3: Her Lulaby and
I sat with my knees on my chest, crying. Why did I have to go and say that? I hit the ground, furious with myself. "Stupid stupid stupid." I muttered, grabbing a handful of rocks and chucking them. I then remembered the flower. I quickly pulled it out and noticed it was normal again. I touched the center and it hardened and began to glow again. The oubliette lit up and I noticed I was in nothing more than a dark pit.
"Damn it." I said, looking around. "There is no way out!" I sat against the wall and thought for a second. "I wonder if Jareth is gonna bog me for this." I said to myself. I started getting nervous. "Damn why can't I just find somewhere where I am not always punished? First my mom, now a king of Goblins who probably wants to kill me!" I said, crying. I was really working myself up. I immediately scolded myself, "Now stop that!" I took a deep breathe and sat against the wall. Then played with the flower, impatiently and nervously. I started to cry a little more, but silently. "I bet he's thinking of a way to punish me now."
In my mind came a whole scene of goblins and faeries, including Hoggle and Genevieve. Jareth telling them his plans. Flooding the oubliette and me drowning. Releasing a brute on me. Setting the cleaners on me. Different ways to depose of me.
"And how's about this one?" He'd say. "We light the oubliette on fire!" He would then laugh maniacally and grabbing his crystal as he watched me burn. All the goblins would laugh.
"Glad to rid of her, pesky human." Genevieve would say.
"Real pain if yer' gonna ask me." Hoggle would agree.
"I should've killed her from the start." Jareth would say and the goblins would nod in agreement.
"Oh I'm screwed!" I yelled suddenly and began crying again. I was in there for probably three hours. I was tired. I was hungry. And I was scared to wits end. But for some reason, I was hopeful. Looking for the bright light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. Every few minutes or so, I'd look up, hoping Jareth would open up the hole I fell through.
"Oh it's hopeless." I said, beginning to cry again. "He probably decided to lock me in here until I fade away to nothing." A small whistle rang through the oubliette. Carefully, I stopped crying and listened.
Oh, why do you look so sad?
Just cause things seem bad
Little girl, now hush
I'm here now, I'm here.
"Who the devil is singing?" I asked myself, and I realized I was yawning. Yawn after yawn, I realized how tired I was. "God I'm exhausted," I said, nodding off. I sat up straight. "No! Must…stay...awake…in case…of…." I stopped talking and began to fall asleep as the singing continued.
Close your eyes and dream
Close out your awful reality
Things will turn 'round again
Just hush you precious thing
The sound of footsteps half woke me up. It was too dark to see anything anymore. The flower had curled up because of the cold. I could barley move or see, too tired of course. I felt my body lift off the ground and suddenly move. I was being carried. I tried to wake up fully, but the singing continued.
Sleep as you will
You sweet little girl
I'm here now my dear
Don't worry, I'm here
Broken hearted
It's all in your head
Someone still loves you
Carries you through
So hush my darling
Nothing will hurt thee
Not when I'm here
You are mine dear
I felt my body go limper and I started to doze off. Whoever had me was still singing the song, but The rest faded out.
I am your gentle guardian…
His voice was clear as day.
"Lovely creature…" Other noises echoed inside and someone yells out.
" What wrong with girl king?" It squeaks and others join in.
"What is wrong?"
"Majesty?
"Quiet All of you!" He yells to them. "I'm busy. Genevieve get her bed ready."
"Yes, King." Her voice trails off sweetly.
"Come now dear, just keep sleeping. When you wake, everything will be as it was." Then a sigh. "Or at least, almost as it was." Then a crooning, "At least this time your asleep as I carry you so your not mad nor I mad at you."
"Ready Majesty."
"Thank you Genevieve, you may go." He says. "Sweet Dreams , Love."
And gone.
The warmth of sunlight hit my face, blinding me as I opened my eyes. I shot up, surprised, looking around. I was no longer in a cold, dark, damp oubliette. But my bedroom. "Did I dream up the oubliette part? Did I pass out after falling out of the tree?" I asked myself, but I knew I hadn't dreamed it up. My hands were caked in dry mud. "No…It happened." I sighed. I wished it hadn't happened. The argument between me and Jareth.
"Afternoon'' Lexa." Hoggle came into my room.
"Hey Hoggle…wait...afternoon?" I said surprised. Hoggle nodded. "Wow."
"How ya' feelin'?" He asked me. He actually seemed concerned. I moved my hand.
"Ehh. Iffy." I said. "Did Jareth send one of you to come get me out of the oubliette?" I asked.
"No." Hoggle said, walking towards the jewelry. He picked a necklace up and looked at it. "Do you want this?" He asked me. I shook my head.
"How did I get out?" I said, getting up. Hoggle put the necklace on.
"Jareth got you." He said. I bit my thumb.
"Dang. He got me out?" I said out loud. Hoggle laughed.
"What'd ya' expect he'd ta' do?" He said, as though I knew what he was talking about.
"Well, I thought he would…" I trailed off, remembering my visions.
"Hurt you?" Hoggle said, coming to me. I nodded, tearing up. Hoggle put one hand on my knee. "He'd never do it on purpose." He said. "Only to help you. Granted he hurt us goblins and dwarves all the time, but yer' special." I sniffed.
"How do you know what he would do to me?" I asked, grabbing a tissue.
"Just a feelin'" Hoggle said, starting out.
"Bye Hoggle." I said, sniffling.
"Bye." He said before leaving. I got up and went over to the bathroom. I hadn't had a bath since two nights ago. I felt disgusting. I shut the door, and checked the bathroom for goblins or faeries. When I was safe enough, I undressed. I turned the shower on and climbed in.
"Ohh I needed this." I said, sighing. I grabbed a bottle of mint shampoo and began scrubbing. " When I was younger I saw, My daddy cry, and curse at the wind. He broke his own heart and I watched as he tried to read, a simple end." I sang as I scrubbed. "And my momma swore that she would never let herself again. And that was the day that I promised I'd never sing of love if it does not exist. But darling you are the only exception. You are the only exception. You are the exception. You are the only exception." I stopped for a second, thinking I had heard something. I peeked through the curtain. Nothing. I shrugged and continued.
" Maybe I know, somewhere deep in my soul that love never lasts. And we've got other ways, to make it alone or keep a straight face. And I've always lived like this, keeping a comfortable distance. And up until now I had swore to myself that I'm content with loneliness cause none of it was never worth the risk But you are the only exception but you are the only excepti-" A small laugh interrupted my singing. I opened the curtain a tad to see three goblins stealing my clothes and towel, and leave the door wide open. Where all the goblins could see me.
"HEY HEY HEY! BRING THOSE BACK!" I yelled.
"No can do Lady!" One called.
"We is just having fun." Another said.
"COME BACK!" I yelled again. They just laughed and ran out. I quickly finished rinsing, then looked out. "Ooh those little bastards." I said, shaking a fist. I thought for a second, and sighed when I realized what I had to do. I really didn't feel like seeing Jareth at the moment but I had no other choice. "Jareth! A little help? Please?" I yelled.
"In a bit of trouble I suppose?" Jareth said, standing by the sink. I nodded, embarrassed.
"Yeah, three of your little minions just came in and stole my clothes and towel, leaving the door wide open." I said. Jareth smirked.
"Well that's not good. Is it?" He said juggling a crystal.
"No, but it would be generous of you to get me another towel." I said sweetly, batting my eyelashes.
"Well wouldn't it be generous of me?" He said, balancing the crystal on his finger. "I have good news for you, and bad." I groaned.
"Oh boy."
"Good news is, I do have an extra towel," Jareth waved a towel back and forth. He then opened it up so his torso was behind . "Bad news is, you have to come out and get it." He smirked playfully and raised his eyebrows. I felt my face drop into complete shock.
"Come over to you naked?" I exclaimed. "I think not!" Jareth shrugged.
"Guess I'll just go." He said, starting to leave. All his goblins were still in my room giggling.
"Alright Alright!" I yelled. I grabbed the curtain and got ready as Jareth readied the towel. I threw it open, covering my special areas and ran over to him. I turned my back to him as he draped the towel under my arms and around. I grabbed it so it would fall and he turned me around. He was grinning insanely.
"Well now that wasn't so hard now was it?" He said, touching my chin. I felt my face burn as it turned red.
"That…was the worst and most embarrassing moment in my life." I said, looking at the floor. Jareth walked me out of the bathroom, kicking a goblin, making the others leave. I quickly went in my closet and threw on black half loose sweatpants and a blue tee shirt. I came out to see him sitting on my bed.
"Well don't you look precious." He said, chuckling.
"Not in the mood." I said, looking for a hair dryer.
"What are you doing?" Jareth asked.
"Looking for a hair dryer." I said.
"There isn't one." He said, making the crystals disappear.
"Straightener?" I asked. Jareth shook his head. "Damn how am I supposed to fix my hair?" I said angrily.
"Why? Won't it dry like it looks?" Jareth asked.
"No. My hair is naturally a disaster. It's wavy, but not good looking waves." I said.
"Lemme see." Jareth said, throwing a crystal at me. Suddenly my hair was dry and wavy. "Hmm," He said, circling me, "I don't know what you are talking about."
"Ugh I hate the way it looks." I said, fluffing it up. Jareth shook his head and began to brush it.
"Please dear, don't say that. It bothers me to see you downgrade yourself." Jareth said as he brushed. The more he brushed, the better it seemed to look.
"Well, I guess your right." I said, agreeing. "Maybe it always looked bad because I never dried it without drying it straight."
"I think it looks beautiful," He said, brushing, "quite Precious actually." I looked in the mirror.
"It actually looks wicked cool." I said as he took a crystal and it dissolved into glitter. He sprinkled some on my hair and added a small owl clip.
"There." He said, backing up to see. "Lovely." He said, seeming pleased with himself. I looked in the mirror and admired it for a second.
"For a Goblin King, you sure know how to make someone look decent." I said smiling.
"What? Did you think I was just a big, nasty, cruel king?" Jareth said, "I have a heart you know."
"Yeah," I said, "I'm sorry I told you that you sucked. I guess I was just…angry at myself. And took it out on you to vent in a way." My face turned red at the thought.
"Oh it's quite alright," Jareth said, walking up to me again, "Afterall, this time I got to carry you while you slept. Not as hard when your awake. Your quiet." He said the last part with a playful smile.
" Ha ha hilarious." I said sarcastically. Jareth grinned.
"Come, " He said, "I can hear your stomach just aching for food." I looked down at my rumbling stomach.
"Oh yeah. I had forgotten I was hungry." I said.
"But first," Jareth said, stopping me, "wear something not as…well…you know what I mean." He snapped his fingers and I was no longer in sweats. I was in jeans, an off the shoulder blue shirt, and black boots. I looked at him, and noticed he matched me to his black tights, boots, black poet shirt, navy blue vest with the high turned collar.
"Oh. Okay." I said as we walked to the dining hall.