Jareth stood, his head bowed and quiet, to the funeral procession below. He stood on the balcony overlooking the Goblin city below. This wasn't the first funeral procession to be held here on the Labyrinth's grounds, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. He gazed at a particular coffin, smirking slightly as he remembered the being that was placed inside. It was with deep regret that he would never see them again.
It didn't matter.
He turned sharply, walking back to his throne and sitting, his leg resting comfortably on the arm. His gloved finger rubbed his lower lip as he thought, staring at the empty throne room before him. He didn't look towards the door as a shadow approached him. When a hand rested gently on his shoulder he found himself being drawn back to reality. He looked up towards Takibi, her eyes showed how exhausted she was and how in pain she really was.
"You should be in bed." He said, frowning when his voice cracked slightly. He hadn't spoken in a long time, nor had had any water. "You should be resting."
"I wanted to watch." She said softly, looking towards the window.
Jareth stood, taking her arm and pulling her back towards her room. She tore it away, limping over towards the balcony and resting her hands on the railing as she looked down below. Jareth frowned, following her and standing behind her. The small silver coffins below were placed into carefully dug graves not far from the castle's step. Those were the small bodies of the goblins who had given their lives.
"Perhaps..." she said slowly, staring at the coffins slowly being buried, "they wouldn't have been killed if I had tried harder." She shook her head slightly and sighed. "What's done is done..."
Jareth stared at her for a moment, looking away to look back towards the funeral below. He didn't say anything, his hands behind his back, one hand clutching the crop he often carried around with him. He sighed and turned around, walking back to the throne and sitting down.
"Go back to bed and rest." He ordered, waving his hand in a careless manner.
"You know, I decided." She said, ignoring his order as she turned to him. "I decided about whether I should marry you or not. I decided on yes." She walked over towards him, standing in front of him. "It's for the Kingdom. I know you only brought me here because I reminded you of Sarah."
"That's not at all true." He said immediately, looking directly at her. "That's not why I brought you here."
"No...I'm sure you'll find that I'm right." She said, shrugging slightly as she stopped in front of him not too far away from him. "It doesn't matter. I want to stay here, it's better then being at home."
He frowned, shaking his head slowly. Yet, as he thought about it, he found that her words were true. She did remind him so much of Sarah. He knew she was different, that was why he liked her so. She was her own person, independent and willing. He rubbed his lower lip once more, eyes watching her closely before he spoke.
"Well, I'm glad you have accepted to be my Queen." He said softly, thinking carefully to himself. "When do you wish for the wedding to be held?"
"Whenever is best for you." She responded casually.
She sounded as if she had thought it all out but didn't care if her plans were changed. She seemed mellow, as she usually did, but he found that it bothered him. He had seen the real Takibi at the ball. That spark of life that had filled her when she walked into that room. She had seemed like a perfectly different person. He remembered the feeling of her lips against his, and felt longing for it, but didn't say anything about it.
"Perhaps in a month?" He asked curiously, "perhaps the seventeenth?"
"That sounds perfect." She said, looking at him without a smile. "I'll work on preparations so you can relax."
As she turned to leave, Jareth found himself wanting to keep her around. He wanted to speak to her.
"You do remind me of Sarah." He admitted, watching her curiously for her reaction. "I want you to stay around, but not because you remind me of her. I saw the real you at the ball." He paused for a moment before continuing, "I did not kiss you solely for the purpose to convince the Council. I find you attractive..."
Her face had turned slightly red as she watched him. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, he felt slightly embarassed himself as he waited for a response.
"I...well...I find you attractive too...umm..." She was obviously at a loss of what to say.
He smiled slightly and stood, walking over towards her and taking her hand and leading her out of the room. He led her to the kitchen and sat down across from her.
"I'll help you prepare for the wedding."
AN: Still thinking of what to do...