"What's bothering you, Sarah? You've been pretty quiet. Is this about your dad saying those things to Jareth?" Becca asked, taking a sip of soda. Sarah looked toward the kitchen door, then at the door Jareth had just walked out of and sighed. How could she explain to her best friend that she was being courted by a Fae king? And that her step mother was half Fae? She decided that she'd just give the basic idea to Becca and let her draw her own conclusions.
"I should tell you a few things. Daddy isn't crazy about Jareth. He thinks he's too old for me and that I'm going to end up leaving to go with Jareth. Jareth's family is really important - very wealthy and I don't know how I fit in with that sort of world. I just started dating him, I don't know how I feel about any of this yet!"
"Well how do you feel about him? You haven't acted very girlfriendish tonight," Becca observed. Sarah flinched.
"It's hard to act that way with your overprotective father glaring at your date. I just wish I could tell Jareth that I do like him, it's just hard to get the words out and we haven't been dating all that long. I wouldn't know how to say it without sounding silly."
"I have an idea," Becca said, pulling Sarah out of her chair. "Write him a letter."
"Who, my dad?"
"No silly - Jareth. Tell him you'll miss him and that you'll be thinking about him."
"But I can't tell him that!" Sarah looked horrified.
"Why not? It's true, isn't it?" Becca's grey eyes narrowed. "You aren't being forced into dating him or anything are you?"
"No, I just - well he knows how strongly he feels about me and I don't know how he knows so soon. His mom wants me to give him a chance and his dad seems to think I'll end up hurting him somehow. It makes me nervous to think about a boyfriend even though I really want to give Jareth a chance. What if it doesn't work out - I'll be alone. Mom promised to be there for me and she never is and I don't know," she faltered. "I don't know how I can trust like that again."
"Well how are you supposed to know if you don't give him a chance?" Becca folded her arms over her chest and waited.
"I guess I thought if I let him date me, he'd figure out on his own that I'm not what he wants and I wouldn't have to worry about him breaking my heart. But the more I think about him, the less I'm sure I'd be able to deal with it if Jareth was really liking me the way he says he does and then I like him and then - well - it ends."
"Hey, your dad and Karen are there for you, right? And me. And by the way he looks at you, I think Jareth is too. You can't find out how you feel if you don't let yourself feel anything. So stop fighting it and just feel already!"
Sarah laughed at her best friend's enthusiasm. "Fine, let's go find some paper and write the letter." They ran upstairs to Sarah's room and saw Jareth and Toby playing in Toby's new bedroom across the hall from Sarah's. Sarah froze, staring at Jareth holding Toby. Flashbacks to her time in the Labyrinth came back and she sighed. How was she to know what was real? Jareth looked up and smiled at Sarah. For her, time seemed to stop.
"Just doing a little girl talk before she leaves," Becca said quickly, pulling Sarah into her room and slamming the door. Jareth grinned. His Sarah was coming around to his way of thinking quite nicely. He'd have to remember to thank Becca for her support.
JSJS
Through one of his ever present crystals, Jareth watched Sarah and Becca talk about him. Toby watched too, his little hands reaching for the crystal. Jareth grinned down at him and spun the crystal away from his questing fingers.
"Not this time, Cousin - I'm spying on my beloved. She confuses me with her many moods. One moment I am certain she adores me and the next, she pushes me away as if I mean to harm her. Perhaps this week I may learn more of her thoughts and wishes. You can help me in my quest." He gave one last glance at Sarah and whisked the crystal back into nothingness. "I shall teach you how to make your own crystal if you wish?"
Yes!
Jareth closed his eyes and held Toby's hand, speaking to him telepathically. A slight breeze flowed through the room and Toby shivered in anticipation.
Close your eyes and decide what you want to see...that's it. Now hold out your hands and repeat these words in your mind. Ancient words that human tongues could not pronounce swept into Toby's young mind and he repeated them easily. A warmth started in his fingers and the hints of a song swirled into his mind, filling him with a happy feeling.
Looking down into his hands, Toby was thrilled to see a tiny crystal shining there.
It's so small!
You're still learning - and you are not fully Fae.
I can see Mama! She's yelling at Daddy but I can't hear the words. Daddy doesn't like you much.
Your daddy doesn't trust my intentions, but he will come around. I am very persuasive. As for your powers, if someday you chose to be Crystal King, you would absorb all of the magic of all of the realms below and be able to manipulate it to do your bidding. Until then, I think you have enough talent to produce crystals - perhaps do a few more things as you get older.
Crystal King. Sounds pretty.
Jareth laughed aloud. "You would wear even more glitter than I do, young one."
Toby snorted. No one could wear more glitter than Jareth. He told him so and Jareth laughed again, enjoying the boy's company.
"We shall see, youngling."
"Love Sarah?" the words came out of Toby's mouth and Jareth smirked.
"Are those your first words? I believe that if I am capable of love, that Sarah is the only one I'd like to love. But these feelings are new to me and I am unsure of your obstinate sister." He sighed. "So many things can go wrong, young Tobias, and I have so little time to get things right. But that is not for you to worry about - now - let's go get some cake. I desire something sweet to counteract your father's bitter behavior."
Toby squealed in laughter and let Jareth carry him back downstairs. This was going to be a fun week, he could tell.
JSJS
Robert and Karen came into the dining room and saw it was empty.
"He kidnapped all of them," Robert said angrily. Jareth walked in, carrying Toby and frowned.
"Who kidnapped anyone?" Karen took Toby from Jareth's arms and hugged him as they spoke to each other telepathically. Karen giggled and nodded at Toby which only annoyed Robert more.
"Toby needed changing, I took him upstairs," Jareth explained. "Sarah and Becca are up in her room."
"How do you know where her room is?" Robert asked. Jareth bit back a rude retort and calmed himself.
"It's across from Toby's room - I saw them enter and then slam the door - girl talk I believe was mentioned."
"Oh," Robert said sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm a little on edge about everything."
"As am I, friend Robert. I assure you that I mean neither of your children any harm."
Robert was spared answering as Sarah and Becca entered. Sarah had her overnight bag over her shoulder and carried a thin jacket. "I'm walking Becca home then I'll be back so Jareth's mom can pick me up, okay?"
"Sounds good dear," Karen said, hugging her stepdaughter with her free arm. "Come back soon, you have a long way to go."
"Have a pleasant journey, Sarah. I hope to speak with you soon," Jareth said and Sarah blushed.
"Thanks, um, before I go, l'd like to talk with you for a minute. Out in the foyer."
Jareth raised a brow in surprise but followed her, closing the door behind them. Sarah figited.
"I just want you to know that I'm giving this a chance. And um, I wrote you a letter - it's under my pillow. I didn't want Daddy to hear about it."
"Afraid he'd burn it before I saw it, Precious?" Jareth grinned. After a moment, Sarah grinned back at him.
"Yeah, something like that. Just - read it, okay?"
"As soon as I'm alone in your bedroom, my sweet." Jareth bowed and the door opened quickly. Robert stood there, watching them, almost surprised to not find them kissing.
"Well bye Jareth," Sarah said, waving. She and Becca ran out of the house and into the night.
While Sarah was gone, Robert and Karen showed Jareth to Sarah's room and let him settle in for the night. Robert watched closely as Jareth walked around the bedroom admiring Sarah's sketches.
"She is very talented," Jareth said softly. Robert nodded.
"She wants to go to college and become an artist. It's been her dream for a long time."
"Well, dreams change," Jareth said, almost to himself. "I believe when I was young I wanted to be a healer."
"Like a doctor," Karen explained from the doorway.
"You have doctors there?" Robert asked, surprised.
"Yes, but my kingdom needed me and so my dreams were put away. I still manage to run a fairly decent hospital though I do not practice medicine as such."
"I guess I always thought you didn't get sick. Having magic."
"Magic keeps us alive, true - but we are still prey to illnesses and injury. None of us really live forever and we don't really want to try. Still, to a human, it would seem like forever."
"Well, good night Jareth, we'll see you in the morning," Karen said, shooing Robert out of the room. Jareth smiled and closed the door. He turned towards Sarah's bed and found the letter, just as she'd promised. Magically changing into black silk night pants, he eased into bed and started to read.