The next… God knows how long… was a mix of gasping for air, cold water biting at her bones and desperate attempts to find Jareth among the blue foaming tides. Bracing her hands against passing rocks she gasped for air. Swimming was close to impossible while her body was being tugged left, right and downwards constantly. The water was mercilessly whipping into her ears and every now and then a mouthful of water was forced past her lips. It was making her more than a little nauseous and incredibly disoriented. The furs on her outfit weighed down on her heavily, impeding a good part of her ability to move.
Clinging onto a nearby rock she hurriedly and clumsily shrugged off her overcoat and her gloves, finding it saved her a decent amount of weight. Although het instincts screamed and begged her not to go in, her drive to find Jareth thrust her back into the freezing tides once more.
She took a deep breath and dove underneath the surface. The water below the surface was clearer than she'd expected, but she couldn't see Jareth. The brunette rose back to the surface. The warmth of the outside air was a sharp contrast on her face. Her body was stiff despite her strenuous activity.
While doing her utmost to fight her way downstream as fast as she could she repressed the tears brimming in her eyes. Sarah had felt determined jumping in after him, but after at least an hour of struggling against the water those feelings started to wither into regret. She felt bruised and weak. There were more than a few cuts on her hands and face from the rough terrain.
Just when she decided to head for a large rock coming up to seek a better vantage point, she saw a familiar mess of blonde hair. Kicking her last bit of stamina into gear she fought to reach him. Right before she caught up he drifted down below the surface. Her hands grasped for a hold on him but came back empty. Ducking down, Sarah reached out for him. Her hand caught on a strap of loose fabric, which she greedily clawed onto before using every bit of strength to try and tug him towards the surface. Despite only being under for a few seconds her lungs were begging for air. Her free arm wrapped around him. Eventually they both surfaced and gasped for air. Sarah tried her best to keep his head above the rushing water.
His body slipped. The hand holding on to the part of clothing tugged him back up desperately. "Jareth," she whimpered, spewing out some water. "I need you to get rid of some armor for me." Her throat was freezing and her voice was so shrill and breathy it hurt.
The Goblin King weakly spat out some water. His body was heavy. Sarah could tell it was no use. He was injured and barely conscious. After seeing how viciously he was attacked earlier, she could only imagine what it was like for him. "Jareth, take a deep breath. Hold it. For as long. As you can." She whimpered, occasionally interrupted with the water beating against her face. She could feel and hear the weak gasp of air he took, after which his lips sealed.
The woman took a deep breath and simultaneously dove under while trying to keep him up. As best as she could she fumbled with his torn chest piece. After quickly breaking the surface again she moved back down, finding some straps by his sides. It seemed to take hours to loosen them and took several trips back up to get air. Jareth slipped back down repeatedly but eventually she managed to tug his chestpiece off.
They needed to find land. They needed to get out of the water. Especially when she noticed he'd fully lost consciousness. In a strange way, it gave her renewed strength.
She let herself slip under water, seeking to kick off the river bed to catch a glimpse of her surroundings. However, the depth had significantly increased and her heart leapt when her feet found no ground. Panic overcame her. She almost gasped under water. Her hands still clenched onto Jareth tightly.
Fighting off the stabbing pain of the freezing tides she found that the water had gradually become calmer. It gave her a clearer view of her surroundings. Her arms were numb, on fire and extremely heavy. Every passing second she could feel more strength fading from them.
From the corner of her eye she caught sight of salvation. A small stretch of land in between the tall cliffs around her.
Sarah maneuvered them sideways, one hand clawing desperately into the rocky pebbles, pruned and cut fingertips feeling like sandpaper. Stone slipped in between her fingers and tore into her skin, but she felt no pain. All she felt was an insurmountable amount of need to get to the rather dreary looking piece of strand.
Heavily panting and whimpering she used the last bit of feeling and control in her fingers to haul Jareth far enough up so he was out of the water. Every fiber in her being was begging her to rest. To close her eyes and catch her breath, but the adrenaline pumping thicker through her veins than blood caused her to instead crawl up to her knees. Her vision swam. She was nauseous, and God, so very tired.
Her hands were violently shaking. She brought them up to her face to blow on them but it didn't provide any comfort. It was as if her entire body was devoid of warmth, even her breath. Her skin was almost deathly pale, her fingertips a mix between blue and fiery red. Her breath was both labored and slow. Her sight was uneven and would not focus on anything in her surroundings. There was no description of the sensation other than her body and mind collapsing in on itself.
She kept telling herself to be strong even when her consciousness was faltering. Her hands rose up to her face again, aching puffs weakly whispering against frozen skin. A wheezing breath left her lips. The woman descended into a shivery coughing fit. Her lungs were pierced by a thousand needles.
Brushing her hair out of her face she turned to Jareth, his form limp on the bank of the river. Her knee slipped on the loose rocks, causing her to half-fall and half-lean over him. Laying her ear over his chest she could hear a faint heartbeat underneath the cold skin. Her body sagged in relief, her knees giving away fully and causing her to sink onto her hip, her head still on his chest.
Faintly she realized her entire body violently shaking. Her eyes slipped closed before a sense of warmth and peace overcame her.
—-
Sarah had no idea where she was. What time it was… hell, what day it was. Frankly, she wasn't even sure if she was alive.
Her hands twitched by her sides. While struggling to peel open her eyes she felt herself being moved. Her head fell back and what little vision she had swam sickeningly.
Gradually the brunette could feel the contrast of temperature crawling into her skin. There was no telling if it was warmer or colder. Regardless it caused the violent shivers to return. She groaned and sobbed in pain. Her throat felt like it had been torn to shreds. Her hands and feet were stinging. Her neck was stiff. Somewhere it felt like blood was being coughed up when her body struggled against the cold.
For the next minute or two, she lay limp but coughed until she felt empty and numb. Her ribs hurt. The ringing gradually changed into humming, then grew into voices. Perhaps it had been voices the entire time. Despite her lack of awareness, she heard one thing that she immediately recognized. One low murmur, unusually soft but familiar, speaking her name.
Her eyes fluttered open by sheer desperation of needing to see the source of that voice. Cliffs stretched above her, endlessly into the darkness of night. Things were happening around her but she couldn't grasp what. Her senses were weak and lagging behind.
A familiar face appeared above her. She could muster only the faintest of smiles. At least, she hoped she was smiling. There was no telling right now. "Girvin," she croaked. Her lungs ached, causing her to start coughing again.
"Foolish girl. What were you thinking?" Girvin muttered angrily while he searched her for injuries.
"Wasn't…" It was all she could say, still faintly smiling.
"Wipe that insufferable smile off your face, lady Sarah, or so help me." Girvin was very clearly not amused. At all. She hadn't seen him angry before. "I need to get you out of these drenched clothes."
Her mind plunged into a sort of delirium and caused her to laugh. She winced in pain. "J-Jareth won't… Won't… Like…"
"Don't, Sarah," came an agitated, weak voice from nearby.
The woman couldn't do much but lay there while Girvin carefully and awkwardly stripped her down to her underwear. The air felt warmer than her clothes. The soldier quickly covered her with his cloak. He angled her up and cradled her against him. A quivering breath left her, feeling the warmth coming from his body. Greedily, she curled up against him. The woman grabbed his arm and rubbed her face against him. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably and her body trembled.
It wasn't until a campfire roared to life that she attempted again to get a grasp on her surroundings. A second soldier had tripped the monarch down as well. He hauled Jareth towards the campfire and into the warmth and the light.
She physically jumped and a rasp tore from her irritated throat, seeing the state of his body. Her fingers strained in their death grip on Girvin's sleeve. Along Jareth's legs, chest and arms were bruises and angry streaks of purple. Opal-like chunks in his skin that looked like glass fillings to make up for the gaps in his body. Tears started to well up in her eyes. Girvin rubbed her arm, either to warm her up or to console her. His touch was so very warm and comforting. Gently, he let his breath warm whichever part he could reach at that moment. The sharp contrast made it feel like her skin was boiling.
Meanwhile the other soldier let Jareth rest back against his legs and chest, keeping him close to the fire and covering him with his cloak.
"Out of here," the king groaned quietly.
"Your Majesty, please wait f-"
"Get the horses," Jareth interrupted breathlessly.
The soldiers exchanged a look before Girvin nodded. The other soldier carefully laid Jareth down, covering him as best as he could before he rushed off, down a small path along the river that Sarah hadn't seen earlier.
Slowly but surely, the woman could start feeling her body again. She felt the aching pain in her chest and noted she was sitting in Girvin's lap. Tired. Bruised. Cut up. But otherwise okay. Gratefully she snuggled against Girvin, his body and hands feeling like absolute bliss. The soldier cradled her against him, his warm hand petting her hair.
"W-what," breathed Jareth quietly. "Were you thinking?"
"I-I-I w-wasn't," Sarah said quietly, curling up a little more. An agitated sigh rose faintly from the shape by the fire. "T-try sending m-m-me home now, B-Birdbrain." She blew into her hands, which Girvin quickly grasped with his inhumanly warm hand. His breath glided along her digits. "Es-especially after I s-s-s-saved your ass."
Jareth sat up, bracing himself first on his elbows before pushing himself up further and leaning on one hand, the other once bracing his waist. The man hissed sharply, the cloak slipping off one shoulder and bearing one of the purple gemlike wounds. While he reached for the fire Sarah realized she could look right through the hole on his shoulder, the absence of flesh and bone filled by the dark crystal glass.
He coughed, water spluttering from his lips and seeping from his mouth. The king winced with gritting teeth. A curse rolled from his lips.
"Y-you o-okay," Sarah asked quietly.
"Peachy," he replied dryly.
The woman could swear she heard either the cracking of glass or bones when he abruptly collapsed back down. A strange rasp tore through another cough and started carrying through his breath. His head fell to the side and he went limp.
Now that she was warming up and regaining more awareness, she could tell something was wrong. This was confirmed to be the case when Girvin quickly and almost roughly set her down and rushed to his side. He quickly moved Jareth away from the fire and turned the man onto his left side. A nasty amount of blood erupted from Jareth's mouth, streaking down the corner of his mouth along his cheek and staining the pebbles on which he lay. Among the blood lay small crystals. Jagged shapes that were faintly glowing purple in the light of the campfire. Sarah crawled up in alarm, stones biting in her knees.
"Lady Sarah, keep your distance," the soldier urged insistently, moving to straddle the unmoving man on the floor. Quickly he pried one finger into the blonde's mouth, momentarily feeling around before pulling back a bloodied digit. "Look away and cover your ears." After that he rolled Jareth onto his back. The king wheezed. The soldier looked at Sarah while she sat completely frozen. "Look away, I said!"
Sarah backed away, clutching the cloak around her shoulders while looking at the way Girvin rather forcefully pinned Jareth to the ground with his legs.
It proved to be just in time, because the moment the king was immobilized he started twitching. The muscles in his neck flexed. It was followed by a strange sound of choking. A sound she'd never heard anyone make. The noises coming from his lips sounded like he was drowning, uncomfortably rising and dying in his throat like something was stuck there. His head was digging back in the rock, the muscles in his legs flexing and twitching in a disturbing fashion.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks, though it cruelly didn't cloud her view of Jareth's fits. Hearing him choking her hand reflexively clutched her neck.
While it seemed to last forever, eventually his convulsing died down. Girvin checked for a pulse, before letting out a sigh.
Rubbing tears from her eyes Sarah inched closed. "Is he…?"
"He is alive," Girvin said. He turned to her. "Why didn't you do as you were told?" His voice was stern and sharp.
"I-I'm s-sorry… I couldn't… I couldn't look away. I-I f-froze."
The soldier sighed and removed himself from Jareth's limp body. "He needs medicine, as soon as possible." He rubbed his face. "And Glowfern… though finding that in these temperatures would be nothing short of a miracle." He cursed under his breath, looking up and around. There was no sign of the other soldier yet.
Girvin got up resolutely. "Though I dread leaving you two, I need to get resources, or His Majesty will continue to descend into more and more seizures. Enough of those and he will succumb to those. Stay by the fire and stay quiet. I will be back within ten minutes."
"What should I do if he…" The question died on her lips, looking at his unconscious body.
"Remove any fluids or objects that might be in his mouth. Keep him pinned as best you can."
"Got it. Please hurry," she urged, moving up to Jareth's side.
"Ten minutes, at most."
"Ten," Sarah confirmed with a nod, before watching the man run off.
Turning back to the blonde she looked down at him with worry while touching one of the purple wounds on his shoulder. It did feel like glass. Cold, smooth and unyielding. Dead. Moving to the edge of the strange material, there was a sickening contrast between the crystal and his skin. Shivering she quickly wiped the blood from his cheek, wiping it on the cloak before moving to caress his hair.
A shifting of rocks caused her to immediately stand to attention. In a moment of unexpected clarity she looked at Jareth's discarded clothes and pulled a dagger. How she managed to hone in on it in the current circumstances, she didn't know. Looking towards the source of the sound her hostility faltered.
On the narrow path Girvin had disappeared from was a petite woman. Her blue eyes were almost comically wide and deer-like. They were a very pale, almost cyan shade of blue. A green gem was placed neatly between her fine brows. She was clad in a pristine white gown that seemed wholly out of the ordinary for such a hostile place. It had golden lining, golden cuffs and a large golden neckline. She was wearing small golden slippers and a satchel. Her vivid green hair, which seemed to glow in the darkness, draped down to her hips in lush tresses. Her lips were parted. "Oh! Hello."
Sarah protectively rose to her feet and went to stand in between her and Jareth. "Who are you?"
The petite woman smiled nervously, her wide eyes momentarily flashing towards the weapon. "I didn't mean to startle you." Her voice was almost angelic. Spoken so softly it was barely louder than a whisper. "My name is Hanna."
"What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I… I live here. May I show you?" Hanna carefully, with her hands showing, walked past her, even when Sarah followed to keep Jareth shielded. The petite woman put her hand against the rock wall nearby and took three steps, her tiny hand trailing the stone before removing it, causing the wall in front of her to glimmer and shudder until an opening formed. There was a warm light coming from within.
"It's only temporary. I couldn't bear to live in this cold all year. I do come here more often, though." She smiled, hands linked behind her back while she peered around Sarah in a rather playful manner. "This is the first time I see lovers camping in these regions. I have to say, there are better places to be found. There's a meadow not five minutes from here."
Sarah's cheeks flushed a deep red, reminding herself she was still in her underwear. And so was Jareth, for that matter. "We're not-" she started defensively, before she noticed the cold starting to bite at her feet again. "He's… hurt. We were attacked."
The playfulness in her eyes fell away. "May I have a look?" Sarah eyed her wearily, brows knitting in a frown and keeping her dagger extended. "Please. I couldn't hurt a fly, I assure you. I'm just a simple herbalist and healer." She held up her hands gently. "If you prefer to keep to yourselves, I completely understand. I just want to help in any way that I can."
Sarah carefully studied her. Maybe she should wait for either soldier to return.
Raspy breathing could be heard coming from behind her. Immediately goosebumps rose along her skin, her instinct firing off alarm bells.
Hanna dropped her satchel in alarm, looking from the unmoving shape back up to her. "Is he having fits? Please let me look, please. My father had them all the time. I can help."
The moment Sarah nodded, happy that she didn't have to face this alone, Hanna ran over to Jareth's still figure. She knelt down by his head, pressing her small fingers against his temples. A gentle green light started shining off her fingertips and in a matter of seconds Jareth's raspy breath eased. Relief washed over Sarah, seeing the steady rise and fall of his chest. "He'll need some Glowfern. I might still have some in my home."
Both women startled at the sound of a metal swish. In between them, just underneath Hanna's chin, appeared a blade. At first, the stranger's eyes widened, before her brows lowered and her cyan blue eyes shifted to her side. Other than that she remained still. "Ah, the classic soldier's welcome. You have some nerve threatening an unarmed woman."
Sarah quickly reached for Girvin's arm, directing the sword away from Hanna. "Wait, Girvin, it's okay. She can help. She might have that glow thing that you mentioned."
"What a coincidence," Girvin said, angling his sword back to the woman.
The green haired lady carefully removed her hands from Jareth's temples, keeping them up in a sign of surrender. "Hardly, sir. I am a traveling herbalist. I know for a fact that you won't find any in these regions. I also know that you won't find any other potent medicine to aid seizures for at least a week's worth of travel. I doubt this man will survive that long. So unless you want me to retract my offer to help, I suggest you move your shiny toy away from my face."
Girvin took a moment to consider his options before slowly pulling back the sword and sheathing it. Hanna cautiously held still for a moment and he extended a hand to help her up. Her hostility dropped at the offered hand. "Much better. I'll take some gentlemanly assistance over a blade at my throat any day." She put her small hand in his and let him pull her up. Once their eyes met she smiled. "Especially from a roguishly handsome man like yourself. Now, let's head inside where it's nice and warm. I'll prepare some treatments." Hanna took a step back from the unconscious shape. "Would you be so kind, my lord? I hardly have the physique to carry an adult man. You both are welcome to stay for the night while I tend to him."
Girvin carefully picked Jareth up and followed the small woman inside. Sarah grabbed their clothes and followed after them.
It was small and cozy for something that gave the outside appearance of a literal hole in the wall. A lot of surfaces and furniture were carved straight out of the rock. From the ceiling hung countless herbs, plants and flowers. Littered around were handwritten notes, notebooks and more plants. There was a stone table with three chairs, a stone countertop, a fireplace and a small couch. There were a handful of doors, one of which Hanna opened for Girvin to walk through. Sarah put the soaked clothes aside and followed him, watching the soldier put the king on a bed.
Hanna walked in with a small bowl with softly glowing contents. "This should be enough. Hopefully." She sat down next to Jareth, Girvin still cautious and vigilant. Hanna dipped two fingers into the bowl and gently applied some of the honey-like mixture to Jareth's forehead, then a small line down his neck. The small bit that remained in the bowl was carefully collected and before Girvin could do any more than take a step forward, the woman opened Jareth's mouth and applied some on his tongue. "Usage in the mouth isn't widely accepted, but I find it offers a little more instantaneous relief." She walked to a corner of the room and washed her hands in a small basin before sitting down next to him again. Her soft voice chanted quietly as her fingers rested on his temples. A green glow appeared at her touch like it did earlier, though this time more brilliantly.
Without looking around, she spoke up. "Kind sir, I presume you left the lady to fend for herself to gather some resources? Some medicine, as I might hope for a soldier to know some basic herbology?"
"Yes, madam."
Finalizing her spell on the unconscious man she pulled back her hands and rose to her feet. Expectantly she held up her hand, palm upwards. Girvin quietly offered some roots and leaves to her. "Thank you. Allow me to make some tea with that. It should perk him right up." Her lively eyes met Sarah's and she smiled. "And perhaps my lady would like a warm shower? No bath available, I'm afraid."
Sarah felt her body shiver in anticipation of a warm shower. "Oh, please," she nearly sobbed. "I'd kill for a shower right now."
"No need, it is freely offered. Please follow me."
Sarah practically ran after Hanna, who quickly instructed her where to find a change of clothes.
She quickly warmed up in the shower, feeling her senses returning to her limbs. As fast as she could she dried off and got dressed in a red dress.
Emerging from the bathroom she froze mid-step. On the small couch opposite the room were Hanna and Girvin. Or rather, Hanna on top of Girvin. The large soldier looked at Sarah with wide eyes. Hanna's hands were on his shoulders and she was straddling his lap.
"Uh… Am I… interrupting something?"
"Not at all!" Girvin effortlessly picked the petite woman up by the waist and put her next to him, jumping up. "I'll keep watch for Salum."
"I, uh… I'll check on..." Sarah's voice drifted off while Hanna fixed the skirt of her dress, unabashedly disappointed. Sarah quickly excused herself and fled into the small bedroom.
Closing the door behind her she let out a sigh of relief. A pot of tea and a cup stood on a nearby table. Quietly she walked over to the bedside, sitting down at Jareth's side. His eyes were just fluttering open, the salves on his forehead and chest had mostly dissipated. He softly whispered her name and she smiled. "Hey there, big guy. Didn't call it quits yet, did you?"
The haziness in his eyes faded staggeringly fast and his eyes narrowed. "What the hell… were you thinking?" He braced himself on one elbow and tried to crawl up to an upright position. He winced, but wasn't done yet. "What in the name of all that is holy possessed you to dive into that river after me?" He smacked his lips, likely tasting the medicine still lingering in his mouth. He pulled a face. Sarah couldn't help but smile. His ire made her believe that they'd had the worst of it. "Did I take a sip of the Bog of Eternal Stench?"
Sarah got up to grab a cup of tea from the table. Moving back to the bed she found Jareth had pushed himself up to sit against the headboard. Carefully she offered the cup to him, holding it near his face and continuing to support it, just in case.
"So… What's going on with the purple… things?"
Jareth pulled a face at the taste of the tea and swiftly moved it away from his face. "Magical weaponry. Conjured weapons have a nasty habit of taking chunks out of your body, or in this case, replacing it."
"Is… that worse? Replacing it, I mean." Sarah urged quietly for him to take another sip but he rather dispassionately waved it away.
"I wouldn't say it's either. These sort of wounds prevent a lot of the bleeding, which makes it less lethal. However, it also prevents it from healing."
"Hanna offered her help. She prevented further seizures once I met her." Almost forcefully, she offered Jareth the cup again, not budging until he took another sip.
Jareth downed the rest of the tea dispite his clear distaste. He grimaced, rubbing his chest. "You saw one of those, did you? I'd hoped you'd be spared that sight."
"Do you mean that you've had more of them in the past?"
"Would you be a dear and call for our host?"
Sarah frowned at his deflection of what she guessed to be a yes and rose to her feet. With a loud thud the cup was put down on the nightstand. "Fine."
Moving back to the main area she caught Hanna emptying her satchel.
"Your tall friend insisted on tracking down some wildlife for a meal," the petite woman informed with a little bit of a pout.
Sarah giggled, walking over to her. She watched the woman separate some leaves from their twigs and stuff them in respective jars. "Uh… His… Majesty would like to meet you."
Hanna's hands froze and her vivid eyes met hers. "I figured him royalty by the markings on his face…" She put aside the herbs and brushed off her hands. "I'm not much into politics, you see. Is he…" The woman fell silent for a moment, eyes directed stiffly at the table. "He's not big on proper etiquette, is he?"
The brunette grinned. "As far as I know, you saved his life. I'm sure you'll be fine."
Both women walked into the bedroom, Hanna descending into a bow as soon as their eyes met. "Sarah told me what you've done for me, girl. I'm in your debt. What's your name?"
"My name is Hanna, Your Majesty. I am honored to have been of service, sire."
"Who are you?"
"I'm just a lowly healer's apprentice from the south, sire. I travel to these frigid lands periodically to extend my knowledge and retrieve rare specimens and seasonal blooms."
"You originate from Bardha's kingdom."
"Yes. My family was exiled for-"
"Interbreeding." Jareth interjected thoughtfully. "My Southern neighbors never did care much for anything but perfection." He carefully moved his legs to rest over the edge of the bed, grabbing for his waist with a frown. "I'm sure your family's immigration went through all legal procedures." The woman's fidgeting spoke volumes. She wanted to speak up, but Jareth held up his hand. "I'm sure."
Hanna nodded respectfully. "I can help with your injuries, Your Majesty. It would be an honor to extract those kristalets from your body so you might heal."
"While a most generous offer-"
"It would be much appreciated, Hanna," Sarah interjected quickly. "Thank you."
Hanna looked back and forth between Jareth and Sarah. The brunette smiled politely while the king glared at her. However, the monarch didn't object. Nervously she pushed her green hair back. "W-wonderful. Please, follow me to the table. We'll probably need some tools and… as much heat as we can get."
Sarah immediately went to help Jareth standing up, wrapping his arm around her shoulders for additional support. While he made it look like he walked rather effortlessly, she could feel him leaning on her a decent amount.
Once they entered the main area, Hanna had draped a blanket over the table, rolling up a second one to allow his head to rest a little more easily. While Jareth was reclining onto the table, Girvin walked back inside.
"Your Majesty, you're awake." Relief was evident in his voice.
"Your observational skills never cease to amaze me, Girvin."
Sarah was much happier to see the soldier though. "Girvin, perfect timing! We need your help!" She quickly pulled the soldier towards the table and turned to Hanna. "Girvin's magical skills consists of warmth and heat. Right, Girvin?"
His blue eyes darted around the three pairs of eyes trained on him. "Right…"
Hanna smiled. "How perfect." Walking towards her tools, she let her hand trail along Girvin's back. Sarah and Jareth repressed a grin at the man's blush. "Tell me, sir Girvin, can you hold a consistent temperature of a blacksmith's forge?"
"Oh, this is going to be a treat," Jareth lamented, uncomfortably covering one of the larger wounds. Sarah took his hand, shivering when she touched the solid glass underneath. She didn't miss the way in which he squeezed her hand, his eyes finding hers for a moment. The woman smiled encouragingly, standing closer to the table in a quiet gesture of support.
Girvin and Hanna quickly discussed their approach while Girvin prepared himself.
Although Sarah was there, there wasn't a whole lot she could do to help, other than being supportive.
The procedure wasn't a pleasant one. Not by far. Girvin had to heat the crystal embedded in Jareth's body until they bled away from the soldier's touch to be collected and cut away by Hanna. It caused Jareth's marble skin to redden and blister and while Girvin was horrified, Hanna told him to keep going. Every inch of the material had to be removed.
Meanwhile Jareth was trying his best to keep his cool while fully aware and conscious of his skin being severely burnt. He was clamped on to Sarah's hand so tightly she was mildly concerned he might break it. Sometimes, especially when Girvin neared the edge of a wound, he'd cry out in pain, contorting on the table while Sarah and Hanna tried to keep him down.
Once the crystal was cut away Hanna's hand closely followed Girvin's, soothing the skin in her wake while the other one focused on mending the gaping holes left by the molten substances.
One excruciating roar left Jareth's throat, now hoarse with strain. His ragged breathing and sweaty skin was only a fraction of the indication that this was rough for him. And understandably so.
"Does he really have to be conscious through all this?" Sarah felt a little silly for asking it this far in, but his agony was heartbreaking and it was visibly taking a toll on him.
"I'm afraid so, we need his intrinsic magic to mend his body naturally as much as it is capable of. Plus as much of his own magic as possible to help us separate these conjures from his natural body without tearing it apart."
Sarah wiped some sweat off his brow with the cloth below him, which was stained with blood. Her hazel eyes never strayed far from his tormented features. "Will it take much longer?"
"We can leave the small ones for now, but there's two more large ones left to go that need to be mended."
"Stop," the Goblin King ordered forcefully when Hanna instructed Girvin for the next. A wavering breath left his lips. "Stop," he groaned, his voice dropping to little more than a whisper.
Not about to disobey the monarch, Hanna held Girvin's arm. The soldier, whose hands were a fiery red and orange, stilled. They exchanged a look. "I'll get him some cold water from the river. Girvin, seek my inventory for some more Glowfern. Even the smallest amount will do."
With Sarah left alone by his side the small house sank into an uneasy silence. She looked down at his face which was contorted in pain and anguish. Lowering her gaze the woman looked at the tainted flesh that minutes ago had been taken over by the purple opal. It looked severely burnt. Marred and blackened flesh that seemed unlikely to ever restore to its previous smoothness. Jareth's chest was rising and falling quickly, trying to keep up with his gasping for air. His slanted brows were twisted up at the center, eyes squeezed firmly shut. Small droplets fell from the corners of his eyes and down along his temples to disappear into his matted hair.
Gently the woman caressed his cheek, her other hand squeezing his trembling hand gently. "I'm here for you, Jareth. I'm here."
His Adam's apple bobbed while he struggled to swallow. His face turned towards her. When he opened his eyes, they were a solid inky black. Despite the absence of pupils or irises, she knew he was looking at her and she knew he could see her. "Utae bronn amae ciall ae na trean," he said weakly. His trembling hand squeezed hers with wavering strength, before readjusting his grip and giving it a firmer squeeze. There was a stubborn twitch in his brows. "You keep me strong, Sarah."
Sarah leaned forward, letting her forehead touch his. Straightening herself, the brunette gently caressed his hair. A moment later, Hanna handed her a wet cloth to cool Jareth off with.
"I have found two leaves in your stores," Girvin stated while handing them to the small woman.
She immediately grabbed some tools and crushed them, adding a thick goo to it before moving back to the king. "Your Majesty, I need your strength once more. Allow me to offer you this medicine to keep on your tongue while we continue."
Without a word, Jareth opened his mouth, which Girvin took as a sign to collect his magic again. Sarah kept herself busy by cooling Jareth where she could, while Hanna and Girvin went back to work. Her hand gently dabbed his face, neck and shoulders while the other one was still being held. There was another brief squeeze while Jareth readied himself for what was to come.
While the procedure still took agonizingly long, Jareth kept his teeth clenched and toughened it out as best he could during the rest. Groans of pain rumbled from his chest and hisses of agony slithered through his teeth. His back arched off the table.
At the end, everyone seemed worn out. Girvin's hands had turned to an unnatural shade of bright yellow, not unlike heated metal in a blacksmith's forge, and his skin was uncharacteristically pale. Hanna was growing pale as well, extending all the way to her cyan eyes and green hair. Jareth seemed on the verge of passing out, his body drenched in sweat and trembling almost aggressively.
The moment Girvin was done, he pulled back his hands and blew on them insistently, flicking his wrists. Hanna was done after, quickly bracing herself on the table. Jareth was covered in bruises, red and black skin from which droplets of blood trickled. Sarah brushed them off as carefully as she could without further agitating the skin. There were still some small crystals scattered here and there, but the large chunks were now gone.
"I'm sorry, what was your name again," Hanna asked the girl with a tired chuckle.
"Sarah," the brunette replied, not able to repress an uncomfortable smile.
"Wonderful, pleased to meet you. Now," the petite woman commented while visibly staggering on her feet. "The most severe burns should ease shortly, could you show His Majesty to the bathroom? He needs to be rinsed with water at body temperature."
"Yes, of course."
Jareth was already pushing himself up and off the table, wincing at the sensitive skin on his back which stuck slightly to the cloth. Sarah stopped him and carefully pulled it loose. It was mildly nauseating, though nothing as bad as what she'd just witnessed.
Once Jareth managed to keep himself up, his hand propped on the table behind him. His hand stained in his blood, but he didn't seem to care. "Find the others and establish a camp. Report to me with a headcount, no soldier will be left unaccounted for. Make sure my men are tended to. Hanna…" The small woman distractedly watched Girvin shed some of his armor to release the heat and steam coming from his skin. "I trust you will extend your generosity to my men, should the need arise." He chuckled weakly when she quickly looked back at him and bowed. "Girvin will no doubt find a way to show his appreciation for the loyalty to your king."
The soldier looked up so fast his sandy hair bounced lightly, blue eyes wide. "Y-your Majesty…"
Sarah blushed, touching Jareth's arm and gesturing to the king to head to the bathroom. Cautiously she avoided touching the agitated skin while she helped him off the table. Hanna giggled and the brunette could hear the soldier's swift footsteps growing more distant.
Stepping into the bathroom Sarah found Jareth a little more steady on his feet, stepping away from him when he moved to remove his boots. When she turned to leave, he called her name. "Stay with me while I wash?"
"Are you okay?" Turning back to him fully, she looked up at him.
He looked worn out, his gaze still hazy, his skin ashen and his body trembling. "As well as I can be after being mortally wounded, nearly drowning and having a good chunk of my body mended by an infernal heat." The grin on his face didn't reach his eyes.
Admittedly, it had been a stupid question.
Her eyes lowered to watch the severely tainted skin. It was hard to look away from the blisters and sinewy flesh that made him resemble a living patchwork quilt. The wound on his shoulder looked horrific, the skin unusually sunken and stretched like burlap. She stepped closer, her fingertips ghosting just above the skin.
His hand gently grasped hers, causing her hazel eyes to meet his. "All will be well, Sarah. My kind is not as fragile as the mortal species."
"B-but Jareth, look at you…" Her voice was soft, her vision growing cloudy when she looked at the mighty Goblin King in tattered regalia.
"Sweetling, I am standing, aren't I? On my own two feet, mere minutes after practically being burned alive."
"That's a classic trauma response, Jareth. What if adrenaline-"
"Sarah." His free hand cupped her cheek, forcing her head upwards so she'd meet his gaze. "I am Jareth, ruler of the largest kingdom in the Underground. Conqueror of Tainted Bloodlines, Mender of Veils, Master of Dreams and Doyen of Magic."
She didn't like the smug look on his face and she was certain her face was showing it. "And yet you can't swim." He raised his chin, looking at her with a slightly clenched jaw. "Don't even start with me." Sarah sighed, moving past him to turn on the shower and adjust the temperature. "Now take off what clothes you can so you can wash, Your Crispiness."
"I never figured you were so indifferent when telling someone to get naked for you, Sarah. Or am I just special?"
Her cheeks flushed and once she was satisfied with the water, turned to him. "You-" She started in the best scolding tone she could, but was promptly interrupted.
"You do it."
Jareth might as well have grown an extra head by the way she was looking at him. "E-excuse me? No! Just… poof them off or something. I'll be just next door-"
He swiftly intercepted her when she walked, or practically ran, to exit the room. His hand rested on the wall and blocked her way. Despite the brief wince and bared teeth when he stretched the fresh skin, he didn't back off. "You do it," he repeated with a hint of strain in his voice.
"Do you usually order people to get you naked, or am I just special?" Admittedly, she sounded a little more snide than she needed to be, but he was making her awfully uncomfortable.
"You are special," he insisted, leaning in a little closer. "I figured… How did you say it again? That we'd get the first one out of the way."
The woman was now well and truly flustered, completely lost if he was just talking about seeing him naked or, by the look in his eyes, possibly more. "T-that's not fair," the woman squeaked.
"Aren't you curious?" He saw her eyes briefly shift down before they met his again, her cheeks still a fetching shade of crimson. "Now, I suggest you get a move on, lest the water will turn cold."
Taking yet another turn on the emotional rollercoaster today, she grew agitated. "Just so you know, this type of behavior is extremely toxic."
His face grew softer. "Please, Sarah."
The soft tone in his voice was a stark contrast from the one he'd used just a second ago. Her eyes fell to his chest. "Fine," she almost whispered while her hands rose to undo the fastenings of his shirt. Her eyes met his again from underneath her lashes. "But the underpants stay on."
"Your negotiation skills are truly inspiring."
A small smile played around her lips, her hands carefully tugging on the remains of his shirt. She could feel his eyes on her.
"You are beautiful."
The woman swallowed, her eyes firmly trained on his chest while trying to maintain her businesslike tone. "Hanna offered to lend me a dress."
"I wasn't referring to the dress, though it does look good on you."
Despite the compliment she felt an undeniable twitch of defensiveness rise within her. "It was the only one that fit. It wasn't my choice to…"
The Goblin King secretly reveled in her discomfort. It always tinged those soft cheeks so delightfully. "I find you more stunning every passing day."
Her hands took hold of the fabric of his shirt, carefully lifting it off his shoulders. Even though he had basically been torn to shreds minutes ago, even though his body was blemished, the sight of his bare skin still made her heart race. "Once a suck-up, always a suck-up," she muttered. When the shirt slipped down his arms and onto the floor his hand rose to cup her cheek. She looked up. Despite what transpired that day, his gaze was still as captivating as ever. Even though he didn't say anything, he spoke volumes.
Looking down Sarah took his wrist, tugging off the glove slowly and carefully. The woman repeated the motion on the other hand. He was still looking at her. His hands, now bare, cradled her face, tugging just the slightest bit, his head tilting a fraction.
It took Sarah a considerable amount of willpower not to yield to his firm yet gentle touch. So much in fact, that it wasn't until she felt a gentle brush of his breath on her lips that she pushed him backwards. It wasn't hard, but just enough to force him two steps back, which currently didn't take much effort. Lukewarm water cascaded down his back.
The Goblin King gasped, his back arching. New skin pulled taut when his chest expanded. Swiftly he hunched, grasping for his waist. Sarah felt a little bit bad, but only a little. "Why, you sly little fox." His voice was rather icy, but the grin on his face let her know he wasn't truly upset. "However, you aren't quite done yet," he said pointedly while he gestured to his trousers.
"You only have yourself to thank for that," the woman replied.
Jareth arched his brow. "Do you always handle compliments with such hostility? I'm not saying it will keep me from bestowing praise on you, but I might consider doing it from a safer distance."
The woman pressed her lips together and crossed her arms. "I suggest you rinse off before that water turns as icy as that of the river." Rolling his eyes, Jareth stepped back a little further and let the water cascade down on him. Sarah leaned back against the wall. "You don't actually expect Girvin to… you know?"
"Of course I do, it was a direct order by the crown," he said while letting the water run through his hair. Looking down at her shocked expression he laughed. "Oh please, Sarah. He's not as adverse to the idea as he made it out to be, I assure you. He's just rather inexperienced. Besides, our host obviously is an interested party. As I said before, sex is not as big a deal to us as it is to some mortal folk. It's not out of the ordinary for it to be somewhat transactional."
While Sarah was still processing that, Jareth waved his hand, causing his pants to blink out of existence. Her eyes widened to what probably was a comical size, her gaze frozen at the sight of his bare legs and his scarcely covered hips. And other areas. The king laughed.
"Well, at least you kept the last few inches hidden," she snapped irritably.
The moment he looked at her from the corner of his eye she had a good inkling of what he was going to say. "Oh, my prude little Sarah, I assure you it's more than a few inches."
Sarah felt her face heat up. She watched him move with deliberate intent under the stream of the water, not doubting even for a second the arrogant royalty was showing off minutes after a serious medical procedure. "God," the woman exclaimed in frustration. "I'm leaving!" She moved over to the door, pulling the handle and finding it locked. There was no visible lock on it.
"No you're not."
Sarah lamented ever walking into this trap and rested her head against the wood of the door with her eyes closed.
Not too long after, the sound of rushing water stopped. She turned around, her expression far from amused. Jareth emerged from the small niche in the room, his hair slicked back and droplets cascading down his body. The blackened skin had shed its unnatural black color, though it was still very much reddened. His hands appeared steady again. He grabbed a towel, ruffling his hair while he walked over to her. Sarah shrunk back against the door. The state of undress he was in, combined with his calculated steps towards her caused her heart to race.
"Now, please excuse my manners. I don't think I've thanked you for saving my life yet."
"You don't have to-"
He cupped her chin with his forefinger. Tilting her face up to him he leaned down, his hand moving along her jaw to hold the back of her neck.
The sensation of his fingers threading in her hair combined with the way in which he pulled her closer left her hopelessly unable to do anything. His lips claimed hers in a surprisingly gentle kiss, brushing against them like they were delicate rose petals. One kiss turned into a second. Then a third. His warmth enveloped her like a thick blanket, his free arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her against him. His scent overwhelmed her senses, a mix of autumn and spice. It was perfectly warm. Perfectly inviting. Perfectly him.
Her hands rose up to bury in his damp hair. Feeling the fine strands tickle the webbing between her fingers. The hand on her back moved up slowly, aligning her body just a little closer to his.
When she pulled back, their eyes met. A soft sigh slipped from his lips when her fingers curled on the back of his head, nails lightly raking along the skin. His forehead rested against hers.
The man leaned in again and subtly she lowered her head a little. "How about you dry off and get dressed, before Hanna suspects that there are some unsavory things happening in her bathroom."
"She should," he said. "Look what you did to her dress." Wide-eyed, the woman looked down, seeing the front stained with water. "How scandalous."
The woman looked up at him. "Please… poof it dry?"
He turned around dramatically. "I need to conserve my magic, Sarah."
"You're insufferable," Sarah chuckled, brushing the front of her dress in hopes it would dry it off a little.
"I didn't hear any complaints a minute ago."
The woman smiled, happy to have his cocky self back. "You want to say that to my face, Birdbrain?"
He turned his head with raised eyebrows. With a graceful turn of his heel, the full force of his attention was back on her. She couldn't say she regretted it though. His playful nature had a way of being infectious. The Goblin King towered over her with a grin. "Oh Sarah, there's a great deal I want to say to that lovely face of yours."
Sarah gasped, his face lowering so fast and so close that she instinctively pressed herself against the door. He kissed her again, a little harsher this time. His lips firmly pressing against hers, driving her harder against the door. This kiss was decidedly less chaste and less gentle. Almost punishing. Almost.
Sluggishly, her mind processed a soft click. The security of the door fell away and her heart skipped a beat. Suddenly she found herself back in the main room, facing a door not quite closed but hiding the king inside. Her lips felt slightly bruised, but also rather…
Alone.
—-
The next morning, Jareth's burns had considerably lessened. Girvin had returned late the night before to report to Jareth. Every soldier had been located, two were deceased. The news had noticeably and logically upset Jareth. Sarah and Hanna had set up a small altar together to honor the fallen soldiers.
The petite girl had organized a vegan breakfast for the three of them. Girvin had insisted on staying with the Regiment, to Hanna's disappointment. After breakfast, several soldiers of the regiment had reported outside Hanna's house to express their relief of the king's wellbeing and to discuss further steps. For now, the king had ordered his men to scout the surrounding area for remaining members of the hostile party or further disturbances.
It had only been several hours, consisting of Hanna teaching Sarah a few things and Jareth keeping to his own before one of the soldiers returned. Sarah and Hanna listened in while Jareth spoke to him by the door.
"Your Majesty, I have overheard the intruders speak of plans to head into the mountains."
"What could they possibly want there? There's nothing there."
"Apparently it has been rumored that the eldest is there, Your Majesty."
"Warren?" The king was suddenly seething. "What in God's name is Warren doing in Cosan Oighir? How long has he been there?"
The soldier spoke quietly, his voice carrying a hint of apologeticness. "Your Majesty, surely these rumors are false?"
"Well we can't ignore these rumors." Jareth was practically barking at the soldier now. Then, his voice lowered, probably realizing that Sarah and Hanna could be listening. "Does Alana know?"
"I very much doubt it, Your Majesty."
"Ready a path for those godforsaken mountains. We will arrive there before our uninvited visitors can. We'll take the shortcut. Send word to Princess Alana to report to Bey as soon as she can."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will have your transport ready within the hour. What of lady Sarah, Your Majesty?"
Jareth looked around, seeing Sarah and Hanna quickly duck their heads, pretending to be busy. He was silent for a little while. "Lady Sarah will be joining us. I trust none but myself and my best men to keep her safe. Even though the latter failed to do so last time," he said pointedly.
The two women caught the soldier lowering his head apologetically. "It will be so, Your Majesty." The soldier bowed deeply, leaving as soon as Jareth waved a dismissive hand.
Within the hour, Sarah and Jareth were ready to leave in warm and protective clothing. Hanna had prepared them some provisions and aid.
The petite woman had stepped out for a moment, leaving the two of them alone. Sarah was just finishing the porridge their host had made them for lunch while Jareth seemed to be lost in thought.
"Warren is…" He fell quiet when her head snapped up, seemingly doubting if he should have spoken. The man rubbed his face, sighing and moving to lean on his elbows while he sat opposite of her. "Warren is my elder brother."
With a bite halfway up her mouth, she froze. Looking up at him, she could see his fingers threading together restlessly. His eyes were downcast. Distant. He almost made it look as if he'd just admitted to some sort of terrible crime.
The woman didn't really know how to respond. It made her curious for sure, but she could tell he was uncomfortable.
His mismatched gaze rose to meet her. His face gave nothing away. A schooled mask, yet the tension in the air was palpable. "Is there anything you'd like me to ask about that?"
A heaviness settled in Sarah's stomach. Keeping eye contact suddenly seemed very difficult and only grew more daunting when his gaze was so unwavering. She just had to pick one of the thousand questions scrambling for a path towards her vocal cords. No big deal. Right? Eventually, she spoke up. "What will we do when we find him?"
A small smile curled around his lips. His eyes lowered to the table while he formed a response. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "But Warren isn't as capable of protecting himself as I am." The man rose to his feet, offering her his hand. She took it and let him pull her from her seat, after which he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to it. "We'll talk later." Sarah smiled up at him and nodded. He held out his hand to the front door.
Sarah halted mid-step out the door, causing Jareth to bump into her. Girvin and Hanna were standing by the wall, the soldier's back against the cold rock and the petite lady at his front. Her small hands were curled around his armor and she was standing on the tips of her toes. While Hanna had been snuggled into his neck with her face, they broke apart when the two stepped outside. In a rather incriminating fashion, Girvin's hand was on her lower back.
"Y-Your Majesty, I-"
Jareth stepped out from behind Sarah, walking past her. "Just make it quick, you two. We have rather urgent matters." While walking past he moved Girvin's hand lower onto the girl's rear. Sarah giggled at the mortified look on the soldier's face and the sparkle in Hanna's eyes. Quickly, Sarah ran after Jareth, careful so she wouldn't slip on the loose pebbles.
A few soldiers were waiting at the top of the cliff. Sarah strapped Hanna's provisions to her pack and mounted Gaeth, while Jareth quickly discussed something with a soldier.
Probably less than five minutes later Girvin ran up towards them. Jareth mounted his horse. "Girvin, you dog. I do hope you did not leave Lady Hanna wanting. Were it not for the fact that you are Sarah's personal guard, I would seriously consider leaving you behind."
Sarah couldn't help but giggle, especially when Girvin practically dove onto his horse, scrambling to put his feet in the stirrups.