Chapter Six: Torn From Reality
"I expect all of you here by six tonight. I mean it. You have to be prompt!" the
drama teacher ordered.
Sarah ignored the woman's warnings. She had far more important things on her
mind than a simple school play. There were certain questions that had been rolling
through her restless mind ever since she had returned to the campus the night prior. Then
there was that uneasy and almost anxious feeling growing in her stomach. She hadn't
been able to eat anything the whole day.
Jareth plagued her mind most often. She would think about something else,
something in her world, and his face would suddenly appear in between her thoughts. She
had had a test in her English and she had only succeeded in writing a few short answers.
The answers were vague and incomplete and she was sure that she had flunked the test
with flying colors.
"Thanks to you, Goblin King," she muttered under her breath.
Sarah realized that she had drifted into her own thoughts and forgotten about her
class and the teacher who had been addressing all of them. She straightened up in her
desk and looked to the front of the room. The teacher was no longer there. Sarah
glanced around herself and realized that the whole room was empty. She hadn't even
noticed all her classmates leave.
Sarah climbed out of her desk and lifted her books. She glanced around the room
one more time. It seemed too bright. Even the sun was too harsh and assaulting with the
heat it radiated. On the other hand, Sarah remembered how the Underground sun had
kissed her skin with sweet rays of warmth. It had a soft and gentle light that added to the
magic.
"Something isn't right," she thought to herself.
The halls were strangely empty. No one was walking to different classes, talking
in the halls, or waiting for an appointment. The only company she had was the echo of her
shoes slapping against the ground in a rhythmic pattern. Sarah shivered with uneasiness
and then hurried her walk into a brisk jog.
"Sarah, Sarah," a voice drifted to her down the hallway.
Sarah knew what the voice was and who it belonged to. She didn't need to turn
and confirm her suspicions. Sarah shook her head and continued at her quick pace. She
gripped her books closer to herself and hurried a bit more. She could hear the footsteps
following her down the hall. They echoed in hers. She had hated being alone in the
hallway, but being alone with Him was much worse.
"Leave me alone!" she yelled.
She felt warm tears brim in her eyes and trickle down her cheeks. Sarah swiped at
them and the broke into a run. She ran down the hallway blindly. The tears filled her eyes
and turned the walls into prisms. The colors blended together and swirled to form shapes
that only frightened Sarah more. The footsteps behind her had grown closer and their
echo now pounded in her ears.
Sarah burst through the doors and ran into the courtyard. She stopped in the cruel
sunlight and turned to face the hallway from which she had just escaped. Her tears had
dried up enough to allow her to see her surroundings clearly. She looked down the
hallway as far as she could, but there wasn't another person in sight.
In fact, there weren't any people in sight. Sarah quickly assessed her surroundings
with a sweeping glance that spanned the entire courtyard. There was no one outside to
greet her. Sarah shivered again, though the day was warm. She glanced over her
shoulder toward the hallway and then continued into the dorm building.
"My life is falling apart!" Sarah moaned. She could speak to herself all she wanted
and not worry about people thinking she was crazy. Jareth had rid the campus of the
entire student body.
"Whatever suits his purpose," she thought bitterly, "Perhaps I am crazy. Why else
would I be carrying on a conversation with myself? Why else would I see foxes and
beasts and dwarfs and a Goblin King?"
Sarah threw open her door and tossed her books carelessly to the floor. She shut
the door carefully behind herself and then fell to her bed. She placed a hand to the
bandage that still remained on her head, and tried to think rationally about the whole
course of events. After all, there was a perfect explanation for everything, or so she had
been told.
The rational explanation was cut off as something fell on her hand. Sarah recoiled
slightly in fear. She then placed her hand to her heart and laughed at her foolishness.
There was no reason to be afraid.
Sarah picked up the present that had been left for her on the bed. The wrapping
paper was of the purest white. It shone with a glistening fury and sparkled against the
sunlight that streamed through the open window. Sarah observed that whomever had
wrapped it had gone through great pains to achieve a seamless production. She looked at
the top and noticed that her name had been written in fine slanting script.
"Should I open it?" she asked herself.
Her other hand remained poised above the present. It was almost as if it couldn't
bring itself to ruin the perfect wrapping. Or, maybe, she was absolutely terrified about
what might be lurking in such a mysterious gift. Sarah took a deep and ragged breath and
touched the box tentatively. There would be no more hesitating. She couldn't be afraid
any longer. Jareth wouldn't hurt her.
Sarah placed one slender finger beneath the corner of the wrapping and tore it in
half. The paper fell away from the box and landed on the ground. It shattered into a
million fine pieces of crystallized paper and then melted into nothing. Sarah gazed at the
ground in awe for a few moments and then returned her attention to the box and the gift it
held inside of its dark realm.
She opened the top and peered inside of the box. It was like looking at something
forbidden and dangerous. She felt a thrill of uncertainty and giddiness rush through her
body and tingle her skin. Her arms promptly broke into gooseflesh. Sarah ignored it all
and concentrated on her present.
"I've brought you a gift...," Jareth's words came to her often as of lately.
She shook the thoughts of him from her mind and dove her hand into the box. She
grasped the small object and brought it into the daylight of her room. Sarah opened her
hand and gazed intently at her gift.
It was a small charm. The figure was an identical replica to the woman who stood
atop Sarah's music box. However, it had been crafted from fine gold and intricately
carved to bring out details the small doll had lacked. Embedded in the full skirts was a
small crystal. Sarah held the figurine in the light of the sun and marveled at the way the it
bounced off the crystal in rainbows of intense color. Someone had gone through a lot of
trouble to make the beautiful gift.
Sarah rose from her bed, still cradling the lovely charm in her hand. She had
forgotten entirely about her caution that she had originally shown towards the gift. Its
beauty enchanted her and swept her better senses far away. She was nearly hypnotized by
the tiny figurine.
Sarah started to hum a song that she had heard six years ago. A smile formed on
her face and she looked into the mirror for a brief moment. She saw herself in the white
ball gown she had worn when she had danced with Jareth and her room had changed into
a magnificent ballroom. However, the horrid masked dancers from six years ago were no
longer there.
She also noticed his reflection. He was resplendent in a light blue shirt that frilled
at the end of the sleeves and the collar. He also wore a vest that was a darker blue. It
fastened in the front with golden buttons. His tight pants were of the same color as his
vest. Jareth's blonde hair was free to lay on his shoulders.
Sarah gazed at his reflection. Her eyes glazed over as she stared at his cool
expression. His blue eyes begged her to come to him and dance. Sarah was only able to
watch Jareth in the mirror. Her feet felt glued to the very spot upon which she stood. She
wavered slightly.
"I feel so strange," Sarah spoke to Jareth's reflection.
He smiled in response and held a hand out to her. Sarah attempted to raise her
own hand, but it felt as if it weighed a hundred pounds. She staggered backwards and fell
to her bed. Sarah gazed up at the ceiling, taking in deep gasps of air. Her body felt like it
had slowed down.
"I have come for you, Sarah. It is time that you join me at my castle," Jareth said.
Sarah craned her neck up enough to look at the mirror. She watched with wide
eyes as Jareth stepped through the mirror towards her. He smiled at her and again held his
hand out. Sarah was mesmerized by his eyes. She was only able to do as he so willed her.
She lifted her hand towards his.
Their finger tips met and Sarah felt a brief surge of warmth and electricity shoot
throughout her entire body. The gooseflesh on her arms surged up once again. However,
Jareth backed away and the connection was snapped at once. The mesmerized state she
had been in was broken, temporarily.
"What? I-I didn't... No, you can't take me to.. to," Sarah blinked several times.
She felt as if she was drunk. Her speech was slow and slurred. Everything was
swirling around her, moving in and out of focus. The only image that remained clear and
easy to see was Jareth, Jareth and his deep, intense eyes. Sarah shook her head and tried
to regain some self-control, but she knew that she wouldn't have enough time.
Jareth stepped towards her again and grasped her hand firmly in his own. Sarah
pulled back with the little amount of strength that she had left, but it wasn't enough.
Jareth easily brought her to her feet.
Sarah struggled defiantly against him. She grabbed her chair and dragged it behind
her. Someone had to hear soon. The building was crowded with students and faculty.
They would surely hear the commotion and come to save her from Jareth's powerful
grasp. Yet, Jareth had done away with everyone for the time being. It took Sarah a while
to fully grasp the fact that there was nothing that she could do to prevent Jareth from
bringing her to the Underground. He had tricked her again. His lovely present had
somehow drugged her. She was in no shape to deny him. It was like her own mind was
defying herself.
Sarah reached out blindly and groped for anything that could slow Jareth down.
She wanted to buy herself some time. Anything could help. Sarah grasped her purse from
the floor and attempted to swing it at Jareth, but she stopped. There was no reason to
anger him. She held the purse in the hand with the charm and only fought slightly by
thrashing her other arm.
Jareth sneered at her and pushed her towards the mirror. Sarah looked at it's
smooth reflective surface and thought about all the times she had stood before mirrors.
Had Jareth been watching her the whole time? It was a horrible thought. Why would he
want to watch her? Sarah shook all the feverish thoughts from her head. She had to
concentrate on the problem at hand.
"It is time, Sarah," Jareth said as he gave her one final push.
Sarah felt reality pull away from her. It was like she had bent the very fabric of
existence that she had known her whole life. She would never be able to explain the
feeling again, even if she tried a hundred thousand different ways. It was a backwards
feeling, a feeling of being split between two worlds. She could think of many
explanations, but none of them fit. Then she was in Jareth's castle and the transportation
was forgotten.
Sarah wavered on her feet and collapsed to the ground. She was still too drugged
to be able to support herself. Sarah watched as Jareth walked towards her. His boots
stopped inches from her face and then he bent down by her side.
"Why?" was all she could manage to bring forth from her nearly paralyzed mouth.
Jareth shrugged. He touched her brunette hair tenderly with one hand. Sarah
cringed away from him, but she found that her muscles were no longer listening to her.
"Strange that they would all choose to rebel at the same time," she thought to
herself.
A sudden and overwhelming fear stole through her. Jareth was totally in charge
for the time being. She had no protection nor resistance against him. He could do
anything his heart had ever desired as she was helpless. Sarah nearly cried at the thought,
but she wouldn't allow herself. She couldn't let him see how upset he had made her.
That would only make him even more happy.
"I am not going to take advantage of you, Sarah. There is no reason to think that.
I swear that no harm will come to you while you are in my castle," he replied as he got
back to his feet.
Sarah let out a silent sigh of relief. She knew that Jareth generally stayed true to
his word. She only hoped that he hadn't changed much in the last six years. It had been a
long time and anything could have happened... She wouldn't allow herself to think that
way, it would only make her more depressed.
Jareth walked away from her, but Sarah couldn't see where. She was not able to
move her head or follow his movement. However, she could hear him open the door and
walk out of the room. The door never closed behind him. Jareth knew, all to well that
Sarah couldn't escape from her position on the ground.
She felt her eyelids begin to grow heavy. The drug was taking its toll on her weak
body. The need to sleep was overwhelming and she couldn't even attempt to push it
away. Sleep and death were two things that would always catch up to you. There was no
way to avoid them.
"Sleepy?" Jareth asked from behind her.
Sarah was shocked at how Jareth was able to seemingly read her mind. It was a
bit scary when she really thought about it, but she wasn't able to concentrate on it for too
long. She was far too sleepy to dwell on anything else. Jareth's psychic ability with her
would have to wait until after she had gotten a few days of sleep.
Sarah managed a slight smile at her unspoken, pathetic joke.
"I..... sleep," she said with strain. Even her voice felt tired.
Jareth looked down at her with a slight smile. She looked so angelic with her wide
eyes closed and her long hair draped across the ground. Her legs were pulled up to her
stomach in a fetal position. She fluttered her eyes opened and peered up at him.
"Rest dear Sarah, for your journey will not wait for you much longer," Jareth
spoke gently.
Sarah closed her eyes again at his command. She loosened her grip on the charm
and it fell on her purse. Jareth lifted the items to the dresser that stood in her room. He
had gone through pains to make the room suitable for Sarah. He wanted it to be perfect in
every way.
Jareth reached down and lifted Sarah's body into his arms. She was limp in her
sleep. He carried her easily to the large bed in the room. He laid Sarah upon the white
silken sheets that covered the bed and then stepped away from her.
"If only we hadn't been forced into the horrid roles of eternal enemies," he
moaned.
He looked back to Sarah and then turned to leave the room. He could feel the
pain coming on. Jareth had learned to predict the pain. It helped to know when it would
hit. He always rushed to his quarters or the crystallized room to endure its cycle. He
would have to rush to his chambers quickly. There would be time for thought in his
crystal room the next day.
Jareth shut the large wooden door behind him and motioned for the goblin guards
to stand watch outside of Sarah's door. She might be under his spell now, but later she
would be back to her defiant self. Jareth wasn't about to take any chances.
He rushed down the hall and into his room. The pain was slowly digging its way
into his head and all down his spine. Jareth fell to the bed and laid down. He found that it
was more bearable if he was reclining when the true agony commenced. Jareth grit his
teeth and braced himself, but it never came. The headache subsided and then drifted away
into oblivion.
He sat up and looked around the room. He had never experienced the pain
suddenly leaving. It had always run its violent and rabid coarse through his body. He was
relieved to not have to undergo the agony again, but it perplexed him as well.
"Perhaps things are going to change now that Sarah is back in the Underground."
"I expect all of you here by six tonight. I mean it. You have to be prompt!" the
drama teacher ordered.
Sarah ignored the woman's warnings. She had far more important things on her
mind than a simple school play. There were certain questions that had been rolling
through her restless mind ever since she had returned to the campus the night prior. Then
there was that uneasy and almost anxious feeling growing in her stomach. She hadn't
been able to eat anything the whole day.
Jareth plagued her mind most often. She would think about something else,
something in her world, and his face would suddenly appear in between her thoughts. She
had had a test in her English and she had only succeeded in writing a few short answers.
The answers were vague and incomplete and she was sure that she had flunked the test
with flying colors.
"Thanks to you, Goblin King," she muttered under her breath.
Sarah realized that she had drifted into her own thoughts and forgotten about her
class and the teacher who had been addressing all of them. She straightened up in her
desk and looked to the front of the room. The teacher was no longer there. Sarah
glanced around herself and realized that the whole room was empty. She hadn't even
noticed all her classmates leave.
Sarah climbed out of her desk and lifted her books. She glanced around the room
one more time. It seemed too bright. Even the sun was too harsh and assaulting with the
heat it radiated. On the other hand, Sarah remembered how the Underground sun had
kissed her skin with sweet rays of warmth. It had a soft and gentle light that added to the
magic.
"Something isn't right," she thought to herself.
The halls were strangely empty. No one was walking to different classes, talking
in the halls, or waiting for an appointment. The only company she had was the echo of her
shoes slapping against the ground in a rhythmic pattern. Sarah shivered with uneasiness
and then hurried her walk into a brisk jog.
"Sarah, Sarah," a voice drifted to her down the hallway.
Sarah knew what the voice was and who it belonged to. She didn't need to turn
and confirm her suspicions. Sarah shook her head and continued at her quick pace. She
gripped her books closer to herself and hurried a bit more. She could hear the footsteps
following her down the hall. They echoed in hers. She had hated being alone in the
hallway, but being alone with Him was much worse.
"Leave me alone!" she yelled.
She felt warm tears brim in her eyes and trickle down her cheeks. Sarah swiped at
them and the broke into a run. She ran down the hallway blindly. The tears filled her eyes
and turned the walls into prisms. The colors blended together and swirled to form shapes
that only frightened Sarah more. The footsteps behind her had grown closer and their
echo now pounded in her ears.
Sarah burst through the doors and ran into the courtyard. She stopped in the cruel
sunlight and turned to face the hallway from which she had just escaped. Her tears had
dried up enough to allow her to see her surroundings clearly. She looked down the
hallway as far as she could, but there wasn't another person in sight.
In fact, there weren't any people in sight. Sarah quickly assessed her surroundings
with a sweeping glance that spanned the entire courtyard. There was no one outside to
greet her. Sarah shivered again, though the day was warm. She glanced over her
shoulder toward the hallway and then continued into the dorm building.
"My life is falling apart!" Sarah moaned. She could speak to herself all she wanted
and not worry about people thinking she was crazy. Jareth had rid the campus of the
entire student body.
"Whatever suits his purpose," she thought bitterly, "Perhaps I am crazy. Why else
would I be carrying on a conversation with myself? Why else would I see foxes and
beasts and dwarfs and a Goblin King?"
Sarah threw open her door and tossed her books carelessly to the floor. She shut
the door carefully behind herself and then fell to her bed. She placed a hand to the
bandage that still remained on her head, and tried to think rationally about the whole
course of events. After all, there was a perfect explanation for everything, or so she had
been told.
The rational explanation was cut off as something fell on her hand. Sarah recoiled
slightly in fear. She then placed her hand to her heart and laughed at her foolishness.
There was no reason to be afraid.
Sarah picked up the present that had been left for her on the bed. The wrapping
paper was of the purest white. It shone with a glistening fury and sparkled against the
sunlight that streamed through the open window. Sarah observed that whomever had
wrapped it had gone through great pains to achieve a seamless production. She looked at
the top and noticed that her name had been written in fine slanting script.
"Should I open it?" she asked herself.
Her other hand remained poised above the present. It was almost as if it couldn't
bring itself to ruin the perfect wrapping. Or, maybe, she was absolutely terrified about
what might be lurking in such a mysterious gift. Sarah took a deep and ragged breath and
touched the box tentatively. There would be no more hesitating. She couldn't be afraid
any longer. Jareth wouldn't hurt her.
Sarah placed one slender finger beneath the corner of the wrapping and tore it in
half. The paper fell away from the box and landed on the ground. It shattered into a
million fine pieces of crystallized paper and then melted into nothing. Sarah gazed at the
ground in awe for a few moments and then returned her attention to the box and the gift it
held inside of its dark realm.
She opened the top and peered inside of the box. It was like looking at something
forbidden and dangerous. She felt a thrill of uncertainty and giddiness rush through her
body and tingle her skin. Her arms promptly broke into gooseflesh. Sarah ignored it all
and concentrated on her present.
"I've brought you a gift...," Jareth's words came to her often as of lately.
She shook the thoughts of him from her mind and dove her hand into the box. She
grasped the small object and brought it into the daylight of her room. Sarah opened her
hand and gazed intently at her gift.
It was a small charm. The figure was an identical replica to the woman who stood
atop Sarah's music box. However, it had been crafted from fine gold and intricately
carved to bring out details the small doll had lacked. Embedded in the full skirts was a
small crystal. Sarah held the figurine in the light of the sun and marveled at the way the it
bounced off the crystal in rainbows of intense color. Someone had gone through a lot of
trouble to make the beautiful gift.
Sarah rose from her bed, still cradling the lovely charm in her hand. She had
forgotten entirely about her caution that she had originally shown towards the gift. Its
beauty enchanted her and swept her better senses far away. She was nearly hypnotized by
the tiny figurine.
Sarah started to hum a song that she had heard six years ago. A smile formed on
her face and she looked into the mirror for a brief moment. She saw herself in the white
ball gown she had worn when she had danced with Jareth and her room had changed into
a magnificent ballroom. However, the horrid masked dancers from six years ago were no
longer there.
She also noticed his reflection. He was resplendent in a light blue shirt that frilled
at the end of the sleeves and the collar. He also wore a vest that was a darker blue. It
fastened in the front with golden buttons. His tight pants were of the same color as his
vest. Jareth's blonde hair was free to lay on his shoulders.
Sarah gazed at his reflection. Her eyes glazed over as she stared at his cool
expression. His blue eyes begged her to come to him and dance. Sarah was only able to
watch Jareth in the mirror. Her feet felt glued to the very spot upon which she stood. She
wavered slightly.
"I feel so strange," Sarah spoke to Jareth's reflection.
He smiled in response and held a hand out to her. Sarah attempted to raise her
own hand, but it felt as if it weighed a hundred pounds. She staggered backwards and fell
to her bed. Sarah gazed up at the ceiling, taking in deep gasps of air. Her body felt like it
had slowed down.
"I have come for you, Sarah. It is time that you join me at my castle," Jareth said.
Sarah craned her neck up enough to look at the mirror. She watched with wide
eyes as Jareth stepped through the mirror towards her. He smiled at her and again held his
hand out. Sarah was mesmerized by his eyes. She was only able to do as he so willed her.
She lifted her hand towards his.
Their finger tips met and Sarah felt a brief surge of warmth and electricity shoot
throughout her entire body. The gooseflesh on her arms surged up once again. However,
Jareth backed away and the connection was snapped at once. The mesmerized state she
had been in was broken, temporarily.
"What? I-I didn't... No, you can't take me to.. to," Sarah blinked several times.
She felt as if she was drunk. Her speech was slow and slurred. Everything was
swirling around her, moving in and out of focus. The only image that remained clear and
easy to see was Jareth, Jareth and his deep, intense eyes. Sarah shook her head and tried
to regain some self-control, but she knew that she wouldn't have enough time.
Jareth stepped towards her again and grasped her hand firmly in his own. Sarah
pulled back with the little amount of strength that she had left, but it wasn't enough.
Jareth easily brought her to her feet.
Sarah struggled defiantly against him. She grabbed her chair and dragged it behind
her. Someone had to hear soon. The building was crowded with students and faculty.
They would surely hear the commotion and come to save her from Jareth's powerful
grasp. Yet, Jareth had done away with everyone for the time being. It took Sarah a while
to fully grasp the fact that there was nothing that she could do to prevent Jareth from
bringing her to the Underground. He had tricked her again. His lovely present had
somehow drugged her. She was in no shape to deny him. It was like her own mind was
defying herself.
Sarah reached out blindly and groped for anything that could slow Jareth down.
She wanted to buy herself some time. Anything could help. Sarah grasped her purse from
the floor and attempted to swing it at Jareth, but she stopped. There was no reason to
anger him. She held the purse in the hand with the charm and only fought slightly by
thrashing her other arm.
Jareth sneered at her and pushed her towards the mirror. Sarah looked at it's
smooth reflective surface and thought about all the times she had stood before mirrors.
Had Jareth been watching her the whole time? It was a horrible thought. Why would he
want to watch her? Sarah shook all the feverish thoughts from her head. She had to
concentrate on the problem at hand.
"It is time, Sarah," Jareth said as he gave her one final push.
Sarah felt reality pull away from her. It was like she had bent the very fabric of
existence that she had known her whole life. She would never be able to explain the
feeling again, even if she tried a hundred thousand different ways. It was a backwards
feeling, a feeling of being split between two worlds. She could think of many
explanations, but none of them fit. Then she was in Jareth's castle and the transportation
was forgotten.
Sarah wavered on her feet and collapsed to the ground. She was still too drugged
to be able to support herself. Sarah watched as Jareth walked towards her. His boots
stopped inches from her face and then he bent down by her side.
"Why?" was all she could manage to bring forth from her nearly paralyzed mouth.
Jareth shrugged. He touched her brunette hair tenderly with one hand. Sarah
cringed away from him, but she found that her muscles were no longer listening to her.
"Strange that they would all choose to rebel at the same time," she thought to
herself.
A sudden and overwhelming fear stole through her. Jareth was totally in charge
for the time being. She had no protection nor resistance against him. He could do
anything his heart had ever desired as she was helpless. Sarah nearly cried at the thought,
but she wouldn't allow herself. She couldn't let him see how upset he had made her.
That would only make him even more happy.
"I am not going to take advantage of you, Sarah. There is no reason to think that.
I swear that no harm will come to you while you are in my castle," he replied as he got
back to his feet.
Sarah let out a silent sigh of relief. She knew that Jareth generally stayed true to
his word. She only hoped that he hadn't changed much in the last six years. It had been a
long time and anything could have happened... She wouldn't allow herself to think that
way, it would only make her more depressed.
Jareth walked away from her, but Sarah couldn't see where. She was not able to
move her head or follow his movement. However, she could hear him open the door and
walk out of the room. The door never closed behind him. Jareth knew, all to well that
Sarah couldn't escape from her position on the ground.
She felt her eyelids begin to grow heavy. The drug was taking its toll on her weak
body. The need to sleep was overwhelming and she couldn't even attempt to push it
away. Sleep and death were two things that would always catch up to you. There was no
way to avoid them.
"Sleepy?" Jareth asked from behind her.
Sarah was shocked at how Jareth was able to seemingly read her mind. It was a
bit scary when she really thought about it, but she wasn't able to concentrate on it for too
long. She was far too sleepy to dwell on anything else. Jareth's psychic ability with her
would have to wait until after she had gotten a few days of sleep.
Sarah managed a slight smile at her unspoken, pathetic joke.
"I..... sleep," she said with strain. Even her voice felt tired.
Jareth looked down at her with a slight smile. She looked so angelic with her wide
eyes closed and her long hair draped across the ground. Her legs were pulled up to her
stomach in a fetal position. She fluttered her eyes opened and peered up at him.
"Rest dear Sarah, for your journey will not wait for you much longer," Jareth
spoke gently.
Sarah closed her eyes again at his command. She loosened her grip on the charm
and it fell on her purse. Jareth lifted the items to the dresser that stood in her room. He
had gone through pains to make the room suitable for Sarah. He wanted it to be perfect in
every way.
Jareth reached down and lifted Sarah's body into his arms. She was limp in her
sleep. He carried her easily to the large bed in the room. He laid Sarah upon the white
silken sheets that covered the bed and then stepped away from her.
"If only we hadn't been forced into the horrid roles of eternal enemies," he
moaned.
He looked back to Sarah and then turned to leave the room. He could feel the
pain coming on. Jareth had learned to predict the pain. It helped to know when it would
hit. He always rushed to his quarters or the crystallized room to endure its cycle. He
would have to rush to his chambers quickly. There would be time for thought in his
crystal room the next day.
Jareth shut the large wooden door behind him and motioned for the goblin guards
to stand watch outside of Sarah's door. She might be under his spell now, but later she
would be back to her defiant self. Jareth wasn't about to take any chances.
He rushed down the hall and into his room. The pain was slowly digging its way
into his head and all down his spine. Jareth fell to the bed and laid down. He found that it
was more bearable if he was reclining when the true agony commenced. Jareth grit his
teeth and braced himself, but it never came. The headache subsided and then drifted away
into oblivion.
He sat up and looked around the room. He had never experienced the pain
suddenly leaving. It had always run its violent and rabid coarse through his body. He was
relieved to not have to undergo the agony again, but it perplexed him as well.
"Perhaps things are going to change now that Sarah is back in the Underground."
