Hello again! I've decided to go ahead and upload Chapter 2 right away where I mention Jareth's younger brother. Although I don't normally like to think of him as a "bad guy," I used Benedict Cumberbatch as my inspiration for Talbot. Hope you enjoy! - Angel
Sarah walked across campus with a slight smile on her face. It was September and the feeling of autumn was in the air. The leaves of the trees were in the beginning stages of turning and the weather was coming down from the hot temperatures of summer.
Sarah had always loved fall and instead of heading back to her car like she had originally planned, she decided to sit on one of the campus benches and enjoy the outdoors. She still had some time before she had to be at her job anyway.
She flung her backpack onto the stone bench and massaged her shoulder as she sat down. She placed her hands on the bench behind her and leaned back, closing her eyes and basking in the warm sun. After a couple of minutes, she heard someone sit down on the bench a little ways from her and heard the sound of a cigarette being lit up.
Sarah opened her eyes and glanced at the man sitting close to her. He was facing the opposite direction of what she was sitting, but her breath caught in her throat. From what she could see of his profile, it was HIM, but not exactly like him. She couldn't help but stare.
"Are you OK?" she heard a silky British accent inquire. He took another puff of his cigarette and exhaled. He turned his head to look at her with some concern.
Sarah shook her head to clear her thoughts and blinked her eyes.
"I, uh, I'm sorry. You just look a lot like someone I used to know a long time ago."
Like 13 years ago to be exact, she thought.
The man next to her looked like Jareth except he had short, messy blond hair, stubble on his face and round tortoiseshell glasses that accentuated his facial features very well. The biggest differences, she noticed, were his normal eyebrows and his two bright blue eyes, not the mismatched ones she remembered so well from her girlhood. He was dressed all in black with a black shirt, black jeans, black boots and a black jacket. A small diamond stud earring in his left earlobe shone in the bright sunlight. He looked to be in his mid to late 30s.
He's gorgeous, her mind told her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by his next words.
"I see," he said before taking another drag on his cigarette and exhaling. "I'm David Prescott by the way."
"Oh, um, I'm Sarah. Sarah Williams," she extended her hand to shake his. Instead of shaking her hand as she expected, he brought it to his lips and placed a kiss across her knuckles. Sarah felt a heat cross her face as she blushed.
"So are you the Mr. Prescott who teaches art?" she asked as soon as the words were able to form on her lips.
"Just call me David and, yes, they just hired me this year. I was teaching at a school in Britain before that. I was offered this job and I jumped at the chance," he explained. The end of his cigarette glowed as he pulled another drag. He tilted his head back and exhaled before turning to look at Sarah again. She took a sharp intake of breath as his eyes conveyed a look of hunger. The look was gone after she blinked and Sarah thought her mind was playing a trick on her. She came back to herself as she realized he was saying something.
"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" she asked.
"I was just wondering if you're a student here," he looked at her with a slight smile on his face. He enjoyed having an affect on her.
"Oh, yeah, this is my first year of college. I decided to major in business administration," she said. "I did think about taking some art courses, but just don't have the time right now. You know, having a job and all."
Still looking intently at her, he said, "That's unfortunate for me. I hope to have you sometime."
Sarah blushed a second time as she thought about the double entendre his statement could mean. She looked at the ground and tucked a strand of her long, dark hair behind her ear. She hoped he hadn't noticed her reaction to his words.
Of course, he had.
I bet you blush all over, Precious, Jareth thought as a slight smirk came to his lips.
"You know, I'm still new in town and was wondering if you would like to grab a coffee sometime. Maybe you can tell me more about the area and yourself," his blue eyes looked intently at her again and Sarah once more thought she saw that look of hunger.
Sarah took a moment to think it over. Well, it's not like you'd be going out with one of your professors and he is handsome, she told herself.
"Um, sure. I work most evenings at one of the local restaurants, but I'm usually free Sundays and Mondays. I guess it depends on what your schedule looks like."
David leaned over to crush out his cigarette against the sidewalk then discarded it in the receptacle next to the bench. He then stood up and turned to look at Sarah, the sun glinting on his blond hair. Despite his jacket, Sarah could tell he was well-built. She took another sharp intake of breath.
"How about Sunday afternoon, say around 2? I teach class on Monday nights," he said. "What's your number so I can reach you?"
Sarah was still staring at him in disbelief that he was asking her out but then, with a small shake of her head, she reached inside her bag for a pen and paper and jotted down her number. She reached out to give it to him and he grabbed hold of her hand.
"Well, I have to take my leave. I have open office hours right now, but I do look forward to seeing you again ... Sarah," the way he said her name sent a shiver through her whole body. All she could do was look at him with lips parted. He leaned over her hand and placed another kiss across her knuckles, then slid the piece of paper out of her palm as he let go.
"Until next time," he said in a voice full of promise, then turned and walked toward the art building.
Sarah watched him go and decided Sunday couldn't get here soon enough. With a sigh, she stood up, grabbed her bag and headed toward her car, feeling like she was walking on air.
Jareth stood in the shadows of the entryway to the art building and watched as Sarah left. A smirk formed on his face.
You won't get away from me this time, Precious, he thought.
"I hope I'm doing the right thing. I just can't shake the feeling that I know him ... and not in a good way," Sarah told Jasmine while they sat at one of the tables, filling salt and pepper shakers. It had been an exceptionally busy night, so they didn't get a chance to talk until after closing. The two women had worked together for the last nine years and during that time, they became fast friends and could talk to each other about anything.
"This is your first date since your divorce a year and a half ago," responded Jasmine. "I don't know how you managed to go without sex for that long, let alone going out with someone, but I think you're just letting your past experiences cloud your thinking. I think you should go for it."
"Maybe you're right, Jazz. Maybe my distrust of Kennedy is causing me to distrust every other man out there, too. Besides, how many chances will I have at a good-looking professor?"
"Thatta girl! And maybe, just maybe, you'll get some nookie come Sunday night," Jasmine crooked her eyebrow as a sly smile crossed her face. Sarah picked up a towel off the table and swatted her with it, causing Jasmine to laugh.
Jareth lounged in his throne, one leg flung over the arm; in one hand, he held a crystal ball. He smirked as he watched Sarah joke with her friend.
Over the last 13 years, which translated to about five years in the Underground, he had watched as Sarah grew from a hormonal teenager into the beautiful woman she had become. He had been furious as he watched her marry that idiot husband of hers, especially since she had rejected him after he had laid bare his feelings to her. On many occasions during her marriage to Kennedy, he had wanted to kill her husband as, time and time again, he watched the simpleton make Sarah cry. Then, he was elated when their marriage had finally dissolved, partly because she hurt as much as Jareth, but mostly because it once again left her open to him. He planned to take that opportunity to seduce her into becoming his queen; therefore restoring his labyrinth back to its former glory.
"Ummmm, Your Majesty?" a small, timid voice touched the air, dragging Jareth out of his deep thoughts. Sarah's image vanished as the crystal ball disappeared.
"Yes?" came Jareth's deep, silky reply as his haughty gaze fell on the small male goblin standing in the doorway to the unusually quiet throne room. The creature looked at the floor, as though wishing it would swallow him up; his hands nervously played with the red scarf wrapped around his neck.
"Your Majesty ... Talbot's escaped," said the goblin known as Speck. He continued to look at the floor, anticipating what would happen next.
"What!" Jareth roared as he stood up from his throne. Out of thin air, a riding crop appeared in one gloved hand and he advanced on the goblin, tapping him in the chest with it "How did this happen?"
"We don't know, Your Majesty. He was in his cell last night, but now he's gone," said Speck nervously. Because he was the most well-spoken goblin in the whole castle, Speck was usually volunteered to deliver any bad news to their king. At that moment, he anxiously awaited a dip in the Bog of Eternal Stench. Instead, the Goblin King strode to one of the throne room windows to gaze upon his labyrinth, as though seeking answers from it.
"Well," he calmly said, "if I know my brother, he will do everything in his power to unseat me as the Goblin King. Too bad for him, I don't plan to go that easily."