A/N- I thank you all for your wonderful reviews and comments. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know how much you're enjoying my story. To those of you who hate to read all the plot conflict, turmoil and bad/sad things I'm sorry to put you through it, but I thought it needed some spice after all the lovey dovey sugar. But you'll be glad to know I hate writing it lol and it won't last too long ;) . So don't worry, I love happy endings, you won't be disappointed. :)
Chapter 22, To Give By The Diffident
"What?" Sarah screamed. "What do you mean he's fallen ill?" Her eyes practically burst out of her head.
"He's been completely bed ridden the past few days...I thought...I though perhaps he was just hung over at first, but that was just my foolishness. I was unable to stir him this morning, I fear the worst." Her head hung low as she spoke.
"You mean he's dead? Are you serious? He can't die! He can't, he can't! Why didn't you say something?" She started rambling, pacing and thrashing her arms. Her eyes darted around the room in disbelief. Mage quickly rushed over to calm her down.
"No, no! He's not dead. My dear, he's still alive!" She tried to assure her. "But I fear he won't be for much longer. Forgive me, but I've been so busy managing the kingdom and taking care of His Majesty, I haven't had the time." Nothing could mask the guilt in Mage's voice. If Jareth died, it would be her fault.
Sarah calmed down a bit, but continued her frantic pacing.
"We have to tell Oetheron immediately. It's been over a week and I haven't heard any news from him." Mage nodded, quickly grabbing the crystal from its spot on the table. She stood close to Sarah.
"Take us directly to King Oetheron." Mage looked up at Sarah with surprise just before they vanished.
Oetheron was locked in his study for yet another day, vigorously combing through book after book. It had been over a week now and they had learned nothing. The King had every single one of his trusted men working on the matter, but it seemed their efforts were futile. He almost gasped when Sarah and Mage materialized in the room.
"Sarah, what in the Underground are you doing here?" He was tired, all the charisma and cheer was gone.
"Your Majesty, have you found anything?" Sarah ignored his question, rushing up to his desk. "Please, this is important." She pleaded.
"I know it is important. I told you I would send word with any results, but the truth is my scryers and I have been working day and night and have found absolutely nothing." He leaned back in his chair. "There are thousands upon thousands of different spells, and more are made every day. It is nearly impossible to trace one such as this. But do not worry, there is still time." He didn't understand the reason for such outburst.
"Majesty, Jareth is dying!" Sarah screamed. She used every ounce of self control to keep herself from bursting into tears. He quickly looked to Mage, who slowly stepped forward.
"My Lord, it is true. He has been ill for the fast few days, my worries grew when I was unable to wake him this morning." Oetheron sat in thought, a grim theory had just been confirmed.
"Tell me, what has befallen my son. I wish to know every detail." He demanded. Sarah turned to listen to Mage as well.
"Well, at first it was merely a headache. Then he said he was getting agonizing pangs in his chest, disrupting his breathing. Soon, the pain was so bad he was unable to move out of bed. Then, this morning...He looked as if he was simply sleeping but...his heart. His heart was barely beating, and when it did beat...I thought it was going to burst out of his chest." She explained the best she could.
Oetheron closed the book in front of him. His expression became quiet serious.
"Mage, I need you to leave for a moment. I need to speak with Sarah." His voice was practically monotone. He rose from his seat and walked over to a wall. Mage made her exit. Sarah was about to speak when Oetheron beat her to it. "Sarah, please have a seat. There are things we must discuss." Wary and confused, she slowly backed to a chair.
He stood in front of a bare wall. Sarah watched with intrigue.
"Open." He hummed.
Sarah's eyes widened as a large and intricate safe emerged from the wall. Oetheron opened it, and pulled a small worn book from its contents. After closing the safe, it sank back into the wall. He then made his way to sit in the chair beside her. His expression was stone. Sarah waited for him to speak.
"Sarah, there has been something plaguing my mind, and it would seem my fears have been confirmed." He said while flipping through the pages.
"What do you mean, what's happening? Is the spell killing him as well?" She asked. He didn't look up at her, but spoke kindhearted.
"No. This is not a result of the spell, directly. What I am about to tell you is very serious, and a little complicated." He looked up at Sarah, who nodded in return. "The spell placed upon my son was to make him forget his love, not dissolve it. While he knows not who you are consciously...His subconscious still loves you very much. Do you understand so far?" He spoke slow and clear. She nodded once again. "So, the torment caused by the spell, along with his separation from you, is tearing his soul apart. He truly is dying Sarah, dying of a broken heart." He stared into her eyes, waiting for her to breakdown.
"Wait...so the spell only hides his love, and the stress from it is what's killing him?" Reducing his explanation. Oetheron thought of her prognosis.
"Extremely simplified, yes." Still, he waited for her tears.
"Is there anything you can do? Can you reverse the spell in time?" She'd be damned if she was just going to break down and give up. Oetheron glanced down at the book he was holding.
"I fear he will not live long enough to see the end of this enchantment." He admitted. Sarah refused to believe it, and said nothing. "But...I do know of something else." His finger tapped on the book. "Sarah, what I am about to tell you is the most well kept secret of the Underground. Do you understand me?" She stiffened, waiting for the precious information he was about to reveal to her.
He took his gaze from her, and opened to the page he had been searching for.
"It is common knowledge that a Fae may only fall in love once, and that they will die if they ever lose it. This is because when the Fae fall in love they actually give a part of their soul to the other. When one is separated or dies, the other ones soul becomes separated and dies along with it." He paused, running his finger along the page. "There is a charm, something I have guarded all my life, and my father before me." He paused once again.
"What does it do?" She urged him on.
"It will isolate the part of his soul intwined within yours, and separate it from your body. It will then be able to return to his own body." She stared at him intently. "It will save him." He finally looked up at her, with regret in his eyes.
"Then let's do it!" She beamed with hope.
"I must tell you, it will not undo the curse, but it will save his life, giving us more time to figure out a solution." He reminded her. She settled down, and nodded. "And one more thing...If you do this, he may not be the same afterwards." He spoke cautiously. "If you give him back his soul, he will truly no longer feel any love for you. If we are able to eventually reverse the spell, he will remember you, remember the time he spent with you, but will love you no longer. Are you willing to make such a sacrifice?" He saw her tremble slightly, but she sat straight and tall. After a moment, she spoke.
"If it means he will survive, it must be done." She voice was as level as she could keep it. He reached for her hand.
"I am sorry." He said.
"So am I." She replied.
Oetheron wasted no time. He led Sarah to the augury room, telling her to wait inside while he informed Mage. The little goblin was waiting patiently in the corridor outside the study. She was surprised to see the King, without Sarah, approaching from another hallway.
"Your Majesty, where is Lady Sarah?" He waved a hand, signaling her to cease.
"I must inform you of new developments."
Mage listened to every thing the King had to say, now understanding what was going on. She started shaking her head when he got to the part about Sarah returning her King's love.
"No! No, there must be another way. This can not happen." Oetheron was taken back with her sudden outburst.
"What is the reason for such outcry." He demanded. She didn't bother trying to control herself.
"The Lady is with child, Your Majesty! What will happen when he feels no connection to her?" Oetheron was shocked to say the least.
"How do you know this." He couldn't believe it.
"Because it is my job to know. I am a caretaker, a midwife, it is my gift to know such things." She shouted. "I've known since before this whole mess started! I wanted them to find out on their own. Sire, there must be another way." She pleaded with him. Oetheron was still trying to wrap his mind around the idea that his son had successfully fathered a child.
"This mess just keeps getting worse and worse..." He paused. "I'm sorry, but this is the only way. I will try to figure something out when I know my son will live another day." He said before heading back to the augury room, leaving Mage to wallow in her despair.
Sarah waited in the large open void. The room was circular, and everything was made of a dark stone. There was very little lighting, but she saw there was a pillar in the center. It wasn't long until Oetheron arrived with several other Fae. Each were dressed in black robes, with hooded faces. She started to grow uneasy.
"Step this way." Oetheron instructed, leading her to the center of the room. She stood next to the pillar, in a circle engraved in the floor. She watched as each of the hooded Fae took their places in their own circles around the room. "You will need something, an object of some sort, shared between you." He told her. She drew her hand to the pendant resting over her heart.
She unclipped the necklace and held it in her hand, waiting for further instruction.
"Good, now place it in the center of the pillar, never take your eyes from it." Were his last words, before retreating to his own circle. She was worried, but never took her eyes from the pillar.
The engravings carved along the floor and walls started to glow an eerie green light, and voices started to rise. She thought this was something out of a bad occult film when Oetheron started to speak. He chanted in a language she had never heard before. It was beautiful, and terrifying. She waited for something to happen, almost looking away when she realized he'd started speaking english.
"When flower turns to thorn, and love to blood, we seek salvation from lovers torment. I ask for this, my sweet escape. Into you I hide, my dreadful fate." When he had finished the last line, Sarah felt something.
There was a heat in her chest, and she saw a pale light start to grow. Refusing to look away, she waited until the light was in view. A small, swirling ball of light hovered between her and the pillar. She was lost in its beauty when he started to speak again.
"Feel no more, this lovers pain. Take it all, my lethal shame. When light turns to fire, and rain to sorrow, save my soul. Free me from another's prism, rip me from this false phantasm." He bellowed.
Sarah felt a tug, and then another. At first it was nothing, then it became painful. It felt as though something was ripping her very heart from her ribcage. She couldn't breath, afraid of what might happen next.
All of the sudden, a winding flare of light slowly emerged from her body. Like tentacles, it entwined around her very bones, refusing to let go. She felt the force of the spell ripping it out of her body. Sure enough, it started to let go. Like an animal, it moved from Sarah to the pillar, wrapping itself around as it encircled the pendant. Slowly, the pendant drew in the light, sucking it in, and locking it between the metalwork.
When the light had disappeared completely, the chanting voices started to fade. Sarah dropped to the floor, exhausted, and clutching her chest. Oetheron walked over to her, taking the necklace off the pillar and knelt down to her. She looked up at him.
"It is done." He said, placing the necklace back in Sarah's hand. She tried to speak, but was too busy gasping for air. "Take this to him, place it over his heart. That is all it takes. And again, whatever shall happen after this day, I am sorry." He lifted her to her feet and brought her out of the room. Mage was waiting by the door. "Take her back to the castle beyond the Goblin city. She knows what must be done."
Mage nodded, taking Sarah's hand and leading her down the corridor.
"My Lady, I am so sorry." Mage said. Sarah motioned for her to stop, she didn't need any more pity.
"What time is it?" She asked.
"It's well past nightfall." Sarah gave her a quick look.
"Time works different in rooms such as that. The spell actually took hours to complete." Mage elaborated. I'm never going to get used to tall the time shifts in this place. She thought.
They appeared just outside the door to Jareth's chambers. Mage entered first, making sure the coast was clear.
"Come my lady, he is still asleep." She waved her over.
Sarah entered slowly, looking around the room that was once so familiar to her. Mage headed back towards the door.
"i'll be waiting to take you back when you are finished." She said. Sarah nodded, as the door shut.
She creeped across the room, not wanting to wake him. The light was dim, the fire cast dancing shadows on the walls.
Jareth lay in bed, surrounded by plush pillows and blankets. He looked so innocent, like a sleeping child. She crouched down beside him, gazing upon his face for perhaps the last time. He didn't look sick. She was preparing herself for a sickly, disheveled looking Goblin King on his deathbed. But she saw nothing of the sort. He looked warm, but distant.
She gave a teary smile as she brushed a stray strand of hair from his face. She then took the necklace out of her pocket, and gently clasped it around his neck, situating it perfectly over his heart. She let her hand linger, feeling the warmth of his skin for the last time.
Quiet tears rolled down her face, as she waited for the inevitable. She saw the light within the pendant start to glow. Its tentacles slowly bore into his chest. She covered her mouth to silence herself, as she watched everything they were being whipped away. When she was able to control herself, she looked to his face once more.
"Thank you...for being my fairy tale." She whispered, drawing her hand away from him. The light had already faded. She waited as long as she could before leaving.
Mage waited in the hallway, turning at the sound of the door creaking. Sarah stood in front of her, her face drenched with tears. Neither said a word before Mage transported them back to the cottage. They walked with heavy hearts. The room was dark, the fire lit once they had entered.
"What will you do?" Mage asked, her voice was empty. Sarah turned to look at her with a forced smile.
"I don't know." She said with a shrug. "He's safe, that's all that matters." She walked across the room, spotting a piece of paper on a table. Realizing what it was, she quickly grabbed it and rushed to Mage. "Take this, I don't want it. And this." She said, while yanking the ring from her finger.
"What is it?" She asked.
"It's a note, nothing special. I just...Don't want to look at it." She plopped the ring and the note in her hands. "Do what you will with them, I just...can't have them anywhere near me." She flailed her hands, walking away once again. Mage watched with empathy.
"Of course. I will visit you, to see how you're doing. I'll try to set you up with a job, and maybe new living quarters, if you no longer wish to stay here." She said.
"Thank you, I think that would be for the best." She replied. Mage said nothing more, and returned to the castle to check on her King.
It was quiet, she sat alone and sighed, letting out more pent up tears. She didn't hear the thump of footsteps from behind her.
"I thought she'd never leave." Came a dark voice from the shadows. Sarah whipped around, her eyes as big as dinner plates.
"Alasdair?"