~All credit goes to Jim Henson, I sadly Do not own the Labyrinth, cause if I did...well let's just say it would have ended differently.~
Much thanks to my Reviewers and my Beta Joie Cullen who has someone awesome stories of her own **cough Damage cough May Eve**
I decided to give you a quick update on this chapter since everyone was so anxious! Hehehe
Chapter 4
Upon waking the first thing that she noticed was how exhausted she felt. The second was that she was laying on a bed that seemed to breathe beneath her. The scent of peaches and leather assailed her making her hesitant to move. Feeling a squeeze at her waist she looked down to see that she was laying on top of HIM. A very shirtless him. Oh. My. God. Struggling she attempted to pull herself away only tightening his grip.
"Shhhh, Precious. I merely wish a word or two then you may go but not before so you might as well cease struggling, although I must admit I find it quite enjoyable." The words whispered so close to her ear sent a shock straight through to her core but were enough to cease her movements. Rather than face him she allowed him to stroke her back, burying her face in his chest and waiting for him to speak.
"Since my family has some odd wish to anger me I would like an explanation as to why you were at the Palace of the High King and Queen. How is it that you came to meet my family? My brother especially. You didn't seem to run from him now did you?"
"If it's all the same to you Goblin King could we do this another time? I am not feeling well and would love nothing more than to sleep." Without meaning to she yawned, snuggling up against him even as his arms tightened around her. He pulled her up against him, lifting her chin to brush the lightest of kisses amongst her lips. Tired as she was the oddity of it did not miss her before she was once more engulfed in the darkness, his words touching the very edges.
"Sleep well Precious."
Slipping from his room in the palace Jareth ran straight into his mother. While she looked properly chagrined Jareth merely smirked.
"What, pray tell, is so funny son? Have you seen your father, I have a need to speak with him this morning."
"To the Kitchens mother. I thought I would breakfast in my room, business and all that. Since I have a meeting with father I thought I would hang around another day being that there are no runners and such."
"Hmmm, well I heard there was some kind of incident in the gardens last night. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that now would you?"
Groaning Jareth called over his shoulder as he strode away. "Perhaps you should ask Father. Or my brother."
Mumbling, Aireya made way to follow, using magic to put a shirt about her son's naked shoulders. He paused as if to argue then continued on, whistling. Agitated she made to follow, entering the dining hall lost in thought, effectively causing her to bang her toe on the chair in which she sat. Uttering a few choice swear words she had the grace to blush a bit at the merry twinkle in her husband's eyes.
"Oh shut it."
Guffawing loudly, Dracomus slapped the table effectively scaring the servers into nearly dropping their plates. As they began to eat, Aireya continued to drift, completely perplexed with her sons attitude.
"My love, I must know what troubles you today. You look utterly lost. I have not seen you look as such for many a year now."
"Save it Dracomus. You know as well as I that Jareth is here. I ran into him in the hall just now on his was to breakfast. Smiling and whistling. Till I brought up the garden incident last night which you have yet to inform me of."
"Garin brought Sarah here. A most beautiful young girl. I do believe that as her Fae features begin to form she will be almost as lovely as you my dear. Why, our family is going to have the loveliest Queens in all of the Underground!"
"By the Gods Dracomus! Lower your voice. It is not as if the boy has agreed to marry her."
"Well…if he will not have her I think I know who will." Nodding in the direction of the door he went back to his food, only to keep a secretive glance on his wife who now stared open mouthed at the door where Garin entered, a huge grin on his face.
Tempting as it was Dorian was having a hard time NOT tripping Jareth and the large tray of food that he carried down the hall. Sitting on the floor to Jareth's room he decided to stand and merely wait for him to approach, calling out to him as he came nearer. "Brother, you are mightily hungry today. I'd wager you have enough food on that tray to last a week!"
Leaning against the doors he crossed his arms, blocking Jareth's way. At his pause a grin split his features wide. "I do believe you are hiding something." Pushing open the doors for Jareth he laughed as he squeezed between him and shut the door in his face.
"Go away Dorian."
"Brother I am wounded! Will you not share your wondrous bounty of food? I have a need of a word with you."
"Later Dorian!"
"No. Now." Growling, Jareth whirled on his brother nearly dumping the tray as he pushed his way in to the room. Glaring daggers at him he moved forward only to be stopped cold. No longer was Dorian grinning at him, he was grinning past him. Staring. At the bed.
"Well, well. Isn't that a very lovely, barely clothed sight, eh Jareth?" Dorian took a moment of Jareth's distraction to search through his mind and what he found caused his eyes to widen in surprise.
"You brought the Champion….of the Labyrinth to the High Palace and slept with her in your bed? Oh that's rich Jareth, even for you! Mother will kill you! Good luck explaining this one." Laughing softly he turned to leave, a glance in Sarah's direction. "Ah, lovely."
"We did not sleep together as you suggest. We were both clothed." At his mocking grin, he growled in frustration. "There are clothes on her now! Everything important was covered for both of us. She does not come of age for a week! Off with you! "
At that Dorian began laughing in earnest, poofing himself from the room with the breeze, much like his brother Garin.
"Bloody Fools." Carrying the tray over to the bed he laid it on the side table. Removing the shirt his mother had so graciously bestowed upon him he climbed back under the covers, smirking with pleasure as Sarah once again wrapped her form around him.
"Mmm…Jareth?"
"Yes Precious."
Stretching, Sarah ran a silky, almost naked leg up and down the side of his, certain that she was dreaming. Snuggling up against him she ran her hands over his bare chest as her neck began to tickle. Soft feathery light kisses spread the column of her throat just below her ear lobe. When she felt a nip on said ear lobe she yelped in surprise, nearly jumping out of her skin.
Sitting up violently she nearly fell from the bed in her haste (truly, it was a natural talent of hers, this tumbling from bed) she latched on to the nearest thing which just happened to be a shirtless Goblin King. Swallowing hard she stared at him for as long as she could without looking down. A lovely black medallion, encrusted with beautiful black stones shaped like a half moon was the only thing to adorn his bare chest. The tightest black breeches she had ever seen adorned his waist, she assumed to his ankles, not that she could see them. Other than that he was bare.
Suddenly she realized that while her nightgown was certainly not see through it was neither modest. Just barely hugging her thighs it was tight and a bit too revealing for her taste. Worse, she didn't even know how she got in to it. A blush began to creep up her cheeks as icy blue, mismatched eyes bore in to hers. Placing a hand beneath her chin he leaned forward, eyes open, to give her a warm kiss firm on the mouth. This toe curling thing had to stop. Slowly pulling her in to his lap, causing her to drag her hands to his chest in protest, effectively holding him at bay, she couldn't help but notice his shiver of pleasure as his lips assaulted hers. Backing away, eyes closed, she gasped.
"No!"
"Just a kiss Precious?"
"I'd rather you explain where I am and how in the hell I am in this scrap of lace?"
Smirking at her, he set her back upon the bed, turning to reach for the tray and place it before her. Fruit, Yogurt, Juice, he had thought of everything. It looked to be a meal for three not that she was going to be able to eat with him watching. If at all.
"Where am I Jareth?"
"Say my name again and I will tell you."
"Goblin King, that is not….."
"No. My name. Say it."
Rolling her eyes she gave in if only to get some answers. "Fine! Jareth, would you kindly tell me where the hell I am?"
Grinning, he passed her a bowl of yogurt, complete with sliced peaches within doing his best not to smirk at her grimace.
"You are in the Palace of the High King and Queen of the Fae."
"That isn't what I meant and you know it."
"Very well. I brought you here due to your little spell in the above so that I might have a healer examine you. You are in my bed, in my room. He should be here any moment so you should eat so you can get dressed. Tell me, why were you here and plastered against my brother? You know that too much affection is not good for some."
"I was NOT plastered all over your brother! First of all I fainted and had this strange dream of…..well never mind that, but I fall back asleep and I am here in the gardens. Same day I attempt to go back to bed only to have your brother show up. Then your father and all his nonsense. So far no one has had the decency to respect my privacy. Judging by the look of things least of all you!" Pushing the bowl out of the way she stood and gestured in aggravation at the revealing nightie, black in color of all things!
Jareth stood slowly and wove his way around the bed, feral grace and flashing eyes all making her freeze in place. Reaching her he pulled her roughly against his chest, grasping her hair in his tightly clenched fist even at her squeak of displeasure, which he ignored, to mold his mouth to hers. Nails raked his chest and he reveled in the feel as she went limp against him. Refusing to break the kiss he moved his arms and hands to sweep her up, bridal style, to carry her to the bed. Sarah kissed him back with all the courage she could muster it was then that they both heard a sharp knocking on the door.
"Enter," Breathless, chest heaving; Jareth went back to kissing a dazed Sarah as if he had not a care in the world.
Clearing his throat and hopefully some of the steam from the room, Rashem let himself inside and slammed the door. He pretended not to notice as the young couple before him came up for air. Snapping apart, the King set the girl on her feet and had the decency to look guilty. Or was that a smirk? The girl blushed a deep red, obviously embarrassed.
"Highness if you would but leave me to attend Milady Sarah I will be about my work." With a huff of aggravation Jareth walked to the door. A moment's hesitation and he spun, throwing a crystal at Sarah's feet, laughing at her shocked squeal, and then deftly left the room, closing the door behind him.
"My lady this is most important. I hope that you understand going Aboveground will make you extremely ill from this point on. The amount of magic you receive here will no longer sustain you there. You have spent too much time in the Underground so near to your changing period."
"Wait. Did you just say changing? To what? Does the Labyrinth have something to do with all of this?"
"Apparently Milady the Labyrinth was merely what brought it to the surface. You are, somehow, a part of the Fae and as such must undergo a state of change so that your essence can blend with your magic. You seem to be a late bloomer. That is why you now find yourself in such a weakened state above. Your body is trying to catch up to something that should have happened gradually over time. I will research further as to why this has occurred. Keep someone magical with you should you need to travel above, but I warn you they must have immense magical power to sustain you. Might I suggest his Majesty?"
Crossing her arms over the lovely medieval day dress she now wore, thanks to a certain crystal toss, she glared at the healer. So go home and fade (sounded much nicer than dying didn't it?) or stay and live as a permanent resident of the Underground. How to hide it from Jareth?
Now, afraid to do more than go home and say goodbye, she needed a plan. She had no intention however of sharing a room with the Goblin King let alone sharing a bed with him. Only a week till her birthday and no family to share it with now. Ignoring the healer she moved to the bed, climbed beneath the covers, and threw them over her head in a scream of frustration.
Authors Note:
A SUPER HUGE THANKS to all my reviewers!
Daiyu Amaya
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StillFeelSixteen
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and last but not least, my Beta, Joie Cullen!
Thanks also to those that have chosen to set an alert for my story as well. I am happy to see such a positive response!