Darklady: Hello everyone . . . sorry that this didn't get out sooner but . . . you know life happens.
Jareth: Yes I suppose it does.
Sarah: Yeah you should know Goblin King.
Ly: Could you please not start? I'm truly not in the mood for your bickering.
Darklady: (gives Ly questioning look) What's got your tights in a bunch love?
Ly: I'll tell you later . . .
Darklady/Sarah/Jareth: (look at Ly questioninly)
Darklady: Alright sweetie . . . Umm everyone else . . . enjoy this chapter . . . OH and on another note . . . 99 reviews. . . anyone want to be numbe 100?!
Chapter 13: Getting it straight
Jareth found himself asleep quickly, his day more tiring than he cared to admit. Not because of anything or anyONE other than his lively Sarah. She truly baffled him, the way she thought, the way she went about doing something and the way she saw things, most unlike average mortal women. Oh how he wished to feel her beneath him, to feel her warm and welcoming body fitting perfectly to his.
He knew he shouldn't be thinking such things, she was too young…too innocent. He should have waited, waited until she was older. He never should have sent those goblins to watch over her, never should have taken her brother, and NEVER should have brought her to the Labyrinth. It was too late now, not that he would reorder time if he could, what's done is done.
Now he lay in his bed dreaming, dreaming of her hair, her eyes, her lips, her taste. He could feel her now; taste her sweet tartness on his tongue. He opened his eyes and there she was beneath him, ready and waiting. He smirked down at her. "We shouldn't be doing this." He said as he leaned down to taste her again. He felt her wrap around his neck, pulling him closer. He searched her mouth, tasting, memorizing. When they finally pulled apart for much needed air Jareth found himself smirking again as she whimpered.
"You're right, we shouldn't be doing this." She said leaning up to kiss him ever so lightly on the lips.
"So I'll stop if you will." She smiled up at him as she lay her head back down, DARING him to stop what they both wanted.
"Do you challenge me Sarah?" Deep inside himself Jareth knew this to be nothing more than a dream, a dream that he would not finish.
Sarah woke with a start, she had been dreaming of Jareth again. It had been a wonderful dream, so real. She could still feel him atop her, could still see his smirking face as she dared him to stop. But yet again she had woken before anything truly interesting had happened. 'Damn it to the seventh layer of HELL why can't I finish THOSE dreams?' Sarah groaned as there was no reply, then got up from bed and took a quick shower.
Coming back into the room, Sarah found Aboveground clothes waiting at the bottom of her bed, she wondered for a moment who had come into her room and placed them there. She quickly put on the jeans, t-shirt and sneakers. She had just finished lacing her second shoe when Jesi knocked on her door. Sarah moved to the door with a now VERY awake Merlin at her feet. "Good morning Lady Sarah." Jesi said once she had stepped into the room.
"Yeah I guess." Sarah said somewhat distracted. Jesi looked to Sarah confused by her tone and focused look.
"What is it my Lady?" Sarah looked to Jesi and smiled, trying to relax the older woman, then answered her question.
"Just trying to get your story straight in my mind." Jesi nodded and waited for her to continue, which she did a few minutes later. "Alright I think I got it. You were born and raised in Whales. Your father works for the government and your mother is a stay at home wife, so when your father was transferred to Ireland there was no reason not to follow. You moved to the island when you were 15. Your mother, after 2 years, grew worried about your continued safety and FINALLY convinced your father to send you to live with her cousin in America. Jareth King and I met a few months ago and agreed that when you came to the States I would show you around and make sure you understood everything about being and American teenager." Sarah paused for a minute, going over everything she had said in her mind. "That covers everything I think…did I miss anything?" Sarah asked Jesi after a moment.
"I don't believe so Lady, you have a wonderful gift for story telling. This should work out well." Jesi complemented and Sarah couldn't help but roll her eyes. "But I do have one question." Sarah cocked her head to the side.
"And what would that be Jesi?" She asked sounding a bit bored.
"Jareth King?" Jesi asked with a slight laugh to her voice.
"He chose it, when he introduced himself to my friend James. I DID NOT pick that." Sarah said with her hands up in surrender. Jesi smiled and nodded.
"Very well Lady Sarah, should we be going?" Jesi asked still amused.
"What about Merlin? I can't very well leave him here alone." Jesi nodded to the drooling mass of hair and smiled.
"Don't worry about Merlin, my lady, Sir Didymus has agreed to watch over him." Sarah smiled, wishing that she could see the good knight before leaving. "So shall we be off?" Sarah nodded, the looked at the door that led to Jareth chambers. "Is there something wrong miss?" Sarah looked back to Jesi and smiled.
"I hope not. Alright I just need my backpack and then we can go." Jesi smiled and gestured to the bed that, a moment ago had been bare, now her bag sat upon. "Alrighty then, I guess we're ready."
Sarah and Jesi stood in the principle's office, waiting for Jesi's class schedule. Sarah hadn't asked Jesi if she could see the glamour and even though she was extremely curious to why the principle kept staring, Sarah refused to even BOTHER asking. After fifteen minutes in the dirty old man's presence he FINALLY gave them her class schedule. They were off.
Jareth sat on the piano bench looking about the room. It was true that he could decorate the whole House with a flick of his wrist, but this was better. Sir Didymus and his two dogs, Ludo, Hoggle and most of the army she had…defeated were placing the streamers and balloons about the room. Her friends would stay for the party, but it would be an even greater gift to know that they had decorated as well.
He'd be lying, something he NEVER did, outright at least, if he said that he wasn't using her little companions. Jareth knew that by even PRETENDING to play nice with Hoggle, it would cheer her up. He never meant to upset her, never meant to have her question his intentions. Well, perhaps for a moment outside the park, but for only a moment. He thought back, to when he had offered her everything. 'Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave.' He should have known RIGHT THEN she did not understand.
Jareth laughed bitterly. She had already won her brother back. She had beaten the labyrinth, made it to the center. When she came into the BLOODY room, she had already won. He should have known she wouldn't see it that way. Should have known she would only see it as ANOTHER challenge. His heart clenched painfully as he heard her say those vile words again, but this time in anger. 'You have no power over me.' He had done it to himself of course, pushed her to the breaking point, but she wasn't ready. She would know of the young Queen soon enough. In truth he was being practically selfish; he didn't want to share her quite yet. It certainly wasn't the entire reason he…THEY…kept the sisters apart. But it was top on the list.
For the slightest moment Jareth allowed his mind to wander to his dream the night before. It had been real, he'd known that they had been SHARING the dream the moment she disappeared. It was truly amazing in his mind, that she could have enough power to do such things, and enough…fire to DREAM of such things. He laughed quietly to himself. His Sarah was nothing if not interesting.
Jareth tuned back to his subject's and found them still hard at work. He couldn't help the smirk that came to his face as he watched them do so. These creatures were her friends, trusting and caring of her after only a few hours in her presence. At first he had thought she had tricked them, that their loyalty was because of some empty promise. Then he had thought they were just too simple minded NOT to trust her. Now he knew the truth. It was her, her personality…her mortal magic. Their power made the young and foolish trusting and the old and bitter caring. It was something most women could do, more a maternal instinct than magic, but MAGIC none the less. It was then Hoggle came over to speak with the distant King. "Majesty?" Jareth frowned then.
"Yes what is it, Hopple?" Jareth couldn't help the smirk that lit his face as the dwarf jumped, instantly angry.
"Hoggle," the dwarf corrected, that anger chilling in his eyes…even while he wrung his hands nervously. "Wer' almost don and I was wonderin' if I could leave the lit'l Lady a present." Jareth kept his face a mask of indifference, even as his mind ROAORED for him to be rid of the little scab.
"Hamhawk, there is no need for you to leave a gift for the Lady." Hoggle jumped again at the name.
"It's HOGGLE! An' why no'?" Jareth looked the dwarf up and down, he truly did love seeing this little scab HOPPING mad. But he would NOT be spoken to thus.
"Hoggle there is no need for you to leave a present because I HAD thought you would be here. But if you insist on speaking to me with such disrespect you shall find yourself buried up to your neck in the bog." Hoggle ducked his head at the mention of the bog. He would never understand how Sir Didymus could stand that place, sense of smell or NOT.
"'Ow are ya gonna manage US bein' up 'ere? Don' ya think the humans migh'a no'ice." Jareth smirked at the cowering dwarf, even as he asked his question. It was truly amazing that Hoggle thought he would actually place him in the bog. He would never…well not NEVER…but definitely not when Sarah cared so much about him. Perhaps it was time to TRY and get along with the little scab.
"A glamour spell will take care of you appearances, but your behavior will have to be dealt with. You will speak with the beast and the knight for me." Hoggle looked at the King a gasped by his words. It was worded as a command but his tone of voice made it a request. Hoggle bowed his head too confused to do or say anything besides his simple, 'Yes'. Sarah had started changing the Goblin Kingdom the moment she stepped foot in it, but she was only NOW starting to change one of its Kings.
Sarah watched as Jesi spoke with the principle. He didn't seem to notice that Jesi wasn't human, but he did seem to be interested in something. He put her in all of Sarah's class, gave her a slip of papers to have signed by each teacher, and sent the two girls on their way.
Sarah wasn't surprised to see people staring at them. She was, however, surprised to when Amara came up and stopped in front of them. "Who's your new friend Sarah?" Amara asked in her friendliest voice, sounding a bit like a bad episode of H.R. Pufnstuf. Sarah resisted the urge to roll her eyes and answered the easy bully.
"This is Jessica Elling, she's a transfer student." Sarah said, careful to keep her tone light. Amara turned to Jesi, smiling as sweetly as she could. Jesi couldn't help but think how she looked a bit like a troll when she smiled.
"Where did you transfer from?" She asked, still trying to sound pleasant.
"From Ireland." Jesi answered in her heavily British accent. Which confused Amara immensely…which made Sarah's lips twitch.
"You don't sound Irelandian." Jesi laughed out loud at Amara's statement, something about it seeming dangerous.
"I was born in Whales, but moved to Ireland when I was fifteen. My parents just sent me here to stay with my mother's cousin, so I wouldn't be in the war zone." Sarah breathed out a sigh of relief as Jesi went on. They'd had only a few minutes to get that story straight, but Jesi did wonderfully. Amara bought the story, though that really didn't say much.
"Who is your cousin?" Amara asked, much to Sarah's dismay.
"Jareth King." Sarah said, not surprised to see Amara's confusion again.
"Why are you hanging with a freak like Silent Sarah?" Amara asked, seemingly pleased with herself, she apparently didn't notice Jesi tense.
"She and my cousin know each other." Jesi stared, only to be interrupted by Amara.
"Well your cousin obviously needs to get out more often." She said still unaware of Jesi's growing upset. Sarah placed herself between Jesi and Amara, knowing that Jesi wouldn't be able to hold herself much longer. She was pleasantly surprised to see Amara take a few careful steps back.
"Leave her alone Amara. We both have to get to class." Amara backed down as Sarah noticed that her 'friends' were not there to back her up.
Sarah and Jesi sat in the lunch room sometime later. People had been clamoring to get close to Jesi all day, but after 4 hours of her repeated 'get lost' stares, they pretty much stayed away. They sat at a table by themselves until James came, giving the room a quick scan before he took his seat.
"What did you do Sarah?" He asked, not noticing Jesi.
"Well, actually it's Jesi." Sarah answered with a smirk. "She won't give any of them the time of day." James turned to Jesi as Sarah spoke and smiled himself.
"So you're the 'whore' Amara's been talking about." James jumped visibly when Jesi locked him with another of her deadly stares. Sarah laughed slightly, unable to keep herself from doing so, only to quiet when James gave her a stare of his own.
"Who calls me a Whore?" Sarah saw the promise of unforgettable pain in the Fae women's eyes. Not for anyone at the table of course, but if Jesi found Amara….
"Jesi calm down, she's just saying that because you wouldn't ditch me for her." James nodded, obviously agreeing to Sarah's conclusion.
"Oh on another note, I've got me a date tonight." James said, wagging his eyebrows at Sarah who looked at her friend…completely lost.
"Umm . . . am I supposed to know what you're talking about?" Sarah asked sounding just as confused as she looked.
"I told you I would take Amara out on a date." James watched as Sarah's expression change from confusion to shock and melted into a look of PURE amusement.
"James you CAN'T!" Sarah said in a whisper, only slightly surprised when Jesi interrupted.
"Excuse me, but who are you?" Jesi directed the question towards James, though both already knew who she was speaking too.
"I'm sorry, my name is James and you are?" Jesi looked to Sarah, silently asking if he could be trusted. Sarah nodded and Jesi answered the boy's question.
"My name is Jessica Elling I believe you met my cousin Jareth King." James looked from Sarah to Jesi and back, something telling Sarah he wasn't falling for what Jesi had said.
"Alright…so where have you been? You sound British, more so than your cousin." Jesi nodded to James, seemingly unaware that he was testing her.
"Well, I was born in Whales, but my family recently moved to Ireland. We had been there 2 years before my mother finally convinced my father to send me away. She had wanted us ALL to move back home, but my father works for the Government and can't just leave. So my mother sent me to live with her cousin, Jareth." Jesi watched James as she spoke, making sure that he was following her story and, more importantly, that he was buying it. Sarah nodded to Jesi when she was sure that James WAS believing them.
"So how did you and Sarah meet?" James looked to Sarah. "I assume you knew Jessie before Jareth." Sarah shook her head at James' assumption.
"NO, actually I've known Jareth for a while. He's kind of like the guy you've known forever but never REALLY knew." James nodded his understanding to Sarah.
"So you and Jessie met…?" Sarah smiled to James.
"Actually we only met yesterday." She then turned and smiled at Jesi who was smirking towards her young mistress. 'Gods, do ALL Fae know that smirk?!'
"You only met yesterday?" Sarah nodded to James question. "WOW Sarah, girl what happened to you?" Sarah looked at James, confused by his latest question.
"James, what are you talking about? Is there something different or wrong with Sarah?" Jesi asked concerned.
"Wrong, no. Different…HELL YES!" James turned fully to Sarah, sizing her up with his eyes. "Sarah I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong, but is something up? It took me 6 WEEKS to get you to eat lunch with me." He paused and whispered. "And that was before Mitch." Sarah nodded to James and patted his knee, startling her friend even more.
"I don't know James, it's just like…I know no one will hurt me anymore. Like Mitch is never coming back." Sarah looked to James, biting her bottom lip nervously. "Does that sound weird?" James nodded to her question and ducked quickly away from her playful slap.
"Yes, BUT I wouldn't expect anything less from you sweetie. Are you sure you're alright?" James asked, still worried about his closest friend.
"I feel better than I ever have…." She wanted to tell James so badly about what had happened. About what she could do and who Jareth and Jesi really were, but she couldn't. Not until she spoke with Jareth about it and even then she wasn't sure she would.
The rest of lunch was spent with Jesi and James getting better acquainted. Or rather, spent with Jesi learning about James and how close he was to Sarah. When lunch was done, James left Sarah and Jesi, claiming to be late for Bio and promised to catch them at last period art, since Sarah and Jesi had a two period study hall. As the two women walked to study, with Sarah explaining that study hall wasn't a class where they STUDIED a HALL. As they walked Sarah told Jesi about how she and James had met, why they had never gotten together, and what the OTHER meaning of 'gay' was.
So wrapped up in her explanations and stories, Sarah almost missed the sound of footsteps coming up behind them rather quickly. Jesi on the other hand, was ready and waiting when Amara threw a text book at Sarah's head. Jesi AGAIN found herself pleasantly surprised as Sarah fell into a crouch and spun, hissing at the young women, the large book messing her by a few inches. Though surprised, and certainly pleased, Jesi forced herself to focus on the here and now, she would ask Lady Sarah about her reaction later.
"Well, well Sarah, you've gone from a silent freak to a hissing one." Amara stated smiling at Cindy. Sarah stood, doing her best to keep Jesi still.
"What do you want Amara?" Sarah asked with her hand on Jesi's shoulder, holding the Fae women back.
"I just came to tell you about my date with James tonight." Sarah couldn't fight the smiled that begged to appear on her face. "What are you smiling at Williams?" Amara asked nervously.
"I'm just wondering what your boyfriend is going to say about you going out with another guy…let alone James." Amara laughed herself, at Sarah's thought.
"Oh I don't worry about Timothy, when he has a slut like you more than willing to give him a good fuck." Amara leaned in smiling evilly. "You of course are so much like your whore of a mother…you won't mind keeping him busy for me." Amara turned to Tammy and high-five'd her as she finished, neither saw Jesi move.
Sarah had tried to keep Jesi away from Amara, but at the shock of her words, Sarah's hand fell away. Jesi had moved so quickly Sarah didn't even bother to pretend to try and stop her. For the first time since Sarah had the…pleasure…of meeting Amara, she was glad for the empty hall as Jesi pinned the three girls to the wall of lockers with only a glare. "You will NEVER again speak to Sarah," Jesi said in a voice that held no room for argument. "WELL…unless of course you have no wish for preservation of life."
"What makes you think we'll listen to you?" Mindy asked.
"Because if I so much as see you breathe in her direction with the slightest feel of ill intentions, I shall personally see to it you rue the day you picked her as your emotional trash can." Jesi said, deadly serious.
"What makes you think you can do a DAMNED THING to us?" Amara scowled, not used to being the one frightened into a corner.
Jesi looked to Sarah, silently asking permission to teach the 'girls' a lesson. Sarah thought it over quickly. There were neither teachers around nor students and Amara was working on her last nerve. But was that a good reason to show Amara that Jesi wasn't normal? Was that a good reason to risk ANYONE seeing that Jesi wasn't normal? "Jesi, leave it alone." Sarah said shaking her head and moving closer to the wall of girls, looking each girl in turn and finally pausing on Amara, "They're not worth the effort of a hair flick." Sarah smiled cruelly, her eyes alight with it. "But you have fun with James tonight. Wherever you end up going…I'm sure you'll have a GAY ole' time." Sarah walked away, heading towards her class. Jesi stayed for only a moment longer, giving each girl a look that promised nothing less than utter torture and followed her lady, a bright smile on her face.
"You are quite surprising La…Sarah." Sarah gave Jesi a sideways glance for nearly slipping, but turned fully to her with a questioning tilt in her brow.
"What have I done to surprise you now?" Sarah asked, sounding a bit tired of surprising people.
"Why did you not want me to show them what I was, what I could do?" Jesi asked, watching Sarah's face carefully.
"I didn't…I DON'T want people to find out about you and Jareth. I don't want ANY of you to be taken to area 51 and be tested on with iron scalpels. I don't want anything to happen to you, or Hoggle, or Ludo, or Sir Didymus…or…or Jareth." Sarah kept her gaze locked with Jesi's as she walked, watching as understanding, confusion and even a bit of fear passed through her eyes.
"You were protecting me? Protecting your friends?" Jesi asked sounding amused, though confused Sarah nodded. Jesi wrapped her arm around Sarah comfortingly. "Thank you Lady. I must admit I find it amusing that YOU were protecting me, but I thank you. I am…as are all of the subjects of the Goblin Realm, fortunate know a Lady like you. You are my friend." Sarah blushed and felt tears prickle her eyes. She hadn't heard ANYONE speak to her like that in the longest time, as though she were someone to be cherished. It was a pleasant turn about.
"Thank you Jesi." Sarah said choking down tears she REFUSED to shed. 'You will make quite the Queen my young friend. I know of only one that you will match.' Jesi thought as she and her young mistress walked to their next class.
Darklady: So what did we think of this Chpater?
Sarah: Not bad . . . but no Sarah/Jareth moments.
Jareth: I noticed that as well.
Darklady: You can't spend the ENTIRE story in each other's heated embrace. You both have seperate lives.
Sarah: I SPEND NOO TIME in his 'heated embrace'.
Darklady: (looks down to the ground and mumbles) Not in this chapter . . .
Jareth: (looks pleasantly at Lady) Really? That does sound like something to look forward too. . . . SO WHAT THE BLOODY HELL are you doing talking to us? Go and get to writing the next chapter.
Darklady: (give Jareth a pointed look) You had better watch it Jareth . . . You are NOT the writer of this story . . . I could have you pose naked for James? (Jareth ducks head and moves to Sarah's side) Yeah I didn't think soo. Alright everyone . . . Give a big hand to my beta's Ergott and Gracerichie (love you Grace . . . my sister and insperation). Don't forget to review. Please? ;P Catch ya'll later.