Sarah flopped on her back onto her bed, still dressed in the 'Jenny Blake' costume.
"I think that went rather well," a soft voice came from the shadows near the door.
"I hate it when you do that," Sarah snapped at him. "Come where I can see you at least." She did have to admit that talking from the shadows gave his voice a theatrical air. It sent shivers down her spine.
"As you wish," came the reply from the shadows. He did one up on her, going by her feelings rather then her words. He crossed the cold, stone floor of the bedroom with an effortless grace. To Sarah's surprise, he lay on the bed with her, laying his head across her lap. She had to prop herself up on her elbows in order to see him. Neither of them spoke for a moment. They simply enjoyed the contact.
"At least Dad seemed happy to see us," Sarah finally said.
"Eh, I had to be respectful," Jareth almost spat the word. "I get respect, I don't give it. I still don't know why you bother with parents."
"Don't you have them?"
"No."
"Well, you must have had something. No one is without parents. I've seen your bellybutton, Jareth. You were born which means parents. Tell me about them."
"Aren't we just a bit too clever for our own good?"
She fixed him with a look. "I'm waiting. You know everything there is to know about me," she wheedled.
"I fail to see what that has to do with my past," Jareth was impervious to her attempt at a subtle hint. His strangely mismatched eyes held her gaze without blinking. Perhaps it was a warning. He reached an arm over his head and ran gentle fingers down her leg.
"Hey!" She moved suddenly, jolting him off her lap. "What do you think you're doing?"
Jareth gave her another attractive pout. "That's it," he said, lying next to her on the bed this time. "We're getting married. Tomorrow."
Sarah turned on her side to face him, hair still just brushing her shoulders. "But that's, well, tomorrow. Don't you think its a little short notice? A lot of preparation is usually involved in a wedding."
Jareth considered her words for a moment. "Perhaps. Three days it is then. That should give enough time for whatever it is that needs to be done."
"Because three is a magic number?"
"You could say that." Jareth ran a finger along the line of Sarah's face.
"Three days and I'll be a married woman. Very strange to think about," she commented. "But that gives you three days to tell me why you hate parents."
Jareth sighed. "Why are you stuck on this? Why do you need to know?" Though if she asked again, he would have to tell her. Since he, in a sense, granted wishes, one of the rules that applied to the Djinns applied to him as well. The rule of three. When asked something three times, he would have to answer truthfully. That was a problem with magic. No matter how powerful, it tended to spill over into different areas, controlling you. Jareth hated to be controlled.
"Come on," Sarah continued, oblivious to the Goblin King's internal musings. "It can't be that bad. I may dislike my stepmother, but I understand her, sorta. Besides, if I'm going to be your Queen, I need to know everything there is to know. I love you, the good and the bad. So, come one. Tell me why you hate parents."
And there it was. She had asked, or rather told, him to tell her about his background. Only Lais was old enough to remember his humble beginnings. Besides the Labyrinth herself, that is. But then, the Labyrinth was as old a time.
"So, you need to hear of my humble origins that badly, beloved?" he asked, giving no sign that he was going to be forced to answer.
"Darling, you are many things, but humble ain't one of them." Sarah smiled at him.
"Here it is then. I lay my tale at your feet."
"Well, you see, when I first came to the Underground, there was no king. No nothing. Jus the goblins making chaos and the raw power of the Labyrinth leaking out all over the place. I harnessed that power, but I'm getting ahead in my tale. You wanted to know the reason I hate parents, well here it is. They forgot about me. I'm like Toby, maybe that's why I want him to be my Heir. I had an older sister once upon a time. One who, like you, wished me away to the goblins. However, she didn't come to her senses and try to get me back. My parents didn't care. I was ten years old, kind of hard to miss. But miss me they did. They didn't notice I was gone. My sister didn't feel any guilt either.
So, parents, yeah I hate them. They try to hold all power over you, but, in the end, they couldn't care less about you. That was many years ago though. Now I hold all the power, all the power of the Labyrinth that is. I made this castle what it is today, I brought the goblins under my control."
"But how?" Sarah interjected.
He shot her a look. "I'm getting there. I've never told this story before, alright? I've never had to. Consider it a privilege that I am even telling you at all."
Sarah's eyes were mournful, but the smile she gave him only proved that they would make it. "Alright, I'll be quiet. And you know how hard that is for me."
"Thank you, I guess. Anyway, since I was ten when I arrived in the Underground, I didn't transform into a goblin. Instead, I changed to be able to see the power weaving around the Labyrinth. The library became my refuge after that. I met Lais there. Unlike many of my goblins, he actually uses whatever brain he has. That's why I sent him Aboveground to tutor Toby. Once he knew I could see the power, he taught me what I needed to know.
He couldn't teach me everything though. The Labyrinth would teach me the rest. Lais taught me enough to be able to communicate with the Core of the Labyrinth. She took me in, made me her son and Heir to all the power floating around. That free-floating power is only half of what the Labyrinth possesses. Because she made me her son, I think that's why she took such an active role to fix my wounded pride. And my broken heart. I'm now immortal, but I never had anyone I wanted to share it with. Until you came waltzing into my life. Now, you and I will be the immortal ones, watching over Toby and the Underground."
"So you're trying to make us gods?" Sarah asked, only slightly confused.
"Sarah, I already am a god. I am just making sure I have a goddess," he confessed. "You agreed to marry me, remember. And I got Toby's permission."
"You asked my younger, step-brother for my hand?" She shook her head. "Why am I not surprised? Yes, I did agree. Now you just have to set it all up."
"Already in the works. But, what did your father mean when he said send him a piece of cake?"