Shocks for Jareth...what has he missed...? Something isn't right, but his happiness is complete. Jareth is getting angry at me for disturbing his happiness, I may have to bribe him with peaches.
Please R and R
Please Enjoy
Love and hugs
FY.A xxx
Sarah gripped Jareth's hand forcefully as the sweat poured from her forehead. Her nails dug into the smooth white of his skin, small crescents of black welling where she broke the skin. The sound of Sarah's harsh breathing filled the bed chamber as Jareth leant forward once more, placing his hand flat against Sarah's stomach.
"Hush," he murmured gently as he brought his lips down against Sarah's heaving stomach, "hush."
At once Sarah relaxed, loosening her hold on his hand slightly as she flopped back against the pillows. Her eyes flickered open and Jareth saw pain and weariness sweeping through her soul. Reassuringly, he leant over and kissed her, his hand continuing to massage smooth circles on her belly. Sarah managed a weak smile.
"How long has it been?" Her voice sounded drained.
"Sixteen hours," despite the worry and anguish Jareth kept his voice level. "Not much longer Precious."
Sarah's eyes flickered shut again as she said, "They're sister is easier already."
Jareth smoothed his hand over her sweat damp hair as he thought of the birth of his daughter. Two years and one month ago Sarah had gone into labour, gentle contractions causing her to bring Jareth to her side. No midwife had arrived when only an hour later, smooth and painless, Phoenix had arrived in the Underground. It could not have been more opposed to this.
"My Lord?" Jareth's thoughts were interrupted by a scared voice from across the room. "My Lord, the longer you sooth the contractions the longer this labour will be."
Jareth turned blazing eyes on the cowering midwife, but when he spoke his voice was as cold as ice.
"Can you not see that she is in pain?" He rose and Sarah began to whimper again as his hand left her stomach. "How can I leave her? My wife, bringing forth my offspring. How can I let her suffer?"
"But My Lord you must or they shall never come forth. My Lord, let me..."
Jareth moved to the other side of Sarah as the midwife moved in to check Sarah's progress. Jareth linked his fingers through Sarah's, guilt wracking his soul as he felt her trembling. There was something wrong here, he knew. Fae births were supposed to be easy, a time of joy and not of pain. But this pregnancy had been tough from start to finish. Gently he slipped on to the bed as he helped Sarah raise herself for a final attempt. Bracing his knee behind her back he slipped an arm beneath her leg, helping her hold herself as she began to push once more. And then the midwife cried that the first was coming, and a second later that she could see the difficulty. The first head was out, but in the curve of its neck was the head of the second baby. As Sarah gave on final push and the babies slipped out it could be seen that they were lying facing each other, arms wrapped round the other's body, legs intertangled, one just slightly lower than the other. For a second as Sarah flopped back and Jareth laid her down there was complete silence. The midwife reached over and gently detangled the twins from each other. As she lifted the first away, the screaming began. Hastily, the midwife dealt with the chords while Jareth watched, carefully propping Sarah in a semi reclining position and slipping his arm round her waist.
The howling continued, tiny fists waving frantically in the air as the midwife approached, shouting over the deafening wails.
"My Lord...Your first born son."
And she handed the baby to Jareth. Jareth bent his head over the small bundle of life in his arms, whispering soothing nothings. Gently, he stroked his finger down his son's nose as the midwife handed the second baby to Sarah. Jareth snuggled closer to Sarah until he could see the face of his second son too. In contrast to his twin's wisps of blond, the second baby's hair was dark, still clinging to his head with moisture, his face screwed up as he wailed. And then waving fists connected, tiny fingers unfurling and reaching out as they seized hold of one another's hands while lying in their parents' arms. Abruptly, the crying ceased. Jareth leant down and kissed first the dark baby in Sarah's arms, and then the fair one in his own. Sleepily, the baby in his arms opened its eyes, milky glaze unable as yet to focus. Jareth gasped and Sarah struggled to look over, the shock apparent in her face too. She looked up at Jareth through tired eyes.
"My love," she whispered, "you certainly have a knack for choosing names. You were right. God has chosen."
Jareth looked down again into his son's eyes, a reflection of his own. One the clearest enfant blue, the other black as night.
"And his eyes?" Jareth asked Sarah as he craned to look at the younger twin, but his eyes were already shut.
"Blue," Sarah murmured sleepily, "like a baby's eyes should be."
She rested her head lightly on his shoulder.
Jareth kissed each son again and looked into the face of the baby in his arms, "Yes Nathaniel," he whispered, "God has chosen indeed." He looked at the other baby, nestling quietly against the crook of Sarah's arm, "And Rath, your Celtic looks do not belie your name, I trust you will be strong and true."
"What does it mean?" he asked of the Labyrinth.
"His love, his life, his creation. His lost words," came the answer.
Jareth frowned but before he could enquire further there was a faint knock on the door and it creaked open a crack. Hoggle's head poked round the gap.
"Sorries, Your Lordship," he said in a piercing whisper, "but the little Missy is wantings to see her brothers."
Jareth put his finger to his lips but nodded his head. Tentatively, Phoenix slipped round the door, her wide eyes taking in the mess before fixing on her father. Wordlessly she crossed to the bed and climbed up beside Jareth as Hoggle quietly closed the door.
"Gently," whispered Jareth as Phoenix reached out a finger and ran it lightly across the sleeping Nathaniel's cheek. She touched the sole of Rath's foot and he kicked gently in his sleep. Phoenix looked up at Jareth and smiled shyly.
"Daddy?" she asked, her blue eyes fixing him with a serious expression.
"Yes Phoenix?" he asked equally seriously.
"You still love me don't you? Even with Mummy and Nathaniel and Rath? You haven't run out of love have you? There's still enough for me too?"
"Honey," Jareth said and he kissed the top of her blond head, "I will always love you. I would go to the ends of the earth and beyond to save you, Mummy, Rath or Nathaniel. Never think I don't love you. I would lay down my life for one or all of you. You are my heart."
Phoenix looked up at him, working her way through his passionate statement, not realising how true it actually was. At last she nodded, looking down at her brothers.
"And Daddy?"
"Yes Honey?"
"Why've Nathaniel and Rath got willies like you, instead of being like me and Mummy?"
Jareth chuckled lightly at his daughter's innocent question.
"That my dear, is a question for the morning." He smiled down at her.
"Ok Daddy," she said. She huddled against his arm, leaning her warm body against his side as she curled up. Her thumb slipped into her mouth. "I love you Daddy," she muffled through her thumb.
"Love you Phoenix," he replied.
He felt her thumb slip from her mouth. "Daddy?" she asked.
"Yes Phoenix?"
"Sing me my one."
She snuggled back against his arm as Jareth softly began the haunting lilt of the sad melody. He could feel it in his still heart, the pain of the singer, of the loss they had felt. And he knew that the aching would never leave, the loss of the child. But he sang, the tears of joy, the tears of fear, pricking at his eyes. Phoenix' small arm slipped round his waist.
Would she were here, my little one
Would she were here, my joy my treasure
Would she were here, my little one
Blue her eye, as skies in summer
Sweet her smile as flower at blooming
Would she were here, my little one
Would she were here, my joy my treasure
Would she were here, my little one
Soft her cheek, as eider down is
Warm and soft her arms entwining
Would she were here, my little one
Would she were here, my joy my treasure
Would she were here, my little one
Jareth paused, looking at his family, sleeping around him, trusting him with their helplessness and he felt a great sense of responsibility. He whispered the last verse, hardly singing, as though if he said it aloud it might come true and they might really be gone.
Gaze, I see her in the gloaming
Gaze, I spy her sad and weary
Would she were here, my little one
Would she were here, my joy my treasure
Would she were here, my little one