A Wish Unspoken: A Christmas Tale
Epilogue: New Year's Eve
(For Niki Maweird)
Sarah stood in front of her full-length mirror and turned this way and that, examining her reflection. She wasn't sure about her ensemble. The teal sweater she had chosen covered all the necessary bits, but still hugged her curves and accentuated her bust. Her skirt hit just above her knees, allowing just the right amount of long, shapely leg to show. She had traded her sensible shoes for some sleek black heels that she'd snagged at a sample sale a few months back. All in all Sarah knew she looked good. Perhaps that was the problem.
"I'm going out," she told herself. "I should look good."
"You're going out with the Goblin King," hissed the annoying voice from the back of her mind.
"It's not a romantic date," Sarah told the voice. "We're making a truce. This is in all reality a meeting of opposing sides to set aside our disagreements and stop the unnecessary fighting."
"Uh-huh," answered the voice. "That's why you're wearing lipstick and sexy heels."
"That's not for him," Sarah grumbled. "I want to look presentable if I'm going to be out on New Year's Eve."
"You want to look pretty for the Goblin King," teased the wicked little voice.
Sarah was about to argue further when the doorbell rang.
"There he is. Don't hurt yourself rushing to the door."
"Shut. Up!"
The little voice chuckled lightly, but remained quiet as Sarah went to answer her door.
"I hope this isn't a ginormous mistake," she said to herself as she reached for the doorknob. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.
"I don't know about 'ginormous,'" said Jareth with a smirk. "Perhaps exceptionally large or impressively huge." He cocked his head to one side and winked at her.
Sarah shook her head and groaned. "Come in, Your Majesty," she told him.
He walked past her into her living room and stopped and looked around. Sarah felt his scrutinizing gaze taking in every inch of her humble living space.
"It's not much," she gushed. "I got a great deal on it though. Plus it has a nice view of the park."
Jareth turned to her and smiled. "I like it," he told her genuinely. "It's very you: warm, whimsical…" He paused and picked up her copy of The Joy of Sex from her cluttered bookshelf. "Unexpected," he continued with a sly grin.
Sarah felt her face flush as he thumbed through the book. She noticed he looked different. His wild blonde hair was combed back and fastened into a neat ponytail at the base of his neck. His attire, normally regal and bordering on pretentious, was now subdued yet elegant. He wore a burgundy button-down shirt with a mandarin collar, slim black pants and simple but stylish black leather boots. His outfit was topped off with a charcoal grey woolen coat and a plaid scarf.
Sarah's face flushed deeper when Jareth caught her staring at him. "Do you approve?" he asked, indicating his clothing. Sarah nodded, inwardly berating herself.
"You look quite lovely yourself, Sarah," he told her as he set the book aside and stepped toward her. He looked her up and down, not lasciviously, but rather in an appreciative manner. "Quite lovely," he said again softly.
Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat and took a deep breath. "I'll get my coat if you're ready to go," she told the Goblin King. He nodded but didn't say anything more.
Sarah pulled her black pea coat from the closet, but before she could shrug it on, Jareth had taken it from her hands and opened it up for her.
"Allow me," he said as he held the coat out for her and helped her slip her arms into the sleeves. He gently swept her hair up and smoothed the coat over her shoulders.
"Um…thanks," mumbled Sarah. She grabbed her purse and keys and turned out the unnecessary lights. Jareth offered her his arm and she took it and after locking up, they left her apartment.
"So…" began Sarah as they walked down the icy street arm in arm. "What's on the agenda for this evening?"
Jareth blew out a long puff of wispy air. "I thought you and I would have a nice dinner, some fine wine and some pleasant conversation. Beyond that, I have no clue," he told her with a smile.
"What, no dastardly plans to trick me and steal me away to the Underground?" Sarah asked.
Jareth was about to angrily protest, but he saw her amused expression and knew she was joking.
"Not this time," he answered with a chuckle.
They walked along for quite a while, talking about this and that. Sarah told Jareth all about the crazy Christmas celebration she had shared with her family. She had been understandably relieved to see her father. However, the extended family had come in from all over the country to stay at her childhood home and the result had been a lesson in patience and endurance. Sarah had spent the holiday dodging questions from well-meaning aunts about her job, her finances, and most importantly her relationship status.
"Sarah has a date with a mystery man for New Year's Eve," Karen had told them all with a giddy grin.
Sarah regretted telling her stepmother about her "date" with Jareth, but it had served as an excuse to escape back to the city a bit early.
"Ooh!" her aunts had cried. "Is this the One?"
"He's… he's something," Sarah had told them wistfully.
She looked up at Jareth as they walked along the frozen streets together. As "normal" as he looked outwardly with his mundane clothing and his not-wild-blonde-with-blue-highlights hair, there was still an unmistakable sense of Otherworldliness about him. He was inhumanly beautiful, unquestionably outside the realm of the "natural" world. Something, indeed.
Before either of them really realized it, they reached their destination, a dimly lit and unmarked door at the bottom of some stairs just below the street level. Sarah glanced at Jareth warily as they descended.
"Don't worry, Precious," he told her with a slight smile. He gave three short raps on the door and it was opened by a freckled young woman with fiery hair. The woman's big blue eyes flew open wide when she saw who stood at the door and she bent low in a nervous bow.
"Your Majesty!" the woman spoke reverently. "Welcome. Please come in. It is an honor to have you here."
"Thank you," Jareth answered. He smiled gratefully at the young woman as she led them through the door and into the building. A blast of warm air scented with pine and cloves and cinnamon greeted them as they entered. Sarah looked around the bustling room they had stepped into. It was full to near-bursting with happy chattering people. The walls were festooned with garlands of fragrant evergreen and holly. A huge stone fireplace hung with greenery took up the entire far wall. Candles flickered from every corner, throwing dancing shadows across the floor and ceiling. Tables were piled high with delicacies and roasted meats and an assortment of fruits and Sarah's mouth watered at the sight of the rich foods.
Jareth watched as she took it all in and smiled to himself. He took her by the arm and led her gently toward a large ornately carved table at the center of the room. As they passed though the chattering crowds of revelers conversations abruptly stopped and heads bowed low in acknowledgement of the Goblin King and his beautiful companion. The room fell silent as Jareth pulled out a chair for Sarah and she seated herself. Jareth took his seat beside her and nodded to the waiting crowd. At his signal, the chatter and bustle resumed and Sarah gazed at him in awe. He sat regally watching the activity in the room as the crowd talked and laughed, all the while regarding him with keen interest and respect. Sarah shook her head as she studied him, an Otherwordly king, a powerful Fay, a man who could silence a room by simply setting foot into it.
The evening was an enjoyable one. Sarah and Jareth ate heartily and talked about the everyday ordinary things of their lives: work, family, goblins, edicts and the growing lack of wished-away children. Sarah expressed her surprise that so few believed enough in magic to call on the Goblin King.
"What about all of these people?" she asked him, indicating the crowd of revelers surrounding them.
Jareth chuckled. "Can you not tell that these are my own kind?" he questioned in reply. "Not all are Fay, but all belong to the realm of magic and wishes."
"All except me," said Sarah.
Jareth gazed at her, half amused and half wistful. "No," he whispered. "Even you carry magic, Sarah. It's wild and untrained, but powerful nonetheless."
Sarah began to question him further, but he rose abruptly and offered her his hand.
"Would you care to dance?" he asked.
She nodded in reply and took his hand and the room once again fell silent. The crowds parted as Jareth led her to the center of the large space that had become the dance floor. Sarah's breath caught in her throat as his hand settled on her waist, warm even through his leather gloves. The musicians began to play a slow waltz and Sarah found herself swept into the graceful dance. The crowd around them merely watched for a moment as the king danced with his lovely partner before they began to join in. Sarah didn't want to look at Jareth, though she wasn't sure why. She tried to look at the people around them dancing, but the whirling couples made her dizzy and she was forced to focus on her partner. Jareth smiled down at her.
"Why are you still so nervous, Sarah? I feel you trembling like a frightened rabbit."
Sarah tried to return his smile, but it was weak. "I'm dancing with a king," she told him.
"But you've done so before, or have you forgotten?" said Jareth knowingly.
Sarah glanced up at him, surprised. "But I thought—I thought that was just a dream, a distraction."
"It was," Jareth told her. "It was a shared dream and quite a lovely distraction, was it not?" Sarah couldn't miss the pleased smirk on his beautiful face.
"I thought you wanted me to win," she said.
"I never said that," argued the Goblin King. "I said I wanted you to learn. And what use is a game if both players are not entitled to a prize, however small or fleeting?"
Sarah remained silent, calmly regarding the king as he swept her gracefully around the room. She could make no sense of him. He was warm at times, cool and aloof at others. He was full of tricks and mischief, yet there was a sense of benevolence about his desire to teach and guide her. He was fierce and powerful and terrible and…quite a remarkable dancer, Sarah mused. He bore the weight of his power with such trained grace and elegance. Sarah knew that under such responsibility she would be clumsy, awkward. A secret, long-ignored part of her ached with the thought that she would never possess the regal bearing and grace that would make her worthy of him. She pushed the thought away. What did any of that matter? She was not fifteen years old and could no longer be charmed by a simple dance. Besides, he was likely to be bored with her by tomorrow. She was only mortal after all.
"I would offer you a penny for your thoughts," said Jareth, "but I fear you would be underselling them at that price."
Sarah looked up to see the Goblin King smiling down at her and she blushed. She was dancing with a magical king and she had gotten lost in her own thoughts again.
"Sorry," she told him. "I'm not very good company, am I?"
Jareth laughed. "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah," he said shaking his head. "My little daydreamer."
He chuckled a bit and drew her closer to him until her head was against his firm chest and she could feel his heart beating against her cheek. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythmic thumping and remembered the long ago dream dance she had shared with the king. She had not felt fear then, but rather a nervous excitement. Her heart had been beating wildly in her chest as she'd scanned the glistening ballroom for the elusive Fay king. It had nearly stopped when he'd suddenly appeared before her, regal and imposing and impossibly beautiful. Sarah smiled against Jareth's chest, remembering how he had looked in his bejeweled coat and oh-so-tight breeches.
Her thoughts were interrupted as the music stopped and the dance ended. Sarah reluctantly pulled away from Jareth and curtsied as gracefully as she could in answer to his low bow. As the musicians were applauded, the red-haired woman who had greeted them at the door approached and bowed before the king. She offered him an instrument that looked to Sarah like a lute.
"Your Majesty," she said sweetly. "We would be honored if you would play and sing for us."
Jareth took the instrument from her and smiled. "Of course," he said. "I would be happy to."
Sarah left his side and followed the crowd back to the tables where they were seated to listen. In the center of the room, Jareth slowly removed his dark gloves. Sarah had never seen his hands before and was entranced by the long pale fingers that swept skillfully over the strings of the lute.
His voice though, she remembered. Low and darkly sweet, the baritone notes rang through the room, echoing off the beamed ceiling and the dark paneled walls. Sarah closed her eyes and listened as he sang.
In hovels of stone or towers of glass
On sheets of spun silk or a blanket of grass
The mighty and lowly are born, live and pass
And the sun still rises and sets
Time passes over the great and the small
From the humblest of men to the fiercest of all
And each in his turn will face the Great Hall
And the sun still rises and sets
For Time respects neither the coin nor the sword
But gathers the souls of both servant and lord
And takes them to realms of despair or reward
And the sun still rises and sets
So beggar and king and master and maid
Be not wanting when in the balance you're weighed
For what's done is done and what's said is said
And the sun still rises and sets
Dance lively and sing in the light of the day
For Time is a thief and soon steals it away
So live while you can and love while you may
While the sun still rises and sets
The room was silent as the last notes faded and then the crowd broke into thunderous applause. Sarah clapped too, but her thoughts were again far away. She looked out at the beautiful king as he bowed gracefully to the crowd before turning his gaze upon her. His mismatched eyes met hers and she felt blood rushing to her cheeks. He looked as if he was about to say something but was stopped when a man with pointed ears and a coat made of green leaves announced the approach of midnight. The crowd cheered and gathered in the center of the room as the countdown began. Sarah stood and scanned the crowded room, but could see no sign of Jareth.
"Looking for me?" purred a silken voice from behind her. She turned and saw him smiling at her.
"I…uh…yes," she stammered.
The countdown reached ten. Jareth took her hand and pulled her toward him. Sarah gulped nervously.
"Surely you knew that I would expect to welcome the New Year with a kiss," said Jareth, smirking.
"Why does that not surprise me, Your Majesty?" Sarah replied with a smirk of her own.
The countdown reached five. Jareth's arms went around her and his head dipped down.
Sarah heard the countdown go to two, but heard nothing after that. The room seemed to still and go blurry around the edges as Jareth's lips caught hers in a breathless but unhurried kiss. She didn't hear the chimes of the clock as it rang in the New Year, didn't see the streamers or confetti that exploded into the air, didn't notice the amused glances of the revelers as they watched the king of the goblins kissing the mortal girl. She simply relaxed into his arms and allowed him to kiss her slowly, languidly.
"Happy New Year, Precious," he whispered gently into her ear before releasing her.
"Happy New Year," she echoed with a smile.
The streets were strangely empty and quiet as they walked back to her apartment in the early morning hours. Sarah placed her hand in Jareth's, twining her fingers between his. He looked down at her and grinned.
"That song you sang," Sarah began, "Why did you choose such a sad song?"
Jareth stopped walking and turned to her. "What makes you think it was sad?" he asked. "It's a song about life and love and making each day, each moment count."
"But you sang about death and Time being a thief and all that," argued Sarah.
"Yes, that's the point." Jareth told her. "Death and Time are the great equalizers of men, Sarah. You know this. We should live our lives the best we can and love fully and completely because, ultimately, we must face our end whether we're lord and master or servant."
"But not you, right?" asked Sarah. "You're immortal."
Jareth gazed solemnly into her eyes. "I will not grow old," he said. "But I will meet an end. I have already lived thousands of your lifetimes and among my own kind I am considered very young. Still, at some time in the future I will cease to exist. We all must."
"I…I didn't know," Sarah mumbled. Jareth squeezed her hand and pulled her close to him.
"Live while you can and love while you may," he whispered. He pressed his mouth against hers once again. Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers tangling in the silky strands of his hair. His mouth moved gently over hers, softly caressing at first, then deepening, becoming more insistent, passionate. Sarah pulled away from him, breathless.
"Jareth," she said huskily. "I don't think we should… I mean, we shouldn't rush. We've only just become friends. You told me I should think before I act and speak, so I'm thinking. In fact, I've been thinking all evening." Sarah stepped away from him and began to pace along the frozen sidewalk.
"I'm an ordinary mortal, Jareth, and you're…well, you. A king, a magical one at that. I know enough of fairytales to know what happens when my kind gets mixed up with one of yours. I know perhaps you don't fully understand human emotions and morality, but I don't want one evening with the king and the rest of my life as a miserable wreck yearning for the touch of magic."
"Sarah…" Jareth chimed in, but Sarah gushed on.
"You're full of riddles and tricks, Jareth. You tell me to stop and think and consider my words, yet you sing about living in the moment and Carpe diem and all that jazz. I don't know what you want with me. I don't know what you want from me. If it's only about winning and claiming a prize, then I want no part of it. If there's more, well… we can discuss that, but you'll have to give me time."
Jareth put his hands on his hips and stared at her quizzically. "Carpe diem and all that jazz?" he asked. "Sarah, what are you blathering about?"
"I'm not blathering," she retorted. "I just need to know what your intentions are."
She straightened her back and gazed at Jareth who sighed and ran a gloved hand through his hair.
"I plan to take you back with me to the Underground and marry you and make you my queen and fill your belly full of gorgeous blue-eyed goblin princes," he stated flatly.
"What?!" Sarah exclaimed.
The Goblin King laughed. "Gods, Sarah. You are an infuriating girl."
Sarah crossed her arms over her chest. "It's not funny, Your Majesty."
Jareth stepped toward her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Yes, Precious. Yes, it is."
He took her hand and they resumed walking. "Let me tell you a couple of things, Sarah dear. First of all, by all means, think. Weigh your actions and words carefully, but don't think so bloody far ahead. Secondly, I have no intentions other than to be with you at this moment. What happens later happens later. I could make you all sorts of promises and perhaps be able to keep some of them but not all. Is this how you begin all your relationships? If it is, I don't wonder why you're still single."
Sarah's mouth fell open at his words, but she found herself unable to argue. At best her dating life was sparse. Her relationships with men were all short-lived and Sarah knew deep down that it was due to her micro-management. She supposed it was a defense mechanism brought about by her mother's abandonment of her. Being in control made her feel safe. Sarah shook her head. How would she ever deal with having someone as unpredictable as the Goblin King in her life?
"You're thinking too much again," he warned her.
"Jareth, make up your bloody mind!" Sarah fumed. "Do you want me to think or not?"
"Sarah, how ever did you manage the labyrinth? You couldn't map it out, couldn't plan, couldn't see what came next or even mark where you'd been."
Sarah shrugged. "I don't know," she answered. "I guess I just took it one step at a time."
Jareth stopped and smiled at her. "There, you see? Think about the next step you take. Think about where the next moment will take you. Don't fixate on what might happen tomorrow or two weeks from now. All that will find you in time. Live now, Sarah. Examine the decisions of the present carefully, but don't let what's unknown steal from this moment. What do you want from this moment?"
Sarah thought, but only for a brief moment. "I think I want you to kiss me again," she replied.
"I will," Jareth began, "Only know this: I ask for nothing in return, I make no demands, I have no tricks and no games to play. What you do with this moment and those following is completely up to you, Sarah. I am yours to command."
Sarah gazed at the wild, powerful, beautiful Goblin King before her. He stood with one gloved hand outstretched, much the way he had before in that crumbing tower seven years earlier. This time, however, his hands were empty. He offered no crystals, no dreams, only himself on her own terms. Sarah smiled and took his hand.
"Jareth," she said in almost a whisper. "In this moment I want you to kiss me."
He leaned down and touched his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. "And what of this moment?" he asked.
"The same," she told him dreamily. He kissed her again, this time more deeply.
"And this one?" he whispered into her ear.
"More," she moaned. He caught her lips with his and kissed her fiercely. Sarah grabbed his coat lapels and pressed herself against him. He was warm and smelled of earth and mist and spiced wine. His scent and his kiss were intoxicating and Sarah felt blissfully drunk on both. When he finally released her, her knees were weak and wobbly.
"I should be getting you home, Precious," Jareth told her. She nodded slightly and placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her back to her apartment building. She turned to him when they reached her door.
"Jareth," she said reluctantly. "At this moment I'm not ready to ask you to stay. I hope you understand."
"Of course," Jareth answered, placing a delicate kiss on her forehead.
"Will I see you later?"
"I don't know, Precious. Later is later. But…perhaps."
Sarah nodded that she understood. Whatever happened would happen in its time. Somehow, even to her, the thought was comforting rather than worrisome.
"Thank you for a lovely evening," she said, offering the Goblin King her hand. He took it and bent low and kissed it.
"Till we meet again, Sarah," he said, smiling. Sarah smiled back at him and he disappeared in a swirl of cold air and glitter. She sighed and opened her door and stepped inside, pausing on the threshold to look back into the empty hallway.
"Till we meet again, Jareth," she whispered to the shadows.
~The End~
A/N:
As mentioned earlier, this piece is dedicated to Niki Maweird who was so very gracious in her review on DeviantART. Thank you, Lovely!
The song Jareth sings is my own creation. I've thought of writing a tune to it, but I'm better at performance than I am at composition. Anyone else who wants to give it a go, knock yourself out. Just send me a sound bite.
Some of the New Year's kiss scene was inspired (very loosely) by the movie "Bachelor Mother". It's an old, but wonderful film starring Ginger Rogers and David Niven (Yum!). What is it about pretty British boys named David? Niven, Tennant, Bowie... Anyway, if you haven't seen it, you should. Classic!
Many thanks to everyone who has stayed with this story. It has been tough going for me the last month or so. I was sick halfway through, and then my son was sick and in the hospital with pneumonia from Christmas Eve until the day after Christmas. To be honest, I think writing this has helped keep me sane. Thanks for all the reviews and well-wishes both here and on DeviantART.
I wish you all a very happy and blessed New Year!
Fanny
