Chapter 8, It's Only Forever

Sarah pulled away from Jareth, and looked up at him with loving eyes. He watched her with a desolate stare. She brought her hands to his chest and rested them firmly just under his collarbone. She looked down from him immediately, a rosy bashfulness spread across her cheeks. She smiled into the hallow of his throat.

"I would be delighted to be at your arm this evening, Good Sir." She peeked up at as he backed away with an impish grin.

"I do believe you mean Your Majesty?" He took her arm in his and led her out of the room, leaving their worries locked inside.

Sarah reentered the ballroom in the firms hands of the Goblin King. While Sarah was taking in the sites and scenery Jareth sent daggers through the hearts of all the Fae whose eyes traveled along her form. While he had no objections to Sarah's physical appearance, his pounding vein of jealousy told him she would be a handful. Sarah realized she was walking the Goblin King around aimlessly and looked around for some objective.

"Is there something in particular you wish to do?" He said to her. He was patient, content to have her hanging off his arm for the world to see.

"Um, I don't really know what there is to do. This place is huge, you'd better pick." A pair of dancers whirled by, almost trampling over Sarah. She stepped to the side and clung to Jareth. She felt the firm muscle of his arm beneath his coat as he tensed when she fell into him.

"Maybe we should get out of the way for now?" He said with a light laugh. He pulled Sarah away from the dance floor and over to a small clearing where groups of people were chatting away. Sarah noticed a table serving refreshments and licked her lips at the thought.

"I believe I would like something to drink." She stated, looking from the table to Jareth with an implying eye.

"Of course." Jareth said and bowed as he walked away. Sarah watched him walk through the cluster of people, seeing each head turn as he passed. A pang of anger flashed through her. Was she really jealous? She shook her head as she realized a dark figure had approached her.

"There you are Lady Sarah!" Cheered Alasdair. He'd appeared so suddenly, she hadn't registered how close he was to her. She tried to look around him to find Jareth. "I thought I'd missed you. My heart ached at the thought of not claiming my dance." He placed his hands over his heart in an exaggerating gesture. What is with his smile? Is he ever not happy? She thought. He's not as charming as he's trying to be. Sarah took a step back as she conjured a response.

Just as she was about to speak she saw a hand clasp Alasdair's shoulder. She could have sworn she saw him wince for a moment before turning around to see Jareth. Jareth stared at the man with a friendly grin, that held an intensity that practically screamed Back Off.

"Ah, Jareth. It is good to see you this evening." Alasdair said with a brotherly smile.

"I believe it is Your Majesty to you dear cousin." He said as he pushed past him towards Sarah, handing her a drink. "May I ask your means?" Jareth turned his head slightly towards Alasdair.

"The dear Lady has promised me a dance." He said with a devilish smirk. Jareth put his arm slightly around Sarah's waste.

"Well, seeing as I am her escort, I believe I will be the one dancing with her." Jareth's glare intensified, urging his cousin to cease. but he didn't.

"Why don't we just ask Sarah? It's only one dance after all." He quirked an eyebrow in Sarah's direction. Jareth was about to speak again when Sarah interrupted.

"I believe I gave you no verbal confirmation of anything. But you flatter me with your persistence." Was all she said. She then took Jareth's arm and brought them to the dance floor.

"Well said precious." Jareth slowed Sarah's hustle to a smooth walk.

"Well, I had to do something! You men and your primal possessive natures. It was like watching two dogs fight over a bone." Sarah huffed and stomped into place. Turning to look at him with a glare of frustration. Jareth merely laughed. A deep rumble rose from his chest, catching Sarah off guard.

"Then I'm a lucky dog." He cocked his head mockingly before taking her hand and whisking her onto the dance floor.

"So, Alasdair is...your cousin?" Sarah asked. A cruel smirk emerged on Jareth's face.

"Alasdair, yes. He is of relation to me." He cut his statement short. Clearly he didn't want to talk about him. And that intrigued her.

"What's the deal with him. You seemed pretty angry with him, and I don't think it was just because he asked me to dance." Sarah hoped he wasn't THAT possessive, there were sure to be issues in that case.

"The fact that he requested a dance with you is not why I deterred him." he was doing the thing where he wouldn't look at her again. God that's getting old fast. Sarah thought.

"Then what was it?" She was getting annoyed at all this misdirection.

"He was trying to beguile you. The air between you and was so thick it almost slowed me down." Jareth spat. His nostrils flared and his brow narrowed, letting his anger through. What? What the hell does that even mean? Sarah wondered.

"What does beguiling mean exactly?" She gave him an innocent look as to not anger him further. He finally looked down at her.

"It means he was trying to place a spell on you. To hypnotize you into wanting him so that he may claim you. The fact that he would try such a thing, in my presence none the less is disgraceful. I watched him attempt it when you first arrived. I should have put an end to it then." His voice was frantic, yet his mood lightened with his rant. Sarah understood, but she was worried. If the beings in this realm had the power to hypnotize her to do whatever they wanted, then what could she do? And what about Jareth?...The second question made her frazzled.

"Why didn't you?" She replied. She pleaded for something to lift the suspicion from her shoulders.

"Because beguiling, and what I am starting to think is spells entirely, don't work on you." With his answer Sarah's heart lightened twenty pounds, but she was still cautious.

"You're positive? How do you know this and why? If you're lying, I- you have the same powers as him, probably even stronger. I can't- I- Jareth?" Sarah was on the verge of tears, she couldn't handle the idea that Jareth had put a spell on her, it was ripping her apart.

"Sarah!" Jareth commanded. He grabbed her shoulders firmly and stopped their dance in the middle of the crowd. " I know this because I watched him place more an more spells over you and you are completely unaffected are you not? I believe the magic of the Labyrinth is protecting you, as you are its Champion." There was a pause, his face softened. There was hurt in his eyes. " I would never even attempt such a thing. I've learned my lesson, just as you've learned yours." Jareth waited for a response from. Her head and her heart processed everything he said different paces. Her head accepted his logic while her heart was busy sorting out irrational emotions.

The tears retreated back into Sarah's eyes as she accepted what he has told her. Just as she was about to speak, they were interrupted.

"My friends! I have one final announcement!" Bellowed the High King. The crowd turned with attentive stares. "There are those of us here who are Fae, and those who are mortal. We invite you into our homes, our lives, and become one with us forever! To live and dance, and become the very magic that brought you here. My guests, I give you a choice. The final test in the game. You may chose to remain here, to pick your own new lives as you want it. Or, you may leave and return to your lives Aboveground. If you chose to return, your adventures here will be nothing more than a dream." The King's voice was full of compassion, it was genuine, without a hint of ill-intensions. "I give you ten days. Ten days, to make your decision. So, for now, enjoy this realm and all its wonders. I graciously hope that each and every one of you choses to stay, as we are all truly one." He said before vanishing into the crowd. The King certainly knew how to be dramatic.

Jareth's spirit crumbled. He was sure she would chose to leave, once she found out. He hadn't thought it would happen so fast. He thought he had more time. There was nothing he could do. Why would she chose to stay? For me? That is impossible, or highly unlikely. She has a home, a life back in the Aboveground. There wasn't enough time, this had all hit him like a truck as he waited for the inevitable.

Sarah didn't know what to think. I have a choice? She didn't know what to do. All this time she had assumed she was stuck here forever and would just have to get used to it. Not that she was totally against that idea, but now she had a choice. Should she leave? Go back to her life in the Aboveground? Could she even bring herself to do it? To say goodbye to all her friends, all the wonder and magic forever? She looked around the room, most of the guests were ecstatic. It was clear they had already decided. She observed the festival, and all its inhabitants. Could she stay here forever? What would she do? She brought her face to the Goblin King. A rock hit her heart leaving her stunned. Did she want to stay? Could she stay for him? Could she leave everything behind for him? Would he even want her to?

This was all too much for her to process, she had to get out. Jareth looked at Sarah from the corner of his eye, afraid to meet her face to face. He stood like a statue, waiting for her to demand he take her home.

"Jareth, I need to get out of here." She spoke quietly. Jareth's spirit was on its deathbed.

"Where would you like to go." His heart stopped for a split second. He wanted to look, to see her face before it all ended, but he couldn't. Sarah felt the same. She didn't know what would happen if she saw him. They stood motionless, her head tucked into his arm, unconsciously clinging to him.

The two stood, both of their minds miles away, both thinking the exact same thing. Little did they know, what might have happened if they had only looked at one another. Sarah tightened her grip on his arm. She hadn't even been able to hear what he had said. She was lost as she muttered,

"I don't know."