A/N: Hey, everyone. Once again, I'm here to apologize for the delay between chapters. May was a whirlwind of training new recruits at work (which meant I didn't get to write as much as I usually do) and preparing for a con that took place the first week of June. I come back and, you all know the drill from there. The Muses would not give me the time of day and I fell into a bit of a rut. Hopefully this juicy chapter makes up for all the missed time. Please bear with me and keep leaving your fabulous reviews. They are my lifesavers when I'm drowning in the depths of writer's blocks. I promise this story is not nor will ever be abandoned.
Burned by You
Six days went by and with each, Terra began to improve again. She gradually became more relaxed and energetic. During their morning walks, she entertained them with synopses of books that Sath had read to her the day before. Her meals, she still took in her room, though Sath assured him it was only until she had remastered the ability to eat unassisted. According to the attendant, it caused great embarrassment for the girl, so Jareth never questioned her.
With Terra's improvement, it seemed as though a shroud that had been hanging over the castle began to lift. Marie was visibly happier and interacted with the same enthusiasm she had shown in the throne room that first day. Miren had even returned to his teasing ways, for which Jareth could not decide if he was grateful. Still, the King would never forget the baffled expression on his friend's face when Terra told him his purple eyes were pretty. Then the fool had to go and brag about it for two days before Jareth threatened to lock him in a dungeon until his elation had settled and sent him away pouting.
That wasn't to say there weren't any hiccups that occurred. Miren once transported far too close to her unexpectedly, causing her to shriek and Ambrosius to bark and bite him. The whole castle was sent into a frenzy until Jareth returned from patrol and sorted out the situation. It had taken two days before the steed stopped snarling every time Miren entered the room and one day more for Terra to not tense at the sound of his name or voice.
During that time, she came to him and asked what lovemaking felt like after discussing the difference with Marie. Because she still had reservations with Miren, Jareth had had an uncomfortable hour attempting to explain the pleasures between willing participants to a child barely older than the first. It had taken longer for him to convince her that lovemaking was not meant to be forced or painful than it had taken he and Miren to convince Marie. In the end, he felt he'd managed the task as Terra left his study anticipating her next encounter in the far distant future. Then Jareth challenged Miren to a sparring match for making him do such a thing unassisted and for frightening her in the first place, reminding everyone who witnessed it why he was the sovereign ruler of the Labyrinth Realm.
The week passed and it seemed as though everything was finally settling down nicely. The girls were healing well, Miren was back to his ways, the goblins were becoming more rambunctious than they had been in quite some time, much to Marie's and Terra's amusement, and the sparring chamber had been repaired after Jareth's and Miren's match. Just when the King thought he might have a few days to relax before the next catastrophe took place, he felt the telltale pull of another wished-away without a wisher. He immediately sent word to Ghilanna to be waiting by the Wing of the Eight Realms and to Relde to have a new attendant selected and waiting as well, then transported himself to the location of the newest girl, the same spot as the other two.
'What burdens weigh on this one's shoulders, I wonder,' he thought, walking to where he knew she would be huddled in agony.
Unfortunately, that was exactly what he found when he arrived. A fragile girl with a wild mass of filthy blonde hair, smaller than Marie by far, hunched over on all fours, dry heaving and clutching at her stomach. Jareth stopped five paces from her and crouched to her level so that he did not loom over her and waited for her to settle before quietly announcing his presence. At least, that was his intention. However, when the girl began hacking up blood, he panicked, deciding her health took precedence over her comfort. Instead of picking her up and further risking the injuries she had sustained in that place, the King lifted her magically and, ignoring her shrieks of surprise and fear, transported them both to the Cavern Chamber.
"Ghilanna!" he bellowed, lying her on the bed. He would fix the matter of moving her to a cot after she had been taken care of.
Harried footsteps raced down the hall and within moments, the door was thrown open. His healer, Marie's attendant, and an unusually small goblin stood there wide-eyed.
"Begin immediately," Jareth ordered.
Not another word was spoken as the elf rolled up her sleeves and set herself to inspecting the girl. Jareth turned heel and brusquely made his exit, leaving Relde to train the new attendant on how to serve her new mistress. He strode towards the throne room where he knew the others would have gathered by now, worried for his new ward. Was the blood he'd seen indicative that her wounds were worse than the first two? The King grit his teeth at the thought.
As he approached the throne room, his frustration and ire were distracted by the sounds of laughter coming from beyond the doors. Miren's, which Jareth had not heard in many moons, Marie's, which he had caught snippets of but had never heard her so uninhibited, the goblins who had lost their delight in the aftermath of the Champion, even Terra seemed to be joining in on the merriment, albeit more reserved than the other voices he heard. Jareth silenced the guards who were about to announce his presence and slipped into the shadows of the throne room unnoticed to observe.
Marie sat in his throne wearing an ensemble remarkably similar to one he favored, lounging in the exact position he preferred, though one boot rested against the back of the throne rather than the arm and the other dangled comically off the side, with her raven hair tied back into a high tail. Miren stood behind the throne diligently as he would if it were the King who occupied the seat. Terra sat on Marie's usual cushion at the topmost stair with Ambrosius laying at her feet. Two pairs of guards danced boisterously around the pit in the center of the room.
"Enough," Marie called in a passable impression of his bored tone, though her ice blue eyes shone with barely concealed delight and she struggled to keep a neutral expression. The guards instantly ceased their ridiculous dance and knelt to their knee. "Now, you four will…challenge Didymus to a duel."
"Yes, your Majesty," they chorused, snickering.
"Sire!" the fox cried out. "Four on one?!"
"Hmm….," he watched her pretend to ponder for a moment before a devious little smirk crossed her face. "You're right. It does not seem fair, does it? After all, your skills as a knight are legendary. You would dispatch my guards before I had the chance to be entertained, wouldn't you?"
"W-well, I…I…yes, of course, you are correct, Majesty. These guards are truly no match for one of my caliber. Of course, I must be the best to serve my Lady and my King effectively."
"Of course," she replied seriously. "Therefore, you shall fight unarmed. That should even out the standings, don't you think? Ambrosius, take his weapon."
Terra laughed as the fox let out a panicked squeak. The steed dutifully loped over to his master and grabbed the spear in his maw, easily tugging it away from the frozen kitsune. Miren covered his mouth with his hand as his shoulders shook in muffled laughter. The guards looked to one another with grins so wide Jareth could see them even from his distance.
To say he was impressed would be quite the understatement. All this time, he'd had no idea how closely Marie had been studying him. His mannerisms, his tones, his charisma, she noted and utilized all of it. The girl could truly make a formidable ruler someday. She had even copied his style of dress with her ruffled shirt, little black vest, and knee-high black boots over her skin-tight leather pants. He wondered where she acquired such an outfit without his knowing.
"You are too cruel, my King," Miren managed to laugh out, making Marie giggle. Jareth chose this moment to reveal himself, lest this 'duel' went too far and Terra's guard was put out of commission.
"So," he said sternly as he took one measured step after the other towards the gathered group. "This is what happens when I am not around, is it? Another takes my throne and begins ordering my servants as though they are hers?"
The blood drained from Marie's face and she scrambled down immediately. "I-I'm sorry, Jareth. We-we were only playing, I swear!"
"I, for one, believe Marie makes an excellent King," Miren defended, grinning. "Don't you?"
"Dismissed." Jareth waved the no longer snickering guards back to their posts, who then tripped over their own feet in their haste to obey him.
"Relde said you went to get another one like us. Is that true? Who is it? Is she okay? Is Ghilanna with her?"
With how rapidly Marie fired her questions, it was a clearly an attempt to distract him. Judging by her suddenly pale complexion and trembling form as she scrambled from his throne, she was petrified of being reprimanded. Impersonating a King, however, could not go unaddressed.
"I am unsure who she is. Her condition was such that she would not have been able to answer questions. Come to think of it, I wasn't able to see her face, either. We shall simply have to find out when she awakens. In the meantime…" Jareth crossed his arms and raised his brow at Marie. "Terra, Miren, you may stay or disperse until we are able to meet her. Marie. You will follow me."
He turned heel and strode back out of the throne room, listening to the rapid patter of her tiny footsteps behind him.
"No, wait!" Terra's anguished cry stopped him in his tracks and he turned around, panic flooding his system. She was on her feet, stumbling blindly towards him.
"My Lady!" Didymus exclaimed, chasing after her. Ambrosius caught up almost immediately and kept a close watch on her.
"Please! I'll take her punishment! Please, let her go!"
"I-I swear, we'll-we'll never do it ag-gain," Marie sobbed, her arms wrapped tightly around her torso, tears pouring out of her eyes which only moments ago held so much delight.
"I'm afraid that won't do. This was Marie's doing and she must face the outcome of her decisions."
"Jareth, you aren't actually going to punish her, are you?" Miren implored, coming up behind her.
"If Marie wishes to play King, why would I not instruct her on all the role entails?" he replied, a cheeky grin playing at his lips. The moment Miren spotted it, he relaxed, a smirk of his own.
"My King, you sly thing, you almost gave me a heart attack!" He chuckled, relieved, shaking his head. "Calm yourselves, little ones, our dear ruler is only speaking in jest."
"He-he was j-jok-king?" Terra blubbered.
"Th-that was s-so m-m-mean!" Marie sobbed.
"My apologies," Jareth laughed. "But Marie acting in my place was the most entertaining thing I've seen in a long time. I could not resist the temptation to take part in the fun."
"Hmph." Marie pouted and crossed her arms, turning away.
"Come now, Marie, surely you wouldn't begrudge me a little teasing." She huffed again, turning further from him and he had to fight back a grin. Her behavior was downright adorable. "Are you angry with me, little one? Don't you remember what I told you on your very first day here what I'd do if you ever displeased me? I said I would tell you that you displeased me. I meant that we would talk about it and come to a resolution. You as well, Terra."
"You really we-weren't going to punish h-her?" she warbled.
"Of course not. Will you both forgive me for making you think otherwise?"
There was a moment's pause before they nodded their heads, sniffing again. Marie took his offered hand and unexpectedly drew herself in, giving him a soft embrace. Jareth froze as her tiny arms wrapped her arms around him as far as they would go. He made no move to return the affection. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her a second time by making her feel trapped.
"I'm s-sorry I forgot," she mumbled against his shirt.
"You have no need to apologize, Marie." Jareth nearly held his breath until she stepped back, eyes still brimming with tears, but smiling. When she did, he passed his hand over both faces, removing any trace the crying they'd just done. "Well now, what do you say, Marie? Would you like to join me in the study while I attend to the afternoon's work?"
"O-okay. Just…don't do that again," she mumbled.
Jareth chuckled at her protruding lower lip. "Agreed. Terra, shall I summon Ghilanna to see to your bandages? They will need changing earlier than usual."
"No need, your Majesty," Didymus squeaked. "I have since learned how to change my Lady's dressings myself so that I might be of better use to her. Mistress, allow me to escort thee back to thy chamber." He ended in a low bow. Terra giggled slightly and nodded, taking his paw.
To say Jareth was surprised by the kitsune would have been a vast understatement. A little foolish, but he served his King and Terra well. He worked well with Sath in taking care of her and he was becoming quite a trusted companion, something she desperately needed.
"Unbelievable," Miren lamented after the doors to the throne room shut behind them. "You caused them both such heartache and panic just now with your little jest and somehow just as quickly gain their forgiveness. Marie even embraces you! Yet while I would do anything for them just as you, I am met with distrust and hesitation. How do you do it, my King?!"
"It's quite simple, Miren, my old friend," Jareth replied smugly to his dramatics, "I am the Goblin King. Become King and you might enjoy the same privileges that come with the position."
Miren laughed, purple eyes dancing in mirth. "No, I think I will leave that responsibility to you. You see, while you have work to attend to, I feel as though I might go and take a nap. Being an advisor has its privileges too." He left, still chortling.
Jareth chuckled at his dear friend's back and looked to Marie as the doors shut behind him. "What do you say, little one? Shall we go to the study now?" His little ward smiled up at him, nodding.
The pair worked diligently for the next few hours. Jareth patiently went through some of the less important of the day's workload with her. He read them aloud, explained any background information she might have needed, and asked her opinion on various matters of state. She listened carefully and considered each question thoroughly before giving him such simplistic answers that could have only come from the mouth of a child.
One suggestion that he implemented immediately was a compromise, offering the Northern Realm the smallest and most wild section of land through which to build their trade route. At their expense, of course. Jareth had laughed as he wrote out his response to King Agronak's renewed entreaty.
"Well now, Marie," Jareth said, stretching, "that was rather productive. Would you like to take a break for patrol?"
"Sure," she replied brightly. "Sounds good. Only would it be okay if we saw Terra first? You said you were going to apologize to her, and it's already been a while."
"You are quite right. Let us make that our first stop then, shall we?" She nodded eagerly. "By the way, I meant to ask earlier but, where did you procure such an outfit?"
Marie's cheeks rose in color and she started shuffling her boot-clad feet. "Well…uh…I'm sorry, Jareth, but… I don't really like wearing skirts. They remind me of that nightgown I had to wear back then, even though the skirts you give us are longer. But I really like the clothes you wear so I asked Relde if she could get me some of those instead. I…I hope you're not mad."
"Of course I'm not angry with you for dressing in a way that makes you feel the most comfortable. Is this how you would prefer to dress?" Marie nodded much more shyly this time. "Then I shall arrange for the necessary wardrobe."
"Really?! Tha-" She was interrupted by a rather harried knock on the doors to the study.
"Your Majesty," his guard's voice rang through the thick wood. "Relde is here to get you. Says it's urgent."
"Majesty, come quick, please! It's the girl! We-we don't know what to do!"
Jareth had the doors flung open before the goblin had finished the first sentence and was halfway down the hall before she stopped speaking altogether and concentrated on catching up with him.
"I'm coming too," Marie huffed, her little boots clacking on the stone. He nodded.
"Relde, report," he commanded.
"Lady Ghilanna…was…just about to leave and… report her…condition to you…when the…new Missie woke up. I was still…helping Aft…prepare the fireplace…when…the new Missie screamed. Now she's…in the corner, crying…and hiding…hiding her face!"
"I see."
The King doubled his pace, tearing through the halls of his castle until he reached the Wing of the Eight Realms. He made a beeline for the room he'd placed her in. Upon entering, he was met with a scene exactly as Relde described. The poor girl cowered in the darkest part of the room, her frail form mostly encased in light shadow. Ghilanna had knelt beside her and was futilely attempting to coax her out to no avail. The moment she spotted him, the eld stood brushed herself, and approached.
"What happened here?"
"I-I am not certain, Majesty," she replied. "I had just finished healing her when she woke up from her enchanted sleep. The girl should have been asleep for several hours yet but almost as soon as I was done, her eyes shot open. She sat up, looked around, shrieked, and bolted to the corner as you see her now."
"Most likely her reaction is due to her surroundings. More urgently, your sleeping spell was applied correctly, yes? There was no mistake?"
Ghilanna bristled. "Of course not, your Majesty. P-perhaps this girl has an unusually strong will. That is the only way she could have broken my spell so quickly. I am just relieved it did not happen sooner. She would have been in great pain had she woken sooner. Her internal organs were all but crushed and there were several broken ribs, one piercing a lung. If I had not started when I did…" She trailed off, her ears drooping lower, hands trembling slightly.
Jareth sighed heavily. "I do not know if I'm becoming used to this or if I am simply relieved it isn't worse like Marie and Terra."
"There is some good news, Sire."
"Oh?"
"This girl has not been forced into womanhood. She is yet untouched."
"Small mercies indeed. Then untouched she'll remain until she decides otherwise. I should speak with-"
"Someone turn off the fireplace, it's scaring her!"
Jareth's attention shot towards Marie's distressed cry. She was hunched over the smaller girl, casting her in complete shadow. He did not know how his ward had come to that conclusion, but he extinguished the flames in an instant and the candles as well for good measure, encasing the room in semi-darkness. The moment he did so, Marie spun back around and crouched fully in front of the girl while the small goblin, Aft, he presumed, opened the curtains.
"Shh, shh, it's alright. Look, see? It's gone. There's no more fire. You're safe."
"S-safe?" the small voice in front of her squeaked.
Marie nodded. "Uh-huh. The Goblin King got rid of all the fire with just one hand, isn't that amazing?"
"The-the Goblin King? S-so…Big Sister was right?"
"She was right about everything." Jareth could hear the beaming smile in her voice though her back was still turned to the rest of them. "You made a wish, right? To escape that house and come here or something like that?" A moment's pause. "Well, that wish came true. Just like it did for me and Terra. We're from that place too."
"W-why don't I hurt anymore?"
"Because Ghilanna healed you. She's Jareth's best healer. But…you woke up a lot faster than I thought you would. Usually Ghilanna puts us into an enchanted sleep until we're all healed up, bruises and all. What made you wake up?"
"I had a bad dream," the girl mumbled softly. Marie sat from her crouched position.
"Does it have anything to do with why your arm looks like that?" Marie asked quietly.
"Uh-huh," the girl sniffled.
"Did the Masters or Lord do this?" The girl shook her head. "Then, do you want to talk about it?"
"It's the same one I always have," the girl mumbled, turning away.
As soon as she did, Jareth got his first look at her face and felt his heart stop. Green eyes filled with glistening tears stared at him without really seeing him. Closer inspection showed the King a few distinct differences, for example, the pair in front of him were brighter in color and more almond-shaped than the large, jade-green eyes that still haunted him. But for the span of a breath, Jareth could only see her eyes, her face.
"Me and-and grandpa were camping. He woke…me up in th-the middle of the night s-saying a for-est f-fire had started and we nee-needed to get…to get to the ri-ver. If…if we could ju-just make it to the ri-river, he s-s-said we'd be s-safe. Th-the fire was so bright it loo-looked l-like d-daytime instead of night…time. We r-ran as fast as we could…ev-ven th-though the smoke kept m-making it hard to-to breathe. When we got there, there w…wa…was a t-tree th-that was on fire that was in our way. Grandpa…he p-picked me up. S-said he'd see me s-soon. And-and then…he threw me over the tree into the river. I tried…to hold onto some-thing t-to wait for hi-him, but the wa-water was too str-strong. I en-ded up far away in a place that wasn't burning."
"No wonder you're afraid of fire," Marie replied, glancing pointedly at Jareth and Ghilanna. The King, after watching in awe at how quickly she'd calmed the girl, was suddenly forced to suppress a chuckle at his ward's thinly-veiled hint to figure out an alternative source of light and heat.
"Have her moved to the Aquatic Chamber," he ordered. Its low-level lighting should be sufficient for the girl. It generally stayed warm in there too, as the Merfolk of the Deep Realm preferred a more temperate climate similar to their watery home.
Relde bowed. "Yes, your Majesty, right away. Aft, let's get your mistress to her new room." The tiny goblin nodded and walked over to the equally tiny girl, holding out a dark green hand.
"Come on, Missie. Let's go." The girl looked at the goblin skeptically before turning to Marie, the same moment Aft turned to Relde.
"It's okay," Marie assured. "Aft is your personal attendant. She's here to help. We all are. Terra has Sath and I have Relde. Let her help you get cleaned up and then she'll take you up to the throne room where we can all talk, okay?" The girl bit her lip and reached out her hand to clasp the goblin's. "By the way, what's your name?"
"It-it's Jessica. But you can call me Jessie."
"Aww, that's such a cute name, Jessie. Well, you go get cleaned up and I'll see you later, alright?"
"O-okay."
"That was well done, Marie," Jareth complimented after the girl and her attendant had left earshot. Marie blushed under his praise, scuffing her boot against the stone.
"Indeed, Miss Marie, you charmed her so fast. You're a natural," Ghilanna boasted, to her further embarrassment.
"It is settled. You shall accompany me whenever a new one wishes herself here. I won't have it any other way," the King declared.
"Stop," Marie whined, giggling.
Jareth chuckled alongside her. "Come, little one. Let us go find Terra and Miren and inform them of what we've learned of the young Jessica. How did you realize she was afraid of fire, anyway?"
Marie deflated instantly. "I…I saw the scars on her arm. They looked exactly like the marks we'd get whenever the Masters would put out their cigarettes out on us." She rolled up her sleeve to show her forearm littered with small, pale, circular scars. Marie rubbed it angrily before throwing down her sleeve again. It was silent for a few moments. "Anyway, that's how-how I guessed."
"I am sorry I cannot heal you of your scars, dear one," Ghilanna said, subdued.
"It's okay. You made me stop hurting. Terra and Jessie too. So what if we still have those, we don't hurt anymore."
"You've grown so much in such a short amount of time, Marie," Jareth remarked, proudly.
The rest of the day passed without incident. The candles were all extinguished when Jessica joined them later for the evening meal and, after some encouragement, admitted her preference for the shortened 'Jessie'. She was initially suspicious of Miren, just as the other two were, simply because 'Big Sister' had never mentioned his existence. Thankfully, Marie was able to keep her sufficiently distracted. She asked the girl question after question and Jessie answered them all while polishing off three plates of food. Terra joined them as well for the first time since her arrival and blushed under the praise of not only Jareth and Miren, but also the goblins for being able to eat on her own.
The entire time, Jareth had to keep reminding himself that the green eyes in front of him belonged not to his Sarah. They had no relation to her. They were too bright, too narrowed to be hers. Still, he could not avoid the small jolt every time Jessie glanced shyly in his direction.
He could not get it out of his head later that night as he laid in bed trying to find the shores of sleep. Jessie's eyes morphed into Sarah's, taunting him. Her accusatory stare burned into his skull. But why? Why that expression? What did she have to accuse him of? She was the one who refused him. That same spot in his chest that had felt like a dying ember since the last moment he gazed into those beautiful, jade-colored eyes flared suddenly and he found himself rubbing at it through his tunic.
Jareth growled in frustration. He'd done well these past months ignoring that. Try as he might, he hadn't been able to eliminate it completely, but he could manage not to think about it for weeks at a time. The girls kept him busy enough to distract him. But why did it blaze up now? The King huffed, creating a potent Slumber Crystal that he smashed, encasing him fully in its magic. He surrendered to the call of sleep, determined to ignore it again.
Jareth was flying, though where to, he knew not. His talons sank into the branch of a tree that stood shading a large house. He turned his head to the nearest window. It was dark. His sensitive ears heard no sound but that of labored breathing and soft whimpers. Suddenly, a light flicked on. He hopped to the very tip of his branch. The curtains were open, and he could now see the nicely furnished bedroom inside. A large, human male was lovemaking with a human female. She was bent over the bed and he laughed as he plunged into her. Jareth watched, horrified as she began to struggle. The man got angry. He grasped a handful of her dark hair and yanked her head back, holding a knife to her throat. Jareth saw her face. Anger sent fire through every vein in his owl-body. His wings flapped, his feathers stood on end, and he screeched as loudly as he could, for there, being manhandled and threatened by this brute of a human, tears streaming rivers down her sunken face, was his Sarah.
"NOOOOOO!"
Jareth shot up, the last of his silent scream still caught in his throat, drenched in sweat, panting in fear and revulsion. It clawed at him, raked its fingers across his chest, his back, his face. That spot within burned with the force of a thousand suns. The dream, fresh in his mind, he instantly summoned his Scrying Crystal.
'No! It can't be! No, not her!'
He had to check. Had to reassure himself that wherever she was, whatever she was doing, she was not there.
"I'm sorry, Miren," he whispered, hoarse. "S-sarah."
The crystal came to life immediately.
Though the image was unusually fuzzy, he'd recognize her anywhere, in any form no matter how distorted, and there she was. Same raven hair, same wide, jade-green eyes, laying flat on a bed. She was unclothed, but her expression was a peaceful one and Jareth went almost light-headed with relief. Relief that immediately soured when the fuzzy image of an unclothed, brown-haired man came into view over top of her. Her expression remained unchanged. In fact, she barely reacted.
He severed the connection to the crystal before he was forced to watch any further. He knew where it was going. And he felt sick. What did this human have to offer her that he couldn't?! He was better in every respect compared to a mere human so why did she choose him?! He would have understood if he had seen her with another female! At least then her refusal would have made some sense!
The King took some solace in that his nightmare, at the very least, was only a conjuration of his own mind. That expression of hers clearly told him she was content to be where she was. The pain and betrayal that had been his constant companions since that day consumed his very essence and in anger, he threw the Scrying Crystal at the farthest wall in his sleeping chamber, watching it bounce off, unharmed, just as he'd originally designed it to be.
She'd moved on. That was the bottom line. She was happy. And he wasn't. He hadn't. That was perhaps what caused him the greatest pain in this moment of revelations. He had remained hers and only hers in body and spirit.
'Very well, Sarah-love. If you have moved on, then so, finally, shall I. Rest assured this is the last time you will ever be bothered by the likes of me.'
Jareth called for his own attendant, Vazerd, to summon Miren. He arrived minutes later, brunet hair in wild disarray, his clothes rumpled, eyes still glassed over. It was clear his closest friend was pulled from a very deep slumber and rushed to his side without thought to his appearance.
"Is there something wrong, my King?" Miren asked, his voice groggy and thick with sleep. The man yawned, stretching and Jareth got an eyeful of the lithe figure his friend cut. He smirked appreciatively, simultaneously stamping down that irritating low burn in his chest.
"Does something have to be wrong for me to seek out your company? I happened to find myself far from the comforts of sleep and wished to know if you would like to join me for a late-night…stiff drink."
Miren paused mid-stretch, staring open-mouthed before snapping his jaw shut. His stunned expression morphed into a distractingly sensual smirk. He brought his arms down and tugged at the laces on his cuffs while sauntering over to Jareth's bedside, slender hips swaying with every step. Miren poured them each a generous glass of some dark drink Vazerd had set on the table by his bed before making himself scarce. His attendant was extremely efficient.
"What kind of advisor would I be to say 'no' to such an enticing offer, my dear King?" Miren asked in a husky tone, taking a swig from his glass and licking his lips seductively. He sat the glass down and stretched out on the bed, provocatively, his expression never changing but his amethyst eyes growing more excited and hazier with each passing moment.
This was what Jareth needed. He was determined to put her behind him once and for all as she had done and Miren's eager body was exactly the thing he needed to do so. The King growled low in satisfaction and prepared to tease his friend in a way he hadn't done since first catching sight of her. She was happy, and now, so would he be. It was with that thought that Jareth surrendered to the carnal pleasures his closest friend had to give.