I went ahead and posted the first 3 chapters, I hope you like Jareth and Sarah's interactions!
Jareth took yet another child and sighed. He placed her in a bassinet. Seeing that she was an elf, he frowned even more. Children were a rarity among creatures like fae or elves. Humans tended to fare better if they lived Underground but not by much. The fact that someone wished an elven child away annoyed him greatly.
"I suppose you're one of us now, aren't you little one?" He whispered to the sleeping baby. He would give her to an elven family living in his kingdom. She was his subject now.
But for now, she would be staying in the castle for a few more days until the adoption was finalized. Which means he had time to do some dancing.
Magic dancing.
He appeared in the throne room, all his goblins staring at him stupidly.
Jareth approached one and grabbed one by the collar. "You remind me of the babe!"
"What babe?" He asked automatically.
"Babe with the power." Jareth threw the goblin back as it giggled. Goblins loved to be manhandled for they didn't have very sensitive sense to touch and were quite hardy.
"What power?" Another asked.
"Power of Voodoo." Jareth stuck his fingers out and wiggled them.
"Who do?"
"You do!"
"Do what?" A bunch asked.
"Remind me of the babe!" Jareth threw a goblin up in the air. "Well, laugh!"
At his command, they did laugh.
Jareth strutted around the room to the dance his father had made up on a whim when he was a baby. Whenever he felt down, he would sing Magic Dance. Except when his father had passed. It took him months before he could sing and dance normally again.
When the song ended, Jareth caught a glimpse of a woman with lovely auburn hair looking his way. Her eyes were a soft blue like his and she looked at him with almost a melancholy face.
"Queen-mom here." One goblin pointed at her.
"Yes I can see that." Jareth mumbled. "Hello, Mother."
Queen Eloise walked towards him. "Hello, Jareth. It is good to see you in such high spirits today. I thought maybe last night didn't go well."
Jareth gave a shrug. "It didn't."
Eloise rolled her eyes. "And what was so wrong with Anna? Didn't she try to kiss you?"
"A kiss is special to me, you know that." Jareth sighed. "She was nice but dreadfully boring. I hate how you keep setting me up with these noble girls for marriage when there is no need to rush. Why rush anyway when you're an immortal? I have forever to wait to find the right woman."
"But you know that it is tradition to be married sooner than later when you are royalty." Eloise pleaded with him. "It keeps the throne secure. Especially now that your father has passed. Jareth, you are nearing your 22nd birthday."
"And I have been king for a while now. And I'm doing fine." He grounded out. "I have done my duties well without a wife, have I not?"
"You're right." Eloise sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if any girl can win you."
"She would have to be someone special." Jareth said firmly. "I promise to you now, whoever I choose will be someone not just someone I love, but someone who will be a good queen."
"You know, if you would give Princess Celeste another chance-"
"No." Jareth cut her off. "Not right now."
It wasn't that he had anything against Celeste. On the contrary, she was probably the nicest girl he had ever courted. But he didn't want to just marry her out of obligation. As he said, they lived Underground and were immortal.
"Don't let your feelings get in the way of doing what's best for the kingdom." Eloise warned him. "Your grandfather did that."
"And left father to rule prematurely, I am aware." Jareth gripped the seat of his throne. "Celeste would be a good alliance but no."
"And she is a strong woman." his mother said. "She would do well as queen. You two are friends and someday friendship could grow to love."
"Not another word of this." Jareth shut his mother out. "I am king, and what I choose to do with my love life isn't up for debate."
Eloise narrowed her eyes. He was very, very wrong about that. His love life did matter. He was to conduct himself with dignity and to court many woman before deciding which was the right one for him.
"It is the tradition-" she started.
"Tradition? There is no such basis for the law as it came from the human world where their lives are short. The sense of urgency here is ridiculous." Jareth clasped his cape on. "I will see you at dinner, mother."
Jareth knew he was acting like a spoiled child. In many ways, he was. His parents doted on him and gave him what he wanted for the most part. Creatures feared him and listened to his every word even when he could be trying and cruel.
He wasn't always so cruel. He was much more playful as a child. Mischievous was the right word for it. But since his father died when he was so young, he had become bitter quite easily. His mother was his regent for a few years before his official coronation when he was 18 years old. And even when he was cruel, he was a fair and just king. He didn't mince his words and he had a short temper but never let it be said that King Jareth was an unjust king who hurt people.
He took off his make up. He wore his poet's shirt and grey breeches with black heeled boots still and went off to Estella.
Estella was a nice kingdom, quieter than his without all the goblins. He had to admit that if he was forced to choose a wife (as if that would happen), he would choose Princess Celeste and wouldn't mind her kingdom. The people were mostly quite lovely and he came here to avoid being recognized by the public. No one knew what he looked like here. Only subjects in his kingdom did.
Estella had a large human settlement. Humans living in the Underground were immortal and were even stronger if they happened to have magic, which wasn't exactly common but it did happen sometimes. He enjoyed the anonymity here and decided to participate in one Saturday market where he hadn't been before. He felt bad for snapping at his mother like that. She loved him and only wanted the best for him, to make his job as smooth as it could be. Maybe he could buy something for her to make up for it.
Sarah cradled a basket in one hand. Her father had given her the liberty to explore the market by herself. Now that she was getting older, and at age 15, she wanted to be a little more independent.
Baby Toby had been a lovely addition to the family. Sarah hated how he took the attention away from her father, but at least with Toby she understood. He's a baby, and babies need attention. It was her stepsisters that annoyed her for they were spoiled beyond belief.
She came to the market herself to buy things like groceries even though they had workers for that. She wasn't planning on buying anything for herself though her father said that she could if she wanted to. She now came to the market weekly to the delight of her stepmother and stepsisters for they were able to save money by firing some of the workers.
Sarah worried about where the money was going. Her father was a wealthy merchant, though without title. In many ways, he was what Irene needed in terms of money and fun but she also married down in her eyes because of his lack of title. Sarah saw how her father worried about the amount of money they had left and he had argued with Irene numerous times about her spending.
And with Toby, now he was another mouth to feed. Her father's trips were more frequent now and longer. Though Irene cared for her son, she didn't really take care for him like the nannies did. Often, it was Sarah who took care of the baby boy. And she was getting tired of it when it wasn't her who brought him to the world in the first place.
She picked a few groceries and went to grab some lunch, deciding to spoil herself just a little. She sat down and enjoyed the scene of the market and the lovely smell of bakeries.
"May I sit here?"
Sarah turned to the pleasantly low voice. There was a man who was eating some pastries, smiling at her. She scooted over. "Oh, of course!" Her voice was a little more shrill sounding than she had wanted.
The man looked very handsome. He had two beautiful blue eyes, though one looked so dilated that it was almost like they were two different colors. She blushed at being so close to him. She had seen many, many handsome men but he had to be the most handsome of them all, even with his messy hair. Somehow, his hair fit him. He acted wild but his eyes shown that he was just merely playful.
"Thank you." The man said. He gave her a smile. "I'm Jareth."
"I'm Sarah." She took another bite of her sandwich, not sure of what to say. He wasn't a boy her age. What could he want to speak about?
Jareth has been annoyed at all the seats being filled. He saw one seat though, and next to a pretty girl at that. It had been a while since he had tried to make a friend who didn't know his title. She looked young, probably in her mid to late teens. At that age, people tended to be wise and knowledgable but they were also often young enough to not be too tainted by the darkness life could give.
"Sarah? That's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." He couldn't help himself. She really was beautiful. He even winked at her.
"Wish I could say the same about your name, Jareth." Sarah quipped back. The gleam in her eyes told him that she was teasing back and that it wouldn't be so easy to woo her. "Your name is quite generic. I hear it all the time and I hear even the goblin king has the same name."
Jareth was surprised but grinned. Sarah took this as a good sign. He passed the first test as many men would be offended and demand as to why a woman wasn't being kind back. Jareth loved her sense of humor.
He put a hand to his heart and pretended to faint. "Oh, you wound me."
Sarah giggled. "Do you tell all girls you meet that they're beautiful?"
"Nah." He smirked at her. "Just most of them."
Sarah threw her head back and laughed. She wasn't sure why she liked him so much, but the banter with him was in good fun. She could see from his pointy ears that he was either a fae or an elf. A closer look at the upwardness of his eyes told her that he was fae.
Ah, that made sense. Fae loved games and this one seemed to love challenges more than most. She hoped she was up for it.
"So, what brings you here to the market?" Sarah asked him. "Estella is mostly a human population and I haven't seen a fae around here before."
Jareth decided to not lie to her, but rather, to omit the truth as he did need to protect himself. She seemed too precious and curious to lie to(he hated lying anyway). There was just something about her sweetness that drew him to her. It reminded him of himself before his father died. "I'm from the goblin kingdom."
Sarah looked at his chest. "Oh! You're wearing the royal seal. Do you work at the castle?"
Jareth blinked. He forgot to take his necklace off! UGH! He growled inwardly. But he was also impressed that she'd recognize his coat of arms as she was not of his kingdom. Heck, he wasn't even sure if he could remember Estella's royal seal off the top of his head and it was his duty as king to remember it.
He nodded. "Yes I do. I do many things for my job." He took another bite of his pastry. Before she could ask him more, he turned to her. "And you?"
Sarah didn't want to tell him everything about her. He was still a stranger no matter how much she wanted to trust him. "Oh, I'm just some girl living with my family. Nothing too interesting. Certainly not like someone who works in the castle of a king." She said with a smile.
"I disagree." Jareth propped an elbow on the back of the bench and put his head in his hand. "Everyone is interesting. Everyone has their own story. And you, Sarah, interest me."
Sarah tilted her head, almost suspiciously. "Why is that? Why would some girl like me interest a man like you."
Jareth realized what she was saying. He was older than her and he had known men who were less than honorable to young girls.
"Nothing like that." He said quietly. "I guess, I've just been stuck in the castle so much doing my work. I don't get to be free to come as often. Sometimes I escape by coming to Estella but I don't really like to go to parties or anything. Plenty of those at the castle with crazy goblins. And acting so formal in balls can be a tiresome activity if you don't have someone you really know to spend it with. You interest me because you challenge me, and as you may know, fae love games."
Sarah remembered something her mother told her a long time ago, to look into someone's eyes. That's how you know if they were sincere or not. Jareth's eyes held playfulness but also sadness. She wasn't exactly sure what kind of life he lead, but he really was sincere.
"I see." Sarah said quietly too. "Well, how about we explore the market together. As friends?"
Jareth looked up at her. Had he ever seen eyes so beautiful as hers? "I'd love to."
They trotted here and there, Jareth telling her about the creatures of his kingdom. He told her of how his father had passed and they both shared their feelings of lost parents. He even told her a little about what the castle looked like and the different villages. He learned that her favorite flower were amarises. He made a mental note to give her one the next time he saw her.
Sarah told him of her stepsisters and how she sometimes felt like an outcast. She had friends, yes, but there weren't as many girls her age nearby anymore. Many of them had moved out to go elsewhere. Her family stayed in their home to be able to keep the house that belonged to in her family for generations. She told him of Toby, how she loved him and how sweet he was even if she was annoyed that she had to take care of him when her stepmother wouldn't.
They both were careful to not reveal too much of themselves though. Sarah never mentioned where she lived exactly and Jareth didn't mention everything either. Both seemed comfortable with that and they weren't about to push each other for any answers.
Jareth saw a beautiful owl necklace that Sarah was eyeing. It was silver with jeweled black eyes, a beautifully crafted barn owl. He saw her turn away from it and walked over to another booth. Quietly, he paid the vendor and took the necklace. He was more than pleased that she chose an owl.
Both got some desserts, some delicious sweets. Sarah looked at him shyly. "I have to go home soon. I had a lovely day with you, Jareth."
Hearing his name on her lips made him feel warm and happy inside. "I had a lovely time too. I should go home to see my mother, she is waiting for me. But before I go, did you know that the goblin king and queen can turn into owls?"
Sarah's eyes widened. "Wow! I think I knew that some fae were able to. Why owls?"
"So they can fly, transversing across the realms to go Above without being seen. If they appear human, questions can be asked but an owl? No one would care." He said. "Anyway, I got you this."
He showed her the necklace.
Sarah gasped. "Oh no, Jareth I can't possibly-"
"Consider it a gift." He smiled at her.
Sarah wasn't sure about this. She believed that he had good intentions but she had heard too many stories of men showering women with gifts then expecting something of them too soon. Like courting and she wasn't ready for that.
Jareth could see how uncomfortable she was at his offer. He frowned a little and tried to not take it personally. "Sarah?"
"You're too kind." She said to him. "Really. I wish I had thought to buy you something too."
Jareth shook his head. He wouldn't hear a word of it after how she had told him that her stepsisters and stepmother were wasting their money away. But he was willing to settle for something else. "Sarah, you mentioned that you read quite a lot. May I borrow a few books from you?"
Sarah visibly relaxed. She beamed. "Yes, I would love to! Only father talks to me about books. And my tutor, but now I'm just learning on my own. Maybe someday I can receive a more formal education."
"I hope you will." Jareth said kindly. "I have many history and instruction books that I read quite a bit. Any novels?"
"Oh I have quite a bit!" She said.
"Perfect, will you be at the market next week? I will make sure to come by then." Behind his back, he was crossing his fingers for good luck.
"Yes for sure." Sarah said. She was looking forward to seeing him already.
Jareth turned her around. "Could you lift your hair up for me?"
She did, and she shivered at him touching the back of her neck, clasping the necklace on.
Jareth came back to the front. Something akin to pride swelled in him when he saw the owl sitting on her. He gave a small bow to her, almost cheekily. "Well, Lady Sarah, I will see you next week."
Sarah dropped into a curtsey and giggled. "Until next time, Sir Jareth."
That night at dinner, Jareth gave his mother something he had found at the market. It was a painting of a yellow tulip, her favorite flower. One that his father had given her when they had been courting. He revealed to Sarah that he had argued with his mother, and Sarah insisted that he apologize. Jareth though, he was not one to really apologize so he bought the painting.
Eloise felt tears well up in her. "Oh Jareth, this is so thoughtful."
It wasn't that Jareth wasn't a kind hearted person, but sometimes he just didn't care for these things. Something in him changed today, she could tell. There was a new spring in his step, a healthy color to his cheeks. Even his hair looked more vibrant than usual, which was saying something.
Jareth gave her a sad smile. "I just wanted to make up. I know you love me and no one loves me more than my own mother."
Eloise didn't press him but she was sure now that something definitely happened. Whatever it was, she hoped that it would keep him happy.
So in the movie, yes Bowie was nearly 40 when he acted as Jareth but we really don't know how old Jareth is. David had described Jareth as kind of a spoiled child at times so that makes me think his maturity is around his teens or 20s. Probably 20s with his confidence and his tight pants!
As for him being 22 and Sarah 15, well, that was the exact age my grandparents met. They didn't date for a few years though and in my mind, neither did Sarah and Jareth. They're just friends for now and there's nothing wrong with that. Plus, Laura Ingalls dated her husband when she was 15 and he was 25 (um that is weird though). As long as they're not doing anything and are just friends, I see nothing wrong with that.
Again if you have an issue with the age difference, I mean they're just friends and come on Sleeping Beauty had Aurora be 16 and Phillip was older than her by 7 or 8 years, so as long as you're cool with that, you should be cool with my story. And it's an innocent story anyway.
Although with that being said, please be careful when in a relationship with a significant age gap even if it's "okay." I also dated someone 7 years older than me when I was 18, and older doesn't always mean more mature. Make sure your friends get to know them and be smart about it too. Also Sarah and Jareth are fictional, so maybe aging is a little different Underground. Who knows?
Some elements are taken from the Cinderella 2015 movie as well.
