Discaimer: The wonderful tale of Labyrinth is not mine, nor are its characters. Trust me; if it were, Jareth would not be single. He he he.
A/N: Just to re-cap...At the end of chapter 10, Sarah and Jareth had reached an agreement that Sarah will act the part of the happy betrothed and allow them to get to know each other fairly in exchange for Jareth taking his demands for their physical relationship slowly. (Seems a bit off-balanced to me, but he'll pretend to do just about anything to make her happy, and do you honestly think he won't manipulate the situation to his benefit somehow?) Feeling a bit annoyed over making even more concessions to her, Jareth decides to grace Sarah with some of his...erm...feelings while she's sleeping off the Fae wine in his - soon to be their - chamber. This is ONLY Sarah's POV this time...Jareth's is nearly done and will pick up exactly where this leaves off, but it was just getting really long and I was anxious to post something after such a ridiculous amount of time. So, I hope you enjoy:)
Chapter 11
The Turmoil of Trust
Sarah's POV
Cackling voices entwined with the tinkling of crystal meeting crystal and the lustful sighs of ecstasy escaping lips of lovers embracing. Naked skin met wanting flesh; caressing, devouring, seducing. Masks lay discarded amidst piles of fluttering gossamer, silk, and pearls, and light glistened off of sweat-laden skin. Ethereal music pulsated in tempo with the aromatic waves of desire touching every living creature trapped within the glass domed room. Blonde hair tangled with raven locks in woven strands while curious fingers brushed over silken flesh and tongues tasted…
"Jareth…"
Someone was touching my breast. My feet kicked at whatever was holding them captive as I struggled to escape my mind's carnal festivities. Whoever was 'taking liberties' with me, as the Underground folk liked to say, was about to get a knee to the groin.
My eyes finally opened to reveal a most disturbing sight, in perfect synchronization with an embarrassingly deep moan from within my chest. My own hand was massaging my front and the other was shamefully creeping down my hip. I quickly dropped them both to the sheets and pushed myself into a sitting position before rubbing my eyes as if I could somehow scrub the sinful thoughts from my brain.
"Pleasant dreams, Sarah? You know, I'd be more than happy to lend you a hand…"
"Oh God please let that voice belong to anyone but him!" Of course I knew it didn't; no one else had ever held such power over me with just words. His voice in that moment felt completely tangible like silk rubbing over naked skin…like the dream.
I screwed my eyes shut and counted slowly to ten before shoving my hair behind my ears and proceeding to untangle the sheets from around my legs. My pulse literally throbbed low in my body and a light sheen of sweat still clung to my skin. I could still taste the heady perfume of desire from the dream within the confines of Jareth's chamber. I was positively drowning in lust and could scarcely breathe over the feeling. It was absolutely terrifying.
I kicked harder at the sheets, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. Once free, I fought the urge to rub my thighs together in pursuit of some kind of friction, and nearly succeeded before draping my legs over the side of the bed and turning to examine the fading light spilling in from the open curtains. Looking at him in this state would be very, very bad.
I concentrated on taking deep, even breaths and walked towards the balcony. The cool, fragrant breeze helped clear my senses and I forced myself to replace the kaleidoscope of images stampeding through my thoughts by counting the number of chimneys in the cluster of houses beyond the courtyard walls. At forty-two, I finally let myself turn to face him.
"What time is it?" I asked as calmly as possible, praying it didn't sound as much like the unfulfilled whimper that I knew it was.
"Nearly time for the evening meal. You've slept the day away, dearest." He snapped the book he was holding shut and proceeded to stand, stretching his arms over his head as he did so. I was sure he realized the action flexed his lean muscles to their best advantage, seeing as he hadn't bothered to close his shirt. And damn it, he was still barefoot! I groaned before clamping a hand over my mouth with embarrassment.
A lazy, yet seducing grin settled over his features. "What's the matter, precious? You seem flushed." He began approaching me with all the grace and swagger of a predatory lion, made only more realistic by his unruly mane of hair.
I cleared my throat sharply and looked for a distraction to keep my body from taking over my brain and launching myself at Jareth. My eyes settled upon the book he was reading; its red cover was a dead giveaway. "You were reading The Labyrinth?"
"Yes, I picked it up in your apartment earlier this morning, well, technically last night. Trans-dimensional travel can be so confusing at times…"
My eyes narrowed marginally.
"It really is quite a fascinating tale," he smiled beatifically before handing the book to me. "And it really does set itself up perfectly for a sequel. Tell me, dearest, what sort of continuation shall we give it?"
I was beginning to recognize the slightest differences in his smirks. While I was quite sure all of them were intended to irritate me in some way, there was a distinctive purpose for each. For example, there was a noticeable lift to the corner of his eye with the one he currently wore that indicated he was feeling playful and simply wanted to joke with me. My usual reaction to any of his smirks was to throw up my version of porcupine quills – a prickly defense intended to drive him away before he could really affect me – so perhaps I surprised us both when I simply smirked back at him and took the book calmly.
"I did mean to thank you for sending Raelle with some of my stuff. Though, I'm just as equally mad that you felt it necessary to deceive me even so far as my friends are involved." I felt my eyes darken in conjunction with my cool tone.
His head tilted again, measuring me much like I imagined his owl counterpart would. "You're not really mad, precious. You want to be, but secretly you're delighted to have a familiar presence here."
I wanted to find some caustic reply to take down his smugness level, but I couldn't, and he knew it. So, I opted for not saying anything at all. He stalked closer to me, ever the hunter regardless of which creature I compared him to. His eyes stayed level with mine like I was his prey, which, I undoubtedly was. My internal mechanisms froze in confusion, wanting to both move forward and back. I held my ground even as he wrapped his arms about my waist and turned my body into his lightly. Waves of residual lust from that hedonistic dream roiled over my skin, but I managed to stay completely still, neither flinching, nor throwing myself at him. Progress at last.
"I missed you while you slept, precious thing." Ever so slowly, he raised his still gloveless hand and ran one fingertip over my cheekbone before sliding his hand behind my hair to lightly cup my neck. As before, jolts of what felt like electricity flickered across every inch of skin he touched, settling into the most delicious inferno where his palm rested. The flames seemed to spread through my entire body. My lungs sucked in air of their own accord and my knees trembled. The expression, 'playing with fire' was never more appropriate, and I didn't doubt for a second that with Jareth, I would definitely get burned.
I pulled back from his embrace with as much tact as I could, but of course he wasn't ready to let me go. "Umm, I should probably go get ready for dinner."
"No parting kiss for your husband?"
"You said we only had to act that way in public," I replied stubbornly, though almost every single part of my body was more than willing to try out his kiss again.
"I also recall you agreeing to allow us to grow closer." He took a small step forward, effectively pinning me to his front once again. His fingertips now traced a purposeful trail from my waist up to my ribs over and over again. "It's just a kiss, Sarah." He smiled, or was it a leer?
"I seem to remember you saying that last time," I whispered, but tilted my head up just the same.
Our eyes locked together. I watched as his face drew nearer, relishing the ripple of delight that raced through my whole body at just the thought of what he might do. I could feel his breath against my lips and I parted my own, nearly tasting him upon the air. Anticipation marched over my skin and drummed in my heart until I thought I might choke on it. Just as our mouths were about to touch, he shifted and placed a feather-light kiss against my cheek instead and then instantly released me with a maddening chuckle rumbling from his chest.
His irritating laughter echoed through my mind long after he sauntered past me to enter his bathing chamber, and even followed me as I crossed back to the room I'd been using since my arrival. I slammed the door shut for the second time that day and blinked furiously as tears swarmed my eyes. I had absolutely no idea why I was crying, other than an overwhelming sense of being…overwhelmed, and more than a little confused.
I had agreed to give this union a fair try, and it was more than obvious to both of us that we desired one another, but something continued to hold me back. It was as if I somehow knew that consenting fully to him would be the ultimate defeat.
And what exactly do you have left to lose, Sarah? It's not like you're ever going back…
"But how do I really know that for sure?" I whined out loud to the empty room. How could I ever know there was truly no hope?
"I'll just have to keep stringing him along for as long as I can…" I sighed as I flopped down on the bed.
Riiight…Good luck with that!
Great. Now even my own conscience was smirking at me! Though I knew it to be absolutely true, and odds were very good that he knew it too, otherwise he'd never have made the arrangement to give me more time so long as I didn't avoid him. My lips pulsed lightly at the surge of memories attacking my brain of our morning…encounter. The intensity I felt from just kissing him frightened me. I'd imagined it so many times, but nothing could ever truly have prepared me for how my whole being seemed to wake up at his touch. Was it just because he was Fae? Surely it couldn't be like that for humans, they'd never stop lip-locking! And more terrifying still was how willing I was to experience it again. I should be glad, not annoyed, that he didn't kiss me again. I was going to have to be much more careful where he was concerned.
I sighed deeply and pulled the pillow over my face, completely forgetting the owl feather I'd stashed under it. The downy strands tickled my nose and I made to grab it away – possibly to crumble it in frustration – but as soon as my fingertips made contact, the feather seemed to shimmer and twisted its shape. A heavy rectangular item fell from my grasp to the floor with a dull thud. I wrestled with the increasingly overruled logical part of my brain for a solid minute before reaching down to pick up whatever it was that His Majesty had seen fit to give me.
I quickly wished I hadn't. What I'm sure was intended as a caring gesture could very well have been the cruelest joke he'd ever played. Staring out from behind a thin panel of glass set in a wooden frame was a picture of Toby and my father. I remembered taking that picture only a few months ago when Toby had caught a pop-fly at his T-Ball game. He had been so proud, and from the beaming grin on my dad's face, it was clear Robert Williams was equally so. I remembered feeling simultaneously happy and jealous at that moment, just like always. There were no pictures of me and my father that could even compare. I was simply born into my family at the wrong time. Too late to enjoy the love of my parents, and too soon to belong to Toby's family.
I laughed sharply. Family. Jareth expected to make a family with me – the girl who had never belonged and had absolutely no clue what it was to play the role of loving wife and mother. For crying out loud, I'd wished away my own baby brother! No, kids were definitely not on my immediate horizon. This was just another shred of proof that he didn't really know me at all.
A decidedly impatient knocking began at the door. I quickly covered the picture with a corner of the bedspread before making my way hesitantly towards the noise, unashamedly suspicious over who might be visiting so soon after I had just returned across the hall. A short green creature in holey jeans and a flannel pushed the door open and darted into the room before I could even open my mouth.
"So? How did it go this morning?" Raelle's yellow eyes flashed sinfully. I admit, despite having been shown the proof of her natural nature only hours before, it was still the teensiest bit disconcerting to see my friend reduced to a green version of a Smurf. True, she was a strangely pretty, lithe version of a Smurf, but her skin was green for crying out loud!
"I have no idea what you're talking about." I closed the door and proceeded to untie the ribbons at my shoulders.
"Nice try, Sar, but I know you were in Sire's chambers all day, and from the looks of your hair, some pillow action was involved." She wiggled her eyebrows playfully.
I snorted. "He wishes. Didn't so much as cop a feel, even with the help of alcohol," I gloated, rather pleased by my apparent ability to fend off a full-blooded Fae male, until I remembered how close I had truly come to succumbing to him. The blush on my cheeks was a witness to the truth; I was only still pure because Jareth could actually be a gentleman…in his own way.
"He gave you Fae wine?" She shrieked.
I rolled my eyes and peeled the long sleeves of my gown off my shoulders and arms, letting the whole thing drop unceremoniously to the ground. "Yeah…the stuff knocked me out for hours, not to mention the dreams…" I halted my words as another surge of heat flowed across my face. I definitely had no plans of divulging details of that dream to anyone, let alone Rachel, erm, Raelle.
"What are you doing?"
I turned towards her suddenly accusatory voice while pulling a t-shirt over my head. Her unnatural eyes stared at me like I was caught in the act of committing some heinous crime.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting out of this ridiculous dress and into some more comfortable clothes…since you were so sweet as to bring my jeans back and all." I pulled the familiar cotton pants over my ankles and nearly moaned with delight at the comfort flooding through my being.
"Technically, it was His Majesty that was sweet, and I'm sorry but I have to put my foot down! You can't go to dinner dressed like that."
"Ooh, I'm really scared. You're like what, three feet tall now? You putting your foot down would be like me tapping my big toe. Besides, you're wearing jeans…don't you think you're being a little hypocri-"
I was interrupted by an over-stuffed pillow smacking against the side of my face.
I actually growled before leveling my deadliest glare at her.
"My, my, we are in a mood. Wake up on the wrong side of the King's bed?"
"You're lucky I'm speaking to you at all! Besides, I thought you were making yourself scarce so big bad Aetia didn't know you were here."
She snorted before flopping down into one of the chairs by the fireplace. "Whatever. She can bite me. And why are you getting so upset now? You were fine earlier."
"Yeah, well maybe it just took a little while to sink in," I grumbled while plaiting my long hair into a sloppy braid. "I mean, how could you, Ray? How would you feel if you found out I was only pretending to be what I was, and the next thing you knew I was helping kidnap you to some far away land where the ruler wanted you for a slave?"
She rolled her eyes and mimicked playing a violin. "Really, Sar…could you be any more dramatic?"
With a huff, she stood and began rummaging through my closet. Her voice, though muffled, called out with an edge of impatience as if she were speaking to a child. "I refuse to allow you to be upset about this. What's done is done. You're here, I'm here, you're married to the King, and if you play your cards right, you'll live happily ever after, yadda, yadda, yadda."
She reemerged, her arms overflowing with piles of glittery fabric which she dumped in the chair she'd been sitting in, before standing right before me. "So get it all out. And then…Move. On."
Her sudden break in character was enough to stun me to temporary silence. She sounded so…grown-up for once and I honestly didn't know how to deal with her. And she clearly was not really the least bit sorry for her part in all this. It was nearly as frustrating as dealing with Jareth. Why couldn't they understand how I was feeling?
Because they aren't human, Sarah! You may as well ask yourself why you can't understand how they are feeling.
My voice was quiet and calm when I finally found it. "I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. I'm being totally honest, Raelle;" I paused after saying her real name for the first time, "this whole situation is pretty ridiculous to me, and I'm having a really hard time accepting that this is my life now. But I told Jareth I'm going to try, and I guess I'll make the same promise to you."
I sat on the edge of the bed and didn't flinch when she took a seat beside me. Her tiny fingers began untangling my hair in a way so familiar it made me ache for home. "Duh," she laughed softly. My eyes met her face and I had to smile at her charming little grin. "What is it you humans like to say? Rome wasn't built in a day?" Her eyes softened until she looked almost repentant. "But for what it's worth, I am sorry, Sarah. Not for you being here, but for lying to you and for playing a part in making you feel this way."
And just like that, the edge of my irritation faded. I resigned myself not to be mad at her anymore, but I would be careful. Despite their unnatural color, her lemony eyes shone with the same affection she'd always shown me while playing human. I had to accept that her allegiance would unfortunately always stand with her King first, but she did care about me, and her friendship was real.
"Okay, so there is still one thing about all this I don't understand," I forced my face into a serious expression and gave her my best stern look. "If you knew all along I was meant to come back here and marry Jareth, why oh why did you force me on all those horrible dates? The last guy never even showed up!"
"Relax. I knew none of those losers would ever interest you. In fact, there was nobody on Earth that could 'coz you were already promised to His Majesty. See, if you'd grown up here, you'd understand about claims and courtships and marriage, but you didn't, so you'll just have to trust me. You were never in any danger of falling in love with anyone but His Majesty, so I didn't think it was a big deal for you to get some practice at being around guys, not to mention it certainly helped me out in the romance department. Plus, the last guy did show up, you just don't remember it, so stop being so pissy!"
I didn't even know where to begin. My mind was scrambling to pick through the wealth of information that had just spewed from her mouth. She seemed to realize she'd unleashed more than planned because one look at my puzzled yet increasingly irate face and she clamped a hand over her lips and her eyes widened in panic.
"Shit."
"I double that emotion," I retorted flatly.
"Umm, probably best not to tell Sire about all that…I can explain, I swear…"
"You'd better."
"See, I was actually supposed to make sure no other guy…um…touched you, if any ever got a chance to get that close. But, I could tell pretty much from the get-go that you were already completely gone on someone else," she paused and actually smiled sweetly. "It was actually sorta cute the way you were so head over heels for him even though you thought you'd made him up…I know you tried to hide it, but that's sort of impossible to do around a hobgoblin."
"Get to the point," I growled, completely bypassing the knowledge that Jareth had essentially slapped 'Rachel' on me as some warped version of a chastity belt. Sire and I could discuss that later.
"Right. Okay, so I decided to change my mission – unbeknownst to Sire of course – and get you to loosen up a little so that when you finally did come face to face with your dream guy…" she grinned again. At this point she was lucky I wasn't trying to suffocate that smiling face with the pillow she'd launched at me. "…you wouldn't pass out at the sight of him in all his sensual glory."
I coughed, or maybe sputtered was a better word choice. Sensual glory? That was the second time my 'friend' had alluded to the fact that she more than appreciated my 'husband's' attributes. Raelle had never been one for tact, that was for sure, but after lying to me for six months, forcing me on a string of bad dates for my supposed own good, and delivering me almost lock, stock and barrel virtuous and pure to what I considered to be a figment of my imagination, one would think she'd be a bit more embarrassed by her actions, or at the very least, not nearly as ballsy as she was.
"Raelle, you said before that the last date never showed, but just now you said he did and I just didn't remember. Which was it?"
"Did I? Silly me, must have had too much Vodka this morning…" She scrambled off the bed and made for the door. I grabbed her hair. Low blow to be sure, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
"Raelle…" I warned in a sing-song voice. "Don't make me tug."
I blinked furiously as the black hair wrapped around my fingers transformed into a pale, silvery blonde color that I recognized all too well. Raelle's entire body blurred before transforming into an exact replica of her arrogant king. Dropping my hand entirely, I stumbled back from the Jareth clone and ended up on my rear end in the middle of the chamber.
"You dare touch the King?" She attempted to make her voice low and commanding but somehow her naturally high, tinny voice just couldn't get that arrogant posturing thing down pat.
Realizing it was actually still Raelle the hobgoblin, and not some other trick of His Majesty's, I stood with a smirk on my lips. "Wouldn't you just like to know?" I snickered.
Her borrowed eyes attempted to harden, but within a moment, they filled with laughter and her body blurred again, this time settling on the image of Aetia. "My lady, such provocative thoughts you have."
"At the moment, my thoughts are rather murderous."
"Sarah Williams, you mind your tone right now!" This time the voice was a near perfect match to accompany the image of my step-mother.
I gasped and backed up a step. Somehow, the sight of someone from home was far more powerful to me than anything else.
Warm hands enveloped my bare arms almost immediately. I realized Raelle was once again the familiar human woman I'd befriended. "Oh, shit, Sar; I'm such an idiot. I didn't even think!"
I shook my head and forced a small smile on my lips, not really willing to delve into the subject of home and family with her. "It's fine. Can you really…emulate anyone you want?"
She grinned her wicked grin; the one I'd seen numerous times right before she set off on one of her conquests to get a hot guy to fall hopelessly in love with her. In the next thirty seconds, I was treated to a veritable visual buffet of some of the most popular musicians and movie stars on the planet. By the time her form settled on a perfect replica of Homer Simpson, we were near tears from laughter. Honestly, the emotional roller coaster I'd stepped on since returning to my room was enough to induce multiple personality disorder or something. However, her talent could prove to be useful.
"Ray…do you know anything about the visitors we're supposed to be getting tomorrow?"
She snorted. "You mean Aralia?" She shifted again into the epitome of a fairy princess. Long hair the color of autumn leaves coated in gold dust cascaded over a perfect hour glass figure. Ice blue eyes framed by inky lashes fluttered amidst a face that was both angular and soft, complete with full rosy lips. "Oh look at me, I'm so beautiful. I'm just so perfect in every way. Don't you just love me?"
Before I could comment, the impossibly beautiful woman actually seemed to shed her skin like a snake, revealing an old crone that reminded me of the Wicked Witch of the West. "If beauty really were skin deep, this is what she would look like." She continued to mumble a string of rather colorful expletives.
"Let me guess; you like her just as much as you do Aetia?"
The ugly old woman immediately transformed back into Raelle's usual hobgoblin form. "Oh my freakin' god, Sarah. She is so much worse than Aetia! You have no idea!"
"Is it just these two that piss you off so much, or is it all women of the Underground?"
"If you're trying to suggest that I'm jealous, you can just wipe that little grin right off your face. You'll see what I mean. Just take my advice, and don't let her be alone with Sire. She's poison."
"Then why on earth is he letting her come here?"
"Well, it's not like he really has a choice. He may be in charge in this kingdom, but even he has to take orders from the High King."
"Which would be his father," I said with just the slightest tone of sarcasm. Seriously, what fully grown adult cared so much what their parents said?
"It's more complicated than that," she whined, obviously frustrated with this line of questioning.
"Fine," I sighed. "But it would be really nice if someone would just fill me in sometime." I'm not as stupid as you all seem to think.
"Sar, please believe me when I say I want to tell you, but I can't. It's not my place."
"Can't you at least tell me why I can't remember that last date? It has something to do with Jareth, doesn't it?" My eyes narrowed like imaginary tractor beams. I could read in her face that she was hoping I'd just let this go, but I wasn't nearly as afraid of her as I was Jareth, and she couldn't distract me the way he could.
I saw it the moment she caved – like a flame flickering out on a candle – but I kept my face perfectly calm. "I…I can't really tell you why you don't remember, but I will say, your date's name was Jared. He was tall, blonde, and gorgeous, and unlike any of your other dates, you fell right into his arms."
She zipped her lips, patted my arm, and added, "Now please don't mention this little display of my talent to His Majesty. Technically it's against the rules to impersonate a living Fae."
"As opposed to a dead one?" I replied cheekily. If I was honest with myself, I couldn't decide whether I was more annoyed at the fact that he'd obviously played the human for me, or that I couldn't remember it.
"Hardy, har, har. You're a laugh riot, Sar!" She stepped over to the massive pile of gowns and pulled three out, flinging them to the bed. Unfortunately, all her flouncing around shifted the cover off of the picture frame I'd stashed. I made to grab it, but of course she was quicker. "Where the hell did this come from? I didn't pack anything like this, I thought it would just make you-" Her words cut off immediately. She had a nasty habit of doing that.
"Would make me what, sad? Make me realize once again that I was kidnapped from my family? Albeit a family that barely seemed to want me…" I mumbled the last bit, but I'd no doubt she'd heard me anyway.
She sighed; a long suffering sound full of a multitude of words she wisely kept to herself. There was absolutely no point in starting our discussion over again. One step forward and all that.
A little smile graced her lips as she looked upon the two males that had previously been the center of my world, no matter how much I felt like an outsider. "Toby was always such a cute little thing. Remember the time he put his toy cars all over your floor as some sort of booby trap, or alarm or something because he was so sure goblins were sneaking into your room?"
Even I had to smile wryly at the memory. Oh, if only his efforts had worked…
"Just imagine how cute yours and Jareth's kids will be."
I felt myself begin to shut down again as her simple sentence echoed through my head. How in the world did she manage to hit upon the issue I had only moments before been completely freaked out about? I stood very slowly as if my careful movements would somehow keep me from shaking apart. "Um, yeah, I'm not even sure I want kids."
An expression of complete incredulity struck her face before she hid it under a mask of indifference that I was noticing the Underground folk were all too adept at. "Does…does Sire know you feel this way?"
I fussed with my hair at the mirror and shrugged. No. Sire did not know, and I knew Sire would not be happy. I also suspected it wouldn't matter how I felt; which was yet another reason why it was so important that I not give in to him. "We haven't really discussed that. It's a bit soon to be worrying about things like that. I mean, we hardly know each other, and from what I understand about life spans down here, it's not like we're about to run out of time." I tried for a laugh, but even to my ears it sounded like the bark of nervous hyena.
From the reflection in the mirror, Raelle's eyes widened and she looked nearly as frozen as I felt. "What is it? What aren't you telling me now?" I groaned as I turned towards her.
"Nothing. It's nothing." Her soft voice was in direct conflict with her words. After a moment of silence, she shuddered and her face was once again adorned with her peppy smile. I tried not to think about how disconcerting that was. How many times had she used that façade of optimism to hide the truth from me? Had anything she said really been the truth? A sliver of unease slid down my spine nonetheless. I desperately wanted to trust Raelle. I even wanted to trust Jareth, if for no other reason than the hope that somehow this whole situation could miraculously end well and I could have my happily ever after. But trust was the one thing that could cost me more than anything.
I let my eyes convey just how much I wasn't buying what she was selling, while she in turn made it clear that no amount of friendship or coaxing would make her talk. The whole situation was too tiring for words and I was suddenly annoyed with myself for thinking, even for a moment, that I could just sit back and relax and let it all unfold around me. If it took bargaining with a Fae king and maintaining a defensive wall around my friend in order to keep my head above water here, then so be it.
"Fine. If sharing time is over, then I think it is time for the little green girl to go make mischief somewhere else. Apparently I have a state dinner to get ready for, and I'm sure His Majesty wouldn't appreciate me being late because of a little girl talk," I grouched while opening the door of my chamber and looking at Raelle expectantly.
"Cold. Real cold, Sar," her sunny yellow eyes twitched with irritation.
"Yes well, it's not like you don't have it coming to you."
"Touche." She touched two fingers to her brow in some sort of salute or courtly gesture. "Fine. I'm going, but before I do..." she looked me over slowly, starting with my feet and ending with my hair. "There. Much better. Can't have you lookin' a rag-a-muffin in front of lover boy!" She scooted out the door cackling merrily, bowing somewhat clumsily as Jareth passed her just beyond the doorframe.
Heat spread through my cheeks at her parting comment – one he no doubt heard quite clearly – and in response to the feral look blooming in his eyes as he looked me over thoroughly.
"Sarah; you are feast for the eyes."
He walked in that slow, feline way of his until he was behind me. His fingers teased through my hair before resting on my shoulders, turning my body so we faced the large mirror on the wall. Not surprisingly, Raelle had dressed me to match him, though I had no idea how she knew what he'd be wearing. Both our outfits were varying hues of green. My gown was once again a medieval monstrosity. And to think you used to wear these for fun!
His eyes locked on mine in the mirror and it was nearly impossible to remember that I was annoyed with him…again. I was so tired of being annoyed. So tired of being on my guard every second. It would be so much easier to just. stop. fighting.
Easier, but not smarter.
I blinked slowly as I internally reorganized my troops. "Thank you. You look very handsome yourself," I spoke quietly and with little emotion. But my compliment obviously pleased him, if his sexy little grin was any indication.
"I have a surprise for you."
It sounded too much like 'I've brought you a gift' for my liking, but for the benefit of our truce, I tried to look excited. "I thought we had some fancy dinner to go to?"
"We do." His smile widened and he offered me his arm. "Trust me?"
Absolutely not! I thought, but I placed my hand on his arm regardless, and gasped softly when he pulled me tightly to him. As before, the room shimmered and stretched before seeming to peel away from itself. Within the blink of an eye, we stood in the doorway to the banquet hall. Three of the dearest creatures I'd ever met sat surrounding the enormous table looking hysterically uncomfortable.
I blinked several times to make sure this wasn't some mirage, before turning to smile genuinely at the beautiful man at my side. "You did this for me?"
"Of course, my dear. As I've said, none dine with the King…usually. Did you think I'd make such a grand exception for just anyone?"
Some of my gratitude waned at his ever-ready smirk. He was exorbitantly pleased with himself. I couldn't let him realize just how glad I was to see all my friends together. I respectfully unwrapped my hand from his arm and ran to the three souls who had risked their very lives to help me once upon a time, wrapping each in a happy embrace before stepping back to realize each looked quite different than normal.
"Hoggle, what in the world are you wearing? And Sir Didymus…and Ludo?" My eyes swept over my friends one at a time, trying to make sense of their apparel. Hoggle's normal cream shirt and leather vest were replaced by a black dinner coat complete with a polka dotted bow-tie. Sir Didymus wore what appeared to be a tiny navy suit –doll clothes? – and Ludo…his usually matted fur had been shellacked into straight lines plastered flat to his head, on which he wore a bowler hat. Two tiny gold ribbons were wound around his horns.
Hoggle groaned and hid his face in his hand. "She made us. Says we had to look presentable since we wuz dinin' with the King." His grubby finger pointed towards the pale green female standing by the far end of the table.
My gaze flittered unconsciously to Jareth, registering that he was having just as much difficulty as I was at keeping a straight face.
Meanwhile, Raelle was positively brimming with pleasure. She bounced from one foot to another, hands clasped in front of her, and a huge smile on her face. "Aren't they great? I got all of it in that thrift store where we found your sofa!"
"The lady doth have excellent taste," Sir Didymus' voice extolled valiantly as he preened his paws over his suit coat.
Ludo groaned and lifted his much larger hand to his head, poking at the ridiculous hat like it was going to bite him. "Ludo feel stwange," he lamented.
Hoggle merely groaned again and did his very best impression of someone desperately wishing he could disappear through a hole in the floor.
It was all too much. The turmoil I'd been subjected to in these past five days – the secrets, the plotting, the riddles, the near constant seduction and manipulation into false security – and now this most ridiculous sight…I cracked. Laughter bubbled forth from my throat before I could do anything about it. I'm talking the side-splitting, tears in your eyes, almost silent sobbing kind of laughter. A hand gripping my hip alerted me that I was not alone in my current state. From the corner of my eye I observed His Majesty bent over at the waist, gasping for breath as great peals of laughter echoed through the hall. He held on to me in an effort to stay upright. I'd heard his laughter before, but it had never sounded so joyous and genuine. I laughed even harder at the realization that he probably thought I was truly only amused, rather than being nuttier than a peanut butter sandwich.
A small huff of disapproval managed to filter through our merriment. Raelle was tapping her foot, arms crossed at the ready, and scowling.
"Some people just don't appreciate good fashion sense."
"Sorry, Ray, it's just…" My words trailed off as I was attacked by another round of snickering.
"Well I think they look nice. This is a special occasion and I'm sorry, but have you seen their normal clothes?"
"Yes, well, there is little need for costumes. One should be who they are." The words were plain enough, but Jareth couldn't seem to keep the holier than thou quality from his voice, as if he were above all these shenanigans.
I immediately saw red. But I couldn't just start yelling. We had an agreement.
I swallowed my wrath until it was a simmering ball of fire in my stomach. "Oh really? Well, you're one to talk…Jared," I fluttered my eyelashes at him sweetly, secretly dancing for joy at the suddenly uncomfortable expression marring his perfectly arrogant face.
A/N: What can I say...I really am ashamed that it took so long to update. I am currently working on three stories and NONE have had a recent update. My muse was not only absent, I think it was chained in a basement or something. This chapter was probably the hardest thing I've ever written. I had three sections of it done for so long, but couldn't link them together. I'm still not sure I like it...but there are parts that I do? LOL. And though it probably seems like filler, I can say I laced it with a lot of important information about the characters. Also, I hope it speaks to those of you who felt she forgave Raelle too soon. Sarah is very, very confused. She vacillates between being smitten with Jareth and positively loathing him. Can you blame her for trying to cling to something familiar? She is realizing that she is being made the pawn and she can't really put her faith in anyone. Plus, it has not even been a week since she went Underground. She has not really grasped the concept that she is there to stay. Slooooowww burn...
Jareth's POV is nearly done and will be posted as his own chapter hopefully very soon. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favorited this story. It really does mean a lot to me and if you made it this far, I thank you again for sticking with me. I have no right to ask for it - as delinquent as I am - but I would treasure your reviews if you saw fit to leave one for me:) Ludo in a bowler hat will give you hugs if you do...