Labyrinth Mistress: From your review of chapter 2 it sounded like you were happy to see a new chap! You can bet I'm pleased to hear you thought it was good. I'm not completely sure what will happen next myself.
LordFluffy'sDemoness: Hint received when I read your review from my Hellsing fic! Here's an update for you. I agree with you on the sweetness issue. I'd rather see Jareth and Sarah in a sweet relationship, although not everything roses than a sadistic love-hate one. Course sometimes those can make for good reading too! Girl, I'm so thrilled that what I wrote is like what you had imagined when you watched Labyrinth for the first time!!! Woot! Thanx girl!
notwritten: Thanx for your excellent review! ;)
ghostofthewaterflame: Yay! You thought my story was sweet:) Proud to hear that you loved it and are waiting patiently to hear some dirt on Jareth! ;) And also, you're welcome for being on my thanx list. I try to include all on this list who review my fics...it's the least I can do! I appreciate you all!! And all of you rock!
ILoveMyAttitudeProblem: Thanx for reviewing and letting me know you thought this was a great story! I appreciate it! You also requested an update so here it is. :)
Peaches and Crystal Dreams
Chapter 3: Mischief
Sarah and Kalet were riding a pair of white geldings, alternating between walking and trotting. An uneasy feeling took hold of Sarah's stomach when she saw the mischievous look sported in Jareth's sister's eyes. Looks such as those often spelled trouble. She always found that out the hard way!
"Sarah, do you want to race?" Kalet devilishly bit her lip and anxiously awaited her reply. Sarah was a kindred spirit so she assumed that she'd readily agree.
Returning her new friend's expression, the brunette took her reins and yelled,"Heeyah!" Her horse took off in a sprint and Sarah looked behind her to see Kalet's startled face. "You wanted to race didn't you? Come one!"
Nudging her horse in the sides, Kalet spurred the gelding onwards. She'd never lost to another girl before and she wasn't about to start now. Imagine growing up with four older siblings. Everything was competitive whether it was meant to or not, it just happened that way. Kalet had always given her brothers hell as a young girl. Following them everywhere and ignoring the proper conduct befitting a fae princess.
The two women, the same yet as different as day and night, sped through the grassy meadows. Passively admiring the different flowers and trees along the way, Sarah slowed her horse as she came upon a beautiful glassy appearing lake. The water so clearly reflective and she could still see past it's surface revealing the life hidden beneath the calm surface. Pulling back on the reins she brought her steed to a halt, jumping off and landing squarely on her feet. Horseback riding had always been one of her favorite hobbies and one of the things she'd been great at doing. Staring out over the lake, she silently wished Jareth could be here with her admiring the beauty around her. She wished the two of them could sit her and take in the lush surroundings and just talk about anything that came to their minds. The sudden approach of hoof beats caused her to turn. Kalet had arrived.
Lightly spring from her saddle, Kalet leaped from her perch on top of her horse. "I can't believe you actually beat me! No one, outside of family, has ever done that...I'm impressed." The blond's long hair twisted in the wind wrapping around her thin frame bringing out an earthly beauty to her face.
Smirking, Sarah teased her back, "If I beat Jareth, what makes you think I couldn't beat you?" Putting her hands on her slender hips she waited to hear Kalet's comeback.
"I'm different from Jareth you little whelp!" Kalet ran at Sarah and chased her around for several minutes until they collapsed in laughter by the water's edge. "And if you want to hear his misadventures as a little boy, you better get some respect...quick!" Trying to appear stern, but failing miserably, Kalet laughed. The sound resembled the far away sound of bells on the breeze. Musical and free and so contagious.
Throwing up her hands in surrender, Sarah acquiesced. "I'm sorry. It's in my nature. I just knew Jareth would tell you." Seeing her expression, Sarah knew that he hadn't said a word. Maybe he'd done it to her on purpose. "Course he didn't. Anyway, you know I'm dying for the stories of embarrassment and trouble! Don't leave me hanging in the wind...please?" Pouting, the brunette sent her newly acquired friend the saddest puppy dog face.
Nodding her assent Kalet agreed to tell all she could remember. "One time, Jareth, Garrett and Kale, our oldest brother, were in a prank pulling contest. Kale and Jareth waited one night until Garrett was asleep. They smothered honey all over him and poured ants, feathers and chocolate on top. The ants began biting Garrett and he screamed like a little bitch. We all laughed for days. And we had one angry Garrett over that prank!"
Kalet's mismatched eyes teared up at the humorous memories so easily returning. Hearing Sarah's gay laughter, she continued over the sound. "It was also well known knowledge that the older two always slept in the nude, so Garrett took a page out of their book. He crept in their rooms one night and poured honey over their most private, treasured male possession, if you know what I mean. Then he took a goat in Kale and Jareth's room. The two woke up to a certain place being licked clean and unfortunately, in their sleep, they believed they were being "serviced" by beautiful women! That was pretty damn funny too!"
Sarah wiped tears from her eyes she was laughing so hysterically. It was hard to believe that a family would pull tricks on each other such as these. "Was that the worst of them?"
"No. They got worse. A lot worse. Kale, mixed a substance together one night. This homemade concoction acted as an adhesive. He placed it on the toilet in Garrett's bathroom. Needless to say, when Garrett had to go for a necessity, he sat down and was stuck tight to the toilet seat. Father had to end up using magic to pry him from the seat! We put Garrett through hell! But it was worth every punishment thrown our way."
"What else did Jareth get in to as a young boy or teenager?" Sarah hoped she didn't sound to anxious for blackmail material, but Kalet had to have known that it was getting the best of her. She wanted more and more.
Kalet, on the inside, was loving every moment of this information slipping from her memory to her lips. Verbally recounting these events pleased Sarah as it did the woman sitting beside her. "There was also this time when Jareth was pissed at Father's head advisor, Thoza, and before Thoza went to bed, Jareth played a pretty harsh prank. It pretty much ended all the tricks we all played. At least for a while. But anyway, Thoza, who was a stuck up cold hearted bastard, went to bed. We all heard his screams. Unfortunately, for us, he woke up our parents who woke us all to discover the culprit. It seemed that someone had filled Thoza's downy filled mattress with extremely thorny thistles and prickly branches."
Sarah's green eyes widened as she hysterically giggled even harder. "No he didn't!" The former aboveground inhabitant held her stomach. She'd laughed so hard that her stomach was hurting. "Kalet, you keep going and I think I'm going to die from laughing."
Shaking her head, Kalet disagreed. "Won't happen. Trust me. I've tried and it never occurred. Put it this way, my parents forbid pranks of that magnitude from happening under their roof ever again. For a short time it put a damper on our fun, but we got the old codger back!"
"How? How did you get him back? Especially after what you're parents said?" Sarah was astounded by the rebelliousness she saw in Kalet's eyes and posture. She seemed the type that was a "yes" girl no questions asked, but she was finding out different every second she was in her presence. She almost felt sorry for Jareth. He had two impetuous, rather independent females on his hands and staying in his castle. Oh the trouble that could amount to for the Goblin King!
"Well, since Garrett can control dreams, as well as I, we had Jareth put him in a deep sleep. Garrett controlled his dream while I interjected some stout female fun." Her blue and green eyes sparkled with mischievous mirth.
"Oh my god...what did you do?" Curiosity had it's claws in her now and they wouldn't go away until she heard enough to satisfy her.
Holding back her laughter, Kalet spilled on the infamous dream. "I changed my appearance and let him think he was seducing me. But, every time he got too close to me I'd move about ten feet back and make him chase me. Obviously he couldn't catch me due to his age and the girth adorning the middle of his belly. Basically he was your average, everyday, dirty, old man! I bribed him and told him if he stripped off his clothes that he could continue my seduction, but not until he did as I said. As soon as he'd dropped everything, and I mean everything, Kale transported him from his room to the main throne room where there were dozens of illustrious guests! My father was furious at his actions and demanded to know how this happened and what had possessed him to embarrass the king and queen in this disgusting manner!"
Kalet fell over to the ground laughing. She could still, to this day, picture the look of pure puzzlement across Thoza's face! It was priceless no doubt! Stopping her laughter so she could finish her story, Kalet took a breath. "Thoza couldn't figure out who'd done it and they couldn't prove that Kale, Jareth, Garrett and I were involved so our father fired him and banished him to the Land of Nightmares."
"That's it for now. I'd better keep some of mine and Jareth's secrets for later. We'd better get back before it gets dark." Slowly standing up, she straightened the skirt of her dress and dusted off bits of grass and dried dust clinging to the material.
"It's that time already? Just when we were having so much fun!" Glancing up, Sarah saw the approaching sunset, all the hues melting together creating such a canvas of nature's majesty. One good thing is that it brought her a day closer to Jareth's return.
Sarah stood up joining her companion in staring contemplatively across the water and at the waning day. Then they turned together and climbed on top of their mounts. Giving the horses a brief small kick to get them going, the girls raced all the way back again.
Neither one noticed the growing shadow coming from behind bringing a chill to the perfectly warm air. Jerking on her horse's reins, Kalet turned her animal around and stared with narrowed, hateful eyes. 'Something's coming. And it feels like...Wham! Feeling a blow to the back of her skull, Kalet fell to the ground. Her eyes blurring; she tried to focus. Anger struck her at the knowledge of her attacker. Watching helplessly, Kalet attempted to call out a warning to Sarah, but she was too late.
Sarah was plucked from her horse and carried off into the skies. Her frightened screams piercing Kalet's mind and echoing throughout the valley that they'd spent the afternoon lazing the day away. Her last thought was of Jareth. 'He's going to kill me. I've failed him and he's really going to kill me this time!'
Taking her hand and reaching the back of her head, she pulled her hand away to examine the liquid she felt on her slender, trembling fingers. The pale digits were covered in blood. That was the last realization she had before blacking out to lay her head on the grass falling unconscious.
A/N: Sorry to leave you guys with a cliffy, but I've got a lot to catch up on and I wanted to get your reactions from this one to see what you thought. I'll try to update by the middle of next week. If not then, it'll be next weekend...hopefully! If you guys don't mind... just leave me a little review...pretty please:) Hope everyone has a great weekend! L8r!