Somewhere between reality and dreams lies the truth

Jareth stared at her from across his room.  After finding her, he had waited for her to find a fitful sleep and then had willed them back to his chambers.  He’d clothed her in a deep blue night gown, using magic as to assure her modesty, and laid her upon his bed, casting a small spell over her tense face to ensure her a calm sleep.  She had immediately relaxed, he however, had not.  Jareth’s mind spun in dizzying circles as he paced his own room. It had been a long night, and the Goblin King, normally quite proper in appearance, stood in his room in only an undone white shirt with his signature necklace and tight black pants, long ago discarding the vest, gloves, and other adornments.  His hair was even more unkempt than usual as he walked about his chambers, his mind a myriad of assumptions.  The expansive room housed a magnificent bed in it’s center and a large armoir and dressing table near the door.  On the wall directly across from the bed stood the largest fireplace in the castle, complete with fire, and on either side in front, two plush chairs with a table between with a full glass of wine sitting untouched.  The only doors in the room were the entrance, and the door to the bathing suite, both magically locked and warded.

Jareth turned a chair to face the bed and slumped down into the padding.  His mind still focused on the words Sarah had spoken.  She had asked him to stay beside her, she had said she remembered, she had said he will lie……he who?  Lie about what?  His mind side stepped the obvious, not wanting to admit that the most likely of reasons to find a dripping, cold and distraught woman in his sitting room was that the bastard had touched his Sarah.  Forcing himself to conjure a crystal to his hand, Jareth commanded it to show him what had transpired.  What he saw made his heart sink.  He watched the crystalline image until he saw Sarah reach for the pendant and will herself from Stark.  Burning with rage, Jareth turned hurled the crystal into the fire.

“Jareth?” Her voice was little more than a whisper, but it called the enraged Jareth as if it were the loudest noise in the Underground, and soothed his deepening temper.  He crossed the room in a few strides and sat beside her.  Sarah’s skin looked so pale against the deep blue blankets and pillows, her hair in knots and twists around her face.  A soft, sad smile played at her lips.  “Good morning.” Jareth said as he stared into her eyes, unable, even if he had wanted, to look away.  “I trust you slept well?”  Every nerve in his body wanted to reach out to her, to touch her cheek, to hold her and let her know that no harm would ever again come to her.

“I did, thank you.” But even as she spoke the words, a frightened and confused look contorted her features.  “Jareth, I remembered.  I remembered the dreams, the time we were together, all those years.”  Sarah sat up and stared hard into his eyes.  “Are they real?”

Jareth now mirrored her confusion, and then it struck him.  How was she to know if what she had remembered had really happened or if it was some trick that had been played upon her.  “What does your heart tell you?” He asked, his eyes boring holes into her own. 

Sarah sighed and pulled her gaze away.  “Jareth,” she began, he voice shaking “for so long I wanted to believe in something.  For so long my heart told me there was more to the world, but there was no proof.  And then when everyone else was growing up, I couldn’t, I wouldn’t.”  Tears began to well in her eyes, the events of the past day was far too much for her, and she fought to hold control over the surge of tears she knew would soon come.  “Karen constantly pressed me to give up on my fantasies, to “grow up and face reality”.  She tore down my posters, threw away my costumes and scripts, and with no memory of the Labyrinth, I convinced myself that she was right, that it was time I grew up.  But there was always a part of me that believed, that wouldn’t let the fantasies go.  I reveled in my dreams, and she couldn’t take those from me, no one could.”  Closing her eyes, Sarah turned to face Jareth.  Slowly she opened them.  “My heart tells me,” she stopped, looking into his tense eyes, eyes that seemed to bear the weight of the world, “to believe again.”

“Sarah, I never meant to take anything from you.  I asked you to stay, the first time through the Labyrinth, and you refused.  I had no other recourse.  If I could have spared you I…..” Sarah stopped him, a weary smile coming to her face.

“We have been over this already, in dreams, there is no point in going through it all again.  As I slept, my dream memories seemed to, almost, weave themselves into my waking memories.  It is as if I lived everything.  It will take me some time to get used to having years worth of memories, and I suppose it will take some time for them to fully incorporate themselves, but I have them, and I feel them, and I know you would have come back for me if you could have.  There is no room for apologies here, only for new memories.  Jareth,” Sarah’s voice became almost a whisper as she realized how close he was to her.  He had moved even closer to her and now was only mere inches from her, his eyes interlocked with her own.  Her heart began to race and her breathing became even more shallow.  Though he had never said it, Sarah thought he must feel something more than kinship for her.  Her mind swarmed with new images from her dreams, never once had he kissed her or confessed feelings for her, never once had he taken her in a passionate embrace, so why now, with his breath teasing her lips, did she want him to.  Sarah parted her lips in anticipation as her eyes began to slowly close.

Jareth stood from the bed and took a few steps back, and turned his gaze away, “You should dress, you must be hungry and we have a long day ahead of us.” Sarah’s eyes bolted open and she was at a loss for words.  Why did he pull away?  And then the realization struck her. 

With tears welling in her eyes and body shaking, Sarah stood and faced Jareth.  “Nothing happened last night.  Stark, he,” the words were jumbled but she fought to say them “I was bathing, he came in uninvited, he taunted me with words and,” tears fell freely from her eyes, “and nothing happened!  I left the instant I knew what to do, Jareth.  The moment I remembered the pendant I left, you have to……” her words were cut short as Jareth closed his lips over her mouth.  His hands clasped her face and he kissed her passionately.  Slowly, his tongue wound its way into her mouth, her own finding his and dancing slowing in an ever deepening kiss.  For what seemed like an eternity the two stood, arms winding about one another, hands moving along backs necks and faces.  Finally, Jareth pulled back, touching his forehead to hers.  “I never doubted you, I never believed otherwise.”

“Then why did you step away from me?”

“I didn’t know if you wanted me.  I offered myself once, and you refused.  I told myself I wouldn’t offer up my heart a second time.  I was content to be a friend, nothing more.  I was content to hide under a mask of indifference.  Sarah,” Jareth paused, swallowing.  He had told himself he would not, but with all of his arrogance and vanity stripped away, he couldn’t hide any longer.  The moment he had brought her here, he knew he would fall, and he had.  The words would slip from his mouth without his control.  The proud king would lay at her mercy.    If she refused, he would be lost, but things had moved beyond his control.  His heart would no longer remain hidden “the truth is, I have always loved you.  Always.  I cannot be without you again.  Sarah, I am yours.  I love you.”

“And I am yours, I love you.” And Sarah stepped into him, deeply kissing him and leaning back towards the bed, which she sat down upon, pulling him to her, their kiss never ending.  Jareth’s body fought with his mind.  In his head he knew that they should wait until their announcement had been made, wait until she was introduced to the court and their marriage consented to, but his body demanded more.  Five years he had watched and waited for her, five years of desire pent up.  Their kiss became a hunger as their arms laced around one another.  Sarah pulled at his shirt, running her hands up his chest and feeling his skin beneath her palms, as his hands tangled themselves in her hair. 

“Are you sure, do you want this?” Jareth breathed into her ear.

“More than I have every desired anything.” Her hot breath assaulted his ear, and he growled as she lightly bit his neck. 

Using all of his willpower, Jareth pulled away from her.  “Good.  Then we shall.  But not now, not yet, my love.” A sly smile played on his lips, as a shocked Sarah lay sweating, aroused beyond comprehension, and mouth agape.  With a final gentle kiss on the forehead, she was in her room, where a mildly amused Areyne sat, ready to dress the young Sarah for breakfast.

What Sarah did not see, was after Jareth had transported her, he sunk down into one his chair and took a long drink of wine.  Smiling to himself, and struggling to regain his composure, he stared into the fire.  Had he let it go any further, he would have regretted it.  There were preparations to be made.  He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and prepared for breakfast.

Areyne  helped the disoriented Sarah to her dressing table.  “I will give you a moment or two before I help you dress for breakfast.  Why don’t you choose a gown and wash up while I gather some flowers for your hair.  I will only be a moment, so take your time.”  Areyne tried desperately to hide her smile, but in the end failed.  She quietly exited the room, closing the door lightly behind her.  She would be back in a few moments, but wanted to give the young woman some time to think things over.  She had appeared from Jareth’s chamber in a state of complete disarray.  Areyne herself had been summoned there only moments before Sarah’s arrival, and the telepathic message had been disjointed at best.  Areyne sighed as she walked the halls to the garden. 

Jareth had loved her from the moment she dared challenge him.  Areyne smiled to herself, Sarah would make a fine queen to the proud Jareth.  And Areyne and Jareth would see that she was always tended to and guarded.  A half mortal in the Labyrinth was vulnerable, and there would be those who would surely disagree with her rise to Queen.  Jareth had made sure that both he and Areyne (to a lesser degree) were connected mentally with Sarah, that if she needed them, she would simply have to think it.  Yes, Sarah would be a fine Queen.   Seeing the two so desperately in love turned Areyne’s thoughts to another time, a time when she too had been so completely in love.  After all of Stark’s betrayals, she had found love in the arms of a man who was a compliment to her in every way.  She would have done anything to have been his bride, to have joined her soul with his.  But he had died, or been banished, his body was never found.  He simply never returned one night, had left her without her love and without hope.  She had vowed never to love again.  Shortly after his disappearance, the counsel had deemed that she could no longer reside anywhere in the fourth kingdom, and Jareth had brought her here.  Tears crept at the edges of her eyes, but she was not jealous of the love of Sarah and Jareth, she was happy, and happy to remember that she had once been loved as passionately.

Areyne’s thoughts were interrupted by a cold mental snap.  Something was wrong.  Sarah was no longer in the castle, she was no where in the Labyrinth, she was simply gone.  In an instant, Areyne was in Sarah’s room, staring at a note on the floor.

With a simple flick of his wrist, Jareth was ready for breakfast.  He wore black pants and boots and a deep red tunic, which was open to display his pendant.  He pulled on a pair of leather gloves and slipped a riding crop into his belt.  They would start with breakfast and then a walk to the stables, where they would go riding to one of the most serene areas in the labyrinth – the Siren Falls – so named for the music the water creates when it splashes upon the rocks.  It would be here that he would tell her.

Jareth took a long deep breath and closed his eyes.  Sarah was half fae, and therefore, she was partially entitled to this world.  Her powers were latent, but they would be brought out in time.  Her mother had been the governing power of the fist kingdom over three hundred years ago.  She had been the ruler to unite the kingdoms and bring peace to the Underground.  However, it was largely speculated that certain powers had grown fearful of Illianna and so had staged an internal coup, relived her of her governing power and had banished her above ground.  To all but a few, it had appeared as though she had simply “retired”.  But Jareth knew the truth, and that Stark’s family had been one of the parties responsible for her banishment.  Illianna, in all of her wisdom, had not gone against his family for fear of disrupting the peace.  The elvish kingdom was fragile in it’s politics, and any direct move against them, would have brought realm against realm, and the peace she had fought so hard to gain, would have been shattered.  So she had left, and had entrusted Jareth with the task of protecting the lesser species from exile or domination.  And so Jareth had created the Labyrinth.  Occasionally, he would scry on Illianna, only to see that she had somewhat adjusted to “mortal” life, taken a mortal name and had become involved with a normal man, and had conceived a daughter.  Shortly after the child was born, Illianna, had disappeared from Jareth’s scrying abilities.  When the child had turned fifteen, Illianna had disappeared.  But it didn’t seem to matter to him any longer, as his eyes had fallen upon the child of one of his dearest friends.  He watched over her, as a favor to Illianna, taking care to arrange her life in such a manner as for her to develop, as much as possible, her fae side.  And it was strong in her.  Although how she ever managed to find a copy of a play called “Labyrinth”, he was still unclear.  As he watched her grow, his emotions toward the young woman changed from the desire to protect her, to the desire to please her.  Without any intention, he had fallen in love with her, and today, he would tell her of all of this. 

Slowly, Jareth’s thoughts turned from the past, to the present.  In his hand he held a simple silver ring with his family crest elegantly woven all around it.  Her birthright would be hers before nightfall, and she would accept his offer to be his Queen.  In time, her latent magic would surface and she would fully develop as a fae and fully take her place as his Queen.  A smile played across his lips as he envisioned her accepting his offer.

His smile was gone the instant he felt her pain and mentally heard her scream.  In an instant he was in her room, staring at Areyene and the note upon the floor.

Sarah slowly stood up from the vanity, looking at herself in the mirror, she half-smiled.  She was still shaking, but a sense of completeness filled her.   She heard Areyne close the door behind her and she steadied herself as she walked into the large closet to choose a dress. She was shaking, and quite suddenly her hands again became numb, as if they had fallen asleep, and the sensation shot up her arms and encompassed her whole body, forcing her to lean against the wall for support.  As suddenly as it had come upon her, it vanished.   She shook her head, “too much of a good thing, I guess.” She muttered quietly.  Breathing deeply, she choose a light, silken, deep red dress and laid it upon the bed.  She quickly splashed a bit of water on her face and walked back to the vanity and smiled. 

There, sitting beside a lovely flower, was a simple ring with a large jewel in the center, and a scrawled note reading simply, for you.  Gingerly, she picked up the ring, and admired it.  “And what do you suppose this is supposed to mean?  For me?  It’s like everything I have ever dreamed is coming true.”  She looked at herself in the mirror, and said “Of course I accept, your majesty,” and slid the ring upon her finger.

Immediately, burning pain shot up her arm.  Shocked and horrified, she desperately tried to pull the ring off.  She screamed as the pain built, and then she was gone.  Only the note remained.