Sarah hadn't seen Jareth in days. She was fine with that. Audra had informed her that her new residence was to be the guest room. Sarah tried to argue, but Audra denied her the right. Sarah's clothes had an upgrade also. Audra had made her pants resembling jeans from the Aboveground. Also, tank-tops now existed.
Except, Sarah didn't really care about that.
She tried to speak with Flogray, but he yelled at her for leaving him to deal with everyone being angry about the kitchen. She tried to apologize, but the goblin stuck out his tongue and ran into the ever changing stair area. That place was so annoying. Sarah still couldn't figure it out. She knew there was some secret to it. It was probably obvious too. Egh, she felt stupid. She didn't even remember how she solved the massive room when searching for Toby.
Presently, Sarah was trying to feed a baby goblin some of the slop she, herself, refused to eat. She felt bad when the child cried as it swallowed the concoction; Audra had told her it had all the nutrients goblins needed to survive.
Sarah's next question was why they thought a human would eat it. Audra rolled her eyes.
"Sarah." Hoggle appeared in the doorway. "How are you?"
She turned to him. "Oh, Hoggle, I've missed you these last few days."
After getting the children to play among themselves nicely, Sarah settled into a chair next to Hoggle. Her first question, before he could interject her with his, was of Sir Didymus. This launched Hoggle into a more spirited conversation than the one Sarah feared would loom over them like a dead lover.
"He's still guarding that terrible smelling bog." Hoggle sighed. "Ludo and me tried to get him to come visit with you, but he said: 'Tell her, I am performing my duty to the land and that I have missed her lovely lady.' He is crazy. I don't want to ever go back there." He shook his head left and right to add emphasis. "I'm just sending Ludo in next time."
Sarah laughed as he told her about all his follies of the last few years. Then he told her he was liking a goblin lady, but he wouldn't mention who. Sarah tried to offer him some jewelry, but he retorted he wasn't falling for that again.
While Sarah was visiting with her friend, Jareth was visiting with his—herm, friend wasn't the correct word for her. She stepped into his lavish library swiftly, quietly, but that's an assassin for you. She removed the hood from her purple eyes releasing her burgundy, curly hair. It fell long and heavily to her elbows. She stretched her neck as she removed her leather gloves—an old habit she had picked up from Jareth.
"Good day, Enyo." He smiled only half interested in her appearance. She sat across from him, a small round table separating them.
She gazed at him, a diminutive smile gracing her cheek bones. "Only when you're in it."
They both shared a small, fake laugh. "How are you planning on taking over my kingdom?" He waved his hand as a cup of tea appeared before him. "Tea?"
"No, thank you." She smiled again, smaller this time. "I was hoping we could bargain, I mean, considering our history. I wouldn't want all those memories to be laced with animosity."
Yes, Jareth recalled their history. It was a lovely thing they both equally enjoyed on the occasional midnight. She was a woman Jareth shared a strong physical attraction for, as she for him.
"Nay, we wouldn't want that, would we?" He took a drink of tea. "This bargain?"
"I'm not going to marry you. I'm too independent for that, sorry dear, I know you had your heart set upon it." She leaned back, releasing the tension in her shoulders.
"A shame, really. If one were to care and think about it." He answered.
"Ah, quite. I have brought something for you though." She waved her hand in the same fashion as Jareth and a small vile appeared in her delicate, deadly fingers. She placed the green vile on the table in front of them. They both avoided touching each other when they weren't being physical.
He picked up the object holding it to the light. Small glitters caught the sun which spilled in from a nearby window. "And this is…?"
"My bargain. I give this to you and, if you are pleased with the results, you give me your goblin army. Even Thee Elite, the best of us know you're saving for that special occasion." Her eyes raped the spines of the books on the shelves. She wasn't amused with his literature—kid stuff.
"Alright, but what am I supposed to do with this? I'm not committing suicide just because you won't marry me." He sniffed the liquid.
She smiled. "That, my dear, is a love potion." Her eyes narrowed.
Jareth wasn't contented. "And why do I need a love potion? I can have any woman I desire, Enyo." He smirked. "Even you."
"But what of your human, dearest?" Her smile grew large. "And don't pretend. There are rumors all across the Underground of your little pet."
"Perhaps." He answered. "But what does this little mixture have to do with it?"
"How many times has she run away, or at least attempted to run away? I almost had her, you know. I was going hold your kingdom ransom, but she even eluded me." She licked her lips. "She is smart for a human."
"I don't need this." Jareth tossed it back to her.
She caught it with a quick hand. "Then why do you keep her against her will." She placed it on the table again. "Just try it. Like I said, if you like it then you will give me your armies. Keep your labyrinth for all I care. It is rather boring lately."
Jareth left it sitting. "And if I don't like it?"
"Well, that's up to you. But either way I will be taking your armies." Enyo stood now, as did Jareth.
He moved in front of her tracing a gloved hand down her neck and to an area he held much favor for.
"You are coming to my ball later this week? Your nephew is throwing it for me. He thinks he can get into my good graces and I won't destroy him." She leaned into his hand, running hers on his own chest.
Jareth was speculating the ball. "We shall see."
Then he kissed her.
Since Sarah had returned to the castle, her hours with the children had been reduced so her evenings could be free. Hoggle had left earlier and now she was alone and bored.
Audra met her at the door as she was leaving the daycare. "Is there anyway I can get clean? I really can't remember the last time I had a bath or a shower." Sarah sighed. She was feeling quite disgusted with herself.
Audra cocked her head. "Why in the Underground would you want to wash the lovely dirt off you. I don't understand you pale-skins. You all want to be clean. Just like Jareth."
Sarah ran a hand through her greasy hair. Even though she hadn't seen the Goblin King in a while, she didn't want to look like a hobo when she saw him. "Please?" She was desperate, even if she was reduced to using the mermaid fountain and a bar of soap.
Audra released breath and rolled her eyes. "Follow me."
They arrived in a small room. Sarah noticed there were two doors. The one they had entered through and one across the room. Then, she noticed the bathtub. It was the largest she had ever seen and it sat in the ground so she had to step in it, not hop into it. There were smooth, flat rocks in the bottom and steam rose of the water with a strange scent. It smelled like Jareth.
"Here are a few things. Jareth requests them when he washes himself." She placed them at the edge of the water. "Don't be too long." Then she stepped out.
Sarah could hardly contain her excitement as she stripped and stepped into the bubbling water. She completely submerged herself feeling the sensation of human touch all around her. Heaven.
She found something like that of soap in the items Audra had left behind and I felt wonderful. She wasn't sure of the smell, she liked it, but she couldn't place it. After washing. She relaxed.
It was a most refreshing feeling that caused Sarah to fall inside of herself. There, she thought about that wretched man. Of course he was only wretched because he was making her miss him, which she did not enjoy, no, not in the least. Actually, she was quite annoyed with herself when she realized she did, in fact, miss him, but why? Agh! That was what annoyed and frustrated her the most. She didn't know why she missed him. All they did was argue and destroy each other.
And she loved it.
She fell into a calm, thinking about what her next encounter with Jareth would be like. It was bound to happen, even in a large castle like this. Especially since she was his slave and all. What would she say? Thanks for saving me, Mr. King. She laughed. Yeah, that would work. She could already see that perturbed face of his holding back a lecture. That she could do without. There was no way in Hell she would listen to a lecture from Jareth. For one, how would she take him seriously. He stole babies and turned them into goblins. That hardly seems like someone that could consul her on the way she lives her life.
She turned around in the tub to lean the front of her body on the rim. She relaxed again placing her head in her hands as her elbows rested on the edge. She was beginning to close her eyes when she saw the door in front of her—not the one she entered—open towards her.
She tried to grab the towel, but it slipped from her fingers and fell in the water. She cursed as Jareth appeared before her.
This, Jareth was not expecting. He had gone more than out of his way to avoid her, and now, here she was, in his bathing room, naked. He may have been all over her, if his animal side hadn't just been satisfied by a powerful woman who favored the color purple way too much.
"Would you turn around!" Sarah screeched as she brought the wet towel around her.
Jareth smiled. "I thought being undignified was the least of your worries." He didn't turn around, and that towel didn't cover much. Hmm. Maybe that last session with Enyo wasn't enough.
"Jareth." Her jaw was clenched. "If you do not take your eyes away from me, I will introduce you to a world of pain—and your powers won't save you."
Although Jareth knew she was buffing, he threw his hands in the air as surrender and turned around. He waited until he heard the splashing of the water as it released Sarah from its grasp. Then he turned around.
Her eyes weren't on him, so she didn't see the way he looked at her. The towel only clung to the front of her, revealing the side with the tattoo and her back to him. He tried to focus on the tattoo…but he wanted to see the curve of her derrière or the stretch of her leg muscles. No, must concentrate. The tattoo was longer than he originally thought. It stretched from almost directly under her arm all the way to her hip. The maze was long with strange twists throughout it. He felt like he was missing something as he looked at it, but her arm was in the way and she was moving too much.
Then there was something flying at him. His mind was in such a haze, his reflexes weren't up to par with the flying—Ouch! "Where the hell did you get a ceramic mug?"
Sarah was fully dressed by the time he was back to a world of clarity. Being fae and all, pain didn't last long, but she had launched the particular item directly at his head. He wasn't pleased.
"One of the children gave it to me as a gift." She smiled as she dried her hair. "I didn't realize it would become so useful. I'll have to give the kid some candy." She gave him an innocent look. "I warned you."
Jareth wasn't sure what to do. Punish her? She would surely run away, and he couldn't deal with that again. Yet, he was angry and his pride wouldn't let behavior like this towards him go unpunished. He moved in close to corner her. "You know, precious, I could snap you in an instant. I could crush your bones under a toe." He leaned in closer. His mismatched eyes leered into hers predator style. "I could even make you fall in love with me. What would you do then?"
Sarah laughed. "I hope you have something better than weed to achieve that mess." Her chin lifted to him. She was being a bitch. This thought occurred to her after the words had slipped away. Great, she was treating the person who had saved her—twice—as if he were the biggest hindrance in her life. Well, that wasn't exactly off. The fact that he was now in her head constantly wasn't a good sign for the children.
Jareth was suddenly annoyed with himself. "Get out, Sarah. I'm fatigued, and your little act of violence has killed my patience with you." He crossed the room to the door he entered through and closed it behind himself.
She stared at the door. Her breath came in huffs of anger. Him? Fatigued with her? What? She fought the urge to cross the room and chase after him. She wanted an explanation. However, she knew that was a bad idea. Jareth would just go off on her, and she did not want to be around Jareth when he was groaned as she walked out the door, not at Jareth, though she was upset with him.
She groaned because she was all ready missing him.