Chapter 7
This ballroom was different than the ones in that last dream's Sarah had had. I was more of a pale purple in color, which told Sarah right off that it was probably not Jareth who had done this. Also, there were small round tables with 4-6 chairs each instead of cushions everywhere. Whoever had done this was a lot more organized that Jareth's dream parties had been. Another thing Sarah noticed was that most of the people here were under 20, and they weren't three sheets in the wind. (A/N In case you didn't know, "3 sheets in the wind" means "very drunk".)
Sarah wasn't wearing that god-awful, poofy dress that she had worn before. She was wearing a long green gown with the shapes of leaves and vines embroidered in gold. (A/N I suck at describing clothes, especially dresses, since I hate them.)
Sarah weaved her way though the throng of teenagers. It made her feel old, if she had to be honest with herself. She seemed to be the only adult there. And that's when she saw him. He was wearing a red version of the outfit he'd worn every time before. But other than the color, it was the same as it had been that first time, when he'd sang to her... and every time after that.
Jareth had a look of confusion on his face, like he'd didn't know why he was here or how he'd gotten here in the first place. He walked past her a few paces, froze, turned around slowly, and stared at her in shock. Sarah got up her courage and walked over to him.
"Jareth, what are you staring at?", Sarah asked him.
His answer was so intelligent, it practically blew Sarah away. Well, mostly because she was surprised he could form any sound at all...
Um uh gah....", he said, gaping as he look her up and down. Sarah resisted the urge to giggle.
"Dad, you're staring.", said an amused voice that Sarah recognized, "But, I suppose that's natural. I think I did a good job with the dress."
"Leanna!", Sarah cried, hugging her daughter tightly as the girl walked up to them.
"Mom, choking, not breathing.", Leanna croaked, and Sarah let her go.
"How've you been?", Sarah asked.
"Fine, Mom.", Leanna answered, gazing at her father with concern, "But I think the old man is a bit of the opposite." She went very close to his ear and shouted, "FIRE!!!" Jareth jumped and looked at Leanna with an annoyed expression.
"What's wrong with you?", he snapped at his daughter.
"Well, I had to snap you out of your daydreams about getting me a little brother or sister, didn't I?", Leanna replied, smirking, reminding Sarah of Jareth.
"Leanna!", Sarah scolded.
"What? I mean, that's what this was for.", Leanna said, frowning slightly.
"To get a little brother or sister?", Sarah asked, feeling a blush creeping up her face.
"Not necessarily. I just wanted the two people I care about most in the world to get over their petty differences, see that you have so much in common, and realize that you're madly in love with each other and live happily ever after. Is that too much to ask for?"
"You have high expectations.", Jareth muttered. "And what exactly do I have in common with the most beautiful la-, I mean Sarah?" He smirked. He'd done that on purpose.
Leanna just rolled her eyes and replied, "Well, you're both unbelievably cruel, especially to me."
"Oh, I'm cruel to you, huh? And who was it that flew me into a pond, I suspect, on purpose?"
"That would be my evil twin. You don't know her, and I've been hiding her from Mom for the past 17 years."
"Since you were even a baby?"
"Yes. I developed very fast."
Sarah snorted. "You do know he doesn't believe a word of that, right?", she asked her daughter.
Leanna smirked again. "But why shouldn't he? I'm so innocent and I've never done anything even remotely upsetting in my entire life."
"Oh, and I suppose causing someone like, say, you're very old third grade teacher to have a heart attack, huh?"
"Now that wasan accid- You know, what? Stop changing the subject!"
Sarah and Jareth both snickered. "Well, due to that little discussion, I'd say our daughter is right.", Jareth said, the smirk on his face identical to the one Leanna had.
"What?"
"We can both be very cruel."
"Oh, don't bring that up again."
"Well, you are!", Leanna butted in, then pointed to Jareth and said, "And so are you!"
"And so are you.", Sarah and Jareth both said at the same time.
All three of them were silent for a moment before Leanna said, "I think it runs in the family. Anyway, I just wanted you two to live happily ever after, that's all. It wouldn't do to have my parents live in different worlds."
"Leanna, this isn't a fairy tale.", Jareth told his daughter seriously.
Sarah raised and eyebrow. "Oh really?", she said sarcastically, "And I suppose you're just some everyday Joe who works in an office, then, huh?" Leanna snickered.
"Who's Joe?", Jareth askd suspiciously.
"Never mind."
The music suddenly stopped and so did everything around them. All the teenagers froze, except Leanna, as if time had stopped.
"That's your cue, Dad.", Leanna told Jareth.
"To do what?", Jareth replied.
"To ask Mom to dance." And Leanna walked off.
Jareth sighed. "Sometimes, I just wanna strangle that girl." He held his hands up in a frustrated strangling gesture.
"I know the feeling.", Sarah replied.
Jareth looked at her with a sad look in his eyes and a longing smile shaping his mouth. "I don't know where the music is, but... Do you wanna dance, love?"
Sarah didn't point out what he'd called her. She liked it and wanted to hear him say it again. Instead, she replied, "I'd love to, Jareth."
Jareth looked surprised, but overjoyed as he took her hand and led her to the dance. "I can't believe you're dancing with me of your own free will in a dream that I didn't make."
"Neither can I.", Sarah replied, grinning.
Suddenly, Leanna's voice rang out. "Hey, Dad!", she called, "You're going to have to sing the words, I only have the music."
"What?!", Jareth shouted back as a familiar tune started playing and everyone started dancing again.
Jareth grinned. "Well, do you want me to sing?", he asked, looking at Sarah.
"I wouldn't dance with you if you didn't. It just wouldn't be right.", Sarah replied.
"Alright, then." And they danced as Jareth sang:
"There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes
A kind of pale jewel
Open and closed
Within your eyes
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes
There's such a fooled heart
Beating so fast
In search of new dreams
A love that will last
Within your heart
I'll place the moon
Within your heart..."
As he sang, he wrapped his arms around her waist and she wrapped her arms around his back, resting her head against his chest, breathing in his scent with every breath she took, singing along softly.
Leanna watched her parents sway and listened to her father's smooth voice as he sang to her mother. She thought he sounded a bit like David Bowie, which was a good thing. Leanna had like David Bowie Aboveground. Leanna smiled. She liked the idea of having a family. She wanted to have a family herself one day, but she'd never met anyone she would possibly-
"Wanna explain what I'm doing here?", a voice said, interrupting her thoughts.
Leanna looked at JJ and said, "I just wanted you here. Do you still trust me?"
He smiled and, once again, kissed her hand and said, "Yes, I do. With every shred of my heart and soul, I trust you."
"So... You don't hate me, then? You know, for bringing you here?"
"No one could ever hate you."
Leanna sighed with relief. "Good. I'm glad."
"Do you want to dance?"
Leanna looked at him in surprise. She'd been half hoping he wouldn't ask her, but she decided she was glad he did. She smiled and replied, "Sure. I'd love to, JJ."
When the song ended, a new one began, another familiar tune, this one from Aboveground. Jareth started singing along to that one, too, but much softer:
"Look into my eyes
You will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart
Search your soul
And when you find me there
You'll search no more
Don't tell me it's not worth trying for
You can't tell me it's not worth dying for.
You know it's true
Everything I do
I do it for you..."
Sarah raised her head from his chest and looked to Leanna. She was dancing with the boy who'd kissed her hand earlier.
"Who is that?", Sarah asked, nodding towards Leanna and her companion.
"Hmm? Oh, that's JJ. He's my apprentice archmage.", Jareth answered, stopping his singing.
"Archmage? Why would you need an archmage?"
"Search me. But the High Court says I need one because I'm the only king without one."
"What's the High Court?"
"Well, it's a... It's a court, obviously. All of the kings belong to it, and the High King is the head of it."
"Um, so there are other kings?"
"Yes, 8 other, just as there are eight other kingdoms."
"What are they?"
He smiled patiently. "King Kroneid of Ehb, King Roland or Nariem, King Orius of Aranna, King Lovelace of Arx, King Aaron of Scanra, King Jonathan of Tortall, King Nicholas of Amarantha, and King Peter of The Isle, which is out in the middle of the ocean far to the east of the Goblin Kingdom. And then there's me. There's also the High King Zeus who rules over us all. Even I take orders from him, but I make a lot of noise about it. My best friends, and I do have them, believe it or not, are King Roland and King Nick. We spend a lot of time together because we are the only ones without, uh, queens." He said the last word very quietly.
Sarah decided to change the subject and looked over at her daughter in time to see Leanna kiss JJ on the cheek and disappear.
"Oh, and I believe that may be the future of your kingdom, Jareth.", Sarah laughed.
Jareth chuckled. "Yes, I believe they are in love with each other but do not know it yet."
Suddenly, JJ fell through the floor.
"What the-", Sarah muttered, then suddenly started falling...
Now, would that be classified as a "cliffhanger", because I'm not all together sure what exactly the requirements are for a "cliffhanger". Eh, don't matter. Mmmmmmm, I like chocolate-
Jareth: Girl, stop talking about chocolate and let me do some... Goblin Kingly things.
Lp: Like what?
Jareth: Well, I want to trick Leanna into confessing that she loves JJ.
Leanna: *suddenly appaers* Dad, what are you guys talking about?"
Lp and Jareth: *in unison* Nothing...
Sarah: *suddenly appears* Don't worry, Leanna whatever it is, I'm sure both of us will fall prey, then we can get Jareth back.
Jareth: Hey, what about the bloody author?
Lp: Hey! I control where this plotline goes, remember? Don't make me make you get a really bad bo-bo.
Jareth: *screams like a girl*
JJ: *suddenly appears and laughs at Jareth* I always wanted to hear you scream like a girl...