without us."
Raven was not placated, but still fuming. Sighing, she followed her brother quietly because she knew that, when things came down to it, her brother's choices were his own and no one else's – he would not let even her influence them. All she could do was hope that his passion for the mortal was well and quickly spent, for the sake of everyone involved, including Sarah. As she thought of the girl, she remembered her promise of a hot bath and a change of clothes. She sent out messages to the servants in the house, just as Jareth might have done had he not had so much on his mind. Thinking of poor Sarah's taste in clothes, she hesitated before telling them to bring her something out of her own wardrobe until other arrangements were made. Raven was not thinking of a seamstress, but a quiet, unobtrusive way to send the woman home.
As they approached the room where the council was being held, they could hear Jareth's quiet voice occasionally, but it was mostly being drowned out by another deeper, harsher bellow. Raven, having known the Goblin King since they were both small children, could hear the barely restrained anger in the man's voice. There was the murmur that always accompanied his ancient advisors, but they were not inside with their king. Instead they were standing in a musty-smelling cluster in the corridor, not even bothering to conceal their curiosity. "What goes on within, old man?" She asked one that seemed at least partially alert.
"King Darius has come to offer his daughter's hand in marriage…" There was a slight pause and the bent old man's eyes lit up with momentary life. "Again."
Raven knew what that would mean. Jareth owed the ugly, pugnacious little troll a favor from when he had offered assistance during the Long Night's War. The short, rotund man had come to Jareth's aid at the last minute, swelling his numbers and providing just the right distraction for the final blow to be struck. And the evil creature had not let Jareth forget that. Not in all the hundreds of years hence. Just recently, he had showed up again at the palace doors, demanding that Jareth finally repay the favor. The Goblin King had been delighted… until he understood what was requested of him. Darius demanded that in return for his assistance and continued support, Jareth had to marry his youngest daughter.
Now, through some fluke of nature or by the power of dark magic on the blackest night, all of Darius's many children had not only come out female, but beautiful girls. Ta'en, his youngest – named after the Goddess of Song – was the most appealing of them all – at least, outwardly. After a few minutes of conversation with her, however, that opinion changed. She was just as loud, obnoxious, rude and arrogant as her father, and made no effort to hide it. She pouted when she didn't get what she wanted and gloated when she got something that she believed everyone else envied her. Not to mention that she had had her fair share of disreputable acquaintances and more affairs than the court could gossip about in a century. And since immortals – descended from elves – mated for life, if Jareth ever gave in and agreed to the lunacy then he would be stuck for all eternity.
Raven had always hated the fact that she could trace her bloodline back to the elves, but their custom of not marrying lightly was one that the demure woman respected. She did not, however, understand the reason that all royalty for as long as she remembered had been married, whether by choice or by force. Which was Jareth's predicament now: there was no way that he was going to marry any of these greedy sows laying around his palace. And yet, there was no way he could escape it. If only that human girl that he had a fling for was anything but human…
She shook her head violently. What was she thinking?! She was just borrowing trouble for everyone involved by imagining that Sarah would bring anything but destruction if she ever got involved in the Underground. Not to mention that the High King would have his son's head if he ever married anything but the best. No, that mortal would do greatest by agreeing to be taken back and forgetting the Underground ever existed. And Jareth would do greatest if he voluntarily forgot that the dark-haired woman existed as well. But she knew Jareth and she had heard all about Sarah. That would never happen.
The silence that had come from the room only a few minutes ago began to echo loudly, then the door slammed open and Darius marched out, several feet shorter than the aloof Goblin King. He turned to glare at Jareth with his beady eyes and shouted for all the world to hear: "Just wait, Jareth. You will regret this decision more than I do helping you all those years ago!" And he marched down the hall, his excess fat bouncing in time to his exaggerated steps. And Jareth just stood within, glaring into space. The snooping old men rushed him, all chattering at once, but he quieted them with one cold look.
"Gentlemen, if you will, I have much to accomplish this day, so be brief." They all nodded and shuffled their papers and took seats, glancing uneasily at each other."
Sarah sank down into the warm water with a grateful sigh. She was a bit confused about her current situation, but with her aching body demanding rest and rejuvenation, she was willing to go with the flow for the moment. She watched the goblin in the corner play with her skirts in a bashful manner. They didn't look like goblins anymore, but children. And, as a matter of fact, that's what they were, which made it even more ironic. Sarah blushed powerfully as she reflected on her conscious arrival at the Underground.
When she woke up, Sarah remembered feeling the sensation of eyes burning holes in her back. She sensed silk all around her and immediately recognized that she was lying on her side with no clothes on. The next thing she knew, she felt a foreign hand caress her body, up and down her side in soft, gentle strokes. She instantly felt an answering heat in the pit of her stomach and she shivered inwardly. She felt the sheets being pulled off of her body, and knew that what was happening was wrong. The hand began to explore in ever more bold strokes. Even as she trembled at the fire in the pit of her belly, she waited patiently for him to put himself in the right position.
His hand moved around her body and rolled her over on her back. She squeezed her eyes shut and prepared to hit him as hard as she could. Parting her lashes slightly, she thought she saw the Goblin King leaning over her. I must be dreaming, she thought as his lips caressed hers. She opened her eyes completely and saw that it was indeed Jareth, and that he was kissing her again, this time roughly, his mouth claiming hers. Part of her answered him and arched into his caress as his hand slid around her back. The other part, the sensible one that made all her decisions, brought her foot up and kicked him in the stomach.
He collapsed and grunted, and with one shove he was off her. She grasped the bedclothes beneath her in a reflex, pulling them up around her defensively. Both glared at the other, their eyes filled with chagrin and not a little lust. Sarah was the first to regain control, and shouted, "What did you think you were doing, you pervert?!"
His nostrils flared and his changeling eyes seemed to spark with a fantastical flame. "You didn't seem to be arguing! And if I recall correctly, I saved your life! You should be grateful!" He stalked to the far side of the room where he stood with his back to her, staring into the flames.
Unable to think of a suitable comeback through her mortification, Sarah could only reply, "That still doesn't make it right for you to almost rape me!"
He turned to look at her and Sarah watched his eyes ice over, all the color drain from his skin and wondered if she had gone too far. "Rape you? Me? Ha! Don't flatter yourself, girlie. You wouldn't be worth the trouble it would take to ensure that you don't become pregnant. I've turned down women twice as beautiful and thousands of times wealthier than you! And might I remind you again that I saved your life! If anything you should be kissing my toes and begging me to let you repay me. You forget too easily who I am, Sarah." There was a dangerous note in his voice, and she shuddered. Then there came a few light taps on the door and in walked the most amazingly handsome man Sarah had ever seen. Except, perhaps, Jareth.
"You rather enjoyed that more than I did, I should say." A strangely familiar voice said to her. She blinked her eyes and realized that suddenly the room seemed much colder and certainly darker. The water had gotten chilly, and she still hadn't any soap.
"Huh?" She looked around for the goblin maid that had been waiting by the door and realized that she was no longer there. Terror filled her heart and she sank down even lower into the rich, bubbly water.
"Don't try to deny it. I know how much you wanted that even if you don't. What I don't understand is this: Why did you stop?" Suddenly Sarah was staring into a pair of almond-shaped, sapphire eyes that she remembered only vaguely. Feathers of raven hair as dark as the night itself bordered a delicate framework of tiny bones. She knew this woman…
"I mean, come on. It's not like you were completely ignorant to what he was doing… There were those lucky few back on Earth, and if both of us remember correctly they were not displeased with you." She stood and walked over to stand by the fire, her soft-soled feet not making a sound as she glided.
"What are you talking about? Who are you? What do you want with me?"
"Don't tell me you don't remember?" Her eyes were like frost on the coldest morning of winter. And then Sarah remembered a strange dream with voices, and this terrible and beautiful woman.
"What are you doing here? How do you know all of those things? Even my boyfriend didn't have a clue about… them."
She sighed the sigh of someone who was trying to explain something to a half-wit and losing patience. "Haven't we already been over this? I am a part of you, Sarah. Only you can see me at the moment because I'm still getting used to our surroundings, but I am as real as this fire." She kicked it with a small boot and it hissed and popped as though something wet and evil had been thrown on it.
"I guess you will only understand me with time. Maybe I should make you go see Rhille and Irilana. I'm sure that they would be able to give you a better explanation than I could, but I guess that should be left for later. Right now all you need to know is that I am a part of you forever. Never let your guard down, Sarah."
And then she was gone, and Sarah came around to find that the small goblin who had waited for her was shaking her with a terrified voice. "Oh, I'm sorry miss. I must have dozed off! Please wake up!"
"I'm awake, I'm okay." Sarah replied. She sat up and rinsed off with a bucket of water that had been sitting beside the mammoth tub. Then she jumped out and accepted the huge towel the small creature offered. Then she followed her into the bedroom she had been occupying earlier where an outfit lay across the bed, waiting.
"Mistress Raven gave me leave to lend you one of her outfits since you didn't have anything to wear, and we knew you wouldn't like a dress."
"Thank you very much." Sarah said, and smiled as the tiny creature blushed and ran a foot across the carpet bashfully. It really was like speaking to a little girl, Sarah realized, before remembering that the creature had at one time actually been a little girl.
She quickly changed, feeling uncomfortable in the fit of the smaller woman's clothes.
Raven was delicately boned like the being that Sarah had dreamed about – short and elfin, an ethereal beauty. Sarah was almost a full foot taller than her, and her trim body still managed to strain against the clothes, making the human feel cheap. She pulled and tugged at them, especially around her chest area, wishing that there was some way to fix them. Sarah was forced to go barefoot, because she most certainly couldn't wear heels with pants and the boots that had been given her from 'Raven's' closet would in no way fit her feet. The goblin giggled at her.
"We'll have to find you some clothes that fit, and soon lady."
Sarah could do nothing but blush.
Ter came out of the meeting feeling more exhausted than he had at any other time of his life. He realized Jareth's dilemma: his council of advisors were really nothing more than a bunch of spineless, sniveling old fools. He hadn't paid much attention to what they said, however, because he was focused on the fire goddess he had met this morning, remembering the way the sheets hugged her curves. He mentally smacked himself. He, of course, had been known far and wide as a man not afraid to dabble in a relationship fraught with peril – his little fling with the Countess of Rel was sure proof of that – but even he knew better than to get involved with a mortal. That was like stretching your neck out to make a better target for the axe.
But still, the thought of her – fire in those hazel eyes, wild raven hair flying – made him shiver. Maybe it was just his passion for good women that made him lust after her so, but whatever it was, he could not help thinking of her.
He turned the corner to immediately see her stepping out of her doorway, a little unsure but not about to show it. Without realizing what he was doing, he stepped back around the corner, hoping she hadn't seen him. He peeked again. She was striding purposefully down the hallway, her hair billowing out from her face, looking like a wood elf – an Amazonian treasure from long ago, strong and beautiful and confident.
He heard her soft footsteps approaching him, and just before his hiding place was found out, he turned the corner as though he had just been walking and smacked right into her, enjoying the feel of her warm body against his. The force was a little too strong for her, however, and she fell backwards and landed on the carpet. "Oh! I'm sorry. Please, let me help you." He held out and hand and gave her his most alluring look.
She smiled and accepted it, her meager weight nothing as she tugged against his arm. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I wasn't looking where I was going." She got a slightly bashful, confused look. "Wait. I guess I mean I wasn't sure where I was going…"
Ter couldn't be sure, but he thought he read her lips as she uttered, "You can't get where you're going if you don't know where you're going…"
He didn't know what to think about that, but he did know that he would be more than happy to show her around… Perhaps a little tour ending at his bedroom. He had quickly lost interest in the Countess of Rel – who was, as a rule, a singularly uninteresting personality. He was tired of all his current affairs. Maybe he just needed a bit of change. And what better than a mortal to spice up his spare time? "I would be honored to show you around. I mean, if you would like, miss…?"
"Sarah. My name's Sarah. And you are…?"
"Teriel, but most people call me Ter…"
"Teriel… isn't that…?"
"Yes, yes," he interrupted, "Unfortunately the only thing my father is willing to give me." He flashed a dazzling smile. "Now, how about that tour?"
"I would be delighted." She replied, a little dizzy with her immediate acceptance of her new surroundings and the need to show Jareth that she could function in his world – beat him at his own game. She offered her arm as gracefully as any Queen and he took it as deftly as any King.
"Shall we?"
"Raven." Jareth called after the beauty as she was exiting the meeting hall. She spun on her heel, an ebon splendor to match that of her brother's.
"Yes, Jareth?"
"Please, come back. I would like to talk to you."
She smiled and returned, though her stiff bearing betrayed her emotional state. "Yes, Jareth? Is there anything I can help you with?"
He shook his head. "Please don't be upset with me, sis. I understand that you don't approve of what I'm doing, or at least, what you think I'm planning to do, but I can assure you that it will have no lasting effect on you. I figure I at least owe it to Sarah to save her life… After all, she has been the only one to ever best me. I like that kind of challenge. And, with your help and her consent, I'd like to keep it around for a long time to come." He stared meaningfully into her deep violet eyes. She had always meant more to him than anyone else, except, perhaps, her brother. They had protected each other from the time they were both small children playing tricks on the castle chef, through wars and depressions up until now. He did not want to lose her support just when he needed it most.
Great tears welled up in her eyes, and with effort she fought them back. But she could not stop herself from rushing him and wrapping her arms around him in a suffocating hug. "You think that I'm mad at you, Jare? Do you think that is the reason I've been this way?" She let go for a moment to brush wetness from her eyes, then latched back on with admirable force. "Well, maybe a little at first, but… Mostly I'm just scared. Scared of what could happen to you if you get caught. You know the law, probably better than I do. You know the penalty for bringing an adult mortal here for more than twenty-four earth hours! Oh, how I wish that you would just give it up and send her back home. No human is worth your life." What she thought but didn't add was that if he continued with his campaign then he would probably be forced to fight and kill his best friend since childhood. Ter was at that very moment leading the hapless girl around one of the more beautiful gardens, falling more in lust – love? – with every word spoken.
Jareth checked his anger and reminded himself that this was the beautiful little thing that he had loved for most of his fleeting adolescence and that she was only apprehensive about his well-being. "I understand your concern, Raven, but I want you to believe me when I tell you I know what I'm doing. Just spend a few hours with her and you will understand. The aura she exudes is no more that of a human than yours or mine. That's why I believe that if my father does find out, he need only talk to her for a little bit and he would support the marriage."
"And what about her, Jareth? What if she won't agree to your madness? What if she falls in love with someone else or wants to return to her precious Earth?"
Jareth smiled down at her. "Sarah's choices are her own. If she wants to go home then so be it."
"Promise?"
"I promise." He kissed the top of her forehead and sent her away with a message for Ter. It wasn't until she was sitting on her brother's bed later that she realized that Jareth had never mentioned anything about what he would do if she fell in love with someone else.
Sarah realized that she rather liked Teriel. He had flashing grey eyes that were always shadowed like they hid some great, dark secret. He had a bright, charming smile that dazzled her, and was filled with no end of stories about his and Raven's and Jareth's childhood antics. He was the perfect complement to the bright, sunshiny day and the beautiful grounds of Jareth's new kingdom. The gentle, loving, caressing way he held her arm, the way he talked to her – focused on her – made chills run up and down he spine. He whispered in her ear like a lover – low, smooth, quiet, knowing. She suddenly felt his gorgeous eyes on her face and had to fight off her blush.
They had stopped in front of a particularly captivating fountain of a unicorn rearing in the sun. It was exquisitely, almost terrifyingly life-like, though unlike most unicorns Sarah had come across, this one was black. He continued to stare and as she fought to control herself. After composing her countenance to a perfect still, she turned to face him, only to find a strange little smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Just then she noticed his hand, which was sliding across her shoulder and creeping up her neck. She felt like a furnace, she was giving off so much heat. She didn't know what she was doing.
The smile never fading, he leaned down and just barely touched her lips with his own, feather-light. She felt like a little girl receiving her first kiss: unsure of what she was feeling or what she was expected to do – just caught in a moment she wasn't sure was real. He let out a shuddering breath that brushed her face as his lips had just moments before and then he was not there. Her eyes popped open, disappointed at the let-down, but he had not left her. He was still staring, smiling, not in the least awkward.
He turned to the unicorn fountain that glistened like dark crystal in the brilliant sunlight. "This is Jareth's most prized possession. It was given to him as a symbol of thanks by an amazing woman a long, long time ago." There was a wistful note that overtook the afternoon from then on, and Sarah still didn't understand what she was doing in the Underground or what she was going to do about it, but that didn't matter. She rather liked her new surroundings, much better than she would've liked the acting college that she should've been attending. That realization startled her, mostly because she had hated everything to do with the Underground in the years after her adventure… or so she thought.
She turned to her guide. "Teriel, why am I here?"
"It's Ter." He replied. "And whatever do you mean? You're here because you were brought here."
She shook her head. "That's not what I mean. I understand the fundamentals of how I got here, but there has to be some greater reason for me to be, because I am not panicking at the moment. I feel so at ease here, like this is where I was meant to be. Think about it: any other human being thrown into this position would be on the verge of madness…" She sighed and shook her head, her thoughts suddenly foggy. "I don't know what I mean. Forget I said anything. Continue, Ter." She flashed him a light smile and wondered why she couldn't think straight.
Ter understood what she meant in a vague sort of way, but didn't say so because he couldn't fully explain it to himself. Instead he laughed, and looked deep into her beautiful hazel eyes, so fully of life, and whispered, "Well, whatever reason you may have for being here, I'm certainly glad of it." He brought her hand up to his lips and brushed it ever so gently.
"I'm afraid, my beauty, that I must be on my way," He gave a meaningful glance up at a far window. "My sister has need of me." He gazed down into her eyes once more and then was gone. Sarah's only reaction was to stare at the spot he had occupied moments before with a dumbfounded expression. But after a few moments, a smile crossed her lips and she felt a high-pitched, silvery giggle building up in her chest. All she wanted to do was break free the bonds society had laid on her and spin in circles like a little girl in ecstasy. Regardless of what she was supposed to be feeling, she belonged here, and she knew it.
Sarah heard a mocking laugh from somewhere behind her and turned to find the black-haired woman from that morning. She was standing on the fountain, leaning against the delicate and beautiful statue. Sarah couldn't help but think that even with all her gorgeousness, she looked obscene and evil in comparison to the effigy. "Oooh, I think Sarah's in love!" A cruel smile crossed her lips. "Do you know about him, Sarah? He is Ter, short for Teriel. Brother to the coldest ice maiden in the Underground. But he is the inferno to her glacier. He is the sunlight to her frost. He is a shameless flatterer who wants nothing more than the memory of a good night in bed. He has had more conquests than anyone in recent history, Sarah. Now, now, what's the Ninth going to do with a lover like that? You need someone that's really going to do you justice… Someone like… Jareth? Perhaps?"
"Whatever are you talking about? And just who are you?" Sarah put a fist on her hip and stood there, determined to get some answers.
She took a graceful leap down, landing soundlessly on the grass beside Sarah. The human felt a sudden chill as she leaned closer. "I am you, Sarah." She took a step back and began pacing around the fountain, eyeing it with a smile. "Or rather, I am what you have to potential to become." She stopped and turned to face Sarah, who hadn't budged. "You know, you were right, just now. There is a greater reason for you to be here. Greater than you or anyone else can possibly imagine. And I am part of that reason."
"What exactly did the dear Teriel tell you about this fountain anyways? I was too busy laughing to pay attention."
"Simply that it was Jareth's most prized possession and it was given to him as a symbol of thanks."
She laughed again. "He said that? Well, I guess that's one way of putting it." She touched the Unicorn, petting its neck gingerly as if it were real. Sarah was sure she imagined it when the horse's neck twitched as if trying to shy away. "Her name was Dulsinea. She was one of the most beautiful women I have ever known." As she said this, she trailed her hand down the powerfully muscled neck and traced the soft, rippling lines on the flanks. Sarah thought she was crazy when the Unicorn twitched again, pulling ever-so-slightly away from the woman's touch, but she now knew she wasn't imagining it.
"Alas, her heart was broken by a young, reckless, careless lover, and she was so grieved that she became a vengeful demon in the shape of a black Unicorn. Jareth, ah, managed to release her from her fearful state, and at dawn the next morning, this fountain was here. Even before The Evolution, with that horrid bog all about, this particular garden never did quite become tainted." She laughed her chilling, mocking laugh and slapped the horse's rump, and this time Sarah couldn't deny that the horse actually jumped. "Yes. I'm afraid no one really knows how it got here." She raised a delicate but cynical eyebrow.
"Anyways, back to what I was saying. You really should keep better company. I mean, come on, Sarah."
"Sarah…! Sarah?" The woman's voice was overlapped by and then faded into another, more familiar tone.
She turned to find Jareth jogging towards her, a brilliant smile on his face. Sarah spun back around quickly, but the terrible apparition that seemed to be haunting her was gone. She did not turn to face Jareth as he jogged up, not forgetting that morning. Besides, she did not want to look in his eyes because she might see what she was feeling reflected within their clear depths. Instead, she turned away, only half-pretending hurt.
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you! Oh, come, come now, don't let's be this way towards one another." He quickly slid around in front of her and bent down, a most innocent and at the same time impish look in his eyes. "I'll admit it: I acted rashly. I was a hopeless, hormone-driven male who happened to wake up in a room with a beautiful, naked woman…"
Sarah saw a boyish pout and wondered whatever had happened to the cold, haughty Goblin King that she knew. He at least would've been easy to deal with; not this mischievous little boy with his beautiful man's body and temptingly trembling bottom lip. He got down on one knee before her and extended a hand. "Pax?"
She couldn't help but smile and be at ease with him, despite the incident earlier that morning. After a few minutes of his puppy-like eyes staring sweetly up at her, her resolve broke and she gave in. "Oh, alright. Fine then. Pax."
She placed her hand in his and he raised it to his lips. Sarah couldn't help but compare the experience to Teriel's earlier seductive kiss, and found them both quite different. Ter had made quite certain that she knew what he was thinking, and his every movement and touch had been made to stimulate her female sensitivities. Jareth's touch did that without his conscious effort. Sarah began to contemplate something that had terrified her since that fateful moment when she had first met the Goblin King on the hill over-looking the Labyrinth – an already half-realized notion that she was in love with him. The hatred that she had felt all that time had just been her mind's desperate attempt to deny that fact. But then again, she also felt something for Teriel. Whether it was lust, love or just a deep affection, only time would tell.
She sighed inwardly and wondered how she had gotten into this state. Outwardly, she smiled and hoped her inner turmoil did not show through.
"Thank you Sarah."
She didn't say anything, but began to walk back towards the castle, not letting go of his hand. Somewhere deep down inside, where she had never dared to venture, a dark, mocking laughter echoed.
There it is finally! Ack! There's just been so much going on! Well, I guess I'll go ahead and start on the next chapter.