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Chapter 19
Sarah woke up with with her head on fire. As far as she could tell, she was on a bed. Lifting her eyelids took a great deal of effort but it was a waste as her vision was too blurry to focus on the decor of the room itself.
"Hello?" She managed to get out. "Is anyone there?"
"Don't worry Sarah," a familiar female voice reassured, "You're safe I promise."
"What happened?" She asked. "My head is splitting."
"Err," The female voice hesitated, "What is the last thing you remember?"
"Being angry at Jareth, but I can't remember the reason why." Sarah tried to focus on the vague red headed blur leaning over her. "Titania is that you?"
"Yes child, it is I. What else do you remember Sarah, before the anger? It is important."
"We were talking in the nursery and then I think I fell asleep with Jay in my arms. Oh crap is Jay alright?" Sarah tried to lift herself from the bed, only to lie back a brief moment later, groaning in pain, her head feeling ten times worse.
"Your son is perfectly safe Sarah, don't worry, just try to lie still. I'll be back in a few moments."
It had been over twenty-four hours since Sarah had been transported back to the Labyrinth. A very worried Goblin King had kept to his own chambers during that time refusing to eat or sleep. When Titania imparted the news that Sarah was finally awake but that there was a complication, he began pacing with worry again.
"What do you mean she can't remember?" He asked.
Titania responded, "The last thing she can recall is talking with me in the nursery, on the day that we met, over a month ago."
"Why would she forget everything that passed?" Jareth wasn't sure what to feel or do.
"That day changed her, changed her life forever, perhaps her mind returned to the last time she felt safe and normal. You should go talk to her before she remembers why she needs to be angry with you." Titania left her step-son to go back to the afflicted young woman.
It took Jareth another five minutes to work up the courage to go to Sarah.
The pounding in Sarah's head had abated slightly by the time that the High Queen reappeared, the blurry vision remained however. Titania, as far as Sarah could tell, had stationed herself on a chair by the bedside but she made no effort to resume their conversation.
She heard the door open again and someone enter, she thought she saw the halo of blond hair that belonged to the Goblin King. This was confirmed when he spoke, that voice could raise her from the dead. "Mother could you leave us alone for a little while, we have much to discuss."
"Jareth?" Sarah asked when she thought Titania was gone, "Is that you?"
"Yes." He answered simply moving the High Queens chair closer to the bed and taking a seat.
"Why do I feel I have to be angry with you?" She asked, her memory wasn't returning.
"We will discuss that in a little while. Mother said the last thing you remember was talking with her in the nursery?" He asked as gently as possible.
"Yeah and then falling asleep. Why is that such an important point?"
"Because it has been over six weeks since that day."
"What?" Sarah started to look panicked. She tried to rise from the bed and screamed when her head exploded in pain, folding into a foetal crouch.
Jareth climbed onto the bed and threaded one arm around Sarah's stomach and pulled her close, "Shh, Sarah you need to calm down." he whispered into her ear.
It took a while for Sarah to calm down again. "Why does my head hurt so much?" She asked still crying.
"Yesterday was a very bad day for you, it ended with you being knocked unconscious by my Father, and he is not known for his soft touch." Jareth took the opportunity to smooth back the lustrous wealth of hair off her face.
"Why would Oberon need to do that?" She asked when she got over the distraction of Jareth's hand running over her scalp.
"I think that explanation should wait until you feel whole again." Jareth started to move away.
Sarah grabbed the arms that were letting go, pulling the gloved hands back around herself. "Stay. Please?" She pleaded.
Jareth, inwardly berating himself for not having enough strength to continue pulling away, resettled his arms around the woman he loved. He stayed until she had drifted back into a deep sleep. After careful extrication he left Sarah's room.
Titania had been pacing in the corridor outside. "Did you tell her?" the High Queen asked anxiously.
"No. She's not ready to hear it, anything that upsets her triggers a migraine." Jareth explained, "What did Father manage to do to her?"
"This might be a backlash from overextending her magic"
"I don't see how. She had enough to overpower Eric and keep the storm in the Labyrinth going."
"But she isn't used to having power like that and she's human. They haven't had magic of their own in over a millennium and, much as I hate the concept, evolution does occur. Mortals don't need magic any more, maybe her mind can't cope with having it."
"But if I'm right she might have had this magic for nine years."
"Has she ever used it though?"
"She's never needed to." He admitted.
"Call for me if I'm needed. I need to go have words with Eric, before your father banishes him." She disappeared leaving Jareth with his thoughts.
Sir Didymus, Hoggle and Ludo had loitered in the Throne Room when all the other Labyrinth denizens had left. Hoggle had insisted that the others stay with him, the dwarf had insisted that something about the storm was wrong. He had no words to describe how he knew or what he knew but Jareth didn't have the emotional depth to create a storm that wild.
Then the rumour went though the goblins that "the Lady" was back in the castle, that she had arrived with her son, the Goblin King and the High Queen. "Why would they bring her back?" was the question going though Hoggle's head The small band waited patiently for news of Sarah.
When Jareth re-entered Sarah's room she was still sleeping, but it was anything but peaceful. She had uncurled and was tossing and turning, the bed covers tangled around her, her brow was furrowed and tears were being squeezed out between tightly closed eyelids. The Goblin King moved towards the troubled woman and retook his seat at the bedside. He removed a glove and took Sarah's hand in his own, he gently stroked along the knuckles with his thumb, relishing the feel of her soft skin. The motion seemed to quiet and sooth Sarah.
"I have loved you from the moment I first saw you, but I have made so many mistakes in trying to win you." He told the now peaceful woman.
Sometime later Sarah woke again. The pain was down to a dull ache and her vision was starting to clear. She knew someone was holding her hand, she gave the other hand an experimental squeeze and it was withdrawn immediately. She could just make out the features of Jareth's face in the rather gloomy room.
She coughed slightly to clear her throat before asking, "Is my son alright?"
"Jay is safe, you needn't worry."
"Are you going to tell me what happened now?"
"If you are feeling up to it."
Sarah nodded slowly.
Jareth came right out with the truth, "Yesterday you caused a storm that could have destroyed most of my labyrinth because you were angry with me. You also tried to kill my half-brother although I'm not entirely certain I mind, he is an unmitigated arse."
The Champion of the Labyrinth was dumbstruck by this statement it took her a moment or three to collect her thoughts. "That's impossible. Why would I do that? I love the Labyrinth, I don't even remember why I should be angry with you." There was a slight pause while her still impaired mind tried to process everything. "Besides," she said finally, having calmed down slightly, "I can't cause storms and why would I try to hurt your brother."
"You are angry because I did something terrible, something unforgivable. My idiot brother, on the other hand, he tried to take your son."
"Why would anyone, apart from you, want to take my son?" She managed to say.
"Eric claims that he is the father, and tried to assert that he had the right to take Jay."
"But I stopped him?"
"Yes, you pinned him against a wall and cut off his airway, without laying a finger on him." Jareth tried not to sound proud.
Sarah could feel her headache coming back, she rubbed her temples trying to remember. "How would any of that be possible?"
"Before I tell you how, there are a few things that need to be explained. A millennia ago, back when there was no iron to poison us, the fae lived above, we lived and loved among mortals. Naturally, even though it was forbidden, let us say a fair amount of fae blood entered the human gene pool. You have Celtic ancestry and with that comes a certain amount of fae inheritance."
"Is that why I have magic?" Sarah felt like a child asking what must sound like very banal questions.
"No but it helped."
"Then how could I do these things?"
"That is my fault." The Goblin King admitted.
Despite the slight blurriness she thought she saw Jareth wringing his hands and managed to take one of them in her own. "But what no one knew is that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her certain powers?" She quoted.
"No these were not given by me. There was a reason I always demanded that you had to submit to me first and it was to prevent..." He couldn't find the right words.
'Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave.' Was the unspoken phrase that came her to mind. "What reason would that be?" Sarah prompted pulling Jareth's hand closer.
"The fae, we aren't emotional creatures, value is placed on detachment, falling in love is almost unknown. Magic and emotion are not a good mix. The fae aren't wired right for love, we are jealous and possessive, as you found out. The fae court is all about magic and influence, the more you have the further up the hierarchy you are."
"I don't quite follow."
"But sometimes the Old Ones, Gods who came before us to the Underground, they have the ability to bestow magic to those fae who are deserving. Those who have gained influence in the Underground through purity of spirit. It hasn't happened in over a millennium because they no longer find the fae worthy."
"No, still makes no sense to me." Sarah said, the pain returning.
"My problem has always been that I demanded to have influence over you. You had to submit to me so I could maintain my power and position. The reason you have powerful magic is that I love you, and the totally crazy, obsessive, immortal love I have for you, it gives you power over me."