Hi again. Here comes next chapter - next update will be Friday, as I'm going to Disneyland Paris tomorrow with the family for a few days. :-)
Sarah forgot to breathe or move or think, as the magic coursed through her. With his warm firm lips against hers, she was overwhelmed by the combined feeling of his hands, his kiss and all the sensations it awakened – this time it felt completely right. Actually, with the magic sparks around them, it felt a bit like the transformation had done two weeks ago, only stronger, and as her eyes blinked open for a moment, she could see the blue and pink and green sparks filling the air around them. Her hair fluttered in the electric storm, she held on to Jareth as if she was afraid to fall down, and she felt his arms move down and embrace her tightly in response. It lasted five, ten, fifteen seconds, and then… something passed and the sparks rescinded to a warm tingling feeling instead. Jareth must have felt it, too, because he immediately lifted his head and loosened his grip around her.
"What was that!? " she gasped, but he looked as shocked as her and just shook his head in bewilderment. Then he drew back and narrowed his eyes in concentration for a moment.
"Your markings changed," he murmured and traced them with his fingertips. His touched no longer burned like before, but just tingled slightly.
"Let me see." She rose unsteadily and went the few steps inside to the large mirror in his room. She brushed back her hair and looked carefully, and true enough, the fairy dust markings looked slightly different. Not much, just a little more pronounced and colourful than before. Jareth came to stand beside her – his markings looked the same as before.
"Do you feel different?" he asked with a trace of concern in his voice. "Is your magic the same as before?"
Sarah closed her eyes and made a quick transformation to owl and then back to herself, but it seemed as easy as she was used to. Jareth followed suit and went through three transformations himself in just as many seconds – but as effortlessly as before.
"Hmmm…." Jareth looked up and down at her with an annoyed wrinkle on his brow. "357 years, and then I apparently still have things to learn about the Labyrinth's magic."
Sarah remembered what they had talked about before the magic went crazy and took a deep breath, turning to face him. "Jareth, why did you use the necklace on me? You could have waited for someone who would fit as a king – surely someday one would have come."
"Perhaps," he replied, still looking past her into the mirror. "But besides all the concerns I told you before, Cederick's return has also made me realize that maybe life outside the Labyrinth isn't much better than this. Where would I go? What would I do with myself after all those years as king? The only thing I really lacked was pleasant company."
"So you're not planning to make me King… or Queen?" Sarah asked before she could stop herself, and then realized that had been a nagging unspoken fear, though she hadn't realized it until she spoke the question. Jareth frowned and shook his head in denial.
"Of course not," he scoffed, but then cocked his head. "Well, except that you would be a queen if you married me, but I assume you mean taking you through the ritual and handing over the power to you?"
He rubbed his palms against each other reflectively, and Sarah's gaze was caught by the cross-shaped scars she'd noticed once before, but that were usually covered by the gloves.
"Are they from the ritual?" she asked hesitatingly and he followed her look and clenched his fist, hiding them from her view. "Is that why you always cover your hands with gloves? Because you don't want to see the scars? Or be reminded of the ritual?"
"Yes, but that ritual will never happen again," he said dismissively. "I made my choice and I stand by it."
He turned and went outside again to retrieve his gloves, and she slowly followed him outside, still trying to gather her thoughts and find out what had actually happened. And what was really going on between her and Jareth? She could not deny the obvious attraction to him with the way she responded to his kisses, but how much of it was real, and how much of it was just emotions provoked by Labyrinth magic or all the things that had happened in the past few days?
"Jareth," she started haltingly and went to the railing of the balcony to look out over the Labyrinth. She stopped thinking about what he would think of her and felt the words tumble out of her. "I don't know what to think anymore or what to do. I'm very confused – and scared."
"Of me?" he asked behind her, and she shook her head.
"Of course not," she replied instinctively, but then hesitated. "Well, not directly, but this situation… it changes everything. The conflict with Cederick, your decision, us… kissing, and then this…this magic thing. I feel… overwhelmed."
She felt him coming up behind her and then his hands were on her shoulders, gently drawing her back against his chest in a steadying unthreatening gesture. She sighed and let him, but made no further moves, just breathing in his familiar smell of leather, spices and magic.
"Maybe we should start all over again," Jareth suggested softly. "I regret I tried to force you into anything – I should have known better than to think I could bend you… you of all people… to my will. Don't worry about me or us, we have plenty of time to sort it out. And don't worry about Cederick – I will make sure he never bothers you again!"
The last words were spoken with a dangerous growl in his voice, and Sarah smiled grimly for a moment.
"How long has he been here?" she wondered aloud. "And why does he hate you so? I've never seen such anger and hatred before."
Jareth hesitated a moment before he replied. "Actually, he came when you left the first time. I don't remember if I told you, but on the rare occasions where a Quester wins, the Labyrinth is shaken to its core and doesn't respond properly to my magic for months after. There is a reason I can't just let anyone win, even if they regret their wish immediately. He must have been lurking outside for years or had spies watching the Labyrinth, just waiting for an opportunity to cross the borders – he showed up at the Castle just two days after, while I was busy dealing with Hoggle and your situation."
"He came to you? Why?"
"He wanted his throne back!" Jareth gave a short bitter laugh. "I hadn't seen him in all those years, and then he just comes strolling in and expects me to handover the crown and be grateful for it. Can you believe it? 'I had it first' he had the audacity to say. Even if I had been looking for a way out, I have learned so many ugly things about Cederick that he would be the last person I could ever be persuaded to hand over the power to."
"So you refused and he got upset?"
"If he had been able to take the power by force, he would have fought me." Jareth's hands on her shoulders twitched a bit. "But since he could not and had no hold over me, he decided to just share it with me against my wishes. Before I managed to regain control of the Labyrinth, he had already found a hide-out in the deepest end of it and though I have more magic than him, there are still remnants of the Labyrinth's power in him, so he has been able to bar me from that area ever since. That's why I've had to send other people – like the furry knight – to spy on him."
Sarah considered his words for a moment. "He talked about using me for that purpose – to get a hold over you and force you to give up the Labyrinth. Why can't he take it by force?"
"The Labyrinth does not accept a king that doesn't wield the power of the King's Pendant," Jareth said and stroked the half-moon pendant hanging from a cord around his neck. "And the power can only be transferred willingly during a formal ancient ritual – not by stealing it or killing the current king."
Sarah nodded, but then frowned as she realised something. "You mean… it is MY fault that he is even here? He was able to come because I won over you and the Labyrinth?"
"No, it's not your fault," Jareth quickly objected. "If it hadn't been you, he would just have waited for the next winner. Though they are far between, a few questers do manage to win every century. Who knows how long he's been waiting – it could have been decades."
Sarah sighed. "He needs to go. Permanently. I can still see his evil eyes before me and feel his disgusting hands on me – I don't think I'll ever feel safe until he is gone."
"I agree," Jareth said and she felt him tightened his grip on her. "I'll think of a plan – but until then, I'd like you to stay close to me, so he doesn't try again. Don't leave the castle for any reason."
Sarah nodded in agreement, but then broke away from him gently and turned around to meet his gaze.
"I want to help, Jareth," she said firmly. "I don't want to be some weak damsel in distress or just used as a pawn – I want to fight him, too!"
Jareth raised an eyebrow, but after a short pause he nodded. "Very well, I'll take that into consideration."
"Thank you." Sarah smiled at him and then took a deep breath. "Now – how do we find out what this magic thing that happened between us was? It must mean something."
"My best guess is that it enhanced or changed your magic." Jareth's voice was neutral, but Sarah thought she detected a spark of curiosity from him as well. "Are you up for some tests?"
"Just tell me what to do," she grinned.