Ta da! another chapter a day ahead of what I was planning! I didn't want Jareth to appear as totally heartless and cruel in the previous chapter for having punished Sarah in such a manner. I just wanted to show that I feel Jareth's world would be somewhat similar to European monarchies and daily life of centuries past.
Any who, enjoy this next chapter!
I do not own Sarah or Jareth (*tear) I do own our newest character, Arianna!
Sarah looked all around her from where she sat on a bunk. Next to her, she saw a blank and a pillow with a note that Sarah was able to read by the moonlight that seeped in through the barred window in the cell. It read:
Sarah,
You need a night to think about your new position here in the kingdom. I suggest using this time wisely. I provided you with a pillow and blanket. Do not take these tokens of my generosity for granted. We will talk in the morning after I have cooled down.
Jareth
Sarah crumpled up the note and threw it. Hot tears ran down her cheek. She could not deny that she still very much loved Jareth, but was this what she had to look forward to forever? Was she always going to be beaten when she did something that he didn't like or locked up any time they argued?
Sarah nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a sweet voice out of the darkness say, "So you must be a favorite of the king." Sarah was shaken from fear, though the voice sounded gentle. She wasn't a big fan of things that lurked in the darkness. "Whhhhho'ssss there?" Sarah stammered.
A young lady, perhaps around Sarah's age, emerged from the darkness. She had long blonde hair with bangs that brushed her eyebrows. Her eyes were as blue as a mountain spring. She was a bit shorter than Sarah, maybe just over 5 feet tall. She wore a simple green dress with sleeves that reached down her legs. All and all, she did not appear threatening in the least bit.
When the girl stepped forth and saw Sarah, she instantly dropped to her feet in a deep curtsy. "Forgive me your highness. I did not realize it was you," said the flaxen girl. Sarah was confused on how this girl knew who she was. She did not remember meeting her before. "Don't curtsy like that to me. I don't like it. How do you know who I am and who are you?" Sarah said to her. The girl rose up and said, "I am Arianna, and forgive me but everyone knows who you are. Not only are you the Champion of the Labyrinth, but also you are the queen." Sarah was still surprised. "But I have only been the queen for like a day and a half." Arianna smiled. "Well news travels fast here, like magic." For no reason at all both girls giggled at this.
Sarah recalled something Arianna had said. "Why did you say that I must be one of the king's favorites?" Arianna responded, "You can call me Ari. I said that because only favorites of the king get a pillow and a blanket right off the bat. Everyone else has to earn that privilege." Sarah gasped, "That's barbaric." Arianna smiled a bit. "Yeah, it may seem that way, but think about it. Most who end up here are guilty of crimes, some of which are heinous." Sarah thought that it made some bit of sense. "So then Ari, tell me how you ended up here."
Ari sat down on Sarah's bunk. She had a feeling that Sarah would not like what she had to say. "I was the only woman to refuse the king." Sarah didn't know what to say. She couldn't get over what a disgusting notion that was. Jareth sent this sweet young lady to the dungeon because she wouldn't sleep with him. "What a disgusting pig!" Sarah exclaimed. Ari actually smiled a bit. "Well did you really expect the goblin king to stay pure until he married you? He was a grown man before you or I were even born. Plus, fae women throw themselves at him." Sarah shook her head, "I kind of expected the king to have a colorful past, but I thought it was piggish of him to throw you in here because you wouldn't sleep with him." Ari nodded. "Yeah that was kind of bad, but given his temper it could have been much worse." Sarah was well acquainted with Jareth's temper.
"Ari, I'm curious. Why did you not want to sleep with the king if apparently so many others do?" Sarah asked. Ari looked at Sarah with her piercing blue eyes and said, "Given my life Aboveground, I was not about to sleep with yet another man who I wasn't in a relationship with. I did that enough. I knew he was destined for you." Sarah couldn't believe how sweet Ari sounded. She found it noble of her not to sleep with Jareth just because he is a good looking king (with a nice southern 'bulge'). Then she remembered how Arianna began her explanation. "So you are from Aboveground too? How did you get here then?" Ari looked away from Sarah and gazed out to the moon through the cell bars. "It may sound strange, almost crazy, but I actually wished myself away." Sarah's jaw dropped, "You did? Why?" Ari turned to look at Sarah, "My life was far from perfect. In fact, it wasn't the kind of life I would have picked for myself. I grew up around drugs. My mom was a crack head, and so was just about every boyfriend that came in and out of her life. I never met my dad. I don't even think my mom knew who my dad was. I was doing drugs by the time I was 11. I lost my virginity at 13. I used my body to get drugs. It didn't matter to me who the guy I was I was sleeping with; I would do anything, or anyone, for drugs. One night, I was lying in an alley, high off of a few drugs when I saw a red book by me. I picked it up and began reading it. By the end, I was in tears because that land sounded so much better than where I was. Goblins seemed more pleasant than the druggies I was around. So in the midst of my sobbing, I said the words. Jareth appeared, towering over me. I begged him to take me to the Goblin City. He even warned me that if I left, I could not return. Since I was the one who wished myself away, there was no one who could run the Labyrinth for my freedom. I was more than happy with that. So, Jareth transported me back to the castle to sober up. I have been living as a courtier here since."
Sarah sat silent. That was a lot to take in at once. She could never have imagined someone wishing themselves away. She silently gave thanks for the childhood she had. Without thought, Sarah threw her arms around Ari. "Ari was momentarily stunned, but then returned the hug. "Ari, I think we are going to be great friends. I could definitely use one here!" Sarah said teary eyed. Ari, who also had tears in her eyes said, "I think you are right, Sarah." The girls giggled at the sight of each other crying.
"So Miss Sarah, what did you do to earn a night locked up?" Ari asked after she dried her tears. Sarah's smile fell from her face. "Jareth told me not to leave the bed chamber, but I did anyway, and then we got into an argument. I still don't think I deserved a beating. I am his wife after all." Ari looked at her with sympathetic eyes. "Yes he did go overboard, as he tends to do when he is exceptionally angry, but you do have to remember something. Jareth grew up in a world vastly different than ours. Their ways have not changed as ours have." Sarah felt angry. "But that's not fair!" Sarah exclaimed. "No it isn't," Ari responded, "but that's the way it is." Sarah felt a moment of déjà vu. "As hard as it may be, you have to give him time to get used to some of your mortal ways. You may hate to, but you have to get used to some of his ways too. Compromising is essential in any marriage, especially an eternal one."
Sarah thought silently. She guessed that Ari was right. She hadn't even thought about the fact that Jareth wouldn't even know some mortal ways, just like she doesn't know all the ways of the fae. Her head was beginning to clear up, and she looked forward to talking to Jareth tomorrow. She wanted to try finding the middle ground.
"Thanks Ari, I feel better. I think I want to get some sleep, or at least try to any way," Sarah said. "No problem, Sarah. Sweet dreams."
Hope you enjoyed it! Reviews make me write faster, HINT HINT! ;)