Chapter 2: It's not fair!
When Jareth awoke, sometime around ten he found the bed empty. Before his heart could fall his ears caught the sound of Sarah singing from another room. He followed the sound to the kitchen where Hoggle was sitting, munching on what looked like almost burnt bread, and Sarah stood at the counter making batter of some sort, singing.
"As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you, every thrill has gone, wasn't too much fun at all," She paused to pour the batter out on a pan.
Jareth smiled and finished for her. "But I'll be there for you, as the world falls down."
Sarah jumped and almost dropped the bowl then smiled at Jareth, her cheeks pink. "Good morning," She said. "Would you like some breakfast?"
He sat down at the table next to the dwarf and said. "That would be lovely precious."
In a few minutes she laid a platter of pancakes down on the table for them.
"What are these?" Hoggle mumbled quietly.
Jareth eyed the pancakes then shrugged to Hoggle. While Sarah was laughing at their reaction a sudden noise made them all jump. Her phone was ringing.
"Excuse me a moment," She said then rushed to the phone on the wall and snatched it to hold to her ear. Curious, Jareth and Hoggle went to stand by her, Jareth being brave enough to wrap his arms around her waist and lay his ear on the side of the phone. To his sudden surprise he could hear the voice of her step-mother.
Wide-eyed he listened.
"Sarah dear, your father told me your pen pal was visiting, we would love to come and meet him!" Karen's voice made Jareth nauseated. "You always said he was a very great man. How old is he anyway?"
"God, Karen he's only a little older then I am! But I'm not sure if it's such a good idea for you to meet him, he's only here for a little while." Sarah said. "And he's shy." She lied.
Jareth had to fight not to laugh. It was not very easy, so he buried his face in her neck. This was a very powerful distraction for Sarah.
"Oh, come on Sarah, you met him when you were a child and he was a man, but don't worry love, no need to tell your father how old he really is. But at least let us meet him! From what we've read from the letters you left out you two are pretty close."
"You read my letters?" Sarah squeaked.
"Only a few, just so we could make sure what you were saying was clean."Karen laughed. "You two seemed to have quite fun imaginations. I suppose all the Labyrinth stuff was a game?"
It wasn't really a question but Sarah forced herself to laugh and say "Of course."
"Well, please let us meet him!" She begged. Sarah looked at Hoggle and finally gave up.
"Fine, fine," She sighed. "When can you come over?"
"Today?" Karen asked. "And can we bring Toby too?"
"Um..Sure, to both today and Toby." She said. She said her goodbyes and hung up the phone.
"Alright boys, glamour's on, we got humans coming."
"It's not fair!" Sarah drifted out of her bedroom. She was dressed now, jeans and a loose fitting blouse Jareth had picked for her.
"What's not?" Hoggle asked. He was sitting on the couch wearing his glamour. In a human guise she found Hoggle almost difficult to talk to. The only similarity the dwarf shared with his human alternative was his blue eyes.
"My parents, I cannot believe they would read my letters. And now all they want to do is butt in and meet Jareth." She huffed, then blushed and smiled. "Oh listen to me, I sound like a spoiled teenager! It may not be fair, but that's the way it is."
Hoggle smiled, and then frowned as Jareth arrived from the kitchen. The Goblin King was wearing a pair of jeans and a black shirt. His hair was pulled back as much as he could force it. Sarah smiled and gathered her guests into the living room.
"Alright we need some sort of plan, what we're gonna say about you, who you are, where you're going." She smiled again. "And how we met. I don't think my parents can handle the Labyrinth just yet."
"I am Jareth King; this is my uncle Richard Hogan." He referred to Hoggle. "I met you seven years ago when…"
"When you delivered a pizza at my house the night I was baby-sitting Toby." Sarah said. "After that I bumped into you a few times around town and we became friends. Then because of your uncle's job you had to move a few states away to Oregon. We stayed friends and wrote letters and blah blah blah. Then you were going to visit your relatives…"
"In Bedford." Hoggle said.
Sarah nodded. "And you decided to stop by and visit me along the way."
Jareth nodded and formed a crystal in his hands. "They should be here soon."
"Joy," Sarah sat down on the recliner and waited her stomach knotted in a nervous ball.
Outside, under the glare of the mid-morning sun, an orange cat sat on the steps of her apartment. It was keeping a wary red eye on the door. But no one was coming out. It turned and glanced across the street to share an angry stare with a black crow. The bird flew over the street and landed at the window pane. From the perch it could see into the living room of Sarah Williams. It was angered to see the Goblin King sitting with another unimportant immortal creature in her living room. What business did that fool have with her? He wasn't even the high king, though he may be next heir to the throne, he was still insignificant. Why was he with Sarah?
The cat leapt up from the ground and joined the crow. It spoke quietly, in a whispering accented tongue. "He fancies her, they shared a bed."
"Unmarried?" The crow's voice was very low and very cold.
"From what I could see they did nothing but sleep." The cat purred.
The crow cawed in relief, his jealousy for the while subsided.
"King Irvus, what shall we do?"
"What we have been planning, she is almost in her perfect prime, and then we shall take her." The Crow King said.
The bird flew off and the cat moved from its place on the sill and landed in the front bush where he settled and slept.
At his castle the Dark King transformed to his true form and slid into his throne. It was made of the carved bones of mortals, and the cushion bound in sewed skin. The present slave at his side was a small girl, hardly into her youth. She was fair-haired and tan, with dull white irises. He slung an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. She would serve as a good slave for the while, at least until he had his Queen at his side.
He could remember when he first saw her, a mere infant in the arms of her father. Williams had been sitting on the porch with his baby girl, his wife at the time and Sarah's mother, Linda was standing and reciting Shakespeare to her daughter.
"Love is not love," She smiled at her baby. "Which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. Oh no it is an ever fixed mark, which looks on tempests and is never shaken." She scooped her baby up in her arms and kissed the girl's round nose. The baby giggled, and Irvus felt his heart tremble at the sight of the giggling child. She was a beautiful baby, with huge eyes like pale jewels that twinkled when she smiled, and the shadow of dark hair on her head. She was like a porcelain doll, thin and rosy and pure delight.
The Dark King chose her at a young age to be his Queen, uncaring of any other destiny that was written for her, he went to the Devil.
He entered its gates and took the high road over the burning fields of souls and whistled along to the sounds of screams. Then he passed over the ocean of silence where wave upon wave of mortals psyche's were swept and slammed against the sharp rocks. Soon he found himself at the palace of the Devil. Its towers were made of skulls, bound together by cement made of blood and muscle. Crying souls dragged themselves across the floors there, grabbing onto his cloak as he passed them, their nails running thin tears in the material.
There in the shadow of Hell, he found Satan curled in a corner near his queen's throne, serpent skin and golden eyes bright, horns pointed. With demons nipping at Irvus's ankles and the Queen of Hell, Persephone, watching him with her stone grey eyes like he was some sort of meal to be devoured Irvus spoke bravely.
"I have chosen my bride," He said. "A mortal who already has been gifted with a Fae destiny."
"Then take her, if her destiny is set for your world," The Devil said.
"Not just our world, but a Fae man." Irvus admitted.
"Soul-mates," the Queen smiled, revealing a set of long thin sharp teeth. "Such fun to meddle with."
"Yes, but you must remember my follower," The Devil looked to Irvus. "If their bond is already great then there will be no breaking the two."
"Only Death can break the soul-mates," A hushed whisper made them all turn to a dark shadow which lurked near the fountain of blood in the throne room. Death herself, the daughter of the Devil and a mortal teenager from the time of the cave dwellers appeared from the shadows. To Irvus she seemed to move like a shadow herself, graceful and lucid, swooping and elegant. She wore a black cloak, perhaps the only thing not blood colored in the room. It was the same black as the Ice River, which could be seen in that fire lit valley from the large windows.
The Devil gave an oddly gentle look to his daughter. Satan himself could posses no love, only lust, but he shared a distanced comradeship with his daughter who daily brought souls to him. However he had to feel a hatred for her because she had been in Heaven's Light almost as much as Hell's Darkness. And she had preferred Heaven of the two.
The Queen frowned at her. "But you must remember Morta, that Fae are immortal and do not live in Heaven or Hell even if you find their souls."
It was true; the Fae lived in another Death Land, separate from the humans two eternities. But they only ever died of two things: extreme injury and the love illness. Both of which were rare and sometimes curable.
"It is still an option." Death's face could not be seen, but her irritation could be greatly sensed.
Irvus spoke. "I cannot kill her soul-mate; he is heir to the High Throne. His powers are far greater then mine and any who is suspected for murdering the heir would be tortured to death themselves."
"But who would suspect you?" The Queen asked with a very nasty innocence.
"I must excuse myself now," Irvus said. "I am sure the ideas you have expressed will give much assistance. I do believe I know what I will do now."
"Don't wait so long until your next visit my boy," The Devil said. "We miss our little dear."
"Yes, Irvy," His Queen mother smiled darkly. "I miss you my son."
"Till next time, my parents," Irvus said and turned to leave.
"Be sure to bring little Sarah around for us to meet!" His mother called behind him.
Oh, yes, He thought darkly, soon I shall have her melting in my arms, very soon.
Karen didn't like the look of the orange cat on Sarah's porch steps. She had Toby's little fist in hers, her husband beside her. She had just met Sarah's little friend Jareth King and his uncle Richard. They were leaving, she was still feeling jubilant and light, but then her eyes met those of the strange cat and her spirits cowered away. It was frightening how the creature wore a look of utter judging concentration, the look you may see on a plotting murderer. Karen wanted to shoo the thing, but it darted out of their way as they went down the steps and soon it was nothing but a very depressing memory.
"Well that was a relief," Sarah collapsed on the couch next to Jareth, and sighed deeply, catching a whiff of his exotic spicy scent on the air.
Hoggle looked distant, vey far away and he grunted in response to Sarah's relief. Then he stood and said quite firmly, in a language she did not understand. "Seeps erse nockta elffa meese, cu thome ress quoozum." He was addressing the King.
"Nep ire dow sha'l ray thome thoosum shooja, Hoggle." Jareth answered.
Hoggle sighed angrily, a huff of a breath that was greatly forced. "Sha'l sot'ness pos quoozum."
Jareth frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "She'l sot pos quoozum, Hoggle, she'l erra keera."
"She'l erra amara." Hoggle said softly. Then he gave a sort of sad smile. "Erra mincha she'l, sherra geet cha erra."
Jareth didn't answer him, he only sighed then said. "If it is your wish. Then ask Sarah."
"Ask Sarah what?" Sarah's head was spinning from all the Fae talk and she greatly wanted to know what had been said. But somehow she knew that it was meant for their ears alone. So instead of inquiring furiously about what had passed between them in their odd tongue she merely questioned what must be asked of her.
Hoggle said, "I have some business I am in need of taking care off and was hoping you would not be insulted if I left early."
"Oh, not at all dear," Sarah said. The endearment made Hoggle turn a little red and Jareth a little green with envy. "When would you be going?"
"Well…right now would suit me best." He answered.
"I'll walk you to the mirror." She said and together the two friends made their way to her bedroom.
Once there Sarah asked. "You are not leaving because of Jareth are you?"
Hoggle hesitated then said. "To be honest Sarah, I 'em. I sees the way you look at eachs other and I want to give you two a chance to try."
Touched Sarah felt inclined to lean down and wrap her arms around Hoggle's neck. "Thank you Hoggle, you really are the best friend I've ever had."
"Don't let him do nothing dirty." He said then disengaged himself from her hold and stepped into the mirror. In a flash he was gone and the glass only bore Sarah's reflection.
Now only one thing left, Sarah thought. What on earth will I do with the Goblin King locked up in my house with me? She laughed as she went back into the living room, though it was a nervous sound. Really what should she do?
The next day the sun was bright and clear. Jareth had slept on the couch that night, giving Precious her distance. He didn't hear her leave in the morning, though he thought he felt in his dreams her soft lips on his forehead and the sound of a whispered goodbye. He found a note on the kitchen table that read:
Gone to work, will be back when the clock strikes noon. Food left in the fridge, the big white cold box in the kitchen and television and books are free for you to browse. Please be there when I come home.
~Sarah
Of course he would be there when she got home, though a quick trip to his castle would prove most worth the trunk of clothes and personal belongings that he would need. He was there and back before the clock pointed to the number ten. After that it was only a matter of how long he would wait before appearing to her at work in a cloud of glitter. He fought to restrain the urge.
Some hour before Sarah would be home Jareth went exploring in her room. There he found many traces of her youth, things that reminded her of the Labyrinth, books of all sorts, a particular red one that seemed to never be moved from her bedside table, and then he found a leather bound diary. He fought the urge to peel it open instantly and read every last word. But he lost and very soon found himself reading frantically about Sarah's ever day life.
The diary was started a few months before they met. Each day there was a brief entry, until one day, the day right before the Labyrinth journey the entry was strange, in a mystical sort of way. It read:
I have wondered and dreamed of many things, and to step into a magical world unlike my own would be a gift. I sometimes wish someone could bring me that gift, a handsome prince maybe, ha. I would take it at any price for anything. I would give up everything to be in those worlds I see in my dreams. That damn crow is outside again, I swear the beast can see me, is watching me. But maybe I'm just imagining things again. I always feel like somebody can see me. But this bird has been showing up every where lately. Oh, there Merlin scared him away, all better.
But like I was saying, dream worlds, I see iridescent skies and grand mazes and shining deserts. I even dream of a king, a lonely king, sitting at his throne all day watching the world in the palm of his hand, holding it, loving it but never being a part of it. Like he is caged but his title. Sometimes I even dream of kissing him. Holding the lonely king in my arms, whispering to him that everything will be alright. These are the dreams I rush to bed to have. I wonder if I will hold him again tonight, or maybe dance in a roomful of chickens again, which I still cannot determine if that is a dram or a nightmare.
*Sarah*
Jareth felt a tremor crescendo within him and it echoed and rumbled and exploded from him in the form of a thousand tiny specks of shiny crystal stars. She had dreamed of him, just as he had dreamed of her for eight hundred years.
The joy weakened his body, it sent wave upon wave of aching unforgiving joy through him and he laid back on her pillows enjoying all of it.
"How you've turned my world you precious thing." He whispered and let his eyes roll back into his head as his thoughts circled around her.
Sarah came into the house to find Jareth waiting for her.
"Hello cookie monster," He greeted her.
It was funny how only Jareth in his ordinary obnoxious fae clothing was comforting. His glamour of humanity had disturbed her beyond measure and she adored the sight of him, slightly dusted in glitter, all frilled and fancy in his trousers, too tight to be innocent, and his vest and poet shirt. She was very happy to see his gloves were no where in sight. The vest he wore that day was black, a striking contrast to his grey tights and white as ghost-flesh shirt.
"Hello, did you have a good morning?" She asked. She kicked off her shoes near the door and dropped her bag.
"Yes," He said. "How was work?"
"As stimulating as a foot ball game to a blonde." She said. Though he made no attempt to understand he smiled warmly and said. "Very good."
This made her laugh and she nudged the king with her shoulder playfully. "Hungry?" She asked.
Jareth nodded. His eyes seemed only to see her and her alone. He followed her about the kitchen, laughing as she explained about work and the dullness of it all. The growing lovers didn't notice a quivering black crow watching them from the kitchen window over the sink.
"Here you've almost got it, precious." Jareth formed another crystal and handed it to Sarah. He was teaching her how to slide the crystal over her fingers. Her hand was small and her fingers thin and light, making the movements easier for her. But still she fumbled occasionally under the weight of the orb, and the crystal would slip and roll from her fingers onto the carpet. They were leaning against the couch, facing each other. Around them lay half a dozen or so abandoned crystals.
Sarah took the new crystal and began to swing it gently over her fingers, down her palm then back up and over the other side. She smiled and looked at a beaming Jareth, being thus distracted made her drop this one again. She picked it up and handed it to him. "Show me again," She said. "I like to see you do it."
She drew her knees up under her and put her chin on their peak. Jareth smiled slightly, that cocky grin that made her heart flutter like a little bird. He began to twirl the crystal over his fingers, round and round.
Sarah scooped the ice cream out of the cardboard tube and dumped it into the bowl. Strawberry ice-cream was not her favorite, it had been something Karen had brought over one day when the family had had a little dinner party. Now, Sarah was hungry, nothing healthy would sway her sweet tooth to silence today. Once she had gathered her ice cream and fetched a spoon she went into the living room and sat down on the couch. Jareth was sitting on the recliner chair, reading quietly, something he only did when he had troubled thoughts. Sarah recognized the habit a few days earlier. During the week he had been there he had only read twice, both times he had been in quiet repose for hours previous.
Jareth was internally battling with himself. Sara had accepted him into her life, there were no hard feelings for what either had done and their relationship was free to blossom. Then why did he feel like something very bad was going to happen? Each night once Sarah had drifted to sleep in his arms, those terrible feelings would arise again, and he would clutch her just a bit tighter, like his arms around her could block the horrors of what his senses were warning him from.
At first he considered if it was Sarah's magic that was causing him to shrink inward in fear, but it couldn't have been. Her magic that he had sensed deep inside her for many years was locked, firmly, to be let out only when she needed it. And it was a beautiful magic, that much he could sense without needing to wonder. He decided to let her discover it for herself in her own time.
Besides what he was feeling was much stronger then that, much darker and deadlier. He had the icy feeling that no matter what he would do, whatever happened would be out of his control to prevent.
He noticed Sarah watching him with concerned eyes. "Something wrong, precious?" He asked, feigning his ignorance.
"No," Sarah said. "I'm just worried about you, you don't seem very well."
He smiled, but a wink of sadness flickered in his eyes before he could stop it. Even with his troubled premonitions, he also had the complication of being unable to react properly to Sarah's kindness. He'd spent such a long lonely time as the king of the goblins, that he had almost forgotten what it felt like to have someone genuinely worry about you. Not just worry because you were the king, but worry because they cared for you. He loved Sarah, that he knew for certain. Even now he loved the grungy T-shirt she was wearing and the ancient plaid shorts. He love her long hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. He loved the little mole on her left earlobe. He just was unsure of ways to make her see that. He had thought in the Labyrinth that being her slave would be the way to do it. Doing everything for her, at the simple price of being feared and loved. But now, he did not want her to fear him, love him yes, but he didn't have the heart to try and tame her. He did not after all have any power over her.
He had to work to be kind, needed to focus and try, he had been out of practice surrounded by frantic prankster goblins for years. Now though, with the sweet Sarah as his aid, he found the kindness that had laced his distant personality for many days of his life. It had bloomed from the moment their feelings were shared and the mutual regard was beginning to transform into that sweet distant thing he had tasted in his deepest of dreams. He knew that taste, but barely, from the dreams of a slender dark haired child-bride. He had watched Sarah as she slept on the couch after a long day of work, curled up like an exhausted kitten that had no energy to even pull herself to bed. He had watched her from his crystals for many years of her life.
"I want you to feel alright," She insisted, secretly hoping those words would put his mysterious heart at ease. She finished off her ice cream and licked her lips. "Want to go to bed?"
Lord did he ever! "Sure, precious." He said.
Very soon they were in bed, Sarah with her head on his chest, facing the ceiling while he played with her hair. He enjoyed fondling with the silky strands, running them under his nose and memorizing the scent.
"Jareth?" She whispered. He had thought she had fallen asleep hours ago.
"Hmnn?" He grunted, very near sleep himself.
"I just want you to know how much I really do care and worry for you," She said. "And I want you to be able to tell me if something is bothering you."
She sensed his internal distress, of course she did. But he was still so unsure of those creeping troubled feelings that were haunting him. He felt something strange, just over his left nipple. Then he realized with a fiery joy that Sarah had kissed his chest, softly, very softly but still not so delicate as to deprive the feeling of her lips on his skin. He did not sleep the whole rest of the night, for fear of waking to find this new and beautiful life a broken dream.
Author's note: The Shakespeare being read is my favorite few lines of his work, most of the poetry you'll see in my stories is my own but if not I'll be sure to mention it's source. Hope you enjoyed reading, excuse my earlier technology blunders and bless you Notwritten for spotting my mistake and being so nice about it…truly if it were me I would've laughed my heart out at the idiot who uploaded the same chapter twice and called them a nitwit. If you did cool you're like me. The next chapter will be up…few minutes to tomorrow morning I suppose.