Home Again, Home Again
Jareth glared despondently at the arch that the freed psyche of his beloved Sarah had summoned with nary a glance and a small wave of one of her hands.
"I am sorry about that gauntlet, Jareth."
"Didn't run much of a gauntlet, precious. I cheated after all."
"Only because I let you."
"Must you try your damndest to crush my ego?"
"You've a goblin's thick hide... I've never voiced to you or anyone that which could truly hurt you."
"I know, love. You barely gossip, even then it's never cruelly if you can help it."
"Because I know the damage it can do. High school was hell on all fronts and to a great many beyond myself."
"...You're different here, not bad or wrong, just, slightly something… More? Else? I can't say for certain..."
"I am myself. You're just in the depths of my subconscious, darling. There is no filtering down here, no hiding or holding back, only Truth... Some of those chains were older than this whole thing with that Seelie prat."
"I noticed."
"No worries though. I'll just be a bit more uninhibited in what I say and far more impulsive."
"Oh really, good for you, Sarah. You could stand to be more outgoing."
The corners of her mouth twitched as she fought to keep her face as stoically impassive as his was, "I know, right! All the societal expectations, protocols and such that have been drummed into me since I learned to walk and talk are gone. It just me! No more social anxieties and complexes."
"...My councilors are going to cry."
"Yep. So frustrated they'll combust."
Sarah's core stood proud, fists on hips, feet firmly planted, back straight with a truly self-confident grin now gracing her face. Jareth blinked at her owlishly as her laughter finally burst forth before she unceremoniously shoved him through the archway. Her laughter and her inner child happily screaming "goodbyes" at octaves that made his ears ring, were the last things he heard before Jareth took a slight stumbling step onto the other side.
A woosh of air and a slight pop from behind him signaled the disappearance of the gateway into Sarah's head but he hardly noticed. Before him in his tent stood the most beautiful creature he'd ever met in his long existence. Sarah smiled at him from behind her fingers like she was trying to cage her happiness and mirth behind them. But it was the gleam in her eyes that stuttered his heart a moment.
With an elated cry, he caught her up and swung her round and round, forcing many to make way for them, though the pair miraculously managed to avoid the tent poles. Toby ran circles around them, adding his own happiness to the scene. Jareth had surprised a small scream out of her but she quickly joined him in his contagious, joyous laughter. She bowed her head down to rest against his upturned face, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Noses brushing each other, their faces met, forehead to forehead, chin to chin. As long as he lived, he swore he'd never forget the look of knowing, of recognition and love in her bright eyes.
"Gundahar! Marry us!"
"No."
Jareth's head snapped to the Unseelie king, Erlkönig rage ripe on his face. Gundahar paled dramatically, but swallowed his fear and continued, "She deserves more that a smattering of guards as witness to a campside wedding, m'lord Erlkönig."
"Jareth, calm down," she turned to Gundahar with a reassuring smile, "I don't mind a quick, semi-private ceremony."
Gundahar straightened his shoulders as the ire melted from Jareth's face. Jareth turned back to Sarah, tucking his head beneath her chin. She kicked her legs a little but he ignored her nonverbal request to put her down.
"My wife would never let me hear the end of it if, one, I didn't insure that you got all the pomp and circumstance you both deserved and two, I wouldn't put it past her to skin me in my sleep if she missed the wedding…"
Sarah laughed as he shuddered, meanwhile Jareth had taken to nuzzling the hollow of her neck where it met her shoulder.
"Are you going to put me down?" She admonished with a slight smack to his shoulder.
"Never."
"So you're going to carry me all the way home all by yourself."
Jareth spun on his heel and walked out of the tent. Sarah was good naturedly struggling so as not to let him believe for a moment that she was just going to give in to his whims, but was still firmly clasped to his chest. Gundahar with some inkling of what was going to happen swiftly picked up Toby and strode after the Erlkönig and his returned Erlkönigin. With a snap of Jareth's fingers, the entire camp packed itself and trundled over onto the Goblin City green that was there before the reaches of his castle beside the Trashlands of Lost Things.
The entire army scrambled to be on the right side of the Labyrinth before its furthest edge snapped back into its proper place. The stragglers dove onto the green as the landmass started to shift beneath their feet. Disquieted laughter filtered through the soldiers, all had made it but there was a finite mix of horror with the awe at what they'd believed Jareth to have done. That it was the Labyrinth and not himself to thank for the move was something that Jareth would never tell anyone. Though the slight tuck of a grin at the corner of Sarah's mouth told him that she was also aware that he'd had nothing to do with it. That the Labyrinth just wanted them home and in the depths of its heart again. With three quick steps on his part, it had them in the Escher Room. Jareth adjusted Sarah so that he could plop down with her in his lap there in the middle of the Room.
"The Labyrinth's heart is as twisty as it's history but it has a beauty all the same…Dare I ask why there are a plethora of archways yet all the doors seem to have been removed."
"A formal wedding would be just that, Sarah, a formality. You've been Queen for long than even I have realized."
"Longer than either of us knew but I would still like some ceremony, ritual or party, if only to celebrate that we are in fact, finally together… Jareth please just hold me a while. You may have freed me and finally acknowledging that I'm your Queen but..."
Jareth smiled at her before he softly kissed her forehead, then her eyelids, down both her cheeks, ending with a tender kiss on her lips before tucking her head under his chin. He wrapped his arms around her as she cuddled in against him and finally let the tears of her whole ordeal come. If a few tears also plopped upon the top of her head, she didn't mention it, she only held him all the tighter. They sat there for some time, enjoying the comfort of one another's presence until it seemed not even the Labyrinth could hold back the over excited toddler because Toby was suddenly there, screeching and dancing around them before he fell face first into Sarah's open arms.