This chapter is the reason for the rating, lol. Thank you so much for your patience!
There's such a fooled heart
Beating so fast
In search of new dreams
A love that will last
Within your heart
I'll place the moon
Within your heart
-David Bowie, As the World Falls Down
Thankfully, Karen had enough sense to drag Robert out of the living room and into the guest room when Jareth came by in order to leave the couple alone. He was dressed in a long, black overcoat cinched together with a belt that had his kingdom's horned insignia on it. He took in her beautiful dress, stopping to admire the high slit and the bit of cleavage she showed off.
She was always beautiful, but somehow, she was even more so tonight. Perhaps it was the knowledge that she dressed for their first real date. Or maybe it was because she was delightfully nervous yet confident. Or it was the enchanting smile directed towards him.
Perhaps, it was all of these things.
"You are gorgeous, Love." He took her hands and kissed her cheeks. He would have kissed her lips if he thought he could control himself. "Absolutely breath-taking."
"You do a great job cleaning up too," she said, holding his hand. Jareth smirked at her, knowing exactly what she thought of him with the way her skin flushed red and his sensitive fae nose picking up her scent. "Am I dressed appropriately? I wasn't sure what you had in mind for the date."
He caressed her knuckle reassuringly with his thumb. "You are perfect. Everything I could ever want."
Sarah felt the urge to tell him to "fuck the date" and just cuddle together on the couch. And then do more than cuddling… The only reason she was holding back was because he probably spent a lot of time preparing for it, judging by how giddy he was. "God, Jareth. How do I respond in a way that says that I feel the same about you? You're too good at this."
She felt a thrill go through her as he pulled her close to him, their chests touching. His sharp teeth glinted in the light. "Just by saying that, you've already accomplished your goal. Are you ready to go?"
She nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
They walked out of the house first before disappearing in a flicker of light. When they got to the castle, Jareth was breathing a bit harder than he normally was. "Jareth?" Sarah asked in panic. "Are you okay? Oh my god, do you want me to get someone for you? Do you want some of my magic?"
He shook his head, straightening himself, bracing against the wall. "Ever since my Run, I've been more fatigued than usual. Transporting myself was difficult but more so with you. I promise I'm fine, my Love."
Sarah just stood there, rubbing his back as he caught his breath. She tried to not let the image of his almost-dead body freak her out. "You sure?"
"Yes." His breathing slowed. Then turned to her with a smile. "Especially now that you're here with me."
"Oh you," she said, shaking her head. "Maybe we should have stayed Above, but too late for that."
"Do not worry, I promise I am fine." He held his arm to her, smiling when she slid her hand in the crook of his elbow. "I will construct a direct portal to your home to make it easier on myself and the goblins so none of us have to use our own magic to transport across realms."
"Can't someone else do that?" She pulled her jacket around her shoulders a little tighter to shield from the wind.
"Yes, but I prefer it to be me. A portal created by me would respond better to my magic and is more secure. There are portals that can be made by others that would work as well. However, I am a king. Anyone in proximity to me is at risk for a target as you have seen."
She nodded, understanding how careful he was being after the whole Erlking business. Just because one such person was gone doesn't mean they all would be, but didn't mean that she was in immediate danger either. "Okay. I just don't want you to push yourself too hard. You're already dealing with the aftermath of the invasion and still need time to fully get your health back to where you were before all of this mess."
"I will, I promise you." He took her hand and gave it a kiss. "I do have a more relaxed, flexible evening planned. Would you prefer to eat first or go for a walk first?"
Despite feeling happy and calm around Jareth, this was the first time Sarah would go on a first date in a very long time and she was still a tad nervous. She wasn't sure if she would be able to eat anything right then. "A walk first would be nice. It'll be nice to have it be just the two of us."
They walked through Goblin City, where goblins all over cheered and said hello. Some offered Sarah chicken eggs, one of the highest honors a goblin can bestow on someone.
They still called her "Queenie," to Jareth's delight. He noticed that Sarah hadn't corrected them and hoped that perhaps, she would one day take her place as Goblin Queen. There was no one better than her, especially after she had shown her bravery and thoughtfulness towards his subjects.
"Queenie!" Blaggerspout handed her a pinecone with a small twig in it. "Please give to Ben."
"That's very thoughtful of you, I will," she said, putting it in a small bag that Jareth conjured for her. "Is it a sculpture?"
"Yeah! It's Ben with a sword. To fight!" He swung his own pointy stick around excitedly. "Can we visit again?"
"Pleeeeeease?" They begged her.
She patted Blaggerspout on the head, who was then replaced by Igleplus who wanted a head pat. Pretty soon, all the goblins wanted a head pat, shoving each other out of the way.
"Hey, it's me turn!"
"No me!"
"MEEEEEE!"
"I gives Queenie egg first!"
"I'll give Queenie my chicken!"
Jareth couldn't feel *too* upset that his date was being hijacked by the goblins. After all, they hadn't seen her in a long time and missed her just as he did.
Sarah put her fingers to her lips and blew a whistle, shutting them up. "Hey, how about you guys stand in a line and I'll pat your heads as I walk through?"
They nodded, listening to Sarah obediently. She directed them to all stand in two lines, one on either side of her. She ran through the open path, hands sliding down their heads as she wizzed past. They absolutely loved it, wishing that she could do it again and again, but Jareth told them that if they continued to interrupt their alone time, they would all be bogged.
Little Evie approached Sarah last. She gazed up with adoring eyes. "Queenie very pretty with make up. Very shiny."
Sarah let her take a look at the golden eyeshadow she had on. "Maybe next time you visit, we can put some on you."
She squealed. "Thank you, Queenie!"
They finally made it out of Goblin City, approaching a beautiful lake with winter flowers. The sun had set and the sky was in between orange and dark blue, slowly fading to give way to the stars. They held hands, appearing as any normal couple in love.
"I love going on walks." Sarah picked a tiny flower, smelling it and handing it to Jareth, who had magically changed into his usual loose black shirt with the waistcoat and tight pants but with a bit more flare and elegance to match her outfit. The little flecks of gold sparkled when he moved, matching her own glittering gold dress. "I can't believe you and I never went on a walk just the two of us before. It's so nice."
"It truly is." He rubbed her knuckle with his thumb.
A few people were taking walks as well, though they all kept their distance. Sarah still wasn't used to the curious glances and equally curious whispers. She instinctively moved closer to Jareth, finding comfort in the warmth of his body. "People are looking," she commented.
He turned his head to her, concerned. "Does it bother you? We could go somewhere else."
"It is unsettling," she admitted. "But at least they're not rude or swarming us. So no, not really bothered. I'm just not used to it. Does it bother you? Every culture has different norms and while us holding hands is normal in my world, it's not so normal in different countries and cultures."
"I'm not bothered. Holding hands is similar to your own culture, one of affection. They have no doubt heard of what happened with the Erlking anyway."
Sarah remembered how she screamed that the Erlking took Jareth from her. It didn't take a genius to make the correct conclusion about their relationship. "Oh yeah. I don't really care what people think anyway. I mean, I kind of do, it's natural to. But I'm doing what I want anyway."
"It seems you and I are alike in that way." He smirked, winking at her. Before she could really react, he unexpectedly lifted his hand up and spun her around before catching her close to his body.
Dizzy and in love, Sarah laughed delightfully as she collided into his chest. Lost in his eyes, she tip-toed to kiss his soft lips. Jareth responded in kind, interlocking his fingers behind the arch of her back, sighing into the kiss. He tasted of spices and moonbeams, his gentle touches spurring her on.
When they pulled apart from the kiss, Jareth rested his forehead on Sarah's. "That was wonderful."
"Yes it was," she agreed, reluctantly pulling apart from his embrace and once again taking his hand.
"I usually like to go on walks alone, enjoying my solitude," he said. Jareth was feeling particularly proud to have Sarah at his arm. After all, not only was he madly in love with her, she was the Champion and elegantly beautiful.
"There's another reason we're alike." Sarah had an amused smile with a touch of sadness. "You and I tend to be loners."
"What gave it away?" Jareth's free hand clenched and unclenched in trepidation. Though his voice was light, the melancholy in his heart was reflected in his eyes.
She didn't immediately respond to his question, but she did move closer to teasingly bump elbows with him as they walked. "From the time we were young, we've been outsiders, correct?"
"Correct."
"You developed a 'hardened exterior,' as you put it. I just stayed weird."
This was something that she had often contemplated on. And it made her a bit sad.
"I wouldn't call it that," Jareth said, admiring the way her nose was getting a a little bit redder in the cold air. It was absolutely adorable. "Delightfully mysterious with the heart of a dreamer, perhaps."
"Exactly, weird," Sarah reiterated. "At least in my world. That's cute when you're five. Not so much when you're an adult. When you're an adult, you're supposed to keep dreams realistic. Or at least, you're supposed to keep it to yourself until you've done something so amazing you can write a book about it or have a documentary done for you like an actor or a famous author."
Jareth deliberated on this. As the King of Dreams, he knew what Sarah was saying was correct. For many adults, their fondest dreams were to feel free to do just that: dream. To be their authentic selves without judgement.
"I remember the first time I realized I was a loner." He stopped walking for a moment, trying to pull the memory from deep within his mind. A memory that he had locked away and ignored until now. "I was young, younger than Toby is now but not as young as you when we first met."
He turned to glance at her briefly, touched by what he saw. The interest in Sarah's eyes were sincere as always.
She wanted to know him.
Not for his power. Not for his crown. Not to be lavished with his riches. Not even because she wanted him to love her.
But because she loved him.
"What happened?" She was closer to him now.
"My peers and I had a social gathering," he continued at her prompting. "Young people from all over came to this ball."
He looked in front of him, towards the horizon. "I remember how fun it was. I had friends, close friends even. I was charming and talented as I am now."
Sarah snorted beside him, making him smirk.
He keep on going. "I left for a moment, to use the toilet. I came back and looked around. No one was missing me. No one really asked me to play the games or to dance, not when there were other attractive people around. I realized then and there that if I disappeared, no one would care to find me.
"And that's what I did. I hid behind the curtains, wanting to see if anyone cared. They didn't. People who I thought were my friends didn't care. I thought, 'perhaps they assumed I made new friends and gave me my space.' No, that wasn't what happened. They asked about each other. Never about me."
Alone and abandoned.
He still remembered that night, how he ended up slipping outside and stared at the moon by himself. This was not an isolated incident either, it was something that happened more and more as time went on. No one hated him, not back then anyway.
He just wasn't good enough to be someone others truly cared about. It was almost worse than being hated. At least hated people still mattered.
He felt a hand on his back. "No one should feel that way," Sarah said.
"It is what it is." He shrugged, pretending that it didn't matter to him. "I am amusing, superficial. It's why Ikeep to myself. I don't need their insincere smiles."
"My statement still stands." She kept her hand on his back and moved to stand next to him. "You deserve to feel wanted and cared for."
"It is apt that I am now not only a part of, but a leader of the Goblin Kingdom. The leader of the Lost and Lonely," he mused.
Sarah shook her head. It was so unfair. It wasn't right that one felt this way by the very people that they cared about. She knew what that was like.
"I know what it's like, to be the person in the room that people don't bother to look out for. That I just simply existed and not more." She kept on walking and Jareth took that as a signal to follow her too.
"You?" Jareth looked at her, incredulous. "The daughter of a glamorous actress who is talented and lovely in her own way?" He teased. The walked over a bridge, their reflections in the water.
"Flattering." A tiny smile creeped up on the corner of her mouth. "It's what my friends said to try to dismiss the loneliness I felt inside."
"I didn't-"
She put a finger to his lips, the Goblin King giving it a little kiss, making her blush just slightly. "I know you aren't dismissing me, I'm just telling you that sometimes, opening up just seems to set me back. It lets people know how I really am, and it freaks them out, sending me back into that box of shame."
She turned to him, walking in front so that he couldn't get past her. "The point is, I want you to know that I won't do that. I won't just not run away from you, I will actively find my way to you. I will always know when you're gone, I will always care. I won't find you because I'm trying to be nice, trying to ease my guilt, but because I love you."
Jareth wasn't sure what to say. He never had anyone who offered such a thing to him before. He took Sarah's hand and gave it a light squeeze.
The look on her eyes told him that he didn't have to say anything. She understood him perfectly.
There, underneath the crescent moon on the bridge interwoven with flowers, her soft kiss on his lips sealed her promise. Only nature was there to witness this sacred bond between them that would never be broken.
Jareth wanted nothing more than to follow her culture's tradition of going on his knee and asking her to marry him right then and there. He really would have done so right then, but he knew that they both deserved to take their time in a true courtship. To not be burdened with the responsibility of the crown too soon.
He had thought long and hard on how to make this date special. After all, he was a king and could afford to show her the most lavish ballrooms and could pull strings to find the most exotic foods if he really wanted. However, this was Sarah. She wanted to be with him, not see impersonal displays of wealth. Besides, she already enjoyed a lot of that during Yule. She would be more interested in going on a little adventure to discover hidden gems around the Underground as they had often done in her world.
That was why he brought her to a small tea house not too far from the castle. He heard of the place by Lorraine, liking the charming description and wanted Sarah to experience it with him.
"Your Majesty, Lady Sarah." The owner of the tea house came to greet them personally, looking very nervous at the prospect of the king coming to her business. "It is an honor to have you here."
"I've heard wonderful things about this establishment and wanted to see for myself," Jareth responded with so much charm that Sarah thought the owner was going to faint.
Luckily, the owner held her composure. "I am delighted to hear so. My son, Anton, will be here to escort you to your private room. He will be taking over the place soon once I retire."
As they walked up the stairs, avoiding the main area where most diners were, Sarah squinted at Jareth. "Private room?"
"I wanted us to have a private space to be together. Do not fret, Love. I made sure to pay them handsomely for it."
Sarah still didn't look totally comfortable with being singled out for special treatment. It was one thing to do so in Jareth's castle where he lived, but a different manner out here with people knowing his position of power. She had bad experiences with her mother being entitled in the past. However, she was determined to enjoy this date and knew that Jareth was not her mother who would demand free things just because he had a name here. "Sounds good to me."
Jareth studied her. He made an arrangement beforehand to them a private room on the second floor to avoid stares of other people and truly did pay handsomely to the owner. The workers here never did such a thing before but they weren't about to say no to the king himself. Sarah may object to the accommodation due to her desire to be "normal," but she wouldn't be able to relax otherwise with everyone watching them.
The tea house was at a beautiful spot on a hill that oversaw the villages, a large river with flower beds, and was surrounded by large evergreen trees. The room had a window in a half-dome shape that gave a glorious view of the mountains, capped with snow that reminded her of a heap of powdered sugar.
She raised an eyebrow at seeing not a normal dining table for two with chairs across from each other, but a loveseat and a table in front of them. Jareth was not shy in the least bit in wrapping his arms around her from behind as they sat, giving her neck kisses when the servers left to get their food.
"You're very handsy right now," she sighed, his lips peppering across her jaw. She wanted to turn to touch him but his embrace was so tight, she gave up and just placed her hands on top of his.
"Mmm." He couldn't keep his hands off her. "I knew I wouldn't be able to withstand sitting across from you, pretending like it was a normal 'first date' with all the propriety needed. I want to touch you." His hands glided down to her hip, caressing her thigh. "To hold you close to me. Can you blame me?"
His grip finally loosened enough for her to turn to kiss him. "No, I can't. Not when I feel the same about you."
Jareth went back to keeping his hands *mostly* to himself when the servers came back with tea and small, bite-sized amounts of cheese to try as their specialty. Some were spread on crackers. Some had meat on them. Some had fruits.
Sarah had a blast tasting them, picking out the ones she liked and the ones she didn't. Jareth had all of them at least once already, but was delighted to try again with different combinations of tea and food with said cheese. They talked, laughed, and focused on nothing but each other. She could truly be her best self with Jareth. She picked up some sort of fruit that reminded her of an apple that was covered with cheese. "Here, try this one."
She wasn't sure why she expected Jareth to eat it like a normal person. Her only warning was his playful smirk, milliseconds before he engulfed the whole thing in his mouth, wrapping his lips around her finger.
Time slowed to the speed of thick syrup. He leisurely slid his lips backwards, his tongue licking the underside of her finger the entire time. When he got to her fingertip, he snatched her hand, making his way down her palm with hot, open mouth kisses. He continued to lick down to her wrist, inwardly lamenting that she was wearing a sensible, long-sleeved dress. All without taking his eyes off the beauty in front of him. Likewise, she did not turn away, but met him head on with equal heat in her eyes, lips parted slightly as the sensations traveled down her spine and all over her body.
Sarah never thought that just a few touches would make her so crazy for someone. The mixture of yearning, adoration, and lust was enough to make her rip his clothes off, only stopping because they were in a public area. Nothing in the world mattered but the caresses that he bestowed on her body.
"Sarah?"
She blinked a few times, realizing that he had been speaking to her. He smirked, her palm next to his lips. He placed it on his heart. "Distracted, Love?"
Sarah's eyes narrowed. She grabbed his upper arm with her free hand, yanking him so they were forced to collide. She watched with glee as his pupils dilated when she wriggled her body, pushing her chest against his. "Not anymore."
Jareth couldn't hold in his groan even if he wanted to. Her voice was so sultry and seductive that if he wasn't afraid someone would walk in on them, he would strip her naked and take her right then and there. How he longed to see her gasp his name in ecstasy.
Well, the night was still young. Perhaps he would that still. He just had to be patient. For Sarah, he would wait as long as she needed.
He forced himself to look up and away from her, regaining the power of speech. He still kept her hand on his heart, but "I have something serious I want to ask you."
Judging by his eyes, it couldn't have been something bad, but whatever it was, it made him nervous anyway. Sarah reached out to run her hand comfortingly down his cheek. "Ask away."
Encourage by her gentleness, he asked her a question he hadn't asked anyone in hundreds of years. "I would like for us to formally court. May we do so?"
Sarah lit up instantly. "I would love that very much. Yes, let's court formally."
They kissed again, delighted with the new step in their relationship. When they pulled apart, Jareth had a rather large, glowing crystal in his hand. In it was a feather. One side of it was white and the other an earthy, light brown with horizontal black stripes.
He held it gingerly, with a near fearful expression. "In the start of a formal courtship, it is tradition to exchange locks of hair to symbolize willingness to share a part of oneself with the other person. Oftentimes, the couple will choose to place the lock of hair in a locket to wear. It is not so common among the nobles and royalty, as love often does not factor into the equation of marriage, but we are not a common couple." He held the crystal to her.
Sarah stared at it, amazed and dumbfounded. A shy hand came to gently touch it. "So, instead of your hair, this must be one of your feathers from your owl form? Oh, Jareth."
Just when she thought she understood how far his love went for her, he did things like this.
"Only for you, Love." He kissed her brow. "Will you accept it?"
"Yes of course, it's just," she stuttered for a bit, pausing to take a cleansing breath to say how she felt. "Are you okay? Can you still fly? It must have hurt a lot to pluck it out."
He beamed affectionately. Of course his Sweet Sarah would be thinking of his health. "Yes, yes, and yes. But I wanted to do more than just a lock of my hair. Because I have never seen my future reflected in someone to this extent before."
It had taken a lot of courage for him to say the last sentence, and it was not in vain. Sarah's smile grew. "I feel so lame suggesting this after such a romantic gesture, but I want to give you a lock of my hair in return. The moment I get to a pair of scissors, I'm cutting a lock off for you."
"Love, you do not have to-"
"But I want to. I want to do something traditional in your world. Something that has meaning to you." She picked up the crystal. "Besides, I have something of yours. You should have something of mine. Especially if it would keep anyone interested in you away." She winked.
Jareth laughed heartily. "No one could take me away from you if they tried. Only you could keep me away from yourself."
"What do I do with this though?" She held the giant crystal. "It doesn't feel right for it to be put on display on a bookshelf. It would be nice to wear it like you'd wear a lock of hair, like you said."
Jareth gently took the crystal back from her. He made it float in between his hands, slowly bringing his hands together. The closer his hands came to touching each other, the smaller the crystal shrank until it was the size of a small jewel. It no longer glowed but the tiny feather was still visible. He summoned a chain and attached the crystal on it. "As my lady wishes."
Sarah kissed him again. "Won't you put it on me?"
He obliged, opening the delicate, silver chain and clasping it. He placed his hands on her hips then slowly slid them forward to hold her from behind.
They sat that way for a while, watching the trees unfurl and snacking on more cheese and tea. Sarah shuffled a bit in his arms. "Jareth?"
"Hmm?"
"I never said 'I love you' first. I always waited for the other person to say it first. Until you."
She could no longer feel Jareth's chest rise and fall behind her. His grip tightened. "Never?"
She shook her head, feeling a little shy at how vulnerable she was being. "Never."
She turned in his arms, resting her cheek against his chest, her hand coming to fiddle with her new necklace. Jareth curled her hair in between his fingers. "Why is that?"
"Multitude of reasons," she mumbled, sighing happily at inhaling his scent. "Sometimes it was because I was afraid they would catch me then leave if they saw how I was like. Sometimes I worried I'd be like my mom and get bored, hurting them. I did get bored easily of guys I only slept with, but that was the agreement and it was the same with them. And sometimes, it was because I didn't feel deserving of love. Sometimes I just can't believe that someone actually would love me, that maybe I tricked them somehow. It took me a month after Ethan said it to say it back to him for that reason."
Jareth stopped playing with her hair and tilted her face towards his. "How can you say that?" The words came out in a desperate whisper. "How can you or anyone believe you're not deserving of love?"
She avoided his gaze, playing with the strings on his shirt. "Mom issues started it off. Like I wasn't important enough for her to be in my life. So I closed myself off. And then again, when Ethan died, Ben was the sweetest little kid ever. He was so protective of me and would try to cheer me up. He would be silly and play, but when he thought I wasn't looking, he would curl up in a corner and cry his little heart out."
She teared up a bit, wishing she hadn't been so broken as to leave Ben like that. Jareth continued to making soothing touches on her, brushing his lips on her forehead. "He doesn't think I know, but I know," she continued. "It just made me sad that my son thinks that he had to protect me. That my sadness hurt him so much because he loved me. If he didn't care about me, maybe he wouldn't be so sad. Logically, I know it's a stupid thing to think. I just want him to be happy."
She looked up into his eyes again. "As you know, I've been working really hard to enjoy solace and appreciate myself. To know that I'm deserving of love. I was already on that path, but you've expedited that process. Thank you for loving me, for wanting to court me. For making me feel safe, happy, and confident enough to say 'I love you' first."
After another passionate kiss, Sarah leaned against the back of the couch, curiosity burning in her eyes. "Umm, so what exactly does a formal courtship entail?"
Jareth threw his head back and laughed rather loudly. Sarah raised an eyebrow but joined him too, even though she had no idea what he was laughing about.
He showed her his teeth. "You agreed without knowing the entire agreement first? My my. So unlike you."
"Oh hush." She playfully swiped at his arm. "I knew I could trust you. I wanted you to know that too."
He beamed. He was touched to hear it, especially after all they had gone through and knowing her trust issues. "It is meant for us to agree that our relationship is a serious one, that we are hoping for it to lead to marriage. Specifically, it would mean that you would accept being queen eventually, if we marry. You have the ability to be queen in your own right, as you know, but if you weren't, it would mean that you agree that should we marry, you'd be queen consort. It typically means that we are in an agreement to make our relationship publicly known Underground. It's a deterrent for others to try to court either of us. You can wait before we make it public if you'd like, I understand the social pressures and critical gazes from those in certain courts can make it intimidating. I would just be happy if you want our relationship to be private for a while."
He meant what he said, that she didn't have to agree to it right now. But of course, his Sarah was tougher than that. She nodded eagerly. "I'm at the stage in life where I need to be honest in how I want a relationship to end up, and I definitely see us having a future one day. To be married. I can't say I'm too worried about the public finding out about us. I mean, I was your regent for thirteen hours, those pesky, flirting fae have to deal with me, not the other way around, if they choose to flirt with you."
Jareth took her hand and kissed her knuckles, elated with her answer. She was every bit the queen he wanted her to be. He frowned at the tension in her eyes. "Something is bothering you."
"Well, it's Ben," she said quietly. "I mean, you're a king. For us to make this work, I assume I'd have to move down here. What about Ben? I know Toby can."
He cupped her face gently. "I would never ask you to be separated from him. To make that choice would be horrible. I have spoken about this with Mara. As your son, Ben can live with you here Underground. He will age normally until he's an adult, then will age slower until he stops completely like everyone else here."
Sarah thought about it for a moment. "If forced to decide now, I would say yes, but can we take it slow? Being a queen… it's not a light decision to make. And with Ben, as long as he can come with me, I think we'll be fine."
Jareth pulled her in for a quick kiss. "Spoken like a true queen already." He hesitated for a moment before revealing something else. "I would be happy to live the rest of my existence as a human with you if it comes to that."
Sarah's eyes snapped open wide. "Jareth, I can't ask-"
"Shh," he placed a finger on her lips. "I have been king for many years now. If I choose to live the rest of my life in a human lifespan, I would first train an heir. Contingencies, remember? I don't mind leaving to be with you. To rest and enjoy life. But as you say, we need to take this slowly. We can slow down your aging process as well if we need many years to figure this all out."
It was nice to know that no matter what, she's always have him. "That sounds like a plan to me. But for now, let's just enjoy each other like you said. Getting to know every story, growing together." She stood up, stretching. "Speaking of stories, how about a short walk before I end up falling asleep on this couch?"
Jareth immediately jumped up, excited for her suggestion. "Absolutely. I have plans to show you more of this kingdom. There are caves with their own ecosystems in them, a flower that blooms every one hundred years…"
He kept on going, too excited to keep it as a surprise. He thought of how her eyes lit up at everything she had seen in his world and wanted to bask in her excitement…
…then found that it was raining. "Damn," he cursed, disappointed. He didn't want her to freeze in the cold, winter rain. "I wanted to show you the beauty of this kingdom."
Sarah squeezed his hand, giving him a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Jare."
He shook his head. "I wanted tonight to be perfect."
"Who says it isn't?" She wrapped her arms around his waist, getting him to smile just a little. "I'm having the most wonderful time. I can't remember the last time I had a day that was so filled with happiness before. We have our whole lives to explore the kingdom. I'm perfectly happy being with you. We don't have to even really do anything to have a great time. All I need is you with me."
Every time he smiled at her, it was as if he was smiling at her for the first time. She knew that as a king, he was expected to show off his wealth to potential suitors, so for her to say that she only needed him meant the world. "Come on, Jareth. Let's stay in. I'd ask your place or mine, but considering my entire family is at mine, perhaps yours?" She winked.
The world in front of her shifted, giving way to a very large bedroom. Like hers, it was nice and cozy with a fire and a lovely balcony to boot. It didn't take a genius to know that this made to fit a king's.
Sarah found herself staring out the window, where it still rained but tiny specks of stars were glittering through. Jareth once again came behind her to hold. "Jareth?"
"Hmm?" He pulled back to meet her eyes, kissing her fingers.
She tugged on his hand a little, her eyes sparkling. "We have danced twice and interrupted both times. I think you owe me a dance, Your Majesty."
Was there anything more beautiful than his smile in happiness? He held out his hand and she took it. Her free hand automatically came to hold on his shoulder and his free hand came to wrap around her waist.
Music filled the room, a melody of a song that Jareth crafted in his heart and Sarah brought out of him. Jareth pulled her close, swaying to the beat of the music, crooning in her ear.
"There's such a sad love…"
His hands encircled her. Not out of possession. Not out of greed.
It was out of love.
Sarah rested her head on his chest, enjoying the feeling of him guiding her through the dance. She felt safe. Warm. Happy. She clutched on his shoulder, holding him even closer.
Jareth smiled when she rested on his chest. She was at the perfect height where he could rest his chin on the top of her head. Nothing had ever felt so right as being with her.
"I'll place the sky within your eyes."
He placed a little kiss on the top of her head, closing his eyes to really take it all in.
Sarah felt him kiss her head. She grinned, a little blush creeping onto her cheeks. Tilting her chin up, she studied Jareth's face. She always thought he had a regal sort of look, with his high cheekbones and elegant nose. His eyes were usually brilliant blue but in the soft candlelight, they were so dilated that they were nearly black. When they first met, he had been very handsome, yes. Now though... now he was even more so. The kindness in his eyes and the comforting smile filled her whole soul with completion.
The way the moonlight entered the windows made him feel like they were the stars in their own film. Someday, both would look back to remember this very night. The first night where it was just the two of them, in each other's arms. He brushed through her dark tresses with his long fingers, enjoying the silky texture. Her eyes dropped low in contentment. He so enjoyed seeing her look so relaxed. He traced his fingers down the soft skin of her cheek, tipping it to look at her face.
"But I'll be there for you, as the world falls down…"
In the great, big world, everyone saw her as Sarah Williams. The daughter of a brilliant actress with unparalleled beauty or the adorable music teacher who once had the potential to take over the classical music scene. Not Jareth. He saw the way her eyes lit up when he was teasing her. He saw the affection and fierce protectiveness when she was around Ben. He saw her brilliant mind always looking for more to learn. Here, she was without make up. Without a mask. Here, she was herself.
He cupped her face. Her eyes got big and wide, knowing what was about to happen. Then they narrowed to a smile that made little half moon circles. Her nose scrunched a little at the happiness evident on her face as they leaned in close.
Closing their eyes, their lips and hearts met. They were slow, taking their sweet time feeling the softness of their lips gliding. Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck, on her tiptoes. Jareth held her waist with one hand and placed the other on her upper back.
"I love you, Jareth," she whispered softly, with pure adoration.
His eyes darkened as he pulled her body close to his. Sarah took a sharp inhale, feeling dizzy at having their bodies so close. "Say it again, Sarah. Say that you love me."
Sarah watched as his pupils dilated, the blue in his eyes thinning by the moment. "I love you."
He leaned forward, his lips at the shell of her ear. His tongue darted out, tasting her. Her fingers gripped him tighter. "Again," he groaned.
"I love you," she moaned. His lips traveled down to her neck, sucking on the sensitive skin.
"I love you." His lips and teeth grazed her jaw and down, nipping at the swell of her breasts. Her eyes fluttered close and her underwear was soaked from her arousal. Her hand on his shoulder reached up to tangle in his hair, head thrown back.
Jareth's nostrils flared. His sensitive fae nose picked up on her pheromones, her strong desire beckoning him. She had been turned on in his presence before, but not as strongly as now. His instincts told him to rip her clothes off and bring them both to climax, but he wanted to go slow tonight. To savor the feel of her body against his.
This was not a one-night stand or a friends-with-benefits situation. This was Sarah, the woman who captured his heart. He would wait for her for as long as she needed.
Lucky for Jareth, she didn't want to wait. With a breathy moan, she pleaded "Jareth, I want you. I need you."
He bit down on her soft flesh, not hard enough to bleed but hard enough to leave a mark. Sarah yelped and moaned, pressing her hips to his. A hand held her lower back and the other holding up her head possessively. Sarah held his face and back, kissing furiously. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, the Goblin King accepting and slid his own tongue against hers.
"Sarah," he growled into her ear, pressing her back to the wall. "From the moment you told me you would fight me if I dared to lay a hand on Ben, I wanted you."
She panted, her breasts rising and falling with each breath and Jareth's eyes kept darting to them. She smirked. "You wanted me when I threatened to make your life miserable? Didn't realize you had a masochistic side."
He returned her smirk, the scent of her arousal growing stronger. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take this. "Only during sex," he winked. "But yes. I knew you were someone special for a long time. You were too young the first time you were here, too young to really capture my attention. I found you interesting and was very curious." He held one of her hands to his heart. "I wanted the idea of a forever love as you did. I should have backed away but I didn't in my pride and loneliness. When we reunited, I desired you and still do."
Sarah slid her hand from his chest to his shoulders, a slow, seductive smile on her face. "Well, I've wanted you since you loomed over me in this tunnels. Damn dreams of you tormented me."
He raised an eyebrow, a pointy tooth glinting in the moonlight. He held her chin, his thumb brushing deliciously against her sensitive lips. She watched in fascination as he gently dipped it inside her mouth. "Is that so? It's too bad your win meant your dreams were barred from me being able to look into them at the time. I would like to see what delicious visions you had of me."
With his free hand, he slid a finger to her chest, slowly unbuttoning it. Each pop revealed more of her soft skin, just begging to be touched. His cock grew harder, twitching in his tight pants as she stood there before him, his thumb pressing in her mouth and her nipples hard against the fabric of her dress. "Were they particularly creative?"
He watched her pant as the buttons came undone around her navel, her nipples barely covered by each side of the dress. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she said breathily, her tongue darting out to lick his thumb.
"Of course I would." He kissed between her neck and shoulder. "It must have been delightful."
She reached for him, unbuttoning his jacket as his lips traveled lower. "And yet, I never climaxed. How rude of you. I always had to take care of it myself when I woke up."
He chuckled as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer to her. She placed her hand on his chest, the skin-to-skin contact igniting a brand new fire between them. There was a small moment of pain when she took a good look at his scars caused by the Erlking, but she turned that thought to gratefulness that she was able to have this second chance with him. She lovingly kissed his scars, a silent thank you on her lips.
She glided her hand down to his stomach, pleased to feel his abdomen clench at her touch. Taking a step back, high on confidence and arousal, she moved her dress out of the way, behind the open slit and slid her hand into her wet panties. With hooded eyes, she watched in delight as Jareth's eyes raked over her body as she pleasured herself thinking of him.
Jareth was momentarily speechless. Her hand disappearing behind her dress to finger herself was by far the hottest thing he'd ever seen. Her nipples, though still fully covered, were now visible under that dress. Her face was flushed with arousal and her mouth opened in a perfect moan, making him want to slide his cock in it. Last but not least, her scent was delicious and he wanted to live off of devouring her.
Gently taking her hand, he brought it to his nose, further aroused by her. He sucked her fingers, eyes rolling to the back of his head. Sarah never had a man thoroughly worship her before, and they weren't naked yet. She would go crazy if she didn't have him soon.
Jareth's erection fully lengthened, taking a moment to respond to her earlier cheekiness. "I shall have to amend that."
They kissed once more, Jareth shoving his leg in between hers, angling so that his cock was against her hip. Sarah moaned, continuing to devour his lips like a drowning person starved for air. She could taste herself on him. While it never bothered her before, it never really turned her on until Jareth.
She pushed him, pinning him against the wall instead and taking his jacket and shirt off. His lean and strong body appeared as gorgeous as she would have imagined. As she moved, one of her breasts made its way out of her dress. Staring right into Jareth's ferocious eyes, she took it all the way off, making it land on the floor. She placed a hand on the wall beside his head.
Despite the display of confidence, a moment of uncertainty seized her. This was the first time she would have sex in two years and the first time with someone other than Ethan for more than a decade. She and her late husband had aged together. He had seen her body change and was used to it, loving her anyway. Jareth was a king, and despite the stigma that came with his role, it was an important one that was not to be scoffed at. He still had many lovers, ageless people who would outshine the most beautiful humans. Her body was still healthy and fit (hell, even Toby's friends's stares lingered on her longer than was normal), but how would she hold up against that? It was a lot easier to say "fuck anyone who didn't think she was good enough" in theory than in real life.
Jareth's eyes roamed over her, taking in her figure and the possessive stance. All she wore now were her black panties and high heels. Her scent was even stronger than before. "Gods, Sarah. You're gorgeous. Beyond even my wildest dreams. And let me tell you, I've had many."
He saw the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes and pulled her close to kiss her, their bare upper bodies making contact. She tasted of dreams and love, something he could never get enough of. He meant what he said. Even to others who may claim she was objectively less attractive than many fae, to him, she was the pinnacle of beauty.
No one capable of that much love could ever be anything less than beautiful.
Sarah's heart sang. This last piece of resistance, of torturous worry left her mind. She opened herself to Jareth, intent on never closing from him again. She placed her hand on the outside of his pants, stroking the growing bulge. Her eyes popped open at how thick and long he was.
Jareth growled in pleasure, thrusting his hips forward to grind against her hand. Sarah chuckled, kissing his neck as she pulled his pants down. "No stuffing here."
"Of course not, it's all me," he said lowly, his voice hoarse from the panting.
She grabbed him and stroked him up and down. He hissed, reaching out to massage her breast, flicking a nipple. Sarah ignored her soaked underwear, focusing on servicing him. "In my first dream of you, we were in the tunnels. You kissed me and we tore each other's clothes off, having sex right there against the wall."
Her admission caused him to grow harder. "I wouldn't mind recreating that," he quipped, his mind going hazy from her warm touch. "Did the dreams get any more colorful?"
"Very much so," she purred, kissing his chest. She licked at his nipples, eliciting a more fevered growl. "When I was in college, I had this one shitty professor. I had a dream that night that for revenge, you and I fucked on his desk."
"Oh, Sarah." He squeezed her breasts with both hands now, leaning to taste her too. "I imagine us in endless positions. You bent over my desk. On top of me. Under me. Tied to the bed. Sometimes I'm the one tied to the bed."
"Mmm." She liked where this was going already. "A little bit of everything, I don't mind. I also had dreams where I enjoyed doing this."
She lowered herself to her knees, taking him in her mouth.
Jareth thrust against her warm, delightful mouth, tangling his fingers in her hair. She slowly licked around him, paying special attention to the head. Her mouth was so delightfully warm and she took him all the way, which was impressive considering his length. Her breasts bounced up and down and the scent her arousal was stronger than before.
While he was not someone to shy away from pleasure, it had grown meaningless in years past. It was often easier and less effort to service himself. It had been so long since someone touched him like this, let alone the first person who truly loved him. The last thing he wanted was to finish early. "Sarah, I can't hold on much longer."
She momentarily pulled away, licking and kissing his erection. "Then don't."
She took him back in her mouth, bobbing her head up and down and using her hand to grip where her mouth couldn't reach.
Jareth pulled at her hair, but she didn't mind. The pain added to the pleasure, the waves of arousal continuing to pool in her underwear. "Sarah," she heard him groan above her. "Look at me."
She did as he said, meeting his now dark eyes. His thrusting got harder and faster, and he grunted loudly, calling out her name as he came in her mouth. She swallowed every last drop, licking him clean. She kept her mouth around him until his grip on her hair slackened. As she stood, she made sure to let his cock slide between her breasts.
He leaned against the wall, taking time to breathe. As she stood, he pulled her to him again, kissing her gloriously red lips and tasted himself on her. "You are marvelous, Love." Her strong scent was now overwhelming and he knew she must be in near pain. He reached down and gently brushed against her panties, finding that she had soaked all the way through. Sarah instinctively pushed more into his hand. "No, this won't do. I can't allow my Sarah to be in such a state."
She grinned at him calling her his Sarah. She put her arms around him their noses touching. "What are you going to do about it?"
He picked her up in his arms, kissing her with ravenous hunger, setting her in his large bed. As much as he was tempted to keep the high heels on, he knew she must be tired from them. He unbuckled them and tossed them aside on his rug.
He climbed over her body, pressing his cock right on top of her slit. Sarah pushed her chest up to meet his, her nipples dragging across his chest. Jareth continued to grind against her, feeling himself get harder already. "Do you feel this, Sarah?" He growled lowly in her ear. "Do you feel how hard again I am for you? How quickly I recovered?"
He crawled down, making sure to leave a trail of kisses. He slid his fingers in her underwear, teasing her soaked clit. Sarah didn't break eye contact with him, staring into his eyes as he continued to push his long fingers in her. She opened her legs for him, grabbing her breasts and toying with her nipples. Jareth slid his fingers further down, penetrating deeper as she moaned in ecstasy.
Finally, he grabbed her panties with his teeth and pulled it off her legs. He gripped her thighs open. The scent of her pheromones made him crazy with desire. "You smell so good." He slowly licked her, causing her back to arch. "And taste even better. As I imagined you would be."
Her moans beckoned him on. He took in the sight of her, exposed and swollen for him. His tongue licked at her sensitive clit before wrapping his lips around it. He slid two fingers in her, curling his fingers.
Sarah gyrated against him, her hips moving sensually. Jareth felt himself growing hard once more. He pushed his tongue inside of her, feeling her moan again. She grabbed her breasts, pinching her nipples for further stimulation.
Gods, he always wanted to see her so enthralled by him.
With his hands and mouth, he brought her to orgasm. Sarah threw her head back, screaming his name as his fingers left bruises on her thighs, sharp teeth nipping as she came down from her high. He licked clean the juices that fell from her climax, kissing up her body to her lips.
Sarah felt even more energized, obsessed with wanting more from him. The ache returned between her legs as his hardness pressed against her hip. She pushed Jareth over, surprising him as he landed on his back, their sexes coming into contact. Jareth hissed and gripped her thighs. She rocked her hips, sliding back and forth but still did not letting him inside just yet. "Mmm. You're so hard. This is better than any dream I ever had."
Jareth stared at her bouncing breasts. "Yes," he replied, incredibly distracted by the delicious sensations on his body. "I agree."
She put a hand on his face, her thumb brushing across his lips. Her hips stopped moving, making Jareth thrust his hips in protest. Sarah just smiled wickedly, her thumb pushing in between his lips. He never took his eyes off of her as he sucked it. He quite liked this dominant Sarah and looked forward to see what more she would do in the future.
The thought made him grow harder.
She slid her finger out, dragging it down his chest. Her nails lightly scratched him, rubbing his nipples. Her voice came out in a breathy, sensual moan. "What do you want, Jareth? Any dreams I can make come true for you?"
Jareth sat up a little, sliding his fingers into her again. Sarah's breath quickened its pace. "What I want? I want to be deep inside of you. I want to hear you scream my name in ecstasy as I come inside of you. I want to hold you and kiss you. Then, I want to wake up and do it all over again."
Sarah tossed her hair aside, leaning down to kiss him with a smile. "Wish granted, Sire."
She grabbed his cock, sliding him inside of her. Damn, he fit inside of her perfectly. She closed her eyes, relishing in feeling him fill her up to the fullest, squeezing him lightly within her.
Jareth groaned. She gave him the perfect view of her body sinking down on him. He had been alive for a very long time and had many, many lovers, and nothing was more erotic than the sight of his cock disappearing into her sex. His eyes drank her in, observing her shiny hair flaring around her shoulder, her alluring soft breasts with deliciously hard nipples, the curves of her body delicate as a rose's petal but as strong as the waves of the sea, and her clit peeking out just every so slightly. She felt so good and tight with him inside of her. It was overwhelming in the most wondrous way. He rubbed her thighs, concerned with her lack of movement. "Is everything all right?"
Sarah took a deep breath, opening her eyes. "Yeah. You just feel so damn good. You're right, your 'zucchini' is bigger than the one we bought from the store."
He chuckled lowly. "Keep telling me that and you'll have me convinced that I'm a sex god."
Sarah laughed, slowly rocking her hips. Every movement felt like heaven. Starting slow and sensually, she couldn't help but move faster and faster, feeling him slide in and out of her.
Jareth didn't stay still, pumping himself up to meet her. His moans spurred her on and his hand slowly moved to her sensitive clit. "Oh my god, Jareth!"
"Come," he said with a low, commanding voice.
She did, erupting all around him. Her walls squeezed him and she shuddered violently on top of his body. Jareth continued to rub her clit until her muscles stopped squeezing him.
Sarah, a little dazed, didn't quite understand at first when she felt Jareth still hard and large inside of her. She yelped when he easily lifted her off of his body and turned her around, using magic to stack pillows under her chest. He massaged her soft, gorgeous ass from behind. "My turn."
He licked his way up her spine, taking her hair and lightly pulling on it. Sarah hissed and pushed her body closer to his, giving him an enticing wiggle. He obliged, sliding half way into her. "Look at you, so eager."
Sarah would never get tired of feeling him enter her so slowly and deliberately. "I guess I'm greedy like that."
He squeezed one asscheek, then reached over to play with the soft skin of her stomach. "I'm at your service, My Lady. Be as greedy as you want. Tell me what you want."
She pushed herself as far back as she could, taking the rest of his cock in her. "I want you to take me deep and hard. I want you to fill me."
"That's my Sarah," he purred in response.
He pulled out slowly then thrust hard and fast into her again. Sarah gripped the headboard. "Yes!"
He moved in and out of her at that fast, steady pace. The fire burned between them, threatening to incinerate them into ash. Sarah told him to pull her hair, to which he happily obliged at the roughness she begged for. She turned back to look at him, finding that Jareth's blue eyes were now glowing in arousal as he gripped her hips to fuck her faster.
Sarah squeezed him. "Jareth! Oh my god!
He shoved one last time into her, erupting hard and deep, filling her up. His teeth found the soft skin of her shoulder, biting into it. She would not bleed, but it would leave a mark. His mark.
Sarah reached behind her to grab onto him as he harshly pushed into her with every contraction. It was by far the hottest thing she had ever experienced.
After they cleaned up, Jareth laid on top of Sarah (naked), kissing her all over. Sarah admired the little details of his body, like the little mole on the top of his ear or the long fingers of his hands. She brushed Jareth's feathery hair out of his eyes, nuzzling into his neck. "I love you."
His heart swelled. "And I love you, my Precious Sarah. My heart."
After another round of cuddles, Jareth transported Sarah home, right into her room. He could tell that she felt uncomfortable staying the night when her family was in another world. She wanted to stay, especially with how magically weak he was but he insisted on transporting herself, but was a bit worried about leaving Ben behind after the events that traumatized her. One day, she would heal from this too but for now, she wanted to be in the same building as him.
Jareth kissed her, not wanting to go. The thought of leaving her was too painful. Lucky for him, she didn't want him to go either for the thought of him leaving her side right now was almost too painful, as if someone was taking her heart out of reach. "Jareth?" She asked tentatively.
He instantly took her hand, worried about the sudden melancholy. "Yes, My Precious Love?"
"Will you stay with me tonight?"
He took her in his arms immediately, his heart leap for joy. "Of course. I won't go anywhere. I'm here, Sarah. I'm here."
He joined her on the bed, waving his hand to dress in his silk pajama bottoms. After she washed up and got dressed, she joined him, snuggling into his chest. "Thank you."
"No, Sarah." He whispered. "Thank you."
With his lonely heart, it was difficult for him to initiate anything emotionally intimate. For her to ask him was a sign of trust and love, two things he sorely lacked from past partners. He would do all he could for her.
Sarah basked in the afterglow of their lovemaking, sighing contently. He loved her as she loved him. There was nothing better than to be in the arms of someone who adored you so fully. She vowed to do her best to make sure that Jareth knew how much she loved him every day for as long as she was alive.
The King and his Champion slept until the dawn, the rushing in of a new day and a new era for them both.
WOOOO after *checks notes* more than 130k words, no more cockblocking! Sorry for how long it took me to update this, thank you so much for sticking with me, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! In my defense, it's been insane at work and I would come home and just sleep. Or study. And then this weekend I had a bad stomach bug but hey at least it gave me time to edit when I wasn't sleeping or puking lol.
Jareth's human outfit was inspired by a photoshoot he did with Greg Gorman with his hair from that era. I just think it makes sense for his hair to look all puffy like that lol. His changed attire is that all-black outfit he wears in Labyrinth (that you only see the top half of) when he looks at the crystal while Sarah's in the oubliette.
I cannot tell you how annoying it was trying to figure out what Jareth would do for their first date. Hell, it felt like I was planning an actual date with someone. Now I know that when a future boyfriend asks me on a date, I'll suggest him a tea and cheese place lol. Never mind the fact that dairy makes me bloated and all that, he just has to deal with it. XD
I hope the sexy scenes are okay, I'm honestly a horrible judge at those scenes. I have too much anxiety lmao and I'm always making sure I don't accidentally spell stuff wrong. I wrote "farting" instead of "darting" at one point. Thanks autocorrect. XD Anyway, I have written some of the next few chapters and I do hope to get them up soonish but I know better than to promise anything now except to say that they WILL BE UP. Thanks again for sticking around, all you lovely readers! You make my day! Please leave a review even if you're reading this fic years later because it'll always make me happy!