Sarah quietly seethes as she drops her napkin onto her full dinner plate. Her chair scraping only slightly against the woodgrains as she stands and addresses the room.
"If you'll all please excuse me. It seems I've lost my appetite."
She makes a sudden beeline for her coat with a litany of unsavoury comments held in check by her teeth digging painfully into her tongue.
"Oh Sarah, don't be so dramatic."
"Sweetheart, Karen's right," Her father adds, his tone disappointed, "I mean would it really kill you to just talk to the man?"
She snorts somewhat incredulously, "Probably."
"You're not a child anymore, Sarah-"
"Then perhaps you should all stop treating me like one." She returns with a pointed stare, her tone however remaining stoically neutral.
"Look, we're just worried you don't get out more is all," Her father's responding sigh is ever so long-suffering, "And besides, Steve's a great guy, with an impressive salary and a decent head on his-"
"I'm so thrilled for him," She drawls, pulling on her coat with more force than entirely necessary, "And while I'm sure Steve's areal catch, your help as it pertains to my personal life is neither wanted nor required-"
"Sarah-"
"-especially considering my personal life is exactly that. Personal, and mine. So, butt out."
She closes the door behind her without looking back. Her determination to put as much distance between herself and the insanity currently residing within the four walls of her parents' house carrying her towards the sanctuary of the park before she's even realised she'd a destination in mind. A growl of anguish passing her lips as she slows and withers onto a nearby bench.
She's only a chance to wallow for a few moments alone before a soft hoot tips her keen gaze skyward. A familiar white winged predator suddenly swooping low and exploding in a whirlwind of glitter and feathers. A pair of long, elegantly crossed legs appearing as the dust settles and she chokes on the remnants.
"Was that entirely necessary?" She glares, crossing her arms to resume her sulk.
"Oh dear," He chortles lightly, "That bad was it?"
"If you've come all this way just to laugh at my misfortune, Goblin King, then you can just go preen your damn feathers someplace else." She snips, rolling her eyes when his vested chest, much like his ridiculously tousled mane, glistens majestically in the low light.
"Oh, come now, Sarah. It is only fair I get to have some fun at your expense," He pouts almost comically, "Especially after Lady Egrain's proposal last winter solstice. Or had you forgotten I'm owed for your almost wetting yourself with manic glee?"
Despite her foul mood she suddenly snorts in recollection.
"Not at all appealing is it, being set up by your parents?" He offers with a huff of distain.
"Admittedly, I do now have a deeper appreciation for your situation, Your Majesty," She concedes with a nod and a weary sigh, "But if it's all the same to you, if your plan was to sit there and rub it in, I think I'd much prefer the bird."
"Oh, I'm tempted, believe me," He grins, "But no, I'd not come for the mere pleasure of a sparring match."
"Oh? Official business then?"
"Of a sort," He mused enigmatically, a crystal manifesting in his gloved palm that spun through his expert grasp before he held it out to her in offering.
"Happy Birthday, Sarah."
"You brought me a gift?" She startles, somewhat surprised before her gaze narrows on the crystal and the King's mis-matched stare beyond that sparkles with mirth, "If I turn this one a certain way will it show me my dreams?"
"Still dirty about that are we?" He chortles as the crystal shatters to reveal a long red velvet box with a white bow tied neatly upon its top.
"Once bitten, twice shy, as they say."
"No dreams this time I'm afraid, luv, nor hallucinogens, I promise." He smiles fondly, "Just a gift, nothing more, from one friend to another."
"Really?" She studies him intently for a time as her fingers grasp the soft material and she cradles the offering in her palms.
He nods, "Really."
Her brow furrows curiously as the lid lifts with ease, Sarah ending her appraisal of him to study its contents only to gape rather animatedly at the gem within.
"Holy crap!"
He beams as she lifts it from its resting place and gapes up at him. "You like it then I take it?"
"Like it?" She scoffs as if the word hardly did the magnificent piece of shimmering crystal and gold justice, "It's gorgeous...is it-?"
"Mine?" He raises a brow in surprise, no doubt assuming she'd not notice the downy white feather hidden within the prisms, "Perhaps."
She grins because she has no words to describe the trinket that both glitters brilliantly beneath her gaze and fills her with the familiar warmth she knows to be magic.
"If I may?" He holds out his gloved hand in offering.
"Sure." She nods still somewhat dazed and obligingly pulls her hair away from her neck. Her breath hitching as his magic settles upon her as he secures the clasp.
"There now, much better."
"It's beautiful, Jareth. Thank you."
"You're very welcome." He grins as her fingers immediately default to its smooth surface. Her smile spreading at the gentle hum resonating from beneath her touch and joy suddenly compels her to fling herself against his chest. Her arms wrapping tightly about his neck as he chuckles and returns the gleeful affection. A delightful crimson blush staining her cheeks when she finally pulls away.
"Sorry, I uh, got a little carried away there." She laughs, suddenly shivering at the loss of his comparative warmth as the night turns ever colder and she wishes she'd had the forethought to grab her scarf and gloves before she'd stormed out her parents' house.
She stills as both items immediately settle against her skin and radiate a warmth that quickly spreads quite pleasantly to the very tips of her toes.
"So, you're granting my wishes now too, huh?" She quips, glancing up at his profile as he admires the stars twinkling overhead.
"Haven't I always?"
"Yea, I guess you have," She smiles, following his gaze, "Not quite sure why though?"
"Why indeed," He drawls. Sarah grinning up at him as she leans into his side. "But if you're quite finished, we really should be going."
"Going?"
"Well, your birthday celebrations can hardly start without you, now can they?" He retorts rather obviously, "I hardly think I should hear the end of it from those insipid friends of yours should I return sans birthday girl. Unless you'd rather stay here and wallow some more of course, then I'm only more than happy to oblige-"
"Are you kidding me?!" She suddenly squeals, "You don't know me half as well as you should if you think I'm turning down the chance at Fire Whiskey shots and-"
"You most certainly will not be imbibing any such things," He scoffs, "Goblin Ale, possibly. Need I remind you I'd rather not spend the better part of another night holding your hair from a chamber pot."
"That happened once, Jareth," She whined, "One time, and that was back when I was seventeen. You can't keep holding it against me you know."
"Jasper's dragonhide's would disagree whole-heartedly," He chortled dryly, "He's still not gotten over it, I can assure you. Nor I daresay has Hogsbreath been able to rid himself of the image of your retrieval from the Naiads."
"Poor Hoggle," She cringes but chortles regardless at the decidedly fond memory, "Who'd have known he'd be so averse to-"
"Flagrant nudity?" Jareth suggested, "Fun?"
"Bathing." She corrects with a roll of her eyes.
"Rest assured, Pet, is wasn't a mere phobia of hygiene that prompted Hogshead into action in demanding your retrieval that day," Jareth laughed outright, moving to stand and offering her his hand, "Indeed, I fear the Selkie King may never forgive the slight for the missed opportunity of your charming company."
"He made the right call. After all, I've no intention of making out with anyone whose breath smells like burley," She scoffs, "Monarch or no, I have standards."
"I'll be sure to alert the lesser King's then upon our arrival." He quipped teasingly. Sarah's mind immediately recalling the earlier pressures of her evening with a growl.
"On second thoughts maybe just keep tonight between us for now," She mused as Jareth stepped them from one reality into another, "I'm not really in the mood for more company just yet."
"As you wish, luv." He agreed with a soft smile that soon morphed into a grin as they appeared amidst the horde already up to their usual shenanigans in the throne room. Jareth booting a nearby Goblin as he releases her and she neatly dodges an airborne chicken to take a seat on the cushioned stair just below his throne. Her back lent comfortably against the stone as Jareth too seats himself with his usual flair and bellows a summons over the din.
"Squish! Squish!" He calls to seemingly no avail, his riding crop snapping impatiently against his thigh, "Damn it where is that-"
"LADY!"
"Oh good, you are here, well done." Jareth rumbles pleasantly as the tiny bundle of fur hurtles past him into Sarah's lap and nuzzles into her waiting grasp.
"Squish missed you Lady, don't ever leaves again."
"I've missed you too, little one." She soothes, scratching the tiny Goblin behind one of his crooked ears.
"When you've quite finished spoiling my minion, Sarah dear," Jareth drawls before his gaze shifts to the Goblin in her lap who peers adoringly up at them both, "The Whiskey from my study and two glasses if you wouldn't mind, Squish."
"Sure thing, Kingy!" He grins toothily up at his beloved Monarch before disappearing in a shower of glitter. Sarah once again choking on the remnants before she turns a wry glance up at the King of Glitter himself who offers no more than a hearty laugh in response. Their tiny friend returning not a moment later with a pop and wielding a bottle far taller than he with surprising ease.
"Here you go, Kingy."
"Yes, thank you, Squish. Much obliged." He praised as the tiny creature grinned, spilling not a drop of the shimmering amber liquid as he poured out two glasses at a wave of the king's hand.
"Majesty, Lady." He bids, offering their glasses. The latter presented with the cheesiest grin he can muster and a batting of his mangled eyelashes.
"Thank you, Squish, you've done well." Sarah laughs in earnest at his efforts. The Goblin King himself issuing a tolerant roll of his eyes as the small Goblin curls into Sarah's lap.
"You spoil them." He chortles in good humour.
"And you bog them." She counters, sipping contentedly at her Whiskey, "It's all about balance, Your Majesty."
"Perhaps," He concedes with a small smile before turning his attention to the horde and raising his glass, "A toast to our Champion, on this the glorious day of her-"
"Oh gods, Jareth don't," She cringes, and he stills. One perfect eyebrow raised in query, "I don't have any room at home for any more of their gifts after last year."
He chortles uproariously at that, "As you wish. To the Lady Sarah!"
"LADY SARAH!"
"A most joyous of born days to you, my dear." He offers out his glass in quiet charge to her good health, "May you spend many more to come within our midst."
Her stomach flutters at the beguiling smirk upon his lips as she meets his glass, and she grins.
"For as long as you'll have me, Your Majesty."
"Forever it is then, pet," He agrees, "Always."
Just a little something I dreamed up over the holidays. Hope you enjoyed it. T85