Tap. Tap. Tap.
It was a soft, faint sound, barely penetrating the slumbering brain of the woman lying in a double bed, all alone.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound grew in intensity and volume, now beginning to registered in a mind on the borderline between wakefulness and sleep.
TAP! TAP! TAP!
Clear and nigh to angry, the rapping on the door to Sarah's little closet sized room had now roused the newest servant in the castle. Sarah threw the fur covers off her body and leapt up, stumbling on sleep impaired legs to yank the door open, careless of her disheveled appearance. "WHAT?" Her voice was shrill and scratchy, being forced from a too dry throat, irritation radiating off her entire being.
Loildee stood in the doorway, shaking her head and waving a stubby green finger in Sarah's face. "My, my, my, you have not learned your place yet, have you? Did you forget you have a task to tend to this morning?' The goblin woman crossed her arms over her chest and waited, foot tapping in annoyance.
"Shit! Shit, shit, shit! I need to wake up Jareth, um the king! Yikes!" Sarah scramble away from the door, almost falling into the bathroom, quickly throwing water on her face, brushing her teeth and her hair and throwing on the pieces that made up her uniform, buttoning several buttons into the wrong holes. She dashed out of her room, leaving Loildee to just stare at her back as she ran the eight feet to Jareth's door, gently knocking three times before pushing the door open to enter. She hadn't waited to get permission to enter, since she was supposed to awaken the sleeping monarch and he would not be responding to the sound.
The room was mostly devoid of light; some still hot remnants of the logs in the fireplace giving off a slight glow, a single candle's dying light flickered on the oak dresser, casting the Fae asleep in the enormous bed, in a soft glow. Sarah's eyes scanned the shadowy form in the bed: his wild hair partly obscuring his face, one arm under his head, the other resting on top of his head. His bare chest rose and fell rhythmically as his medallion randomly caught a fragment of the candlelight to glimmer slightly. She stopped when her eyes fell on his nude manhood, standing proudly, commanding her attention, demanding to be touched and pleasured. Sarah felt her body react to this sight: her nipples hardened under her chemise, butterflies fluttered madly in her stomach and a dampness gathered in her most private parts. She forced herself to move to the glass balcony doors, to push the heavy burgundy drapes open and allow the light from the bright orange sun to filter into the room.
As she turned back to look at the king, she gasped: he was magnificent, so virile and all maleness. Her mind screamed for her to go to him and touch every exposed inch of skin that her eyes were presently caressing. She forced her feet to move towards the slumbering King, her right hand stretched out to touch Jareth on the arm to awaken him. Her cool, soft hand made contact with his warm, muscled arm and he groaned, his erection twitching in reaction to his arm being touched.
"Jareth." She whispered the name softly. "Jareth?" Her voice almost singing the moniker, causing his eyebrows to furrow as the sound pierced his ears and disrupted the quiet within the room. "Jareth, it is time to start your day, Majesty." Sarah watched in complete enthrallment as two crystal blue eyes, one darker because of the permanently dilated pupil, blinked to life, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
"Damn, I'm dreaming again. But it's so lovely a dream." He opened his arms, inviting the dark haired angel beside his bed to join him upon it. "Sarah, come to me. Let me touch you. You've never been in my bedchambers in any of my dreams before." He beckoned her with his fingers, frowning when she stayed stubbornly in place.
"You are not dreaming, Jareth. It is morning and I am here to awaken you and get your day started." Sarah removed her hand from his arm and dropped her gaze to the toes of her shoes, studying them intently, like they were the most fascinating things she'd ever beheld.
Jareth pushed his upper body off the bed, looking first at the bashful woman and then down upon his raging morning wood, immediately understanding why she was blushing bright red. He threw his head back and laughed, a joyous sound of true delight. "You will need to get used to seeing my erections, Sarah. I am a creature of dreams and sex, and, much to my delight and pride, my cock awakens long before I even open my eyes." She glanced at his face from under the curtain of her hair, seeing the teasing smirk on his lips and the mischievous twinkling in his eyes. "You could help relieve my arousal, if you are feeling generous and if not, perhaps you could select my clothes for the day while I freshen up in the bathing chamber." He climbed out of the bed, flaunting his nude body in a very relaxed, matter-of-fact way, his chuckle echoing from within the bath.
Sarah cursed him under her breath. "Damn him! He is so beautiful and he makes me want him and something I've never even experienced before. "Fuck." She opened the armoire and stared in awe at all the clothing it held: he was a vain clothes horse, clearly. She giggled as she ran her hands over soft, luxurious fabrics, selecting a blue silk poets shirt and a navy blue pair of suede leggings, her fingers fondling the buttery softness, her brain wondering what it would feel like to stroke his thigh through its suppleness. She looked in drawers of a dresser, trying to find undergarments. Surely, Jareth wore some manner of underpants, right? He wouldn't go commando, would he?
"Precious, bottom left hand drawer has my underpants and the right hand drawer holds my stockings."
Sarah jumped a foot in the air, gasping in shock to feel his warm breath against her ear as he murmured the words. She was keenly aware of his unclothed body, it's warmth penetrating through her uniform, his breath, clean and sweet, smelling of wintergreen. 'I wonder what his kisses taste like.' she thought and hoped he could not read her mind. She pulled the underwear out to offer them to him to cover his nakedness. They were a soft linen loincloth like garment. She grinned in amusement, the image of Tarzan suddenly appearing in her mind.
"You find my undergarments amusing, Precious? I find they serve their purpose. Please selected the stockings." He snatched the item from her fingers, clearly irked that she laughed at his garments. He pulled the clothing on, covering his now flaccid member and smiled when he saw the attire she had selected for him. She had good taste and he was pleased with her choice. "Thank you, Sarah. You have an eye for fashion." He took the hosiery from her hand, sliding the silk over his slender feet and calves. He stepped into his leggings and then threw the shirt over his head, shaking his hair loose. "You may go and break your fast with the other staff. I have a breakfast meeting with the Duchess of Singing Lake." Come to my study by eight o'clock, so in one hour and ten minutes. Be punctual, do not knock; just come in and stand in the doorway. Do not fail me, Sarah. I would not enjoy seeing you punished." He turned and strutted out the door.
Sarah stared in shock; she was so easily dismissed. She left the room after opening the French doors and airing the bedding. As she listened to her soft soled shoes whisper over the tiles of the corridor, she wondered if he felt anything for her, other than attraction and lust. It seemed unlikely, even though he clearly had dreamed of her more than once. She ran into the hard body of a tall, white haired elf. "I'm sorry, excuse me please." She bowed her head in embarrassment.
"You stupid mortal female!" He yelled at her as his hand flew through the air, striking her harshly across her cheek, drawing a small trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth.
Sarah didn't know from where she came but suddenly Loildee was at her side. "Tanithil, do not dare to touch this woman again." She glared at him and then spoke in a language Sarah didn't know or understand. "He na- i adaneth -o hon Majestui!"* The elf stared in shock and dismay at Sarah, fear reflected in his eyes.
"I swear I did not know. Please, I beg for forgiveness. The king will seek to punish me!" He fled down the corridor, disappearing around a turn.
Loildee placed a gentle hand on Sarah's arm. "Come child, let's look at that wound and get you some breakfast."
Jareth sat in his study across from Myantha, the Duchess Of Singing Lake. He had to admit, she was lovely: her waist length bright blue hair hanging around her shoulders like a cape, her grey eyes shone with intellect and humor and she had full, enticing lips just begging to be kissed. But, he didn't want her. Not anymore.
The had been lovers and his parents had hoped they'd marry, if for no other reason than to join the Singing Lake to the Goblin realm. But it never came to pass. Myantha was an ambitious, calculating Fae female. She was a collector of lovers and Jareth loathed being part of her collection. He scowled at her as she ate the pancakes set before her. Jareth casually munched on a small cluster of ruby red grapes.
"Myantha, this is tedious. Why did you wish to meet with me? I have more pressing engagements and responsibilities to see to today." He rubbed his forehead, trying to wipe the ache of tension away. "Speak or remove yourself from my sight."
Myantha smiled but there was no warmth in the gesture. It was cold and calculating. "Jareth, I wish to resume our love affair, for I have reconsidered the idea of us marrying and find the thought has merit." She stood from her seat, slunk over to Jareth's chair and reached between his legs to massage his manhood through his leggings. "You know, we always enjoyed each other sexually. A marriage could prove very satisfying." She smirked as she felt his member begin to grow stiff.
At that precise moment, Sarah entered the study, staring at the scene, completely gobsmacked. Jareth growled in anger and Myantha thought his displeasure was directed at the servant. She could not have been more mistaken.
"You foolish female, it is a treasonous act to touch the king without his permission or invitation." He batted her hand away none too gently. "I do not wish to resume our disastrous relationship. Now leave before I summon the guards and have them throw you in the dungeon." His voice veritably dripped with venom. Myantha didn't need to be told twice. He watched as she flounced out of the room, past a gaping Sarah.
Sarah had not heard the words exchanged between the parties, so she did not know that the attentions of the stunningly gorgeous Fae woman were summarily rejected. To her eyes it looked like she had interrupted a lovers private moment. She didn't know why, but she felt a burning jealousy in her chest and tears stinging her eyes. The droplets fell from her long brown lashes, running in tiny rivulets down her cheeks and wetting the front of her white blouse, rendering it transparent.
Jareth looked up as he heard her soft sobs and felt like his heart had been pierced by a sharp dagger. He stood up and watched as Sarah stared at the hard-on straining against his leggings. 'Curse that bitch! Now Sarah thinks we are lovers. Damn it!' He moved to stand before her, as he pulled one if his gloves off to tenderly wipe the tears off her cheeks. In a voice, soft and heavy with some unspoken emotion, he tried to soothe her. "Sarah, my precious thing. Do not cry, for there is no reason. That woman is nothing to me. An old lover from more than a century ago." He placed his soft lips on her forehead, kissing her like one would a young child.
As soon as his lips touched her forehead, she knew that this would not heal the ache in her heart. She impulsively grabbed his shoulders, bunching the fabric of his shirt into her hands, and yanked him down to her waiting lips. Her kiss was fierce: full of unrequited desire and jealousy and frustration. It wasn't unsure but bold, daring and very violent.
Jareth was in a state of shock but it lasted only a moment. Sarah, his Sarah, was kissing him, passionately. His manhood was becoming painfully hard and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her soft body hard against his hips. He wanted her to feel the desire he had for her, only for her.
He would have kept kissing her for hours but a small goblin came bounding into the room, and Sarah broke off the kiss, hiding her flushed face in shame as she ran to the corner to hide. Damn it!
"What is it, Klex? And it had better be good." Jareth snarled at the frightened creature, his erection throbbing painfully, to be left unsatisfied, at least this day.
Klex was the court page: tall for a goblin with olive green skin and bright black eyes. He wore a white shirt and a vest of brown leather. "Majesty, your mother, the Dowager queen seeks an audience."
Fuck! This can only mean trouble. His mother never visited. "Tell her I will be in the throne room presently." He would see her, of course, but first he needed to speak to Sarah. That kiss could not simply be ignored. He stepped to her side, pulling her up out of the corner by her shoulders. "Sarah, why did you kiss me?" He inhaled her fragrance, loving the smell of vanilla and honeysuckle that scented her soft skin.
"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have done that. You did not give me leave to kiss you. It won't happen again." She wrenched herself out of his grip and ran out the door so fast he barely had time to react. And he knew he couldn't chase after her and tell her how much he yearned for her kisses. How much he wanted to have her in his bed, tonight and every night until the end of time. No, he could not do that: he had to go and see his mother, Elora, the Dowager Goblin Queen!
* She is the woman of his Majesty.