Chapter 5, First Encounters
Sarah soaked in the steaming water of the tub. With her legs pulled up to her chest, she stared at the rippling water, deep in thought. I need to get out of here. Kara must be going nuts, I'm missing work, what if people start wondering where I am? ...Ugh, who knows how long I'll be here? Jareth better find a way...He will, he will find a way. He has the power to bend time and space, surely he can just zap me back to my apartment? I can't stay here. I can't stand this.
When her toes were thoroughly pruned, she decided it was time to get out. She dried off, and put on the clothes she had worn the previous night. She was sure there was clothing in the dresser, but she'd be damned if she wore something Jareth had laid out for her.
When she had finished primping, as if on cue, there was a knock at the door. Curious, and a little wary, she opened it. She was a tad surprised, but she told herself the rush she felt upon not seeing the Goblin King at her door was relief and not...disappointment.
Sarah had to look down to see her visitor. It was a small, fury Goblin, pushing a cart.
"Um, can I help you?" She asked the creature, giving it a weirded expression when it started huffing and puffing at her.
"Grahm! Me's brought the Lady breakfast!" It screeched. Sarah wasn't sure what to do, so she took a step to the side and allowed the bouncing creature to enter.
It pushed the cart to the center of the room and then proceeded to leave without a word.
"Um, thank you? Grahm? Is that your name?" She called after the puffball. It stopped in the doorway.
"Grahm. Lady say thank you. Odd. You's welcome!" It exclaimed, before scurrying down the hallway.
Well, that was kinda weird. She thought, shutting the door and turning towards the cart. It was just en empty metal cart when Grahm had wheeled it in. When she turned to face it, it was layered with an assortment of breads and fruits, and some otherworldly foods. It even had a pretty little centerpiece with topped with a flower n' all.
She heard her stomach growl, but didn't allow herself to make a move. She was cautious, fully aware of the last time she ate something from the Underground. After a minute of glaring at her meal, she decided she might as well dig in. "Well, if it's poisoned, I'm going to die. If's it's not, and I don't eat it anyway, I'm going to starve. If I'm going to be carried off to a magical dreamland, I might as well enjoy it. Too late now." She thought, taking a bite of the strange looking fruit before her.
To her relief, nothing happened. And, it was actually quite good. She ate leisurely, taking the time to enjoy this moment of peace.
Jareth was in his study, combing through archives of history and spells. There has to be something. It is so simple a command, why is it so difficult to enact? He scanned page after page, trying to find some spell, or loophole that would allow him to return Sarah to the Aboveground. In all his years, he'd never come across this. Never had he tried to send a wished away back after they had been condemned. Just when he was starting to grow frustrated, a little Goblin came bounding through the door. Jareth didn't look up.
"Yes?" He said flatly, not really acknowledging the creatures presence.
"I brought the Lady breakfast like you's said Majesty." Grahm cheered. He waited for Jareth's response as if it were some kind of reward. Jareth flipped to the next page.
"Tell me, what did she have to say?" He asked, waiting to hear some colorful remark dreadfully facilitated by the fidgeting Goblin.
"She say thank you. Very strange. Pretty, but strange." The thing said. Jareth gave a light huff.
"Yes, very strange indeed. That will be all." He said, never taking his eyes from his book. Grahm bounded some more, before exiting the room in triumph.
The day seemed to zoom by for Sarah. She'd kept busy by thoroughly examining her room. She found there was a bookcase, and had tried rummaging through the contents of each book. Not to much surprise, most of them weren't written in english, or any kind of recognizable language for that matter. After that, she went through the dressers and armoires, to see if there actually was clothing in them.
She found numerous dresses and skirts. They were simple, and not inappropriate in any way. She cracked a smile, she'd expected something more audacious and colorful from Jareth. I'm still not wearing any of this. She was being more stubborn than she wanted to be. Looking at all the lovely dresses made her recall the days from her childhood, when she loved to dress up and act like a princess.
Grahm returned with lunch, and then later dinner. She hadn't thought she'd be able to keep herself occupied the whole day, and as the wee hours of evening started to creep, she realized just how antsy she really was.
When she could stand it no more, she jumped to the door and entered the hallway. It was cold, and dark. She crept along the wall as if the floor were made of cracked glass. She felt a small surge of excitement, feeling like a child who was sneaking out passed their bedtime. I wonder just how big this place is? He said I didn't have to stay in my room...does that mean I can just wander around however I please? Her eyes scanned the dark shadows that engulfed the corridor between torches.
She came across numerous doors, but was too afraid to open them. She walked passed a couple of turns, but couldn't decide on which way to take. It felt like she was running the Labyrinth again. But this time, it was kind of fun.
She came into a larger hallway. This one was lit by the fading light of the day. There were windows. She practically ran over to one, completely ecstatic to see the outside. There was a glare cast by the setting sun, so she couldn't see much but a silhouetted horizon and the faint outline of the Labyrinth. She pulled her gaze away when she heard something. An echo, chattering, Goblins. She walked down the hall towards a door. Leaning her ear against the wood, she tried to listen in. She heard a gaggle of shrieks and laughs and, a chicken? She heard the splashing of water and the rhythmic tap of something hitting wood. This must be the kitchen... She thought.
She saw an archway further down the hall, and proceeded towards it. There was a grand set of doors. She had no idea how they would be opened, they must've weighed a ton. And this must be...the dining hall? She wondered.
Sarah continued her exploring, taking random turns as she saw them. She heard a crash from around the corner and ducked into the shadow of a doorway.
"Idiot!" Came a high and scraggly voice.
"You tripped me!" Came another.
"Up. You don't want to make Majesty mad do you?" Came the first voice. After some huffs and scampering about, she heard the pitter patter of their footsteps rush down the hall.
A little curious, she decided to pursue the strange voices. She turned the corner and followed in the direction she thought they went. She saw a light at the end of the passage, a door was cracked open slightly. She stopped by the frame, and listened in.
"We gots it Majesty! Just like you's asks." One of the voices exclaimed. It was silent, she wanted to peer around the corner, but feared being seen.
"Good. I'll send word if I require anymore of your assistance." Came Jareth's voice.
"We do good? We help?" The other voice shrieked.
"Yes, yes very good. Now run along, it's getting late." Jareth answered, humoring their good spirits.
Sarah held her breath and pressed her body against the wall, when she realized the two creatures were racing out the door. It was a good thing it was dark, and an even better thing they ran in the opposite direction, or she would've been toppled over. She looked on, her ears following the bouncing laughter of the curious Goblins.
To her luck, the Goblins had pushed the door open further, allowing her to peer into the room. There was a fireplace, lighting up the room. She saw shadowed furniture and rich rugs. Towards the end of the room, just barely within her sight, she saw a desk. It was dark and heavy, just as luxurious as everything else in the castle. On top of it, she saw books, very large and old looking books. And, behind that, she saw the light tuffs of Jareth's blonde hair. His head was cast down, he was reading.
She watched him with curiosity. After a moment, he closed the book with a heavy thump and looked towards the fire. He brought his hands to his face, and rested his chin on the knuckle of his hands. Letting out a sigh, he looked down once more and ran his hands through his hair.
He looked tired, and worn, something Sarah had never seen on him before. She wanted to go inside and confront him, she wanted to run back to her room. Lost in her conflicting thoughts, she failed to realize her foot had tapped against the door, causing it to give a loud creak. She felt a burst of panic flush her face. She wanted to run away, but couldn't.
"You can come in." Jareth spoke to the empty doorway.
Shyly, she creeped around the door. Fuck. Fuck. He's going to think I was spying on him. Ok, I kinda was, but still...shit! She scolded herself for being so careless. I guess what they say is true, curiosity killed the cat..
"I'm sorry, I got lost. I didn't mean to disturb you." She said, almost pleading. He pushed the book he had been reading to the side, and looked away from her.
"You didn't." He stated. He'd given her an invitation, but she didn't feel welcome.
"Maybe I'll just find my way back to my room. You seem busy." She'd been relatively at ease all day, but being in his presence now, made her feel like a lost puppy.
"You've made your way all the way over here. Have a seat, the halls tend to get a bit chilly at night." He said, gesturing towards a chair sitting between his desk and the fire. This is weird... She thought.
"Thanks." Sarah said, trying not to scurry across the floor.
She sat up straight in the chair, still feeling a bit uncomfortable. She didn't want to look at him, so she cast her gaze towards the fire. When she wasn't paying attention, Jareth looked up at her. He watched the flickering light of the fire dance across her face.
"You're wearing the same clothing from last night. I assume you found the garments in your room?" He asked. She turned her head, but fought the urge to look up at him.
"Yea well, I didn't know if they were meant for me, so I didn't want to just throw something on." She said, rather weakly. Jareth's stare grew more intense.
"Sarah, everything in that room is for you." He said. He knew she was lying, but hadn't the will to fight her. Must you be so stubborn...
They were silent for a moment, with nothing but the cracking of the fire keeping the air alive.
"Well, thank you then. But, if all that's for me, then I should probably tell you that I can't read whatever language those books are in." She said, just to break the silence. Jareth leaned back in his chair.
"Ah, yes. Those texts are in my native tongue, I seem to have forgotten." He said. Sarah finally gave in and looked up at him.
"Your native tongue?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He gave a sly smirk.
"Yes, you didn't think english was my first language did you? I merely speak it for your benefit...and, the Goblins. They spend a lot of time traveling to the Aboveground, so your mortal languages come easily to them." He said, as if educating her. She eyed him with intrigue.
"Oh." Was all she said in response. Not wanting another awkward silence, he let out a sigh and sat forward again.
"Tell me, how did you fair your first day?" He tried to give a sincere smile. Sarah paused before answering. She hadn't expected him to have any interest in how her day had went. First and hopefully last. She thought before responding.
"Fine. I find the Goblins to be rather, entertaining. Do you honestly take them seriously?" She asked.
"Why shouldn't I? They're intelligible, obedient, and highly motivated." He didn't care much for her insult.
"I mean, well, come on, they're hilarious!" She let herself give a light laugh, but reigned herself in when she noticed his glare had narrowed. Geez, can't take a joke? Her mind muttered.
What she didn't know, was that he wasn't glaring because he was angry at what she said. He watched her laugh. For the first time, he saw her smile. It was faint, and hadn't lasted long, but it was real, and it was more beautiful than anything he had imagined. He was angry, for not seeing it sooner.
Yet again, there was an awkward silence. Sarah was growing uncomfortable with the way his eyes were glued to her. She looked away, and started fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. Conflicting thoughts raged through Jareth's mind. None of which, he was able to decipher.
After a few minutes, Sarah finally took action. She stood, and angled herself towards the door.
"Well, I'm going to go back now. Good night." She said, and took a step towards the door.
"Wait." Jareth spat. She paused, and looked back at him. "Your chamber in on the other side of the castle. I'll show you back." He caught himself. He wasn't sure where his outburst had come from, but he made sure not to let it happen again.
Sarah looked at him blankly, and nodded. What is up with him? She wondered. He stood and walked around the desk to join her. Stepping in front of her, he opened the door and gestured for her to proceed him into the hall.
He walked in line with her this time, instead of simply leading in front of her. He fought the urge to offer her his arm. It was a gentlemanly gesture, but one he thought was unnecessary. They were both quiet. He didn't seem to notice, but Sarah was watching him out of the corner of her eye. She was trying to make sense of his expression. He still looked angry, but it wasn't real anger, it leaned more towards anguish or some emotion similar to that. If he isn't the most over-dramatically emotional man in this world, I don't know who is. She thought. She wanted to know what was going on inside his head. She wanted to know why it mattered.
They reached her door sooner than she thought. He stopped and waited for her to make a move. She reached for the knob, with some uncertainty, and opened it. She looked up at him one last time, hoping he might say something to quell her concern.
"Sleep well, my dear." His gaze was cast low, as if he were looking passed her. She opened her mouth to say something, but changed her mind at the last second, deciding to end the conversation with a simple-
"Good night." And with that, she slipped through the door.
It was silent. He and Sarah were each alone, yet they were only a few feet apart from one another. He glared at the door. He was getting tired of staring at it so often, finding himself unable to break away. Get ahold of yourself! Remember what she's done to you. Remember what a cruel and vile vixen she is. She doesn't care, she has no regret. Why should she get any of mine? Such a beautiful disaster. If I had only known what your smile could do...and I thought your eyes could be so cruel...
With that last thought, he made his way back towards his chambers.
Without a second thought, Sarah went straight to the dresser and pulled out a clean nightgown. She shook her head as she dressed, her own thoughts rambling. I have no idea how to read him. He acts as if he hates me, and then...and then what? I don't know. Why the hell am I even thinking of this? Why the hell do I care? The memory of the two of them just outside her door, only a few minutes ago appeared. Sleep well, my darling... What the fuck? Yea he's been calling me those stupid pet names since I got here. But..This seemed different. Before, I thought he was just fucking with me. Something was different just now. Ughh! She had no idea what to feel, or how to think. All I know, is that I need to get home. That's it, plain and simple. The feelings of the Goblin King are of no concern to me. She kept telling herself as she crawled into bed.
She wondered how much longer she would have to sleep in this bed. She wondered if Jareth was still standing outside her door. She worried over what might happen if she stayed too long.