Mariya smiled to herself, watching the scene that played out before her with an acute sense of relief. After seeing how upset Sarah had been when she had awoken that morning, the goblin woman had half expected her to throw things at Jareth, or even try a murder attempt. But nothing like that had taken place.
It had been three hours since Sarah had joined Jareth and began their musical escapade, and neither showed signs of stopping.
Mariya hated to interrupt such a sweet moment between the two, but she could tell that Sarah was hungry and that her fingers were beginning to cramp up as she plucked at her cello strings.
"Your Majesty," the old woman asked as she stood from the chair she had been inhabiting. "Will you be taking lunch this afternoon?" Mariya stretched her arms and legs experimentally, as she waited for an answer, and nearly sighed aloud in relief when she felt her lower back pop into the correct place. She was too old to be sitting on hard wooden chairs for such long periods of time, and she gently chided herself for her lack of memory.
Jareth, who had been starting up another song, held his violin with his neck and chin and looked to Sarah who sat in the chair next to him. "Would you care to take a lunch break, Precious?"
Sarah stroked her cello thoughtfully, fighting tooth and claw to hide the shudder that overtook her, when Jareth used the pet name. When he didn't smirk or make fun of her, Sarah decided that he hadn't noticed and answered his question.
"Lunch actually sounds good, right about now. I didn't have breakfast this morning, or dinner last night."
Jareth frowned at this news, and was about to say something when Sarah's stomach chimed in, growling loudly in protest. This instantly made the Goblin King's traditional smirk appear on his distinguished features, and the girl glare at him dangerously.
"I see your stomach matches your temper, dearest." Jareth joked, before he held out his hand to her. "We can continue our music venture some other time. Come."
As Jareth offered Sarah his hand, the girl automatically hesitated to take it, not sure what she should do.
"It's alright, Sarah. I promise that won't don't bite." He nodded in encouragement, and Sarah found herself taking hold of his hand.
Jareth tightened his hold on and helped the girl stand from her chair, before the handsome man led her out of his study in the direction of the dining room. Mariya watched them go with a small grin planted firmly on her lips, and a heart filled with hope. Perhaps Sarah could be happy here after all.
Sarah was absolutely smitten as she walked into the banquet hall, noting almost immediately the large crystal chandelier that hung from above, with seemingly no attachment to the ceiling whatsoever, and the large silver-flamed candles that lined the large table at the center of the room.
Jareth watched the girl with great interest as she stared up at the ceiling. Taking pleasure from her enthusiasm.
"How is the chandelier staying put up there?" Sarah asked in awe, turning to stare at the Goblin King with curious eyes.
Jareth smirked, "It's held up by magic, Sarah."
At this Sarah blushed, feeling quite stupid. Of course it was magic. Everything in the Underground was magical, or at least that was how it seemed to the girl.
Jareth seemed satisfied with her apparent thought on the subject and gracefully led her to her chair and pulled it out for her. Sarah sat down in the chair and blushed again at the gentlemanly gesture. Jareth sat in the chair across from her and the second he had been seated, a small tinkling sound filled the room.
The young woman watched in absolute amazement as an entourage of Goblins brought in the meal. They carried platters, goblets, chalices, pitchers, plates, bowls, and pots, all filled with different dishes, that they placed on the table ceremoniously. There was more food here than Sarah had ever seen at one time in her entire life; including all the family reunions she had attended.
Jareth smiled at her charmingly as he watched her take in the beautiful china and priceless crockery.
"You truly didn't think I'd let you eat anything but the best foods, did you Sarah?" The King teased with a light chuckle that made the girl's toes clench in her shoes.
"I didn't know what to expect," she answered truthfully, after she had initially recovered from her surprise at the divine banquet. "You always do the opposite of what I think you're going to do."
"I like to keep you guessing," Jareth said with a sexy smirk as he gestured for the goblins to leave them alone.
"Well you don't disappoint on your end," Sarah said with a small laugh. "I'm always at a loss when it comes to you and your magical schemes."
Once the words had left her mouth, Sarah instantly wanted to smack herself. What was she doing? The Goblin King was her enemy! And here she was chatting and flirting with him like they were old friends!
Sarah mentally screamed before she then forced herself to focus as Jareth studied her with his mismatched eyes, seeming to watch her inner turmoil and see all her thoughts with his well trained mind within a mere handful of seconds.
"Well, I don't have any schemes," he said softly with a contented gleam in his eyes. "Not anymore."
Sarah was silent, the statement hitting her squarely in the gut as she realized what he meant. Jareth had won the prize he had coveted and no longer had to fight for it. The Goblin King had won her. And now he was able to gloat to his hearts content.
For several minutes Sarah was overcome by her grief and anger, and wanted nothing more than to pick up the nearest serving spoon and whack the cocky bugger over the head a couple times to make him hurt as much as she was. But she ultimately refrained, taking deep breaths and instead focusing on how hungry she was. After all, she could always hit him after the meal. . .
Jareth who acted completely oblivious to Sarah's plight, surprisingly began to serve the food. He stood from his chair and courteously asked Sarah which of the foods she wanted, and after the girl had her plate full of the delicious looking food, the Goblin King generously placed servings on his own plate.
"Aren't you King?" Sarah asked, once he had poured them each a drink and sat down again.
Jareth's eyebrows rose at her question, but he answered her all the same. "Yes, I am King."
"Then why do you dip up your own food?" Sarah wanted to know. "You could have had the goblins do it for you, before they left."
Jareth leaned back in his chair and placed his feet on an unoccupied part of the table top. "Why would I do that? I'm more than capable of serving myself and they have far better things to do. Like clean up the Throne Room, for instance. The chickens have gone too far this time. . . I doubt my poor goblins will ever be able to pick up all the feathers and eggshells. . ."
Sarah was silent for a moment before she began to laugh. And for some reason that she couldn't explain, Jareth's answer made her feel better. And once she had finished laughing, much to the King's amusement, she began to eat her food, and actually shared a pleasant conversation with Jareth. It was an overall wonderful meal that followed.
There were many dishes that Sarah had never tasted before, but she humored Jareth by trying each in turn. But there was one pudding in particular that the Goblin King wanted her to taste.
"It is a true Goblin dish, Sarah." He warned. "No one else in the entire Underground makes it."
Sarah, sensing the dare behind his words, picked up her spoon and scooped up a small mouthful of the breaded looking pudding, and looked at it curiously.
"What is it called?"
"There is no English name for it," Jareth said thoughtfully. "But my people call it, Gumoi."
"Gumoi," Sarah repeated as she put the spoon in her mouth, and immediately wished she hadn't.
The girl gagged at the repellent taste, sputtering and gasping for relief of the nasty food. Her eyes watered uncontrollably and she found that she couldn't breathe past the goblin dish.
Jareth laughed deeply, his rich voice instantly filling the Dining Room and Kitchen beyond.
"Swallow it, Sarah," he urged between his giddy laughter. "The taste won't leave until you swallow it!"
After a moment more of flailing, Sarah swallowed it, though she did so with extreme difficulty. And when the accursed Gumoi was finally gone, the girl glared at Jareth whose breathing was labored from laughing so hard.
When his laughter had finally subsided, Jareth grinned at her sweetly. "I suppose you don't have a goblin stomach, my love." And he chuckled some more.
Sarah gritted her teeth and began to correct him with the pet name, but she stopped herself. Let him have his petty names and weak pranks, she wouldn't let him have the satisfaction of having her respond. So she merely took a big gulp of her water and continued to eat silently.
Jareth observed her with a smirk and a twinkle in his eyes, and he too began to eat once more.
The two were quiet as they continued their meal, but as it progressed, Sarah couldn't help but notice how elegantly the Goblin King held his fork and knife. She marveled at how deftly it rose to his mouth and then returned to the plate.
Sarah was in a state of awe as she openly stared, and wondered if he used magic to enhance his movements. And it was as she stared, that Jareth noticed and looked at her quizzically.
"Enjoying the view, Sarah?"
The young woman blushed and looked away quickly, putting her head down and staring at her plate with fake interest. She chided herself for nothing being more cautious.
Jareth placed his eating utensils down and reached out, bringing Sarah's face up gently, so he could look at her and see her eyes.
"You needn't fear me, Precious. There is no shame in observing things we find beautiful." And to prove his point, Jareth looked at her longingly and brushed her cheek with his thumb.
Sarah didn't flinch away from his touch or words, but she did feel slightly miffed. Sighing in defeat she asked, "Why are you so damn frustrating?"
Jareth's eyebrows rose in a frown. "Frustrating? I would have thought persistent would have been the word of choice."
Sarah closed her eyes when she felt her anger once more being to peak, and also to escape the man's intensity.
"Sarah, love, please look at me."
The young woman slowly looked at him and felt tears rising in them, as she gazed into his beautifully missed-matched eyes.
"Help me understand," he begged, sincerely. And as Sarah looked into his patient and loving eyes, she felt herself let go, if only for a moment, and she opened up her soul to him.
"I want to hate you for what you have done," she admitted firmly, and visibly winced when Jareth looked pained. But before he could say anything, Sarah continued. "But, despite everything that has happened . . . I don't. . .I actually have some feelings for you. . ."
Surprise was clearly written on Jareth's face, and he was for once at a loss for words.
"I am attracted to you," Sarah said, knowing that it was a little late to stop now. "And I am entranced by your charisma and devilish charm. And I can't help but admire your magic, and power. . . But I cannot brush aside the past. I had established feelings and impressions of you and what you stand for."
Jareth remained silent, but she could tell that she had his undivided attention.
"You blackmailed me and took me away from everything I ever loved." Sarah cracked here, and viciously fought back tears as her thoughts turned to Toby.
"I never meant to hurt you, my love. But I was left with no choice. You never would have come back to me, by your own choice. . . My people would cease to exist without a Queen, and I will marry no other." Jareth's voice was deep and alluring as he spoke, his British-like accent becoming heavy with his show of emotion.
The young woman was quiet for several moments before she spoke again, but when she did, she looked Jareth directly in the eye and held his gaze.
"I made you a promise, Jareth," Sarah said, reaching out and taking his hand in hers and stroking, though it was more for her own comfort, than for his. "I promised you that I would become your Queen. And I will keep that promise. . . But you cannot expect me to change my heart and mind within a day. I need time."
Jareth nodded once solemnly, and brought her hand up to his lips, kissing it tenderly. "If it is time that you need, Sarah. Then it is time you will receive."
Sarah felt her heart flutter at the gesture and smiled at him, despite her recent sentiments. "Thank you, Jareth."
The Goblin King returned the smile and then replacing her hand on the tabletop, he resumed eating.
The rest of the meal was spent with the two talking quietly, about all sorts of trivial topics and the strangest types of small talk imaginable. But it wasn't uncomfortable in the least, to Sarah's absolute surprise. She had thought that after baring her soul to him, that they wouldn't have been able to be in the same room for the embarrassment. But Sarah had thankfully never been so wrong.
Once they had both finished, Jareth stood from his place and offered Sarah his arm in a most gentlemanly gesture, just like before. And when she had taken it and followed his lead out of the Dining Room, Jareth began walking in the opposite direction of his private study, making the girl in his company frown.
"Where are we going? I thought we were going to play more music?" Sarah asked anxiously as they entered a part of the castle that she had never set foot in before.
"There will be plenty of time for music later, my sweet," Jareth said calmly as he continued to lead her further into the recesses of the darker lit hallways. "But there is something that requires our immediate attention."
"What are we doing?"
"We are beginning your training."
Sarah's frown grew bigger and she planted her feet, forcing the Goblin King to stop cold in his tracks. "What is it that I must train for?"
Jareth faced her, with a solemn expression and watched her reaction as he answered her question, almost as if he was waiting for her to explode or slap him.
"The Viviari Trials," he said simply. "They are trials that you must take if you are to stay, and you need special training if you are to succeed."
"Viviari Trials?" Sarah repeated curiously. "What kind of training will I have to do?"
Jareth began to walk again and Sarah followed him again of her own free will.
"Magical training, Precious. We need to find your element, and I need to teach you how to channel it." The Goblin King said as they finally reached a small door on the left side of the corridor.
Jareth opened the door and stepped aside for Sarah to enter. And when the girl had, she looked around and a startled squeak escaped her lips.
The room was quite large in size and made up of mirrors that lined the walls and ceiling. And the ground was made of the softest grasses and flowers. Not to mention that in one corner, there was a small pond where water burbled and frothed becomingly in a most luxurious way.
And before Sarah could truly register what she was doing, she had walked over to the water and dipped her hand within the deep blue pool. The young woman sighed contentedly as the surface water trickled over her hands and wrists. It was a pleasant surprise after a morning of playing a stringed instrument. And when Sarah had realized how nice it was that the King had brought her here, she turned to thank him, but stopped when she noticed the smirk on his face.
"Sarah," he called from his place at the center of the room, making her shiver in fear. Something was wrong. His smirk was too mischievous and teasing. He was up to something.
And Sarah's instincts were proven correct when Jareth formed a small crystal ball in his hand and immediately turned it into a ball of flame. The Goblin King stared at the fire in his palm for several seconds before he then gazed back at the girl standing next to the water's edge.
"Think fast, Precious."
And without a moment more of hesitation, Jareth threw the flame straight at her head.