Sarah's knees collided with hardwood floors as she collapsed in a silver heap of skirts and tears. Sobs stole the very breath from her lungs. She threw herself the rest of the way to the floor, burying her face in her hands, scared to see where she was. When she was. Scared to see the outcome of her meddling in the past.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she choked. Everything had been for nothing. All her plans. All her scheming. Jareth was right all along. There was nothing she could do to save him now. There never was.
The floor was soaked with her salted sorrow. Time stood still. Minutes could have been hours or days as her body hemorrhaged all her disappointments and regrets. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered.
Strong arms lifted her, against her will, off the floor to sit. Her fallen hair was brushed behind her ears. Weak and disoriented, the hands grasping her shoulders steadied her. She felt the cooling effects of a healing spell run down her body but no magic would ever mend her broken heart.
"Shhh, Sarah. Don't cry." Jareth pried her hands from her face. He marveled as his old familiar power bent the boundaries of nature and molded it with his own magic. Even with red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks, she was a vision. That her tears were for him, nearly shattered him.
Sarah blinked, her bleary eyes unwilling to believe her ears. "Jareth?" Her hands touched his face. No longer sickly and gaunt. His skin clear and unblemished. He was the vision of health and handsome perfection he had been in the past. She looked around taking in his bedroom. Was she dreaming? Hallucinating? "How? What–your curse–I–I–I failed…"
Jareth lifted them to their feet, holding her close after all these centuries. No phantom presence forever evading his grasp. Real and warm in his arms. He'd never let go again. "No, you didn't."
Nothing made sense. His thumbs swept her tears away, they felt real. She touched his chest, felt his heart beating beneath her palm. Her lips trembled even as they stretched into a quavering smile. Happiness clouded with confusion. She'd promised to find Brigid and break his curse, but she didn't. Shaking her head, she said, "No, I–"
Jareth leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He felt the same spot he kissed two hundred years ago. He was once again complete and whole. "The woman I marked as my own is here."
The hair on her neck stood on end, her skin tingling to the tips of her toes. Her heart lurched and stomach tightened. She fought the urge to scan the room for another soul when she finally whispered, "Me?"
"You." His hands cupped her face, tilting her chin up. His lips were on hers, starved from centuries of pent-up passion. She was his. Finally his. No longer hidden behind spells and magical barriers within his mind. No longer disappearing from his reach. He would burn his claim on her skin with searing kisses. Mark every inch of her body. Making it impossible for her to ever leave him again.
Her mind was muddled, warring with itself in an effort to understand. Her emotions ran as rampant as her longing in her bewilderment. A sly sneaking voice surfaced from the depths of her mind. Why should she care if anything made sense? Jareth was alive. Holding her . Kissing her . That was all that mattered. If the world was going to burn, let their desirous fire be the cause.
"I thought I would never see you again," she said, breathless as he trailed kisses down her neck.
His hands wandered over her silver gown trying in vain to feel her body. "I had given up hope of ever finding you."
Feeling weightless and intoxicated by hope, she allowed herself momentarily to live in this happy ending as though it could not be ripped from her the moment they let go. Relief lifted guilt off her shoulders. She wrapped her arms around him, pushing against him. She couldn't get close enough. Wanted to feel him. Needed more.
Sarah pulled the hem of Jareth's shirt, forcing him to stop his hands' explorations as she tugged it over his head. She ran her palms up the flat plane of his abdomen and over the muscles of his chest. His heat surrounded her. He was strong and virile. As he was and always should be.
Embracing her, he pulled her once more into a deep kiss. Years of yearning, desperately seeking and searching for his soulmate only to be met with despair were assuaged the moment their lips met. Their tongues brushed against each other wantonly. Tasting and taking what they wanted, withholding nothing.
His deft fingers tugged at the ribbons lacing the back of her gown. Shrugging her shoulders, she let the garment fall to the floor. Stepping out of the silver fabric, they stumbled and turned in a frantic dance towards the bed as they tried to free each other of the rest of their clothing.
Jareth grunted in frustration as his knees hit the bed behind him. There was too much in between them. He hesitated for only a second then snapped his fingers, the fear of nothing happening fleeting as he felt soft smooth skin against him. He turned, guiding Sarah to the mattress.
She was laid bare beneath him, a willing sacrifice on his altar to worship. The sight of her soft curves surpassed any dream or scheme he could have ever imagined. Every kiss pressed along her body a gentle prayer of reverent devotion, savoring the feel of her skin against his lips.
He cupped the heavy weight of her breasts in his hands breathing in the perfume that clung to them. His lips covered her nipple, pulling it to a taut point as he sucked each one in turn, feeling her arch beneath him. He fought the urge to turn the porcelain skin deep hues of reds and purples as he nipped and kissed a trail down her body.
Sarah's gasp of surprise melted into a moan of decadence as his tongue swept through her core. He traced every curve of her folds, with tortuous attention. Her hips rolled and fingers gripped his hair, trying desperately to seek out the delicious friction in the one spot he had yet to savor.
"Please," she implored. Didn't he know what she wanted? What she needed? A fine mist broke out along her brow. Her hands pushed her hair back, the pins and ribbons in disarray.
"Please what, Sarah mine?" His predatory gaze caught her eye from between her thighs, heavy lids hooded with desire. "Is this what you want?" He dipped his head once more.
Her knuckles twisted in the bed covers. Pleasure shot through her body as his lips closed around her clit sucking the delicate bundle of nerves until her legs were pressed against his head. Her thighs were pushed open. A finger then two slipped inside her as her body welcomed the way they stroked her walls. His tongue and fingers worked in tandem as they flicked and pumped her silken core.
Heat coiled in her abdomen, tightening and twisting. Building with unrelenting pleasure. Her toes curled, back arched off the mattress. Her moans filled the room until they shattered as her climax ripped through her body, every muscle tensing. He persisted in his efforts, drawing out her orgasm until the last ripple of ecstasy left her limp and replete.
Jareth crawled over her body, flushed and aroused. Her eyes were glassy and glazed as they focused on him, brazenly calling to him beneath fluttering lashes. He'd spent centuries wanting this, waiting for this. For her. He could wait no longer to finally possess her body and soul.
Pushing her legs apart, he appreciated the way her teeth tugged at her bottom lip. His body ached at the sight of her spread open and glistening before him. Gripping his shaft, he lined his cock with her entrance before sinking into the wet heat slowly. His eyes rolled back, his brow creased as he fought to maintain control until he was buried to the hilt.
Sarah felt his body trembling, the muscles in his jaws clenched. She'd never felt so stretched and filled. So complete. She rocked her hips, taking him as deep as she could. A growl rumbled behind his gritted teeth. He withdrew before snapping his hips and thrusting, setting an urgent pace she met with equal need.
There would be time, all the time in the future, for slow exploration. Desperate hunger consumed them as she wrapped her legs around his hips. Their bodies met with slick wet sounds of skin against skin. His lips crashed over hers. Their tongues twisted and twirled around each other, smothering their moans. He shuddered as her nails pressed sharp crescent edges into his shoulders but it only provoked him further.
With a grunt, Jareth rolled their bodies over, watching with mesmerized reverence as she rose above him, straddling him, rocking her hips with smooth grinding undulations. Her hair flowed over her shoulders, a tangle of waves shrouding her breasts from his view. She pulled her hair back, arms raised as she continued to ride him. Her naked beauty put all nymphs to shame. She was a veritable goddess and he a humble supplicant.
Sitting, he pulled her against him. He ran his teeth along her neck before kissing and sucking at the delicate skin. Her head fell back, lips parted, her breathing a staccato of shortened gasps. She clawed at his shoulders. Her thighs squeezed him and her cunt gripped his cock. He grabbed her hips as her climax overtook her, lifting her up and down his shaft.
As the pleasure eased, Sarah fell forward, leaning against Jareth using him to support her spent body. He laid them down on their sides. She draped her leg over his hip as he continued to pump in and out of her sensitive flesh. Her throat was raw from the cries her orgasms ripped from her. Her body was feverish and misted with sweat, hair sticking to her brow.
His pace never slowed. The steady rhythm refused to let her body recuperate from any previous climax. She was overstimulated and overwrought with emotions she could not name. Tears pricked her eyes as she was overcome by everything they said without words.
Jareth could no longer contain his need. His restraint was at its end as his body poised to follow Sarah into the depths of rapture. Reaching between them, Jareth rubbed her clit with his thumb using deliberate circles. He heard her cry out as her body quickly obeyed his command. His hips stuttered, burying his cock deep within her, spilling himself as his body spasmed with the power of his release.
His heart hammered wildly as he held her against him. His breathing was labored until she reached up and stroked his cheek. He focused on her green eyes that held his.
"I still don't understand." She said, touching his face so full of color and life. Would she ever get used to his handsomeness? Her eyes closed against her will as she blinked slowly, exhaustion overcoming her.
"Shhh," he whispered, kissing her brow. He pulled her close and tucked them in the bedcovers with the help of his restored powers before pulling the blanket over her shoulder. "We have all the time in the world to talk after you've rested."
After all, she was still a human, her body fragile and overworked from her travels through time. He cradled her in his arms with a tenderness he never knew he possessed, amazed that he, above all, could be worthy of such a fate. "I dreamed of holding you so many times…"
"This was my new dream. I wanted this, so much. I never thought it would come true." She sighed as she rested her cheek against the warm expanse of his chest.
Jareth watched her fall asleep as he stroked her long locks. Her lashes fanned over her cheeks. Her lips, still kiss swollen, parted as she fell further into slumber with a deep sigh.
His eyes wandered towards the wood grain of his canopy. The number of times he traced their curves was countless, but no more. He'd slept enough for a lifetime. Reunited with his soul, his prior strength and power revived, his body itched to start setting his life and kingdom to rights. There was so much to do. So much to see to. And he didn't want to waste another second.
He gently slipped away from his future queen without disturbing her though her lip pouted as she snuggled into the covers. Crossing the room, his muscles were strong and steady. He opened the wardrobe, taking time and great care in choosing a shirt and pants his body would fill as it once had, no longer frail and feeble.
Dressing in a white shirt and dove gray pants, he stared at himself in the mirror. His body lean and muscled. His pants hugged the curve of his thighs, accenting his body as he believed they should. His skin was pale and clear of any blemish. His hair wild and audacious. His appearance as attractive as ever and ready to conquer the world.
Jareth had sent a sleeping Torren to his quarters as soon as he had woken and seen Sarah sobbing on the floor. But now he needed the Lord Chamberlain awake and at his beck and call as he had been for so many years.
He appeared in Torren's room, a small shabby chamber with a bed and modest sitting area. Both surrounded by books and parchment. Jareth told him repeatedly to take a room befitting of his station, but Torren preferred the cramped hole far away from any other inhabitants in the castle. Ever the hermit, Jareth was not surprised to find him still asleep amongst the scrolls and missives he loved to hide behind.
Torren shifted on his bed, ink smudges stained his pillowcase. He was fully dressed on top of the messy bedding, his boots still on his feet, glasses askew. His hazel eyes fluttered open, narrowing as they locked onto Jareth, then widening as he scrambled to his feet. He removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes, then set the wire rims back on his nose.
"Your Majesty," he exclaimed with a staggering bow. A flurry of questions proceeded. "When? How?"
Jareth raised his hand, waving the underling to standing. He had no time to waste with formalities at present. "Sarah–"
"She did it?" Torren mumbled, his jaw slackened with incredulity. His head shook as his mind reeled. She'd returned. Was she safe? How had she done it? Never did he believe that the Champion would or could succeed.
"Indeed. It would be best for you, for all of us, not to underestimate her in the future. For now, we'll prepare for a wedding and coronation in time for Samhain. In the meantime, I want reports on all the situations that have occurred during my absence."
"Of course, Your Majesty." He nodded, shuffling through the papers on his bed searching for the ones he needed. There was so much to be done. He would need to organize everything in order of importance. He'd have to find the plans he made centuries ago and see what could be salvaged for the king's new bride.
Jareth prepared to leave then hesitated. This Fae had stayed with him through centuries. Never wavering. Never hesitating to follow instructions. And somehow, he managed to help Sarah save him. "And Torren?"
The Lord Chamberlain stopped his hunt. What had he done to earn his ire so quickly? "Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Your loyalty has not gone unnoticed nor unappreciated," Jareth said. It may have been the first time he had praised his second in command. The stunned look on the other Fae's face was quickly masked though.
Never had the Goblin King remarked on his efforts, let alone lauded them. Gobsmacked, Torren gathered stacks of parchment to his chest and replied. "Yes, Your Majesty. And may I congratulate you and the Lady Brigid on your upcoming nuptials?"
"The Lady Sarah, you mean." And with Torren's face twisted in horror and bafflement, Jareth disappeared with a devilish grin onto his next destination to set his future to rights.
A scream resounded in the kitchens as Jareth appeared leaning against the stone wall. He jumped out of the way as Bracken brandished a cast iron pan at his knees before she dropped it with a loud clatter as it crashed to the floor.
Jareth smiled as he snatched a biscuit from a cooling rack. Popping it in his mouth, the flavors exploded on his tongue. Everything tasted better, smelled better, even Bracken looked better.
"Your Majesty," she exclaimed as her eyes filled with tears. The king was the last person she expected to see in her kitchen or ever again. Her heart swelled as she restrained her emotions for the Fae she had witnessed rise to king looking as though he had not been near death's door that very morning.
He reached for another biscuit. His appetite was back with a vengeance. It had been so long since he had fully enjoyed and gluttonously indulged in Bracken's cooking. He had a sudden desire to savor every flavor she crafted for him.
"You take another one and I'll pick that pan right back up." She shot a playful glare in his direction while dabbing the corner of her eyes with her apron. She sniffled and gathered ingredients. "It's about time you got out of bed."
He laughed at the dwarf's audacity as he snapped making the pan appear on its hook that hung on the wall. "It's good to see you too, Bracken. Please send breakfast for two in a few hours."
Her brows raised. She grabbed a bowl and basket of eggs. "For two? Not three? Planning to starve that champion of yours?" The poor human, tossed to the side for another after all her fretting and fussing. At least she'll get the gold Hoggle promised her. She won't leave completely empty-handed.
"Starve? No. Marry? Yes." He grabbed another biscuit and left Bracken stuttering and sputtering as the egg she had cracked splattered on the countertop leaving the bowl in front of her empty. "And start preparing menus for wedding and coronation feasts."
Leaving an amusing path of chaos in his wake, he returned to his chambers. His sanctuary. Where he had always retreated to be alone. A pale shoulder peaked over his bedding and long dark hair was splayed over his pillow. He would never be alone again.
Though it made sense two hundred years ago to create separate rooms for a king and queen, he realized now that he wanted all her time. Wanted her presence near him. She could change whatever she wished in his chambers to make it theirs. He would deny her nothing. The dark brooding atmosphere he cultivated suited him but she should be surrounded by objects of beauty and brightness.
He grabbed the back of a chair as a wave of vertigo made his body sway. Though his strength and power were returned, he may have overextended himself by using so much so quickly. He spent the better part of a decade losing his magic. It was only natural for his body to have to acclimate. A little rest and he would be good as new.
The sky outside was still dark, the sun threatened to rise on the horizon but there was still time before it rose fully. He shed his shirt, tossing it on the foot of the bed, and climbed in next to Sarah. He was too selfish to want better for her. To want her to have the dreams she worked so hard for in her life. So many years he'd longed for this very sight. To have her, hold her, keep her.
The guilt he felt for coveting Sarah when he was bound to Brigid abated. He was not the unfaithful fool he believed himself to be. His soul sought hers through inconceivable distances. Wrapping his arm around her, he reveled in her softness, her scent, the slow rhythm of her breathing until he finally let himself drift to sleep with her.
Golden rays teased Sarah's eyelids. Squinting against the early morning sun, she slowly took in her surroundings. Dark walnut canopy, black and silver curtains enclosing the bed around her, and fair hair spilling across the pillow next to her.
Jareth's eyes were still closed, his lashes fanned across his high cheekbones. His markings around his eyes were dark and clear. No dark circles or shadows carved away at his handsomeness. His bare chest was exposed as the covers had slipped to his waist. The red streaks that once marred his body and face were gone. No trace of the curse was visible. It was difficult to reconcile the changes she saw in him.
She didn't understand what had happened. How the curse was broken. Trying to parse through everything she thought made her head spin. She glanced at Jareth who still slept soundly. Answers would have to wait.
Sitting, she felt her cheeks heat as she recognized her own nakedness, memories of Jareth's mouth and body on her, in her, a part of her, made her thighs clench. Spotting a discarded shirt, she pulled it over her head and slipped from the bed.
As she tip-toed down the hall, she prayed that her walk of shame would not be witnessed by anyone. She was victorious as she crossed the threshold of her room. Closing the door behind her, she stopped. Her room . My room. But was it?
Had she stolen someone else's fate? Confusion churned her stomach. Nothing made sense but did she care? What did it matter if her place here was someone else's? She got everything she wanted. Jareth was healed. The curse lifted. Isn't that what was important?
She wanted to accept it and move on. Live her happily ever after but could she be so selfish? Had she doomed Brigid to some other worse fate?
Brigid. Daisy. Sarah would never know what happened to her. She was so sweet. A true friend. She deserved so much more than Sarah had given her. Though Sarah had tried her best to give her the ending she deserved, nothing she did had helped them be together. Instead, Sarah was here in her place.
And where was Daisy? Had she lived her life in squalor as some farmer's wife? Had she become a nun living a life of sacrifice and toil? The High King said most mortals could not abide returning to the real world after seeing magic was real. Daisy had lived with Rowan for a year. Could she have returned and not lived a life of regret?
Guilt crept through Sarah as she sunk to the floor. Hugging her knees to her chest, she struggled to control her breathing as the weight and consequences of her meddling finally caught up with her.
Jareth reached his hand out only to be met with cold nothingness. No. Had it been a dream? Was he dreaming still? Stuck in another nightmare chasing his love futilely? Would he open his eyes and be forever trapped in a body, weak and broken?
He pulled the pillow in his grasp to him and inhaled deeply. It still smelled of her. Opening his eyes, he saw his hands strong and felt the magic coursing through his veins. A pile of silver fabric still lay on the floor. She was here somewhere. There was only one place to which she would retreat.
Appearing in her room, he found her on the floor. Relief was immediate at the sight of her until he stepped closer. Her eyes were glazed over. She looked as lost as he had felt moments ago.
"Sarah?" He approached slowly, concern furrowing his brows. He had expected her to be happy today. Filled with elation after their night in each other's arms. Finally, where they were meant to be. Why wasn't she happy?
Sarah didn't move. Her eyes focused on a single point refusing to let go of that one sight. "Are you sure I'm supposed to be here?"
"Yes." He knelt beside her. "The moment you returned bearing the soul bond, my curse was broken. All of my spells and protections lifted. The memories I tried so hard to destroy restored. I would know you anywhere."
How could he have ever wished to forget her? Only his Sarah would ever have had the bravery and foolishness to not fear him. Her beguiling beauty was as vibrant now as it was in the past but it was her determination and dauntless nature that had truly drawn him to her.
"But Brigid–you said your soulmate's name was Brigid. What if this is all wrong?" she asked, her voice wavering.
"Brigid is the name Daisy gave me after you vanished. In an attempt to protect you, I assume." He could hardly fault the maid for her devotion to Sarah. Had he been in his right mind, he would have been able to sense her lie but in his destructive state, he had no rational ability. He could see that now.
The heaviness in the pit of Sarah's stomach lightened slightly. Daisy had risked her own name to save her. The pieces to the puzzle she needed solved slowly fell into place. "And you couldn't find me–"
"Because you did not exist." Jareth pulled her to standing, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss where he once marked her as his.
"Do you think we could find out what happened to Daisy? I need to know that she is-or was-okay." She knew things had worked out the way they were meant to but the fact that it played out in her favor made Sarah still feel uneasy about what happened to her friend.
Jareth thought back to the little mouse who hadn't crossed his mind since the day he left the High King's castle. He wasn't sure what Sarah thought she could gain from asking but he would at least try to appease her in this matter even if it lead to a bittersweet conclusion. "I haven't spoken to Rowan in two hundred years, but I am sure he will answer any correspondence we send if only for the curiosity of it all."
She nodded. It would be nice to know if Daisy ever made it back to her family or found a new one. Wait. "What about my family?" she asked. Would she have to give them up? Would that be the price for her happy ending?
He's never even considered her family back when he was making plans and schemes. She would be his, what need would she have had for mortal relations? But now he knew better. Her happiness required those she loved, be it her parents, sticky little brother, or blithering idiots she called friends.
"You or we can visit as often as you like," he said. Later, he would explain that she would eventually become Fae much like the wished aways but glamours could be used to feign aging so as not to raise suspicions.
Hope buoyed her as she felt their connection like invisible ribbons tying them together. She hadn't failed. Finally. Everything that happened was meant to be. Everything she had ever been through was leading her to this. Leading her to him.
"I'm sorry you were alone for two hundred years. I can't imagine how hard that was," she whispered as she laid her cheek against his chest.
He twirled a lock of her hair around his long fingers. "I didn't deserve you at the time. I'm still not sure I do but I'm not altruistic enough to let you go." He felt her cheek curve with a smile.
Pulling away to look up at him, Sarah asked, "What do we do now?" How does one start a new life? Where do they begin?
Jareth considered her question. They both needed a chance to cleanse away the guilt and self-flagellation from their own personal demons. To absolve themselves in each other's arms.
"As fetching as you are clad only in my shirt…" He snapped his fingers.
Sarah found herself naked in Jareth's grotto, the waterfall providing ambient sounds as steaming water rippled around them. She fought her first instinct to cover herself but the appreciation in his eyes as he drank in her natural form made the battle seem ridiculous. Stepping towards him, she said, "So, you do need help bathing and you're finally ready to admit it?"
His laugh echoed against the stone walls of his bathroom. "I'm afraid I will never recover that ability."
"Then I guess you'll need a nurse forever." She ran her hands up his chest, watching the rivulets of water trace the lines of his lith muscles.
He lifted her with ease, her legs wrapped around his waist. He whispered against her lips, "Or a queen."
White clouds passed over vivid blue as they enjoyed their breakfast on the balcony. The universe seemed brighter more alive. Colors were crisp. The noises of nature loud and cheerful. Happiness. Something he never imagined and it emanated from the woman who sat across from him unaware of what change she had brought to the world.
Sarah looked up from her strawberry, catching Jareth's intent gaze. Everything was perfect. She wished this moment would never end. "Wait!" The strawberry dropped to her plate. "I won a wish."
Jareth grinned mischievously. He'd wondered how long it would take her to remember her prize. "Which I believe you used about ten years ago."
Disappointment settled on her face as she nibbled her bottom lip and crossed her arms. "Ugh. Of course, I did."
The High King said he would tether it to her soul so when her soul reappeared, she supposed the wish did too. The fact she was able to use it to wish her baby brother away because she meant it was not something she wanted to delve into at the moment. She owed Toby at least two banana splits now. Maybe another puppy.
"I had wondered how a mortal born in a time of so little belief had enough to make a true wish. But I still don't know how you knew to wish to me. You said you had a book," he said, taking a bite of bacon topped with egg.
Sarah drank her coffee, relishing the bitter brew cut with cream and sugar. She shrugged and stated, "Yes, I got it for my sixteenth birthday. It was on my bed, so I figured it was from my dad. He always played into my imagination that way." She'd never thought anything of it. Now that she did, she had never asked her parents where it came from. Just took it for granted like she did everything else.
His back straightened. This book had been vexing him since he first learned of it. "I know of no such tome that mentions me." Curious. "May I see it?"
Sarah nodded and fetched the book she never could part with, even though she was supposedly past the age of such fairy tales. The soft red leather was cool to the touch. The spine cracked and bent with frequent usage. It was one of her most prized possessions.
She handed it to him when she returned and crossed the balcony to look out over the balustrade at the gardens in their wild glory and the Labyrinth. Dust rose in the distance as it rumbled and changed the pathways. She tried to envision the walls covered in creeping vines and flowers rather than the sepia landscape before her but they were perfect as they were. Just as she remembered them from her childhood.
Jareth took the red leather book in his hands, a soft grin tugged at his lips as he recognized his own magic. What a delightful paradox. He knew what needed to be done. A simple duplication spell and visit to a small bedroom on a momentous day would ensure that history would repeat itself.
"What would you wish for? If you still had that wish," he asked, joining her. He surveyed their kingdom. Though it might be small, it was theirs to do with as they may. He broke the last biscuit in half offering a piece to her.
Taking the cookie, she observed the world around her before staring at the handsome profile next to her. In her wildest dreams, she never would have imagined the events that had unfolded in the last few weeks and how they would change the course of her life forever. A few weeks ago, she had nothing. Now, she had a future where anything was possible as long as she was with him. "Nothing. I have more than I could ever wish for."
Notes: Most importantly, thank you to everyone who read and commented. Seeing all the reactions has been thrilling. For those finding this story months or years after I posted, I will never get tired of hearing people's reactions. I loved all of them. I want email alerts when I'm in my old folk's home. Some notes…okay, a lot of notes. I have been holding all of this in for a year and a half.
1. This story is designed to be reread. I put so many easter eggs in the first half. I have an entire document titled "Anam Cara Breadcrumbs." They could be actions, items in a room or a drawer, stories told in passing…there are nods everywhere. Some are big and some are hidden in tiny details. If you find one, let me know. I have waited sooooo long for those to be a thing. Lol. The first half is full of them. Here's a hint for a random one I don't think anyone has mentioned-Ambrosius' backstory. But the rest are J/S centric.
2. The anime/manga that I was heavily inspired by is called Kamisama Kiss/Kamisama Hajimemashita. There are 2 seasons that have been dubbed but the meat of the story is in the OVAs that can be found on . It's fabulous. You will definitely see Tomoe/Jareth and Nanami/Sarah although the plot differs. Even the chapter titles will make more sense.
3. Anam Cara means soul mate but another Google search later, I found out it really means soul friend typically a friend who is a confessor. After a mild panic and rethinking everything, I realized that was even better though because Sarah was both. She was his soul mate in the way we imagine but also his first friend he confessed/confided to.
4. The Dagda and Morrigan belong to Celtic lore. I used little tidbits as I wanted and probably did not do them any real justice. Rowan is mine though.
5.. Brigid of Kildare is the patroness Saint of Ireland. She believed in anam cara. According to Wikipedia (don't judge) The Martyrology of Óengus recounts an incident where Brigid of Kildare counselled a young cleric that "...anyone without a soul friend is like a body without a head."
6. This story ended up being pretty symmetrical. Prologue and 9 chapters of present then 9 chapters of past and epilogue. Not really important but I like that.
7. I'll post the epilogue next week instead of in two to give everyone a chance to read this chapter. There won't be an author's note at the end just so you can sit with it a bit. It's short.
I hope you enjoyed this ride and I hope it's even better the second time around. I'm going to be focusing on Thorns using the new method of planning I used for AC. Then after that, I have a few other Labyrinth ideas. Another soulmate story, a coffee shop au disguised as an occult store, a darker Jareth story that I'm still fiddling with. I'll be here a while. lol. Thank you, guys, again so so much.
