Chapter: Tempest

" Keep your eyes open Jareth king, hide no more, in his pretty dreams...Keep them open or fire will eat his mind away."

Cackling the corpse white redcap, moved closer, completely taking up his tear blurred view as it's slimy fist jerked Jareth's hair harshly: "keep head up Jareth king, so pretty voice not get lost. now tell, what number? "

"Six. ... sixty two..."

Grinning widely with rotted teeth the creature released Jareth's hair: " Good, good and how many remain?"

" Seventeen"

" Seventeen what?"

" Lashes... oh goddess..": Why were they doing this?

He had been here so long that he no longer remembered not being in pain, and that both scared and comforted him, because with no basis for comparison, it couldn't hurt as much could it?

The redcaps wicked grin grew wider, and infinitely more cruel, the promise of pain naked in its red and black eyes: Good Jareth king, then continue.

Broken claws raked down his chest, drawing fresh pain filled whimpers from Jareth's already raw and bloody throat. He was kneeling on the floor with his arms held extended to either side by taut bone chains. Agony setting his arms ablaze every time the smallest movement ground his shattered wrists against the harsh edge of the bone shackles. At least his legs were completely numb from kneeling on the sharp stone, for more than four days, giving him a brief respite from his shattered knees.

Yet the pain of his wrists was nothing compared to the flaring burning sea of utter agony that was his back. After sixty two lashes with a long thin and flexible bone switch, nothing remained but torn strips of tattered flesh and bare bone, even the blood flowing from the hideous gashes was beginning to slow down as the veins were ripped more and more.

The switch hissed through the air, and there were no time for fear, before blinding agony ripped through him, tearing a ragged hoarse scream from him, in a spray of bloody saliva. His lips numb and bleeding from where he had bitten through them, yet he still managed a barely audible:" sixty. .. three..."

This was his world, choking out the number of lashes that the redcaps had given him, hanging onto that number for dear life because if he got it wrong they would start over, and over again, until he got it right, or his body shut down. And with the spell woven tightly around him that would be a very long time in coming...

The switch struck again making him jerk against his chains despite the futility of it as he cried out:" sixty four, sixty four..."

Close, he was so close, just fifteen more and then... Then what, they would not let him rest, not let him heal.. No they would just rip into him with some new horror. New pain bloomed ripping a new scream of: "sixty five ... ": From him as he arched away from the pain, gasping in agony. The glee filled words of his torturer barely registering ..

" Wrong Jareth King! that was no blow..."

And then there was nothing but pain as the blows fell so fast that there was no break between them, and Jareth could do nothing but screech and howl in anguish, as the switch struck bare bone again and again. It hurt so bad and he couldn't breath, or move away from it, or even just think, all Jareth could do was feel, feel and scream...

. . .

Time seemed to cease its flow, as Sarah moved through the motions of the day, Hoggle had barely left before a loud pounding announced the arrival of an irate Bolton, demanding to know where Jareth had gone gallivanting off to, in the middle of answering an important letter. And now that he was at it...

The tirade seemed endless as the infuriated Goblin advisor went on and on, about the duties of a king or in this case a queen and how was he supposed to do his job correctly, when his rulers refused to speak with him. How was he supposed to arrange a coronation if he didn't know her sigil and colours or even her royal words? What was he supposed to do, make them up? And when did they want to do it because if they did not hurry then, snow would choke off all travel until spring, and that was still four months away. Far too long to put of her official coronation... For the sake of the goddess she might even be pregnant by then, and goddess forbid already showing, and then what would they do...

Staring out at the haunting storm, Sarah muttered softly: "Oh I don't think that that will be a problem..."

" What was that my lady? "

Sitting down at the pale desk, Sarah sighed tiredly: "Nothing Bolton, shall we begin, I should learn as many underground tongues as fast as possible" : As she picked up the first sheets of paper, letting her eyes trail over the neat lines of writing in both English and what Bolton had told her were the language of Tir Na Nog.

" So... hwn yw iaith Tir na nog, or this is the language of Tir na nog. Was I correct?..."

. . .

Sleep had been an elusive beast to Sarah as she tossed and turned in the plush bed, it was not that the bed was not comfortable, it was by far one of the most comfortable beds she had ever lain in, yet still she longed for the musky heat of their shared furs. Rolling to her back, Sarah sighed deeply as she stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, wondering how they had managed to make the stars painted there sparkle so brightly. They really were very beautiful. ...

A scream of terror ripped her from her sleepless musings, and made her bolt up straight in the bed, heart beating a furious tattoo in her chest. Pulling the heavy down cover aside, she was on her feet and racing across the carpet strewn floor as a second scream shredded the nights silence. There was no doubt in her mind about who the terrified voice belonged to.

" Oh god Jareth I'm coming. .. I'm coming "

Need and terror ripped through her from the blank medallion resting against her skin, and it lead her unerringly towards a door that had suddenly appeared in her wall. Tearing the old worn door open, Sarah rushed into the darkened room, nearly tripping in the floor-length nightgown she wore, as her eyes searched frantically for the source of the third chilling scream, as it faded into low agonised groans and whimpers.

The nest was empty, and she didn't even bother glancing at the unused bed, instead she headed straight towards the low burning fireplace.

" Oh God, Jareth, no. Not again"

Orange light bathed the violently convulsing figure, as he thrashed on the pelt before the large hearth. A crystal flared to life in her hand as Sarah rounded the couch, and threw herself down beside Jareth. At the same time as she tossed the crystal into the air, illuminating the room in a soft golden light.

He lay on his back, his ashen face frozen in a look of utter helpless terror, and his legs bent awkwardly beneath him as is he had knelt before collapsing. Icy water pooled below him, running off of his soaked clothing, where sleet and ice still clung to the cloth. Reaching out, Sarah rested her hand on his shoulder, gently squeezing as she called his name: " Jareth, Jareth wake up, you are having a nightmare, Please wake up..."

Nothing, no reply but more terrified moans and panicked whimpers, and his skin was frigid even through the cloth of his shirt. His hair looked like it had been plastered to his skull with lumps of ice, shimmering like frozen jewels, against his pale blue skin, slick with either water or sweat, which she could not tell. And to be honest it truly didn't matter, as she tried to wake him, with increasing desperation. But it was no use, not even pain could rouse him. Cupping his freezing chin, Sarah gently turned his face from side to side trying to see if he had hit his head. Her heart sinking as she didn't find any evidence of him knocking his head against anything. Then what, why wouldn't he wake?

Running her hand through his hair, she looked into his slack face.

Oh god, he looked so young and pained as he lay before her, so like when he had appeared in her dorm room. How could she ever have thought him cruel or evil, when all he was, was hurt and exhausted. But hurt or not he had to wake up. Digging her slender fingers into the firm swell of his shoulders, she shook him, putting enough force into it to lift him clear of the water covered floor.

" Dammit Jareth wake..."

" No.. please.. no more.." : Crying out in sudden fear, he tried to twist away from her bruising grip, only for his words to become a pained scream as he graced her arm with his flailing left wrist. Keeping her hands locked into the fabric of his shirt, Sarah had to fight against his thrashing to prevent him from slamming his head against the stone floor, as his entire body convulsed again. It took a few more minutes of mumbled cries and feeble cringing. But finally he calmed down, allowing her to let his unconscious form rest on the floor once more.

Pulling up her now soaked sleeves first, Sarah sighed as she slowly eased the cuff of his shirt up his arm, revealing deep bruising. This was getting old.

" Jesus Jareth again? How in the name of hell did you manage to stay alive for so long without me? " : Shaking her head, Sarah pressed her hand against his trembling chest, as she concentrated on his clothing, making the soaked frozen garments vanish, along with the ice and water, laying him bare to the light and heat. And what she found had her heart sinking. Dark bruising covered his left arm from wrist to shoulder, coming from faint blue at his wrist to black and red around his elbow and back to faint blue where it faded up and over his shoulder. The sight making her curse with feeling: "well shit! "

Running her fingers tenderly over the swollen flesh Sarah winching as she felt the warped edges of a clearly dislocated elbow joint. Letting out a deep saddened sigh Sarah summoned a new crystal, charging it with her power, until it glowed a warm silvery white. Then she let it float from her fingers to land lightly on Jareth's discoloured elbow like a bubble, shimmering there for a few seconds, before it sank slowly into his skin: "There you go, this will make your arm all better...You bloody fucking idiot! "

" Please... no... no" : Anguish filled his voice, and contorted his face once more, deepening the faint crow lines surrounding his closed eyes, as he jerked his head back and forth.

Grasping hold of his shuddering shoulders again, Sarah shook him calling out to him in an effort to wake him from the claws of the nightmare:" Jareth, Jareth listen to me, it's just a dream, just a dream. Come on follow my voice, follow me out of the darkness, come to me once more... Jareth, Jareth!"

A sharp gasp ripped from his pale blue lips as he shot up, almost head-butting her when he wrapped his good arm around her, clinging onto her for dear life: " Please no. ... you... can't be here... please... go... please... go..."

" Easy Jareth, you are safe, you're safe, I called you, and you are safe now... Jareth?" : His grip was bruising as he clung to her nightgown with enough strength to rip it. But at least his breathing seemed to slow down and deepen as Sarah held him, gently running soft fingers through his frozen hair. And slowly, ever so slowly his trembling stopped, letting him slump in her arms, his breath cold against her neck and shoulder: " Sarah?... I... I am safe?... where... Oh I'm ... home..."

The word were slurred and hesitant, and not two seconds after he had uttered them, did his eyes roll back in his head, as he fell limp against her, his icy skin already slick with cold sweat. Holding him up as gentle as she was able, Sarah groaned.

" Oh fuck! Christ almighty you are heavy for such a skinny ass fey... "

It didn't take a genius to see that there was no way she would be able to get him to the fur nest on her own but he needed rest and warmth. Maybe she could pulled the furs over here, and then. ... And then the thought struck her, and she could not keep from grinning at her own stupidity. She had magic now, real honest to god magic... She didn't need to lug the furs around, she could just call up new ones.

Closing her eyes, Sarah called another crystal, and letting out a pent up breath, she let it spill from her fingers, to perch on the soaked pelt while she visualized the fur laden bed she needed. Then in a flash of azure and silver light, it burst leaving a thick down filled mattress covered in several layers of the long haired furs, and a pile of the plump pillows, that Jareth preferred, as well as a few large fur blankets, behind. Smiling in genuine satisfaction, Sarah gently eased Jareth onto the mattress, before quickly covering him in the warm furs. Sitting on the edge, she stroked his soaked hair back from his pain marked face, with trembling fingers, drawing a low moan from his blue lips, as he leaned into that small touch.

He was cold to the touch, yet covered in sweat and his cheeks were beginning to look flushed, with the onset of fever.

" Oh shit Jareth I can't leave you like this": Quickly pulling her now wet and ripped nightgown off, Sarah slipped under the heavy furs, pressing her warm skin against his frigid body, and resting her head on his shoulder, as she slipped her arm across his chest:" Please forgive me Jareth, and please don't throw me out of the bed come morning..."

. ... .

Shadows swirled around him, brushing over his skin with tongues of fiery ice, the heat so fierce that it made his flesh steam wherever they touched him. Straining against the bone shackles that held him, Jareth whimpered, the pain was too much, too sharp and it was everywhere, every inch of his skin ablaze. He had to escape, yet the heavy weight sprawled across him holding him trapped and, he had to get up, he... Gasping he pushed himself up, blinking against the sudden onslaught of dizziness as his head jerked instinctively towards the loud thump followed by a shrill.

" Are you kidding me! Really Jareth... you pushed me out of the bed... Dammit... ouch."

Ruthlessly ignoring the feeling of spinning out of control, Jareth stared in confusion at a naked Sarah as she sat on his floor tangled in the sleep warm furs only illuminated by the flickering orange light of the hearth:" Sarah? What... "

" Oh Jareth I'm so very sorry I was such an idiot, I. .. "

She moved in a blur, crawling onto the bed and capturing his face in her hands, and melting their lips together in a desperate bruising kiss he could not keep from returning.

Grabbing her arms roughly, Jareth pulled her closer, pressing their bodies together as he deepened the kiss, pouring every emotion into it, until it was more a battle of teeth and lips than a kiss. He was angry yet he could not refuse the closeness she so freely offered him, racking his claws down her back with enough strength to leave welts, smirking as it made her mewl against his lips, her eyes wide and glazed with lust, fear and pain. Goddess she was beautiful, wild sleep tousled locks of ebony hair tumbling freely down her golden ivory shoulders, and her cheeks flushed a soft rose. Cupping her chin, he stared into her eyes drowning himself in their emerald depths as he ground out:" Do not, do that again, my heart would never survive it, I..."

" Ssssch, Jareth, shut up."

There was no real foreplay apart from their heated aggressive kisses, but Sarah was more than ready, as she straddled his hips and lowered herself slowly onto him, only to stop with a wicked smirk on her face, as she met his smouldering dark eyes:" Jareth I..."

" No..": Growling out that one dark word, he grabbed her hips, and pushed her down as he thrust up, burying himself inside her in one hard movement. Ready as she was it was still a violent intrusion and it left her reeling between pain and pleasure, as he abruptly rolled them both, pinning her arms above her head, pressing her hips into the mattress trapping her, as he ground into her harshly, sending spikes of pleasure through her, instantly banishing all pain.

Gasping Sarah struggled weakly against his grip, she couldn't help it, because the dark look that crept into his eyes thrilled her, and the more she struggled the darker it became. Golden light from the fireplace set his eyes ablaze, but it was the ruby light that glowed out at her from the depths of his pupil, that made him so terrifyingly beautiful, a feral King claiming what was his as he pounded into her.

Arching upwards to meet him, she moaned her eyes fluttering shut, as he hit that spot inside her again and again, that made her entire body tremble with stabs of utter unimaginable pleasure. He was a wild fire roaring over her body consuming her, and she willingly rose up to let him, eagerly barring her slender neck, begging to be marked.

Growling he suddenly froze above her, gazing into her eyes for an eternal moment, before he bared his sharp teeth in a wicked grin. The glow in his eyes intensified almost drowning out the azure and gold colour and real fear stiffened her body as he suddenly dove down to latch onto her collarbone with razor teeth. Sharp teeth pierce through her skin, and pain flooded her, as her blood filled his mouth, making her scream, and whimper as he worried the fresh wound relentlessly. It hurt too much for her to even form words and yet, through the haze of pain, she felt his tongue flicker out, in a quick moist caress, and the electric pleasure it ignited arched her back and had her moaning and writhing beneath him, all traces of the discomfort long forgotten.

"Yes, oh god yes"

That was all she could make her mouth and mind form as he released her bloodied flesh and resumed pounding into her, with a dark grin on his blood smeared lips. It seemed like time had stopped as they move together, and Sarah never even realized that he had released her arms, before he flipped them once more putting her on top. She would never know how or why she did what she did, but it was knowledge as deep as time itself that filled her. Power blazed through her veins, burning her, and from the sudden trepidation on Jareth's face, she knew that her eyes had shifted to glow like his. And then she growled deep and low in her throat, a mirror of the sound he had just made, her lips pulled back to reveal teeth that didn't feel any different but she KNEW, that they too resemble his as she dove in and locked them around the frantic pulse in his neck.

It was the sweetest sensation in the world to feel the vibration of his whimpers through the lean muscle of his throat and know that if she closed her teeth she would spill all that power onto the floor, snuffing out his ancient life. The temptation was too much and her jaws flexed, teeth ripping into him, releasing his scalding blood in a light trickle, that strengthened as she sucked hard, coaxing it from the depths of the wounds. It was sweet and salt and coppery as it filled her mouth and flowed down her throat. This was life, his life, his strength and if she should wish, she could drain it all. Could but she would not, she loved him, she knew that now, and she could never harm him like that, never rob the worlds of the wonder that was the goblin king. The power flooding her changed, it grew softer but stronger, as her tongue flicked out caressing the torn wounds, making him buck and moan beneath her, his hands gripping her hips in a bruising hold keeping them locked together despite the force of his movement. It was bliss, no other word could describe it as she let her tongue explore the ripped flesh, dipping into the weeping tears left by her sharp teeth, drawing more and more urgent sounds from him as he withered with the strength of his need.

Power grew like a tempest in her core filling her, swelling the three independent throbs of magic, until her skin threatened to burst from the insistent pulse. It was too much. Releasing her grip on his skin, Sarah threw her head back keening as the triple cores burst, spilling over and into Jareth, filling him, and ripping a strangled hoarse sound from him as his entire body grew rigid.

Heat flooded her as he found his release, and the force of it caused bright explosions behind her eyes, blinding her as she collapsed boneless and utterly spent across Jareth's heaving chest, held by his strong arms.

Darkness descended quietly to cradle her exhausted mind, as Jareth softly murmured.

" byth yn fy nahalon, gadewch i mi"

There was but one answer to his whispered plea not to leave him.

" nid fi fydd yn"

Then sleep dragged them both under.

. . .

Dawn had barely broken as a loud pounding accompanied by a urgent voice jolted the peacefully sleeping pair from their much needed rest. Cursing vehemently in what Sarah recognised was Goblin, Jareth rose and stumbled to the door, remembering only at the very last second that he was naked. Sighing darkly he called a pair of silken pants that clung to his hips before flaring into loose legs, into existence with a quick wave of his hand, before he opened the door, leaning casually against the frame, with his arms crossed in front of him, looking utterly calm.

" Yes Bolton what is this infernal racket suppose to be good for... Well? "

" It's the Night Goblins, my liege, they are trying to break through the iron barrier, and they are demanding that you state the reason for isolating them thus. "

" They what? ! Such blatant insolence, they know damn well what my reasons are..." : Pushing away from the door, Jareth turned back towards the nest, looking slightly confused as he found it empty. But his eye quickly fell on the new fur covered bed beside the roaring hearth. His hesitance only lasted a split second, not long enough for the still stuttering Bolton to notice, but Sarah saw, and she also saw how his eyes softened as he realized what had happened, during the night.

Half turning Jareth gestured vaguely towards Bolton:" Go call my captains, the lady Titania, and general Llagain to the room of maps in two. .. no three hours time and have breakfast brought to our door in two hours ": Turning to face Sarah with a strange pained expression on his face Jareth snapped: "Now Bolton ! go!"

The door closed softly, but Sarah still jumped as if it had been slammed.

The silence roared around them, as they simply stared at each other.

" Why did you come? I thought that you... were disgusted by me, and my deeds ": The words were spoken softly, yet they held such pain that is seemed to Sarah that they should have been screamed at her. And the agony in his eyes demanded an answer, an honest answer.

" I don't.. I... You could never disgust me Jareth, I love you, I. . And I was an idiot! I should have come to you and asked, but instead I flipped a switch on you, and that was not fair at all... And I'm so sorry."

Jareth just stood there hands hanging limp at his sides, fingers half curled as if to hide the golden claws he hated so much. Pulling at the furs already covering her, Sarah said:" Please Jareth say something..."

" You love me... But why has my magic not returned, if we are wed and we truly love each other, then my shattered heart should have been healed and my magic restored to me, yet I still.. "

Gasping his lips formed a surprised "o" as his right hand fisted around him sigil, his eyes going wide.

" I. .. I can feel it..." : Releasing the sigil he pressed his hand flat against his chest, and eagerly reached for her, with his other hand, beckoning her closer.

Feeling the waves of relief rolling off him, Sarah slipped from the furs and moved to join him, letting him press her hand to his chest with both his own: "Here! can you feel it, it is faint but... Sarah you precious girl you..."

A genuine smile played along his lips softening his face, stealing the pained and tired air away. Meeting his glowing gaze, Sarah couldn't keep a smile from lighting up her own face as she felt the faint trickle of magic as it flowed from her heart to his, slowly but surely mending the gaping tears she had caused, all those years past.:" I feel it, it's.. So do you believe me now when I tell you that I love you? "

Wrapping his arms around her, Jareth pulled her in tightly, nodding as he hid his face in her hair. His skin was warm and soft against her as they just stood there, just holding onto each other, drawing immeasurable strength from that simple touch. And when Jareth finally spoke it was in a soft almost timid voice:" You didn't tell me why you came last night? "

Tightening her grip, Sarah rested her forehead against his shoulder:" I came because I heard you scream, you sounded so scared and alone, I didn't think, I just acted. I hadn't slept yet, I was hoping that you would let me apologise for being such a royal ass.. I'm so sorry Jareth, I.. I don't know what came over me.. "

" I screamed? "

" yeah you were on the floor, soaked and damn near hypothermic. I don't quite know why, but you were convulsing and crying.. God Jareth do you think we could try to have just one day where you don't scare the crap out of me looking like you are about to croak. Anyway, you stopped convulsing and I didn't know how to get you to our nest so I created the spare bed. And then I stayed to make sure that you were alright... Don't you remember at all? ": The last part was a faint whisper as she traced the wound that had already healed to become a violent bruise on his neck with a trembling finger.

" Hmm well yes I do remember that part...but I have no idea why I was on the floor. The last thing I remember was trying to fly with only one good wing...Did you...

Nodding against him Sarah sighed:" yes you Idiot, I did, honestly I really don't see how you have managed to survive this long on your own, you seem to completely lack any type of survival instinct. "

" Hmm Yes well I..": Laughing softly, he pushed her out, to hold her at arm's length as he smiled in a somewhat dejected manner:" well I confess, that I have not handle this emotional rollercoaster ride with the grace I would have thought myself capable of, but it has been a most trying time for us both. "

Nodding she sighed as she let him lead her back to the bed she had conjured, and pull her down to nestle against his side, her head resting on his shoulder.

Running his long elegant fingers through her hair, Jareth sighed:" In all the lives we dreamt up together, I don't believe that any of them were this complicated... we really do appear to have a unique gift for misunderstanding each other, causing hurt... Though I must confess that I found making up a most satisfactory experience... does that hurt? I'm sorry that I got so..."

Gently tracing the edge of her bite-mark turned bruise with the tip of his claw, he looked into her eyes, as if searching for something.

Cupping his cheek, Sarah leaned up to press a soft open lipped kiss onto the mirroring bite on his neck, smirking as she felt him gasp and moan at the attention. And keeping her lips pressed against the now healed but still bruised skin Sarah murmured:" Don't be sorry, it doesn't hurt more than this. "

" Hmm You little minx. Now stop that or I'll make you pay for it..."

Pouting wickedly, Sarah sighed in defeat as she allowed Jareth to curl around her and draw the furs over them both with a content yawn, settling down to enjoy the last two hours of peaceful sleep, before the world would finally catch up with them.

. . .

Jareth leaned casually against the wall watching Sarah, with a lazy smile on his lips as she pulled her knee-high boots on. He was dressed in a relatively simple gleaming black leather jacket, with a high collar and long sleeves that flared over his naked hands. His lean legs clad in, fitted black pants tucked neatly into heavy leather boots that gleam like the black tinted metal of his shoulder guards. Appreciating the way the pant emphasized the newfound strength of his body Sarah smirked and felt thankful that his personal style in no way resembled the god awful leggings he had been forced to wear by her hormone driven teenage libido, when she had originally run the Labyrinth.

Giving her knee-high boots a last good tuck, Sarah leaned back, taking in the sight of the Goblin king watching her with a bored expression on his face that didn't even begin to touch the soft longing in his eyes.

Rising, Sarah ran her hands down the front of her fitted dark green dress, smiling as she saw his eyes following her hands with a hungry glint to them, when she smoothed the full floor-length skirt in place over her hips. God she loved that she affected him like that, it felt amazing to know that he craved not only sex, but the simple touch of skin against skin, that had everything to do with comfort and feeling safe.

They had slept wrapped in each other, waking only as the goblin servants had knocked on the door announcing the arrival of their breakfast. And even then neither of them had moved, too unwilling to leave the warm security of each other's arms. And so they had stayed, giggling quietly like naughty children, as they heard the goblin grumble foul curses and march off after dumping what had sounded like a very heavy tray on the floor. Resting her head on his shoulder, Sarah realized that she had never been as content as she was in that moment.

And now as she meet his beautiful bicolored eyes she wanted nothing as bad, as she wanted to curl up and let Jareth wrap his long, lean and once more strong body around her keeping her safe for eternity.

But the conjured up bed had vanished in a plume of silver smoke, and the wind beyond the tall gothic windows cried with fear for the future.