My name is Sarah Williams, and I'm always running; running my mouth, running to save my brother, running away from uncomfortable situations like what just happened… I open the door to my bedroom and drop onto the bed with the grace of an elephant, sending a frustrated cry into the pillow. What exactly am I supposed to do about this? The goblin king has a crush on me? Or…loves me? God, that's insane! He's the villain! The villain, the villain, the villain. I might have a crush on the antagonists in some movies, but I wouldn't actually go for the bad guy in real life. Something in my mind is nagging at me that life isn't as black and white as that, that people aren't so simple when it comes to their motives.
And Jareth hasn't been so horrible lately now that I'm not playing his game. A long sigh escapes my throat. He hasn't done anything bad to me, and he hasn't threatened to do anything. But this is the goblin king we're talking about. The man who goes around stealing babies and making people solve next-to-impossible labyrinths. I sit up in bed, a thought coming to my mind. I really don't know anything about the Fae. I don't know why they do what they do. What if being king of the goblins means he has to take babies, even if he doesn't want to. Maybe that's why he's being so nice now. I don't know, because I didn't ask. And I had the perfect opportunity a few minutes ago, but of course I had to run away from it.
What happened to me? I don't feel like the Sarah Williams who faced unfathomable magic to save her brother. I bite my lip and think for a while; after a while I realize what I'm going to do, and I hope I won't regret it. Now I just need to psych myself up to actually do it.
Nine o'clock comes around a lot faster than I hoped it would, but I'm ready. I started getting ready the minute I made the decision to do this, but it had taken me forever to decide what to wear. I'm not normally so picky, but when you're planning to call on the king of the goblins, it might pay to look good…especially if he happens to find you attractive. I have to admit as I look into the full-length mirror hanging on my door; I look pretty good. Except for a white blazer with mid-length sleeves, I'm wearing all black, including knee high boots with heels. I've curled my dark hair enough for it to hang in gentle waves, and my makeup is as natural as possible. All in all, I'd say it's a perfect look for facing Jareth.
I've decided not to take any chances; I'm not going to be caught alone with him again until I know for sure what's going on. This meeting's going to be on my terms, so I'm going to a bar. Maybe it's not the classiest place to meet with a king, but there will be plenty of people there, and that's what's important. It'll just be easier to face him if I know there are other people around.
When I get there, I order a drink first. I'm not planning on getting drunk tonight, but a drink might make this a little easier. I find a table a little separate from the crowd and look around. The place isn't packed, since it's a Thursday night, but there are still quite a few people here. When I'm finished with the drink, I take a deep breath…and go to the restroom, then I go to the bar and order another drink before going back to my table. And once I'm back, I don't have any more excuses for not calling on him. I sigh; this might not even work. Maybe he only comes when you're wishing away a kid. But there's really only one way to find out, so I take another deep breath and speak quietly but clearly;
"I wish the goblin king was here with me right now."
Nothing happens. Great, now I feel like a complete idiot.
"Excuse me, did you call?"
I jump a little as suddenly sitting lazily in the chair in front of me is Jareth.
"I…yes, I did. I was just…"
I stop, not sure what to say, and I realize that he's taking in my appearance without any subtlety at all. He looks me up and down, before meeting my eyes again.
"Well, don't you look particularly pleasing tonight, Sarah?"
He speaks slowly, his words almost slurring together.
"Jareth, are you…drunk?"
He laughs before speaking again. "Absolutely not. I've only had a bit of goblin ale. It would take far more to get me intoxicated."
He has no idea that he's completely sloshed. Leave it to Jareth to use such big words when he's drunk. I sigh. We can't have a serious conversation when he's not sober…but maybe I can still ask him some questions. In fact, maybe I can use this to my advantage; he's sure to offer more information now, isn't he?
"I just wanted to ask you some questions."
"Ask away," he says after a short pause.
"Why do you take children?"
He scoffs, as though annoyed by the question.
"Because people wish for it to be done. You of all people should know that, Sarah." I frown.
"But why? Do you do it because you want to, or do you have to?" I ask.
He narrows his eyes at me and sits up a bit more in his chair
"There is no magic forcing me to take a wished away child if that's what you're asking. I'm guessing that's not what you wanted to hear, so let me ask you a question. Why do humans wish away children? Even in jest? My people can not have children so easily. It is something many Fae dedicate their lives to, having children. They are a blessing when we do have them, and we would never do something so abominable as wishing for them to be taken away from us. Words are far too powerful. So why do humans do it?"
I take in his words in stunned silence. I've never thought of this before, but it makes sense. The Fae are an entirely different species than humans; their lives are so different from humans' lives, and they don't have the same sense of justice as humans.
"I…don't know. I guess there are just some really horrible people in the world," I say.
"Yes, and wouldn't you want a child in that environment to be taken somewhere where they will be completely appreciated and loved?"
"But you said Toby would become one of you forever. I thought that meant you…"
"…would turn him into a goblin?" He smirked, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "No. The children become Fae eventually, and they go to live with Fae who desperately want a child. Their physical form does not change."
I sit back and think about everything he's just told me.
"And I was just a spoiled girl who thoughtlessly wished my little brother away. I'm sorry, Jareth. I really am."
He looks at me with a surprised expression before shaking his head.
"That's behind us now. But this is far too serious a discussion for tonight I think, Sarah. We seem to be in a drinking establishment. Come, let me buy you a drink."
I bite my lip, thinking about his offer.
"Are you sure you should drink any more?"
He laughs and stands up, wobbling a bit before righting himself.
"I'm perfectly fine. I'll be right back."
He makes his way to the bar, and I watch him go with a sigh. This is going…differently than I expected. Of course I never thought I'd see the goblin king drunk. Why is he drunk in the first place? Is it because of me? Because I left him earlier? Oh no. If this is what he's like because I ran out on him today, I don't even want to think about what he was like when I turned him down seven years ago.
It doesn't take him long to come back, and he sets a drink on the table for me before sitting back down across from me. I pick up the drink and look at it warily.
"What is this?"
"Honey bourbon," he replies
I frown and take a small sip of the drink, a little smile coming to my lips before I take another.
"It's good. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now tell me, Sarah. Did you call me back because of what I told you today?"
I set the drink down and nod.
"Yes. I'm sorry I ran away. It was just a very big revelation, and I wasn't sure how to handle it."
He gives me a mischievous smile and takes a large swig of his drink.
"How fascinating. I never thought I'd hear an apology from you, let alone two in one night. Perhaps I'm dreaming," he teases.
I roll my eyes at him, and he chuckles lightly.
"Don't push your luck, goblin king," I say wryly.
"Very well," He says as he stands up and offers me his hand. "Let's dance instead."
I eye his hand warily and shake my head.
"I'm not finished with my drink."
"No one will touch it. I'll make certain of that. Come now, surely the girl who solved my labyrinth isn't afraid of a dance."
I narrow my eyes at him but smile and stand up, taking his offered hand.
"Fine. Just one."
He laughs and drags me out onto the floor as a slow song suddenly begins to play. I realize it's David Bowie's version of "Wild is the Wind," and I smile; I love this song, and I've always had a thing for Bowie. He's just so gorgeous. Jareth pulls me into his arms, and I almost shiver feeling his hand on my waist. I've only been this close to him one other time, and despite the change of scenery, I suddenly feel like I've gone back in time to that moment. The way he's looking at me doesn't help either. He leans in to say something to me, and this time I really do shiver as I feel his breath against my ear.
"You do look beautiful tonight, Sarah." I bite my lip and feel a blush come to my cheeks. God, what is happening to me?
"Thank you," I reply quietly.
Despite the fact that he's drunk, Jareth seems steady on his feet as he leads me around the room. A few other people have joined us on the dance floor, but I'm not really paying much attention to anyone else. This is so strange, it almost doesn't feel real. When this night began, I never expected it to be like this, yet here I am dancing with the goblin king.
I really haven't had much to drink, but my head feels kind of fuzzy. I frown, worried that it could be something he's doing.
"Jareth, are you using magic on me right now?"
He pulls away slightly to look at me.
"I'm doing nothing," he says.
A thought finds its way to the front of my mind; he could be lying. What if he's been manipulating me the entire night? How do I know I can trust him?
His lips have turned down in a frown, and despite the song not being over, he pulls away from me, making his way back to the table. I follow, and when I take a seat across from him, I notice that his glass is full again. He picks it up and downs the entire drink at once.
I've offended him.
"Jareth, I'm…"
"…what…," he interrupts me. "…do I have to do to make you see that I mean you absolutely no harm?"
I shake my head and begin to speak, but he cuts me off again.
"What can I do to make you trust me?" His glass is somehow full again, and once again, he tips his head back and drinks the entire thing before filling it again.
"Jareth, please be careful. You're already drunk. You don't…"
"How sweet of you to care," he says wryly, his words slurring together more than they had been before. I bite my bottom lip, not sure what to do.
"Um…let's take a walk, Jareth." He looks at me with narrowed eyes, and I add, "Please?"
His expression softens slightly, and he stands and walks with me (well, wobbles, really) out of the bar. Without really thinking, I begin leading him towards my apartment.
"Sarah, I just want you to love me," he says, and I swear, if I had a drink at this moment, I would have choked on it at his bluntness.
"Maybe we should talk about this when you haven't been drinking alcohol like a camel drinks water," I say. Luckily, my apartment is close to the bar I chose, so it doesn't take us long to get there.
"Can you make it up the stairs?" I ask him.
"Of course…" he answers matter-of-factly before beginning up the steps and swaying slightly. I follow closely behind him, though if he falls, we'll probably both go tumbling down. I lead Jareth as quietly as possible to my bedroom and help him into my bed, where he collapses without another word.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I watch him while he sleeps. How exactly did this happen? When I imagined how this evening might go, I never thought the king of the goblins would end up in my bed at the end of the night. Oh, if that isn't an interesting thought. I shake my head and decide right now is not the time to think about everything. After changing into my pajamas, I lie down on my blue papasan chair in the corner of the room and fall asleep almost as fast as Jareth did.