Chapter Five

Unveiling Huldra Folk

Sarah was an absolute mess, thinking over the events that had just occurred. Hearing a thud against the balcony doors of Jareth's room, she had hoped that it would be him and not another attacker. Throwing the balcony doors open, leaving them to flail back against the inside wall with abandon, she gasped. She could still feel her hands shaking as she moved quickly to fall to her knees by his side.

"Jareth!" Sarah had cried out, her voice shrill and panicky. She heard him whisper her name. Hearing her yell, Dydimus hurried in and took in the scene before him. With out a second glance, he quickly darted out of the room to get the healer, leaving a very confused Hoggle and Ludo in his wake.

"Jareth," Sarah called weakly knowing that he would not answer. Tears were falling down her face. He had several cuts and bruises, a slash across his cheek and a deep wound in his side. Looking over to the two that remained, she lost it. "Don't… Don't just stand there! Help me! Let's get him to the bed," she said taking on a more calm tone as Ludo rushed over, being larger and more capable of helping Sarah move the injured King than Hoggle was.

With a combined effort, Sarah and Ludo had laid Jareth gently on the bed.

"Dydimus already went for a healer, the best we have," Hoggle said, trying to bring some solace to the clearly stricken girl. Sarah did not answer, but sat dutifully at Jareth's bedside, her eyes never straying from his face. She searched his pale, pained visage, for any sign that he would come around. Dydimus returned with the healer who quickly grabbed Sarah needing to literally force her from the room. Pushed to her knees outside the door, Sarah looked back to see the healer slam the door behind her, dousing her in darkness.

Sarah had broken down in front of the door, and that was the state she remained in, as Jareth's bloody return kept replaying in her head. Hoggle and Ludo had wanted to comfort her, but Sarah proved inconsolable. She moved to sit with her back to the stone wall by the large doors. She had pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and hiding her face as she cried. She was so confused; she didn't think that Jareth would have gone anywhere that dangerous. He can't die, he can't… I need him, I… I…

Sarah didn't know how long she had sat there, it felt like a literal eternity before the doors burst open. Dydimus was thanking the healer, with the promise of great rewards. This must have meant that the healer had managed to save Jareth! Sarah stood quickly, almost falling over. The sun was rising, it was now the third day. She knew that she would have to make her decision by nightfall. In her heart, she already knew the answer. She had gotten no sleep since Jareth had returned, afraid of what she may have been waking up to.

Dydimus turned to Sarah, knowing it took all she had from shouting questions at him. He cut her to the quick, answering the questions he knew would be first and fore most on her buzzing, sleep deprived mind.

"The King will survive. He will need time to recover as the iron had poisoned him quite badly. The healer even had his doubts about the outcome." Sarah let Dydimus continue, hoping he would address the next question she was bursting to ask. "You may see him if you like, but I doubt he will come around any time soon."

"Thank you Sir Dydimus," Sarah croaked, bracing herself as she walked through the doors. The mirror opposite the large doors showed Sarah to be a fright. Looking as bad as Jareth probably felt at the moment. Her hair was a mess, her eyes red and puffy; icy, salty tracks on her cheeks from where her tears had fallen.

Dydimus closed the doors behind her, though Sarah knew he would stand guard there incase she needed him. With a sigh, Sarah made her way over to Jareth's bed, and sat on the edge looking down at him. His regally handsome face was still pallid, exhausted, mirroring Sarah's exhaustion. His shirt was ripped open down the middle, leaving full view of his bare chest, and the bandages wrapped around the deepest of the wounds in his side. The other cuts and bruises seemed to have been treated and healed perfectly, for there was no trace of the gash that had existed on the side of his face last night.

"Jareth," Sarah whispered lifting her hand to his cheek. It was almost enough to make her want to start balling again. He's going to be alright, He's going to be alright. Sarah repeated that mantra to calm herself. She had to see him for herself before she could believe Dydimus' words. Seeing him alive and breathing before her seemed to assure her enough, for she felt a wave of exhaustion barrel against her senses. She couldn't hold on any longer. Curling up to Jareth's side, careful not to touch him for fear of irritating his wounds, she fell asleep.

No one disturbed them, not even the healer, Dydimus made sure of that. They both needed their rest. Sarah would quickly worry and tire herself to illness. That would not do at all. Time passed slowly, it was late afternoon, and still Dydimus, very tired himself, stood guard.

Waking drowsily, the first thing Jareth noticed was the pain in his side, still stabbing at him. Gritting his teeth, he bit back a hiss of pain. Next, he noticed the sleeping girl beside him. Her long dark locks askew over her face, her cheeks were pink, hot, and salty from obvious crying. His heart melted at the sight. He knew the healer would have her out of the room while working, but he knew Sarah came back as soon as she could.

"Sarah?" Jareth said her name quietly as she began to stir. Opening her eyes slowly, Jareth could see that they were a little red. Finally, realizing what had happened, she looked at him. His heart could have stopped, fresh tears threatened to fall from her beautiful emerald orbs. She had never looked more beautiful to him; despite her state of disarray, she radiated beauty. The look, the emotion burning in her eyes to see that he had finally awoken; there was relief, exhaustion, question, and affection so deep, he was almost un-able to hold her gaze.

"Jareth?" Sarah's voice cracked as she continued to gaze at him. "Oh god, I thought… I was so worried," then frustration crossed her face. "D… don't you ever scare me like that again!" Her anger was short lived as a few tears trickled down her cheeks. With great effort, Jareth managed to sit up, but not with out the headboard of the bed for support. He opened his arms, beckoning Sarah to come to him, and she did. Thankfully, the wound that was still throbbing painfully was on the opposite side to which Sarah clung to him. She rested her head against his bare chest, arms looped around his shoulders.

Jareth wrapped his arms around her as tightly as the wound in his side would allow, resting his head to the top of her head.

"I'm sorry for worrying you Sarah, so very sorry." Jareth spoke quietly, stroking her hair gently. Sarah said nothing, simply holding onto him, as though afraid he would be gone the moment she let go. Finally, after seeming like forever, Sarah spoke.

"What happened," Sarah whispered. Jareth knew it was only a short matter of time before Sarah would want to know how he had ended up in this state.

"First Sarah I will tell you the nature of the creatures who sent those bumbling fools after you. You noticed they were dark, casting deformities among their own to pass them off as goblins who appeared only to be too tall. The Huldra Folk or "Hidden People" are Dark Elves." With Sarah's silence, he continued. "They have been hidden among the mountains for a long time; they never wanted anything to do with the other kingdoms. When you were attacked, you were not the only one. They sent many of the creatures that had attacked you to the other kingdoms in hopes at the very least to cause enough of a fuss to make the other heads of kingdoms to come together in question.

"Needless to say, their plan worked. With all the lead Fae in one building, they used iron, a poison to me and others of my like, and attacked. I had been sucked into their trap. Apparently with their years of hiding in the mountains, they were plotting to bring total anarchy to the Underground." Sarah understood, having hoped that it wasn't her fault alone that Jareth had been hurt so badly.

"So what do we do now?" Sarah was confused and concerned.

"The court will not call another meeting for awhile; it would be unwise with the Dark Elves watching everything." Jareth spoke thoughtfully. "I assume allies will form and attempt to fight back. As far as we know, the Dark Elves have no allies, and their kingdom is not very large.

"They are supposed to be very, very clever, but I don't know what they could have been thinking attacking twenty plus different kingdoms at the same time. Depending on how well the other kingdoms hold up, my kingdom may not even need to see battle. It will depend mainly on who the Dark Elves go after. We will not attack until they send a representative explaining their actions. Though they may not, as I assume, they are trying to over throw the system that had first gotten them banned to the mountains."

"Why were they banned," Sarah questioned, not really knowing much about them.

"Sometimes Dark Elves are benevolent, but not this clan. They were loud, aggressive, despised order, naturally a bad thing in a land that has a court of kingdom leaders, kings, ladies and what have you to meet. They were nothing but trouble, so the High Ruler of the court banished them…" Jareth conveniently left out, just how he was connected to the High Ruler who had banned the dangerous group.

Sarah gave a curt nod in understanding, Jareth feeling the movement against him. Exhaling deeply, he stopped the soothing motions of flattening her hair, and simply let his hand rest against her head, holding her to him. Closing her eyes, Sarah sighed in contentment, his steady heartbeat almost lulling her back to sleep.

"Jareth?" Sarah's voice was unusually quiet and gentle.

"Yes," Jareth replied just as softly.

"I need to tell you something, but there is something I have to ask you first." Sarah was nervous now, trying to remain composed, the way he answered this question would decide it all.

"Anything," he said airily.

"It is the third day, and the time will soon come for me to make my decision." Sarah could feel him take a short breath. "I need to know this isn't just because… you want some queen, that you… that you actually…"

"Sarah," Jareth whispered cutting her off. "I've not been able to keep away from you, and only did so in the beginning because you had to get through the Labyrinth. You were everything I wanted, smart, clever, a fiery spirit that not even my cold arrogance could smack down. I had truly met my match.

"I offered this to you because I would have no one else. I want no ordinary pretty face to sit at my side; I wanted someone whom I could rule and could also rule me." Jareth paused, a thick feeling at his throat. He wanted so badly to admit that he loved her, and that had truly sealed her place at his side. Finally he said it, though putting it in the cover of other words. "I've come to love you far too much to let you get away…"

Sarah gasped, had he really just said that? Never in a million years would she have thought that it would turn out this way. Perhaps his potentially fatal position had given him the strength to admit to her his deeper feelings for her. She would be surprised how correct she was with that thought. Warmth spread through her, and though she could always feel it, now that she was aware of his love, it seemed to magnify within her. Her emerald orbs were positively glowing with a serene happiness as she looked into his eyes.

"I've always loved you Jareth," Sarah admitted quietly. With out a chance to pull away or say any more, Jareth had leaned forward to give her the most passionate kiss she had ever experienced. Her cheeks were aflame as she kissed him back, she was not the most experienced, but knew how to return a kiss. She tried to match the fire he put into the kiss, wishing to make him realize just how much she cared for him.

"You must say if you wish to stay Sarah, and you must mean it," Jareth said against her lips. The sun was beginning to set. Had they really been talking that long? Sarah was confused at first, but knew that she needed to announce it aloud to the Labyrinth that she would stay.

"I wish to stay here, with you Jareth…" No sooner had the words left her lips that the sun sank completely from out of sight. It was done, it was through; Sarah had left her family and life in the aboveground behind with eight simple words. She couldn't believe it, Jareth had truly returned her feelings, and not because that is what she wished. She knew that she couldn't leave him wounded like this either way.

Jareth had had many Fae women profess their undying love for him, but not one of them had meant it. The fact that he had the most beautiful, intelligent, passionate woman, no Queen, at his side, that truly loved him despite his cold, arrogant nature towards the outside world, melted away the last icy wall that had existed between them. He had once sworn to never get that close to anyone; that it would only end badly. The only question left was that of Sarah's mortality, would the Labyrinth turn it's Queen immortal? If not, Jareth knew that there were other ways.

Nothing more was said between them. Sarah wanted nothing more than to ignore the possibility of on coming trouble with the Dark Elves, or of the life she had so easily abandoned and the people that existed in it, and to stay wrapped in Jareth's arms. Surely if there was a confrontation they had to be involved in, Jareth would leave her to go and fight, she could only hope the other kingdoms would act or as selfish as this thought was, be attacked first.

Who knew if the Dark Elves were even going to start attacking, maybe they had something else in mind, but what?

Sarah didn't have much time to dwell on the thought as a knock sounded at the door.

"Enter," Jareth drawled on, as if bored by the interruption of their intimacy. Sarah attempted to move away from Jareth, not wanting to feel like she had just been caught making out with her boyfriend in her room. Jareth seemed to have another thought in mind, and simply held tightly to her. She could already see the facade forming, and knew that it wasn't very likely that anyone else would ever see him the way she had. That was something that she was willing to deal with, just so long as he did not go over board.

Opening the door was a short Goblin maid carrying a small dinner for the two of them. Looking closer, Sarah could see that it was Elda.

"My lady, your Highness, you've been cooped up here all day, and I thought you might like some food." Sarah smiled gratefully towards the old maid. Jareth remained impassive as Elda brought the tray of food over and set it before them. "I'll leave you to your own then," Elda said.

"Thank you!" Sarah called after Elda as she shut the doors behind her.

What lay on the tray was steaming vegetables and a white meat Sarah identified as chicken. There was also a side of some sort of noodles which were quite good. Sitting beside each other on the bed, Sarah cross legged, they ate in silence. Talking about the confession of love that had just occurred and the possibility of new enemies were not things that got discussed over dinner. Once they had both finished, Jareth made the trays, food and whatever paraphernalia that was left over disappear.

Jareth looked troubled as he gazed out the glass doors to his balcony. This did no go unnoticed by Sarah, who reached over and gently took a hold of his hand.

"Jareth," Sarah began slowly. "What's the matter?" Jareth's cold demeanor brought on by the appearance of the maid disappeared quickly at the sound of Sarah's voice. With a sigh, he turned to her offering a smile that could only come off as cynical.

"These past events have me worried, I'm afraid I may to be in and out to help find a solution to this problem."

"Can't I just go…" Jareth cut her to the quick.

"Go with me?" Jareth looked almost as if he would shout at her for even suggesting such a thing. "Sarah, I've just got you, I'm not about to lose you! Especially not for some battle that could be easily enough won with out-"

"…Easily enough so that you are worried you may have to act? Just how did they get un-banned anyway?" Sarah was quick to jump to that, she hated to be left behind, but the thought hit her. She didn't know much about fighting, and within the time they had to know whether or not they were needed wasn't enough for Jareth to teach her properly. She would most likely just get in the way.

"I am only trying to think of everything," Jareth said, surprising Sarah by maintaining his temper. "I just want you to be where I know you are safe. As for why they were able to break the enchantments keeping them at bay, it could be because they are many years old, and they've had time to break though them…" He turned to face her, a pained look on his face as if the movement had hurt him. Before Sarah could protest that he lay down, he cupped her cheek in his hand. "Please Sarah," his voice was so soft and gentle, it made her resolve buckle.

"I just… I don't want to wake up to you bloodied and half dead… I was so afraid this time, and I just can't… I… I can't be with out you now." It was true Sarah could not see herself in this giant castle ruling over the Goblins alone, even if her friends would be at her side. What about when children got wished away? She didn't know what she would do.

"That won't happen again," Sarah raised her eye brows about to protest. "We will be prepared this time, no more pre-emptive strikes from the Dark Elves…" This didn't pacify her as she still looked worried. Tracing her cheek with his thumb he leaned forward and kissed her, this one being gentler than the first they had shared.

Looking into his mismatched eyes, she knew she had lost this argument. Her resolve to not be left behind shattered, he couldn't just leave the castle un-attended, and she would do much better here. "You won't have anything to worry about; whomever else is involved will keep the Dark Elves at bay away from the other kingdoms. The goblins really aren't that hard to govern," Jareth said as if he were reading her mind.

"Alright, alright," Sarah said defeated, temporarily forgetting of wished away children. "I will stay here, in safety to look over the castle." Jareth gave the closest thing to an honest smile she had seen all day, but it was etched in pain as the wound in his side throbbed again. "You need to get some rest, I should probably…"

"Stay right here with me," Jareth said arrogantly, but not so in a way that made her angry.

"You want me to stay?" Sarah was a bit confused.

"You are my future Queen, we will have your coronation as soon as I am well enough. It's a wedding of sorts to your kind." Sarah nodded, and then a thought hit her.

"Jareth, I'm mortal, what happens when I-" Jareth would not hear this, he cut her off.

"Sarah there are ways to make mortals into immortals. You needn't worry yourself with it now." Sarah gave a curt nod, relieved at that bit of news.

"I'm just going to wash up a bit," Sarah said taking the initiative and kissing him on the cheek. Jareth smirked, she was still shy about making the first move; he would have to find a way to quickly remedy that.

"There's a bathroom through that door," Jareth said pointing to a door beside the mirror Sarah had seen her disheveled appearance in, watching as she walked in.

Once she had washed her face and readied herself for sleep, Sarah exited the bathroom to see that Jareth had reclined himself to lying among the pillows. Crawling into the bed, she was surprised at the strength at which Jareth pulled her to him. He closed his eyes, simply holding onto her tightly. It took Sarah a moment, but she lay down, resting her head upon his bare chest again. She found it odd how comfortable this was, and felt her cheeks burn for feeling so childish.

Letting her mind rest, she only let one thought pacify her; the fact that she was in the arms of a man whom loved her and whom she loved in return. Sarah found sleep had come easier than she thought it would.

Author's Note:

Well, what did you think? I had to rewrite the confessing of love part, and a few other parts as well. I was trying not to distort them too terribly out of character. Sarah has decided to stay and I didn't kill Jareth (as if I would, goodness, I'm not that evil). They can be in love and happy, at least, until I decide to make something else happen. Don't worry this fic is not over. Longest chapter yet actually. Thank you to those whom have reviewed thus far! Please, PLEASE keep that motivational gold of reviewing going and let me know what you think. Please forgive any errors that slip my eye.