A/N: Oh....I own Nothing....Not even the Bog of Eternal Stench, but who'd really want to own that, anyway? So, if I've made Jareth seem too courtly and not cruel enough, I shall explore that further in later chapters. At the moment, I just wanted to see what he'd be like if he wasn't so uptight. So yeah, this is my interpretation of how I want Jareth to be-- that is to say, he's exploring the other side of himself.... Leave a comment and you get a happy author...
4- Hide and Seek
Sarah was silent for a few moments, as was Jareth. Sarah felt a gentle tugging at her hair and felt as it was let down from her ponytail and rested on her shoulders and hung down her back. She smiled at Jareth, who instinctively reached out his hand to smooth out her hair, feeling his hand rest on her shoulder. They stayed frozen like that for what seemed forever but were only a few moments in reality. Jareth smiled and cleared his throat.
"May I suggest you get some sleep, my lady? If you still desire to ride tomorrow, it is best if you get some rest." Jareth said, breaking the silence.
"Sure" Sarah agreed, and slowly got up from the bed, only to stop once she was standing- in indecision.
"Um, Jareth?", she questioned, "Where am I sleeping?"
Jareth raised an eyebrow in thought, then rose and made his way to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, and moments later, Sarah found herself in a bedroom like Jareth's, only hers was blue satin.
Smiling, Jareth broke the silence once more.
"Is is to Milady's liking?", he queried.
"Yes, I, um, well its beautiful", Sarah stammered, blown away by the splendor of her room. She'd never seen such a room before- all her favorite colors together in a non-clashing situation---she loved it.
Jareth's eyes held his happiness as he watched Sarah's reaction; it was what he'd hoped it would be. Moments later, he heard a knock at her door, and vanished. Turning around, Sarah was startled to see Jareth gone--back to his room, she supposed--and attended the door. As soon as she turned the handle, Sir Didymus, Ludo, and Hoggle tumbled over one another and practically started attacking Sarah as their excitement bubbled over. Laughing at her friends, she lifted Sir Didymus onto the bed, Hoggle insisting he wasn't in need of her assistance. He chose instead to climb Ludo and make his own way, only to fall as Ludo had another excited attack of giddiness at Sarah's presence. Stifling her chuckles, Sarah helped Hoggle onto the bed and tucked him in beside Sir Didymus. Ludo found a suitable spot near the end of the four-poster bed, and Sarah attended to her nightly rituals. She fell asleep shortly after collapsing onto the satin, surrounded by her friends.
Sarah awoke to the smell of freshly-baked scones, and opened her bleary eyes to see a tray of them floating by her bedside. 'Jareth', she thought, and he appeared, looking bemused as he took in her state of 'wakefulness'. She smiled up at him, and held out her arms for a good-morning hug. He leaned over her, obliging her every wish, and then retreated to his position beside her bed.
"Morning", Sarah mumbled, as she threw back the covers and stepped out of bed, headed to the bathroom, and closed the door.
'I'll see you in a bit', she thought to Jareth, who, upon hearing this silence, disappeared, and Sarah continued with her morning routine.
Fully-dressed and munching a scone, Sarah stood in the dining room, watching as Jareth's stride down the long corridor, flanked by his goblin servants. As he reached her, Jareth gave a slight bow.
"Greetings my Lady...and who have you chosen to accompany my guard this time?", Jareth smiled, as he looked Sarah in the eye, causing her to laugh at his question and facial expression.
"Ludo", she replied, "Hoggle was on a rampage this morning. Kept muttering something about faeries..."
"I see," the Goblin-King commented, smiling.
They set out on their horses, galloping through the twists of the Labyrinth, goblins spilling out of their path as they flew by.
Sarah's rippling laughter echoed on the wind as she chased Jareth in a race to the end of the lane. His Labyrinth didn't dare change- there was no need to confuse the Lady, and it was no longer Jareth's intent to test her. Stopping, Sarah waited for him, the color in her cheeks a clear contrast to her locks- the epitome of a wood sprite in her navy dress and sparkling brown eyes. Jareth rode up to her, smiling at the picture she presented, and jumped down from his horse, holding his hands out for her as Sarah slipped from her saddle.
Letting the horses graze, Jareth lead Sarah to a log and they sat and engrossed themselves in conversation until Ludo and one of Jareth's nameless minions caught up to them. After some good conversation and more fruit- Sarah and company were hungry- Sarah suggested a game of hide and seek in the Labyrinth. Considering her thought, Jareth conceded, after promising to forestall any changing roads or moving walls. Sarah suddenly realized the ludicracy of her suggestion- hide and seek in the LABRYINTH? What was she thinking? She could be lost forever.
However, she was too stubborn to admit her fear, consoling herself that she would keep Ludo with her at all times. Reading her fear on her open face, Jareth summoned a magic spell and enchanted her so she would always be able to see him, but he would not see her when she was hiding. He also secretly dispatched a goblin to trail her and specified that the goblin was under Sarah's command- to make sure the Lady never got too frightened.