It had been a week since Sarah had asked Jareth to give her time to forgive him. She couldn't believe how distant he had grown. They spent almost no time together and while they both retired to their chambers at night, Jareth never stayed. He would shift into his owl form and fly out the window, returning just before dawn, to be seen leaving their room once the castle came back to life for the new day.
Sarah grieved deeply, feeling terribly lonely. Jareth barely spoke to her and hadn't smiled at her once since the last time they had made love. He was sullen and silent. He looked wan and tired. And Sarah's own mood was cross and suspicious. Just where did he fly off to every night? It seemed pretty clear he wasn't getting any sleep. Was he spending his nights in the arms of another? Perhaps that Duchesse? Or some other willing female here in the castle? She seethed, jealousy eating her alive inside.
She currently sat in the throne room, on her newly installed throne, next to her husband. She watched him as he went about the daily routine of running the kingdom. He didn't look like a man who spent his nights in debauchery. He looked entirely too sad. Sarah felt her heart breaking. Was she ready to forgive him? Maybe they should talk as they hadn't spoken more than a handful of sentences each day.
Jareth could feel her eyes upon him. In fact, he was painfully aware of Sarah every minute of every day. His body cried out for hers! The desire he felt plagued him, pushing him to leave her every night to fly in his owl form until he was too exhausted to go any further and he would then spend a few hours, sleeping in the Escher room. And all the while his heart ached to be near her and have her smiles, her words and her touch bestowed upon him again. He had promised to give her time but it was destroying him. He had apologized, in fact he'd ask her forgiveness twice and still she said she needed time. As much as it pained him to be away from her, he grew increasingly angry at her continued petulance. He turned to look at her and stated plainly, "we need to talk." Slowly he rose from his throne and offered his gloved hand to her, which, much to his surprise, she took without hesitation.
Sarah knew the moment she had been waiting for was finally upon them. This would be the clearing of the air that was necessary so that they might begin anew. She swallowed, feeling the painful lump in her throat restricting that motion. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her palms were clammy. Somehow, she hoped she could find the strength to keep her tongue in check and not make this worse than it needed to be.
They were just about to enter the study when Klex came running in. "Majesties! The Duchesse Of Singing Lake is requesting an audience with the king!"
Sarah tensed at mention of that woman. Jareth sighed heavily and nodded towards Klex. "Very well. I'll see her in the solarium." Turning to Sarah he spoke, "will you wait in the study for me?" He raised a single eyebrow in question. She sighed sadly and nodded, turning to walk into the study to wait.
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Jareth was relieved that Sarah had not accompanied him to meet with the duchess. He didn't need to have his difficult marital issues made known to the Duchess. It was enough that his subjects knew as much as they did. But what the duchess could possibly want now, he couldn't imagine. He was married and had a queen, so what was her game? Striding confidently into the solarium he saw that Myantha was dressed in a gown that was nearly transparent, it was that flimsy. And she wore no undergarments! He raised his eyebrow at her quizzically.
"Jareth, please?" She threw herself into his arms and kissed him. "Make love to me so that I can know ecstasy one last time before I am forced to marry the Centaur King!" She rubbed herself suggestively on his unyielding body. Jareth shoved her off of him, none to gently and glared at her with murderous intent. "Myantha! I am married and I intend to stay faithful to my queen. And I have twice rejected you. Enough of this! Be gone and do not come to my realm again." He turned on his heel and stalked away, furious at this foolish Fae. He didn't even stay to see her scowl as she disappeared in a flurry of glitter.
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Sarah paced in the study, torn between wanting to trust Jareth and wanting to spy on him to see for herself that he was not dallying with that scheming wench. When he returned in less time than it would take to walk to the solarium and back, she released the breath she'd been unaware she had been holding. "What did she want?"
"The same thing Myantha always wants. I sent her away and banished her from here. She'll not bother us again." He sat in one of the chairs by the fire. "Please have a seat. I think we should to talk. Things cannot continue as they have been."
Sarah nodded in agreement. "I know. I've missed you, Jareth."
"Have you? You give little indication." He scowled, looking vexed with her, frustrated with her simple statement. "I have suffered under your edict, barring me from our bed, denying me what is every husband's right. I burn every minute I am with you and must pretend to feel indifference." His blue eyes were cold shards of ice boring into her.
"Jareth, I'm, I'm sorry you have been suffering. I wish…"
"Enough!" He shouted, startling her. "It's enough, Sarah. You have exhausted me with your anger, your demands. I apologized even though I did not trick you or deceive you. I own my part in this disaster, but you must shoulder your share. I will not grovel before you." He raked his hands through his hair and glared at her. "I'm sleeping in our bed tonight! No more will I fly until I'm too weary to continue and sleep on the steps in the Escher room. It is not to be endured! Prepare yourself for my company, wife." The last was spoken with such disgust that Sarah felt like she had been slapped. All she could do was watch as Jareth stalked out of the study and disappeared around the corner of the corridor.
"You didn't give me a chance to answer." She spoke out loud to no one. So, in a few hours she would be forced to deal with having Jareth in their bed. What would she do now?
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It would be many hours before they might retire and Sarah felt like she needed to delay the inevitable as long as she possibly could. In order to distract herself, she had decided to go into the Goblin City and visit with Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus at a pub. The Unicorn's Hoof and Horn was the agreed upon spot. She walked slowly, two guards on either side of her. Jareth made sure nothing could happen to Sarah. She knew he worried even though she had magic. She still struggled to perform even basic magic and he had not the patience to teach her. He couldn't bear to be any closer to his wife without touching her.
The city was busy: goblins, chickens and a number of other creatures milled about, tending to the general tasks of a typical day, paying her no more attention than she was due as the new queen. All subject knew she was queen. The celebrations had lasted a week. Many were still nursing hangovers from the many toasts to the happy couple. Happy. Yeah, right. Sarah didn't feel happy at all and she knew Jareth wasn't happy. The pub was a charming, rustic building with a thatched roof. As she stepped in, the barkeep smiled and greeted her. "Welcome, my Queen." Sarah nodded and gave a half smile. He continued to speak. "Your guests are awaiting you, majesty, in the private room." He pointed to a door and one of her guards opened the door and Sarah stepped into the cozy room.
Hoggle, Ludo and Didymus leapt to their feet and bowed. "My queen, my lady." Didymus bowed a second time as he spoke. "I am most honored to be with thee. How are you faring, Highness?"
Hoggle chuckled and pulled his hand away when Sarah touched him. "Sarah, how are you? Is the rat treating you alright?"
"Sarah here. Ludo happy. Sarah happy?" Ludo sounded worried.
"I'm good, guys." Tears started to well in her eyes. "Actually, I'm feeling awful. But I don't want to talk about it. Can we just sit together and not talk about me? Tell me what you all have been doing." And with that, Sarah had prevented any uncomfortable questions about her marriage. She really didn't want to talk about it or risk any more rumors about the state of the relationship between the king and his queen.
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Jareth seethed as he paced in his study. He stared at the decanter with Elven brandy and shook his head. No. Drink would not help and likely would only make things worse. Ha! Make things worse? By the Gods, that seemed hardly possible. He'd already made things worse. Forcing Sarah to share their bed had not been what he had wanted. He had hoped she'd want him and ask him to return there herself. But he never gave her a chance to invite him or entreat him. She made him so irrational and it vexed him. A knock on the door broke into his troubled thoughts.
"Come in." He watched as the door opened slowly and Donall peeked into the room, letting just his head come into the doorway.
"Sire, a moment?" Donall was one of Jareth's long-standing advisors. He entered the room fully when Jareth beckoned him in. He closed the door and walked to stand before his liege lord and bowed.
"Well? What is it?" Even he thought his voice sounded harsh and annoyed.
"Sire, the Dowager Queen has sent a message and I do not know how to reply to it." He hung his head, embarrassed that he needed to trouble his king with something so basic.
"What does my lady mother want now?"
Donall fidgeted. "She asks if you are bedded well. I do not understand the question."
Jareth's face felt hot and he felt certain it was deep red with embarrassment. "I will answer my mother myself, directly. I will go and see her personally and I shall be gone only a short time. Keep things running in my short absence." And he left in a flash of glitter.
Jareth appeared in the salon in the castle that his parents had built when he became Goblin King. "Mother!" He bellowed, startling the serving girl that had just entered the room.
Elora appeared, wrapped in a silk kimono-style robe, her hair mussed, looking flushed and sounding winded. "Jareth? Lower your voice." She groaned and dropped herself into a plush looking chair, crossing her shapely legs idly.
Jareth began to pace. "Must you interfere in my life? Why did you send me such a message? Are you trying to expose the sad state of my marriage to yet more scrutiny and ridicule?" He growled and gnashed his teeth.
Elora stood up and glared at her only son. "Jareth! Enough!" And as she watched him stop and gape at her, she calmly continued. "I wrote the message as vaguely as I could to find out if things had improved between you and your wife. I spoke to her a short time ago. Did you know that?" She smiled softly.
Jareth gasped. "What did you say to her?"
"I scolded her for being so careless with the precious gift you bestowed her with: your heart. I warned her that she was risking not only her own happiness but your very life. And before you start yelling at me in all your displeasure, I felt I had the right. You are my only son, my only offspring and I love you."
Jareth stared in shock. His mother had never said she loved him. She showered him with affection as a child and spoke often of her responsibilities and obligations as his mother but never had she put her feelings so succinctly into words. "I'm quite without words at the moment."
Elora laughed but it was not a joyous sound. "What will you do?"
"I have rather impetuously demanded that Sarah resume sharing our bed with me. I hope I haven't made all this only worse." He hung his head in defeat.
"I believe you have made a wise decision. Might I suggest you refrain from even touching her tonight?" She chuckled at his surprised expression. "Trust me, Jareth. I know how women think. Make her come to you. She won't disappoint you. She won't be able to bear your indifferent behavior." She took his arm and walked toward her bedchamber. "Now, go make yourself irresistible." She laughed as he grinned and then disappeared in a flash of glitter.