It had been a few weeks since Jareth and Sarah had confessed their feelings and committed themselves to each other.
Sarah was still a little reserved, but Jareth tried with patience and dedication to gain her trust and dispel her insecurities. They spent most of their time in Sarah's world, because Jareth knew that the moment to lead her into his realm had not yet come. He waited patiently for her to be ready on her own.
"I could really use a vacation," Sarah groaned one Wednesday afternoon after finishing the last assignments for her art class. She leaned her head against the back of her chair and rubbed her tired eyes. "I just can't do this any more."
Jareth, who had been sitting on her bed watching her work, rose with a smooth movement and came next to her.
"I can help you with that, dearest Sarah." His voice was soft, almost a whisper, and his hand stroked her cheek tenderly.
He took her hands in his and gently pulled her out of the chair until she was standing in front of him. Her fingers still rested in his as he leaned towards her until his breath tickled her ear.
"We can disappear into my world..." he breathed, and Sarah shuddered involuntarily at his words.
"I can't just disappear now," she said, pulling away from him slightly. Her eyes searched for explanations as she continued to tell her about the tasks and deadlines her lecturers had to complete within the next two weeks.
A mischievous grin spread across Jareth's face. "Have you forgotten that time passes differently in my world than here? A week there would hardly be a day here. No one would notice."
Sarah frowned, thinking—and when she finally looked at him with a wide smile, Jareth felt his heart leap with joy.
"Okay. Let's get going then, Jareth. Do I need to take anything with me?"
"No." He pulled her gently toward him and pressed a deep kiss to her lips before adding, "Though… perhaps it would be wise to pack some clothes. I don't think you want to walk around in robes all the time." He laughed, a low, melodic sound, and lifted her playfully into his arms.
Jareth's thoughts were all about the fact that Sarah was finally ready to come with him. He couldn't wait to show her his kingdom: the castle, the labyrinth, the gardens.
Even the Bog of eternal stench was no longer the stinking, bubbling thing she knew from before.
He sat down on Sarah's bed again and watched her as she busily walked around her room, throwing all sorts of things into her suitcase.
"Sarah, my love, we won't be gone forever. You don't have to take so much with you," he said with an amused smile that grew even wider at the thought of an overfilled suitcase.
"I thought I'd take things with me and leave them with you. That way I'll always have something there," she replied, pausing in her movement to look at him.
Her words echoed in Jareth's head and made his love for her burn even deeper.
"You... you want to leave things with me? I wasn't expecting that," he said, his voice warm with joy. "Very well, go on, milady." He bowed theatrically and grinned mischievously.
After Sarah had finished packing her suitcase, she sat down on the bed next to Jareth and leaned her head on his shoulder. He took her hand, brought it to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand.
"I love you so much, Sarah," he said softly. His heart glowed with emotions and he pulled her into his arms.
Sarah said nothing. But Jareth knew she wasn't ready to say those important words yet. And that was fine with him. She was in love with him and that was enough for him.
"Are you ready?" Jareth asked with a gentle smile as he rose from the bed. Sarah nodded and took his hand, which he held out to her.
He pulled her close to him and lifted her suitcase effortlessly with his free hand. "Hold on tight," he said with a quiet smile in his voice and with an elegant movement of his other hand, he created a shimmering gesture in the air. The world around her began to spin, colours and shapes blurring into one another like a living kaleidoscope.
Sarah felt a fleeting dizziness and closed her eyes reflexively. When she opened them again, she was standing in another room – Jareth's throne room.
"Welcome back, princess," Jareth whispered in her ear with a charming smile.
Sarah blinked in surprise and looked around. "We... we're teleported," she said in disbelief, still feeling a slight flutter in her stomach.
"We are. Indeed," Jareth confirmed with a proud smile as he placed the suitcase on the cold stone floor.
The room was exactly as she remembered it – Jareth's majestic, crescent-shaped throne stood unchanged against the long wall, and half-eaten chicken legs and the remains of feasting were scattered everywhere.
"Couldn't you have at least cleaned up beforehand?" Sarah folded her arms and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, you know my goblins," Jareth countered, grinning mischievously. "If no one cleans up after them, that's what it looks like. But I assure you, this is the only room that looks like a pigsty."
Her mocking look made him laugh, and shortly afterwards she joined in the laughter. It was a moment that brought an unexpected lightness to the majestic but chaotic setting of the throne room.
Sarah was about to reach for her suitcase, but Jareth was faster. "No chance, my dear," he said with mock seriousness and picked up the suitcase. "You don't lift a finger here."
He took her hand and led her out of the throne room through the winding corridors of his castle. Sarah looked at everything with curious eyes, and some memories from her first journey through the labyrinth rose up in her mind.
Finally they stopped in front of a magnificent door made of finely decorated cherry wood.
"Open the door and step inside, Sarah," he invited her with a mysterious, yet gentle, smile.
Sarah hesitated for a moment, then pushed the door open and entered. For a moment she forgot how to breath when she saw the room. Roses were scattered everywhere, their delicate scent mixed with a hint of vanilla and lavender filled the air. In the middle of the room stood a four-poster bed, the canopy of which was decorated with fine fabrics that shimmered in the light.
"This... this is beautiful, Jareth," she whispered. "Is this my room?" There was a barely noticeable, confused undertone in her voice.
Jareth, who had been watching her with undisguised admiration and a loving look, stepped behind her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "Of course this is your room, my love. A beautiful room for a beautiful Sarah. Do you like it?"
Sarah nodded, but her gaze became thoughtful. She turned to the window and seemed to search for words in the vastness of the view. "Yes, I like it very much. But..." she broke off.
"But... what?" Jareth stepped next to her and gently put an arm around her shoulder.
"But... are you sleeping somewhere else?" Her voice sounded almost uncertain, and when she looked up at him, he noticed a hint of sadness in her eyes.
Jareth frowned briefly, then smiled. "Yes, my room is down the hall," he answered gently. He had deliberately had her own room prepared, fearing that too much closeness would overwhelm her. But when he thought of the nights in Sarah's world when they had fallen asleep together, he had to smile.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to confuse you, my little princess," he finally said. With these words, he lifted her and her suitcase effortlessly and carried her to his own room.
"Here you go, madam. We will sleep here. Is that okay with you?" He winked at her, and Sarah's cheeks turned a delicate pink.
"Yes. That is very acceptable, sir," she answered mischievously and performed a cheeky curtsy.
Jareth's loud, hearty laughter echoed through the room, more free and carefree than Sarah had ever heard from him before. After a while, when he had calmed down again, he held her tightly in his arms.
"It's so nice that you're here, Sarah," he said quietly. The two looked deeply into each other's eyes until Sarah stood on tiptoe and gave him a kiss. Jareth held her head gently before she could pull away and deepened the kiss. They stood there, tightly embraced, and the world around them seemed to stand still.
