Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed! Sorry this chapter is late, but here it is nonetheless!
A/N: I don't own Jareth or Sarah, sadly
"Married? ...Married."
"Sarah, you keep repeating the word married. Does it not mean the same thing in the human world?"
Sarah blinked. "What does it mean here?"
"The state of being united as spouses in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law." Sarah couldn't help but notice Jareth grin at the word 'consensual'. He pointed with his gloved-finger to make a point. "Goblin law!"
"But ..." She smiled. "You're not being serious. This is just a dream, right? I have a job to get back to, dress rehearsal." She gestured wildly. "A plant to water! I just can't get married."
Jareth stood up with a 'hmph' and walked over to a desk in the corner. Sarah watched him glide across the room; his pants left little to the imagination — something that was lost on her younger self, but wasn't lost on her now. It wasn't helping her concentration.
He nodded towards the desk, which now had an ornate scroll draping atop it. It appeared to be gleaming. "Take a look for yourself."
Sarah slid off the bed, stepping down onto the floor into the sunlight flooding in through the castle windows. "What is that?"
"The law."
"And it'll explain what's happening?"
Jareth cocked a brow. "Unless you'd prefer to stand in front of a sunlit window wearing nothing but a see-through nightgown."
Sarah gasped, looked down at herself and immediately wrapped her arms around her chest and shuffled over towards the desk.
"You're loving this aren't you," she grumbled.
He made a grand sweeping gesture of feigning annoyance, as if he was paying her no attention at all. "Sarah, my dear, we are soon to be wed. Before long not even this silly fabric will come between us." He tugged gently at the sleeve. Sarah yanked her sleeve away and offered a glare, only to be met by a wolfish grin.
"Wed, huh? Well we will see about that." Sarah peered down the glimmering scroll. It was all in a strange gibberish language she couldn't read.
"It's written in Goblin Tongue," Jareth said after watching her frustration grow.
Sarah threw her hands up in defeat. "I can't read this anyway."
Jareth rolled his eyes. "Always the dramatic." He pointed at a particular spot on the scroll. "Look closer. Here."
She acquiesced and leaned further in to inspect the writing. The scroll, while humming with magical energy, was slightly dusty, much like most the castle it seemed. Sarah squinted and watched the strange characters transform themselves into modern day English letters. When she would look away it would resume its original script. She focused her eyes on the characters as she watched them move and sway from odd to recognizable. They were indeed English words, although the translation seemed frivolous and clunky.
"Amazing," Sarah muttered under her breath. It certainly was a sight to behold.
Jareth watched her, his strange eyes taking in her form. "Yes, it is isn't it?" He gestured to a particular paragraph. "Read here, aloud.'
Sarah scrunched her face briefly at his odd request, but did as she was told. "For once the Goblin King is of age to choose a marital companion, either a choice who is of noble blood of fae origin, or of such one who has championed the Labyrinth..." Sarah could see where this was going, "once the Goblin King has made a suitable choice, upon his heart, this choice cannot be broken."
Standing up from her bent position, Sarah kept her eyes on his. "Upon ...your heart?"
She was surprised at how serious his face was. "It was not my intention to have this happen, Sarah. I hope you know this."
Now she was caught in an awkward position. All these years, if she had read this correctly, he had been in love with her? All these years of moving on from her adventure in the Labyrinth, something always tugged at her. Held her back. Influence her life, her steps. Was it him? Or was it her own feelings for him? Was this mutual?
She just stood there dumbly. "I'm sorry, I don't know what to say."
His face darkened, for a moment she was frightened. He nodded back to the scroll. "Keep reading."
She swallowed hard and nodded. Picking back up from where she left off, she read: "it cannot be broken. For such receiver of the King's affections needn't worry, for their place at his side will be secure for all eternity. And if this companion so chooses to break the unbreakable, only death will result."
"Wait... death?!"
Shaking his head, he stood to his full height. "It's my curse to bear, Sarah. You now have to share it with me. Only I had hoped the feeling was mutual."
Sarah realized she had hurt Jareth. But to be fair, that had not been her intention. It wasn't every day you woke up to a forced proposal and possible declaration of love. And in a dusty, magical castle, no less.
As if coming out of his stupor, his signature glass ball appeared upon the tips of his fingers. Sarah watched it roll expertly up and down his gloved hand.
"And to think I was going to tell you how many children we were going to have," he smirked.
Sarah felt her cheeks grow red. Children meant... Her eyes briefly glanced down at his overly tight trousers.
"Wait, you're distracting me." She pointed to the scroll, or at least to where it had been. The strange Goblin parchment had now curiously disappeared. Like magic. "It said: 'death will result'."
"I didn't write that law, Sarah."
"Well, who did? You're the king, you can undo it."
Jareth's face fell. He sighed and shook his head. "Since it wasn't written by me, I cannot reverse it. Or break it. It was written eons ago, by another Goblin King, no doubt. Just as desperate and foolish as one can conceive. Therefore it cannot be broken. I made the mistake of making a decision upon my heart. Only it's a mistake that has dire consequences."
Sarah felt her chest tighten. To him this all seemed so black and white. But giving into this meant giving up her life. Giving up everything for one man. Could she really do that?
"I will let you think it over," he said before making his way to the bedroom door.
"Wait! You're just going?"
He swiveled away from the door and stood straight in front of her so quickly, she had to catch her breath. He was imposing. His towering height, his odd eyes boring into hers. He was so close, she could just reach out and touch him. She wished he was touching her. "What do you want from me, Sarah? You called for me, which activated an antiquated law. You know what I want. What do you want, Sarah? This isn't easy for me. And I'm not patient."
Her heart drummed in her ears as she found her voice. She had to look away from his intense stare.
"Well it's just a lot to take in. I mean, I guess I'm old enough to get married." She couldn't help her stammering words. "But I hardly know you, and I don't know if I want to be married yet. Or at all. And my life, my life at home. My father, Toby..."
Jareth inched closer, he was now within arm's reach. He could reach out and make contact. Touch her, caress her. And she was aching for it, and he knew it.
"I will give you 48 hours to decide." Sarah was reminded of her first venture into the Labyrinth, making a deal with a wayward fae king, who changed the rules at the drop of a hat. She should know better than that, but what choice did she have?
Kiss me, just kiss me, please. She cursed herself for wanting him so badly, and yet here she also was rejecting him.
Jareth pointed towards the lavender dress hanging up. "Put that on."
Just like that, he was gone. And Sarah had never felt more uncertain in all her life.
