Where Nothing Fades

by Triever

Summary:

It was now or never, and never wasn't an option. [Rated for later chapters. M rating will be mentioned at concerning chapters.]

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Sarah had noticed. How could she not?

The bundle of white feathers huddled in the nook of the tree near her window. The dark eyes that would, on occasion, flash a pale yellow at night as her bedroom lights hit them just right. The near complete silent rustle of leaves as the ghostly form leapt from its designated branch.

For a while it had been coming and going, seemingly at random, without purpose and at any time of day. Sometimes, the nocturnal creature would not visit for days or even weeks. The large round eyes would peer into her room and every now and then, she would catch it dozing off. Its head slowly sinking down into the feathery body, eyelids drooping.

Admittedly, it was rather cute.

To anyone else, this pale bird would seem like any other absentminded local wildlife.

To Sarah, it was much more. Behind those large, dark eyes lay something much less innocent. Past those tanned feathers hid something wilder and in between all that fluff sheltered something much more… magical.

Many people, friends and family alike, had looked at Sarah with almost patronizing smiles. When she gushed on about a book she had read on Celtic traditions and mythos it didn't take very long for people's eyes to glaze over. When she doodled goblins, dwarves or vulpine knights, everyone gave her a mild "that's nice".

At times, people seemed so uninterested and unbelieving in her interests and fantasies, that she wondered if her adventure in the Labyrinth had happened at all. Maybe it was her overactive imagination running off with her. Maybe, she had just dreamt it all.

But then she would see the masked creature by her window again. Patiently grooming itself, or nibbling the bark at the tree. Like it was waiting. Biding its time for… something.

Or maybe, Sarah was just being silly again.

Maybe it was just an owl. Maybe it was just a creature with a nearby den that would just, by coincidence, perch on this particular tree, on this particular branch. Maybe she was growing senile before the age of thirty, talking by her window to this white apparition.

But then, what random predatory bird would just waste its peak hunting time decorating a local tree branch?

Yes, she had definitely noticed.

And the bird had noticed her. How could it not?

Sometimes she would just sit by her window, arms on the window sill, staring at it. In summertime, as the sun warmed her face and caressed her hair, she would fall asleep. And later wake up with a crick in her neck. Sometimes, the owl would still be there. But most times, by the time she woke up, it had gone.

In the beginning, she had attempted calling on her friends. The grumpy dwarf, the energetic fox and the large and fluffy beast. But ever since the night she had come back from her adventure, it didn't work. She would call, look in her mirror like she had done that night. But they never showed.

All the focus had gone to the owl. It seemed her last opportunity to experience that magical world.

She would place objects that had a link to her adventure in the Labyrinth on her window sill. The lipstick, her music box and even the little red book.

The owl did not seem interested nor impressed with the artifacts. Truth be told, the large beady eyes and small beak didn't really show much of anything. On occasion, the owl's head would tilt in response to something that she did. Sometimes, she even thought she could see it smile or frown.

But there's only so much a face full of feathers can tell you. Frankly, Sarah was getting a little frustrated about it.

Perhaps, it was time for action. Perhaps, it was time for resolution.

Either this was just a pale face in between the greenery, or it was something more. And if it was, she figured it was about time that she was let in on this strange secret.

Blinking a few times, she snapped out of her train of thought, lifting her head from her arm that had been resting on her desk. Pushing back the chair with her hands braced on the wooden edge, she got up.

With a strange feeling of adrenaline, she strode over to her window and threw it open. As she stuck her head out of it and as she took a gulp of air, mildly startling the owl near the house, suddenly all collected courage dropped like a ton of lead into her shoes.

Large and slightly bewildered eyes stared at her, wings slightly unfolded in cautious anticipation, it remained in place.

Feeling a little uncomfortable with her lips parted in intent, her mind drew a complete blank. What had she even planned on saying?

"I…"

"Sarah!"

She jumped, hearing a knock at her door. Spinning around she quickly closed the window, attempting to assume a casual pose. "Yeah, dad?"

Her father's head peeked in, holding a set of keys. "Let's go pick up your driver's license, kiddo. You can drive me somewhere nice to grab a bite to eat before we head back home."

"Sure dad, I'll be down in a minute."

As her father left, closing the door behind him, she let go of a breath she hadn't noticed she'd been holding. Turning back to the window, she looked out to the tree but found the owl gone. A strange mix of relief and disappointment washed over briefly. After that, she put on some shoes, grabbed her purse and headed downstairs.

---

There was no easy way to say it.

Sarah was a coward.

After that day, the bird had been gone for about two weeks again. At that time, she had kicked herself for not doing anything. Afraid she had missed her chance and her confrontation had scared off her feathery visitor. Every day, before and after work, she would check the tree, but every time it was empty.

Except for one time, when her neighbor's fat cat had been sitting there. She didn't like that cat. Sarah was sure if it was possible, the grumpy looking thing would have given her the middle finger every single time it saw her.

She just hoped that this feline wasn't going to deter the owl from visiting again.

After those two weeks, she still hadn't seen the owl. But, one day there was a white feather stuck in between her window sill. The slight tan coloration with golden specks, couldn't be anything else. Sarah knew that the bird had been there again. Whether the feather had been left there intentionally, or if it was just another thing to chalk up to coincidence, she didn't know.

Another month passed, and Sarah was growing anxious. After the feather, there had been no sign of her elegant friend.

Yes… a friend. Possibly pathetic, but now that the owl had gone, she had started to miss him.

Time was ticking, as Sarah had been preparing to move out of her childhood home and out of town. She had been offered a job about a three and a half hour drive away from home. Not as the actress she had dreamed of as a child, but as a designer. More specifically, an illustrator, for a children's book series.

It was a job Sarah was satisfied with. It was largely independent, and her employer had put a lot of trust in her to deliver. But the frequent trips to the office - at least three times per week - left her tired and severely lacking in further social contact. Not to mention that the long drives were doing a fine job of sucking every bit of inspiration out of her.

So it was time to move. A new chapter in her life that both left her excited but also frightened. The few friends Sarah had gained in her life would remain here or move away as well, some as far as Europe. Her family wouldn't be exactly close either. She had an aunt living not too far from her new place, but hadn't been in contact for a few years now.

But before she left, she had to see the owl again. She needed to know if there was anything more to all this. When she moved, she knew she would never see it again.

---

It had been a long day.

Sarah was stressed.

Tearing the large hair clip out of her hair, her dark tresses tumbled down onto her shoulders. The heavy shoulder bag was flung onto the floor, a few papers slipping out onto the floor. She didn't even bother to turn on the lights. She kicked off her shoes, put down her purse on her desk and did the cursory glance past the tree outside her window. It was already dark outside, but the street lamps provided her with enough light.

She didn't see it.

One more week and she'd move out. It wasn't going to happen. She would leave and probably often wonder if the bird had ever visited again.

Stupid bird. It hadn't been here for more than two months now. It had never been gone for this long. Certainly it wouldn't have been completely deterred from that one time she had approached it?

Sarah collapsed on her bed, looking at her alarm clock. It was nearly 11 at night. The house was quiet and dark. With a deep sigh she took a second to enjoy the silence and rest her eyes. Feeling herself already sinking into a slumber she scrambled up and got off the bed. With an unflattering yawn she took off her blazer and used her last bit of energy to head to the bathroom and brush her teeth.

That is, before she heard a shrill screech outside, piercing the silence with a gastly cry.

Her heart jumped and adrenaline prickled in her stomach. Nearly tripping over her shoes she ran to the window and looked out.

There it was.

The ghostly visitor, with its back to the window.

The white shape turned its head, large black eyes staring at her. It must have been her current exhaustion, but just seeing this little guy sitting in the tree made her so intensely happy that tears started brimming in her eyes.

It was now or never, and never wasn't an option.

Opening the window, she barely even noticed the cold air streaming past her arms. Her brimming tears made the streetlights twinkle in her peripheral vision.

Despite the adrenaline, her mind was too tired to coherently take steps. Without fully realizing she was talking at all, the words came involuntarily.

"I thought you'd never visit me again. I was worried sick! How could you just leave me like that? You coward!"

Had anyone caught her yelling out to the empty street so late in the evening, they surely would have thought her to be mad.

The owl tilted its head curiously but otherwise remained motionless.

Sarah almost felt drunk and slowly but surely, she was realizing she was making a right fool of herself. But in the heat of the moment, she didn't care. "You're him, aren't you?" Silence. "You must be him! No stupid ass bird would be hanging out by my room like this, for months on end." The owl blinked. "Talk to me! I have a right to know." Sarah's heart leapt as the bird unfolded its wings, looking away from her. It was going to leave. "Don't you dare fly away, you overgrown chicken. Or this will be the last time you ever see me."

The bird halted, its head turning nearly fully backwards to look at her.

"Face me like the fucking man you are, Jareth!" Sarah slapped her hand over her mouth. Startled at the volume of her voice and her verbal abuse.

"Sarah?" A sleepy voice meekly mumbled from her door. "Are you on the phone? Can you please keep it down a bit? We're trying to sleep."

Sarah winced and quickly tiptoed to her door, opening it a crack to see her dad standing there in his pajamas, rubbing his face. "I'm so sorry dad, I'll be more quiet. Sorry if I woke you guys up."

"Don't go to bed angry, princess."

"I won't, dad. Sorry again. Goodnight."

"Night." Her dad shuffled back to the master bedroom, yawning once.

Quietly, Sarah closed the door and let out a breath. Rubbing her brow, she turned back to her room. Walking quietly to her open window, she somewhat dreaded seeing the bird again after what she'd yelled. Looking outside again, her stomach dropped.

The branch was empty.

The owl was gone.

It was her fault. She shouldn't have lost her temper. She shouldn't have taken it out on him. Quietly, she closed the windows and rested her forehead on the cool glass. Lightly thudding her forehead against it once in silent self-reprimanding, she turned back to the room.

"Well, well, well…"

Sarah jumped so harshly that she quickly covered her mouth to suppress a scream. Bracing herself back against the window she spotted a large black silhouette standing near her door.

"We meet again."

Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Sarah blindly fingered for the lamp on her desk. She didn't dare take her eyes off the shape in the dark. Afraid that, if she would even blink, it would be gone.

As her finger found the familiar switch, she flicked the light on. For a second, she was blinded by the light. As her eyes focused, she gave herself a second to calm down. A second to take things in.

He was here. He was real.

He was… different.

He was still very tall, seemingly a little over six feet. The clothing he was wearing was lavish, other worldly. With high boots and a tan leather jacket, textured with fine detail. He still sported the deep cut poet shirt, with loose pants tucked in his boots. The strange pendant hung from his neck, slightly twinkling in the light of the desk lamp.

His face was exactly as she'd remembered. Angular, sharp, with rather stern features. Yet somehow smooth.

Mostly his hair was different. Whereas she vividly remembered the big hairdo, cascading down over his shoulders, this was… well, different. It was tied back with a few braids, its length gently reaching his shoulders. His ears were pointed and a little longer than a normal person's ears.

It reminded her of elven depictions she'd seen.

"I… I…" She blurted out.

One of his hands moved up. She didn't miss the leather gloves. He held his forefinger in front of his pursed lips, shushing her quietly.

Gulping, Sarah didn't know what to do next. Her mouth was dry, her heart was racing, and her fingers were trembling. She'd never actually truly expected the bird to be more than just that. A bird. But she had always hoped.

Feeling a little stupid, she studied his face for any sign of what was to come. His face was schooled, blank. He seemed to be waiting for her to make a move.

"W-wh…" Sarah swallowed again. "What happens now?" Her hand moved to fumble with her shirt uncomfortably.

He shifted, causing her to stiffen a little. He moved towards her. Despite his heeled boots, he didn't make a sound. Not even the creaking of his leather jacket or the rustling of fabric. It was almost as if someone had turned down all volume.

All she could hear was her heart racing still.

He stopped almost right in front of her and her eyes frantically looked anywhere but up at him.

"You tell me." His voice was deep, soft. A quiet whisper. Seemingly so as to not awaken any other residents in the house.

Willing herself to look at him, her nervous gaze slowly crawled up to him. As soon as their eyes met, she felt a pang of familiarity. Those haunting dark eyes. She didn't think she could ever forget those, even if she tried. Looking into those eyes she tried to find her next words.

None would come.

He relented, stepping back and perching on her desk chair. While normally that chair would creak if you even looked at it, he managed to swoop down without as much as a breath from the weathered seat. He patiently waited, leaning his elbow on her desk and resting his chin on his hand. Ever so slowly, he studied her, then moved to gaze around the room.

It was all so unreal. Just seeing him lounge in her room made everything feel like a dream.

"Why are you here?" Even to her own ears, her voice sounded meek, wavering.

His dark eyes flicked back towards her and he leaned back, again completely silent. "Well," his voice drawled. "You insisted that I would face you, as the man I am." A strange smile appeared on his lips. "I am omitting some of that demand, for obvious reasons."

Sarah couldn't tell if he was amused or angry. A fierce blush set her cheeks aflame and she looked down at the floor. "I'm… I'm very sorry for that. It just all became a little… too much, I guess."

"I will condone it this time. I've had far worse verbal abuse." He tilted his head at her, much like she had seen the owl do. "So, what happens now?"

She looked up at him, a curious little glint was in his eyes. As if he was excited for it. "I am actually not sure…" She stepped back and sat on her bed, happy to put a little more space in between them. Idly, she picked up a few papers that slipped from her bag.

Anything to keep her still shaking hands busy.

"Is this a dream?" She looked up at him just in time to see him roll his eyes.

"This would make for a rather dull dream. No, it's not a dream," he assured.

Sarah looked outside her window. "So… just to know for sure. That owl… was that you?"

"Would it matter?"

Sarah looked back at him again. His face was difficult to read. "Yes," she said quietly, fumbling distractedly with her hands. "To me, it matters. Simply for sanity sake, it would be nice to know that I didn't just look forward to a random bird sitting in a tree every day. Besides, in the past few years, I have often wondered if that time in the Labyrinth ever even…"

"It was me."

It was a simple statement. Given in such a tone that didn't really invite her to ask more questions.

Despite many questions being raised due to his affirmation, one stood out. "Were you ever planning on approaching me?"

Jareth stared at her for a long time, his fingertips idly tracing invisible patterns on his cheek. It seemed like hours passed when he finally responded. "Yes and no." After he said that, he rose to his feet.

"Yes and no?" Sarah repeated questioningly. "What am I supposed to make of that?"

He walked to the window and turned his head slightly. "You have a vivid imagination, I'm sure you can think of something."

A weird shift in the air alerted Sarah. Somehow she knew that he was leaving. "Wait!" She whispered. "Please."

He froze and a strange sensation, much like holding your breath, a weird feeling of anticipation, hung in the air. He turned to her with one arched brow.

"Will I see you again?" Looking into his eyes she saw a strange glimmer, despite the lack of light.

"Is that what you desire?"

"Yes…" came her hesitant reply.

"Then yes." As he turned back to the window the sense of halted time lifted back to the strange sensation she had felt before. "In three days time." He opened the window and a bright light engulfed the room.

Sarah blinked against the light and a moment later he had gone, as if he'd never been there. She leaned forward to gaze out of the window, seeing a pale shape disappear into the night.

Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Sarah would have loved to say that the next three days passed before she knew it. But the truth was, they didn't. A lot had happened in those three days. A lot more than she'd hoped would happen.

First off, her car broke down and had to be taken to the shop, where it was being repaired. Although it was a second hand car, she hadn't had it that long. Her dad knew about as much about cars as anyone else in the household did, so they decided it would be best to take it downtown.

Secondly, Toby had gotten sick. Most likely just a regular fever, but the little boy had it rough. Karen was by his side constantly, urging him to drink water and trying to get him to eat. She was a tired mess. Sarah helped where she could, but due to an approaching deadline, most of her time was spent at work.

And speaking of work; the apartment she had planned to move into soon had been canceled. The landlord had a family member in need and had to prioritize them. Sarah would be lying if she said she wasn't a little bitter. Her boss was relatively understanding. He tried to give her some flexibility, but wouldn't allow the new book to suffer because of it.

Sarah had been able to work from home the third day. She'd have five more days to finish about eight more illustrations. Not back-breaking, but definitely a challenge. The girl had tried to carefully balance work while still supporting her half-brother and stepmother.

Even though she didn't like Karen that much, she couldn't ignore how the woman tried her best. Not just for Toby, but for the entire household. She would clean the entire house every other day and keep up with laundry, cooking and shopping. Often when Sarah took a short break from work, she would find the woman on her knees, scrubbing the floor, or balancing on a stool, trying to fish some cobwebs from the ceiling.

Her dad had often offered to hire someone to clean the house. As a high-end lawyer he made a pretty penny. But Karen was stubborn - something Sarah recognized in herself. Her stepmother would always refuse the offer. She wanted things cleaned her way and insisted that a cleaning service would never get it as spotless and taken care of as her.

But Sarah had sometimes caught her in a weak moment. Sitting on the floor in the kitchen next to her bucket and brush, catching her breath. Whenever Sarah had caught the older woman there, she would jump back up and look busy. Sarah would offer to help but was always brushed off. At most, she'd be asked to take out the trash. Though that was largely because Karen was a neat-freak and even the thought of garbage made her gag.

Sarah was no fool. She could see how much her dad loved Karen. At first, she denied it. But as she grew older she could tell. The way he always made her herbal tea in the evening, with honey and just a tiny bit of lemon. Or how he tucked her in on the couch when she was reading her magazines. He would tell her how much he appreciated her and everything that she did all the time.

Frankly, it was a little nauseating. But it was sweet.

As Sarah walked out of her room, done with work for the day, she caught Karen softly holding and rocking Toby in her arms. The woman seemed exhausted. Walking in, she whispered quietly to her. "Hey Karen, go run yourself a nice bath, I will keep an eye on Toby and get dinner ready."

Karen shook her head slowly, waving a hand dismissively.

"I insist." Sarah pressed, gently peeling Toby from Karen's arms and stroking his back softly.

Karen squeezed her shoulder in silent thanks and walked out of the room.

Sarah put him in his bed and took his temperature. It was a little bit high, but most likely he would feel better very soon. She made sure he would be comfortable before she turned on the babyphone. Karen had insisted on keeping it despite Toby was no longer a baby. She was fiercely protective of him. Turning off the light Sarah took the receiver downstairs with her to start preparing dinner.

Digging through the fridge and cupboards she gathered some ingredients for a nice pasta. While cutting the vegetables she slipped into relaxation after a long day.

In the moment of peace, she allowed herself to let go of the tension of the past few days. In her mind, she turned to optimism. She would look for a new apartment tomorrow after she'd picked up her car. If she could finish the last two illustrations for the new book, she was done and could sail right into the usual week off after crunch time.

A flutter of eagerness danced in her stomach. The Goblin King would even visit her tonight. She still had trouble convincing herself that it hadn't been a dream. She had been convinced for so long. Now that she knew it was real, she couldn't believe it. Sarah snickered to herself as she thought about it.

"Hey princess, what's so funny?"

"Dad," the girl gasped, whirling around to look at him. "Damn, you scared me half to death!"

Robert grinned at her, putting down his suitcase and binders of documents. "I see you tricked Karen into letting you cook dinner."

"Yeah."

Robert walked up to her and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Thank you, princess. I know you don't get along with Karen that well, but I appreciate every single gesture to work to the opposite." He took a piece of bell pepper from the cut vegetables and got himself a glass of water. "How is Toby doing?"

"Toby is alright. With a good night's rest I hope he will be back in good health tomorrow. He's asleep right now. Karen is having a bath."

"Wonderful. I will set the table. Tomorrow I'll drive you to the shop to pick up your car." With that, he walked out of the kitchen, most likely to change into something more comfortable.

After dinner, Sarah briefly stopped by Toby to check his temperature again while Karen cleaned the dishes. His fever had already gone and he was suddenly very eager to eat. Sarah had yelled downstairs to ask her dad to make him some soup, which he started on right away.

As she headed into her room, she right away walked across her room, opening the windows and sticking her head out excitedly. Sarah huffed as there was no owl.

"Expecting someone?"

"Mother of-" The girl exclaimed, putting her hand to her heart and turning back to the room. Jareth was leaning casually against her wardrobe, dressed in full goblin armor regalia. He arched one brow questioningly. "Hi," she huffed.

"Hello."

There was an awkward silence. Sarah mentioned with her hand through the room. "Uh, make yourself comfortable," she offered.

Jareth looked around in the small room, where there was little room to even get comfortable at all. He opted for the desk chair again. Even when he didn't have to be silent, the chair didn't make a single sound as he elegantly sat down. Interested, he glanced at the illustrations that were still on the desk, picking one up curiously. "So," he started. "As per your request, I am here. Please enlighten me as to what is next."

Sarah pushed a lock of dark hair behind her ear. "Well… I'm not sure. Can I offer you something to drink or eat?"

"I appreciate the hospitality, but no."

The young woman nodded and sat down on her bed, grabbing a pillow to hold in her arms. "Can I ask you why you agreed to visit?"

Jareth crossed his legs, brushing something off his knee. "I seem to have found myself particularly generous in granting the wishes of a certain girl who wished away her baby brother." He looked at her as she nibbled on her lower lip, avoiding his gaze. "I can tell you have a lot of questions."

"Do you have any questions?" Sarah offered.

He leaned back in the chair looking around nearby. He picked up a pen to keep his hand busy with. "Any questions that I might have can wait." His eyes suddenly flicked up at her. "Please, ask away."

"The Labyrinth…" Those two words seemed to hang heavy in the air. "Was it real?"

He nodded. "The Labyrinth is most definitely real. However, what you have seen of it is but a small fragment of the Labyrinth. And an even smaller piece of my realm in its entirety."

"The things that happened there, the… creatures that I have met, were they real?"

He leaned back his head a little, looking down his nose at her with a slight tilt of his head. "They were real enough. Why do you ask?"

Sarah caressed the pillow, silent for a moment. Real enough… How did he manage to create more questions in just a handful of words? "What does that even mean?"

"It means that in the Labyrinth, not everything is as it seems."

"So, what wasn't?"

He pursed his lips, twirling the pen rather skillfully between two gloved fingers. "The cleaners." Jareth finally relented. "Those were an illusion. The junkyard was a remnant of the effects of the peach Higgle fed you."

"You mean you fed me." She said pointedly. A wide grin stretched on his face, sharp teeth poking from his lips. He almost seemed a little gleeful. Sarah frowned at that.

"I like to believe I have a better system for waste disposal in my realm." Jareth continued.

Waste disposal definitely wasn't high on the list of her curiosities about the Labyrinth. "Why couldn't I contact my friends after that night that I got back?"

"Friends?"

Sarah was a little surprised at the clear disdain he had for that term. It was uttered with disgust. Instead of prodding that aversion, she patiently waited for him to reply. He had a strange way of keeping eye contact. So far, he had barely looked away or even blinked while they had been talking. He seemed so… alert.

"That night was meant as a farewell. Contact between two different worlds is hard to sustain. At least for lowly magical creatures. Not only is it exhausting for them, but it's also in a certain way… unnatural." Jareth explained. "Your world and mine," he explained, motioning between them with his hand. "They are separated by a veil. To cross that veil, one needs both strength and prudence. If you are too weak, you can get trapped in between. If you try to bruteforce your way through, you might tear it."

Without knowing it, Sarah had started leaning forward, intrigued. "What happens if it tears?"

"It happened before. In what your world calls the medieval times. Undoubtedly, you have heard myths of dragons, monsters, witch trials."

"Someone might have mentioned it." Sarah muttered with a nod. "Was it… repaired?"

"Yes." He saw her eyes silently prodding him. "The tear was mended after a lot of preparation and with a lot of help."

"This might be a dumb question, but… were you involved?"

Jareth looked at her. "Yes." As soon as the word left his lips he saw her eyes widen and he could tell that at that moment, a thousand more questions raced through her mind. "But I was very young back then. Comparable to your age when you came in contact with my realm. It was a combined effort of the strongest beings in my world."

Sarah took a moment to digest what he'd just told her. She looked up at him, another question tumbling from her lips, almost involuntarily. "You're not bullshitting me, are you?"

The Goblin King barked out a laugh. An unexpected reaction and in a way a little frightening. But Sarah hadn't seen him laugh yet, at least not in a way that wasn't malicious. It was strange, but a welcome contrast to his calm demeanor so far. The way it made his eyes crinkle and his stiff frame shift was fascinating. "No, I speak the truth, I assure you."

"That is… wild." She said a little awkwardly. "I don't really know how else to describe it."

"You should have been there." He scoffed, the mirth quickly draining from his voice, the corners of his mouth curling down.

"So… is it dangerous? For you to come to this world, I mean."

Jareth shrugged, waving his hand rather dismissively. "No. As I said, it is difficult for weak beings to cross. As for me," he looked at her, curious to see her reaction. "I have grown to be one of the most powerful people in my world. And I grow stronger still, every single day. Traveling between our worlds is like second nature to me." He watched her gulp nervously, shyly averting her gaze. He shifted in the chair, stretching his long legs in front of him and crossing them at the ankle. "With my finesse, the veil barely even notices I slip by."

Sarah snorted at that, which caused him to arch one brow at her. "And you're so modest too."

Jareth simply sniffed, turning his head to look around the room.

"So," she started, causing him to look back at her. "If my friends can't visit or talk to me here… Can I go see them?"

The Goblin King looked her up and down briefly. "You certainly have some courage asking that. At least that group of misfits has some magic to call their own. What magic do you have?"

Sarah huffed, looking at him from the corner of her eyes. "Well, I don't have any. But-"

"No." Jareth deadpanned. She opened her mouth to object but he raised his hand. "Transporting the little brat you were back then, to fulfill your wish to win back your baby brother is one thing."

"Half brother." Sarah interjected.

"But," Jareth hissed at her interruption. "Ferrying you back and forth just for a little tea party, is a different story altogether. I am not reducing myself and my power to become your little lackey for your insignificant social endeavors."

Sarah pouted and Jareth narrowed his eyes at her. He shifted in a way that alerted her that he was ready to leave. "If this is the sole reason why you have invited me-"

"It's not!" Sarah insisted, nearly dropping the pillow she was holding on her lap. "No, please. I didn't mean to come across as if I was just using you." She said solemnly. "Truth be told, ever since I returned from the Labyrinth, I have missed it. So much. I can't stop thinking about it, and I don't want to." He looked at her quietly, still a little offended. Looking down at her lap she made idle patterns on the pillow. "I was happy to get my halfbrother back. I truly was - and I still am. But I can't help but feel that somehow, a part of the Labyrinth somehow stayed with me. I dream of it so often and sometimes I could swear the feeling I had while being there, somehow… lingered."

Jareth frowned and pulled in his legs to lean forward, his elbows on his knees. He looked at her so closely that Sarah grew nervous. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

The girl was a little thrown off by his sudden interest. His bright mismatched eyes were hyper focused in his current position. It was almost hypnotic. "I-I… I don't know. But that's how it feels."

His gaze didn't relent. He was so still it was almost like time had stopped. Because he was completely still, there was nothing to distract her from his scrutiny. The moment seemed to last hours. With him not even moving a fraction it became uncomfortable. A strange sense of dread crept up her spine. There was a shift in the air, much like there had been before he left last time. A sense that made it feel like the entire world was whispering to a halt. Her heart beat quickened and she could feel a strange tingle running along her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. She was incredibly aware that this wasn't the fluffy owl anymore. This was the Goblin King. An otherworldly being that could manifest items in his grasp, that could defy gravity itself without a single sign of effort. She wasn't sure if it was just the light playing tricks on her, but it seemed like ever so slowly, his eyes started to darken. They were almost starting to look like those of the barn owl she'd seen countless times by her window. Sarah started to recoil a little, only partly voluntarily.

Both of them seem to startle as suddenly there was a cheerful singing near the door. Toby, she knew. Faintly she could hear her dad announcing to the boy that it was time for bed.

Still weirdly shaken by whatever it was that just happened, Sarah felt no rush to look back at Jareth. Instead, her gaze dropped to the floor and her hands slightly wrung the corners of the pillow in her arms. The strange tingle that had seemed to prickle her skin subsided to a strange numb feeling. Her heart was still racing, almost painfully so, like her body was still catching up on whatever it was that just happened.

"Sarah."

Instinctively, she looked up at him when he called her name. There was a gentle rumble in his baritone voice. "I apologize if I frightened you, it was not my intent."

"Did you just… do something?"

It was a strange question but there was a gut feeling that he hadn't just been staring at her. There was something more. She just didn't know what. The mild concern in his eyes vanished. His eyes regained the coldness she'd seen before. Whatever sort of consolation he'd just offered, he'd closed himself off from her.

"You don't have to answer that." She offered him a small smile, which he did not return. "Can I offer you something to drink? Or a snack? I can make some tea."

The Goblin King raised, looking down at the girl. "I should go. I have matters to attend to."

The girl got up, putting the pillow aside. "Ah, right. I'm sure you are very busy. I apologize for keeping you." She felt a little reluctant to let him leave. Sarah still had so many questions, not to mention that she had missed this sense of magic in her life. Her illustrator gig seemed so… ordinary, her problems so distant. How could she now just go back to her nine-to-five job and movie nights?

Not letting herself meet his eyes she looked at the intricate armor he was wearing and the strange medallion around his neck. It still felt like a dream, even though she was sure that she was awake and he was standing right in front of her. Something odd compelled her to move. Almost like she was entranced, she took a step forward and reached to touch the pendant around his neck.

"Sarah?"

She looked up at him, her hand recoiling awkwardly. "The little red book, the story of the Labyrinth. May I have it?"

Sarah parted her lips, surprised he'd ask her that. Her eyes briefly flickered to the bookshelf, where it stood in stark contrast from her study books and encyclopedias. He followed her gaze and moved over to the bookcase with large strides. Deftly he tilted it out from between the other books and took it off the shelf. "W-why do you want it?" She pressed, moving over to the bookshelf and protectively taking a hold of the small red novel. He didn't let go. Sarah tugged a little more insistently but he didn't budge.

"I think it's better that you let go of it." Jareth said in a slightly warning tone, clearly not only meaning her physical hold on the bundle. He watched her clutch the book harder, her eyes fixed on it. "It's not healthy to maintain this sense of connection with my world. It wouldn't be fair to you to endlessly be reminded of it."

"Then why would you keep showing up by my window? Why answer the questions I asked you? It's not fair."

Jareth clenched his teeth at the familiar and childish phrase and tugged one more time on the book. When she didn't let go, he pulled it up high. Her face tilted up to follow the book. Once it did, he met her bright hazel eyes, brimming with tears. Her grasp on the book slipped and she backed off, defeated. "Sarah, I'm s-"

"Fine then. Just go. Take the stupid book." Her voice quivered a little. "And if you're still planning on sitting in that stupid tree outside my window, don't. Next time, I won't hesitate to light it on fire, whether you're in it or not." She spat and turned away from him, her hands fisting by her sides as she walked over to her bed. Unceremoniously she hopped on the bed, grabbing the pillow again.

"Sarah -"

"I said fuck off!" She yelled, her voice cracking while turning to toss the pillow at him.

He didn't even flinch when it hit him in the stomach and it limply fell to the floor. The Goblin King picked it up and carefully handed it back to her. He almost jumped as she snatched it from his hands. Jareth knelt next to her, keeping the book out of reach. "I can help you forget." He offered quietly.

"Leave."

Her head stayed down, her features hidden behind her dark curtain of hair. He stood up straight, the book suddenly ten times heavier in his hand. He hadn't meant to hurt her like this. For her own good and for her sanity, she needed to leave the past in the past.

A long silence followed. He could see her hands starting to wring the pillow more and more fiercely, until he noticed small darkened dots on her pillow.

She was crying.

Jareth's lips parted. His stomach dropped. He reached one hand out to her, hovering over her shoulder. The man stepped back, shaking his head. There was nothing he could do. She would never see his world again, letting her live in the pretense that maybe she could was possibly even more cruel than setting this clear boundary.

"Goodbye, Sarah."

The girl squeezed her eyes closed, tears trickling down her cheeks freely. She blamed herself. She had invited him in. She had welcomed the Goblin King.

She should have known better. She shouldn't have trusted him. This other-worldly man that had stolen her brother from her, that made her run through that glorified maze. Dumped her in a swamp so wretched she swore she sometimes could still smell its disgusting vapors. Poisoned her.

She, fool that she was, had trusted him. Now her last remnant of the Labyrinth was gone. There was nothing she could do. No one that she could ask for help.

It just wasn't… fair!

Sarah had been in possession of the book for as long as she could remember. Her dad had read it to her countless times as a child. It belonged to her. It was part of her. He had no right to take it.

The girl scrambled up, throwing the pillow to the floor and grabbing one of her empty notebooks. Fiercely, she rubbed the tears from her eyes. Slamming the book on the desk, she grabbed a pen.

"Chapter one: the white owl

Nobody saw the owl, white in the moonlight, black against the stars, nobody heard him as he glided over on silent wings of velvet…"

Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Many dots were on Sarah's desk.

Her pen fervently added to the collection, twinkling in the light of the rising sun.

Sarah bit her lip, nearly biting hard enough to break the skin, and raked her fingers through her hair. No. This couldn't be happening. She had read it so many times. She had rehearsed in the park so many times. She had lived it, for God's sake.

Yet here she was, drawing a complete blank halfway into the story. She stared intensely at the last sentence, obsessively racking her brain for the next line. The girl had been hunched over her desk for an hour now, willing herself to remember. Nothing came to mind.

Quietly, she wondered if maybe Jareth had something to do with this. Was he brainwashing her? Could he even do that from… wherever he was?

"Think, Sarah. Think."

Her fingers flexed on her desk in agitation, nails digging into the wooden furniture.

The young woman pictured the book, squeezing her eyes shut. She imagined flicking through the book, reading the text, performing the text. Over and over she went through the story but every single time her memory would grind to a halt at that same stupid moment.

There was nothing.

She jumped up from her seat, her knees nearly buckling after she'd been sitting all night. Sarah turned from the desk and in rage flung the pen across the room. It clacked sharply off her bookshelf and unsatisfyingly landed on her bed.

"Princess?" A voice sounded from the other side of the door. "May I come in?"

Sarah forced herself to take a calming breath, stretching her sore body before she let her father in.

Robert frowned as he saw her, and looked past her into the room. "Sarah, did you pull an all-nighter again? I have told you a thousand times to stop doing that."

"Sorry dad," she mumbled, her body still a little tense with adrenaline. "I guess I lost track of time again."

He sighed and looked at her baggy eyes. "Well, I hope that a full day of work will knock some sense into you, because I seem incapable of doing so."

Sarah winced at that and gave him a hug. "I'm sorry, dad. I will do my best to be more responsible about it."

Nodding, Robert gave her a hug back, before stepping back into the hallway. "Come and have breakfast, Sarah. I'm not letting you skip sleep and breakfast. Karen is making sugar-free pancakes."

"I'm coming." She glanced back over to the notebook on her desk, sitting besides the mountain of work she'd need to be doing today. Sighing, she headed downstairs.

----

It was doubtful that any inanimate object had ever been this offensive to anyone. Even though it didn't move, smell, make a sound or really did anything at all, it was exasperating. That stupid little notebook was just sitting on her desk, bathing in the artificial light of her desk lamp. It made her fingers itch with the want to throw something at it. Anything. Any object in reach.

That same stupid sentence was still sitting there. A paragraph unfinished. It pissed her off. It had taken her focus off of work, made her cancel meeting with a friend and plagued her with sleeplessness.

Her chair wailed in agony as Sarah once again threw herself onto it. Her desk no longer had a spot of dots from a blue ball pen but almost formed a complete large blotch of ink.

The ink would come off. Maybe.

Once again the vision of the red leather bound book came to her mind while she stared at the paper blindly. From the start, she again envisioned each and every page. The small tear on page three. The bookmarker permanently stuck on page eight. The page that her father ended a bedtime reading when she was five. After that she picked it up herself and every single time she read it, she would finish it. The girl thought of the sound the pages made when turned, the soft whisper the leather made if she caressed the leather cover.

She had to remember. She just had to. Her hazel eyes sternly focused on the handwriting, every inch of her being insistent on remembering. Sarah refused to let herself forget. Even after many hours of glaring at the paper, she was not going to relent. Her fingers drummed on her desk and traced the edge of the paper.

Jareth couldn't do this to her. She wouldn't let him do this to her. He had no right. He had no pow-

A dull thud nearly launched Sarah from her chair. Whirling around, she looked behind her to locate whatever had made that sound. "What the f-"

As she looked down her breath caught in her throat. It was hard to tell if the little book on her floor was even real, or if this obsession had now progressed into a stage of hallucinations.

She slowly inched closer, taking careful steps as if one wrong move would somehow make it disappear. Once close enough, Sarah ever so slowly leaned down, her hand reaching out. Her fingers made contact with smooth leather, her heart leaping with joy. Her hand curled around it and she picked it up, clutching it to her chest with intense happiness. Affectionately, her fingertips caressed the small indentation of letters.

"The Labyrinth"

The young woman held it out in front of her and flipped through the worn pages. Triumphantly she drank in the sight of that one line she had been searching for during the past days. It felt weird to think, but she'd never have thought a bundle of printed papers could give her so much joy.

At the same time, an incredible relief slipped off her shoulders.

It was 00:30 in the morning and all of a sudden, she could feel it. The adrenaline kick she just had was quickly fading, taken over by the exhaustion and mental stress she had endured since the book was taken from her. Turning off the lights, Sarah huddled into her bed, the book tucked safely under her pillow, where it belonged.

----

Sarah's heart leaped. She jolted awake, laying still in her bed. Something had happened. Something was wrong. Her skin prickled in a strange sense of anticipation and her ragged breathing made the strands of hair in front of her mouth flutter.

Her room was empty. Dark. Besides the crickets chirping outside there were no sounds. Despite that little bit of auditory distraction, her ears were ringing. Moonlight drifted into the room from the window, a yellow glow of the streetlight in the distance winking as the trees in front of it moved gently in the wind.

Briefly, there was a strange sensation in her body. As if she rapidly inhaled, a sense of adrenaline, yet different. It was somehow like teetering in between sleep and consciousness, where your body would jolt in reaction to a brief dream. Then, everything just weirdly seemed to… stop.

She had felt this before…

A dark shape bled out of the shadows into her room. It looked like ink spreading across a sheet of paper. Materializing out of nowhere, yet so defined. Somehow, the figure was too dark. Blacker than anything she'd ever experienced. Sarah was torn whether she should get up to defend herself or remain still, possibly pretending to still be asleep. However, she knew that at this point, with her quickened breathing, she wouldn't fool anyone. Or anything.

As it had fully taken shape, the figure in her room was somehow unmistakable. The silent form was still approaching, ever so slowly, an amulet shimmering faintly even in the low light.

She would have screamed. Hell, she wanted to scream, but nothing would come out. Her entire body had frozen. Sarah parted her lips, her breathing quivering as with every inch of her being she willed herself to sit up. Ever so slowly, she had curled up and propped herself on one hand. He had almost reached her bed and the young woman was now looking up at him as he towered over her. She could barely see enough in the dim light to make out his features. His expression was frighteningly blank, but she could definitely feel the tension. He leaned close, her ears still deafening her with a panicked ringing in her ears and her racing heartbeat. Frightened, she leaned back a little, but was too scared to make any sudden movements. He followed her, far enough so his hands came to rest on her mattress. His weight trapped her under her blanket.

Sarah's heart raced so violently that she was briefly concerned for actual health issues it might cause. Steadily she stressed the tension on the blanket, her mind raced to find a way to flee. As she moved, the blanket strained, then popped off and settled with a sigh onto her lap. Feeling very self conscious, she pulled the blanket back up to her chin, one hand resting on the book under her pillow.

"How?" His voice was low, threatening and insistent.

The girl searched his face, which remained blank. "H-how…?" She barely recognized the whimper that was her voice.

"How did you do it?" Jareth demanded, his breath touching her cheeks.

Her fingers curled around the book protectively and she brought it to her lap. "I-I don't know wh-"

"Don't," he hissed, "lie to me."

The Goblin King noticed her weight had shifted to one arm underneath the blanket. One hand fisted in the blanket, fear flitting across her face. He straightened himself, tugging the blanket off of her. She fished for the blanket and the man spotted the little red book in her grasp.

Fury welled up in his chest. This meek little human girl. This pathetic mortal adolescent. How dare she? How dare this insolent brat… His fingers flexed with barely contained want to wrap around that feeble little neck of hers. Briefly, countless visions of how he could punish her for stealing from a king, flashed in front of his eyes. In his mind he was but a split second removed from doing something he would regret.

Swallowing heavily, he pushed aside the flashes of his darker imaginations and took a calming breath. His hand rose up to briefly hold the amulet draped around his neck before it fell back to his side and he silently casted a spell. Her frantic look around the room told him she'd sensed it.

His lips pressed together and his nostril briefly twitched up as she defensively and subtly inched the book behind her. His eyes flashed back up at hers and she knew that he had seen it.

"Tell me!" He yelled.

Sarah's ears rang with the sudden volume and she winced violently, covering her ears. Tears pricked in her ears. She wasn't sure what to do, or what to say. She didn't know what he might do if she told him the truth. But then she didn't know what he would do if she lied. With his imposing presence right in front of her Sarah suspected lying would definitely be the worse outcome.

"Tell me how you did it," he demanded. His hands still itched with rage.

"I-I… I-I don't know…" The woman squeaked, curling up. His eyes narrowed at her and she scrambled off the other side of her bed, putting some distance in between them while still holding the book. "I swear," she said solemnly, tears brimming in her eyes. "I promise you, it just… it just appeared in my room out of nowhere!"

The Goblin King looked at the girl standing in front of him, studying her face with a frown. She looked positively terrified. Not that he could blame her. She was a young woman, with a stranger walking in on her in the middle of the night while she was asleep. Letting out a deep sigh, averting his eyes from her, he waved his hand. "Sit," he ordered.

Quickly the girl sank down on her bed, looking at him, wide-eyed and nervous. The red book was clutched to her chest.

He took a few more calming breaths, looking off to the side. "May I?" Jareth asked in a strained tone, mentioning next to her. She flicked her eyes to the spot next to her and back up at him nervously, but slowly nodded. "Thank you," the man sighed as he walked around the bed and gracefully sat down next to her. He kept his distance, which seemed to ease her a little. He conjured a crystal and let it drift into the air. It softly glowed, like a candle.

He studied her when he summoned it. Her eyes went wide and he couldn't help but smile a little. Sarah slowly reached out to it, touching it softly with her index finger. The orb slowly drifted into her room and the girl looked at him a little frightened, expecting to get scolded.

Instead, Jareth simply beckoned it closer and it moved to his will. "Sarah," he muttered, regaining her attention with only the occasional side glance. "I want you to tell me that you are speaking the truth."

Sarah nodded fervently, moving to hold the little novel on her lap. Her fingers danced across it nervously. "I am telling the truth. I promise. I was sitting in my room and… well, it almost scared me to death when out of nowhere it just plummeted onto the floor right behind me."

"I need you to understand something," Jareth insisted. "Magic doesn't just happen. It's not a curious little coincidence or a rare phenomenon. Magic needs a source, a purpose." He gestured to the book, which caused her to briefly move it away from him. "That book was safely stored in my private study. The second someone other than me enters it, I will know."

"B-but, I didn't enter it… How could I even -"

"I know you didn't," he pressed. "Because I never sensed someone entering. I need you to tell me. Everything."

"Why?"

He searched her face for a little while, occasionally, she still glanced over to the orb light he had summoned. "Because if you tell me, I might let you keep it."

Her eyes flashed back at him with excitement, but then narrowed. "Might?"

The man sighed, his eyes rolling up to look up at the ceiling. "Fine. I will let you keep it."

With that promise made, she released her iron grip on the novel and moved her eyes to stare at the illuminating orb in front of them. "I have been busy… I was trying to completely copy the story. Every line, every phrase, every adjective. I didn't want to lose a tale that had such a big impact on my life. At first, I spent an entire night. I was dedicated to finishing it in one sitting to make sure I wouldn't somehow forget." Her fingers ran across the side of the book's pages. "I was certain I could do it. I had read the story so many times - I performed it so many times. I've even dreamed of it many times." Sarah looked at him. His expression was mostly blank, but she had his full attention.

She looked away again, looking to her desk. "But… I got stuck. I couldn't do it. I'm sure I wasn't even halfway through - but… just nothing came to mind. I ran into a dead end."

Jareth scoffed at that and she looked at him. She allowed herself a nervous smile. "Pun not intended. Anyways… I got stuck. I kept repeating it, over and over. It was infuriating. I am still not sure why I… Why I just couldn't remember." Sarah put the book aside and pulled up her legs, hugging them to her chest. "I had contemplated if maybe you had done some sick mind trick, or if you had brainwashed me to forget. But I couldn't give up. I wouldn't give up. I kept trying to remember, hoping that suddenly it would come to me. But it didn't. I got stressed and more and more upset every time I tried to write." Turning her head, she rested her cheek on her knees. "Only once did I have such a blackout. Back in my time in the Labyrinth, at the very end." Sarah looked at him, and saw a cold hardness shield his face. While it was subtle, she could tell that it was a rather sore spot to him. So close to victory, only to have it snagged away.

"Not unlike that moment, on that fateful day, I was just… staring at this notebook. I was so angry, so upset… so sad. I was ready to start stalking you." She blushed, one of his eyebrows arching. "I was considering starting to call for you, maybe even wishing for you, just to get that stupid line on paper. I don't recall ever being that upset." Putting her legs down, she shrugged. "Then suddenly," she continued, her hands raising up in the air. "Boom." Her hands mimicked something falling down. "Something dropped right behind me. It nearly scared me to death. When I turned, it was just… there." Sarah leaned her hands on her knees, glancing at Jareth to see if any of this was landing with him. If any of it made sense at all.

He looked down, his eyes flitting left and right repeatedly in contemplation. A frown formed on his face, a few blonde locks framing around his cheeks. After a few long moments, he looked back at her, his eyes searching hers. "Is there anything else? Anything you are leaving out? Any influences, thoughts… smells? Any strange sensations or instincts going off?" Sarah shook her head and he turned to her further. His knee very briefly touched her leg, making her flinch back. "Has anything like this happened before," he questioned, ignoring her quick recoil.

The woman shook her head right away. "Definitely not. Not that I have ever noticed, anyway."

"During the time you attempted to copy the Labyrinth, have you ever tried - and possibly succeeded, connecting with your…" He opened his mouth, then closed it, his head making a strange and somewhat uncomfortable tilt. "Friends." Jareth ground out.

It was Sarah's turn to arch one eyebrow, eyeing him with exasperation. "You have some deep seeded issues with social connections." He gave her an irritated side glance, not planning on taking that bait. "But no, I did not try to connect to my friends. As I had tried it for years without it ever working, I didn't see the point in a secondary, seemingly impossible task. I might be stubborn, but I'm not a masochist. Why? Do you think they did it?" She prodded, looking at him. "That they snuck into your study and stole it from you, then sent it to me?"

The Goblin King scoffed and looked at her arrogantly. "Absolutely not, they're cowards." She was about to lash at him, but his eyes narrowed in a silent warning. "As I said, I never sensed anyone or anything entering my quarters. No one could pass by my protective ward, especially not your…"

The girl leaned a little closer. "Come on. Say it. I dare you." He looked at her, unimpressed, so she got a little closer still, narrowing her eyes. "Too chicken to pronounce a harmless seven letter word?"

The man narrowed his eyes at her, quietly advising her to tread carefully. The girl didn't seem too intimidated. "So, what do you think happened?"

He sighed, stretching his legs and crossing them at the ankles. "I am not certain, but I do have a theory." Her gaze turned curious. "I have some enemies that I have a feeling could be testing my security. Possibly even my connections. But it doesn't seem possible nor likely that they would attempt this with you as a channel, not many know about you. Certainly not said enemies."

Looking at the book next to her she spoke softly. "Do you suppose the book has any magical properties?" When Sarah didn't get an answer, she looked at him.

Jareth eyed her dryly. "Sarah… It's a book. It's paper, leather… and a little bit of binding material."

The girl blushed and frowned defensively. "Hey, don't be like that! I told you, I don't know anything about magic."

He laughed again. A rich, low rumble. "You have a very bizarre sense of imagination. And that's coming from a monarch from a magical Labyrinth."

Sarah sputtered. "W-well… I elect to take that as a compliment." The girl blushed and looked away. "So… should I be concerned about other items dropping in on me at random?"

"I hope not," he muttered. "But you might want to keep an umbrella handy."

Sarah snapped her eyes back at him in mild alarm, but then saw a small mischievous smile on his lips. She repressed a smile of her own and narrowed her eyes. "Well, would you look at that? The Goblin King has a sense of humor."

"Hardly." The man watched as she tried her best to hide a yawn, her eyes crinkling and her lips pressing together. "I should go," he insisted. "I have kept you from your night's rest far longer than intended. Besides, I need to make sure my security is still sufficient."

"No, no, it's fine." A loud yawn followed. "I can sleep again tomorrow."

"Nonsense. The skin under your eyes is darker than my wardrobe."

Sarah gasped. "How dare you?"

He got up and dismissed the crystal floating nearby. "Goodbye, Sarah."

Instinctively, the girl grabbed his wrist when he turned to leave. There was a little jolt in his arm as she touched him. "Wait… Please," she added a few seconds later as the former came out a little demanding. His eyes looked down at her hand on his wrist, then back up at her. Almost like she got burnt, her hand quickly let go of his wrist. "This, uh… is probably a little weird… but do you maybe want to hang out more often?"

"With 'hang out' I presume that you would want to arrange visits more often?" He contemplated it for a few seconds.

"You know… like… Friends." She said teasing.

Jareth narrowed his eyes at her, not really appreciating that suddenly it seemed so easy for her to mock him with that. "No." Her face fell. "But as acquaintances, I will consider it." Sarah was visibly pleased, but he kept his expression blank. "I will arrange something for you in the near future, should I decide to humor your request. You will know what when you see it. Now get some sleep, before those bags under your eyes get so big they will catch the wind."

Sarah's mouth dropped and she gasped in genuine shock this time. Right then he left, that weird shift in the air causing her to choke on her breath. She coughed, covering her mouth with her forearm while she tried to correct the weird moment of suffocation. 

Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Sarah sighed as she picked up a cardboard box. The last box. Looking around her room, she felt a strange mix of regret, happiness and nervousness. She was moving. Finally.

On her walls were scattered patches of bright squares and rectangles. Her posters, pictures and furniture had been there for many, many years. Admittedly, since she'd been twelve, not a whole lot of things had changed in her room. She loved this room, she would remember it fondly, but it was time for change.

Walking down the hall to the van with the rest of her stuff, she occasionally dodged a rampant child running playfully through the house. Toby was having a playdate with his friends. Funnily enough, Toby mostly spent time with girl friends. He also liked dolls and plushies more than cars or dinosaurs.

When she finally made her way to the van, she put the box down. Her dad was chatting with a neighbor while Sarah loaded the van. He was still enjoying himself, so she decided to take one last look in her room if she didn't forget anything.

When she made her way upstairs, she huffed disappointedly. Time had been closing in on three months since Jareth had agreed to keep in contact. She had been looking for the sign he had mentioned, checking for feathers near her window, crystal balls hanging around, but nothing had happened. He hadn't been at her window in his owl form at all anymore. Maybe he had changed his mind. Maybe he didn't want to be in contact. But then the least he could do was tell her, right?

Walking back into her room, she looked around closely. Nearly everything was gone. Her bed and desk would stay here for when she visited. Most of her other stuff had been worn out and taken to the trash, stored to be given to Toby at a later date, or given to charity. Looking under her bed, all she could see was the curtains of her bed post resting on the floor. Her desk was empty, there was nothing on her bed… and when she looked by her window, there was no sign of him.

Feeling dejected and disappointed, her shoulders sagged and she turned back.

Time to see if Robert was ready to go.

—-

Rain tapped against her windows. There was a soft rumble in the air of thunder closing in and the musky scent of rain creeped in through a small crack of the window. The faint sound of cars passing by could be heard in the distance, accompanied by the scratching of pencil on paper. There was a blissful silence, the scent of lavender and coffee wafting gently through the room.

Sarah put her pencil down and rolled back her chair. No more excessive creaking, just the gentle hum of wheels across the floor. She got up, moaning in relief as her cramped muscles were given a satisfying stretch. Downing the last sip of coffee, the young woman walked over to a window and looked out to the city sprawled out beneath her.

Her father had found her this wonderful apartment using his connections. Honestly, Sarah was relieved that the last apartment fell through, this one was in much better shape and was much prettier. It was rather spacious for this city and much closer to work than her previous option. It had some funky wooden accents that reminded her of a lodge and had very large windows. The white walls allowed a lot of light to be passed through it, despite there only being windows on two sides of the apartment. She had divided the main living area to a lounge area, the kitchen and a work area. Besides that she had a bedroom, laundry room, storage room and a nice bathroom. She had already used her bathtub often. It was exactly the right size. Though usually she opted for a quick shower.

Admittedly, the amount of money Sarah could save up from her earnings as an illustrator had dwindled significantly, but she'd never expected her own apartment to give such a feeling of joy and accomplishment. It did help that her father paid half of it, too. While keeping it clean was still a chore, she preferred it over Karen's obsessive cleaning. Her dad had generously lavished her with most of her interior as an early birthday present. The amount of times she had thanked him for it must have gone quite far into the double digits. And as a continuous thanks, she would invite the family over for dinner at least once a month.

The new place had also provided her with a lot of renewed inspiration. Something that had not gone unnoticed with her boss. There had even been a few hints that he was planning on giving her a promotion in the upcoming year.

Another welcome change had been that she had more time and more energy in her days and weekends to do other things. Her boss had recently hired a new assistant that she had been talking to a lot. A sweet girl of roughly Sarah's age, called Denisa. She was a little high energy, but was always genuinely happy to help anyone however she could. Besides that Denisa was also interested in theater, fantasy and absolutely loved to see Sarah's work. The girl had often told her that the best she could draw was a circle - or at least something that resembled a circle. And she wasn't kidding. Sarah once asked her to and it made Sarah realize that her skills in drawing were more of a gift than she'd previously thought.

Denisa had already joined her a few times in the local nightlife. The clubs weren't too far away so once every other week or so, she would join her for a glass of wine. It was refreshing to see new faces, Sarah had even been asked out a few times. And she had said yes - at least twice by now. But those had proven to run into dead ends really quick. Whether it turned out they were already in a relationship, just looking for a fling, or plainly were just uninteresting. But new faces turned up all the time, sometimes from people being on vacation or traveling for work.

Sarah had recently turned twentyfive. It had been a few months since she had moved in here. A certain blonde monarch often wasn't far from her mind. She was still hoping he would contact her. She had tried calling him a few times, but he had never responded. Ever so slowly, she had come to terms with it that he simply wasn't interested in talking to her. The girl tried to forget about it, but her dreams and love for fantasy continued to haunt her.

Grabbing her mug, Sarah poured herself another coffee and made herself a quick sandwich. She sat down on her couch and texted Denisa if she wanted to go out tonight. She was eager for some companionship. Before she had even finished her sandwich she'd already gotten a confirmation.

The doorbell rang, folowed by a quick visit of a rather curt and grumpy delivery man. He pushed a parcel into her hands and grumbled a quick "have a nice day". Frowning, she looked at the parcel, it was from her dad. It was a small cardboard box, closed neatly with tape and string. Opening it she was greeted by a short note, letting her know that this was a parcel delivered for her and her father had forwarded it.

Walking back to the living room, she looked at the leather bound book which was neatly wrapped inside. It was a dark and deep blue, a color somehow more vivid and rich than she had ever seen. The front and the back were blank and as she flipped open the book at random, it was completely empty.

The girl wandered to her studio, not recalling she had ordered a sketchbook. Her thumb touched the lightly textured pages. It almost felt like recycled paper. Flipping to the front she saw a drawing of an owl, highly detailed and adorned by a beautifully drawn border on the edges of the page.

Suddenly it clicked. This was Jareth's sign. But what was she to do with some blank notebook? Perhaps he had attempted to visit her, but found her room empty. She didn't leave a note or anything of the like, to let him know her new address. She didn't even know if an address would even be any use to him.

As she flicked to the second page, something fell out, and reflexively she grasped for it, catching it between her fingers. She looked at it. It was a small chain. Putting the book on her desk, she opened her fist and was greeted by a small pendant. It was a tiny glass ball, no larger than a pea. Holding it up to the light, it winked at her. It seemed so delicate and fragile.

The girl took the chain in between her forefingers, looking at the necklace. She wasn't very big on necklaces, but this one was oddly beautiful. Carefully she put it on, where it came to rest just below the hollow of her neck. A strange brief tingle prickled across the skin by her chest.

It had magic?

Perhaps, Jareth had somehow gifted her with some magic of her own? Did magic even work like that?

Sitting down, she flipped the book open again, the owl staring at her from the page. Maybe he gave this to her as a sketchbook for her drawings. But with the beautiful piece of art on the first page, Sarah felt a little insecure. She didn't want to do the owl drawing injustice.

For now, Sarah closed the book and got up to clean her dishes and proceed with the day.

—-

Keys rattled in the door, fumbling a little bit before the door opened.

Sarah walked inside, immediately kicking off her shoes while she hummed one of the songs she'd heard in the club. As she took off her purse, it lightly snagged on the necklace. She'd almost forgotten it was there. With a yawn, she put on the night lock on the front door before she went to get a quick glass of water in the kitchen. Within the comfort of her own home, she slightly adjusted the front of her dress. While she loved this dress, it had a weird way of messing with her bra. After greedily gulping down the glass of water, she decided to go to bed.

Walking into her bathroom, she reveled in the feeling of the soft bathroom carpet underneath her sore feet. Looking into the mirror, the girl smiled again at the necklace. While she was very careful with it, she felt hesitant to take it off for the night.

After grabbing her toothbrush and adding some toothpaste she padded over to her living room, where the moonlight streamed in from the window.

Suddenly, there was a strange jolt in the necklace. Instinctively she brushed at the strange sting on her skin. The orb jolted again as she touched it. "What the…" Sarah mumbled with her toothbrush in one side of her mouth. Once she closed her hand around it, it dulled to a gentle hum, a soft vibration.

Frowning, Sarah felt compelled to check on the notebook, and walked over to her studio. Flicking on a desk light, she sat behind her desk and opened the book. The owl stared at her blankly. Turning another page, she felt her heart leap.

"Sarah?"

There was her name, in the notebook, in beautiful slanted calligraphy. While Sarah had walked into her apartment a little buzzed, she suddenly felt wide awake and crystal clear.

That definitely hadn't been there before.

She grabbed a pen, wiping a little bit of toothpaste from the corner of her mouth. She halted. After a brief hesitation, she drew a curt question mark. After a second or two, the ink vanished and the question mark disappeared. The woman jumped up, her chair rolling back and into one of her cabinets. She spluttered as she accidentally inhaled a little bit of toothpaste and hurried to the kitchen counter to spit out the contents in her mouth. Hurrying back, she left her toothbrush on the counter.

"I see my gift has finally reached you."

She stared at the sentence, now displayed right below her name. Grabbing a hold of the pen again, she wrote back "Jareth?".

"I am here."

The girl felt a strange thrill run through her body, giving her goosebumps and causing a flutter in her stomach. Grabbing her chair, she sat back down and leaned over the notebook. "It's been so long." Just like before, the text faded out shortly after she had finished writing.

"My apologies, I have been busy."

"Do you want to come over?"

"I cannot visit right now. I noticed you have moved. I trust you are well?"

"Yes, I am doing fine. I am really happy to hear from you. You have such beautiful handwriting. I feel a little embarrassed by my childlike penmanship."

"Don't feel embarrassed, I can read it. Barely."

Sarah blushed, slightly tightening the grip on her pen. "Rude." The text vanished and the next few minutes, the paper remained blank. "Thank you for your gifts. The necklace is beautiful."

"You are quite welcome. The necklace will notify you when I have attempted to contact you. It should be near indestructible, so you can keep it on if you so wish. This notebook will serve as a tool for correspondence while I am incapable of visiting."

"This does feel a little strange. You can visit if you like. You know, as friends." Jokingly, she dotted the "i" with a little heart. The page remained blank for a while and Sarah grew a little impatient. Had he just up and left already? "Are you still there?"

"Regrettably."

The girl grinned and got up, taking the book and pen with her. She quickly turned off the lights and went to her bedroom, flopping down on the bed onto her stomach and resting her chest on the pillow. Turning on the lamp on the nightstand, she settled in.

"Do drawings work in this as well?"

"Yes."

Sarah started scribbling a little bit, a quick doodle of her new apartment. Somewhat childishly, she added arrows to certain parts and wrote to indicate what certain items were, such as her bookcase where she stored Labyrinth. After a few minutes of doodling, she stopped and slowly the ink bled into the texture of the paper, disappearing.

Sarah waited for a while, twirling the pen in her hand impatiently while the page remained blank. After about ten minutes, ink started appearing on the page. It flowed on the texture of the paper almost like thinned ink. Her stomach flipped in excitement as she started taking in the drawing. He illustrated a large room, every visible wall covered from head to toe in bookcases. There was a seating area at one end and near to the viewer's perspective was a desk. It was neat, save from a few rolls of paper, an inkwell, a lit candle, a small statuette of a bird and a pair of discarded gloves. While she was taking it in, suddenly there was an addition to the drawing. A plate of food, with an elegant arrow pointing at it with the word "cold".

She giggled and flipped the page. "What a beautiful room." She flicked back to the page, looking at it one more time. The discarded gloves on the desk filled her with a strange sense of curiosity.

"I have to go."

Her face fell. She'd hoped that maybe he'd draw her more, or at least talk for a bit longer. "Five more minutes?" The girl tried. She waited for a while, but there was no reply.

With a huff, she closed the book and put it on her nightstand. Staring at the ceiling, she wondered what he'd be up to while they weren't talking. Putting one arm on her forehead, giving herself a moment to relax, she noticed something in her peripheral vision. Turning her arm and holding it in front of her face, she saw a phone number. Licking her thumb, she rubbed the skin, only a small part of the ink came off. Shrugging, she turned off the nightlight, crawled under the covers and closed her eyes.

The next morning, Sarah woke up a little groggy. Looking to her nightstand she spotted the notebook and pen. Her hand gently touched the orb of the necklace she was still wearing. Somehow, it was still positioned perfectly. At the very least the girl had expected that it had shifted to the side overnight. Regardless, there was no jolt, no hum and seemingly no sign of Jareth. Checking the notebook, no new writings had been added to the notebook. A little saddened, she grabbed the pen, writing a quick "good morning" before she went to take a shower.

—-

Sarah felt her necklace give off a gentle tingle, balancing her groceries in her arms. Eagerly, she put them down and walked to her studio. It had been about two weeks since her last contact with Jareth. Flipping open the book she checked the latest page and found herself a little surprised.

"Are you available for company?"

Her heart sped up when she gazed around the apartment. It was a bit messy. Looking down again, her heart sank.

"I'll be there shortly."

She quickly cleaned up her desk, opening the curtains. She walked to the kitchen but spotted a pair of heels under the coffee table. She quickly sat down on her knees and fished for them.

"Sarah?"

The woman jumped, her head knocking violently against the coffee table as she scrambled to get up. She breathed a soft and pained "ouch" while rubbing the back of her head. Tears lightly welled in her eyes. She turned to the origin of the voice, putting on a weak smile that likely looked more like a grimace. "Your Majesty…"

He was standing near the kitchen, looking a little worried. He was wearing an outfit much like he'd worn in her adventure in the Labyrinth. A deep cut poet shirt, a leather jacket and the rather inappropriate tights with leather boots. The man frowned a little, approaching her. "I'm terribly sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"That's okay. I was just trying to clean up a little before I got a surprise royal visit."

"Here, let me look at that." He offered apologetically, reaching out to her head. Hesitantly, Sarah kept still, bowing her head a little bit while flicking her eyes awkwardly between him and the floor. His hand gently tilted her head a little further and inspected the sore spot. Carefully he brushed her hair aside a little, not missing the faint shiver she got as he did so.

"I can somewhat confidently say that you will live." He stated as he took a step back from her. "At least for now. You can never be sure with you mortal folk."

The girl rolled her eyes, touching the spot one more time before letting out a sigh. While trying to calm her racing heart, she cleared her throat, looking up at him. His face was blank, patient. She was happy to see him again. His hair had grown longer since the first time she had met him after her adventure, now reaching his shoulders quite easily. Looking into his mismatched eyes, he held that same intensity. It was so strange how Jareth simply looking at her was already hypnotizing.

A sharp toothed grin slowly spread on his features and he leaned a little closer. "Like what you see?"

Sarah blushed and frowned defensively. Giving up on cleaning she walked past him and back to the groceries. "So what got you so eager to visit all of a sudden?" Sarah asked while cleaning up her shopping.

The Goblin King followed her to her little kitchen, watching her as she put away various food items. "I just needed a change of scenery." He watched her trying to place a bottle high up in a cabinet and he pried it from her fingers, easily sliding it in the cupboard. She mumbled a quick thank you while she squirmed out from between the kitchen counter and himself to put away what looked like cooking oil. "I hope I'm not intruding?"

"No, it's fine. I was just a little surprised."

"I noticed when I arrived and you were trying to disappear under a glass coffee table." He teased.

"I was cleaning!"

The Goblin King grinned at her. "Regardless of what you were doing, it did reward me with a rather fetching sight. I should visit unannounced more often." The way her cheeks turned a deep red and her lips parted in silent shock delighted him.

There was something about this girl that he enjoyed. She was different from the usual ladies of the court that he had been in contact with. Sarah wasn't afraid to push him every now and then, she wasn't so damn polite and delicate like others. He didn't mind her jabbing at him and her lack of social awareness. He didn't even mind her childlike righteousness every now and then. Besides, she actually had a life of her own. The other women he spoke with practically lived to serve and please men. They made for terrible conversation companions.

He frowned then, turning from her and walking a little bit into the living room, hands on his hips. "Now, do tell me… How do you live in such a pigsty?"

Sarah let out a shocked yelp and grabbed a nearby sponge, throwing it to his back.

Infuriatingly, he turned around in time to catch it, grinning at her with a smug smile.

Taking a slightly over dramatic breath she offered him a small smile. "So, as you so kindly poofed into my apartment out of the blue, you caught me in the middle of my daily routine of preparing dinner. Would Your Majesty like to join me?" She gave him a slightly mocking curtsey.

"Actually, I think I will." He tossed the sponge back at her, which she caught with both hands.

"Good." She put it back on the kitchen counter and walked over to the living room. "In that case, let's order some pizza."

"I'm not sure what that is but you seem determined to do so." He observed, following her to the living room and making himself comfortable on the couch while she made a call.

Sarah tossed her phone onto the couch and went over to get a drink. "Do you want anything to drink? I have some soda, juice, I think I have a bottle of wine, milk, water…" she trailed off.

"I could do with a glass of wine."

After pouring two glasses she walked back to Jareth and handed him one. He politely thanked her and she sat down at the other end of the couch, curling up her legs. "So, I've been meaning to ask," she started. "How are things in the Labyrinth? Or uh… your realm."

Sarah didn't miss his expression hardening slightly. The somewhat sizable swig he took from the wine didn't go unnoticed either. "More political troubles than I had hoped to come across in this millenium." Jareth looked at her and saw her face fall and turn worried. "I can't be talking to young brats all day unfortunately." He added jokingly, giving her a wink.

The girl watched him looking out the window when rain started tapping against it. "How about you?" He turned back to her, putting one leg up to rest his ankle on his knee.

"Me?"

"Yeah. How are you doing?"

Jareth took a contemplative sip of his wine looking back outside. "It's been quite a while since someone has asked me that." He chuckled. "I am well. Well enough under the circumstances. Definitely a lot better than many others in my environment."

His eyes glazed over a little as his mind seemed to wander. "Is there anything I can do for you," Sarah offered.

"I appreciate the gesture, but no, there is not. But I have been through many hardships, this is nothing I can't handle." Jareth looked around the apartment. "Your apartment is rather cozy."

Sarah chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"It's nice. And more spacious than your drawing. Less arrows, too." Sarah giggled at that. "You seem happier here," he noted.

The girl nodded. "I am. It's good to have a change of scenery, I really needed one. Besides, I now actually have a fr-" she froze midway through the word and looked at Jareth, knowing he didn't like that word.

He chuckled at that. "It's good to hear. Not everyone has a fr-" he mockingly stopped midway through the word.

She was trying to find a response to get back at him but then thought of something. "Do you have any?"

The Goblin King swirled the last few drops in his glass, looking at it in a moment of silence. "I used to. One of them was Theoddore." She looked at him silently, waiting for him to continue. "He died while we were still young. Very young. From a very early age he worked at my family's stables. His family was incredibly poor, so I often stole food out of the kitchens for him and his family. My mother pretended not to know, my father made sure that I knew he did."

"How did he die?" Sarah asked sadly, her heart aching at the thought of a young boy, forced to work for his family, possibly not having much of a childhood and never having a future.

Jareth twisted the stem of the wine glass in his fingers back and forth, the cup swaying. He seemed nervous. "He died working in my family's stables. My family has a long line of royal horses, a unique breed. Warhorses, basically. They are fierce, fearless and incredibly strong. In battle, they're known for being vile and aggressive, not hesitating to take a bite out of whoever is in front of them. Regardless if it's a foe or the hand that feeds them." He glanced at her, seeing her eyes wide with horror. "Theoddore was trampled by them."

Sarah leaned over to gently take his hand, squeezing softly. "I'm so sorry… That's so awful…"

He turned his hand to hold hers, looking at their joined hands and squeezing back gently. "Thank you," he let go of her hand and put the glass down. "I wish I could say that after the incident, the breed was eradicated. But my father valued an upper hand in battle more than the life of a child. Or whichever innocent soul was inevitably next." He sighed.

"Does your family still breed them now?"

He nodded with a slight frown. "Yes. Specifically me." Jareth looked at her, a sad and confused expression on her face. "I know that they resulted in a fatal tragedy for someone that I deeply cared for. I am aware that something like it could happen again. But I cannot deny that the breed makes for a powerful tool. They have incredible stamina, very little and very minor defects, not to mention the mere sight of them is intimidating. As king, it is a precious source of intimidation and power that I simply can't ignore." He shook his head, chasing dark memories from his mind.

The doorbell rang and Sarah jolted. She'd almost forgotten that she'd ordered pizza. "Excuse me for one moment." When she returned, she put two boxes on the table, not missing the curious gaze Jareth was giving them. She retrieved the wine bottle from the kitchen and walked back. "Can I pour you another one?"

"Most certainly, thank you."

Sarah poured them both another glass, leaving the bottle on the table. She went to wash her hands before dinner and beckoned him over with a tilt of her head. The Goblin King gracefully rose from the couch and made his way over to her. "Wash your hands. You eat pizza with them," she added while grabbing a towel.

Jareth briefly hesitated, looking at the tab and back at Sarah, before he somewhat cautiously and slowly peeled off his gloves. At that moment Sarah remembered that she hadn't seen him without them.

Putting the towel down on the counter, she went to walk behind him once she noticed he seemed to feel a little hesitant to take them off. He turned to the sink and put his gloves on the countertop, turning on the tab and quietly washing his hands. The girl couldn't help but peek around. She wasn't sure why, but she was very curious. Which was strange. She'd never been interested in anyone's hands.

They were pale and smooth, with long and elegant fingers. It almost looked like he came from a fresh manicure. His hands moved delicately, like he was handling the finest silk. On the back of his hands were white lined tattoos. The drawings consisted of beautiful patterning that looked like curled branches, trailing in between his forefinger and middle finger. It reminded her of fine gloves, yet it still looked masculine.

He turned off the tab and dried his hands with the towel she had left. Sarah briefly noticed he reflexively reached for the gloves, but halted. Pulling his hand back, he went to turn around and Sarah quickly turned to the window, pretending she'd been waiting patiently. "Let's eat," she said smiling, heading over to the table. She sat down and opened the boxes, chuckling at his almost childlike curiosity. "I got us one pepperoni pizza and one vegetarian pizza. Feel free to try at your leisure."

Jareth followed her lead as she scooped up a slice in her hand and took a bite. He let out an approving moan and leaned back a little, holding one hand under the slice in case he spilled. "I don't normally eat with my hands, but I will make an exception for this."

Sarah chuckled. They fell into an easy silence, enjoying the meal. On occasion, Sarah glanced at his hands again, but tried her best not to make it too obvious. When he was done, he leaned back on the couch. He kept his hands close to himself and tucked away. Sarah had noticed. She wiped her hand and mouth with a napkin and sat back as well. "If you want, you can put your gloves back on," she offered.

He contemplated that for a second, but remained seated. "Thank you. I'm just not used to not wearing them around others. It takes a little getting used to."

The girl shrugged, taking a sip from her wine. "I don't mind, as long as you're comfortable." She saw him slowly relax, his hands still slightly hidden. "If I may ask, why do you always wear gloves? Is it a cultural thing?"

Jareth lifted one hand to trace circles on the back of the other, looking down at them. "It is expected of royalty, but it is mostly a habit and preference. I like to keep physical distance from others in whichever way I can."

She could still sense he was a little on edge about not having them on and retrieved them from the kitchen, putting them on the couch next to him. "Well, I appreciate that you feel comfortable enough to take them off near me." He took the gloves, freezing before slowly slipping them back on. "The symbols on your hands are very pretty, by the way. Are they linked to your magic?"

"That is a good question," he stated. "But no, they are not. They are purely decorative."

"Well," Sarah grabbed her glass and pointed it to him. "Can I pour you another?"

Jareth pursed his lips. "Actually, can I introduce you to my favorite liquor?"

The girl tilted her head curiously, putting the glass down. "I… uh… I don't really have anything else on hand right now, so I doubt I have your favorite."

Jareth grinned widely. With a flourish of his hand an ornate bottle appeared in his grasp. He watched her eyes grow wide.

Sarah let out an excited "wow", then pointed at the bottle. "I have seen my dad's collection, and that's definitely the stronger stuff."

The Goblin King handed her the bottle, which she took carefully.

The crystalline bottle was adorned by a pattern that reminded her of a pineapple. It was definitely smaller than a wine bottle, but it wasn't that small. It was a little over half full and the contents looked rose gold. It was only barely see-through. The neck of the bottle was decorated by a leather strap, fastened by an ornate button with a little bit of silk under it. She tilted her head at it. "You know," she muttered. "This bottle even dresses like you." Jareth laughed. Sarah handed him the bottle back. "Sure, I'll try anything at least once."

He grinned playfully. "I'll be sure to remember that." The girl narrowed her hazel eyes at him. With another flick of his wrist he summoned two glasses, each with a small twig of mint and some ice cubes in one of them. Putting the glasses down, he poured each of them a modest glass of it and handed her the one with ice.

The woman smelled the drink curiously, her gaze flicking left and right in thought, a small frown on her face. When it clicked, she narrowed her eyes, her gaze shifting to the man. "This isn't spiked… right?"

Jareth rolled his eyes, grabbing his drink and lazily sinking back into the couch. "Yes, it's peach and no, it's not spiked."

"Why did I get ice and you didn't?"

He chuckled. "Because with the stronger drinks, ice will ease it down a little bit for you." He swirled the drink for a few seconds, before he took a small sip.

Hesitantly, Sarah sniffed again, then put her lips on the edge of the glass. She took the smallest sip of the drink, leaving it in her mouth for a small second before swallowing, lowering the glass to her lap. Suddenly she burst out coughing, her eyes tearing up a little bit. "Holy shit," she whimpered hoarsely. The Goblin King chuckled, at which she gave him an annoyed glance.

He watched her with a wide and slightly mocking grin as she suppressed further coughing, a concentrated frown on her face. Once the coughing died down, she suddenly got a determined little glint in her eye and took another, slightly larger sip. He raised one eyebrow and silently observed when she coughed again.

"It's not so bad." She croaked, clearing her throat. The man was patiently but eagerly waiting for what would happen next. She slowly pursed her lips. Taking another small sip, this time without coughing, she smacked her lips for a second, before settling deeper into the couch. "Actually, I think I like it." She reached out the glass to him. "Hit me again."

"Sarah, you might want to take it a little easy on this. It is pretty strong."

She raised her eyebrows at him stubbornly. "Well, I am a grown ass woman and I'm telling you to hit me again."

Jareth frowned at her. "Did you just say 'grown ass woman'? What does that even mean?"

The girl lifted up the glass a bit and lowered it with every other word insistently. "It means I want some more." He didn't seem impressed and she batted her eyelashes at him, giving him puppy dog eyes. "Please?"

Rolling his eyes, he indulged her and poured her a little bit more. Feeling relaxed for the first time in a while, he made himself comfortable on the couch. He took a sip of the drink and looked at the window while a flash of lightning tore through the night sky. A low rumble followed soon after, resonating throughout his body.

Sarah studied him for a moment. He seemed tired. The intensity she'd seen in his eyes seemed dampened. Hhis eyelids even seemed a little heavier. "I love thunder," Sarah said quietly. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

Jareth had heard of movies before, on occasion he had seen small bits of them. "Yes, why not."

Sarah put her drink down and moved to the TV, rummaging through some small boxes before putting one in the machine and turning on the TV. Walking to the kitchen, she grabbed some chips and settled down on the couch next to him again. Opening the bag, she offered him some, which he took curiously.

After tasting one, he made a dissatisfied sound. "That is vile." He muttered.

Sarah shrugged. "Okay, more for me."

They turned their attention to the movie and settled into a comfortable silence. After about ten minutes or so, Jareth moved to remove his leather jacket, sinking back into the pillows in an almost boneless manner. Throughout the movie, they occasionally shifted and every now and then, Jareth would offer her a small amount of his peach drink again.

Roughly halfway throughout the movie, Sarah was sitting with her legs pulled up and a pillow on her lap. She definitely felt drunk. Her cheeks were flushed and she felt relaxed and oddly serene, maybe even kind of numb. She'd put her glass to the side, opting to not drink any more.

Jareth had made himself comfortable, nestling in the corner of the couch and his legs stretched over the lounger, neatly keeping his boots off of the couch itself. However, Sarah often opted to ball up, rather than stretch out. Cuddling up to herself made her comfortable.

"Are you liking the movie so far?" She asked quietly. When he didn't respond, she looked over at him.

He'd fallen asleep. His head was tilted back and to the side, facing her. His breath was steady, his chest slowly rising and falling. Over the sound of the movie, she could only barely hear his soft inhales and exhales. His usual sharp features, while still angular, had softened. In her cozy living room lighting, he looked so… normal. Though Sarah had to admit that his completely flawless skin was anything but normal. As a matter of fact, it was mildly annoying. His pale blonde hair looked so soft that she was tempted to touch it. His thin lips rested in an even and straight line.

Her already pink cheeks darkened a little bit as she shyly looked down further, down his long bared neck to his chest. He wasn't as strongly defined as the male Adonis she'd often seen in commercials but he was definitely in a pretty healthy shape. His chest was almost oddly pristine, like alabaster. The amulet he always seemed to be wearing was resting on his chest. Like always and seemingly regardless of the light or lack thereof, the amulet had a little shimmer to it. Unfurling from the couch she leaned in a little closer to look at the amulet. His strange scent of rain, sandalwood and what seemed to be peaches subtly drifting towards her. There was also a lingering smell of alcohol.

She wasn't sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but she could have sworn that the distant flash of lightning briefly lit up the center of the amulet. Blinking, the girl tilted her head and leaned a little closer. Almost completely subconsciously, her hand reached out to touch the small circular detail of the strange item. Her fingers brushed against the metallic center. It felt like she wasn't touching anything at all.

Suddenly a sharp and strange sensation shot through her arm, not unlike electricity. Her necklace almost aggressively vibrated against her chest and a weird sense of adrenaline worked up along her spine.

Jareth gasped for breath, instantly awake and jolting up. Reflexively, he grasped her wrist firmly.

Sarah was instantly snapped out of her curiosity and buzzed relaxation. Suddenly Jareth's face was right in front of hers, his eyes wide and completely black. His lips were parted slightly, his quickened breath slightly tickling her chin. He seemed to be in a strange daze, not aware of his surroundings.

"J-Jareth?" She squeaked carefully. Looking into the inky depths, a slow dread worked up along her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

Swallowing heavily, his eyes fluttered and returned back to his mismatched gaze. It took a few seconds, after which he seemed to return to the here-and-now. Suddenly, he seemed aware of their current position. He quickly let go of her wrist, the white imprints of his grasp slowly fading on her skin. The man scooted back on the couch a little bit. Still with a strange sense of urgency, he ripped one of his gloves off and splayed his fingers over the amulet on his chest. After that, he calmed his breathing.

Quietly he put his glove back on, not missing her watching his every move. "Sarah," he said a little hoarsely. He cleared his throat. "I apologize, I didn't mean to manhandle you like that."

The woman was wearing a small frown of concern. She wanted to touch his arm, but frankly, she was a little afraid to touch him after what just happened. "Jareth, are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine, I assure you," he stated. Looking around for the bottle of liquor he quickly poured himself a drink and downed it in one swoop, a brief grimace on his face.

"You don't look okay…" She pressed. "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to…" Her apology faded into silence.

Jareth looked at her arm. "You're not hurt, are you?"

Looking at her arm, she shook her head. "No, no, I'm fine. Really. Are… are you hurt?"

The Goblin King put the bottle and the glass on the table, shaking his head. "Not at all. You just… caught me off guard, is all." He looked at her, her face still full of worry.

"What just happened, Jareth?"

Looking at her, he sighed as he put the glass on the table. "It's just a little bit of magic. A protective ward of sorts. Don't worry about it."

"I am sorry… I didn't mean to cross a boundary like this. I always feel this strange attraction to your amulet." She rubbed her arm, looking down at it. "My arm is still a little tingly from it. Should I be concerned?"

"No, magic like what you just felt is not harmful. Malicious intent has to be infused into it, to put it simply. From a conscious mind."

The girl settled back against the couch. "Does that mean that by nature, magic is benevolent?"

"Magic by nature is energy, it is neutral."

"What would happen to someone inexperienced wielding magic?"

Jareth pursed his lips. "That fully depends on how the wielder gained access to the magic. If the magic is shared from another party, with the control of the other, it cannot do much harm. A mild headache at worst. If it is absorbed or gained without any party involved, it can go anywhere from being drugging and pleasant to instantly killing you."

"Technically… You didn't influence what just happened… Any chance whatever just happened could result in something bad later?"

The Goblin King chuckled, touching the amulet on his chest. "No, the amount of magic gotten by a simple touch of my necklace is not nearly enough to cause you any serious harm."

Sarah nodded, smiling a little. "It kind of hurt at first, but now it's almost like a warm blanket."

He nodded. "That is not an unlikely feeling, coming from my pendant. Magic itself ironically cannot do wonders. True healing magic is very rare. But a mild sense of relief is definitely possible. I sometimes use it during stressful times."

The woman scoffed. "All the more reason to like magic. All we have here are comfort foods, spas and for some people, alcohol." She pointed to the bottle Jareth brought. "Two out of three do more harm than good."

"You've been stressed?" Jareth looked at the wry smile spreading on her lips as she glanced at her studio.

"Yeah. We have a difficult customer at work. Nothing I make is good enough for them, but they refuse to take their business elsewhere. I must've already made over fifty illustrations by now, which have all been refused. And the deadline for the needed ten illustrations is next week."

"May I?"

Sarah looked back at him as he held out his hand. Her eyes flicked down, then back up at his face. He raised his eyebrows in a questioning encouragement. Hesitantly, she offered him her hand, not even sure if that was what he was asking for.

He brought his other hand up to his face, and Sarah watched closely as he closed his teeth around the fingertip of his glove and slid off the leather object. The woman blushed, which luckily he didn't seem to notice as he looked at her hand still. "Take a calming breath," he ordered as he looked up at her. With her heart racing, Sarah tried her best to relax, breathing deeply. "Close your eyes." His command was gentle, lulling her more into relaxation.

As she closed her eyes, the feeling of her cheeks burning intensified. Slowly, she started to relax. His low voice was quietly telling her when to breathe in and when to breathe out. His hand disappeared, her hand resting on the couch. A second later, he took her other hand and placed it next to the other. For a moment she sat there. Then, she could feel warmth touch her hands that was not quite like a hand's touch. Then, his fingers slowly traced up the length of her fingers and into her palms, his thumbs tracing the side of her hands. As he lifted their hands up, he shifted, his nails briefly grazing her palm before moving over her pulse until her palms rested on his, their fingers by each other's wrists.

A gentle ebb of what she could only call energy drifted into her skin, like the warmth of a hot drink in winter. It slowly drifted up her arms, into her neck and down into her chest. There, it spread all through her body, making her muscles relax. Feeling herself grow a little bit dizzy, she opened her eyes so she could find her balance. Jareth had been looking down at their hands but looked up at her when her eyes opened, as if he'd sensed it.

She looked into his eyes quietly, while the calming sensation seeped into every muscle, every pore. His eyes were intense as always, now a strange power brimming in those mismatched depths. He held perfectly still, not speaking or moving. It almost seemed like he wasn't even breathing. Slowly, the relaxing feeling started evening out, remaining present in her body like warm rays of sunlight into her very being.

Sarah let out a deep sigh. "Wow…" She wasn't sure what to do. "Thank you… that felt so… good."

His trademark grin spread on his face again. "You're not the first woman to tell me that."

Sarah rolled her eyes at his innuendo. She slightly flexed her fingers to test the muscles. As her fingers briefly touched his inner wrists he retreated and quickly put the gloves back on. Clearing his throat, he shifted back a little bit and looked outside. "I should probably go, it's getting rather late." When he rose from the couch, she got up as well. "My thanks for being a gracious host this evening."

She smiled up at him. "Of course. Next time, please let me know at least an hour beforehand, so I can make sure you don't catch me huddled under my coffee table again."

Jareth chuckled. "I will."

"If you want to talk or anything… About anything, let me know." She offered, at which he nodded, slightly avoiding her gaze. "Good luck with whatever you're going through. I can tell it is bothering you." He gave her a quiet "thank you" and she offered him a kind smile. "Now give me a hug, it's the least I can do for you."

Jareth looked at her then, frowning a little. Ignoring his hesitance, she wrapped her arms around him. At first, he stiffened, but after a few seconds he relaxed in her hold and wrapped his arms around her. Closing his eyes, he let himself relax further.

"Is that one of your crystals or are you just happy to see me?"

He pressed his lips together at her teasing comment. She must've been dying to say that. "One could say those are to be used synonymously." He smiled when her body lightly shook against him as she giggled.

She let him go and smiled up at him. "Goodnight, Jareth."

"Good night, Sarah." He said softly. Sarah blinked, and the man was gone. She let out a little sigh, after which she started turning off the lights so she could head to bed.

Chapter 6: Chapter 6

The sun was low on a Friday evening. At her desk, Sarah was still working, carefully watercoloring a drawing. Her hand steadily moved across the paper, spreading the soft green on her illustration. Absent-mindedly she blew a strand of hair out of her face, washing the brush, when she felt a tingle on her chest.

Jareth and Sarah chatted at least once every week for a while now. They'd met up a handful of times, in which they normally spent time in her apartment. Jareth had taken a liking to watching movies and had enjoyed her cooking for him on occasion. In that regard he was definitely a bit of a spoiled brat. Not offering to help. At most, he would hang around her kitchen to talk and look at what she was doing. Sometimes he pointed out that water was boiling, the timer on the oven was going off or other obvious signals. Signals that Sarah would have responded to anyway, if Jareth hadn't instantly pointed it out before she could even turn to the matter at hand.

Looking at the clock, Sarah decided to call it a day and dried the brush, leaving it on the desk for next week. From her drawer she grabbed the notebook and flipped it open.

"Good evening, Sarah."

"Hey Jareth, what's up?"

"I considered imposing on you again. Would you fancy a visit?"

"Sure, are you up for grabbing a bite outdoors? My treat. I just finished work and can be ready to go in fifteen minutes."

"Sounds lovely, I haven't eaten all day."

"If I can persuade you to wear some mortal fashion, that would be lovely."

"I am used to a dress code with more style, but since you are providing dinner, I will indulge."

"How generous. See you in a few."

Getting up, Sarah stretched and finished her glass of water before heading to her bedroom. Changing into a dress, she put on her heels and moved to the bathroom to put on some make-up. As she grabbed her purse she could sense a shift in the air. Moving to the living room she spotted Jareth sitting on the couch.

"Make yourself at home."

"I intend to." He looked up at her as she moved around the couch. "Do I look acceptable for your human standards?"

Sarah wasn't sure how to feel about him in more ordinary clothes. Granted, they were just that; more ordinary. He still looked aristocratic. Jeans looked strange on him, especially since they were practically still skin tight, like a lot of his other outfits. On top of that he wore a white blouse with a tan waistcoat, with dress shoes completing the outfit.

"You look almost ordinary."

"I will assume that to be a passing grade. Shall we go? I'm starving."

"Yeah, let's go." Heading out the door she grabbed her keys and bowed to him, holding out her hand to the hallway. "Your highness."

Jareth chuckled and ruffled her hair playfully, before heading down the hallway with her. "I do have to say, you look enchanting this evening, Sarah. How was work?"

"Thank you. Work was fine. I have been procrastinating, so I have a little bit of catching up to do. How about yourself?"

He sighed a little, holding the door open for her. "Endless meetings, mostly. I have set a new work day record of nineteen hours." She looked at him wide-eyed but he just shrugged. "A monarch never sleeps. Which is slowly but surely becoming a truth rather than a phrase."

"Well," Sarah started as she took his arm to lead him around a corner. "Let's just hope you don't pass out face first into your meal."

When they walked she definitely didn't miss the coquettish smiles Jareth was getting as they were walking down the street. She lived in a busy city and when night approached on Friday evenings, people looking for a good time were plentiful. Looking up at him she spotted Jareth fully appreciating every look he got, flirtatiously grinning back at them. As if he sensed her looking, he met her gaze. She put a hand on her chest. "Oh please, don't stop on my account."

The man laughed. "Not to worry, Sarah. I have plenty of attention for all of you." Sarah gagged theatrically, at which he elbowed her lightly.

"Sarah?"

Shr froze. Looking ahead she scanned the crowd. It took her a little while before she spotted a dark haired man waving at her. "Hey, Sarah!"

"Oh no…" The woman groaned before schooling her features into a pleasant smile. "Jason! How are you?"

"Good, good!" He walked up to her, completely ignoring Jareth and standing just a tad too close. "Hey look, I tried to call you, but I think you gave me the wrong number. I really enjoyed our time last week and I was hoping we could meet up. Do you maybe want to hit Club Cosmo again?"

Sarah looked up at Jareth with subtle but pleading eyes.

He stepped in pleasantly and without hesitation. "Sorry Jason, Sarah is all mine." That simple sentence had so many implications that Sarah instantly felt her cheeks burning. Jason opened his mouth to object but Jareth interjected, feigning awkwardness. "Sorry, I don't share."

Disappointed, the man's face fell and he walked away uncomfortably, quickly disappearing into the crowd. Sarah let out a relieved sigh, brushing her hair behind her ears.

"So, Jason…" The Goblin King drawled.

Defensively Sarah continued their walk. "What? I'm a grown woman. I can meet people."

"I'm dying to hear this story…" He pressed.

"Well, I'll send your family my condolences. My lips are sealed."

"They are now…"

The woman gasped and the man grinned down at her playfully, daring her to bite back. "That's so not what happened! We just hung out at a club!" His wolfish grin told her that the addition to the story did nothing to steer him away from the path that ran straight into the gutter and her cheeks flared up all over again. Raising her chin defensively, she looked ahead. "If you must now, we danced and drank a bit. And yes, we made out a little, but that's it."

"If you insist."

"I do insist!" She snapped, growing more and more uncomfortable with the subject that he clearly felt no need for dropping. "And even if more happened - I'm an adult. I bet you're not a saint either!" His smug grin that he graciously passed on to a passing woman said more than enough. "So what about you, huh? Anything you want to share with the class? When was your last fling?"

She broke away from her defensive rant when he pulled something out of his pocket. A pocket watch. He pondered it for a second before putting it back. "Thirty eight minutes and twelve seconds ago."

"Ew!" Sarah exclaimed. She side-stepped to put some distance between them but he cheerfully grabbed her hand and wrapped it around his arm.

Jareth laughed and patted her hand with playful reassurance. "I jest. Don't worry."

"Worry," she scoffed. She walked him to a large restaurant and looked up. "Here we are. The best grill restaurant in town. I figured you would be a fan of meat."

"Of many kinds." He confirmed, still playful.

Sarah rolled her eyes with a groan and practically dragged him inside. Within five minutes they were seated in a nice booth with comfortable seats and cozy lighting. After ordering some wine for the table they read through the menus. They chatted for a few minutes, gave their order to the waiter and were served their wine.

"To a verbal agreement to never discuss our dating life again." Sarah offered as a toast with their wine.

"I'm not toasting to that." He insisted. "It's too amusing to see you stumble over yourself."

"Don't leave me hanging…" She warned, lightly swinging her wine.

Sighing overly dramatically, he lightly tapped his glass against hers. "Just so you know, I don't consider this a legally binding agreement."

"Of course you don't."

"So, how is your family doing?" He asked before taking a sip of his wine.

Sarah took a small sip of her wine. "They're doing alright. My dad misses me a lot, but they're staying over for dinner tomorrow. Karen is making plans to go on holiday with the four of us."

"That sounds lovely. And how is the boy?"

"Toby?" She looked at him. So far he'd never asked specifically about him. A strange sense of protectiveness washed over her. "He's doing fine. He's a ball of energy and a menace to Karen's Mysophobia. He's turning ten years old soon."

The man smiled wistfully, looking into his wine glass. "Time passes so quickly. It only seemed a year ago that I was bouncing him on my lap."

Sarah looked at the morose expression on his face. Was the mighty Goblin King feeling a little homesick for times gone by? "Yeah, a lot has changed since then."

"A lot, indeed," he agreed. Their eyes met as he looked at her and she averted her eyes shyly.

"Speaking of family, what about yours? You've never spoken of them." The Goblin King pressed his lips together. His mood cooled and he now seemed uninterested in his wine. So much so, that he put it down on the table and lightly pushed it away from him, the contents swishing briefly. The woman looked at him with some concern. She hadn't expected this much of a reaction from that simple question. "I take it that family is a sensitive subject. Sorry, forget I asked."

"No," he insisted. "It's fine." Jareth put his forearms down on the table and laced his fingers. "My parents died many years ago. Before I became king. As a matter of fact, it feels so long ago that many memories of them have already faded."

"What were they like? You mentioned them briefly before."

He grabbed the salt shaker from one end of the table, twirling it between his fingers restlessly. "My father was a cruel man. Forceful, distant and stubborn. He was the one ruler in documented history that did not make use of advisors or political allies. For context, history has been recorded for tens of thousands of years. Towards his family, he was no different. He is known as what would be roughly translated to 'the demon of the south'. In his time he conquered twelve kingdoms in blind need for more power. Most of those kingdoms were left near desolate." Jareth took a large swig of wine, as if the mere mention of this man needed to be washed out of his mouth.

Continuing his idling with the salt shaker, he continued. "My mother wasn't an angel, but she wasn't as bad. She had a terrible temper, for one. But at least she was open to the concept of generosity. She was forced into marriage with my father. He practically abducted her and kept her prisoner until she accepted his proposal. After that she kept herself isolated, no longer talking to her family. As a mother, she was firm, strict, a bit neglectful - but she did have a little bit of a soft spot for me. Possibly because I looked nothing like my father."

Sarah took a second to take that in, thinking back of the time Jareth had told her that he stole food out of his kitchen to give to his childhood friend. A gesture that his mother may not have encouraged, but didn't punish per se.

His current transparency was intriguing. She had so many questions, but she didn't want to impose or scare him off from being so open. His face was unreadable. His eyes downcast to the table, his sharp features almost glowing in the candle light.

"What about siblings?" Sarah asked quietly, carefully. "Do you have any sisters or brothers?"

A strange mix between fear, anger and incredible sadness flashed through his eyes as he looked at her. "A brother and one sister. Currently." He tightened his fingers on the glass condiment dispenser and despite him wearing gloves she could see just how much he was clinging to it.

Carefully, she reached out and put her hand over his. His eyes followed her hand and lingered there. "It's okay, I appreciate you answering that question and I'm sorry. Let's drop the subject."

Jareth took a calming breath, before looking back up at her. As they gazed into each other's eyes, the atmosphere calmed and his expression warmed with a small smile, his eyes lowering.

Sarah jumped when the waiter announced their dishes and she quickly pulled back her hand. Jareth put the salt shaker aside and cleared his throat, thanking the waiter kindly. The woman smiled at him and gestured towards the plates. "Enjoy your meal," she offered, eagerly digging in.

The next few minutes were spent in silence. Sarah had been surprised when he took off his gloves when dinner came, placing them on his lap. His fingers elegantly twirled the fork and knife as he ate. Not once did his cutlery clink on the plate. It made her a little self-conscious when even the smallest sound was produced by her.

Why was he so damn graceful in everything that he did?

She thought back to the information he'd relented only a few minutes ago. In a way he was much like the Labyrinth. Secretive, twisted in a way, fascinating but probably dangerous… and my God, there were so many walls around him. What had he meant with "currently" when speaking of his siblings? Did something happen? Or perhaps something was about to happen. Was there a family feud going on Underground?

She guessed family matters weren't the only thing on his mind though. There was more. No family squabble would keep someone occupied for so long. Would it? If only she could prod him just a little bit more… But in her gut she felt that she had pushed him enough. Bringing on more tension, bad memories and stress certainly wasn't the way to get him to open up.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She looked up at him, interrupted from her musings. He was looking at her with a lopsided smile, twirling his fork between his fingers. Sarah opened her mouth, then closed it again as she debated whether or not to tell him. Noticing her hesitance, he poured both of them another wine. "Don't worry your pretty little head over my private matters, Sarah. The past is just that, the past. Instead of entertaining the ghosts of time gone by, I prefer to enjoy each other's company this evening."

The woman looked at him. Really looked at him, as he took a sip of his wine. There were dark circles under his eyes and his skin seemed a little more pale than usual. His demeanour exuded relaxation, yet the subtle way that he was fidgeting with his fork hinted to some possible underlying stress.

"Well," Sarah started. "I'm here for you if you want to talk. Whether it's about family matters or something else."

Jareth looked at her from across the table. He reached out to brush across the crease in her forehead. She practically froze as he touched her skin. Clearing his throat he pulled back, only realizing he wasn't wearing his gloves as he felt his fingertips tingle from the chaste touch. "I appreciate your concern for me, Sarah." Leaning back, he suppressed the urge to put his gloves back on. After briefly pressing his lips together, he schooled his features. "But as I said, the past is in the past. And I kindly ask you to refrain from bringing it up again."

She dropped her gaze to her plate, pushing around the few leftover potato wedges on it. She couldn't deny the pang of… rejection? She'd pushed him too far. Sarah might have broken down a wall or two just now, but he was rebuilding them with staggering speed. Protectively, she tucked her hand underneath the table, her long dark hair cascading down her shoulder.

Jareth realized that his request to not bring up his private matters again had hurt her. She'd clearly been worried for him. And while she talked of her private life and her problems freely, he simply didn't want to stress her out with his problems. Frankly, he was worrying enough for the both of them. The Goblin King preferred to deal with personal issues alone. He had always dealt with them alone. He wasn't about to scare her off with his affairs, or worse, have her wrestle herself into them. These concerns were so far removed from her day to day proceedings that she likely didn't even know how to deal with them.

"I trust you have enjoyed your meals? Is there anything I can get for you?"

Both startled as they looked up to the waiter at the side of their table. Sarah looked at Jareth briefly, before looking back up at the waiter. "Thanks, the food was lovely. I think we're ready for the dessert menu."

Chapter 7: Chapter 7

"Sarah, there was something I wanted to ask."

Normally, Sarah would have jumped out of her skin from the sudden voice. But over the last while, she had grown familiar with the subtle sense of him dropping into her apartment. Even when she was asleep she sensed it.

She lay on her stomach in bed and looked up at her alarm clock, which read 05:09. Dropping her head back down, she groaned. "For God's sake, Jareth. It's barely five in the morning. What do you want?"

"Can I make you breakfast?"

"Breakfast…?" The woman slightly lifted her head to see Jareth standing across the room, dressed in his signature tights and trademark white poet shirts. Rolling on her back under the covers she yawned, covering her mouth before limply dropping her arm onto the bed. "And why exactly do you have to ask me this at such an ungodly hour on a Sunday? Couldn't you have waited until like… twelve or something?"

"And sleep half the day away? Nonsense," he strode over to her windows and with a wide gesture of his arms swung open the curtains.

Nearly sobbing, Sarah covered her eyes. "We need to re-evaluate boundaries and establish visiting hours."

"Oh please, you're nearly a bigger drama queen than I am."

"Get bent."

He chuckled. "There's no time for that now. Come on, get up."

Sarah felt him grab on to the blanket and her eyes flew open. Suddenly she was wide awake. "Do not." Quickly, she tugged it from his grasp.

"Why? Do you plan to remain comatose all through the morning?"

"No," she snapped. "I'm telling you to back off because I went to bed in my birthday suit." Sarah narrowed her eyes at his ear-to-ear grin and the eager lifting of his eyebrows. "You might have noticed it is over ninety degrees here. Now get out. Make breakfast or something so I can take a shower and get dressed."

"But-"

"Out!"

Pouting, Jareth walked out of the room and down the hall.

One shower later Sarah felt moderately better. While she enjoyed him visiting, she cursed his early bird habits.

She opted to wear something light and comfortable that would keep as much of the heat at bay as possible. Putting her hair in a messy bun, she made her way out the bathroom and to the living room. The moment she walked in she could smell various foods and her stomach rejoiced in a loud roar. The Goblin King was moving about in her kitchen. "Did you… cut your hair?" The woman sounded a little more shocked than was probably justified. Her eyes had been heavy with sleep when he first barged into her bedroom, but now she definitely noticed.

His hair was shorter. Way shorter. Tapered even. His light blonde hair was cut back to a quiff in a neat and clean look. Though there were still a few stubborn strands poking out.

"I did." When she remained silent he looked up at her, a little frown on his face. "You don't like it?"

She sat down on the armrest of the couch. "It's… different. It will take some getting used to, but it does look good. You could probably go bald and still look good."

Pleased with her reply and the compliment he started setting the table.

Pushing off of the armrest and walking up to her dining table she could see Jareth puzzling with dishes to get all different plates to fit on her four-person table. "Wow… Are we expecting anyone else?"

He looked up at her. "No, why do you ask?"

"Did you make all this in that half hour I was washing up and getting dressed? This is so much food!"

Jareth chuckled and held out a chair for her, which she sat down on with a soft 'thank you'. "Technically, my kitchen staff made a lot of it. But I did make the pancakes and I cut the fruit."

Sarah looked at all the different things on the table. There was practically some of everything. There were pancakes, casserole, wraps, salad, toast, eggs, crumpets, a pot of tea and two carafes of juices. She sat there, gawking, as Jareth took a seat opposite from her.

"Do you like it?" He asked quietly, not entirely sure if she did.

"It all looks so good - like pictures out of a cookbook. Yes, I like it." She added the last in a matter-of-fact tone. "Though I stand by my earlier statement. We need to establish visiting hours."

"Of course," he muttered as he rolled his eyes. "Now, dig in."

Sarah looked around the table to determine what to try first. She briefly looked up at him. "So, just to be sure… None of this will have me passing out and dumped in a ballroom, right?" He looked at her with his lips pressed together and an annoyed look on his face. "I was just joking," she mumbled, before happily grabbing a wrap, some toast and a pancake. "I do appreciate this though, Jareth. Thank you." He smiled, puffing his chest proudly and selecting a few items himself. "So, your kitchen staff must have been shocked when you walked in," she said as she poured herself some tea.

"Indeed they were. Imagine their surprise when I asked them to lay out ingredients and fruit for me - and to not prepare it."

Sarah giggled, digging into the mountain of food. "So, they had the morning off?"

Swallowing a bite of fruit he shook his head. "No, they still had plenty of things to do." Sarah was about to ask, but before she could he nodded to the pancake on her plate. "How are the pancakes? Are they edible?"

"They're delicious," Sarah insisted kindly. "Though a little point of feedback, they might be even tastier if they're a little bit thicker."

"I will remember that, thank you." Jareth said as he poured her a glass of juice.

"They're great, though." She insisted, fearing that the instant feedback might have made him uncomfortable.

The Goblin King grinned. "It's fine, I am happy to take criticism. I am glad you enjoy them."

"This is all so good, though. Can we meet for breakfast every day? I could probably get used to getting up at five if it means I get to eat like a king every morning."

"While that sounds very tempting, we unfortunately can't. To be frank, this is the first time in a long while that I managed to sit down for breakfast without official court documents on my left and my advisors on my right." He saw her look up then, a worried expression on her face. "Oh, don't pity me, Sarah. They are simply the requirements of a king. A quiet meal is a luxury. But then again, so is a kitchen full of staff that will make whatever you like on a whim."

As they were eating, Sarah noticed he wasn't wearing his gloves again. The woman debated if she should bring it up. Somehow she felt honored. She wasn't sure if that was incredibly self-centered. Thinking back to that first time when they were having pizza, he seemed very uncomfortable without them, yet he seemed less hesitant to take them off these days.

After a little while, Sarah leaned back. She was stuffed. There was still food left, but it felt like even one more bite would cause her to explode.

Jareth was still eating, gracefully taking his time to select the food, cut it if needed and chew carefully. He must have been hungry - with his lithe form she didn't think of him as a big eater.

They remained silent, Sarah patiently waiting for him to finish while enjoying some more tea. Sometimes he paused briefly, like he was taking a break, which made her a little suspicious that he was just trying to clear the table. A little later, he leaned back, done eating. The woman kept her lips sealed, wondering what would happen next if she'd leave it up to him.

Jareth gazed out her window, either daydreaming or lost in thought. While he was looking into nothingness, Sarah took another look at his short hair. It was so… weird. Sarah wondered why he'd cut it, if there was a reason besides him simply wanting to. Possibly feeling eyes on him he looked back at her. Awkwardly, she quickly looked away.

He rose to his feet with a sigh. "Well, unfortunately, I should get going. I will leave the remainder of the food here for you to enjoy. It is possible that I might not have time to write in the next two or three weeks, so my apologies in advance."

Sarah felt a little disappointed, but she had gotten used to it by now. Before it could show on her face, she got up and stretched. "Yeah, same for me probably. I'm going on a vacation with my dad, Karen and Toby four days from now, so I need to work overtime to get everything done."

Chuckling, he walked around the table and ruffled her hair. "Good luck and have fun on your vacation." Agitated, she swatted his hand away. "We'll speak again soon."

She reached up to the tip of her toes to ruffle his hair in retaliation, but he easily kept her at bay by grabbing her wrists. Huffing, the woman rolled back on her feet. "Speak to you soon, Jareth."

He looked at her silently for a few seconds, almost if he was taking in her appearance. She blushed. "What?" Jareth leaned in closer and her eyes widened, tugging on her wrists. One of his hands let go of her wrist before reaching next to her head and grasping what looked to be a small feather.

"What the f-" Sarah spluttered as he blew it into her face and after closing her eyes only briefly, he'd vanished. Looking down at the floor there was a small tan feather that reminded her of his owl form. The king had vanished.

 

----

Sarah let out a deep contented sigh as she tossed her full, brand new but dirty duffel bag next to the front door. Kicking off her hiking shoes she walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Her vacation with her family had been so much fun.

At first, Sarah didn't believe her father when he told her to bring camping gear. So much so, that she actually hadn't and they had to kick off the vacation with a shopping spree. Robert had talked Karen into it, promising that if she joined them for this five day vacation he would take her on a luxury two week cruise next year. While Karen detested nature, filth and bugs, her hatred for it ran less deep than her love for being pampered.

The vacation had been a delightful mix between walking until her feet felt like they were going to fall off, cozy campfires with terrible singing and impromptu water fights. They had brought food with them but also caught their own fresh fish.

Speaking of, Karen had really surprised Sarah with her determination to catch her own fish like everybody else. Robert had repeatedly offered to do it for her. Especially when she'd already been trying for two hours and it was starting to get dark. When she eventually caught one she had been beyond ecstatic. Sarah had never seen Karen so… adventurous.

They had even seen a bear with a cub in the far distance, minding their own business.

Toby had been testing Robert's knowledge about camping. Asking about every leaf, rock, shrub and insect. He was so fascinated about everything. The young boy had been running around in excitement so often that every single night he fell asleep before he could even make it to the tent. Partially, that had also been because Sarah was coming too. Every single time she spoke with him he expressed how much he had missed her and how much he would miss her once they went back home.

Sarah enjoyed the silence, the fresh air, the free time… She felt simply blissful every second she didn't have to think about work. Seeing her family was just a big fat bonus.

Sighing, she stripped to take a shower. While nature was fun and all, she welcomed a shower like a starved man welcomed a fresh steak. Usually, she took brief and functional showers but now she took her time to scrub clean and simply enjoy the water. After a little while the entire room was cloudy from the warm stream. Even the shower door was completely fogged up.

"Sarah?"

"Sweet holy mother of f-" she exclaimed, startling so bad that she almost slipped in the shower.

Poking her head around the door, being very careful that nothing was showing, she looked into the bathroom. "Jareth! What are you doing here? Get out," she yelped.

"Such a warm welcome," he remarked dryly, curiously tilting his head to perhaps gain a glimpse more.

The woman quickly closed the door and stepped back from the foggy door, yelling over the sound of streaming water. "You have three seconds to get out before I do something you will regret."

"You women and your modesty," the Goblin King lamented with a deep sigh.

"One…"

"Precious, there is really nothing to be ashamed of. I could level the playing field if it makes you feel any better."

"Two!"

"Fine! But you'd better be out soon because I brought some treats. I'm planning to get drunk tonight and I'm not doing it by myself."

"What the…" She heard the door open and close and as she peeked her head around the corner. Locking the door, just in case, she quickly dried off, brushed her hair and counted her lucky stars that before she had left for vacation, she had left her bathrobe in the bathroom. The woman hurried to her bedroom and quickly threw on comfortable pajamas and a dressing gown. Deciding to deal with the laundry tomorrow she excitedly ran to the living room.

Jareth was sitting on the couch, idly juggling a crystal. Playfully she jumped over the back of the couch and landed right next to him. He jumped, dropping the crystal which shattered in a puff of glitter. "By the gods, Sarah! You scared me half to death!"

"Good, then we're even. Let's kill off the second half with a nice drink, or ten. What did you bring?"

He held up a familiar bottle. Right away she recognized it as the peach-like drink she had last time. "An old friend. I have also brought some Underground snacks." Fishing next to the couch he grabbed a fabric bag and started pulling out a few wrappings.

Curious and impatient, Sarah started unwrapping some while he was still unloading them, pulling out a lot more than seemed to fit the bag. There were little bits of meat, some cheeses, various fruits and vegetable bites and what looked rather similar to potato chips, but thicker. "Wow, nice haul." She said as she was already eyeballing what to eat first. "You seem to be popping in with food all the time these days. Not that I'm complaining."

The Goblin King chuckled when he leaned back and stretched with a groan. "By all means, get comfortable," the woman insisted with a wave of her hand. "Make yourself at home."

"Are you sure?" Jareth looked as Sarah eagerly grabbed a piece of cheese and stuffed it in her mouth, humming in confirmation. With a flick of his wrist he switched his usual garments to a comfortable pants and loose, low cut shirt, removing the gloves.

"Now then, might I pour the lovely lady and fair hostess a drink?" He said almost too eagerly as he grabbed the bottle.

"Hell yeah, let's get some peaches flowing." She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, stretching her legs out in front of her. Sarah browsed for a minute before settling on something. Muttering a quiet thanks as he offered her a glass.

"So, how was your vacation? Judging from the travel bag in the hallway I take it you haven't been back home for very long."

The woman grabbed a piece of meat. "I just got back actually. Taking a shower was the first thing I did after I got home. It was so much fun," she breathed with a happy sigh. "I already miss my family again. Even my stepmom joined in the fun. I didn't even know she was capable of being fun. We went camping down south for a few days. We hunted some of our own food, went hiking. Just being together would have been enough, but you should have seen it there. The forest was gorgeous. There was this pretty waterfall too."

"Sounds like a really successful vacation," he remarked, raising his glass in a quiet toast. "I apologize if I forced myself into your evening back."

"You didn't," Sarah insisted. "I'm happy to see you again. I did miss you," she added quietly afterwards.

Jareth grinned and playfully ruffled her hair. "No need to get emotional. I missed you too." She swatted at his hand with a frown.

The woman pulled up her legs onto the couch after she took a few different bites to snack on. "So, what were you up to? Practicing your cooking skills?" She gestured to the snacks on the table.

"No, these were made by my staff."

"Consider that another question expertly avoided," she praised sarcastically, raising her glass.

The man grabbed a few bites and took a swig of his drink. Sarah knew better than to press for more information. "So, what are we watching?"

The woman joined him with a swig of her own and leaned back onto the couch. "Who cares? We're here to get drunk, right?" Jareth grinned and threw her a sideways glance, moving his glass over to hers. They clinked their glasses together in mutual approval before he grabbed a handful of snacks.

An hour or two later, calling them drunk would have been generous. They both lay on the couch, glasses forgotten on the table as the bottle was already empty anyways. Their heads lay side by side, both of them staring at the ceiling as they talked. Or rather, slurred.

"So, your owl form, right? How does that work?" Sarah idly drummed her hands on her belly, legs pulled up with her feet resting on the seat. "Do you get, like, birdbrain?"

Jareth had one hand underneath his head, his legs swung over the armrest. The cork of the bottle twisting idly in his free hand. "What in God's name is that supposed to mean, Sarah?"

"What I mean is, do you get more… primal? Do you want to snack on mice or something? Do you still have human thoughts? Or is there just a case of feathery radio silence up there when you're in it?"

"Precious, please. This 'birdbrain' you refer to would be highly problematic. How would I ever return to my normal form?"

"So, you don't get birdbrain?"

"No, Sarah."

"Well… your owl form is pretty damn cute. You should be in it more often. You look so soft and cuddly."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Could you… change into it now?" He was silent for a second, before refusing. "Why not?!"

The Goblin King rolled his eyes. "Actually… I have never tried it before. But while being inebriated, I don't imagine it being a good idea. Do you suppose birds can get intoxicated?"

Both were silent for a second before likely imagining the scenario and bursting into laughter at the same time.

Suddenly Sarah grew more earnest. "Did you ever think that when we first met when I wished away Toby, we one day would be lying here completely wasted?"

He was silent for a second as his eyes grew distant. "No."

Sarah felt the sudden shift in his mood and fidgeted with her fingers before speaking up. "Want another drink?"

A second later Sarah heard glass clink on her table. He put down another bottle on the table. "Make it a double."

She looked at him briefly but his expression was unreadable. She grabbed the bottle. "As you wish, your majesty." The Goblin King muttered something under his breath, but Sarah didn't recognize the language. She tilted the bottle and let out a blunt curse as some of the drink missed the glass.

Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Sarah was lounging on her bed.

Well, lounging was a generous way to put it.

She lay curled up, shivering, with a box of tissues next to her bed as well as a designated bucket that was empty. For now.

As a distraction she was doodling nonsensical things. Unicorns, soda cans, bees, silly faces and cartoon-like doodles of the Goblin King to try and cheer her up. It did very little to keep her mind off of feeling miserable but it was something. She felt like she was only half conscious.

On occasion she grabbed the bottle of honey from her nightstand and squirted some into her mouth, trying to ease her sore throat. It was one of the few things she could keep down anyway.

"Should I be concerned?"

The woman gasped, reflexively hurling the notebook away from her. It wasn't until then that she realized she had been drawing in the notebook she shared with the Goblin King. That did explain why she didn't remember ever turning a page. With a clouded mind she tried to remember what exactly she'd drawn.

Groaning, she rolled onto her stomach and ducked her head under the pillow, pulling over the back of her head.

"By Gods, Sarah. It's two in the afternoon. Why are you still in bed?"

Even though the pillow muffled her hearing she could definitely hear that. Peeking from under the goose feathers she spotted Jareth lounging against the wall. Covering her eyes with the pillow again, she mumbled. "Sorry, I didn't notice I was using our notebook."

Jareth frowned at her rough voice and pushed himself away from the wall, walking over to her bedside. He then noticed the various things on and next to her nightstand. The woman felt the mattress sink next to her and peeked out again.

"Are you unwell, Sarah?"

"You could call it that. I feel like I'm a hop, skip and a jump removed from either coughing up my esophagus or puking my guts out." Jareth pulled a face, clearly not enamored with that idea.

Sarah crawled from under her pillow and sat up, her hair standing in nearly all possible directions as she gulped down her water.

"You look like a mess," he stated.

"Thanks. I love you too."

Jareth took her water bottle from her and walked out of the room. Shortly after he came back in with it refilled. She thanked him quietly. He looked at her while she shivered violently, repeatedly. Her coughs were so rough just hearing them made his throat feel sore. She let herself fall back on her bed. The blonde conjured up a damp cloth and quietly caressed her face with it. Mouthing what looked to be lyrics to a song she leaned into it blissfully. "Is there anything I can do for you? I am a bit worried," Jareth muttered seeing her wince and shiver.

"It's just a bad flu," she whispered, sparing her voice as much as she could.

"Have you eaten?"

"Yesterday morning. I can't keep anything down."

He frowned and dismissed the cloth. "I can help lessen those shivers and maybe have you keep some food down. But it will require a decent amount of physical contact."

"Anything that will help," she trailed off.

Jareth got up after removing his shoes. He tugged her in an upright position and put her pillow aside. Sitting down by her headboard he guided her back against him. "Pervert," she muttered softly. He chuckled. She didn't seem to care though because she followed his instruction to sit in between his legs without hesitation.

She settled back against him and he could feel her tremble. Tugging off his gloves and pulling up his sleeves he took a deep breath. Wrapping around her frame, he enveloped her in his warmth.

Sarah enjoyed it with closed eyes. He muttered something in a foreign language. It repeated evenly. The low baritone mantra in her ear was oddly calming. Another shiver scattered across her skin.

After what could have been minutes or hours she slowly started to feel his warmth increase. Jareth was still chanting. What she felt next she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was almost like every muscle in her body vibrated. Tingled pleasantly. It felt like a frequency drowning out the shivers.

Which seemed to be exactly what it did because for the first time in two days her body was still. Minutes passed and no more shivers wrecked through her body. All throughout Jareth kept chanting. Opening her eyes, she looked down at his arms around her. The unusually ghostly pale skin of his arms was a stark contrast with her somewhat tanned arms. Sarah was pretty sure he wasn't this pale normally.

Her ears rang slightly when his chanting stopped. The warmth increased even more, the alien sensation presisting. She then noticed his hands were becoming sweaty. She could even see a thin sheen of sweat appear on his arms. Sarah grew a little alarmed, especially when she could feel his breath starting to get labored.

She carefully turned her head to try and look at him. Jareth was looking ahead, his eyes those haunting black pits she had seen before. His brows were furrowed in what she assumed to be concentration. A single droplet of sweat trickled down his brow.

She whispered his name but he didn't respond. Not feeling comfortable with him seemingly needing to put in this much effort to ease her sickness the woman gently moved her shoulders. His arms broke away from her like he had been straining them, falling limp by his sides. Slipping his eyes closed he took a few calming breaths, slumping back against her headboard.

When he opened his eyes again they were back to his usual conflicting blue and brown. He looked at her, still a little bit out of breath. He blew a strand of blonde hair away from his eyes, letting his head rock back against the ledge of the headboard.

"Jareth…"

"I'm fine. It was just some healing magic." The Goblin King lifted his head and rubbed his face. Sarah definitely remembered Jareth mentioning that while he could relieve stress, healing was a different thing entirely. "Yes, I know," he said with a wave of his hand. "I might have invested in some tutoring. It is still challenging, but this is good practice." Carefully he slipped from the bed and arranged her pillow for her.

Sarah felt her body drain from energy, her eyes growing incredibly heavy and she slumped back to the mattress, her head lolling to the side.

Jareth chuckled and sat down next to her. "Rest, Sarah. Take good care of yourself. I will try to visit again tomorrow." He collected her notebook and put it on her night stand. "Feel free to keep doodling, it is rather amusing. Even though a lesser king would've had your head for some of the doodles you have sent me." Putting it down on the nightstand Sarah seemed just about ready to pass out.

"I love magic," the woman breathed as her head limply rocked onto the other side.

The man chuckled and leaned down to press a kiss to her temple. Getting up he pulled the covers over her and stepped back. She had already dozed off. "Get well soon, precious thing."

Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Sarah had once wondered what it would feel like to experience a heart attack. Not that she wanted to have one, but she was a little curious. Tonight she felt she got frighteningly close.

She'd been sitting on the couch, huddled in a corner with a salad dinner. She'd just gotten back from a late day at work and had put on a movie to enjoy her easy meal with.

Then there was a loud crash right behind her.

It sounded somewhat like an explosion of glass but different. Choking on a piece of lettuce she scrambled up haphazardly, wielding a fork in defense. Another crash sounded followed by rather violent yelling. She presumed it to be cursing with the venomous tone used but didn't recognize the language. Across the room was a familiar face, pacing back and forth in her living room like some sort of caged animal.

He pulled the crystal balls rapidly out of thin air. He hurled them left and right which caused Sarah to fear for her furniture. Though any time a crystal went flying it smashed with seemingly no impact. Even when it hit the fruit bowl on her dining table it simply burst.

Sarah was reluctant to lower her 'weapon'. During their friendship she'd never felt in danger. But then she had never seen him flying off the handle like this. It was frightening. His voice was so loud and intrusive that her ears were ringing. None of his anger seemed directed at her though. As a matter of fact she wasn't even sure he knew where he was.

Sarah had no idea if she might set him off further by trying to talk him down. This new side of him made him feel rather unpredictable.

Quietly she moved over to the kitchen and boiled some water as his tirade continued. She put the cup quietly on her coffee table. Jareth had stopped chucking glass orbs, so she felt more secure moving over to him. He was still violently pacing, gesturing with his hands and ranting in the same unfamiliar language.

Awkwardly Sarah leaned back against the couch, offering him a bit more time to let off steam.

Suddenly he turned to her and instinctively she shrunk a little bit, ducking her head. He walked over to her and he wrapped his arms around her. As he held her she could feel his quickened breath and smell his earthy scent. Sarah just stood there uncomfortably, her arms pinned to her sides. His hug grew more intense, becoming constricting enough that she had trouble breathing. They were so close she could feel his heart racing against his skin.

Quietly she whispered his name and lightly twisted her shoulders. His arms loosened, then fell to his sides. The Goblin King was muttering softly, this time seemingly in several questions. He remained close to her.

Sarah was starting to get seriously concerned about the things that were going on in his world. Seeing him this emotionally unstable she wouldn't even recognize him as the same calm and collected man that had on many occasions joined her for dinner and movie nights. Right now he couldn't be further removed from the playful and rather flirtatious Jareth she knew. Silently Sarah touched his cheek. She almost recoiled when her fingers met with moisture.

Was he crying?

Leaning back and cupping his cheek she moved to look at him. His mismatched gaze rose up to meet hers, his eyes shimmering. Sarah gently brushed her fingers across his cheek. "Come here," she muttered quietly and hugged him close. Gently she cradled his head with one of her hands, her free arm wrapped around his shoulder. The man remained quiet and motionless for a long time. Despite the fact that he was a decent bit taller than her he rested his head on her shoulder. Her hand rubbed his back, his arms unmoving and draped downwards between them.

It could have been five minutes or five hours. Neither of them could tell. After the long silence Jareth was the one to break it.

"What if I made the wrong choice?" His voice was slightly hoarse and seemingly depleted of energy.

Sarah wasn't sure how to answer that. Instead, she patted his shoulder. "Come on big guy," she whispered. "Have some tea."

Jareth hollowly walked to the couch and sank down on it. Sarah sat down next to him and handed him the cup. He cradled it in his hands, staring into nothingness. The woman rubbed his back comfortingly. Vaguely she noticed that it had started raining, causing the windows to shimmer with the small droplets. Further away in the distance she could see orange and red leaves being tugged back and forth on their branches by an approaching storm.

"Sarah," he spoke softly, drawing her attention. "I do not wish to impose, but might I be so bold as to ask to stay the night?"

"Why?"

"I can't bear to be at home. Not tonight," Jareth said cryptically.

The woman felt her stomach contract. For many months now she had been determined to know what was happening in Jareth's life. With his uncharacteristic breakdown the woman didn't want to know anymore.

Something big was happening. Something distressing even the mighty and playful Goblin King. Something so upsetting that despite his status as monarch he no longer wanted to be there. Sarah didn't know what to think or what to do. She wanted to help but didn't know how. She wanted to know what was going on but at the same time she didn't. She felt scared.

"Well," Sarah sighed. "I hope you brought your toothbrush." They shared a long moment of eye contact before his eyes lowered. He took her hand, squeezing it softly.

-----

Sarah had offered Jareth to take a nice warm shower or a bath after his tea. He'd taken her up on that offer, retreating to the bathroom while Sarah cleaned up the kitchen and put the night lock on her front door.

Changing into her pajamas Sarah wondered if she should ask him what was going on. Directly this time. After he stormed into her apartment there was a case to be made that the least he could do is tell her. What made her hesitant was the fact that he seemed comfortable here. He seemed to feel safe. She didn't want to betray that trust.

"Sarah?"

"Bedroom," she called out. She turned on the nightstand lamps. As he walked in he was wearing simple but pretty and flattering deep blue satin pajamas.

"Nice pajamas, very luxurious." She held out her hand to the other side of the bed. "Get comfortable, I just need to brush my teeth and I'll be right back."

"I don't think it is appropriate for me to share a bed with you, Sarah." She'd expected him to be playful with her. Flirtatious, or at the very least suggestive. Instead, he just seemed uncomfortable.

"Well, I'm not going to let royalty crash on my couch. It's a queen sized bed, there's plenty of room."

"Are you quite sure, Sarah?" He asked reluctantly.

The woman chuckled. "So long as you keep your hands to yourself I see no reason why I wouldn't be. But we are keeping things family friendly, is that understood?"

The Goblin King couldn't help but crack a smile at her playfully stern tone. "Crystal."

With a snort she walked past him. "Now get comfortable, I'll be right back."

Jareth silently crawled under the blankets, propping the pillow up against the headboard. He briefly hesitated before peeling off his gloves and putting them on the nightstand, wringing his hands together uncomfortably. With a slow and deliberate exhale he touched his pendant. The relaxing spell on it was weak and this time did nothing to comfort him. His mind was still going a million miles an hour. No matter how much he tried to wrestle in some distance from his hauntings they sprang back in a matter of moments every time.

After Sarah walked back in he lowered his hands to his lap. The woman put a glass of water on his side of the night stand, bringing one to her own as well. She closed the door behind her and turned off the main light. Sitting down on the bed underneath the covers, there was an awkward silence. Quietly the rain trickled against the windows.

"I am very sorry for the unhinged way in which I entered your home tonight, Sarah. I wasn't thinking clearly. I hope that my sudden entrance does not jeopardize your sense of safety."

The woman looked at him. His gaze was directed outside, his thumb rubbing the back of his hand in discomfort. "Don't worry about it. You scared the shit out of me when you dropped in screaming, but I'm good." She settled back against the headboard as well. "I hope you know that…" Sarah paused briefly. "I hope you know that you are always welcome here. I might only be an insignificant little mortal girl. But whatever I can do to help… Just let me know."

Her eyes stayed solely focused on her lap when he took her hand. "You were never insignificant, Sarah." The Goblin King insisted. "You have been many things but never insignificant. Immature, yes. A brat, absolutely." Her eyes started to narrow at him and he grinned wider. "But you have always been kind, loving, imaginative, headstrong and full of wonder. And I admire you for it."

She looked away, very much aware of his bare hand resting on hers. "Wow, what a suck-up."

"I mean it," Jareth insisted. "Admittedly, some of those to a fault. The brat, mostly."

Sarah looked over at him, unamused. "Well, at least I have my old Jareth back." He ruffled her hair playfully and she blew her hair out of her face and swatted at his hands. "Quit doing that!" Surrendering, he held up his hands before laying them back on the sheets. "All joking aside though," she started. "I do worry about you. Should I expect you to drop in during a rampage more often?" He opened his mouth to respond but held up her hand. "Because don't get me wrong, you are welcome here in good times and bad, but I would just like to know."

Jareth looked into her eyes. A few moments later he looked away. "No. Never again."

"You don't have to be so absolute about it. If you ever get upset you are welcome to vent here. I would just appreciate a quick heads up or at least a calmer entrance."

"No," the man insisted. "I am a grown man. A monarch to many and a powerful magical being. Throwing a fit the way I did was unacceptable."

Sarah looked at him, observing how his eyes kept flicking to his gloves on her nightstand and noting his rigid posture. The woman had never seen him this stressed. "Well," she suddenly said, startling him slightly. "Regardless of what caused you to be so upset, let's make the most of what we have right now. How about I tell you about Toby's school play? He performed as a bratty king a week or two ago."

"That would be lovely." Jareth said with an amused smile. While she retold the story he looked at her. The way she lit up talking about the little tyke made him long for a normal life. She gestured wildly, illustrating her story with hand movements and in fine detail. Her face reflected so many different emotions. Her hazel eyes flicked back and forth, following her own movements as she swayed her arms and moved her hands. The woman was likely oblivious to the way her volume was slowly but surely rising but he didn't have the heart to interrupt her for it. Once she had finished the description of the play she effortlessly continued to tell how Karen made the costume for him from a design Sarah had created and the ways Sarah had happily helped Toby rehearse his lines for hours on end.

But even though his heart swelled when seeing her excitement he was starting to feel himself slip into exhaustion. Luckily, the woman seemed oblivious to it and continued for a while longer. When she eventually looked over to him her cheeks turned a rather fetching shade of pink. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I have been droning on." She looked at her alarm clock.

"Nonsense," Jareth insisted. "You could read a five hundred page manual and you'd find a way to make it captivating." But his body betrayed him, his hand clasping over his mouth as he failed to suppress a yawn.

Sarah chuckled and tugged her pillow from the headboard down to the mattress. "Well, your highness, you might not look like you need it but let's get you your beauty sleep. My stories can wait. Next time I will bring some nice reading material. Like a phone book."

The Goblin King laid down as she settled down on the mattress. He turned to his side and leaned on one arm with his chin in his hand. "Sarah, may I ask you a question?"

"Sure," she muttered, covering her mouth as she let out a yawn of her own. "Shoot."

"Do you ever regret wishing away your brother?"

She looked at him, his face unreadable. "I did, once. When you took the Labyrinth novel away from me. At that time, I wished… I would have preferred," she corrected, causing him to grin. "That it hadn't happened at all."

"That was really the only time?"

"Yep," the woman insisted. "That was the only time. Every other second, including when I was running the Labyrinth I wouldn't have traded it for the world." Looking at him she had expected to find one of several emotions. The strange sort of despair reflecting in his eyes wasn't one of them. "Why? What's up?"

He laid down, staring up at the ceiling as one of his hands twisted a strand of his hair between his fingers. "To be perfectly honest, I don't know if I believe that." He shook his head. "No. I do believe it, it's just that… Remember what I said when I took the book from you? That you were too connected to it? To my world? I can't help but feel that your lack of regret is simply a form of obsession with all of it. Some unhealthy addiction that is clouding your judgment."

Sarah was a little surprised at the feeling of defensiveness that rose from his musings. "Look, Jareth… I'm not saying my adventure was moonlight and roses. You live in that world, day by day. For hundreds of years by now. To you it's nothing special but to me the things that happened there were for lack of a better word, magical. In my world we don't have fairies or talking worms or goblins.

I didn't particularly enjoy getting chased down by the cleaners. Or nearly having my head ripped off by those red fluffy bastards. I didn't really fancy having an army sent after me or getting groped by a hole full of hands. And let's be honest - that was rather inappropriate for a girl my age." Sarah still felt defensive but couldn't help chuckling awkwardly at that. Jareth looked rather uncomfortably amused as well. "But I got to know the beautiful side of it too. I saw openings in walls appear out of thin air. That room with the stairs and archways - I'm pretty sure that was the first and only time I'll ever walk on every possible angle a room could have. Not to mention I went to this extremely extravagant ball where I even got to dance with a king." By the end of her speech she was grinning. He had one of the softest and gentlest smiles she'd ever seen. His eyes were still glued to the ceiling but she could see the remembrance in his eyes. "You can't scare me away simply by insisting that there is nothing to like. But don't take that as an invitation to drug me again, because I will kill you."

"Nevertheless," he mused. "I can't help but have this nagging feeling that you are seeing your adventure more positively than you should. I'm unsure if perhaps, at least a part of it, could be an escapism of sorts for the life you have here. That you insist on wanting that part of my world in your life because it makes dealing with this world somehow easier. Almost as if you can't live fully within your own world."

"Jareth?" He looked at her. "Could you summon a crystal for me?"

The Goblin King frowned, studying her face for a second. Reluctantly he raised one hand and summoned a crystal that gently floated up and down above his fingertips.

"There," she said pointedly, gesturing at the floating orb he made appear. "How freaking cool is that? And you just did it like it was nothing. What's not to love?"

The man tried to repress a smile. He flicked his hand in her direction and the orb followed, drifting slowly towards her. An almost puppy-like excitement filled her eyes and she ever so carefully tried to stop the orb before it could float past her. The crystal touched her fingertips.

And then it popped. Soundlessly with a puff containing an obscene amount of glitter.

Sarah sputtered and rubbed her face when the glitter cascaded down on her. She squeezed her eyes closed. Much like freshly fallen snow all glitters disappeared on contact and Sarah growled. "Jareth! You… You!" Words escaped her so in wordless rage she grabbed her pillow. Sitting up she slammed it over his head, heedless of the possible consequences of assaulting a king.

Jareth laughed, shieldin his face from a repeated assault. After a few seconds Sarah slammed her pillow back down on the mattress and plopped down on it with an aggravated huff. Turning away from him she turned off the nightlight.

"Despite speaking a wide array of languages, I don't think I could find the words to describe what you mean to me." His voice was soft, genuine. Mirth still seeped through in his tone.

Sarah blushed deeply, not knowing how to even begin to respond to that. "Good night, suck-up."

"Good night, Sarah." He said quietly. "My little drama queen." Just out of his sight when he turned off the nightlight, she smiled.

Chapter 10: Chapter 10

By now, the last time Jareth and Sarah had written was over a month ago and the last time they met was at the start of autumn. Now winter was painting the world in pale lights, bringing freezing temperatures, thick scarves and endless need for warm beverages.

Every now and then Sarah's family would visit to stay for dinner and recently she had been at her childhood home to celebrate Christmas. During the holiday trip she had picked up beautiful baby blue gloves for Jareth, which she had found in a boutique near her old home. She didn't have the opportunity to give them to Jareth yet though. Due to increasing stress at work she had picked up meditating, investing in incense, a yoga mat and some luxurious teas.

It was Sunday. Sarah had been at home, enjoying the warmth of her apartment. This morning she'd had a very brief back and forth with Jareth. She mostly checked in to ask if he was still alive. He'd confirmed, assuming as she was writing to him, that she was too. That was it.

Which is why, when Sarah felt her necklace give the familiar tingle she didn't hesitate to step away from the movie she was watching to grab the notebook and a pen, browsing past the last entries.

"There is something I have been meaning to tell you. Are you available to meet?"

"Right now?" Her heart skipped a beat as she looked around her messy apartment.

"Yes."

Sarah winced and rubbed her brow knowing that she didn't want to keep him waiting just to clean up the place. But clothes and dirty dishes littered around was hardly a proper welcome for His Majesty. "Can you give me about fifteen minutes? Or maybe we can meet outside? How about a little stroll in the nearby park?"

"I can offer you ten minutes. Meet me at the park. It won't take long."

Confused at what he was so rushed for but would apparently be something brief she trotted to her bedroom. Quickly putting on some warm pants, a sweater and warm socks she slipped on her boots. While grabbing her scarf and a warm hat she turned off her movie and grabbed her purse and keys. While wrapping her scarf around her neck she ran down the reasonably warm hallway of her complex.

Once reaching the outside she reminded herself that she was not yet ready to be paralyzed from the waist down, so she carefully stepped off her porch's steps that had been covered in ice for three days now. After that she quickly but carefully navigated her way to the park. Cars were cautiously inching forward on the slippery roads and here and there store clerks were trying to keep a clear path to the entrance of their store. People walked with hunched postures as they braced for the cold weather.

Personally, Sarah loved winter. The pale colors of a snow covered scenery reminded her of an unpainted or unfinished canvas. The stillness the cold and dormant nature brought forth during these times almost made it feel like time had stopped, if only briefly. Besides, once it got properly cold, the air was so crisp and fresh that while taking a deep breath she could almost feel the air travel to her lungs. She passed a traffic light, seeing icicles hanging in front of the lights, the green light permeating the crystalline solid water and coloring it brightly.

Walking up to the park gates she briefly hesitated. While her area wasn't particularly criminal, walking alone in the park while the sun was setting still wasn't a good idea. Letting out a brief sigh, the air clouding in front of her face, she walked through the gates and just hoped Jareth would show up soon.

The last bits of fresh snow on the path crunched underneath her boots with a satisfying groan. Smiling, she side-stepped off the path and into the blanketed grass. Reveling in the deep moan the white powder made she wondered what he wanted to meet for.

Then she realized that while rushing out, she completely forgot the Christmas present she'd bought for him. Quietly mumbling several self-directed insults she walked on into the park, kicking her feet in aggravation.

Within minutes she heard a haunting screech which she hadn't heard in forever. The woman looked up just in time to see a pale owl gliding down from the sky. With everything around her dressed in white it would have been hard to see him if he hadn't been moving. On quiet wings he swooped past her. Looking around to follow his path she found the creature gone. "What the…"

"Good evening, Sarah."

She whirled around so fast that she almost lost her footing. Once stable she let out a calming breath and frowned at him. "God, you scared me."

"Evidently," he noted with a chuckle. "I apologize."

"Aren't you cold?" Sarah noted as she took in his usual attire with a low cut shirt, leather jacket and tights.

The man mentioned for them to walk. "Not yet."

She didn't hear a second pair of footsteps but only heard her own when the snow crunched underneath her weight. He was not even sinking into the snow. He appeared completely weightless. She was about to ask but he spoke up right before she could.

"How have you been?"

Sarah quietly accepted his offered arm. "I've been fine, thank you. Nothing too interesting going on." She pouted, kicking a bit of snow ahead of them. "I was planning on bringing you a belated Christmas gift but your visit was unexpected. I forgot it as I was hurrying out the door."

Jareth looked at her with a strange smile. "I appreciate the gesture regardless."

"So," the woman said, a little excited as she looked up at him. "What did you want to talk about?"

Jareth's mild smile fell, his lips evening out to a thin line. The expression instantly filled Sarah with dread. He let out a deep sigh, clearly steeling himself for whatever it was that he was here to talk about. Jareth halted and turned to her. Their arms fell to their sides and even Jareth didn't seem to know what to do with the suddenly heavy appendages.

"You're not breaking up with me, are you?" Sarah joked uncomfortably.

His lips pressed together. He avoided her gaze. "Sarah," he started quietly. Somehow just the tone eluded her to the dreadful nature of what he was about to tell her. "As much as I hate to do this, I have to break off contact between us."

The woman could feel sorrow rising up in her and she wrestled a humorless smile on her face. "You are breaking up with me."

"Sarah, stop." He had snapped, causing her to flinch. "I have been enjoying our conversations and time together. I have. But I am facing some very important changes and difficult decisions. Other matters require my attention and I can't afford to be distracted by frivolities. I need to give my full focus and time to my people and to my duties. I have been prioritizing spending time with you over my responsibilities to an extent where it has started to affect those around me."

"Jareth, what is going on?" Sarah asked insistently. When he remained silent she put her hands in her jacket's pockets and curled them to fists. "You have been so secretive about everything happening on your end. You have these requests to visit on incredibly short notice or without notice at all, whether they're in the wee hours of the morning or late at night. Whenever you visit you seem either tired, depressed or distracted. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy your visits and I don't want to pry, but it's not fair to me to just cut off contact without reason. If my pathetic mortal life has bored you to tears, at least be a man and tell me so."

"Your life is not pathetic, Sarah."

"Thanks," she snapped. "If you're just going to cut me out, at least tell me why."

The Goblin King looked at her, his long sigh creating wisps of warm breath in the cold night air. "I understand that you are upset, but I don't want this to end in a scene. I simply want to ask you to accept my decision and understand that it has nothing to do with you. There are serious matters that I must attend as monarch." Clenching his teeth, he noticed the brimming tears in her eyes. "And while I do not wish to say it, the situation outweighs the priority I can give to our relationship."

Sarah buried the lower half of her face into her scarf as far as she could. Her hair fell over her face. While she didn't take it personally and she did realize that as a king he had certain duties to fulfill, it did still hurt. With her eyes squeezing closed, tears started running down her cheeks and onto her scarf.

Jareth looked down at her, the rapid puffs of breath and her jerking shoulders betraying that she was crying.

While Sarah was figuring out how to deal with the situation she could see Jareth stepped closer through her blurry vision. A moment later she could feel his arms wrapping around her. Despite the woman not feeling cold the embrace provided her with a soothing warmth. Rather shamelessly she snuggled into his chest, trying to remain calm. He chuckled quietly as he encouragingly squeezed a little bit before one of his hands moved to her head. She could feel the now more familiar feeling of his magic seeping into her skin. It wrapped around her like a warm blanket, calming her senses whether she wanted to or not.

While she'd always liked how he could just soothe her with a simple touch, right now she didn't want to be soothed. She wanted to be upset. She needed to be, even if it was just so that later she would know it hadn't been some kind of dream.

She tried to break out of his grasp. She wanted to struggle, to yell. A sob fell from her lips as he hugged her tighter. She didn't want his comfort or his kindness. Yet at the same time, she wanted to hold on, even if it was for just a moment longer. When he showed no intent of letting go she gave up. The strange mix of being upset and magically being soothed wrangled for a second like two same sides of a magnet before the soothing feeling took over.

Her feeling of sadness turned from a sense of powerlessness to a strange sense of something not unlike nostalgia, like a switch. The woman thought back to his visits. The times they had just been hanging out on her couch all day or all evening, his near childlike curiosities with new things he'd been introduced to, their conversations. The woman felt like she'd known him all her life and simultaneously realized there was so much she still didn't know about him. And now, she would never learn those things either.

As if he was reading her mind he spoke up quietly. "I can make you forget…" It was a suggestion, but it leaned into a recommendation.

With renewed strength, Sarah struggled in his arms again and managed to break free. "Don't you fucking dare!"

"Language," he chastised with a little smile. Jareth cupped her cheek, briefly forgetting he wasn't wearing his gloves at the moment, and brushed a tear from the corner of her eye. "While I hate to see you saddened like this, if you do not wish to forget, I won't make you. If you're certain."

"Five hundred percent." The woman affirmed, rubbing her eyes with the sleeve of her coat in a rather childlike manner.

He smiled sadly. Looking down he summoned his gloves again, putting them on. "I have to go. For what it's worth, I really am sorry that I have to do this and that I have to do this on such short notice without providing much of an explanation. Just know that I am not telling you why because I don't want you to worry. If it was up to me, I would elect to visit you each and every day." The Goblin King smiled down at her.

"For what it's worth," she started, hugging him. "You're a kiss-ass." A low chuckle rumbled through his chest when he returned the hug. "But in all seriousness, this is not a goodbye for me. If you ever want to visit or even just write, I will be here. Good or bad, day or night."

He pulled back then, looking down at her huddled appearance in the thick winter clothing, her cheeks flushed from the cold and from crying. Her hazel eyes looked up at him sadly. Brushing a lock of her dark hair from her face he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Goodbye, Sarah. Whatever it is that life will throw at you in the future, never be scared. I have full confidence in you that you can achieve whatever your stubborn heart sets out to do."

Swallowing the lump for her throat she nodded. "Goodbye, Jareth. Whatever is going on in your life, I hope things will get better soon."

"Thank you, Precious."

The last thing she saw was his smile. A shift in the air and bright light faded into the view of a snowy white owl flying up, circling her once before it flew off into the darkening sky.

Sarah swallowed, looking down at the snow. Tears started rolling down her cheeks freely again. Looking at the single set of footsteps on the ground it was like he'd never even been there. She felt the cold drift into her skin and she turned around. "Well… Come on, feet."

Small specks of snow started floating down from the sky, descending in a slow and gentle dance. A sharp screech echoed into the night as the silhouette of a young woman disappeared into the distance.

Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Sarah sat in her apartment. Something she'd been doing the majority of the time for the past few months.

She'd requested to work from home when possible. She had talked with her boss regarding a lack of energy and an increasing sensitivity to the hustle and bustle at work. Begrudgingly her boss tried to accommodate her as much as possible. The times she was present in the office she barely spoke to anyone. It wasn't her colleagues that were the problem. They were kind and understanding of her situation, for as far they knew about it. They involved her in conversation and invited her to after-hour trips. When it was her birthday they had made her a pretty cake with one of her illustrations on it and had decorated the workplace to celebrate. Granted, it wasn't much different from other people's birthdays, but there was just a hint of them trying harder for her. While Sarah definitely appreciated it and tried her best to socialize with her coworkers, it had just become so easy to simply shut down. Professionally, her work wasn't great but it was good enough. Although, Sarah had definitely noticed her boss was no longer hinting at a promotion. She couldn't blame him.

Outside of work she wasn't really doing better. Every now and then she would meet with her family but besides that she only did the required groceries. Somehow, her recent lackluster moods had managed to keep a better grip on her chores. Her apartment wasn't spotless but she kept the place clean enough. Chores had become soothing. Something to keep her hands busy and her mind occupied.

Karen had caught on quickly to her dwindling motivation and mood. The older woman would take her aside to talk as she visited, while Robert and Toby would play. Sarah didn't really want to talk. She wouldn't know where to begin anyway.

One time, when she had been more than a little tipsy, she had mentioned that the magic had gone from her life. Something her father and stepmother took very seriously.

Of course they didn't know she meant that literally.

Ever since Jareth cut ties with her she had ceased to enjoy the things that normally brought her happiness. Every emotion on her path, good or bad, muddled into one endless stream of white noise. Even the Labyrinth, the worn novel she would usually read cover to cover every time she picked it up, was discarded not even halfway through, which had caused the bookmark to move for the first time in over twenty years. Movie nights that would have her huddled up in a comfortable bundle no longer brought her solace and the wine she would treat herself with had no flavor.

Everywhere she went she would take the notebook with her. Just in case. The petite necklace Jareth had given her was never far from her reach, if she took it off at all. Sarah had occasionally left a brief message for him but he had never responded.

At some point she'd sought out other people to make friends with, but barely anyone seemed interesting after getting to know Jareth. The people she met were so… boring. They weren't really playful or engaging. They didn't tease or push her buttons. They were just polite and pleasant. Most people she met weren't interested in fantasy beyond the occasional Hollywood movie.

She missed the little magic tricks the Goblin King would use on occasion and the somewhat comical nonchalance and arrogance he displayed at those moments. Like a peacock. The calming spells, the conjuring of crystals, dropping in out of thin air.

But moreover she just missed him. Regardless of the magic. His playfulness, his wit, his almost childlike wonder for things so normal to her. Jareth had made her feel like she was fun, special and interesting. No matter what she was talking about he was genuinely interested. Besides, he could actually talk about more supernatural and fantastical things and be genuine about it… for obvious reasons.

Now that he was gone she realized that she'd never felt so connected to anyone.

Existing seemed dull those days. Every day was just a matter of making it from one habit to the next, whether it was taking a shower, making lunch or changing to go to bed. It felt like living the same day over and over.

She'd looked into going to a therapist. Mostly on urgent encouragement from her father and stepmother. Her father had even invested in getting her to receive good professional counseling. She had gone for several months. However, most of the time a strange form of blackout would wash over her when she had sessions. One moment she sat down, the next the hour had already passed. She'd have no idea if she'd uttered even a single word. It was such an alien and frequent occurrence that if Sarah thought of the therapist's voice she couldn't recall it.

It felt like she was just… floating. Endlessly. A vast void of nothingness. She never got sick, hungry or tired yet on autopilot she would take a painkiller, grab a sandwich or head to bed. In that same floating manner.

About ten months later things started changing. Subtle things. Things that were so small Sarah wondered if they had happened at all.

It would start with catching a strange scent in her apartment. Something earthy, like morning dew. So fleeting that she often doubted it had been there. Things seemed misplaced or somehow… different. They weren't big things but every time it happened Sarah would have that weird sense of waking up. That moment where you weren't quite asleep yet and your body would jolt to attention.

There was no rhyme or rhythm to it. Sometimes it would happen five days in a row then nothing would happen for the next three or four days. It was then that Sarah tapped into the attempt to hone into these moments using meditation. At first it didn't seem to help or do anything. For weeks she would regularly sit silent and isolated in her apartment. Eventually she could swear she could sense something or someone there but she couldn't pinpoint what or who. For some reason it felt familiar yet at the same time she didn't recognize it.

Soon after she started having the eerie feeling of being watched. Like someone was staring in from outside her window, which was impossible seeing as her apartment was on the third floor. There weren't any trees nearby either. Whenever she went out the sense of eyes on her was unshakable. The feeling was so unsettling that Sarah was wondering if she had summoned some kind of demon with her endless meditating.

Then the dreams came. Strange dreams clad in darkness, muted colors and vague shapes. It was almost like she was looking through a thin sheet of fabric. She could see things moving but could never quite make out what it was. During those dreams all her other senses were depraved. There were no smells, no noises, no taste. Every single time Sarah would wake up at 4:32 in the morning. Like clockwork. Without fail she would be suffering anything from a decent headache to a severe migraine. They got so bad that Sarah had resorted to painkillers and a large bottle of water on her bedside and a quick dial on her phone for her boss and her father.

She tried not to bother her family with it too much. They had enough worries of their own already. Worst of which was chronic hypersomnia which Toby had developed not too long ago. The poor kid had been falling asleep almost every day in school. More and more often he would doze off and be up at night. Eventually he stopped sleeping at night completely. Karen had blindly followed him in this, out of sheer worry for her child. Countless doctors had been contacted for a diagnosis but none could offer an explanation, let alone give a solution. Now her half-brother resorted to nighttime homeschooling, depriving him of a lot of social contact and experiences.

Sarah barely saw her little brother anymore. Or Karen for that matter. Her father was worried sick for his crumbling family and would barely speak of anything else. It took effort to focus on work to keep food on the table and provide healthcare for his wife and children. The medical bills were slowly but surely consuming his generous salary.

Frankly, Sarah started feeling uncomfortable in her apartment. While she paid a good chunk of rent and utilities, her father did still chip in. With the current state of her own things going on as well as her family's issues, Sarah was seriously considering moving back home. Most likely that also meant quitting her job and finding something closer to her family that could help her provide.

City life had become a bore. Sarah started getting agitated by the hoards of people. She missed her family, the nice and quiet community park and the small boutiques. Sure, she had a park nearby but the green patch stretching for two or three blocks hardly offered any peace or escape from the daily things. Besides the environment, work became… work. No more, no less. While it was fun every now and then, her priority lay with the wellness of her family.

After voicing these concerns to her family they had let her know that she was more than welcome back home. They did insist that it was a big choice with big consequences, especially for Sarah's career and her future.

However, spending almost two weeks in her old family home made her realize she wanted to move back in. Aside from her own unrest she could see that her father was feeling lonely and stressed.

Once the decision was out of the way her father had helped her move back into her childhood home and into her old room. Admittedly it was a little cramped after getting used to an apartment of her own but she happily exchanged some space for time with her family. The moment she moved back in she could feel a comforting sense of belonging.

Things happened quickly, which provided Sarah with a renewed sense of purpose and a fresh routine. The white noise her life had become now played a vague frequency throughout that broke her out of monotony. She felt needed, which provided her with a sense of responsibility and purpose.

Which brought her to this particular day.

It was early in the morning and Toby sat sleepily at the dining table. Karen was busy cleaning the dishes after breakfast while Robert had left for work.

Sarah wrapped her arms tightly around the young boy, pressing a kiss to his sandy blonde hair. It had gotten quite long as hairdressers weren't open at night and was currently a vaguely nostalgic mess of straw. "You hanging in there, champ?"

With a loud yawn, Toby snuggled into Sarah's arm. "Totally."

"Sarah, I wrote down a grocery list last night with everything we need. There's some heavy things in there, so please wait for your father to get home from work so he can help you carry it."

Sarah let go of the little boy and grabbed the grocery list from the fridge magnet. "Actually, I have a job interview this morning. I want to get groceries out of the way right after that so I can clean up afterwards. I'm also going to do some gardening now that the weather is warming up again." She looked up at the clock. "Actually, I should get going. I want to be sure I'm on time for my interview."

"What's the interview for?" Toby asked as he crossed his arms on the table and leaned his head on it.

"Nothing too interesting. Just a store clerk at that book store downtown."

"Well, you better get a move on then, dear." Karen smiled as she dried her hands. "But don't go slaving away for pocket change."

Sarah chuckled. "Don't worry, Karen." Grabbing an apple for the road she ruffled Toby's hair. "Sleep tight, squirt. Rest up well because we're going to the park for a stroll tonight."

Karen let out a discontented sigh. "Sarah, you know I hate you two walking around outside at night."

"We'll be fine, Karen. We will be back before it gets too dark and stay in the more crowded areas." The older woman still didn't seem happy about it but remained quiet when Sarah went to get her purse, coat and keys. "See you tonight!"

----

A few hours later Sarah was taking out some garden waste out front when she spotted Robert's car pulling up.

Robert was rummaging in the car, mumbling to himself. "Sarah, a little help?"

She hurried over to grab his suitcase from him and looked curiously into the vehicle. He pulled out a large bouquet of red roses and Sarah gasped excitedly. "Whoa, have something to make up for, dad?"

Balancing three large folders of court documents and the bouquet he fumbled the door closed and locked the car. "No no, not at all. Just a little something."

"That's so sweet," Sarah chirped, hurrying to the front door to open it for him.

"Thank you princess. Could you perhaps help me with getting these in a vase," he asked as he walked into the house and put the binders on a side table.

The woman put his suitcase down and took the bouquet from him. "Of course. I hope we have a vase large enough." They walked over to the kitchen and Robert sank down on a chair. "So, today I had an interview at a bookstore downtown."

"That's great, Princess. How did it go?"

Sarah laid down the roses, grabbing a knife. "Ah, you know… I don't think they were too impressed with me. Which is rather insulting. It's just a bookstore, hardly rocket science," she sighed. "But, we'll see. I gave it my best shot. I have three other jobs I have applied for that I'm still waiting for a response for."

"I'm very proud of you, Sarah. And I am very happy to have you back."

Sarah chuckled as she cut the stems and put the flowers in the vase. "Thanks, dad." They were quiet for a while, Sarah's mind wandering while Robert took a moment to wind down from the day. She briefly mentioned her walk with Toby, an idea Robert seemed a lot more fond of than Karen. After Sarah finished cutting the flowers she made her father some coffee and cleaned the kitchen.

Shortly after Karen headed downstairs, gasping as she spotted the flowers on the dining table. Hurrying towards them she caressed the petals. "Oh Robert, they're beautiful!"

Robert smiled fondly and gave her a kiss. "I'm glad you like them, honey. I thought you could use a little pick-me-up. Sarah helped me arrange them."

Karen smiled, a hand over her heart. Sarah could swear she was even tearing up. "I love them. Thank you… I'll get some dinner sorted." The older woman insisted, heading over to the fridge.

While Robert and Karen talked about the things they'd been up to, Sarah decided to sit in the garden for a little bit. Stepping outside she deeply inhaled the fresh spring air and the smell of freshly cut grass.

Watching her handiwork she sat down on a bench and took a calming breath. The air was comfortably warm. Just warm enough to sit outside in a thin sweater. The trees in the garden were already starting to grow new leaves and the grass had started to fill out after the cold winter months.

She wasn't sure why or when but at some point she started developing a strange headache. It put a rather intense pressure on her head and crawled down to her neck and shoulders. It almost seemed to produce white noise. Closing her eyes she focused on the sounds of birds chirping, trees rustling in the wind and cars in the distance. She could hear a shrill screech that weirdly pierced through her head and crept under her skin, making her shiver.

"Sarah, dinner is ready!"

Sarah jolted, eyes fluttering open. She looked around trying to get her bearings. Had she fallen asleep? The strange headache persisted and made her feel cross-eyed. "Uh, coming!" The woman took a moment to calm her racing heart and walked inside, stopping by the pantry to grab a painkiller.

Grabbing a glass of water she walked up to the dining table and took the painkiller before sitting down at the table.

"Are you okay, Sarah?" Toby asked upon seeing her swallow the painkiller.

"Peachy," she sighed, smiling at the boy. "I'm fine, squirt. We're still going for that walk."

Small talk was tossed back and forth over dinner. Sarah remained mostly quiet, subconsciously massaging her temple.

"Mom, may Sarah and I be excused?" Toby grabbed a last bite of sweet potato. Karen usually liked to talk a little after dinner but the boy offered his best puppy dog eyes. "Please? We'll be home sooner if we leave now."

The older woman relented and excused the two. Toby jumped up, grabbing his shoes and coat excitedly before saluting Sarah at the front door, ready to leave. Sarah chuckled at her excited little brother and hurried to keep up with him. After letting Robert and Karen know they'd be on their way she ushered the boy out and they made their way through the alleys towards the park.

Toby handed her a candy bar and started to unwrap one of his own. "Don't tell mom," he insisted.

"Do you steal food more often, Tobes?" Sarah teased.

Toby looked up at her from the corners of his eyes, pulling aside the piece of candy like he was afraid she might take it. "Maybe… I'm a growing boy, I need to eat well."

"Candy hardly is 'well'," she chastised. "Don't go around doing that too often, okay?" She added in a kinder tone, hugging him close. Quietly, she slipped the candy bar into his pocket.

"Fine," he muttered.

Within a few minutes they arrived at the park. The sun beamed through the still semi-bare branches. Several people were enjoying their walk with family and pets. Sarah rolled her head and shoulders, still trying to shake off that pesky headache. The painkiller proved useless. Toby talked endlessly about the things he saw and had been taught by their father. The fresh air was nice but she couldn't focus on the things Toby was saying.

"Wow, Sarah, look!" The boy pointed excitedly at a nearby tree. Looking up, it took Sarah a second to spot it.

She froze.

High up in the tree she could see a barn owl, perched on a branch. Her heart raced and instinctively she raised her hand to touch her necklace. The owl seemed to be drifting off, its head sinking into its body as its eyes slipped closed repeatedly. Upon closer inspection, it didn't look like Jareht's owl form. This particular owl was more pale, almost a pure white and a little more slender.

"Did you know that a lot of owls don't actually 'hoot'? Owls like these sound more like nails on a chalkboard." Toby puffed his chest proudly, looking up for her reaction.

"Really?" Sarah was still staring at the bird. It sleepily preened its chest.

Toby nodded enthusiastically. "Yep. Did you also know that owls puke up parts of food they can't digest? It's gross but so cool. Imagine if we did that. Sarah…?" Toby looked back at her when she wasn't following him. She was still staring up at the bird. "Sar? You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you okay?"

The woman could hear Toby talking, but nothing what he was saying was filtering through in her mind. Once the owl had spotted her its eyes widened and stared her down without even blinking. Its gaze was intent, fully black eyes so fixed on her that it made her uncomfortable. Its head slowly moved and rolled side to side from shoulder to shoulder, like it was studying her. The motion was almost hypnotizing. It let out a shrill screech.

Her headache instantly worsened tenfold. For a brief moment she sensed all the sensations she had felt sporadically the past few months all at once. Wrestling to the forefront of her mind like a herd of rampant bulls. The earthy smell, the eyes on her, flashes of dull colors and a sense of disorientation. Her eyes closed. She could even see vague figures thronging behind her eyelids. The screech was so penetrating she brought up her hands to her ears to block it, eyes squeezing closed tightly.

Once she opened her eyes again she was suddenly on her knees, sitting on the dirt path. Toby was standing next to her, talking to her and touching her shoulder, but she couldn't hear what he said.

The screech stopped. Her heart was racing. "Toby, let's go home."

"What," the boy moaned. "But we just got here!"

"Sorry Tobes, I just don't feel too well…" Her vision was swimming, slowly contorting the dirt path ahead of her. The owl crouched, its wings unfolding. Sarah felt dread prickle along her neck. She crawled up, staggering briefly before she grabbed Toby and pushed him the way they came. "Let's go," she all but whimpered. The boy was confused and grew alarmed hearing his sister's desperation. Something was not right. They had to leave and they had to leave now. Toby started hurrying back, Sarah in tow while she heard another screech. "Go, go!" She hurried her little brother. "Run, Toby!"

Toby now cascaded into full-blown panic and started running. He briefly checked the quiet roads before crossing while making his way back.

Sarah looked over her shoulder, seeing the owl glide down towards her. While her legs felt like jello, adrenaline was coursing so strongly through her body that it made her skin tingle. Her head pounded and every step she took made it worse.

They needed to get home. Now.

Grabbing Toby by the scruff of his coat she stopped him when she spotted a car approaching, their breaths labored. Her vision was narrow and unclear. Once Toby continued to run across the street Sarah put her faith in it that it was safe to do so, jogging wobbly after him. "Sarah, what is going on?"

"Just go, Tobes!" Toby sprinted through the turns of the alleyway. Just another minute or two and they'd be home. Once approaching the alleyway into her street Toby had already disappeared from view. Sarah slowed down to a trot. Her legs grew tired and her breath was short and painful. Her head was pounding aggressively, making the street lights dance and curve.

Reaching the end of the alleyway she saw the pale owl swoop in gracefully in a flurry of feathers. Skidding to a halt Sarah slipped and fell back into the alleyway. With another ear splitting screech the owl spread its wings with talons forward. A bright light consumed the alley. Closing her eyes her mind both raced and simultaneously ground to a halt.

Everything went black. All and any sound faded away, except for the ringing in her ears.

Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Eyes opened slowly, lashes fluttering and a deep exhale slowly rousing Sarah from her sleep. Despite knowing her eyes were open she didn't register what she saw. All she could see was shades of blue. Squeezing her eyes closed she slowly sat up.

Big mistake.

Her stomach revolted. Sarah was introduced to the horrid taste of bile in her mouth. Her stomach twisted. With a sickening splatter she regurgitated what was left of dinner. Doing her best to spit out any remnants out of her mouth, she carefully got up on her knees. Another purge of her stomach hit. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She hated being sick. She hated vomiting.

Taking a minute and waiting for the feeling to dissipate she took calming breaths. Once calmed down and once the nausea had subsided enough that she wouldn't puke again she crawled up and took in her surroundings.

It was then that she realized that she definitely wasn't home. Or in the alleyway for that matter. What she did notice was that it was nighttime and rather cold. The woman was in a forest. The trees reached much higher than the trees in the park, towering over her. Their bark was almost unusually smooth and its branches didn't grow until far above her reach. In between their gentle sway she could spot countless stars. Momentarily the woman was distracted by the splendor, letting her eyes roam across the treetops where slivers of night sky presented itself. Suddenly a shiver of panic ran down her spine.

There were two moons.

Rubbing her eyes, she made sure she wasn't seeing double before a sense of strange terror started to crawl along her skin.

Where the hell was she?

Looking around in the seemingly endless forest she tried to find clues. Anything that might indicate where she was. Her eyes fervently scanned the branches around her but there was no sign of the pale owl. There wasn't a sign of anything. There was just endless forestation on an even dirt floor. Letting out a slow breath she willed herself to calm down to try and think rationally.

Did Jareth take her? Why would he? Or had the owl been someone else? Why was she completely alone in the middle of some forest? Had someone dumped her here? A sense of helplessness overcame her, eyes scanning again for anything other than endless trees.

Hell no. She had beat the Labyrinth. She could make her way through a couple trees.

With renewed determination she studied her surroundings. Most directions looked the same so Sarah decided to head in the direction of the moons.

"Halt!" Sarah froze. Literally. She did not dare to move a single inch. "Who goes there?" The voice was male. Stern. Was she supposed to raise her hands in surrender? Or was that a non-magic person thing? Should she run? What if these were the people that had kidnapped her?

"Show yourself!"

Carefully and slowly she turned around to face whoever was yelling at her. She wasn't sure who or what she'd been expecting.

In front of her were three cloaked figures, clad from head to toe in brown. The darkness disguised their faces. They were mounted on creatures that looked like pale deer or antelope with small antlers and thick legs. Definitely not creatures she had seen before. One of the men walked closer. "What is your business here? Who do you belong to?"

"B-belong to?" She muttered. "I… I don't know where I am. I woke up in the woods just a minute ago. Someone left me here."

The three exchanged looks and the middle silhouette gestured to one of the others to go to her. After that he directed his attention back to her. "Who do you pledge allegiance to?"

Sarah looked nervously as one of the men dismounted and walked up to her. Involuntarily she took a step back. The cloaked man reached out to her and took her arm, baring her inner wrist.

"She carries no seal."

"Interesting…" The man in the middle uttered. He took off the hood, revealing his face in the dim lighting.

Sarah looked up at the fair skinned man. He had long and dark sleek hair with long pointed ears. His eyes seemed pale and alight in the darkness. He had a triangle shaped marking on his chin and on his forehead, sloping to a point towards the middle of his face.

The figure holding her arm studied her face for a second. He pinched her chin and Sarah flinched but tried not to resist. She wasn't sure what these men were capable of or what they were planning to do with her. "She's mortal, sir." The hooded man declared to the other.

"Mortal?" The man seemed a little too interested all of a sudden. He spurred his mount and walked up to her. "Listen, girl. I am willing to take you under my wing, provide for you and return you home, if you could provide me with a service."

The woman grew a little unnerved and lightly tugged on her arm. The other man tightened his grip. "What service?"

"We have been trying to enter a site not far from here. It is protected by a magical seal. We can't cross it. But you can." She eyed him a little suspiciously. "They have taken hostage several of our camp members. We haven't seen them in days and we don't know what happened to them. We would appreciate your help."

Sarah swallowed, looking at the three men with slight distrust. The man at the center rummaged with something on his hip and handed it to her. "My name is Torin. These woods are not safe at night. You can praise yourself lucky that we have found you before anything else did. That," he said as he gestured to the item he just handed her. "Is a water skin. You look like you could use something to drink. Will you help us retrieve our people? I would be greatly indebted to you and will help you in any way that I can."

Sarah looked up at Torin, weighing her options for a moment before slowly nodding. "Okay."

"Thank you, my lady." Relief was evident in his voice. "Please, let me escort you to our camp. We can offer you food and shelter. Valen, give the girl a cloak. The poor thing must be freezing."

"Certainly, sir." The man next to her walked over to his mount, not releasing her until he was standing next to the beast. Sarah still hadn't seen his face. It was masked in darkness. He grabbed a large and thick cloth from a saddlebag and assisted her in putting it on. "May I?" He held out a hand to the saddle and Sarah nodded reluctantly. Seemingly without effort he took her waist and helped her mount the creature. Valen sat behind her and grabbed the reins. Before Sarah could say or do anything they steered the beasts around and spurred them. With large strides the creatures trotted through the trees.

Soon Sarah saw a light in the distance. There was a clearing with a dozen tents, some storage areas, livestock and campfires. As they were making their way through the camp a few men spotted them. They looked at her as if she was some sort of alien, whispering among themselves.

Valen dismounted and helped her down. Sarah straightened her clothes while Torin walked up to her. "Forgive my poor manners. Once I heard you were mortal, all I could think of was that there was hope yet for those that were taken. Might I ask for your name?" His voice was strangely impatient as he walked her through the camp.

"Linda," she lied smoothly. "My name is Linda."

"Linda? Such an exotic sounding name. Are you from the North?"

"I… I am not sure where I am, sir. I can't tell where I am from in comparison."

Torin chuckled. "You make a valid point. We will look into procuring some maps tomorrow." He gestured to a tent and Sarah entered quietly. Inside there was a rather young woman, knitting. She looked to be around twenty years old. Sarah subtly looked at Valen. He seemed old enough to be over thirty five years old. It gave her the creeps. "Cora, I have brought a visitor." The woman looked up, tired pale eyes meeting Sarah's. She brushed her black hair out of her face and smiled politely. "This is Linda, a mortal girl. Linda, this is Cora. She is my wife."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Cora." Sarah offered kindly.

"The pleasure is all mine. Would you perhaps like some tea?"

"That is very kind, but no thank you. I wouldn't want to disturb your knitting."

The woman simply nodded and Torin smiled, ushering her to a different corner of the tent. "Please, sit." She took off the cloak and sat down, neatly laying it across her lapA. "So, Linda. As mentioned, we will request your services in exchange for resources and safe passage home. If I may be so bold I would like to discuss a rescue plan for my people first." Sarah nodded quietly. "Wonderful. It is imperative that we get them back as soon as possible. There is no telling what they have already done or will do to them." The woman nodded again. "We have been scouting the area for the past few days. Yesterday we ran into the barrier they put up. It is a spell that will prevent any creatures with magic from entering it. There might be an opening somewhere, but it could take weeks to locate and by then it might be too late. However, if you could enter this barrier you could free my people. They can leave the barrier without issue. We can wait nearby to collect you as soon as we can reach you. It is a rather simple plan, but one we can't do without you. Will you do it?" His pale eyes bore into hers, his fine brows drawn together. Sarah stiffened when one of his hands came to rest on hers. The urge to pull back was damn near impossible, especially when he squeezed it and his thumb rubbed back and forth on the back of her hand.

"Uh… I… I don't think I'm any good at rescue missions…" She said feebly. "But I couldn't live with myself knowing these people were abducted and I didn't even try to help." She wondered if Cora would approve of him putting his hands on her.

"You will do it then?" Torin asked quietly. When she nodded, he let out a boisterous laugh. "Oh, that is wonderful. I propose we head out tomorrow at nightfall. The cover of night will do us many favors. In the meantime I will send men to retrieve maps for you so you can return to your own people. While we work on that I will make sure you'll want for nothing."

"That is very kind, sir."

"Now, it is late already and you must be tired from your wanderings. I will leave you with my wife. She will take care of you. I will need to discuss tomorrow's rescue mission with my men. Please do not hesitate to request food, clothing or anything else you might need." Torin jumped up from his seat and hurried out the tent.

Sarah sat awkwardly on the chair, quietly looking around the tent. There were a handful of candles scattered throughout the tent which made her wonder if that might be a fire hazard. There was a small table, a few chairs and some hay mattresses. Cora was still quietly knitting on one of the chairs on the other side of the tent. Sarah got up and walked over to her. "Hi, Cora. Your knitting work is very pretty. Is there perhaps anything I can help with?"

Cora looked up at her. "Thank you, Linda. But I propose we head to bed soon. It is late and I am rather tired. My husband will likely not return anytime soon."

"Yes, of course. I will take whichever sleeping arrangement you have. I am grateful simply for your hospitality."

Cora raised from her seat and put down her knitting work. She walked over to one of the hay beds and fluffed a pillow for her. "I hope you don't mind that I assign you this one. It is my daughter's. She is one of those taken a few days ago so she won't need it."

Sarah crouched down next to the woman who quietly caressed the pillow. "I am very sorry, Cora. I will do what I can to bring them back tomorrow. I promise."

The woman looked at her, a hollow smile stretching on her lips. Somehow she seemed devoid of energy, leaving her in a zombie-like state. Cora went to extinguish the candles while Sarah removed her jacket and crawled under the blanket. The bed wasn't really comfortable, but hopefully it would only be for one night. Wordlessly, they went to sleep.

—-

Sarah woke up with a start. Did someone just call her name? Her heart was racing against her chest and her hands were trembling. It took a few minutes to calm down. The next few seconds were filled with the memories of the things that happened yesterday. Chatter outside the tent was drifting into her ears.

She had woken up at least five times last night. Every time she was met with an eerie silence. Torin never had seemed to have returned and Cora had left after the third time she woke up. Vaguely she remembered Cora by her bed at some point in the night. It was creepy, but it might have been just a dream.

Sarah wondered what time it was. There wasn't a clock that could tell her the time. All she knew was that it was bright outside the tent. Her mouth was dry and her throat sore. Her body had that strange hum of a healing muscle ache. Sarah spotted the water skin on the table. Something in her compelled her not to trust it. While Torin had been nice to her, maybe a bit too nice, her dropping in only a small distance from their camp and them needing an ordinary person to help them seemed just a little too convenient. What if he was the one that took her here?

She grabbed her jacket and the cloak. Reluctantly she walked to the entrance of the tent and peered out. The camp was relatively quiet. A few men were standing nearby. Two talked among themselves. Sarah recognized one of their voices. Carefully she walked over to them. Before she could even speak up one of the men spotted her.

"Ah, Linda, was it?" The man had dark brown hair and a rather stern looking face walked up to her. "Torin asked me to stay nearby in case you needed anything." The voice was definitely recognizable. Rough like a smoker and almost unusually low.

"Thank you, Valen. That is very kind."

"You remember my name, I'm impressed." Sarah wasn't sure if that was meant as a compliment or some sort of backhanded insult. "If you like, you can collect dinner for yourself. You might not have the time to join the others before the retrieval of our people."

The woman blinked in confusion. Dinner? Had she slept that long? Why? How? She followed the direction Valen was pointing in, seeing a large tent near the center of the camp. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate your hospitality. I will make sure to be quick. I wouldn't want to keep Torin waiting." Valen and the other man looked at her silently. They seemed to be waiting for her to leave. Awkwardly, Sarah walked on towards the large tent. These people seemed civilized enough but she couldn't help feeling that strange crawl in the pit of her stomach. Perhaps, this was just their culture. Maybe they weren't big on talking. Regardless, it was unnerving.

Walking into the tent there was a large table carrying bread and broth. Despite not having eaten the entirety of the day she wasn't hungry. Her stomach still felt upset. She sat down at one of the tables by herself, empty handed. There were a few other people but none of them seemed to even notice her. They looked at their meal or were in deep conversation. They used a different language that Sarah didn't understand.

As her fingers traced the patterns of the table she was sitting on, her mind started to wander. Sarah had so many questions. She still had no idea where she was. Was she Underground? Or was this a different world? The people here reminded her of elves, much like Jareth did. They spoke different languages and all seemed rather tall. Their mannerisms Sarah could easily chalk up to cultural differences. After all, not all humans in her own world were the same.

Jareth had mentioned before that the Labyrinth was only a small part of his world. Even just a small part of the land he ruled over. Besides, she was pretty sure she was brought here by a barn owl. That had to be related in some way to Jareth… Right? Was he nearby? Should she ask anyone here if they knew where he was?

Sarah shook her head. No. Not until she knew more about these people. She was still reluctant to trust them. For now she would just try to locate the prisoners beyond the barrier and free them. She needed to take one step at a time. She could imagine that much like she wasn't too sure about them yet they might feel the same about her. Torin just relied on her out of necessity. He didn't have a choice. His friends and family were gone and apparently only she could help them.

She wondered how Jareth was doing. She still wasn't sure what exactly he was dealing with. Perhaps he was involved in what was happening in this camp. Maybe he was a part of this rescue mission. She hadn't seen him yet, but then again she had barely seen anything or anyone in this camp.

Sarah decided to head back out and explore the camp to see if she could find either Jareth or Torin. Standing up resolutely she noticed Valen standing by the entrance. Their eyes met and he quickly looked away.

Was she being guarded?

With a huff she settled back down and started to trace her fingers along the texture of the table again.

A million different thoughts crossed her mind. Would Jareth be upset if he found her here? Or would he be happy to see her? What if she failed the rescue mission? What if she got caught within the barrier by whoever was standing on the other side? What if she managed to escape but would be unable to free the people that were taken? What if all people that had been taken prisoner were already dead?

Sarah groaned and put her head in her hand, elbow resting on the table. This train of thought certainly wasn't getting her anywhere. For now she decided to focus on remaining calm and passing the time while she waited for Torin. She was sure Valen would come to pick her up when it was time.

A little while later several men walked into the tent, jolting her out of her musings and distractions. One of them spotted Valen and talked to him. Valen gestured towards her.

Sarah grew rigid when the men approached her. Torin wasn't with them.

"My lady, please come with us," one of the men said.

"W-what for?" Her voice was wavering. She sat up straight while looking at the men one by one.

"We are ready to escort you to retrieve our people."

Sarah let out a breath of relief. She nodded and got up from her seat. "Yes, yes of course. Where is Torin?"

"Sir Torin is unfortunately unable to join us. We will take you to his location tonight. He will see you then to fulfill his word." The man gestured to the entrance of the tent. "I propose we get ready. It will take some time to walk there and night is falling." Sarah nodded and the guards escorted her out. Looking behind her she noticed Valen followed the group.

—-

Sarah gazed at the trees around her. She couldn't tell if this was the same place she'd been at yesterday. Everything in this place looked the same, even with the light of the setting sun to aid her vision. Luckily she wasn't alone here or she would have gone in circles. They'd been walking for what was probably an hour now and it was getting dark quickly.

Looking at the men next to her she couldn't help but still feel a little awkward. Two of them were in front of her and four of them behind her. One of which one was Valen. They were wearing their cloaks with the hoods raised. She could still make out a little bit of their faces but not a lot.

Her hood was still resting on her back. While she still could, she wanted to look around. Her eyes briefly met Valen's when she looked behind her but he simply looked ahead without any further reaction.

Sarah's foot jammed into something, followed by the rest of her body. Looking ahead she noticed she'd literally ran into one of the guards ahead of her. She blushed deeply, quickly stepping back. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, sir."

"We're here," the man announced while turning to face her. He ignored her apology.

Taking in her surroundings she felt confused. "I… I don't see anything. Where is the magic barrier?"

"It is not visible to the naked eye. But we can sense it." Stepping aside he gestured ahead. "You should find your destination in a five to ten minute walk. Simply locate our families and send them this way. They should be able to leave the barrier without any trouble."

Sarah looked ahead, then up at the tall man. "Are there guards? What if I get caught?"

"Don't get caught," he said simply.

"Great advice, thanks." She looked away quickly as the man narrowed his eyes at her and she rigidly hurried past him. "I'll be as quick as I can."

Once out of earshot she mumbled irritably. "Well, since no one else is saying it. Good luck, me. You can do this," the woman said. "Hopefully."

Looking back she saw the men huddled into the trees, sitting on the floor. They weren't looking at her. This made her realize she had nothing but Torin's word that she would be sent home. He could simply decide not to honor his promise and leave her to fend for herself. Or worse.

A shiver crawled down Sarah's spine. She tried to think of her family and what they would be up to right now. They must be worried sick.

It was then that her blood ran cold.

What if the people that had caught her had also taken Toby? What if Toby was wandering these woods all alone? What if the people that had caught Torin's daughter and kin, had also captured Toby? Nervously, Sarah looked around. She hadn't seen him in the alley before the unknown stranger had come for her. Why did she only think of this now?

Perhaps she could persuade Torin to look for Toby as well. She would retrieve his daughter for him, the least he could do was help her locate her brother.

Sarah huddled closer into her cloak and put on the hood. Suddenly, she felt very alone. She still could barely believe this was happening. If only she had the notebook. Maybe if she'd written insistently enough Jareth would have gotten worried and would have come to help. But of course the one time she went outside without it, this happened.

Then, in the distance she heard an ear splitting screech.

The hairs along her arms and on the back of her neck raised and her skin crawled. A wave of dizziness and a stabbing pain in her head briefly surfaced. With a panicked gasp she anxiously looked around. Her eyes scanned her surroundings but all she could see was the night sky beyond the treetops.

Taking a calming breath Sarah quickened her pace. The sooner she could get this over with, the better.

Suddenly her surroundings started swimming and an intense feeling of nausea overcame her. She curled her hand to a fist and held it in front of her mouth, trying to keep her footing. Bracing against a tree she took a few deep breaths and looked around her wearily. "Don't puke, Sarah. Don't do it," she whispered to herself. It was then that she started to notice her skin felt like it was heating up, like a spontaneous fever.

The woman worried that this was the barrier and even though she wasn't a magical being, it still had an effect on her. That, or perhaps the people that had abducted the camp members had realized that a barrier against magic creatures left a wide gap for non-magic creatures to waltz right in. She couldn't be the only one without magic in this place.

Briefly she wondered if she should turn back. She figured Valen and the others wouldn't take to that too kindly. She'd come this far, she couldn't turn back now. Likely the guards would just send her back and she would have to go through this a second time. And if that was the case she was definitely going to throw up.

She had to move. Every second she was standing still here made her feel worse and worse. With shaking hands she willed her legs to move, hoping she was still going the way that she'd been heading so far. The world started spinning, the trees bending around her into a sickening tunnel. There was a burning sharpness on her chest. Mentally she kept urging herself not to throw up. She continued to move, haphazardly bumping into a few trees. Slowly the nausea started dissipating, though the shaking of her hands became worse.

In the distance she could hear people and through her blurry vision she could see light in the distance. As quick as she could she hid behind a tree, sinking onto the floor. Muttering a curse under her breath the woman tried to regain her senses.

Closing her eyes, every fiber of her being begged her to stay awake. But she needed a second to shake off the dizziness. Only a second.

And promptly she passed out.

Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Eyelids heavy, Sarah rolled her head to one side. The dryness in her mouth made her throat feel like sandpaper and her tongue like tree bark. She brought up a hand to her head. It throbbed painfully. Slowly opening her eyes she realized she had passed out. For how long she couldn't tell. Her head rolled back limply and her eyes focused. Her breath hitched.

Right in front of her were two people, crouched up close fully covered in dark apparel except for a slit at their eyes. Her heart lurched in panic, her legs kicking off the ground firmly. Her heels slipped in the loose dirt as she pressed up closer against the tree.

This was it. She messed up.

Deciding that since she was screwed anyway she might as well scream. Perhaps it would alert Valen and the others. Her lips parted and one of the figures put a hand over her mouth, holding up a finger to quietly instruct her to remain quiet. Sarah nodded vehemently. Both of them studied her briefly before exchanging a look. Sarah was hyperventilating at this point, chest heaving in panic. One of them removed their hand from her mouth and she took a big gulp of air. A panicked squeak exited their lips, which she quickly repressed.

They exchanged a quick few words in a language she didn't understand before they hauled her up to her feet. One spoke to her in a strange language, earning themselves a strange look. "Not a sound, or you will regret it," the male voice spoke effortlessly. Fearing for her life Sarah vigorously nodded. They uttered something to the other, which regarded her for a second. "Come easy, girl, we don't want to have to hurt you." Sarah nodded again as her voice failed her. Strong hands clasped around her forcefully. They steered her around and practically dragged her along. Their long strides were difficult to keep up with.

Her vision was still a little blurry after she got up. There was a strange itch on her chest but she'd be damned if she got fussy now. Plus, it didn't matter that she couldn't see much. She didn't need to know where she was going as she didn't have a say in the matter anyway. From what she could make out, they were heading towards the light she had seen before.

That was good, right? Or was that bad?

They reached the area and the sound of voices grew louder. She could hear people laughing. She heard plates, cutlery and mugs. Blinking against the light yet simultaneously aided by it her vision focused further. By the time she could make out details again she saw a few people looking at her curiously. It was uncomfortable being manhandled in a crowded area. Quickly she ducked her head, her hair shielding her from the seeking eyes of strangers.

Sarah and the strangers stopped next to a large tent. It was larger than any tent Sarah had seen before. The tan fabrics were propped up by large support beams. The people holding her talked with two guards by the entrance. After a brief exchange one of the two walked in. In the meantime Sarah took a moment to look around. This camp was larger than Torin's and seemingly more crowded and well provisioned. While the tent she was standing by was one of the larger ones, all constructions she could see at the moment were rather large. They were lined side by side, creating a structure not unlike a street. By the walkways were tall torches stuck firmly into the dirt, accompanied by several chests, crates and sacks. She could spot a few people sitting together at a campfire nearby.

One of them was a young girl with dark hair and pale skin. Torin and Cora's daughter. The spitting image of her father. The young girl looked up and locked eyes with her. The girl, seeming to be maybe ten or twelve, looked fine. She wasn't bound or guarded and seemed relaxed as she was munching on some bread and what looked to be an apple. The girl was dressed in a pale attire, which looked clean, if a bit large for her small frame. She brushed her long sleek hair behind her ear while she steadily held her gaze. Her eyes were questioning, as if silently asking Sarah why she was looking at her in a rather alarmed way.

It wasn't until there was a rustle of the tent entrance that Sarah could tear her eyes away.

From the tent emerged a woman, clad in a long dove gray gown adorned with light tan accents. Her skin was a near perfect milky white. Every inch was soft, unmarred and even. It almost didn't seem real. The woman's face was regal, a little bit square but delicate and graced with pink, thin lips. Her eyes were a surprising dark brown, almost black, which stood in stark contrast with her otherwise pale appearance. Her hair was a copper or strawberry blonde, flowing down to her waist, complimented by a finely detailed circlet. Her face lit up in excitement, pearly white teeth bared in a dazzling smile. The woman urgently shoo-ed the people holding her. Her voice was soft and smooth when she gushed something to herself in an unfamiliar language. Clearing her throat the woman leaned in to push a lock of Sarah's hair behind her ear, Sarah didn't even have the reaction time to flinch.

"Oh, it's you! Sarah! I am terribly excited," the woman insisted. "You are even more beautiful than I imagined. Come, come," she parted the tent entrance and practically dragged her in. The woman seemed to order something to one of the guards as she hurried in after the brunette.

Sarah looked around in the tent in mild disbelief. It was like the tent had led to a hotel room. It was bathed in pale colors and luxurious furniture, including two queen sized beds, an ornate table with beautiful chairs, a wardrobe and even a carpet and a tapestry. The room was lit up with tall and thick candles and a couch sat snuggly by one of the walls.

The woman practically shoved the remaining guard out of the tent with a brief remark before hurrying to the table, inviting her to sit. Walking quietly to the table, Sarah sat down slowly, reluctantly speaking up. "I… I don't mean to be rude, but do I know you?"

The woman halted her energetic movements while pouring a drink. "Oh… Jareth is a rather secretive person," she chuckled. "My name is Alana." Sarah felt her heart skip a beat as she mentioned Jareth. Excitedly, the pale lady continued filling a glass with clear liquid. "And I must say, I have been simply yearning to see you. Jareth told me so much about you. About your work, your family, your home and what you like to eat. I practically couldn't get him to stop." She moved the glass to Sarah, who looked at her questioningly. "Oh, it's just water, dear. Not to worry. You must have been so scared! And you must be thirsty. How are you feeling? Any sense of illness, dizziness or-"

"Alana, I'm sorry to interrupt," Sarah said quietly. "But, I'm Underground right now, aren't I? Do you know how I got here?"

Alana's face fell, her dark eyes looking up at her. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Sarah! I have been looking for you for so long, you see. I-"

One of the guards walked in with a plate with fresh bread, soup and what looked like chicken. He put it on the table quietly, then bowed and walked back out.

"Ah, dinner! You must be hungry. Dig in, please!" Alana moved the plate to her insistently.

Sarah couldn't deny that the meal made her mouth water and offered a polite thank you before digging in. Alana seemed to have enough steam to keep the conversation going by herself anyways. "As I mentioned, Jareth had told me so much about you, for the first time in hundreds of years he seemed… happy. Or well, happier. A few months ago I heard that he had cut ties with you." Her face fell as her eyes glazed over in remembrance. "I don't think I've ever seen him so distraught since he was a boy. I started looking for you after that. I am not nearly as powerful as Jareth. I tried communicating with you but my callings fell on deaf ears."

Sarah frowned, scratching below her neck. "Actually, now that you mention it… I think I did hear. Or well, sensed. Sort of. For a long time I could sometimes smell things or I felt watched… I started getting severe headaches. I even started having these strange dreams unlike any I've ever had before."

Alana clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh, truly?! How thrilling! I must tell Jareth when I see him again. Eat, dear," she urged as Sarah paused. "Alas, from my knowledge it didn't work. I resorted to trying to visit in physical form. I spent many days trying to cross over to your world but was only successful twice. The first time I followed clues Jareth had given me but the mortal city he had mentioned didn't carry your presence. During my second visit I opted for the location Jareth had mentioned years ago. I crossed paths with you there. Not knowing how long I could keep up being in your world, I panicked and urgently approached you." Alana put her hand over Sarah's free hand, making her look up. "Oh my poor dear, you looked positively terrified. But I hope you understand that I had to act as quickly as I could."

Suddenly Sarah looked up at her, putting her spoon down. "Wait, the owl was you?"

Alana nodded. "It was! You ran, so I chased after you. I couldn't afford to lose you as my magic was wearing so thin I might not have been able to return home. If I did manage to get home, it would take me months to collect enough power and magic to visit again. I didn't want to risk not being able to find you again. When I reached you, you fainted. I did my best to take you with me. When I crossed over back home, I'd lost track of you. I must have made an error somewhere along the way back. Worry was consuming me, really. I've been searching all night and day trying to find you and even sent troops to patrol the nearby area. I only just got back when I heard that my guards had located an unfamiliar looking woman at the edge of camp." She looked as Sarah again rubbed her chest. "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

Sarah shook her head. "No, there's just this kind of sting on my chest."

"May I have a look?" Alana moved over to her as the brunette nodded. She carefully took off the cape, which she studied for a moment before tossing it on the floor with a scowl. "Sarah, have you… met anyone else, perchance?" Carefully she zipped open Sarah's jacket, tilting her head.

"Uh… yes. I did…"

"I think your jewelry has broken." Alana carefully touched the irritated skin by Sarah's neck.

Sarah looked down with wide eyes but couldn't see it. Her hands fished behind her to take it off. The small orb seemed to have shattered. Her shoulders sagged, cradling the chain in her hand. The pieces of the glass had practically turned to sand. Brushing the skin where the little ball had been resting she could feel the tiny grains as she brushed them off. "Ah, that sucks… I think that happened when I walked through the magic shield outside your camp."

"Sucks?" Alana muttered in confusion, before looking back up at her. "I'm really sorry, Sarah. Did Jareth give that to you?"

"Yeah," Sarah sighed, tossing the chain onto the table. "He gave it to me as a means to contact each other."

The woman nodded. "Then the ward probably destroyed it. I am sorry."

She smiled up at the pale lady. "It's okay, it's not your fault."

"You mentioned you met someone else before my men found you. Sarah, who did you meet before you got here?" Alana sat back at her seat.

"Some men, one of their names was Torin. He offered me shelter and a way home if I could help him free his people and their families."

Alana's fine eyebrows knitted together, repeating the name in a soft whisper. Looking back up at the brunette, her brows remained furrowed. "Torin is not a good man, Sarah. His men and their families weren't taken. They were rescued." Sarah's eyes widened. "A few days ago, two of our scouts ran into a fodder camp. Essentially, a fodder camp is a means for distraction and a way to gauge hostilities and intentions from nearby parties. Those that leave camps like this don't care if they live or die. The people there were sparsely fed and had to share small sleeping arrangements. My men took them here for protection and care, leaving the camp empty for the time being."

Sarah paled as she thought of the girl she saw outside. The dark haired man that had found her in the woods yesterday had left his own daughter to the mercy of whoever stopped by. She shook her head. "That explains why Torin was suddenly gone this morning. The guards there said he left."

Alana's face darkened. "That rat. I'm not surprised. We will find him and try to prevent as many further casualties from his schemes as possible. Are there still men outside the ward?"

"I presume so, I think they were waiting for me to get back."

Suddenly Alana snapped something towards the entrance of the tent and a guard jumped in. She talked to him briefly in that same foreign language after which he walked back out, shouting outside the tent before his voice disappeared in the distance.

Sarah mentioned to the carafe Alana had handled previously. "Uh, do you mind if I…?"

Alana smiled kindly. "No, no! Not at all! Take whatever you need to be comfortable. Can I get you any more food?"

Taking the carafe Sarah poured herself another glass of water. "No, thank you. I've had more than enough. I really appreciate your kindness and hospitality."

"Of course, dear!"

"So," Sarah started a little awkwardly. "How… how is Jareth?"

Alana lowered her head, looking down at her lap. "He is skilled in many ways, one of which is self-isolation."

"Tell me about it," Sarah chuckled, thinking back of the times he deflected invitations to talk about himself. "It's only fitting he lives in the center of a damn Labyrinth."

Alana smiled sadly. "Jareth has been depressed for a long while now. Lately it has been reaching a level that deeply concerns me. He has come to a point where I fear he will deliberately put himself in harm's way. As though he does not care what happens to him."

Alana and Sarah shared a quiet moment looking at each other. "Jareth means the world to me, lady Sarah," she continued. "I can bear it no longer to see him suffer. Hence, I decided to take you to this world. Not to keep you here, of course. To talk. I simply want to alleviate some of his sorrows." Alana carefully wiped away a tear that had fallen down her cheek. "I'm really sorry if you do not desire to be here. Please know I did not mean any ill intent or harm upon you or your family."

Sarah gently took Alana's hand, squeezing softly. It wasn't until then that she noticed she was wearing incredibly fine, thin gloves reaching up until her elbows. "It's okay, Alana. I noticed Jareth was going through a difficult time. For a long time I have tried to get him to open up about what was going on and I have often wanted to come here to see if there was any way at all in which I could help." Alana still looked guilty so she gave her a smile. "In a way you did me a favor. Now I don't have to struggle back home to try and get in contact with him in hopes that he'll change his mind." She leaned back and grabbed her glass of water. "That owl-brained jerk ran for the hills before I could get to that, sadly."

Alana couldn't help but burst out laughing at that remark. Quickly she shielded her mouth with her hand in an attempt to stifle her laughter. "Oh heavens, Sarah. I should not be laughing at Jareth's expense, but it is more than a little amusing that someone speaks so freely about him. I can definitely see why he carries such affection for you. Amusing as it is, I don't think I could bear speak poorly of him. I find myself to be very amiable and compliant. For as long as Jareth has known me, he might mistake me to be sincere. I wouldn't dare hurt his feelings."

Sarah's smile fell as she thought of her family. "Alana, besides me, did you bring anyone else with you?"

"Do you mean the young boy? I saw him when I approached you before you fainted. He was running into a house when I debated whether or not to tell him. Did you want him to come with you?"

"Definitely not. I just wanted to be sure he wasn't lost in these woods, like I was." Sarah smiled. "Would you mind telling me about yourself?"

The woman chuckled. "I'm afraid I am not a very compelling person. I have lived a rather secluded life. In many ways I was an asset for political matters. My family had much influence in this world of which most forcibly so. I usually was just a pretty face, perfect to appease the men of opposing sides. Often it was by force, though I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy some of the attention. I have been schooled in many skills. Painting, singing, music, etiquette, speech, history, healing, botanics and in my free time combat. Though my mother deeply disapproved of that last one. Most of my combat skills were taught after she passed though. My parents preferred me as a tool rather than their daughter and my own person." The woman had her hands neatly folded on her lap, looking at Sarah as she continued with a small smile. "While I do not wish to speak ill of them, since their passing I have grown to be much happier. Jareth has taken care of me for a long time, gladly offering me whatever he could spare and more. He is one of the few people that value me for more than just my fair appearance. I admit, most of what I learned about combat came from his skills."

Sarah nodded slowly, trying to imagine such a… medieval lifestyle. "What do you like to do?"

"Like to do?" Alana looked at her with a surprised blink. "I suppose I amuse myself with my painting and other creative efforts, when I can."

Sarah looked at the woman that sat so perfectly still and polite. "If there was one thing normally forbidden that you would like to do, what would it be?"

Alana got the wide-eyed doe look down to a T, that was for sure. Her big dark eyes got that childlike innocence more than Toby ever did. "Oh my, Sarah. I suppose I could wish for a day that I could be entirely my own. To stay and go as I please." She smiled to herself, her eyes falling to the surface of the table. "What a beautiful dream that would be." Suddenly she got up. "Well, lady Sarah, I propose we make ready for bed. Tomorrow we will receive a very dear visitor from the First Regiment and it would be unacceptable to be tardy." She walked over to a vanity and sat down, carefully removing her circlet and brushing her hair.

Sarah smiled and got up, following Alana to the vanity. "Well Alana, if a day ever presents itself in which I could make your ideal day happen I will do whatever I can to fulfill your wish."

Alana smiled back at her through the mirror. "Oh Sarah, you are a wonderfully kind woman. I praise myself lucky to have met you."

"Has Jareth never offered you such a day? You mentioned he has given you so much in the past." Alana got up and tugged Sarah down onto the seat of the vanity. Gently she proceeded to brush Sarah's hair, being ever so careful with the knots that had formed from her rough ventures.

"Oh, I wouldn't dare ask Jareth such a thing. He has done so much for me already."

"Maybe you should ask him," Sarah prodded. "Hearing how much he cares for you I'm sure he would."

"I don't doubt that."

A guard entered, clearing his throat. He bowed politely and spoke hastily. Throughout his announcement, which again, Sarah could not understand, she could feel Alana adapt her more regal composure again. She walked to the guard to ask a question, which he answered with a nod. Alana nodded back, then turned to Sarah. "Sarah dear, I am afraid I must run one more errand before we can retire. Please help yourself to anything in this tent. There is a bath behind the screen in the far corner, it should still be at a comfortable warmth. There are plenty of soaps to make use of. You are also welcome to take any of the night gowns in the wardrobe. Please do not wait to retire until I return. If you need anything else, there will be guards right outside the tent, they will see to your every need."

"O-okay, thank you Alana. Good luck on your errand," Sarah offered kindly, a little worried at the woman's sudden haste. Alana gave her an assuring smile before grabbing a snow white cloak and heading outside.

Sarah looked around the tent. Walking to the ornate wardrobe she opened it and gawked at the beautiful gowns inside. She modestly selected a light purple night dress and grabbed one of the silky soft towels before heading to the screen. The water felt just right, if maybe a little warm.

While normally she would feel uncomfortable stripping in a strange place, the need for a bath took that modesty away. Without a doubt she peeled off her clothes and stepped into the welcoming water. She let out a deep and relaxing sigh, letting the warmth sink into her skin. After washing up with one of the soaps at the base of the bath she spotted a few delicate looking robes hanging on the screen. Alana sure had a beautiful taste in clothing.

Crawling out of the bath she dried off and grabbed the nightgown, carefully pulling it over her head and down her body. The woman let out a sigh of relief as it comfortably fell down to her ankles. Picking up one of the robes she pulled it on over her gown and walked to the vanity to brush her hair. After that she slipped into the less imposing and luxurious bed, hoping it wasn't Alana's.

She was awake for a while longer, thinking of her family and waiting for Alana to come back but eventually she fell asleep.

Chapter 14: Chapter 14

The next morning Sarah woke to a gentle voice and touch on her shoulder. She felt like she'd just woken from a coma. Her eyes strained against any amount of light, her head throbbed and swayed and her body felt exhausted. A petite and cheerful face greeted her, dark eyes looking down at her warmly. Sarah grabbed a few locks of her dark hair and tugged it over her face, blocking out the light. "What year is it?"

Alana giggled. "Let's get you dressed." Sarah groaned as Alana peeled the covers off her. "I have laid out an outfit for you next to the screen. You will find a bowl there with warm water to freshen up."

Sarah groggily opened her eyes, blowing her hair out of her face. Crawling up she made her way to the changing screen. "Was everything okay last night? What happened? Did you sleep at all?" Taking off her gown she tried to figure out the outfit Alana laid out for her.

"Oh I slept fine, dear. I don't need much sleep. Get dressed and I will inform you of last night's developments."

Sarah was eager to get to the breakfast table. Her stomach growled impatiently, but it took a few minutes before she was fully clothed. The dress itself reached only to her knees but was embroidered with beautiful ivy shaped details and gold trimmings. Further covering her legs were warm but flattering dark brown leggings with similar trimming at the bottom. Somehow she slipped into the outfit and the matching boots effortlessly and she found they were warm and comfortable. Perhaps there was a subtle sense of magic to this outfit, as Alana seemed much more petite than her. "Alana, do you maybe happen to have a hair tie?"

"I can do your hair for you after breakfast. Are you ready?"

Sarah eagerly joined Alana at the table. "Absolutely, I am starving."

The lady chuckled. "Please, help yourself. I would have loved to offer a more diverse breakfast but seeing as the camp resources are limited, this will have to do."

Grabbing some fresh bread, eggs and bacon she eagerly dug in. "Are you joking? This all looks delicious. If only I could have breakfast like this every day. Is everyone in the camp so richly provided for?"

"Oh, but of course! I firmly believe in equality in times of hardship. I personally see to it every day that the kitchens are provided with the best ingredients possible and there is enough food to provide for everyone. While we are running short on supplies, we are not starving anyone or creating a hierarchy. Were it not the humane choice, it wouldn't be wise to create a rift among allies." She poured another drink for the both of them as she spoke. "Luckily, the First Regiment should visit today, they will bring supplies. Truth be told, I haven't had experience in leadership before. This camp is relatively new and is mostly a secret reprieve for those on the road. It is my first time in a position of authority. His Majesty offered me this opportunity. I wanted to join the First Regiment but he strictly forbade it. Too dangerous, he said." She smiled at Sarah. "I can't say I blame him."

They were quiet for a while, enjoying their breakfast before a thought popped into Sarah's head. "If you don't mind me asking… What became of Torin's men? I take it you had your guards look for them last night?"

Alana, who'd already stopped eating a few minutes ago, nodded. "Indeed," she spoke softly. "I had my men scout into the forest and confront the men that were waiting for you. They are fiercely loyal to Torin so for now they have been captured and are being escorted to a nearby city for further prosecution. This morning a few of my men headed to the camp south from here. The one you came from. I am still awaiting their rapport."

Sarah was silent while she tried to piece everything together. What Jareth's position was in all this.

"Now then," Alana piped up as she got up from her seat. "How about I get your hair done? Our visitors could be here any minute."

"Yes, of course," Sarah blurted out as she was pulled from her musings. Sitting down at the vanity, Alana collected a brush and a few ribbons. "Thank you for your help."

"Of course, dear! I do love to assist people with their hair." She smiled widely. "It was me that cut Jareth's hair some time ago."

Sarah's eyebrows shot up at that comment. "Seriously?"

"Very seriously. His hair, much like mine, has a natural tendency to…"

"Become a bird's nest?" Sarah offered.

"Oh, absolutely," she giggled. "His hair gets very messy. For months, if not years I insisted he cut it and save himself a lot of hassle."

"That sounds like he didn't give in easily."

"No, he is a proud man. It was like plucking a peacock," she shook her head, her dark eyes saddened.

The woman repressed a grin at her remark, imagining it all too vividly. "Well, it looks good on him."

Alana grabbed one of the ribbons and started to weave it into her hair. She deftly untangled the dark tresses and gracefully arranged the hair all while being incredibly gentle. "That's what I said!"

While working on her hair Sarah gazed at Alana. She had that same intense stare that Jareth could have. Her dark eyes unwavering and deeper than the deepest ocean. Despite being petite, she had an air of authority and a larger than life presence not unlike the Goblin King.

A guard walked in a few minutes later, announcing something to Alana. She replied quietly after which the guard bowed and left.

"It's a bit of a shame I can't understand this foreign language people keep speaking around here," Sarah commented.

Alana nodded her head with a kind smile. "I do apologize, while we do speak English, we try not to do so when discussing more sensitive matters, as our diverse Fae dialects allow us some protection from prying ears." Finishing up Sarah's hair she put her hands on the brunette's shoulders. "What do you think?"

Sarah turned her head as she looked in the mirror, grinning as she saw her hair beautifully braided with the green ribbons woven through it. "It's gorgeous, thank you. I really love it."

"Wonderful." Alana moved to the wardrobe. "Now, let's get going. I just received word that the First Regiment has arrived. If you ask nicely, they might speak in English for you." She winked at Sarah and handed her a green cloak.

Sarah chuckled and put the cloak on. Alana grabbed the cloak Sarah had been wearing yesterday and gave it to one of the guards with a brief request to dispose of it.

Sarah followed the woman when she headed into the camp, letting her eyes scan the many tents. People were eagerly bustling about, talking and laughing. Approaching a large clearing there were several men dressed in full ornate armor. It was reflective even within the shade of the trees, giving the men a robust but regal air. Some were talking with people from the camp while others were busy unloading large crates, barrels and bindings from carriages. A few cheering children excitedly wove through the armored troops while their mothers chased them worriedly.

It was a refreshingly lively sight after the doom and gloom she had encountered in Torin's camp. Just seeing everyone talking and smiling lifted her spirits. Alana greeted the soldiers one by one. They respectfully bowed to her, smiling politely even though Alana was less formal. While Alana was busy welcoming them, Sarah noticed one of the soldiers unloading a carriage and struggling with a large crate. The wooden container was so large all she could see was the man's hands and the legs poking out below it.

Quickly, Sarah hurried over to help, supporting the box and helping him carry it to a stack of cargo a few feet away. Once put down the man looked up at her. He seemed alarmed as he took his helmet off. The man had short sandy blonde hair and a rather square face with brown eyes. "Allae impi llea maite Arwenamin, Tira ten' rashwe." Even though she didn't understand it, he was clearly upset.

"Uh, sorry, I don't understand you," she said sheepishly.

The soldier bowed briefly as he fidgeted. "Ah, my lady, I am very sorry. I thank you for your help, but please leave it to me. I don't want you to be harmed."

Sarah smiled, shrugging. "It's okay, it seemed like you needed a hand." The woman saw him briefly touch his right side uncomfortably. His plate armor prevented her from seeing anything. She eyed him suspiciously, at which he awkwardly diverted his gaze. "You seem to be hurt. I will help you with unloading."

Marching over to the carriage, the soldier hurried after her. "My lady!" Sarah moved to pick up one of the boxes. "Please, don't -"

"Sir, I am helping. Now, these boxes are rather heavy, so if you could help, I would appreciate it."

The man hurried to take the box from her but she stubbornly held on to it. He quickly put it with the others. Sarah consistently took the lead while he was still visibly uncomfortable, eyes darting around him. He was probably looking for another man to help him but she kept moving.

A few boxes later the carriage was empty and Sarah clapped her hands with a deep sigh. "There. Teamwork makes the dream work." The man looked a little confused. "It's a phrase where I'm from."

The man took her hand and bowed, politely pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I deeply thank you for your assistance, lady…"

"Sarah," she offered.

"Lady Sarah, thank you. But please, I beg you to refrain from any further manual labor. There are plenty of men to help. I insist you leave it to us."

"Okay, okay," Sarah chuckled, seeing him stretch his side again. "Now, are you sure you are alright, sir…?"

"Brayden," he offered in return. "It is merely an injury from two moons ago that is still mending. I will receive some healing for it today."

"Sarah, there you are!" Alana walked up to her. Brayden bowed deeply, excusing himself as someone called for him. "I have been informed that Jareth should arrive before the end of the day." Her voice was uncharacteristically high pitched and her fine features gently creased in a wide smile.

Sarah's stomach flipped. "Wait, Jareth is going to be here? He's in the First Regiment," she asked in mild panic when Alana took her arm and walked with her.

"Oh, he's not in the First Regiment, he leads them. You seem shocked he's visiting. Why else did you think I was in such a hurry to get you here? I haven't seen him in a few months now. I think you and I can both agree that he can't get here soon enough. Once he leaves camp, I'm sure it will take several months or even years before he'll visit. Maybe he can take you home before he leaves. I can definitely try myself but we both know how well that went last time."

"Alana, Jareth didn't tell me anything of what is going on here, but it's pretty bad, isn't it?"

Alana sighed. "Things definitely aren't as bad as they used to be. I have faith that we have had the worst of it. I don't have much time to explain it at the moment so you'll have to excuse me for summarizing. Perhaps Jareth has told you of the fourteen kingdoms that he rules. Two were united through marriage a long time ago. Twelve were taken by terrible force. Since being conquered the people always coped with a certain friction both with each other as well as the monarchy. Jareth has always been a rather secluded person. A trait not often celebrated when royalty is concerned. Not too long after his coronation he almost permanently retreated to his castle in the Goblin City. That castle lies secluded. It cannot be reached by horse and definitely not by carriage. While there are powerful people in the Underground, not many are skilled in teleportation - and those that are often aren't keen on it. Shapeshifting is an even rarer skill that most do not even dare to hone due to the risks associated with it. His retreat therefore was considered a refusal of duty. Jareth prefers his title as Goblin King. Even though many consider it an insult or a sin as it is a form of escapism by their king, to Jareth it means comfort."

"Because of his seclusion, Jareth left much of his kingdom vulnerable. Many assumed roles of leadership while others abused the lack of enforcement to steal and pillage. From the disorder and concerns came a rebellion. What started as a civil unrest fanned into a flame of anarchy. People sought to overthrow Jareth's rule, claim or divide the kingdoms and seize power from a seemingly uninterested monarch. While Jareth's predecessor was a terrible tyrant, a disinterested king isn't much of an improvement. Some people hold on to the narrative that much of the kingdom was taken by force and that warrants, in their opinion, to be freed by force. Jareth believes some groups might even have gained allies in a different kingdom. Although much of the resistance and chaos has been eased or quieted, he suspects some to have allied with powers strong enough to wear a crown of their own."

Sarah let go of a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, her gaze flickering erratically but unseeing. Alana put her hand on the burnette's arm, but it did little to ease her worries.

"Unfortunately, questions will have to wait. I am sure you have many." Unlinking their arms the pale lady moved to stand in front of her. Gracefully she gestured to a large tent they were standing by. "Regrettably I have an important meeting to attend. I would invite you, but I doubt it will be interesting to you, as it is neither sociable nor in English. Perhaps you can take this time to explore the camp and meet some people? I am sure there are many things you could assist with."

"Sure, I can do that."

Alana smiled, taking her hand. "The guards know I hold you in high regard, they will do whatever they can to please you. I will meet with you once I am done here." Sarah nodded and Alana pressed an affectionate kiss on her cheek. Excusing herself, the woman made her way into the tent.

—-

A few hours later, Sarah was sure she had seen each and every corner of the camp. She'd helped in the kitchens and much to the annoyance of the soldiers she had even helped unload more carts. A few camp members had been eager to talk to her and she had spent an hour or so playing with the children present.

She had then wandered into the healer's tent. Brayden had been snoring in one of the stretchers. She had seen bins of red and brown colored rags that gave off the sickening metallic scent of blood. It was a grim suggestion of things unseen. Sarah had also met a very chatty nurse. A man that talked so actively and without pause in the foreign language Sarah had yet to find room to tell him she didn't understand a word he said.

Outside the camp came alive again. The nurse mumbled and waved his hand at the entrance of the tent, spewing words with vigor and obvious annoyance. However, Sarah was curious what caused the people to erupt in activity and she peered outside to the cheering crowd. A group of roughly fifty men were entering the camp. Many had already passed by the time Sarah looked outside, but it wasn't so much the men that caught her attention. It was the beasts they were riding on. She'd seen horses before but these animals were like horses on steroids, their chests wide and muscular and their necks so thick Sarah doubted she could wrap her arms around one. Their thick legs stomped powerfully with each step, their heads rearing wildly. Their manes and tails were trimmed short and they wore bridles with mullets of metal. Their skins were scarred or even freshly cut and covered in sweat. They seemed to have had an intense trip as their mouths were foaming and their skin was steaming hot. The noises they made weren't like the whinnies she had heard horses make before. Instead they wretched out an almost demonic roar as they tugged on the reins.

Looking up from the beasts she gazes upon their riders. Unlike some of the men that had arrived earlier today, they were not clad in heavy armor. These soldiers wore lighter armor, something that was likely easier to maneuver in. One by one the men dismounted, their horses led away as they received a warm welcome. Awkwardly waving goodbye to the nurse that was still talking she made her way outside, joining the cheerful crowd and craning her neck to try and spot the people that had just arrived.

In between the many happy faces of the crowd were a pair of downcast mismatched eyes. Despite the warm welcome everyone was receiving, the uneven eyes remained dispassionate. The familiar face was a tight mask, jaw and neck muscles tense. His eyes were ringed with dark circles and his posture was stiff. He looked… lost, for lack of a better word.

Suddenly, one voice broke apart from all the others. A voice that not only made him perk up but also sounded familiar to Sarah. With a renewed sparkle his gaze scanned the crowd as he walked past the tents, searching.

The brunette was also quickly scanning the crowd to find Alana. She figured it best if her presence was announced by her host, rather than Jareth just bumping into her. Perhaps Alana had something specific planned.

Rising to the tips of her toes, Sarah did her best to try and spot the pale woman. Carefully, she waded through the crowd, now solely focusing on finding her rather than reuniting with her friend.

"Sarah?!"

She physically flinched as she heard a familiar baritone voice call her name. She debated whether she should play dumb and keep moving or turn around. Regardless of which decision she would have made consciously, subconsciously her feet were glued to the ground. The excitement died down and she turned around, seeing the crowd part.

Her heart lurched wildly. Jareth was a mere inch in front of her the moment she turned around. Sarah looked up from the amulet resting on his chest into the pair of eyes that moments ago had been nearly lifeless. His brows were drawn together tightly, his lips were pressed so thin they'd almost disappeared completely. His eyes were both dark and wide. They burned with a near frenzied intensity. The way he was now towering over her was frightening. Lowering her head her eyes flicked up and away from his stormy gaze, like a beaten puppy. Sarah had seen Jareth upset before but she'd never seen him this furious.

On one hand she desperately wanted to hug him. She was happy beyond words to see him again, yet the fear within her suggested that she could try running.

Unmatching eyes were spitting fire. His entire body seemed rigid with barely contained rage. Quick like a snake, one of his hands grasped the clasping of her cloak and pulled her to him. Sarah gasped, forced to rise onto her toes as he was close enough to almost touch noses. "What in God's name do you think you're doing here?" His voice was strained but loud and intimidating. Her ears were ringing from the intensity. He was seething. Livid. His voice contorted so strongly that it was almost unrecognizable.

Sarah felt a deep wave of hurt crashing into her. He didn't seem even a tiny bit happy to see her. He tugged on her cloak again, the piece of clothing constricting her ability to breathe as he'd pulled her up nearly high enough to lift her off her feet completely. In her panic, Sarah was still frozen and too frightened to respond. "Well?!"

"Jareth!" Both of their heads turned as the chirpy voice interrupted the tension. "I see you two…" Her bubbly voice halted when she saw the rage in his eyes and the way Jareth held on to Sarah's cloak. Sarah's hands rose to pry at Jareth's, her eyes wide as she silently pleaded for the graceful woman to help.

Alana quickly hurried up to them. "Jareth, I can explain," she said quietly, trying to tug his hand from the fabric of Sarah's cloak. "Let's meet in my tent. Away from prying eyes." His grasp on Sarah's cloak was unyielding and she looked up at him with wide, saddened eyes. "Please, Jareth."

"Jareth, you're hurting me," Sarah whispered quietly, her voice breathy as she quietly gasped for air. His burning stare shifted back to the brunette. Still fuming, Jareth let go of Sarah with a small shove, shooting them both a dark glare before using the cleared path to march towards the tent.

Barely keeping her footing from his shove Sarah rubbed her throat. The pale lady worriedly held onto her arm. They hurried after him, struggling to keep up with his large strides.

Sarah walked into the tent after Alana, seeing Jareth pace with a hand over his mouth. His strides were large and feverish. The man walked back and forth like an imprisoned animal. His free hand balled to a tense fist behind his back. Once both of them were inside Jareth exploded. "Why is she here," he demanded, walking up to Alana. "Tell me how long she has been here!" His voice was so loud that Sarah's ears hurt. "Abair amae right sii," he hissed. Quietly looking between the two her heart raced as she figured out what to do. Alana seemed worried, her hand reaching out to his cheek. Jareth pushed it away sharply. "Tell me!" Alana flinched, taking a few paces back.

Fearing that he might hurt her Sarah went to stand in between them protectively, deciding she'd rather be in his line of fire. "Jareth, calm down! You're scaring her!" His anger was rolling off of him in waves Sarah could physically feel. It was both fascinating and terrifying.

"I don't give a fuck," he barked while he stepped closer.

Despite her surprise that he'd used such a vulgar word she tried her best to be brave. "That's no excuse to shout someone into tears like this. You're a grown man!"

A silence stretched between them. Alana sobbed quietly. Some of Jareth's anger seeped out, his shoulders relaxing slightly when he looked at the crying woman. With a quivering voice Alana spoke up quietly. "Jareth, please, it's my fault. I brought her here."

Some of his anger swelled again and he took a step closer. Sarah held her hands to his chest, trying to push him back. Angrily he pushed her hands away. "Why?!"

"I did it for you," she insisted as she shrunk behind Sarah. "When you stopped visiting Sarah, things got so much worse. I wanted to help."

"How is bringing her here going to help anyone?!" The Goblin King's hands were clenched tightly, his chest heaving. He looked at Sarah whose protectiveness grew with every sob Alana wrenched out. It seemed to feed his softer side, the tension of his fury slowly slackening throughout his face and body.

Jareth took a deep breath and released it slowly, calming himself. By his sides his hands contorted tensely. After a little while he let out a deep sigh and gently pushed Sarah aside. "Come here, Lana." His voice was now calmer and more gentle but still a little stiff. Alana walked up to him and with a small sniffle she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her cheek against his chest. He returned the hug quietly and his hand caressed her hair. "Suaimhnis llea nwalma," he whispered softly, at which she nodded. Despite trying his best to suppress it, his hands were trembling.

A few moments later Jareth pulled back and ushered her to the table. "Let's take a seat. Sarah." He gestured to a seat and the women sat down wordlessly. One of his hands raked shakily through his hair. "Lana, please explain to me what happened."

"You have been so depressed and it only seems to be getting worse. I wanted to cheer you up, I wanted to help." Her gentle voice quivered and gradually she started talking faster and faster. "At first I intended to just talk to Sarah but I was starting to grow weary and didn't want to get trapped in her world. Right before I decided to give up, I saw her. I could tell she knew something was going on, even if she didn't know who I was. She fled and once I caught up with her she fainted. I got so stressed that I decided to bring her so we could talk here before I became too tired."

"You traveled through the veil, traveled back and summoned her here?" If Jareth wanted to hide that he was impressed he was doing a poor job doing so.

Alana blushed, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Most of it went fine…"

"Most of it?"

"I… might have lost her."

"You lost her," Jareth repeated, his voice rising as he leaned forward.

The woman pouted as she leaned back a little into her seat. "Well, at least she came through in one piece."

"In one…" The man sighed and rubbed his face. "Lana…"

"What? It went… well enough. I found her again, didn't I?"

Jareth looked at Sarah, who stiffened when his attention was suddenly on her. He remained silent, arching a brow expectantly. "She did find me," she offered quietly, her voice little more than a squeak.

"Sarah…"

"The next day… Torin-"

"Torin?!" Both women jumped as he slammed his first onto the table. "Where is that filthy slime?"

"My men are currently looking for him. He fled," Alana said quietly.

Jareth pressed his lips together, his face a mix of tension and exhaustion. "I am gone for a few months…" He sighed again. "Lana, if this position is too much for you -"

"No!" The woman covered her mouth at the sudden volume. "No," she continued more quietly. "I can do this. I promise."

"I want reports from now on." He insisted tightly as she looked up at him. "No more surprises." Alana nodded quietly. "Lana, please make sure my men are tended to." His voice evened out to a tired sigh. His hand took hold of hers. "A few are wounded and I am sure they could use a good meal." The woman nodded and he affectionately pressed a kiss to her knuckles before she walked out.

Sarah felt very uncomfortable as soon as they were alone. Her hands wrung tightly while her gaze remained directed at her lap. For a few moments, there was silence. Jareth got up and she looked at him from the corner of her eyes, remaining motionless. Wordlessly, he held out a hand to her and he pulled her to her feet. Before Sarah could look up or respond he had gathered her close, his arms wrapping around her tightly. Almost too tightly. Though tense at first, Sarah eventually allowed herself to relax and hug him back.

His hold was firm and steely. Jareth's quiet and even heartbeat gently pulsed against her cheek even all the way through his armor. His familiar scent was inescapable with his proximity. The warmth pouring off of him enveloped her like a warm blanket and pulled her into a sense of tranquility. Sarah wasn't sure if his hold had always made her feel so safe. It wasn't quite like the calming spells he'd used before. It was somehow better.

The woman wasn't sure when tears had started rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes were more than a little blurry when she looked up at him. He quietly brushed her tears away after they slipped from her lashes. He seemed happy to see her, yet at the same time he looked torn. Sarah tightened her arms ever so slightly. She'd figured it barely noticeable, but his reaction to the subtle gesture was surprisingly significant. Without even blinking his eyes flashed to that strangely intense look, that alien hyperfocus. Sarah couldn't put her finger on it. It was almost like a whole new universe had blossomed in the uneven pair. In a way it was scary… But God, she was so intensely happy to see him again.

"I missed you," she whispered.

A strange emotion flickered in his eyes before his trademark smirk was back on his face. Although insufferable at the best of times, at the moment it was a most welcome sight. "I know. Your drunken illustrations made that much clear."

Sarah frowned and broke away from his fixated stare. "What drunken…?"

"I'm joking," Jareth confessed, his arms loosening around her. "I missed you too, Sarah. I would ruffle your hair, but I wouldn't want to mess up such a pretty hairdo."

"Oh, hell no!" Sarah immediately pushed herself away from him, not fully convinced he wasn't going to do it. "Alana worked really hard on it!"

He raised his hands in submission, grinning. "I wouldn't dare. The ranger's dress looks beautiful on you."

Sarah blushed, her fingers playing with the cloak's edge. Bashfully her gaze dropped. "I guess you never unlearn how to be a suck-up."

"It's true," he insisted. Sitting down, they joined back at the table and the air grew heavier. "I hope you know that Alana bringing you here doesn't change anything. I still do not want you to be here. I'm sure you have anticipated that I will send you back."

"I'm not leaving yet," she said defensively.

"I know. Unfortunate as it might be, I am not currently in shape to do so." His despondent tone slackened her defenses. Much like months ago, he looked tired. The dark circles made his sharp features lose some of their power. His skin was ashen and now that she looked more closely she could spot some scrapes and bruises on him. "I presume Alana has told you a thing or two in the meantime."

"Yeah, we talked about some stuff. Not everything, but enough."

"I have been neglectful of my duties for a while now. There are parties that disapprove of my negligence or use it as a tool to try and overthrow me. For the past years I have been traveling, negotiating and fighting to try and right my wrongs. A lot of the unrest has been dealt with but I cannot say how long this might last. I didn't want to tell you before. Whereas at first I presumed you were simply fond of magic, I do believe you genuinely care. Had I told you I am sure you would have insisted on helping. More than you already did, that is."

"I do now," Sarah stated firmly.

Jareth looked up to meet her gaze and he let out a deep breath. "I'm sure you do. But I will not accept your help."

"Why not?"

"Because this issue doesn't concern you, Sarah. There is no use in involving any more innocent parties."

"I don't know if you've noticed, Jareth, but I'm a grown woman and I have the right to make my own decisions."

Jareth seemed exhausted all of a sudden, leaning on one elbow and rubbing his face. "Grow all you like, Sarah. I am not putting you in harm's way and that's final."

"I'm not asking you to put me in harm's way. I'm asking you to treat me like an adult so I can make a decision of my own. I am sure there are many ways in which I can help."

"I'm taking you home as soon as I can. If I have to throw you into a dungeon to keep you from blindly running into issues you don't understand, I won't hesitate to do so."

"If you don't respect me enough to let me make my own choices, I will find someone else that will value my help. I'm sure Alana would." Sarah frowned as she looked at him.

Unimpressed, Jareth raised one eyebrow. "Alana knows that you mean a lot to me and that fact will make her as protective of you as I am." Sarah crossed her arms irritably over her chest with her elbows on the table. One of her hands fished around her neck before it froze and dropped back down. His eyes followed the movement. "Where is your necklace?"

She leaned back with an aggravated sigh. "It burst."

"It burst? How did you manage to do that?"

The woman narrowed her eyes. "I didn't do shit, jerkwad. When Alana took me here I was dropped somewhere in the surrounding forest. When crossing the protective barrier, it exploded."

"Yes... I put a ward down months ago to protect Alana and the people here."

Sarah shivered and her lip curled in disgust. For a moment Jareth seemed confused by her reaction. "It was horrid. I was sick twice after being transported here. Once I crossed that barrier I was sure I was going to puke again. I even passed out." Sarah frowned at the memory.

"You fainted?" His voice was colored with confusion.

"Yeah, the spell from the necklace, probably."

The man shook his head. "No, magic items are simply destroyed if one enters through with them. Its magic should not afflict you. Only people and creatures that possess magic will be affected by this ward." He gazed at her for a moment, then gave her a small smile. "It must have been those certain powers mentioned in that little novel you cherish so much."

Sarah looked at him warily, unsure what to make of that information. She'd always assumed it was just a story. A story that was brought to life in the Labyrinth. Surely it was just fiction. Surely, the Goblin King hadn't… Her hazel eyes fixed on him, studying the monarch across from her. A wide grin spread on his lips as he languidly leaned back in his chair. She grew increasingly insecure and flustered. The woman jumped as a guard entered, followed by Alana and a few others who started to set the table. Jareth laughed.

"There we go, all men have been taken care of. They are being served dinner or tended to as we speak. I have also arranged dinner for ourselves, I hope you two are hungry." The pale lady looked between the two as Sarah was visibly uncomfortable and Jareth was smirking. "What are you grinning for?"

"Isn't it just a delightful sight to see our little Sarah so flustered," he purred, still looking at the brunette's squirming.

Frustrated and a little humiliated Sarah grabbed a piece of broccoli from a plate and tossed it at him. "No fighting at the dinner table," Alana chastised.

"He started it," Sarah muttered childishly.

Alana and Sarah carried most of the conversation during dinner. Jareth mostly listened and tried to relax while enjoying his meal. Once finished Alana excused herself briefly to check in on the First Regiment one more time. A guard came in and provided Jareth with a stack of parchment.

While Jareth made room on the table to lay them out, Sarah looked curiously at the papers. "They are notes of the current goings-on," Jareth muttered while taking off the armor he was wearing, comfortably stripping down to his trousers and a loose shirt.

"Don't you usually just… 'poof' outfits on?"

Jareth looked at her dryly when he sat back down at the table. "I don't 'just poof' anything." He sighed at the pile of documents, clearly not thrilled to read through them. "The reason why I physically dress is the same reason why you are still here." Sarah blinked. "Especially recently I have been required to use a lot of magic. It doesn't have an endless supply. It needs to be used in moderation or will have to be replenished if used excessively. While I could dress myself magically, I prefer to save that energy for a more noble cause. Or to transport little brats like you back home."

The woman ignored the last addition while he settled into reading the notes. "The horses you rode in on… Are those the war horses you spoke of?"

"Indeed they are. Are they what you imagined?" His voice was rather even as he was already engrossed in his notes.

"Not really. They're definitely more terrifying than I thought."

"You should see them in battle," he commented distractedly.

Sarah watched in silence while he read the documents. It was strange seeing him again. It seemed to have been so long. Years, rather than months. She recalled the moment he saw her about two hours ago. The unbridled rage she had seen him display had been terrifying. Sarah had seen people angry before, but the way he'd been upset was… animalistic. Yet now, he was just sitting here. Unbothered by her being here.

No, he wasn't unbothered.

Jareth had made it very clear that he was bothered. He simply wasn't in any position to do anything about it at the moment. With a sigh, Sarah got up and moved to the vanity. Jareth's eyes followed briefly before returning to the pages.

Carefully, Sarah tried to unbraid her hair and remove the ribbons. Muttering quietly to herself she tried to make sense of the fastening on the back of her head. The woman hadn't realized she'd been broadcasting it until Jareth spoke up. "Everything alright, Sarah?"

"I'm just trying to loosen my hair, but Alana tied it up pretty good." Feeling around, Sarah did feel a pin or two but after repeatedly trying to take it out she started muttering again.

The king rubbed his forehead with a sigh before getting up and walking over to her. Tugging off his gloves he tossed them onto the table. He carefully took out a pin and Sarah thanked him quietly. She reached up but his hand clasped around her wrist and moved it back down. "I'll take care of it." Sarah nodded quietly and he started to carefully unbraid her hair, holding the ribbons between his lips after he took them out. Occasionally his fingers brushed through her hair and his nails scraped along the skin of her neck. Her hands wrung nervously as she tried to repress shivers.

"Jareth," her voice was quiet, her eyes downcast to her lap. "Do you really hate me being here?" His hands halted for a moment, before he loosened the last bit of her hair. His fingers moved to her scalp and traced up the sensitive skin, his fingers weaving through her hair. Sarah shivered at the chaste touch. The tresses of dark hair cascaded down one by one through his fingers.

Removing the ribbons from between his lips and placing them on the vanity he grabbed a brush. "Yes. And no."

Sarah pouted, crossing her arms. "Always with the cryptic answers."

"Yes, I hate you being here," the man started. Her hazel eyes flicked up to look at him through the mirror. "I hate that there is a chance you might get hurt and I hate that my mind continuously pictures each and every way in which that could happen. I hate that despite being a king to millions and being hundreds of years old, I still don't have enough power to change your mind. I hate that I could use every shred of magic I have in me and I would not have the heart to use it to make you think otherwise. I hate that your stubborn sense of righteousness might one day cause you serious harm. Or worse." Sarah flinched when he ground out those last two words, her eyes falling to her lap. "Yet, I do not hate it, because I did miss you. I do not hate it because even when you defy me you do it with the best intentions. I do not hate it because your very existence brings me courage and motivation to right my wrongs. I do not hate it because…" He grew quiet. Possibly due to the fact that his volume had been gradually rising, or possibly due to hesitation. "Because every minute I see those hazel eyes I want to see them just a minute longer." His voice was suddenly very quiet. His brushing had ceased, his hand ever so gently touching the back of her neck. He took a breath to continue a little louder and continued brushing. "I just wish being with you could be under better circumstances. Which is why it also pains me to know that soon I will have to take you home. This will likely be the last time I will ever see you, because despite everything I just said, I still stand by my decision."

Sarah stared at the vanity's table. She couldn't work up the courage to meet his eyes. He cupped her chin and lifted her head, practically forcing her to meet his gaze. "You do look enchanting in this dress," he said quietly before putting down the brush and moving back to the table.

Sarah remained seated. Her eyes followed him through the mirror, studying him when he sat down at the table. His fingers fidgeted with the edge of the parchment he was reading, causing her eyes to fly back to the vanity. His gloves rested next to her. She could feel tears well up in her eyes.

Not too long after Alana walked back in, taking off her cloak. "Ah, Jareth, I see our notes were delivered to you. Let me know if you have any questions or comments."

"None so far," he said, drawling on the sentence as he was still reading.

Alana sat at the table, putting down a kettle. Sarah joined with a thin smile. "Some tea, Sarah?"

"Yes, thank you."

Alana froze for a moment as she held a cup of tea. Sarah could look at the pale lady just in time to see her stare at his bare hands. Alana's lips parted wordlessly and her dark eyes moved to look at Sarah. Sarah met her gaze and Alana quickly looked away, putting the cup down and pouring another two cups.

"I hope you like peach tea."

"Always with the peaches," the brunette mumbled. Jareth looked up at her, a mischievous smile curling around his lips. They enjoyed their tea in silence. Once done, the Goblin King stifled a yawn.

"I never thought I'd see the day where you would have trouble staying awake, Jareth." Alana and Jareth exchanged a smile.

Seeing the exchange caused a strange heaviness to settle into her stomach. "So," Sarah started before she realized that she did, and moved her thumbs along the height of the cup. "Out of curiosity, are you two dating?"

The Goblin King's smile fell. Silence stretched between the three. "Yes, Lana. Are we dating?" He asked earnestly when he looked at the blonde woman.

Alana looked back and forth between them, her dark eyes wide. "Dating?" She looked again. "I'm… What are we dating?"

"Each other," Sarah added, now very much suspicious that this was a phrase not used Underground. "You know?" Alana still looked clueless, while Sarah could see a glint in Jareth's eyes. His face remained schooled. "Seeing each other?" Alana frowned, her lips parting as she was trying to figure it out. "Going out?" Alana looked at Jareth for help.

"Courting, Lana."

Despite Alana's incredibly pale complexion her cheeks colored a rather deep pink as the meaning of the question sank in. After a moment of shock she rather comically started fanning herself. "Oh by the Gods, I pray Mother didn't hear that." Jareth playfully touched Alana's hair. Alana slapped his hand away with annoyance.

Sarah looked at the two as Alana was too flustered to be coherent and Jareth was in no rush to answer. She grew impatient, especially when seeing how Jareth was just thoroughly enjoying himself.

In a surprisingly quick flash Alana grabbed Sarah's hand and the brunette jolted. "Oh dear Sarah… Poor, pretty Sarah. I knew Jareth could be secretive and sometimes akin to a wet rag when it comes to showing affection..."

"Hey," the Goblin King exclaimed with an amused grin, leaning back into his seat.

"This buffoon and I are family, Sarah. While I love him dearly, I do sometimes wonder if he deserves my patience. We're siblings, dear. We are brother and sister." She narrowed her eyes at Jareth again. "And the fact that he hasn't even mentioned me once, I take very personally."

Jareth laughed heartily, fully and unabashedly enjoying the mortification from Alana and the humiliation from Sarah. He only wished this moment could have lasted forever.

Meanwhile, Sarah had never wanted to either vanish into thin air or punch someone in the face as much as she did now. To hide her reddening face she leaned her cheek on one of her hands, turning away from Jareth. Alana was ranting in a different language while she moved to the vanity to brush her hair feverishly.

"Let's end this day on a high note." The Goblin King got up with a languid stretch. He walked over to Alana, who simply swatted at his face as he leaned in to press a kiss to her hair.

When he walked up to Sarah she just held up the forefinger of her free hand, her face still turned from him. "Don't even."

Laughing heartily, Jareth left the tent, the two women inside remaining silent and appalled.

—-

Sarah slowly opened her eyes, waking up with a feeling of restlessness. All candles in the tent were doused, it was dark and Alana was sleeping soundly in her bed. Beyond the cloth of the shelter everything was quiet, save for the rustling of trees. She had no idea what time it was but she suddenly felt wide awake.

Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed she grabbed a robe and cloak and put on some shoes as silently as possible. Stepping out of the tent the two guards by the entrance bowed politely.

"Greetings, lady Sarah. Is something amiss?"

"No, no. Everything is fine. I couldn't sleep. I'm going for a quick walk around camp, if that's okay."

"Of course, allow me to escort you," offered one of them.

"That won't be necessary," came a sudden voice nearby, louder than those of the men. The guards and woman looked around, seeing Jareth approach. The majority of him was hidden beyond an ornate cloak which made it seem like he was floating. The guards bowed deeply. "Walk with me, Sarah." Sarah nodded and followed when Jareth walked past them. They strolled past the tents and kept their voices low.

"Tough time sleeping," Sarah asked a little awkwardly as they walked side by side.

"It's nothing new," he admitted. "I don't need much rest. How about yourself?"

"I couldn't sleep. Any idea what time it is?"

"It's just past four. Most of the camp won't rise for another few hours." Sarah nodded quietly and wrapped the cloak a little tighter around herself, keeping her head down. "Are you cold?"

"Nah, I'm okay. Jareth," the woman looked up at him. "How long will it be until you send me back?"

He kept his gaze forward rather stiffly. "A week, perhaps. Hopefully less."

"Okay," the woman whispered.

Nearby a few crickets were chirping and leaves were rustling in the wind. Neither seemed to be sure where to take the conversation. They reached the hitching posts at the edge of camp where a few horses were tied up. Most were sleeping but one was still awake. Sarah welcomed the distraction and walked over to the horse. Petting it, the animal welcomingly nuzzled its nose into her side.

Jareth simply stood next to her. It didn't happen often that he didn't know what to say. He looked at their surroundings but nothing offered him anything notable to comment on that wouldn't just make things more awkward. Sarah's dark hair covered her face while she gently stroked the animal.

Suddenly he heard that unmistakable sniff obstructed by a stuffy nose that changed the air around them from a silent but awkward relaxation to a more alert and uncomfortable sense of anxiety. He waited, eyes glued to her to try and determine what to do next. She kept quiet and unmoving as if to pretend it didn't happen. When he heard it again his jaws clenched and he took a step closer to her, his voice barely above a whisper as he called her name.

"Please don't." Her voice was soft and quivering. The horse pulled back and leaned down to nibble on some hay, robbing her of the distraction the animal had given her. Uselessly, her hands fell to the hitching post, resting on the cold wood. Briefly, one of her hands came up to wipe one of her eyes. "Don't make it harder than it already is."

"I try not to," he said softly. "Tell me what to do."

Sarah scoffed, a sound that came out strangled. Jareth took another step closer, uttering her name again. Reflexively she took a step away. Had she looked up then she would have seen the expression of hurt on his face. "I don't know, okay?" She crossed her arms and leaned on the wooden beam. "I want to tell you to let me stay here and help. To let me fight with you rather than against you." She fought to keep her voice down and in a rather unladylike manner rubbed her forearm along her nose. "But at the same time I want to forget. Forget this camp, forget Alana, our movie nights, the notebook… The wish, the novel. Everything. I'm only one stupid little mortal, I know that… But I don't have centuries of memories to bury these under and I don't have centuries left to help me forget about them."

The man looked down at her. She was little more than a crumpled mess. "Is that what you wish?"

Sarah chuckled darkly. "No more wishes, they bring too much heartache."

Jareth didn't chuckle. He wondered what would have happened if he'd never approached her after her adventure. If he'd either remained the pale owl in the tree next to her childhood home or had forbidden himself from his masked visits altogether. He wondered if it would have saved her from this sadness. Would the memory of her adventure have proceeded to haunt her?

He wondered what her life might be like if none of it ever happened, if she'd never wished away her baby brother or even heard of the Labyrinth. If she would be living a normal life, like the billions of humans in her own world.

Yet Sarah had always seemed different. Even before she'd met him when she would endlessly play out the story in the novel. He'd watched her many times. He couldn't quite describe it, but her entire being had always seemed to reach out to him. She was different in a hundred ways of which none he could describe.

"So," she spoke softly. "All cards on the table. I told you what to do. Now you tell me."

Jareth gently took one of her arms. She resisted at first, keen to keep as much distance as she could, but when he tugged again she budged. "Do you remember the last thing I said to you all those years ago?" He turned her around and she looked up at him, her face red and tear-streaked, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Just fear me," he started, using his free hand to wipe away her tears. "Love me, and I will be your slave," Jareth gathered her close, enveloping her in his arms. "I hereby withdraw that offer." Sarah looked up at him, a small frown of confusion and hurt on her face. "I do not need anything from you, Sarah. Regardless of what you feel you might need to offer me, just you is enough. I am and forever will be your slave." Tucking her head under his chin he pulled her even closer.

Sarah couldn't even begin to form a response to that. She moved to brush a remaining tear away from her cheek, even though he barely gave her room to do so. His hold was warm and comfortable, the sound of his heartbeat quietly drumming against her ear. That led her to the realization of their current position. Were it not for the fact she'd just been crying and her cheeks were already red, she would have blushed. "God, you're practically naked. Disgusting." She mumbled uncomfortably as she twisted her shoulders trying to break free, one of her hands against his bare chest.

Jareth chuckled and squeezed even tighter. "Indeed. What will the guards think?"

He pressed his lips against her hair and her eyes darted left to right as she tried to figure out what to do next. Her hand, which was resting against his chest, remained completely motionless as she was afraid to even breathe.

Before she could decide what to do he pulled back. Their gazes rose up to each other, his eyes warm and affectionate. "Let's get you back to your tent. You're simply indecent with that bed hair." The woman gasped and punched his chest, at which he laughed. "Unless," he said with a purr. "You'd rather visit mine..."

Sarah pushed herself away from him, marching past him and back towards her tent. "I'd rather spend the night in the warhorse stables."

"Ouch," Jareth muttered, still grinning as he followed her back to her tent.

Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Notes:

PLEASE TAKE CAUTION: THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES GRAPHIC CONTENT NOT SUITED FOR CHILDREN. IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO THIS CONTENT, PLEASE WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER.

Suddenly Sarah found herself sitting up from her warm covers. There was a nasty sensation of what she could only describe as her eardrums getting blown out.

Pressing her hands to her ears she repressed a sense of dizziness. Looking at Alana she could see a similar reaction except that she seemed to know exactly what was going on. Alana rushed out of bed, talking to Sarah. All Sarah could hear was the ringing in her ears but seeing the panic on the woman's face she quickly crawled out of bed. Alana pushed some clothes into her grasp while the ringing slowly disappeared. Rubbing her ears the brunette moved her jaw and frowned. "What the fuck was that?"

Alana didn't use the screen to change, instead she stripped right in front of Sarah, which alarmed her enough to start doing the same. Outside she could hear commotion rising up. "The ward has been shattered. Get dressed, quickly now."

They scrambled to dress when they heard a familiar voice outside the tent. Suddenly Jareth stormed in, dressed in full imposing armor, dark from head to toe. It reminded her a lot of the first time she'd seen him. Alana had just put on her boots and Sarah quickly put her bodice on.

"We're under siege. Alana you ride with Kylan, Sarah you ride with Girvin." Jareth kneeled by Sarah's side and helped her put her boots on.

"Is it Torin?" Alana helped Sarah put on a cloak.

Sarah narrowly avoided falling over as both Jareth and Alana helped her dress. "There's no time. You two need to leave, now."

"What about you?" Sarah looked up at Jareth as he quickly fixed her hair for her. His eyes were uncharacteristically cold.

Suddenly there was a whizzing of air and cloth ripping. Sarah yelled as three flaming arrows, nearly large enough to be harpoons, pierced the ceiling of the tent, effectively tearing it down. Just before the tent collapsed Sarah saw fire spreading.

Instinctively, Jareth brought the women close when the heavy fabric came down on them, letting out a string of profanities. Huddled together Jareth pulled a dagger from his boot. Putting it in between his teeth he pushed one end in Alana's hands and the other in Sarah's. "Pull it taut," he snapped. Cursing again as temperatures rose in just a few seconds he grabbed the knife from between his teeth and tore a large hole in the tent's material, ripping it far enough for them to get out. Six men came to help, pulling the women away from the burning cloth.

Just before Sarah was dragged off she could see Jareth barking orders while he sheathed the dagger and doused a fire that had started on his arm. Two men took the women by the waist and put each of them on horseback before joining them.

Sarah looked around wide eyed, her heart racing. Everywhere people were scrambling to help others and salvage what they could. Jareth was instructing his men, remaining calm and strict. People were running, yelling and screaming. Children were crying as more burning arrows whistled through the sky, destroying everything in their path. They knocked over tents, splintered wood and destroyed crates without effort. Trees were set on fire and people scrambled out of their tents which turned an ugly black before burning away completely.

Almost as if in slow motion, Sarah's widened hazel eyes moved to look ahead. In a split second she saw a woman getting speared by a large arrow so hard that she was pinned to the tree behind her. The arrowhead the size of her hand disappeared all too smoothly into the woman's chest. A horrific crunching sound combined with a strangled gasp nearly made Sarah throw up. As fast as she could Sarah shut her eyes and turned her head away, one of her hands gripping tightly onto the horn of the saddle she was sitting on. Her free hand clasped over her mouth. A vile taste rose up into her mouth. Feverishly she was trying to repress the event she'd just witnessed.

The man sitting behind her spurred the horse. From the corners of her eyes she could still see people scrambling. Some people were motionless, likely suffering the same fate as the poor woman. The sounds of the yelling and the arrows soaring by were creating a disastrous cacophony around them. Women and children were taken away on horseback.

Soon horses were weaving left and right throughout the trees at various speeds, spurred to go as quickly as they could through the foliage. It was a rather bumpy ride but the horses did their best to keep their footing. Sarah's heart was racing and her mind was in such a panic that it was difficult to focus on anything.

With the buzz of adrenaline she was riding she couldn't tell how much time was passing. She could have been on horseback for five minutes or five hours. The man behind her and several other men were yelling back and forth, repeatedly spurring the horses to keep them from slowing to a walk. Sarah still had her firm hold on the saddle, the skin on her knuckles stretching to a pale white.

Despite her iron grip on the saddle her hands were shaking. Badly. Worse than ever before. Her heart was beating so quickly that she could feel it thumping against every nerve in her body. It beat so quickly that distantly she felt afraid it might burst. Her breathing was past quickened and had gotten stuck in a state of hyperventilation. Her lungs stung, her mouth and throat were dry and her head was spinning. The woman could hear a raspy gasping but she couldn't tell where it was coming from. Distantly she could hear a low voice behind her. It repeat. Once. Twice. Three times. Maybe more. Despite knowing it was a man asking something, she had no idea what. She couldn't react, verbally or physically. There was a loud ringing in her ears and her eyes couldn't focus, causing the world around her to dance in muted colors so quickly it was almost vibrating.

Then she was floating. Sarah's arms swung as she tried to regain her sense of balance and footing. A sense hit the soles of her feet and her knees buckled. Her legs felt like jello yet at the same time she couldn't feel them. Her legs remained unresponsive. Slowly her body crumpled until it wouldn't move any further. There was a pressure somewhere on her body. Her waist? Or was it her arm? Something touched her hands and she flinched, pulling her arms back. They were pulled forward and she almost fell over.

Sarah blinked. Once. Twice... Maybe ten times before slowly the narrow tunnel of blurry vision started to get back in focus and widen. She could see things but her mind couldn't process what it was she was seeing. Her vision flickered, then gradually settled like the ceasing rippling of water until she realized she was looking into a pair of blue eyes.

Quickly the man in front of her took his helmet off, revealing a mess of sandy brown hair shining in scattered sunlight. He shook her lightly and as he did so, Sarah's mind started to catch up. With her mind sharpening a rush of fresh air sucked into her lungs and she wheezed. Her head rolled in an unfamiliar downward motion. Gradually her body returned to her. She was sitting on her knees and she sank to the side, the man in front of her worriedly supporting her, his brows furrowed. He was saying something. But what?

It was repeating… Whatever it was. With every gulp of air she started to get a hold of herself a little bit more. Sarah coughed. Her mind was still tumbling over itself. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Her hands tightened as she tried to regain control over her own body and she could feel something in her hands.

"Lady Sarah, can you hear me?" The man's voice was deep and insistent but gentle. "Please, talk to me!"

"I-I… I…" The woman whimpered uselessly and the man looked down, taking something form her. He cupped her face and held something to her mouth. A liquid beckoned against her lips while the man helped her keep up her head. Almost like she'd forgotten how to drink she spluttered once before taking a sip. Her hands trembled so badly that it looked like they weren't even hers.

Lowering the waterskin the man hung his head with a sigh. "Oh, thank the Gods," his voice muttered with obvious relief. "Lady Sarah, you are okay. You are safe."

Sarah blinked a few more times, nodding slowly. Looking around she could see at least two dozen horses standing nearby, all riders looking down with worry etched on their faces. "S-S-Sorry," the woman stuttered apologetically when she noticed everyone seemed to be waiting for her.

"Nonsense," the man in front of her whispered, squeezing her shoulder firmly. "You are okay. You are secure. Breathe deeply, slowly now," he said, demonstrating a few slow breaths to her. "You are safe," he repeated. "It is over."

It was strange. She knew how to breathe, definitely. But at that moment, the man's instructions seemed incomprehensible. Mimicking it her senses restored little by little and she rubbed the tears out of her eyes with still violently trembling hands. "Oh God, I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be, it's okay. I will care for you," the man said patiently. His voice was like honey to her sore ears. So soothing, so calming that she wished for more of it. "I am Girvin, your personal guard. I will keep you safe. Nothing and no one will harm you, I swear it."

The woman nodded, sniffling as she tried to keep up the breathing exercises. When she hiccupped, choking on her own breath, Girvin patiently joined her again, using his hands on her upper arms to illustrate the exercise. Calmly he moved them up, squeezing her shoulders softly as he inhaled, then moving them down as he exhaled, loosening his grip.

"You're okay, Sarah. You're in good hands," came a familiar voice from her right. Looking up, Sarah saw Alana look at her with a worried look on her face. With her mind clearing the brunette could see tears rolling down the pale woman's cheeks. Sarah nodded and slowly moved to get up. Girvin jumped up quickly and assisted her, gently holding her elbows as Sarah tried to regain control of her legs.

Shaking her head, Sarah laughed rather humorlessly. "Well, m-my hands are not going to stop shaking. We need to get back on the road, y-yes?" The man nodded with an encouraging smile. "Can you… help me back on the horse, please?"

"Absolutely, lady Sarah. Please allow me," he said as he lifted her back on the horse. "Can you take another sip of water for me?" Sarah nodded and he handed her the flask. With her hands still aggressively trembling he closed his warm hands over hers momentarily while she formed a grip on it. Shakily bringing the waterskin up to her mouth her throat rejoiced in the soothing moisture. Girvin smiled when she let out a shuddering breath. Taking the waterskin from her he closed it and clasped it back to his belt, putting on his helmet. Jumping on behind her he instructed the others and they resumed their escape.

Sarah kept doing the breathing exercises while they trotted onwards, Girvin's low voice consistently and warmly repeating the instructions over and over for minutes on end. It was heavenly. Girvin used one hand to hold on to her elbow supportively, managing the reins with the other. "Thank you, Girvin. I'm sorry I panicked."

"Worry not, my lady. No one enters war prepared and no one expects you to."

Sarah shuddered. "How many people do you think will escape?"

"Less than half of the camp is expected to survive. It is a very sad truth but every life saved is cherished as every death will be mourned."

Sarah felt sick to her stomach, the image of the woman violently being speared resurfacing. Instantaneously her hands increased their quivering. Shaking her head she tried to distract herself. "W-where do we go now?"

"We will travel to the nearby town of Blaethfeiir. We can regroup there. While it will cause a strain on resources we pray the town will have enough food and shelter to keep everyone provided at least for the night. If the town proves too sparse we will have to move on."

"What about the others back at the camp? Did they stay and fight? What about Jareth?"

"It is difficult to say," he admitted. "If there are enough souls left to warrant a fight, we will do whatever we can to fight for them. His Majesty will make sure of it."

"How will we know? If they will stay and fight, I mean."

"We won't," he said simply. "All we can do is get as many people away as fast as possible and provide for them as best we can. Until we meet them later or hear from a messenger, there is no way to tell."

An hour later the woods were thinning and they started to reach a clearing. In other circumstances Sarah would have thought the area was beautiful, but currently her mind was still very much occupied. The poor woman that had been shot kept creeping to the forefront of her mind no matter how desperately she tried to push it away. The sounds echoed repeatedly in her mind and made her queasy. "Girvin," she asked with a surprising sense of urgency. "Can you tell me something about yourself?"

"I am afraid my life is hardly interesting. I grew up in a village in the northwest called Gathghear. A cold town occupied by inhabitants with an even cooler disposition to one another. When I was young I volunteered for Deramat…" He was quiet for a moment as he searched for words. "A military schooling of sorts, which involves learning of politics, battle and offensive magic. I was one of the youngest to join since it was founded. While my peers were at drinking age, I was barely old enough to be able to lift a sword. I dedicated my life to it and felt great accomplishment from doing so. For over two hundred years I was taught there before first entering battle. My personal life was, and is, close to non-existent. I would not and will not allow room for it. Thanks to His Majesty I advanced in ranks quickly. I was at his side every minute if I could help it. While I'd wished to continue to do so, once the revolts started he entrusted me to travel his kingdom as his eyes and ears. I was to report my findings to him and as tensions rose he elected me and three other men to found the First Regiment. And so now, I am here."

"Have you never wanted a family?"

"Of course, but due to my drive to serve I was a bore at parties and even worse during attempts at courting." He chuckled with a comforting sincerity. "Once I entered the field my loyalty belonged only to king Jareth. A decision I have never once felt regret for. Private indulgence can wait until after the king deems my service fulfilled. Until then, I will fight for His Majesty."

"That's very noble of you, I don't think I could be that courageous," Sarah admitted.

"Being noble is not only about courage. It's about intentions, devotion and the willingness to fight for what is right. Whether that is with a sword, with politics or with acts of kindness are all noble in my understanding."

Sarah mulled that over, looking quietly at her surroundings. It was fascinating to see such devotion towards Jareth. While her knowledge of him as a king was limited, she recognized Girvin's attachment to the Goblin King. It made her wonder if somehow she could make a difference here. If her limited time could mean something or bring on something bigger than herself. Though perhaps somewhat naive, it filled her with a sense of determination.

A while later Sarah let out a deep sigh, adjusting her position on the saddle. Her initial stress had subsided a little, her hands barely trembling anymore. They had now been riding for at least two or three hours since they spoke. Alana was at the head of the group, at least five horses in front of her.

"Are you well, lady Sarah?"

The woman nodded. "I'm okay, all things considered. Just growing tired, that's all."

"I completely understand. Blaethfeiir is only half an hour from here. We can't stop to rest just yet, unfortunately."

Roughly twenty minutes later a soldier at the back of the group alerted the others. People looked back around at him and he held up a hand, signaling, followed by the gesture to keep going.

"It looks like our brothers are joining us," Girvin said.

In the far distance of the open fields she could see horses approaching. Once the group reached them a sense of relief washed over everyone. It was telling that the large beasts weren't wearing their muzzles. The cuts, gashes and burns on their bodies eluded to a battle fought. On her right she saw Jareth joining. His face was stony and his eyes the full black pits she had seen before. It was haunting.

Girvin yelled something at Jareth. Despite Jareth not reacting, the man seemed confident he heard him. "Sarah, can you ride a horse?"

The woman looked at him a second before nodding. "Uh, I suppose I have ridden a horse before."

"Good, I need you to ride this horse in line with the others until we arrive in town. Don't stray from the group and keep up. His Majesty needs to scout ahead."

With a sense of purpose she nodded. "Okay, got it."

"Wonderful. I'm taking Jareth's place."

Sarah took the reins from him. The man pulled up his legs, grabbing hold of her shoulders. He stood on the horse mid-gallop just like Jareth. Sarah kept an eye on them, praying Girvin wouldn't miss the jump and receive a couple of hooves in the face. Jareth jumped forward off the horse and with a bright flash of light transformed into his owl form. He faltered for a second before stabilizing his flight. Meanwhile Girvin landed on the horse, grasping the saddle and maneuvering himself to sit down. He looked at her. Sarah smiled and Girvin nodded before pulling the horse a little further aside to a safer distance. The owl headed swiftly to the town up ahead at a speed Sarah had never seen a bird wield before.

Approaching a small village she could see the townspeople looking out of the windows curiously. Girvin called out that he'd be back soon and instructed her to stay with the group before holding back. Everyone slowed to a walk and the horses sank their heads gratefully. The hooves of the horses clacked on the stone roads. They were led to a town square where everyone dismounted. A little clumsily, Sarah got off the horse's back and grabbed the reins, distractedly petting the horse while looking around what to do. Suddenly the reins were taken from her, a man smiling at her kindly before he took the horse somewhere else.

"Sarah."

The woman jumped, whirling around. "Jareth!"

The man walked up to her with large strides, she could see his eyes had returned to normal. He was very pale with dark circles under his eyes and he was clearly tired, but kept his regal posture as best he could. Once he reached her he cupped her face with both hands, looking into her eyes. "Are you alright? Dizzy? Nauseous? Short of breath? Can you tell what day it is?"

"Jareth, I don't even know what weekdays you have here," Sarah said dryly while he studied her face.

His hands dropped to his sides and he circled her. "Do you feel any discomfort? Are you hurt at all? Do you have a headache? Are you trembling or feeling faint?"

"Jareth," she snapped, grabbing his arm to halt him. "Quit it. I'm alive and well enough under the circumstances." She steadied him in front of her. "How are you? You look a step away from death."

"Girvin told me you suffered severe trauma symptoms."

The woman sighed. "I saw someone get speared to a tree, which was fucked up. I'm as fine as I can be in the circumstances. Girvin took great care of me. How are you?" Jareth's eyes were earnest, worry very clearly etched on his face. Wordlessly the Goblin King hugged her close, pinning her arms to her side and enveloping her in his warmth. She chuckled. "Hey birdbrain, answer the question."

"I nearly went mad with worry when the ward was destroyed. Then Girvin reported that you almost succumbed to trauma…" Letting go of her he kept his hands on her shoulders, taking a calming breath.

Sarah could feel his hands trembling and covered them with her own. "Girvin took great care of me. I'm okay. Really."

Jareth gazed into her eyes, his fingers tightening briefly and his thumbs brushing up and down her neck. "I wouldn't trust anyone else with your life." His hands tightened again, his gaze pinning her down with a passionate anxiety. One of his hands moved to cup her cheek, almost if he couldn't believe she was standing right in front of him.

Uncomfortably she broke eye contact. Resorting to looking over his shoulder. "So what happened?"

"An assault. A few bowmen from Gods know where found the camp… While people lost their lives today I count my blessings that I managed to save the vast majority… Especially my most unexpected guest."

Her eyes rose up again to meet his. Even though he still looked exhausted his eyes bore down on her with overwhelming intensity. Sarah smiled up at him. "I'm glad you're okay."

Jareth scoffed. "Oh please, it takes more than a few burning arrows to get rid of me."

"I'll keep that in mind," she teased, grinning up at him. It was good to see he was still the cocky old Jareth. "Maybe you should sit down for a bit."

He let his hands move down her upper arms before they fell back to his sides. "Not yet, there is still much to be done."

Girvin walked up, bowing deeply. "Your Highness, the main heads are working on increased defenses and a guard patrol. I have just spoken to the baker and recruited several people to increase production so people can be fed. There's not enough livestock to support everyone with meat but luckily they will receive a fresh delivery of fish tomorrow. There are empty beds available in this town but not enough for everyone."

Sarah was suddenly filled with a renewed sense of purpose. "I'm going to ask for people to collect blankets, coats and whatever can be spared to keep people warm. Perhaps stables can be repurposed as emergency shelters."

"Good idea, lady Sarah," Girvin praised with a smile.

"You're not going anywhere," the Goblin King interjected. "You are staying here with the others."

"I'm not going to sit around like some dumb garden ornament while there are people in need. I'm going to make myself useful." Girvin seemed a little shocked at her tone towards the king and looked back and forth between them awkwardly. Jareth and Sarah stared each other down for a second before suddenly Sarah bolted into the streets. Distantly she could hear Jareth shout after her.

Knocking on doors, street after street, she kindly beckoned everyone she met if they could spare any clothes, blankets and the like. She had definitely noticed Girvin following from a distance, trying to apply himself as well as possible while guarding her.

By the time she was done the sun was already setting and her stomach growled loudly. Left and right people had been bringing supplies to the town square while others were busy constructing makeshift tents. Kids and women were taken to other people's homes for refuge. Walking over to the large pile of fabrics she started helping to distribute them. Girvin joined her quietly. "You must be bored to tears babysitting a grown woman."

"Quite the contrary," he insisted. "It is an honor to guard someone close to the king."

"Close?"

"You don't use his title. You even use his given name. You go against his word, you leave undismissed. His Majesty makes it all the more clear with how protective he is of you. It's not by coincidence that you and his sister were the first to leave the camp while we were attacked, guarded by the founders of the First Regiment."

Sarah wasn't sure how to respond to that, so instead changed the subject. "How is Alana doing? I haven't seen her since we rode up to town."

"Princess Alana is doing well, she is ensuring that as many people as possible will have cover through the night."

They looked up when they heard a group of children cheering and saw Jareth walk onto the town square. He was carrying a four year old on his hip and was holding the hand of another. Around him the kids swarmed while yelling excitedly. He was talking to them with a smile, patiently dodging running kids.

"Looks like Jareth has already won some of the townspeople over," Sarah commented dryly.

Girvin laughed and handed a blanket to a woman nearby. "Yes, His Majesty is wonderful with children."

"Isn't he like five hundred years old or something? Did he never want kids of his own?"

"Who is to say? King Jareth is a very private man. Even the First Regiment knows little of him and we've been traveling alongside him for years." Girvin bowed silently as Jareth spotted them and the king made his way over to them.

"Sarah!" One of the kids rushed for her excitedly while the others scattered into the streets. The little girl reached up to her and Sarah picked her up.

"How do you know my name, little princess?" Sarah smiled down at the blonde girl with blue eyes as the child excitedly snuggled up to her.

"King Jareth told us about you," she confessed.

"Really," the woman asked as she looked up at Jareth who quickly looked away and put the kid on his hip down. "What did he say?"

"He said that you are a mule!"

Sarah narrowed her eyes at the monarch and he quickly peeled the excited girl from her grasp. "No Leena, I said she was stubborn as a mule."

"What does that mean?"

"That means that she often doesn't listen to you," he said. "Sometimes, she will even do the exact opposite." He put the girl down again. "Time to go little one, it's time for dinner. Tell your father to expect a visit later tonight." Leena happily waved to the three of them before running off. "Girvin, you are dismissed for today. Many thanks for your services once again. Rest well, tomorrow will be another day." The soldier bowed deeply and formally thanked him before walking off. "Sarah, if you'll join me," he asked as he picked up a blanket and draped it over her shoulders. She thanked him politely before he put his arm around her shoulders and brought her with him.

"Where are we going?"

"We are expected to be present for dinner." He heard her stomach growl and he chuckled. "And not a moment too soon it seems."

Blushing Sarah put a hand over her stomach. "Are we expected or are you expected?"

"I am expected by my people, you are expected by me," he grinned down at her and she rolled her eyes.

Walking into a town hall she found it rather crowded, the scent of fresh bread overwhelming her senses. People spotted them and they descended in a low bow. Awkwardly, Sarah looked up at Jareth whose face remained blank. Of course he was used to this. He spoke a few words and the people rose. The two walked to the far end of the room, people bowing their heads as they made their way through. Once they were seated, people sat down. Townspeople happily started serving bread, meats and fish. Sarah looked at the other people in the room. "Where's Alana?"

"She is visiting someone in town, we will see her later this evening." His eyes shifted towards her. "Thank you," he said softly. She looked up at him. "For what you did this afternoon. While it's difficult for me to let you out of my sight here, I appreciate your help."

Sarah looked back down again, pushing her hair behind her ear. "You're welcome."

"But don't run off again," he added. "Because next time I will come after you."

"We'll see about that."

Jareth looked at her, narrowing his eyes at the small smile playing around her lips. He leaned in just a tad too close. Seeing her grow uncomfortable he grinned. "Don't think I won't tie you up if need be, Sarah."

The woman blushed and leaned back, looking around the room. "Jareth, people are watching." He held her gaze as she looked back at him. Eventually he relented, leaning back and continued eating. "You used magic again, didn't you? Back at the camp."

"I did, yes. Not to worry though, that won't impede me from bringing you home."

She was silent for a moment before looking at him through her lashes. "What if I run?"

It was meant in a playful manner. She didn't know this world. She wasn't really going to do it, but Jareth was not amused. He put his food down. "That's it." Suddenly he grabbed her chair and with a loud groan the piece of wooden furniture was tugged to his side of the table. People looked up at the loud noise droning through the room. "I'm putting a binding charm on you."

"E-excuse me," Sarah asked as she attempted to move away from him.

Jareth grasped her wrist and when she tried to pull free he pinned it to the table, making their plates clank with the force used. She flinched. With his free hand he moved her plate towards her. "Eat. While you do I will create a binding charm. It will stay there until I drop you off safely at home. You won't be able to leave my side unless I want you to." She opened her mouth to object but he narrowed his eyes. "Eat. You brought this upon yourself."

Sulkily Sarah grabbed her piece of bread and took a bite, munching on it quietly. A strange warmth and tingle entered through her wrist. Uncomfortably she tried twisting her arm, but Jareth's grasp was unmoving. A feeling of guilt washed over her. She'd meant it as a joke. She wasn't really going to run off and do something that was probably going to get her killed. She couldn't blame Jareth for taking it seriously and implementing restrictions. She was here against his will and his wishes and he was, if only temporarily, powerless to do anything about it. Yet here she was, pushing him even further into discomfort for no other reason than stupid jokes. The woman looked up at him and their eyes met briefly before she turned back to her food. Her fingers flexed uncomfortably as pins and needles crawled up and down her arm and lightly into her shoulder.

Jareth loosened his iron grip and while having dinner, slowly traced his fingertips along her wrist over the back of her hand to her fingertips, easing the prickling along her skin. Looking at Jareth from the corners of her eyes he kept his eyes resolutely down at his food. Sarah shifted her fingers so that his sank in between hers and they intertwined. His gaze shifted towards her and he squeezed his hand. Uncomfortably Sarah retracted her hand to her lap. "I bet you just wanted to use that binding spell so you could see me bathe."

Jareth smiled wickedly at her, she couldn't help but return a rather bashful smile. "Are you offering?"

Her smile fell. "Hell no. If I catch you being a peeping Tom I will kill you."

His arm moved to rest on the back of her chair, very subtly pulling her just a little closer. "That would be a very nice way to go."

"You're just on a roll, aren't you, Your Majesty?"

"Says the woman who was just making amorous moves towards the king. During a public dinner, no less. Quite scandalous." There was an almost boyish grin on his face. Sarah had never seen him smile like that before. It was almost disarming. Almost.

She looked at him venomously. "Wow, look at this pot calling the kettle black." Jareth grinned mischievously and curled his arm to bring her closer. The woman jerked her shoulders with a frown, directing her attention back to her food.

"Flustered, precious?"

He just wouldn't quit, would he? She was flustered. And she hated that she kind of enjoyed it.

Sarah smiled sweetly at him. "Not at all. Why get flustered over someone that will get rid of me before the week is over?" She hadn't meant it to sound so confrontational and the moment she said it she regretted it. Especially when Jareth's face fell and rejection flashed across his features. His arm disappeared from the back of the chair and his face hardened, most expression draining from his face. "Jareth, I didn't-"

"You what? You didn't mean it?" His voice was tight and agitated.

"No, I didn't," she insisted, slightly annoyed by his sudden change in attitude. "Hey," she snapped. "You can't expect me to just take it, but if I dish something out you have the right to be offended." Jareth didn't respond, sourly picking at his meal. Huffing she crossed her arms and sat back. "Men."

The Goblin King sighed when she turned from him. He grabbed a piece of her chicken and held it in front of her mouth. "Eat," he repeated for the third time that night. She kept her lips firmly shut. "Please." Shooting him a glance she took the piece of chicken from his hand directly with her mouth. "Thank you," he said softly. Leaning over he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. Stubbornly she leaned away. The Goblin King readjusted the blanket around her to keep her warm and gently tugged her closer. Slowly but surely she relaxed again. If she'd only have a few more days at best to be around him, she didn't want to spend it by bickering over every little thing.

A few minutes later Jareth looked down at her, pulling back his arm to hold out his hand. "Care for a walk?" Sarah took his hand and got up, letting go of it afterwards.

Moving through the darkened streets, Sarah felt the need to break the silence. "So how far away can I get from you before this spell kicks in?"

"Do you want to try?" Jareth peered down. Daring her to find out.

Sarah pursed her lips and ran ahead. Less than fifty feet was cleared when suddenly the wind got knocked out of her. She gasped for air as she was suddenly flung backwards by an alien force. Once her feet reached the floor again she nearly toppled back. Jareth caught her and pulled her to her feet. The woman coughed as she tried to regain her breath. There was a strange ache in her chest and a dizziness in her head. "Jesus," she breathed. "Fuck me."

"If you insist," his voice purred in her ear. He went to pick up the blanket she'd dropped and dusted it off before moving to face her to put it back around her shoulders. Quietly he pulled her closer. Looking up at him, still catching her breath, she saw the sincere look on his face. "I really am going to miss you," he admitted.

"Yeah, well," she said and dropped her gaze. "at least you have a hand in whether or not you will have to miss me."

"You can't talk me into keeping you here, Sarah."

She sighed, holding the blanket around her as she moved past him, walking further down the street. "Yeah, I know. I can't tell you to do anything." Sarah looked around briefly with a hollow smile. "Meager little mortal girl and all that."

Jareth walked after her but didn't quite catch up. "Stop belittling yourself in situations like these, Sarah. You are much more than that."

"Cheers."

Sarah looked at the quiet little town. Behind the windows she could see warmly lit rooms with people inside. She huddled into herself, wrapping the blanket closer around her as the evening started cooling down. The brunette wondered where she was going to sleep tonight. Up in the darkened sky two moons loomed over them, surrounded by the stars.

Jareth peeled off his gloves, still silent when he caught up with her. He put the gloves inside his pocket, moving to stand in front of her to hold out his hands. Unsure of what to do Sarah put her hands in his. His skin was warm and smooth.

"Close your eyes," he beckoned. Sarah would have questioned it, had he not so freely made himself more vulnerable by taking off his gloves. So she did. He turned her palms forward, then pulled them a little closer. Her fingers slightly flexed as they came in contact with a lightly textured surface. The armor on his chest, almost certainly. He covered her hands with his. Sarah could sense him stepping closer. Then, a warmth touched her forehead. She kept still, waiting as the silence stretched out between them. The warmth of his hands seeped into her skin.

A gentle tingle started entering her body. It wasn't one of his calming spells but she recognized it. Once the feeling slowly started to crawl across her skin it clicked. It felt like the binding spell. Whereas a minute ago it had felt nauseating and uncomfortable this time it felt almost dreamlike. Taking deep breaths she focused further on the feeling and a strange but comforting numbness spread across her forehead. Weirdly, it felt like the limit of her body was shifting.

She slowly opened her eyes. His face was right in front of hers. His eyes closed as he rested his forehead against hers. His eyebrows were drawn slightly. A single tear drifted down his cheek, making her heart sink.

Jareth was definitely just as affected about the situation as she was. She just hadn't let herself see it before. Worse yet, she had insisted that he simply didn't want to see her.

With her hands still over his heart she tilted her head up just a tiny bit so their noses bumped into one another. Their foreheads parted and the strange sensation faded. His eyes drifted open. Tugging one of her hands free, Sarah brushed away the tear like he had done for her in the past. Jareth took a big gulp of air, holding it for a few seconds, before slowly releasing it through his nose. The force behind his gaze calmed.

"I don't have any magic to help you get through this, Jareth. I don't live for centuries to always be there for you. But I am here now and in the relatively little time I have to help you, I want to do so."

"Sarah-"

She put her finger over his lips. "Don't insult me, Jareth. I know what is happening. I am aware of the consequences." She stepped back and smiled up at him. "You'll just have to accept that even though I am no longer a child, I still am a pain in the ass. And this pain in the ass is not going away without a fight."

Jareth looked down at her quietly, studying her face almost as if he was seeing it for the first time. The man's still bare hand rose up to brush her cheek, his soft fingers with a hint of manicured nails gliding along her skin. His saddened look suddenly turned to one of agitation - maybe even anger. "I've grown soft," he growled as he walked past her.

Sarah turned towards him when he marched off. The spell tugged her along and she stumbled after him until she caught up with him. "Does that mean I can stay to help?"

"It means I will think about it," he sighed defeatedly. "You really are a pain in the ass." He looked down at her. "And stop looking so goddamn pleased with yourself."

Chapter 16: Chapter 16

"People are up early."

On the main square people were busy feeding the horses and carrying boxes. They were mostly men, calling out to each other with instructions and questions.

"Most are not up early. They are up still. I ordered several troops to gather supplies for the town. Several refugees have already relocated to decrease the economical strain." Jareth held the door to the town hall, following her in and nodding to the people greeting him. It was busy enough that Sarah was convinced many of the people in the village had elected to eat with the refugees rather than at home, creating a welcoming atmosphere and a sense of community. Several men and women were putting down different foods and drinks on a large table for others to enjoy. Children were helping the refugees by pouring them drinks and handing them plates and cutlery.

Shaking her head, the brunette pulled her attention back to the conversation. "What about us?"

People gladly ushered the monarch to the head of the line, which he graciously thanked them for. "What do you mean 'us'?"

"Are we staying here?"

"I am needed near the abandoned camp for retrieval of resources and possible further assaults. I will likely travel east afterwards."

"Will I stay here, then? I thought you wanted me to remain closeby."

"You," he said pointedly as he handed her a bowl of soup. "Will be home by then."

"Home? But you said-" her voice rose as she grew defensive and she followed him down the table.

"I know what I said," he interjected as he grabbed each of them a piece of bread and walked off to be seated.

"Seems like you have already made up your mind then," she said with agitation. "If you even gave it a single millisecond of thought at all." Sarah put her bowl down rather loudly before she got too tempted to throw it. "You and your fickle birdbrain will one day give me whiplash." She was annoyed, to put it mildly.

The Goblin King looked at her darkly and grabbed her wrist, forcefully pulling her down onto her seat. She looked at him with wide eyes. "While we are in public you are to treat me with respect, whether your juvenile mood swings will enjoy it or not. I am king and I will not stand for the likes of this puerile mutterance. If I have to discipline you to teach you that lesson, I will. Is that clear?"

The woman pulled her arm loose and leaned on the other, resting her head on the palm of her hand. "Fine."

They ate their breakfast in a charged silence. He wasn't planning on letting her stay here, she just knew it. Jareth still just saw her as the clumsy teen that had somehow stumbled her way through his Labyrinth. Not making any rational decisions. Not knowing what the word 'consequences' meant. Her grip on her spoon tightened in agitation. After finishing her soup she looked up at him. His face was schooled while he was eating and she rose to her feet. Sarah gave him a rather mocking curtsy. "May I be dismissed to get a second serving, Your Majesty?"

Their eyes met. The woman was sure that her face showed her annoyance still. His lips thinned and the man got up, the chair groaning loudly as he did so. Sarah looked with wide eyes as he marched off after he snatched up the empty bowl, a little unsure what to do. Briefly her eyes met some of those watching what was happening. By the time he'd crossed the room she came to a realization. There had been no crawling sensation along her arms and neck, no vibrating on her skin or pull on her being.

What had happened to the binding charm? He was far enough that she should have been hurled across the room by now. Were there conditions to the charm? Did it only activate if Sarah tried to leave? Did magic have such specific conditions or was it more like a two-way rope between them? If that was the case, did he drop the charm? Why? Her mind meandered back to his conditions. "You won't be able to leave my side unless I want you to," she remembered. The woman felt her heart ache.

He didn't want her by his side. That's why the spell wasn't doing anything right now.

It shouldn't really surprise her. Even though she didn't come here voluntarily she hadn't exactly been eager to go back home, despite his clear desire for it. While he was building breath to bring her back home she'd repeatedly disobeyed orders and had been disrespectful. Of course he had to grow sick of it at some point. Yet, that didn't make the current situation any less painful. Quietly, she sank down onto the chair. Tears started stinging in her eyes. Sarah would have loved to run away. She wouldn't have known where to, but any place was better than here. Any place where she could curl up to deal with the pain by herself. But she couldn't. Her body wasn't obeying. Instead it decided to shut down on her in the middle of a crowded room. Why did everything always hit so much harder when Jareth was concerned? Keeping her head low she uncomfortably fumbled with her fingers. In what both felt like forever and no time at all he walked back up to the table and put another bowl of soup down with another piece of bread. Without a word he sat back down and continued on his breakfast. Sarah kept quiet with her head tucked, begging herself to calm down. Get a grip. Anything other than descend into yet another mess.

After a minute or two Jareth noticed she still hadn't touched the soup and he looked up at her. Her face was hidden behind her dark and thick curtain of hair. He saw her hands wringing together so tightly that her knuckles turned white. His hand briefly hesitated before he leaned over further and pushed her hair behind her ear. His jaws clenched as he saw wet trails down her cheeks as she nibbled feverishly on her lower lip. Her eyes remained directed down stiffly.

The Goblin King sighed, rubbing his face. "I am sick and tired of these endless sorrows," he confessed, more to himself than to her. He moved his chair closer to her and while ignoring the people that might be looking, gathered her close in a hug. He cradled her head underneath his chin. She didn't resist. She didn't do much of anything. She mostly just let him hold her while one of his hands caressed her hair. After a little while he let her go, taking her hand. "Let's get some air." The woman still didn't respond but silently followed, her hand slackened in his grip. Sarah tried to ignore the curious glances people were giving them, very much aware that she probably looked a right mess at the moment.

His hand was surprisingly warm even through his glove, clasping hers firmly. Jareth led her out of the town and up a steep hill, keeping a firm hold of her hand in case she slipped. Near the top of the hill he walked off the dirt path. Gracefully he descended onto the thick grass, keeping his eyes on the town to offer her some space. Quietly she sat down, pulling her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. He sat next to her. Right next to her. So close that she could feel his warmth, one of his arms behind her back to rest on his hands. His legs stretched out in front of him, crossing at the ankle.

For a long time Jareth remained silent. Sarah simply sat there, not wanting to speak and not knowing what to say even if she did want to. Despite the nice scenery she took no time or effort to take a look around. The woman simply stared down at the waving motions of the grass. It was rather comforting with its gentle greens shimmering in the sun.

After what could have been half an hour, she sniffled and rubbed her eyes, stretching her legs in front of her. He still remained silent. It made her wonder what he was thinking. She wanted to look up at him to see if his face would give anything away, but cowardice won this time.

He moved to put one of his hands on his leg next to her, palm upwards in a quiet gesture while the other was still behind her to support him. After a brief moment of hesitation, Sarah took it, holding it quietly. His thumb rubbed a soothing back and forth on the back of her hand.

Eventually, Jareth spoke up. "Would you care to enlighten me as to what happened back there?"

"It's stupid," she said softly.

"If it has caused you to be in tears, it's not stupid. Tell me," he said. Sarah gave him a rather unamused side glance. "Please."

"I…" She paused briefly, taking her hand back. "When you walked away I thought of the binding charm you put on me. Or us… I don't know. Even when you were across the room I didn't feel that weird pull from it. You were angry with me… And I felt nothing. Or well, not from the charm at least. Which made me think of what you said, that as long as you wanted me near I couldn't leave." Rather inconveniently, further words died in her throat, leaving her conclusion unspoken.

"So you presumed that I didn't want you near me." The wringing of Sarah's hands intensified and he took her hand again, ceasing the stress she was putting on the digits. "Sarah, it's not that I don't want you close to me because I am feeling cross with you. The binding charm isn't a constant force. Once placed I can activate and deactivate it at will." She stayed quiet and he lifted the hand he'd been leaning on, rubbing her arm. "This is not just about the binding charm, is it?"

Sarah tried to tug back her hand but he tightened his grip, holding on to it. "No," the woman confessed.

"Sarah," he said with a sigh. "I speak over fifty languages. Still I find myself running out of ways to express that I don't want to cut ties with you. I have to. To protect you as well as others. With the numerous centuries I still hope to live, I don't want to carry the burden that I let something happen to you. I won't be able to live with myself."

"You'd never let anything happen to me," Sarah insisted. "But things happen. You could send me home and I could get hit by a bus and die the next day. By your reasoning, wouldn't you still have let something happen to me?"

"Diagaibh tua amin," Jareth muttered to himself. He let himself fall down onto his back. The wind gently brushed past them, the grass producing a quiet whisper in the air.

"Wouldn't you want to keep me close?" She continued, grateful for his reclined position so he wouldn't see the blush dusting her cheeks. "So you can make sure nothing will happen to me?"

For a moment a sadness overcame him. "Eua rixo uair níos mó," he whispered before shaking his head. "Sarah, you have an incredible imagination. Why is it that in this case everything is so black and white to you?"

Hearing the rather condescending tone in his voice the woman felt frustration bubble up and she turned to him, narrowing her eyes. "Stop talking to me like I'm a child, Jareth. I'm sick and tired of it. I'm a grown woman."

Seeing her glower down at him he sat upright and cupped her cheek. "Manka om nae amin quena utae mo sina re." The brunette stared at him. She had no idea what he'd just said, yet she found herself strangely speechless. Perhaps it was due to the intensity in his eyes when he'd said it. Perhaps it was because despite the seemingly powerful words, he had whispered them to her. Or maybe it was his warm hand on her cheek or his sudden proximity. His thumb gently brushed her cheek, his piercing eyes for once on equal height to hers. A few moments passed before his hand fell from her face, leaving it surprisingly cold all of a sudden. "Nevertheless, let's go back. I have much to do today and relatively little time to do it in." He got up and started to walk off.

Feeling that strange tingle in her body from the spell she scrambled up quickly and hurried after him. "Why do you keep talking in different languages these days," she demanded. "What did that mean?" He kept walking and she carefully made her way down the dirt path. This wasn't fair. He couldn't just utter those words so meaningfully while said meaning was completely lost on her. "Jareth! Tell me!"

The Goblin King kept marching. Hearing the dirt behind him scrape and tumble he held out an arm just in time to catch Sarah from nearly toppling down over him. "You will know in time," he said cryptically.

—-

Jareth had been busy assigning people to travel to alternative towns and cities, which had been a strange sort of mix between a formal meeting and something that reminded Sarah of forming teams in school for dodgeball. She had tagged along, standing around uselessly but helping where she could. After that Sarah was escorted to the house they'd stayed in while Jareth went to instruct and train the men of the First Regiment.

Sarah wasn't sure what Alana had been up to. She'd been absent all day until dinner.

The last phrase or sentence Jareth had spoken to her this morning was still on her mind. In a strange way, his touch still lingered on her cheek. She picked at her food silently.

"Sarah dear, are you alright," Alana asked worriedly.

"Peachy," the woman mumbled. Looking up at Jareth he gave her a questioning raise of his eyebrow. "Alana…" She shifted her attention back to the pale lady who met her gaze with wide eyes while reaching for a drink. "Jareth won't tell me. He said something to me this morning in that language you guys speak all the time."

"Sarah," Jareth said in a warning tone.

"I don't remember all of it, but it ended in something like "utay mo sina re". What does that mean?"

Alana's eyebrows rose up to her hairline as her wide eyes shifted to Jareth's. Her drink spluttered over the bottom half of her face in an uncharacteristic clumsiness. The Goblin King gave his sister a dark look, clearly insisting not to say a word. She scrambled to grab a napkin and covered her mouth as she coughed. Once settled she dabbed her mouth with the napkin and put it back down on her lap. "Ah, excuse me," she said softly as she quickly directed her gaze down.

"Well," Sarah pressed, looking back and forth between the two siblings.

Alana quickly rose to her feet. "Would anyone like some more vegetables?" The woman grabbed a ladle.

"He didn't put another charm on me, did he?" Sarah looked at them and narrowed her eyes when Alana almost knocked over her drink. Jareth grabbed the cup before it could topple.

"Jareth, mani naa autien ne? Mani ume utae un?" He simply put his forefinger in front of his mouth as a sign to keep quiet.

The brunette pursed her lips petulantly. "I will keep ask-"

"Sarah," Jareth interrupted. "Leave it."

She pressed her lips together and frowned, putting her fork down and pushing the plate away dismissively. "Why is no one telling me shit?" Her voice was venomous.

"Language," Alana squeaked uncomfortably.

Jareth pushed the food back to her, insisting quietly to finish her meal. Uncomfortably, Alana sank back down to her seat and put down the ladle. She assumed an awkward frozen pose as if one wrong move would blow up the dining table.

"Sarah, could you give us a minute please," Jareth asked.

The woman glared at him and got up, marching out of the room.

—-

Sarah couldn't help but think of the lady in the camp again. She'd seen plenty of films with violence. Murder scenarios, war movies… But seeing violence and death first hand was nothing like it. It was haunting. The attack at the camp had been sudden. While she wanted to help Jareth with the fight for his throne and his people, she was wondering if she was ready to do so. What if she'd just be in the way? What if she was just a distraction or added stress? Her mind wandered to scenarios where she would accidentally get him hurt - or even killed. She sat motionlessly on her bed, legs pulled up and arms wrapped around her knees. Her mind started to run in circles, creating more and more doubt if she should be pushing to stay here at all.

But then she thought about the times she'd seen Jareth exhausted, pale or upset. She still vividly remembered that time he'd stormed into her apartment and scared her to death. The woman also thought back to how he'd walked up to her yesterday. Deathly pale, trembling and probably close to passing out but still pressing to get things done. For as far as Sarah knew, this war had been going on for at least two or three years now. Even if he was decades old, years of fighting still had to be tough, especially if he walked out of battles and confrontation like she'd witnessed.

During the times he'd visited her at her home she had been happy to talk, drink and joke around with him. He'd seemed to have been eager to be entertained and to relax. However, now that she was here, all those things seemed like such insignificant efforts. If she'd put her mind to it, surely she could do more for him than just being… there? Her mind wandered to how he'd looked at her this morning. It was indescribable. It was…

A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. "Sarah? May I enter?"

"Sure," she said, remaining in her curled up position.

The blonde woman walked in quietly, closing the door after her. "Hello dear, are you alright?"

Sarah looked down as she thought of what to say. "I'm okay."

Alana walked over to her and pressed a kiss to her head before sitting down next to her. "Things seem somewhat complicated between you and Jareth."

"You noticed that, huh?"

The woman smiled kindly. "Jareth and I talked for a little while. He brought you something that he said was sure to cheer you up. Why don't you head to the sitting room? I will give you two some space and make myself scarce for now."

"Yeah…" She looked up at Alana with a small smile. "I'll do that. I'll be right there." Alana walked back to the door. "Thank you, by the way, for everything." Alana smiled gently before she walked out and Sarah let out a deep sigh before crawling off the bed.

Walking over the sitting room she could hear Alana and Jareth talk. The moment she walked in, Alana jumped up. "Well, Jareth, I will leave you two to it. Sarah, enjoy your evening!" The pale woman practically frolicked out of the room, the sound of the front door opening and closing soon after. Sarah met Jareth's gaze with slightly lifted eyebrows.

"Alana had other places to be," Jareth said as he took a sip of his drink.

Sarah walked over to him. "Alana seems to be working a lot."

"I never said it was work," he said cryptically. Sarah looked at him confused and slightly concerned. "It's fine, sweetling. During war times everyone needs to have moments of relief." The man chuckled as he saw realization dawn on her face.

With a blush dusting her cheeks Sarah chuckled and sat down next to him, on the far end of the couch, against the arm rest. "I can't believe pure and innocent Alana is getting more action than me."

"I can remedy that," he suggested with his trademark playfulness.

"Pass." She nodded to the bottle on the table. "You'd need more than that to get into these pants." Jareth held out a hand to a crate full of bottles on the opposite side of the room. She giggled. "Still not enough."

"Sarah, please, you can't hold your liquor that well. You'll be in a coma before you can finish a second bottle."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Are you looking to be challenged?" She shrugged. "I am not challenging you to drink yourself into a stupor." He grabbed an empty glass that had been patiently waiting on the table. He poured her a drink but quickly moved the glass when she moved to take it. She looked up at him rather dryly. "I challenge you to have an evening without dramatics. No crying, no fighting, no arguing… But I will be lenient on screaming in certain scenarios."

Sarah gasped, laughing. "Oh I am going to need every single one of those bottles to help me forget you said that."

He gave her a playful and daring look over the rim of his glass, his legs stretching out and crossing by the ankle as he nestled into the corner of the couch. The blonde patiently held her drink hostage, swirling its contents teasingly. It had been a long time since she saw him so at ease, so playful and relaxed. Even though she was quite clearly staring at him, unlike other people she'd known his confidence never faltered. If anything, he only seemed to grow more cocky. Languidly he shifted on the couch and eased a little closer. His eyes briefly lowered when he moved her drink a little closer. Pointedly he looked back at her, quietly making it clear that accepting the drink would include her accepting his challenge.

The woman narrowed her eyes and grabbed the drink, downing it in one go. "Hit me," she hissed playfully.

He poured her another, topped himself off and clinked their glasses together.

—-

Sarah opened her eyes slowly. Outside things were dark and if she followed gut instinct it was probably about six in the morning. She was blissfully warm but her head was pounding so hard she was genuinely a little concerned it might actually explode. Groaning, she raised one of her hands to rub her eyes. Slowly becoming aware of her surroundings she looked to her side. She never thought she'd recognize anyone by the hollow of their neck, but here she was. "God, you're such a perv," she moaned. Despite his proximity she didn't feel like making a fuss now. "Do we have to get up yet?"

"Yes," the man said as he rolled onto his back. "But let's take five or ten more minutes."

"I thought that those with leadership positions were supposed to give a good example."

"Bite me."

Sarah rolled onto her side to fully face him. "How many bottles did we finish?"

"Four I think, maybe five."

"Did I win?"

Jareth slung his free arm to lay over his head. "I don't know, Sarah. Two bottles in, things started to get hazy even for me."

The woman looked down at the blanket resting halfway his chest. "When did you take off your shirt?"

"Stop asking questions."

She giggled. "Wow, I got you wasted," the woman mumbled sleepily. "Is it just me or are we still drunk?" He remained silent. "Jareth?"

"Darling, what did I just say about the questions?"

"Don't call me that." Her voice slurred enough that even she could hear it. Yes, she was definitely still drunk. "Could you at least cover yourself up? It's very inappropriate to be indecent in front of a lady."

He looked down at her, slightly straining his eyes against the sunlight drifting in through the window. "Which lady? Surely you're not referring to yourself?" The woman bristled at that, her eyes narrowing to slits. She reached out for the blanket but with inhuman speed he grasped her wrist. "Leave it, it's warm enough as is."

"Fine," Sarah muttered. Her eyes felt heavy. It felt like she had been awake the entire night. She attempted to wake up, willing her eyes open once she noticed they'd fallen shut. It wasn't until then that she'd noticed he'd let go of her wrist. It wasn't until at least five seconds after that, that she noticed her hand had come to rest on his stomach. Curiously she touched the skin on his stomach as it rose and lowered with his breath. It wasn't likely she'd be in this sort of situation any time soon, anyway. Besides, he was as sleepy as she was, if not more so. Surely he wasn't going to notice?

With drunken bravado she let her fingertips touch the soft unmarred skin. Her gaze shot up briefly towards him, but his eyes were closed. Her cheeks started to burn. Her eyes lowered again. His muscles weren't too defined, but the lines were there, curving under pale skin. He simply lay there, arm over his head with his eyes closed. It was a rare though fascinating way of seeing Jareth, half asleep and intoxicated. She repressed a chuckle at his messy hair but couldn't help but smile.

"See anything you like?"

Looking back down from his hair she could see him looking at her. "You mean that bird's nest you call a hairdo?"

"Be coy all you like, but you're the one getting handsy here." Sarah pulled her hand back, more than a little embarrassed. He let out a disappointed groan. "I didn't tell you to stop."

Playfully she grinned. "You didn't tell me to proceed."

The man eyed her. "I know you well enough to know that telling you that will only result in sass. Or physical violence."

"Try me."

A lazy grin spread on his lips. Rolling over he slung his arm over her side. Sarah blinked. Jareth usually wasn't that physical in showing affection, at least not casually so. Her head throbbed so aggressively that it robbed her of her train of thought. She stiffened, sobering a little as she felt his arm pull back a little, his hand on her waist and confidently moving just a little further down to the swell of her hips, but not quite on them. "Relax, I'll be good," he muttered when she grew rigid.

Suddenly the door swung open and Sarah looked up. "Jareth, Sarah, time to get-" Alana froze mid sentence, her mouth dropping. Similarly to Sarah her cheeks reddened and she put her hand on her chest. "Oh Gods, I'm so sorry. I'll…" Alana froze for a second, letting out a breath before she quickly closed the door. The sound of her heels disappeared into the distance.

"Do you think she got a nice eyeful," he asked in that same sleepy slur. "She got back about five minutes ago."

Mortified Sarah quickly threw his arm from her waist. "Jareth, she needs to know."

"Know what?"

"That nothing happened!"

"Why?"

She groaned and rolled onto her back. "Oh god, how am I ever going to look Alana in the eye again?"

"I don't understand why you're so upset. There's nothing wrong with a roguishly handsome man and a beautiful young woman to consensually-"

Sarah let out a scream of frustration then. Jareth moaned as he grasped for his head. "Birdbrain, I swear to God."

Jareth sighed in disappointment. "Very well then," he conceded. "Let's get this day started."

Relieved, Sarah quickly got up to create some distance in between them, reaching for her heavy head while lightly swaying on her feet. The Goblin King got up too. He touched his temples and let out a slow breath, after which he seemed to feel better. She walked over to a pincher of water and a few glasses. "If you ask nicely I can get rid of most of the intoxication for you," he offered as he magically fixed his hair.

Despite her affinity with being as independent as possible, the headache was killing her and she was happy to offer some dignity in exchange for relief. "Please, Your Majesty, can you get rid of my headache?"

"Of course." He walked over to her. Pushing her hair aside he put his fingers against her temples.

Sarah could feel warmth ebb into her temples and her eyes slipped closed. A strange prickling sensation and tension ebbed through her head that reminded her a little of whiplash. After a brief moment of discomfort the headache slipped away like water down a drain. She let out a moan of relief. Opening her eyes she met with amused mismatched eyes. He lowered his hands and with a wink used one of his fingers to tilt her head up by her chin. "Magic fingers," he said.

The woman huffed as he grabbed a shirt and walked out. "Why me?"

Chapter 17: Chapter 17

It had been a blast trying to explain things to Alana. Not. It had finally become more evident that she and Jareth were family. While Sarah insisted they just happened to fall asleep in the same bed after they got completely wasted, Alana just kept insisting that it was okay. That she'd figured Jareth and her had more going on than just a platonic friendship and, just like Jareth mentioned, people needed outlets in time of war. While Sarah had been desperately trying to save face, Jareth had simply danced around it. Mostly figuratively but he also seemed keen on his sister believing more had happened.

At this point Sarah just hoped Alana would keep it to herself and never bring it up again.

Sarah had happily insisted on helping the baker. Supplies were still limited with the increased amount of mouths to feed. Besides that several camp members would be leaving tomorrow and would need food during their travels. Hesitantly, Jareth agreed provided she would be dropped off and picked up.

So today Sarah found herself blissfully distracted by assisting in the bakery. She'd been so busy and driven to help that she'd barely had lunch. By the time she pulled the last bread out of the oven it had already gotten dark. It wasn't until she heard the baker profoundly and humbly welcome 'His Majesty' that she realized the day was coming to an end. After a brief word with the baker Jareth took her outside, casually brushing some flour off her arm.

"Long day?"

"The longest. How are you doing?" Sarah rolled her shoulders tiredly, allowing herself to lean into him a little. Her feet felt heavy and her mind a little hazy as her exhaustion caught up with her.

"I am well enough. A little light on sleep, as I am sure you are too," he said with a grin. His hand moved to cover hers as she held onto his arm.

"Oh god, don't get me started. Can humans hibernate? Because I am all for it." After she let out a deep sigh, she perked up a little bit. "Actually," she started carefully. "I was wondering if I could join some training."

"Training? Of what sort?"

"You know… Getting in shape… Maybe some combat coaching." Her words floated carefully in between them. Slowly her eyes shifted over to him to see his reaction.

Jareth looked down at her dryly, but Sarah didn't miss the way in which his lips subtly curled upwards. "As per usual you are as subtle as a brick through a window."

"Please," Sarah begged. "There's no harm, right? Should anything happen, at least I will know some basic things to defend myself."

"Nothing is going to happen to you, I will make sure of that." His amusement slipped from his face and he stopped by the door to the house, turning to face her.

Sarah was going to say something stupid. Like some sort of instinct she could feel it bubble up inside of her. Before she knew what it was going to be or when it was going to happen it was already halfway past her lips. "Does a strong woman intimidate you, Your Maj-"

Jareth's anger flared at her moody tone and in a split second he slammed his hands against the front door, trapping her. Sarah's heart leapt into her throat, eyes wide when she looked up at his stormy gaze. "Why must you always test my patience, Sarah?" Her heart raced, his uneven eyes pinning her down. Despite what just happened a small smile played around his lips. Sarah would be annoyed at his amusement if it weren't for the fact that she'd gotten a sudden dosage of adrenaline in her already exhausted system.

"That wasn't a rhetorical question, darling." He brushed her hair out of her face, gloved fingertips whispering past her temples.

Sarah's mind had gone to a complete blank. She'd completely forgotten what he'd even asked. Despite his unnerving reaction to her stupid remark his touch was gentle or perhaps even…

No. Sarah willed herself to break away from her thoughts. The brunette could feel his hand come to rest on her shoulder, his touch warm. She was incredibly aware of his proximity. His earthy smell invaded her senses. Her hands peeled off the door and she hesitantly put them against his chest. Currently she couldn't tell if the thrumming against her fingertips was his heartbeat or hers.

She needed to say something. Anything.

"I-I don't know."

Jareth grinned, sharp teeth baring between thin lips. She visibly grew nervous once his hand trailed down her arm and she bit her lower lip. Something that had caught his attention and despite him not looking her in the eye anymore she still couldn't look away. "To answer your question, no." His fingertips brushed past her elbow onto her waist. "A strong woman does not intimidate me. Quite the contrary." He circled his hand to her back.

Sarah couldn't breathe. The magic wielding Goblin King, former nemesis turned friend, was slowly but undeniably getting a little… cheeky. More so than she was used to. His hand on her lower back caused every inch of her body to stand to attention, especially when she felt a faint yet unmistakable pressure when he tugged her closer.

While they'd previously had their playful bouts and teasing moments this was a completely different ballpark. So far she'd never had the feeling he might actually make a move on her. But now she was so sure he was going to, that if he wasn't...

His eyes searched her, quietly observing with the calculating intensity of his animal form. His hand moved up her back ever so slightly, no more than an inch. Even though it was only a small movement he felt her fingers curl just the tiniest bit, a hint of nails against his skin. He needed to tread carefully. The full force of those hazel pools made him feel uncharacteristically small yet larger than ever.

In the thick mists currently clouding her mind, Sarah tried to figure out where things were going and if she liked it or not. She wasn't sure if he was teasing her. It was hard to tell after all those times he had made suggestive remarks in the past. At every beat of her racing heart she was jumping back and forth between wanting to step closer and wanting to run for the hills until her legs stopped working. The faint brush of cool air on her face made her realize just how much her cheeks were burning. Panic very slowly started to rise in her.

His hand moved higher then, resting between her shoulder blades. He softly uttered her name. He cradled her name so gently that those two syllables were enough to ease her anxiety, her eyes slipping closed. The unmistakable sensation of butterflies in her stomach erupted as, even with her eyes closed, she felt him leaning in. His breath whispered along her cheek. Suddenly every intention was clear.

He shifted his weight forward and moved his free hand up from the door to rest his lower arm next to her head. Slowly he took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. It was intoxicating. The hand on her back moved so that his arm was fully wrapped around her waist, resulting in less than an inch between their bodies. Her fingers tensed, nails gently grazing the skin of his chest as her digits closed around the neckline of his shirt.

The tension was so high that Sarah almost forgot to breathe. Against the knuckles of her fingers she could feel his heartbeat. His scent reminded her of a warm autumn day. It reminded her of a light rain or early morning mist.

His cheek softly brushed along hers. Involuntarily Sarah tilted her head back and to the side, welcoming the touch of his skin. He pressed a slow and soft kiss to her cheek before leaning in a little closer still. The moment she felt his lips touch the corner of her jaw with a feathery light touch, gravity shifted.

Literally.

The woman gasped in shock when the support from the door suddenly disappeared. It happened so quickly that by the time her frazzled mind caught up she was practically on the floor. Suspended, Sarah gasped for air. In front of her she could see Jareth who'd luckily not only caught himself but her as well.

Jareth's surprise turned to anger when he looked up. Alana was standing in the doorway, wide-eyed and shocked. Pulling Sarah up he straightened himself and held her against him with one of his hands cradling the back of her head. By the way Alana started to blush and fumble over her words Jareth was sure his eyes openly reflected his anger. Uncomfortably the pale lady hurried back into the hallway towards the kitchen, running from the scene.

Sarah was stiffly staring at Jareth's chest. She had subconsciously held onto his shirt while she fell and was still holding on to it. Mortified, Sarah struggled to determine what to do next. Was he going to try again? Did she want him to?

Forcing herself she looked up at him through her lashes she saw him looking at her. Slowly his arm loosened and let go of her. The man moved past her, heading down the hall, leaving Sarah alone with her mind a complete mess.

Once he had disappeared she released a quivering breath. Behind her she could hear Jareth going off on a tirade directed at Alana. While he spoke in a foreign language and spoke relatively hushed Sarah did have a pretty good idea what it was about. The adrenaline wore off and she couldn't help but giggle. Things definitely were going to be awkward now. With a sigh she turned to the dining room.

Time for the most uncomfortable dinner she'd ever had.

Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Sarah had been more than content to not lift her eyes even once during dinner. Everyone had been completely silent. As a matter of fact, ever since Jareth had moved down the hallway their eyes hadn't met once. Sarah had made sure of that.

She was wondering what he was currently thinking. The woman could feel his eyes on her. While slowly chewing her food she tried her best not to linger on what had happened by the front door. In fact, she was so hell bent to not think about it that she consciously instructed herself how to chew.

The Goblin King was annoyed, to put it kindly. He was being avoided and it was infuriating. This dinner had seemed to last hours, her bites slow and deliberate. His leg had been bouncing anxiously all throughout the meal.

Once there was no further distraction available on her plate Sarah got up quietly to clear the table. She still resolutely avoided any eye contact despite standing right next to him. During dinner Alana's gaze had been constantly going back and forth between her brother and the woman opposite him. Whenever Jareth shot Alana an annoyed glare she'd quickly look away.

"Hey Alana, do you want to go for a walk? Who knows, I might be gone by tomorrow."

Both the brunette and her brother simultaneously looked at Alana and with wide eyes the pale lady realized that her question was not going to have a right answer.

"Come on, let's go," Sarah pressed with a cheerful smile, already heading to the hallway.

Alana looked at her brother, who warningly shook his head, his eyebrows drawn. From the hallway her name was called. Subtly she turned her legs to the side of her seat and her brother's eyes started to narrow. The woman got up and jumped away just in time before Jareth could grab a hold of her.

—-

Alana was a lot more fun than she let on. Once she felt safe and comfortable her quiet and polite persona vanished quicker than a snowflake on a hot stove. While she was still well behaved in terms of language she was open to more private things and secret opinions. Plus, she'd become a lot more playful as well, showing more resemblance to her brother.

That was how Sarah found herself walking arm in arm with her. Sarah had been talking about Toby and the mischief he often caused, much to the annoyance of Karen.

"So, what were you two like when you were kids," Sarah asked with a smile. It was alarming how quickly Alana's smile disappeared. Her dark eyes suddenly carried pain and grew distant. Sarah felt bad for asking. She put her hand on Alana's arm. "Oh shit, Alana. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

The pale lady wrested a polite smile back onto her lips, but it didn't reach her eyes. "It's okay, dear. I know it wasn't your intent. I apologize for my reaction. I would gladly share with you, but I'm not sure it's my story to tell."

Sarah saw the frown creasing her friend's flawless skin and she playfully bumped her shoulder against Alana's. "Hey, it's okay. I get it, really. How about… sharing some of your customs? What do you magic folk do for fun? What kind of parties do you throw?"

Alana looked at her. "Throw?"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Organize. What are they like?"

"Oh, I see," Alana said with a nod. "It really varies from party to party. We have magnificent balls to flaunt wealth but we also have sacred festivities to honor and celebrate our roots and everything around us. I personally prefer the latter, though it has been a while since I've been to one. It's a four day celebration, it starts in the afternoon of the first day and ends at sunset on the fourth. For two nights we do not sleep. There's lots of food and dancing. We have often celebrated it on large clearings and grass fields, which is much preferred from the city as the celebration forbids us from wearing shoes."

"You guys stay up for four days? That doesn't sound much like a celebration to me."

Alana giggled. "I am sure you would love it. The way it's decorated is breathtaking, not to mention the traditional outfits are absolutely gorgeous, both for women and men. I would love for you to experience it, so I'd like to formally invite you to the next Olvaisalk."

The brunette smiled at the sincere look Alana gave her. "Sure, I would love to come. Though I might need a reminder by then… And quite possibly I might need you to pick me up."

The blonde's lips twitched lightly in restraint while she directed her gaze forward again. "We'll see how things are at that time," she said cryptically. Sarah frowned, but Alana just patted Sarah's hand. "Let's head back. If I keep you too long, my dear brother might be cross with me. Again."

Mentioning him, Sarah could feel a whole new wave of embarrassment crash into her. She quickly looked away and Alana giggled. "Yes, His Majesty gave me a good earful for my actions earlier tonight. But not to worry dear. I can sincerely say I couldn't be happier, for both of you."

The mortal woman was all too ready to disappear.

—-

Sarah jolted, feeling something touch her hair. Her eyes flew open and she jumped up. Blinking, her vision started to focus and she looked up to see a familiar face grinning down at her. "Jesus, you scared the hell out of me."

"Evidently," Jareth chuckled. He offered her a piece of bread before walking around the couch and disappearing from view.

Gratefully, Sarah took a bite out of the small bun. "Thanks," she mumbled with her mouthful. Slowly waking up various scents were gradually picked up by her weary senses. "You're cooking," Sarah asked incredulously, pulling herself up to look past the couch into the kitchen. It wasn't until then that she noticed it had become dark outside.

"Indeed," the man said. "Though I will thank you for not sounding so horrified."

"I'm not!" The woman got up, twisting her neck to work out a mild soreness. "I'm just surprised that the almighty Goblin King would lower himself to such mundane housework as preparing dinner." She walked into the kitchen, her mouth watering the moment she smelled fresh potatoes, mushrooms and stir fry vegetables.

"You have cooked for me plenty of times. It is about time I return the favor. Besides, if it's inedible your mortal senses are less likely to notice. It's perfect, really."

Sarah mumbled under her breath before speaking up. "Well then I guess it's just up to me to be civil, then. So thank you, Jareth, for providing dinner. It is much appreciated."

"You are most welcome, Sarah. Take a seat, dinner is ready."

Sitting down in the dining room Sarah looked around. "Isn't Alana joining us?"

"No," he said. "She had some business in the city, she left before you were awake. I'm not certain when she will return."

It was hard to feel sad when Jareth served her a dish that looked like culinary perfection. But regardless her face fell. "Why didn't she say anything?"

"No need for theatrics, Sarah. She'll be just fine." He sat down at the head of the table.

"But what if I don't see her before I leave?"

Jareth looked up at her worried frown. He took her hand. "You'll see her again, Sarah. I promise you that." Raising her hand he pressed a kiss to her knuckles, lingering just a second before pulling back and lowering her hand back to the table. "Now eat before it gets cold."

The woman directed her gaze back to the food. She cut off a piece of the meat and joined it with some mushrooms before taking the bite. Her hands lowered to the table and she sighed. "God, I'm going to cry."

Jareth rolled his eyes just before taking a bite. "You give a whole new meaning to the term 'drama queen'. You will see Lana again."

"No, it's not that." Sarah looked up at him, seeing one eyebrow arch in question. "I don't know how many more feathers will fit up your spandex clad ass, but this is delicious."

Jareth burst out laughing. "If you play your cards right I might show you something else that you'll find delicious."

She looked up at him with a curious glint in her eyes. The man grinned suggestively and she rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. "God. Stop or you'll spoil my appetite. If you're like this after little more than a kiss on the cheek, I don't want to know what you'll be like when more happens." It was the first time either of them mentioned it. In a way it was thrilling.

"When?"

Sarah looked up. "What?"

"You said when," he said.

"I-I guess…" She was confused.

"When, not if," Jareth purred. "A Freudian slip, perhaps?" He could see her cheeks flush and pinning one foot on the floor he used it to push his chair closer. The loud groan of the object seemed to add more discomfort to her already alarmed state. "You seem positively flustered. Perhaps we should just get it over with?"

Suddenly the room felt ten degrees warmer and her heart raced at his suggestion. Once she started to get upset the mischievous look on his face faltered and turned to worry. "I can't," she said, looking down at the table.

Jareth backed away a little, offering her some space to breathe. He put a hand on her back gently. "Sarah, what's wrong?"

She looked up at him. "I don't think I want this. I don't want to pursue feelings that are only guaranteed to have me end up hurt."

His hand soothingly rubbed up and down her back, kicking himself for ruining what could have been a lovely dinner. "You're referring to going back home." She nodded. "We keep circling back to this, don't we? But surely you understand my concerns and protectiveness over you."

"I get it," she urged. "I do. It's not that I keep bringing this up because I don't understand." Before she could let cowardice take over she turned to face him, putting her cutlery down. "I keep bringing this up because I hate the thought of you struggling. Every time you have visited, every time you stopped by my apartment. Your entire life, it seems. Every time I bring up your past people shut down. In difficult times is not every bit of help welcome?" Despite the urge to look anywhere but at him she kept eye contact. "The rejection I feel every time you push me away instead of letting me help, almost hurts as much as seeing you suffer." Finally her eyes fell to her lap, a wobbly smile curving on her lips. The light of the candles on the table twinkled like stars in her eyes, unshed tears clouding her vision. "I guess I already have gotten myself hurt."

The silence stretched between them. Once again Sarah had rendered him speechless. He sighed. "How you turn my world," he whispered.

"You said you'd think about it," she pressed. "You promised."

The look in her eyes broke his heart. She looked so… powerless. It was the first time he saw a glimpse of the meek little mortal she'd often made herself out to be. Her eyes pleaded for him to understand. There was a crack in her spirit and raw sorrow was seeping through. A sense of powerlessness overcame him. For a few minutes both of them were silent.

Finally, the Goblin King put his hands on hers. "Alright. I will consider it," he promised. "But I need you to consider something as well. While, if I let you stay, I will do anything in my power to keep you safe, I need you to hear this. While I pray to the Gods it will not happen, you might not make it out alive." It was a grim possibility, but he needed her to understand fully what the possible consequences could be. "Think of that and think of your family. Should anything happen to you, I am sure they will be inconsolable. Let's revisit this matter later." Sarah nodded quietly. "Now then, I presume this matter has been settled for now? Shall we resume our dinner?"

The woman nodded wordlessly. He smiled patiently at her. Shyly she raised a hand up, pausing briefly before raising it to touch his cheek. "Thank you for considering, it means a lot to me."

Jareth moved his cheek against her hand, briefly breaking eye contact to close his eyes. When he moved back to his own position at the table she bashfully turned to her own plate.

Their now luke-warm meal was still enjoyable, despite the heavy conversation. Jareth seemed to relax as well, leaning on the table in an almost boneless and comfortable slouch.

"You have pretty poor table manners for a king," Sarah teased. Jareth narrowed his eyes at her.

Chapter 19: Chapter 19

The past two days had consisted of Jareth being busy with his troops. Almost non-stop he had been in meetings, training his men, surveillance trips or had been otherwise engaged. Sarah had barely seen him and he hadn't been around for dinner. On a more positive note, the evenings alone did give her plenty of time to think.

Jareth had made a valid point when he mentioned that it could very well happen that she wouldn't see her family again, which was a big price to pay. Even though she would be under protection of the crown, that didn't make her invincible. Naturally, the thought of possible death was terrifying and difficult to grasp. Jareth had made it more than clear that he didn't want to take that risk with her. His perspective was that she would willingly put herself in danger for what he perceived to be a glorified parlor trick.

Contemplating where her life in her own world was going offered a rather depressing prospect. Before Alana had taken her she had been living with her parents, without friends and currently no job. Admittedly, the only thing worthwhile in her life at the moment was her family and her friendship with Jareth.

Her life had always felt rather empty. There was always a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. A strange sort of ambition or longing. Something that had consistently seemed unreachable in her life. Her brief trip in the Labyrinth had offered her something beyond the rules of her own world. It had filled her with a sense that nothing was impossible, that nothing was what it seemed. She'd always known there was more for her in the Underground. It was somehow instinctual, as if she was meant to be here.

Jareth had been an increasingly large part of her drive to stay. In her initial trip to the Underground he had been frighteningly fascinating. Much like the Underground itself he had sheltered this sense of hidden mystery. During her run through the Labyrinth he had shown her so many different sides of himself. Of course he'd been the imposing apparition answering her calls, but he had also been a tormentor, a sorcerer, a brat, a romantic… Possibly a bit of a jealous type. But she had sensed a hint of playfulness and an interest coming from him, even if he tried to hide it. Though, all those years ago she had the feeling there was more to discover.

When they met again a while ago he had portrayed that same villain role at the start, but had quickly risen to be the more playful man she knew now. Without Toby in play so many things had become possible. While he had been secretive about his life for most of their friendship, now that he had started opening up to her, now that she knew how bad things were she wanted to be there for him. A helping hand. A better part. Perhaps even somewhat of a heroine.

Especially with the most recent turn of events. A turn that Sarah still wasn't quite sure of was what she wanted. Granted, she enjoyed the playfulness and suggestiveness and he was definitely an attractive man but she enjoyed their friendship. Was this development worth risking that connection?

Despite the fact that Jareth didn't like her going out by herself, she needed some fresh air. Grabbing some boots and a cloak she headed outside for a stroll.

—-

The fireplace was crackling, bathing the room in a warm glow. On occasion, small embers drifted from the firewood like fireflies. Outside the world was dark, even behind neighboring windows the light had long since been doused. Sarah was relaxing in the sitting room, sitting on a carpet by the coffee table while doodling on a bit of parchment with a quill and some ink she found. Jareth walked in, freshly bathed wearing dove gray tights and a white shirt. He was holding a piece of parchment, reading what was on it before tossing it aside as he sat down closeby on the couch.

"Enjoy your bath?" Sarah continued her doodle.

"Very much, thank you. Would you mind joining me for a moment?"

Sarah looked up at him, seeing him put a hand on the cushion next to him. Her stomach contracted. "Sure," she said, crawling up from the floor and sitting down next to him.

"I presume we both know what this talk is about, so let's not be coy," he said. "I trust you have given the matter some thought. Would you like to start?"

Sarah suddenly felt very uncomfortable. While she had anticipated this talk it still formed a lump in her throat. Sarah fiddled with her hands nervously, not knowing where to start. Jareth put his hand over hers to keep them steady. Sarah looked up at him. His face was unreadable, but he didn't seem nervous. Had he already made up his mind? Did he know what she was going to say? Did she even know what she was going to say anymore? Now that they sat here her mind was a mess. She breathed in and out slowly.

Jareth chuckled. "Let me start, before you stress yourself into a stupor." Mutely, the brunette nodded. "First and foremost there's a few things I would like you to understand. I need you to know that when I visited your childhood home, it was never my intention to show myself in anything other than my animal shape. My visitations were simply a self-indulgent reprieve from battle. When I did not visit for longer amounts of time, it was because I was in battle or otherwise engaged. You must know that the way in which I have portrayed myself to you, while not untrue, is not all that I am.

In the past I gave personal preference to my castle in the center of the Labyrinth. While goblins are loud, unruly and destructive, the castle offered me peace due to its secluded position. It is only one of the reasons that I prefer my title as Goblin King, rather than more… conventional titles. Alana has informed me you already know the basics of the uprising that followed due to my disinterested disposition. While I take no pleasure in it, I have done things one could consider inhumane, cruel or even monstrous to reverse the damage I had done. I have made people suffer to get what I want. To regain control I had to destroy parts of my own cities and villages. While I have not purposefully aimed to do so, I have taken innocent lives for my cause.

In the past I have ordered men to report for duty, to abandon their families and loved ones to lay their lives on the line for me. I have commanded them to fight this battle that I personally caused out of negligence. Though I have ruled for a long time in mortal standards, to my people I am still a young ruler. While many of my subjects have thrived with me as king, they mostly have their own capabilities to thank for that. Those that did not thrive or those that disapproved of the way I ruled are the people that oppose me in this war. My men draw their swords against them, if needed."

Subconsciously biting her lower lip she took a moment to take everything in, her eyes lowering. After a little while Jareth used his forefinger to lift her chin. She looked up at him.

"All that being said, I have promised to consider your request to stay, and I have. I have thought of the things you said to me and the things we have done together." The man grinned wryly. "As you might have noticed by now, I am a selfish man. If it wasn't for this war I might just have proposed for you to stay. Or attempted to convince you with possibly less savory methods. I am used to getting things my way. If need be I will twist things until I do. However..." His hand gently brushed aside a lock of her hair. "I am putting my egocentrics aside in this situation. I have decided to disregard what I want and what I think is best and place the decision in your hands. As you said, you are a grown woman. If you have given serious thought to the situation I trust and respect your capabilities to weigh your options." His smile carried a strange sense of pride. "Meaning that you, Sarah, my precious thing, are the first person in three hundred years that can tell me what to do." His hand moved from her hair to her cheek, where his thumb brushed a gentle pattern. "The choice is yours."

Sarah felt tears well up in her eyes. Before she realized it was happening she choked out a sob and she quickly raised up a hand to her mouth to cover it. Despite the serious situation Jareth smiled. "Now Sarah, don't tell me you were going to say the same thing." She let out a sound between another sob and chuckle. He leaned in and kissed one of her tears away before gathering her in a hug. "Quiet down, Sarah," he said gently as he rubbed her back. "Let's continue with your part tomorrow. You need some time."

The woman shook her head, gently pushing herself away from him. Sarah took a calming breath. Jareth waited, his fingers fidgeting with a seam of the couch cushion. She looked back up at him with a wobbly smile. "God, if I'd known you prepared a page long plea I would have written down some of my cliff notes."

The Goblin King smiled encouragingly at her. "If you can convey your message in a handful of words, you are welcome to do so."

Sarah shook her head. "No, that's not going to cut it. Not with something this important."

"Very well."

"I'm not as put-together as you are, so bear with me. You have told me before that you believe I'm just interested in little magic tricks." Sarah looked down with a small smile. "But to be brutally honest, nothing you have shown me has been so mindblowing that I would uproot my entire life for a chance of seeing it again." She looked up at him. His lips were slightly pursed and his eyes narrowed like she'd just insulted him. She could see the sparkle of amusement in his eyes, though. "For the majority of my life I have felt like I didn't belong. People always looked at me funny when I talked about the things I find fascinating. I couldn't really connect with anyone. Often I wondered if people deliberately avoided me. When I was running the Labyrinth so much of that loneliness disappeared. People - creatures talked to me in such a natural way. Almost if I had already met them before. After that, I felt alone again. The following years, seeing that pale owl in my tree… Seeing you kept the dream alive.

Eventually I just felt that I had to take action and see whether I was going crazy or not. I was so happy you humored me. At least then I knew I wasn't ripe for a sanatorium. Then you said you didn't want to meet anymore. Just like that, I lost that sense of connection and worse…" She looked up at him. "I lost you."

Jareth had yet to look away from her since she'd spoken. He didn't want to miss a single word, a single emotion, any context that she might share, verbally or physically. After she looked back up at him he could see the heartbreak in her eyes and it took him every shred of control to remain quiet and still. To give her space. "While I have never taken you for granted, I didn't realize just how important you were to me until you were gone. More often than not you were the first thing on my mind in the morning and the last before I went to sleep. Whenever I spoke to my family, it felt like a part of it was missing. A cocky part that was all too keen on the taste of beef pizza."

Sniffling, she continued. "My family is really important to me. After losing my mom I became terrified of losing anyone else." Her eyes had fallen back to her lap. "I have thought about it a long time," she continued. "Of course I value your perspective and I hope you know I take it very seriously. All that said, you are very important to me, Jareth. More than I'd previously thought or at least wanted to admit. I don't like seeing you hurt, stressed and tired. I don't want to go home and pretend that things never happened and that nothing is wrong, knowing your situation. I can't. I want to stay and help. I want to be here for you and do what I can to make things better."

Jareth's face seemed blank, but his eyes were reflecting so many emotions at once that it was somewhat frightening. It was silent for a long while, during which he refused to meet her gaze. Her hand gently squeezed his. "I will honor the choice you have made. While I truly hoped that you had chosen otherwise, it is done." The man looked at her. "I propose we visit your family tomorrow so you can say your goodbyes. You have until then to reconsider your decision. After that, I will not bring it up again. As for you, you are free to ask and I will return you home as soon as possible."

Sarah lowered her eyes and quietly settled against him, her head on his shoulder. His hands fidgeted uncomfortably. "I suppose we'll have to inform Alana when she gets back." His voice was distant.

Sarah looked up at him with an encouraging smile. "It's okay, Jareth. You're not alone, not if I can help it."

A brief flash of emotion crossed his face. Shifting he turned to her a little, his arms wrapped around her and he cradled her head under his chin. "I'm such a softie…"

"I'm not so sure," Sarah said as her hand came to rest on his chest. "These feel pretty firm to me…" There was a small amount of rejection and concern that she felt when he didn't respond to her tease.

Letting out a calming breath he gently pushed her away. "Please excuse me, Sarah. I need a little bit of time to myself."

"Of course," Sarah said with a nod but she grabbed his hand before he could rise. "I really appreciate that you have given me a voice in this, Jareth. There's no place I'd rather be right now than by your side to help you get through this."

A sad smile curled up his lips and one of his hands moved to cup her cheek. "For a long time, being with you would have made me so happy. Now, I'm not sure how to feel," he said. "I do hope you realize that every second you are here, I will worry."

"Why? We make a really good team. We're going to kick ass. You should worry about all that oppose us."

"Us," he repeated softly, his thumb caressing the skin of her cheek. "That just might be my favorite two letter word," Jareth said with a chuckle. The man leaned into her free cheek, pressing a kiss to the warm and soft skin. Leaning back, he felt a resistance on his shirt.

It took Sarah roughly thirty percent more courage than she thought to possess to grab a hold of him the way that she did. Once her hand had clasped on the fabric of his shirt it felt like it would have to be pried off with a crowbar. Before she could backpedal she quickly put one of her hands on his cheek and pressed a kiss to the other. His skin showed no sign of stubble, creases or scarring. It was smooth like marble, soft like velvet and warm like a cup of hot chocolate in winter. It wasn't until she felt his fingers thread through her hair at the back of her neck that she realized she was lingering.

She moved swiftly to pull back. He pulled her hand back up, covering it with his own once it was back on his cheek. A flutter jittered through her stomach feeling his lips brush against her jaw. Slow and chaste. After a brief pause, his fingers threaded through hers, his lips still making contact with her skin. Jareth paused, silently gauging if his attentions were wanted. The brunette remained motionless. He pushed his luck and moved a little further back still, placing a kiss by the corner of her jaw.

Jareth had always found himself skillful in seeking and pushing boundaries.

Sarah couldn't repress a shiver when his other hand brushed up along her scalp with a feathery touch, burying itself in her dark hair. A quick brush of his tongue below her ear caused her breath to catch.

After a brief moment he chuckled. He cradled her face in his hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I will give you some time to yourself. I will return in a little while."

Sarah nodded and looked at his retreating form. Once by herself she released a long breath, relaxing her shoulders and letting herself sink down onto the couch. Quietly she let her fingers trace a path from her cheek to just below her ear. Once her heart had stopped racing and the butterflies quieted down a little she slumped on the couch, closing her eyes.

Chapter 20: Chapter 20

For once in her life Sarah woke early despite the absence of an alarm clock. Although her eyes were still bleary she looked at the open window just in time to see a pale barn owl hop out of the window. Looking at Alana's bed she found it empty.

Turning to Jareth's bed she found him still asleep. Outside the sun was rising, painting the room in warm orange light and bathing him in a warm glow. She tiptoed her way past him. Holding her breath she opened the door, which thankfully opened silently.

"Sarah?"

She startled so badly that she accidentally slammed the door closed. "Ah! Uh, good morning."

He gracefully rose from the bed, taking a moment to stretch the sleep out of his arms and shoulders.

"I was going to make us some breakfast, but since you're up… Is there any chance we could perhaps get me some of my… normal clothes? No offense."

"None taken. I have already provided you with some in the bathroom. I'd prefer to leave in an hour, so that I can offer you as much time as possible to say goodbye. Go freshen up and we'll have breakfast afterwards."

"Thank you."

A little while later Sarah had washed up, dressed and had breakfast. It was a little strange to be dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and sweater again. While she waited for Jareth to return from a morning checkup with the soldiers she sat on the couch, mulling over what exactly she was going to say to her family. Was she going to make something up? She couldn't possibly tell them the truth. What sort of situation would warrant her leaving indefinitely? Could she still contact them? She didn't figure the Underground had cell reception. Would Jareth be able to deliver letters for her? If she'd ask him for the possibilities, would he see that as leverage to talk her out of staying here? While she didn't regret her decision, she couldn't hel but tread to find possibilities.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Sarah jumped, a hand coming to rest on her chest. Jareth was lounging across the room, smirking. "For God's sake, Jareth!" He simply stood there, looking rather pleased with himself. "I was just going over the story I'm going to tell my parents. Are you done with your things?"

"For now. Are you ready to be dropped off?"

A pang of disappointment ran through her. "You're not staying?"

His eyebrows rose. "With you and your family? Do you need me to? I presumed you might enjoy some time with them alone."

Sarah shrugged quietly. "I… I don't know. Wouldn't you conserve more energy if you'd like… hang around?"

The Goblin King chuckled. "If you'd like me there with you just say so, Sarah."

"If you have important things to do I don't want to keep you."

"Eager to introduce me to your parents, are you?" Sarah narrowed her eyes at him. "I would be happy and honored to be there for you, Sarah. What do you plan on telling them?"

"I figured the truth might not be the best idea, so going with the concept that you're dealing with personal issues seems like the easiest option."

"What about the few days you've been gone already?"

There wasn't really a good way to talk herself out of that one. "I don't suppose you could…" She fell silent.

A strangely pleased grin appeared on his face. "Could what, pray tell?"

"You know, make them forget?"

"You wish for me to bring you, stay with you and have them forget about you?"

"No," Sarah gasped, sitting up on the couch. "I don't want them to forget me. I'm not planning on kicking the bucket. I meant that perhaps you could make them forget I just got up and left without notice the past few days."

"Sarah," he said. The tone he used already caused a sense of rejection. "I have no issues bringing you to the Above to bid farewell to your family, but erasing memory is not as easy as you make it sound. Let alone erase the memory of three or more people."

Her eyes lowered, her posture deflated a little. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. I can't imagine altering someone's mind is easy."

"I can, however, make it so that you never left."

She looked up at him, confused. "How is erasing time any easier than erasing a few memories?"

"It's not… technically." He pushed himself from his position against the wall to walk over to her. "I am a master of time, not a master of mind. Magic has many branches of which I have walked several. But manipulation of the mind is not one of them. Not by the use of magic, that is." Gracefully he sat down next to her. "Don't misunderstand, rearranging time is still no easy feat. But it would save you more convoluted stories than the alternative."

The woman looked up at him. "You would do this for me?"

"For you? Yes, I would. Though it's not too late to-"

Sarah put her fingertips against his lips. "No, Jareth. No more feeble attempts to talk me out of this. I made my choice."

He grinned. A reaction that caused her to pull back her hand as if his lips had burned them. "And what a delicious choice it was." Briefly his eyes lowered to her lips in fond remembrance. His arm came to rest on the back of the couch and he moved closer. His hand raised to her face, gloved fingertips lamenting the inability to feel the soft and warming skin as they brushed towards her neck, his palm cupping her face.

They both startled when the front door opened. A familiar voice announced her presence. Jareth's smile fell. Sarah, on the other hand, was grinning. "Wow, Alana is a professional cockblock," she whispered.

The moment he grinned back her expression fell. Jareth leaned in closer. "Perhaps we should bring her up to speed with the latest developments. I'm sure she'll be thrilled."

The brunette started pushing him away. The front door closed and Sarah rallied her mind to use more offensive means to get him to back off. Meanwhile he had closed in far enough that he had boxed her in on the couch. His steely positioning kept her from both getting him off or finding a way out herself. She could push and pull on his arm all she wanted but he wasn't budging. Squeezing her eyes closed she held her breath.

Then gravity dropped, like the couch had simply vanished from below her. Her hands fished for something to hold on to. Her system urged her to take a breath like it was running out of oxygen. Her eyes flew open and she felt herself tumble backwards.

Sarah could see everything around her shift into shape, like paint splattered on a canvas. Colors sucked onto planar surfaces as the world around her narrowed down to a pinprick before it exploded outwards to something completely different. The seconds ticked by while her eyes regained focus. She could almost feel her pupils dilate and contract confusedly in an attempt to stabilize light and to make sense of what happened. Her entire skin rippled and tiny pinpricks scattered across her skin. Still wheezing for air the world around her started to settle.

She looked up at Jareth. His familiar mismatched eyes offered comfort through the strange sensation. The warm brown and icy blue akin to a cozy fireplace and a summer sky all wrapped into one.

But something was missing when she looked up at him. It wasn't until ten seconds later that it clicked. The trademark sweep of his eyebrows had changed to a more humanlike shape and the markings by his eyes were gone. Looking down she saw her hands knotted in a black turtleneck sweater. It was then that she became aware of how he was holding her against him, his arms firmly locked around her waist and their bodies aligned snuggly from knees to chest. Still a little dizzy she pushed away from him, taking a calming breath, swaying on her feet. "Geez Jareth, leave some room for Jesus."

He laughed. One of his hands reached out to hold her elbow. She blinked a few times. "Are you alright, Sarah?"

"Peachy," she said with a wave of her hand.

"I apologize for the upsetting transportation, it slipped my mind that with inexperienced travelers shifting positions during travel causes dizziness. I probably should have warned you to close your eyes as well."

"I'll keep it in mind for the way home," she said distractedly. It was nightfall. Familiar streets were quiet and the temperature was pleasant enough. She was standing by the large tree in the front garden of her childhood home. Distantly she could hear Toby yelling and a moment later her dad and Karen burst out the door looking worried. Toby followed.

In record time Sarah's mind caught up to the timeline and she shot Jareth a dirty look. "You couldn't have brought me back like ten minutes earlier?"

"I preferred not to interfere with timelines of two different worlds. Plus, Alana would be very upset." The woman sighed. "There's still the alternative," he hinted quietly.

"Princess," a familiar voice said. Robert hurried down the porch and jogged towards her. "Sarah, are you okay? Toby came running in scared out of his mind. What happened?"

Karen joined them, a worried hand over her heart. "Oh Robert, do you see now why I don't like them going to the park at night? It's dangerous!"

Sarah opened her mouth to speak but Robert bristled once spotting the tall stranger standing next to her. Protectively he grabbed Sarah's arm, pulling her back towards him and standing in between them. "Did this creep follow you?" Karen walked up to Sarah protectively. Sarah tried to talk again but her father beat her to it. "Sir, I ask you to leave my property at once or I'll be forced to alert authorities."

This definitely wasn't going the way she'd imagined. "Dad! Just calm down for a second. Jareth wasn't following us, it's okay."

Robert still regarded the man in front of him sternly and turned towards his family. "Inside. Everyone. Now. No more evening walks."

Sarah resisted, twisting out of his grasp. She walked back over to Jareth. "No, dad, he's a friend. Can we just go inside and talk like adults, please? It's important."

The older man looked from her to the blonde and back. The stranger simply shifted his gaze between the members of the family with an unimpressed expression. "Fine, let's head inside."

Sarah, her dad and Jareth walked into the living room to sit down. As usual Jareth sank down gracefully, applying the near liquid slouch on one of the leather chairs. He didn't seem surprised or bothered by what had just happened. "So, what happened?"

While Sarah was busy weaving an elaborate story to calm her father Jareth saw something from the corner of his eye. A boy peeking around the corner of the hallway. As soon as their eyes met the boy ducked from view. He grinned before looking back to Sarah and her father.

He hadn't missed the more than apprehensive looks in her father's eyes. Jareth couldn't exactly blame him. Magical beings, even in disguise, emitted a certain aura that most mortals didn't trust. In quick passing the Earthen race wouldn't notice much but pleasant moods would shift to hostility within a few seconds with longer exposure. It was only one of the reasons why, while he enjoyed watching them, he didn't spend time among mortal folk in this world.

From the corner of his eye he spotted a tray being held out to him carrying a selection of cookies. Looking up he saw a woman look down at the floor uncomfortably. Grabbing a cookie he smiled politely. "Thank you, my fair hostess." She quickly turned to the others, avoiding eye contact. The boy, already munching on a cookie, sneakily slipped around his mother's back and grabbed another one while she wasn't looking. Jareth smirked once their eyes met. The boy stuck out his tongue, which was still covered by crumbs of his most recent sugary victim. Jareth summoned a second cookie, letting the child believe he wasn't the only one sneaking for seconds. The little boy grinned approvingly. Dropping his smile, Jareth turned back to the conversation.

Sarah was still trying to reassure her father, too occupied to have noticed Toby and Jareth.

"This whole ordeal seems suspiciously coincidental," Robert commented.

"I have known him for a while, dad. Years, in fact. He has some issues back at home that he's dealing with." Meanwhile Karen set some glasses on the table, quietly pouring everybody some tea.

"And why exactly are you the only person that can help him with these… issues?"

"I was wondering that myself," Jareth interjected.

"Ah, so you can speak." The father clearly made no effort to be pleasant even though his daughter was trying to diffuse the situation.

Jareth proverbially bit his tongue. Were it not for the fact that this man was Sarah's father, who she deeply cared for, he would have made the man regret those words.

Sarah hadn't missed the flexing of muscles in Jareth's jaw. "Dad," Sarah said, pulling the two men out of their glaring contest. "I am not the only person that can help. He has others that are also helping. But I can help. More than anyone you know I'm loyal to family and friends. Jareth is a good friend and thus I am willing to do what I can to help him. Besides, I'm currently unemployed, making it the perfect time to lend a helping hand."

Robert rubbed his brow. "Sarah, sometimes I worry you'll never grow out of that naivety you had as a child."

Sarah opened her mouth to speak but found herself unsure of what to say. Jareth gave her a smug grin.

"So what exactly does this mystery guy need help with?"

Jareth grabbed his tea and sat back, letting the warmth seep through his gloves. Over the rim of his glass he settled to simply observe. Karen quietly shooed Toby when he was moving in to grab a cookie again. Amused, Jareth took one, making eye contact with the boy and briefly gesturing to his left. The boy quietly walked off. Karen's attention had already returned to her husband and stepdaughter. Jareth leaned back with the cookie and draped his arm over the back of the chair. Repressing a smile he felt the cookie being snagged away a second later. He tried to focus on the conversation again but could see Toby moving about nearby curiously.

"Your eyes are funny."

The Goblin King jumped, the boy was suddenly standing by the other side of his chair. "I take that as a compliment," he replied quietly. While he didn't want to disturb Sarah and her father, the boy didn't seem to hold back in volume.

"Are you Sarah's boyfriend?"

Jareth could hear the conversation falling silent when the child spoke up. He looked back at Sarah blushing and shooting daggers at Toby. Distrust and hostility was clearly etched on Robert's aging face. "Is that what this is about, Sarah?"

Sarah felt her cheeks flush uncomfortably. "No," she snapped sharply. "That's not why I'm doing this. He's not my boyfriend."

At least she didn't think so. Jareth was many things, but definitely not a 'boy'.

Karen seemed all too happy with the possibility. "Oh, darling! Why so upset? Wouldn't it be great for Sarah to finally start dating? This is the first time she's bringing someone home!"

"He's not -" Sarah started.

"Yes, and it's only to tell me she's running off with him."

"I'm not -" she tried again.

"How romantic," the older woman sighed.

"I am not running off with anyone," Sarah snapped defensively. "And he is not my boyfriend." Her father seemed relieved. Karen was giving her and her father an unwavering and eager smile.

"Romantic escapade or no, I am not okay with you heading off with some stranger out of the blue."

Sarah started to get agitated. "Well then get to know him, for fuck's sake," she lashed out.

"Sarah, language," Karen chastised softly.

"Are you alright, Sarah?" Sarah looked at Jareth, his brows drawn in concern.

"No! I'm sick and tired of people telling me what to do or what not to do. Why does everyone just presume that feeble little Sarah can't think or make decisions for herself? I'm not a child anymore! I'm heading for my thirties, in case you haven't noticed!"

Everyone was quiet. Robert and Karen exchanged looks. "I'm sorry, Sarah," Robert sighed. "But please try to understand. How about we put a few breaks on this whole ordeal and instead of everyone getting worked up, enjoy some lighter conversation to start." He looked at his wife. "Darling, could you perhaps make all of us some of your delicious hot cocoa while we get situated at the dining table? Sarah, can I talk to you for a moment? Alone?"

"I'll leave you two for a moment," Jareth offered, getting up from his seat. Walking to the hallway he folded his hands behind his back, patiently standing by a flight of stairs while seeing the older woman at work in the kitchen. The boy followed.

It was refreshing to see that the young Toby wasn't adverse to his presence. He actually seemed compelled by it, eyeing the tall man with curiosity.

Smiling, he looked at the child bouncing around in the kitchen, talking to his mother. Karen hurried towards him when he jumped to reach the mugs in the kitchen cabinet. Warning the boy to leave it to her.

A sigh pricked his ears and he turned to the doorway leading to the living room. Sarah approached him. "Are you alright, Sarah?"

She sighed. "Well, I'd definitely hoped this whole ordeal would go a little smoother. But I think we're through the worst of it. Sorry that my dad is being defensive."

He could see the disappointment in her eyes. Jareth pressed a kiss to her forehead comfortingly. "Come on, let's get back to your family. We can get through this smoothly, I am sure."

They approached Toby at the dining table while he was busy preparing a board game. "Ah Tobes, I don't know if we have time for a board game this evening…"

"What? Why not?" Toby looked up and gave her his best puppy dog eyes.

Sarah sighed and looked at Jareth, who grinned. "Well, I can't say no to a face like that."

—-

One board game later Sarah was happy to call herself the winner.

While her competitive streak carried her a large part of the way, it was also due to the motivations of half the other participants. Robert kept trying to sabotage Jareth, blocking him every which way he could but ruining his own progress in the meantime. Karen wasn't too eager to play to begin with, so she did the bare minimum to keep the others happy. Toby had been trying, but had trouble thinking ahead. Jareth had definitely been competitive, picking up on the rules swiftly and each turn tried to twist the rules to get what he wanted. It had given the brunette a glimpse of the Jareth she'd experienced when they first met, many years ago.

Robert had been on edge the entire time still. When there was room for it he would ask Jareth all sorts of questions, probing and prodding. While Jareth had remained completely civil and polite he was getting agitated. Probably a good deal of his annoyance could be attributed to the fact that he couldn't tell anything considered out of the 'ordinary' and he had to tiptoe around each question. His wording had been so vague and sometimes almost bizarre that Sarah wondered if he was trying not to lie, even about small things. Gracefully but restlessly he would twirl cards from the game in between his fingers, deftly passing it from between two digits to the next without ever creasing or even bending the cards. Sarah did feel somewhat bad for him. As a seasoned lawyer Robert was pretty damn good getting under people's skin when he wanted to. Besides, Jareth had the tendency to be a little touchy, especially to things he deemed disrespectful.

When the game was over, Jareth had gotten rather attached to the card he'd been keeping his hands busy with. While Toby was cleaning up the game and Sarah tried to take it from him it vanished in thin air.

Oh yeah, the Goblin King was definitely upset.

"Where did the rule card go?" Toby looked around and under the table. Sarah elbowed Jareth and with a flourish he summoned it again. He put the card close to his mouth, blew and caused the rule card to twirl perfectly into the box. Toby's mouth dropped. "Wow, cool! How did you do that?"

Sarah caught Karen smiling a little and the older woman quickly got up. "Okay Toby, time for school. Grab your things. Robert, could you put the board game back in Toby's room? Sarah, could you please do the dishes for me?"

"Sure." Sarah put everything down in the kitchen by the sink and smiled to herself. Despite the rough start this evening, the board game had been fun.

After washing up she walked back to the living room where Toby was setting up his things for school. Her dad had been talking to Jareth and quickly cleared his throat. "So, Sarah, do you want to tell everybody?" Jareth looked at her expectantly.

Karen looked up, her expression somewhere between excitement and confusion. Toby had already sat down at the table and seemed rather disinterested in grown-up talk. "Are you breaking up with Jareth?"

The brunette narrowed her eyes at him. Looking down she searched for the right words while the others remained quiet, looking at her expectantly. Jareth walked up to her, subtly putting a hand on her back in silent support. "I… uh… I'm… I'm leaving for a while."

Toby's head shot up. "What," he yelped as he dropped his pen. "But I just got you back!"

Karen gently shushed Toby. "What for, Sarah?"

"Jareth is dealing with some problems. Issues that I offered to help with. We arranged that I could stay with him while I help."

"Well, how long will you be gone for? Will you be back before summer?"

"I'm not sure yet as to when. However long it takes for things to be sorted, I guess."

"Robert," the older woman pleaded with her husband, reaching out to him.

"Sweetheart, you know as well as I do that once Sarah makes up her mind, there's no changing it." He smiled rather humorlessly and looked at his daughter. "I've already tried talking her out of this one."

"Well… will you be visiting? Or at least call every once in a while? Where does Jareth live? We can definitely visit."

Sarah was a little surprised to see Karen's tearful eyes and before she knew it her vision started to get a little cloudy too. Jareth rubbed her back gently, providing a comforting distraction. "I, uh…" Her eyes shifted to Jareth's.

"We can visit every now and then. Though I'm afraid I won't be able to give exact dates. Perhaps we can arrange correspondence as well."

"Where will you guys be headed?" Robert wrapped an arm around his wife while Toby was still sulking.

"England," Sarah said quickly, figuring that with Jareth's accent that was the most logical answer.

"You live in England? Where?"

"I own a generous stretch of land. While Sarah is in my care I ensure she will want for nothing."

"Do they not have reception in England?" Robert's voice was a little stiff and perhaps a little mocking.

"Dad, everything will be fine, I promise. I'll be in touch."

"I still don't like this," Robert stated.

Sarah sighed. "Yeah, Jareth doesn't either." She looked up at Jareth but he didn't meet her gaze.

"Well," Karen said carefully. "When will you be leaving?"

"Uh… Tonight…"

"What?!" Toby jumped up. "No, Sarah!" Sarah chuckled as the boy ran over to her. With the vigor of a petulant child he went limp, his entire body weight pulling on her waist in an attempt to physically stop her.

Robert walked over to the boy and peeled him off of her, pushing him to Karen. He was not amused. "Princess, I don't trust this one bit. Toby came home in a panic, which according to you wasn't anything to worry about. You conveniently run into some stranger." He held up his hand when she attempted to interject. "He needs help with something we're not privy to. Now you tell us that you want to uproot your entire life and leave tonight? What are we supposed to make of all this?"

"Dad, I know this is a lot. But can you please just… trust me? Please."

His daughter looked up at him tearfully, begging him to understand. "Well," he sighed, looking back at Jareth. "Princess, if you say you need and want to do this… I can't tell you otherwise. Despite still being my little girl, you are legally an adult. While you currently live under my roof, I let you do so without any strings attached and I can't force you to stay."

Sarah smiled shakily and moved forward. Robert hugged her tightly.

"No fair, I couldn't hug her," Toby said sourly. Sarah chuckled and dragged him into the hug. Karen joined with a sad smile, resting her head against Robert's shoulder.

The realization of it all finally crashed down on Sarah. The fact that this just might be the last time she saw her father, stepmother and halfbrother. While she wanted to be able to say a proper goodbye, she knew she couldn't. Not only would her father definitely not let her go but if she treated this like a final goodbye Sarah would definitely become an unflattering, sniveling mess. Ugly crying and all. Not only upsetting herself but also her family and probably Jareth. She nuzzled against her father's sweater, basking in their presence as tears started pooling in her eyes.

Were it not for the fact that her dad had Karen and Toby, Sarah would never have left. Even though she had been very young when her father lost Sarah's biological mother, she could still picture Robert's face after all those years. The utter heartbreak, the pain, the frustration. Even thinking about it made a lump form in her throat.

But despite the sadness she felt now, it still felt like the right choice. Rather than fumbling her way through life here, she would have a purpose. She'd be useful, she'd make sure of it. Opening her eyes she slightly turned her head, looking back at Jareth. He smiled encouragingly at her, more than patient.

Taking a deep breath, Sarah squeezed a little before letting go. The couple and child looked at her sadly. "I love you, guys. Don't worry about me okay? I'll be fine." She moved to hug her father, snuggling up to him one more time. "I promise, dad. We'll be in touch."

"We love you too, princess. We'll talk soon, okay?"

"For sure," Sarah insisted and turned to Karen. "Karen, maybe pick up dad's offer to get a housekeeper or a governess, okay? Take some time for yourself."

The woman smiled reluctantly, exchanging a look with Robert before she chuckled. "I'll think about it. We'll talk soon, Sarah. Be safe."

"Tobes," Sarah sighed as she turned to the kid. "Take good care of mom and dad, okay? And try to snack more healthy. Candy is not going to get you a girlfriend, it's only going to get you cavities and a belly like mister Hensworth from down the street."

"Sar, it is literally impossible to get a gut like mister Hensworth." Karen chastised both of them for making fun of the large man. Sarah pressed a kiss to the boy's cheek and he chuckled. "I'll miss you, Sarah."

"I'll miss you too, squirt. Study hard, okay? And help your mother with chores." Toby nodded and Sarah smiled. Turning to Jareth and out of view of her family her smile dropped and she avoided eye contact with him. "I'm going to grab a few things, I'll be right back."

A few minutes later Sarah walked down with a duffel bag. Jareth was talking to Robert in the living room, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Once she walked in she smiled and patted her luggage. "I'm ready."

Jareth got up and walked over to her. "It's not too late to change your mind, Sarah. You're absolutely sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," Sarah said resolutely, lifting her chin.

Robert walked over to her and gave her a tight hug. "Good luck, Princess." He turned to the blonde. "Take good care of my daughter. Should you need any further documentation to cross borders you both will know where to find me. If I even suspect that she might be unhappy, I will not hesitate to take the first plane to the United Kingdom and beat you to a pulp."

"If I find that she is unhappy, I will gladly present myself to you here and save you the trip," Jareth said with a grin, not at all bothered by the threat.

"You men and your violence," Sarah sighed. "If I get upset, I'll be perfectly capable of kicking his ass myself, thank you very much."

"I'm sure you will be," Robert said with a smile. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and lovingly petted her hair. "We'll talk soon. I love you, Princess."

"Bye, daddy," she said softly, smiling. Quickly she ran over to Toby and Karen and gave them both a firm hug, saying goodbye before she walked out of the door. Jareth followed quietly.

They walked outside, the warmth inside quickly dissipated and Sarah huddled into herself. After their visit it had cooled off quite significantly. The contrast was almost symbolic. Jareth wrapped an arm around her and she looked up at him. He looked ahead quietly while they walked down the street. He led her into an alleyway and turned to her.

"Are you ready?"

"Did you mean it? Can we come back for visits?"

He looked down at her. "Yes. While I cannot guarantee when or how often, we can visit every now and then. Though only when we're free of conflict and provided I will be able to take us here and back. I can probably work to arrange correspondence as well."

Sarah was still trying to fight back tears and she looked at him with a watery smile. "Thank you, Jareth."

"It's the least I can do for your dedication to the cause," the man said somewhat bitterly. The woman let out a slow breath before wrapping her arms around him, hugging him close. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready," she stated, closing her eyes. A short moment later she felt a weird shift in gravity despite her feet remaining planted on the floor. She stayed still, awaiting something like a signal from Jareth to open her eyes again.

About a minute later Sarah got confused, wondering if maybe he was having difficulty. "Is… is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything is fine. Truthfully, I am rather enjoying myself. You?"

Her eyes flew open and she was met with the cozy interior of the house they'd been staying in. Lifting her head she looked around, then back up at Jareth. The man grinned down at her gleefully, tightening his arms around her. "God," Sarah grumbled as she pushed away from him. "You're insufferable."

"You should have thought of that before you decided to stay here." He walked towards the hall. "I have to get back to my troops and take care of some matters. You are free to roam the town in the meantime. Don't stray out of its boundaries. I will reactivate the binding charm before sunset, so find me before then." He stopped at the door opening, looking back at her. "I trust you will be a good girl and not get yourself into trouble?"

Sarah grinned. "You mean, like always?" His lips thinned in quiet warning. "Yes, drill sergeant Jareth, I will be a good girl. I'll see if I can make myself useful somewhere."

"Wonderful," he said. "I advise you to look for me before sundown, lest you will be dragged across rooftops and break every limb in your body within ten hours of your first day as a resident." While he had been turning to leave he halted when a realization dawned on him. "Which reminds me that I also have to file your paperwork and writ of residence as an official civilian. We'll do that once we head for either of the capitals." He waved a hand dismissively before walking out the hallway and leaving the house.

Chapter 21: Chapter 21

"I've brought you a gift," Jareth said rather proudly, the early morning sun shining off his armor.

"Really, Jareth? What is it with you and sitting at my bedside at ungodly hours in the morning? What is it?" Sarah grumbled, burying her head under her pillow.

"Come on downstairs and I'll show you." Sarah moaned in exasperation. "Well, if you don't want him…"

Sarah frowned and peeked out from under the pillow. "Him?"

"Come on," he beckoned, getting up. Sarah put on a robe and followed him downstairs. Jareth opened the front door and orange light streamed out into the hallway. Sarah blinked against the bright light and stepped out with him, self-consciously trying to fix her hair.

Outside stood a soldier holding the reins of a dapple gray horse. It looked rather muscular, but nowhere near as strong as Jareth's warhorses. Its mane and tail were black and cut short. "You're… gifting me a horse?" Sarah looked up at him.

"If you're going to be staying here, you'll need to be able to get around." The woman walked over to the horse, petting it. Jareth dismissed the soldier, who bowed and stepped aside to give them some privacy.

"I… Jareth," she looked up at him. He smiled patiently. "Thank you. He's beautiful. I don't know what to say…"

"He's not only beautiful but also very obedient. He's been trained to serve in battle from a young age so he doesn't spook easily. He's seven years old."

"What's his name?"

"Gaeth, but you're welcome to change it."

"It's a nice name," she said, repeating it and smiling as the horse's ears perked. Looking back at the man she took his hand. "Thank you, Jareth, truly. I love him."

"You're very welcome, Sarah." He raised her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "If you like we can go for a ride after dinner."

The woman perked up. "Really?"

"Really," he chuckled. "You will be spending a lot of time together in the future, so you should get to know him a little."

"I'd love to," she said softly, smiling as she looked into Gaeth's gentle ochre's eyes.

"Then, as you mortals say," he said with a grin. "It's a date." Sarah blushed and tucked her head, trying to suppress a smile.

—-

Dinner had been light.

Very light.

Alana was a wonderfully kind woman who was skilled in many things. Cooking wasn't one of them. Their fresh resources had been rendered inedible. Sarah was happy to see her again and Alana had been over the moon hearing that Sarah would stay a while longer. So, Sarah had remained polite and as positive as she could be, carefully providing constructive criticism.

Jareth hadn't been as gracious and kind to his sister. Sarah could recall the word 'treason' being used repeatedly.

Alana had taken both comments and insults alike ever so gracefully with a patient smile, insisting she was aware of being a terrible cook. So, all three of them were still on the verge of being hungry after dinner. Luckily Jareth had packed a few snacks for the night out.

He opened the door and gestured for her to go first. The streets were quiet. Once they reached the stables, Gaeth was already saddled and ready, accompanied by a dark brown stallion. Jareth helped Sarah mount before getting on the other horse effortlessly.

"So, where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"Always with the cryptic answers."

They trotted through the town, the clacking of hooves echoing through the empty streets. Soon they left town and quickened their pace to a gallop.

Ten to twenty minutes later they reached a clearing. A large open area with in its center a medium sized lake. The moons and stars glittered like jewels on a velvet surface. The area was surrounded by lush grass and colorful plants and shrubbery, bathed in moonlight, making it look like something straight out of a fairytale.

"This place is breathtaking," she said.

"Yes, the surrounding area has many beautiful locations." He stopped and dismounted, grabbing a roll of fabric from behind his saddle. "Or so the locals told me." Jareth rolled out the fabric and put it down on the grass while Sarah dismounted. "Take a seat," he offered with an outstretched hand, assisting her with a kind smile.

"Shouldn't we tie up the horses?"

"They're not going anywhere, they'll be fine." He slung the bag from his back and opened it while Sarah sat down on the blanket. Pulling out some snacks, a bottle and two glasses he sat down next to her. The horses grazed next to them.

"So how are you doing," Sarah asked as he joined her.

The man pondered that question for a moment. "Well enough. I am ready for the next battle if needed, though I hope to resolve further conflict in a more peaceful manner. I'm still rather frightened for your well-being, but here we are." He poured a drink and offered it to her. "I thought we might simply enjoy some water this time. I do believe we should see each other sober more often."

Taking the glass the woman chuckled. "Thanks."

"I figured the water and snacks could wash out the taste of Alana's culinary accomplishments. Feel free to grab a bite."

"Hey, be kind to Alana," Sarah said with a giggle. "She tried her best."

"To kill us, maybe." Gratefully he rinsed his mouth with water before swallowing.

"I think I could hear her heart break when you accused her of regicide," Sarah accused. The man laughed. "So… What exactly… was Alana's latest attempt at murder?"

"Would you believe me if I said it was pork?"

"I am willing to believe anything." Sarah shot him a playful glace, which he reciprocated with a sharp toothed grin.

"Well," he said while he leaned back on his hand. "It was fish. Salmon, specifically."

"Salmon," Sarah repeated, gawking at him.

"That's what the receipt and packaging told me, anyway."

"Okay, the next leisure activity on the agenda is cooking lessons for your sister." She grabbed another snack and looked ahead over the lake. After a few moments she snorted. "Salmon…"

For a while they enjoyed the snacks in a comfortable silence. The wind blew peacefully through the grass. Sarah was lost in thought. Countless things flitted through her mind like rabid fairies, yet she felt at peace. Being here with Jareth felt unreal. Everything that had recently happened had felt unreal. She half expected to wake up in her bed back at home any moment now.

Gazing up at the cloudless sky, countless stars glittered far beyond the treetops. The woman took a deep breath and held it, allowing her senses to soak in everything around her. There were so many subtle smells. Mud, pine, lavender, roses, damp wood, wet rocks and… Her head turned and she looked at Jareth, releasing a deep breath. He was gazing across the lake, his eyes reflecting the light of the stars and his fair skin illuminated by the moonlight. His golden hair gently billowed in the breeze, brushing along his forehead and his cheekbones. It was getting longer. His sharp features seemed even more angular in the moonlight.

Almost as though he felt her eyes on him he turned his gaze towards her. He looked deep into her eyes, with that unfailing and unwavering intensity. Slowly, a gentle smile curved around his lips. Goosebumps rose along her skin and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. He rose to his feet and held out his hand. A little confused Sarah looked at it, then looked back up at him.

"May I have this dance?"

Sarah's lips parted, looking back and forth between his hand and his face. "A… A dance?" She looked around awkwardly for a second while she lifted her hand. "But there is no music…"

His smile turned to a grin and he grasped her hand. Smoothly he tugged her to her feet, his arm wrapping around her waist to steady her. "Of course there is, you just need to tune in to it." He led her off the blanket and onto the grass. "Listen," he beckoned, moving to put his forehead against hers. He put one of her hands against his chest and closed his eyes, his body growing still.

The woman closed her eyes too. It took well over a minute of complete silence before, in the strangest way, it was like her senses expanded. Like her mind started to play tricks on her. The white noise of the trees and plants rustling around them shifted, the sound of trickling water leaned into a melody and his heartbeat against her fingertips transferred from a gentle throb against her fingertips to quiet drums. It was a sensation unlike anything Sarah had ever experienced. The melody became louder and more distinct. It wrapped around her. It seeped through her. Her breath quickened instinctively and all sorts of emotions welled up inside her.

Jareth picked up on her changing breathing pattern. He slowly removed her hand from his chest, placing it on his shoulder, his other hand still holding hers. His free hand came to rest on her waist. He gently started to guide her. Lifting her forehead from his, she looked up at him, ha l eyes wide and dazed. It reminded him of that dance all those years ago.

But this time there was no race against the clock. No baby to be reclaimed. No adversity. No mockery from unfamiliar bystanders. There was no fear. No rift between them. She was no longer a child. No longer a stranger.

And those facts offered Jareth the world. At this moment he forgot about his kingdom. No longer did he think of his many subjects. At this moment, he couldn't care less for power or his crown. For the first time in his life, his entire world contracted to no more than a three foot bubble around him.

And it was enough.

It was more than enough, it was everything he'd ever wanted.

Effortlessly, like they were floating, he guided them around in the grass, never faltering or miss-stepping. On occasion he twirled her around, effortlessly catching her when pulling her back to him. She followed as though it was second nature. They looked into each other's eyes and neither of them could say if they'd been dancing for minutes, hours or even days.

However, Jareth could sense she was starting to tire. Bringing the dance to a halt Sarah let go of his shoulder to touch his cheek. A smile formed on the Goblin King's face. "There is always music for those who listen," he whispered.

Sarah was a little lightheaded. Her mind and body were catching up and sinking into an alien sort of exhaustion. "Jareth, I think I need to sit down for a moment." Her voice was quiet, the music fading into the shadows.

"Of course, allow me." He escorted her back to the blanket and helped her down, before lowering himself back to it as well.

A silence stretched between them while they enjoyed their drink and the snacks. The wind was softly rustling through the trees, a few nocturnal birds calling out in the distance. Sarah leaned back with a relaxing breath, tilting her head while she recovered from her dizziness. "Jareth," she said softly. "Have you ever wished for anything?"

"I have. Even as king. Perhaps especially as king." Putting his drink aside he moved to lay down on the blanket.

"Especially?" Sarah looked down at him, his gaze directed to the sky.

Jareth smiled wistfully. "As king I have many resources and people at my fingertips. With a wave of my hand people will do what I want them to. However, the choices and demands I make are expected to be for the good of the people. Even though my subjects obey, I serve my people. It doesn't matter what I wish…" A rather sour expression creased his forehead. "Not anymore. It never should have." The woman lowered her eyes and moved her hand closer to his, quietly intertwining their fingers.

Jareth shook his head. "Don't pity me, Sarah. I was born to be a king. In many ways. I enjoy my rule, despite a lacking past." He gracefully sat up. "I enjoy the power I have over my citizens. I relish having the capability and resources to make small and big changes alike. While I have neglected my duties for a while, now that I am actively enforcing my will and now that I actually am among my subjects, more than ever I realize that if I wasn't king…" He looked up at the sky. "I don't know who I'd be." Catching her gaze he intertwined their fingers.

Blushing, Sarah looked away. "It's beautiful here. I've never seen so many stars… Though… What's the plan now? Where does the near future lead us?"

"Tomorrow I will do one final check on the camp we fled. I received word that hostile parties have left the area or have been dealt with, but just to be sure I want to have one more patrol check. This village is too fragile. The day after we'll head for either Caisnis in the west or Dor Cathrach in the south."

"What needs to be done there?"

"Caisnis needs reinforcements. They have been suspecting an attack somewhere in the next few weeks. Dor Cathrach is long overdue for a visit. I haven't been there in many years and have missed a transfer of command seven years ago."

"Which do you think needs to be done first?"

"Dor Cathrach definitely has priority as it is long overdue, though I dread heading there."

"Why?" Sarah looked at him when he remained quiet.

His gaze was firmly fixed on the sky, a frown on his face. Uncomfortably he ran a hand through his hair. "I… I was born there. The castle in Dor Cathrach is where I lived for over two hundred years. It's where my parents lived, my brothers and sisters, my childhood friends. I-"

Sarah gasped, turning to him. "Hold on. Brothers and sisters? Plural?" A look of despair flashed through his eyes and Jareth turned his head away from her, his gaze directing to the treeline. The woman scrambled to face him. "Jareth, don't shut down on me again. Please, tell me," she insisted.

"It doesn't matter. The past is in the past," he said dismissively while avoiding her gaze.

"It does matter. What-"

"Sarah, leave it." His tone was icy. A far cry from his warmth just a moment ago.

She hated how things could go south so quickly, but she didn't want him to keep shutting her out when she was trying to get to know the guy. He couldn't keep her at arm's length if their relationship was going to be… less platonic. She couldn't keep letting him. She wasn't backing off this time.

"Jareth, if we're going to do this," she said as she gestured between the two of them. "If this is something we want to work, you can't just shut me out every time." He turned away from her. A rather childish gesture. Her anger flared. "Don't be a coward," she snapped, putting her hand on his shoulder.

He turned back to her. Quick as a flash his hand firmly grasped the wrist of her raised arm. "I said leave it," he hissed. Fear zipped through her due to the firm grip on her wrist and the threatening tone. Though a moment later anger and hurt took the upper hand.

His gaze was a stark contrast to the way he looked at her for the majority of the evening. Was he to react like this every time his past came up? Would she ever be let in on his darker side? Seeds of doubt embedded themselves in her heart and in her stomach, weighing them down like cinder blocks. There was a possibility that after all they'd been through in the past years, he wasn't serious about whatever was happening between them. It was a suspicion that hit so hard that it made her feel physically ill. Her vision blurred and the feeling of rejection welled up much like the tears in her eyes.

"Fine," she snapped, violently tugging on her arm and breaking free from his grasp. Getting up she walked off the blanket.

Jareth had started to worry when her eyes started sparkling and brimming with tears. When her temperament flared it caught him so off guard that he flinched. "Where are you going?"

"Back to the village." She walked up to Gaeth, grabbing the reins.

"Sarah…" His voice was quiet. "Don't."

Sarah halted. The woman had never heard that tone before. It was unusually quiet. It was rushed. Perhaps even a little uneven.

She didn't want to end the evening like this, but if she was going to be by his side as more than friends she needed to know about him. Good and bad. He needed to include her willingly, rather than her having to repeatedly assault the walls around him in hope she could peer through the cracks before they were patched up.

Perhaps he wasn't ready to include her yet. Perhaps the wounds of his past simply ran too deep. Sarah had taken the leap past friendship to see if it could be something more. But if this 'something more' was only going to be skin deep, things were about to get a lot more serious and a lot more hurtful.

She shook her head. Her heart twisted hearing Jareth call out to her again softly. Her name on his lips carried so much more than the mere two syllables. She desperately wanted to turn back. Ask for forgiveness for prying in unwanted territory. But sooner or later this issue would have to be addressed. Sarah preferred… no, needed it sooner rather than later. It would likely spare both of them a lot of heartache.

Taking a deep breath she put one of her feet in its respective stirrup and swung the other one across Gaeth's back, releasing a quivering breath. Not having the courage to look at him she turned the horse around and trotted back the way they came. Pressing her lips together tightly she fought off the tears brimming in her eyes.

Jareth sat on the blanket while Sarah mounted the horse, looking at her retreating form with wide eyes. She was really just going to leave? Just like that? Because he wouldn't share his sob story? He hoped to meet her gaze. Hoped she could see how much he wanted her to stay, but she avoided eye contact. Her retreating form summoned an alien clawing at his chest. Suffocating. Icy fingers that slithered their way into his core. He couldn't let her go. Not with the recent turn of events. Not after all these years. Not now. Not ever.

Haphazardly he jumped up, running to his horse. With a swing of his leg he mounted it and quickly went after her, rushing through the trees.

Slowing down to a trot next to her he studied her face. Her eyes were uncharacteristically cold and did not stray from her fixed gaze ahead. Jareth was increasingly worried that his rebuke had blown a huge chunk out of their building relationship. He'd anticipated she'd be disappointed, maybe even somewhat cross, but the damage had proven tenfold. He couldn't leave things like this.

"Sarah," he said quietly.

"Don't bother, Jareth."

The Goblin King clenched his jaws, spurring the horse so he could cut her off. "Talk to me." Jareth looked into her hazel eyes, shadowed by her drawn brows. Normally he adored the fire in her eyes, but the anger in their depths made his stomach churn. "Please," he added in a more gentle tone.

Sarah steered Gaeth around the brown stallion. "There is nothing left to say."

Jareth ground his teeth and he caught up to her. Sarah preemptively veered to the side to keep him from blocking her again. "Sarah, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, I am sorry."

"Good."

Suddenly Jareth lunged to grab her reins, pulling them. Gaeth tossed his head up and shuffled to a halt. "Dismount. That is an order."

"No." Sarah tugged on the reins but he wouldn't let go.

His eyes held an alien fury as she stubbornly remained seated. Jareth's leather glove groaned from the friction when his hand squeezed the reins. Dismounting he circled to the other side of her horse. He forced her off, holding on to her waist and setting her down in front of him. She struggled trying to get out of his grasp, avoiding eye contact with her hands clawing against his grasp. Swiftly he grabbed either side of her cloak, twisting a handful of fabric into his fists and pulling her to him. Sarah was now trapped against him, arms pinned to her sides. He held her firmly in place.

After she'd ceased struggling she looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears and anger. Slowly he released his hold on her. One of his hands rose to her cheek, touching it gently. "I apologize, Sarah. I didn't mean to upset you. Please forgive me." His voice was soft and sincere. "Please," he whispered.

The hard edges in her face smoothed. Slowly anger ebbed away, leaving only sadness. Sighing shakily, she pushed his hand away. "If you don't want to share your life with me, that's fine. Really. Including me or not is completely your choice and I respect it if you don't want to do it. I don't really want to give you an ultimatum like this, but I can't pursue any romantic feelings that only go skin deep. If you're not ready to share with me, this ends here. Tonight." She turned from him, his hands limply falling away from her. "So, I will leave that choice in your hands." Without looking back, she mounted once more, seeing the warm glow of the village in the far distance.

Chapter 22: Chapter 22

Notes:

PLEASE TAKE CAUTION: THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES CONTENT NOT SUITED FOR CHILDREN. IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO VIOLENT CONTENT, PLEASE WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER.

Once again Sarah had found herself in one of her foolish endeavors.

There hadn't been a sign of Jareth all day. He'd mentioned taking a group of his men to the campsite for a final report but she hadn't seen him yet. Mostly because she had been sure to keep a good amount of distance from the small patrol on horseback in front of her.

She had forgotten just how far the camp was from the village. Following the group had been exciting at first but that wore off about an hour or two ago. Now that she had been following for a while she wasn't sure when to announce her presence. Perhaps she should turn back and pretend she was never there. However, finding the way back probably wasn't going to be as easy as walking in the opposite direction.

Gaeth's ears perked up, his trot faltered for a moment and he looked to the side. Sarah looked around, squinting her eyes towards the horizon. In the far distance she could see shapes on what appeared to be horseback. Hesitantly she looked ahead at the soldiers, then back again. Once the shapes were closer Sarah recognized not only the brown cloaks they were wearing, but the pale animals they rode upon as well.

"Torin…"

Putting two fingers in her mouth she whistled loudly, figuring the high tone would carry further than shouting. The soldiers ahead looked around, confused.

The cloaked riders were approaching frighteningly fast, their beasts leaping forward with long strides. Galloping as fast as she could without tumbling off she could see Jareth emerge from the group of soldiers. Meeting his irritated gaze she could see his eyes widening in surprise and worry when he spotted the approaching group. Quickly he put one foot up on his saddle and pushed himself up to a standing position.

Unlike the galloping of horses, the creatures the ambush rode upon were completely silent even in their surprising speed. Looking back Sarah could see the unknown figures closing in with only a handful of seconds left until they'd reach her. Jareth's soldiers were rushing her way, a barn owl at the head of the group beating its wings frantically.

It flew past her and instinctively she sharply pulled on Gaeth's reins, causing him to skid to a halt. By the time she turned around the barn owl had changed back into the blonde monarch. With a wide gesture of his arm he scattered small orblike object in front of him onto the ground. Sarah's mouth dropped when the beasts sank into the floor as if it was liquid. The creatures wailed, squirming and kicking their legs. Brown grainy tendrils maintained hold on the pale fur, tugging on the beasts like snares. Their riders jumped off and scrambled out, clawing at the sand. By the time they'd jumped to their feet Jareth had pulled his sword.

Sarah stood frozen when Jareth's soldiers ran past her. Their horses mowed down some of the attackers, trampling them with ease. The horses kicked their legs while the soldiers defended their king. The sounds of bones snapping and men screaming echoed across the field. Some of them tried to shield themselves while others wielded daggers.

The ambush must have consisted of approximately twenty men, their faces eerily hidden by their hoods even in broad daylight. Their weapons winked in the light as they whacked and slashed at the riders with wild abandon. It was horrific to hear the sound of flesh being cut and bones being broken. Red became a prominent color in her surroundings. A metallic smell seeped into her nostrils and nausea swiftly accompanied shock and horror. Surprisingly the soldiers kept the enemy away from her without fail, even though she hadn't had the nerve to move since the clash happened.

"Lady Sarah," a familiar voice called. "Follow me, we need to get you out of here." The woman stood frozen and unmoving, eyes glued to the chaos ahead of her.

The weapons reflecting sunlight blinded her. The noise of battle sounded muted, making it feel like she was in a secluded bubble. In between the horses moving about she caught a flash of familiar blonde hair.

Breaking her eyes away from the clash of people Sarah saw a dark cloaked figure separate from the group. The soldier followed her gaze and spurred his horse, quickly catching up with the person. She followed.

Gaeth stumbled over a slumped figure and lost his footing. Along with the horse Sarah was thrown to the floor, causing her breath to catch. Sarah quickly struggled to take her feet out of the stirrups and push herself away from the horse. Gaeth rolled back onto his stomach, legs spreading out to stable himself before clambering up. To her surprise the horse didn't bolt, but was carefully eyeing his surroundings. Her hand grasped the reins once she got up, her hand resting on Gaeth's nose. Ahead she could see Girvin work the robed figure to the ground forcefully. "Girvin, are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine, get out of here. Now." He pushed the robed figure down onto the ground by putting his foot on their back firmly. He drew a sword. Despite the soldier's command to leave her feet were glued to the ground.

Barely a second later Jareth walked up to them with large strides. With a frustrated exclamation he roughly pushed Girvin off the man, nearly throwing the soldier to the floor. The Goblin King grabbed a handful of the cloak. Dragging it along the floor to turn the figure around. His sword lowered towards their face. The hood fell back, unveiling a man with sleek black hair and pale eyes. Jareth growled, pressing the tip of the blade into his neck. "Torin. I figured no one could slither from a fight quite as cowardly as you."

The dark haired man looked up at the king darkly, putting his hand flat on the floor to get up, swatting the blade at his throat. Without hesitation Jareth brought his foot down upon the man's chest, shoving him back down into the grass. His foot moved to the man's neck in a silent warning. Torin grasped at Jareth's boot in an attempt to get him off. Jareth didn't budge. "Give me one good reason not to end your miserable, worthless life right now. It'd better be good."

Torin gasped trying to form words. Ever so slightly Jareth lifted his foot to give him an attempt to speak. The man wheezed. "Surely his Royal Majesty wouldn't execute a man in front of a lady?" Torin sneered when his eyes met Sarah's. "How wonderful to see you again, my lady. We missed you."

The woman narrowed her eyes venomously. "I would never be a guest to a man that would sacrifice his own daughter to save his own sorry hide."

Torin narrowed his eyes and attempted to lunge at her, but Jareth put the tip of his blade firmly on his chest. The pale man's eyes slithered down her body. "I can't help but notice your royal ranger's outfit. Who knew King Jareth would lower himself to a mortal slu-" Torin choked as Jareth shifted his weight back onto the foot his throat.

Sarah blushed at his vulgar comment and looked up to see Jareth's face contorted in anger. "Re pahi sit ento ae amae er re," he hissed, his grasp tightening on his weapon. The man on the ground looked at Sarah with disgust before spitting towards her. Again Jareth applied more pressure. Torin struggled, his eyes bulging. "You committed treason against your king, committed fraud, thievery, forgery and have willingly endangered and slaughtered innocent people. Your efforts to coax kin and community to join your perfidious schemes will come to an end on this day. I hereby sentence you to death, by hand of your king." His voice rang loud and clear through the field. It had momentarily carried a rather formal, if somewhat bored note before his expression shifted to a wicked grin. "Tanya ataem aa cael trocaire mani allae cael ila."

Torin struggled when Jareth spoke the last sentence, the man's hands clawing at the king's foot in a desperate attempt to break free. Flicking his wrist Jareth rolled the sword in his hand.

Swiftly Girvin grabbed Sarah's wrist and tugged, turning her away. She looked up at his blue eyes which didn't falter or even flinch from the scene behind her. It was then that she heard what she presumed to be Torin's execution. The sound was sickening. A nauseating mix between tearing flesh and crunching bone. She could hear Torin's brief gasp while fluids disrupted his breath. There was a nasty bubbling sound. Her stomach flipped. Quickly she covered her mouth with her arm, squeezing her eyes closed.

Girvin looked back down at her, his pale eyes set in worry. He held her arm tightly in support and wrapped one arm around her head, pulling her to his chest. Sarah suspected he'd tried to block her hearing, but due to her attempt to keep herself from throwing up, it wasn't very effective. Sarah winced as she heard the hiss of the blade again, a short rattling echoing on the field as the others had grown quiet. Her knees were close to giving out. Bile rose into the corners of her mouth.

The soldier in front of her held her, providing her with physical support when he moved his arm from around her and petted her hair. He quickly ushered her to take a deep breath. She did her best. "Your majesty, could you please… cover him?"

Sarah swallowed heavily, desperately trying to get rid of the sour taste in her mouth. Jareth muttered something to Girvin in Fae language and the soldier let go of the brunette.

Despite the fact she didn't want to see anything of what just happened she turned to Jareth and saw him wipe his sword on Torin's cloak. The brown fabric darkened with stains of blood. The Goblin King gave the man on the ground a disdainful look before he turned back towards his men.

The figure lay motionlessly in the grass with a grim outline of what, or rather who, lay underneath. An unmistakable crimson started to trickle through the grass. Sarah stumbled out of the way when the pool drifted towards her.

Behind her she could hear the wails of the beasts their attackers had rode upon. Skittishly she turned around. The animals kicked their legs and struggled as they resurfaced. They scrambled to flee the scene, haphazardly tripping over unmoving figures before scattering out onto the fields nearby. The creatures left a large hole in their wake and the soldiers regrouped.

"Naa er awra," Jareth shouted towards his men.

Sarah looked at the soldiers as they replied in unison. "Bas ae ar namhaid, mos pahi ila toradh!"

The king sheathed his sword and the men followed. "Nurta ataem ya na ndengina," Jareth spoke as he turned from them. He turned to Sarah, his eyes dark and his face a frighteningly blank mask. "Do I even want to know why you are here?" His tone was strained.

"I… I wanted to help."

"And you figured that riding alone and unannounced, two miles behind military forces, was going to offer you an opportunity to do so?" The volume of his baritone voice was rising with each word. Were it not for the blatant anger on his face consuming all of her attention, she would have felt self-conscious being scolded in front of the regiment. Sarah opened her mouth to speak but he interrupted. "Have you learned nothing?" His voice was so loud that it became intrusive. It took her considerable effort not to flinch or cover her ears. Still riding the adrenaline rush from the fight her heart was beating so wildly it pulsed against her eardrums. Tears started running down her cheeks, her head lowering shamefully.

"llea ghrasta…" The voice was quiet and low. It was insistent but respectful. She recognized it to be Girvin's.

"Silence!"

This time, Sarah did flinch. Somehow Jareth's rage seemed to consume large chunks of the atmosphere around him, like a room being drained to a vacuum. Her gaze remained directed stiffly to the floor. With trembling fingers her hands slipped from Gaeth's reins. She sank to the floor. Not because her legs had been wobbly at best, but as a quiet beg for forgiveness.

Time passed. Sarah couldn't tell how long it had been. Possibly something between five seconds and five hours. Her mind was still reeling from everything that happened and everything that was still happening. She could hear people and things moving about and quiet murmurs of the soldiers. The tension was palpable. Or at least to Sarah. Gaeth sniffed her face, but she didn't move. Eventually, Jareth spoke. "Rise, Sarah."

Still looking down she crawled up on shaky legs while sniffing and blinking a few tears from her eyes. Keeping her head ducked, her hands wrung together.

"Mos auta ten' coill, un ila fhanann." His voice was authoritative, directed to those around him.

Carefully Sarah peered through her lashes to see what was happening. The soldiers had cleared the field. All that could be seen was a slight mound of disturbed earth. The bodies were gone. All save for two of them, which were covered and laid across the backs of two horses. Two soldiers mounted and started to head back towards the village. Even though the shapes were wrapped, it was clear what was underneath. The remaining soldiers mounted and spurred their horses towards a nearby treeline.

"Utae caele, Girvin." Jareth's voice was quiet, but still tense.

"llea ghrasta, thoil na maithiuna." The soldier's voice was calm but pleading.

"Un ila achrann llea haran! Allae'm ila e meon!"

Girvin bowed deeply before moving away. Sarah wondered what they'd been saying. It had seemed Girvin had been reprimanded for speaking up. She had made a mess of things. Again. Her eyes remained downcast.

"Look at me." His voice was sharp and even though Sarah wasn't looking at him, she knew his command was directed at her. He clearly was in no mood to be trifled with and the force behind every word he'd spoken this afternoon was terrifying. Without resistance her hazel eyes looked up at him. He moved closer, his frame towering over her with frightening intensity. "Heed. My. Words. One more of your little stunts and you will be sent home. Without warning. Without goodbyes. Without memories. Do you understand?"

Tears pricked in her eyes. He'd never spoken to her in that tone before. His face was stony and his expression cold. Sarah had seen him angry before, to the point where he physically turned violent, however, this seething iciness was much more terrifying, maybe because it was directed at her. "Yes, Your Majesty." Her voice was quiet and still uneven.

"Good." He cupped her chin and angled her head up at him. "I am sorry you have to learn this lesson with bloodshed, but it seems that this sort of situation is what it takes." That remark hurt Sarah more than she'd expected it to. "I don't enjoy addressing you like this. We will speak no more of it." Without another word he turned to his horse.

The brunette rubbed her eyes to dry her tears before getting back on Gaeth. The horse whinnied softly. She patted its neck and followed Jareth to catch up with the other soldiers, leaving the tainted grass field behind. With a quick order from their king the soldiers formed a protective circle around her while they navigated the forest.

—-

It had taken the entire afternoon for Sarah to work up the courage to speak to Jareth again. Once she noticed he was rounding things up at the camp location she walked up to him carefully. For a moment she hesitated about how she should approach him. Once their eyes met she bowed before him, addressing him with careful distance as king.

The Goblin King turned to her and the soldiers next to him left with a wave of the king's hand. "You needn't address me so formally, Sarah. You have the privilege to call me by name."

"Jareth… I'm…" She felt tears well up in her eyes again and she fidgeted, her fingers wringing together as she stared at them. "I'm really sorry for what happened today… I didn't mean for anything bad to happen. I didn't mean to upset you and I certainly didn't mean to endanger anyone or… Or get two people…" She couldn't wrench out the last word. Just thinking about it brought up a vivid recollection of the wrapped silhouettes.

He sighed. "First and foremost, that ambush was not your fault. You must know that. They would have attacked even if you hadn't been there. I know you didn't have any ill intent." Jareth wrapped his arms around her, petting her hair. "But you need to know that helping is not synonymous with thrusting yourself into situations you do not know, do not control and cannot handle." She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "You harbor great power, Sarah. I have been more terrified the last few days than I have been in the past decades combined." A look of utter guilt washed over her face and unshed tears brimmed even further in her eyes. "But I have also felt more joy in the past few days than I have in… perhaps centuries. Despite the current goings-on in my world, we'll make it work." His smile turned a little sour. "So long as you don't frolick your way into another enemy camp or an ambush."

Her cheeks burned. She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off when he leaned forward, letting go of her and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Since we're having this little heart-to-heart right now, I do have something else to say." His tone was less strained now, though still serious.

"Let me guess, you saw that ambush coming a mile away?" Sarah smiled wobbly in an attempt to chase away the tears and to lighten the mood just a little bit.

"I am sorry for what transpired the other night, Sarah. I shouldn't have reacted the way that I did. My past is… haunting. I find I am not myself when reminded of it. I prefer to leave my past exactly there, in the past. There are so many, much more pleasant conversations we can pursue. Together, if you'll have me."

It was strange hearing him offer himself in such a complaisant manner. His eyes offered the same warmth and humility. But she couldn't help that nagging feeling in her gut. She took a big gulp of air. "I can't date a man I don't know, Jareth. I don't have to know every little detail of a lifetime of which I can't even comprehend its length and its struggles. But I need to know that you trust me enough to at least tell me something. If you're not willing or capable to open up to me, that's fine. I will not force you to. But if you're not ready to share your life with me, I'm not ready to share mine with you." Throughout her explanation words started tumbling off her lips faster and faster. So fast and uninterrupted that by the end she almost had to catch her breath.

They were silent for a long while, her eyes looking up at him earnestly. Eventually he spoke up, his voice quiet. "I see. I…" Another silence stretched between them. "I…" For a while he simply looked at her. His hand brushed her cheek, her brows and her hair, almost if he was memorizing them. Unfamiliar expressions quietly crossed his face during his mental musings. It was new to see him struggle to find words. He didn't avoid her gaze. If anything he seemed even more intent on maintaining eye contact. "I… I am willing to try to share my past with you. While I dislike talking about it, I do understand that if we continue down this path you wish to at least know a few things."

She smiled up at him. "Thank you, Jareth. That means a lot."

"So, about what you said before, about ending things…" His brow lowered with concern, a brief twitch in his fingers on her chin before he pulled back.

Since when was the mighty Goblin King so insecure?

Sarah stepped closer to him, an encouraging smile on her face and her hand bashfully coming to rest on his chest. "We should at least start something before ending it."

His face lit up instantaneously. The corners of his eyes crinkled, his grin was wide. A strange energy brimmed just behind his gaze. It was new and alien but it was beautiful. The warmth of his palms seeped into her skin when he cupped her cheeks and rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed.

Sarah caught sight of soldiers watching them and bashfully she pushed against his chest, lifting her head from his grasp. "But, uh… Not in front of an audience."

Jareth looked up, the soldiers quickly looking away. "Mani na utae maien ten'? Ar ais ae oibre. Allae merna ae auta laistigh uair!" Jareth turned from her and gestured broadly while heading into the campsite. It was a little comical how the adult men scattered like a group of scolded children. Even though Sarah wasn't sure what exactly he'd said, she could make a rough guess.

Chapter 23: Chapter 23

It's strangely easy to get attached to strangers sometimes. Sarah supposed everyone was a stranger at some point, but she hadn't been ready to part ways with Alana just yet.

Standing on the doorstep to the house she'd briefly stayed in, looking at the petite strawberry blonde it felt like she was saying goodbye to her family all over again. For the past few days Alana had been keen on spending time together. They had gone riding on horseback, spent evenings talking and Sarah had even given a few cooking lessons. Though admittedly a bit uptight a lot of the time, after a good meal and a drink or two, they could talk together about anything. They could talk about all the classic girl things like make-up, fashion and beauty routines. But they'd also talked about Sarah's experience with machinery and technology, which Alana found endlessly fascinating. Alana had even been reading along while Sarah was writing a letter to her family, going as far as offering to personally deliver it, an offer that Jareth swiftly refused as it was much easier for him to simply send it there.

Looking into those big dark brown eyes Sarah smiled fondly and moved to give her a firm hug. Alana hugged her back. "Be safe and courageous, Sarah. May your aim and your heart strike true."

"We'll speak again soon, Lana. I miss you already."

After pressing an affectionate kiss to Sarah's cheek she turned to Jareth. "Uuma scrios mani utae cael autien yasen llea gra er," Alana's tone had taken on a more playful note, that's all Sarah could tell.

Jareth conjured a small feather and blew it into her face, a mild agitation tightening his jaw. Alana spluttered and he turned to the brunette. "Allae'm autien. Are you ready to go, Sarah?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Sarah said with a smile.

"Then let's go. We have long days ahead of us." He helped the brunette mount her horse after which she looked back one more time. The pale lady waved enthusiastically, her hair bouncing on her shoulders when she rose to the tips of her toes, bracing one hand on the doorframe. Once Jareth mounted they spurred their horses and made their way through the town to meet with the troops waiting for them in the grasslands. With a deep breath, Sarah steeled herself for the upcoming adventure.

—-

Being on the road in a land full of magic was thrilling. It was the first time roaming around without a direct threat hanging over her head. Whether it was her trip through the Labyrinth, her involuntary way of being thrust back into this world or their evacuation of the camp shortly.

She was happy to grab each and every opportunity to look around and spot wildlife. Most of the Regiment remained silent and civil. Not at all indulgent of her curiosities. Jareth wasn't disinterested, but he had business to attend to, leaving Sarah to lavish all questions and attention on Girvin, who was still stationed as her personal guard.

The two of them rode near the head of the group, behind Jareth. Girvin was happily pointing out passing creatures whenever he spotted them. Even as a child the soldier considered himself an animal lover.

"Do you have mosquitos here?" So far, Sarah hadn't noticed any.

"Mosquitos? I think not, what are they?"

The woman shivered, thinking back to the high pitched noise from the little nuisances. "They make this horrible high pitched buzzing. When I went camping with my family there would be dozens around our tents. They sting you, which leaves a nasty and itchy bump."

"Dear Gods," Girvin looked at her with horror. "How big are they?"

Sarah giggled. "Oh, don't worry. They're tiny, like half an inch or so." She dismissively waved her hand. "They drink your blood too."

"Ah, yes! We call those fairies."

Thinking back to the start of her journey through the Labyrinth her head whipped back towards him. "They drink blood?" Instinctively she looked down at her finger, where she was bit years ago.

"Oh yes, gallons if you let them."

Sarah turned pale.

"Girvin, stop filling that poor girl's head with terrors and falsehoods or you'll be put on rations," Jareth sighed, surprising both of them that he had been listening in.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Girvin said obediently, after which he looked at Sarah with a sly grin.

The woman had always been rather easily affected by playfulness, Girvin's gaiety was no different. "Oh, you sneaky... Don't make me bestow some sort of capital punishment on you, Girvin. I have some close ties with the king!"

Girvin arched an eyebrow at her. "Using your political and personal ties as leverage to threaten a mere soldier? I can see why His Majesty fancies you so much."

"He's taught me a thing or two about manipulation."

"I heard that," the blonde insisted, at which Sarah giggled.

—-

Six days later, Sarah had just about had it with wading through endless fields, villages, forests and mountains. Day in and day out they moved onward. Were it not for the continuous discussions regarding their plans Sarah would have been convinced they were just wandering aimlessly.

Jareth had spent a decent amount of time instructing and talking to his men. Breakfast, lunch and dinner was to be consumed while traveling and breaks were kept to a very bare minimum. Late in the evenings, they would finally pitch their tents. Luckily the moonlight provided them with sufficient light to make camp, or they would have needed to sleep under the stars. Only Jareth and Sarah had their private tents, everyone else shared in pairs of two. Some men opted to sleep out in the open. It would allow them a near negligible amount of extra rest, plus a larger part of the rations if they kept watch throughout the night.

On occasion Sarah would see some wildlife. She'd seen deer, bearlike creatures, strange birds and stranger quadrupeds. Creatures that looked like aardvarks, overgrown mice, and crosses between dogs and cows. She might even have spotted a beast like Ludo, though it had been hard to tell between the dead thickets. Unfortunately, there had also been large insects, huge spiders and enormous bats. Especially last night the leather winged mammals had been prevalent, while the horses trudged through a stretch of muddy swampland. They swept past the First Regiment, weaving in between the horses and rustling the leaves of nearby trees with deliberate intent to spook their animals.

Girvin had explained a thing or two about the Altoga, the strange looking mammals. They had a tendency to hunt passively, following food sources diligently for weeks on end if hungry enough. While they would mainly aim for their rations, they'd been known to seek other opportunities. Yesterday, one of the horses had been bit by them, causing one of the soldiers to suddenly be flocked with about fifteen of the nasty animals. He was fine, but his horse had been in a panic and had suffered injuries.

Just as Sarah thought back to their pig-like snouts, she heard a nearby squeaking and rustling. Her fingers curled around the dagger strapped to her thigh. A small gift from Girvin, just in case.

A black mass jumped from the trees ahead and flitted past her. While Gaeth hadn't minded too much before, he suddenly started thrashing, swinging its head backwards. Involuntarily Sarah let out a yelp, her head whipping around to look over her shoulder with one hand clutching her saddle.

Beady eyes shimmered in the darkness, a fuzzy face with large ears on top, tilting like satellites. Leathery claws tore at her pack, snagging and ripping the cloth. While it bit at the straps Sarah spotted teeth that looked all too much like serrated needles. Definitely not something she wanted to be at the receiving end of. Its hind legs clawed into Gaeth's rear, causing a stretch in the horse's skin while the bat's weight rested on it. It certainly looked very painful.

Wrangling the horse with a now more practiced skill, Gaeth calmed down enough for Sarah to swing at the creature, yelling in an attempt to chase it away. Her blade cut into one of its thinly webbed wings and tore a hole into it. The creature shrieked and jumped off the horse, unevenly flapping towards a tree where it hid in the canopy, disappearing into the darkness.

Once she was sure that the creature had left she sheathed her dagger. Looking back she saw a few holes in Gaeth's skin, droplets of blood trickled sporadically down his gray coat. It didn't look too bad at the moment, but she'd keep an eye on it. A calming breath escaped her lips and she petted Gaeth, who whinnied softly before moving on dutifully.

Jareth rushed up, moving to ride next to her. "Sarah, are you alright?"

"Too late, Birdbrain. You'll get another shot to be my knight in shining armor." Sarah grinned up at him reassuringly. He didn't smile back though, instead frowning worriedly. Directing back towards the horn of the saddle she pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Those bastards probably tried to steal Feilim's bracelet. Can't say I blame them." She proudly held up a small leather strap bracelet, woven into a pattern.

The Goblin King chuckled, the tension slipping off his shoulders. "Are you aiming to make the entire regiment one?" He watched as Sarah leaned over in the saddle, handing the bracelet to one of the men and fastening it around his wrist. The man thanked her with a smile, studying it. It was fascinating to see these military trained troops, stoic like stern school teachers and broad like athletes, happily receiving such a small and simple gift. Each bracelet so far was unique - and exclusively well received.

"If I can help it. I seem to have more than enough time to reach that goal on this trip." While it carried a certain fatigue and sulky undertone, she kept a smile on her face.

"What is my place in line?" He made it sound rather dispassionate, looking at the path stretching out in front of them.

Sarah grinned. "You want one? I guess that places you firmly…" She pursed her lips, frowning as she looked up in thought. "Dead last."

"You dare serve your king last?" His voice was comically indignant. He narrowed his eyes to Girvin, who stifled a chuckle behind them.

"Yep! But I might be open to bribes... How much longer do we ride today, again?"

The Goblin King arched an eyebrow at her, then looked up at the sky. "We're making good progress. I'd wager that within a day or two we will reach the city."

"Can we settle before dinner today?" Sarah gave him her best puppy dog eyes, but he seemed hesitant. "Please, with a cherry on top? If His Majesty is gracious enough, I might let him skip one or two men in line..."

Jareth looked at her pleading hazel eyes, dull with exhaustion. Looking ahead he spotted a clearing not too far away, illuminated by the last sliver of daylight. With a deep sigh he nodded. "Alright, Sarah. Today we will retire a little early." Sarah cheered gleefully while Jareth sent a sharp whistle ahead. The men instantly recognized it as the signal to settle for the day and headed for the clearing.

Three hours later they'd set up a large campfire. Some wildlife had been hunted, skinned and was now being prepared over the flames. While Sarah had no idea what it was, it smelled pretty damn good. It certainly beat rations.

Men were scattered across the clearing, setting up tents, resting and playing games among themselves. A few had brought instruments, playing a cheerful tune by the fire.

Sarah looked at the scene with a smile. The men were chanting and singing while dancing around the central part of the camp. Jareth was sitting next to her, calm and distant as always. One of the men bowed at Sarah, inviting her to join the dance. Although she was hesitant, it was hard not to be influenced by their contagiously jovial disposition. So with a smile she let herself be tugged into the circle, joining the men and trying her best to copy the steps. It was blissful to do something other than ride a horse or sleep for the first time in a week.

After dancing for a while and enjoying some dinner, she broke from the circle, turning to Jareth. He was occupying himself with one of his crystals, keeping to himself. The warm light of the campfire seeped through the crystal and scattered light across his features. Emboldened by the rest of the group she snagged the crystal out of his hand. Jareth was about to lash out, assuming it had been a soldier in need of some ration cuts. When Sarah's smile beamed down at him his anger was kept at bay. "Come on, Your Majesty. Join us."

"No, thank you," he said while he reached out to take back the orb.

Sarah pouted, playfully pulling the crystal back. "Please? For me?" She held out her free hand.

With a sigh Jareth rose to his feet and tentatively joined.

It took a little while, but eventually the Goblin King's hesitation was gone and he was visibly enjoying himself. Almost the entire regiment was now present at the fire. A lot were simply looking at their king like he'd grown a second head while others rejoiced at the monarch's exceedingly rare participation.

The brunette had deliberately stayed at a distance while dancing, teasing him even though he quite visibly was trying to hold her. Eventually Jareth tugged her towards him. While the majority of the steps so far were reminiscent of folk dancing, the moment Jareth had her in his grasp the steps shifted to something more like a waltz. Somehow he made it work on the music's rhythm. His face was entirely relaxed, if perhaps a little more stoic than it needed to be. However, there was a smile brewing just behind those regal features. His movements were energetic and unrestrained. Seeing the Goblin King like this gave him an undeniable boyish charm. His blue and brown eyes sparkled down at her. The emotion in them was like a small gateway to his true self, shielded away from the men around them. Her cheeks flushed when his hand gently squeezed hers.

In a moment of distraction Sarah felt a stick on the floor roll underneath her foot, her heart leaping into her throat. Her yelp caused the music to instantly fall away. Reflexively her hold on him tightened and his arm swiftly circled her waist, pressing her up against him. His eyes widened. A second later her mind caught up that she was still standing and in one piece. "I'm okay, I'm okay," she said reassuringly, giggling.

"Weak in the knees, Sarah?" He looked down at her with a teasing smile.

"Practically swooning, Your Majesty," she taunted.

His sharp teeth gleamed in the light, a grin stretching across his face and the arm around her waist tightening. Whereas he had a tendency to have a rather penetrating and unwavering gaze, the look in his eyes currently felt completely different. It was almost like the very stars sparkled in his eyes. She had never seen anyone look at her the way he did then. "How delightfully disarming you are, my darling." His baritone voice felt like silk on her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. Her hand, which had reflexively held on to his shoulder when she'd lost her footing, hesitantly moved to his neck. His smile faltered slightly.

They both flinched when a white flash and a loud bang tore them out of the moment. It was followed by a low rumbling that could be felt rolling underneath their feet. A weird tingling sensation skittered through her. Lightning.

"Oh shit," Sarah said with a laugh. "Let's set up the tents quickly before we all get soaked."

Jareth let go of her with a chuckle and she hurried to her belongings. Quickly she unstrapped her tent supplies from her pack, hearing Jareth nearby give orders to the troops. One of the straps was already undone, chewed to bits by the bat. When the other strap came loose and the fabric of the tent unfolded she cursed softly. Without effort she pushed her hand through a hole in her tent.

"Sarah, I have spot reserved for you next to Girvin's tent," Jareth said when he walked past her.

"Great. I just have a small problem, though." He turned around to face her and she held up the fly sheet which was riddled with holes. "One of those stupid bat-things tore at my pack today and shredded my tent."

"Oh dear." He couldn't help but chuckle, seeing her peer through the holes. "Come on, I'll take you to mine." Jareth held out his hand, pulled her to her feet and led her towards the tent, dodging soldiers that were hurriedly assisting one another like a well oiled machine.

Sarah held her pack above her head when thick droplets started to trickle down, another flash and rumble scattering through the camp. "Lovely, six days on horseback and now this."

Reaching Jareth's tent he held it open for her. "Be sure to secure the door inside so the storm won't intrude."

Moving into the tent she froze, turning around. "Wait, what about you?"

"I'll join one of my men."

"Jareth, these tents are barely enough for two people, let alone three."

"I'm sure something can be arranged. Otherwise, I'm sure there's a nice tree hollow I can perch in."

Rain started plummeting down. Sarah frowned at his wide grin, thinking of his owl form crammed into a tree in the middle of a storm, drenched and by himself. "Yeah, no. Get your butt in here." He opened his mouth to object but Sarah interrupted him. "In. Now."

The rain had already started to drench his hair and his shoulders, thick droplets dripping down his face and neck. He took one more look around before sighing and bending down to crawl into the tent. Quickly he closed the tent and summoned a crystal, which floated to the center top, offering them some light. "Should the storm die down I'll -"

"Oh, stop it, Jareth. It's just sharing a tent for a night. Need I remind you that we have slept in the same bed before?" The woman rolled her eyes.

"Okay, okay. Why don't you get comfortable? I'll give you some privacy. For as far as that means anything in a tent this size."

Sarah smiled when he turned his back to her, sitting on his bedroll. While she removed some of her restrictive clothing and took out her own bedroll she grinned. "You know, this is going to be great. We can tell ghost stories and gossip. You won't believe what Aidan found in his pack the other day. It was quite scandalous."

"Great. I'm bored to tears already," he teased.

The woman giggled, putting aside her things and crawling into her bedroll. Rain clattered against the outside of the tent, creating a comforting white noise in between the occasional clap of thunder. "All done, Your Majesty."

Jareth turned around towards his own pack, which was stuffed into the far corner of the tent. He took off his boots and armor, putting them aside and ruffling his hair while he moved to settle in his bedroll. His shirt was drenched and clinging to his shoulders, outlining its angles smoothly.

"Wow, those ten seconds of rain really got you," the woman remarked.

He looked down and up at her with a grin. "Oh, what a shame. I guess I'll just have to take it off, then. Lest I catch my death tonight."

With reddened cheeks, Sarah retreated a little more into her bedroll, looking away rather uncomfortably when he started peeling off the shirt. "What, your magic can't serve you now?"

"Tut-tut, Sarah. I need to conserve my resources where I can." His fingers plucked at the tips of his gloves and discarded them. He slipped into his bedroll, leaning on one arm and looking down at her. Sarah still uncomfortably refrained from looking at him. "So, about those ghost stories…"

"I do know one," she said while keeping her eyes firmly on the roof of the tent. He kept quiet patiently. "You know... There are many things to be afraid of, especially when the world is dark and all the light you have is that of the moon and the streetlamps. But perhaps, some day, you'll find something so disturbing that it might just keep you from sleeping forever…" Outside, another flash scattered in through the fibers of the tent, followed by an ominous rumble. "For me, it was a shape lurking by my window at night." Looking towards Jareth she could see a worried expression crease his forehead. "I was never sure when it would be there, looking at me through the window panes. The only barrier that kept it away from me. I never thought it might actually reach me, but then, one night…" Sarah looked at him again, her expression earnest. He propped himself up, a little more alert. "It came into my room. Into my home. I've never been the same after that night. Something happened that could never be erased. And worst of all…"

It was strange how his seriousness had started to overtake the atmosphere in the tent. It seemed to expand and push against the walls of the tent. It lay heavy in the air. Her eyes briefly caught a glimmer in his amulet, something she hadn't seen in a while, before her eyes quickly moved to stare ahead of her distantly. "That shape… That otherworldly being… It wore tights."

The tension in the small tent burst like a bubble. A physical drop in tension Sarah could feel and almost taste. She kept her expression earnest even when Jareth started to bristle. "I don't think I can ever un-see those horrors…"

"Why, you little…" In the blink of an eye he had thrust his hands under her blanket.

Sarah yelped when he started tickling her. Frantically she tried to push him off, squirming and bursting into laughter at his retaliation. His advances were unforgiving. Gasping for breath she found that he could not be kept at bay. He was grinning down at her rather wildly. "No, please, Your Majesty, have mercy," she cried, tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes. Distantly she felt thunder rumble through the ground underneath her. Her breath caught, his hands briefly making contact with her skin, producing a sharp spark. "Wow! Stop! Stop," she said sharply.

The Goblin King froze at her sudden serious tone, pulling his hands back. With wide eyes he looked at her. She swiftly huddled back into the bedroll, avoiding eye contact. "Sarah, are you alright? I didn't mean to hurt you."

The brunette shifted underneath her blanket, pulling her legs up protectively. Her fingertips touched the skin that now felt tingly and warm. She looked up at him, his blonde hair clinging to his forehead and temples, still wet from the rain. He eyed her worriedly, momentarily frozen.

The stressful way in which he hurried to reach for his gloves wasn't lost on her and guilt washed over her. Quickly she took one of his hands and he looked back at her. "No, please. I'm sorry. It's just…" She let go and awkwardly fumbled with the edge of her blanket. "You caught me a little off guard, that's all."

His shoulders lowered in relief. "I apologize, it was not my intent to distress you." He settled back on his bedroll, leaving the blanket off. Eyeing the brunette slowly inching further into the bedroll, hands fumbling with the blanket, the man smiled a little. He caught the jittery fingers of one of her hands and pulled it towards him.

Sarah blushed, feeling his warm fingers curled around hers. Her stomach fluttered when he pressed a gentle and lingering kiss to her fingers, his breath briefly brushing along them before moving away. Before she knew it her eyes moved down towards his still very much bare chest. Unmarred skin complimented by gentle lines of underlying muscle, adorned by the crescent shape of his amulet. The moment she realized she was staring she quickly looked back up at him, seeing him grin down at her. His hand moved to let her fingers rest against his cheek before he meaningfully guided it down towards his neck, where he let go to offer her the choice what to do next.

Sarah was rather worried that she was getting so red that she was resembling a tomato. Nervously biting her lip, the woman tried to determine the best course of action. There was a giddy curiosity in her that wasn't adverse to finding out what that marble skin felt like, but there was also a nervous unease that would happily run back out into the storm instead. Her eyes rose from her fingertips to meet his gaze. He looked patient, a small smile curling around his lips. It was almost like he was daring her. She just wasn't sure if he was daring her to pull away or to continue.

The brunette steeled herself, then moved her hand to instead brush along the features of his face. Along his cheek up to his temple, with a pique in curiosity when her fingers brushed along his markings and his eyebrows. There was no texture or feel to the winged shapes, as if they were tattoos. But she could feel and see the hairs of his eyebrows. Gently she brushed some of the wet strands of hair out of his face, feeling relieved when his eyes slipped closed. Now that the intensity of Jareth's gaze was no longer on her she felt a little bit more confident. When she brushed along the length of his lips Sarah could see the muscles in his jaws flex, but he kept still. Hesitantly her fingertips came to rest on his chin. After several moments, they tipped over the edge, moving along to the side of his neck. His Adam's apple bobbed briefly when she touched the sensitive skin. From the hollow of his throat she paused again. His eyes opened.

The look in his eyes was both breathtaking and scary. The way they had darkened, harboring an unspoken desire from just a simple touch, made her feel strangely powerful. It gave her confidence, and so her hand moved along his collarbone with a chaste touch, before the woman extended her touch to her full palm. The heat coming off him seeped in through her skin. It created a contrast that made every other part of her feel cold. Before she knew it she'd shivered.

"Cold, Sarah?" Any coherent reply died on her lips. Especially when she felt his fingertips brush from her elbow to her hand, his hand coming to rest on hers. Her loss for words made him grin just a little bit wider still. "Turn around for me, would you Darling?"

Her stomach fluttered for a moment, then distrust bubbled up. "Why?"

"Indulge me," he insisted, his hand moving to bunch in her bedroll to tug her just a tad closer, so their bedrolls were snuggly aligned.

Now practically nose to nose with him she was suddenly all too keen to not have to face him for a moment. So, she rolled over, her back now to him. She heard him shift and her blanket was briefly lifted, then she felt a comforting warmth all along her back settling against her. Another clap of thunder raged through the night. She felt its vibrations roll past underneath her. It felt like it traveled up through him, pulsing along his skin. Her heart raced. From the corner of her eye she could see he had propped himself up on his elbow again, his jaw resting on his palm. "Is that better, Sarah?" He briefly touched her heated cheek, before his hand came to rest on her upper arm.

The brunette felt like somewhat of an idiot when all she could muster was a mute nod. He chuckled and his hand teased at the edge of her shirt by her shoulder. Ever so slightly his bare fingertips touched the sensitive skin. "Wonderful. If there is anything else I can do for you, don't hesitate to let me know."

She tucked her head. His warmth really was nice. Combined with the rain pouring outside it did make for a very cozy setting. Her breath caught when his fingers slipped further up her shoulder to her neck. Instantly goosebumps rose along the majority of her skin. Her body tensed in nervous anticipation. She didn't dare moving. After brushing her hair back from her neck Jareth moved his hand back down to her upper arm. "Tell me what you are thinking, Sarah."

Admittedly, Sarah currently wasn't thinking anything. Her mind was still fumbling over the fact he was so close. There was one thing that flitted through her mind that perhaps was a little too honest. Or too innocent. Or both. It escaped her lips before she knew it. "You make me feel safe." One of her hands played with the edge of her blanket, her eyes nervously glued to it. The man leaned down to kiss her hair, lingering for just a moment.

Sarah kept quiet, her heart racing. A few moments passed, her gaze still focused on her fumbling. The rain pelting against the tent was all she could hear over her racing heart. Her fingers reflexively bunched in her blanket as she felt a brush of his lips on her neck. Her shoulders tensed. His hand came to rest on her fist scrunching her blanket. "Relax, Sarah."

It was easier said than done. His lips on the bare and sensitive skin brought a whole new sort of sensation to the table. A sensation that left her mouth feeling dry and filled her with jitters. His arm along hers felt comforting and warm, yet thrilling. Especially when his thumb brushed up and down her knuckles. He placed a kiss a little lower on her neck, followed by one lower still. She could feel his breath on her skin and her eyes slipped closed. In the midst of another kiss, Sarah took his hand. Jareth froze.

The woman swallowed heavily before finding her voice. "Jareth, I think I want you to stop…"

The man was still for a moment and Sarah could only wonder what he was thinking. "Very well," he said quietly.

She thought she heard a disheartened tone in his voice but she couldn't be certain. She felt bad. She didn't mean it to be a rejection. She was just painfully insecure and was still getting used to a more romantic relationship with Jareth. Turning around, she looked up at him. Quickly he leaned back into his hand. "I do apologize, I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

The brunette smiled up at him, pushing aside her bashfulness for his sake. "You didn't. It felt nice," she said softly. Briefly, his hand brushed her hair behind her shoulder, his bare fingers soft and warm. The gentle touch and his proximity felt more intimate than she'd expected it to. "But in the spirit of expanding on our boundaries..."

He watched her patiently.

Sarah took a calming breath and collected her courage, then leaned in. Just before her eyes slipped closed she could see his eyes widen. The moment her lips brushed against his, he froze. Completely. She could have sworn he even recoiled a little. Self awareness and self consciousness overcame her.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

A flutter of panic rose in her stomach and she pulled away. Thunder struck again and with her hand on his bare skin she was absolutely positive that somehow its resonance reached Jareth physically. The vibrations scattered across his skin from his core to his extremities. Uncomfortably she shifted back into her bedroll, avoiding eye contact. Feebly she stuttered, slithering under her blanket while he lay there still rather unresponsive. "I-I'm so sorry. I… I don't know why I did that."

Jareth cleared his throat. It was mildly comical though a saddening sight how she shut down on him. "Sarah, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to dishearten you." There was a soft mumbling from the blanket that he couldn't quite make out. She continued to curl up until she was so small and stowed away in the far corner below the cover that he could barely even make out her form anymore. "Come on out, drama queen. I won't bite," he said teasingly. More mumbling arose from the blanket. "Darling, I can't hear you from your little burrow. You'll have to come out if you want me to understand you." The bundle remained quiet and he laughed. "Okay, then I'm coming in."

Using his quick reflexes he sat up, reaching under the blanket and catching hold of her. In the blink of an eye Sarah found herself tugged out of her little lair of shame. Now she lay sprawled in a rather unflattering fashion against his chest. "There you are," he said cheerfully.

"Please just let me die in humiliation." Although a little exaggerated, she clearly was upset.

"Don't sell yourself short, Sarah. It wasn't that bad."

She wasn't really in the mood for his playful jabs and she was sure her expression was showing it. However, his mood remained cheerful and he pulled her against him. Sarah struggled, trying to wrestle her free arm in between them. She wasn't quite ready to be on eye level with his bare chest right now.

"Your Majesty!" Both of them looked towards the tent door. "I have urgent news from Caisnis."

The Goblin King cleared his throat and carefully put Sarah aside. He quickly opened the tent. A soldier offered him a hand to stand up, then handed him a letter.

Sarah looked at the two while the rain poured down on them. Throughout reading the letter Jareth visibly grew agitated. Once read he crushed the letter in one hand. "We ride for Caisnis and we will not stop until we get there."

"Yes, sire. Everyone is getting ready as we speak." The soldier bowed respectfully before walking off.

When The Goblin King turned around he was dressed in armor within the blink of an eye. He reached out for her hand, which she offered without hesitation. He pulled her to her feet and into the rain, magically dressing her, including a cape with a hood. "Jareth, what's going on?"

"It appears a neighboring group of traitors has trespassed." He swiftly collected his pack as well as Sarah's, leaving the tent. Hurrying to the horses they found them tacked up and ready. "Lucky for me, this seditious snake has been caught on my side of the border without a permit or invitation during court-endorsed war regulations and enforced border control." He helped her up on the horse and mounted his. "Which means that I don't have to play by the rules this time." There was a glint in his eye and a rather concerning smile on his face. With the soldiers joining their flanks, the Goblin King gave the order to ride into the night.

Chapter 24: Chapter 24

Sarah had been increasingly worried throughout the night, morning and day. The men were pushing hard to reach the city as soon as possible. The horses were visibly getting tired, having galloped for hours since their brief break the night before. Every time they were spurred it took them longer to muster an acceptable speed. Sarah felt bad when she yet again demanded more from her recently gifted horse. His entire body was covered in sweat, his gait became stiff and bumpy and he stumbled over holes in the ground and small stumps.

But Sarah had noticed a change in the structure of her surroundings. They passed more and more small settlements and started running into more and more people on the road. By the time the sun was setting Sarah could see large walls on the horizon, with roofs and towers poking out from the gray stone.

"Is that it?" The brunette looked to her right. Girvin had been riding next to her for the majority of the day, seeing to her every need.

"Welcome to the city of Caisnis, lady Sarah," Girvin said with a weary smile. "The most western city of His Majesty's kingdom and just a few miles from the border."

"What's going to happen now?"

"That is for His Majesty to decide. Though most likely we will first focus on damage control. We don't know what has transpired since we received word from Duke Thanh. He sees to this part of the kingdom. You will undoubtedly meet him within the hour."

Not too long after they slowed to a trot, filing through a large gate past the walls of the city. The streets were deserted. Houses, cottages and market stalls were left abandoned and the sound of the horse's hooves on the stone streets was almost deafening. There were fully armored guards on every other street corner and burly men hauling reinforced coffers into small alleyways. A few stray animals and creatures scampered away when the group approached. Sarah would have loved to look around a bit more to see the first city she had come across since her time here, but there were more important matters at hand.

Sarah spurred Gaeth one more time until she caught up with Jareth, just in time before they stopped in front of a castle. At least ten fully armored guards manned the doors. Seeing the king approach they descended into a deep bow.

"Don't say a word, Sarah." Jareth dismounted and helped her down, before heading to the imposing doors of the castle. The guards out front could only barely manage to get the doors open in time as Jareth walked briskly towards them.

"Duke Thanh!" The Goblin King's voice was booming, undoubtedly filling every inch of the large hall.

Before they'd even crossed the hall the doors ahead of them swung open, revealing a richly clad man with tanned skin and short red hair. His dark brown eyes were accented by red markings angling down from the center of his eyes.

"Do Mhorachd," his low voice exclaimed. The man nodded his head respectfully, before exchanging a firm handshake with the blonde monarch.

"Thanh, I rallied my men to get here as soon as we could."

"You have my eternal gratitude, Sire. When my scouts reported a breach the entire city descended into panic."

"You disappoint me, Thanh," the Goblin King said. The duke looked at him wide-eyed and alarmed. He opened his mouth to speak but the look on Jareth's face effectively silenced him. "Being one of my most trusted regents I'd have expected you to handle the breach with more finesse and control."

The man lowered his gaze, then bowed deeply. "I beg your forgiveness, Your Majesty. I vow to you that it will not happen again. I have sent men to push back the intruders but I have not yet received a rapport."

"I have brought the very best. My men have trained daily for hundreds of years and have honed their skills in weaponry as well as magic. We are more than capable of dealing with this, I assure you."

The duke averted his eyes in embarrassment, then laid eyes on Sarah. "Do Mhorachd, I did not expect you to bring a lady to such perilous horizons."

Before Sarah could respond, Jareth waved Thanh's offered hand away.

"Cùm do lamhan fhein, Thanh." Jareth's voice was rather icy. "This is Sarah."

The duke bowed deeply towards her. "It is a pleasure to meet you, fair lady Sarah."

Jareth stepped in between them. "With pleasantries out of the way, I will speak to your court. Gather them at once. Girvin, take Sarah to a waiting room and make sure she's comfortable. Cillian, ready to depart." A soldier on his left nodded before turning around and walking back to the entrance.

Girvin led her into a small side room of the hall. It had dark red walls and brown accents. There was a couch, two chairs and in the back a small side table with a basin of water. A small window provided a modest view and offered light into the room.

Sarah sat down onto the couch. "Why did Jareth tell me to keep quiet?"

Girvin grabbed a blanket and laid it down next to her. "It is vital that this issue is dealt with before panic spreads any further and civilians are endangered. Pleasantries are an otiose luxury that insult the severity of trespassing. For now, please try to get some rest."

The brunette looked down at the blanket. Admittedly, she was exhausted. She hadn't slept in almost two days now. Grabbing the blanket she obediently curled up on one side of the couch.

"Sleep, lady Sarah. I will keep watch."

It was the last thing she heard before she descended in a restless and light sleep.

—-

There were voices. Hushed voices. Through a hazy mind it was difficult to make out what they were saying. Her surroundings were dark save from a few small areas of the room lit by candles. She wasn't sure how, but she immediately recognized the two silhouettes opposite the room. The moment she stirred, both turned to look at her.

"Jareth?" From the window she could see the last bit of color in the sky sinking behind the walls. "How'd it go? Is there any news?"

"Sarah, I apologize if we woke you. I have arranged a comfortable set of chambers for you to stay in. I'm sure you could do with a good night's rest, a good meal and a warm bath."

"I'm fine. What about the trespassers?"

The man sat down next to her. "Those will be dealt with. I'm taking the Regiment to the breach. We hope to catch the enemy by surprise in the cover of night."

"Okay, let's go." The moment she moved to rise Jareth put his hand on her shoulder, keeping her down.

"You're not coming, Sarah."

"Of course I am. I-"

"No," he interrupted. When she opened her mouth to object he put a finger against her lips. "Stop. This will likely be a battle of magic. Ten times as dangerous as an armed battle and ten times more unpredictable. I don't have the time to discuss this with you."

She could hear the urgency in his voice. He sounded stressed. Quietly, she nodded. "Is there anything I can do? Anything to help?"

"The best thing you can do now is to obey my orders and stay here. If you feel any impulses at all, remember what I said after your last… endeavor."

She frowned at his smile, not amused given the severity of the situation. "Will you be okay?"

His smile fell. He was quiet for a moment, his eyes straying from hers. "Probably." When he looked back, she was visibly upset. Clearly his lack of a resounding confirmation sent her mind down a path of insecurity. "I have been in many battles, Sarah. While I cannot guarantee an unharmed return, I have every bit of confidence this battle will not be the one that ends my reign." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then pulled her close.

"llea ghrasta…" Girvin's voice was warm and gentle, as always. "Utae ni mor asca."

The king rose to his feet, his eyes lingering on her before meeting the soldier's gaze. "Kwara he virna."

Girvin descended into an uncharacteristically low bow, with his hand over his heart.

After that, Jareth opened the door to the hallway and marched out. With a quiet click the door slipped shut.

—-

That evening the entire city seemed to be quiet with anticipation. Sarah was pacing her quarters restlessly. The rooms were luxurious, but she might as well have been in a dank stone cell. The warm colors of the rooms and the roaring fireplaces did nothing to ease her worries.

Resolutely, she turned to one of the doors by the entrance of her quarters and knocked. A few moments later the door opened, revealing Girvin, a broad and tall shape in the small door frame. "My lady, what can I do for you?"

"Could you please… Join me? I'm going crazy by myself." Girvin seemed hesitant and an unexpected amount of anxiety and sadness overcame her. "Please," she said quietly, her voice breaking and tears brimming in her eyes.

His blue eyes widened in worry and he put one of his hands on her shoulder. "Yes, yes. Absolutely."

The woman sighed in relief, giving him a rather watery smile. "Sorry, I don't mean to impose. I'm just… Just…"

The soldier, now dressed down in a simple shirt and trousers with his soldier boots, gently shushed her and ushered her into the sitting area. On the dining table there was a plate with an untouched and cold meal. He looked at the woman as she walked over to a window. "You haven't eaten yet, Lady Sarah." He saw her scan the horizon quietly. "His Majesty will take care of this, my lady. I have full confidence in my king and my fellow soldiers. It would be a great honor and a blessing to all of us to have your trust and confidence as well."

"What are these magical battles like?" She let herself be ushered back to her meal. Politely he pushed up her chair to the table when she sat down.

"Allow me to heat this back up for you before I answer that question." Girvin rubbed his hands together and blew into them while Sarah looked at him curiously. He held his palms down towards the plate. The brunette couldn't hide her intrigue when steam started to billow from the plate. Once he pulled back his hands he brought them up to his face, blowing along the digits. Smoke escaped his lips and rose from his palm. The soldier held out his hand to the dinner plate. "Please, eat."

Looking down at the meal she found herself still lacking in appetite, but she started picking at it regardless. "Will you sit with me?"

"Of course," Girvin said kindly, slipping into a seat opposite of her. "Now, to answer your question… Battles of magic take on many forms. What it looks like fully depends on the casters. Noxious mists, hallucinations, hypnotizing lights, draining spells, vicious shadows, ensnaring vines… Usually these sorts of magic are used in combination with one another. Each caster has their proficiency."

She looked down at her plate. "Thank you for reheating it for me, by the way."

"You are welcome," he said with a smile. "I stand by what I said. I have full confidence in the First Regiment."

Sarah did find comfort in his faith. But if she were to eat anything at all, she needed some distraction. "So, what kind of magic do you have?"

"I try to hone my skills with fire as much as I can. Not only can it be devastating in battle, but it proves convenient when making campfires, preparing meals and keeping warm in cold environments. But I have a few other skills." Settling into the chair he crossed his legs at the ankle. "While I am considered a gifted adept, it pales in comparison to the skills of others I have met. His Majesty, for example."

"I have seen some of Jareth's magic. How he can conjure or transform things at will or how he can turn into an owl. He's also used some sort of calming spell on me before."

"The latter is likely more along the lines of manipulation or projection. Effective but not his most lethal."

The brunette shivered at the thought of a more vicious side to the Goblin King. While she didn't want to know, the question fell off her lips before she had a say in it. "What would that be?"

Girvin chuckled. "I will not discuss that over dinner, with your desire to eat already lacking."

Sarah felt both relieved and disappointed. "So what about manipulation? I doubt that took on the same form for his enemies as it did for me."

"Four years ago he disarmed more than five hundred men overnight simply by reshaping their minds, twisting it to unfathomable visions and hallucinations. Scenes and shapes so vile that it left them in shock and prevented them from sleep. Permanently. While an incredible feat of magic for a single man in the span of mere hours, it left him in a coma for approximately three weeks."

It was a horrific thought. Something she could scarcely imagine. Sarah wondered if she would ever see him use magic in that way.

"I have been sensing his touch on you," Girvin said with a smile. Sarah froze, a bite of her dinner halfway to her mouth. Her cheeks flushed. The soldier laughed. "Oh heavens, no. Not like that, lady Sarah. I am referring to a magical touch. A mark or a gift, I'm not sure."

She quickly took a bite. "Well, he did put a binding charm on me."

Girvin chuckled. "That I have noticed, yes. This is different," he said cryptically.

"You noticed? Who else noticed?"

"It depends on skill and knowledge. You need to possess magic to recognize magic. If you are acquainted with its caster, you will be able to sense what it is and who it is from. Magic is much like handwriting… or more accurately, like a coded language."

"Great," Sarah lamented. "So Alana was aware? What about the Regiment?"

"Almost definitely yes. Duke Thanh probably too." The woman groaned and put head in her hand, leaning on her elbow. "Do not despair, lady Sarah. Among our men the sense of a binding charm was a welcome gift. Seeing that the king is capable of emotional connection eases the Regiment's concern that His Majesty might end up like his father. We know that he is a powerful man and that he is determined to keep his crown. However, many soldiers had doubts that the king was capable of personal connection, be it a healthy love match or even just a genuine friendship. In a way, that spell cast on you gave hope and renewed vigor to be loyal to His Majesty. If he is able and willing to care for you, keep you healthy and secure, he has the capability to do so for his subjects."

The woman looked at him, wide eyed. Then a realization struck her. Her brows lowered. "Wait a minute. Is that why everyone seemed so keen on getting a bracelet from me?"

"And why it was amusing that the entire Regiment would obtain your gift before His Majesty would receive your blessing? Oh yes, absolutely."

"Why do these sort of things always happen to me," she mumbled while picking at her meal again.

"Lady Sarah, you are a gift to everyone in this kingdom. There's just a lot of people that don't know it yet."

Meeting his earnest gaze it was evident how serious he was about this. She wasn't sure how to respond. Part of her was very relieved and happy that she was indirectly helping simply by being here. Yet it didn't feel like it was enough to only be an object of motivation when others were doing so much more. A bird in a cage for everyone to look at while they tended to their wounds.

Uncomfortably she rose from her seat. Moving to the window she gazed along the horizon again. She could hear Girvin walking up next to her. Her eyes scanned the distant landscape, somehow hoping to see a hint of what was going on out there.

"You won't see anything from here," Girvin said as if he'd read her mind. "We're facing east, whereas the troops will be west." Sarah lowered her head in disappointment and Girvin gently held her shoulder. "Would you like to infiltrate the west wing? See if we can find a suitable spot there?"

The woman looked up and around at him, his blue eyes carrying that eternal kindness, peering from his messy brownish hair. "Can we?"

The soldier smiled patiently at her hopeful gaze and held out his arm for her to take. "Of course. Let's find a good vantage point." She took it without hesitation.

—-

Bleary eyes gazed out into the night sky. No matter how tired she was, her eyes kept scanning the landscape. Her head had lowered onto her crossed arms, her posture slouched in the window frame while cold air brushed past her cheek bones. She was so tired, yet her worry kept her awake.

She and Girvin were stationed in the annex of a large library. One which should have been unreachable, had the soldier not shown off another one of his skills. Lockpicking. It was one of the more accessible rooms facing directly west, other options being staff quarters and occupied guest rooms.

It wasn't until an alarm went off that the two sprung to attention. Suddenly fully awake with their hearts in their throats. The sound of bells echoed everywhere around them, frazzling their tired minds.

"What's going on?" The brunette, suddenly wide awake again, looked back towards the door between the annex and the main room.

"Stay behind me," Girvin commanded when he drew his sword.

Sarah moved behind him, looking down the large dark library towards the hall door. It was easy to hide behind Girvin's large frame. It seemed they stood poised there for hours while she practically held her breath, the alarm blaring in their ears. "Should we go back to the suite?" She'd leaned in a little to Girvin's ear, trying to prevent her voice from being drowned out.

Then, a lot of things suddenly happened at once. There were voices by the door and a rattling of keys. A strange sensation started to pull at her being. It was like every nerve in her body started to grow weightless, pulling her away from Girvin, even lifting her up a miniscule amount, just enough for her heels to lift off the floor. Her hand clutched the back of the man's shirt in reflex, causing him to quickly turn around. Her heart raced. A shrill cry pierced through the night sky, but it wasn't hers. It wasn't human. The door to the library burst open and several guards poured in, scanning the room. Unfamiliar hands wrapped around her upper arms and pulled her away from the soldier. Girvin's eyes grew uncharacteristically sharp and viscous.

The next moment, she found herself pulled forwards toward Girvin. In a flash he moved past her, his sword briefly flashing in the light coming from the hallway. Keys rattled into the door of the annex insistently. Behind her she heard a loud thud and she turned to face the soldier and the unknown assailant. Sarah cast a long shadow towards the window of the annex, her silhouette blocking the vision of two shapes that could be found now on the floor. Girvin had positioned one foot on the ground and one knee on the shape that had grabbed hold of her. Sarah moved to look around the soldier's broad shoulders.

"Jareth?"

There, sprawled on the floor was the Goblin King, pinned to the ground with a sword by his neck, looking rather unamused. "Amin moladh. Get off me, will you?"

Girvin quickly jumped back up, sheathing his sword and holding out a hand towards his king. "Your Majesty, my sincere apologies. I did not expect you."

The Goblin King took a moment to fix his hair and pat dirt off his clothes. "Your speed could use some work, Girvin." Sarah threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. It happened before she realized it, really, but she was so happy to see him. Jareth rested a hand on the back of her head. "Now, Girvin, don't tell me you kept this poor girl up all night? This is hardly the time for studies."

The soldier instantly grew defensive. "Y-your Highness, I-"

"It's fine, Jareth. It's not like I could have slept if I wanted to anyway." She pulled back from his embrace and looked up at him. "How did it go? What happened? Are you okay?"

Jareth offered his arm and escorted her back to the hall. The guards bowed and retreated. Summoning a crystal he spoke into it. "Thanh, please turn off that infernal alarm." When the noise stopped the blonde dismissed the crystal. "We'll talk in your quarters."

The woman couldn't get back soon enough, only vaguely noting how people around the castle were still somewhat shaken up. However, there was a sense of returning quiet, with guards going back to their stations and staff retreating to their rooms.

Entering the sitting area of her quarters Jareth and Sarah sat down on a set of couches by the fireplace while Girvin dutifully moved about the area. The soldier stayed within hearing range.

"So," the king started, stretching his neck. "Earlier tonight we arrived in the area and searched every inch of it. Every crevice, every treetop and every bush. We found tracks by the border, but nothing more. No weapons, no victims, no camp, nothing. After tripling the size of the reported area without a single find, I gathered my men to return to the city. My suspicion is that they wisely retreated or traveled either further north or south." He rubbed his face, dark circles under his eyes. "But the Regiment was tired. Understandably so. We arrived back at the castle an hour or two ago."

Girvin handed the king a glass of water, positioning himself in a waiting position by his side. "What about the alarm?"

The Goblin King's face visibly soured. "A certain cailin was not in her room, without any sign or trace of where she might have gone." He looked from Sarah to Girvin with narrowed eyes. "And her guardian was nowhere to be found either."

"Jareth, it's my fault, don't blame him," Sarah insisted quickly. "Girvin has taken great care of me."

Briefly his eyes shifted away, almost as if he rolled his eyes. "Well," the Goblin King sighed, getting up. "That was what the alarm was for. I was worried that something had happened to you. That the intruders somehow entered not only the city but the very castle, somehow." Stretching his back he sighed. "But it doesn't matter now, you're here, you're safe. It's been a long few days and frankly I am exhausted. I propose we all try to get some rest. I will figure out whether we head north or south at dawn. Something tells me the intruders did not just step into hostile territory for a brief touristic expedition."

"Your Majesty, do any of the men need tending to? Is there anything I can do?"

"You are dismissed, Girvin," the king said, throwing himself down on the couch opposite of the one he just stood up from. The soldier bowed and left quietly.

Sarah moved to sit next to Jareth at the edge of the seat. She looked down when he threw an arm over his head, slumping in the cushioned furniture. While the woman hesitated at first, she moved in to brush a lock of hair out of his face, distantly aware that despite the grueling circumstances it was still incredibly soft and smooth. When he didn't respond in any way the woman carefully brushed his cheek, the warmth of his skin comforting her.

"What's on your mind, Sarah?" Her hand retreated quickly, his lips twitching up in mild amusement. When she didn't answer he opened his eyes to look at her. After a brief moment his chest sank in a deep sigh. "I'll be fine, princess. Go to bed."

He kicked off his shoes and closed his eyes again, tossing his gloves blindly on the small table by his head. She put her hand over his, at which he briefly flinched. Sarah was a little hesitant to do anything else. Meeting his gaze her fingers curled around his palm. He gave her a look of confusion when she got up without letting go, her name on his lips so soft it was little more than a whisper. He rose to follow her. As soon as she walked through the doorway into the bedroom and towards the bed she felt him freeze.

"Sarah - I…"

Immediately recognizing that he seemed to misinterpret the situation, she wrestled a grin on her face and turned to him. "Oh please, Birdbrain. I'm not about to let you sleep on a couch after so many difficult nights already." Slowly, tiredly and likely just genuinely exhausted he nodded.

"Allow me to get us comfortable." A prickle and a caress along her body alerted her to a change. He'd dressed her in a silk but modest set of pajamas and dressed himself in a matching pair.

The sigh that escaped his lips caused worry to blossom heavily in her stomach. Something wasn't quite right. "You're not just tired, are you?"

Meeting her gaze, he debated how to respond. Eventually he nodded. "I just need some time to catch my breath. I've been using a lot of magic and haven't restored it yet."

"Something must have happened tonight," she insisted, taking a step closer to him. "What happened?" Sarah had seen the tightening in his shoulders more often and had grown to recognize it. "Tell me," she prodded.

"It's not… just tonight," he admitted. "I have been a little lavish with my stamina, I must admit. Part of it to aid some overdue paperwork… " Jareth smiled and eased the frown on her forehead with a gentle brush of his fingertips.

"It's not funny," the woman snapped.

He quickly leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Now, let's get some rest." Without another word he ushered her to the bed and the two slipped underneath the covers.

Sarah kept her gaze stiffly up towards the ceiling. "Jareth, why did you flinch?"

There was a brief silence before he turned to face her. "I realize that in your world it is a rather common expression to show fondness with a kiss. However, here it is usually a more serious gesture." Despite dreading to do so, Sarah turned to face him, resting her head on the back of her hand. "Intimacy is more common here," he continued. "Just so we're clear, I am referring to sex," he said, instantly causing her cheeks to flush. He smirked. "There is no shame or judgment in two consenting partners sharing bodily intimacy. Sharing a kiss, however, is often reserved for someone intended or betrothed. It is not frowned upon to share a kiss without the prospect of matrimony. It is simply less common. You seemed rather shy about pursuing affection so I did not expect you to be so… forward."

Sarah repressed the urge to crawl under the bedsheets. She never was very prude with dating and all that it entailed, but for so many reasons Jareth was different. Her hands moved to the edge of the covers to fidget with it. It took her a moment before she responded. When she did, it was little more than a whisper. "I figured I'd have an easier time if I got that first one out of the way."

The man chuckled and leaned a small bit closer. "Do you?"

"Are you kidding me," she said a little irritably, her gaze still directed down. "I am still recovering from that level of mortification."

"Oh dear," he sighed theatrically. "Then perhaps a second might do the trick."

The brunette's eyes flashed up at him and her hands flew up protectively. Jareth shifted to lean on his elbow, his free hand evading hers to cup her cheek. The blonde grinned, his fingertips caressing her skin. "I've been wanting to do this for… Probably far too long." He playfully bumped his nose against hers.

Mentally working herself into a panic attack her hands came to rest on his chest. Somehow the muscles in her arms couldn't muster more than a weak suggestion of keeping distance. Sarah screwed her eyes shut and pressed her head back into the pillow a small bit.

Eventually he closed the small remainder of distance and his lips pressed against hers. Soft and sweet and so many things that she had no idea how to describe it. Her heart was racing and her limbs buzzed with adrenaline. Blonde locks tickled gently against her forehead and the warmth of his palm offered a comfort unlike any she'd felt before. Unlike hers, his hands weren't unsteady or clammy. He seemed fully relaxed, his lips chaste and reserved as they brushed against hers.

His ease and confidence put her attempt to shame, really.

Jareth leaned back barely an inch. Her head had lifted only the slightest amount off the pillow and she quickly let it fall back, feeling a now-familiar heat rising along her neck and face. "Better?" He sounded cocky, as she'd expected. His low chuckle caused a brush of his breath to glide past her lips and chin. Bare fingertips gently brushed down her neck. The grin widened when Sarah shivered.

Sarah could see him lean just a tad closer, his eyes hooded and lingering on her lips. "Act cool all you like, Your Majesty. You're not unaffected yourself."

Pale fingertips traced the swell of her lower lip and down to her chin. "Not unaffected indeed," he whispered. The grin on his face turned a little softer. Settling down onto the pillow on his own half of the bed, Jareth let out a deep sigh. "Now, let's get some rest, shall we? Despite the circumstances I can barely keep my eyes open."

"Uh, yeah. Good night." The woman quickly turned away from him, curling up underneath the covers. Her fingertips pressed lightly against her lips where she felt his touch linger. Once the adrenaline wore off and the butterflies had quieted down she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 25: Chapter 25

The next morning slowly tugged her from unconsciousness like she trudged through thick mud. It felt like she'd been asleep for days. The room was dark, though she could see sunlight peeking through the curtains.

Looking next to her she felt a small pang of disappointment to find the other side of the bed empty. A curious part of her wondered if she'd find his smell lingering on the pillow, but she quickly shook her head to chase those thoughts away. Crawling out of the bed she threw open the large curtains and immediately the room was bathed in sunlight. Sarah took no time to look around. In fact, she was so determined to get up and ready that she almost missed the handwritten note on a nearby table.

"04:30 Daybreak

Dear Sarah, I trust you slept well. Use the room's facilities at your leisure. Pull the red cord by the entrance to alert staff to ready your breakfast. Freshen up while it is prepared. Girvin will escort you at 7:30. A pack will be ready."

Briefly looking around Sarah did not see a clock, but her instincts told her that there probably wasn't a lot of time left. With her feet starting to grow cold, she quickly hurried into the main rooms, tugging the cord before dashing into the bathroom.

She doubted she had ever freshened up as swiftly as she did that morning.

Her new outfit seemed warm. Whereas before her clothes had been mostly fine fabrics fit for spring, her current outfit mostly consisted of furs and sturdier material. She was even given a heavy cloak.

Walking into the main room her stomach growled loudly at the smell of eggs, bacon, fresh bread and fruits. Her feet carried her so fast to the table that she almost jumped when Girvin walked in.

"My lady, good morning to you. I hope you have slept well?" The soldier bowed deeply.

"Hi Girvin! I slept fine, thank you. How about you? Join me for breakfast?" The woman tossed her cloak on one of the chairs and enthusiastically slipped into the one next to it.

"Thank you for your offer, but I have to decline. Is this meal sufficient?"

"Sufficient," Sarah asked incredulously. "This meal is fit for a king."

"Or a queen," he said while moving towards one of the windows. There was an undeniable suggestion in those few words.

Eyes narrowed at his back. "Girvin, you'll spoil my appetite."

"I beg your forgiveness, my lady." The soldier bowed respectfully with a little hint of amusement in his voice.

"And stop being so uptight already," she added, at which the man grinned.

"As you wish. I wouldn't dare displease you with the king finally in good spirits. I couldn't help but notice he'd been spared a night on the couch."

The brunette's eyes widened and her cheeks turned a deep crimson. "It wasn't like that!"

"Like what, my lady? It certainly wasn't my intention to make any inappropriate suggestions." The boisterous laugh coming from him was a new sound, but very pleasant.

"You know what? I take it back. No more leniency for you. I had no idea you had such a potty mouth. And while I am enjoying a perfectly nice breakfast, no less."

"Potty mouth," the man repeated, audibly and visibly confused at the term.

"Yes, it's used to describe someone using inappropriate language or making inappropriate remarks."

While Sarah ate, Girvin strapped on his armor. When she was nearly done eating he immediately spoke up. "I do hate to rush you, my lady. But the king will be expecting us by the city gates within half an hour. Would you like me to package some food for you?"

The woman jumped up, brushing a napkin along her mouth and grabbing the cloak. "No, I'm ready. Let's go."

"Wonderful." He grabbed two packs, slinging one across his back while holding on to the other.

Their strides through the castle were large and purposeful. In record time they reached the castle gates. The carriage ride was surprisingly steady while they headed down the streets of the city. Peering out the small window she could see glimpses of normal city life returning in the early morning sun. Merchants carried their products in large carts, mothers walked with their children and people of nobility strutted along the pavement with their chins held high. Several people tried to catch a glimpse of the carriage's occupants. It was rather charming.

"So, what is the plan?"

"We're headed north in pursuit of any further signs of the breach. It is expected that trespassers will prefer a climate much like their own, rather than the warm weather of the south. Or perhaps they simply hope that the less densely populated north will offer them more security or secrecy."

"That explains the warm apparel. Do we know what kind of people we're dealing with?"

"Yes and no. The west has many different races and creatures. We don't know who would be foolish enough to illegally trespass into a land of conflict while His Majesty is establishing a sense of order and peace."

"Could it be people looking to aid the rebels that are still opposed to Jareth?"

"It is possible. However, if outsiders were looking to aid the resistance, the best step would be to smuggle the malcontents out of His Majesty's kingdom. Once across the border, the king would have to file for repatriation back into his jurisdiction. That process is not only lengthy but also incredibly difficult under active court rulings. Especially if the target has reasonable grounds for immigration."

"Surely people have already crossed the border, if it offers so much security."

"Not as far as we know. His Majesty has kept tight reins on import, export and immigration. Not a single piece of fruit leaves his kingdom without a written manifest and approval by the king or his dukes or duchesses. Immigration will not only take a fortune and consent by the king personally, but piles of paperwork, careful monitoring and a lengthy waiting time for each person concerned. Immigrating a family of four will likely cost you everything you own, a week's work of paperwork and at least fifty years on the waiting list. That is, if your initial request will even be approved by a duke before it is passed on to our king. No doubt you've seen His Majesty reading and writing documents in your time here so far. The vast majority of these papers have concerned matters regarding the borders."

"Wow," Sarah breathed, thinking back to the times she'd seen him pouring over documents and scrolls.

Lost in thought, she didn't realize they reached the gates until the carriage came to a halt.

The woman never figured she'd recognize someone's hand, yet when the doors of the carriage opened and one was held out she immediately recognized it to be Jareth's. She took the offered hand and stepped out of the carriage, her cloak draped over her arm.

Seeing Jareth after what happened yesterday night had a stronger effect on her than she'd anticipated. Somehow those silk bangs and mischievous mismatched eyes now seemed completely different. Her gaze lingered on his long lashes while he quietly took her cloak and shifted to the definition of his jaw when he looked up and away. It made her realize that Jareth was the first man she'd ever met who never even had the smallest amount of stubble, not even a hint of hair growth underneath that fair skin. Not even after days on the road. He instructed Girvin to strap up Sarah's pack and for the others to stand to attention. She followed him to the awaiting procession of soldiers, mounted and ready to leave. With a small smile she petted Gaeth's neck.

Sarah felt Jareth's hands come to rest on her waist to help her up. Her hand clasped around his. Their gazes met. "Jareth, Girvin and I talked on the way here… I was wondering something." He looked at her quietly, hands tightening lightly on her waist. "Girvin said that you closely monitor anyone crossing your borders. I was wondering… why don't you let the people unhappy with your rule just… leave?"

Jareth's face hardened, his lips a rather thin line. For a moment, his gaze wandered. "It's… complicated."

It wasn't difficult to interpret that as a refusal to answer, especially when he lifted her up towards the back of her horse without another word. It was tempting to prod him again for an answer, but the past had proven that poking him for information simply didn't work. It only caused tension and mutual frustration. Her eyes followed him when he walked around her and mounted his own horse. With a gesture of his hand, the soldiers spurred their horses.

—-

The day had proven to put Jareth on edge. The expedition had made him irritable, to put it kindly. It wasn't so much the traveling that made him ill-tempered, but rather the developing situation.

They had been hugging the border, heading north. They'd passed a small village. It only had a few houses, perhaps fifteen at most, which had been left completely destroyed. While soldiers had offered to stay behind and salvage what they could and check for survivors, Jareth had refused. Instead, he had insisted on pushing on to prevent a second village from falling prey.

The pillaged town had been another display of destruction and death that hit Sarah just as hard as the first two times she'd seen it. There hadn't been as much bodies and gore as the attack in the grasslands or even the camp. Most people were likely to have been killed in their homes, but there had been two unfortunate victims that she'd had trouble avoiding while they walked past the village. Especially when watching how some of the soldiers simply had to step over them. The chalk white skin, milky gray eyes and blue lips of the two deceased men had reintroduced that terrible taste of bile in her mouth again. The mere thought of others behind the dark windows, of possible women and even children, only made it worse.

Jareth had been too occupied to see the horror on her face and the tears in her eyes, but Girvin had kept close, speaking kindly to her and trying his best to keep her distracted and to console her. While it hadn't helped much, she was thankful. She'd remained silent for most of that day, barely reacting to Girvin's attempts to keep her grounded even long after they'd left the village. Eventually he resorted to silence while her mind cruelly replayed her recent encounters with death.

It wasn't until dinner that evening that Jareth seemed to catch on to Sarah's downhearted demeanor when she was picking at her food. She had retreated to sit by Gaeth by herself. The horse laying down provided some support for her back while she sat.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

The woman jolted, clearly caught off guard. Her expression remained rather sorrowful and she dispassionately put her food aside. Jareth sat down next to her and looked at her quietly. His hand gently took hers and her skin warmed with the familiar sense of his calming spell. Eventually their eyes met.

"I'm just not used to seeing suffering like I have in my time here, I guess," she quietly admitted.

"It's one of the reasons I advocated against your stay here. Are you alright?"

Sarah sighed when he handed her the plate of food again and she leaned back against Gaeth. "I'll be fine. I just need some to process it, I guess. Though I… I'm kind of dreading going to sleep soon."

"You fear we'll be attacked while we rest?"

"No, I'm sure there will be a capable watch during nighttime. I'm… worried I'll get nightmares, I guess. Which is very self centered, I know. Some bad dreams are hardly as bad as what others have suffered here."

"Let's strike a deal. If you finish your meal, I'll spin you some gentle dreams tonight."

Recently she had the tendency to forget that Jareth was a magical being. Looking up at him, she realized he was awaiting an answer and she nodded. "Okay, Jareth. Thanks." With a small smile she continued to pick at her food.

"Would you like me to give you some space?"

With her eyes still downcast she took a second to consider his question. "Actually, I would like some company."

"Then I am all yours. Eat."

"Yes, Your Majesty." A moment later she felt his arm wrap around her shoulders, resting on Gaeth's back. His fingers brushed lightly along the length of her arm. His warmth made it incredibly inviting to snuggle up to him. Her fingers fidgeted nervously.

"Would you like me to feed you, Precious?"

Blushing, Sarah quickly cleared her throat. "No," she insisted, taking a large bite of her food. He chuckled quietly and let his fingers trail up until they whispered along her neck.

The woman shivered, clearing her throat to mask it. "So… What sort of dreams can I expect tonight?" When he remained silent she turned her head to look up at him, already knowing the way he'd be smirking down at her.

And smirking he was. That infuriating and breathtaking smirk with those sharp teeth peering from his lips. That trademark grin that made his eyes glitter playfully. The frown shadowing her eyes nudging him just a little bit closer to a Cheshire's leer. "Don't you dare, Birdbrain," she snapped. "It's so… you, twisting a gift so you get something out of it."

"I don't have to be the sole beneficiary in this, Sarah." The woman reached the likeness of a tomato in record speed, shoulders growing rigid in his hold. Pressing a kiss to her cheek he gracefully rose to his feet. "Please excuse me, I'll have to tend to a few more things before we retire. I will collect you here in approximately fifteen minutes to escort you to your tent and arrange your gift."

Rather than just sitting around twiddling her thumbs Sarah helped around at the encampment, clearing the cooking supplies while chatting with a few soldiers. Even though most were either overly polite or uninterested, some were pleasant. She hadn't even noticed it had taken about an hour for Jareth to come pick her up. Though once he did, the men quickly insisted on taking care of the remaining work in her stead. The Goblin King didn't give her much of an option either, practically dragging her off with little more than a handful of words.

As was most often the case, her tent was practically in the dead center of the camp, surrounded by Jareth's most trusted men. The blonde ushered her into her tent and had her change while he waited outside, once done he entered the tent after her. His presence filled the tent until far past its boundaries as usual.

"O-ok, so how does this work exactly? Do I… eat a peach?"

He seemed exceedingly pleased with her association, grinning from ear to ear. "Would you like one? Because that can definitely be arranged." Her irritated expression told him plenty. "But no, no peaches are required." Mentioning her to lie down, he stretched out beside her. "Technically, I can do it from miles away." Leaning on his elbow he grinned down at her. "But really, where's the fun in that?"

The woman eyed him wearily. "You know, despite initially being really grateful for your offer, I'm starting to regret this deal."

"Ever the drama queen, Sarah mine." Jareth grinned at her little pout. "Now while I could simply snap my fingers and have you fall unconscious, it makes for a rather uncomfortable way of waking up. Why don't you lay back and relax?"

"Is it weird that I'm kind of nervous?"

"You're overthinking it. If you like, we can chat for a little longer before I bespell you."

Nodding, the brunette tried to get comfortable, awkwardly and repeatedly adjusting her arms underneath the covers before settling. Looking up at the ceiling of the tent her curiosity started the conversation for her. "Jareth," she asked quietly. He let out an acknowledging hum. "Was it true?"

He looked down at her, resting his head on his hand while he lay propped up on his side. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to elaborate on that question."

"But what no one knew…" The sentence trailed off, figuring that's all the context he needed. Even though she dreaded doing so, her eyes met his.

The man looked at her, then his eyes lowered. "Yes," he said so quietly that she'd almost missed it.

It was all too easy to linger in that admission. Too easy to get flustered and let the weight of it sink in. She needed to say something and quickly, before she either shut down or would make a fool of herself. "Girvin told me that Alana and the soldiers can sense the binding charm." Sarah didn't miss the somewhat reserved shift in his demeanor. "So a lot of people must be let in on the fact that you're protective over me. How… How many people are aware of the book? Or more specifically, that one sentence?"

"One. Very recently two."

"Two?" Sarah turned onto her side to fully face him.

"Its writer. Me." His eyes diverted. "And now you."

"You wrote it?" His eyes connected with hers again and things went quiet for a second. "Is there only one copy?"

Jareth grinned. "Would that make you feel special?"

The brunette lowered her eyes and the air grew a little heavier. "You've always made me feel special," she admitted.

For a moment the silence stretched on and slowly Sarah started to retreat into her bedroll again. The man grinned and moved in close enough so he could wrap one arm around her back and embrace her without pulling her from the warm comfort of the bedroll.

Sarah felt her heart skip a beat when her cheek came to rest against the soft fabric of his shirt, his warmth seeping into her already heated skin. She let her eyes slip closed, allowing herself to lightly snuggle against him. A sense of relaxation came over her when he started caressing her back, his hand brushing up and down comfortingly.

The corners of her mouth twitched up when she practically melted against him. "Are you trying to lull me to sleep?" The king shushed her quietly, pressing a kiss to her hair. Chuckling quietly she slowly succumbed to a sudden sleepiness that overcame her. The last thing she felt was Jareth's breath brushing against the crown of her hair.

—-

The next morning consisted of a quick breakfast and cleanup of the campsite. Tents were swiftly disassembled and cleaned up. Sarah had assisted where she could, preparing meals along with a few soldiers and handing them out. It kept her busy enough that she didn't see Jareth until it was time to get going.

"Good morning," Sarah offered kindly, though carefully. Settling into the saddle once more.

He turned to face her and offered her a smile. "Good morning, Sarah. I trust you slept well?"

Oh, she was certain he'd made sure of it. While she'd expected him to do something rather inappropriate or somewhat self-centered she found she hadn't only slept deeply and peacefully, she'd dreamed lucidly. Like she'd stepped into unconsciousness with nothing but a clean canvas and millions of different colors of paint.

"I did. Perhaps better than ever." She smiled. "Thank you, Jareth. Genuinely."

"You are very welcome, Sarah." His smile dropped then and he mentioned with his hand, signaling the men to get going.

Much like it had before, the ride started out with positivity on Sarah's part, but after a few hours it became stale once more.

A shift in the air made her become alert. While unsure what exactly it was or what had happened, several instincts went off. She shifted in her saddle and looked back towards the procession behind her. After that her eyes met with Jareth's and she could tell his mismatched gaze was guarded.

In a more nonchalant tone he slowed to a walk. "Na airdeall, mos na lean. Desiel ten' seasamh temear." Sarah tried to gauge what he'd said by the reactions of the soldiers, but their faces remained passive. Several sped up to a trot and passed them, while others stayed back.

Soon the Regiment started to scatter into smaller groups, several breaking away and disappearing into the trees. Girvin herded Sarah into a small group of her own, flanked by soldiers. Confused, she looked around for Jareth, but he'd disappeared. In a matter of a few minutes none of the Regiment was in view anymore, save for a handful of soldiers, one of which was Girvin.

Following their lead she dismounted, leaving her cloak draped over the horse's back. Girvin led them deeper into the forest. "We keep moving and we keep quiet. Salum, cover our tracks," he said to one of the men. He was one of the smallest of their group. Wordlessly he bowed his head before uttering a phrase under his breath. A strange sensation rippled along her skin and she curiously looked down at herself. She didn't look different. "Jabal, keep us hidden. Once it's safe, the king will send us a sign." Jabal nodded, making a gesture with his hand. The air seemed to grow a little thinner.

With that, they wandered into the forest. It was eerily quiet. There was no rustle of nearby wildlife, no trickling of a nearby stream. No chirping from birds or insects. Even the trees seemed to hold steady for their sake.

Despite the spell, Sarah kept an eye on her footing, trying her best not to step on anything that might have made a sound were it not for the spell. She was flanked on each side by a soldier, who gestured things at each other every now and then. Girvin was ahead of her and occasionally held out his hand to help her up a small hill or step over tree stumps. The forest remained deadly quiet and shadows grew longer. It felt very unnatural.

A long time passed. Possibly hours. Steadily they reached more mountainous areas, shifting from simply walking to trudging or even climbing. More and more often Sarah would accept Girvin's help to overcome obstacles. Her grip on the forest floor had lessened. While she sometimes slipped on wet leaves or mud, it was strange to see that it left no mark. Even the rotting tree stumps would leave no sign of damage if she snagged on splintered bark. It did make her wonder to what extent this spell erased influences. Similarly, the woman had been curious if anyone would notice if she screamed, or if the soldiers next to her would even hear anything. Maybe she had gone temporarily mute. There was not a breath to be heard, despite the increasingly strenuous activity, after all. But this was hardly the time to test those waters.

Reaching the top of another hill the forest scenery did not show even the slightest sign of thinning or even change, despite the fact they'd been walking for a long time. The two soldiers at her side took her hands when they smoothly glided down a slope, almost lifting her off the floor when she attempted to keep her footing. Girvin leapt over a crevice in the ground ahead, turning to Sarah and holding out his hands. It wasn't too big of a jump. Even though she wasn't athletic she could probably make that. Probably. With a twinge of uncertainty she looked down into the crevice and immediately clasped her hand over her mouth when her lips involuntarily parted.

Alarmed at her reaction, Girvin followed her gaze down.

Sarah felt tears prick in her eyes, seeing glassy eyes staring up at her. Worse yet, it was a vaguely familiar face, confirmed by the First Regiment's regalia and a small leather bracelet around his arm. One of the other soldiers moved to cover her eyes with his hand. Breaths were feverishly expelled from her nose while adrenaline cruelly smacked her over the head. Taking a moment to repress the urge to scream or panic she willed herself to calm down.

Gently she peeled away the soldier's hand, her eyes directed stiffly ahead. Girvin was wildly signing towards the other men, his brows knitted together and his pale eyes blazing. Afterwards he insistently gestured for Sarah to jump over.

So she leapt. The moment her feet touched the ground there was a sound that almost resembled a cave in. A frightening rumble of which its violence trembled underneath their feet. The soldiers looked around, convinced that it wasn't Sarah's jump that had caused the violent shift in the landscape.

Ahead purple tendrils started slithering through the forest like thick mist. All soldiers crowded around Sarah protectively and drew their weapons. Uncomfortably, Sarah noted she was unarmed when she reached for the knife Girvin had gifted her. It was still in her pack.

Girvin and Sarah exchanged a look when they heard a familiar voice nearby. the purple mist drifted back towards its source like it had played in reverse at double speed. The soldiers grew concerned, their wary gazes scanning the environment. Despite no word being spoken between them, it was clear that they knew this was not Jareth's magic. The men exchanged a quick glance before Girvin waved his hand. Cautiously the small group started moving towards the area where the mists disappeared to.

Ahead of them was a large cliff that cleanly tore the forest in two. On the opposite side of the cliff were at least a dozen purple stalagmites, three feet tall and two inches thick, protruding from the ground like a tainted illness sprouting from the ground. From the glasslike objects came a purple steam and the fading light of the sun scattered purple reflections on the floor. The glittering and winking of the objects in the light felt oddly threatening.

Sarah jumped when another amethyst-like spear was violently thrust in the ground from beyond the tree line. The ease in which it smoothly penetrated the ground was a little sickening. It pierced the ground near the edge of the cliff, causing a large chunk of earth to crumble off and disappear below. The small group reflexively ducked a little lower, Girvin's arm wrapping around Sarah.

There was shouting coming from the shadows. What was said was lost to the brunette, as it definitely wasn't English. Though, it wasn't the language Jareth spoke often either. It was a female voice and it was rapidly coming closer.

Before its owner came into view a different shape emerged from the shadows. At first most that could be seen was a bright flash. A part within the light seemed solid, while another part seemed to erupt from the floor, a mix between the consistency of lava and lightning. Once the shape settled the light dimmed enough for their group to see who it was - a tall figure standing proud and firm between the semi-translucent spikes. His voice carried far past the trees, speaking in that same unfamiliar language.

From the trees walked a tall woman, her skin a pale blue and her hair dark like the night sky. In one of her hands she carried a shortsword. The other was empty, though there was an eerie mist coming from her fingertips. There were tears in the fabric on her arms, exposing slivers of pale blue skin, torn open into red slits. She shouted at Jareth, her angular but fine face contorted in anger. Her fingers wrapped tightly around the grip of the blade.

The king held his ground confidently, replying with his voice carrying a rather disinterested tone. The woman laughed humorlessly, after which everything suddenly went incredibly fast. Jareth dashed forward so fast that for a moment the woman seemed scared - or at least surprised. She narrowed her eyes and within the blink of an eye conjured one of the large purple spears, effortlessly sending it straight for him.

Had Girvin not quickly covered her mouth with his hand Sarah would have screamed, seeing the purple object sail right past him. So much happened so fast after that. Every time Sarah had caught up with either of the two, they'd already moved.

The brunette struggled against Girvin's grasp but he held her steady. Tears freely streamed down her cheeks and along the soldier's fingers. They had to help. They had to do something.

Her struggling increased when slowly the group started to back away from the scene. Two spears tore through the monarch, damaging his armor and tearing apart his cloak. However, no blood could be seen. Her struggle was futile. The woman didn't stand a chance against the firm hold on her.

All seven of them flinched and fell back when an immensely bright light consumed their view and punched them back with a frightening amount of force. A sound much like lightning crackled through the air followed by a loud explosion and breaking glass. Along her face and hands she felt splinters cutting her skin.

The men recovered more quickly than her, immediately grabbing hold of her and urging her back. Her body was limply dragged to her feet, her legs weak and her heart beating wildly. It took her a few blinks before Sarah's vision restored and the high pitched tone left her ears.

Her eyes fell on Jareth, who was now holding the woman by her throat with her feet off the ground. The trees behind them were scorched, branches falling down left and right for as far as the eye could see. From Jareth's legs flashed a strange looking current, zapping along the nearby dirt and sliding down his legs. The woman's face was contorted in pain. Jareth asked a question, his voice rough but booming. The only reason Sarah could tell the woman said something in return was by the moving of her lips, from which blood started to trickle down. Her skin was starting to redden, possibly blister, and agony etched deep lines onto her features.

With a final few words, Jareth threw her down, her body not hitting the floor until she was hurled several feet back. He grasped the fastening of his cloak, tearing off the remaining parts as they would no longer serve a purpose.

In his brief moment of distraction, the woman weakly sat up to lean on her elbow while the other hand summoned another spear. She hurled it towards him with her last remaining strength. As soon as the object left her touch, she crumpled to the floor.

Sarah almost managed to break free from the men pulling her away when she saw Jareth stagger. The spear hit his shoulder, viciously tearing the side of his armor. The substance molded into his skin. Several unknown figures appeared from the shadows of the destroyed forest. Two tended to the motionless woman on the floor, while the others drew their weapons cautiously, wearily looking at the destruction around them and trying to measure Jareth's next move.

The alien electric current that had surrounded the Goblin King had sizzled down. There was an unsteadiness in the way he tried to keep upright. He adjusted his feet multiple times and his knees buckled. His hand came to rest over the gash by his shoulder. He turned from the people approaching and towards the cliff. His face was unreadable but his forehead was glistening. Holding up his free hand he looked down at it. A faint glow flickered from his palm, then faded.

Sarah mouthed an inaudible 'please', over and over, while tears streamed down her face. While the soldiers still held on to her firmly, they were no longer backing up. Girvin's touch was tense, seeing the blonde monarch fighting to keep his footing. Two soldiers gestured towards each other doubtfully. The people behind Jareth mercilessly kept closing in.

The woman felt the grasps on her body tighten reflexively when Jareth turned, his heel angled backwards over the edge of the cliff. Simultaneously his other knee buckled and his body tipped back, his hand briefly grasping air before he disappeared from view.

Sarah finally managed to break free by a kick of adrenaline. She would have screamed. She wanted to scream. But for some reason she didn't. She couldn't. All she could wrench out was a whimper. Girvin swiftly reestablished his hold on her and the woman heard a distant splash.

Water.

Oh, thank God.

The people across the cliff looked at each other, one of them speaking up before they quickly turned around and ran, taking the downed woman while speaking among themselves hurriedly.

Within the blink of an eye Sarah had turned to Girvin. "Girvin, Jareth can swim, right?"

"Swim?" Girvin exchanged a look with the others. They seemed worried. It answered her question plenty.

With a sharp shove she threw Girvin off her. She ran up towards the cliff side, viewing the steep drop and the frothing river. For a small second she doubted herself. Then she took a gulp of air and jumped down towards the churning depths below. The last thing she heard before the rushing water drowned everything else out was Girvin screaming after her.

Chapter 26: Chapter 26

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 endless 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 increased significantly 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 felt 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 of 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 just the sensation of 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 to get a grasp on her surroundings. A second soldier had stripped Jareth down as well. He hauled the king 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, rock biting her knees.

"Lady Sarah, keep your distance," the soldier urged insistently, moving to the 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 held Jareth onto his side. 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 held Jareth with steady hands.

The king started twitching. The muscles in his neck flexed. He started 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 angled down towards the floor, the muscles in his legs flexing and twitching in a disturbing fashion.

Tears were streaming down Sarah's 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 closer. "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 distanced 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 them. 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 on his side 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, touching one of the purple wounds on his shoulder. It felt 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 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. "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, sir? 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 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 slipped into a borrowed 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. Jareth 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 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 despite 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 said with 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 uncomfortably. "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.

Hanna 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. He squeezed her hand, his eyes finding hers for a moment. The woman smiled, standing closer to the table in quiet 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 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 and seemingly 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 hand was still being held. There was another brief squeeze when 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 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 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.

Jareth managed to haul 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 for the king to head to the bathroom. Cautiously she avoided touching the agitated skin while she helped him off the table. Hanna giggled and Sarah could hear the soldier's swift footsteps growing more distant.

Stepping into the bathroom she 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-"

"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 she turned to face 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 pleading 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 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 now bare hands cradled her face, 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 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 plummet 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 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, putting her hand on the handle.

"No you're not." He groaned quietly, attempting to cover it up by clearing his throat. Sarah rested her head against the wood of the door with her eyes closed. Realizing she couldn't leave him like this.

Not too long after, the sound of rushing water stopped. She turned around. 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 more steady. 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.

The hand on her back moved up slowly, aligning her body just a little closer to his. When she pulled back, their eyes met.

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 closed door.

—-

The next morning, Jareth's burns had lessened considerably. 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'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. "Your Majesty, surely these rumors are false?"

"Well, we can't simply ignore it." Jareth was practically barking at the soldier now. Then, his voice lowered, likely realizing that Sarah and Hanna were 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 Alana to report to Beyza 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 shamefully. "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 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 grew 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 eldest brother."

With a bite halfway up her mouth, Sarah 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 he was clearly uncomfortable.

His face was unreadable. 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. Making 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. Hanna had been snuggled into his neck with her face, but 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 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.

Chapter 27: Chapter 27

The landscapes of the Underground had a lot of charm to it. It really did feel like a different world. Skies blazed furiously during sundown, stretches of grass were softer than downy feathers and flowers bloomed in countless varieties and colors.

While Sarah wasn't old by any means, their current stop along the route gave her a youthful itch she couldn't help but scratch. She'd tied Gaeth down with a meal and while the soldiers used the break to exercise Sarah wandered off.

Now she was looking up at a gigantic tree with thick branches. The lush leaves shielded her glittering eyes from the afternoon sun. Tying her hair back she grinned excitedly, calculating the distance up towards the first branch. It was somewhat high, but she could jump it. Once her hair was secured she stretched her arms and legs.

The brunette leapt up and clasped her hands around one of the branches. The bark was just the right amount of smooth so as to not cut her hands, but had enough texture to give her grip. Letting a deep breath fall from her lips she swung her body back and forth until she gained enough momentum to swing her leg around the branch. Sitting up on the branch she giggled and braced herself against the tree's trunk while her eyes scanned for the next branch.

One branch after another she climbed her way higher and higher up, reveling in the feeling of increasing blood flow and her muscles stretching. While her breath grew labored she was eager to see how high she could get. Grabbing hold of another branch she hoisted herself up and found herself face to face with a rather amused pair of mismatched eyes.

"Why hello, my little arboreal angel."

Still panting from her exercise she blew some of her hair out of her face, suddenly feeling very self conscious when she swung a leg across the branch. Settling on it she noted how he seemed perfectly at ease despite the branch tipping just slightly with their combined weight on it. He was facing towards the trunk, one leg resting on the branch while the other dangled down. He didn't even feel the need to use his hands to support himself. "Jareth," she said in a rather businesslike fashion. "What brings you here?" The woman tried to steady her breath, taking a moment to settle back against the tree trunk.

"You. I noticed you snuck off."

Timidly Sarah attempted to fix the loose strands that fell over her face, tying them back with the rest before rubbing her forehead with the back of her hand. "I just needed a break from horseback. I spotted this tree when we stopped and it reminded me of when I climbed trees as a kid. Thought I'd check if I still had some of those monkey genes in me."

Jareth smiled warmly while she continued to preen and fidget. "Monkey genes? Hardly. I'd liken you to more feline climbers, kitten."

Blushing, she looked down at her progress, spotting several soldiers closeby. "Did you ever climb trees as a kid?"

"My parents strictly forbade it. As royalty, especially as a strong contender for an heir, it is inappropriate to partake in such unrefined behavior."

While it was simultaneously amusing and saddening to imagine, Sarah found herself grinning at him. "Oh, really now, Your Majesty. I'm disappointed. You are too mischievous to let boring grownups tell you what to do."

He grinned back at her. "Oh, I was. And I still am. Regrettably there was little time for sneaking out and such practices. By the time I was allowed even the littlest bit of leeway for leisure activities, I had taught myself to teleport and fly at will. Why would I bother with physical strain when there are effortless alternatives?"

The brunette looked at him dryly. "Spoken like a true royal brat."

"Why Sarah, you wound me," he said with a gasp and a hand over his heart.

"Oh, please." The woman chuckled. "I bet you're just skipping training because of said physical strain, rather than wanting to find me."

"Untrue," he said firmly. "I daresay I would refrain from attending the vast majority of my duties to find you." The blush forming on her cheeks caused him to scoot a little closer towards her. The branch underneath them groaned softly. "Besides, I think you'd agree that I'm in a fit enough state to pass up a training or two. That is, unless you channeled the childlike affinity to climb trees in order to gain a better vantage point of yours truly."

She couldn't help but return his grin with one of her own. "Your Majesty, if your head gets any bigger, you'll fly off like a damn air balloon." The way his eyebrows rose nearly up into his hairline told her very clearly he had no idea what she was on about.

"You seem convinced that having confidence is somehow unfavorable or problematic. I don't think I understand mortal modesty and adversity to self esteem. Especially coming from such a pretty thing such as yourself, with skin like the ripest peach and eyes that could bring down a kingdom."

The brunette couldn't help but feel incredibly flattered, if a tad uncomfortable. She giggled. "Call me 'ripe' in any way ever again and I will kick your ass."

The Goblin King theatrically rolled his eyes. "Your gracious way of receiving compliments is truly astounding, darling."

"Tell me, Sarah," he said in a more serious note. "How are you faring with this more… nomadic way of life? I imagine it's quite different from your normally sedentary lifestyle."

"It has its perks." She took the waterskin he offered her, taking a good gulp to soothe her dry mouth. "I love seeing more of your world. Though I'm excited to see more without the constant presence of the Regiment." Handing the waterskin back to him, he fixed it back onto his belt.

"Before you're due for leisure exploration and personal adventures, you will be required to keep out of trouble for at least three days in a row." Sarah rolled her eyes and leaned back against the tree, letting one leg dangle over the edge. He gestured towards the dagger strapped to her thigh. "And perhaps I ought to teach you how to use one of those, before you hurt yourself."

She followed his eyes down towards the dagger. Despite the fact he'd already spotted it, she quickly angled away from him in an attempt to hide it.

"I presume Girvin gifted you that," he said.

"What makes you think that," she challenged.

He leaned in towards her, causing the woman's heart to skip a beat. With a deft flick of his wrist he unsheathed the weapon. The blade winked in the light when he tossed it up, catching it by the spine. "Girvin's home sigil is on it." The man held up the weapon to show her the ferrule, which bore a small branding.

Looking up at him she tried to gauge if he was upset, but he was simply smiling. "Please don't be mad. He only gave it to me as a means to protect myself in case of an emergency."

"I'm not upset," he insisted, tossing the dagger up to catch it by the handle again. Briefly he studied the blade. "I've come to terms with the fact that you're here now. Among my next priorities is to provide you with a better understanding of my world and to prepare you for possible scenarios. Defense, while not the only aspect, is the most important thing. The mortal race has a tendency to bleed and break even under light strain." Sheathing the blade in the holster on her thigh he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"So what will you teach me first?" The thought of the Celtic queen Boudica or Norse shieldmaidens came to mind.

"I see that sparkle in your eyes, Sarah." Jareth sounded amused. "You're not planning on using my teachings of battle prowess to turn against me, are you?"

"That depends," she said with a teasing undertone. "Do you suppose I could persuade Alana to join me?"

Effortlessly he adapted to her playful mood. The man pulled up one leg to join the other so he could sit cross-legged on the branch which wasn't even as wide as his hips. Another groan wrenched from the strained wood. Still, the man didn't seem bothered in the slightest that he might fall. "Lesson one, Sarah dearest. Do not debate strategies or alliances in the presence of your adversary."

"Why thank you, Your Majesty." She carefully braced herself on the branch in her own attempt to get more comfortable. His hand reflexively reached out to her arm. "Allow me to offer you some of my own wisdom, then." His mismatched gaze was fully focused on her. Her hand wrapped around his amulet. A faint sizzling she now recognized to be magic trickled into her skin. The cord of his necklace hadn't even pulled taut from her tugging before he followed. Distractedly his eyes lowered to her lips. "Never let your adversary believe they have the upper hand."

His eyes flashed back up towards her. For a moment he held completely still, making it seem as though time had stopped. Then the trademark grin appeared on his face. His sharp teeth and often near-overwhelming presence immediately turned the tables on her. Gone was the hope of catching him off guard. Unrelentingly he held her gaze. His hand rose up to her face to cup her chin, the tip of his gloved finger brushing her lower lip.

Seemingly an eternity later he shifted, jolting her out of the trance and making her drop the amulet she had been clutching tightly. His legs unfurled to hang down on either side of the branch. One arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. Reflexively she jerked at her loss of control on her position. Gathering her close the man let her settle against him, her cheek against his chest. While keeping still, she giggled. His heart rate briefly picked up at the sound.

"Jareth, this is a pretty bad moment to cuddle up." Her statement was affirmed by the soft sound of wood creaking. Her arms wrapped around his waist, partially to steady herself. But only partially.

"You know, despite our brief history as adversaries, we would do terribly as such."

"Why?"

His fingertips gently brushed down her spine. "All that sensual tension would make things terribly complicated."

Sarah made a theatrical sound of revulsion but couldn't repress a grin. Her arms slightly tightened. Even though their position was somewhat awkward, it was comforting.

"Let's head down and reunite with the others, before we're left behind." He held her against him, one hand on the side of her head. "Close your eyes."

She did as she was told, closing her eyes with a soft sigh. There was a moment that she lost her balance and sense of direction, but his steady and confident hold kept her from staggering even when she felt her body repositioning. Her eyes opened and their eyes briefly connected, a soft smile on his face, before Jareth strode back towards the rest of the group.

—-

The cold could be beautiful. The moderate chill had made way for frigid temperatures which plummeted the further they climbed up the mountain. Temperate, tall-standing trees and grass had been exchanged for thick pines and snow. The breaths of the horses drifted into the air in pale puffs of smoke.

It was remarkable how diverse the temperatures had been so far. It made Sarah wonder how big Jareth's domain was, seeing as the Labyrinth had been only a fraction removed from a barren wasteland.

She huddled up into her cloak, wrapping it around her with the hood up. Jareth had given her a pair of gloves to keep most of the frigidity from her fingers but despite wearing an outfit lined with wool and furs, Sarah was still freezing. Her nose and cheeks felt stiff and numb yet stung at the same time. Her eyes were watery from the cutting winds whipping around her. She briefly blew into her hands, rubbing them together.

"Are you alright, Sarah?"

Looking around, she watched Jareth trot up to her, his pale blonde hair which protruded from his hood tipped with little crystals of ice. His glass skin was even more pale than normal and somehow void of the blush of cold.

"Just cold. You?"

He stretched his neck. "A little sore still. If it turns out my brother isn't here, I'll be quite cross with him."

Sarah looked ahead, past the few soldiers. "I can't wait to hunker down around a fire with a warm meal."

Jareth's head snapped forward, as though he had been hit in the back of the head. He immediately sprung to attention, growing rigid and harshly pulling the reins. His horse whinnied, alerting the soldiers ahead. "Who dares-!" He turned around and grew quiet.

"I thought I felt gloom shadowing my mountain," said a voice with clear amusement.

"Your mountain, dearthair?" The hostility had dropped from Jareth's voice, coloring it with playfulness. Curious, Sarah turned Gaeth around towards the unfamiliar voice.

The man up ahead stood tall, dressed in white. He was guarded by two men. He seemed taller and a bit older than Jareth. His hair was a rich strawberry blonde that leaned towards red. It flared out in thick curls reaching just past his ears and stood in stark contrast to his white winter attire. The man's face was rounded, with a beard and mustache. Strangely, his face had something… timeless to it. His eyes were a deep inky black, like Jareth's eyes when using magic. It made it difficult to tell what he was looking at.

The man walked their way, trudging through the snow. "I did not expect a visitor. I'd recognize your aura from a mile away, Jareth. And you aren't alone."

"You've met the Regiment. Though this time I'd also like to introduce someone else. I'm sure she is thrilled to meet you." Jareth looked around to meet Sarah's gaze, who awkwardly spurred Gaeth to walk closer.

"Indeed?"

Sarah stopped in front of him and he held out his hand. Now that he was standing right next to them, she was certain he was taller than Jareth. She placed her hand in his and he immediately brought it to his face, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "Good day to you, my lady. The name is Warren, Jareth's elder brother."

Suddenly it clicked. The strawberry blonde hair in a familiar shade like Alana's, the winged shapes by the eyes, the casual way he and Jareth spoke to each other. She probably should have seen it sooner. Her heart skipped a beat in excitement and she smiled. "It's so nice to meet you. I'm Sarah."

Warren grinned widely. "The very same, brother? Quite pathetic. You never were any good at taking no for an answer."

"Charming as always, Warren. Why don't you show us your camp so we might get out of this wretched cold?" There was a hint of iciness in Jareth's voice.

"Of course, Your Majesty." Warren didn't seem bothered and waved the group to follow him. "It's not quite a camp, but I'm sure it'll do."

Twenty minutes later they walked up to the strangest place for a cabin Sarah had ever seen. Well, 'cabin' was a little modest, it was huge. It lay nestled in a wide crevice of the mountain, as though the mountain itself was in the process of swallowing it whole. If the sun hadn't been reflecting off the windows she would have walked by it.

"I didn't know this was here," Jareth mused more to himself than anyone else.

"No one seems to," Warren stated. "Which makes it a perfect retreat. My guards will take care of your horses. I presume you will stay the night?"

"Indeed. I'm sure my men would very much appreciate a good night's rest with a roof over their head. As well as Sarah and I." Jareth dismounted, helped Sarah off and followed the man.

The moment they stepped inside they were greeted by a blissful homely warmth. A wide set of stairs led up to the second story. Paintings, rugs, statues and all sorts of furniture were scattered throughout the room.

"Please hang your coats and join me in the sitting room." Warren smoothly took off his cloak and coat. Before Jareth and Sarah had taken off theirs, he was already headed through a door. It struck Sarah as a little strange.

Walking into the sitting room, Sarah decided Warren was a hoarder. All the furnishings, bits and baubles, depictions, clocks and statues made the room rather claustrophobic. There was a set of couches and a window with heavy drapes on the left and a table with chairs on the right. There was also a fireplace on the far wall. The flickering flames looked incredibly inviting.

"Please, lady Sarah, make yourself at home," Warren offered with an outstretched hand. "If you would be so kind as to excuse us while my brother and I discuss a few things." He rang a bell on a small side table.

Jareth and Warren sat down at the table while Sarah headed for the fireplace. Sitting down on the carpet in front of it, she gratefully started warming her hands. The glowing heat of the flames and the gentle crackling of the fire was blissful. Before she knew it, her mind slipped into a state of relaxation, hypnotized by the dancing flames. Even though she was sitting upright on the floor her eyes grew heavy while her mind tuned out the baritone voices across the room.

A while later the front door opened and her mind caught up with the present. Familiar voices broke the silence, rejoicing the comfortable warmth inside. She crawled up from the floor and headed to the hallway.

"Lady Sarah, are you alright?" Girvin walked up to her dutifully.

"Yes Girvin, thank you. I'm doing fine. How are you all doing?"

"We are thrilled, I assure you. Being offered a luxury such as this is very much appreciated."

"Soldiers, please follow me to the guest wing. You will be situated there for your stay," One of the guards held out his arm.

Most soldiers followed, except for Girvin. The guard gave him a pointed look. "At ease, sir. I am the personal guard of lady Sarah."

"She won't be needing you, boy. Follow me."

Sarah smiled at Girvin, who was clearly tempted to seek out the king for direct orders, but decided to follow the other men. A maid walked up and smiled at her before heading into the sitting room. Sarah followed. Mutely, the maid put the food and drinks on the table, holding out a chair for Sarah next to the king. Sarah thanked her quietly while she sat down.

"So, lady Sarah. Jareth has told me a lot about you." Warren took one of the warm beverages with a smile, briefly stroking his beard.

"All good things, I hope?" She looked up at him after grabbing a drink herself and wrapped her hands around the warm cup. She immediately noticed his eyes were different. They were no longer a solid black. His eyes were now milky white, contrasted by the reddened skin underneath his eyes that looked like scar tissue.

"You are the first lady my brother has bothered to mention. That in itself makes it good. I never expected Jareth to find an interest in anyone. Or rather, I hadn't expected anyone to find a genuine interest in Jareth. Not enough to follow him all throughout his kingdom, that is. Please, help yourself." He held out his hand to a plate of food.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

"Please, call me Warren. I'm sure my baby brother told you much about me."

The man's eyes had pale irises and blank pupils which seemed to be looking straight through her. "Uh," she blurted out awkwardly.

"I jest, child," Warren insisted with a warm laugh. "I am well aware my brother is rather socially and emotionally stunted." Jareth cleared his throat in warning. "At ease, little brother. Seeing you haven't scared her off yet I'm sure she is used to it." Playfulness definitely ran in the family, Sarah realized. Though Jareth seemed less than tolerant of personal jabs coming from his brother. "Please, Sarah, feel free to ask me anything."

Sarah looked at Jareth, who rolled his eyes and settled back into his chair. "You're older than Jareth, right? How much older are you?"

"A hundred and twenty eight years. Almost to the day."

"If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you king?"

Jareth scoffed, earning an agitated frown from his brother, but didn't speak.

"While my brother is very enamored by the idea of control and power, I was not made to shoulder such responsibility for many reasons. My lack of interest in politics and the disfavor from my father for example." He smiled widely. "And of course a rather glaring problem. My lack of eyesight."

Sarah looked into his milky eyes. So he was blind. "How did you manage to hit Jareth with a snowball, then?"

"My magic allows me to map familiar surroundings and familiar people for short periods of time."

"So you could see Jareth?"

"In a way. His aura is familiar to me. My magic can reach out to such things. Regrettably, it does not allow me to see much else."

Sarah looked at Jareth briefly, who already seemed bored with the conversation. Since Warren would not be able to tell, she kept her eyes on him while she asked another question. "Did you grow up together?" As expected, Jareth tensed, his wandering gaze flashing back to the table and his slumped position growing rigid.

Warren seemed to notice the shift in Jareth's energy and became hesitant to continue. "Do you have siblings, lady Sarah?"

The woman looked back at Warren, his heavy brow lowered. "A younger half-brother, Toby."

"That must be the young lad you wished away years ago." Sarah felt defensiveness bubble up, which he must have sensed as he immediately raised a hand. "Family is more complicated than the concept of it makes us believe. Our family was no different," he said contemplatively. "It is not my place to share this past. I hope you understand. I am aware of Jareth's need for privacy. But I am sure he will tell you more when the time comes."

While it was tempting to look back at Jareth, something in her refused to make eye contact. "So… Warren, do you have a wife? Children?"

"A wife, yes. My wonderful Beyza. She lives near the Southern border. We have not yet been lucky enough to conceive. Children do not come easy for us, unfortunately."

"Why didn't she come with you?"

Warren smiled softly, his eyes somehow growing even more distant. "Oh, my dear Bey detests the cold. I would not ask her to join me. Certainly not since I have spent many weeks wandering here."

Jareth and Sarah shared a glance before he looked at the man opposite of him. "Do tell, brother."

Warren nodded, taking a sip of his drink. "I stumbled upon some old writings from Father. Roaming his castle I felt a familiar pull to his aura and found a hidden document compartment in his study. Beyza managed to decipher those documents. It mentioned a location of importance in Cosan Oighir during the Era of Sieges."

"And what exactly are you hoping to gain from this site?" The king's voice was cautious.

Warren sighed. "I don't know, little brother. Perhaps I am just chasing the final remnants of our past, but I'm hoping to find the reason why this location was so important. Perhaps these mountains hide the reason for our father's madness."

Jareth rolled his eyes and rubbed his face. "It's a fool's errand to try and find an explanation for his insanity. Father was vile, power hungry and wayward, that is all there is to it. He was a monster of such proportions that even he ultimately succumbed to it. The mark he left on our family and on this world is irreversible and your efforts, centuries after his death, are wasted. It will not change who he was or heal the ongoing destruction caused." Warren leaned back, frowning at his brother's very clear distaste for his quest. "If you find your current duties lacking, I would happily accommodate you with additional obligations. Clearly, you have more time on your hands than can be fruitfully spent. Responsibilities or otherwise. Stop skulking on this desolate mountain away from those that love you in pursuit of worthless remnants of the past."

Warren's demeanor shifted, a dark shadow falling over his features. It etched his face into a frightening visage, with harsh lines running down from his nostrils into his beard. His heavy brows lowered and drew together. His nose crinkled like that of a wild beast and his lips set into a thin and harsh line. Somehow, it completely changed his appearance. Sarah had expected Jareth to match that energy or at least the intensity. However, instead he pulled back a little. He seemed… scared.

"How dare you accuse me of negligence after all that you have done? After everything you have abandoned for your own selfish reasons?" Warren's voice was steadily rising, the low and kind rumble of his voice rising to the likeness of thunder. "King or not, you do not have the right to deny my need for answers and closure. You took much away from me when you made your choices. Caged in your trauma and forcing silence and compliance on those around you. I am sick of it. This might very well be my very last chance for answers. If you want to stop me you had better steel yourself to use those blood stained talons!" Warren had risen to his feet with his hands on the table and his tall frame looming over the two guests.

Sarah looked from Jareth to Warren, wide-eyed. Her heart was in her throat. Warren's fury was possibly even more terrifying than Jareth's. It was almost as though the room temperature dropped and a shadow fell over the cabin.

The king sat wide eyed, leaning back in his chair rigidly. His mismatched eyes stared at his brother, then shifted down towards his hands. They curled into fists, the leather groaning. Then he rose to his feet, his chair screeching across the floor before he left the room with large strides.

The woman hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath until she heard Warren sigh and sit back down.

"I do apologize, lady Sarah," he said quietly, the darkness fading from his features and settling back into kindness. "It seems that my recent isolation has cost me some of my manners. It was not my intention for this conversation to turn hostile. Especially not in the company of a valued guest such as yourself."

"That's okay," she said quietly.

Warren took a calming sip from his drink. "Eigra does make the loveliest of teas." His casual comment was both comical and uncomfortable. A long silence later Warren put aside his cup. "Jareth can be a difficult man sometimes."

"He's not so bad," she said kindly. "He does care for the people around him. For his men, for his subjects and for Alana and you."

His eyes lit up. "Ah, you met little Lana, then? How incredibly interesting."

Sarah looked up when the floorboards creaked. Girvin walked in with a small nod. "Hi Girvin, what's up?"

"Good afternoon. His Majesty has instructed me to accompany you. I hope you don't mind."

The woman huffed. "Warren, this is Girvin, one of Jareth's head soldiers. Recently demoted to be my babysitter."

"Promoted, lady Sarah," he insisted, putting emphasis on the first half of the word. Girvin walked over to the two. "It pleases me to see you again, Your Highness. The beard suits you."

"It's been too long, Girvin. Thank you for your continued loyalty to my brother. His reign would not have run so smoothly without you."

Sarah giggled at the faint blush on the soldier's cheeks.

"You are too kind, Your Highness."

"Now, lady Sarah," Warren stood from his chair again, circling the table to stand by her side. "It might be rather forward to ask, but seeing your involvement with my baby brother, I am thrilled to know what you look like. May I?"

Sarah looked up at the man, who was easily 6"6' and towering over her. A little awkwardly she rose from her seat. "U-uh, sure?"

Warren smiled and discarded his gloves, revealing large and burly hands which started giving off a faint glow. They moved towards her to cup her cheeks. Not knowing what he might do, she couldn't help but flinch. He chuckled, his palms cold. She kept still, fighting the urge to hold her breath. There was a growing discomfort, her instincts pulling on her to back away. His eyes had blackened again, fully masking the edges between pupil, iris and sclera.

She'd expected him to move his hands. Touch her hair, maybe. But instead he kept completely still, the glow on his palms visible from the corners of her eyes. A smile started appearing on his face. "Such a waste that I am unable to see the color of your eyes."

"Uh… They're green, or hazel to be exact." Her nerves made it difficult to stand her ground.

"And your hair?"

"D-dark brown. Not quite black."

"You are from beyond the veil, correct? How very interesting. There haven't been many of your kind in this world. Should my brother no longer be of interest to you, I would not be adverse to the idea of entertaining you."

Sarah wasn't quite sure if she heard and understood that correctly. Whether she did or not, she started feeling really uncomfortable at this point.

"Girvin, were my instructions not abundantly clear?"

The woman flinched at the baritone voice behind her.

Warren just smiled. "There's no need to be so defensive, Jareth. I know better than to intrude upon your possessions."

Sarah stepped back, Warren's hands falling from her face. Her body refused to turn around to face the man behind her.

"I will make rounds on the mountain for your pathetic site. If I find nothing, you will return home within two days. Escorted. Once we leave this mountain, you will never speak of it again."

"A most gracious gift, Your Majesty," Warren said with a nod of his head.

"Do not mistake my kindness for leniency." His warning tone caused the older man to stiffen and Sarah to turn around to face him. "If I discover that your responsibilities have suffered due to your personal endeavors, there will be consequences." His eyes turned briefly to Sarah before shifting to Girvin's. "Do not disappoint me again, saighdiuir. I will be back by nightfall."

"Be safe, Jareth," Sarah said quickly while he turned from her. He paused for a second, before he walked out of sight. A moment later they heard the front door.

"I… had better go and answer some letters," Warren muttered with mild concern, before turning to leave.

—-

All the windows in the house faded to black. Night had set in. The soldiers, Girvin and Sarah had been provided with dinner while Warren tended to his work. It had been hours since Jareth left and small specks hitting the window told Sarah that it was snowing. The glass had tinted with frost, doing nothing to soothe her worries for the king's wellbeing. The house had been difficult to spot during daytime. What if he got lost in the cover of night?

Girvin hadn't let her out of his sight since Jareth's orders and had joined her in the sitting room. Sarah had procured some paper and ink, writing another letter to her family. It seemed months since she'd last seen them. She had kept herself busy, straining to write in the prettiest calligraphy she could. She also doodled a little bit at the edges, which she knew Toby loved to see.

The moment Sarah heard a shrill screech outside, she was immediately alert. A white flash sailed past the window which caused Sarah to jump up, throwing off her blanket and running to the hallway. Opening the front door, a strong chill immediately intruded into the house, Sarah's breath billowing from her lips and countless specks of snow swirling around her.

A familiar white owl swept into the house. Sarah quickly closed the front door. After circling the hall once the bird smoothly landed on her shoulder with a hint of talons digging into her sleeve.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty. You're late." She held up her arm and the small feathery shape carefully moved down her arm. It was strange to see him so close by in his owl form. His wide black eyes blinked at her, his head tilting. He ruffled his feathers, a few specks of snow darting off of him. His beak tended to a few ruffled feathers. It was somewhat funny to see him puffed up like he was.

Sarah hesitated for a moment before reaching out to him with her free hand and letting her fingers brush down the feathers on his chest. Her fingers sank deep until she could feel the skin underneath. It wasn't until then that she realized he was freezing and physically shivering.

Walking up to the fireplace in the sitting room Sarah sat down on the carpet and with a flurry of feathers he stabilized himself. "Feel free to change back to your normal self anytime, Birdbrain."

When he made no effort to, Sarah guided him from her shoulder and sat him in her lap. Gently she caressed the pale feathers with their ivory frosting. It felt easier to be more physical with him when he was not the tall man with the piercing eyes and the big mouth. She wrapped a blanket around him. The owl snuggled into the blanket, closing his eyes while her fingers petted his head and nape.

Meanwhile Sarah let her mind wander, her eyes drawn by the flames. Petting the monarch in disguise was rather therapeutic. The gentle weight of his shape in her lap. The silky softness of his feathers. Eventually everything almost blended together into a meditative state and suddenly time slipped away from her. It wasn't until she felt him snuggle up against her stomach, clearly very much enjoying himself, that she snapped out of it. "Okay, buster, that's enough." The woman picked him up from under the blanket and tossed him aside with a smile.

His wings flapped and with a flash of light, the owl turned back into his regal shape.

"What a pity," he sighed, letting himself drop down onto the couch. One leg rested on the arm rest while his back rested against the other let out a heavy sigh, clearly tired.

The woman got up with a blanket in hand, looking down at him. He had closed his eyes, raking a hand through his hair. He looked positively exhausted, the angles of his face sharp and slightly ashen. Bashfully she sank down onto the couch just past his knees before covering both of them with the blanket. Offering her his hand, their eyes met and he moved up against the arm rest. Jareth lightly pulled on her hand until she came to rest with her back against his chest. Sarah felt her cheeks burning, his presence wrapping around her in a blanket that felt so much more comforting than the physical one on her lap. Girvin mutely dismissed himself. Sarah had almost forgotten he was there.

Jareth seemed more than pleased. She could feel the iciness of his body, stinging against her back all the way through her clothing. She repositioned slightly so she could sit more comfortably, very much aware she was nestled in between his legs. She took his hands and clasped them between hers. They were freezing. Peeling the gloves off, she brought his hands up to her face to gently blow warm air on them. His chest expanded against her back from a quick intake of breath. The man briefly jerked on his hands in surprise and Sarah froze. Taking off his gloves had always been his tentative initiative. Her heart raced when he leaned into her. His chin came to rest on her shoulder, his voice a gentle if somewhat amused whisper. "Don't stop."

The feeling of his breath against her cheek speckled countless goosebumps along her arms and neck. Her body shivered in response to his low purr. After a moment of hesitation she continued. Her hands cradled his, for as far that was possible considering his hands were larger. Her thumbs rubbed his palms. He relaxed against her and his fingers flexed every now and then when her nails would accidentally lightly scrape the sensitive skin. Gradually warmth returned to his extremities.

She let herself study the pale skin of his hands. Soft, long and unmarred. Looking a little closer, his fingers were almost too long, but not quite. Slowly Sarah started to lean back against him, feeling his chest rise and fall and his amulet lightly curving into the back of her shoulder. Looking down towards his wrists she could see a faint outline of the veins underneath, blooming into his palms like winding vines. Her fingertips delicately traced the veins, causing his fingers to twitch and his body to shudder.

Pulling his hands back slightly he embraced her. His face nuzzled into her neck and one of his hands came up to brush her hair across the opposite shoulder. From the corner of her eye she could see he had his eyes closed. His long lashes rested peacefully on his cheeks, his usually sharp features smoothed, save from a small upwards curl in the corners of his mouth.

The woman smiled and crossed her arms over her chest to cover his hands with her own, petting the soft skin. Slowly, she let her fingers intertwine with his. The man squeezed just a little bit tighter and brought his face closer to her neck with a soft chuckle. He pressed a kiss to her cheek. Then he settled back on her shoulder, rubbing his cheek gently against it. She could feel him take a deep breath.

"Brother, you have returned!"

Jareth groaned and buried his face into her shoulder. Sarah jolted to attention, practically throwing her legs over the edge of the couch to sit up. Feverishly she pried his arms away from her.

His brother walked up, arms outstretched. "I-"

Jareth waved his hand and Warren disappeared. Sarah blinked in confusion. "What the… Where did he go?"

"I sent that large buffoon up to his room."

Sarah couldn't help but laugh. Especially seeing the look of petulant annoyance on Jareth's face. "To be fair, the man is blind."

"I don't suppose I can persuade you back into my embrace after that rude interruption?"

While brief, the moment had been very pleasant. It had been a while since she had been physically close to someone other than family. It made his currently outstretched hand all the more inviting. "We should probably get you something to eat," Sarah said kindly. His nose crinkled in dissatisfaction and he pushed himself up from the arm rest.

She put her hand against his chest. Their eyes met. "But you've been a good boy, so…" She kissed him sweetly. Nothing more than a brief though sweet peck on his lips. His muscles flexed underneath her hand while he attempted to lean closer. She pulled back, her hand pushing lightly against his chest.

Then his trademark grin graced his features. "I know something I'd love to eat," the man purred. "But I'd have to renounce my title of 'good boy' for that." Playfully he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him. Sarah yelped and laughed, squirming when he nuzzled into her neck with a playful growling.

Gradually the childlike playfulness turned a little less childlike. Sarah's breath caught when one of his hands squeezed her upper arm. Soft lips brushed along her neck. Languid motions gradually became less chaste. Her heart fluttered and her lips parted in a gasp. The small sound, soft as it had been, was more than enough encouragement for him. There was a sharp sting on her skin, causing a flush to bloom from her neck to her face and down to her shoulders. Sarah wasn't sure when it had happened, but at some point her hands had grabbed hold of the ruffles of his poet shirt. His hand buried into her hair, craning her head back to give him easier access. His breath on her collar bone felt infinitely warmer than the fire behind her. She could feel herself melting in his grasp, his warm scent overtaking the smell of the fireplace. His nails raked along the nape of her neck, sharp but not painful and reflexively her fingers tightened on his shirt.

Shaking her head in an attempt to clear her mind she pulled back. "Okay, okay. Let's settle down, Your Majesty. Time to get you a meal."

Jareth slowly pulled back. "As you wish." Hearing the breathlessness of his voice she quickly wriggled out of grasp and stepped out of the room. Her hand rested over her chest, trying to contain the frantic beating within. Her feet swiftly carried her further into the cabin.

—-

Approximately an hour later Sarah returned to the living room with a plate of food. Warren was seated opposite of Jareth, who was practically draped over the couch in his trademark boneless manner, scowling. The air seemed tense, Jareth's gaze fixed on the fire.

Warren's rather dispassionate expression brightened as she stopped by the entrance. "Lady Sarah!"

The woman smiled. "Good evening, Your Highness. How'd you know it was me?" With part of the tension seeping away she felt comfortable enough to move further into the room.

"I recognized the rhythm of your gait. Additionally, you are the only mortal in my residence. You human folk have a certain… fleeting aura about you. I can almost taste it."

"Warren," Jareth uttered with agitation.

"At ease, brother."

"Okay, well," Sarah uttered softly, moving to Jareth's side. "Sit up straight, Your Majesty. I made you some dinner." She handed him the plate and sat down next to him.

"Oh, lady Sarah, you didn't have to do so yourself. If I'd known I would have called for one of my servants."

"I don't mind." Sarah really had been more than happy for the distraction. Jareth's touch was still alive and warm on her skin. It was so vivid that the only reason she knew he wasn't touching her right now was that she could see he was having dinner. "I hope it's okay that I've taken some of your stock."

"Absolutely, you are welcome to help yourself to anything in this house." There was a rather obvious insinuation in his voice, though his tone was light.

She could feel the blonde next to her tense up, his hand on the plate tightening. It was then that she noticed he'd put his gloves back on. "With all due respect, Your Highness, while I appreciate your hospitality and kindness, I would be a much more comfortable guest if you could stop with the casual flirting. I'd hate to have to remind you that you have a wife and to be blunt, I'm not interested. I'm sure it is in your own best interest too. His Majesty is giving me the impression that capital punishment isn't quite out of the realm of possibility."

Warren kept his smile, quite clearly not bothered. "Of course, it wasn't my intent to make you uncomfortable."

"There's more than one reason this old fool fares better on deserted mountains," the king commented.

"I am happy my brother's heart hasn't completely frozen over. His duty to pursue a continuation of the royal bloodline is long overdue."

Sarah uncomfortably shifted in her seat. Something that didn't go unnoticed by the man next to her. "Uh… Let's not go quite that far. We're just… I don't… I'm not…"

"Don't waste your breath explaining yourself to him, Sarah. He is out of line."

Once again there was an uncomfortable strain. A friction between older brother and monarch. Each with centuries of experiences and interactions that she wasn't privy to. An unfathomable amount of time compared to hers. She put her hands on her knees, looking between the two while pressing her lips together. "Okay, I don't know about you two, but I could do without the continuous tension. You two have been bickering since we got here. Surely there are more enjoyable things to talk about? Like how Alana or Beyza are doing or something?"

Warren chuckled, stroking his beard. "You remind me of little Imogen, lady Sarah."

"Tanya naa leor, dearthair!"

Sarah jumped at Jareth's sudden booming voice. She watched him put his plate aside and rise to his feet. She quickly took his hand. "Wow, okay. Settle down, Jareth. Please," she said carefully. He irritably pulled his hand from her grasp.

Warren's pale eyes narrowed. "What did I say this time?"

Honestly, Sarah was wondering the same thing.

"Do not speak so lightly of-" The Goblin King fell quiet, audibly taking a calming breath.

The tight lines in the older man's face smoothened. "Oh, Jareth, don't tell me… Even after all these centuries?"

"You weren't there," Jareth spat.

Warren rose to his feet and rounded the coffee table. He grabbed Jareth's arm and pulled him closer, wrapping his free arm around him. "How the wounds of the past leave such vicious scars."

"Don't patronize me, Warren," Jareth snapped while he wrestled his way out of his brother's embrace.

"I am not patronizing you, Jareth. You sovereign millions of lives and carry your crown day and night. You have done so for such a long time. At some point you'll have to tend to the wounds within you."

"I am doing just fine," he replied sharply, pushing away the taller man.

Warren scowled. "Did you accidentally meet with Alana, brother? Were you ever going to tell lady Sarah about her if you didn't? What about me? What about-"

"Quiet," the king snapped. His anger hung heavy in the air. "You forget your place, Warren. I am your king and you will treat me as such."

Warren sighed defeatedly, taking a step back and bowing. "Yes, Your Majesty. I… I will make myself scarce." He straightened and moved to walk out of the room. Before he did, he paused. "Visit my study at your leisure. You will find something in there that might help your hauntings. Something you haven't seen in much too long." A sad smile played around his lips.

Sarah could see Jareth stiffen while he stared at the now empty door frame. The woman rose to her feet. She could barely see any of his features from this angle. His gaze was distant. A muscle by his jaw twitched.

A long silence stretched between them.

"I'm here for you, Jareth," she said quietly, taking and squeezing his hand. She could see the struggle in his eyes. Sarah smiled. "I need your help." Jareth took a deep breath and looked at her. "I'm on a quest, of sorts…" The woman smiled at the questioning way in which his eyebrows rose. "A quest for liquid courage." After that she pulled her hand back, heading for the doorway. "Do you suppose your brother has a wine cellar?"

"I'm not sure," the Goblin King mused with a smile. "But if he does, we are finding it."

Chapter 28: Chapter 28

The hallways were dark. Paintings and vases were hidden in thick shadows and candles, sconces and fireplaces were doused. The house was quiet.

Mostly.

Sarah was trying her best to keep quiet but found herself plagued with uncontrollable giggling. She was skirting along the wall, peeking around every corner she came across. Behind her walked Jareth, wholly comfortable and unbothered. Sarah was clutching a bottle in her hands, which Jareth had repeatedly attempted to take from her.

She turned away again when he fished for it, tiptoeing down the hall. She froze and backed away, almost tripping over her own feet when she heard footsteps approaching. Jareth steadied her with two hands on her shoulders and Sarah held her breath. A soft giggle erupted from her throat and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. The footsteps disappeared at the other end of the hall. The woman kept still for a few more seconds before letting out a sigh of relief.

Jareth leaned down towards her, whispering in her ear. "Are you trying to get caught, Sarah? This is a terrible time to channel your inner schoolgirl."

Sarah shied away from the tickle of his breath against her ear and tried to keep quiet. "I'm not! I get nervous."

"It's lovely," he said amusedly, grinning when she pulled away. In the short moment of distraction he finally managed to snatch the bottle from her grasp.

"He-!" Quickly she put her hand over her mouth. "Hey," she whispered, turning to him. "Give that back!" He lifted the bottle to his face while his free hand kept her at bay. Sarah looked up and down the hallway before turning back to him. "I took the first bottle I saw. Is it any good?"

The man grinned. "It has potential. Let's go."

"Wait, what?" Sarah walked after him. "What do you mean 'potential'?"

Jareth continued to walk down the hall. He could feel Sarah hold one of his arms, using him as a shield to hide behind. "You are aware that there is no need to skulk around like some kind of criminal, right?" He looked at the label of a door before turning another corner. Down the next hall, he finally found what he was looking for.

"Why do you suppose a blind man labels his doors?"

"Frequently changing staff, I presume. I'm more concerned about the decor. Though I suppose he does have an excuse for that." They shared a chuckle before Jareth twisted the handle of the door and pushed. When he walked in, Sarah followed and almost instantly knocked something over. The room was almost pitch black, save from some faintly glowing crystal stones in a glass cabinet. He closed the door behind them while summoning a crystal. With a flick of his wrist the crystal floated ahead. It moved in a slow path to light the candles around the room.

Sarah had imagined Underground offices would have bookcases along the walls. Piles of papers and scrolls strewn about tables and desks. Maps of fantastical places written in unfamiliar scripts. Maybe an inkpot and a large fancy quill. This study had practically no books and certainly no bookcases. It just had tacky statues, large and small alike, positioned in every nook and cranny. Cabinets aplenty, solely placed there to hold more collectables. Spaces on the walls were adorned with paintings, wood carvings and tapestries. Even the edges of the floor were littered with all sorts of objects. Much like the sitting room, all the bits and baubles scattered around confirmed Jareth's brother to be an overgrown magpie.

"This room passes a resemblance to the junkyard I got dumped in when I was running the Labyrinth." Sarah received no response.

Jareth was standing next to her, his eyes glued to something behind her. The woman frowned at the unfamiliar look of nervousness on his face. Opening the bottle he grabbed some glasses positioned upside down on the otherwise empty desk and poured each of them a drink. Sarah took the glass he offered her, turning around so she could see what he'd been looking at.

Mounted on the wall was a large canvas, held by an elaborate golden frame. Several faces stared back at her. Six, to be exact. Half of them were familiar. The most familiar face was one of which its bearer was right behind her, now earnestly downing his drink. Another one was their current host, milky eyes staring down at her under reddish curls. Another familiar face looked at her with patience and kindness, gentle brown eyes harboring a hint of a smile. Alana.

The three other faces were unknown to her, but all three were younger. The oldest of them was a man with red, short curly hair, stubble and dark eyes. Sarah would wager he was approximately in his early to mid-twenties. The next person looked a lot like Alana might have in her early teens. Her eyes were brown as well, her face slightly more rounded and her eyebrows a little heavier. The youngest one was most definitely a child. Five years old, maybe. Her face reflected a playful nature, her eyes the only pair that were turned away. Her hair was ginger and messy. Her eyes reminded Sarah of a young doe, wide and dark with full lashes. All figures were clad in apparel fit for royalty. Rich orange tints with white accents and elaborate patterns.

Sarah looked at the most familiar face. Jareth, unmistakably so. While it was beautifully painted, his eyes didn't live up to the real ones. She could see sorrow in his painted gaze. A small crease in his forehead and his lips thin. There was enough definition to tell that his neck was tense.

The drink was left forgotten in her hand.

She repeatedly met the eyes of the figures. The painting was positioned to match the people's sizes, or so it seemed. Over and over again she took in their features. The silence stretched on for minutes on end while Sarah's mind was trying to comprehend what she was looking at. She'd been so engrossed that she hadn't noticed she had walked closer, now barely a foot away from the lifesize faces. So engrossed, that it wasn't until she swore she could smell Jareth that she remembered he was there behind her.

Slowly, she turned to face him. He was looking at the painting, his mismatched eyes flying across the canvas. The pain she saw in his gaze was heartbreaking. There were centuries of memories in those eyes. Hauntings and mental scars he had refused to talk about. A dozen mortal lifetimes with more than a fair share of pain.

The woman carefully took his free hand and intertwined their fingers. Quietly, she turned back to the painting, meeting again with familiar and unfamiliar eyes alike.

There had been no doubt in her mind that they had been standing there for at least half an hour, staring at the piece of art. Jareht's hold on her hand was firm, like it was the only thing anchoring him to the here and now.

When she moved to pull her hand back, his fingers tightened. "Don't leave."

"I won't. I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere," Sarah said quietly, squeezing his hand before carefully pulling back. Finally, his gaze shifted to hers. His eyes tended to have a certain intensity, but nothing had prepared them for the full force of the sorrow laid bare in them now. The shimmer in those haunting orbs. The tension in his brows. Even his skin seemed just a shade more ashen. It triggered an unfamiliar sort of fight or flight response in her. After a moment, his gaze slowly moved back to the painting.

The brunette carefully took the empty glass from his hand and moved to the desk to pour a new one. When she held it out to him, he cradled her hand around it, letting out a shaky breath. The man held her silently for so long that her arm was starting to get tired, yet the air between them was heavy enough that she nearly forgot to breathe, let alone move.

"Warren is the eldest," he said quietly, finally taking the glass. "He became blind in his youth. Healers and medical professionals studied him for years but could find no indication which caused the loss of vision. Even wisemen and mystics had no answers. Father had tried everything to restore him. Warren was heartbroken… Left to his own devices for over a decade while people around him scrambled for answers and solutions. Angry and frustrated, father severely scarred his face with a spell that practically tore half his face from his skull."

Sarah shuddered, noting how the scars she had seen earlier today were not visible in the painting.

"I was born after Warren and became the next in line. A new victim of my father's destructive teachings. A backup plan with potential after a disgraceful failure. Alana came next. Endlessly obedient, kind and caring and willing to sacrifice for politics and family. That was all Father thought she was good for. Political leverage. She offered me warmth and support in my father's time of frigid pursuit for power and succession. He was disgusted by the affections Alana and I shared for one another. My level of potential and threat to leave was the only thing withholding him from sending dear Lana away forever.

Next came ambitious Cillian. A boy as cold as my father but lacking in magical prowess. Even with daily lessons for years on end, my younger brother could do little more than move a quill two inches. He was barely a man before my father brought a brutal end to his life. Mother claimed it to be an accident, but I knew better." His voice was cold, laced with anger. "Imogen was born several years after Cillian's passing, a beautiful soul with a strong drive for equality, peace and fairness. Father sought to marry her off while Alana maintained her usefulness as political leverage. At the age comparable to a mortal ten year old Imogen was betrothed to a king of a small sovereignty." He sighed deeply, downing his drink. "Imogen was violently abused during her engagement. At her wedding I discovered she carried a glamor. A mask to shield her broken body. Had I known earlier what she was subjected to, I might have been able to save her. She died on the night of her wedding's consummation. In bed, by the hands of the monster she was forced to wed. My mother was the one to find her a little over a day after she passed. By then she was already cold. Blue. Stiffened. I rushed to the repulsive scene hearing the wails of my heartbroken mother. My little sister wouldn't have been recognizable, were it not for the birthmark on her arm."

Sarah looked at the eyes of the young girl, tears pooling in her eyes.

He looked down at the last face on the bottom center of the piece. "Niamh never had a chance to create any stories. At the mortal age equivalent of four, father had descended into senseless madness and paranoia. In destructive rage and psychosis he drowned her in a lake by his castle after stuffing her clothes with rocks, ripping out her hair and tying her legs with reeds."

Sarah felt physically sick, trying to fight the swaying of the room while hurt and hatred raged inside her.

"I had this painting commissioned several years after that. I intended it to be a commemorative painting, but it became a curse. All I could see was visions of their dead faces. Horribly bulging eyes and blue skin… Horrifically mangled bodies… I gifted it to Warren, in hopes it would be forgotten or lost." His eyes lowered and he turned from the painting. "I couldn't bear to destroy what little was left of them. I… I couldn't tell you if Niamh really looked like this. While it pains me to say so… I don't remember."

Sarah looked from the painting to Jareth, who stood with his back to her and his head down. Dispassionately he put his glass on the desk. She put her glass next to his and looked up at him. "I can't even imagine… I have no words… I just… I'm so sorry, Jareth. I'm so… so sorry."

Seeing the tears in her eyes he smiled softly. "Don't cry, my darling." The man pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to his chest. "While I mourn my lost siblings every day and will likely continue to do so for the remainder of my life, had things happened differently, I might never have met you."

Sarah choked out a hollow laugh, burying her face into his chest and wrapping her arms around him. "Some sorry consolation prize that is."

He gently pushed her back and looked down into her hazel eyes. "You mean everything to me. Your courage, your capability for forgiveness and kindness, your wit. I admire you, Sarah. You are beautiful. Inside and out. We might not have gotten off on the right foot at the start, but I cherish every second I had with you and will count my blessings for every second I will have with you in the future, however long it might be."

There was no holding back after his heartfelt and genuine confession. She quickly turned away from him, vigorously starting to rub her eyes. "Oh God," she mumbled uncomfortably. "Here come the waterworks." Halfway through her sentence she burst into sobs. Jareth chuckled and turned her back around so he could embrace her again.

Eventually she calmed down enough that the tears stopped flowing.

He smiled at her, his thumb brushing the skin underneath her eyes, which were red and puffy. Chuckling awkwardly she rubbed her eyes. "Nice going, me. Descend into a sniveling mess, why don't you." Sarah sniffled and took a calming breath. "I bet I look-"

"Absolutely stunning," he interrupted with a chiding grin. "As always. Though I do hate to see you cry."

Sarah sniffed, self-consciously fixing her hair as a means to distract herself. "I could use a drink."

Jareth handed her the glass, which he noted was still almost untouched. "I think you mortals refer to that as alcoholism," he said playfully.

Sarah smiled wobbly, looking down at the drink. After a deep sigh she cleared her throat. "So… What sort of enchanted liquor did I get? How does it have potential? Other than it helping us to get wasted."

The man poured himself another drink. For a moment he held a sip in his mouth, pushing it from one cheek to another before swallowing it. "Savor it and let me know what you feel. This is a rather unique brandy which originates from the south of my kingdom."

The woman took another sip, mimicking the way Jareth had let it pass through his mouth before swallowing it. She stayed still to fully focus on whatever it was she should be feeling, hands clasped around the glass. Her eyes widened when her tongue simultaneously tingled and grew numb.

Jareth grinned and put his glass aside. "It's called Nimhneach. It causes shallow numbness."

"Oh, that's normal? Thank God. I thought I was having an allergic reaction," Sarah said while moving her tongue experimentally. "So, now what? Stick a finger in the bottle?"

"I was thinking of something a little more fun," he murmured. Using that particular tone, he immediately saw her body tense. Their eyes met but he did not move closer.

Sarah looked up at him, wide-eyed. It was rather clear what he was referring to, though he wasn't acting on it. He was giving her a choice. The option to refuse. His eyes were hyper focused on her. Intense but gentle and hypnotizing as always. The doting smile on his face made her heart flutter. She discarded her own glass onto the desk and took a step closer. He remained perfectly still. Her free hand reached up to his face and his eyes drifted shut before her palm even made contact with his cheek. The inside of her hand gently brushed along his smooth skin, over his high cheekbone. Her fingers brushed the shell of his slightly pointed ear and towards the back of his neck. His lips parted quietly. Feeling the warm skin on her fingertips she rose onto the tips of her toes and pushed her lips against his. It only took the slightest of tugs for him to lean down closer towards her.

After a chaste brush she pulled back slightly, just enough to break the contact. He remained unmoving. Her name fell off his lips in the softest of whispers. Encouraged by his captivated murmur she leaned in again.

With the limits of her mouth blurred her senses tried to figure out ways to correct itself. It scattered experiences around her body like a confused game of pong. His autumn rain scent seemed ten times more potent, drifting into her nostrils and stealing her breath. His presence seeped through her as though she was standing in a freezer, numbing her senses and flooding them all at once.

Her free hand joined the other by the back of his head, her fingers winding in his fine hair. Each and every one of her senses craved more. It was dizzying. While her lips were maddeningly desensitized her hands could feel his soft locks like downy feathers in her grasp. Goosebumps tingled along her skin. His skin felt cool compared to her own yet sparked hot like fresh embers against her palms. She let herself be drawn in, her body arching up to him and the tip of her tongue teasing against the seam of his lips, finding that the numbing feeling started dissipating from her tongue.

His hands rose up to cup her cheeks, contracting their worlds to nothing more than one another. His fingertips brushed along her skin. Seeking. Restless. Trailing down to her neck and over her shoulders. Ghosting over her skin one moment and grasping her tightly the next.

Suddenly each layer of clothing felt like a curse. The woman's hands lowered to his jacket, nails digging in the leather cloth and undoing the button that held it together. Her heart leaped when Jareth picked her up and sat her down on the desk, stepping smoothly in between her legs before his hands rose up to her face again.

Both of them snapped out of their haze when they heard a crash right next to the desk. One of the glasses lay shattered on the floor. Sarah leaned back with a giggle. "Okay, let's take it easy, before we trash the room."

The man's eyes, now darkened, wandered down towards her mouth. Smiling when his fingertips brushed along her lower lip. "I do rather like this mortal custom."

"I bet you do." The brunette put her hand against his chest when he leaned back in. "Jareth -"

The Goblin King shushed her gently, pressing a finger to her lips before brushing her hair behind her ear. Placing a soft peck against her lips he took her hand and held it while she slipped off the desk. The blonde laughed quietly. She'd rather hoped he wouldn't notice how her knees had wobbled.

Both of them looked at the painting again.

"Thank you for being here with me."

She looked up at him. His eyes had cleared and were once again gentle. "And thank you for letting me be here. For sharing with me. It means a lot."

His hand squeezed hers. "Let's retire for the evening. I'm sure you're due for a good night's rest."

"Shouldn't we… Uh… Clean up?"

He waved a dismissive hand, already headed for the door. "The servants will take care of it." Before he crossed the threshold he glanced back, grinning wickedly. "I trust your legs will carry you?"

Frowning, the brunette willed her legs to support her in her swift exit of the room, brushing past him with a huff.

—-

Stepping out of her room Sarah peeked to the closed door next to hers. Briefly she debated whether to head downstairs or knock on the neighboring door. Faint light streamed in from the hallway, so it was probably still early. Turning to the other door her hand rose to knock, then briefly paused before her knuckles rapped gently against the wood.

"Enter," came a familiar voice from the other side.

Somewhat nervously the woman opened the door. Jareth was standing by the desk with a half eaten apple in hand, leaning with one hand on the desk while reading a document. His poet shirt draped down his body, unbuttoned. He took a bite of his apple and straightened himself. Turning to face her he smiled warmly. "Good morning, Precious. Did you sleep well?"

"Fine, thanks. You?"

He turned around, finishing his apple while he signed the documents. With a wave of his hand, the paper disappeared. "I was mostly accompanied by a rather ghastly amount of paperwork."

"Oh… I'm sorry," she said, standing awkwardly near the door opening.

The blonde stretched. "Do come in, darling. You're letting a draft in." He let himself fall on the bed. His deep sigh hinted to weariness.

Sarah closed the door behind her and moved into the room. The bedroom was tidy, the bedsheets were untouched. His boots were put aside neatly by the door. Turning back to him she looked down to his lithe form sprawled on the foot of the bed.

"What's this?" Sarah frowned. His shirt was hanging open, exposing a part of his waist she knew had been wounded. Every trace of the large gashes and burns had gone completely. However, there were a few cuts and angry streaks of marred skin that looked to be on the verge of getting infected.

Somewhat absentmindedly he touched one of the wounds that was raw. "My healing spells could use some work but it can heal naturally from here."

"You cut those leftover purple things out by yourself?" The idea was somewhat sickening and concerning.

"I did," he confirmed. The silence stretched on for a moment, causing him to open his eyes to look at her. Her eyes were wide. "Not to worry, Sarah. I am fine. Want to join me?" He patted the empty bed next to him with a wide grin.

"In your dreams," Sarah mumbled defensively, staying safely outside of his range.

His eyes slipped closed again, the grin still on his face. "That would make for a very nice dream indeed."

The woman looked away so her eyes wouldn't linger on the planes of his stomach. "So, what's the plan, Your Majesty?"

"Use my well honed charms to woo you. Kiss you until you have stars in your eyes. We'll see where this comfortable bed will take us after that."

Feeling heat flooding her face she crossed her arms. "I suppose romance isn't dead after all," she muttered.

Jareth chuckled and leaned up onto his elbows. "Does my Sarah wish to be romanced?"

"Your Sarah," she said quickly, partially to distract both of them from her reddened face. "Would like to get this show on the road. So what's the plan? What are we going to do about this location Warren is trying to find?"

He conceded, rising to his feet and buttoning up his shirt. "I scouted this mountain for hours yesterday. I didn't find anything, so true to our agreement, we're heading south with a few men to deliver this lost puppy back to Beyza while the rest of the Regiment concern themselves with reconnaissance. I still need to deal with our unwelcome visitors."

"Jareth," Sarah said softly. "He's your brother…"

"He is a sentimental fool," the man grumbled irritably while he walked past her, fishing his waistcoat from a chair.

"This is important to him." Seeing the stiff and agitated motions he used to put on his jacket she walked up to him, putting a hand on his shoulder and causing his somewhat stormy eyes to snap towards her. "Please, Jareth, give him another shot."

Looking into her pleading eyes he sighed and muttered something under his breath. Adjusting his amulet around his neck he looked away from her. "Fine. I'll make one more sweep on the south face this morning. While I am out, I want you to make sure that Warren will not only be groveling at my feet once I get back, but yours as well. We'll move out by noon." His eyes narrowed at her when he turned to face her, his forefinger on her chin tilting her face just a little further up. "I can't help but feel like you are using my affections to bend to your whims, sweetling."

Sarah grinned triumphantly and leaned closer. One finger twirled around one of the ruffles of his shirt. "Seems like I have wrapped you snuggly around my little finger."

The blonde remained still while he held her gaze, his expression tight. It was all too tempting to scoop her up and toss her on the bed. To show her that he could definitely withstand some of her begging.

Which he could.

Right?

Chapter 29: Chapter 29

Two pairs of eyes glanced down at the deep black mirror on the floor in front of them.

The third pair looked at nothing in particular, which wasn’t that strange as it couldn’t see anything anyway.

Jareth had a growing feeling that alerting Warren and Sarah that he’d found the mouth of a cave had been a mistake. While the many centuries old mark of his kingdom had been painted several feet past the entrance, the past few hours of walking had provided them with little more than weary legs, a chill to their cheeks and a growing appetite. Not to mention, the loss of daylight that could have aided them in their travels south and a timely return to the capital.

After briefly exchanging a look with the woman by his side, he sent the crystal that had been lighting their path so far, down towards the darkness.

Like a starless night, all that the inky mass in front of them showed was the reflection of the glowing orb above it. With a gentle wave of Jareth’s hand the orb lowered until it touched the reflection. Its light rippled below, dancing in widening circles around its origin.

The two looked at each other while stale humid air clung to their features, nipping at their extremities. The smell of wet rock now suddenly made sense. With a gesture of the king’s hand the crystal orb floated back up and its light brightened, temporarily blinding the two.

“Well? What are we dealing with here?” Warren’s head tilted, eyes staring ahead with a surprising amount of awareness after their long trip so far.

“Water.” Jareth looked ahead, where a solid rock wall blocked the ability to look further than ten feet ahead. The man guided the orb down until it dipped below the surface, merging with its reflection before it sank down. Five. Ten. Fifteen feet until it bumped into the floor. “Lots of it.”

The woman gently touched his arm. “Jareth, summon a few more. I want to see how far this wall stretches. This cave might still go somewhere.”

He nodded, then put his palm up by his mouth and gently blew. Small bubbles formed from his lips, effortlessly spreading out, growing more solid and increasing in size. A few clinked into one another with a gentle chime. He waved his arm, causing them to light up and spread out. Some floated to the sides and others levitated to the ceiling, what remained descended into the water. The ceiling became visible first, then the width of the cave revealed its limits. For each restriction met, a crystal blinked out of existence.

Sarah crouched, her eyes scanning the balls of light below while they floated through the water like a living constellation. Most of them produced no more results than the ones above the surface. A few moved further ahead, alerting the two watchers when their lights faded. Jareth moved to recall them but Sarah gestured to him to leave them there. For a moment she studied the soft glow still visible from her vantage point. The brunette reached out with her free hand until she touched the water. The light below the surface danced gently when her gloved fingertips disturbed the pool. Sighing, she turned and took a few steps back the way they came. “It would have been too much to ask.” Sitting down on the floor somewhat unceremoniously Sarah tugged off her gloves and her boots. While taking off her cloak she could hear Jareth walk up to her.

“Sarah? What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” The woman unbuttoned her coat and dropped it on the floor.

“You are not going in there.”

It was an order. That much was clear. But Sarah found that she had trouble obeying orders more often. Especially once an idea presented itself. So instead of arguing, she simply didn’t respond. After unbuttoning her waistcoat and rising to her feet, Jareth forcefully grabbed hold of her wrist, wrenching it away from her trousers.

“I will not say this twice.” His voice was icy. Colder than the water behind them. “Warren’s quest ends here. As it should have yesterday.”

“I’m afraid I must agree with my baby brother, my lady,” Warren said, his shape hidden in the darkness and his voice echoing in a way that made it difficult to tell where it was coming from. “This cave might have been promising, but it is not worth your wellbeing. Or ours, for that matter.”

Sarah chuckled, trying to twist her wrist out of Jareth’s hold, but he held firmly. “You two go ahead and strip to make our plunge easier, because I sure as hell am not going down there by myself.”

“Do you mean… swim? Like dogs?” Even though Warren was obscured in shadows, his voice clearly reflected uneasiness.

“Well… I will swim. You two just focus on not drowning while I bring you two to wherever this water leads.”

“Absolutely not. We are going back,” Jareth decreed, grabbing Sarah’s waistcoat and thrusting it against her chest. Warren let out a sigh of relief, but the king could see the mulish flicker in Sarah’s eyes. He uttered her name in warning, brows lowering sternly. Her hands stayed positioned by her sides, ignoring the waistcoat held out to her.

The woman held his gaze for several moments while Warren remained silent. A smile curled around her lips. A strained tension tentatively seeped from his shoulders, the anger in his eyes easing.

Then, suddenly she bolted back in Warren’s direction. Jareth’s heart leapt when she disappeared into the darkness. Without hesitation he made a flourish and three crystal orbs appeared with a bright flash. The area was lit up just in time for him to see Sarah disappear into the water up ahead, partially deliberate and partially slipping off the edge. Warren jumped, looking back towards Jareth, wide eyed when the woman’s name fell off the king’s lips with a panicked cry.

A moment later Sarah resurfaced, taking a breath and shuddering lightly. “It tends to be easier to just dive in. Get that harsh slap of cold water over with.”

“Sarah, how dare you disobey me?” Jareth’s voice was so loud that even Warren flinched. It bounced off the walls in layering echoes, joined by the sound of his boots clacking on the rock. Striding back to the water he swiped for her, but she drifted out of his reach just in time. “Get out, this instance!”

“Either you can join me, or I’m going to see for myself. So what is it going to be?” She sounded more confident than she felt. Truthfully Sarah dreaded swimming into the pitch black depths behind her. The prospect of it was even scarier than the fire and rage in Jareth's eyes. But she had made up her mind. If swimming was so rare that it was likened to something only animals did, there had to be something behind the obstacle. Something inside of her just knew it.

With the Goblin King still seething, she could see Warren was more than a little reluctant to follow. She couldn’t blame him. Swimming without knowing how to was scary in its own right. Especially when blind. Not to mention he had to go against Jareth’s orders. Warren looked in Jareth’s direction, almost meeting his gaze.

“Come on, you cowards. I’m going to freeze in here. You have ten seconds before I’m going by myself.” Mentally she crossed her fingers, hoping her bluff was convincing enough. Jareth’s face relented very little to determine whether it did or not.

Both of their gazes turned to the older brother when he kicked off his boots and hurriedly stripped down to his trousers. The younger brother called out to him in a mix of confusion and surprise.

“I told you, Jareth, this is my last resort. My final chance. I have faith that lady Sarah will see me through.” His shirt dropped to the stoney floor. “Do you have faith, little brother?”

Jareth frowned and looked from him to Sarah. She grinned rather victoriously. “No need to wait for us, Jareth. We’ll find our way back.”

“You two…” Sighing deeply he rubbed his face, frowning as though he was fighting a growing headache. “I suppose I have no choice. Without me you’ll certainly meet your end and that’s not something I fancy having on my conscience.” He dressed himself down to his trousers. “But if I so much as suspect either two of you are in danger, we go back. Immediately.”

Pleased, the woman wiped cold droplets from her face. “Okay, you royal landlubbers. When you’re ready, take my hand and get in the water. When you let yourself slide in, see if you can push off of the wall. It will give us some momentum. Take a deep breath before you dive and hold it as long as you can. If you start running out of air, squeeze my hand. If you can, try to help me by moving your legs up and down in the water. Jareth, could you light the way?”

Jareth nodded, still clearly worried. Both men sat down on the ledge and Sarah moved in between with her back to them. She grabbed Warren’s hand and Jareth placed his in hers, squeezing lightly.

“Sarah, are you sure about this?”

She nodded quickly, before any more doubt could grow within her. “Yep! Ready?” After the two men somewhat reluctantly agreed, Sarah pulled their hands ahead of herself, signaling them to slide in. Once they did, Jareth found his bearings first. Both men and Sarah pushed off the wall.

Jareth guided several orbs to drift ahead, lighting a path forward. Meanwhile Warren let Sarah lead him along, his hand clamping onto hers from the moment they got in. It was a clunky expedition at best, but they managed to keep momentum and despite it being their first time, Sarah got some supporting force from the men’s legpower. Her gaze remained focused on the path ahead, despite the urge to look at the men to see how they were doing. With ghostly silence their light swept past loose rock and smooth surfaces. The brunette repressed a reflex to gasp when she saw tiny pale crustaceans scatter from the light. How they managed to live in complete darkness, inside a cave with seemingly no resources, she could only guess.

After a little while, the cold caused a biting feeling in her lungs. Her chest tightened and there was a dizziness settling in. She needed air. Unconsciously her body grew rigid, her fingers twitching. Looking up, she tried to see if there was a pocket of air above them. Assessing the situation, she glanced at Warren, who had his eyes tightly closed, a small air bubble escaping his lips. When she looked at Jareth, he met her gaze. The slight knit in his brows told her he sensed she was getting breathless. Directing the orbs a little further upwards he scanned the ceiling. After a moment he gestured ahead.

Following his gaze, Sarah saw a small pocket coming up and she arched her body towards it. Sarah squeezed Warren’s hand and angled it up. Warren and Jareth followed her lead and a few moments later they broke the surface. All three of them gasped for air. Sarah felt the two men starting to sink down and quickly remembered to instruct them. “Keep your legs kicking.” Her voice bounced back instantly into her ears in the small space. It was deafening. “You’re doing great. When we go back down, use your free hand to make motions like you are pushing aside heavy drapes. I will rhythmically squeeze your hand. Try to push your hand straight ahead at the squeeze, then move it to push backwards.” She took a moment to catch her breath, the three of them struggling to keep their heads above the surface. Exhaustion was setting in for all three of them. Her breath remained short. It would have to do. “Okay, ready?” The men squeezed her hands. “Take a deep breath.”

They ducked down and the men tried to angle themselves again, following her lead. Sarah tried to keep the squeezing of her hands in rhythm. The two brothers tried their best to kick and paddle while Jareth also worked to light their path.

The next time Sarah and Jareth saw the rock making way for air a few crystals moved up ahead. The orbs left the surface and floated further up and ahead. The group angled themselves towards it, a sense of adrenaline and desperation rising within them. When they broke the surface Sarah let out a relieved and excited laugh. “Keep going. Don’t stop. There is a ledge up ahead.” She was significantly out of breath and weakly swam to the edge of the water as fast as she could muster. Despite it being a little over thirty feet it seemed to take hours to get there.

Once reaching the rocky edge, she guided Warren’s hand to it, who gleefully grasped onto it and hurriedly crawled out, fishing around with his hands until he was fully on land. Jareth crawled up as well, trying to catch his breath while turning towards her to help. With shaking arms Sarah put her hands on the edge and pushed herself up, lifting herself out of the water and rolling onto her back with a sound straddling between a sob and a laugh. The blonde angled her legs out of the water and touched her face worriedly.

Gasping for air, Sarah looked at Jareth. “We did it, Birdbrain.”

“That we did,” he agreed, smiling sourly. He beckoned the light closer, his fingertips gently caressing her waterlogged hair while he quietly checked if she was okay.

“We did it,” she sighed, her eyes closed. It was all too tempting to stay down for a while. Rest up. Catch her breath. But the low temperature was starting to gnaw at her. Opening her eyes she flinched against the light of the orbs hovering over her. “Let’s go. The sooner we find… that thing we’re looking for, the sooner we can leave.” Jareth helped her up, wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her.

Due to the deafening silence in the cave, the sound of something hitting stone was uncomfortably loud. “Curses,” Warren wailed, causing the two of them to look over. The man had risen to his feet and was rubbing his head with a pained expression.

The woman spotted the jagged edges of the arching wall just above his head and she gasped. “Are you okay?” Sarah stepped towards him, her hand on his arm.

“Yes, yes,” the man grumbled while shaking her hand off with agitation.

“Let’s keep moving.” Jareth grabbed Warren’s arm and tugged him from the wall. He offered Sarah a hand as well. His lips briefly brushed against her knuckles when she accepted his offered hand. The woman smiled up at him. Directing her gaze ahead, she shifted their hands so she could intertwine her fingers with his, reveling at the warmth of his palm and the comfort of his lower arm pressed firmly against hers.

The crystals herded around them like watchful sentries, floating nearby and illuminating their surroundings. The cave was almost perfectly straight and seemingly endless. While minutes passed the dark gray rock had started to grow lighter. There had been a low hum the past few minutes. It was unnerving, since there was no sign of wind, or really anything but endless pitch black darkness. It almost sounded like chanting or singing. Her fingers tensed in Jareth’s hold, who responded with a reassuring squeeze.

Sarah looked around at the silver walls which gradually started to widen, matched with the ceiling that rose higher and higher above their heads. While the minutes passed, their jagged edges grew smoother and even. Eventually, the area started to seem carved. Man made. Jareth seemed to notice it too, sending his crystals far and wide to map the area. Eventually, they spotted a distant light. A dim orange glow.

Even though the cold was seeping into their feet and their bodies were shivering they pressed on. Jareth and Sarah noticed large pillars on either side emerging from the rocks. The room widened further, the pattern of the pillars repeating beyond the passage they walked down. Each pillar stood about five yards apart from the other one. A breeze drifted towards them. The rocky floor made room for huge tiling of marble in black and white, weathered and cracked but still shining. The pillars appeared to be black marble as well.

“Wow,” Sarah said breathlessly, taking in the pillars towering over them by a handful of yards. The structures connected at the center with large arches and reached ahead as far as the eye could see. Or at least as far as the crystals could show them. Some were now little more than a pinprick of light in the distance. In between the pillars lay large piles of debris and pieces of broken marble.

“Am I to guess that I am missing a rather impressive sight,” Warren asked with a smile when the arm leading him stalled.

“This place is huge,” Sarah gasped. “I can’t even see the walls anymore. Everything is made of marble.”

The light they had spotted earlier turned out to be the setting sun. The far end of the room opened up to the outside, as though the structure had simply fallen away. A clear sky started to tinge purple with upcoming nighttime. At the very end of the room was one set of pillars which had a downward arch. The sky lay cradled in its curve.

Gradually the three came to a halt.

“What do you suppose this place is?” An inscription on the downward arch caught her eye. It was weathered but visible enough to read. “Taecul Xon?”

“That sounds like the old tongue,” Warren said. “Dreadfully boring language. Not to mention useless in this day and age. I am afraid I might not have been in attendance at those classes very often. I believe it has to do with light.”

Looking from Warren to Jareth she gave him a questioning look, but he shrugged. “We should probably explore further or look for clues,” she mused.

“Let’s find the ends of this room first. See if we can find any doorways or stairs.”

“I’ll… wait here, I suppose.” Warren grinned uncomfortably. “How I would have loved to be able to see this room. Imagine how long this place has been here… I wonder if Father might have built this. Just the smell alone is fascinating. Do you hear that humming? I wonder what that is.” Sarah smiled at the excitement in his milky eyes.

“While you surrender yourself to the fantastical enthusiasm of a child, we will make ourselves useful and have a look around. Stay here.” Jareth tossed Sarah a glowing crystal ball and wandered off into a random area while his brother glared into his general direction.

Sarah giggled, patting Warren’s shoulder after he lowered himself to sit on the floor. “He means well, Your Highness.” The tall man grumbled and waved her off while he resorted to stroking his beard.

A good while later Sarah was still wandering the hall. Her body was slacked in exhaustion, her head heavy and the soles of her feet rigid. The orb Jareth gave her offered a mild warmth and she greedily clung to it. She was still soaked and the sunlight had long since faded. A chill had set in her bones, setting up a perfectly horrible climate to cause permanent goosebumps on her skin. She’d wandered far off from the main area they initially entered from. She could only barely see Warren’s shape on the floor, bathed in a thick stream of moonlight.

Holding out the orb to the opposite side there still was no end of the room in sight. Her breath puffed out from her lips in a sigh, wisping before fading away.

“Found anything?”

Her body jerked in surprise and she turned around, seeing Jareth’s form illuminated by the light of the conjured crystals. “Don’t sneak up on me, Birdbrain,” she snapped defensively. Her hand came to rest on her chest while she tried to calm her racing heart. Icy breath drifted from her lips in pale puffs. “But no. Nothing. You?”

“I’m afraid not. Just endless pillars and tiles. The drop-off plummets down into the abyss.” He sighed, idly twirling the orb in his hand, causing reflections to scatter across the marble around them. “We should head back. We’ll catch our death’s out here at night. Or well, you will.” The Goblin King looked down at her while she clutched the orb in her hands, blocking the light as she held it against her chest. His brow furrowed. “Prolonged exposure to the elements tends to have rather devastating effects on mortal folk.”

“We can’t leave now,” Sarah moaned in disappointment. “We came all this way. There has to be something.”

“This place might have simply succumbed to neglect in the past few centuries. For all we know, whatever we are looking for has crumbled down into the dropoff.”

Sarah looked down at the orb, her jaws clenched and her brow furrowed. “Damn. What a waste.” The tension on her face eased when Jareth tilted up her chin.

His lips pressed gently against the chilly skin of her forehead, lingering momentarily. “You need warmth. Come.” Holding her gaze he turned her back towards the main path. The woman sighed sadly, but let him guide her back towards the older man.

Once they reached Warren his milky eyes were staring ahead into the night sky. He was leaning on his knees with his chin in his palms. His aging face was set in a childlike petulance and boredom.

“No further clues, I’m afraid,” Jareth said.

Warren’s lip curled in agitation, after which he crawled up to his feet. “You know, after at least two years of trying to decipher those scriptures and weeks of trying to find this location, this is terribly anticlimactic.”

“That’s the penalty of investing all your hope in some rotting parchment, you blind dolt.”

Warren scowled, throwing a withering look in Jareth’s general direction. “Well, I suppose we should head back.” Warren turned himself back towards the way they came and started walking. “I’ve heard poor lady Sarah’s teeth chattering for hours now.”

Jareth followed, but Sarah remained standing in the pale moonlight, staring up at the sky.

Something to do with light… Perhaps…

The king grabbed Warren by the arm to keep him from wandering too far, turning back to look at her. “Come, Sarah.” He received no response. She walked up to the center of the main area, tilting her head. The blonde frowned when he saw her take three steps to the right and two back. “What are you doing, Precious?”

The woman didn’t answer, taking a step to the left and four back. Looking up at the downward arch she remained still. “Taecul Xon,” she said softly, repeating the text on the overhead marble.

A faint shimmer scattered across the etched words and the woman gasped. She looked around at Jareth. “Did you see that?”

Suddenly there was a bright flash. Like molten lava the letters spewed out light onto the marble floor. The light sank through the cracks and seeped into the veins of the marble tiles. It waded towards her, billowing through the cracks like northern lights. Jareth rushed towards her but she held up her hand. Hesitantly he kept some distance.

Once the light reached her she could feel a warmth on her feet. It wasn’t particularly unwelcome in her current state. She looked up to the arch, where one of the moons was perfectly cradled in it. Warren joined them, accidentally bumping into Jareth, who irritably shoved him away. He was still wearily observing the light. It stayed underneath them, faintly shimmering with the resemblance of a heartbeat.

“What’s happening?”

Jareth shushed Warren with another light shove.

“It seems to be waiting,” Sarah said contemplatively.

The king kneeled down, putting his palm to the marble and splaying his fingers. “Taecul Xon,” he said loudly. Like a wounded animal the light briefly scattered, light flickering around them. Then the light flared brightly, temporarily blinding them before it slipped away like water in a drain.

“What in the…” Slowly the king rose back up to his feet.

“Am I missing something?” Warren seemed simultaneously confused and irritated.

“Jareth, look!” Sarah pointed to a nearby pillar, seeing a small light dancing along the pedestal’s surface. He rose to his feet and walked over to it, after which the light dropped down again, only to emerge on another pillar. Curiously, he started following.

The brunette grabbed the elder brother by the hand and tugged him along, eager to follow the light.

“Where are we going?”

Weaving through the pillars the light guided them. Left, right, left, left, right. Sometimes backwards before curving further away from the entrance again. Jareth and Sarah’s gazes were so transfixed on it that it was almost dizzying. Warren voiced his confusion but was met with silence.

“It’s kind of like…”

“A Labyrinth,” Jareth finished, briefly meeting her eyes before searching for the next shimmer of light. “You might be more right than you realize. This magic feels familiar.”

They could have been walking for an hour before suddenly the light vanished. The three of them stopped, hazel eyes spotting a faint shimmer nearby. Letting go of Warren’s hand, she headed for it. Jareth’s eyes were wandering the opposite direction, still searching.

Sarah walked towards a shape ahead of her. The light returned, shimmering briefly underneath her feet and the light dancing up like fireflies. Every step closer scattered more of the tiny wisps. Eventually, they provided enough light to see the object. It was a basin. The fireflies danced up towards the bowl and disappeared in its contents. Once the liquid lit up, the light expanded and sank down through the base like veins in an arm. Its light splayed out onto the floor in thick roots. The woman gasped, mesmerized by the glittering vision and the golden liquid inside the basin. Entranced, she reached out to the bowl and the small pool started sizzling. Her hand hovered over it. The liquid started sparkling, sending up tiny fireworks that colored green right before they fizzled out. Behind her she could hear Jareth’s alarmed voice calling out to her. Her fingertip touched the liquid, her eyes still dazed.

Once she came in contact with it a sharp pain shot up through her arm and reflexively she pulled her arm back. Hissing, she shook her hand and put her finger in her mouth. Jareth wrenched her away from the basin, standing in front of her. “What do you suppose this is?”

The Goblin King looked down at the liquid while it continued sparkling. “It’s a font. Magic.”

“It tastes terrible,” Sarah noted after she removed her digit from her mouth. Her tongue carried a tang of bitter with a spice-like aftertaste. The tingling feeling it left behind slithered down her throat like a serpent. “I thought magic needed guiding?”

“Precisely…” Jareth reached out towards the basin. The life inside the bowl frantically reached for his hand, the tiny sparks scrambling for him like a school of hungry fish. His hand hovered over the light, steady and just close enough for the light to brush his palm. When he lifted his hand up to study it, the sparks crawled into his skin. Studying the basin he found another inscription. “Tamusnoc te tis sungid,” he whispered. Looking back he met Warren’s black and unseeing gaze when the tall man stepped up next to him.

“I don’t like the sound of that, brother. It sounds like a curse, or a precondition.”

The light faded from Jareth’s hand and he flexed his fingers. “Is this what you were looking for, brother mine?” He looked back up at his elder brother.

The black eyes cleared, flushing the ink away to reveal a pale white. A line formed between his brows. Warren seemed hesitant, but stepped up to the basin. His burly hand reached out and lowered until he touched the edge of the bowl.

Sarah and Jareth jumped when the man’s hand was sucked down into the liquid. Warren cried out in surprise. The woman’s lips parted when she could see the light crawling up along his arm, chest and neck towards his face. “Jareth, help him!”

“No,” Warren insisted. “Wait. It's…” Two pairs of eyes were glued to him. Sarah was reaching out gingerly, debating what to do. Slowly, the light seeped into his eyes, scattering around and bubbling underneath his sclera in a way that made Sarah nauseous. His eyes were bulged wide and darkened to black depths again, his arm strangely half submerged into the shallow basin. Slowly the light dulled to a faint glow, then vanished. For a moment nothing happened. The woman was about to question what was going on, but was interrupted when Warren was violently hurled away from the basin, slamming down onto the floor at least ten feet back. There was an unnerving thud when his head made contact with the marble tiles.

In reflex Sarah let out a startled scream and she hurried over to him. The magical light scattered wildly underneath his skin as though he’d been struck by lightning. He lay limp on the floor, unconscious. For a moment she was afraid to touch him, scared that the light might hurt her. But his lifeless form was alarming enough to conquer her fear. Pushing her fingertips into his neck she let out a relieved sigh when she could feel his heartbeat. Looking back at Jareth she noticed he was preoccupied with the basin. “Jareth, we need to get him out of here. He’s probably hurt.” No response. “Jareth!”

The blonde didn’t move, eyes fully trained on the basin. She glanced down at Warren who still lay motionless on the floor before looking back.

Her eyes widened when she saw light flitting underneath Jareth’s skin. Pushing herself up from the floor she hurried back to him. She wasn’t going to end up the only conscious person in some dank cave far from home in the freezing cold. Sarah stopped when suddenly the light emitted brighter, almost consuming every inch of him. She could hear Jareth’s breath laboring and saw him shaking when she reached him. His muscles spasmed wildly and uncontrollably. Hesitant to touch him with magic so clearly devouring him Sarah started to panic.

“Jareth, please stop!”

He was unresponsive and Sarah was steadily descending into a panic attack. Her heart was racing and tears pooled in her eyes. Looking at the basin she wondered if she could kick it over to break Jareth away from it, but it was rooted firmly to the marble floor.

A moment later the light began to slink away, seemingly further into his skin. She could now see that his body was rigid, muscles pulled taut and his eyes a hollow black. The liquid glow on his body had drained away almost completely. Thick red liquid trickled from his nose. Blood.

A quivering breath shuddered from his throat and Jareth stumbled back, the light relinquishing him with a last spark. It took a few seconds until he regained relatively steady footing, though he was still slightly swaying on his feet. One of his hands rose up to his mouth and an uncomfortable rumble rose from his throat. Blood seeped from his nostril and down his hand, wading down the curve of his knuckles. His cheeks puffed and instinctively Sarah turned away, just in time to see Warren was regaining consciousness. She ran back to him while Jareth hurried to duck behind a pillar. Regrettably, the silence in the area made the sound of him retching hard to ignore.

Brushing some of Warren’s hair out of his face she touched his skin. It felt normal, but definitely warmer than it should be in the freezing cold surrounding them. “Your Highness, are you okay?”

His eyes were still squeezed shut, his hand raised to cover his face. “All is well,” he wheezed. The man shifted to lean on his elbows. His hand rubbed the back of his head after which his eyes fluttered open. Sarah looked into the black pits with concern, searching his face for any signs of dizziness or trauma.

She flinched and stumbled back when Warren let out a thundering scream. With his eyes the size of saucers and his body rigid, he scrambled back on the floor. Confused, the brunette looked around at the large empty room around them, then back at him. “Warren? What’s wrong?”

His breath was labored. With trembling fingers his hand rose up to his face, rubbing his eyes firmly. When Sarah called out for him again, his head turned and he crawled up to her. Right up to her. Almost until his nose touched hers. Uncomfortably she leaned back. His hands came up to her face, pressing against her cheeks. “Lady Sarah?”

“Y-yes?” His inky gaze stared at her and tears started pooling in his eyes. Sarah felt her heart lurch when the darkness faded from his eyes and left two dark orbs at the center.

“Hands to yourself, dearthair mor,” said a familiar baritone voice.

It took a moment for the large man in front of her to respond to the voice. He almost seemed hesitant. When Warren turned, both men seemed equally flummoxed. Shaken. They stared at each other for a while, wide eyed and frozen. Eventually, Warren staggered to his feet and walked over to his younger brother. He reached out to him, but Jareth stumbled back. Sarah couldn’t tell if his uncharacteristic wobbliness was due to surprise or his encounter with the magic font just moments ago.

“Father?” The panic in the Goblin King’s voice wasn’t lost on any of them, including himself. Jareth held a hand in front of his mouth, a muscle in his jaw flexing. Meanwhile, Sarah was torn on comforting Jareth, consoling Warren or simply letting the scene play out.

Warren took a step back, his fingertips touching the marred skin under his eyes. “I… I’m not… I can’t…” The tall man shook his head, his towering form now appearing frail. “Jareth, I…” Sarah stood frozen, watching the two. Warren crumbled to his knees and bowed deeply. “Logh amae, Jareth… L-Logh…” It was heartbreaking to see Warren crumpled to the floor, curled up, scrubbing and wiping at his eyes furiously as if he desired to wipe them clean off his face.

Jareth kneeled down in front of him, tearing the large pair of hands away from the bearded face. “I apologize, brother. I didn’t mean to liken you to that monster.”

“How…” The older man’s voice was little more than a whisper and his head shook quietly. He kept his eyes squeezed shut still, hiding in his familiar state of senses.

Jareth squeezed his brother’s shoulders in silent support. “I don’t know. A slumbering spell, perhaps.”

“I… don’t suppose it could be ancient magic? Do you think…” He finally opened his eyes which grew unnaturally wide, like a madman with a thousand yard stare. Even from this angle Sarah could see them flicking left, right, up and down at an unnatural pace and irregular interval. “Do you think it could be permanent?”

The blonde shook his head with a sigh. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We don’t know what exactly just happened. There’s no telling if that magic is still ravaging around within you. What it might do in the future. We need to meet with a healer, as soon as we can.” He saw the hopeful tension in his brother’s shoulders. “Manage your expectations, Warren.”

Warren raised a hand to his brother, who guardedly recoiled a little. The man carefully touched Jareth’s face. A moment later, he laughed. “You look nothing like I envisioned, brother.”

The king narrowed his eyes. “Choose your next words carefully, Warren.”

“And Sarah,” he bellowed with a booming voice, startling the mortal woman. He walked over to her, nearly tripping over his feet. “Only a goddess such as yourself would capture my brother’s attention!” The woman repressed the urge to back away when he approached her. “The offer still stands, you know.”

Warren’s lumbering form was thankfully halted by a hand wrapping around his arm. Unbothered, Warren looked around and moved to one of the pillars. His hand reached out and bumped into the rock. “Having vision is so… unusual. I don’t know how you lot deal with it.” Distractedly he wandered away to the moonlight. Jareth followed him like a weary father after a toddler.

Meanwhile Sarah was still trying to catch up to whatever had just happened. Seeing as even two men with hundreds of years of experience with magic were clueless, she had no idea what to make of it. Walking over to the basin, she saw little was left in it. Her mind wandered. If Warren had regained his eyesight, if only temporary, what did that mean for Jareth? The shallow fluid now quietly simmered in its remaining volume, the sparks now small and gentle which reminded her of a fizzy drink. There was a vaguely green shade to it. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it compelled her closer, glittering in its tranquility like a siren’s song.

Before she realized it, her hand made contact with it. It grabbed hold of her hand and seared a way up her wrist. It bit at her skin like hungry piranhas. It set her skin aflame as though it was stuck into an oven. Sarah pulled on her hand, the liquid now thick and more solid. It glided in its entirety up her wrist, writhing and undulating. The brunette started to panic and brought up her other hand in an attempt to rub or peel it off. However, before her hand even reached the other the strange liquid dove into the skin of her forearm, gold and green singing through her veins. Her muscles were suddenly overcome by pins and needles. She shook her hand, twisted her arm. Palm up she looked down at it, just in time to see the glow disappearing into her skin. Touching her flesh, it felt warm. Feverish.

Worry settled in her stomach.

“Sarah?”

Startled, she quickly lowered her arm and spun around, hiding it behind her body. “Coming!” When she reached the two men, her hand took hold of Jareth’s unconsciously. He gave her a mildly confused though pleased glance.

“Let’s head back. We need a healer as soon as possible.”

Sarah looked at the large hall, taking in the scenery since she’d likely never see it again. Silently she dreaded swimming back. While the excitement caused her to briefly forget about the cold, it was starting to settle in again.

Her attention shifted when the steady pace of the man next to her faltered. She looked up at him, noting now that even in the warm light of the crystals around them Jareth seemed unnaturally pale. “Jareth, are you okay?”

The king’s unfocused gaze turned to her and he nodded. “Yes, I…” He swayed on his feet again. Sarah looked past him to Warren, who also seemed deathly pale. Looking back at the blonde she saw him shake his head. “No… I… I apologize. I need a moment.” His hand slipped from hers and he walked to a nearby wall, sinking down to the floor and leaning back against it. Warren joined him, leaving Sarah to stand by herself.

With uncertainty her feet carried her to the same wall, weary hazel eyes looking at the two men as they sank against the cold rock. “Uh, Jareth… I don’t mean to overexert you, but maybe you should channel some of your healing abilities?”

“Just a moment,” he mumbled in a way that alerted Sarah that he was going to pass out any moment now.

Sure enough, the words had barely left his lips when his head nodded forwards and the leg which had been bent slightly dropped to the side. Frowning, her gaze turned to Warren, who had already slipped into unconsciousness as well. Sighing, she sat down next to Jareth.

One by one, the crystals popped, shrouding the trio in darkness.

Chapter 30: Chapter 30

Unconsciousness made way for alarm bells. Instincts fired off left and right and her body jerked to attention. Her surroundings were dark, but warm. Almost too warm. In her groggy state her surroundings were unfamiliar, the smells something she didn’t recognize. Panicked, she looked around, seeing little more than pitch black darkness and a faint smoldering of coals across the room.

“Jareth!”

A quiet shush came from her side, lulling her shrill cry with ease. “I’m here, darling.”

She felt his hand grasp hers and gently he pulled her down. Feeling softness underneath her when she leaned down onto her elbows her mind caught up. She was in the cabin. Gradually her adrenaline ridden body let itself sink to the mattress.

“Jareth, are you okay? What happened? How long was I out for?”

“I’m fine, sweetling. At ease.”

Her back was still rigid, her body flighty and her heart thumping against her chest. Jareth seemed to notice, rolling towards her and enveloping her in a gentle but firm hug, her head cradled under his chin. Her cheek rested against soft fabric. Pajamas she guessed. While his autumn-like scent drifted up her nostrils his voice spoke softly to her. “I teleported us back to the cabin. We had been unconscious for approximately three hours. Or four, in your case.”

“And you’re okay?”

“Perfectly fine, Sarah.” His voice was slow, mostly because he was still half asleep. Relieved, Sarah let out a deep breath, snuggling against his chest while wrangling her heart rate back to a normal level. His warmth was simply blissful, seeping into her skin through every pore. “Are you trying to fuse us together, sweetling? Because if you’d like to become one, I can think of much more enjoyable ways to do so.”

“Oh god,” Sarah mumbled against his chest, letting her still heavy eyes fall shut.

A low chuckle rumbled from his throat. “I prefer hearing you speak my given name. Especially in such close proximity.”

“I prefer Birdbrain.” She could feel his throaty chuckle on the crown of her head. His hand lowered along her back with a gentle pressure. It came to a halt just above her tailbone where it made small circles. It felt both comforting and exciting. Just after her body fully relaxed into his hold, he froze.

Her eyes fluttered open to look at him. Her vision strained. A glowing crystal ball floated above them with a gentle bob up and down. Frowning, she swatted it away, trying to get her eyes to focus and adjust to light. The magical object floated a little further into the room, its luminescence shining down on them more gently. There was a frown on his face.

“Sarah, besides that brief touch with your finger, did you interact in any way with the contents of that basin?”

The cozy and warm feeling fell away faster than she could blink and a blush of embarrassment tinged her skin. “U-uh… Why?” Mentally she cringed at the blatant way her response confirmed his suspicion. His eyes narrowed, searching her face. He was going to make her say it, she just knew it. “I… Uh… Did.”

“When? What happened?” His eyes bore down on her, his blue eye catching the light in a way that chilled the air between them.

“It wasn’t so bad… After Warren and you walked off, I…” How she’d wished she could look away from his gaze right now, but he had her pinned. “There was a little bit left. I didn’t mean to do it… It just kind of… lured me in.”

“You’re not serious.” His voice was tight, but hinted towards him already knowing. Especially when her eyes cast downwards. “Give me your hand.” The woman remained still, head tucked like a scolded puppy. “Now.”

She offered her hand. He grasped her lower arm, then brought it up to his face. Sarah’s eyes widened, her head angling back up. Her breath caught when he pulled it up just past his face, her inner wrist by his nose. He inhaled deeply, holding his breath for a moment before exhaling with a low sound coming from the back of his throat. Instantly goosebumps prickled along her skin. She’d never heard a person growl before, but that was the only way she could describe it. A flighty feeling came over her when his eyes opened again, heavy lidded but glued to her. His pupils were more dilated and his arm around her pulled her closer.

A thrill ran through her. “H-how did you know?” Sarah could almost feel the path his eyes took when they lowered. Even with her limited experience it was rather obvious what sort of effect her scent had on him just now.

“Smell is a rather strong sense in my kind. We smell many things that I strongly suspect mortal folk do not. To put it a little indelicately, now that you have magic in your veins… Well, it makes… you a lot more potent. I must admit a little more so than I’d thought it could.” He inhaled deeply through gently parted lips and released it through his nose. A mildly uncomfortable smile curled around his lips and his body shifted to put a little more distance between them. “By all means, let’s keep talking. Even I am not immune to certain… weaknesses.”

Sarah pulled her arm back and cradled it against her chest, her cheeks flushed. She was still looking up at the slightly dazed expression on his face. “I… I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have… What does this mean exactly?”

His hand distractedly held and turned the ever present amulet around his neck. “I’m not quite sure. I have no experience with this odd source that we came across. Additionally, I’ve not heard of a mortal absorbing magic. Not ever.” Her renewed nervousness was not lost on him. “It could simply dissipate out of your body, like sweat. Perhaps your body could expel it by more violent means, like a disease. Perhaps…”

The thoughtful expression on his face was rather intriguing. “Perhaps?”

“Perhaps it will adapt. Settle. Become a part of you, if you will. That is, if it doesn't deplete.”

Her eyes widened. “You think I might have magic now?”

There was a brief silence before he replied. “I don’t know, Sarah. And that’s what concerns me. Magic can be unpredictable, especially in a novice's hands. Especially from a source my kind deems impossible to exist. For all we know, you could become severely ill. Or worse.” The knitted set of his eyebrows was a little concerning, to say the least. “To be fair, I find myself rather tempted to simply take our leave now and transport to a city with a healer.”

“Jareth, preserve your energy. I feel fine. Just a bit tired.”

The cloudiness in his eyes had now disappeared, the mismatched orbs flicking across the room behind her with increasing annoyance. “To the hells with my energy, I-”

Sarah put her fingertips against his lips, silencing him and pulling his focus back to her. “I’m fine, Jareth. If I feel out of sorts in any way at all, I’ll let you know right away.”

His eyes lowered in quiet forfeit, pressing a kiss against her fingers. “You know,” he said, her fingers still against his lips. “When I brought you two back here, I surprisingly didn’t feel any ripple in my magic. It was… Effortless.”

She chuckled. “Yes, well… Don’t go around proclaiming godhood just yet, Your Majesty. We don’t know what this whole adventure is going to leave us with.”

He took a deep breath again, his eyes closed and a smile curling around his lips. “At the risk of being shoved out of this bed… And possibly kicked out of the room, can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure.”

His eyes locked with hers again, the smile falling from his lips. “Can you tell me… Would you mind seeing if my scent has any different effect on you now that you have magic in your system?”

Immediately Sarah felt her face grow warm. Seeing as this was a new experience for him it wasn’t really unreasonable. Especially knowing the strong effect it apparently had on him. The woman ducked her head back under his chin and leaned into him. There was a very soft sigh of acceptance, his arms wrapping around her again. Then he froze when she nuzzled her nose against his neck and mimicked the deep breath he’d taken.

The first thing she felt was a sense of dizziness or vertigo. What hit her next was a combination of her body growing tense and her heart rate kicking into gear. A warmth settled low in her stomach. His trademark scent drifted so deep that it felt like it was branded in her permanently. So deep that it filled her up like a hearty meal. Her breath left her in a slow quiver.

A grip around her wrist snapped out of the strange sensation. Her hand was clutching his shirt tightly, though she had no recollection of grabbing hold of it. “Oh, shit… Uh, sorry.”

Pulling back slightly she saw the devilish smile on his face. Clearly he was not at all bothered. Quite the opposite. “Don’t be. I am not at all complaining. Though next time, it might be wise to take a more shallow inhale. Magic infused scents can be quite… overpowering.” His hand loosened and moved to cover her own. Gently his thumb rubbed along the side of her hand, falling and rising under his breath.

“Next time,” Sarah mused silently. In her years she’d never had to war between being scared and thrilled quite as strongly as when she was with Jareth.

“Yes, next time. I am still fully intent on wooing you until you stop flinching. And to be perfectly honest, I am not adverse to using whatever means possible to win you over. With your consent, naturally.” His fingers dug in between hers, treading them together. His teeth gleamed in the light of the crystal orb. “So heed my advice, Miss Williams. From now on, I am not holding back anymore. I’ll show you just how persuasive I can be.”

“Is that a threat?”

“A promise.” His voice had dropped to a low purr. “You have seen nothing yet. I’ve been on my best behavior.”

Her eyebrows rose playfully. “That was your best behavior? Do I need to promote nanny Girvin to full time chaperone? Perhaps I can arrange double shifts with-”

Jareth laid a finger against her lips, silencing her. While his smile hadn’t fallen yet, there was a more serious atmosphere seeping in. “Don’t speak of other men whilst in my arms.”

It had never occurred to Sarah that there was a variation of cute aggression in the romance spectrum, but part of her needed a blow to her own stomach to silence those damn butterflies. Especially when she felt Jareth pull her closer again, his fingertip caressing her lips. His smile was contagious. “That’s such a tacky thing to say.”

“As per your mortal phrasing, bite me.”

Exhaustion started slipping to the forefront again and she snuggled her head under his chin, relaxing against him. “Maybe later. What time is it?”

“Too early.”

His presence and the warmth of his body, combined with the secure cage of his arms around her, made her doze off in record time.

—-

An orange glow shimmering through the window woke Sarah from a deep and restless sleep. Pushing herself up her bleary eyes strained against the bright light. Jareth lay sprawled out on his side of the bed. He was on his back with one arm slung over his head and the other stretched out from where her head had been. With a light blush she took a moment to look at him without fear of being caught. His long sleeved shirt folded and stretched over the angles of his bicep and revealed just a hint of skin from his abdomen. The angles of his face were softened with sleep but didn’t quite lose that angular aspect. His feathery blonde hair was hopelessly tousled, making it hard to resist running her hands through it.

Just then, he stirred. Inhaling deeply and turning his head to the side. His arm fished for her, a fine line appearing between his brows when he didn’t feel her.

Smiling, the woman put her hand over his, palm to palm while watching the line smooth out and a peaceful smile curling his lips. It was a smile she hadn’t seen on him before. Not teasing or playful. Just… content. Happy. It looked beautiful. She lowered back down and curled up against him.

“Good morning, my love.”

Her heart skipped a beat. There was a giddy tickle in her veins. A small jolt of adrenaline scattering down her spine. He’d never called her that before, but there was an undeniable part of her that was thrilled to hear him say it. She angled her head up to look at him. His eyes were still closed. “What did you just call me?”

“Hm?” He turned to her and gathered her against him. “What? What did I say?” His voice was rough and slurred with sleep.

She shook her head, wondering if she’d imagined it. “Uh, never mind. Good morning.” Her lips remained sealed and the seconds ticked by. Eventually she spoke up, suspecting he’d fallen back asleep. “Jareth? Should we… get up?”

“Now, why would you make such a dreadful suggestion? I haven’t slept this well in at least a few hundred years.”

“We have a long way ahead of us. Besides, there’s that thing in the north that needed addressing, right?”

The man groaned, squeezing her closer against him. “I’ll reorder time in a few hours. Or days. Or I’ll just transport us there.”

“What… The staff, soldiers and us three?”

“No. Just the three of us. Perhaps Girvin.”

She slipped from his grasp and propped herself up to look down at him. “What about your magic? What if you need it up north and can’t restore in time?”

“Don’t worry your pretty head, sweetling. I have been in tune with my capabilities for centuries. Besides, I dread another day on horseback. I fear it might be causing some permanent damage concerning certain areas required for a future lineage.” Sarah could barely suppress laughing aloud at his rather crude admission. “We’ll simply pop in to drop Warren off, take a day’s rest and then move out once more.” When there was no response he screwed one eye open, meeting with her skeptical expression. “What? Would it make you feel better if we got ready now? I don’t know about you, but I’d love to indulge in a little bit of sleeping in after everything that has happened lately.”

Sighing, Sarah looked down at him. Her hand reached over to make an attempt to tame an especially messy lock of hair. Before she could respond to his suggestion there was a knock on the door.

“Enter.”

Flustered, Sarah scrambled to get out of the bed or hide, but the arm quickly wrapping around her kept her infuriatingly well in place. The door opened and Girvin stepped in. “Good morning, Your Majesty. I… hope I’m not interrupting anything?”

Sarah turned her head away from the soldier to hide the exponential heating of her face. Jareth just chuckled, perfectly at ease. “You did, actually. But now that you’re here, please alert the soldiers to meet the others at the foot of the mountain and let the staff know to pack up and head home. Sarah, Warren, you and I will be teleporting to the city separately.”

The soldier’s eyebrows raised when Sarah stole a glance in his direction. “Sire, are you sure? What if…”

The Goblin King groaned and rubbed his forehead like he was fighting off a blossoming headache. “Why is everyone… Girvin, have you forgotten how to follow orders from your king? I do not desire to be questioned.”

The tall man by the door nodded quickly and bowed deeply. “Yes! No! Of course, Your Majesty. I will do exactly as you ask to the best of my abilities. I sincerely apologize.”

“Well? Away with you, then.”

Sarah watched Girvin practically flee the room, closing the door behind him. “He was only being attentive…” The mischievous smile on his face made her roll her eyes. “You’re going to give the poor guy an anxiety attack someday.”

“One can only hope.” He pulled her back against him and took a deep breath. “Now let’s just relax for another fifteen minutes or so and then we’ll start preparing to go to the city.”

“You’re absolutely sure you want to just teleport to the city? You’ll be okay afterwards?”

“You know, I teleported fifty men at once a few years ago.”

“And how did that go?” Slowly she relaxed against him.

“I needed a nap. Woke up with a headache. Consumed about four liters of soup and a full loaf of bread.”

While the mental image of it was somewhat comical there was a question burning on her tongue. “And exactly how long was this nap?”

It took him a moment to respond. “Longer than usual.”

Irritated at the way he avoided her question she leaned away from his hold. “Fine. I’m getting up.”

“Four days,” he said while he held onto her. His eyes were closed. “Does that sufficiently answer your question?”

Easing the strain from her arms she let him pull her back against him. “Yes…” Her voice was so quiet that even he had barely heard it.

He pressed a kiss against the crown of her head. “Then please take solace in the fact that this trip there’s only four of us.”

“What about the trip up north?”

“We’ll see how I’m doing the day after tomorrow. If I’m still fatigued or depleted we’ll travel by horse. If I feel like I can handle it, transporting back up here would save a lot of time and posterior sores. However, for now I would like you to focus on yourself. Alert me when you feel in any way unusual. Once we arrive in the city I will summon a healer to examine you… Maybe an archivist to check the records or a seer for postcognitions regarding any mortals obtaining magic.”

All the serious talk started to make her antsy. Especially the prospect of a doctor’s appointment. She traced invisible patterns on Jareth’s shirt to distract herself. “What if I gain the ability to summon crystals? Or the ability to reorder time?” She froze and her eyes grew wide, finding Jareth’s. “What if I accidentally turn into an owl and won’t know how to turn back?” Her wide eyes shifted back to his chest. “I am not eating rodents!”

Jareth laughed at her sulky tone. “Trust me, darling. Shapeshifting cost me about four hundred years to master and it is definitely not one of those things you do by accident. Reordering time is even more complicated than that. Even now it requires a large amount of concentration and magic when I alter just a few hours.”

Sarah cast her eyes downwards, her shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry,” she said sincerely while looking up at him, meeting his gaze.

His eyebrows arched up in surprise and confusion. “What are you sorry for now?”

“Making you reorder time so my family wouldn’t worry about me disappearing…”

“You hardly twisted my arm, Sarah. I will reorder time a thousand times if it would make you happy.”

The woman smiled bashfully, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his jaw, seeing as she couldn’t reach his cheek from this angle. “Thank you, Jareth. I just hope one day I can return the favor.”

“You’re already making strides just by being by my side.”

There was a brief silence.

“So… Should we get up?”

Jareth groaned.

—-

It seemed that Sarah had a complicated relationship with teleportation. Her first trip Underground was practically seamless. Her return years later had been literally sickening. But then her goodbye to her family had been pretty much smooth sailing as well. At first she’d assumed Jareth was simply more skilled with teleportation and that his adeptness provided a nice cushion.

But that assumption proved untrue during their travel to the city.

The moment they disappeared from the cabin on the snowy mountain top, even before they’d appeared at their destination, Sarah knew something was wrong. It was like someone flicked off the light, turned it back on for just a split second before a fuse blew and everything went dark again.

When she came to, it was fast, as though she’d just dozed off and someone called for her. Her body jerked and her eyes flew open, wide and alert. The woman looked down to see herself being carried, one hand around her knees while she could feel another around her back. Looking around her eyes met with three worried gazes. First Warren’s, then Girvin’s and lastly Jareth’s, who was currently holding her. Self-consciously she brushed her hair behind her ear and cleared her throat.

“Uh, sorry about that. I’m not sure what happened.” Wiggling she signaled Jareth to put her down, but he held her firmly.

“Are you quite alright, my lady?” Girvin touched her shoulder.

Sarah nodded. “Y-yeah, I’m fine. I’m not sure what happened. I don’t usually faint.”

“Girvin, summon healer Aemus at once. Tell him to meet us in half an hour’s time in the royal wing.”

“Jareth, please put me down… I’m fine. Really.” With another wiggle he hesitantly leaned down to put her on her feet, securely holding on to her waist and holding her close. There was the smallest hint of wobble in her knees, but she’d hoped that despite the scrutinizing gazes none of the men had noticed. Uncomfortably Sarah looked around to take in her surroundings.

They were standing in a large square surrounded by walls about two stories high, made of pastel orange stone. The walls were lined with leafy green hedges and flowers, and on the far edges were benches in the shade. Beautiful flowers grew on the overhang above the seats, creating a luxurious but quaint rural feel. Towering over them was a castle Sarah could only describe as absolutely gigantic. It stretched for more stories than she knew how to count, in that same orange tinted stone. The sky was a crisp and untainted blue, interrupted only briefly by a small flock of birds flying by.

Weirdly, it wasn’t until then that she noticed how incredibly warm it was. She wouldn’t be surprised if she got knocked out simply from the contrast between the cold cabin and the boiling heat here.

A female voice behind Jareth caused everyone to turn their heads. From the castle doors emerged a tall and slender woman, dressed in the finest silk of rich orange. Her hair was full, wavy and a shade of red so dark that it was almost black. Her skin was unblemished, carrying a healthy honey tone, her ochre, almond shaped eyes giving her an exotic look. A golden necklace and several bracelets shimmered in the sun. Next to her stood a servant who unfolded a parasol for her the moment she stepped out, keeping her face in the shade.

“Lady Beyza! Just the person I was looking for. I think you might have misplaced your husband.”

Immediately a realization dawned on Sarah and she looked to Jareth’s older brother who was standing slightly closer to the entrance with his back to them. This was probably the first time he actually saw his wife. His tall shape was completely still and her mind could only imagine the expression on his face.

The tall woman froze for a second, staring at him with wide eyes. His name tumbled off her lips in little more than a whisper.

“Bey,” Warren said softly, awe and adoration laid bare in his voice. “Is… That you?”

The woman hiked up her skirts and ran towards the man. Haphazardly the servant tried to follow. As soon as the woman was in range she threw her arms around him, ranting breathlessly in a foreign language so fast that even if it had been in English, Sarah likely wouldn’t have caught a single word. From this perspective Sarah could see tears starting to pour down Beyza’s cheeks, her long dark hair draping over Warren’s shoulders. Eventually they pulled back and the woman cradled Warren’s face in her hands. “By the Gods, what happened? How… When… How?”

Sarah could see a watery smile on Warren’s face when he looked towards Jareth, tears staining his cheeks. He touched Beyza’s hair, face and shoulders, caressing her hands and arms while he took his time to look upon his wife. All he seemed to be able to do was repeat her name, over and over.

Jareth, Sarah and Girvin waited awkwardly. Eventually, Beyza held out a hand to her servant, who quickly provided her with a handkerchief. It took a few moments before she had collected herself enough to speak.

“I sincerely apologize,” she insisted, her voice still smooth like honey. Eventually, she smiled and held out her hand. “Your Majesty, it’s a pleasure, as always.”

Jareth smiled and took her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “The pleasure is all mine, Bey. I’d like you to meet lady Sarah, my… very much adored guest.”

Beyza’s eyes sparkled brilliantly, looking from the king to the brunette next to him. “Lady Sarah, it is an honor to meet you. What a beautiful little thing you are.”

A little overwhelmed and confused, Sarah quickly had to figure out how to properly greet her. Shyly she gave a curtsy. “Thank you, lady Beyza. It is an honor to meet you as well.”

“With all introductions out of the way, I do believe all of us are due for some tea and refreshments,” Jareth insisted. “Girvin.” He gave him a pointed look.

“Yes, I will summon the royal healer at once. Please excuse me.” He bowed to the others before briskly walking towards the large entry doors of the castle.

“I will take it upon myself to arrange celebrations for your return,” Beyza said with an excited folding of her hands. “Walk with me, Warren,” she insisted.

“It would be an honor, my goddess.” Warren offered his arm and the two turned to the entrance. The man’s eyes were practically glued to his wife.

Sarah couldn’t help but giggle after the two left. “Something tells me those two are going to have a very… intimate and devoted reunion.”

The Goblin King offered Sarah his arm similarly to how Warren did after finally letting go of her waist. “While personally I couldn’t get to the royal suites fast enough to get you checked, I think seeing the circumstances we better walk.”

Sarah let him lead her into the castle. “I’m not usually one to ask for this kind of stuff, but is there any chance I could get a sleeveless top and some shorts somewhere around here? I’m already sweating up a storm in this fur lined outfit.”

The blonde chuckled. “You won’t find shorts in my realm, but I’m positive there’s a nice summer dress for you. We’ll also arrange for a fitting so we can expand on your Underground wardrobe. Borrowed travel outfits, while practical, don’t do you justice.”

“So long as it’s not skin tight like some people sport around these parts.”

Jareth threw her an amused smile, not at all bothered by her remark. “Now, sweetling. Don’t tell me you think that my personal fashion doesn't do me justice…” Sarah immediately felt her face heat up and she tucked her head. He leaned in a little closer. “Besides, I think you’d look positively stunning in something skintight.”

Wide-eyed, she checked if anyone might have heard that, before turning to him with a frown. “Jareth! God, you’re such a pervert.”

In an almost sing-songy voice he leaned closer, his hand squeezing hers and a wide grin on his face. “And your eyes can be so cruel.”

Her mind briefly flashed to their final confrontation years ago and a feeling of defensiveness bubbled up in her. She could almost taste the panic and adrenaline she’d been riding back then. “The only thing that’s going to be cruel is my fist in your-”

“Your Majesty.”

Both of them snapped out of their little bubble to look up ahead. Girvin descended the stairs with quick footwork until he met them at the bottom. He was slightly out of breath. “The healer awaits at the entrance of the royal wing. I have checked with the staff and all rooms are available. Of course this includes your own suite.”

“Excellent. Contact the steward to appoint a maid to Sarah for today and tomorrow and have him send for the tailor.”

“Yes, sire. What else can I do for you?”

“Meet me at the end of the afternoon in my personal study. The remaining unassigned hours are yours to spend at your leisure.”

Girvin seemed somewhat surprised and confused at first, but quickly bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you. Please excuse me.”

The soldier hurried off and Jareth turned back to Sarah. “So, as you were saying?”

“Oh, bugger off,” Sarah huffed in annoyance.

Instead, she took a moment to observe her surroundings. This castle was vastly different from how she remembered the castle in the Labyrinth. It was intimidatingly large. The ceiling of the entry hall was at least three stories high and was richly decorated with paintings, heavy drapes, a long carpet running all the way up the stairs and finely woven leaves and flowers on the ceiling, complimenting the large chandelier at the center. The room smelled of lavender and oranges. Guards were tucked to the sides of the room and each wall had several large double doors.

Jareth tugged her up the stairs and her gaze shifted forwards. The stairs were huge, with balustrades a foot wide. It seemed to stretch on forever. By the landing at the end of each handrail was a statue of an animal that didn’t look familiar to Sarah. It had the build of a lion but the head of a bird. They walked in companionable silence while Sarah took in her surroundings, admiring the splendor of wealth.

It took nearly fifteen minutes and a few more stairs before they reached the royal wing. They were greeted by an older man as soon as they approached. The man descended in a low bow, a younger, shorter man standing behind him who bowed as well.

The elderly gentleman immediately struck Sarah as the mythical figure of Merlin, with heavy robes, a long beard, aged blue eyes and long gray hair. The man behind him had deep black, half long hair, dark blue eyes and an almost frighteningly pale complexion. His robes were the same deep green as those of the older man but short enough that she could see his dark trousers underneath. Clutched to his chest were some documents, rolls of parchment and folders. A quill was tucked behind his ear.

“Aemus, punctual as always,” the king commented.

After the king spoke, the two men straightened themselves. “Your Majesty, I came as soon as I received your summons. Please meet my apprentice Cian. I humbly request he attends this consultation to assist my aging bones and to gain the valued experience of serving you.”

“Cian, I trust you will handle this consultation with discretion.”

The man nodded solemnly. “I vow it, Your Majesty. Any information gained in my work will remain between us and all paperwork will be sealed and protected to ensure confidentiality.”

“Very good. Gentlemen, please meet lady Sarah.” He looked down at her and Sarah smiled kindly, giving the two men a polite curtsy.

The men bowed deeply. “It is a great pleasure to meet you, fair lady Sarah,” Aemus said pleasantly.

“Let’s not dawdle. To the end of the hallway, if you please.”

Chapter 31: Chapter 31

Notes:

— PLEASE NOTE: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MINOR ROMANTIC PROXIMITY. NOTHING SERIOUS. BUT HEY, I MADE THIS CHAPTER EXTRA LONG FOR Y’ALL. ;) —

The rooms Jareth had assigned to her were nothing short of fantastical opulence. With her own giant fireplace, golden accented furniture, hundreds of books, magnificent bathroom facilities and a bed larger than the entire bedroom in her old apartment, she shouldn’t have anything to complain about. There even were a selection of dresses and various apparel and accessories she could freely use, including jewelry that she was scared to even touch because they looked priceless.

Yet she felt, for lack of a better description, like absolute shit. Her entire body hurt. She was exhausted. Starving, yet she didn’t give the food brought in earlier a second glance. She threw a gander towards Jareth and the two healers. He was standing tall and his brow was furrowed while listening to the elderly man. Part of her was annoyed that after being prodded, pulled on and submitted to all kinds of nasty sensations, they didn’t bother to include her in the findings. Yet at the same time she couldn’t care less. She was desperate to crawl under the sea of bedsheets and stay there for a few days.

She was currently curled up on one of the couches in her quarters, clad in a simple blue dress. It had been the only one offering her some reprieve from the heat and provided some comfort. All other dresses in the wardrobe were thicker, had corsets or were nightgowns.

Leaning her head sideways against the back of the couch she closed her eyes while trying to tune out the weird pressure she felt in her shoulders.

A few moments later she felt a gentle caress against her hair. Leather clad fingers tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Opening her eyes she was met with Jareth’s mismatched gaze. He was leaning against the back of the couch, looking down at her. “How are you faring, sweetling?”

“Tired. Overheated. Hungry. Sore. Stiff. I could go on.”

“I do apologize, Sarah. Upon Aemus’s recommendation I opted to do a full examination at once, so you wouldn’t have to be submitted to more discomfort later. I offer my sincere apologies. I should have consulted with you first.”

Sarah shrugged. “It’s probably best I got it over with. I hate doctor appointments, so I’d rather be a little lab rat for…” She gazed at a clock on a nearby wall. “Two and a half hours, then having to go through it several times on separate occasions.”

Jareth smiled softly. “Allow me.” He took one of the fingers of his gloves between his teeth and tossed the item aside. Two fingers pressed against the pale skin between her brows, applying a gentle pressure.

Her eyes fell shut. The alien sores and discomforts ebbed away like water through a sieve. The warmth of his fingers against her skin nothing short of blissful. She never could quite get used to his spells.

“Sit straight, Sarah.”

Her eyes fluttered open, slightly snapping out of the trance she’d been in. Obediently she turned on the seat so her feet touched the ground. Before she could look up at him she spotted his other glove being discarded next to the other. The man’s hands came to rest on her shoulders, his thumbs angled to the back of her neck. Carefully he tested the muscles before starting to rub and knead the sore and tight areas. His touch alternated between firm squeezes, precise strokes and gentle caresses. Each touch made her long for it to never end.

Her soft sigh was a sorry response to the best massage she’d ever had. Her body rejoiced in the skillful way he eased the tension and lulled her into relaxation.

The low murmur in her ear was so close that she could feel his breath against her skin. Despite the warm weather, goosebumps prickled along her skin. “Is that better, Sarah?”

Sarah moaned softly in approval and his fingertips brushed down the column of her throat before his lips replaced them. The woman shivered at the chaste touch, her hands slightly bunching in the skirts of her dress. Her eyes were still closed, yet she felt no desire to open them, drinking in the feeling of the physical contact. “Not just magic fingers, I see.” Her tone was joking, but breathless.

The way he chuckled caused her heart to skip a beat. “You don’t know half of it.” With teasing confidence he let his fingertips trace the line of her collarbone, chuckling at her shiver. “In fact,” he said in a way that distanced him from a heady path down a road she’d likely not be quite ready to take yet. “These magic fingers have set themselves to work while you were seeing the healers.”

Sarah could sense him stepping away from her, allowing her mind to refocus on the matter at hand. “Yeah, about that… Am I going to be let in on what they found or not?” Looking around, she caught his hand resting on a small box. When she spoke up, he pulled back from it.

Smiling, he tucked his hands behind his back. “Business first, then. Could you join me at the table, or are you still feeling faint?”

“I’m fine,” she said swiftly. A good part of the aches had dissipated already, but she was definitely still out of sorts. He held out a chair for her and she sat down murmuring a quiet thanks.

The man slipped into a seat opposite of hers. “Firstly, I’d like to clarify that I was not at all intending to keep this information from you. You looked rather worn out, so I wanted you to rest before you thrust yourself into something that might cause you stress.”

“Stress? Why? What’s wrong with me?” Her fingers curled up nervously on the tabletop.

The Goblin King put a hand over her own. “Currently, nothing that the healers can ascertain. Your vitals are fine and your blood is untainted, save for the magic in it. There is no visible or detectable signs of poisoning or Feyblight, but-”

“Feyblight?” Sarah frowned at the term, her mouth growing dry.

“A disease found in novices or people and creatures unable to restrain their magic.” His voice was calm and unbothered. “It is known to blacken skin and whiten hair.” Her increasing panic spoke volumes. “However, as I said, there was no sign of it and I have absolutely no reason to believe you will develop it. That being said, I am more than ready to offer services from the royal healers to provide you with periodic appointments, at least until the magic has faded from your body.”

Sarah shuddered at the thought.

“Which brings me to the next matter. There is a very real possibility that the magic will not fade from your body, so long as it’s not depleted.” He held up a hand to silence her when her lips parted. “All that is said under reservation, though. Much like me, Aemus and his student have not heard of magic being transferred. And certainly not to mortal humans. They will conduct research and provide us with more information as soon as they can.”

Sarah looked down at their hands, quietly digesting what he’d just said. “So… I have magic? At least for the time being.” He nodded patiently. “And there’s no way it will just, like… kill me?”

“No, sweetling. For the time being, you are in a perfectly fine and stable condition.” Raising her hand to his lips he pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Now then, would you allow me to show you my latest craft? Or do you have any further questions?”

“I am morbidly curious about everything I’ve been subjected to by the healers today,” she said thoughtfully. Then her eyes locked on him. “But I’m dying to see what the mighty Goblin King has been up to.”

Jareth caught her eyes flashing towards the box and before she’d even moved an inch his hand shot towards it and snagged it away. Her lips parted in disbelief when he rose to his feet and ambled away, casually turning the small box in his hands. “Oh, come on!” Rising to her feet she moved over to him, fishing for the box. With graceful flourishes he kept it out of her reach, grinning playfully. “Jareth, give it to me!”

Amused at her childlike petulance he gently shook the box. It immediately caused her to pause, listening to the sound it produced. “What? This little thing? You were hardly interested in it before.”

“I’m interested now,” she said with a pout while jumping for it again. She made a particularly valiant effort to grab it then, nearly bumping her head into his chin and causing him to stumble back in an attempt to keep her from hurting herself. The back of his legs bumped into something and he tumbled back. In blind excitement at his lapse in poise she scrambled on top of him and reached for it.

Suddenly, it vanished from his hand.

“Oh,” she exclaimed loudly. “You cheat!”

His grin was positively unashamed. If Sarah wasn’t so painfully curious, she would have let him play his games. His cheerful smile was utterly disarming and his hand on her back terribly distracting.

Wait a minute.

Her entire body froze, now wildly aware she lay sprawled on top of him. One of her legs was between his and her elbows braced on the seat he’d fallen onto. Her body grew warm, though not as unbearably hot as her face. She shifted her weight backwards. The teasing smile on his lips caused her heart to flutter. “Don’t leave now, darling. This game was just getting interesting.”

“You and your games,” she said with a huff.

He seemed unbothered, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “Won’t you play, dearest?”

Sarah scoffed. “What? A game? With you? Why? For what?”

“The box.” The man grinned at the slight widening of her eyes, her interest clearly piqued.

“What game, exactly?” Her slow pronunciation illustrated her distrust but careful consideration.

“Don’t flinch, and I’ll give you the box.”

“You can’t just offer something and when I want it, come up with some awfully convenient conditions to get it!” His cocky grin told her that he very much could. With distrust still clear on her face and in her voice, she tilted her head. “Don’t flinch from what, exactly?”

“Being on top of me, obviously.” Her eyes widened again. “You are free to do whatever you like, or-”

Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t say who. Don’t you dare.”

Jareth laughed. “Very well. So, don’t flinch… and the box is yours.”

“Including the contents? No small print or rules I should know about?”

“Of course. No other requirements.”

“But you were going to give it to me anyway!”

His hand casually traced invisible patterns on her shoulder. “Says who? I just said that I wanted to show you something which I had created while you were being examined. You simply wished to stake a claim on something in my possession. The price is to stay. Quite generous, don’t you think?”

“You’re insufferable.”

“Yet you are still situated on top of me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d suspect you intentionally incapacitated me in pursuit of physical contact.” It was difficult to keep her attention on the things he was saying. “Perhaps my magic fingers are even more potent than I know them to be.”

Sarah’s hands curled into fists next to his head. The mischief sparkling in his eyes and the sharp teeth flashing from between his lips were becoming difficult to resist. Those haunting mismatched eyes carrying an unusual hint of boyish trickery and roguish defiance…

Before she realized it she’d leaned down, catching his lips with her own. He was quick to respond, burying his fingers in her hair and holding her close. Considering he had little experience with what seemed to classify as mortal or human kisses, he was definitely quick to catch on. And gods, Sarah had never kissed a man with lips this soft. They brushed against hers, molding together perfectly and effortlessly reacting to her own. The tingling feeling of his fingers caressing her hair spread all the way down to her shoulders. The kiss deepened and her body ached for more contact. Pleaded to let herself settle against the hard planes of his body. His kiss perfectly straddled the line between demanding and teasing. Eager to take the lead yet curious about what she might do.

Sarah’s embarrassment waned when she became hopelessly distracted. Her teeth briefly nipped his lower lip. His fingers tightened in her hair. Her body tensed in anticipation when his leg angled up slightly, taut muscle brushing along her thighs and pushing up the dress just a tad higher. She gasped and he eagerly used the reaction to nibble on her lower lip.

Her fingertips traced down along the leather cord of his necklace, down to the amulet and over it. Her hand brushing down along his neckline resulted in the fastenings coming undone as though they hadn’t been there. His shirt gradually fell open and readily presented his skin.

Jareth’s kiss faltered at the feeling of her touch. One hand was on her lower back, pulling her closer, then froze. His head pushed into the seat they were laying on. He growled quietly. “Sarah?”

Opening her eyes she met his gaze. There was a faint tint of pink on his cheeks and his eyes openly displayed a fierce hunger. His hands cradled her face while he made a visible effort to clear his mind. “Yes?” She shifted her weight from her elbows to her hands.

“We should slow down.” He let out a slow sigh, licking his lips. “I’ll curse myself any moment now, but this is not the place nor the time for our first tryst.”

Gradually the haze faded from her mind and she nodded awkwardly. Bashfully her eyes lowered, briefly seeing the bared expanse of his chest before he angled her head back up. “Eyes up here, sweetling. I don’t think you are quite ready for what you will find down there,” he said with a smirk. When it dawned on her what exactly he meant her cheeks flushed. “In the meantime, please accept this gift… I made it for you.”

One moment his hand was empty, the next the small box appeared in it. Sarah looked at it for a moment. “I… Thank you, Jareth…” If her mind wasn’t still lagging behind she might have been cross that it was something he intended to give her after all.

“Wait until you see what’s inside.” He smiled kindly. Jareth slipped the box into her hand and shifted, propping his elbows up on the arm rest of the couch they were on to create some distance between them.

The woman leaned back so she was sitting on her knees, eyes fixated on the box. Looking up at him he gave her an encouraging nod and carefully she peeled the lid off the box. The moment her eyes fell on what was within she gasped.

Resting inside on a satin cushion was a delicate silver necklace with a small orb pendant. The chain seemed to glitter in the light while the hanger had an opal and pearlescent shimmer to it. In its center glowed a tiny pinprick of light.

She looked up at him, his gaze slightly guarded but curious as to her reaction. “Oh my god, Jareth… It’s so beautiful…”

A smile curled around his lips, a tension slipping from his shoulders. “I’ve been pondering a replacement ever since your previous necklace shattered. Touch it.” She took it out of the box to rest in her palm and put the box aside so her free hand could touch the small crystal trinket. There was a rhythmic pulsing coming from the object. It felt like…

“A heartbeat?” Her eyes locked with his.

The blonde smiled a little wider. “Very clever, darling. It is a heartbeat.” He took her hand and placed it over his chest. “Mine.”

Her lips parted, feeling the necklace thrumming in sync with the pulse in his chest. Her fingers closed around the necklace, the beating a comforting sensation and the chain flowing around her fingers like liquid. “I don’t know what to say…” Gently shifting her weight onto the hand on his chest she leaned over, pressing a chaste kiss against his lips. Resting her forehead against his she held the hand with the necklace over her heart. “Thank you, Jareth.”

“You are more than welcome, my darling Sarah.” He nuzzled his nose against hers, basking in the moment. After a few moments, he guided her back, leaning up from the armrest. “Let’s get you something to eat, yes?”

—-

All throughout the meal Sarah had been mentally lingering on their kiss. It didn’t help that his shirt was still hanging open. He didn’t seem in a hurry to close it.

What if…

“You’re not ogling me, are you dearest?”

Sarah startled so badly that her hand slammed down on her plate and nearly flipped it over. Jareth laughed. Awkwardly she tucked her head. He rose to his feet and affectionately pressed a kiss to her cheek. “As much as I’d love to spend the entire day with you, I have some matters to attend to.” While still standing next to her he casually started fastening his shirt, taking his sweet time for every one of his fastenings. Sarah’s eyes were tightly glued to the table. “The day is yours to do with as you please, but make sure you get some rest. We’ll be accompanied by the retinue of Warren’s court for dinner tonight.”

“Retinue?” Sarah looked up at him while he groomed his hair to messy perfection.

“Advisors, nobility and other attendants that reside in the castle.” Idly he collected his trademark gloves, slipping them on so slowly Sarah was a little suspicious that he dreaded doing it. “It is as thrilling as it sounds.”

Turning to him she fidgeted with the fine fabric of her dress. “It sounds kind of… fancy… I’m not used to fancy dinners. Is there anything I should know? Some sort of etiquette or something?”

He grabbed one last piece of fruit, popping it into his mouth. “I’ll send for someone to instruct and prepare you. Though I have full confidence that even without it, you’d carry yourself just fine. You might want to go for seconds,” he said while nodding to the table. “While the event starts in the evening, it won’t be until later at night that food is served. Rest up for now. I will send for a lady-in-waiting to dress you and instruct you on everything you need to know.”

“Okay,” Sarah said quietly, anxious to attend a royal dinner.

His forefinger gently guided her face up to look at him. “Enjoy your day, sweetling. You have more than earned your rest. Don’t worry about tonight, you’ll be fine.” The man pressed a kiss to her forehead, then turned from her. “Take solace in the fact that Lana will be there too. I am eager to see you again tonight.” With a kind smile he left the room.

Turning back to the table, Sarah decided to heed Jareth’s advice and dug in for seconds. After that, the giant bed with silk sheets had her name written all over it.

—-

Sarah woke to the sound of someone entering her room. It immediately put her on high alert and she bolted up from the feathery cushions. A tall, pale woman quietly rode in a cart containing several boxes of various sizes, then closed the door behind her, flicking her long silvery blue hair over her shoulder. Spotting the woman in the bed she gave stoic curtsy.

“Uh, hello.” Uncomfortably Sarah fixed her dress under the covers, then slipped out. “Sorry, I was asleep.”

“Good afternoon, Lady Sarah.” Her voice was cold. Disinterested probably. Sarah dreaded this was going to be a rather unpleasant introduction to manners of the court. “My name is Sorcha. I was summoned to serve you.”

Still a little groggy from sleep it was hard to present herself with some dignity. “Oh right, thank you. Any help would be much appreciated.”

Sorcha looked her over. “I can see that.”

Sarah flinched, awkwardly trying to stroke a few creases out of her borrowed garment. It didn’t help that the woman opposite her was impeccably dressed, from the intricate knots of her belt to the delicate braids in her hair.

“I will prepare a bath for you. Dirt and grime have no place at tonight’s soirée. Please rid your hair of any knots or tangles while I prepare for you. We are expected in two hours.”

“O-okay,” Sarah squeaked quietly.

Once her hair was smooth and untangled she walked into the bathroom. The large bath was steaming invitingly and an unfamiliar floral scent rose from the soapy waters. Sorcha turned to her with her chin held high, holding out a hand to the bath. “If you please, lady Sarah.”

Sarah froze, eyes moving between the bath and the noblewoman. Was she meant to just undress in front of a stranger? Right now?

“Before the water gets cold, please. Just leave your dress and undergarments on the floor, I shall put them away later.”

The cold look withered the longer Sarah hesitated, so despite her discomfort she stripped down and quickly stepped in the bath, hiding her body from the other woman’s view underneath the bubbles.

“I have selected a burgundy dress and jewelry by Eire Eilis for you tonight.” The rather clueless look on Sarah’s face wasn’t lost on Sorcha. “Eire Eilis is the capital’s royal jeweler. Compliments would be in order considering I managed to get my hands on them in such short notice.”

After a hot bath and a more than thorough scrub, Sarah insisted on drying herself. She was sure Sorcha was displeased, because when she was dressing her it almost seemed a goal to tighten her dress two sizes smaller than it needed to be.

But then, when Sarah saw herself in the mirror, she couldn’t deny that it was stunning. The floor-length dress was elegant and fitted her upper half perfectly. It framed her chest and hugged her ribs and waist so tightly that she only just now discovered curves she’d never seen before. Sarah usually didn’t like deep V-necklines, but this one was beautiful, with its delicate lace and embroidery. Long, sheer sleeves with lace cuffs cascaded down from her shoulders, teetering just on the edge as though it could tantalizingly slip down at any moment. While the skirts were rather simple, they made for a perfect finish. The wine red elegant flats were surprisingly comfortable.

Just at that moment Sorcha presented her with a beautiful princess necklace, which was so dazzling Sarah almost feared it would take all attention away from her face. The noblewoman urged her to the vanity where she started to swiftly and skillfully arrange her hair into the perfect messy French roll with earrings matching her necklace.

Sarah had always preferred a natural look, so having someone do her makeup was rather uncomfortable, but she found herself eager to see what Sorcha could create. Some minutes later Sarah looked at herself in the mirror, wide-eyed. Leaning forward she could barely recognize herself. Her skin was flawless and perfectly accented. Not even a single eyebrow hair was out of place. Deep burgundy eyeshadow and winged eyeliner with deep berry lipstick finished the outfit magnificently.

“Wow, Sorcha… I don’t even know what to say… This is absolutely gorgeous. Thank you.”

Sorcha beamed proudly with her head held high. “His Majesty doesn’t select my services at random. You won’t find a better attendant in this province, perhaps the entire kingdom.” Sorcha folded her hands together. “Now, there is much work left to be done, and I am not soiling a masterpiece with poor manners and tardiness. Join me at the table, please.” She stiffly turned to the cart and unloaded the last few boxes. Sorcha opened the first, revealing a leather notebook. She flipped to a specific page and laid it out for Sarah to read.

“This is tonight’s attendance list. I presume you recognize the royal family at least.”

Sarah nodded, reading the familiar names of Jareth, Warren, Beyza and Alana with their formal titles and details of attendance. She was also surprised to see last names included, which only just occurred to her she didn’t even know. Islainn, which seemed surprisingly fitting somehow. It also alerted her that Jareth wouldn’t be in attendance for the first hour or so. And neither would Alana.

“Marvelous,” Sorcha continued. “Sir Thaddeus Briarwood and his wife Isolde never miss a gathering. Sir Thaddeus is chancellor of finance. Lord Alaric Virelle is captain of the guard, joined by his wife Lady Elowen Virelle, mistress of the gardens. Sir Cormac Larksong is a knight of valor. He recently went through a divorce with Lady Fionnuala Steelheart. Both will be in attendance with their paramours.”

Sarah tried to follow along as best as she could, but after a while the names started blurring together. She studied the pages, trying to think of mnemonics to memorize them. When Sorcha suddenly pointed to a specific name she jumped.

“And lastly Sir Rioghan Briaric, Master of Shadows. You’re lucky I caught staff mentioning it before I reported to you. He was not expected but arrived in the castle this afternoon. Most courtiers you will meet today are perfectly harmless, but be careful when you meet him.”

“Why? What does he do?”

“He is the head of intelligence serving His Majesty. However, it is not about what he does, it is about what he is capable of. Do not let your guard down around him and do not answer any personal questions. It is for your best interest. Seeing your rather innocent nature, I would not recommend to offer him any compliments or express any sort of appreciativeness towards him.”

“Okay, all this sounds a little ominous. I don’t see Sir Girvin on the list, will he be attending?”

“Sir Girvin Valgard? Almost certainly not. Soldiers are hardly commonplace among nobility. He sometimes attends the less… refined festivities. Usually as the right hand of His Majesty the King.”

Sarah was a little surprised. Jareth usually kept her under the watchful eye of the soldier. While it felt overbearing sometimes she was nervous he wouldn’t be there tonight. There was no time to mull it over, though. Sorcha immediately launched herself in a thorough instruction on all things refined and proper. Instructing until Sarah’s head was spinning.

It was almost a relief when it was time to leave. Sorcha’s lips were firmly sealed the moment they stepped out.

—-

When they arrived Sarah immediately felt nervous again. As it so happened, they arrived at the same time as Warren and Beyza. Sorcha gave them a deep curtsy before Warren dismissed her. The pair was clad in vivid oranges, matching perfectly and dressed to the nines.

“Lady Sarah, you look positively breathtaking,” Warren said, very clearly incredibly pleased.

Beyza, who was on his arm, smiled warmly. “Not just anyone would attract the attention of His Majesty.” Her tone was playful.

Smiling through her nerves, Sarah gave them a respectful curtsy, mimicking the way Sorcha had instructed her. “Sir Warren, Lady Beyza. You make a very striking pair.”

The exotic looking woman chuckled. “Lady Sorcha has instructed you well, I can tell.” Beyza offered her arm and Sarah took it with a smile. “Let us formally introduce you to our court.” A man by the door announced their entry, using their names and titles. Sarah found herself introduced as Lady Sarah Williams, royal guest of the king. It was certainly better than Lady Sarah Williams, unemployed and living with her father and stepmother.

Stepping into the room everyone inside descended into a collective bow. She could already see a few people talking to one another in hushed tones. While there was a band, their music was clearly meant to be background entertainment. The room was huge. Three stories high, easily as large as her childhood home and adorned with countless paintings, drapes and art. There were three large chandeliers and five tall windows with seats at their base. The floor was a rich green marble which looked so spotless Sarah was nearly afraid to walk on it.

Warren walked them over to two people. “Thaddeus, it is a joy as always to see you. Please meet lady Sarah.”

Sarah smiled warmly and gave the man a deep curtsy.

“Lady Sarah, your radiant presence gracing us tonight is more than I could have hoped for.” The burly man, looking to be in his late forties, held out his hand. His white hair was pulled back in a neat bun, his dark blue eyes smiling down at her. His outfit, and that of the woman next to him, were a deep sapphire.

Sarah offered him her hand and he pressed a polite kiss to her knuckles. “Sir Thaddeus Briarwood, it is a pleasure to meet you. And Lady Isolde?”

The petite pale blonde woman next to him smiled. “Very good, Lady Sarah. Such a pleasure. I do hope you enjoy this little get together.”

“If everyone is as pleasant and kind as you I am sure I will.”

“Your Grace, while I have you, I’d like to discuss some points of our meeting this morning.”

Isolde sighed dramatically. “Oh, Theo, for the love of the Winter Moon, could you not jump to work discussions every chance you get?”

“It will only take a moment, Isolde.”

The petite woman pulled him down by his arm. “Theo, if you keep this up we won’t be invited again.”

Sarah stifled a giggle and Warren held up a hand. “We will discuss it later, Thaddeus. Please excuse us, I am eager to have lady Sarah meet with everyone.”

“Very well, Your Grace.” Thaddeus and Isolde bowed while the three took their leave.

Over half an hour later, Warren had introduced her personally to each and every person present, including some of the staff. It had honestly been a welcome help. It was much easier to remember names when she could picture a face with it.

Sarah excused herself briefly to get a glass of water. Not wanting to be rude by butting into a conversation, she kept her distance and quietly sipped her drink while observing the room.

“Lady Sarah, I’m sure.”

A deep, rich voice came from her side, startling her out of her quiet surveying. The man next to her was uncommonly rugged. An imposing figure, standing taller than most, with broad shoulders and a muscular build. His face was shadowed by stubble, giving him a rough and untamed look, contrasting sharply with the more polished faces around him. His eyes were a deep shade of orange. They were sharp and calculating with a predatory glint. There was an intensity to him, an underlying force that suggested he could be dangerous when provoked. His dark, tousled hair fell to his shoulders, windswept and carelessly charming. His clothes, a mix of leather and worn fabrics, seemed exclusively practical, built for movement and not at all fitting in with the finery around them. There was a sense of wildness about him. Though not conventionally handsome, the man’s allure came from a rough-hewn charm and magnetic energy.

Her heart suddenly beat wildly in her chest. “Uh…” She cleared her throat, remembering Sorcha scolding her for muttering and stuttering. “Yes. It’s a pleasure, Sir…?”

“Rioghan.” He took her hand from where she had subconsciously tucked it away. His hold was warm and strong. “Rioghan Briaric. The pleasure is all mine.” Like many others tonight, he pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

Sarah felt herself warring back and forth between welcoming the intriguing man and shying away from him. When he kissed her knuckles, it was different from the other men she’d met today. Her mouth had grown unnaturally dry and her heartbeat had spiked as though she was on the verge of a panic attack. Tightening the hold on her drink she kept her ground. Mentally she reminded herself that Sorcha had warned her about him. No compliments. Keep pleasantries guarded.

Wait, had she already screwed that up by saying it was nice to meet him?

Sarah pulled her hand back from his hold, joining it with the other hand that held her drink.

“You look stunning tonight, rich and vibrant like the finest red wine. Your eyes could captivate anyone fortunate enough to gaze into them.” As though to illustrate, he deftly picked up a glass of wine from the table next to her.

Oh great, he was a smooth-talker.

While her smile was uncomfortable and bashful at first, there was a comforting lull to his presence that eased her into a sense of security. “You certainly have a way with words, sir. What compelled you to talk to me?”

“You did,” he said smoothly, leaning against the table with an air of nonchalance. “Such a beautiful young woman should not be left wandering along the walls by herself.”

Sarah looked around the room. He was being perfectly pleasant, maybe a little bit too pleasant. Her skin was tingling with both excitement and dread and she couldn’t figure out why.

“Leave it to the common nobility to stick to one another’s arm all night, hm? On nights like these, people seldomly mingle for more than shallow sociable pleasantries.”

“And I suppose you are different?” Sarah didn't back away from scolding him for mocking people that had been nothing but kind to her. When she met his gaze it was like looking into a roaring fireplace. Warm and hypnotizing.

Rioghan smirked lazily. “Quite. These people hardly go past castle grounds, you know. Life in the castle really isn’t that compelling.” He waved his hand to gesture to the people around the room. “I could tell you all these people’s little adventures, but I wouldn’t want to put you to sleep.” His eyes shifted back to her. “Not yet, anyway.” His voice had dropped to a playful drawl.

Sarah blushed at the insinuation in his voice. “I’ll have you know that I-”

“-Am king Jareth’s little plaything. Yes, I am fully aware.” He leaned a little closer, his low voice slithering into her ear. “I don’t see him, though. It is quite shameful that he’d leave you to your own devices. If Sir Warren and Lady Beyza hadn’t caught you at the door, you would have been left to fend for yourself.”

Looking at him she lifted an accusing brow. “I don’t see anyone on your arm.”

“Oh, my sweet little pup,” he said with a somewhat condescending sigh. “I don’t care for attending little tea parties like this with an agreeable pet on my arm.” The rather roguish smile was curling his lips again. “You strike me as someone more individualistic as well, am I correct?”

Again, Sarah had that mix of fascination and unease wriggling through her. She wanted to smile. She really did. But her gut instincts were a mere inch away from taking over control and steering her out the room. The weird tingling was back, and this time it came with a sense of intuition. “Are you toying with me, Sir Rioghan?”

His roughened face slackened in something close to surprise. He leaned in close enough to touch her shoulder with his arm, but she didn’t budge. The man purred appreciatively. “Quite interesting indeed. This little thing has some senses on her.” His voice dropped to something barely above a whisper. “I can feel you, little one.”

At any other time Sarah would have gladly thrown the rest of her drink in the face of someone behaving like this, but she was suddenly caught off guard by an influx of… emotion. There was no other way to describe it. The tickle of amusement, the thrill of excitement, a heated inspiration, pouring over her like thick layers of lava. It was so strong that it almost physically staggered her.

The tingle on her skin clicked.

Magic.

Swiftly her own emotions were thrown back in her face. Confusion. Fear. Discomfort. Anger. Captivation. It buzzed through her until it settled along every inch of her body.

Meanwhile Rioghan pushed himself off the table, making a somewhat dramatic turn to stand in front of her. Sarah looked up at him with wide eyes, drawn in once again by the flames in his eyes. His scent of pine and bergamot invaded her space. “While I uncovered your regrettable mortal status and the time of your arrival in this realm, I had not yet been made aware you have magic, little pup. How amusing.”

Sarah could almost taste a certain sweetness coming off of him. Playfulness? It wriggled between her own emotions and mudded them into one thick haze of confusion. There was no discerning which emotions were here anymore.

She needed out. Away. She needed room. Agency over her emotions. Yet she needed… more. There blossomed a slight burning in her veins. Something weak but simultaneously powerful. Her fingertips tingled and there were pins and needles in her neck. Something was happening.

His arm snaked around her waist when she staggered. The man grinned. “Easy now. If you don’t rein in your magic you’ll soon find yourself sprawled on the floor and making a scene.”

With his physical touch came a strange comfort and easy grounding. The dizziness faded away and Sarah gasped in relief. Her eyes met with his. Was it her or were his eyes a shade or two darker now? “That was magic?”

“It was,” he said with an amused chuckle. “I could taste it. Frail and uncontrolled. Fluttering through your core, yet not your own.” Slowly he withdrew, giving her space. But only a little.

“You know,” Sarah said quietly.

“I always do,” he replied smugly.

The woman studied him before carefully speaking up again. “How? What is it?”

“Emotancy, mindweaving… Maybe mirthcraft, though that would be an awful shame.” The confused look on her face made his lips quirk upwards. Looking her over slowly he circled her, studying her. Sarah kept her distance. “I am not quite sure what exactly. Not yet. I need more of you to establish that. But it is a magic close to my own.”

Sarah gasped, putting aside her glass and putting her hand on her hip. The other pointed at him accusingly. “A-ha! So you were toying with me.”

“It’s just a little harmless fun, really,” he said with amusement evident on his face. “Had I really been serious about wanting to bespell you, we’d already be behind closed doors and away from prying eyes.”

The woman grimaced, only fueling his delight. “How did you know?”

“Magic does not know its roots, but it recognizes its branches.” He eyed her dress again. “Don’t get me wrong, the thing that drew me to you from all the way across the room wasn’t your magic.”

Sarah clenched her hands by her side, not ruling out she was going to physically lash out for his wildly inappropriate comments. There was no denying that she was curious as to what her magic was, though. Rioghan already seemed halfway through figuring it out in mere minutes. Perhaps what he said was true, that similar paths of magic were attuned to each other. Maybe…

“Can you teach me?”

The man laughed. “Are you quite ready to pay the price for that? It will cost you.”

A mental leash quickly reeled her back in. She was striking a deal with a guy that had been manipulative and lustful at best. She looked away, dispassionate. “No thanks,” she said with a sudden coldness.

Rioghan laughed. “You’re an amusing little thing, Lady Sarah. I’ll give you that. I can offer you a single lesson, if only to honor my craft. Freely given, no strings attached.”

Sarah was lured back in easily, excited enough that it fully drowned out the crier at the door announcing a certain royal presence. “Really? No strings attached? When?”

He regarded her playfully, theatrically tapping his forefinger against his cheek. “How about tonight? You and me. Alone, aided by nothing but the moonlight.”

Sarah frowned.

Her heart skipped a beat when an arm wrapped around her waist. Rioghan smirked widely, then turned to her side, bowing deeply. “Your Majesty,” he said with an amused lilt in his voice.

Her face immediately flushed, realizing who the arm on her person belonged to.

“Good evening, Sarah. Rioghan.” The latter was spoken with clear distaste. “If you’d excuse us…”

The dark haired man threw Sarah a grin before bowing again. “Of course, Your Majesty.” With an amused chuckle he sauntered off, disappearing between the crowd.

“I see you have met Rioghan.”

His tone was rather dispassionate, but that didn't withhold Sarah from a certain excitement. “Yes, I have some exciting news to tell you.”

He didn't seem particularly eager to share in her cheerfulness. “That will have to wait. Alana and I will have to do our mandatory rounds to greet everyone before dinner is served.” Once his withering glare detached from Rioghan’s back he took a moment to look her over. There was a sparkle in his eyes. The blonde stepped up in front of her, hesitantly letting his arm slip from her waist. “Though I would do anything to spend the rest of my evening alone with you.” Jareth brushed a lock of her dark hair behind her ear, then took her hand and pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles, stealing another quick peck before letting go. “Words cannot begin to express how beautiful you look tonight.”

“You look quite breathtaking yourself, Your Majesty,” she said with a low curtsy.

And he really did. He was dressed in a pale yellow outfit, his waistcoat and jacket adorned with countless small crystal beads. He wasn’t wearing his near-painted-on tights but something a little less revealing. The neckline of his white shirt was low as always, presenting his amulet and the alabaster skin behind it.

“You're not wearing my gift?” His tone was teasing and she pouted theatrically at him.

“Sorcha wouldn't let me.”

“Sarah, dear! I barely even recognized you!” Alana practically floated towards them, dressed in an intricate pastel pink dress. She happily kissed Sarah’s cheek and gave her a gentle hug. “My brother has an excellent taste in fashion, doesn’t he? That dress looks like it was made for you.”

“I am so happy to see you, Lana. I missed you.” Sarah grinned from ear to ear. “Has Jareth got you up to speed yet?” Alana looked confused, as she did more often around Sarah.

“No, we haven't had the time to share the latest developments yet,” Jareth said helpfully, chuckling after sharing a glance with the petite woman next to him.

Alana smiled animatedly. “I'm sure we will have time for that tomorrow morning during breakfast. Jareth, let's make rounds.”

“Yes. Sarah, find Warren and Beyza.”

“Yes, sir… Uh, Your Majesty,” she said quietly, bowing politely as the two took their leave.

Turning to the room she made her way through the crowd. Once she spotted Warren's hulking frame she made her way over. He was talking to Thaddeus, the women on their arms engrossed in their own conversation. It was then that a darkness stirred in the corner of her eye, catching her attention.

It was Rioghan, skulking around the edges of the room with an exceedingly bored expression on his face. He very clearly felt no need to hide his distaste for the nobility and castle citizens. His burly fingers raked through his long hair, sweeping dark locks out of his face. His free hand put his empty wine glass on top of a statue of some sort of creature. It dangled precariously on its stone back, saved only from its demise by an attentive staff member nearby. Rioghan’s eyes flitted towards Sarah, likely feeling her eyes on him. A sly smile curled around his lips. With playful ease he sank onto the seat by the window, patting the seat next to him in quiet invitation.

As if on auto pilot Sarah found herself already halfway there before she stopped to think if this was a good idea. Her feet shuffled to a halt and her head turned to look back towards Warren. She really should stay away, but what more could this man tell her? She still wasn't quite sure if he'd officially agreed to teach her or not.

Turning her head from Warren back to the window she blinked in confusion. Rioghan was gone. A shudder crept down her back. It was probably for the best. His eagerness to manipulate and toy with others was probably the exact reason why he attended alone, and why his reputation preceded him. Shaking her head she turned back to follow Jareth’s orders to join his brother, only to nearly bump into a dark clad chest.

“We meet again, Lady Sarah.”

Sarah cleared her throat, wrangling her heart rate back to normal and taking two steps back. “Sir Rioghan. If you'll excuse me, I was about to find-”

“You'd rather talk to me,” he said cockily.

It wasn’t entirely untrue. There was no way she would stroke his ego by admitting to that, though. “I think you consider yourself a much more pleasant conversationalist than you actually are, Sir Rioghan.”

“You want to know more. I can grant you that knowledge.”

Her gut told her he was playing with her again, steering her towards him when he could. It was just more subtle now… Right? Which was likely exactly why both Jareth and Sorcha were adverse to her talking to him.

“Rioghan, just the man I was looking for!”

Rioghan groaned quietly in annoyance. A rough, rasping sound.

“I was thrilled to hear you were to attend.” Warren approached the two, Beyza still on his arm. “I see you have already met the lovely Lady Sarah.”

“I have indeed.” His voice had suddenly taken on a bored tone, though when he looked down at her he grinned. “We have already grown quite close, haven't we, Lady Sarah?”

Beyza caught Sarah's conflicted gaze and let go of Warren. She took Sarah's arm and smiled at her. “Walk with me, Sarah.”

Sarah let out a small breath of relief. Following the taller woman to the edge of the room she relaxed her shoulders.

“I do apologize, Lady Sarah. It is my duty as host to ensure the comfort of my guests and it seems that I have failed you.”

Sarah looked up to the woman with a hurried worry. “Oh, no! It's not like that. Sir Rioghan is a little intense, but he wasn't harassing me. Not… Not really.” Sarah looked down at her feet, pondering how much she should be telling Beyza. “Rioghan and I have… Something in common, apparently. I guess he's just curious about it.”

“Is it your magic?” Beyza chuckled when Sarah looked up at her with wide eyes. “Don't take me for a fool, Lady Sarah. I wasn't granted marriage to the King's brother solely by being a princess.”

Embarrassment caused her free hand to ball nervously. “I’m sorry, Lady Beyza. I didn't mean to insult you. I'm just not sure how keen Jareth is on sharing… Well, anything.”

“Not keen at all, as per usual. But I have known him for a long time and I know how to goad him into showing his cards… I need you to know something, Lady Sarah. There was a time where Jareth and I were betrothed.”

Sarah almost choked on the lump that lodged in her throat. Her hands instantly grew clammy and she pulled her arm free. Her feet nailed to the ground and Beyza turned to face her.

The tall woman looked around briefly to check if anyone was in earshot before continuing. “Not much came of our betrothal. We were companions in conversation and wit, but that was the end of it. Our match was nothing more than arranged politics.” Beyza folded her hands elegantly while Sarah was fighting to keep herself from fidgeting. “His Majesty has sworn not to lengthen his cursed bloodline. Combined with his desire to rule alone, a break in our union would have been inevitable. My father had no interest in a marriage that would doom his own future blood, and so our coupling ended. While not planned, I found romance with my darling Warren. His promise of love and resources for personal studies brought me where I am today. A scholar with royal blood in His Majesty’s court. Were it not for our shared history, the king likely wouldn't have given his blessing for the betrothal with his brother.”

“But if you and Warren were to have a child, wouldn't that still be a continuation of the bloodline?”

Beyza smiled. “Our child would not be a suitable heir to the Islainn throne. Only the king and queen or the first in line for the throne may sire legitimate heirs. Warren renounced his right to rule long ago. Should we ever be blessed to bear a child, it will never carry a crown.”

“You can't become queen? You are a princess, right? What about Warren? Could he be the successor to your father?”

Beyza shook her head. “Words are powerful, Lady Sarah. What's said is said. Once renouncing your desire and right to rule, one is beyond the point of no return. Centuries ago I would have loved to rule a kingdom of my own, but my union to Warren was admittance to distancing myself from my future crown.” She smiled lovingly, her eyes finding Warren in the crowd. “I do not despair that choice, and I never will.”

Sarah smiled at the tender look on Beyza’s face.

“Besides,” Beyza continued, looking back down at her. “King Jareth granted Warren and me a beautiful province to govern in his stead. It is close to the borders of my homeland and thus, he has gifted me with the closest I will ever get to my own rule. And I am eternally grateful for it.”

“He cares for you,” Sarah said quietly. There was a mild nagging in the back of her head, something she wasn't quite comfortable to recognize as jealousy.

“And you,” Beyza insisted. “His Majesty reveled in his solitary rule, knowing that his word alone could sway the masses.” Her gaze returned to Sarah’s. “But the last few years he has been changing. He was a different man just a decade ago, and we have you to thank for that.”

Sarah felt her face heat up. She was fidgeting. Wringing one hand with the other while her eyes were wide. Was it her or was the floor turning into quicksand? God, she hoped it was.

Beyza laughed, a warm sound that seemed to attract eyes around them. “I can understand the reason for his affection. You are instinctually emotive. There is a warmth in you that entices to be kindled. Your flame may still be young and small, but it burns bright in you.” Beyza touched the brunette’s burning cheeks. “From what Jareth relinquished earlier today, that flame possesses the power to burn those who have earned your scorn. To speak freely between the two of us, His Majesty could use someone to give him a smack over the head every now and then.”

Sarah giggled at the sudden cheerful agitation in Beyza’s voice. It eased her discomfort enough to loosen up a little. “Did Jareth ever tell you that I beat his Labyrinth?”

Beyza was now widely grinning. “Is that so?” She laughed again. “Oh how very, very interesting. What were you running his beloved Labyrinth for?”

Sarah smiled sheepishly. “I… Uh… Wished my half brother away. Not my proudest moment I'll admit.”

Beyza’s eyes went wide. “To the goblins? Truly? Most people challenge it in exchange for riches or passage across the borders. It is a sport for His Majesty.”

“I’m not surprised he didn’t tell you. He doesn't like being beat at his own game.”

Beyza looked around her, dropping her voice lower. “He truly does hate losing. I beat him at chess once. He offered me a fortune to take back my checkmate. My own weight in gold.” She regarded Sarah for a moment. “If you don't mind me saying, if he extended you the same price I hope you didn't take it. You would have been swindled.”

Sarah blushed, the smile fading from her face. “He didn't promise me my weight in gold, though.”

“Oh? What did he offer? If you don't mind me asking.”

Thinking back to all those years ago she could still vividly remember the look on his face. “I, uh… He had this whole dramatic speech while the final seconds of my thirteen hours were ticking down.” Sarah very much doubted she should be telling this much, but lost in the memory it had tumbled out before she knew it. “He asked, just fear me, love me, do as I say…”

Beyza’s sharp gasp drew her from her musings. She looked around in alarm, seeing a few people looking their way. Beyza had covered her mouth with her hand. She moved it to cup her cheek with a worried frown on her face, then looked away, deep in thought. “It was time. He knew,” she said quietly.

The people around them turned back to their own conversations and Sarah frowned at the woman. “Knew? What did he know?”

Beyza shook her head. “I apologize. Don't mind what I said. Let's go and find Warren. I'm sure he'll be looking for me.”

After some more small talk it was time for dinner. Jareth was seated first at the head of the table. His brother and sister were seated next to him, with Beyza next to Warren and Sarah next to Alana. The other attendees were seated in an order that was lost on the mortal woman.

Looking at Jareth, Sarah thought back to Beyza’s reaction to Jareth’s offer all those years ago. Beyza was doting on Warren while the first course was being served. Clearing her throat, Sarah leaned forward. “Lady Beyza, if you don't mind me asking… About where we left off privately... You seemed very surprised.”

Beyza’s smile faded, she caught on immediately. “Yes. Let me put it this way… The apple falls from the tree, not halfway, but all the way down. It falls fast and hits hard. It does not doubt itself when it disconnects from the stem. It doesn't know if it might bruise when it lands… but it will fall. Even the most stubborn apples do. Correct?”

While the whole analogy was a little strange, Sarah nodded, contemplating it.

“What’s with the apples, my love?” Warren reached out for his drink, bumping into it. It seemed he was still figuring out depth perception. Beyza caught his glass before it could topple and placed it in his hand, a patient smile on her face.

“Nothing, my love. Just girl talk.” She looked back at Sarah. “That’s all.”

Chapter 32: Chapter 32

Notes:

AN: Everyone, I am so terribly sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I've been writing, rewriting, rewriting, making revisions, rewriting, again and again. It's been a bit of a fixation/downward spiral due to personal matters (and possibly insecurity) and I was so close to just burning myself out on this. I took some time to get it right and get myself out of this toxic mindset and I'm gradually getting back on the rails. Anyways, enough of my grouching; back to the story. Hope you all have a wonderful day or night, wherever you may be. Know that you matter and you are loved. Stay strong. Stay beautiful. <3

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During dinner, eating seemed to be a rather low priority to the guests. Discussions and opinions flew from one side of the table to the other. People were thoroughly convinced of their stances, causing every addition to the conversation to rise above the other by a handful of decibels. They bellowed exclamations and arguments in several languages.

“I have seen chicken coops more civilized than this,” Sarah muttered quietly to Alana.

Alana put her napkin down. “Watch this.” She turned to one of the women further down and across the table. “Lady Bridget.” Hearing the princess speak up everyone immediately fell silent, all eyes on the woman next to Sarah. “I heard your latest fashion ideas were regarded as strong contenders for next year’s festivities. You must be thrilled.”

Sarah looked around the table in awe. While no man distinctly voiced or blatantly showed their displeasure, with just a handful of words the light in their eyes flickered out, their head turning to their plates in quiet disinterest. Lady Bridget praised Alana’s awareness of her feat, gushing about her plans and secret projects. Alana and Sarah shared a smile.

It wasn’t until the next course that the men started to speak up again, shouldering Lady Bridget to the background and instead turning to praise Warren’s latest accomplishment developing a new marketplace. The new location had just finished construction and was already thriving and inviting faraway traders. Seeing Warren’s mildly disinterested smile and Beyza’s sparkle in her eyes, Sarah suspected that the praise for his accomplishment secretly belonged to his wife. Eager to drown out one another’s praises the volume was steadily climbing again.

“At least the Duke knows how to draw out the best in his people.”

People stared at one of the men with wide eyes when he realized his mistake. The room grew eerily silent, perhaps even a little darker while the king cloaked the table in tension without even lifting a finger.

“I can personally attest to His Majesty’s efforts across…” People’s eyes shifted to Sarah, causing her to mildly regret speaking up, stalling halfway her sentence. “Across the kingdom recently,” she continued a little quieter. People remained eerily still. “I… I witnessed him personally seeing to the security of both a large encampment and an entire village. At the cost of his own wellbeing. He defended them from a hostile party, putting their safety before his own. He didn’t so much as sit down until everyone had been given someplace warm to spend the night. His Majesty even arranged overnight shipments to provide for both the people from the camp and people in the aiding village. Additionally he found longer term residences for most of them before sunrise.” People stared at her, but her eyes were only on the man further down the table. “While establishing a public market is by no means an easy feat, it is simply unfair to discard the efforts of your king simply because you did not see them firsthand.”

Sarah would have guessed the man would at least apologize for his remark towards his monarch, but surprisingly he grew defensive. “Lady Sarah, as much of a vision you might be, you’d do well to remember your place here. Rumor has it you hail from beyond the Veil and you are keen to use your exotic roots as a way to ensnare our king.”

Sarah looked at Jareth, seeing his hand curl to a fist on the table. Alana covered his hand with her own. Sarah turned to look back at the man. "I may not have been born or raised here, but I’m not an idiot. I’ve seen plenty. I’m here because I care and strive to help those in need. Not for any personal gain or some mortal slut to cater to Jareth’s needs." There was an audible gasp in the crowd. At first Sarah thought it was because she used a vulgar slur, but when eyes once again turned to the king she realized she’d called him by name.

Jareth was unbothered when she met his gaze. In fact, he seemed rather amused. “You make it sound as though I mind being ensnared by Lady Sarah, Cormac. Do I need to have you seated in Rosewarden Hall? It’s been too long, clearly.”

The man had become pale during his public reprimand. He had shrunk in his seat with his eyes cast downwards. “That won’t be necessary, Your Majesty. I beg your forgiveness.”

“I am sure you do.”

Uncomfortably people stared down at their meal, no one quite sure where to take the conversation from here. Meanwhile Sarah leaned closer to Alana, speaking in a hushed tone. “Rosewarden Hall?”

Alana picked up her glass of wine. “A school of public manners for young nobles or royal blood. Usually children graduate when they’re the mortal equivalent of twelve.”

Sarah pressed her lips together in an attempt to stifle a giggle, quickly covering her mouth with her own glass of wine. Meeting the king’s gaze he winked at her, still draped in his seat. Despite his annoyance earlier, his posture had remained fully relaxed throughout the ordeal.

After the long-winded main course people got up to mingle once more, stretching their legs before dessert was served. Sarah’s hand, which had still been resting on the back of her chair once she had risen, was grasped by soft leather gloves. She hadn’t even turned around when she felt a presence against her back and breath on her cheek. “Come with me.” The low timbre of Jareth’s voice made her heart skip. His free hand rested on her lower back, guiding her away from where the guests were headed.

“Where are we going?” When she looked around there was a sparkle in his eyes. He briefly looked around, perhaps to see if they were noticed. “Jareth, we can’t just leave…” The Goblin King deftly side-stepped to slip behind the installment for the band, tugging her into the shadows and through two small doors. A most welcoming cool breeze brushed along her face and through her hair. There was a soft click of a door latch, then silence.

Sprawled in front of her was a stretch of grounds with various sorts of trees, carefully kept bushes, dewy grass and flowers in more colors than Sarah thought existed. The warm light of the party made room for crisp moonlight and gently muted colors. Several paths meandered into the gardens and out of view. Lanterns along the trail and in the flowerbeds provided a near dreamlike lighting. They were standing on a medium sized balcony, fenced off with thick stone balustrades, smooth stone tiles and ornate flower pots. The night sky was a black ocean with countless stars sparkling like glitter, its unfathomable depths made even more immeasurable by the two moons keeping watch over them. Breathing in deeply, Sarah enjoyed the sweet scent of flowers and the rustle of trees.

A strange sensation lightly tugged her from the railing and made her step back from the dreamlike scenery. Her gut lightly flipped and her balance tipped. Jareth touched her waist, the warmth of his chest against her back. Sarah chuckled, vaguely recognizing the strange sensation. “One could consider using a binding charm to get a girl closer as cheating.”

“A woman,” he corrected, his voice pitched with mirth. “Or tonight, I might advocate for the title of goddess. Not that you look any less breathing taking in anything else. Or, presumably, without anything else.”

Sarah giggled, feeling his arm wrap around her when she did. “Don’t tell me you’ve been ogling me during the party, Your Majesty. How inappropriate.”

“I allow myself an act of inappropriate behavior every once in a while.”

The woman could feel his thumb caress her stomach, making her shiver. “Yeah? Then what do you call sneaking off from a party with one of your guests?”

“Inappropriate,” he said with glee clear in his voice, his breath against her ear now. “And entirely worth it.” Sarah smiled, leaning back into him. His lips pressed against her hair. “Listen.”

While subtle, she could hear the music of the band from just behind the doors. Gentle and guiding like flowing water he started swaying slowly to the music. The hand on her stomach shifted, grasping her hand. With a slow twirl he spun her to face him, his free hand effortlessly coming to rest on her waist. Serenely they swayed on the soft tunes, their eyes locked while they were bathed in moonlight. The lovely arrangements of the gardens were wasted, the party and its splendor forgotten while the world fell away around them. The moonlight gave him a near ethereal glow. The sharp angles of his face seemed to carry the faintest glitter, as though the very stars had laid themselves to rest on it. The warmth of his touch was blissful and exciting, a quick reminder of just how close he was while she found herself lost in his mismatched gaze. On occasion he twirled her, eyes lowering along the length of her body, his touch on her waist teasing and sometimes wandering. Every now and then his fingers on her hand stretched and twined around her own. Sometimes he slightly tipped her back, just enough to catch her slightly off guard, making her breath catch when he leaned in further.

They could've danced forever, long after the band stopped playing, long after the room behind them had gone dark and quiet, tucked away in a corner of the castle. Lost in the presence of one another, tranquil in each other’s company.

It was Jareth who eventually stopped, with a gentle twirl facing her towards the gardens with her back against his chest. His arms wound snuggly around her, claiming comfort equally to what he offered.

Sinking into his hold, her hands rested on his arms. “The stars look so beautiful here,” Sarah said quietly, gazing up at the sky. “If only they looked like this in my world.”

“This could be your world.” His voice was soft. Heartfelt and silently burning. Her stomach fluttered hearing the unspoken desire in the handful of words. It was the first time he had expressed that he wanted her to stay. Be in this world. With him.

An unexpected heaviness settled in her stomach. The Underground. A vast world with creatures and scenery she’d previously only dreamed of. Infinite possibilities. Jareth was becoming the center of it all. Perhaps, he had been for a while. Perhaps he always was. The enigmatic Goblin King. Sometimes painfully withdrawn and defensive. Often playful and inquisitive. Tall and imposing with a chilling fury when provoked, yet gentle and doting when he wanted to be. There was so much she didn’t know about him yet. A deep pain in those powerful mismatched eyes. Undiscovered happiness in the curl of his crooked grin. He was dark and light. Fire and ice. Hateful to the world though longing to be a part of it.

“You're thinking.”

Her hand reflexively squeezed his arm. Being held by him made her feel so safe. So warm and comfortable. No one had ever offered her such a sense of security. Not even her…

Family… It had been weeks since she'd seen them. She wondered how they were doing.

Sarah was pulled from her thoughts by the feeling of his lips pressing against her hair. His arms briefly tightened in a hug. “I do believe I have a promise to keep,” he said quietly. The woman looked up at him from the corner of her eye, trying to recall what promise he was referring to. He smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Warren has been delivered home. Now it is your turn to see your family.”

“Really?” A breathless excitement ghosted through her voice, her eyes wide. He nodded in response. Excited, she turned to face him, throwing her arms around him and pressing her cheek against his chest. “Thank you, Jareth.” Pulling back a little, she looked up at him. “Will you come with?”

Jareth grinned, one of his hands moving to ghost up and down her back. “So eager to introduce me as your suitor, then?”

Her cheeks flushed. He cupped her cheek and leaned in. Instinctively her eyes fell shut, her hands balling to fists at the back of his neck in anticipation. It wasn’t until then that she noticed that today he smelled vaguely like vanilla. It complimented his earthy scent with a subtle sweetness. Nearly painfully tender he pressed his lips against hers, so chaste they barely touched at all. While it was breathtaking in its own way there was a twinge of disappointment coiling in her. His lips curled in a mischievous grin, letting her know that he was perfectly aware of her annoyance. His amusement was contagious, causing her lips to curl as well. “What? Is that all I get from a suitor?”

Jareth’s smile grew sharper and his eyes flashed darkly. “Do you desire more, Sarah?” Fingertips brushed down her neck below her ear, leaving a tingling sensation. The earthy tones of his scent pulled her in while he leaned closer. His voice was lower now, little more than a whisper. “Perhaps,” he said with his breath grazing her chin. “I have been making it too easy for you. Perhaps, I will let you make the next move.” The man smirked when his fingertips brushing along her shoulder made her shiver. “After all… Your will is as strong as mine, and your longing is as great.” Their lips were just a hair’s breadth apart and his voice had gradually been growing softer. His low chuckle gripped the butterflies in her stomach. “Or, I’ll make sure it will be, anyway.”

Sarah wasn’t sure how long she’d been holding her breath and if that was what was making her head fuzzy. The electricity of his touch left a tangible path on her skin, leaving it simultaneously burning and feeling cold when his fingertips travelled elsewhere. “Did you mean it?” Her voice betrayed her breathlessness, her fingers teasing up the back of his neck until she could feel the soft strands of hair on the nape of his neck. She could feel him shudder and her lips curled into a grin.

“Of course. I’m already picturing over a dozen ways in which you could bring me to my very knees.” His fingertips brushed down the small of her back, just low enough to breach new territory.

He really wasn’t kidding when he said he wasn’t holding back anymore. While she was supposedly being the one given the reins, he made her knees weak without even trying. Shaking her head the woman lowered her hands to gently push against his chest, taking a step back. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Pity…” His hand trailed from her back to her waist, his eyes finding hers when they opened again. “But yes, we can visit your family.” Jareth pressed a kiss to her forehead. “We should probably head back in. Dessert won’t be served if I’m not present. I presume some of the guests might be getting impatient.”

“We kept them waiting?” Sarah looked at him wide-eyed.

“Hardly. I am king. I arrive exactly when I mean to.” With his hand on the small of her back he brought her back inside.

While they mingled with the guests, Sarah caught herself lingering on his dare. Or was it an assignment? It made her nervous. Insecure like her teenage self had always been around boys. But Jareth was’t a boy. She shivered at the thought, the memories of his lips on hers. Fervent, but always with a certain tenderness.

Definitely not a boy.

Her eyes shifted towards him while he talked to one of the guests, standing tall and confident. Perfectly at ease. In a way it was frustrating, as it only made her feel more insecure in contrast.

What was she going to do? She didn’t have any experience flirting with a king. A magical king. Likely with plenty of experience with women. Giggling at his jokes and putting on a nice shade of lipstick wasn’t going to cut it. The very idea of pickup lines made her both disgusted and preemptively embarrassed.

The man talking to Jareth bowed when dismissed and Alana joined the circle, forming a small group of the royal siblings, including Beyza and Sarah.

Perhaps she was overthinking it. Perhaps she needed to stop putting Jareth on some sort of godly pedestal and see him more as a normal guy. A guy offering her a drink. A guy asking her to dance. A guy finding reasons to touch her.

Her eyes shifted up from the center of the circle, locking with a certain mismatched pair that were looking at her intently. They didn’t even flicker away when a servant offered him dessert.

A normal guy, she reminded herself while picking up a small cup from the platter offered to her.

A normal guy with porcelain skin, hair of gold, eyes deeper than the night sky and the grace of a big cat.

His family was talking and laughing, but for several moments the two simply gazed at each other. Eventually, Sarah looked down at her cup and started on her dessert. It was a sweet sorbet of some kind. Something that tasted a bit like oranges but less citrusy. There were little mint chips in it, which was strange but not unpleasant. At the bottom of the cup were tiny berries roughly the size of peas. For fruit of that size, it packed a lot of punch.

Alana silently touched her hand, smiling when they made eye contact. Sarah smiled back, then relaxed her shoulders and joined in conversation. After a second round of dessert, servants offered the group something that reminded Sarah of shots. A bit weird, given the formal setting, but very much welcome to help take the edge off. After everyone else had taken a glass, Sarah picked one up too, startled by Jareth calling her name.

“Sarah, you probably shouldn’t drink this.”

Beyza blocked Jareth’s hand when he reached out. “Your Majesty, let the girl have a drink. She’ll be fine.”

“This is not just a drink, Beyza.”

Sarah looked at her glass, a small pink colored drink with glitters in it. It looked fun. “What is it then?” Her gaze traveled over those in the circle.

“It is Roscal, a local party drink,” the woman explained, lightly swirling the contents.

“Sounds good to me,” Sarah said. Jareth was just about to object when Sarah downed it. A particularly scolding and weary edition of her name rushed from his lips. Humming in approval, she noticed a very pleasant absence of burning. The drink was almost too sweet and caused a warm sensation to drift down her throat, settling in her stomach. Beyza and Alana shared an amused glance, while Warren was eager to witness her response.

Jareth just rubbed his face in agitation. “Not even once will you heed my advice, will you, Sarah?” He downed his drink with a swig and handed the empty cup to a servant. “I am starting to suspect it has become a matter of principle.”

“Oh, keep your pants on, Birdbrain.” It had slipped out before she knew it. Her mind was strangely fixated on the sensation and taste of the drink. How it tingled in her stomach and numbed the back of her throat. Had she been more present she likely would have noticed the immediate sway in her stance.

Warren released a rather wicked chuckle. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”

“No,” Jareth snapped. “It is not. You,” he said to a servant. “Fetch me some water.”

Sarah grinned, looking around the group. Arguably, this was the best drink she ever had. She immediately felt cheerful. Bubbly. She couldn’t even remember what she had been concerned about just a minute ago. The woman looked around, wondering if there were any snacks.

“She looks perfectly fine to me,” Warren commented cheerfully.

The king threw him a dirty look. “Leave, brother.”

Warren’s face contorted in a sulk that was not at all befitting of a royal. Beyza let go of his arm, waving goodbye, eager to see where this went.

The next dessert was already being served and Sarah snagged it up before Jareth could dismiss the servant. Beyza and Alana grabbed one too, hooking arms excitedly.

Sarah sniffed the dessert. It looked like a cream popsicle. Catching Jareth’s eyes she opened her mouth and closed her lips around it an inch or two down, pulling it slowly from her mouth. It was like cream. Rich and sugary with the fullness of milk. With an approving high pitched moan she swallowed the contents, holding the stick on which it was served. It left a smudge on her lips, which she licked off without breaking eye contact. She could hear Alana and Beyza giggling, but her attention was solely focused on Jareth’s fixation on her mouth. He licked his lips longingly. A servant offered a tray with glasses of water. The blonde took two.

“Your Majesty.”

Jareth turned, sighing when Rioghan made himself known.

Stepping up next to him, Sarah finished her dessert. “Hi Rioghan!” She waved excitedly.

“Not now, Briaric.” The king clearly was in no mood to see this man.

The burly man smirked, looking at Sarah. His fiery eyes glinted with glee. “As you wish, Your Majesty.” With a bow, he walked off, holding the brunette’s gaze until he’d fully turned away.

He handed her the drink without looking down or turning to her. Sarah looked up at Jareth while he downed his water. She still felt giddy and blissfully out of control, evident by her next action. The Goblin King choked on his water, coughing in dumbfounded confusion. He looked at Sarah, eyes wide when she swiftly moved her hand away from his rear. “Did you just…?”

“Smooth, if I do say so myself,” she said with a giggle, looking down at her hand and touching her fingertips together with a contemplative smile.

“What?” He blinked, confused. Her gaze distractedly fixated on her glass of water, twirling the contents. When Sarah sniffed the liquid, he urged with a tip of his hand to drink it, causing her to flinch back, spilling a little bit of water. Sarah whined playfully. When Alana and Beyza laughed he threw them a withering glare. He plucked Sarah’s glass from her grasp and handed it, along with his own, to Alana. “That’s it, I’m taking you to bed.”

Sarah put her hand over her heart, gasping theatrically. “Your Majesty, how inappropriate of you to exclaim such a thing in public.”

“Alana, let’s go find another servant. I want a second glass.” Beyza started tugging her away but Alana stood her ground, her eyes sparkling with fascination.

“Wait, I’ve never seen this before.”

“Not. Another. Word.” His stern voice caused both Beyza and Alana to shrink. Jareth grabbed hold of Sarah’s hand and led her out of the room. Sarah enthusiastically waved goodbye to the women. The king managed to tug Sarah away just in time before she could inform Thaddeus that Jareth was taking her to bed.

Some time later they arrived in an opulent hallway the woman recognized to be the wing she was staying in. She had been humming a song to herself the entire way, greeting staff cheerfully and frequently getting distracted by inanimate objects. Jareth stopped at a door and carefully let her go while she swayed on her feet. “You are to stay in your suite for the remainder of the night. Understood? Under no circumstance will you leave it.”

Sarah pouted. “But I was having fun…”

“You are intoxicated.”

“It’s a party,” she mumbled in annoyance.

“Yes, well, the party is over.”

Sarah reached out to trace her fingertips along the lapels of his jacket. It was like her mind was addicted to fun. “Maybe the public one,” she said suggestively.

“I’m putting Roscal on a ban list,” he said with a sigh, more to himself than to her.

Transfixed on his lips while he spoke, her hands curled and pulled him to her. Standing on the tips of her toes she leaned in to kiss him. His lips were uncharacteristically stiff when she touched them. In fact, his entire body felt stiff. However, her hands tugged just a little harder, his body yielding. When she leaned into him he pulled back, prying her fingers from his clothing. His hands on her shoulders held her at a distance.

“Okay, sweetling. Before you do more things you will regret tomorrow, I will end this here.” He strained to hide the small smile caused by her disappointed pout, her hands reaching out to him. “I am going to call for Sorcha to help you prepare a bath.”

“No,” she said quickly, her face blanching and pulling her hands from his face. Even in her dazed state she could vividly picture the uptight woman’s disapproving glare. “Don’t send for Sorcha. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Sarah nodded vehemently. “Alright, if you’re certain. Then I will leave you here. Should you need me-”

“I’ll call,” she said, distractedly touching her sleeves like they just appeared there.

“Good night, Sarah,” he said with an exasperated chuckle, trying to pull her back to the present. He peeled her hand from her sleeve, her eyes shifting up to him.

“Uh… Good night, Jareth.”

He opened her door for her, turning her around so she was facing it. “Don’t leave your room. I’d say I would hate to tie you up… But I really don’t.”

“Oh,” Sarah mused like she was fondly considering it, lips pursed.

He quickly pushed her in, wondering if her swift reaction to the drink would also mean that it would flush out of her system quickly. Once closed he locked the door, just in case, then left.

—-

It took a while for Sarah to pick herself up from the couch. She’d entertained herself for a while with books she couldn’t read, leafing through every tome available in her room and finding nothing with pictures. Then she spent an hour struggling with her dress, prying at the laces with combs, long hairpins and eventually the poker from the fireplace. It had been a rather sobering experience, taking her out of the merry buzz. Literally. It was then that she realized she didn’t really know when and how she got back to her rooms.

Digging through the wardrobe, she selected a silken pajama set, finding herself wide awake. Skulking through her rooms she’d enjoyed the view of the gardens and city. They had almost completely fallen silent and dark, save for the lanterns illuminating the main roads.

Once the night air had seeped into her bones and cooled her skin, she wandered through her rooms, trying some doors she hadn’t used before. One was just a broom closet. Another was a second wardrobe which was almost completely empty save from some spare bed sheets and pillows. The third was a small hallway leading into a balcony, but she quickly retreated from that as her body hadn’t quite warmed up yet. The fourth at the other end of the room had been forgotten.

Eventually she stood in the midst of her rooms, alone. She couldn’t describe why, but there was an itch coursing through her. A restlessness. A tension that made her hands ball to fists and her heart beat in a rhythm that seemed… off. Almost like she was experiencing someone else’s cadence. Touching her necklace, her body stilled, studying the pulsing she felt through it. It was relaxed. Slower than hers. Not matching what she was experiencing.

While holding onto it, she walked to a nearby carafe to pour herself some water, drinking it contemplatively. Her hand was still clasped around the little hanger by the time she’d finished it and absentmindedly she whispered the name of the Goblin King.

The air shifted around her, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. Her head turned, her eyes coming to rest on a silhouette in her room. It wasn’t until then that she realized she’d been ghosting through her rooms in darkness. The fireplace had gone out, its warmth lingering. Her attention was drawn back to the silhouette when it started moving. The tread was familiar before features could be discerned in the darkness.

“J-Jareth? Why are you here?”

“You called.”

Sarah looked down at her hand still clasping the necklace and quickly released it, as if it had been the cause of her accidental summoning. “Oh, I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“Not at all. There was work to be done.” He looked towards the untouched bed. “Are you having trouble sleeping?”

The woman fidgeted, not sure what to do with her hands. “I guess… I’m not sure why. I’m kind of anxious.”

Jareth studied her. “Are you feeling unwell? I can summon Aemus for you.”

“It’s not unwell… It’s… weird. Not bad per se, just… unusual.”

He wound an arm around her waist and gently guided her to her bed. “Perhaps the Roscal is simply getting worked out of your system. You were rather… unlike yourself.”

She slipped under the covers, remaining seated while he attempted to pull the covers over her. She didn’t budge. “I don’t really remember what happened.” Even with the more insistent push against her shoulder, she remained upright. “I don’t want to impose, but could you stay?”

The tension on his arm slackened. A small smile curled around his lips when she patiently awaited his answer. “Yes, of course.” When he turned to grab a chair she took his hand, drawing his gaze back to her. Her eyes had fallen to the blanket and quietly she shifted under the covers, towards the center of the bed. While her grasp was practically non-existent, he followed without resistance. His paperwork could wait. Taking inventory could wait. His mail could wait. The entire world could wait for all he cared. Like a puppet on a string he was drawn up to the edge of the bed. He changed into his sleeping attire with a flick of his wrist. Part of him cursed himself for giving her a necklace that could relay his heartbeat. It didn’t matter, he decided when she curled up against his side. With her head on his chest he was fully aware she could hear it loud and clear from his person.

Meanwhile Sarah was hoping that the necklace was a one way thing and Jareth couldn’t detect her own racing heart. But God, did it feel nice cuddling up to the warmth and comfort of his body. She could hear his heartbeat thrumming against her cheek, gradually slowing down. Sarah smiled, her eyes drifting shut.

—-

There was no telling how long they’d been asleep. All Sarah knew that it was still dark outside. She was laying on her side, up against Jareth who was positioned on his back. Her hand was resting on his stomach. Under his shirt. But her focus was elsewhere. Instead of the sharp angles of his face slackened in rest, they were tense. In fact, they were straining and slick with sweat. He was deathly pale. His brow was furrowed and his breathing unnaturally fast, at least for a slumbering state. She called out to him, her hand on his stomach slightly shaking him. She could see his pupils wildly shifting under his eyelids, his hands clawing the sheets. When he still didn’t wake with a more insistent shaking she started to feel a little panicked.

She needed help. Someone that knew what might be happening.

The moment she leapt out of the bed he jolted awake, launching himself upright into a sitting position. His eyes were a thick solid black, spread wide but unseeing. His voice was painfully loud in the silence. “Lana!”

Sarah debated whether to hurry back to him or get help, but decided on the latter. Jumping out to the hallway she nearly ran into a servant, who looked at her in confusion. The brunette grabbed her shoulders. “Please, get me the royal healer, quick!”

The woman nodded mutely, breaking out into a run down the hallway.

“Sarah?”

The woman whipped around, seeing a worried Alana walk down the hall. Partially out of panic and partially out of intense happiness, Sarah’s eyes welled with tears. “Alana, please! It’s Jareth!” Her hand clasped around the woman’s wrist and forcefully dragged her inside.

When Alana saw Jareth’s fingers coiled in the sheets and his alarmed state she hurried over to him. Once she sat down words rapidly spewed from his mouth, the tone in his voice not at all like the low timbre he usually had. “Where is he, sis? I have to see him!” Frantically he kept repeating himself, sometimes with different phrasing, sometimes gasping for breath in hyperventilation.

Alana kept quietly speaking to him, keeping him from clawing at her shoulders, trying to talk him down in what seemed to be various languages. Eventually Aemus hurried in, dressed in sleeping robes. His assistant wasn’t with him. Over the continuous near-shouting of the king they quickly handled the situation. Alana continued talking to Jareth while Aemus wrestled him down to the bed, struggling to hold him there with his aged body. Meanwhile Sarah was helplessly standing at a distance, wringing her hands and her heart racing in her throat.

Then all of a sudden, it was over. Aemus had pressed his palm against Jareth’s forehead and the blonde’s struggling ceased. The blackness still hadn’t faded from his eyes but the sedated way in which he stared up at the ceiling calmed the two by the bedside. From the fading chaos rose a soft singing from Alana. Gentle and slow while she touched Jareth’s shoulder. A lullaby.

“Eist anois, beag ulchabhan, sruthan an speir anmea, an domhan naa ar lasadh e an ghrian fiochmhar me'a. Re naa caele glorach, caele trom ae gluais, dun llea maksa sciathain, aho solas.

An tine pahi imigh vee fasann na scathanna hard, fionnuar undome cogar pahi bogann om fail. Lire atua taoidi ardu ari na realt bog fan, an gealach pahi var utae, eua solas thar lamh.”

Aemus and Alana briefly spoke in quiet, hushed tones before the healer bowed deeply and moved away from the bed. Aemus bowed to Sarah and she uncomfortably stepped forward. “I’m so sorry to disturb your evening, I panicked and I… I didn’t know what to do.”

The elderly man smiled kindly. “Do not feel guilt for summoning me, Lady Sarah. I am glad that you did. Please excuse me for a moment while I make myself a little more presentable. I will be back shortly to discuss matters.”

Before Sarah could object, Aemus had left the room and she quietly shuffled towards the bed, seeing Alana smile gently, brushing some hair out of Jareth’s face. She was humming the rhythm of the lullaby. The brunette stood by them, noticing her cheeks were stained with tears. She quickly brushed them away. “Is… Is he okay?”

Alana looked up at her and smiled comfortingly. “Let’s give him some space. Join me, Sarah.” She rose gracefully to her feet and hooked her arm around Sarah’s, leading them to the couch. Once they sat down, Alana kept her voice quiet and slow, like she was trying to console Sarah. “Do you dream, dear?” A quiet nod answered her question. “We usually do not.” Alana lowered her gaze to her lap. “My kind, that is. Our kind.” Her eyes briefly shifted to the bed before turning back to the woman. “There are traumatic events in Jareth’s past which I cannot tell you about. But I can tell you that when he was younger, the mortal equivalent of approximately sixteen, something happened. Something terrible that has festered within him ever since. Especially the first few years after this event were tough for him.”

Sarah’s eyes went wide when Alana started crying. Quietly, with silver droplets slowly trailing down the pale skin of her cheeks. Sarah moved closer to her, putting her hand over Alana’s. She smiled bitterly, but gratefully laid her free hand upon Sarah’s. “I was always there for him. Not just as his sister, but more like a personal maid. I fed him, clothed him, read from books, played music… ” Looking at the brunette she could see the pain in her eyes, the questions practically spilling from her lips.

The sadness in Alana’s eyes was like a dagger to her heart. She could only imagine what it might have been like for Jareth. What it was still like. “So… He had a dream?”

“I believe mortal folk call it nightmares… Regardless, I know his dream to be about what happened centuries ago. I think that those visions took him back to that dark period of his life. He believed them to be true, because…”

“You guys don’t dream…” She sighed and leaned against Alana’s shoulder. Her head rested on hers and they were quiet for a few moments. “I can only imagine how terrifying that must’ve been.”

A rustle from the covers caused both women to perk up and turn to the bed. Jareth swung his legs over the edge and both women hurried over. Sarah swiftly supported him when his knees buckled, tightening her arms around him for more than just physical support.

“Gods, what happened?” He cleared his throat, reaching for his head. His chest briefly expanded in a deep breath, shuddering from his lips when he exhaled.

“You were dreaming,” Sarah said kindly, letting go of him carefully once she was sure he could hold his own.

Jareth looked at her with a frown. “Me? Impossible.”

“Not quite, Your Majesty.”

All three of them turned to the entrance, seeing Aemus walk in while still fastening his formal robes. His breath was labored like he’d been running despite his old age. Alana quickly helped him to sit at the nearby table.

“Explain, Aemus.” With a flick of his wrist the fireplace roared to life.

The old man pulled a handkerchief from his robe and dabbed the sweat from his brow. “I have consulted with Sir Rioghan.”

“Him again,” Jareth mumbled under his breath.

“He relinquished that he sensed magic in Lady Sarah. Uncontrolled magic.” He briefly looked towards Sarah. “Sir Rioghan sensed it to be within the Fount of Sentivis.”

“Sentivis?” Sarah blinked in confusion.

“To give you a very short summary, each branch of magic has a place in the body. A Fount. The Fount of Sentivis is located high in the stomach and fosters intuition and emotion. Mentaris is a place of wisdom and knowledge located in the crown of the head. Visaris is located by the eyes to aid sight both visual and spiritual. Metameris is located at the base of the spine, where teleportation and change is nurtured. The Sanctaris font is for healing and cleansing. Fluoris in the abdomen gives force and warmth. Terranis, located in the feet, give grounding and weight. Manaris in the hands is for creation and manipulation and lastly Scaparis, which is located in the shoulders and is used for defense and physical strength.”

Sarah blinked.

“While I have no scientific backing for my hypothesis, I believe that Lady Sarah might be able to sway a mental placing.”

She felt her cheeks color when everyone looked at her and she shifted defensively. “But I was asleep! And so was Jareth!”

Jareth placed a hand on her shoulder, turning his gaze back to Aemus.

“I believe this unconstrained magic might be manifesting from her subconscious,” the healer continued.

“Hold on. What you’re saying is that I made Jareth dream? Wasn’t this magic about intuition and emotion?”

Aemus nodded. “These are just the bases of Founts. But each base has countless variations. I have been reading about mortal folk and Sentivis most of the day. While there is no combined scripture that I could find, I am led to believe that this potential of gifting dreams is something that lies in your foundation in Sentivis.”

Sarah crinkled her nose at Jareth. His eyebrows rose in confusion. “How the hell do you offer me my dreams, when you can't even comprehend them, Birdbrain?”

Alana squeaked, quickly covering her mouth in an attempt to refrain from laughing.

Jareth grinned widely, leaning closer to her. “Ah, but sweetling, all you need to do is share. If you tell me your desires, I will move the very stars to make it happen.”

She frowned, pushing him away with a hand against his face. Her gaze directed back to Aemus, who was respectfully looking away. “What about the ballroom, then? Huh?”

“Ballroom?” The healer looked at Jareth.

Jareth had grasped Sarah’s hand against his cheek and pressed a kiss to it. “The ballroom wasn’t a dream, sweetling. When you fell asleep I simply transported you to me. And carefully transported you elsewhere when you quite literally smashed the party to pieces.”

“You drugged me! Then dunked me in a literal ocean of garbage.” There was a skip in her heartbeat when he pressed another kiss to her knuckles and irritably she pulled it away from him.

Aemus uncomfortably cleared his throat. “Your Majesty, I am afraid I cannot provide you with a reasoning as to how Lady Sarah managed this feat. I might need to perform additional examinations to determine this.”

Just the very thought of being submitted to more testing made Sarah nauseous. “I was touching him,” she said quickly. Again, all eyes shifted towards her and her face grew red. “N-not like that! I mean… I asked him to stay because I couldn’t sleep and… And…”

“Dear me,” Jareth said cheerfully. “Sarah, you’re not taking advantage of me, are you?”

“N-no! I told you it’s not like that! I woke up because you were sweating like crazy! While we were asleep my hand came to rest on your stomach. Below your pajamas. Involuntarily.” God, it felt so tempting to douse herself in the glass of water in hopes it might cool the burning of her face. He looked more pleased than ever. “Don’t gloat! Some Master of Dreams you are! Can’t even take a little nightmare!”

Aemus cleared his throat again, uncomfortably touching the fingertips of his hands together while his lower arms rested on the table. “It is quite possible that a direct touch makes this easier.” He eyed Jareth. “If I might speak freely, Your Majesty… I do believe the bonding between you and Lady Sarah might have aided in her influence.”

Jareth nodded thoughtfully. “If that is the case I will relinquish the protective bond.”

“Due to the severity of your nightmare, I would strongly advise a protective ward in cases of physical touch. At least for the time being, while Lady Sarah builds control over this magic. While I cannot personally aid you in this, I can send for an acquaintance that can provide you with such.”

“That won’t be necessary, Aemus. I can ward myself as a precaution.” He locked eyes with Sarah for a moment before looking back at the elderly man. “To what extent are these protective measures required? Is there any risk with intimacy?”

Sarah felt her face heat all over again, her wide eyes flying to Alana in embarrassment. A small smile curled around Alana’s lips before she looked back at the healer and her brother.

“You are formidable in your magic skills, Your Majesty. I hardly think an absolute novice could sway you with your natural guards in place. Though I would advise you to take measurements if you were to slumber next to one another, especially with skin contact of any kind.”

“Very well. See to it that tonight’s events are appropriately logged. I expect you to research what you can about these matters. If you need a visa to seek knowledge across the border, write to me with your seal and I will grant you passage as soon as I am able.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Aemus bowed his head and left after being dismissed.

“Scith, dearthair,” Alana said softly, pressing a kiss to his hair before taking her leave as well.

“I propose we retire as well, Sarah.” He said with a sigh. “I, for one, feel utterly depleted.” He pulled her to her feet and escorted her back to the bed. Sarah crawled in quietly, watching him while he quietly uttered something with his eyes closed and his hand over his amulet. Crawling back under the covers he settled against her, holding her close and burying his face into the crook of her neck like she was his only hope for comfort.

Sarah rolled over to her side, at first hesitant to touch him, but then cradling his head under her chin. “I’m sorry, Jareth.”

His arm around her tightened and he pressed a kiss to her collarbone. “Don’t be, darling. There lies no blame with you.” He gently caressed her back until it slackened in relaxation. “Now, rest.”

---

 

Notes:

AN: I spent too long struggling with what Alana was singing, then trying to translate it… So darn it, I am putting it in the ‘original’ for it here in English.

Hush now, little owl, the sky burns bright,
The world is aflame in the sun’s fierce light.
The day is too loud, too heavy to bear,
Close your soft wings, find comfort there.

The fire will fade as the shadows grow tall,
The cool evening whispers will soften it all.
When silver tides rise and the stars softly call,
The moon will protect you, its light over all

Chapter 33: Chapter 33

Notes:

Short warning: this chapter involves some fluff, some drinks and... something else. No spoilers.

The next morning kicked off with breakfast scheduled in a large sunroom. The ornate table was beautifully set, putting any Sunday brunch Sarah had ever seen to shame. On the far right was a window nook, the floor a rich marble and the chairs padded with thick cushions. Catching on to the sound of birdsong, Sarah was drawn to the windows, spotting an aviary not far off. Behind the large glass panes flourished a lush garden. Large flowers wafted in sweet scents through the ventilation grates. The inside of the roof was covered in greenery and bushels of grapes. Curious, she stood on the tips of her toes and tried to reach one.

A hand appeared from her peripheral, reaching up and plucking a grape from the vine. Her heart lurched wildly. Whirling around, she looked up at a pair of amused mismatched eyes. “God! You scared me.”

The grin on his face hinted that he didn’t feel particularly sorry. “Good morning, sweetling.”

“Good morning, Jareth.” His lips curled up when she softly spoke his name. He sported one of his white poet shirts with an intricate light blue waistcoat and jacket. His amulet was a stark contrast to the outfit, only barely visible from the ruffles of his shirt. “You look handsome today.” It was an easy compliment to give, because he really did look particularly handsome. Her hand brushed along the lapel of his jacket. “Blue suits you.” Pleased with her compliment he wrapped an arm around her waist, slowly pulling her closer. Sarah bashfully looked away, gazing outside. “These gardens are beautiful.” Her attention was drawn back by the grape he held out to her. Carefully she took it into her mouth, avoiding contact with his fingertips.

“The garden looks dull compared to your radiance.” His hand cradled her cheek. Her eyes fell shut from his touch. Her lips parted in anticipation. There was a quirk upwards in his lips when she impatiently reached up just a little bit further. For a moment he drank in the sight of her waiting for him, knowing he would never be able to deny her. His fingers threaded through her hair to cradle the back of her head, both their breaths catching when their lips connected. With the sun beaming down and the scent of the flowers surrounding them, they let themselves be lost in the moment. Their gentle and sweet kiss slowed time to a crawl, kindling their bodies with warmth that had nothing to do with the rays of the sun.

The clearing of a throat caused them to pull apart. Looking towards the entry of the sunroom they found Beyza and Alana arm in arm, giggling while looking at each other. The moment Sarah started to push away Jareth's arm tightened, keeping her securely in place.

“Your Majesty.”

“Poor timing, as always,” Jareth said, letting Sarah step back so she could greet the two. Warren entered next, nearly tripping over the doorstep. Jareth exhaled an irritated breath. Tea and meals were served as soon as everyone sat down. From fresh bread to roasted meat and from oatmeal to fruit salads.

“So, it seems you got out of another closing ceremony yesterday, Your Majesty,” Beyza commented cheerfully.

“It’s a shame, really,” Warren added after adding a third slice of lemon to his cup of tea. “Lady Sarah was having such a wonderful time.”

Sarah eyed the others at the table. Only Jareth did not seem amused. “I wasn't going to let her embarrass herself in front of the entire retinue.” 

“You did a fine job of that yourself, brother. I don't believe you've ever choked on a drink before.” Warren’s eyes shifted so Sarah. “Not that I can blame you.”

Beyza flicked her dark hair over her shoulder, enjoying a piece of toast. “Oh please, Warren. You act as though you've never groped me in public before.”

“It wasn't until yesterday that I realized people have seen me do so. Though it is an achievement in itself to keep my hands off of you at all.” Warren smirked playfully, caressing Beyza’s arm.

Sarah had frozen, deaf to what Warren had said. Her eyes shifted to Jareth’s while her breath caught in her throat. 

She had what?! 

“If I were him, I’d have taken her elsewhere too.” Beyza shrugged.

“That is enough ,” the king snapped. Warren and Beyza flinched, lowering their eyes. “I will not allow any further discussion regarding Sarah’s behavior yesterday.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Beyza gave Warren a warning jab with her elbow when he looked ready to object.

Sarah had been hungry this morning, but started picking at her food while trying to recall what happened yesterday. It wasn’t the first time she’d blacked out at least a little bit, but it had never happened publicly. Or to this extent.

After a painful silence, Alana spoke up, her voice soft and light. “So, Sarah, what are your plans for today?”

Sarah looked towards Jareth. He took a sip of his tea before answering. “I expect some documentation to be delivered after breakfast which we will have a look at. After this morning’s meeting we're traveling beyond the Veil to visit Sarah’s family.”

“Why did the staff serve a bowl of popfruit?” Beyza’s was looking down at a small bowl.

“Ah, yes.” Jareth gestured for Beyza to hand him the bowl so he could put it between him and Sarah. “I figured you might like to be introduced to the local fruits. I haven't had these since I was young.”

Intrigued by his reference to his youth she reached for it. Perhaps it was like a piece of candy, sweet and deceptively unhealthy like many treats for kids in her own world. Hardly appropriate during breakfast, but she wasn’t complaining. She studied the small baby blue tinted berry. It smelled sickly sweet, like she'd expected. Popping it into her mouth she noticed all eyes on her.

“Don't start chewing just yet.” Jareth watched closely.

Sarah stopped herself from biting down on it just in time. There was little flavor to it so far. She kept her eyes locked with Jareth’s, waiting for his signal or instruction to do… Anything, really. 

Just when she started suspecting he was teasing her the berry popped in her mouth. Overly sweet sap immediately coated the entirety of her mouth. There was an alarming amount of juice. Much more than seemed to fit in the small piece. She swallowed just in time to prevent it from spilling past her lips. Coughing, she chewed the last bit and quickly swallowed, keeping her hand in front of her mouth. It wasn’t as sweet as she’d expected. Strangely, there was a saltiness to it. Once she was sure she wasn't going to choke she grew defensive. His grin was wide, unashamed and mischievously crooked.

“Jareth, you… You…” Finding herself speechless, she instead opted to grab a quick handful of the berries and got on her feet to try and stuff a few into his mouth, her strength bolstered by the need for revenge. 

Even though he didn’t exactly open up in acceptance, he was a good sport about it. His hands closed around her wrists only gave the slightest bit of resistance, his head barely turning from her. Practically sprawled across the corner of the table her hand covered his mouth so he couldn't spit them out. Alana quickly put aside a glass that threatened to topple over, the noises of the struggle drowned out by the laughter of the others at the table.

A moment later Jareth spluttered against her palm, purple juice oozing from his lips. His eyes were crinkled with mirth. Sarah leaned back to pull away now that he got a taste of his own medicine, but his hold on her wrist held her close. Quickly swallowing he got rid of the treacherous fruit. He brought her hand close and trailed his tongue along the length of her palm, lapping up the juices which he’d spilled. 

Sparks scattered along her fingers and down her arm. Her mouth dry seeing the heated look in his eyes. The grip on her wrist felt much warmer all of a sudden. With her cheeks flushed the woman wrenched her hand out of his grasp and quickly pulled herself back down onto her seat. The others were still laughing. Sarah tucked her hand under the table to both dry her palm and to try and chase off the quiet singing of her nerve endings. Her cup was nearly knocked over when she moved to take a sip of her drink.

About an hour later after some comfortable conversation and a fulfilling meal, everyone left to see to their duties. Servants were still clearing the table while an official delivered some documents. Jareth gestured for her to come closer, so she pulled her chair over and looked down at the documents. In elegant lettering it read Writ of Residency.

Jareth moved a quill and ink pot towards her. 

A little overwhelmed by the unexpected official documents she moved to the edge of her seat, leaning over the documents to read through them. Thankfully they were in English. It had the same twisted wording of contracts in her world, throwing around large words left and right in sentences that were barely comprehensible. Leafing past the details for now she found several pages of text, detailing matters such as proof of loyalty, rights within and outside the kingdom, land usage, behavioral expectations, renewal terms and more. It quickly shifted her to a more serious mindset, taking in each sentence carefully. Where needed she asked the Goblin King for clarification. His answers were concise and patient. There was an air of ease, like he was more than willing to draw this out as long as needed be. 

After a while Sarah picked up the quill, dipping it in the ink. Perhaps she was more nervous not to sully such a neatly written document with her chicken scratch, than that she was about filling in a document that would officially place her under Jareth's rule. For a moment she hesitated and she saw Jareth shift a little closer. 

Did he just look nervous?

“This isn't some sort of overly elaborate trick to have power over me, is it?” Her tone was teasing. He laughed, just a small hint of wickedness in the sound, but he didn’t answer. She turned back to the document, carefully writing down her details. She stopped at the last one. The duration of residency. “Uh…” She locked eyes with the king, his gaze suddenly heavy and piercing, his cup of tea near his mouth while he observed her. “Is… Is until further notice okay?”

The corners of his lips quirked up behind his cup and he put his tea down. Jareth pulled the paper towards himself, taking the quill when she offered it and with an effortless flourish of his hand he jotted down ‘permanent’. After quickly scanning the particulars he signed the document with a stunning signature that immediately made Sarah feel insecure again. He turned it back towards her, leaving the quill by the bottom of the page needing her signature. Sarah signed it, then watched him slide the paper back towards him. From thin air a seal and wax appeared in his hands. With a practiced ease he added his seal, the sigil on his amulet, then put it aside. 

“I suppose this contractually makes you belong to me,” he purred.

Sarah chuckled, watching him take her hand and pressing a kiss to it. “Does this mean I have to address you as Your Majesty from now on?”

“Would you do so if I said yes?” His thumb brushed along her knuckles.

She pondered that for a moment. “No. I have it on good authority that you like me using your name.”

“Do you, now?” He leaned closer, resting his chin in his hand, leaning over the document between them. “I don’t know. I might need to hear you say it again.”

The brunette leaned closer as well, seeing his eyes distractedly wander towards her mouth. She leaned just close enough to make him think she was going to kiss him, the smile fading from his features. “Didn’t you need to attend a meeting, Your Majesty?”

His lip curled in annoyance and he grumbled. “Yes, darling. I do.” Rising to his feet he smoothed down his jacket, taking the last sip of his tea. “Feel free to roam within castle grounds while I am away. Hopefully this shouldn’t take too long.”

“Yes, sir.” Rising to her feet she watched as the documents they had just signed disappeared from thin air. Her gaze directed back towards him, his dejected gaze on her. She smiled, her hand brushing some non-existent dust off his shoulder. “A king shouldn't be sulking.” 

“I’m not sulking,” he said defensively. “I don’t sulk.”

Sarah chuckled and leaned in, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Say hi to Girvin for me.”

Turning away from him she headed out the room with a skip in her step, looking around for the quickest way into the gardens. 

—-

“Sar, you’re gonna kill me!”

Toby’s voice was muffled in Sarah’s thick coat. When he was released there was a big goofy grin on his face, his hair tousled from both the playful struggle and sleep.

Jareth was observing from a distance, silently musing if terrible bed hair ran in the family. He had grown in the past few weeks, nearly reaching Sarah’s height now. However, it was very much clear the boy was suffering health issues. He was starting to look gaunt. Somewhat uncontrolled in his increasingly lanky frame.The boy walked over to him, straightening his back and holding out his hand. The boy addressed him in what Jareth assumed to be a formal greeting for this world and they somewhat awkwardly shook hands.

Sarah smiled at Toby’s attempt at a polite greeting, but she could see Jareth’s studious gaze on him. When they shook hands, his brows slightly lowered. What really gave it away though, was the shift in the air. Something that seemed more palpable every time it happened. Magic. Just when she caught herself becoming protective, the front door behind Jareth opened and Karen walked in carrying a bag of groceries.

She guessed that explained why Toby had opened the door when they arrived, even though he’d been asleep.

Karen’s aging eyes went wide when she spotted the two visitors. It took her a second before she scrambled to put down the bags of groceries to envelop Sarah in a tight hug, welcoming her warmly. Jareth didn’t get more than a polite hello and a smile, but he didn’t seem at all bothered about it.

“Oh, your father is going to be so happy to see you! Why didn’t you call ahead of time?” She excitedly gathered the groceries again. “You will be staying for dinner, right? We’re eating macaroni tonight. Can I prepare the guest rooms for you? We’d love to have you over.” Karen instructed Toby to help, carrying the bags to the kitchen.

Before Sarah could turn to face Jareth his hand came to rest on her shoulder. His voice was by her ear, brushing down her neck and scattering goosebumps down her arms. “This is your visit, sweetling. We will do whatever you desire. I will gladly rearrange time for you.”

Toby walked back out of the kitchen and ran upstairs. Flustered, Sarah stepped away from Jareth and awkwardly walked to the kitchen. Immediately Karen started giving her a full rundown of everything she’d missed. From the cleaner she’d hired to new stores in the mall and plans for her and Robert to go on a cruise in the upcoming year. She openly fantasized about it, flourishing the knife in her hand sometimes while cutting vegetables. 

Sarah was leaning against the counter, smiling while she listened. Her eyes were drawn to the door opening when Jareth walked in, almost catlike in his grace. He’d shed the tall black coat which had hung heavy from his shoulders. It revealed a slim fit sweater, hugging his lithe but lightly defined chest nicely and dipping just a tad low for a normal sweater, offering a hint of his collarbones behind the white collar of the shirt underneath. He was still wearing a pair of brown gloves with a small gold ornament on the back. With it he wore formal looking leather shoes and brown jeans. They weren’t skinny fit, but they were definitely a little more snug than usual jeans.

Her heart started racing when he headed straight for her, facing her with the realisation that seeing him in clothes from her own world did something funny to her. It took her considerable effort to keep her arms crossed when he approached. Her fingers dug into her arms and her eyes were wide. Something he seemed to notice, as a few sharp teeth flashed in the kitchen lights when he grinned. “Your coat, Sarah?”

Her cheeks flushed and she quickly peeled off the coat, ignoring the side glance Karen gave them. She didn’t address it though, instead continuing to talk.

Sarah tried to focus on everything her stepmother was talking about, but caught her gaze wandering often towards Jareth, who was leaning against the doorframe patiently. Smirking when he caught her looking.

When she heard the front door and the familiar voice of her father calling out, her attention immediately shifted, carrying her to the door with nothing less than a jog. Robert had barely closed the door when she hugged him. “Daddy!”

Robert nearly stumbled in surprise, his eyes wide when he saw her. “Princess? What are you doing here? When did you get here?”

“Jareth took us on a surprise trip. We got here about half an hour ago. How are you?”

Robert hugged her back, his hands resting on her shoulders when he pulled back to smile at her with a warmth only a father could give. “Well, things are a whole lot better now that you’re here. I’ve missed you so much. We all have.” He moved over to hang his coat and put aside his suitcase. “How have you been? How’s England?”

“I’m doing great! Jareth’s taken great care of me. It feels like forever since I was here last.”

Her father looked at her, taking her in for a moment, his rough hand petting her hair. “You look good. Well rested. Healthy. Enough.” Sarah rolled her eyes at the accusatory tone in his voice. She could see his attention shift to something behind her and immediately the warmth drained from it. Sarah didn’t need to guess what he’d seen, or rather, who.

But before he could fully bristle, Karen warmly greeted him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Welcome back, dear. Dinner is almost ready.” Even Sarah was surprised by the smile she gave Jareth, who had joined the little circle. “I will arrange the guest rooms after dinner. Jareth mentioned they would stay the night.” Before anyone could respond she turned back to the kitchen. “But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and have dinner first.”

Robert didn’t seem too pleased, but after shrugging off his suit jacket he mentioned Jareth to come with. “Bring your bags, I’ll show you your rooms.” He didn’t wait for the blonde and called for his son to come down for dinner.

Sarah awkwardly walked into the kitchen, watching Karen thoughtfully considering which out of five wines she would serve with the pasta. “Uh, Karen?” The woman distractedly hummed in acknowledgement. “Is everything okay?”

Karen looked up, humming in question as though she hadn’t heard her. She picked a bottle and started setting the table in the dining room. “Yes, of course. Why’d you ask?”

“You seem to be kind of warming up to Jareth.”

She tried to hide her smile. Poorly. Once she put down the large tray of mac and cheese she eyed Robert cleaning up his suitcase, speaking to her stepdaughter quietly with her hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “Listen, Sarah. You don’t have to hide dating Jareth. I won’t deny that there is something about him that unnerves me, but I can tell he cares for you. And he’s a good looking man. Don’t let your father scare you off, is what I’m saying.”

Intrigued, Sarah followed Karen back into the kitchen and straight back to the dining room where she watched the woman pour four glasses of wine. Leaning over the chair she kept an eye on her father, speaking quietly. “Karen, what did he say?”

“If you must know, he asked if you looked happy to me. If you didn’t regret moving away.” She used a napkin to clean the opening of the bottle. Lowering her voice when the others joined the table. “But it wasn’t about that. It was the look in his eyes.” Karen smiled at Sarah’s wide-eyed gaze, tapping the fine lines by her blue eyes. “Windows to the soul, I always say.”

Dinner started in an awkward silence, Sarah’s gaze locked on her plate while she digested her exchange with Karen. The silence at the table was interrupted by a delighted hum. All eyes were drawn to one corner of the table, finding a tall blonde man looking exceedingly pleased with the meal in front of him. Sarah smiled at the familiar childlike excitement sparkling in his eyes. When she realized her father was looking between her and Jareth she quickly turned back to her food.

Luckily Toby was completely oblivious to the tension at the table and started babbling about school, dreams and things he’d been doing lately. Much to Sarah’s amusement she could sometimes hear his voice cracking. Combined with his growth spurt she was certain he was about to topple headfirst into puberty. It had seemed so recent that he was just a little kid being an absolute menace to his own mother.

Her half brother’s babbling eased the others into conversation. Robert was still very obviously trying to get under Jareth’s skin, but he didn’t offer him much room to do so. The Goblin King in disguise was openly complimenting Karen’s cooking and her excellent choice of wine and was politely inquiring as to how Robert’s day was before even Karen got the chance. After that he smoothly asked how Toby’s lessons were going and if the family ever considered a governor. 

After dinner Toby sulkily went to gather things for his lessons and Robert went to take a shower. Karen briefly excused herself, leaving Sarah alone with Jareth.

Sarah caught herself staring. Observing his casual demeanor in a world different from his own. At ease and boneless in a seat impossibly far from his home. She was drawn to his mismatched gaze, watching from over the rim of his wine glass. Unwavering. Before she realized it her gaze had wandered down to the sweater with collar that looked surprisingly good on him. When he chuckled the woman knew she’d been caught. She launched to her feet, only barely avoiding slamming into the table.

After a second of standing uncomfortably she went to clean up. Once the table was clear and the leftovers were put away she took a moment to collect herself before deciding to find something to distract her.

That plan didn’t quite work out, because she soon found herself sitting stiffly on her childhood home’s couch, nervous and uncomfortable. Her eyes tracked the tall figure standing by the bookshelves in the corner of the room. Nibbling on her lower lip, she studied the way in which his fingertips traced the spines of her father’s books. He had rolled up his sleeves, baring the pale skin to the warm artificial light of the room. From this angle she could see the sharp angles of his profile. The slight curve of his nose. His thin lips. The sharp cut shadows of his high cheekbones. His eyebrows and hair weren’t quite right at the moment, but that didn’t make him any less beautiful. His posture was relaxed, poised and curious all at once. He always carried himself with a regal air, yet he had the dynamics of a dancer. He was lean, but never scrawny. There was a certain tone to his limbs, a certain aura that even when shielded by clothes, hinted towards power. 

Sarah uncomfortably noticed that the way in which he physically scanned the spines of the books made her… Jealous.

With her heart hammering hard enough to drown out anything else the brunette rose to her feet. Her hands curled to fists by her sides. Each step forward added more weight into her shoes. Each step made her feel more like a bird in a small cage. Yet she moved without faltering. Her voice had seemed so soft she suspected he’d felt her presence, rather than having heard her.

When Jareth turned her stomach flipped and her breath caught. Her hands were already reaching up before she’d had any say in the matter and her voice of reason faded with a quiet sigh. The world fell away the moment their lips connected. A wave of desire crashed into her, hands clutched tightly on his collar in fear it might sweep her away. His kiss was… technically distracted or confused at first, but her unexpected intensity pulled him in quickly. Dozens or maybe even hundreds of feelings swirled through her. They were instinctual, yet so painfully all-encompassing that Sarah felt like she was going to cry. It felt like a puzzle being violently hurled onto a table, yet every single piece fell into place at once.

The warmth of his mouth elicited a need for more. All of it. The sharp yet sweet taste of his lips, no more than a sample of the potency of what he could offer. Her body pressed up against him. The soft baritone of his voice whispering her name caused her knees to buckle and his arms wrapped around her. Her hands moved up to caress his face and neck, reveling in its soft yet firm angles. When the kiss deepened, every inch of them that connected flared up in heat. He pulled her closer, leaving little room for her wandering hands to move down along the planes of his chest. Her body shuddered when he pushed himself against her, bringing her attention to a certain… emerging situation.

Eventually, when both of them felt on the brink of fainting, they broke apart to take a deep breath. Sarah opened her eyes. His face was flush and slackened in delight. A quivering breath tumbled from his lips. When his eyes opened, they were dark with lust. He licked his lips slowly, his gaze pinning her down.

Jareth cleared his throat, visibly trying to collect himself. “Don’t misunderstand, darling… I’m not at all complaining, but what brought on such sudden desire? Just so I know what to do next time.”

Sarah shook her head, eyes wandering towards his chest.

“No?” He chuckled, cocking his head to one side to seek her gaze.

She shook her head again, swallowing thickly. When he didn’t respond she looked up, finding his gaze cooling to a sweet affection. “I think we should introduce you to my family.” His soft smile summoned butterflies in her stomach. “Properly, this time.”

Chapter 34

Notes:

WOW this chapter is way longer than I'd anticipated... Maybe that's why it's 1,5 week late... I am planning to release the next chapter on schedule (the 28th). Enjoy the moments while they last, because things won't remain this comfortable.

Anyways... Let's get a move on.

 

Sarah stared down at the sink, her gaze distant while she scrubbed the dishes clean.

How? How was she going to just… tell her family about her and Jareth? It was the first time she introduced someone as… What? A boyfriend? It sounded weird even in her head. Both her father and her stepmother seemed unusually on edge around him, even though Karen seemed to make an effort. Toby seemed more easy going, whether that was because he was just young or perhaps… He couldn’t possibly remember anything about him…

Putting the final plate in the drying rack she sighed, shaking her head in an attempt to push aside her worries. She would like it if her family accepted Jareth. The quiet wish made her chuckle out loud. The powerful and magical Goblin King definitely couldn’t care less to be accepted into some mortal family, right? While a little premature, it did also raise the question how she was ever going to tell them Jareth’s true background. It would be surprising if the vagueness of how she had portrayed him so far had caused her father’s distrust.

Her body jerked when she felt two hands coming to rest on her shoulders.

“Penny for your thoughts, darling?”

“God, Jareth. You scared me.” Sarah shrugged his hands off and dried her hands. 

He leaned back against the counter, crossing his ankles and his arms. “Can I help?”

“Nope. You’re fashionably late, Your Majesty. I’m all done.”

“What a pity.”

Sarah giggled at his blatant relief. “I’m sure you’re more than welcome to vacuum the hall or clean the windows. Perhaps you could do some laundry.” The woman crossed her arms while standing in front of him, mimicking his pose.

“I can think of something I’d rather be doing.” Jareth’s eyes roamed down her body.

Repressing a smile, Sarah held her ground. “And what is that, Your Majesty?”

His arms unfurled so he could grab hold of her waist. Slowly he pulled her closer, grinning wider when she let him. “It’s not really a question of what, darling, but rather who.”

His crisp smell chased off the citrusy dish soap. The hold on her waist was nothing short of enjoyably possessive. Her body leaned into his warmth, enjoying the weight of his hands on her waist. Her growing ease and want to be close to him very much told her that she was in trouble.

A throat cleared behind her.

Definitely in trouble.

Flinching, Sarah whirled around, seeing the rigid shape of her father in the doorway. For a moment Sarah was frozen on the spot, watching her father look from her to Jareth and back. It wasn’t until there was a barely noticeable tug on her waist that she realized Jareth’s hands were still on her and she quickly pushed them off. Her father seemed stuck between confusion and anger, but seeing his gradually narrowing eyes it was clear he was tipping to the latter. Sarah stuttered unintelligibly, feeling as though she was a teen again, held under the protective hand of a parent. Karen peered around Robert’s shoulders curiously, chirping what was going on.

“I… Uh… There is… We… I…” Why wasn’t Jareth butting in? Perhaps she should pretend like nothing happened. Or did that just make her seem more guilty? “We’re dating,” she finally blurted out awkwardly, hoping the ground would do her the courtesy of swallowing her whole.

Her stepmother immediately grinned ear-to-ear, grabbing hold of her husband’s arm and looking up at him before eyeing her stepdaughter and the stranger. “Oh, congratulations! When did that happen? Oh, I’ve been waiting for you to introduce someone for over ten years!”

Sarah didn’t exactly feel relieved by Karen’s enthusiasm, seeing the look on her father’s face. His brows were tightly knitted together. His aging hands were curled to fists by his sides. After a long silence, Robert finally replied. “So, you’re taking after your mother then?”

Her mother. A distant, nearly forgotten memory. Though buried deep and discarded, it hurt. For a moment Sarah was speechless, jumping between processing what he’d said and trying to grasp if he’d actually said it or if she’d imagined it. After a long silence her eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?” Her stepmother brought a hand up to her face to rub her brow. Sarah’s step forward was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder. “How dare you?! How is that in any way fair to me? I thought you’d be happy for me.”

“Allow me to diffuse this situation right here, Sarah.” Jareth squeezed her shoulder. “I’m sure your father didn’t mean to upset you. Mrs. Williams, let’s give them some time alone.”

Karen nudged Robert, annoyed. “Don’t make Sarah regret trusting us with this news, Robert.”

Instead of the older man moving aside to let Jareth through, the older man glared at him, stubbornly standing his ground. “Kindly let me through, Mr. Williams. Let’s not make this needlessly hostile.” It wasn’t until after Karen practically pushed him aside that Jareth could walk out, fully relaxed and unbothered. Before he walked out of view his eyes briefly connected with Sarah’s.

—--

The house was rife with tension. It was already well into the night when the young woman walked out of her father’s study, tense and uncomfortable. Her father had apologized for using Sarah’s birth mother as a weapon. It had brought forth a long discussion about how it had affected him back in the day, as well as the effect it still had on Sarah. Eventually they’d also discussed her new ties to Jareth. This included how her father had been afraid that one day she simply might not come back. He still didn’t seem happy with her relationship, but had reluctantly accepted it. 

After that Robert had gotten ready for bed without another word to either his daughter, his wife or his son. Jareth had been reading a book in the living room, draped comfortably in one of the chairs. Sarah had excused herself to take a bath, soaking the tension out of her shoulders. 

When she got out, dressed in comfortable pajamas, she wandered back downstairs. With a sigh she threw herself on the chair next to Jareth. He eyed her silently, following her gaze to Toby studying nearby. Closing the book, he turned his full attention to her. “Are you quite alright, sweetling? How did the meeting go?”

“Fine…  ish.” Pulling her legs up onto the lounge chair she brushed a lock of towel-dry hair out of her face, her gaze still directed across the room. “He’ll come around. Maybe.” His hand on her arm pulled her attention to him. She found comfort in his gentle gaze. Sarah smiled, putting her hand over his. The leather cover made her yearn for the feeling of his skin. 

She nodded her head towards Toby. “Is it me, or does he seem to…”

“Wilt?” The man looked at the young teen with his spindly appearance and heavy eyes.

“He’s definitely worse than a few weeks ago, right?” The way in which he looked back with a slight frown said enough. Her hands rubbed her face. “Should I have stayed? What if it’s my fault?”

“I thought these issues had been present before you returned Underground?” He watched Sarah nod quietly. Silence stretched between the two, both of them watching the boy. After a while he sat up straight and pulled her attention back to him. “Sarah, there is something I want to try. Something that might help him.” Her eyes were wide when she looked at him. “I could do it early in the morning, once he’s gone to bed.” He rubbed his fingers along his cheek, contemplating it. “I’ve never done this before, though. Perhaps this has never even been attempted before.” His mismatched gaze turned to her, kindled with a determined fire. “But I need you to trust me.”

Sarah was about to reply when Karen walked in. “Gosh, you two are still up? It’s late, go get some rest.” The older woman looked up at the clock. “It’s almost four in the morning! Lord knows we don’t need any more insomniacs in the family.” She put a hand on her stepdaughter’s shoulder. “Come now, off to bed.”

“Mrs. Williams is right, Sarah. We should retire.” Sarah had wanted to resist, but gave in with a sigh when Jareth rose to his feet.

“Oh please,” the older woman said with a smile. “Do call me Karen. We’re practically family now.”

Sarah was shoved out of the room by the delicate hands on her back and she scoffed. “A few hours after we share the news and you’re practically invited to the next luncheon.”

“Sounds lovely. I’d be delighted to attend.”

Karen leaned closer to Sarah. “I know I prepared two guest rooms tonight, but I fully understand if you two would prefer to sleep next to one another. Just don’t… You know. Your father would lose it if he found out.”

Sarah flushed a deep red. Jareth laughed, gently leading Sarah across the hall while the older woman returned to Toby’s side. Sarah’s face scrunched up. “Oh my god, I did not just hear my conservative stepmother say that…”

“I’ll be right there, sweetling. Go and get comfortable.” His voice was audibly pleased when he escorted her up the stairs.

—-

Running had definitely been an option. Next to the room she was currently in, was another expertly prepared guest room. A perfectly pleasant bed with soft linen and a floral scent, she knew. Looking around the darkened room, lit only by the nightstand light, she felt her heart skip. It wasn't very appropriate after they just discussed Toby’s health, but she was looking forward to a bit of alone time with Jareth.

Her bag was tossed into a corner. She hadn't checked what Jareth had brought for her. The pajamas she was wearing had been stored here at home. Besides, Karen always had at least a dozen new toothbrushes lying about. Sarah only just realized she had never brushed her teeth Underground, or had felt the need to do so. Just at that moment Jareth walked in. He was pleasantly surprised to see her sitting on the bed in the room that had been assigned to him.

“Jareth, why did I never feel like having to brush my teeth in the Underground?”

His step faltered for just a second, surprise widening his eyes. When he sat down on the edge of the bed he shot her a playfully accusing look. “I had rather hoped for other questions when unexpectedly finding you in my bed.” He could tell her curiosity prevented her from feeling embarrassed or annoyed. “I take it you have never noticed them, then?”

Sarah raised her eyebrows. “Noticed them? Who?”

“Dentimites.” He shuffled over to the pillow and crawled under the covers, his gaze thoughtful. “Tiny white little buggers that crawl inside your mouth and feast on filth and traces of food.”

The woman felt nausea twist her stomach, picturing little insects the size of bed bugs or lice crawling into her mouth when she was asleep. She looked at him with concern. “Really?!”

The blonde grinned, leaning back against the headboard like she was. “No, darling. I jest. There is no such thing as dentimites.”

Relief washed over her, quickly replaced with self-conscious annoyance. “You insufferable…”

“Yes?” His voice lilted with eagerness to hear her finish. But all he got was a pouty glower. “To answer your question, it is something I named Eideann, when I first started visiting this world centuries ago.” He laid down comfortably. “It is a force of nature in the Underground. A constant flow of energy woven through its inhabitants. It stabilizes all living things in many ways. It ages more slowly, nourishes crops and cleans water, to name a few.”

Sarah chuckled. “I think the Underground shuns the Labyrinth. Or quite specifically the Bog of Eternal Stench.”

He chuckled. “Quite the opposite. The Labyrinth harnesses a particularly strong energy of this natural phenomenon. It is what allows me to summon deep pits, rearrange walls and manipulate gravity itself from miles away.”

Sarah giggled, shuffling forward so she could lie down. “Beyza did tell me that people running the Labyrinth is like a sport to you. Sounds more like a playground to me.”

The blonde turned to her, tucking the blanket comfortably around her and brushing a lock of her hair out of her face. “I won’t deny that I thoroughly enjoy guiding ancient forces in pursuit of amusement.”

“When was your last game?”

“Several years ago. It was a woman from an old lineage. They used to be nobility, but were deported from a neighboring kingdom for misconduct. Besides her dying father, she was the last of her bloodline. She challenged my Labyrinth in pursuit of restoring her nobility, so she might wed within the aristocracy and ensure herself a comfortable life.”

“Did she win?”

Jareth scoffed. “Heavens, no. She had been torn from her wealth long ago, but she still expected to be carried to my castle in a gold carriage. I left her outside the gates when her time was up. Spoiled brat.”

“Those seem to have a knack for finding themselves in your Labyrinth.”

“I get many different walks of life. Hardened survivalists, families, non-human creatures and even children.” His free hand played with a strand of her hair. “But that particular woman did remind me of another brat which did manage to win, and compelled me to visit her.”

Sarah nibbled on her lower lip when he smiled. She could see memories swirling in his eyes. It was strange to think about someone she’d never met, having brought on so many changes. What if this particular woman hadn’t challenged Jareth? Would he have visited her? Had he already been thinking of her? Or was that a terribly self-centered thing to wonder?

“Did you offer her the same as me?” The woman’s voice had been quiet, but curious.

A twinge of anger furrowed his brows. “Of course not. I’m not in the habit of offering people their dreams.” He chuckled humorlessly, looking across the room. “And certainly not more than that. The self-indulgent broad would have taken it in a heartbeat, I’m sure... No. I have only offered people materialistic boons, writ of passage, gentry position and cheap bribes.” His eyes softened when he looked down at her. “No one but you has been worth an offer so significant.”

Sarah felt her heart race. His gaze was stern, like she’d insulted him for asking it, but he didn’t seem upset. “Okay,” she said quietly, causing his rigidity to relax. She noticed he leaned closer, his hand still playing with her hair. Her eyes slipped closed while she tried to swallow her heart down her throat.

Jareth chuckled and looked down at her. “Do you want me to kiss you, sweetling?”

Her eyes flew open to the size of saucers. “U-uh…” Discomfort tinged her cheeks. “Y-yes?”

He purred, very much enjoying her confirmation. His hand brushed along the velvet softness of her burning cheeks, then down so he could position the pad of his thumb under her chin, angling her face up to him. While her lips had parted in anticipation and looked more than inviting, he leaned lower down and pressed a slow, chaste kiss to her neck. Her breath caught with a soft squeak.

“Before we get too comfortable, darling, we do have some important matters to discuss.” Sarah snapped out of the shudder that had been traveling along her back. The Goblin King sighed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. “I long to tell you my spell will resolve Toby’s issues, but I can’t promise that much.”

Switching to business mode, Sarah sat up, tucking her legs sideways. “Let’s take this one step at a time. What’s the fix you’re thinking of?”

“Reordering time.” He frowned, lacing his fingers behind his head. “But I’m not used to doing so for a single person. Perhaps I can nudge Toby’s rhythm back to normal by shifting his perception of time in this way.”

“What will happen to Toby? Will he be okay?”

“I will certainly do my very best to protect him and make this go as smoothly as possible,” he said with a nod. “But the truth is, I have never tried to manipulate a living being using time itself, and thus it is difficult to determine how he will respond. He will need to be asleep as I’m sure you’d like to prevent him from knowing about magic.”

“What about you? Will you be okay?”

He was quiet for a moment. “I’ll be alright, I’m sure. It will offer me an excellent opportunity to test my newly gained power.”

“For someone that normally oozes confidence, this doesn’t really sound promising… What if it doesn’t work?”

For a long time, the room remained silent. “I’m not certain,” Jareth admitted. “But if the situation threatens to spin out of control, I will use every shred of magic in me to correct it.”

Outside, the sky was starting to turn a very pale blue at the horizon. They could hear Toby getting ready for bed, muttering angrily to his mother that he’d finish the rest tomorrow and that he just wanted to sleep. There was a thud, followed by the mother scolding him for nearly tripping on his own feet. Sarah looked back at Jareth, who seemed to notice the shift in her eyes. “Let’s do it.”

It seemed her decision bolstered his confidence and he nodded back solemnly. “I propose we wait until your father leaves for the day so I can work uninterrupted.” Sarah nodded in return and he ushered her to lay down. With a wave of his hand the lights in the room turned off, shrouding the two in darkness. Sarah curled up against his side, his arm underneath her neck. His pajamas smelled like fresh cotton, giving a soft edge to his own scent. Her hand moved to cover his heart.

His chest rose and fell slowly in a comforting rhythm. His hand wandered down along her arm, caressing her with a featherlight touch. Goosebumps scattered all the way up to her neck yet slackened any tension left in her. Minutes passed in silence. His hand was idly playing with her hair. Eventually, she had to break the silence. Calling his name, she could feel his low hum underneath her ear. Her fingers brushed along the fair skin, her voice soft. “Is it stupid to be scared?”

“Stupid? Why would it be stupid?”

“Because the thing that’s scary seems… silly.” Perhaps she should’ve stayed quiet. Perhaps she shouldn’t have brought this up.

“I don’t see how it could possibly be silly. Talk to me.”

“I’m kind of scared of… being with you?” The way in which he froze felt inhuman. The steady rise and fall underneath her stopped and every muscle in his body tensed.

“Sarah, you introduced us just a few hours ago…”

The woman moved to sit up, the tone in his voice alarming her. When she looked down at him, there was a guarded coldness tightening his features. He propped himself up on his elbows, eyeing her with worry and agitation. “No! I don’t mean I regret being with you,” she said quickly. “I-I… I want to be with you. It’s just…”

“Is it my crown?”

“No,” Sarah insisted. “It’s not you. I-It’s… It’s stupid.” She withdrew from him. Curling up on the bed she hugged her knees to her chest, muffling something into her knees.

“Come again?”

Sarah bit her lip and avoided his gaze. “I’m insecure, okay?” Her voice was tight with agitation and annoyance. She leaned away when he sat upright and looked at her. “This isn’t my first time with someone, but it’s scary. It’s… so different.”

“Do tell,” Jareth said with an expression stuck between a smile and a grimace, turning a little softer when he saw the fearful look in her eyes.

“I’m just… me… And well, you’re… You’re… You.”

There had been an expectation for him to either laugh or be confused, but his gaze turned surprisingly gentle. “My sweet, darling Sarah…” He leaned over and pressed a lingering kiss to her hair. “I understand what you’re saying, but let me reiterate your words from a different perspective. You are you, and I am me. That’s the extent of what matters.” He kept a respectful distance, pulling up one leg to lean on. “It doesn’t matter that I’m king. It doesn’t matter that you’re mortal. It doesn’t even matter that we’re from different worlds, because I was lucky enough to find you, and I was lucky enough for you to accept a courtship.” He grinned when she looked at him bashfully. “It doesn’t matter, darling. As far as you’re concerned, I am a lonely soul and a hot-blooded man. My expertise in magic doesn’t matter, my kingship doesn’t matter, not even Alana and my idiot elder brother matter.” Sarah giggled at the jab at his brother, an action which he saw as an invitation to wrap his arms around her and pull her close. “Sweetling, I’m just someone seeking the companionship of someone endlessly patient, incredibly kind, delightfully resourceful and blindingly beautiful. And I couldn’t have found someone more fitting that description.”

“Oh puke,” Sarah wailed playfully, squirming in his hold without making any real attempt to break free.

He laughed, holding her tightly. “A fearless heroine to save me from my drab existence. A headstrong dame to disobey my every command. An angel that will grace my wretched soul with tenderness. A lady that could outshine the sun, if only she would let her confidence shine as bright as her beauty.”

“Good god, Jareth!” She felt her heart swell at his words, so fun-loving yet sincere. “I’m not all that.”

“You are.” His nose nuzzled into her hair, then finally let her break free, making him fall back to the bed. Grabbing hold of her wrist he pressed her palm over his heart. “And then there’s me. Centuries old, stubborn and quick-tempered. A cold-hearted trickster! A fiend, using his vile charm to woo this goddess ever so shamelessly.”

She grinned down at him. “Careful, Your Majesty. You’re reaching critical levels of sweet-talking. It’s unbefitting of the fearsome Goblin King.”

While he let out a soft chuckling sigh, there was a strange sadness in his eyes. “Look at me, Sarah. Am I really so different?”

Sarah nibbled on her lower lip. Her hand was slightly more tan than his alabaster skin, further contrasted by the markings on his hand. His skin was warm and cold at the same time. His waist almost femininely narrow. Almost. Her palm wandered up by itself, his hand falling away. Her fingertips moved up his long neck. A muscle in his sharp jaw twitched when she moved to his cheek, tracing his angular features. When she touched his peach colored lips, his mismatched eyes drifted shut. Her hand brushed through his hair, soft like silk and shining like gold. It was slightly messy, yet somehow perfect. 

“You are different.” 

He looked up at her. For a moment his heart had been gripped with fear. His body had tensed for the blow of rejection. But the rays of purest moonshine had shown down upon him seeing the tender smile on her face. His palm cradled her cheek, drinking in the sight of her gentle adoration. Never had he suspected someone might look at him like that, yet it could never have been anyone but his unruly, compassionate Sarah.

For a while they simply looked at each other. Neither of them knew how long, but eventually Sarah felt herself growing tired. She lowered herself to his side and once more she curled up against him. Feeling his arms around her, the woman realized there was no possible place on Earth or in the Underground she’d rather be. Snuggling her cheek against his chest, the steady drumming of his heartbeat gradually caused her to doze off, the warmth of his body wrapping around her like the safest, most comfortable blanket.

The next thing she noticed was Jareth ever so carefully removing his arm from around her. She called him quietly, her hand reflexively curling around his shirt. He carefully tucked her in and pried her hand from his shirt. Leaning down he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Sleep, darling. I will handle everything.”

“Every…?” Her eyes felt heavy, and the bed blissfully warm.

“Toby’s spell, Sarah. Your father left about twenty minutes ago and Toby as well as Mrs. Williams are fast asleep.”

While still groggy she nodded. “I want to help.”

“Believe in me, darling. That’s all the help you can offer me now. I will be careful and do my best to mend him.”

“Should you need me…”

“I’ll call,” he said with a chuckle. “I will return as soon as I can.”

Sarah nodded, leaning into him when he pressed another kiss to her head. Just before she drifted away again, she whispered quietly. “Thank you, Jareth…”

—-

A crash down the hall woke Sarah faster than ever. Her body jerked and her fight or flight triggered so fast it made her head spin. It felt like she was at Toby’s bedroom door within a second.

By her brother’s toy collection lay the Goblin King, sprawled on the floor and surrounded by action figures, toy cars and Lego bricks. His face was contorted in anguish, his glamor gone and his skin as pale as the paper sheets that floated down on top of him. The only thing that sullied his pale complexion was a droplet of blood trickling from his nose. His eyes were rimmed in a dark blue that was nearly black. His hair was matted and almost pale enough to match his face. His breathing carried a strange rattling. Sarah practically tripped towards him, falling onto her knees and cradling his face. His breath was shallow and uneven. One shaky hand came up to his face to wipe the blood away, but dropped weakly before he could reach it. “Jareth? What happened? Talk to me!”

“Take me to our room.”

She shook her head, frowning. “Never mind that, tell me what happened. What do you need? Water?”

“I need rest,” he snarled at her. Sarah flinched at his sharp tone. Her hands jerked from his face. “Take me. Now. Before I lose consciousness.”

Sarah nodded and scrambled to her feet. She held out her hands, knowing that there was no way she was going to be able to carry him. She tried her best to haul him to his feet, stumbling and nearly toppling back. He was practically dead weight against her. She quickly wrapped his arm around her shoulders and helped him down the hall. It seemed to take forever, his feet dragging across the floor. By the time they got back to the guest room, Sarah felt a rush of relief that she had left the door open, or there would’ve been another hurdle to overcome.

With a groan she dropped him onto the bed. He was unconscious. Without hesitance she pried his boots off and tucked him under the blankets as best she could. When he showed no sign of responsiveness she hurried back to Toby’s room. Toby sleeping peacefully in his bed. With a shuddering sigh Sarah quickly put away the scattered toys and papers. 

“Sarah? What happened here?”

Sarah jumped, seeing her worried stepmother in the doorway. “Oh! Uh, I wanted to check on Toby and I accidentally bumped into his stuff. I’m sorry for waking you.”

Karen looked at her son and shook her head. “Out cold, he is. Try to be careful next time, Sarah. He needs all the sleep he can get.”

“Y-yes, of course. I’m sorry.”

Karen eyed the superhero clock on Toby’s wall and shook her head. “And for goodness sake, go back to bed. You barely slept five hours.” She turned away and shuffled back to the master bedroom.

After a long, calming breath, Sarah hurried to the bathroom, grabbing a glass of water, a few tissues and a warm, damp towel. By the time she was back in the guest room Jareth was still out cold. Just in time could she wipe the trail of red running down his face before it hit the pristine white pillow. It didn’t seem to be continuously bleeding. Feeling his forehead she found it ice cold, which made her realize that she had no idea what she could do for him. After closing the curtains the woman crawled onto the bed and turned to face him. The rattle in his breathing disappeared.

After sitting next to him she had eventually laid down, drifting off, then watching him again. The process repeated a few times, but he never came to. Eventually she started to get restless. There had been no shift in his situation. The house was unnervingly quiet. Once she realized this was all the rest she was going to get, she went for a quick shower and got dressed, then made breakfast for Jareth and herself. Eggs and bacon sandwiches with tea. Hardly a meal fit for a king, but it would do. She had to watch his plate going cold and the bread going stale. She couldn’t tell if he looked any better. He still looked exhausted and drained. Perhaps the circles under his eyes weren’t quite as dark.

Throughout the remainder of the day, Sarah switched between watching him, checking on Toby and doing small little things in the house to keep herself from losing her mind. The hours passed and eventually Karen woke up. When she came down, Sarah was cleaning the refrigerator.

“Where’s Jareth?”

Sarah kept scrubbing to hide the twitch of worry in her face. “Oh, he’s just in the guest room. He was feeling a little… off.” It came out smooth enough. Perhaps convincing enough to fool her stepmother. “I figured I’d make myself useful.”

“It’s not that I’m not thankful, Sarah, but you don’t need to worry yourself with cleaning. Why not go watch a movie?”

She’d thought of doing that. But just thinking of sitting on the couch doing nothing stressed her out. “I’m good…”

“Alright. Well, is Jareth feeling well enough to join us for dinner? I presume you’ll be staying at least for another meal?”

“I’ll go ask him.” She mustered a small smile when she turned to Karen. Once she was out of sight, she hurried to the guest room. It was pitch black inside and completely quiet.

“Sarah?”

She nearly yelped, a squeak escaping from her lips before she slapped her hand over her mouth. She slightly parted the curtains to let in a bit of light and sat on the bed’s edge. “I’m here.” Carefully she caressed his brow, seeing his heavy lidded eyes gaze up at her. “Can I get you anything?”

Jareth rubbed his temples and shook his head. “I just need time.” The color of his skin and hair had gradually returned. For a while both were silent. The smell of dinner was drifting up towards them and soon after they could hear Robert coming home. 

“I’m going to check on Toby, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Sarah looked down at him and he nodded quietly. Pressing a kiss to his forehead, her hand brushed through his hair.

Toby was still laying in the same position. His temperature was a little higher than normal, but other than that he just seemed to be in a deep sleep. When she went downstairs, her father greeted her with an uncomfortable air.

“Karen, Jareth is still feeling a little out of it. Do you mind if Jareth and I eat in our - his room?” Sarah did her best to ignore the withering look her father sported when she slipped up, keeping her eyes stiffly on her stepmother.

“Of course, Sarah. Is he feeling any better?”

Sarah shrugged. “He’s mostly tired now. We’ll probably head home - back tomorrow morning.” She mentally kicked herself for another slip-up, knowing full well her father was getting properly pissed off.

“I really do hope Toby will be awake before then. He’ll be so sad if you have to leave without a goodbye.” The older woman grabbed two plates from the dinner table and served two meals. “I’ll pick up the plates in an hour or so. I’ll bring some tea then, as well.”

“Thanks, Karen, you’re the best.” Sarah smiled warmly, taking the plates and ignoring the scowl on her father’s face.

After a good meal, Jareth was looking better. He was less sluggish and seemed more comfortable. “Can I get you anything else? I can draw you a bath if you like.”

Jareth took her hand. “There’s only one more thing I need.” He pulled her close, his arms around her so she was somewhat awkwardly sprawled halfway over him. Taking a deep breath, his arms tightened, then slackened when he exhaled. “My favorite medicine.”

Feeling his hand wander along her back Sarah chuckled at his pleased murmur. Settling against him, the distinct warmth was back. He was no longer cold to the touch. “So… What exactly happened? To you both.”

His hand on her back froze, pulling her gaze up to him. “Well…” It was clear he was hesitant to tell and it wasn’t until she crawled onto her knees to sit next to him that he continued. “I attempted to manipulate time within Toby himself. To shift his biological clock to align with this world once more. It went well enough at first. While the spell was delicate, it seemed relatively easy. However, every time I manipulated him, he pulled back to his current state. I must have tried over fifteen times.”

“So… It didn’t work?”

Jareth shook his head. “No, it did work. I think. But I had to resort to other means…” The apprehensive look on her face was more than understandable. “Instead of working from his bedroom, I transported us to the Veil. The suspension in time present there allowed an easier change.”

Sarah wasn’t sure how to feel about him taking Toby from his home without asking her first, especially because he had mentioned that he had never attempted something like this.

“It was by no means easy,” he continued. “Reordering time is one thing, but doing so in a void where time doesn’t exist is another beast entirely.” Thinking back to it he rubbed his brow with a sigh. “I kept us there until I felt his inner clock shift to something stable. By the time I returned I found you and your family in a frantic panic. Toby had been missing for three days. I had to shift this world’s timeline backwards to make up for the time that had passed.”

“You reordered time?” The woman blinked, processing what that meant. Three days of her life which she’d lived and lost without any realisation of it. It was frightening in a way, yet fascinating and strange in another. She must have looked more disturbed than she really felt, because his hand cradled her cheek, pulling her attention back to him.

“I do apologize for taking that liberty, Sarah. I figured it was preferable over dealing with the strife the other option left all of us with.”

Shaking her head she relaxed her shoulders. “No, you’re right. My father would have killed you if he found out you took Toby. And I don’t think in that case, my stepmother would have stopped him.” Smiling at him, she noticed a haunted look in his eyes. “What? What happened?”

The Goblin King looked saddened, caressing her face. “I’d rather not discuss it.”

Sarah strongly suspected it had to do with her reaction to him taking Toby, but decided not to press for it. She leaned forward to rest her forehead against his, hoping it might offer him some comfort. Her eyes slipped closed. “It’s okay, Jareth. Even if Toby’s health doesn’t improve from this, I appreciate everything you do for me and my family.”

Reveling in her kind words, he tilted his head up with a smile, rubbing his nose against hers. “I’d move the stars for you, darling.”

Giggling, Sarah steadied herself with a hand on his shoulder, returning the playful Eskimo kiss. “Thank you, Jareth,” she whispered quietly, her hand trailing towards his neck. He tilted his head up, his breath pausing as the air between them thickened.

A throat cleared behind them and Sarah jumped off the bed and nearly fell backwards, saved only by Jareth grasping her hand. Fully flushed and flustered she pulled her hand away and turned to the doorway, locking eyes with her stepmother who was smiling knowingly. A moment of panic gripped Sarah and she looked back at Jareth, but found that his markings and apparel had once again been replaced with his disguise.

“Sorry for interrupting you two. I thought Jareth might enjoy some tea.” The woman walked up to the bed, nudging past Sarah to put the tray down on the nightstand.

“You’re a very gracious hostess, Mrs. Williams.”

“Oh, do call me Karen, Jareth. There’s no need for formalities.” Sarah snickered to herself. If only Karen knew she was talking to a king. “I’ll leave you two for the evening. Robert and I will be watching a movie downstairs, should any of you want to join. Toby’s classes are cancelled for tonight. I’ll leave some fresh towels in the bathroom should you want to shower or bathe.” The older woman headed out, pausing by the doorway to close the door. She looked at Sarah. “Keep your father’s health in mind. Keep it down.” Winking, she walked off, closing the door behind her.

—-

Later that night Sarah found herself neck deep in a board game night with Jareth. They were both seated on the bed, surrounded by games, manuals, dice, pawns and cardboard. She had won at, as Jareth put it, a barbaric game of Hungry Hungry Hippos and lost miserably at Operation. It was now three to three. They were playing a game of Guess Who, which both of them were quickly losing patience with. Their fingers were entwined next to the boards, idly toying with the digits of the other. It was both very casual yet intimate, not to mention very distracting.

“Does she have dark hair?” Sarah fidgeted with a Monopoly bill that had been in the box, her hair draped over one shoulder. Her eyes wandered across the handful of portraits still facing her. When Jareth didn’t answer her eyes lifted from the colorful print and plastic.

He was staring at her, one arm resting on his knee. “Yes, she does,” he said in a low purr, his eyes still on her. “Gorgeous hazel eyes, too.”

Her eyes lowered bashfully to the game board, feeling silly for wondering if she should be knocking down portraits, since it was quite obvious he was not referring to the game. The way in which hand wandered up along the back of her hand, his fingers curling around her wrist, drew her eyes back to him. His body shifted forward, so he could brush his lips against her knuckles. The slow and deliberate way he did so, while maintaining eye contact, made her mouth run dry. Her hands grew embarrassingly clammy and her stomach fluttered. His mismatched gaze kept her attention. Within the multi-colored depths was a quiet yet powerful longing.

Sarah heard the doorbell and with reluctance she pulled back. At first Jareth followed but she gently pushed him away, distracted by who could be at the door this late at night. Shyly rising from the bed she headed into the hall.

Halfway down the stairs she saw Robert open the door to someone she never had expected. A slender shape in the dark, with wide, dark eyes and long flowing hair.

“Alana?”

The familiar face appeared relieved, looking from the older man to Sarah and back. “Good evening. I truly apologize for the disturbance so late in the evening.”

Robert looked at Sarah, then back at the woman. “Can I… help you?”

“I’ll take care of it, dad,” Sarah said quickly, rushing down the remainder of the stairs and wriggling between her father and the otherworldly woman in front of her. It was very obvious she was different. Partially because she was wearing a long cloak which completely hid her body. Looking around her father was still standing behind her. “Uh, I'll explain later.”

Reluctantly the older man left and Sarah leaned a little closer. “Lana, why are you here? How are you here?”

“I have a message for Jareth.” The earnest tone in her voice urged Sarah to quickly take her upstairs. When they entered the room littered with games, Jareth stared in shock when Alana walked in.

His sister quickly walked over to him, pulling a small envelope from her robe. “Jareth, I have news from the Regiment.”

Chapter 35

Notes:

PLEASE TAKE CAUTION: This chapter includes injury and mentions of blood (and mild swearing). I don't think it's too graphic, but just to be sure: To skip, look out for the opening & closing asterisk " * " on a separate line. You can pick things back up after the second one!

“No movement toward the borders. They linger, but the reason why is unclear. They do not fight, but they do not surrender. We anticipate Your Majesty’s guidance.” Jareth’s brows knitted together. The small piece of paper in his hands staring back at him. Meanwhile Alana was studying the board games and furniture around the room.

Sarah looked at Jareth with concern. “So they found the people from the breach?”

“I do believe so.” His hand came up to run his fingers along his jaw, his gaze distant. “I’d hoped my men would have obtained more information by now. Perhaps…” He frowned, silent for a moment before he shook his head. “Time is of the essence. I need to regroup with my men. I need to take action before irreparable damage is done.” His hand curled to a fist, crushing the note.

Sarah studied the way in which his eyebrows lingered in a frown. “You need more time to rest.” Sarah pointed out.

“I will handle it,” he said with an air of cockiness. “Lana.” His sister recoiled from touching the light switch on the wall. “Head home, I will travel North by daybreak.” Alana nodded solemnly. “Sarah will be joining you.”

Concern paled Alana’s face, but Sarah spoke before Alana could. “I’m not about to vanish in the middle of the night. My family would be worried sick. And I’m not leaving your side until I know you’ve recovered. Fully.”

“I can’t…” Jareth straightened his clothes, his gaze diverted from the two women. They looked at him, waiting for him to continue. Adjusting his seat on the side of the bed he avoided their gaze. “I’m not certain I’ll be able to transport Sarah back to the capital and transport myself North to join the regiment. Not in quick succession.”

The brunette caught Alana looking at her from the corner of her eye, her doe-like eyes wide with concern. “Uh… That’s kind of my fault,” Sarah said quietly.

“No.” Jareth’s voice was firm. “It is not. I freely offered to help Toby.”

“Toby?” Alana looked between the two. “The mortal babe? Did something happen?”

“He’s been ill. I brought him to the Veil in an attempt to heal him. It has proven to be more taxing than I anticipated.”

Alana crossed her arms. “You are a fool, brother. How many times must I tell you to know your limits?”

Despite her scolding tone, Jareth smiled. It was soft and almost wistful, turning his sharp gaze gentle. “If I hadn’t pushed myself in the past, we never would have met my beloved Sarah.”

“You know very well what I mean.” Alana sighed in defeat, looking at her older brother. “Don’t weasel your way out by using our soft spot for lady Sarah.”

“I’m right here,” Sarah said awkwardly to which neither sibling reacted.

“I expect you to keep her safe, Jareth. Return Sarah to me as soon as you’re able. That frozen wasteland is no place for a lady, especially a mortal one.” Her dark eyes turned to the woman next to her. “Be safe, both of you. We will connect again soon.” Alana sternly eyed her brother when she hooked her arm around Sarah’s. “Think before you act, Your Majesty.” With those handful of words, she let Sarah lead her downstairs.

After Sarah said her goodbyes she headed back up and into the guestroom. The board games had already been put aside and Jareth had settled back on the bed. “Are you worried about tomorrow?”

“No. I am eager to find out what is going on out there. I want to know who I’m dealing with.” He folded aside the covers, patting the mattress next to him in quiet invitation.

Sarah nervously nibbled her lower lip while she turned off the main light and shuffled over to the bedside to crawl underneath the covers. “So, what’s the plan?”

The Goblin King put his hands behind his head, gazing up at the ceiling. “To be candid, I am considering leaving you here with your family while I resolve the issue. Though, I am uncertain how prolonged exposure to this world would affect your magic. There would be no one here to monitor you.”

“Good thing I’m coming with you, then.”

Clearly her tone had been much too casual for his liking. There was a look of agitation on his angular features when he looked at her. “It will be dangerous. Freezing. Chaotic. Strenuous. Not to mention you’ll need to sleep in a tent in dreadful weather.”

Sarah smiled carefully and apologetically. She turned to face him, feeling her stomach tickle in excitement when he rolled onto his side as well. Her hand rested on his cheek. A muscle in his cheek twitched. “Well, I always have my fair protector… And I’m sure if I ask nicely, he might keep me both safe and warm.”

His eyes grew a little darker. “Is my innocent little Sarah flirting with me?” One arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. They both grinned and his arm tightened just a tad more for it. Sarah coyly tucked her head down. Snuggling up against him she tried to wrestle the smile off her face. Once his quiet chuckle faded the silence made room for the comforting beating of his heart. In no time, she drifted off to sleep.

—-

The next morning introduced bright rays of sunshine into the room. Her arm was wrapped around blissfully warm velvet. It rose and fell slowly and her hand slowly caressed it. A soft rumble sounded right next to her, a contented moan. Blearily, Sarah blinked against the light, seeing Jareth slumbering next to her. A sound down the hall caught her attention. Something familiar. Something repetitive…

Sarah felt her heart rate spike and she rolled over, stumbling out of the bed. A soft lamentation sounded behind her. A wandering hand felt around for her presence. “Come back to bed, darling.”

“Jareth!” Her voice was hushed but rushed in panic. The woman turned to face him. “Can you move me to the next room?”

He mumbled in petulant annoyance and crawled out of the bed. His eyes were barely cracked open when he walked over to her. His hair was hopelessly tousled and his chest completely bare. Sarah was pretty sure he'd gone to bed with a shirt on. She barely repressed a yelp when he easily swept her off her feet and held her in his arms.

Admittedly, being swooped up by a heavy-eyed and half naked Jareth was a mile past exciting. Immediately her mind pulled her back to the feeling his lips upon hers. It reminded her just how good it felt when his fingers tangled in her hair. Sarah vigorously shook her head to chase off the inopportune thoughts that rushed to collect inappropriate mental images. “Stop!” She flinched and quickly lowered her voice. “I don't mean physically, Jareth. Poof me in there.”

“Sarah,” he said with a near condescending sigh, as though he was explaining it to a child. “I am in no position to be frivolous with my magic right now. Just walk if you need anything.”

“No, it's my dad!” Her voice was quiet and mildly annoyed when his mind still seemed clouded. “He's outside that room calling for me and knocking on the door.”

“Lovely. Then he can get it for you.” He didn't seem concerned as to what she might need and with a turn of his heel he turned back to the bed.

Sarah gasped when he dropped her onto the bed, her heart doing an excited little skip. For a moment her breath caught in improper excitement when he lowered himself, but he simply vaulted over her so he didn't have to walk around the bed to his side. With a deep breath she put her proverbial big girl pants on. Jumping back up she feverishly tried to work out a few knots from her hair while she walked towards the door. She was an adult. She was dating Jareth. And her father knew it too.

Every step she took towards the hall felt heavier.

When the door swung open and the woman stepped out, she met with the confused gaze of her father. He watched her still disheveled appearance, looked at the door in front of him and then back at her. Sarah just hoped to look as casual and unbothered as she needed to be. As arguably, she should be. Uncomfortably her father walked up to her. “Uh… Good morning, princess. I… I just wanted to let you know that Karen is making pancakes.”

“We’ll be right down.” Sarah felt pleased with her steady tone. She saw her father look into the room and her gaze followed. The bed was a right mess, mostly from her practically flying out of it. Jareth lay widely sprawled across the mattress, the blanket conveniently draped over him just far enough that there was no telling he was wearing pants. Additionally, his nightshirt was tossed onto the floor. When she looked back towards her father he was taking such large strides down the hall that for a moment she was concerned he might pull a muscle. She turned back to the bed and closed the door behind her. “Get up, you Royal Pain. Karen is making breakfast.”

Half an hour later four people were seated at the dining table. Jareth was comfortably drinking tea while her father was stubbornly keeping his gaze glued to the local paper, coffee in hand. Karen was trying to fight a smile, but was doing so very poorly. Sarah resorted to picking at her pancake in discomfort. Her gaze connected with Jareth’s. He grinned lazily, making her suspect he could read her mind somehow.

“You guys could've woke me up.” Sarah startled, blushing when her plate loudly clattered and the pancake was almost launched off. Everyone at the table looked up at the groggy voice coming from the doorway. Toby tiredly rubbed his eyes, looking at the table set for four people.

“Oh, Toby,” Karen said with evident relief in her voice. “Are you okay? How are you feeling?”

Toby plopped down on one of the chairs, evading his mother who had worriedly rushed over to him. “Feels like I slept for a week. Can I have some pancakes?”

In record time Karen had added another plate and cutlery with orange juice next to it. Sarah and Jareth exchanged a surprised glance. Sarah mouthed a sincere, quiet thank you at him, her face alight with excitement. Jareth seemed more reserved, but smiled kindly. Toby was mostly occupied with inhaling his pancakes but the mood at the breakfast table was better than it had been in months.

By the time Jareth and Sarah had to leave, everyone seemed hesitant. Even Jareth. After reassuring her family at least ten times she would keep in contact, she had hugged Toby so tight Karen had to peel her off. Her father even shook Jareth's hand goodbye, mumbling begrudgingly to keep his daughter safe and happy.

Like last time, Jareth and Sarah headed off down the street until they found an alley which would allow them to travel back Underground without being seen. In a moment’s notice, Sarah found herself in her fur-lined winter clothing in freezing temperatures, her head covered by a thick hood. The sounds of cars driving past made way for the howling of the wind. The smell of gasoline was exchanged for damp pine. The transportation had gone smoothly enough, yet it felt like magic was still settling around her like a cloud of dust drifting down. While Jareth kept her steady for a moment longer, he was clearly in go-mode right away. They had been transported to the center of the Regiment’s camp. It was decently provisioned but not entirely fit for the current surroundings. Areas occupied by cargo and tents were cleared of snow and the tents were covered to protect from harsh weather. The camp was narrowly built between a large crevice, hiding them from the cutting winds she could hear overhead. The horses were covered with blankets and were haphazardly tied down between everything else.

Jareth prepared a group of men to move out on foot soon after their arrival. Sarah walked up to the king’s side, who was busy commanding soldiers and establishing a plan. His angular features were set in a determined scowl, almost perfectly hiding the weariness. His stance was firm and tall, but she could feel the tension in his shoulders by just looking at him. Once he started rallying a handful of men to head out, Sarah stuck by his side, not acknowledging she hadn’t received any order, nor asking for one. When he finally turned his attention back to her she just smiled and took hold of his arm, taking the lead in following the men out of the encampment. He didn’t fight her on it, but kept a firm hold on her while she traversed the landscape.

The group had to deal with trudging through a hefty layer of snow, surrounded by a fog thicker than mud. It had turned out that walking on the arm of someone that didn’t sink into the snow was rather inconvenient and exhausting. The woman had forgotten that somehow Jareth seemed lighter than snow. Perhaps it was magic, or royal blood. She didn’t know. Because of it, Sarah had pulled back from Jareth’s hold after a while, doing her best to keep up with the seasoned men. Jareth gradually shifted to the head of the group. A soldier was at her side, watching her and assisting her in the more difficult terrain. Sometimes the snow reached up to her waist. The soldiers took turns carrying her through the deeper layers to spare her the struggle and prevent the group from splitting up. After toiling for hours, fatigue had set in. Her legs were heavy and sweat was trickling down her back. She wanted to ask Jareth if they were at least on their way back by now, but he was standing some distance away, and Sarah was desperate for a moment of rest.

While the soldiers quietly discussed something in foreign tongue, Sarah stepped up to a small mound, using the nearby trees as support. She attempted to catch her breath. The flakey bark of the pine trees splintered under her hold, sprinkling down into the pure snow. Soldiers kept an eye on her while they discussed less than two yards away. Jareth’s figure could barely be discerned from the haze. He was gesturing in a certain direction, but the language he was speaking was unfamiliar. Sarah’s gaze wandered to what was behind her.

Standing on top of the mound, the fog ahead was so dense that she could barely see the ground in front of her. It seemed like the world just ceased to exist, vanishing into a blinding white canvas. Sarah used to love mist. The tranquility that gave the impression time had stopped. But this fog carried something disconcerting, like something could jump out at any second to swallow her whole.

Turning back around to face the soldiers she let go of the pine next to her. In a split second, the snow underneath her feet crunched. Cracked. And shifted. The ground disappeared from beneath her and her breath caught in her throat. The men vanished from sight and the world pulled away into the emptiness of the white haze around her. A rush of cold air glided along her cheeks, her hair whipping into her face. A cold sweat crept down her arms and along her neck.

In an instant her body slammed to a halt, squeezing what little breath was left in her lungs out. Beneath her the ground shifted and dread weighed heavy in her stomach when she started sliding down further. Nasty bumps and holes knocked her around mercilessly like she was nothing but a useless ragdoll. Her limbs were thrown back at her when they collided with tree trunks and rocks. It was nothing short of a miracle that her head hadn’t crashed into anything yet.

A particularly large bump knocked her lower body up into the air and twisted her position. Rather than sliding backwards she was now barrelling down sideways. Disorientation blurred her vision and made her stomach churn.

Her mind narrowed into focus, gripping her with sudden clarity. She needed to stop herself. She had to try to grasp onto something before she plummeted off a cliff or ravine. Sarah blindly fished around herself, arms and legs flailing in an attempt to halt her tumbling. Twisting her body she plunged down another large bump or crevice. Her vision was swimming. The woman sucked in a large breath when her hand caught onto something. Her body swung into a sudden stop.

Whimpering, she lay there. Motionless. Paralyzed. Her hand clinging onto whatever it had been that had stopped her fall. Above her shapes vanished into the distance. Trees. A cloud of snow fell down from above, dusting her with icy crystals. Reflexively her free hand came up to wipe it out of her face. She clambered to her feet, swaying on them so heavily it almost made her plummet back to the ground. Her body was sore and shaking. Her heart was racing so fast it burned in her chest. Her vision was swaying and fading out and into focus. But she was alive.

Blinking tears from her eyes she looked around. Thick tendrils of mist, dead shrubs and sturdy trees was all she could see. Everything looked the same when there was only a few feet of landscape visible. Sarah pulled her hood back up to shield her cheeks from the cold biting at the paths her tears left. Breath billowed slowly to mix with the fog around her. Her ankle felt sprained and most of her body was sore, but nothing felt broken. Her voice was high pitched in a way that she had never heard before. “Hello?”

Snow slipped down behind her. Furiously rubbing tears from her eyes she took a handful of steps to look around, hoping against hope she might find something. Looking around she almost felt the need to feel around with her hands. Only then she realized it had started snowing, causing thick puffs of snow to swirl around her. Not only did it disorient her even more, but it also covered up her footsteps in record time.

In just a moment, she had completely lost her bearings. She had no idea where she had come from and her mind had trouble processing what exactly she was seeing, or not seeing, around her.

*

Her hand hanging uselessly down her body flared so intensely that Sarah lifted it to study it. The rugged yet snug leather was staining. It shifted from a brown to something darker. Confused, the woman looked at it for a moment. Ripping the glove from her hand she let out a wail of pain. Something was tugged from her skin in a way that was indescribably sickening. It felt horrific, alien… Yet in a strange way relieving. The glove fell to the floor. Around it scattered a few thorns and pieces of wood. Sarah looked down at her trembling hand. It was covered in red, slicking down her wrist in thick streaks. Staining the pure white snow below with a dark crimson. The cold bit at the torn flesh, intensifying a pain that was only now settling in. The woman looked down in horror at the woundq between her pinky and ring finger. A strange whisper in the back of her mind urged her to poke it. Nausea rolled through her stomach but the lump in her throat kept it broiling in her system.

“Oh fuck,” she whimpered, looking up and around her with tears streaming down her face. “Hello?!” Her voice echoed uselessly around her, thrown back at her before silence swallowed it. There was no shift in the white void. No sign of life or anything that might help her. Just robust-looking plants at the feet of surrounding trees, dark gray bark crackling against tall lumber.

Sinking to her knees she desperately looked around her, her voice weakly crying out for someone to help. All she was met with was deafening silence. Not even the wind blew past her anymore. Her tears left stiff trails on her cheeks and she looked back down at her hand. Scrambling, she picked out a few pieces of wood, repressing the urge to throw up at the pain, sensation and horrifying visual. Sarah tore at her scarf and wound it tightly around her hand, praying it would slow the bleeding.

She attempted to get up, but her knees gave out and her vision danced in a way that almost tugged her out of consciousness. Crumpled to the floor, she pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around her knees. Alone. Helpless. Unprepared for anything close to these harsh weather conditions. The lump in her throat prevented her from crying out for help again and she succumbed to a fit of crying, burying her head against her knees. Thick, hot tears ran down her cheeks and further sapped her energy. It was useless, but offered a moment to process what had happened. It offered a cocoon from the vast open world around her.

In an instant her decision to come here with Jareth was thrown back into her face. It confronted her with immediate doubt and regret. What had she been thinking? Had her life been so meaningless that putting herself repeatedly in mortal danger was the only option left? What was she going to do now? Without help, she was going to die here. Alone. Either by hypothermia or by bleeding out. Why didn’t she just stay with her family? Why did she even go to visit her family? Jareth could have dealt with his issues without her. She could’ve just stayed down south where it was warm and safe.

Eventually her body started to grow fatigued from her crying and the smack of adrenaline, causing her body to slump into itself. With sore limbs and shot nerves, anything but this wretched cold and harsh environment seemed so distant. Reddened eyes looked upon the clumsily wrapped fabric around her hand which had been discolored in crimson. With the cold seeping in from the floor and the fog clinging on her face it was hard to discern whether her hands were shaking from the cold or if they were shaking from her battered body. She should be attempting to find the Regiment. She should be screaming for their help. But she was so tired. Wounded and heart-wrenchingly alone in a harsh wilderness.

The world grew quiet. Trees were tall enough that their branches were barely visible. Time stretched and lingered imperceptibly. On occasion the wind would whisper in her ears, uttering secrets in a language she couldn't understand. Caressing her hair. Sometimes she could swear she heard giggling. The pale snow in front of her showed splatters of red. Sarah’s eyes grew heavy. The fiery pain in her hand had numbed. For a moment she wondered what she was hearing, before drowsily realizing she had been muttering to herself. What had she been saying?

Sarah’s breath billowed from her lips, her fingers curling nervously. Her vision was blurred and gradually started shifting in a nauseating swirl. A nap would be nice…

*

Then she very faintly heard a shrill cry. Her eyes scanned around her wildly. She knew that sound. Rather than screaming she whistled on her fingers, hoping it would reach further. It was silent for a moment before she heard another cry, this time a little louder. The woman whistled back, in a swift irregular pattern he could recognize as a response. Her heart was suddenly racing. Faster than she thought possible she was on her feet. For a few minutes it went back and forth. She never could determine where the cry came from. It shifted from far, to closer, then far again. It sounded all around her, but the nagging feeling that it might all be in her head was shoved aside by sheer exhilaration. She whistled back again, hearing the response only distantly.

“It won’t find you.”

“What?” Sarah whipped around, jumping at the sudden voice.

A man was standing nearby, arms crossed. He was carrying a lantern on his hip. “Your bird. It won’t find you here.” Sarah recalled the dagger on her thigh and her hand shifted towards it. “Why would you hunt in these parts?”

“I got lost,” she said cautiously.

“Clearly.”

They stared at each other for a moment, both unsure of the other. “You’ll die here alone,” he muttered. The man slowly looked her over. “Where do your loyalties lie?”

Sarah studied the man more closely. He had a light tan. He looked tired. A little thin. It didn’t seem like he quite belonged here either. “My loyalties? Right now, I’m loyal to not freezing to death. I’m not a threat, I promise. I’m just trying to survive.” She brushed her coat aside when he took a few steps closer, putting her hand over the hilt of her dagger. “Does that make you a friend or an enemy?”

His gray eyes watched her closely when he stepped up to her. Silence stretched between them. Sarah not drawing her weapon seemed to give him some sort of assurance. “We will see what that makes us. Come with me. Either you will join our prayers, or you will serve as our next sacrifice.” He carried himself with confidence that he didn’t need to draw a weapon of his own.

Her fingers curled around her weapon, her brows knitting together. There was a chilling dread in the possibility of having to resort to violence, but if she had to defend herself there wasn’t much of a choice. “And if I refuse?”

His eyes narrowed and his hand curled around the arm she had poised to fight back. “I apologize if I gave you the impression that refusing was an option.” Sarah gasped when he jerked on her arm. With a swipe of his foot he had her stumble to the ground. His firm hold easily rolled her over and before she could even think of getting up he was binding her wrists. Her wounded hand curled defensively, making her hiss in pain.

Rather than fighting and struggling, something her body was begging her to do, she tried to stay calm and complaisant. Jareth wasn’t going to find her. Not any time soon, anyway. Perhaps being captured was preferable over wandering the forest by herself. So she let him escort her. Wherever it was they were going.

—-

Sarah’s legs were burning and her back was killing her. Fatigue didn’t even begin to cover it. Yet her eyes were wide when they approached a large overhang in the mountain. It was approximately three yards tall in most areas. Some parts were a little higher. Small covers were created using blankets, branches and rocks, but nothing that fully created a closed off area. No tents. A handful of campfires were littered around the place. A few people were carrying in more firewood while others gently fanned the flames and directed smoke out of the cave-like area. There was no fog here. It faded away close to the ridge of the cover. The people bustling about were mostly women and children.

Her captor pushed her into a small, makeshift cage. It looked like an animal pen. He closed and tightly bound the door closed behind her and Sarah turned around, crouching to prevent her head from banging against the cage’s ceiling.

“Could you please untie me?” The man had already turned from her. Sarah sighed, rolling her shoulders uncomfortably. At least she was out of the biting cold. Sort of. The overhang wasn’t exactly cozy. The man that had brought her here sat down nearby, giving her the impression she was going to be here for a while. A few other men joined when they spotted their prisoner. Sinking carefully to her knees Sarah settled onto the floor.

After a while, she had sunk against the wall of the cage and her eyes were starting to grow heavy. Sweat stuck against her back and cooled her neck. Despite her exhaustion her heart was racing. She was probably slowly but surely bleeding out.

When her eyes opened some time later, there was a little girl standing in front of the cage, staring at her. “Uh… Hi.” The girl was holding a piece of old bread. It took her a moment to tear off a piece. The girl seemed quiet and withdrawn. She was perhaps four or five years old and was dressed in browns from head to toe. Gray fabric around her neck stood out from her otherwise dull clothes. “I like your scarf.”

The girl looked around, nibbling on a piece of bread before looking back. “Okay.”

Sarah smiled. “I’m Sarah. What’s your name?”

“Ava.”

Sarah wasn’t unfamiliar to taciturn children. It had a certain charm. “That’s a very pretty name.”

“Thank you.” The girl looked at the cage around her, as though she only just noticed it being there. “Why are you in a cage?”

The woman shifted, feeling a soreness in her rear. She nodded to the man a small distance away. “I was found in the woods by that man over there. He doesn't know me, so he is being careful.”

Ava followed her gaze, her slightly bluish fingers nearly dropped her food. “Why?”

“They want to make sure your family and friends are safe.”

Ava struggled with tearing off another piece of bread. “You don’t look dangerous.”

“I’m not, but meeting new people can be scary.” The girl stared up at her and the woman chuckled. “Just like you. You were a little scared to talk to me a moment ago, right?”

The girl nodded, her eyes falling down to her piece of bread again. Her small fingers grabbed and tore at the bread, a quiet grunt of strain wrenching from her throat before a piece came loose. She looked up at Sarah again, then stepped closer and held it out to her.

“For me?” Sarah smiled at the bashful nod of the girl’s head. “That is very kind of you. But I’m afraid I can’t take it. My hands are tied, see?” She turned a little, angling her hands so the girl could see, careful to keep the blood out of view.

“Okay,” the girl said. Shuffling closer she poked her hand through the bars and held it out towards Sarah’s mouth. Sarah hesitated for a moment, before carefully taking the piece from her. It was definitely old, even with mature teeth it was tough to get through. There was a certain ashen taste to it, making Sarah suspect it might even be moldy.

“Thank you for sharing, Ava. That is very nice of you.”

“Ava!” The little girl jumped, flinching back when a woman walked up to her. Presumably her mother. “Ava, don’t talk to strangers, dear.”

Ava pointed at Sarah, speaking quietly. “She’s Sarah.” Looking back at the caged woman she tore at her bread. “She’s nice.”

The woman urged the child to come with her. “Let’s get you warmed up by the fire, dear.” The stranger gave her a distrustful but curious look while she walked away.

When Sarah looked back a few men were walking her way and her smile fell. Shifting, she clumsily got on her feet. There was a slight sway in her stance. They opened the door, but Sarah didn’t rush to walk out, instead awaiting their verdict. “You are free to roam the camp under surveillance. We’ll make further assessments when the others return.”

“Then why not just keep me in the cage?” It was probably idiotic to question their decision.

One of the men regarded her. “Because we oppose restrictions, we don’t enforce them.”

The woman repressed the urge to point out that the bindings on her wrists were more than a little restricting, but being difficult would likely either keep her in the cage, or on some sort of ritualistic table at the wrong end of a dagger. So instead she just nodded and stepped out when the men offered her room to do so. One of them held a hand over her head, presumably to prevent her from bumping into the cage while she uncomfortably stumbled out.

“Thank you for letting me out of the cage,” she said as kindly as she could muster.

The man who had brought her here pushed aside her coat and fished her dagger from its holster. “We’ll be holding on to this for now. I’m sure you understand.”

Despite her discomfort, Sarah nodded. “I understand. I would greatly appreciate it if you kept it safe. It was a gift from a dear friend.” The man handed her dagger to one of the others before walking off. “My name’s Sarah, by the way.”

“Aldric,” said one of them curtly. A man with graying hair and a bandaged wrist who seemed less than interested or tolerant. He’d been the one audibly against restrictions.

“My name’s Stellan,” said the other man, tucking away her dagger. His pale white hair had a small streak of blue through it, fitting the cold, piercing blue of his eyes. He smiled and closed the cage behind her. “Please excuse our wariness. Even the meek grow fangs in famine.”

Sarah shrugged. “It’s fine. I get it. If I stumbled into an armed stranger while fighting to survive I wouldn’t offer them tea either.” Stretching her back she looked around the camp. “If I may ask, why are you all here?” Stellan raked a hand through his sandy blonde hair and down to the stubble on his chin. He was hesitant. She could tell. “Hey, your friend there made it abundantly clear I’m either a friend or next in line for some gruesome offering. Either I can be trusted or I’ll take it to my grave.”

Stellan pulled a face, shaking his head. Putting his hand on her back he brought her to one of the campfires and helped her sit down on the unforgiving rock. “Otis won’t follow through on such a ghastly suggestion. We offer creations and food to our goddess. Not people.”

Even though this stranger didn’t seem that old, the lines on his forehead ran deep. When their eyes connected Sarah offered him a smile. “You should have gone south. Much nicer this time of year.”

The man’s scowl smoothed out and he laughed. “Trust me, we’re not here for a holiday.” His expression fell. “This place was our only viable option. It offers many reasons not to be followed.”

“Followed? By whom?”

“The king’s regiment,” his voice was weighty, his brows lowered while he looked into the fire. “We’ve been trying to lead them astray. Trying to keep up the fog to hide our tracks. Unfortunately they get closer every day. We’re hoping to find a way out of the king’s control before he invades our camp and tears our families apart.” His hands were wringing together nervously.

The woman looked around the camp. Judging by the items scattered around and the children huddling by the fire, she presumed this group consisted of several families. If anything, these people looked like they were desperate for help, not a threat. If she knew Jareth at all, he’d be looking to help these people. Right?

“Why would he do that?” Sarah stretched her legs towards the fire, relishing in the feeling of the flames warming her legs.

“The king has no tolerance for rule breaking. We will be punished when we’re found. Severely.” Stellan looked at her with a gaze that very clearly indicated it would be the end of them.

Her stomach felt heavy. “J-His Majesty wouldn’t… Surely he wouldn’t…” Her gaze turned to the boys and girls who seemed uncharacteristically sluggish.

“Who’s to say? We barely know our king. His father wasn’t exactly magnanimous, and royal blood doesn’t dilute easily.” Stellan shook his head. “Our village has resorted to dangerous means… We were foolish. We were…” He looked at her with pain in his eyes. “We can’t risk it, can we? Regardless if he would or not, we’re not going to wait around to find out.” He gestured to a far wall, lit by sconces. The rock was painted with white and blue, a cloth spread out at the foot of it littered with items and food. A sigil was painted on the wall that resembled the head of a female deer. Runes circled it, but there was no recognizable pattern in the text. “We are endlessly trying to gain the fair goddess Caelithra’s favor in hopes She will give us safe passage.”

“Passage to where?”

“Across the border. Away from the ruling of the Islainn family.”

Sarah’s hands were twitching behind her nervously. “Why would the king chase you down here?”

The man seemed hesitant to answer her, but the cold piercing eyes slightly softened when the woman looked up at him, shifting on the floor uncomfortably. “Our village made some terrible choices and it nearly cost us everything. We’re lucky Nyra and her men were nearby.”

“What terrible choices?”

Stellan cleared his throat, looking around the overhang. “I think I’ve already said too much.”

The brunette could feel him raising walls so she shifted to sit on her knees, instead of sitting cross legged. It pulled his attention back to her and the unintentional getting on his eye level seemed to lower his guard a little. Finally shaking her hood off she turned to him. His eyes briefly looked her over, from her dark hair down to her knees. “Please, tell me. I promise you can trust me.”

The man sighed quietly in defeat, leaning on his knees. “Our people hoped to cross the border to Drovakar. We were naive to think that the oldest established border of the kingdom proved less daunting to cross. But I digress… There are severe punishments for crossing the border without writ… I suppose sometimes death is merciful.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Truthfully, I would prefer going through the legal procedures, but despite my previously stable livelihood, it is simply abhorrently expensive and lengthy. I would be on my death bed by the time I gain an audience.” The man looked around the camp. “Nearly everyone here suffers the same fate.”

She looked around at the people around them, cold and uncomfortable. “Why leave if you have stability?”

“Because it’s not going to be stable for long.” Sarah looked up at a new voice. An older woman sat down opposite the fire, followed by a few others. They rubbed their hands close to the flames, shaking off patches of snow from their clothes. “With the heavy restrictions on import and export, we have a rapidly decreasing source of income. Our diminishing winnings can’t keep up with the Islainn taxes.”

“Is the king aware of this?” Sarah felt her cheeks warm when the people around her laughed.

“Of course he is. He might be estranged and the brood of the mad king, but he’s not an idiot.”

Sarah looked around the group, everyone’s faces dark with annoyance. Hatred. “Has this been discussed with authorities?”

One of the unknown men snorted. “We have raised the issue several times with Duke Thanh. That fool is no more than a vessel to lick the king’s boots. It’s a miracle that he risked the king’s ire to entertain our grievances.”

One of the women cleared her throat. “Young stranger, you strike me as a smart little thing. I presume that just like all of us, you have been capable of fending for yourself. Making a living, starting a family, perhaps. You’re alive and seemingly healthy, after all. Not without struggles I’m sure, but you have made it work. While we and many others have fought to do the same, not everyone is quite so lucky.”

Another woman sniffed irritably. “The king has been rotting away in his monstrous Labyrinth to leave us to our own devices. Now we’re to believe that he looms over the land with a far reaching shadow, out of the goodness of his heart? Please. At least the Mad King was too occupied with terrorizing neighboring kingdoms to even look at his own. His son actively works to smother those left in the ruins of his father.”

“Perhaps you can talk with His Majesty directly?” Sarah’s voice was kind, but she didn’t receive a very welcoming reply.

“Is she right in the head?” A man eyed her with annoyance while leaning towards someone next to him.

“Young ones are always so naive,” someone else said under their breath.

Sarah felt a twinge of embarrassment but was given no room to defend herself. People started talking to each other, faster and louder. Echoing each other’s misfortunes and annoyances. Audibly fantasizing about what they would do to nobility and royalty if only they could. Spitting venom at circumstances in neighboring kingdoms and the riches that lay waiting there. Despairing their dealt hand and their current surroundings. People nearby chimed in, too. The noise around her became intrusive and unnerving. Louder and louder. Echoing off stone walls.

“I will talk to the king.”

Silence chased off the last echoes of people’s complaints. The crackling of the fire suddenly seemed loud. Everyone stared at her. Some exchanged a look of surprise. Stellan laughed. Not quite mocking, but there definitely was amusement coloring his voice. “And how will you manage that?”

“You said his shadow reached far, right? I’ll just have to catch his attention.” One of the women laughed and Sarah looked at her with a slight furrow of her brow. “I can do it. I know I can. I swear it.”

Everyone went quiet. Her promise seized people’s attention more than she thought it would. Despite her anxiety, she was suddenly reminded of a lesson she was taught many years ago. What’s said is said. While little more than a phrase in her own world, in the Underground it had seemed to be woven into the very fabric of the world. Or at least it was taken very seriously. This moment seemed no different.

“How would you do it?”

“Stop,” one man said sharply when hearing the cautious question. He turned to Sarah. “What makes you think we trust you enough to speak in our stead? You’re a stranger. Our men didn’t even trust you enough to remove your bindings.”

“But they trust me enough to let me walk among you,” Sarah said candidly, but the man didn’t seem convinced. “You guys are stuck here in this hellhole, hiding like rabbits under a fox’s nose. Hurting for food, yet thrusting it upon an altar in hopes for a goddess to bend to your whims. What about your children?”

The people were divided between shock and agitation. They exchanged glances, scowled and grew rigid.

“That little girl Ava was chewing on bread old enough that even dunking it in water won’t save it. You guys are clearly running out of options. Fast. Why claw your way through this suffering when there’s a possibility for resolution?” The women sitting opposite of her eyed each other misrably. “Will your children survive another week in this cold? What if the king finds your camp while you’re this vulnerable?” Sarah looked around the fire, which had grown silent. “Let me help you. Let me try to find a resolution. Please. What do you have to lose?”

For a few moments, the people were exchanging glances. Someone muttered something about someone called Nyra. Someone Stellan had mentioned earlier.

“And what would keep you from simply running away the moment we’d let you go? How are we supposed to know you won’t simply offer our location for personal gain?”

“Well… You don’t, I suppose.” While her response was certainly not what they wanted to hear, she hoped the others also recognized it to be genuine and honest. “You are welcome to send someone with me to meet him. Bound even, if that will make you feel better.” Sarah straightened her back, looking at every person sitting by the fire, one by one. “Look, I know you guys have no reason to trust me. I perfectly understand why you don’t, but surely you can’t stay here much longer?” Looking around she saw their worried gazes. “I know I don’t look like much. I’m just an ordinary girl with limited talents, but I still hold onto the hope that I can make a small difference while I’m here.” Her eyes had fallen down to look at the flames dancing in front of her. Biting her lip, her eyes rose back up, this time sharp with determination. “I am willing to give it anything I’ve got. I am confident I can get an audience with the king.” Sarah shrugged. “If I go to him first, you can stay hidden, just in case something goes wrong.”

There was a strong doubt in people’s eyes, but some of them seemed thoughtful. The brunette relaxed her shoulders and leaned back. Uncomfortably she twisted her wrists. “You don’t have to answer now. Just consider my offer.”

Nausea pressed against her stomach. Briefly closing her eyes, she felt a wave of dizziness swimming through her head. Her hands balled to fists. A sorry attempt to try and ground herself when she felt an alarming dread of starting to faint. A searing pain shot up from her hand to her shoulder, reminding her that she was still bleeding. She turned to face Stellan, the quick movement blurring her view for just a moment before everything went black.

Notes:

...

ACK. This chapter, guys. I have rewritten this part of the story so many times I barely even remember the first version.

As a small token of gratitude towards the people that are (still) reading this story, I will be including notes of the things that have changed in this story (not everything, but some major changes), from the first version to the final 'release'. I will post it at the end of this story, so it's going to take a while longer. Still, perhaps a little behind-the-scenes will be fun at the end of this journey.

Despite my somewhat abysmal lack of consistency in posting new chapters, I do expect the next one to be on time. In fact, the majority of it has already been written. (And I promise: no endless rewrites this time. I just needed to restructure some things for a smoother reading experience.) If personal circumstances allow it, I might even try to post two chapters each month. Most of the remainder of this story have already received an outline, so even though I'm writing as I go, things should go smoother from here on out.

Stay beautiful, take care and I'll see you soon!

Chapter 36: Chapter 36

When consciousness started creeping back in Sarah was overcome with a pain that tensed her entire body. The wound on her hand was being torn apart. Her fingers curled, then were forced taut. Her body was pinned down, triggering her fight or flight instincts. She screamed. A hand covered her mouth and her eyes squeezed closed.

“You’re tougher than you look,” the woman pinning her down said with a scoff.

Another shook her head. “Foolish, I say. You should have told us you were wounded.” Her hold was firm and sharp on her wrist. Strong enough that Sarah could feel her blood flow being hindered.

“I guess,” Sarah muttered.

“Hold on a little longer. We have almost finished cleaning.” The woman glared at her. “You’re lucky we have some resources left to tend to wounds, but this practically depletes our stores.”

Sarah gritted her teeth. Her free hand fidgeted in an attempt to distract herself. “It was an accident. I appreciate the help though, as painful as it is.”

“You’ll want to get out of this forest sooner rather than later. This will need more tending to if you want it to heal properly.”

“Good.” Sarah winced. Her vision was still narrow. “I needed some more leverage for you all to make up your mind.”

One of the women stifled a laugh, earning her an elbow to the arm from someone else.

Once the wound had been tended to Sarah had curled up next to one of the campfires. Her hand felt sore and numb at the same time. Fingers trembled and her vision went blurry at times. Her wrists were bruised from her bindings and her back was killing her. Luckily, the bindings had been taken off when her wound was being treated. No one seemed particularly fond to string her back up, least of all Sarah.

It was getting dark. People had been returning from their mission to gather supplies. Most of them carried wood, while others carried some meager resources. She’d been briefly introduced to a young man called Ceann. The eldest of three brothers. Triplets. They had been responsible for the thick fog in the forest. He didn’t stay long, rushing to his sibling to take his turn to keep up the spell.

Seated in silence Sarah mused if Jareth and the soldiers were still roaming the forest. Concern clawed at her, worried that Jareth’s exhaustion and her disappearance might be wearing him too thin. Her hand clasped around the small orb hanging from her neck. She could feel it pulsing. Racing. The woman’s fingers curled tighter. Her heart ached and her eyes fell shut, hoping that somehow he could sense her. Hoping that he could feel that she was doing okay.

Or well… At least it could’ve been worse.

Eventually, people started gathering to get some sleep, dressing the area with what little cover and softness they had. Sarah stayed put. Huddling into herself the woman watched a few people lay down close to her. They barely acknowledged her when they settled.

While Sarah was exhausted and arguably on the verge of passing out, sleep didn’t come easy even after she laid down on the cold stone floor. Two of the triplets were nearby. One was as pale as death, his eyes an endless black. The other kept close to him, his hand on his shoulder in quiet support. There was an unnatural glaze in his eyes. The pupils were blown wide and the sclera almost seemed translucent. His skin was pale as well, adding to Sarah’s worry that these people were not going to last much longer in this situation.

It made her wonder what Jareth would do when he found these people. There was a gut feeling that these people might actually be in trouble once the Regiment found them.

Her eyes turned to the fire. They felt heavy. Her body was sore. Her stomach was growling. Dizziness kept throwing off her sense of balance, despite her laying down on the floor. There was an incessant strain in her eyes and her position on the floor was extremely uncomfortable. Yet, despite her situation, Sarah sank into a shallow, fitful sleep. Without dreams and in pain. Without Jareth and cold.

But alive. At least for now.

—-

The next day the weather was especially freezing. Even next to a campfire the cold was seeping through her fur lined clothes.

The majority of the day had been Sarah walking back and forth between people. Performing simple tasks that could be done without agitating her wounded hand. Trying to stay active in hopes it would fight off the cold at least a little bit. Someone had changed her bandage in the morning. Sarah still hadn’t eaten, nor had anyone else. All that had been handed out was hot water. Sarah had been sharing stories to entertain the children. It felt pathetic, but people seemed to understand her inability to do heavier work.

Now that it was getting dark again, the cold seemed unforgiving. Harsh and constantly challenging, like it was actively trying to kill them. People were worn and distraught. The kids were dispirited, sitting by the fire while trying to get some semblance of entertainment by rubbing rocks together and trying to draw with them on the stone floor. The white linen of Sarah’s bandages were a sharp contrast against the pale blue and redness of her fingers. There seemed no end to her shivering, even by the fire. She’d been given some scraps of food. Roots, someone told her. It had been the majority of their diet since food ran out, especially for the adults.

During the night all children and most women had been moved to the very back and center of the overhang, as far away from the dreadful cold as possible. Everyone had been dogpiled in hopes of keeping warm. Sarah had been on the outer edge, something she didn’t take personally. It had taken a long time for her to even get a wink of sleep and she was awake again in no time.

Stellan had secretly given her a few scraps of food. Roasted roots which were rough, stringy and tasteless. But it was something. He’d voiced his concerns regarding her fragile state. He was nice and considerate, keeping an eye on her and doing work in her stead where he could. The guy was one of the only people talking to her and the only one that had no issue with touching her. If anything, he was just a tad too familiar with touching her, holding her shoulder or touching her arm every time he talked to her.

It was still dark outside and likely closer to midnight than the break of dawn, but Sarah got up regardless. Stellan watched her when she marched towards the edge of the overhang. She cursed the wretched cold under her breath while he followed her.

“What are you doing?”

Sarah threw a quick glance over her shoulder. “I’m going to make a wall.”

“A wall?”

“Yes, with snow.” The woman had read about the inuit some time ago. While she had no earthly idea how to make an igloo, perhaps this might work. It was better than nothing and at least it kept her busy.

“You’re making a wall of snow?”

Agitated, Sarah turned to face him. “Are you going to keep repeating shit back to me, or are you going to help?”

The man chuckled at her frown and nodded. “Anything to keep warm, I suppose. Be careful with your hand, though.” Stellan followed her example when she started to shift snow from the outside to the edge of the overhang. “Do you think this will work?”

Sarah shrugged. “I guess we’ll see. I’m not much of a survivalist, but it wouldn’t be the first time people built shelter out of snow.” The woman shook her hand when a piece of debris pressed up against her wound.

“Oh, careful!” Stellan took her hand, looking at the fabric around it with a worried frown.

The woman pulled her hand back. “I’m fine.” She pretended not to see the look of hurt on his face and went back to work.

Stellan roped in a few other men to help. They were moving snow so fast that often Sarah felt like she was in the way more than she was helping. Sarah gradually shifted from manual labor to overseeing if everything went well and giving instructions. It didn’t distract her much from the cold, but it did keep her mind more focused on the job and less on food.

People had promptly dismissed her from the project once they noticed how utterly exhausted and pale she was. Sitting against the stone wall in the back of the overhang, watching yards of the wall starting to take shape she smiled. Her arms felt heavier than lead and her back was covered in sweat. Her body was sore and her head was thumping in rhythm with her heart. It felt good to sit down for a moment. While still a far cry from being fully enclosed, the wall did shield the camp from some of the wind.

Her attention was drawn to a little girl offering a waterskin. Sarah smiled warmly. “Ada! I’m happy to see you again. Is that for me?” The girl nodded and took a step back when the woman took the waterskin from her. “Thank you, I am very thirsty. Will you sit with me?” The girl nodded again and carefully sat down on the cold floor. The quiet companionship was surprisingly comforting.

After some time, progress on the cover started dwindling. There were still a handful of people working on it, but most headed shifted towards other tasks. The majority headed out to hunt and forage. A few tended to the altar, adding to the offerings and praying while others kindled the fires.

Sarah was handed one bite of rabbit meat, three boiled roots and three roasted roots with a few berries. She spent no energy on feeling self-conscious while urging herself to eat slowly, or at least chew. Water was continuously processed from snow by the older children.

It must have been around noon that progress on the wall stopped completely. The snow had let up for the most part, the thick flakes reducing to tiny specks floating down peacefully. The kids started complaining with their parents that they were cold and hungry and they wanted to go home. The parents and other adults were visibly tired, sitting around the campfire drinking hot water. Despite the reduced amount of wind, morale seemed at an all time low.

Jumping to her feet, Sarah cleared her throat. A few people looked up with muted curiosity. Wielding forced enthusiasm she rallied and invited the kids for a game. Stellan was smiling up at her. Channeling her inner babysitter, the woman invited the kids closer by telling a story. A story about a little boy who made a snowman. Once the kids were hooked, she started to walk over to the edge of the overhang, telling them about how in the darkness of the night, the snowman came to life. How its skin glittered with the brilliance of a thousand stars and how it took the child onto an adventure. Despite the cold the children were fully engrossed in the story. Sarah checked in on the adults, but found no one had issues with her entertaining the kids. She invited the children to make snowmen. Suggesting that maybe if they were good, the frozen figures would come alive like in the story.

Admittedly, it was a lot of fun to see what the kids came up with. Some creations were long and slender, quadruped or multi-headed. Not at all like the three stacked balls of snow like she used to make. The kids inspired one another to use other things than snow, resulting in a small garden of snowmen of varying shapes and sizes, covered in rocks, sticks and pieces of ice.

It had been great fun and a welcome distraction from the despondency. By the time they were done, the kids rushed back to the fire to warm their hands, animatedly talking about the adventures their snowmen would go on with them tonight. As per the norm with kids, they left a mess outside, so Sarah tasked herself with cleaning up stray rocks and items the kids had dropped outside before anyone would hurt themselves. It had long since stopped snowing and the freezing temperatures felt a little more gentle than before. Her hands fidgeted distractedly with Ava’s scarf, which the girl had gifted to her snowman. Looking into the vast emptiness of the fog, watching the fading light, she caught herself once again wondering how Jareth was doing. She hadn’t heard the screeching of his owl form, nor had she seen any sign of the Regiment. Then again, the world might as well have vanished just a few feet ahead of her.

A hand on her back startled her. She jumped so badly that she almost reflexively threw a punch, but stopped herself just in time when she caught the icy blue eyes of Stellan. “Fuck,” she sighed in irritation. “You scared me.”

“I do apologize,” he said with a chuckle. “It wasn’t my intention to have you resort to foul language.”

Sarah blushed. “Sorry.” He looked at her with a small smile and Sarah looked away awkwardly. “Uh… Did you need anything?”

“No, I’m quite alright…” He looked back to the overhang, then at the snowmen. “People appreciate you dedicating your time and energy to entertain the young ones.” Stellan looked back at her, smiling a little wider. “You have a way with them. They enjoy your company.”

Sarah chuckled, flattered by his compliment. “Years of babysitting my little brother taught me plenty.”

“You have a younger brother?”

The woman lowered her gaze, mentally picturing her spoiled, playful and energetic half-sibling. She missed him. “Yes. He’s a menace, but I love him. I hope he’s doing well.”

“I admire how much you care for those around you. It is rare for anyone to be quite so pleasant.” His voice was soft. A quiet alarm in the back of Sarah’s head was going off. Her body grew still and she looked up at him. Stellan had moved just a tad closer, looking at her fondly. This was definitely heading for a direction Sarah absolutely had no need for. “Your eyes are stunning,” he said. His smile faded. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a person with eyes like it.”

Sarah flinched when she felt his hand against her cheek, snapping the tension and making her realize he’d been leaning in. Jumping away from his hand she repressed the urge to look anywhere but at him. Her heart raced and her hands fidgeted with the lining of her jacket. “Uh… Stellan, I can’t… I…” The woman stuttered, saddened by the hurt look in his eyes. “I… I’m really sorry. It’s just that… You’re nice and all, but… There’s… someone.”

Stellan fought to put on a smile, but it looked more like a grimace. He took a step back, lowering his hand. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Stellan shook his head. “I suppose I should’ve guessed such a lovely young lady was already in a courtship. They are very lucky to have you. Hopefully you will reunite soon.” Dejected, he turned back to the overhang, marching back with visible discomfort.

Sarah’s gaze lowered, finding herself less occupied with the embarrassment of rejecting someone and more with the heavy feeling in her heart. Her eyes turned back up towards the darkened sky, where the snow began to fall anew. “I hope so too.”

—-

The second night in the overhang hadn't been any easier than the first. Sleep was light at best, though she'd gotten a little more than the night before, adding up to maybe two hours. The slightly milder night and the wall around them had kept everyone just a tad less cold.

Some of the kids had snuck away during the night to check on the snowmen, shuffling back in disappointment when none of them had moved. Stellan had positioned himself to watch the group, deliberately keeping distance from Sarah, though she'd seen him look over once or twice.

During the quietest part of night, Sarah had been staring into the fire. Feeling lost and uncertain what to do from here on out. She couldn't stay here, but she couldn't leave. Clutching her rumbling stomach the woman turned to her other side. Closing her eyes was superfluous. She wasn't going to get more sleep. But perhaps it would provide a little more rest.

Once the sun started rising, people begrudgingly got up to face another day. The triplets looked worse than before, their skin pale as snow, their eyes unseeing and their bodies moving sluggishly and clumsily. The others felt terrible about it, but knew that letting the spell fade would be disastrous. Rations shifted around so the siblings would get a larger share, even though the meals were little more than whatever could be found that wouldn't make them sick.

To make things worse, one of the kids had gotten ill throughout the night. The child wouldn't stop shivering and coughing, burning up and crying when it had gathered enough energy to do so.

The rising tension was palpable in the air. It had even gotten so far that in the early afternoon a fight had broken out. One party was certain that the wall was useless, insisting they would succumb to the elements before it would be finished. The others were convinced that anything to fight off the cold would help them survive. The argument caused the children to cry and adults to feel even more desperate and on edge.

Eventually darkness started setting in once more. Sarah had spent some time entertaining the children with songs from her youth, teaching them about counting, singing the alphabet and sharing sounds that animals made. It was close to ten at night by the time the older children started handing out rations. The roots made for a very stiff meal. But it was something.

The freezing nights were devoid of dreams, but when her mind wandered she could picture the warmth in a pair of mismatched eyes and the glow of soft golden hair. She longed to hear the low rumble of Jareth’s voice again. The sharpness of the cold pine scent and moist rock made his scent of autumn feel so distant. Her cheeks flushed when she even caught herself longing for the taste on his lips.

With a sigh, the woman crawled up. She looked down at her hand. Stuffing it inside the pocket of her jacket she looked around the area. Women had curled up against their children, the young ones facing the campfire. One of the triplets was sitting by the fire in a meditative state, keeping up the spell. His brothers were curled up against him. Their dark hair showed tiny streaks of white. The shadows on their faces were unnaturally dark and gray.

Her gaze was drawn to the edge of the overhang, where she saw little Ava wandering around, curiously looking around the corner to watch her snowman. Walking over she gestured to the child’s mother, who nodded in return. “Ava, be careful,” she said quietly, slightly startling the little girl. The child turned to look at her with wide eyes. “We’ll check on the snowmen tomorrow morning, okay? Stay with your mother.”

“Okay,” the girl said dejectedly before walking back in.

The hair on the back of Sarah’s neck stood on end. Her skin tingled. The sensation came out of nowhere but her instincts immediately flagged it as something she’d experienced before. She wanted to grin even though nervousness overtook her. She felt excited yet wanted to run. Her mind was her own, yet Sarah didn't have control over it.

“Rioghan.”

She should have been ecstatic. Relieved that someone in Jareth’s circles had found her. But Rioghan was probably the last of them she wanted to see. Next to her own exhaustion and alarm she felt an alien delight.

Trying to push the foreign emotion away she turned back towards the forest. Her eyes scanned for a tall and broad frame that she was convinced was somewhere out there. Sarah took a few steps forward, her breath carried away by the cold breeze.

She froze. A few feet ahead of her were two small lights. No. Eyes. Two fiery dots. A hulking silhouette stepped into view. Slowly. Deliberately. She barely managed to stand her ground.

“Why… Will you look at that?” Rioghan’s voice was low and quiet, but rumbled with the timbre of a smoker. “The king’s little pet is still breathing.” He chuckled. “A little scruffy and bedraggled, but persisting.” The familiar face was split in a wide grin. It almost looked like he was proud of her. His dark hair rested on his shoulders, making her realize that his outfit was barely different from the last time she’d seen him, and definitely unfitting of weather this cold. He looked her up and down slowly. The man scoffed when she self consciously looked down. “It’s quite alright, my tiny flame. Nature fits you. Better than being all dolled up like you were last time.”

“I’m not anything of yours,” Sarah said defensively. She briefly checked back towards the overhang. From here she could barely see anything, despite being just a few steps past the snowmen. A nagging feeling warned her that if Rioghan hadn't been there, she might even have gotten lost. If this guy wanted to, he could even drag her away and no one would know. Then a realization dawned on her and she quickly looked back at the tall, burly man in front of her. “Don’t tell Jareth.”

Rioghan’s eyebrows rose. “Don’t…?” He smirked, the orange of his eyes a vivid contrast in the winter scenery. “Oh, you flighty little thing.” His chuckle sounded more like a growl. “Those half-wit soldiers have been fumbling through this landscape since the moment you vanished. Not one has come close to this place.” He leaned against the tree next to her, his arm above her head. He towered over her. “His Majesty transported me here around noon. If I didn’t succeed in finding you, I needn’t bother to return.”

Sarah felt her cheeks warm when the man leaned down closer. Her chin tucked to her chest uncomfortably. “Don’t tell him.”

The man arched a brow at her insistent tone. “Listen here, little pup. I am not going to face exile for… whatever barmy idea is infesting that petite little head of yours.”

“He can’t know they’re here. Please, Rioghan.” Sarah looked up at him pleadingly. “If Jareth finds these people…” She shook her head. “He can’t know.”

Rioghan narrowed his eyes, his face contorting in anger. “Why do you bother? These people are nothing to you. They are lawbreaking strangers with a knack for digging their own graves.”

“No, they are not,” Sarah said sharply, surprised at how adamant she sounded. The pesky out-of-place emotions that had been creeping through her slithered away. “These are families. Fathers, mothers and children. Desperate people with regrets. And I think you know that.”

Rioghan looked down at her, unimpressed with her fiery reply. “I do know that.”

Blinking, it took Sarah a moment to formulate a reply. “I… You do?” Her eyes narrowed. “And still you would just throw these people to the wolves?”

The man grinned in a way that wasn’t unlike some sort of wild canine. “Of course. Why would I care about a little flock of peasants and their litter? I follow orders, not emotions.”

“That's rich coming from someone who seems very keen on pushing emotions onto others.” Her arms crossed while she glared at him.

Rioghan was unfazed. He leaned in close enough that their foreheads were nearly touching, his infernal eyes spinning her down. Even though she could feel warmth radiating off of him she felt a chill in her veins. “Just you, really. They feel good nestled between that virtuous indignation of yours.” Sarah's skin crawled, but he continued. “The king has ordered me to find you and bring you to him and that's exactly what I will do. I am sure that the fragile little organ beating in your chest will make the recompense even sweeter. Not to mention what else he might grant me if I serve this lot on a silver platter.”

Sarah wasn't quite sure if he simply meant that he'd tip Jareth off to these people’s location or if he was quite seriously leaning into something more savage. Seeing the predatory glint in his eyes didn't offer any reassurance. Steeling her nerves, she tilted her head. “For someone calling me a pup, you seem very much intent on rushing back to Jareth, tail wagging and hoping to be called a good boy for playing fetch for him.”

A metallic tang filled the corners of her mouth. Her shoulders went rigid. Fire bubbled up in her gut. He was toying with her again. This time not with a playful nudge, but with well sharpened claws. The man wasn’t trying to sway her emotions, he was actively pushing his annoyance onto her. Rioghan’s face had darkened to a visage close to something truly feral. His teeth bared, showing unnaturally long fangs and his eyes burning like the fires of hell. The rumble coming from his chest was otherworldly and frightening. He leaned even closer, hot breath on her face. “Careful now, pet. His Majesty doesn't know what state you're in. Don't tempt me to entertain myself before I toss you down at his feet.”

If there was ever a time to be good at bluffing, it was now. Even if it was just to convince herself, she crossed her arms. She didn’t let her gaze wander from his. “Try me. See how our king will reward you for that.” He was watching her so closely that she was sure he could hear her heart racing. Slowly he leaned back. Watching her for a moment in silence.

Sarah flinched when he burst out laughing. It was the last reaction she’d expected and she could feel his mirth gnashing at her own feelings. The sweet tickle of laughter was nauseating and her cheeks twitched uncomfortably.

“I thought His Majesty simply fucked you because you’re a novelty with a pretty face, but you have some fire in you.” His smirk turned just a tad sharper when Sarah turned red. The floor grew mighty interesting. “Oh… Where is that confidence now, pet?” Rioghan leaned in closer once more. “Don’t tell me that pompous provocateur has assumed abstinence for your sake?” Rioghan laughed again when she didn’t reply and her gaze wandered. “That poor sod. No wonder he was so ill tempered. He must be going mad.” His hand playfully toyed with her hair while he chuckled.

Sarah shoved against his chest. He didn’t budge, but leaned back a little. “What happens between Jareth and I is none of your concern, you heartless pig.”

Rioghan hummed, his arms crossing over his chest. “Why, you wound me, little pup.” His head tilted and his eyes briefly roamed down her body before looking back up at her. “If you’re feeling self-conscious about how to please a man of his caliber, I’d be happy to tutor you.”

How did things go so far south? How did she go from pleading with him not to tell Jareth, to… being propositioned to?

“Don’t flatter yourself. The only thing I’d ever consider your help for is target practice. Your face makes an excellent punching bag.” The woman turned from him, facing the faint glow of the overhang. “If you tell Jareth,” she said while looking over her shoulder. “I will make you long for exile.” Truthfully, she felt rather proud of the confidence in her voice.

Sarah had only taken two steps before a large hand curled around her wrist with a frightening force. “All threats aside, pet, you’re coming with me. Whether it is kicking and screaming, or like a good little girl.”

Turning to face him, the woman narrowed her eyes. His expression was haughty and his posture tall and imposing. She could taste more emotions being funneled into her, straining her psyche and overstimulating her mind. His meddling became more and more annoying every time he wriggled his way into her brain. Sarah was done. Exhausted. Hungry. In pain. Confused. So close to being saved, yet she didn’t want to spend another second outside the overhang. Her eyes stung in frustration. The sensation of his hand clasping around her arm felt like the coil of a snake. Energy rose up in her chest simultaneously with tears welling in her eyes. Heat spread like pins and needles down her arms. The balloon filling up within her were her own emotions this time, and they felt ready to pop. It pushed against every inch of her being. Through unshed tears the visage of Rioghan became blurry.

Or perhaps she was just on the verge of passing out.

With an unexpected amount of strength she pulled free of his hold. When his hand slipped from her wrist the tension inside her burst. Despite her frazzled state her voice was quiet but undeniably sharp. “Fuck off.”

The next thing she knew she was curled up on the floor far into the overhang. She could see daybreak all the way from her position. Her head was pounding and there was a sour tang of heartburn in her mouth. Her fingertips were painfully sensitive and her eyes uncomfortably strained against the light of the fire close by. From the pain in her hand to the cold stone floor and from the soreness of sleeping on rock to exhaustion and hunger…

Everything felt strangely… empty.

Chapter 37: Chapter 37

People were in a panic underneath the overhang.

One of the triplets had shown up late, causing the mist to falter. The eldest, dependent on their previous punctuality, had pulled away from his meditation in confusion and exhaustion. For all of five minutes, the fog had faded. The forest had been laid bare with a clarity that felt alien after the endless void that had surrounded them.

The triplets defended themselves while the rest of the group became divided. One group was sure they would be found, swearing they’d spotted royal soldiers while foraging. The other group was more confident of their safety. Even if the men had been spotted foraging, in a mist this thick, they couldn’t have been followed all the way back. The latter group’s argument was bolstered by the hail that had been destroying any of their possible tracks throughout the late morning, dappling their footsteps to an unrecognizable mess.

Sarah didn’t side with either group, occupied with other concerns. The majority of her night had been a blur, but there was no doubt Rioghan had been there. She felt hollow. Distant. Her mind was quiet. Too quiet. In the chaos of the morning, no one had approached her yet, nor had she felt the need to seek anyone out. Among the chaos of familial arguments and verbal fighting, Sarah sat nearly motionless.

Sitting by the fire was enough. Being seated on cold hard rock was fine. Not having food was okay. It really was fine. She wasn’t even tired anymore. 

Was she?

Once people had grown tired of arguing about the incident, a new subject was brought up. No one was particularly keen on foraging or hunting in the hail. Nor was anyone fond of the idea of risking being found. It brought up yet another concern. A whole day without food. They hadn’t exactly enjoyed the riches of cuisine, but in their scarce resources a complete depletion was very disheartening.

The group had been living here for about two weeks and it was starting to show. People were sluggish. Moody. Disoriented. Pale. They were losing weight. Throughout the day another child had gotten ill. The whole overhang had grown quiet. People were starting to realize that they might actually die in this forest. Slow, agonizing deaths alongside their loved ones. Everywhere they turned, it stared them in the face. Despite the aiding magic of the Underground, people were starting to look filthy and ragged. It was a miracle there hadn’t been any signs of frostbite yet.

Sarah sat quietly by the fire still. Her legs should have been cramped from the continuous curled up position. Her butt should have been cold and uncomfortable. Her mouth ought to be dry and her stomach rumbling. But all she felt was emptiness. She couldn’t put her finger on why she was feeling so out of sorts this morning. It didn’t feel like any mood she’d ever experienced. She barely raised her head when someone spoke up.

“Perhaps we should head back inland…”

“Isla, what are you saying?” Ava’s mother held her sleeping child close, skittishly looking around to check if anyone heard.

“I was thinking the same thing,” said another, who Sarah knew was called Treasa. Sarah looked around the small circle, simply observing the others.

The first woman, Isla, spoke up again. “We are not going to survive out here. Nothing is happening. No prayers are heard, food is getting more scarce by the day… And I don’t think the boys will be able to keep up the fog another day. Colm and Una have already fallen ill. I don’t imagine it will take long in these conditions.” The context and heaviness in the air made her comment unmistakable. The fourth woman quietly started sobbing, burying her face in her hands. One of the others gently consoled her. “At this point, what’s the worst that could happen?” Isla rubbed her arms anxiously. “Perhaps, if we keep moving, we might be able to shake the king’s guard.”

Ava’s mother scowled. “They have horses and ample food. They are military trained men. We’ll be dead before we leave the forest.”

“Then what’s the difference? If we are going to die, we might as well give it a fighting chance. Caelithra is not going to aid us. She has not given us a single sign that she will grant our needs,” Treasa said heatedly.

“We have to do something,” Isla said insistently. “What if your beautiful girl is next?”

Ava’s mother clutched her daughter even tighter, her glazed eyes wide. The little girl whined softly in her sleep, shifting against her mother’s breast. The others grew quiet, the heaviness of the conversation robbing them of their voices. 

Sarah looked down at her knees, fidgeting with the bandage around her hand. It should have been changed multiple times by now, but there were no wrappings left. She didn’t want to take it off, fearing there might be signs of infection. Her fingers curled and extended experimentally. Her hand jerked and her fingers started trembling, but strangely she didn’t feel pain.

The sound of her erratic footsteps echoing through the area alerted her as well as the others. One of the older children sprinted back to her mother from the opening of the overhang. Her eyes were wide, her lips parted in silent panic when she hid behind her mother. Alarmed, all eyes turned towards the forest. 

Within the white nothingness, the hail had stopped. It was quiet. No howling of the wind or rustling of the trees. No quiet sighs of snow falling off pine branches or snowbirds chirping in the distance. Even the fire was no longer crackling. As they hid near what felt like the gaping mouth of the mountain, the world outside loomed, ready to swallow them whole. People rose to their feet and backed away from the entrance. The fires were doused, shrouding their sorry camp in unnaturally dark shadows. No one said a word. Even the kids remained silent. 

At the entrance, fathers and older men stood side by side, shielding their friends and family. The fog faded, slinking away slowly like water through a drain. There was a brief shuffle next to her. She looked over just in time to see two triplets catching the third before he could collapse. Her eyes were drawn back to the opening when the area grew even darker. The overhang descended into an almost pitch black. Deafening silence persisted while it seemed that thick clouds packed the skies outside.

A terrible fear crawled along Sarah’s back, shaking her from her numbed condition. Each inch of her that shuddered, every goosebump that rose along her skin, woke her from her unfeeling state.

Outside, from between the thick pine trunks and sturdy brambles, the fading mist revealed a figure clad in blacks as thick as ink. Cut from the surroundings in a way that made him appear like a mirage of the deepest night. A confusing apparition that did not really belong there. A gust of wind left the air in the overhang feeling thin, whipping around the pale golden hair of the unnerving silhouette approaching them, the very elements brought closer with every deliberate step of leather boots. Sharp, dark wings framed eyes that were indescribable. Unnatural and unyielding. They were so cold that even from a distance it tore down to the bone with icy claws. Burning with an anger hotter than the sun. The glint in them was feral and unrecognizable. Angular features were tight and sharp. Undeniably handsome but devastatingly dangerous. The skies darkened in his fury.

While women and children were now shrouded in darkness, there was enough light at the entrance of the overhang to see the glint of metal. Stellan pulled a dagger. Sarah’s.

The ground underneath her feet rumbled. Shockwaves rolled along the soles of her feet, sending jolts of electricity up her spine and making her shiver. The families shifted nervously, shuffling around in anticipation of the very earth splitting open beneath them. Thunder rumbled heavily through the air, vibrating along people’s skin. Otis stepped up and curled his hands to fists to keep them from shaking. Others followed suit, grabbing whatever weapon they could. Stellan hesitated, as did a few others.

“Stand down, or pay with your lives.” Jareth’s voice carried through the brewing storm easily. His voice surrounded them with a chilling calmness. Rough like thunder and cold as ice. The sound of hissing metal behind him drew attention to the Regiment, which emerged from the fading mist. All soldiers pulled their swords in perfect unison, further closing in on the overhang, in the footsteps of their king.

Blood ran cold through Sarah’s veins. Her heart raced and her breath grew short. Her chest felt tight and her feet were nailed to the ground. Despite the distance between them it felt as though their blades were right at her throat. The King’s Regiment. No longer a unit of men who lived to serve and joked around the campfire at night, but troops that killed without flinching. Trained experts. Among them was the familiar face of Girvin. Standing by Jareth’s right side. His face was chilling. Gentle eyes replaced by a blank mask. A tool at His Majesty’s disposal. Scanning the rest of the group she found other familiar faces in similar positions.

Sarah had asked Rioghan if he would throw these people to the wolves, and that's exactly what he'd done. The wolves were here.

Some of the men at the entrance fell to their knees in surrender. Admitting defeat. Knowing they wouldn’t stand a chance. Some, including Otis, stood tall, ready to fight until a seemingly inevitable bitter end.

The low rumble of Jareth's growl faded into more thunder. He kept advancing, now only a few feet away. “Stand down!” Two men flinched, but didn’t back away. Jareth moved his arm across his body, deliberate and graceful, though raising alarm that something was going to happen. Long tendrils of lighting shot down from the skies to kiss his hand, licking along his arm like live barbed wire. The sparks and coils grew thicker and shifted from a cold blue to a sharp yellow and orange. When he swung his arm outwards lightning flitted down to the ground in a wave of thick, sparking substance. The electricity snapped and crackled along the rocky floor like a rabid animal snapping its jaws.

It headed into the overhang, slithering between the legs of the men still standing. Covering the area in blinding light. It was a split second that lasted forever. A shrill yell of a child sounded behind Sarah. Kind and quiet little Ava, her instincts told her, now screaming at the top of her lungs in terror. As quick as she could, Sarah turned to shield the little girl. The loud clap of thunder settled. No one but her had moved an inch. The ground was covered in marks of lightning. Scorched stone, partially cracked or even turned to dust about an inch deep. White veins were burned into it, dulling silently from their faint glow. The men at the entrance had scrambled away in panic, jumping from the flames that had formed from the initial branches and narrowly avoiding catching on fire. 

It created a vast open space between Sarah and the Goblin King. Their eyes locked, her chest heaving in an attempt to get enough air through the tightness of her chest. Even though her legs were about to give out and even though her instincts begged her to stay down, she got to her feet. The small hand clutching her coat grounded her with bravery. The small frame of the child huddled into her, her quiet voice calling her name. With wobbling knees Sarah took a protective stand, her arms spread widely to protect those behind her. She could hear a breath catching behind her when she boldly faced the Goblin King, despite his fury.

But his tightly wound body stilled and his shoulders slackened. The unbridled rage in Jareth's mismatched gaze collapsed. Withered away and broke into a million pieces. His eyes widened. The puffs of breath wisping from his lips betrayed how unevenly his breath left him. He had approached the overhang with raw, unbridled power. Brimming with ferocity and rage. The moment he saw her, all that power vanished. He had staggered. She was sure of it. The long silence that stretched between them and offered Sarah some room to fight through the horror that had gripped her. To try and relax her shoulders and calm her breath.

The turmoil in his eyes was simultaneously beautiful, frightening and mesmerizing. She had seen many emotions in his eyes over the months they had spent together. Good and bad, passionate and cold. But it didn’t compare to the storm in his gaze that had brewed fiercer than the one outside. The bolt of lightning that had struck the camp hit nowhere near as hard as the raw emotion that was threatening to spill from his eyes.

Sarah caught herself holding her breath seeing the unfiltered relief on his face. The adoration filled her with more warmth than any campfire or sunlight could hope to do. His eyes lowered to the scorch marks and destruction at her feet. It stopped barely an inch in front of her. Their gazes locked again briefly, his eyes wide. Then he looked at the people behind her and the intensity in those mismatched orbs shifted to something devastating.

Heartbreak.

His hands balled to tight fists as he gazed upon the women with their gaunt faces filled with terror. The children with glazed, tired and tearful eyes and ragged clothing. It knocked the last bit of wind out of him. The king’s eyes lowered to the paths his magic had marked on the floor. How all its destruction led back to him. He looked back up at the brunette standing at the head of the group. 

Sarah was now the only one left standing, her head held high. Her jaw twitched, lips pressed together in an attempt to hold back tears. Tense arms were spread out in a crumbling shield. Her hands visibly trembled. The Goblin King’s hands flexed, stretched, then flexed again. A few weak sparks tumbled from his palm and down onto the floor, leaving small splatters of soot on the snowy forest floor.

The tall regal figure stepped back. Once. Twice. Three times, before he suddenly turned on his heel. With large strides he moved away from both Sarah and the people around her. The Regiment sheathed their swords and parted for their king with a respectful bow. In a flash of light, the tall figure of the Goblin King shifted to that of a barn owl.

It took to the skies, leaving everyone standing in shock and complete silence.

The skies overhead gradually started to clear, making way for weak rays of sunshine. Villagers and soldiers looked at one another in discomfort. Everyone, including Sarah, were at a loss as to what to do.

After several moments, Girvin uttered a handful of words to those beside him. A couple of soldiers stepped up. Mothers clutched their children when they were approached. Fathers drew closer protectively. With a soft rustle of fabric, soldiers removed their cloaks, draping them over the shoulders of women and children. Others followed suit. Sarah looked at Girvin with her eyes wide in surprise. The familiar face had softened to something she recognized. He draped his cloak around her shoulders quietly, giving her a nod. 

She clutched the fabric around her. “Why?” Her voice was soft, but loud enough that those around her could hear it.

Girvin’s smile was genuine and warm. “His Majesty will return. When he does, he will find this camp alive. Warm. Fed. It’s the kingdom he’s been trying to build. Let’s not bury it in the snow.”

—-

A few hours later the soldiers had supplied the overhang with meat and fish. Compared to ordinary citizens they made hunting look incredibly easy. They provided the families with vegetables and even bread, retrieved from their own camp.

Girvin was busy giving out orders when Sarah approached him. “Sir, might I have a word?”

He looked down at her, her skittish looks towards the others betraying that she likely wanted to give the impression they were strangers. “Of course, Miss.”

Despite feeling terribly relieved to see him, Sarah kept her smile modest and polite. “I would like to thank you for showing mercy to these people.”

His lips curled up, his attention briefly drawn to the families waiting eagerly for a meal. “It seems they extended the same courtesy to you.” He looked back down at her and his smile fell. “But while it pains me to say so, I cannot guarantee His Majesty will offer the same when he returns.”

“We have to convince him, Girvin.” Her tone was earnest. “Surely people deserve a second chance?”

The man shook his head. “Perhaps. But His Majesty cannot show leniency for criminal acts.”

“They’re not criminals.” Sarah frowned, defensively shuffling between Girvin and the others.

His face was tight but his eyes had a familiar softness to them. “Even if none of us agree, their fates will be decided by His Majesty… And enforced by soldier's hands.” He turned from her, heading outside.

Frustration curled her fingers. She winced when her nails dug into her wound. Jolts up pain shot up along her arm. How could Girvin condone punishing these people? Surely he could see their suffering? Surely he wouldn’t harm innocent children? Her stomach churned and, perhaps a tad louder than intended, she yelled after him. “So you feed and care for these people only so they will live to face his verdict?” When Girvin didn’t look back or even pause she felt betrayal burning like acid in her mouth.

Two hands came to rest on her shoulders, a physical weight that distracted her from the mental heaviness weighing her down. Her gaze met with icy blue eyes looking down at her. People looked up at her with concerned glances. “Please don’t endanger yourself for our sake, Sarah. The consequences of our transgressions are not your burden to bear.” Stellan’s voice was kind and soft, but she could sense his uneasiness.

“It’s bullshit,” Sarah mumbled more to herself than to him.

Relief was palpable in the overhang once food started being handed out. The meals were small but noticeably nutritious. It was tempting to scarf down large bites at record speed, but the given portions were small. Everyone had been warned to eat slowly. Soldiers had instructed children and adults alike that eating too fast would upset their empty stomachs.

Sarah had passed Girvin’s cloak on to someone else while Girvin had started warming the cave using his magic, gradually raising temperatures to something near pleasant. Some people cried in relief. Others had promptly passed out in a deep sleep, thoroughly exhausted. Regardless of what people were more inclined to do, the overhang was quiet in cautious contentment. Sarah had refused every portion of food after the first round, passing plates to others, who had been without proper meals for much longer. Girvin had repeatedly handed her a plate personally, insisting there was enough to go around. Regardless, it was handed over towards someone else. People had expressed gratitude for it and had urged her to eat something herself.

But truthfully, Sarah wasn’t hungry anymore. All she could think of was what was going to happen to these people once Jareth returned. Girvin seemed convinced that even though families were involved, it wasn't going to make a difference. But Jareth had seemed surprised to find children clinging to their mothers underneath the overhang. Sarah simply couldn’t imagine he would want to harm them, even if laws were broken.

A hand on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up at Stellan. His brow was furrowed in worry. Sarah looked down, noticing how she’d curled up to a ball, with her knees against her chest and her arms around her knees. “Please cast your worries aside, Sarah. You should be happy. Your salvation will be here any moment now.”

Sarah’s frown deepened. She didn’t shake or push his hand off her shoulder. “I don’t give a shit about my salvation. How can I be happy knowing what might happen to all of you?”

He chuckled at her irritated mumbling, squeezing her shoulder gently. “You’re a kind soul, Sarah.” Stellan smiled when their gazes met, it was genuine and kind, but a little tense. “Rest easy knowing you can go home soon. I’m sure your significant other is simply beside themselves with worry for your well-being right now.”

The brunette felt a knot in her stomach, thinking back to the look in Jareth’s eyes earlier that day. Fatigue set in, here eyelids drooping. Her stomach growled. She shifted away from Stellan and curled up on the floor. Once sleep overtook her, it was as though her consciousness floated in nothingness. No joy. No hurt. No thoughts. No dreams.

—-

The next morning Sarah woke up incredibly groggy and dizzy. She untangled herself from the cloak which was draped over her. The overhang was reasonably warm. People around her were eating and drinking in silence. Self consciously Sarah raked her fingers through her hair in an attempt to untangle it. Crawling to her feet to stretch her sore limbs. Girvin was almost immediately at her side, handing her a meal. After some slight hesitation her stomach growled impatiently, so she accepted the food and ate while looking around.

People seemed slightly less pale and miserable. Their eyes were still clouded and their faces sunken, but morale was higher despite their likely approaching doom. Sarah was persuaded to play with the children, who seemed especially keen on being distracted today. She wondered if their energetic talking and playing was going to swiftly burn through the energy the food provided. 

It was certainly the case with Sarah, who after just two hours was already exhausted. Some soldiers had positioned themselves by the entrance of the overhang. It wasn’t clear whether they wanted to keep people from leaving, whether they were guarding them or if they simply kept their distance. Others were collecting resources.

Before the woman could sit down after her play session the quiet talking and rummaging faded into a thick silence. Weary villagers scrambled to the back of the overhang and soldiers' faces became stoic while they rose to their feet. Sarah didn’t need to turn to the entrance to know what was happening.

The Goblin King walked in quietly with a stony expression on his face. His arms were tucked in the small of his back, his chest puffed. His outfit was regal and more luxurious than his usual travelling gear. A rich combination of deep blues and gold sown into nearly every stitch. Each step was deliberate and precise. He oozed confidence and commitment. Girvin dutifully walked up to his right side. Both their gazes shifted to Sarah.

“Sarah, be careful.” Stellan’s voice was quiet behind her. His hand circled around her arm, quietly beckoning her to step back with the others. It briefly caused Jareth’s eyes to narrow. “Don’t complicate things for yourself.”

The Goblin King turned his head towards the soldier next to him. “Collect the women and children and bring them outside.”

Immediately silence made way for a panicked chaos. Fathers and friends stepped up to shield their loved ones, but were easily pushed aside by soldiers that advanced on them from every possible direction. Children started crying at the sight of their frightened mothers and upset fathers. Screams and yelling bounced off rocky walls in a way that only further fueled fear. Stellan shielded Sarah from the soldiers but was easily evaded.

Girvin held her arm, leaning a little closer towards her. “I beg you not to resist, Lady Sarah.”

Despite his plea Sarah attempted to pull out of his grasp, but his hold was like a vice. She could see people struggle, weakened and tired despite their momentary influx of provisions and warmth. It seemed to drag on for hours before women and children were standing outside, though it likely was just a few minutes. 

Luckily the weather was somewhat mild today. It was still freezing, but there was little to no wind and no precipitation. Soldiers awaited the king’s orders, flanking the families. Hazel eyes locked with those of the king. Again she was standing at the head of the group, women and children huddled together behind her. Jareth held her gaze for a few moments. His face was unreadable but noticeably tense. The blonde nodded to one of the nearby soldiers. “Get the horses.” When his gaze turned back to look down at her, his expression softened subtly.  “Mothers and their children will ride together.”

Relief hit Sarah harder than a ton of bricks. She could cry. She wanted to. Everything in her was begging her to submit to unflattering bawling and endless sobbing. Shedding tears for everything that happened the past few days. Tears for these families to mourn their struggles. Tears of relief that things would be alright.

But she didn’t let herself. Her strength was bolstered by the audible and visible confusion of the people behind her. The quiet shushing of women consoling the kids. The hesitant but longing way in which they looked at the horses when they walked up, ready to carry them out of the wintery wastes.

Sarah watched when one of the soldiers presented her with Geath. Her gift from the man standing just a few paces behind it. She looked at the familiar gray coated animal for a moment, then turned around to usher one of the children to it.

In the next few minutes horses were being brought up and held by soldiers while weary people mounted. Fathers and friends were standing at the edge of the overhang, inching closer carefully. Sarah spotted the triplets and walked over to them. Were it not for their brown apparel, it would have seemed like they existed in black and white television. They were completely devoid of color. She ushered them over, pushing them towards the horses that were still available. Again Sarah refused a seat on one of the horses, resulting in the last one being offered to two of the eldest men in the group.

Jareth narrowed his eyes at her, which she deliberately ignored. Instead she checked with the men, asking how they were doing and assuring them things were going to be okay. Soon everyone was ordered to head out. The Goblin King had mounted his own horse and led the group through the forest. On either side of the procession were soldiers holding the reins of the horses. Sarah walked among those on foot at the back of the group.

Conditions were undeniably harsh. It was difficult to keep footing in the deep snow. It took considerable effort to keep up with the horses. The lack of sleep made people clumsy and slow. Barely two hours into the trek Sarah and the men were already starting to feel tired. Freezing temperatures seemed to burn into any exposed skin, especially when the sun was sinking lower towards the horizon. At some point Sarah had tripped on a branch, sending her sprawling onto the ground. The white powdery substance caught her with a soft sigh but unforgiving force. Her eyes had flown to the head of the group, immediately seeing Jareth turn his head towards her and meeting her gaze. However, before he could respond a hand came to rest on her back. Stellan had helped her up carefully, keeping close by in case she needed help.

By the time the snow was thinning, the horses were growing weary and the men were practically shuffling across a large clearing. Several women had offered to swap places, but both the men and Sarah had stubbornly insisted they were fine.

Which wasn’t entirely untrue, at least for Sarah. All things considered she was holding up okay. Sure, her hand was still stinging from her wound. She was exhausted and very much dehydrated. Not to mention the instep of her foot was sore from her tumble. But she had expected to want to curl up on the floor and stay put hours ago. Instead her body was carrying her on a strange equilibrium of stamina, putting one foot in front of the other like she walked far distances on a daily basis. Sarah had wondered just how long they’d been walking. It seemed like she had zoned out for a while.

Temperatures were now climbing from ten degrees to a welcoming fifty far faster than seemed natural in the world. The snow and the sun were now gone, making tired eyes feel less strained. Children were starting to wail that riding on horseback was making them uncomfortable. Sarah watched Girvin jog to the head of the group, speaking to his king quietly. The monarch looked back, once again locking eyes with Sarah, before speaking to Girvin. The soldier bowed and continued to walk next to him silently.

By the time the skies had grown dark women started to offer again to let Sarah or the men ride on horseback. It was clear they were worn out. No one knew how much longer they’d be walking.

But Sarah had an inkling.

After all, she had traveled with the Regiment more often. By now she knew what sort of areas were fit for a camp and when it was best to call it a day. When they approached a sparse tree line with a lake, she let out a sigh of relief.

True to her suspicions, Jareth lightly tugged the reins of his horse, signaling the creature to a halt. Soldiers stood to attention while the king spoke with the man on his right hand. Behind the king, the other horses obediently shuffled to a halt. In record time the soldiers had removed resources from the horse’s packs and started establishing a camp. Despite the darkness they had little effort doing so. Everybody dismounted and looked around in hesitant discomfort. Men leaned against trees or laid down in the grass. Some of them drifted off to a quiet, or less quiet snoring. Sarah encouraged others to do the same. To huddle together to rest. A handful of women searched the nearby area for resources, briefly throwing longing gazes at the tents the soldiers were setting up.

Isla, one of the women, spoke quietly to her after collecting some wood for a campfire. “Thank you for your efforts to help us, Sarah.”

“Of course,” Sarah said with a smile. “I couldn’t just leave you all to your own devices.”

“No,” Isla said more insistently. “Please don’t deny your help like that.” She adjusted her grip on the small stack of wood she was holding. “You didn’t have to stay with us. You didn’t have to push yourself to help or entertain our childlings.”

Sarah chuckled, adding a bit more wood to the woman’s arms before directing her back towards the group. “Hey, the way I see it, you guys rescued me from the forest. You offered me cover and resources when you had nothing. The least I could do is help where I could.”

“Well… You also faced the king, just to protect us. While I have no idea if your courage did anything other than bring the king’s wrath upon yourself, it means a lot to me that you were willing to defy him for a group of strangers. It means a lot to all of us.”

The brunette frowned and looked down at the floor while they walked back to the others. “I just hope it accomplished something.”

Isla put the wood on the ground and looked around them. She leaned in, all but whispering in her ear. “Stay close to me tonight. I will look for a momentary distraction or lapse in observation so you can flee.” Sarah drew breath to resist, but the woman shushed her. “I don’t know what might happen to us, but if anyone, at least you deserve to go free. You didn’t ask for any of this.”

“I’m not leaving you to-”

“My lady.” Both women jumped when one of the soldiers approached them. Isla immediately hid behind the woman, but the soldier’s attention was focused on her companion. “The king summons you.”

Isla tried to muster some courage to keep Sarah with her, but was gently held back. Hazel eyes caught her gaze. “It’s okay, Isla. Wake some of the men to get a fire started, before we all get cold again. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Notes:

You don't need riches to share joy. Don't weigh yourself down with expectations or endless climbs. Grow, because doing so is beautiful. Be kind. Help others, because you don't know how much they might need it.

Be yourself. Be beautiful. You are enough.

~

Once being led to a large tent, Sarah suddenly felt nervous. The soldier pushed aside the fabric, giving her a look of confusion when she didn’t walk in. Clearing her throat, the woman stepped inside. Jareth was standing at the back with crossed arms. His face was unreadable. There was an anxious urge to look anywhere but at him, yet at the same time she couldn’t look away. Despite what transpired earlier, she really was incredibly happy to see him again. It had felt like weeks since she last saw him. 

But his stiff pose had her hesitant to do anything. Shuffling just a little closer her hands fidgeted. “J-Jareth, I…”

Before she even realized he’d moved he had closed the distance between them. His arms wrapped tightly around her, his face dipping down to bury into the crook of her neck. Sarah was pinned against him tightly enough that she could feel the rapid thrumming of her necklace through her clothing. He uttered her name against the skin of her neck. 

He cupped her face so he could look deep into her eyes. Deep enough that she could see the unbearable pain he’d suffered in the past few days. Deep enough that it showed his countless years of loneliness. Deep enough that she could see an immeasurable amount of yearning just to see her. To hold her. Gentle hands roamed over her face, taking in every plane and angle like it was either the first or last time he’d see her.

“Every second without you, every breath, I cursed myself. I don’t deserve this, but by the Gods, I need it.” His tone was soft. The edges of his voice wavering in its low cadence.

Tears welled in her eyes. Now that her hands were free she moved them to curl around the back of his neck. She pulled him down to capture his lips with her own. Sarah could feel his hands grasping her waist and pulling her tightly against him. Her skin tingled from his fine golden hair whispering along her digits. Her body pressed tighter against the hard planes of his body, drawing a soft moan from him. Despite her knees wobbling he held her steady. The moment her hands moved down, her palms curving around the crook of his neck, Sarah sucked in sharp breath. Her hand recoiled and her fingers flexed in pain. Before her eyes even opened Jareth had caught hold of her wrist. 

“Fool that I am,” he said huskily, scowling. 

He studied her bandages, carefully unwrapping the cloth as though he was untangling cobwebs. It allowed Sarah to collect herself, still flushed by their kiss. Her eyes lingered on his lips. On the way his upper lip curled and briefly revealed his sharp teeth while the man was studying her injury. She wondered if his lips felt as bruised as hers. Wondered if his veins felt as warm as hers.

She tensed when the bandage stuck to her wound. He paused briefly, then managed to remove the entire binding without much damage. The woman quickly looked away once seeing the nasty wound. It was just long enough to see an unnatural swelling. Jareth’s hands ever so carefully folded around hers, drawing her gaze back up at him.

“Don’t…”

He looked up at her. “Silence. I need to concentrate.”

The woman glowered at him, noting how the skin underneath his eyes was still dark even several days after they had returned Underground. The scleras of his eyes bled into blackness, all the way until his mismatched irises were swallowed into a deep void. His hold was firm enough that there was no use pulling away. Pins and needles crawled up from her palm down to her fingertips and along her arm.

“Damn it, Jareth!” Sarah tried to keep still, especially when she could feel her palm being pulled inward, cinching shut. There was an intense burning to it. Not quite like fire or ice. It hurt like hell, yet soothed like a cool salve. It felt nauseating. Sickening. Yet relieving at the same time.

Jareth blew gently into his cupped hands, his breath gliding along the back of her hand with an alien chill. Sparks scattered along her digits and up along her arm. “Say it again.” He looked up at her wickedly but entirely serious.

She knew exactly what he wanted and her eyes narrowed. “No! I am not rewarding irresponsible behaviour. You still haven’t recovered!” Distrust tightened her features when he grinned, one arm wrapping around her waist and slowly drawing her closer. She could see his eyes briefly flicking down to her lips. “Oh no, Birdbrain. Don't you dare.”

“I think I might, darling.”

“You-” The brunette squeaked when he fully closed the distance, pulling her into another kiss. This one was much slower. Each brush was drawn out almost agonizingly long. Her mind lagged, fumbling between the wariness of the healing spell and the warm and soft caress of his kiss. His free hand wound into her hair and his fingertips traced the curve of the back of her head. Each time she thought he was going to pull back he leaned back in. Her heart fluttered. Her blood heated. Her mind went numb. She could barely even hear the soft noise she made in the back of her throat when his arm around her tightened. It wasn't until he finally did pull back that Sarah realized she was hanging on to his shirt for dear life.

He kept close, his breath ghosting down her chin. Their eyes locked and Sarah wondered if her own eyes betrayed a longing like his. Licking her lips she found the remnants of his taste, realizing just how badly she wanted more. While Sarah wanted to be angry, the best she could muster was frustration. “You're way too good at this.”

His smirk was downright smug. Turning his attention back to her hand he closely inspected it. Hesitantly, she looked as well. 

Surprisingly, there was barely anything left to see. Her hand glistened unnaturally, like it was coated in honey. There was a strange fuzziness to the skin. A subtle lack of a clear barrier. A blur between her skin and his gloved hand. The skin was flushed and warm, but other than that it seemed fine.

“Your magic is a little scary sometimes,” she said while experimentally moving her hand.

“You don't know half of it.”

An uneasy feeling settled in her gut hearing the ominous words, her subconscious remembering how frightening he’d been in the frozen wasteland. It pulled her attention to the current issues, even when he slowly pulled her back against him. “We need to talk.” The handful of words caused his eyes to grow colder and his jaw to tighten. Sarah had anticipated as much. “And I need you to take me seriously for this. No babying, brushing off or saying that I don't know what I talk about.”

“Speak, then.” Jareth's voice was tight.

“People are struggling, Jareth. They are lost. Powerless. Unable to make ends meet. Those people… Those families outside didn't have a place left to go.” She could feel his arm loosen. The air grew heavy between them when he slowly stepped back. It hurt more than she’d anticipated.

For a moment he simply observed her. His studious gaze shifted from the frustration in her eyes to her messy hair, then down to her unkempt and slightly torn clothes. Under other circumstances, she might have felt self-conscious, but that was hardly a priority at the moment. “I am aware.” Sarah’s determination visibly seeped out. Her confidence wavered and her eyes wandered. “I know it is difficult to see people experience hardship, Sarah, but it is an unfortunate reality.” He angled his forefinger underneath her chin, tilting her head back so she had to look at him. “Continue.”

His face showed very little while she relayed her experiences. She told him how they had cautiously taken her to their camp, subtly leaving out that for a short period of time they had imprisoned her. She spoke of the dried roots they had to eat, the terrible lack of sleep and the agonizing cold. There was bitter embarrassment clear on his sharp features when she mentioned his invasion of the camp.

A long silence stretched between them once the story caught up to the present.

His thumb smoothened out the furrowing of her brow. “You need to rest. Summon the unwell children and their mothers. I will see the triplets after that.”

It was obvious he was dismissing her, leaving the discussion frustratingly open ended. He had taken her hand, raising it to his face, but she had pulled away. Confusion widened his eyes slightly when she stepped away from him with her brows furrowed. Without another word Sarah turned from him and walked out of the tent.

Marching out she nearly tripped over some supplies. One of the soldiers apologized profusely, steadying her, but Sarah flinched away from him and headed back to the people she had spent the last few days with. Pushing aside her annoyance she softly spoke to two women, sending them to the tent with their kids. They were hesitant, eyeing the soldiers keeping watch, but then quietly complied.

Among the people sitting by the fire were, conveniently, the triplets. Sarah sat down next to them, noting the way in which their hands shook when they held them up to the flames. Their skin was pale and blackened in places, their hair thickly streaked with white.

Isla sat down on the opposite side of them, speaking quietly. “What do you think? Can you do it?”

The triplets looked at each other silently, rousing Sarah’s curiosity. “Can they do what?”

The other woman seemed excited that Sarah asked and she glanced around before leaning in closer. “We’re going to escape tonight.”

Sarah blinked. “Escape?” She looked around at the tired people laying on the grass, resting with their children in the crooks of their arms. A few were talking quietly among themselves, out of earshot of the Regiment. She jumped when Otis sat down next to her. Stellan took a spot besides Isla, forming a small circle.

“Isla, I told you to keep quiet about this,” Otis said with a sigh.

“What? She can’t know? She’s one of us now, right?” The woman crossed her arms defensively. Sarah cracked a small smile at Isla standing up for her. Her eyes briefly crossed with Stellan, who smiled a little as well. The triplets were too occupied shooting each other concerned glances.

“What are we escaping from? We’re not imprisoned.” The brunette glanced around the circle.

Otis sighed, rubbing his temple. “I don’t know where you’re from…” Clearly her name escaped him, or at least he acted like it.

“Sarah,” the brunette said a little defensively.

“Fine.” Otis waved his hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter. Just because we didn’t leave you to die, doesn’t make you one of us.”

“I stand by my point,” she said insistently. “We are not imprisoned. These men sit among us. They feed us, help us and let their horses carry us. You’re not in cages. You’re not bound.”

“But we are guarded,” Otis hissed under his breath.

Sarah looked around, noting that the soldiers did seem somewhat wary. “Well, can’t blame them when we’re huddling up toward each other and whispering among ourselves, can we?”

“You’re free to join them,” the man held out his hand to a few arranging firewood. “That would save us the hassle of having to drag you along too.”

“Excuse me,” Sarah said a little louder, clearly startling most of those in the circle that they might be heard. “You don’t have to drag along shit. I carried my weight in your camp despite being wounded.”

“Yes, after I had to fish you out of a ditch in the forest.”

“This is not helping,” Stellan interjected. “Sarah, are you with us?”

The brunette frowned, locking eyes with the man in front of her. “Absolutely. I am with you guys.” The man and Isla smiled, until her hand raised. “But not in some idiotic plan that will get you guys in trouble or possibly even killed.” While Otis bristled, the others in the circle sobered. “The king has shown you mercy. Your friends and family have been personally escorted to safety while on the verge of death. He could have left you to die out there.” Her words clearly hit, as even Otis’s eyes lowered to the grass. The air shifted to a heavy hopelessness again and Sarah sighed. “Listen, I understand that this is a scary situation. And that it has been scary for all of you for a while now. You made a mistake and it has almost cost you the ultimate price. See this as a sign. As a second chance. Stay in His Majesty’s good graces, because if you run, he will give chase. And at that point it might very well be the last thing you do.” She could see the wavering confidence around her. “Let me just be brutally honest… How long do you think you can outrun cavalry in your current shape?”

“We can’t do it,” Ceann, the eldest triplet, said resolutely. The other two looked at their brother before somewhat shamefully averting their eyes. “We have suffered endless days. Maybe even weeks… We can’t even tell anymore. We need rest. We need help. You owe it to us.”

Sarah frowned, looking around the group when realization sank in. “Wait, you are going to demand even more of them?” She felt anger bubble up inside of her. “Look at them! They are basically walking skeletons.” She put her hand on the middle sibling’s arm, who sat next to her. “Sorry, no offense.”

“None taken,” he said with a pained smile.

“As I said,” Sarah continued. “I am with you. I am on your side. But not in a suicide mission. It is simply not worth it.”

Isla drew the group’s attention when she let out a soft noise balancing between a sob and a sigh. Her eyes rose to Sarah’s. “I admire your courage, Sarah.” Her gaze dropped again to focus on her fingertips brushing along the blades of grass. “But we don’t have much to go back to.”

“What? Your family and friends aren’t enough?” Sarah smiled encouragingly. “Certainly this horrible experience has made you all feel that much closer?” Isla’s smile was wavering at best. “Things will get better. I promise you that.”

Otis chuckled humorlessly. “For a girl you’re age you’re very-”

“Naive?” Sarah laughed, her humor clearly contagious as the others couldn’t help but smile. “I’ve been told that on multiple occasions. But I’ve proven myself to many people in the past. I’d be honored if you all offered me the possibility to make a difference for you, too.” Gazes shifted from one person to the next. Sarah was smiling, but the others were hesitant.

A throat cleared nearby, startling the group. A soldier approached them. “You three, the king has summoned you.”

The triplets visibly stiffened, their eyes growing wide. Otis defensively shifted, but Sarah put her hand on his shoulder. He jerked away with an annoyed growl. The brunette smiled at Ceann, nodding. He exchanged a glance with his brothers before hesitantly getting up and following the three men. Otis and Isla got up and walked away, leaving Sarah with just Stellan.

Stellan cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably. “I might not be your only admirer.”

The woman looked up at him, confused and mildly alarmed that he might have seen something between her and Jareth.

The man nodded to someone behind her and drew her gaze over. “That soldier has been hovering around you since they found us.”

Sarah failed to suppress a snort. Stellan gave her a surprised look. Anxiously she looked away. “Uh… Really? I don’t think so.”

“I didn’t support this plan,” he said quietly.

“Yeah, well… You shouldn’t. It’s asking for trouble.”

“You’re right,” he continued. “We’re in no shape to evade these soldiers now that they found us. I think we’d be struck down the moment we show signs of fleeing. We barely got away the first time.”

Sarah moved a little closer to the guy, seeing him tense slightly. “Stellan, tell me what happened.”

The man looked at her, uncertain if he should, before rubbing his face. “In hindsight, it feels like it was doomed from the start. Most people here are from the same village. A few others lived nearby. We meet often to exchange goods and services. Every week we organized a market of our own. It wasn’t much, but it allowed for some steady income and reliable resources. But every week, people turned up with less resources. Some didn’t bother to come at all sometimes.” Stellan shook his head, checking if no one was listening. “We didn’t need a seer to realize that it was going to get worse. No one outside our area had the means to trade, or listed at exorbitant prices. We were driven into a corner, and eventually discussed an escape plan.”

His posture had shriveled, recalling their struggles. He shifted, physically uncomfortable. “We headed to the border. None of us had been there before. We tried to find a gate. A lower border wall. Something that could offer us a path to a new future somewhere else.” The plan didn’t seem to offer him comfort now. He was grimacing while recalling the events. “While exploring the border we ran into a patrol from Caisnis. They alerted the Duke, who immediately sent nearly every soldier and guard in his control to the border. We were hunted, like rabbits on a bloodhound’s trail. We barely managed to evacuate before the king’s guard joined the hunt. Some of us were already wounded. Once arriving back at the village, we scrambled to gather belongings, knowing soldiers could be upon us within minutes. It was madness. People ran blindly and those who were wounded…” Stellan looked down shamefully. “Those who were wounded were left behind. I doubt they are still alive.” He looked her in the eye, his shoulders tense. “We fled north. Our group prayed for the king’s guard to stop the hunt. Unfortunately, they were ruthless in their pursuit.”

Sarah recalled the events. The two dead men in the village and Jareth’s pursuit for foreigners planning to hurt his brother. It all felt so alien, no matter which perspective she tried to understand. Countless questions were buzzing through her head.

“So… What about you?” Stellan met her gaze, smiling when her eyebrows raised in question. “We appreciate your dedication to us, but you don’t seem very hard pressed to return to your significant other.”

Her gaze wandered. The response that formed in her head made her eyes lower doubtfully. “He’d understand…”

“What did the king want of you? If you don’t mind me asking.”

The woman felt her cheeks flare and reflexively she stuck out her hand to him, hoping it would distract him from her reddening face. “He saw I was wounded and offered to heal me.”

Stellan carefully held her hand, studying the freshly mended skin. “The king did?” He didn’t seem to feel the need to mask his surprise.

“Yep!” She cleared her throat to wrench the nervousness out of it. “He’s seeing the kids now.” Sarah uncomfortably tugged her hand out of his grasp and tucked it back into her lap. She caught Stellan looking at her, no doubt noticing her blush. His smile made her feel uncomfortable.

Their attention turned to the large tent at the center. Relieved mothers walked out of the tent, their children running to their fathers. The king emerged next, looking tired but regal and purposeful. Their eyes locked for a moment and Sarah felt her heart skip a beat. She nibbled on her lower lip, feeling a familiar flutter in her stomach. His gaze turned to one of the soldiers by the entrance of his tent. He spoke a few words before gesturing for the triplets to enter.

—-

Later that night the triplets returned after a long audience with the king. Not a word was spoken of what had been discussed. 

Everyone had been given a meal and all tents had been set up. People were warmed up and comfortable and once soldiers started discussing sleeping arrangements for the night, any whispers of running had ceased. Families were requested to group up and were directed to tents. Everyone left over were assigned small groups for the night. Sarah found herself, perhaps a little too conveniently, alone. She had offered to share her tent with any of the soldiers, but they all declined. Instead, they settled to sleep under the night sky, by watch of their brethren.

Now Sarah was laying in the tent by herself, processing the past few days and enjoying the warmth of a bedroll. Sleep was slowly overtaking, dragging her into a sleep she knew would be deep and fitful. Covering her in thick exhaustion that a single night of decent sleep was not going to resolve.

She wrenched away the slumber overcoming her when she felt a sense of anticipation crawl along her skin. The air shifted and pulled away and instinctively a near giddy smile curled around her lips.

Sure enough, a second later the air settled and she found Jareth in the tent with her, propped up on his elbow with his head cradled in his hand. Laying on his side, his tired visage immediately shifted to an equally joyous smile. Sarah turned towards him and immediately shifted to lay against him. His arm wrapped around her waist and his cheek pressed against her hair.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of dropping in uninvited, to a smile like that, sweetling?”

Sarah didn’t respond, instead snuggling her face into the ruffles of his poet shirt. She drank in his scent and his warmth, putting the comfort of the bedroll to shame. Her arm wrapped around him. Her body relaxed against him, her eyes fluttered shut and before she could say anything she had fallen asleep.

Notes:

A sincere thanks to everyone that has taken the time to read this story up to this point, and thank you to those patient enough to await following chapters. Know that I haven't forgotten and know that I appreciate each and every read, kudos, comment or even cursory glance. None of you are taken for granted, and what small a connection it might be, it is greatly appreciated.

Life isn't always easy, but taking it one day at a time helps.

Be yourself. Be beautiful. You are enough.

Chapter 39: Chapter 39

It had been endless hours of traveling on horseback, quick small meals and children’s potty breaks. Days upon days passed. Temperatures steadily rose and hunger was a constant among the families. Color gradually returned to their faces but they were still recovering.

Every night, Sarah would take it upon herself to collect the children to tell stories, play and sing with them, despite her own fatigue. They were grouped together in the largest tent and were under heavy guard of the soldiers. Most nights Sarah would fall asleep among the kids, waking up in the mornings with maybe two or three other parents inside.

Jareth had been distant at best. It had been well over a week since their private reunion. He never joined any of them for meals. No one knew where he slept. During social moments he watched from the shadows, his posture stiff and his eyes cold. Observing with the rigidity of a stone statue. It was unnerving, sometimes even for Sarah.

Sleep was shallow and still hard to come by. The days were so long and stressful that despite the exhaustion, nights were restless. When the evenings grew quiet it was easy to let her mind linger on what would happen next. How long the road ahead was. How long the horses could carry the weary before exhaustion. It was still unclear what awaited these people once they set foot inside city walls. There was a nagging doubt in Sarah's mind that perhaps Jareth was distancing himself to make it easier for him to punish these people. The people she had been defending. The doubt seeded inside of her with sharp thorns, bringing forth a nauseated anxiety.

Like many days, it felt she’d only blinked, and it was daytime. Sunlight was seeping in through her tent and her body felt weak. Sluggish. Heavy.

But another day awaited. And so Sarah crawled out of her tent with sleep still heavy in her eyes. The moment gentle greens of the small clearing entered her field of vision her eyes strained against the light. The scent of boiled vegetables wafted in her direction. Her stomach flipped at the assault on her drowsy senses.

It wasn't until a gloved hand was held out to her that she realized she had been lingering. Breath lodged in her throat seeing a familiar pair of legs. Jareth. A silent pull latched onto his presence, yearning for him. The man pulled her to her feet. Sarah tightened her hold on him, hesitant to let go. Aching for more. He smiled down at her, then smoothly withdrew, walking down towards a few soldiers.

Meanwhile Sarah was left standing by the tent, feeling alone despite the people bustling around her to wake the others and clear camp. Pushing away the feeling of rejection Sarah made a weak attempt at fixing her hair.

God, how she longed for a brush. There was a very real possibility that by the time she got hold of one, untangling it would take a week. Perhaps she would have to go bald. Shaking strange thoughts from her head she took a deep breath and headed out to grab one of the freshly filled water skins. After a good long drink she fixed it to her belt and readied herself for another long day.

Later in the afternoon, mothers warned their children of local pests. Sarah had seen them too. Fairies. Part of her was enchanted by their tiny silhouettes floating around nearby flowers and nests. Their wings caught the light like little shards of glass, their movement almost hypnotising one second, then disturbingly fast the next. The sharp edges of their innocent appearance reminded her of her first encounter with them.

Sarah jolted when someone grabbed her arm, flinching away. Looking around she met with the worried gaze of one of the women. “Sarah, have you seen Ava?” Her eyes were set wide, a tremble in her hands. Looking around her Sarah noticed others looking around as well. Men and women on horseback used their height advantage to try and spot the child.

The brunette’s eyebrows set low and her mind snapped into focus. “When was she seen last?”

"Isla was walking next to her about an hour ago. She thought the childling had wandered off to find her father, but no one has seen her since.”

Sarah gave her an encouraging smile. “We’ll find her. Don't worry. Go find her mother and father.” The frantic woman hurried forward, shouldering through those who were shuffling slower now, their eyes flitting left and right in alarm. Sarah curled two fingers into her mouth and whistled loud enough that she was sure it would reach the head of the group. People and soldiers alike were startled by the sound and within seconds she saw the group come to a halt.

The king approached, tall and regal on his horse. His shadow made people shrink. His stony expression and fixated gaze didn't give much away. “What is the meaning of yet another interruption?”

Sarah quickly bowed before him, her mostly feigned nervousness bolstered by his stern tone. “Your Majesty, we beg your forgiveness. One of our young ones seems to be missing. We humbly plead to give us some time to find her.”

The monarch regarded the people around him for a moment, silently watching as the people softly pleaded with him. A woman in tears especially, likely the mother of the child. “Girvin.” The king stoically turned his gaze to the soldier that rushed to his side. “Were my instructions to keep watch not clear enough?”

“My apologies, my king. We-”

“Fan out. No citizen will wander by themselves. If the childling is not found within the hour, there will be hell to pay.” It was unclear just who was to be at the receiving end of his scorn and the families silently shuffled away. Girvin bowed deeply and with that, the monarch turned his horse and left.

In record time, people formed groups, each with at least one soldier. It was no coincidence that Sarah ended up with Girvin, she was sure of it. When people split up the soldier was quick to speak up, albeit in hushed tones.

“Are you well, lady Sarah?”

“I will be once we find Ava.” She looked up at him when he remained quiet. “I'm fine, Girvin. Let's just focus on the task at hand. It could take days to comb this place and that is not an option.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Instinctively the hair on the back of her neck stood on end when she heard a distant, shrill cry. Her eyes darted up, where she saw a pale shape flicker between the leaves. The corners of her mouth curled up, her attention drawn back to the soldier when he chuckled.

“Surely you didn't believe His Majesty would remain idle while a childling is missing?”

Sarah quickly looked away, embarrassed. “Well, he hasn't been very comfortable around the group.”

“His Majesty flourishes in your company. How he carries himself in court or around the Regiment is a stark difference from how he behaves around you.” He grinned at her reddening cheeks. “I said so before, lady Sarah. You are more of a blessing than you think.”

Her attention shifted to more pressing matters. The conversation faded into the sound of the wind brushing through the trees. Clearing her throat, Sarah started to call for the girl.

Two hours later Sarah was starting to get hoarse. The sun had started setting. Overhead Jareth occasionally flew by, high over the tree tops. The darkening skies caused his form to become increasingly easy to discern.

Sarah was starting to feel hopeless. Behind her echoed distant cries of the others. Downing the last contents from the waterskin she felt angry tears prickling in her eyes. They had to find her. There was no way she was stopping before they did.

Her shoulders jerked when a white shape swooped down between her and Girvin. A tan feather drifted down onto the floor, a sharp cry reverberating between the foliage. Sarah felt her heart leap and immediately started sprinting after the bird. With renewed energy she kept her steps large, leaping over tree trunks and narrow brooks. Her boots crunched on twigs and rocks, her weight shifting back and forth to try and keep herself stable when she went downhill. Distantly she heard the soldier behind her warning to be careful, but once she stumbled to a halt Sarah felt relief wash over her.

There, huddled into a hollowed out tree trunk, was the young girl. Her nose was running and her eyes were puffy. Her soft wheezes and hiccups were weak and her small hands were clutching her clothes so tightly her knuckles had turned white. Her eyes were pooling with tears, eyes unfocused while she wailed for her parents.

Kneeling in front of the little girl, Sarah’s heart was hammering painfully against her ribs. Her breath was labored and her body shook. Seeing the kid brought tears to her eyes. “Hi there, Ava. We didn’t see you there for a little bit.” Her talking helped the child snap out of her panic, pulling her wide eyes back into focus. Sarah held out her arms. “It's okay. I've got you. Come on out.” Cooing encouragingly she reached out for the child when she crawled up onto her feet and shuffled towards the brunette. The girl’s cries grew louder and more uncontrolled but no words left her pouty lips. Sarah shushed little Ava, gathering her up into her arms to carry her. Petting her back she looked up to the owl perched on top of the broken remnants of the trunk. Its large black eyes gazed down at her. It was taller than she remembered. Almost the size of her entire torso. The owl stood tall and unmoving, a sparkle on its tan feathers that reminded her of the stars. Its head snapped up towards Girvin who approached behind him, and with that he poised to fly off. Sarah mouthed a sincere thank you, holding Ava’s head against her, before turning back to the hill. The pale shape once more leapt into the boughs of the trees, vanishing behind them. It took Sarah a minute to climb back up the hill with the added weight, but she refused the soldier’s offer to help.

By the time people regrouped, Ava had fallen asleep, slumped against Sarah’s shoulder. Her mother sobbed with relief. Handing over the child, Sarah smiled at the tearful reunion of the family. There was no sign of Jareth. No one to share in the results of teamwork. Her smile fell, only weakly returning when more people thanked her.

—-

The next four days were mostly uneventful. Sarah had refused horseback shifts, though she wasn't exactly sure why.

She had noticed increasing efforts from the people to support the soldiers. Hunting, hauling water and following orders without question. Soldiers were letting their guard down. Conversations were made freely during meals. Sarah had taught the children a soldier’s march to liven up the trek. After families memorized the lyrics, even soldiers joined in.

Now Sarah found herself wandering the camp. Checking if everyone was provided for. Making sure everyone had a place to sleep. The meandering felt aimless, but it beat laying awake.

Soldiers had settled on the lush grass, talking quietly among themselves. Camp had been set up against the walls of an old ruin. Just before it got dark, Sarah had spotted the faintest of familiar sights. An outer wall of the Labyrinth. Perhaps it had contributed to her restlessness. So far and distant, like the memories she still held of it.

Her gaze once more fixed into that direction, even though darkness hid the structure well. Her feet continued to carry her further through the camp. A soft, warm breeze caressed her cheeks and ghosted through her hair. A warm, gentle touch against her lower back released a tension from her body she hadn't noticed before. Her head turned.

Mismatched eyes gazed down at her, angled features lit by pale moonlight and dying fires. His hair stirred gently on the breeze, as though it weighed nothing at all. He led her with just a whisper of a touch. Past the soldiers that respectfully bowed their heads. The endless white noise that had been ringing in her ears the past few weeks fell into a quiet hush. They crossed the outer edge of the camp without any sign of stopping. The woman didn't say anything. She would follow him without question and without hesitation.

He eventually stopped at the foot of a hill and lifted her into his arms. He carried her up the hill, one arm around her shoulders and one around the back of her knees. Her heartbeat had quickened, rejoicing in the contact and proximity. Reaching the top of the hill he carefully put her down. His hand trailed down her arm. Sarah intertwined their fingers and looked up at him.

Turning to each other Jareth’s posture visibly relaxed once he had taken both her hands in his own. Both let out a deep sigh, their foreheads resting against one another.

“Thank you.”

Sarah look at him. For a moment she wondered if she had heard him correctly. “For what?" Her voice was still quiet. It didn't feel right to break the tranquil silence.

“Everything.” His grasp tightened. “For surviving… No, thriving in the situation you were put in. For proving you can carry your own. For your strength. Your compassion. Your protection for those around you. For your stubbornness. And your kindness. For showing me time and again how powerful a gentle hand can be. For your patience. Your lightheartedness when it is most needed. I could go on until the sun kisses this hilltop.” He briefly gazed towards the distant encampment, visible only due to the dying fires. “You strive to shoulder burdens others can’t carry. You lift up spirits that are breaking. You bolster hope and build trust. You bring change powerfully, without the aid of magic or political influence.” The man looked back at her, his eyes sharp in their sincerity. “One single, beautiful soul that could win over even the most stubborn of creatures.”

Sarah blushed, her eyes lowering to the ruffles of his shirt. “I don't… I'm not… all that.”

He chuckled, lifting their hands up between them. “Embrace yourself, darling. Draw strength from your accomplishments and wield confidence like the powerful weapon that it is. You shine with the brilliance of the sun no matter where you go.”

His words made her heart soar. She pulled her hands from his grasp and raised them to curl around his neck. “I missed you.” They felt like such hollow words compared to his praise, but they were the only words she could wrench from her throat. Pulling him down towards her she felt his gloved hands cup the back of her head.

When their lips met, everything felt right in the world again. Gone were her worries about what would come next. Gone was her bone-deep exhaustion and the soreness of hiking. Nothing existed but the two of them. The warmth they fed into each other. The gentle touch that tensed with a desperate relief. He pulled her closer still, drawing her in to pour every bit of adoration into their kiss. To show her how much he cared for her when words fell short.

Sarah was lost in their kiss until its taste tinged with salt. She pulled back just a little bit, confronted with the assault of emotions that were on the cusp of spilling over. A deep, wretched sob rocked her down to her core, swallowed by his mouth on hers. Her body trembled. Her fingers curled in the soft silk draped over his shoulders until her skin stretched into a pale white around her knuckles. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, sorrow rising from her chest until it bubbled up in whimpers and hiccups. And yet he kept going, the gentle pecks and slow brushes coaxing every emotion out of her. He was patient and gentle, yet unrelenting. His hold on her kept her afloat. Kept her from drowning in the harsh waves of pain that washed over her. The sweetness of his kisses chased away the bitterness that weighed heavy within her.

“You are safe, Sarah.” His voice was soft and smooth between each brush of his lips. “You are strong. You made it. It is over. Everything is alright.” His hands lowered to her waist, pulling her against him. “I have you. I will hold you. I will carry your burdens.” His arms wrapped around her, tightening until her body molded flush against him. “You are safe. You are enough. And you are mine. I will never let go.”

Sarah cried until no more tears would spill. Sobbed until her ribs hurt. Trembled until her body went slack with exhaustion. Once she slumped against him their lips parted and he tucked her head under his chin. His steady heartbeat eased her own. His warmth fed her mind, body and soul. His hold bolstered every word he’d spoken.

She was safe. She was alive. She was his.

Eventually her breathing became steady again. Her cheeks dried and her body’s strength returned. Her emotions slowly drifted into place, like autumn leaves on a lake the surface grew even once more. It wasn't until then that she felt his hand gently petting her back.

Sniffling, she wiped her eyes. His firm hold yielded when she pulled back to look up at him. “Thank you, Jareth…”

His smile was beautiful. Soft with kindness and glowing with devotion. Pressing a gentle kiss against her lips, he held her until she withdrew to let out a deep sigh. “I suppose that was the past few weeks sinking in. Finally.”

“You have done tremendously, Sarah. I could not be more proud. Nor more honored to be the one to help you through the aftermath.”

The woman took another breath. “God… Is it usually this exhausting? I feel like I just ran a marathon.”

“It gets easier,” Jareth said quietly. His lips curled at her questioning gaze. He helped her sit down on the grass, settling next to her. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her hair. “Lana was there for me during those times. She is more motherly on a bad day than the woman that gave birth to me ever was.”

Sarah huddled against him. “She really is very gentle and caring.”

“I would not be the person I am today without her. She taught me how to be attentive. To be considerate.” He tilted his head so his cheek rubbed against her hair.

The woman made a soft noise of contemplation. “I think you are kind at heart.”

“You think so?" His hand reached out until he felt her grasp it. “Many would beg to differ. The title of Goblin King does not invoke a tender image.”

“I stand by what I said. You went through a lot. That makes it easy to build walls around yourself.”

“Apt analogy, sweetling.”

Sarah smiled, absentmindedly playing with his hand. His long elegant fingers curled and caressed her own. Eventually, Sarah’s mind started wandering to an inevitable subject.

“What are you going to do once we get back to the capital?”

His posture grew rigid, and it seemed to take conscious effort to relax. “I haven't quite figured that out yet.”

“I suspect people interpret your iciness as an omen for severe punishment. They seem scared.”

Silence stretched between them and the air grew heavy. “I don't blame them.”

“Are their fears valid, then?” This time Sarah repressed the urge to pull away.

“They are justified.”

“Why?”

“My neglect is reason enough for my subjects to dislike me. Fear started long before my rule. During a time of terror and volatility. I never offered my people security. I never built trust. I have only just started what I should have centuries ago.”

“Do you remember the times I used magic around you?” He produced a crystal ball on the tips of his fingers. Sarah nodded, her eyes following his fluid motions when he juggled the object effortlessly back and forth from his palm to the back of his hand. Its shimmer captured the moonlight in its depths like a silent thunderstorm. “Quite beautiful, isn’t it? So light and innocent. Seemingly so fragile and playful. But magic can be a most horrific weapon.” The crystal ball came to a sudden stop back onto his fingertips. Combined with his words the inanimate object suddenly seemed much more intimidating. “It needs no size to command fear.” His hand shifted so he could pinch the crystal between his fingers. It shrunk in his hold until it was no larger than a pea. It spat out sparks that curled around his wrist. His glove and sleeve tinged black and briefly smouldered like embers. He let go of it and the small orb drifted away before it popped out of existence.

When she looked at him his gaze was distant and haunted. His hands wrung uncomfortably. “My father wrought one of his greatest devastations in the Great Elsewhere... Where nothing is, nothing ever was, and where nothing fades.”

He drew a slow breath and rose to his feet. When he held out his hand he was visibly tense, but his chin was held high. “Let me show you.”

Chapter 40: Chapter 40

Notes:

Happy Halloween ~ !

Figured you all deserved a treat.

—-

Being shifted from one world to another was a fantastical experience, to put it simply. Being removed from a plane of existence was a different sensation entirely.

Every inch of skin broke out into a sweat. Fine hair stood on end and goosebumps prickled across skin. It felt like lightning was about to strike.

Sarah squeezed her eyes shut tightly, despite her instincts telling her to be weary of her surroundings. Her body struggled for control while her mind fought to relinquish it. An insistent pressure forced itself against her eardrums and squeezed her lungs until there was no air left. Panic spiked in her system. Jareth’s hold on her had vanished. She could no longer feel her body. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t do anything but surrender. Surrender to not seeing, hearing or feeling. Surrender to his absence.

Then, as quickly as everything pulled away, another world presented itself.

Her chest felt like a balloon stretching to its limit. Her skin rippled and shuddered. Her center of gravity pulled her in all possible directions at once, nearly sending her toppling over. Her mind was reeling. What was happening? Where was she? Had she always felt her heartbeat pulse along her skin? After a few seconds, her eyes fluttered open. Her vision strained and flickered before it pulled into focus.

Her eyes locked with Jareth’s. Beautiful, magnetic and binding her to familiarity. He wasn’t holding her anymore, but he was there. She wasn’t alone.

His voice was different. The third repetition of an echo. Flat, delayed and fading. “Be still. Find your center. Hold onto it.” His eyes were trained on her, sharp and studious. “Don’t be frightened. Let go of your mortal ways. You won’t need them here.”

Sarah frowned, trying to process what he meant by that, before her mind caught up. She hadn’t exhaled since they arrived. She didn’t need to inhale, either. There was no taste in her mouth. No chill or heat against her skin. No weight compressing the soles of her feet. In a way, she felt naked, even though she knew she wasn't. Raising her hand up to her face, the space and air around her gave way like she was standing in jello.

Wrestling down the panic, her gaze wandered. Her mind couldn’t make sense of anything. There was nothing. Everything. Her gaze didn’t focus. Couldn't focus. Visions zipped past so fast there was no use trying to make sense of any of them. The turn of her head caused her body to flail uncontrollably. There was no sense of ground underneath her feet. No atmosphere around her. Jareth grasped her hand, but his hold didn’t register. No comforting warmth nor the security of his grip.

The Goblin King looked strange. Flat. There were no shadows on his features. Nor light, for that matter. Distant vibrations of his voice still rippled in the distance. When he stepped closer she could see light shifting around his feet. A brief flash of northern lights, disappearing like fading roots and slithering snakes.

Sound was palpable. Physical. It didn’t reach her ears, but flowed through her and vibrated through her bones. A droning sensation. Groaning, similarly to a stressed rope. It was loud, ever-present and stressful.

Her vocal cords stuttered. Breath seeped from her lips only to grow still and linger in front of her face. Something in her pulled and shifted. The woman winced. Adapting to speaking as though it was the first time she ever did. Her voice drifted into nothingness, yet hummed softly around them. “Is this…?”

“The Veil,” Jareth said solemnly. “Everything leaves a shadow here.” Their voices mingled and drifted. Blending together and warping the words.

The woman looked around again. Things started to make more sense. Specks of gold floated around them. Like snowfall played in reverse and fireflies. Like dying embers and falling stars. Colors of fine gossamer and cobwebs shifted in the void. Static on a television. Nightmares and fueled fever dreams. In some places light bled through invisible cracks while in other areas shimmered in shards of broken glass. It felt as though the world was endless, yet its borders clung to every single inch of its two visitors. Sarah’s gaze was drawn deep into the abyss.

“It’s the same…”

“The same?”

Sarah repressed a shiver. She could feel his voice against her skin. Rich and soft akin to a lover's purr. Her attention drew back towards the endlessness. “The ruins in the North. The stillness. The font. It’s the same.”

The man froze. A breath beckoned past his lips in a quiet gasp. His gaze wandered over their surroundings. “Brilliant.” His voice was still soft, but full of reverence.

“Is this where you took Toby?”

“Yes. Part of him still lingers here. It always will. And yet, more of him was drawn from here than there ever was in his own world.” His gaze was distant when he looked into the depths around them. Their questions and comments bounced around them, ever-lingering and constantly present.

Her hand reached towards his face and her brows knitted together. A careful touch traced down his neck.

Parts of him seemed gone. Translucent. Flickering like a dying flame.

Jareth noticed her studious look and removed one of his gloves, tucking it into his pocket. He held up a hand for her to see, smiling wryly. He let their fingers intertwine when the woman reached out, watching while she studied the vague outline of his physical form tangling with her own. “Vexing, is it not?” Her other hand carefully pried into his shirt, watching the waning sight of his alabaster skin. “This is what happens when one turns hollow.”

“Hollow?” It was hard to draw her eyes away from the alien shadows. The fair, pale skin was there. Yet it wasn’t. Her hand didn’t slip into the gaps in existence, but she didn’t feel anything either. Then again, it didn’t seem that there was a use for most senses in this place.

“Magic demands a price. One that cannot always be seen in our own worlds. It shows how it was used and how it was abused.”

Sarah turned to the rift, her entire field of vision taken up by the Veil. Her mind was continuously trying to process what she was seeing. Her instincts fed her tiny snippets of information. Unfamiliar faces, unknown sceneries and newly birthed colors that had never been seen before. Her ears pricked as though she was standing in an enormous hall with thousands of people speaking at the same time. Yet every time she tried to focus on anything it drifted away. The air, or lack thereof, felt charged. It pulled in every direction. It rushed around them with dazzling speed yet felt completely still. It was constant and even, yet jagged. “It’s kind of beautiful.”

A new vision was suddenly in front of them. It was at least twenty feet tall, yet for some impossible reason, there was no discerning its edges. From it leaked a golden light in thick streaks. A consistency reminiscent of blood. It dripped upwards, curving around invisible shapes yet not sticking to any of them. The liquid gold morphed into small bubbles before detaching from the unseen surface. The shapes hovered and floated around them. In its translucent depths flickered images. Visions she couldn’t understand and ghosts of things that might have been. Her breath caught when she spotted a familiar pair of mismatched eyes. Younger. Wide-eyed. Frozen in either pain or terror.

Instinctively Sarah reached out to them, distracted by another shimmer of gold that sang the sound of an older Jareth uttering her name. She knew it was the first time he spoke it.

A sharp jolt of pain drew her gaze back towards the orb she had been reaching for, just in time to see it pop against her fingertips. The sound of a deep, rough voice boomed around them. Sarah couldn’t understand what was said, but the intensity and force behind it made her blood run cold with fear. Her body stumbled. Her arms flailed. Only when she looked around did she notice it was because Jareth had pulled her back. Much like the vision she had just witnessed, his eyes were wide and fearful.

“Do not touch it.”

Swallowing thickly, Sarah looked back at it. “It’s wounded.”

It took a moment before he replied. “Yes… All those centuries ago… The Veil didn’t yield to that monster, but it did tear.”

The woman felt the pull of endlessness, luring her into the depths. “And you?” She turned to face him, resisting the temptation.

“I learned to ask.”

“Did your father… die here?”

When the Goblin King finally spoke, she was so certain he was going to say yes, that she almost didn’t register his actual reply. “No. He perished Underground.” The hand clasped around her wrist seemed to coil tighter. “His madness had been eating him for a long time, but I believe that his clawing through the Veil gouged out a good portion of what was left.”

Now attuned to the environment Sarah swore she could feel his thoughts. His emotions. A glimpse of something that transcended empathy or understanding. It wasn’t quite like seeing or hearing it. If anything, it was more of a taste. “How did you fix it? The Veil, I mean.”

“I didn’t. Not really. I mended it where I could. Being a soul that can traverse it, I hold myself responsible for keeping it stable.”

At some point, Sarah’s eyes had drifted shut. Not out of fatigue or in focus, but involuntarily so. She was still listening. Attentive. But a part of her was drifting. Quietly bewitched to float along an alien current. At first, when her eyes snapped back open, Jareth didn’t seem to mind her possible distraction, but the alarm in her gaze sharpened his features. For the first time she took a deep breath. Not a gasp in alarm or surprise, but an intrinsic need for it.

Gravity shifted. Even Jareth was caught off guard because of it as he nearly toppled over her. A wave crashed through her body, not painful or physically forceful, but mentally overwhelming. The gold flecks that had been floating around rushed up towards her, scattering along her skin. Some disappeared on impact, others rolled off only to drift away again. There was a flow within her. A force. It was indescribable. An instinct, maybe. Or was she feeling her own blood pumping through her veins?

When Jareth reached for her she looked up at him with wide eyes. She could feel a pushing and pulling on her body. Feeding off of her and filling her up all at once. It prodded and pierced through her until she felt limitless within the Veil. Looking down at herself, Sarah was glad to find her body was still there, even if it looked strange here. “Fuck.”

A realization widened his eyes. “Your magic. The Veil senses it.” He placed his palm against a point high on her belly. The woman winced, her stomach flipping when she felt an unnaturally forceful pressure on it. For a moment, she was convinced she was going to be sick.

But then the sensation shifted. It settled within her with a shimmy. For just one single thud of her heartbeat she could see the flickers and gaps on his body pulse. Her panic was shoved away and forced into tranquility. A flow of energy deep within her shifted and the Veil itself leaned into her, staggering her until her palm bumped into him. Only visually could she tell she touched him, yet there was a different sort of connection. A static tremor. Sarah’s jaw dropped in wonder when the translucent parts of him rhythmically became more prominent in tune with her heartbeat. The breath that expelled from his lungs was weighty. Like he could freely breathe again for the first time in a very long time. A dreadful pain alleviated with a single touch. She could feel energy shift within her pulse, similar to ripples in water. Moving their surroundings. Not with force but gentle guidance.

He stepped closer. Jareth’s eyes were hooded and dazed. Perhaps there had even been a sway in his step. The man’s proximity pushed against her, strained, then slipped away until the surroundings bent around them. His arm wound around her and he pulled her against him. “We need to leave. Close your eyes.” Sarah complied. “Don’t breathe until we’re back.”

It seemed easy enough, yet when the woman was tugged away, everything around her shifted. Her adaptation to the Veil’s reality shattered when she found herself back Underground. She tried to settle back into the world. Once she breathed in again, her body expanded and senses rushed back towards her. The weight and limits of her body. The sound of the wind brushing over the hilltop. The slight chill of the air nipping at her cheeks. The scent of mist and morning rain. And finally the comforting warmth of Jareth as he stood pressed up against her. A vile bitterness lingered on her tongue and her body felt painfully heavy. Sarah’s eyes fluttered open.

He looked normal again. The way he should. Intense eyes and pale hair. Sharply etched features in stark moonlight. Breathing in deeply, the woman savored the smell of him. Her hands splayed on his skin, feeding off his warmth. Sarah’s knees wobbled, gave out and sent her sinking down onto the grass. He knelt beside her, assuring she was alright before letting himself settle on the ground with a deep sigh. The impact of their trip settled. Her mind stilled. The silence and solitude around them eased the tension and allowed for readjustment.

Jareth seemed weary. Worn out, even. Her hand found his, touching the warm, bare skin. There was a hint of orange light on him, heralding brightening skies.

“I must point out, sweetling…” Their eyes met. “Only you could’ve uttered the first profanity into the Veil. It will forever be tainted with your beautiful vulgarity.” Both laughed, their hold tightening for a moment.

After that, they lay down in silence for a while. Processing everything that just happened until the stars had vanished and the sun started warming their skin. Sarah could’ve sworn Jareth had even dozed off for a moment.

“Thank you,” Sarah eventually said in a soft whisper. “For sharing this with me. It means a lot.”

“I’ve been contemplating… No… Struggling to work up the courage to do this.” A deep breath rushed from his lips. “It is a burden I have carried alone for centuries.”

The woman studied his profile, smooth and fair yet tight around the edges. His eyes were distant and glued to the skies overhead. “So… The Veil balances.” Her fingertips played along the back of his hand. Her lips curled up when she heard his breath hitch. His head turned to face her. “What do you suppose that means? For you. For Warren… For me.”

The Goblin King pondered her question. “I’m not quite sure. That font we found in the mountains… I think you were right to assume it was blood from the Veil. I think… In that when we consumed it, the Veil did what it always does. Balance. Maybe that is what it has done for Warren.”

“Balance him? By fixing his eyesight?”

“Perhaps.” His voice was contemplative. “As for me… It could have attempted to patch the parts of me that I sacrificed when mending it. The missing parts you saw. The parts I left behind there. Perhaps the parts my father left behind…” His face had turned away, either in contemplation or to distance himself. Though, despite not seeing his features, the soft rumble in his chest couldn’t be anything but a growl of frustration. “If only I had more answers.”

“And me?”

The softly spoken words caused their eyes to lock again. His hand turned so his palm faced up. “I dread to say that I’m not sure… Perhaps it was your extended time in this world. Even normal humans that live here adapt to the Underground as a childling. They adapt to its nature. To magic. Despite living in it, your presence here is in a certain way unnatural. It is also possible that, like Warren’s blindness, something within you is missing or broken. Something we… Or at least I myself, have no knowledge of.” He shifted and sat up. She followed. “It is unknown what the Veil is. It could be energy, or magic. It could be an entity or a god. We have no idea if it is in any way intelligent or conscious.” The Goblin King smiled at her thinly. “We simply can’t know.”

Sarah nibbled on her lower lip, her gaze wandering in thought. How was she supposed to comprehend what was going on if even Jareth had no idea? Looking back up at him, as though she expected to find answers there, she found something in his gaze shifted. He had grown distracted. Staring at her with a transfixed countenance. Self-consciously Sarah shied away, but he caught her hand. “You are beautiful, my darling.”

Her cheeks caught aflame and shyly she watched his slender fingers curl around her own. Eventually she worked up the courage to look at him again. “We, uh… Should probably head back, right?”

His gaze wandered to the sky, now painted in vivid colors. “Yes… I do apologize this trip has robbed you of your sleep.”

“That’s okay. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” She smiled at him. “I just hope we’ll be off the road soon.”

Caressing her face he smiled back. “I’ll bring you home, Sarah.”

The woman leaned into his touch. All words stuck in her throat, knowing that in a way, she already was.

—-

The next two days were more of the same. Endless walking with brief breaks and modest meals. Soldiers kept marching on like machines clad in muscle and skin. The horses started stumbling and getting agitated. The children, too. After every break it was harder for them to get back on the road. Temperatures were climbing high enough that reaching the capital couldn’t take much longer. Many men and women had shed layers, as the heat became unbearable in their winter apparel.

Sarah did too, and by sunset on the second day she was riding on horseback near the king himself, her sleeves rolled up and her shirt gaping slightly. She was in no way making a show of herself. Her genuine priority was to cool off as much as she could. Regardless, she had spotted him stealing glances her way every now and then.

She was in no position to accuse him of anything, though. After all, she had been doing the same. It wasn’t until she had given it more thought that it really sank in how much that night had meant. How their solitude had allowed for them to finally fully reunite after the ghastly time in the snow. He had been so proud of her. He had held her secure in his arms, protecting her from the world around them while her pain and stress finally broke through the cracks. He had been there for her, and in turn had allowed himself to be vulnerable. The more he shared snippets of his past and the more he allowed his burdens to be shared, the harder it was to keep him at arm’s length. His charms, good looks and protectiveness had been nice, but his trust and confidence in her made all of it so much more meaningful.

Her gaze wandered back towards him, noticing he had lightly pulled the reins until he was almost next to her. The curl around his lips was playful when he looked at her from the corner of his eye. The fading sunlight cast a glow around his pale hair into a shimmering halo. The angle of the light was just right to compliment his high cheekbones and highlight one of his eyes, burning like embers. For a moment his gaze wandered lower and Sarah knew exactly why.

Briefly looking down at her partially unbuttoned shirt her cheeks tinged with warmth that had nothing to do with the sun. She couldn’t fight off the grin forming on her face when she realized that even after the horrid events of the past weeks, he was being cheeky… And in the presence of not only the soldiers but the people they were escorting, too.

Sarah looked up at him through her lashes, the corners of her mouth still turned upwards when she lightly let her fingers trail up along the collar of her shirt, drawing his attention down.

Sarah wasn’t exactly known for flirting but her attempt seemed to get a response. His gaze lingered. The smile had faded and his gaze had turned darker. She could see his hand on the reins tighten and pull, his horse throwing its head and holding back until he was next to her. “I’m keeping up pretenses as per your wishes, sweetling.” His voice was a low purr, colored with amusement and something more dangerous. “But I have no qualms with publicly claiming you as mine right here and now.” He invitingly patted the small space on the saddle in front of him.

Sarah froze. She hadn’t forgotten the others were there. Not really. But somehow it hadn’t dawned on her that they might notice. Somehow it hadn’t crossed her mind that maybe this wasn’t exactly the perfect place for messing around. The Goblin King seemed to catch on and smirked. Smoothly he gestured for the procession to stop, summoning one of the soldiers with the order to set up camp.

“Already?” Sarah saw him smile subtly at her surprised tone.

“We’re almost there, but we won’t reach the capital tonight.” His gaze turned to the horizon. “We shall rest early today, so that these people might be able to shoulder their fate.”

His voice was ominous. Not malicious per se, but earnest. Following his gaze to the horizon, beyond rolling hills, she could spot city walls.

Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Every step closer to the city walls felt heavier. Even for Sarah. They had left early, woken by soldiers that were quick to pack up. Children had still been rubbing sleep from their eyes while they watched the sun rise over the hills. Everyone was on foot today, as the horses had been brought to a nearby farm overnight so they could rest.

Well, everyone except the Goblin King. He led the group with stoicism and authority. Gauging his thoughts, moods or plans was next to impossible. He had shown up the moment everything had been packed and had not even gazed in her direction. His face was a blank mask, thin lips sealed and set tightly. In response people kept even more distance from him. The Regiment’s impassivity was decidedly new. They had been friendly with everyone before, but today they marched wordlessly at the back of the procession. Looking over her shoulder, the soldiers mustered a half-hearted smile.

Everyone was on edge. It was palpable. Families were deliberately slowing their pace to postpone their judgement as long as they could, holding children close and refraining from the usual chatter.

Along the route they passed several farms. Laborers worked the fields and herded all kinds of animals. A short train of carts passed them, pulled by large, bulky orcs. Or that’s what they looked like to Sarah, anyway. Dwarves rode past on ponies. Goblins climbed along cobblestone walls and disappeared into the shadows to avoid the large beasts hauling boulders.

Guards stationed up ahead spotted the king approaching and called for the gates to open, welcoming the monarch with a deep bow.

The structure towered over them for at least twenty yards. Calling them walls didn’t do them justice. It was evident that the giant edifice served a purpose, seeing it had windows and doors on the inside and the construction was a few yards deep. Sarah repressed the urge to walk over to the gigantic doors to trace the elaborate patterning on them.

The city itself felt larger than life. Tall and quaint buildings greeted them. Laundry hung outside to dry on clotheslines. People conversed on the streets and children played unfamiliar games. While she had been in the castle and had seen some of the goings on from a distance, to walk among the citizens was a new exciting experience that briefly distracted her from their path to the verdict.

Houses were painted in a variety of colors, mostly in mixes of blue and green. Stained glass and a wide range of plants accented the streets and made it feel incredibly cozy. Birds flew overhead and perched on clotheslines. Water fountains and pumps were plentiful. Seeing as they had been practically isolated for at least a few weeks now, her ears rang with the sound of voices, animals hooves on flagstones, construction and sometimes even music. All walks of life wandered past them. Tall or short. Slow and lumbering or light on their feet. Most walked or ran. Some rode horses or other creatures. Some had green skin, others were pale, tan or a variety of other colors. Some had claws. Others had wings. A few greeted the group, but most kept to themselves.

Sarah had, incorrectly so, hoped that once they entered the city, it wouldn’t take much longer to arrive at the castle. Unfortunately, it took hours before the castle came into view. By the time it did, streets had grown wider, more well-kept and even and less densely populated. Craftsmen, middle class residents and merchants were less common, replaced by the rich, housekeeping staff and nobles. Housing became larger and fenced off. Even children were dressed in fine apparel, their heads held high in favor of pleasing their parents. Some even carried parasols to shield their mothers from the sun.

In this part of the city overhangs and canals were common, and it was immediately noticeable why. The heat of the sun beaming down on them was kept at bay by the breeze gliding along the water. Shadows offered plentiful reprieve. Some buildings gleamed in silvers and golds and the slight frowns directed their way told Sarah that commoners weren’t exactly celebrated here.

The city had kept Sarah so preoccupied that it wasn’t until her skin was shielded from sunlight that she noticed they stepped into the shadow of the castle. Even though no one had said anything for a while, an uncomfortable hush fell over the people around them. With a graceful flourish Jareth dismounted his horse, leaving it for one of the soldiers to stable. The clacking of his boots on stone echoed through the street. The brunette let her gaze wander along the group. Their shuffling grew even slower the moment the door to the castle grounds opened. They pressed closer to one another, despite the gates being large enough to comfortably fit them without rearranging. Looking back, Sarah spotted soldiers crowding the people forward. Most did so with a patient handful of words, while others physically pushed them inside. Her eyes met with several now-familiar faces. Stellan. Otis. The triplets, Isla and Treasa. She also made eye contact with the Regiment, including Girvin, who was weaving through the crowd towards the king. Behind the soldiers were people she didn’t recognize. People clearly living in the city, trailing the procession curiously.

Isla had joined Sarah’s side, and her arm nervously hooked around the brunette’s. “I’m scared, Sarah.” Her voice was quiet and strained.

Sarah smiled, putting her hand on the woman’s arm. “I know… But… I suppose all we can do is make the best of it.”

Due to the people’s hesitance, Sarah naturally shifted to the head of the group. She held her chin high and tried to relax her shoulders. Even though people were visibly distraught, she hoped her courage offered them some bravery of their own. There was no way back. There hadn’t been for the past weeks, though that hardly made the consequences any easier to bear.

Isla clung to Sarah’s arm when they walked into the throne room. It was flooded with sunlight, seemingly focused onto the throne perched on top of a dais. Many soldiers had at some point split from the group. The remaining ones stood against the wall, guarding the entry doors while citizens filed in. Sarah’s stomach felt heavy seeing the city folk shuffling into the room, whispering among themselves like the giddy disaster tourists they were.

Jareth’s steps echoed ominously when he approached the throne. The woman looked back just in time to see him turn on his heel and sink into the throne. Several people around Sarah sank to their knees, lowering their heads in a quiet beg for mercy. Others followed, including Isla. Parents quietly shushed their children, who had nervously started sobbing and asking to go home. Meanwhile, Sarah stood tall, showing fortitude while it lacked in others. Jareth’s gaze was slowly meandering along the room. He sat straight and tall, legs crossed and his mismatched gaze cold with the poise required of him.

For a painfully long time he was quiet. No one in the room uttered a word. No one pleaded for forgiveness. Even the nosy visitors in the back seemed to hold their breath. After a while, Sarah’s heart sank back down her throat and she caught herself wondering why nothing was happening.

That is, until she spotted familiar faces from the corner of her eye. First was Warren, who wandered towards the dais as though he was taking a leisure stroll. He was followed by Beyza and Alana, who floated down the aisle gracefully. Both women kept their eyes on the king across the room. Once the royal family had positioned themselves close to the monarch Sarah finally made eye contact with Jareth. He leaned forward just the slightest bit, the leather of his jacket creaking softly. The room charged with a suffocating tension.

“Lady Sarah.” His voice was clinical, his hand gesturing next to him.

The woman’s eyes widened and her shoulders tensed once more. Sarah’s thoughts buzzed through her head wildly, scrambling to figure out what to do. Clearly he was inviting, if not commanding, for her to take back her spot by his side. To separate herself from the people she had so staunchly defended. To leave her charade behind and expose herself as someone that had personal ties to the king. Possibly even more so than his actual family, seeing as his siblings were standing by the very edge of the large platform that the throne was positioned on.

She had built the trust she had needed. She had earned it. They had welcomed her into their fold, and now he needed her to abandon that game of make believe.

His promise to bring her home had been kept.

How did he expect her to abandon these people? How did he not understand how much they needed her by their side right now?

Her heart was breaking. Torn between defending and supporting those that believed to have walked their death march, and taking her place beside him. Showing that she trusted he’d make the right decision. Sarah was scared. She wasn’t sure he’d make the right decision. Not by her convictions, at least. Everyone, including Jareth himself, had made it very clear what sort of outcome was expected.

The handful of steps up to the dais were a struggle. Her feet felt heavier than cinder blocks, outweighed only by the heaviness of her heart. A nervous dizziness blurred the edges of her vision and her body grew jittery. After what felt like forever, gazing into his eyes, pleading with him to no avail, her weight shifted forward. The first step was the most difficult. The ones following doused her in numbness. She could feel countless eyes on her. Piercing through her. Her mind reeled with what the families might think of her, yet she didn’t look back. Her steps echoed quietly when she climbed the steps and with her eyes cast downwards, she turned back to the room, painfully aware of her spot right next to the throne. By his right hand.

There was a quiet wave of gasps and soft whispers. The blood pumping in her ears kept her from hearing what they said, and her eyes remained pinned to her feet. Her jaws were clenched tightly in a furious effort to keep tears from falling.

Once the murmurs quieted and Sarah had swallowed back tears, her attention was drawn by Jareth rising to his feet. She hated the emotionless countenance on his sharp features. The chill in his eyes was sickening. Her eyes shifted back to the room just in time to see the last people sink to their knees. Some people, mostly women, had lowered even further, folding face down towards the floor. A few pairs of eyes were on her, including Isla’s, filled with a saddened confusion and hurt. She also noticed Otis watching her, though his gaze was less forgiving.

Her eyes shifted back towards the king, though he did not look at her. His voice was quiet, but carried easily.

“You stand before this court charged with discord, deceit, dereliction and the endangerment of your own kind. You abandoned your homes and spread fear and unrest in your wake. You drew the innocent into your folly, including your own childlings, endangering lives that should never have borne your burden. You left dwellings and public property in ruin, fled from your king’s forces and the justice of the crown. These are your sins against the realm and the crown. Do you deny it?”

Silence stretched on for a while, though eventually it was Otis that spoke up. “We do not, Your Majesty.”

“Then, by the letter of our law, your lives are forfeit.”

The tension in the room was unbearable. Mothers clutched their children and men crumpled. Soldiers stood with their backs against the wall, still like suits of armor. Sarah couldn’t bear to look at anyone, her eyes glued to the ceiling while fighting to hold back tears. The tears were bitter. Heavy with sorrow and prickling with anger.

“Lady Sarah.” Jareth’s low, even voice pulled her back to the present and before she consciously decided to do so, she looked at him. “What is your council?”

Her heart stuttered. Blinking, the cloudiness disappeared, allowing her to see him more clearly. “M-my…?” His jaw was still set tight, but she saw a spark in his eyes. Encouragement. Or was it scolding?

“You have walked among them as an innocent party and endured the consequences of their actions. What say you?”

Sarah briefly looked back at his siblings. Warren’s mouth was agape. Beyza, while poised, was tightly clutching one hand with the other. Alana’s eyes were wide with shock.

Looking back, Sarah saw kindness in his gaze. An opportunity of which its significance was slowly sinking in. He was offering her another chance to be the hero. To save those under his power. It felt reminiscent of her great adventure many years ago, yet infinitely more important. His mismatched gaze held hers, steady and quietly supportive, for as long as she needed it.

The Goblin King, with his struggles to balance authority and goodwill towards his citizens… Held back by his mistakes, his struggles and the resolute power from the crown heavy on his head. He was giving her a chance to show his citizens that even with power, there could be kindness. And he wanted it to come from her. A soft hand that had seen past his many flaws. A compassionate companionship that could show both him and his many subjects that he could be kind. That he could be swayed to show mercy. That he was not his father.

Not just to her. To everyone.

She looked at the sea of people whose eyes were shifting with uncertainty. Her vision was no longer blurry, though she couldn’t quite see clearly. The woman looked back at the king, lips parting for a moment before her vocal cords could muster a response. “Mercy,” she said unevenly. Swallowing thickly, she looked back at the families a few steps below them. “They have suffered enough.” When she looked back there was a microscopic upward twitch in the corner of his mouth, quickly schooled with practiced precision.

Jareth regarded the people in front of him calmly, watching their faces slacken with confused hope. Sarah repressed a wobbly smile, knowing deep down he was just doing it for theatrics.

Slowly the Goblin King got to his feet, all eyes trained on him. He was at perfect ease, unlike the woman next to him. “So be it.” People’s faces immediately streaked with tears. Sobs could be heard and the citizens that had come for a spectacle were visibly uncomfortable in their embarrassment. “But make no mistake. Mercy is not absolution. You will have roofs. You will have bread. But you will not have a voice. No vote, no counsel, no claim to border or leadership for as long as you shall live. Serve well, and perhaps your childlings will know better.”

Those still knelt onto the floor vehemently rubbed their eyes. Watery smiles on their faces while they hugged one another and offered comforting touches on their peers' shoulders. More than anything, Sarah wanted to run towards them. Offer them comfort of her own. But she remained by Jareth’s side, giving him a wide, relieved and grateful smile. His smile was gentle, with a hint of sharp teeth. Gazes turned back to the king when he stepped forward.

“No quill but mine will mark this record. Your names, your deeds, your debt to the crown… All of it shall bear my hand.” Jareth turned his head to watch Beyza from the corner of his eye. “Bring the ledgers. No one leaves until the ink has dried.”

—-

It was near nightfall when the last name was written. With the task done, Jareth rose to his feet and stepped aside to finalize the paperwork with Beyza.

The men and women immediately took the opportunity to approach Sarah, who experienced a relief so intense that it threatened to knock her out.

“Sarah, we can’t believe it… This whole time?” Isla gawked at her.

The woman smiled uncomfortably. “I… I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to lie… I just wanted to help.”

Otis crossed his arms over his chest. “Who are you, really?”

Treasa pushed forward into the group. “Sarah, I’ll have you know that I was personally convinced you were a godsent by Caelithra herself. She heard our prayers and sent you to aid us.”

Sarah had no idea how to respond to that, luckily soldiers stepped up and started instructing them to return home. She touched one soldier’s arm and looked back towards the ragged faces of the people. “Wait, where will you go? Surely you can’t walk all the way back again? Not in this state? Not after everything that happened?”

“We’ll take our time,” Isla said with a nod, looking at the people around her.

One of the men shrugged. “Perhaps some of us can try to settle here in the south. After all, we have made it work without our belongings for quite some time now. Perhaps building anew isn’t the worst idea.”

The brunette frowned at that. “You had but the clothes on your back in that snow-covered wasteland.”

Isla hugged her, smiling at her warmly. “We’ll be fine, Sarah. Or should we address you as Lady Sarah, too?” Sarah chuckled at that. “We hope to see you again, sometime.”

Nodding, Sarah felt a wave of sadness overcome her. Although the past weeks were strenuous, to put it mildly, she did get rather attached to these people. Perhaps that’s what a traumatic experience did to a person.

Ava’s mother stepped up, holding the little girl by the hand. “Thank you for all you have done for us, Sarah. Perhaps, the next time we’ll see you, we’ll boil you some roots, for old time’s sake.”

The woman scowled theatrically, but couldn’t keep the giggle from bubbling up. The soldier urged the people to get moving, and Sarah petted Ava’s hair with a smile. “Goodbye, Ava. Be brave, okay?”

The child fussed in discomfort, until her mother touched the back of her head. “What do you say to Sarah, Ava?”

The girl bashfully hid her mouth behind her hand, avoiding eye contact. “Thank you, Sarah.”

Her mother smiled at the woman opposite of her, warm and kind with the gratitude of a soul saved. “That’s from all of us, Sarah. We wouldn’t have made it without you.”

For the umpteenth time that day, Sarah felt tears pool in her eyes. She doubted these families realized just how hard those words hit. But before the tears could spill, the people turned away and Sarah saw Stellan step up. “So, am I right to assume that the companion you are to return to is… you know?” His gaze wandered off to the side with theatrical nonchalance. The blush on her cheeks seemed to tell him plenty, and he grinned. “Well… I couldn’t dream to compete with that.” He winked. When he placed his hand on her shoulder, his expression shifted to a relaxed smile. “I dare speak for all of us when I tell you that this accomplishment is all your own. Don’t let your ties take that away from you.”

Sarah nodded, groaning softly while rubbing her face. “God, after all that happened, I feel more miserable now than at any other point in the last weeks.”

Stellan laughed aloud, his gaze shifting towards the king. “I’m sure you’ll be in good hands. Fare thee well, Lady Sarah.”

With that, Sarah watched the last people walk out the hall. Her heart was heavy, but a crushing weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Exhaustion started to sink in until she felt like a marionette on its last string.

A familiar face stepped up on the dais. “Lady Sarah, I have been requested to escort you to your rooms.” Girvin smiled warmly, holding out his arm for her. Sarah briefly sought Jareth’s gaze, who smiled at her. She bit her lip and nodded, letting Girvin lead her away.

En route, she heard servants and lingering civilians talk amongst each other in hushed voices. Sharing what had transpired in the throne room. They talked animatedly about the king asking council and whispered of the king’s mercy.

By the time Sarah reached her chambers, she felt about ready to pass out. Girvin stopped by the entrance. “The king has sent for servants to aid you. They will provide you with a hearty meal and assist you in whatever you might need.”

The woman nodded and let herself practically fall against the soldier. Her arms wrapped around him. “Thank you, Girvin.”

The soldier kindly patted her back. “There is no need to thank me, Lady Sarah. Rest. Tomorrow belongs to you. Spend it as you see fit.” He pulled back, still smiling. “Though I must inform you that there will be a family dinner at eight. His Majesty trusts you will be there.”

Sarah chuckled. “I will be. Now… I’m gonna take a bath until I crawl out a prune. Good night, Girvin.”

The soldier bowed solemnly. “Allo'nae, Do Shoilse.” He looked up at her. “Rest easy.”

Sarah headed inside, yearning to scrub herself until every inch was red and tender.

Notes:

Wha - two chapters in a week? Did we sleep through till Christmas? What can I say? I'm on a roll. In fact, I'm already halfway through chapter 42. Though I reserve my right for endless revisions... I still aim to get this story done before 2026... Or well... At least this part...?

/coughs in sequel considerations

Anyways. Hope to see you all soon! Thank you for the lovely comments y'all have been leaving for me ~ They truly brighten my day.

Chapter 42: Chapter 42

Notes:

Before we jump in, let me just say... Every chapter I upload gives me anxiety, haha. I just hope you all like it. Same for this one. Enjoy the read! The next one should be uploaded in the near future.
—-

By the time Sarah woke up, it was well into the afternoon. The first thing on the docket was a long, good shower to take care of her body like only she could. It was almost ritualistic and meditative, shedding the events of the past weeks one soap and one scrub at a time.

By the time she was done she was yearning for another meal. Which was good, because despite having the day to herself and not doing anything, she was running late.

When she was ready, a servant outside her door had given her directions to tonight's dinner location.

It was comforting to walk through the halls. Her mind had not yet quite caught up with being back. Being safe, warm and cared for. She'd feel guilty for being privileged like this, but her survival instincts reveled in being taken care of for the time being.

Finding the location was easy enough. It was in the sunroom she’d had breakfast before. Alana was already seated in the window sill. Her dark eyes lit up when Sarah stepped in and she immediately rose to her feet, arms outstretched. “Sarah, dear.” The women greeted each other with an affectionate hug. The petite woman cupped the brunette’s cheeks fondly. “By the Gods, it is good to have you back safe. I am happy to let you know I spent a good portion of my afternoon scolding my foolish, irresponsible brother for losing you.”

Sarah giggled at the mental image, sitting down on the windowsill next to Alana. “Will he still dare show up for dinner?” The two women laughed.

Warren and Beyza arrived next, opting to already be seated at the table. They had barely taken a seat before Jareth walked in. The blonde had swept in with a brisk walk, suggesting he’d been rushing. He slipped into the seat next to Sarah, taking a moment to tenderly press a kiss to her knuckles before acknowledging his family. The brunette smiled bashfully, but didn’t pull back when he kept his hand over hers on the table.

During the meal conversation flowed easily. Topics were light and avoided anything work related or Sarah and Jareth's recent experiences. During the meal, Jareth and Sarah kept finding reasons to briefly touch one another. Whether it was to pass down a bowl of steamed vegetables, or to draw the other’s attention in conversation. It felt so comforting and natural that neither seemed to notice the glances being exchanged by those in their company.

Once dinner had concluded, Sarah found that the idea of the evening ending was unacceptable. So, instead, she proposed to play a game. Something Jareth instantly and excitedly latched on to.

The king had introduced Crowns and Chalices. A game that consisted of five goblets, one per player, with one gold coin and four silver coins. Each goblet hid one coin. Five separate glasses of wine stood on the table to be drunk from after every turn. During a turn all but one player looked away while the goblets were shuffled. The goal was to avoid ending with the gold coin, or to claim it before the reveal if the person believed it to be in their possession. The rounds per game as well as the amount of games were usually equal to the amount of players.

Jareth swiftly discovered that Warren attempted to track turns using his keen hearing and his magic, so the king sang or made casual comments during every turn, distracting him from doing just that. It sufficiently distracted Sarah as well, causing the first two turns to be won by the Goblin King.

The third turn, Sarah hit her stride, and Jareth’s gleeful disposition soured exponentially when in the fifth game, Sarah was confident she’d win for the third time in a row.

With her hand on the chalice, ready to proclaim victory, she lightly jumped when Jareth leaned in, covering her hand with his own. He grinned widely at her, leaning just a little closer. “Are you quite sure, darling?” Wine carried on his breath. “It’s the last round. If you claim the gold coin to be in your cup incorrectly, victory will be mine.”

“I’ll take my chances,” she said sweetly, plucking his hand off of hers.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you…”

Sarah’s hand stilled and she looked up at him. Sharp teeth were showing, but his eyes didn’t crinkle. “Oh… Look at you. You’re practically quaking in your boots.” She heard Alana and Beyza giggle and smiled charmingly when his smile fell and one eyebrow raised at her. Revealing the coin, it shimmered in pristine gold in the candle light. The woman let it sparkle between them. Despite his distracted gaze he scowled. “Beat again, Your Majesty… That’s… what? The fifth time I win a game against the great all-powerful Goblin King?”

His voice was cold and tight when he leaned in slightly closer. “Withdraw your turn.”

“Make me,” she said casually, throwing him a playful grin. The coin glimmered in the light.

Despite the tension, which had nothing to do with Jareth’s demand, the blonde leaned back. “And how would you propose I do that?”

Sarah studied the coin, nonchalantly leaning on the table. “Hm… I don’t know.” She looked up at him. “Make me an offer I can’t refuse.”

There was a shift in the passionate mismatched eyes. A predatory glint unrelated to his urge to win. For a moment the room was quiet, the two happily soaking in the suspense. His nose crinkled seeing how Sarah played with the coin. “I’ll have Beyza fetch the scales again.”

The room burst out laughing, not counting Jareth. Sarah looked at the woman across from her, remembering how Beyza had been offered her weight in gold. “I have no use for that amount of wealth. You’ll have to do better than that.”

A smirk showed sharp teeth when the king leaned back in. “One secret, then…” He leaned closer still, his fingertips slowly tracing the edge of the gold coin when her hand froze. His eyes flicked briefly down to her lips before smoldering in a way that made her heart race. “Your winning move for one confession.” His hand moved to encircle her wrist, his thumb rubbing up and down the inside of her palm. It sent shivers through her body. “I’ll tell you precisely what I imagined the last time you said my name.”

Sarah licked her lips. Even though her mind was fumbling over itself, she was just sharp enough to notice the darkening in his eyes when her tongue flicked out. She leaned closer still and his hand tightened. It was evident that her smile had him convinced she would accept. “I don’t need your confessions, Jareth.” Sarah could tell how her soft murmur of his name affected him. “It is as plain as the nose on your face.” Pulling back, she put the coin down on the table to proclaim victory. Alana and Beyza were cheering, while Warren was grinning ear to ear.

That night, there was only one loser at the table, and he was on the verge of outlawing an innocent drinking game consisting of a few cups and some pocket change.

—-

It had been three days since their return to the capital.

While exploring the grounds Sarah had briefly visited Jareth’s office. A grand study worthy of royalty, with shelves upon shelves of books, scrolls and scriptures. The sitting area was modest in size, but luxurious in quality. A large desk stood on the opposite side of the room. It rivaled the dining table in her childhood home. Behind it sat Jareth, looking up only briefly when she walked in. There was a small statue of a bird on one corner, but the rest of the desk was absolutely packed with documents. Concerned that she might disturb him, she had swiftly made herself scarce and had continued her trip around the premises.

Truthfully, Jareth had been aching to entertain her, even long after she’d left, but after his absence there were many duties to catch up on. So he shook the distracting thoughts of the young woman roaming the castle and focused on work.

Some time later, his hand was cramped up but the pile of work had yet to shrink in any way that was noticeable. Flexing his fingers snapped him out of his flow and his ears pricked while he once again lowered a freshly inked quill to the paper.

His quill stilled mid sentence.

Was that…?

Rising from his seat he moved to the window and gazed outside. The gardens sprawling below were empty, save for the royal gardeners that turned towards the very thing that had caught Jareth’s attention. Gazing to the right he could just barely spot the castle gates. Surprisingly, they were open. And more curiously, a large group of people were walking through. They were carrying things, but more curiously, they were singing.

Retrieving his gloves, he marched out into the halls. The low muttering to himself alerted servants to stay out of his way. His strides were long, his cape billowing behind him. The halls were uncharacteristically abandoned even for midday. When he finally reached the large entrance hall, the swift clacking of his boots were drowned out by cheerful chatter. It quieted the moment he reached the last, long stretch of stairs leading down to the ground floor.

His steps came to a swift standstill.

The hall was filled. Packed wall to wall.

They were commoners. People that rarely entered this part of the city, let alone enter the castle uninvited and unannounced. Some people were in the process of kneeling by the stairs, others sang or spoke to one another. Scattered on the steps of the stairs, tucked away into the corners, were vases, parcels, woven goods and other objects.

His mind was blank. There were no words. No learned reactions he could assign to what he saw before him. A sense of panic came over him. A mix of nervousness and discomfort that he couldn’t quite name at the moment.

Eventually he descended the stairs. His steps were slow and precise. Calculated but distracted. While he walked down, people didn’t flinch. They didn’t look away.

The songs weren't any he recognized. He understood the words though, and they were threatening to buckle his knees. It was a cacophony of languages and a blend of definitions, but all pointed in the same direction. Gratitude, relief and recognition.

Smiles were freely given. Some bowed their heads, but didn’t grovel. There was a lump in his throat. A stifling sensation, not of discomfort, but speechlessness. Even though he heard every word, everything seemed distant. People spoke to him. Thanked him. Praising his mercy. Commending his understanding. Voicing their relief that he showed he could rule with compassion, rather than force. Some spoke of their connections to the people he had shown grace. Others only spoke of how they had heard what happened. Subjects offered their modest gifts. Not asking anything of him, but simply bestowing their possessions before quietly leaving.

By the time the hall was nearly empty once again, his bewildered gaze finally connected to a pair that snapped him out of his numbed state. A hazel so beautiful it put any autumn to shame. A gentle green and burning embers. His hands reached for hers hurriedly, his grip tight. Her voice was soft, but grounded him immediately.

“They intended to leave these at the gates. I thought I’d invite them in.”

The warmth and sparkle in her eyes finally eased his racing heart, yet words wouldn’t come. Despite some civilians still being present, he let his hands caress her face. His fingertips brushed along her freckles and her strong eyebrows. The slight asymmetry in her smile never failed to enchant him.

The lovely creature in front of him, so sweet and virtuous, so spirited and utterly maddening. Capable of making time stand still with just a smile. Masterful in getting under his skin in the most alluring ways possible. His champion and his conqueror. His obsession and his home. His only dream. She was the center of it all. The eye of the storm. The leader of those wandering. Someone so selfless that all he wanted was to move the stars for her.

She was his true beginning. His journey. And his only possible end.

Uncaring for who might see, he cradled her face and leaned down to rest his forehead against hers.

Only Sarah had spotted the duchess and princess watching the scene unfold.

And only Sarah had felt his hands tremble.

—-

Later that day, long after sunset and long after Jareth had forced himself back into his study, Sarah found herself wandering the castle after dinner. The halls were empty. Lit sconces created dancing shadows. Open windows let in a dewy smell and a breeze carrying a slight chill. Her feet carried her to a room she had been in earlier that day. Briefly looking up at the large, imposing wooden doors she rapped her knuckles against the wood before slipping inside.

The room was dark. Almost too dark. On the desk stood a few candles and on the far wall hung a lit sconce, but the fireplace was barely smoldering anymore. Her gaze locked with a mismatched pair, and with a smile she descended into a theatrical curtsy. “My liege. You’re ruining your eyes working in such dim lighting.”

His response wasn’t cold. Not exactly. But it wasn’t one she’d been expecting.

“Sarah,” he said in simple acknowledgement before turning back to the documents in front of him. Well, at least the pile had significantly dwindled.

Shrugging off his seemingly indifferent response she decided to stay this time and walked over to one of the bookcases. Letting her fingers run over the backs she browsed until she found something in English. A medium sized tome called the Compass Compendium. Intrigued, she lowered herself onto the rug, curling up with her back against the bookcase and flipping the book open. From the corner of her eye she noticed Jareth briefly look her way before turning back to his paperwork.

In no time at all, Sarah found herself fully engrossed in the book. Her eyes scanned the artful margins and beautiful lettering, not to mention the collections of maps which were richly illustrated. Her perusing stopped at a large map, titled in neat calligraphy. Islaemar. It was the first time she saw an image of the kingdom. Its name, even. It felt strange that it had never been brought up before. But then again, she’d only read Jareth’s last name several weeks ago. The kingdom was bordered by several others. Drovakar, Solvairn and Vaelorne had seemed to be given the most attention in the artwork.

A specific part of the map caught her attention. It was blank. Undefined. It claimed to be Labyrinth and her eyes raised to the monarch sitting nearby. Despite the intriguing find, Sarah put aside the book at the sight of him. His gaze was distant, the quill in his hand was tipping dangerously close to one of the candles while his hand fidgeted with it. His other hand was poised close to his mouth while he stared blankly into the room.

Rising to her feet, Sarah walked over to him, touching his shoulder when he didn’t respond to her approach. There was a brief jolt and he blinked before looking up at her. “Jareth, are you okay?”

He cleared his throat and put aside his quill. “Yes. Of course. I…” He stopped himself. For a moment his gaze flicked left to right. “I don’t know.”

Her hand played with his hair for a moment, a gesture he didn’t seem too responsive to either. “You look as if the world just shifted under your feet.”

The Goblin King looked down at a droplet of ink that had fallen onto the paper. The last sentence on the document had been abandoned halfway through. “Perhaps it has.” He rubbed his face wearily. “I… I have never experienced anything like this. I don’t recall ever having received such a lavish gratitude from my subjects. I didn't know how to respond. I couldn't think. I never expected… Frankly, I am not used to…”

“The grandest gestures aren't made of wealth.” The handful of words made him contemplative, his brows knitting. Holding out her hand, she beckoned him to stand up, wrapping her arms around him when he faced her. At first he simply held her to his chest, but then he shifted his weight, allowing himself to lean on her and seek comfort. While the moments passed, his flighty heartbeat slowly started settling.

When he softly called her name, she pulled back to look up at him. His eyes were soft and infinitely deeper than any ocean could hope to be. Feeling the weight of his hands on her waist, she smiled encouragingly and leaned into his palm when he cupped her cheek. At first it seemed like he was going to kiss her, but the air grew heavy between them. The set of his brow hinted towards a certain vulnerability and the way in which he spoke softly, almost cryptically, sparked jitters in her stomach.

“There are many moments in my past that haunt me. But one path stands bright, for it belongs to you. This time, let it be ours.”

Chapter 43: Chapter 43

Notes:

Fun fact: this chapter is 13 pages long in my Google Docs.

Anyways...

—-

The sweet, flowery scent of the castle and the near broiling heat of midday was gone before she knew it. Distant chatter and birdsong faded. Instead a chill slithered up her back and her stomach rolled nauseatingly the second they transported. It rendered her body numb and clammy and spiked her heartbeat.

Her eyes flew open, though she needed no confirmation. The drag of time. The smell of dirt, stone and deadened wood. The breeze swept through her hair like a wraith’s sharp, bony fingers. Dry dirt crunched beneath her feet and even though the temperature was fine, goosebumps prickled on her skin.

Before her lay a daunting scenery, stretching along her entire field of vision. While her vantage point was high, the feeling of intimidation was unshakable. The structure below writhed along the landscape. Dividing itself with crooked walls and guarded by tall obelisks. It was cloaked in oranges from the rising sun and threw dark shadows into its crevices. Far ahead she could see the lush canopies. A forest. Further yet, the warped and cold walls of a castle.

Her chest contracted. She feverishly gasped for air. Years of her life blinked out of existence, hauling her back with an icy grasp, into the shoes of a temperamental and over-confident teen. Intense fear overcame her, fueled only by the inability to breathe properly. Her feet shuffled back and her arms spread out, dreading she was about to faint. Her back collided with something solid and the felt two hands grasp her upper arms. Alarmed, she flinched and turned on her heel. Mismatched eyes caught her gaze and immediately she pushed herself away, nearly tripping this time.

“Sarah?” The rich, cultured voice drifted towards her, mixing a kick of anxiety with a careful and gentle beckon. His brows were furrowed in concern and his hands carefully reached out for her.

Blinking, the wicked ghost of the past was replaced with the fun-loving man of the present. Rubbing the cold sweat stuck on her palms onto her trousers, she forced herself to take a deep breath. The look of hurt on his face was heartwrenching. “F-fuck… Jareth, I’m sorry. I…” She swallowed thickly and brushed her hair out of her face with shaky hands. She meant to chuckle, but it rushed past her lips in an unflatting sob. “Sorry, really. I… A warning would’ve been nice.”

Jareth stepped up and grasped her hands, steadying them. “Sarah, forgive me. I did not anticipate such a visceral reaction.”

“Neither did I…” The woman took another calming breath and could muster a smile this time. “I’m sorry if this kind of spoils the surprise.”

“Nonsense,” he said softly, still aiming to soothe her. He brushed his thumbs across her fingers, back and forth slowly. His lips parted, but he hesitated before he spoke. “Are you alright? Would you prefer us going someplace else?”

Sarah felt her heart melt at his worried expression. Pulling her hands free she cupped his face. “No! I like it, I do. I think I just got some mild trauma response.” His brows were still lowered and she smiled, standing on the tips of her toes to press a gentle peck against his lips. Wrenching the last bit of adrenaline out of her fingers she turned to face the imposing view of the Labyrinth. Taking a deep breath, she adjusted her present self with the Labyrinth’s existence. Remembering the fascinating things she had experienced here.

Excitement was slowly bubbling up, until she grew light on her feet. She could feel Jareth’s eyes on her and she looked around with a wide, genuine smile. “Let’s go!” Her feet carried her quickly down the exact hill they had stood on many years ago.

Reaching the outer wall, the tufts of yellowed grass and small obelisks glittered in the rising sun. Approaching a little pond, she fondly remembered meeting the grumpy, cowardly dwarf. Hoggle. While the little pond in which he’d relieved himself was still here, the dwarf was not. Her gaze traveled along the walls. There were dozens of fairies fluttering around, but there was no sign of her old travel companion.

“He’s not here,” Jareth said with mild amusement. “I suppose he felt no desire to be around these parts at this time of year.”

“This time of year?”

The Goblin King chuckled when she swatted at a few fairies approaching her. “It’s mating season for fairies. Don’t hit too hard. You’ll attract the flock, which in this season could be hundreds or even thousands.”

Sarah scrunched her nose, huddling a little closer to the king, who seemed to be a natural fairy repellent. “I hate fairies.” Jareth happily wrapped an arm around her. “So… How do we get in without Hoggle?”

That question seemed especially offensive to him and he raised his eyebrows at her. “I beg your pardon? We don’t need that little weasel to get into my very own domain.” He placed his hand against the large bricks, sprouting roses that scaled the wall at alarming speed. Their leaves caressed the stone and from between them a large set of doors appeared. He removed his hand, stepping back so the doors could swing open with a loud groan.

Sarah practically ran through them, putting her hands on her hips and looking left to right with a smile. The endless pathways, lined with narrow bricks coated in moss, lichen and dead foliage stretched far past the horizon. “So. Which way do you want to go?”

He chuckled, looking over her shoulder while she turned right. “Well, you went that way last time.”

“Eager to relive the past, are you?” Her voice was high and playful, grinning at him from the corner of her eye.

“We can walk different paths in our future. Today, let’s walk the echo of your first victory.”

“Are you referring to the other times I kicked your butt?”

“No, my little minx,” he said with a low purr, his tone both warning and sickly sweet. “I am referring to the triumphs you’ve had on your adventures.” His fingertips teased down along her back. “Such as the time you saved my life. Or just last week, where you managed to persuade your king to show mercy, not just to one or two, but dozens of inhabitants.”

“Oh, those…” She said coyly, before bounding down the corridor. “Catch me before I get too far!” Sarah could hear his low chuckle rolling down the passageway, sending flutters through her stomach.

The woman leapt over splintering trunks, bushes covered in cobwebs and fallen rocks. She dodged thin branches and broken twigs reaching across the passage. Her breath caught when suddenly a firm grip closed around her wrist and pulled her back. Within a blink her back was against the wall. Her lips parted when Jareth boxed her in, smirking widely.

Strangely, it was that moment that it really sank in just how much had changed. He was no longer the unreachable, frightening presence. The tall, looming shadow sending a chill down her spine. No longer did every word instill her with fear, nor did his every step invoke dread. Granted, he could definitely be scary if he wanted to be, but that seemed an increasingly rare occurrence.

“So… Right, then. Yes?”

“Correct.” Stepping back from the wall he offered her room to take the lead.

One hand gingerly reached out in front of her, before she felt herself shift through an opening she hadn’t believed to be there before. “So… Are there more openings to this one hallway?”

“Oh yes,” Jareth said proudly. “Hundreds, if not thousands of them.”

—-

They had walked through the first segment of the Labyrinth in companionable silence. Sarah had caught herself tracing her hands along the walls. Peeking into other corridors, eager to see what she hadn’t years ago.

Jareth had been guiding her through turns she wasn’t sure she’d made last time. Had she left some sort of trail? Other than the faded marks of cheap lipstick, which had been fruitless even then. Was there some instinct driving him? Perhaps there was only one route to the castle. Perhaps, he had memorized her path. It was possible, and extremely impressive if that was the case.

At one particular turn, he lagged and Sarah immediately knew why. In front of them stood two figures. Lanky, canine characters with two legs, four heads and four hands, the latter of which were clamped onto two large shields. They were leaning back, mouths agape in slumber. At least two of them were snoring. After giving the man behind her a quick glance she hesitantly stepped up. “Uh… Excuse me?” She repeated herself when they didn’t respond and one of them jolted awake with an unflattering snort. The others woke groggily.

The woman wasn’t entirely sure what to do. After all, it was no use asking a question. They were going to follow through with her last path anyway, in which case she could just take the door on the right.

Looking over her shoulder she spoke in hushed tones to the king. The characters only just seemed to notice his presence, and animatedly stood to attention. “I, uh… I really prefer not to plummet down into that horrific pit of hands again.”

He chuckled. “Well, don’t you think you should solve their riddle first? Who is to say the doors haven’t switched?”

“Have they?” Sarah’s eyes were wide, but his shrug really didn’t tell her much. Turning back to the characters she debated what to do. “Well… Last time the door on the right got me into a dank pit. I would’ve died there if Hoggle hadn’t found me. So should we even be striving to go there again?”

“An oubliette is hardly certain death, Sarah. Besides, they told you that one leads to the castle too, didn’t they? And you did reach the castle.”

This time Sarah fully turned to face him. “Wait. Is it even true that one of them lies and one of them tells the truth? Or was that a lie?” His cheerful smile didn’t tell her much and she put her hand on her hip while the other pointed towards the doors. “Lead on, Birdbrain.”

“As you wish,” Jareth said in a pleased purr, walking past her. The characters stepped aside without hesitation when the king approached the left door. Pushing it open, he turned to Sarah. With a wink he stepped backwards and plunged down, out of view.

Sarah yelped and rushed towards the door, looking down into pitch black darkness. “Damn it, Jareth!” She looked back at the creatures, who curiously watched her and the pit below, regrettably not bothering to help. Groaning, she peered down again, squeezing her eyes closed before forcing herself to step forward.

Yelling, her arms reached out, but didn’t connect with anything. She looked up, seeing daylight fade into a pinprick before total darkness enveloped her. Sarah’s heart dropped when her body suddenly came to a full stop.

Two arms had wrapped securely around her. One around her shoulders and one around the back of her knees. Snarling in frustration she beat against Jareth’s chest, who was now laughing. “I swear to God, Jareth. Pull a stunt like that again and I will kill you!” Her voice echoed hollowly around them. “Where are those stupid hands?”

Jareth carefully set her down. “I have two perfectly capable hands right here, darling.” To demonstrate, he caressed her waist, before being rudely pushed off.

“Get us the hell out of here.”

“Very well, sweetling.” For a moment there was soft rummaging, then a small oval light bled into the area. The rest of the room was completely dark, but the light streaming in from the doorway was plenty. Ducking her head she swiftly exited, grumbling under her breath.

“Are you trying to set a new record, Sarah? I didn’t expect you to be in such a rush.”

“I’m not particularly fond of dank holes in the ground,” she said while briskly shuffling through a low tunnel.

Turning a corner, a low droning sound reverberated against the walls. Every step it got more overwhelming. By the time they reached a wider and taller hallway, the sound was unbearable and Sarah had her hands pressed firmly against her ears. Jareth pushed against her back, hurrying her along. Large stone faces carved out of the walls were frantically speaking, though no words were comprehensible. Their stony eyes rolled left and right while they droned on. Spiders skittered away in alarm, their webs torn apart. Jareth’s hand on her back guided her steadily through the tunnels until Sarah practically stumbled out into a corridor that looked like a sewer.

Turning around, the woman saw the walls shift behind them with a wave of his hand. Brick by brick they covered the rougher terrain beyond. When the intense rumbling stopped, the woman removed her hands from her ears. “What was that?”

“A heated discussion.” Jareth idly brushed some dirt from his person, his expression one of discomfort. “It’s no use trying to interrupt their bickering. Most are deaf and all are blind.”

“They seemed fairly pleasant last time,” Sarah said with a sigh.

The Goblin King watched her move next to him, touching the wall to make sure it was really there. He leaned one arm against the wall. When she looked up at him, her eyes flashed with recognition. “So, Sarah… How are you enjoying my Labyrinth?”

Sarah giggled, blushing at his flirtatious smile. “Oh, you know. It could be worse.”

“You do have far better company this time around.”

Her hand idly traced the sigil on his amulet. “I don’t know… By this time, Hoggle and I were holding hands.”

His eyes narrowed and he snaked one arm around her waist. “Well,” he said contemplatively. “I can certainly do better than that.” Jareth peeled her off the wall and pulled her up against him. Their lips were only an inch apart and the desire to close the gap was maddening. But he held still. “See? Much better.”

The flash of annoyance in her eyes was more evident than she realized.

“Shut up and kiss me.”

Jareth raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. “Why, Sarah. You can’t just order around a-”

He was surprised, though not at all complaining, to find her usually shy kiss to be more insistent this time. He let her lead, yielding to her pace as best as he could when he felt her slender fingers bury in his hair.

The Goblin King could never quite put his finger on what she smelled like. It was like a mix of cotton, roses and fresh butter. And even though he adored it, her taste was so much better. Rich honeysuckle and strawberries. But there was a sensual note to it as well, and every time he tasted it he was left wanting more. Her body stretched against him so she could drape her arms around his neck. Sarah’s eyes flew open when he picked her up.

“That’s it. I’m taking you straight to the castle.”

Sarah shrieked when he unceremoniously dumped her over his shoulder, turning to walk down the hall. “Wait, no! Jareth! Put me down!” She dissolved into giggles and wriggled in his grasp.

—-

This time, hedges were covered in white and purple flowers. The leaves had grown thick and vibrant. Foliage leaned heavily over the walls, spilling from their confinements and draping over tall walls. Despite the look of nature taking over, the landscape seemed carefully curated. Pristine, yet wild and aged.

Hooking her arm around Jareth’s she looked around contemplatively. “Hey, Jareth?”

“Yes, darling?”

“The Labyrinth is built on special ground, right? That natural energy that you mentioned.”

“Well, technically, the Labyrinth’s age far exceeds my own. It is difficult to say if it was built here due to the powers the land holds, or if the force of nature belongs to the Labyrinth itself. Perhaps the Labyrinth was born from these powers.”

“Right. Well…” Her fingers trailed along the small leaves of the hedges that glittered in the sun. “It’s just that almost everything in this place seems to… sparkle.” Sarah looked up at him. “Could it be that the Labyrinth is somehow tied to the Veil?” Her hand skimmed the glistening bark of a tall, skinny tree. “I don’t know… It just feels so familiar. And no other place I’ve seen seems to shimmer like it.”

He placed his hand over her own while she held onto him. “Ever the clever girl, Sarah. It is something I have considered as well. It is not unlikely.”

“Is that why there were glitters on your clothes the other day? Did you visit the Labyrinth?”

His gentle and patient expression grew tighter. “Truthfully, sweetling, I was going to discuss this with you once we reached the castle. I have been noticing remnants of the Veil within you. A resonance.” For a moment he didn’t speak, visibly considering his next words. “I feel that I was stitched together using part of the Veil’s energy in an attempt to reverse my hollowness. It could be what binds me. What allows me through.” He looked down at her, his brow furrowing. “I can’t detach myself from it. Tearing the Veil’s mark could destabilize it once more, and I doubt that is a good idea… But I digress.” His steps were large, but calculated, echoing against the upcoming stone walls. “I have a theory that the Veil reached out to you for a purpose. It is possible that it sensed our connection and acted upon that. Maybe, the Veil balanced me through you.”

Sarah faced him when he stopped walking. He leaned against a wall. Its stones were sharp and crooked, yet formed a perfect fit for one another. “I fear it assigned you to restore balance. A soothing balm to my rough and jagged edges, if you will.”

“You… fear? Do you think it might not hold? Or that it might negatively affect me?” The woman stepped aside to lean against the wall next to him.

“I fear that it might withdraw your agency. That it might force you to stay by my side. I don’t want to subject you to that, Sarah. I won’t let history repeat itself.” He looked at her earnestly. “I will not shackle the woman that I… care deeply for, to be at my side by force.”

Sarah blushed at the brief stalling in his words, suspecting he had nearly run his mouth into deeper waters. She took his hand. “Really, Jareth. You give the Veil too much credit. I made up my mind to be with you before the Veil could get its sparkly hands on me.” The woman grinned. “There’s another pair of sparkly hands I prefer.” Jareth grinned back, sending flutters through her stomach. “But all joking aside, Jareth… I chose you. Of my own free will, long before our visit to the Veil.”

They shared a moment of silence, staring into each other’s eyes. Eventually Sarah pushed herself off the wall, tugging him with her. “Now, let’s get moving. I have a record to break.”

“I knew it,” Jareth said with feigned outrage.

The small clearing they had temporarily stalled at didn’t offer much. A tree had torn apart a wall, its gnarly roots making a perfect weapon for an unsuspecting passerby. There wasn’t a whole lot else. On one side were crooked walls, likely a border to the next segments of the Labyrinth, while the other side consisted of thick, lush hedges.

The Goblin King raised one eyebrow at her quizzical glance towards him. He knew exactly what she was looking for, though. “I take it you are looking for the… What did you call them again? Two ugly characters?”

“Where are they?”

“I can’t hand out secrets to my precious Labyrinth like it’s candy at a children’s party, darling. Such wisdom belongs to the crown alone.” He chuckled at the roll of her eyes, slowly pulling her in closer. “Are you that eager for another dance?”

Sarah’s heart skipped. Her mind hadn’t quite caught up to that chapter just yet. Thinking back to the packed ballroom made her stomach roll. The memory of it felt like a dream, nightmare and reality all wrapped in one. The ethereal music and the countless riches had been mesmerizing, but the masked crowd and their cackling had been extremely uncomfortable. They had confronted her with insecurity and anxiety. Not to mention the reality that she’d still been a child, no matter how badly she had wanted to be treated as an adult.

And then there was Jareth. A handsome, charismatic presence that had an innate talent to draw people in. Or her, at least. Those alien eyes could never fail to take her breath away.

But she hadn’t fully understood. Quite frankly, it hadn’t been all that long ago since she started to grasp what it all meant. Why every time she saw him she was short of breath. Why every time he touched her she wanted to both run and lean closer.

When she was a teenager, it had scared her. Hell, sometimes it still did. The Goblin King had been someone too dangerous to be trusted. Someone all too capable of luring her in, like a moth to a flame. It had made her flinch. Back then, it had made her realize that, while she very much still felt like a child, adulthood was right around the corner. Both aspects of that lesson had been equally frightening and exciting.

Blinking back to the present, she realized that all that reminiscing was of little use anymore. Adolescence was no longer a question. Now, adulthood was undeniable.

The sun shimmering through the boughs overhead shone down on his pale blonde hair and speckled over his face. It glittered briefly over his eyes, changing one from sparkling ice to a clear sky, and changing the other from a deep earthen tone to a rich chocolate. His lips curled in the way that made his eyes crinkle beautifully.

Sarah just hoped that his arm tightening firmly around her waist was perfect timing, and not him noticing that her knees were about to give out.

When Sarah leaned in, his smile faded. His attention pulled towards her lips and his chest ceased its steady rising and falling. “Actually, my mind was a bit preoccupied with something other than dancing.” Her fingertips grazed along the smooth angle of his jaw and his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed. “After all,” she said softer this time, no doubt that by this point her breath whispered against his lips. “I have a record to break.”

The low rumble rising from his chest was a warning, yearning and promise all wrapped in one. His hold loosened, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he slowly led her backwards, until her back made contact with sun-warmed sandstone.

“Tell me, Sarah.” By the time his lips were near her ear, she knew for sure that he could hear her heart racing. “Are you frightened of intimacy?”

The question completely floored her. Her hands balled to fists at her sides and she nibbled on her lower lip. He remained unbearably close, but didn’t pull back to look at her. Sarah wondered if he did so intentionally, to make it easier for her to respond.

It was a truth she had never spoken out loud to anyone. The way in which it now had to, was far from poised. Words spilled clumsily from her lips, evidently rushed out as some words flowed into others. “I’m afraid it will change things. A-and that I’m… not good enough.” Her eyes wandered again, her cheeks burning. “B-besides…” She shriveled, tucking her head and raising her shoulders in discomfort. “I don’t think… I ever… You know.”

Jareth stepped back to offer her some breathing room. One hand fell to his side, while the other gently took hold of her own. “Thank you, sweetling.” His soft spoken voice drew her gaze back to him. “I greatly appreciate your honesty and your courage to voice these concerns.” He smiled. “May I respond?”

Sarah nodded mutely, her heated face cooling gradually with his calm and collected reply.

“It will change things,” he confirmed, looking down at her hand while he brushed his thumb over her knuckles. “But I am certain it will not negatively impact our bond.” When their gazes met once more, his smile was soothing. “Our time together has taught me that your participation in the pleasures of the flesh is limited-”

The woman covered her face with her hands to hide the blood pooling in her cheeks. “Can we not discuss this?”

Jareth chuckled, taking her hands and gently peeling them away. “Just a little longer, darling. This is important.” His touch was light, giving her every opportunity to pull away. When she didn’t, he continued. “With few experiences, I completely understand that these things make you nervous. Especially if you have found previous bed partners to be lacking.” He stepped closer, releasing her hands to cup her cheeks. His lips quirked up at the warmth he felt radiating through his gloves. “And while I will not push you to do anything you are not comfortable with, I am certain that a physical connection between us will only strengthen our connection.”

“R-really?”

“Oh yes,” he said reverently. “Don’t misunderstand, sweetling. I thoroughly enjoy our verbal sparring and I could let myself waste away just looking at you.” His thumb brushed against the renewed blush on her cheeks. “But then every time you touch me my heart races. Every time I catch your scent my mouth waters.” He leaned in closer, his finger tipping her chin up. “Each kiss we share makes my blood burn in my veins.” His eyes slipped closed. “I cannot tell you how many times I have loathed these wretched gloves from denying me contact with your ivory skin, or how often I have yearned to bury my hands in your hair.”

When his eyes opened, they were dark and passionate. His grin was wilder and his voice huskier. “Food has lost all flavor. Only the thought of you stirs any hunger in me.” Their breaths mingled, his lips now close enough that they almost brushed against hers when he spoke. “The thought of your body against mine makes silk feel like burlap.”

Sarah’s fingers had curled tightly in the ruffles of his shirt. Her breath had quickened. Electricity sparked between the inch of space left between them. It melted away her remaining insecurity and shaped an itch within her. He had often shown he desired her. But to hear him say how he longed to have her… It drew out a part of herself she wasn’t sure she had ever experienced.

She desired him. Bolstered by his confession, she unfurled her fingers, letting them slip into the low neckline of his shirt. She could feel his chest rise and fall under her touch. The rapid thrumming of his heartbeat. Her fingertips lightly brushed along his collarbones, wondering what they might feel like against her lips.

His voice was low and honeyed. “I’d worship you in ways you could only dream of.”

Sarah shivered. His heat reached out towards her and her body yearned to feel more of it. Taste it, even. The woman shifted restlessly, her breathing deep.

The moment she leaned in, Jareth stepped back with a knowing smirk on his face. He propped up one arm with the other, holding his chin and tapping his cheekbone while he looked from one side of her to the other. “So, refresh my memory. Which door did you go through again?”

Sarah, blinking, pushed off the wall to look around. Her eyebrows rose in surprise when she found two large wooden doors on either side of her. Two rounded faces made of metal glimmered in the sun and its eyes turned towards her like they had only just popped into existence.

Still agitated, she refused to give Jareth the satisfaction of seeing her reaction and she grabbed the ring of the knocker on the right, pounding the metal against the door twice. The character mumbled something unintelligible, wiggling the ring in her hand before dispassionately spitting it out. Sarah carelessly tossed it aside, the metal clanking loudly on stone. The door opened inward and Sarah briskly walked through, into the next part of the Labyrinth.