Chapter Ten: It's Been Three Days That I've Been Alone, And It's Too Late…
Three days.
Three days of going to school, expecting to see my boyfriend waiting by our lockers for me. Three days wondering why no one would tell me if he was sick, on vacation, or that I was simply too blind to see him in classes. But during those three days, every time the question of him rolled off of my tongue, their expression would sadden almost, and they would change the subject before giving me an answer. Sarah didn't say anything about, but constantly ramble on about something else.
I tried calling him every night.
No one would answer.
Had he left the city?
Had he moved out of state suddenly?
Where had he gone?
'Danny, where are you?' I thought as I grabbed my backpack, ready to begin another lonely walk home to practice Underground. Jareth had also been seemingly busy with whatever task was at hand. I figured as much. He was the King of Goblins. And Kings, as far as I knew, tended to be distracted with their own issues.
I sighed, resting my hand on the door of Danny's locker, before trudging out into the rain. I was wearing a pair of black jeans, one of the white poet shirts, a dark blue vest, a black leather trench coat (which fit my body perfectly), and the pendant. Sarah still hadn't noticed it (thank the Gods above). I kicked a rock along the sidewalk, the rain plastering my hair to my skull. For once I was glad that I decided to leave my MP3 player at home to charge.
Thunder rumbled across the sky, and I felt even lonelier than before.
I slumped up the stone steps of the front porch, wiping my feet on the mat, before walking inside the slightly warmer house. Rain dripped from my being, leaving a trail of drops towards my room. I grabbed a towel from the floor, drying out my hair. Snatching up a brush, I raked the tangles out, pulling my hair back into a loose pony tail. It would dry in a few hours. Kicking off my wet shoes, I slid a pair of dry socks on, walking back out into the kitchen.
I stopped by the answering machine, seeing a flashing red 3 on the top. Pressing play, the automated voice said that I had three new messages. The first one was for Sarah. It was the principal, discussing her opinions at their last meeting. I didn't pay much attention. The machine skipped to the next message, and I heard Clare's frantic voice. 'Aerynn? Aerynn, are you there? Aerynn, when you get this, call me as soon as possible, okay. Love you, hun.' Click. My eyebrows bent together. Why did Clare want to call me?
I sat down at the table as the machine went to the final message. 'Aerynn? It's Amber, Daniel's mother. Listen, I need to tell you some news, but I would rather talk to you either over the phone or in person. I believe that leaving a message isn't fair. Please, call me on my cell phone when you get this.' Her voice was shaking, like she was holding back sobs. The automated voice told me there were no more messages, and the room fell silent with a beep. Fishing out my cell phone, I scrolled to Amber's number, pressing the TALK button. I held my phone to my ear, hearing three rings, and her voice.
"Hello?" She sounded hoarse, like she had been crying. I stood up from my chair, pacing over into the living room.
"Amber?"
"Aerynn… Listen…"
"Where's Danny? I haven't seen him for several days!" I intervened. There was a tired sigh on the other end of the line.
"Sweetheart… I have… s-some bad news." Her voice began to shake and crack again, and she sounded like she was about to cry.
"What do you mean?"
"Aerynn, dear… Danny is in the hospital. He was hit by a drunk driver after he walked you ho—" I dropped the phone, my mind going blank. The battery popped out, skirting a few feet away as the rest of my phone bounced to my left. My heart pounded in my chest as my gaze trailed outside to the street.
Danny is in the hospital.
My feet carried me to my room, where I stood in the center for a long moment. I inhaled once, looking up on the wall. Pinned to the smooth surface, was a picture Cya had taken of Danny as I together. He had his arm wrapped around my waist, and I was just planting a kiss on his cheek when she snapped the picture of us. Danny is in the hospital. It felt like a bullet had shot through my heart. I fell to my knees, screaming as loud as I possibly could. I shut my eyes tightly, wrapping my arms around my waist. There was a moment when I all heard was my own sobbing, and then even that went quiet. The scent of peaches filled my nose, and I felt arms around me, holding me close.
I don't know how long I sat in his arms, crying. I didn't care at that point in time. Nothing really mattered. Three days I had been alone… and then they finally decided to tell me. He had been in the hospital for three days. I didn't know if he was recovering or dying. I didn't know how serious or minor the damage was. I cried and cried and cried in his arms. I cried until my eyes were dry, my throat hoarse, and my lungs weak from lack of air. His shirt was soaked with my tears, but he made no mention that he cared. He just held me as I shook from the after shock. He stroked my hair, saying words that sounded like charms. He sang me bits and pieces of songs I had never heard and songs I knew better than anyone. He whispered poems and limericks, but it went in one ear and out another.
Finally, when I was quiet and still, Jareth continued to stroke my hair, leaning against the edge of my bed. "What are you thinking?" He asked softly. I wanted to slap him, but I felt too numb to do anything.
"No one told me… where he was… how he was doing… I knew nothing. No one bothered to call me as soon as it happened. I've just been doing the regular; going to school, coming home, doing my homework, eating dinner… Living like he didn't exist…" I mumbled softly. My head rested against his chest, and I felt his heartbeat. Slow, steady… A sense of weariness washed over me, and I closed my eyes slowly. "I want to see him…" I whispered.
"Alright…" Jareth replied. I felt the world spinning around me, but I didn't open my eyes. I felt chills along my spin, like someone was taking an ice cube, and sliding it up and down my back. Finally, when everything fell still, Jareth leaned close to me. "Open your eyes. I'm leaving, but if you need me, just call. I'll come." He said, the scent of peaches fading. My eyes fluttered open, and I found myself in front of a door. Pushing it open slowly, I saw a bed, a single patient laying on it. He was asleep…
"Danny…" I whispered, rushing to his side. His torso, left leg, and skull were bandaged. A thin scar ran from his right temple down to his chin. Bruises covered his exposed flesh, but the one thing that caught my attention out of it all; I started at his right shoulder, and stopped just above where his elbow would have been. Tears welled in my eyes, my hand covering my mouth.
More than half of his right arm had been severed.
I closed my eyes, choking back sobs once again. I stood there for a few moments, holding back my cries, when I felt a bandaged hand stroking my cheek. I looked down, seeing him staring up at me, his expression tired and pained, but clearly happy. Gently, I took his hand in mine, holding it to my face. "You came…" He whispered softly, his voice barely audible to my ears. I nodded a few times.
"Your mother tried calling me… when I reached her; she said that you were here…" I said, my heart trembling as Danny coughed in pain. "I had to come see you…" He let out a tired sigh.
"Aerynn… the doctors said… that I don't have much longer…"
"No." I whispered.
"They said I lost too much blood at the scene, and they're surprised I've lasted as long as I have…"
"No."
"But… I just wanted to say…"
"No." He was ignoring me. He knew this was going to come. He was saying goodbye.
"Aerynn…" His hand grabbed my chin, pulling me down to him. His once bright blue eyes were tired and fading. "I want you to be happy. That's all I've ever wanted for you. I want you to grow up, find a good man who makes you happy." He pulled me close, kissing me softly. It wasn't long, but every ounce of feeling he had was held within it. "I will always love you… for as long as I shall live." I heard the door open, and a nurse in purple scrubs walked over, a clipboard in her hands.
"Excuse me, miss. I'm going to ask you to leave. Daniel needs another check-up and rest." I nodded, gently squeezing his hand, before leaving his side. The tears rolled down my face as I strode through the door of his room, down the hall, and outside into the evening. I walked around behind the hospital building, staring up into the sky. The clouds were still sweeping through, the rains still washing along the streets. I closed my eyes, leaning against the brick wall.
"Jareth…" I whispered. A gust of air blew my hair around my face, and he stood in front of me, wrapping his arms around me tightly. I buried my face in his t-shirt, trembling as rain poured down on us. "Take me away from here… I don't care where, just take me away…" I said softly. His hold tightened, and the world began to spin again, the smell of peaches growing stronger. I still felt the rain, but the world was silent. I opened my eyes, seeing the swing set and merry-go-round. I smiled.
"Thank you." I said, sitting down on the edge of the merry-go-round. I noticed that Jareth was wearing a large black leather trench coat. I pulled it away from his shoulders, motioning for him to lay beside me. We positioned ourselves comfortable underneath the coat. He wound his arms around me again, and I closed my eyes, feeling safe. I heard the rain splatter against the leather, but we remained dry beneath (for the most part. The metal surface of the merry-go-round was rather wet). I slowed my breathing, relaxing my body. And soon, I was fast asleep.
He stroked her hair softly beneath the material of his coat, making sure not to wake her while she slept. It was only the first day she knew of her friend's accident, and he hated seeing how she tore herself apart about it. 'My little darling… I wish I knew what to do to make the world brighter for you.' He thought, kissing her hair, burying his face into her shirt. He inhaled deeply, the smell of strawberry shampoo filling his nose. But beneath it was the scent of peaches. He smiled slightly. He had worn off on her.
He could feel her heartbeat, slow and gentle. Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump…
Jareth closed his eyes as well, his mind reeling through the entire day he watched from the Underground. Vizael sent him a message saying that he had a meeting with the Council in a week's time. There had been some kind of issue revolving around the crime rates in the Goblin City. He was about ready to drop from boredom when her screams shot through the Labyrinth, to his sensitive Fae ears. While most of the civilians wondered what the fuck could have made such a noise, he had already been gone, flying fast to reach her.
He remembered how his heart ached at seeing her sobbing on her bedroom floor. He held her close, whispering charms and spells of reassurance in her ears, trying to get her to calm down. But her emotions were too powerful for simple spells, even medium of difficulty. A spell that he would have used to quiet an entire crowd of a hundred or more was used on a 16 year old girl. He smiled. Just like Sarah.
'Ah, dear Sarah. How will you feel… knowing your daughter loves whom you gave up?' He tightened his hold around the shivering child, muttering more charms in her ear. Better to give her no dreams conscious to her than nightmares.
Chapter Eleven: If You Need Me/Aerynn's Ballad
Floating. That's all I knew of my being. Floating somewhere. Like I was weightless. And then gentle warmth, presence. I smiled. I felt like I was in the arms of an angel. In a sense, that's where I was. Angelic arms holding me tightly. Angelic hands stroking me. Angelic lips brushing my hair and lips; under and over, sending electric shivers along my spin. An angelic voice singing soft words of calming and tranquility in my deaf ears. Angelic eyes, I felt, that kept a constant gaze on me. My angel. My Jareth.
His lips brushed against the underside of my jaw, and a moan rippled in my mouth, bubbling as I let it out. He chuckled lightly, kissing me softly. "Aerynn… you have to wake up now…" He said. I curled in his arms, curling closer to him. I buried my face in his chest, feeling flesh. A blush crept across my face, though I wasn't sure if he saw.
"Maybe I don't want to wake up…" I whispered.
"You have to, love."
"Maybe I want to stay like this… in this sleep…"
"What about Sarah?" I growled.
"Let me stay asleep, Jareth." He sighed.
"If you stay asleep, then I leave too…"
"No…" I hissed. His warmth began to vanish slowly. His arms fell away from me.
"Wake up Aerynn. Wake up…" I reached out to grab him, but his hands slid through my fingers, the warmth fading. I unwound myself from my ball, trying to run after him. But my weightlessness left me motionless. I didn't even know what was up or down anymore. I was suddenly very cold and alone…
Pressure.
Pressure all over me. On my body, in my head, in my heart. I felt like I was covered with a thick wool blanket, being tightened around me as the material slides into my throat, scratching the back of it. Pressure like tears on my face. And pain. Pain in the pits of my chest, where deep down, my heart knew it was the new morning. I heard a soft murmur beside me, a voice repeatedly saying my name. But it was not the angel I wanted. Not the king who had stayed with me.
"Aerynn… honey, wake up… Aerynn!" Pressure shoved my shoulder roughly, and my eyelids opened, crusty from tears. I didn't bother wiping it away as I glared up at my mother's red face. Her expression was heartbreaking all in itself. She visibly trembled as she kneeled beside me, her brown hair messily pulled back in a lazy ponytail out of her face. My throat closed up, and I turned away.
"Honey… he's gone… He died last night…" I heard these words in a tunnel. I refused to believe them in my head, in my heart I knew that it would have happened. Beats skipped continuously as I began to sob into my pillow. Sarah placed a hand on my shoulder, but I pushed it away. I wanted to be alone.
"The funeral is today at noon. They're going to want you to be there for it." She said, and the door closed. I lifted my head from my pillow, glancing down at the sweats and t-shirt I was wearing. The pendant felt heavy around my neck. My alarm clock read just past ten. Choking back the sobs that piled up within me, I jumped from my bed, ripping my window open, and flying out into the rain. I ran across the backyard, jumping over the low fences of our neighbors. I flew down the street, the pebbles stabbing into my feet as my throat burned from the cold air.
My muscles slowly began to ache as I ran down, far away from my house. I charged through the gates of the park, the sand and woodchips flying around me. The rain soaked into my clothes, sending goose bumps along my arms and legs. My eyes were blurred from tears and rain, and I tripped over a rock. I yelled in pain as my ankle twisted wrong, and I face planted into wet sand. From then I couldn't hold them back any longer. My mind reeled through the countless years that I had known him. From the first day I met him on the bus, all the way to the last few minutes I saw him in the hospital. Each memory clawed my heart into thin, tiny pieces.
You know how people say that in your last moments, you see everything in your life. From the moment of your birth to where you are. That's what it felt like to me. Only it was a time span of eight years. Children to teenagers. Eight years felt like a long ass time, but crunched in the minutes I remembered it felt like it wasn't enough. Eight years of laughter. Eight years of pain. Eight years of arguments. Eight years of crazy jumping around, pointless fights, homework, tests, parties, shopping sprees, rock bands, plans for Halloween…
And it ended there.
"Aerynn!" I slowly and shakily lifted myself onto my hands and knees, trying to stand, but the pain in my ankle shot me down again. Swallowing a scream, I stood, keeping my weight on my good foot. I hobbled forward, not wanting him to see the wreck I was. I tasted blood, and I realized I bit my lip on my fall. Spitting sand and blood, I continued to slowly move myself as far away as I could.
"Aerynn!" He cried again. The smell became even more intoxicating.
"Fuck it!" I mumbled, charging into an awkward sprint, pain shooting spots into my vision. The world began to spin around me as dizziness threatened to send me down again. My breath was ragged as I fell again, the wet grass holding mud below. His footsteps stopped beside me, his hands warm and gentle. But I didn't want him now. This wasn't a time where I wanted to cry on his shoulder and have him comfort me. This was where I wanted no one. I felt his palm on my ankle, and I leaned against him, biting his shoulder as I screamed. I heard him gasp through clenched teeth, but the fire in my ankle began to cease.
"You only twisted it slightly. You'll be fine, but in order for me to properly concentrate, you'll need to release my shoulder… like… Now!" I growled, pulling away, my eyes shut. True to his word, the pain was vanishing from my ankle, and I was able to move it like before. I opened my eyes slowly, not looking up to him. I nodded in thanks, before trying to stand. His hand snatched my wrist, but I still did not look at him.
"Aerynn, you can't just run away from it. You're going to have to go to that funeral. Sarah is going to want you there. Danny's family is going to want you there." I scoffed.
"They'll be the only ones who want me there."
"Danny would want you there."
"His opinion doesn't matter anymore! He's gone, Jareth! Or do you not know what it means when someone dies?" I glared at him, seeing frustration and sadness in his eyes. I glanced away, staring at a tree. "I don't want to go. He already said goodbye, but I'm not going to!" Jareth's fingers grabbed my chin roughly. He pulled my face inches from his own, his eyes cold and hard.
"You're going, Aerynn! Whether you want to or not, you're going to that funeral!" I wrenched myself from his grasp, backing away a few steps.
"You can't tell me what to do, Jareth! I am my own person, and I don't have to listen to your fucking words. I am tired of being told what to do and where to go!" I shouted at him. Jareth remained planted in his spot, the rain plastering his hair to his skull. He was wearing the leather coat again, but this time he had a light blue sweater and a pair of black jeans on, hiking boots on his feet.
"Aerynn…" He began, but I held my hand up.
"No… You have no power over—" His eyes widened, and he was immediately in front of me, his hand clamped over my mouth. He kept his gaze with my own. Nothing but pure fear; I glared menacingly. I could feel him shaking, and it wasn't from the cold. I breathed heavily, an emotion to the equivalent of hatred bubbling in my stomach like acid. The rain came harder now. Jareth had his back to it, and though his face was already wet, I could see tears pouring from his eyes.
"Please Aerynn… don't do this to me like your mother did…" He whispered, stroking my cheek. I inhaled once, my heart screaming for me to stop the words, but my mind wouldn't listen. His hand slid away ever so slowly.
"You have no power over me." His expression sent daggers through my chest, stabbing holes. He mouthed my name, disappearing from before my eyes.
"If you need me…" He whispered. The smell of peaches vanished as he placed a crystal in my hand; the only thing left of him. It was rather lightweight, sparkling with its own shimmering light. The pendant sparkled slightly as well. I trembled as I sank to my knees in the mud. My heart felt nonexistent in my chest. Only a hole where it should have been. My eyes were dry of tears.
'Oh God… What have I done?'
(12:57 PM)
I sat in silence; the multi-colored walls of the church seemed dull in their paintings. The priest waited as several friends and family members remembered the memories of their time with Danny or just the best highlights of his life in general. Amber, choking back sobs the entire time, said that she noticed Danny was always a bright, smart, and lifelike kid. She went through everything she could remember, before setting her eyes on me. She said that she noticed Danny to be happier than ever when he was with me.
Under any other circumstance, in any other place than this, I would have blushed and denied that I could have made such an impact on my blonde friend's life. But I didn't smile, I didn't cry, I didn't say or display any emotion. I remained frozen in my spot, my face blank, and my eyes distant. Clare held her arm around my shoulder, her face blotchy and red. Cya and Haley sat on my left. Even Allie and Jordan had come to support me. Sniffles and cries were heard around here and there every now and then.
But I was quiet.
I was done with tears.
Amber returned to her seat, allowing the priest to say a few more words. When he finished, I stood from my seat, walking over to the piano that had been set up beside the closed casket. Danny's picture sat beside candles and smaller photos. Everyone's eyes were on me as I sat on the bench. I played soft, gentle notes. My friends gave questioning looks. This wasn't something they'd ever heard. And it wouldn't be something they'd hear again.
"I'm sick of telling you that I'm just fine. I hate wearing false masks of emotion, just so I don't have to have a reason to cry. I'm numb from crying, and I cried for no one. For nothing and no reason." I sang; my voice quiet but still heard.
"I don't want to walk with false hopes or dreams of brighter futures; when I know damn well that nothing is going to change. Nothing will alter all that has happened. No one can acquire wings and bring you back to me." The church was silent except for the piano that my fingers played.
"I hate knowing that everyday is just like the last. The sun isn't going to shine, the stars won't glow. It's a lunar eclipse at noon. Nothing is right anymore. No, nothing is right anymore. Now that you're gone. And no matter how I try, you're not coming back. Oh, I stopped chasing shadows when you're heart stopped beating; and you closed your eyes. I stopped playing make believe when I stood beside you… Shivering from your skin, I stood beside you. When they closed you away, and your light vanished…" I struck a low key, quickening the pace as my voice rose into the air.
"Tell me, God, this is just a dream. I'll wake from this nightmare so that I may see you smile at me again. Tell me, now, oh God, will it ever be the same again? No! This'll never be the same. Nothing will be the same now that you're gone, my love. No, no, no… Love…" I slowed the tempo of the music to barely a beat.
"I stopped pretending things were getting better…" I paused, before playing again, this time a more familiar song. The church was still silent as ever; I closed my eyes.
"Oceans apart, day after day… and I slowly go insane. I hear your voice, on the line. But it doesn't stop the pain. If I see you next to never… How can we say forever? Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you. Whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks, I will be right here waiting for you."
"I took for granted, all the times, that I though would last somehow. I hear the laughter, I taste the tears. But I can't get near you now. Oh can't you see it baby? You've got me going crazy. Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you. Whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks, I will be right here waiting for you." For a moment I thought I smelt the faint lingering scent of peaches, but I dismissed it as my own hopes. He heard what I said… And the pendant felt heavy around my neck.
"I wonder how we can survive this romance. But in the end if I'm with you, I'll take the chance!" I opened my eyes, glancing out at the faces of friends and family. In the far back, outside a large window… an owl sat on the sill, staring in. 'Jareth…'
"Oh can't you see it baby? You've got me going crazy. Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you. Whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks, I will be right here waiting for you…" I played the last few notes, before resting my hands on the keyboard. I stood eventually from the piano, staring at the casket positioned on a table. I slowly slid over to it, pulling out a bracelet that he had made for me back in the eighth grade. I set it on the wooden surface beside a photo of the two of us.
"Goodbye…" I whispered, turning on my heel and walking down the aisle between the rows of pews.
"Aerynn…?" Amber said my name. She acted as my mother, for Sarah hadn't shown up. I heard footsteps behind me, before seeing the faces of my friends around me. I smiled slightly as they followed me out of the church, into the rain. The owl was gone from the window. And though I was surrounded by my friends, I felt alone and lost somehow.
"Aerynn…" Clare said, hugging me tightly. "I'm so sorry I got so mad at you over nothing. But… should you need any of us…" She said into my shoulder. I pulled away slowly.
"I'll call." I said, acknowledging that our words were similar to that of my mother's when she was with her own friends, in a time before this. She nodded once, patting my shoulder. I gave Cya, Haley, Allie, and Jordan hugs as well, before walking down the path towards the road. I felt like walking home.
Jareth sat in a corner of his chambers, still dressed in his mortal world attire. His heart felt vacant, like there was nothing within him to begin with. It had only been a few hours since she said those words, but it could have been a lifetime for all he cared. He thought that when Sarah said them, that it was bad. But… Aerynn… the young babe that he loved more than his own life. More than his own family… She said them with acid dripping like blood from a razor's edge. His throat ached from crying. Tears still streamed his face. There was no stopping them. He hadn't cried since Sarah had left.
"Aerynn…" He whispered silently. He couldn't find the energy or will power to summon a crystal to see her.
The wind tossed his hair slightly as a phoenix soared into his room. Vizael took his Fae form, kneeling down to the King. His face was gentle, solemn even. His robes molded around his strong form, giving him a beastly figure. But even if you were to see him in the darkness without his face, he'd still seem comforting. 'That's family for you, I guess.' Jareth thought, glancing at his brother.
"What happened, Jareth?" Vizael asked, his voice soft.
"She's… not herself…"
"Who, Aerynn?" The Goblin King nodded once. "What did she say or do?"
"What do you think she fucking said, Vizael? Wouldn't you think I'd be with her right now?"
"Calm down, Jareth."
"NO! I WON'T CALM THE FUCK DOWN! DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY?" Jareth shouted, getting to his feet as Vizael did. Though the fire mage was much taller than Jareth, he still backed away at his younger brother's words. The anger in them was frightening. "SHE SAID THOSE FUCKING WORDS! 'YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME'! NOW, WHY DO YOU THINK SHE SAID THEM?"
"Jareth! You said so yourself. Aerynn isn't herself! Maybe her state of mind isn't allowing her to think clearly!" Vizael retorted. 'But why the fuck am I defending some mortal babe?' The Goblin King panted, placing his palm on his forehead, gasping in anguish. Vizael stared at the blonde, perplexed at just what this girl might have done to him. "Jareth… please, I beg of you. Calmly tell me what happened…" He said.
"She… Aerynn… H-her friend… boyfriend… whatever the fuck you want to call him… died… and…" His words were hard to understand as the tears continued to run as anxiety crept into his lungs like a disease. "She… got… so angry… she…" Vizael snatched his brother into his arms, letting the blonde sob into his robes. He stroked the King's hair.
"Give her time, brother. She'll call you when she needs you." He said. Jareth pulled away, his face childish.
"But what if she doesn't want me back? What if she doesn't need me?"
"Give her time. She'll call you again. She loves you more than that. She wouldn't use you as a comfort toy and toss you. Mom was the same way with Dad at her age." He smiled softly. "Just be patient. Besides, how could she forget about you? You gave her a crystal as a way back, she still has your pendant. And peaches are a hard scent to get rid of." Jareth couldn't resist a smile, before nodding.
He would just have to wait.
Chapter Twelve: Sarah Discovers the Truth
I walked home in silence, thinking about a lot of things, most of which brought me back to Jareth. The owl that I had seen was too dark for it to be the Goblin King. Perhaps I had just been getting my hopes up. But… I kept thinking the same thoughts over and over again. I just had to go and say those words. I had to rip him apart bit by bit, didn't I? I sighed quietly, the rain finally letting up a little bit. I had to tear his heart out of him and trample all over it.
"I won't be surprised if he's angry at me." I muttered to myself. 'Hell… I won't be surprised if the crystal is just a reminder… He probably doesn't want me anymore…' I thought bitterly. I passed the park, memories of it flooding the back of my mind. I made a mental note not to go near that park again. There was too much left to remind me of too many things. Things I didn't want to remember.
I hand slid across the pendant, which rested against my breasts beneath the black sweater that I wore. I hadn't taken it off in a long time. I doubted that I would ever want to remove it from its position… It was comfortable to me, and it was a part of me. Without it… I was sure I would have felt like something was missing. 'I'm missing a lot of things…'
I walked across the lawn, noticing my mother's car in the driveway. I stopped on the front porch, taking a deep breath. Pushing open the front door, I stared into the living room. It was empty for the most part. But a familiar cardboard box sat on the floor in the archway that led into the dining room. A shadowed figure stood behind it. I lifted my gaze to my mother. Her brown hair spilled around her face, flowing down to her shoulders. Her green eyes blazed with anger, her jaw locked. In her hands were two books.
The Labyrinth.
And her diary.
"What were these doing in your room, Aerynn?" She asked me sweetly, smiling like she was pleased to see me looking afraid. I didn't open my mouth to say a word. She tilted her head to one side, before tossing the books aside. She knelt down, pulling something out of the box. She straightened her posture, holding the crystal in her fingertips. The faint light made it sparkle.
"And… where did you get this?" She underhanded it to me, and I caught it lightly, staring into it. "What's around your neck, Aerynn?" She continued with these questions. Slowly, I tugged the cord out from beneath the sweater. If I had thought she looked demented and frightening before, then she looked like Satan as her eyes fell upon the crescent pendant. She inhaled slowly, closing her eyes.
"Where. Did. You. Get. That?" She said, her tone firm and dark. I took a slight step back, still not answering any of her questions. Her eyes snapped open as she grabbed the books from the dining room table, launching them at me. I ducked down as her diary soared over my head, but The Labyrinth was lower, and it slammed against the top of my head. I stumbled back a step, glancing at her.
"Answer me when I am talking to you, Aerynn! Where did you get that fucking pendant?" She shouted, grabbing random objects off of the table, and throwing them at me. Some were keys, books, pencils, even a pair of scissors, which sliced across my hand. I stifled a cry of pain. Why was I getting hurt today?
"I got it from someone…"
"No SHIT Sherlock! Who?"
"J…" I didn't finish his name. She stormed over to me, shoving me to the floor, towering over me. She held a rather large knife in her hand, her eyes glowing. Something lurched in my stomach, my throat closing shut. She looked like a killer… "M-Mom…?" I whispered quietly, trying to scoot away from her. She followed dangerously close, the knife gleaming.
"Who… Did… You… Get… It… From…?" She demanded; the knife just a strip of light as blood and pain welled in my shoulder. I gasped, trying to put distance between the two of us. Sarah pounced forward, smacking the crystal out of my hand. It flew a few feet across the room, shattering on the wooden floor. The smell of peaches and musk filled the room. Her eyes darkened even further.
"You got it from him, didn't you?" She shouted. I glanced at her, and nodded. She dropped the knife, slapping me across the face. The contact stung, but it was nothing compared to the cuts on my palm and shoulder.
"HOW DID HE FIND YOU?" She screamed, slapping me again. I whimpered, closing my eyes.
"HOW?" She hovered over me, her hair curtaining her face so only half of it showed.
"The Halloween dance… he was the person I told you was an old friend… After that… every time you weren't around… he'd visit me…" I mumbled. She snatched the collar of my sweater, pulling me to my feet. She spun, throwing me back down to the floor. Her strength was beyond what I had thought. I cried in pain as I landed on my bad shoulder.
"How close have you gotten to him?" She barked, kneeling down to me. Her hand clenched my collar and the cord. "How close, Aerynn, sweetie?" Her voice was practically dripping with sour honey. I coughed, before glaring up at her. It wasn't worth being quiet any more. I smiled slightly up at her, before giving my answer.
"I love him."
"LIAR!" She slammed my head against the wooden floor. "THAT MAN CANNOT LOVE!"
"No, Mother-dearest. You're the liar. You loved him, all those years ago. You knew that you loved him. You would have taken the crystal if Toby wasn't so important to you." My head collided with the floor again, but I kept going. "He loved you too. He believed in you, Sarah! Remember his words? 'Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave'?"
"SHUT UP!" Three times, my skull smashed against the floor, and I began to feel a wet spot. I didn't need anyone to tell me; I knew it was my blood. "HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU! HE'S USING YOU TO GET TO ME, DON'T YOU REALIZE THAT? HE DOESN'T WANT YOU!" She was screaming these words in my ear. But I knew better than that. She was lying. I didn't have to hear it. I could see it in her eyes. Clear as daylight in a glossy green field.
She was too wound up from trying to force me to believe her that she didn't hear me whisper his name. She didn't see the slight smile on my lips as the glass in the front window shattered inward, the curtains swirling from a blast of wind, carrying the smell of peaches as an owl fluttered in, transforming into a graceful and clearly angry Fae King. She stared into my eyes, frightened, her back to him.
"Enough, Sarah." He barked. Her fingers slid from the cloth of my sweater, letting my head fall against the floor again. The world was slowly spinning around me. The pain was taking affect along with blood loss. Pretty soon, I'd be ass out. I watched her stand, staring at the broken window.
"Jareth." She said coldly. I slowly propped myself onto my elbows, glancing at him through half closed eyes. A cloak was draped over his shoulders, a white poet shirt hanging loosely on his torso, a pair of leather pants gripping his legs. His eyes wavered over to me, flashing with sadness. Replaced by pure hatred, he stared at Sarah again.
"It's been a long time."
"Indeed it has." She smirked, placing her hands on her hips. "A very long time, Your Majesty." She took a mock bow to him.
"I've come for Aerynn." Sarah stalked forward a step, snarling slightly.
"You won't so much as touch my daughter." I thought for a split second, deciding to make a slight remark.
"Oh, bit fucking late for that, Mom." Her head snapped down to mine, her eyes wide, before she returned her gaze to Jareth's. He smirked slightly, his eyes sparkling like the shattered fragments of the crystal.
"What?"
"Oh, we may have kissed here and there… cuddled… maybe even some… romantic thoughts…" Jareth said, tapping his chin with his index finger a few times. I held back a laugh, turning my head away slightly.
"I swear to God, Jareth, if you have—"
"Sarah… do you really think I would do such a thing before the child becomes of age? Besides… isn't that in a few days?" Sarah blinked.
"She turns seventeen on Saturday. But that's not an adult."
"In the Underground it is. When a child; goblin, dwarf, Fae, faery… any creature… turns seventeen in human years, they are an adult. For some that comes faster than others. For a Fae, we look well beyond our teen years."
"Well, yes. Because time moves faster in your realm. But Aerynn is still a child. And she isn't leaving without my permission!"
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah…" Jareth said softly, tossing her a crystal, which transformed into a familiar peach as it slid into her grasp. She stared down at it, giving the Goblin King a questioning glance as she glanced up at him. He simply smiled, leaning closer to her. Dark spots slowly began to cloud my vision as I sat up, trying to get to my feet. "Your permission doesn't matter."
"What the fuck are you rambling about now, you piece of shit?" Sarah shouted, her hands clenched around the peach. Jareth glided over to me, kneeling beside me. He stroked the side of my face, feeling the back of my head. His fingertips were covered in blood. He sighed softly, giving me a look that said 'We'll talk later…'
"Aerynn… I want the honest truth… do you want to stay here… or do you want to come to the Underground with me?" He asked. I glanced at my mother, whose burning gaze threatened the end of days for me. I exhaled, wrapping my arms around his neck. Sarah took a step toward us, preparing to lunge it seemed.
"I wish for the Goblin King to take me away. Right now." He smiled, and as the world dissolved in light and air, I heard my mother screaming as loud as she possibly could. But her voice faded as fast as I heard it, the sounds of the air spinning like a tornado around me filled my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut, burying my face against Jareth's neck. I felt my body slowly pulling away from him, and I grabbed his cloak tighter in an attempt to stay with him. His laughter seemed distant, and finally, we sat still.
"It's alright now, love. We're here." He whispered in my ear. I opened my eyes, the warm light pouring through the open stone window illuminating the room. A large four poster bed sat on the far wall, positioned dead center. Three stone steps led up to the window, where to the left sat a dark wooden table, two chairs, and a thorns spiraling up into a circle. I imagined that he would place crystals in the resting area, rather than holding them some days. A tall wardrobe was perched on the same wall the bed was; an arch way leading to a flight of stairs on the opposite wall.
"What is this room?" I asked, looking up into his eyes. He glanced around, smiling at me.
"This… is my room." I blushed slightly, looking around again. His arms were tucked around my waist as he held me. I motioned for him to release me. As his arms slid away, I took a step, stumbling as the world spun again. "Oh… dear…" He muttered, lifting me in his arms bridal style, carrying me to the bed. He set me upon the soft, smooth surface, turning my head slightly.
"What?" I asked.
"It's a shitload worse than I feared. Apparently Sarah had more strength than I would have thought."
"Yeah, you and me both. She also has a bit of an anger management issue too." I said, opening my palm to observe the cut. Jareth's eyes widened as he stared down upon the wound. And when I slid my sweater away from my shoulder, they widened further. He sighed, closing his eyes, before folding his arms on the bed, resting his head on them as he dropped to his knees.
"God… I'm sorry, Aerynn…" I stroked his hair softly.
"This wasn't your fault Jareth. I should have called you sooner…" He shook his head, looking up at me. His eyes were brimming with tears.
"No… I should have been there. But for once in my life I wasn't watching to make sure that you would be okay. I thought that you would have been able to take care of yourself— you are a grown woman… But… when I was called, and I saw you… you have no idea the blame I put upon myself." He whispered. I touched the back of my skull slowly, wincing. At least the blood had dried…
"Jareth. I'll be fine. So I have a bit of a concussion, and I'll be having a few scars, who doesn't in their life?" I said, rubbing my thumb on his cheek. He glanced away, thinking for a moment.
"Sarah." He said simply. I rolled my eyes.
"Doubtful." I retorted, and he laughed.
"Well… I won't be able to stop the immense headache that you'll have in the morning, but I might be able to close the wound fully." He said, tilting my head downward, gently placing his index and middle fingers on my scalp. I cringed, closing my eyes. Warmth caressed the wound, and his hand dropped. "There…" He said. I nodded once, looking down at my palm. He inhaled sharply.
"That's gonna be a little harder. But I know someone who might be able to help…" He said, snapping his fingers. There was a loud snap! and a small girl with pointed ears appeared in the room. Her slender body was dressed in a fine silk robe, embroidered with beads and gold threads. Roses were woven into her fine silvery hair. Her eyes were a shimmering liquid gold. She bowed once, before padding over to the King.
"Vixanne, I want you to meet someone. This… is Aerynn…" He said, motioning to me. Vixanne looked up at me, a small smile appearing on her thin lips. She bowed again, her cheeks covered in a soft blush. "Vixanne, I need you to do me a favor." Jareth said quietly. Vixanne raised a tiny hand, placing it on his forehead. She stared into his eyes for a brief moment, and nodded.
Climbing onto the bed, the small child sat in front of me, taking my palm in both of hers. She closed her eyes, muttering soft words in a gentle rhyme. I saw the cut being sewn together with what looked like threads of pure magic and energy. After a moment, the skin began to itch slightly, but otherwise looked like a fully healed scar. Vixanne opened her eyes again, inspecting the cut on my shoulder. She repeated the process, instead placing her right hand on a large portion of the wound.
When she finished, she leaned up, kissed my forehead, and jumped off the bed to kiss Jareth as well. A flash of light, the scent of lavender, and she was gone. I looked between the spot where she had been, to Jareth, and back. Several times, before making eye contact with the Goblin King. "Okay… who was that, exactly?" I questioned, pointing to where Vixanne disappeared.
"Vixanne. She's my cousin on my father's side. She looks like a child, but she's actually only three hundred years younger than I am." I nodded once. 'Only three hundred. He makes it sound like it's no big deal.'
"I see. She's very pretty." I commented.
"Yes. She's considered one of the most beautiful Fae in the Underground. It's a shame that she decides not to speak really. No one's heard her voice for a few centuries. Though… if I can remember correctly, she was even more beautiful when she did talk." He paused, smiling. "You remind me of her."
"How so?"
"Your voices are similar. She sang with the same power and emotion that you do." I thought for a moment.
"How… old would she be… in human years?" Jareth glanced up at the ceiling in thought for a moment, before looking back at me. He inhaled slowly, tapping his chin.
"I'd say… about… 35?" I choked on air.
"What, 35?" He nodded. "Well how old are you in human years?" He grinned.
"About your mother's age. Maybe a little younger." I leaned back, plopping against the pillow, staring at the top of the bed post. 'Oh dear God…' I felt the bed shift, and his face blocked my vision. How the fuck did he move so fast? His grin broadened slightly as he stroked my hair gently.
"But… would you really care? I mean… in all manner of speaking, I'm almost fourteen hundred years old. And you're going to be seventeen in a few days." I blinked, smiling slightly, before laughing.
"Well… I always did have a thing for older men." I said, lifting off of the bed, kissing him.