!!Stop!! To all those that jumped immediately to this page. I have an author's note attached to the beginning of chapter 1 and it would behoove you to read it. :) But, if you really must, you can just ignore me and read this chapter. It's up to you. :)
Chapter 18
Day Thirteen
It didn't take Sarah long to reach the heart of the labyrinth. As luck would have it, most of the goblins that would have been standing guard had been drafted to help with the ball, so none witnessed her escape from the castle.
Sooner than she thought possible, the castle was far behind her and the only thing around her was the silent corridors of the dark labyrinth. Before she could give in to the uneasiness that had been creeping up on her, she ran into the three figures that she knew would be waiting for her.
They stood in a line facing her; for the first time in her presence all three were with her at once and all were bearing varying degrees of anger and sadness on their faces. The maiden was the first to speak, saying in a voice laced with sorrow, "Young one, what are you doing? How could you leave him now? Especially after everything that was shown to you?"
The warrior took up the questioning next, saying in his trademark gruff voice, "He will never forgive this betrayal. Are you aware of the consequences of your actions?"
She turned to the crone, expecting more hurtful questions, but the old woman simply glared at her, her eyes accusing her of all the wrong doing. Sarah sighed knowing that nothing she told them would bring them over to their side. She had anticipated them not understanding her motives, figuring that they hadn't seen what took place beyond their walls. Instead of going through the heartache of explaining it all she hoped that they would just leave her alone before sending her home. "My mind is set on the course I have chosen. I'm sorry to disappoint you, and I'm even sorrier to hurt him again. But this is the way it has to be."
The maiden opened her mouth to add further comment, but the old hag shot her a look. Silenced, the maiden narrowed her eyes in disgust once more at Sarah before fading from sight. Likewise the warrior departed with out uttering another word, leaving Sarah and the old crone alone.
"Please, will you just send me home?" Sarah asked of her in a quiet voice.
For a time the crone did not speak, causing panic to blossom within Sarah. What will I do if they refuse? But at long last the crone gave her answer. "Very well, We will grant your wish. But know that you now bear a connection to Our labyrinth and Our king. Leaving this place behind forever will not be as easy as you believe."
Before Sarah could ask what the old woman meant by that, the world went fuzzy around her. When her vision was once again clear she saw the familiar surroundings of her bedroom. I'm home, she thought to herself, expecting to feel happy, or at the very least a sense of relief, but all she felt was empty and terribly alone. Oh Jareth, what have I done?
Wearily she made her way over to her bed and collapsed upon it. Hugging a pillow against herself tightly she released the dam that had been holding back her tears ever since she had left Jareth's room. Hours later when every drop of moisture seemed to have leaked from her eyes, she passed out into the forgiving slumber of exhaustion.
Jareth woke up late the following morning feeling more refreshed and relaxed than he could ever remember feeling. Remembering the events of the previous night brought a smile to his face and he rolled over, seeking the slumbering form of his fiancé. However, the pillow next to him was empty. An eyebrow was lifted in confusion and he called out into the room, "Sarah?" No answer was forthcoming and he grew more confused. Climbing out of the bed he walked to the doors leading to the balcony to see if Sarah could be waiting for him out there.
His search proved to be fruitless and he returned inside, a scowl distorting his face slightly. Where has that damn woman wandered off to now? He had been looking forward to waking up next to her this morning and maybe sharing another pleasurable interlude like they had last night. Instead the fool woman had gone off somewhere, causing him to go on a wild goose chase.
Conjuring a simple crystal that could find her anywhere within the bounds of the labyrinth, he turned his will on it, forcing it to show him his love. The crystal stayed blank however, causing his temper to immediately soar. Shaking the crystal as if it would do any good, he once more demanded to see Sarah. The results remained the same.
In a fit of pique he threw the crystal against the wall, feeling slightly better at the tinkling of shattered glass. He made his way back over to the bed, searching for his abandoned breeches from the night before, resigned to searching the whole castle if he had to. A dried splotch of blood on the sheets drew his attention and he smiled ruefully as a scenario presented itself to him. Maybe she was just a little confused this morning and went for a walk. If she had made it out into the labyrinth and the guardians sensed her confusion they might be blocking her from me.
Calming somewhat now that he had worked out a possible explanation, he bent down again to retrieve his shirt. As he straitened a dazzling glint on the bedside table made him pause, taking a closer look. As it dawned on him what was sitting there blinding him with its light he froze. But that's… No, it can't be… Forcing himself to reach out and pick it up, he soon held the ring in his hand.
He gazed at it for a long moment, not blinking or moving, just staring at the silver band with its large diamond. The symbol of his love for Sarah and their promise to be there for each other… Until the world falls down.
His fist clenched around the ring, tight enough so that the jewel cut into his palm, drawing forth a torrent of blood and staining the clear diamond an angry red. Unmindful of his hastily donned breeches and unbuttoned shirt, Jareth made his way from his room, a deadly purpose in every step.
Without having a clear destination or plan in mind he soon found himself at the edge of his labyrinth. Standing there waiting for him was the one being that could give him the answers he sought. "Where is she?" He asked the crone in a deadly calm voice.
"She is back in the world above," came the sound of the gravelly voice. "We sent her back early this morn."
Jareth closed his eyes briefly, telling himself that strangling the old crone would do nothing. When he felt a little more in control he looked at her again, this time noticing the sympathy and sorrow in her gaze. "Why would you send her away from me?"
"Because she asked it of Us," was the simple reply; six words that shattered his world beyond all repair. An unearthly keen filled the air and a pain shot through his knees. Dimly a corner of his mind realized the wail was being torn from his own lips and the pain in his knees had been caused from him dropping to the ground like a rock.
For long moments he let his control slip completely. Thunder clouds roiled up out of no where, striking parts of the castle and grounds while the earth shook in response to his feral grief.
During the last sane moment he had for some time he looked at the crone and let one word escape his lips in a strangled whisper. "Why?"
The crone, unperturbed by the wild storm raging around them and the uncontrolled magic being unleashed on the land, simply said, "We don't know. Her mind was closed to Us and all We could read from her heart was grief."
The answer did little to console Jareth as he broke completely.
Lord Avery considered himself to be a very observant fae. He had to be, considering the job that Jareth had given to him. So it was easy to see that things were not going as well as everyone assumed it was going for the king and his mortal woman. While they had played the part of the happy couple at the ball, Avery could see that something was deeply troubling Sarah.
A bad assumption on his part led him to believe that someone as deeply in love as Sarah was would tell the object of her affection whatever was bothering her. So even though Jareth seemed unaffected by whatever was bothering the mortal girl, Avery made the mistake of believing that no matter what it was, Jareth had the situation well in hand.
Because of that, even though he had promised himself to keep an eye on the girl, he had relaxed his vigilance as soon as she and his king had vanished for the night. Jareth had explained to him the strange ritual that mortals indulged in when they wished to become engaged and he had also told Avery that he had planned to perform the act for Sarah tonight. Knowing that they were both in good hands, most likely each other's, he had conveniently forgotten all about his earlier worries. Surly nothing disastrous would happen.
A wild keening sound woke him up late the next morning. The boom of thunder and the shaking of the earth that followed snapped him out of whatever sleepy haze had been left. He was instantly on his feet and scrambling for his clothes. Sprinting from his room the first person he ran into, literally, was Prince Haldir, the king's brother.
"Your majesty, forgive me," Avery said, remembering his manners even in the middle of a crisis. As the earth shook again they both took off for the nearest exit, matching the other stride for stride.
"Do you have any idea of what is going on?" The prince asked him in between pants.
"I have no idea sire, but the only one I know of with enough power to affect the labyrinth like this is Jareth." Haldir didn't waste time asking any more questions, he merely put on another burst of speed.
When the two fae burst through the door leading to the courtyard, both were frozen in shock for a moment. Angry black clouds swirled around the center of the labyrinth with lightning lashing out every few seconds. There was no rain falling but an eerie wind blew, tossing small objects about like a child throwing a fit with his toys.
While neither of the fae were as well versed in magic as Jareth, both had their own smaller magics. It didn't take someone with great power to feel the surge of energy from where the unnatural storm was originating from. They locked in on it at the same time and took off in that direction at a sprint.
The vision that greeted them was horrific. Their mighty king and brother kneeled on the cold ground, bent over with his arms before him, while his shoulders shook with silent sobs. Every few moments he would lift up one of the fists that he had clenched tightly, only to bring it back down forcefully, which proved to be the cause of the tremors.
Avery was the first to act, going closer to his king and calling out loudly, trying to be heard over the thunder, "Milord? Jareth? What's going on?"
The king ignored him however, so he looked imploringly to Haldir. He joined his brother on the ground, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Brother, please tell me, what troubles you?" He too was ignored, and the two fae looked at each other, not sure what to do.
"Where is Sarah?" Avery asked in a quiet voice, but that name caused Jareth to finally acknowledge their presence. His head shot up and he stared at Avery with wild eyes, his pupils almost totally dilated so that they appeared to be completely black. A brief snarl was ripped from his lips and a bolt of lightning struck the wall no more than a few feet behind the fae lord. Avery jumped, giving a startled yelp, but Jareth went back to the way he was, head bowed down and fists beating futilely against the ground.
Haldir was the next to speak, saying to the frightened lord before him, "Well, I'd say that gives us a pretty good idea about what's going on. But now what do we do about it?"
"You let a woman handle this," came the sound of a musical voice and both men turned to see Princess Valletta joining them. With out any sign of fear the princess kneeled before the king, pulling him up until he rested against her shoulder. Once she had him in a comfortable position she began to gently rock the king back and forth, stroking his head and singing an old faerie lullaby to him. At first the king was rigid and unyielding in her arms, but gradually he began to relax, letting his head rest naturally on her shoulder and letting his arms creep up around her waist.
The tremors had ended when he stopped beating his fist on the ground and as he began to relax the lightning had abated, along with the vicious wind. Now as the king rested in the shelter of his friend and adopted sister's arms his dry sobs quieted and the silent tears of profound grief began to pour from his eyes. As the first tear of mourning fell, the heavens released a deluge upon the labyrinth, as if they wept with the heart broken king.
Haldir and Avery departed soon after, knowing there was little they could do for the king. As they made their way slowly back to the castle Avery again asked, "Where the hell is Sarah? What could have happened to cause this?"
Haldir shrugged his shoulders, at a loss for words when suddenly there came a girlish voice from behind them. "She has returned to the mortal world." Both fae spun around to confront the voice, but stood confused, seeing nothing but a very young looking woman.
"Who are you?" Haldir asked the girl.
"That matters naught," the girl said to them. "What matters is fixing this tangled mess of lies." Having gotten their full attention she continued, "Early this morn the young mortal girl came to Us, filled with sorrow and grief but with a tight shield barring Us from seeing into her mind. She spoke little, simply telling Us that this was the way things must be and then asking Us to send her back to the world above." Here the girl paused for a moment, looking intently at Avery.
Haldir turned to Avery, completely confused, but the other fae bore a look of absolute rage on his handsome face. "Lady Regna. It must have been her doing!"
The guardian nodded solemnly and said, "Twas Our fear as well. The lady met with the girl outside Our bounds a few days ago and since then the young one has seemed troubled."
"Damn it!" Avery cursed out loud. "That foolish girl must have believed whatever lies the old witch fed her. I knew I should have made her tell me what was going on! This is all my fault."
Haldir wore a grim expression on his face, but did his best to comfort the fae lord. "Do not beat yourself up over this Avery. The blame for this must rest solely on my mother's shoulders. And I believe it's time we have a little chat with Her Nastiness so we can try to make this right before it's too late."
Avery gave a curt nod in agreement and so they both took off for the castle, not even noticing when the young woman left behind disappeared slowly.
Sanity returned in slow stages to his broken mind, but one thought broke through the haze and brought him back to the present; he was a fool. He never thought that he would ever agree with his mother, but he should have known that words like never can't ever be used Underground. She had called him weak and love sick and he was. He had foolishly offered his heart to Sarah again, after she had already trampled all over it the first time. Like an idiot he had listened to others around him and had tried again. And now here he was, once more with the tattered pieces of his heart and soul, needing to find solace and comfort like a child.
Princess Valletta had continued her ministrations, holding him in her arms and singing softly in his ear, unmindful of the rain that fell around them or of the cold hard ground they both sat upon. It was Jareth who first became uncomfortable with their surroundings and concentrating hard brought his magic back under conscious control instead of allowing his emotions free reign. With another thought he switched out both of their wet and clinging clothes for dry ones. The princess ended her song and was quiet for a moment before saying to him in a soft voice, "What happened Jareth?
"She made me believe that she would stay. She gave me hope, promising her love to me and then…" His throat was dry and his voice came out in a forced croak while his eyes were clouded in grief. He seemed to shudder for a moment but then stopped. He gently pushed away the princess and swiftly stood, turning his back on her. "Thank you for your kindness during my moment of weakness, princess," his voice was still harsh and strained, but it grew stronger as he talked. "I think it would be best if you and your husband were to leave soon." With out glancing back he began to walk away from the deeply troubled girl.
It didn't take the Fairy Princess long to recover her wits though and she sprang to her feet, walking quickly to catch up with the now stone faced king. "That wasn't a moment of weakness Jareth. It was a natural reaction to a terrible situation." She tried to pull him to a stop by placing a hand on his arm, but he merely shrugged it off and kept walking. Undeterred Valletta continued to speak to him. "After meeting Sarah last night and seeing how she cared for you, I know there must be an explanation for all this. Talk to me Jareth; I'm sure we can figure it out!"
For a brief moment he stopped and the stone face that he had erected cracked a bit. She could see into his eyes, the mismatched pair that showed his hurt and sorrow, and for one second, a distant hope. But suddenly he seemed to almost shake himself and the veil was put back in place. His eyes turned unreadable and his mouth was set in a hard line. "Thank you for your concern princess, but I don't need an explanation. Sarah made her decision and that's all I need to know."
With that he began to walk again, quickly leaving the princess behind. Valletta wore an expression of misery, not knowing how she could make any of this right for her friend. He believed that Sarah's departure was purely a black and white matter, but there had to be more to it. "Things aren't always as they seem," she said in a whisper.
Things couldn't be turning out any more the way she had wanted them to if she had written a script for all the players. As she watched the scene unfold in her mirror she couldn't contain the gleeful smile spreading across her face. Her son and his whore were getting exactly what they deserved and Lady Regna had the best seat in the house to watch it all fall apart.
From the time that she had been left alone by the girl in the palace gardens the day before she had kept a careful eye on her. She had raced back to her rooms and pulled out her mirror, keying in to mortal so she saw everything that happened in her vicinity. She had watched in delight as the girl struggled with her overwhelming sadness the entire night, feasting on the dark energies the girl's sorrow produced. When the little slut and her son had retired to his rooms she was unable to spy on them, but she could well guess what was going on behind those doors.
It had been a few hours before the girl had finally emerged, tears streaming down her face. It had been the sweetest moment of triumph ever in the lady's life. She watched as the girl made her way slowly outside and into the labyrinth. Here things had become slightly foggy again but she had still been able to see that glorious moment when the girl had vanished, returning aboveground. Regna wasn't entirely sure how the girl had managed to find her way home, but that fact was unimportant.
For a few hours she had slept, knowing that her gruesome play was having an intermission until her dear son awoke. While she still couldn't see into her son's chamber she had left her magics trained on the outside of his door and so she was able to see when he emerged looking enraged and holding something in his hand that had drawn blood. He followed the same path that Sarah had, stopping at the edge of the labyrinth where the picture again went blurry. Lady Regna still didn't understand why her powers became so distorted when it came to that blasted maze, but she could see her son somewhat. She figured that he must have done some sort of magic to discover where his precious Sarah was and the look of grief that distorted his face when he must have learned the truth was the last piece of her perfect revenge.
She had closed her eyes, the better to savor the picture that would be forever burned into her mind, but they had snapped open again when se felt the surge of magic. Her son had lost all control over himself, another sign of his true weakness, and his emotions were wreaking havoc on his kingdom. His display of dramatics simply proved everything that she had suspected for the last hundred years. He really is a simple minded fool. He's lost all control by the girls supposed betrayal. Instead of seeking revenge and destroying her, he lays there like a sniveling coward. How could I have produced that?
Having enjoyed her revenge to the hilt, she now grew bored of her son's pathetic behavior and so turned away from the mirror, just in time to watch her door being flung open. Her elation at the morning's events quickly turned to anger as she prepared to berate whatever hapless servant had dared to enter her chambers without her permission. Surprise flitted over her face though when she saw who stood in the doorway.
Her younger son Haldir strolled into the room, an expression of tightly controlled fury evident on his face. Just a step behind him was one of Jareth's useless servants, Arnold she believed, and he too seemed furious over something. The reason for their visit was obvious, but Lady Regna knew she could wrest a few more moments of amusement by feigning innocence.
"Why Haldir, how good of you to visit! Where is your charming bride?" The lady turned a bright smile on her son, completely ignoring Jareth's servant.
"Do not play games mother," her son said to her, venom practically dripping with every word.
"Games?" She said with a girlish twitter and falsely innocent eyes. "My dear son, I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about!"
The servant looked at her with scornful eyes and spoke in a low voice, "Your sons may balk at taking care of you nastiness permanently, but I swear to you my lady that I have no such qualms." There was a deadly glint in his eyes that spoke of his intent and the lady dropped the innocent act immediately.
"I did nothing save send that mortal bitch packing. If Jareth is too weak to continue on with out her then so be it." She smirked at the two men, as if daring them to do something.
Haldir, always the weakest of my offspring, turned sad eyes on his mother. "How could you do it? Do you not understand what you've done to them both?"
She gave him a cold glare in reply, adding in a bored voice, "I understand perfectly what I've done." Lady Regna wore a look of smug satisfaction for only a few seconds more before Avery attacked. He lunged at her and grabbed her by the throat, slamming her into the wall. She clawed at his hand with her nails but his hold was relentless, becoming tighter and tighter until she could hardly draw in a breath.
Placing his face directly in front if hers, no more than an inch away, he hissed out to her, "This ends now bitch. What did you tell Sarah?"
Her hands still scratched at his and her face was turning a dark color from the lack of air. The lady's eyes showed her fury while she remained mute. Avery took exception to her uncooperative manner and squeezed her throat harder. Haldir came up close behind him and said in a low voice, "Avery, she's useless to us if she passes out or dies." The fae lord became somewhat calmer at that and Haldir continued, looking directly at his mother, "Besides, once Jareth learns of her part in all this, he would be very upset to know that his revenge was denied."
When the lord had loosened his grip on Regna's throat enough to allow her to take in a shaky breath, she glared at her offspring, hatred and loathing emanating off of her in waves.
"We're waiting my lady," Avery reminded her, in a falsely pleasant voice, his hand still clenched around her throat, holding her in place.
"It doesn't matter now," her voice rasped out from her abused wind pipe. "It's too late, the stupid bitch has left."
With another hard shake he said to her, "Just tell us!"
She narrowed her eyes at his brutal handling of her, promising vengeance, but at last reluctantly told them the truth. "I merely told the stupid chit what I had seen in a vision years ago; death and destruction, of our world and hers and Jareth playing a role in both the cause and the salvation."
Haldir sucked in a quick breath, turning pale. "You never spoke of this vision to anyone. How do we know it's true?"
For once the icy mask of hatred the lady wore slipped away and her face showed real terror. "Think what you will of me and my actions, but know that I wish to live as much as you or any other creature on every plane of existence." Both fae men drew back slightly at her level of vehemence. They exchanged a look, coming to the conclusion that, in this case at least, what the lady said could be taken as the truth.
She gave a small cough, trying to clear her ravaged throat and continued in a more detached manner. "We've all seen how much of a weak fool he is when it comes to that mortal whore. She is the cause for this destruction and only with her out of the picture will he have a clear enough mind to save us from the other threat that remains unclear to me."
"And you were oh so kind as to explain that to her, is that it my lady?" Avery asked in a sarcastic tone. She gave the briefest of nods and flashed a wickedly triumphant smile. Growing sick of being in contact of her he released her throat and stepped back from her. "Are you trying to tell me revenge had nothing to do with this?"
"Revenge had everything to do with this. Saving the worlds from my son's pitiful heartache was just a lucky bonus," she replied, that smug look back on her face.
Without pause, Haldir was there before her, a thunderous expression on his face. "Get out of my brother's kingdom and do not think to return." His hand twitched with the longing to wipe that twisted smile off her face, but he held on tightly to his control as he added, "I suggest you depart soon." With that, both fae turned on their heels and rapidly left the room.
Lady Regna stood there a moment, rubbing the abused flesh of her throat. Wincing slightly as she found a particularly tender spot, she felt a wave of anger course through her body, demanding that she go after the two bastards that would dare to treat her so. However, a chance glance at her scry glass calmed her somewhat as she saw the dejected form of her eldest son wander through the castle. Another glance out her window showed that it was late afternoon, which meant that there were only a few hours more before the end of the thirteenth day, the last day of the challenge. Those fools won't be able to fix this before the time is up. And even if they get to them afterwards, by the terms my weak little son set, he can never return to her!
Haldir and Avery had no set direction in mind, but before they knew it they had wandered back out into the labyrinth. There they met up with a morose Fairy Princess, who was upset with herself over not being able to do more for her friend.
"His eyes were so sad and hurt while he was talking to me about it. And then, nothing. It was like he locked up all his feelings." She stood next to her husband, who had one arm draped over her in comfort. Looking to him she sighed and said sadly, "I'm sorry Haldir, he wouldn't let me do anymore."
Shaking his head at her he said, "It's not your fault my love. I don't think any of us could have broken him out of his cycle of grief, but you did. Anything else that's to be done must be done by Sarah."
Avery was with them but was not content to stand still. Pacing back and forth he ground his teeth in anger, desperately trying to figure out a way to untangle this mess. "None of us have the power to go Aboveground like Jareth with those damn crystals. There's no way to get a message to her and Jareth won't talk to anyone about this reasonably. What the hell are we suppose to do?"
The princess was the first to speak, "Well technically I can go to the world above, but only in my fairy form."
"Sadly my dear, I don't believe Sarah would be able to understand the fairy tongue," Haldir told her.
"Don't be so sure about that," a gravelly voice spoke to them. All three turned to see a very old crone standing at one of the entrances to the labyrinth a few feet away from them.
"Who are you?" Avery asked, instantly suspicious.
"You have no need to know who We are, We told you this before."
Haldir and Avery both stiffened for a moment, the fairy prince the first to make the connection. "Are you in league with the maiden from earlier?"
The crone's lips twisted into what might have been a smile, her eyes glinting mysteriously. "That is one way to explain Us, but that matters not. The small princess will be the only one able to go to the mortal. Our power is limited after expending so much to return her home."
Avery was instantly surprised and angry. "You sent her home? How could you?"
The crone's face turned stern, and she leveled a glare at the fae lord. "It is not your place to question what We must do. It is enough that you know where she is and that the small princess may be able to bring her back." Turning now to Valletta, the crone spoke earnestly to her. "The mortal is leery and will believe no lies. The evil one knew this and so she merely twisted the truth to her own purpose. You cannot force her back and neither can We. Instead you must convince her to see the truth as it really is."
Some of what the crone said made no sense to the princess, but she nodded in understanding anyways. "If I succeed, how will I bring her back?"
"You do not have the power needed to do so, but the mortal does. Remind her that she has a way back here, if she so chooses to take it." With that last piece of advice, the old crone left the three fae alone, fading back into the labyrinth.
It wasn't until she left that Valletta realized she hadn't asked the crone how Sarah would be able to understand her. Maybe Sarah does know the fairy tongue? Oh well, I'll figure that out when the time comes. Turning to her husband, she gave a quick kiss in farewell and received her last instructions from Avery.
"That old bitch must have known about the stupid challenge between Jareth and Sarah. By the terms they both set, she had until today to decide if she would stay with him or not. You have to bring her back before the end of the day or else it's all over!"
Princess Valletta nodded in understanding and said to him, "I'll be back as soon as possible." With the slightest bit of will, she reverted into her true fairy form, hovering between the two men. Giving each a cheery wink and a wave, she shot off.
Haldir looked at Avery, noticing how pale and worried he looked. He patted the others shoulder and spoke comfortingly, "Don't worry Avery. If anyone can bring back that sprightly mortal, Valletta can."
"But that's exactly what I'm afraid of my lord," he replied resignedly. "What if she won't come back?"
Jareth had made his way to the Escher room, emotionally beaten and weary but refusing to show it. The goblins and courtiers that he had passed received the briefest of nods but nothing else. Hoggle had tried to intercept him, confused by what had been going on earlier with the uncontrolled burst of magic. That too had been ignored and in confusion Hoggle had also asked where Sarah had gone to. That earned him a quiet growl from the king and a crystal thrown at him. Maybe a few hours dangling over the bog will remind him to think twice before questioning me.
Now he was finally alone, locked away in the one room no one could enter. Safe behind its magical barriers he could howl and scream, cry and let lose his magic, all with the hope that he could purge the memory of that sweet temptress from his mind.
Exhausted by the effort of holding in his emotions, he sat on the edge of one of the walkways, staring at the simple stone stairs and platforms around him. Unbidden, the memory of that fateful night came back to him and the image of Sarah running frantically through these halls played out in his mind. A few strains of a haunting melody rose up from the depths of his mind and he sang out loud quietly, "How you turn my world you precious thing." Looking down at the ring still clenched in his hand a pain blossomed in his chest. "Everything I've done I've done for you."
Sarah woke up as the sun was setting, casting her room in deep shadows. Blinking and rubbing her sore eyes didn't seem to help remove the bleariness from them and so she finally stumbled over to her bathroom door. Not even bothering to turn on the light, she found a washcloth and washed the dried tears off her face and then blew her nose a few times.
When she could at last see, she walked back into her room and sat on the edge of her bed. It's over. I really did it, I left him. She waited for the tears to come, but nothing happened. She was numb, devoid of any feelings or hope. The only thing left to her was an empty place inside that seemed to cause a deep pain every time she took a breath.
Morosely she looked at the window, not entirely sure what to do with herself. Maybe I should just go back to sleep. If I'm lucky I can just stay that way forever…
With a dejected sigh she laid back down on the bed, rolling onto her stomach and burying her head under the pillow. She lay still like that for a few moments, and waited for sleep to reclaim her, but instead she heard a tap tap tap sound on the window. With her hands she held tightly to the pillow and tried to block out the noise. It's just a tree branch, ignore it Sarah.
The noise came again though, tap tap tap. Flinging the pillow away she sat up with a loud huff. She was halfway to her window before she remembered, There's no tree outside my window! What the hell is making the noise? More cautiously now she crept to the window and carefully parted the window to look outside. With a gasp she jumped back from the window, surprised by the small form glowing with a golden light fluttering outside.
Is that a fairy? Curious now she walked closer, nose almost pressed up against the glass. It did indeed appear to be a fairy, just like the one she had seen years before outside the entrance to the labyrinth. "What in the world are you doing here?" Sarah asked the tiny being. She could just barely make out the movement as the little creature opened its mouth and said something, but Sarah couldn't hear it through the glass. "Hold on," she told it as she undid the latch holding her window shut. As the pane of glass moved, the fairy shot through the opening and immediately began chattering at high speed. It flew in front of Sarah's face, clearly agitated, but Sarah couldn't make out a word of what it was saying. "Wait, please calm down! I don't understand you."
The fairy wore a look of complete impatience and for the first time in almost a day Sarah couldn't help but laugh at the silly little creature. With out thinking the fairy flew straight at Sarah and bit her hard on the neck. "Ow!" Sarah squawked in pain. "What did you do that for?"
"That'll teach you to laugh at a Princess!" The diminutive fairy squeaked at her. "Now, if I'm right, that'll be your second dose of fairy venom, meaning that you can understand me now, correct?"
Sarah stood in shock, still mad that the thing had bit her, but also amazed that she could now understand the strange noises coming from its mouth. "Princess? Princess Valletta?!"
The princess nodded at her, glad to have at last gotten her attention and happy that the girl could understand her now. "The old crone was right! I should have remembered Elyssia telling me about the mortal girl she had marked before. Obviously it was you."
"Wait," Sarah said, eyes clouded in confusion, "What are you talking about?
The fairy flew impatiently back and forth, almost as if she were pacing in air. "One of my younger cousins likes to hang outside the gates of the labyrinth annoying Hoggle and spying on Jareth. She's a silly little two hundred year old thing, but she fancies herself in love with him. Anyways, a few years ago she told me about a young mortal girl that was making a go at the labyrinth. She thought it very kind of you to worry about her after horrid Hoggle sprayed her with his concoction and so she marked you as a fairy friend and gave you a dose of venom." Sarah looked incredulously at the fairy, but the princess simply smiled. "Trust me, it's a high honor to be bitten by a fairy and doubly so for it to have been one of the royal family! The first dose gifted you with a quick wit, no doubt helping you get through the labyrinth as easy as you did. The second dose opens up your mind to the fairy tongue, allowing you to speak with us. There is a third dose-"
Here Sarah cut her off, "Excuse me princess, but what is the point to all of this?" When the fairy had first appeared Sarah had been surprised and distracted, but now seeing the princess here and being reminded of the labyrinth and Jareth was tearing her up inside.
Valletta now wore a look of horror and wanted to kick herself. "Oh Sarah, what am I blabbing on about? I don't know why fairy venom gives you quick wits, cause we fairies are a scatterbrained lot! Maybe we should go around biting ourselves…"
Sarah cleared her throat at the fairy, doing her part to get the princess back on track.
"I did it again! Sarah, I came here for a very important reason. We know why you left Jareth and-"
Again she cut off the fairy, holding up her hand. "I understand now. I'm sorry Valletta, I'm sure you had to travel far to get here since you can't use the crystals like… Him. But please, you have to understand that I HAD to go, and there's no way that I can go back."
"But that's just it Sarah!" The fairy said in her high voice. "You didn't have to go! That evil witch that calls herself a mother said those things to you on purpose so that you would leave Jareth."
That gave Sarah pause for a moment. If what she said were lies… But the princess didn't say they weren't true. "Are you saying that she made it all up?"
The princess seemed to wilt for a little bit and become very uncomfortable. "Well… They weren't exactly lies." Valletta knew that it would be so much easier for Sarah to believe that Regna's story was a lie, but the warning from the old woman rang in her head. Sarah wouldn't believe her and it would do more damage, so there had to be another way to convince her. "Just because what that horrid old hag said was true, doesn't mean that you have to punish yourself like this!"
Sarah gave a quiet sigh, wishing that the stubborn fairy would just go away and stop trying to convince her to change her mind. "Princess, I know you mean well, but all you're doing is making this harder for me. I had to do what I thought was best for me and Jareth."
"How dare you?!" The tiny princess screamed. "You talk about how hard this was for you and how you did what was best for you and Jareth, but do you even realize what you've done?" Sarah looked at her, shocked that the princess would scream at her in such a manner. "Obviously you've only thought of yourself throughout this whole endeavor! You speak of how hard this was for you. Well what about Jareth? How do you think he feels now? He knows naught of what has happened, merely that you abandoned him, again! You say you had to make the choice that was best for you and Jareth, but yet how could you do so without even consulting the other half of that pair?" The fairy's golden glow had turned a dull red color, distorting her features and making her anger even more obvious. "You, Princess Sarah Williams," she said in an even higher squeak, "Are nothing more than a selfish coward! I do not feel sorry for you any more and in fact I'm almost glad that you left Jareth. He's much better off with out you!"
Sarah stood mute, unable to speak. The fairy's words rang in her ears and filled her with shame. When she had found her voice at last, she was only able to whisper out, "I was trying to save our worlds."
"You," the fairy said in a contemptuous voice, "Were trying to save yourself. And by your foolish manner, all you've managed to do it break the heart of the man you love and force suffering upon yourself."
Her mind was whirling with chaotic thoughts. Have I really been so selfish? I thought this was the best for us… A burning in her eyes warned of more tears and Sarah blinked rapidly trying to force them away. She thought about what the lady had told her, how she wouldn't survive. But Jareth would have to know about them and he must believe in her. Lady Regna said I would fail the trials… But what if I didn't? I don't even know what they are! And Jareth… He could have explained things to me, maybe he had a plan. Her eyes refused to cooperate with her and were flooded with the salty tears. She thought about how different things could have been if she had just talked to Jareth about what was going on. Instead she had left him like a coward, sneaking out in the middle of the night. Jareth, I really did betray you again! And this time I'm not a child and I know what I was doing. How could I have done this to you? How could I have believed what she told me?! Dear God I've been a fool! "Lady Regna… She…"
The fairy was calmer now, seeing that Sarah was listening to what she was saying, the red glow being replaced by the golden one. "Lady Regna is a foul vindictive bitch. Over a hundred years ago she did what she could to break me and Jareth up and now she has almost succeeded with you." The princess looked hard at Sarah and asked, "Are you going to allow her this victory? Are you going to give her the satisfaction of breaking her son's spirit? Or are you going to fight for what the two of you could have?"
She looked away for a moment, composing herself and wiping away her tears. With a determined set of her features and a glint of anger in her eyes she said in a steady voice, "How do I go back?"
The fairy lost all pretense of anger and squealed in glee, flying in erratic patterns around the room. Now that the serious moment had passed she seemed to lose her concentration, flying in loops and spirals, too excited to be still. Sarah couldn't contain her giggles at the happy fairy, but tried to speak seriously to her. "Princess, please! I still have to get back to him you know."
That sobered the fairy a little, but she still had trying staying in one spot. "The challenge," she said in agreement. "That is still to have been decided. You must go to him quickly and tell him of your decision."
"Yes," Sarah said, somewhat impatiently now, "I understand that. But how do I go back?"
"I don't know," Princess Valletta said with a sad droop. "I can't take you with me, I don' have magic like Jareth does… Although if I could summon one of my sisters… But that will take hours and then more time while we fly back."
"We don't have the time for all that!" Sarah was beginning to feel panicked. Now that she knew what she really had to do, she only had so much time to do it.
"Wait; there was something that old crone said to me… What was it?"
Sarah looked startled at that. Old crone? Did one of the guardians speak to her? "Princess you have to remember! What did the old crone say?"
"She said… Umm… Oh! She said that I wouldn't have the power to return with you but that you do. And that I was to remind you that you would always have a way back if you choose to use it. Does any of that make sense?"
"Not at all," Sarah said in confusion. What could she be talking about? In frustration she ran her hand through her hair and paused as a strand was caught on something. Bringing her hand up to her face she saw the ring that the guardians had given her. The words that the old crone had spoken to her just a few days ago played through her head. 'It is a part of the labyrinth, just as We and Jareth are, and it will always lead you back to Us.' With a smile and eyes full of wonder she looked at the fairy and said, "My ring. It will lead me back to him!"
The princess became excited again, wings flapping at a dizzying speed. "Oh Sarah, quickly, you must go!"
Sarah gave a distracted nod, saying to the fairy, "You should go too, before Toby sees you. He might try to keep you as a pet." The princess made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a snort, causing Sarah to smile. Just before she could leave though, she said to the fairy, "Thank you princess, for knocking some sense into me and being such a good friend to Jareth."
Valletta paused at the windowsill, grinning wickedly over her shoulder. "Don't worry about it Sarah. Us fae make mistakes too you know. Until I fell in love with Haldir, I sometimes kicked myself for leaving him. But I've seen the two of you together and I know you were meant to be. As long as you remember that too, nothing will ever keep you apart." With that the fairy flew from the room, soon becoming a far off golden speck.
Alone now, Sarah looked down again at the ring. Closing her eyes she sent it her wish and desire, silently saying, "Please, take me back to him!" After a moment she opened her eyes in confusion, not having felt anything different. Did I do something wrong? But when she opened her eyes she saw the truth.
The ring had taken her back and she stood at the top of the hill before the labyrinth, the same spot that he had first brought her all those years ago. With a grin at the familiar surroundings she took off for the front gate, anxious to get inside and be reunited with her love.
Lady Regna felt the surge of wild magic and started, not knowing what could have caused it. She knew that her pitiful son was still inside somewhere, sulking no doubt, and what she had felt came from outside the castle. She left from her perch on the bed and flew to her mirror, anxiously demanding to see what had caused the flare up of such strong magic. The second her mirror showed her the image of the weak little mortal entering the labyrinth, Lady Regna cursed her younger son and the rest of the meddling fools. ("I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for those meddling kids," Lady Regna thought to herself. Haha, I couldn't resist! Think I should leave it in:p )
The angry fae paced her room, uncertain what to do. Obviously the little idiot changed her mind. Subtlety will not work anymore; I will have to be more direct. With that thought, her eyes strayed to a small knife she sometimes used for spell work. A wicked smile spread slowly across her face as a perfect plan struck her. With out wasting another second she picked up the knife and left the room. It'll be risky waiting for her at the exit, but I'll never find her in that damn maze. Jareth must have erected a barrier around wherever he is, making it impossible for me to find him, but it will also mean he won't hear her cries for help. Imagine how he'll feel once he learns that his precious Sarah killed herself on the steps to his castle! He'll be completely broken and my revenge will be complete!
A sinister chuckle escaped her lips as she strolled through the castle hallways. Perhaps those mortals were right when they said that revenge was a dish best served cold. Lady Regna had waited centuries for this moment and it couldn't be any sweeter to her.
Hoggle hadn't been there to show her into the labyrinth, but with another whispered prayer the gates had appeared for her and she began to run the familiar pathway. Just as before she noticed no turnings or branches but she felt it the moment she reached the spot where the helpful worm had showed her the way. She was about to go the way she had before, the way the worm had told her to go, but a strange internal prompting stopped her in her tracks. On a whim she followed it and went the way she had first chosen to go all those years ago. It was a branchless path like the one she had just been on, but it had a few sharp bends to follow. After the second one Sarah realized that just ahead of her, no more than fifty feet away was an exit from the labyrinth! That blasted worm tricked me, Sarah thought in amusement.
Knowing that it didn't matter now Sarah burst into a run, anxious now to find Jareth. The sun had set awhile ago making Sarah aware of the time constraint she was on. The ring had done its job getting her here; now the rest was up to Sarah.
A figure stood at the end of the path she was on and it didn't take long for Sarah to see that it was the maiden. She cringed inwardly as she thought of the tongue lashing she was about to get from the guardian, but deep down Sarah knew she deserved it for abandoning Jareth in the way she had. With head slightly bowed, she halted in front of the guardian, waiting for the harsh words to come. Surprisingly none came and she finally had the courage to look up at the maiden.
"If you're expecting some sort of beating We're afraid that We will be unable to oblige," the maiden told her with a slight curl of her lips.
"Well that's a relief," Sarah said sarcastically. For some reason she had started to feel hostile towards the maiden and the rest of the guardians as her interaction with them this morning replayed itself. "Why didn't you stop me?" Sarah asked suddenly, slightly angry when she thought about how this whole mess could have been avoided.
"We cannot make your choices for you," came the uncharacteristically sober response from the free spirited maiden. "We can only help you find the path for yourself."
"Well that's just not fair!" Sarah said. It took a moment for what she had just done to sink in and when it had she couldn't help but burst into giggles which the maiden was only too happy to join in with. Her hostile feelings vanished as she realized the guardian was right. They couldn't force her to stay any more than Jareth could. This had to be her decision.
"Is he alright?" Sarah asked when she had finally pulled herself together.
The maiden became somber once more as she replied. "Not at all. This morning he was almost lost to a cycle of despair and grief; it was only the actions of his heart sister that saved him. Not even We could have pulled him back from the brink and now he shuts Us out completely. He has withdrawn into the center of the castle and barricaded himself with magic. Even your return will be unknown to him."
Sarah blanched as she thought of the pain she must have caused him. A sick feeling grew in the pit of her stomach and she despaired of being able to reach him before it was too late. "How will I fix this?" She asked the guardian almost desperately.
"You won't," came a low hiss from the shadows. The torches illuminating the path that Sarah and the guardian stood on didn't reach the area the voice came from. Sarah strained hard but it was a few minutes before the speaker stepped forward revealing herself. With a sneer on her alabaster face, Lady Regna entered into the circle of light. The lady dismissed the young courtier that Sarah had been talking to, not seeing anything special about her and thinking that she could take care of her after Sarah had been dealt with.
Sarah felt a cold lump of hate settle inside of her at the sight of the evil witch responsible for all of this. "Go away Regna. I won't believe any more of your lies."
A brittle laugh assaulted her ears as the hateful woman came closer, arms clasped behind her back. "Simple Sarah, I didn't come to talk. I came to end you once and for all," she said in a sickly sweet voice. Before Sarah could register the words, the lady had launched herself at Sarah, arms coming forward from behind her back. Everything seemed to slow down, as if it was happening in slow motion, but there was nothing Sarah could do.
As the witch flew towards Sarah, she could see the light from the torch shining off of a knife held tightly in Regna's hand. Instinctively she brought her hands up to protect herself and closed her eyes, but other than that she had no way to save herself from the wicked looking thing aimed at her heart.
It was a heartbeat later when Regna screamed out in anger that Sarah opened her eyes and saw the warrior standing in between her and the crazed fae lady. He had calmly slapped the knife out of her hand and now stood with his feet planted and arms crossed over his chest, cutting off the lady from her intended target.
With out her weapon Regna knew she stood no chance against the giant man. Having no combative magics she would have to rely on her physical strength and judging by the size of the man it would be a joke.
Sarah slowly came out from behind the warrior, giving him a silent look of thanks. Turning to Jareth's mother with a glare she said in an icy tone, "You failed again you miserable old witch. I suggest you accept defeat and leave our kingdom."
The warrior smiled his approval at her words while Lady Regna fumed. When she spoke she practically oozed venom. "I see you spread your legs for more than just my son. But be warned you little mortal slut; you won't always have someone looking out for you." Regna turned with what was left of her dignity and began to walk away. A tap on her shoulder though made her turn around and her eyes widened in fear a second before Sarah's fist connected with her jaw.
The lady was so stunned that when she fell to the floor she continued to lay there as Sarah loomed over her. The trickle of blood flowing from the corner of the witch's mouth satisfied Sarah more than she was willing to admit, but she pushed it down as she issued her own threat to the evil woman. "I swear that by whatever you hold holy and dear that if you ever, ever, do anything to hurt Jareth, my friends, or this kingdom again I will hunt you down and destroy you like the mad dog you are." Bending down slightly so their heads were much closer together Sarah added in the same sickly sweet voice the lady favored so much, "Are we clear?" Her only response to Sarah's threat was a slight narrowing of her eyes. With a brief smirk of satisfaction Sarah turned her back on the fae lady sprawled out on the ground and hooking her arm through the warrior's she led the two of them off towards the castle.
The lady slowly got up off the ground and wiped the blood off of her lip and chin. Staring down at the small red pool Lady Regna silently vowed, This isn't over, before walking away from the labyrinth and the many targets of her future revenge.
Sarah couldn't contain her triumphant smile once they were far away from the horrible woman. "Did you enjoy that?" The warrior asked her in his low voice.
"Immensely," Sarah replied with a sigh of satisfaction. "Thank you for saving me," she added as an afterthought.
"That is part of Our duty," he reminded her. "To guard those that dwell here, especially Our king and queen," he added significantly.
"Right," she said in a worried tone, "I still have to fix my giant mess with Jareth. How exactly should I do that?"
The warrior simply smiled at her, his eyes glinting with amusement. This would be one of those times they can't tell me what to do. Damn. "Worry not, young one. He has loved you for a very long time and will forgive you."
With out her realizing it they had arrived at the door to the castle. It was the same door she had used on her first trip here when she had rescued Toby. With a flash of insight she figured out where Jareth was probably waiting for her. She began to turn back to the warrior to say thanks again, but he was gone.
With a heavy heart and a determined look on her face, Sarah entered the castle. The room was the same as she remembered it; dirty and full of refuse, a simple throne at one end and a staircase leading upwards in the far off corner. Quickly Sarah went over and began to climb the stairs, knowing there wasn't much time left in the day. Before she knew it she stood in the doorway to the Escher room. Before her were hundreds of stairways and platforms leading in all manner of directions and in complete disregard of all the laws of mortal physics.
She couldn't see Jareth anywhere but some how she knew he was nearby. A quick plea directed at her ring and she began to move in the directions she felt inclined to go. Sometimes it seemed she was going in circles but she continued on, knowing that she couldn't stop now. Finally, when she had almost given up hope, she saw him.
His back was to her and his head was down. He was sitting on the top step of a stairway and he held something in his hands that he was staring intently at. Sarah didn't know what to do or what she should say, so she started out simple. "Jareth?"
She might have expected a quick response; his head jerking towards her, him crying out her name in relief, or even him storming off in anger. But he did none of those things. Instead he continued to sit there, staring at the object in his hand. Continuing towards him until she was almost close enough to touch him she tried again. "Jareth? I've come back."
Immediately she drew back in alarm as his shoulders began to shake and a sound that resembled a laugh sounded from his lips. The way it sounded made Sarah shiver and for a second she wanted to run away. Bravely though she stayed and asked him, "What's so funny Jareth?"
The Goblin King finally turned to look at her. His face was pinched and haggard looking, while his mouth was twisted in a parody of a smile. His eyes however were the worst as far as Sarah was concerned. No longer were they sparkling with life and laughter or even dark with anger and frustration; they were simply lifeless and flat, devoid of anything. His voice, when he at last spoke, sounded hoarse, as if he had been screaming for hours. "My dear, everything about this entire situation is funny! What's not funny about an almighty fae king, inline to be the next High King, falling in love with a silly, childish, mortal girl? What's not amusing about that same king offering that same girl his heart and soul for all eternity, only to be rejected? And lastly my lady, what is more hilarious than that very same, very foolish king, offering all that and more to that same girl a second time, only to be even more spectacularly rejected?" His attempt at laughing seemed to have sapped the last of his energy and he returned to the top step, slumping down in total defeat. "If that's not something to laugh at Sarah, I don't know what is," he said in a dull voice.
Sarah's hands were shaking and her throat felt tight. That evil prickling of her eyes was back, but she told herself now was not the time to blubber like a baby. Going to Jareth, she kneeled down on the step below him, covering his hand with one of her own. "Jareth, I'm sorry. I didn't reject you and you know I love you. I made a foolish mistake but I'm here now. Won't you let me explain?"
Not even bothering to look at her he said, "No. You explained enough when you left this for me this morning." Opening the hand she had covered, he revealed the ring he had given to her last night. Sarah gasped to see it stained red and to see the cuts that had resulted from it.
This time she couldn't stop the tears as they slowly trickled down her cheeks. With a sob she flung her arms around him holding him close to her. "You don't understand! Please listen to me! Your mother told me things, horrible things, and I was trying to fix it. I thought what I was doing was for the best, but I was wrong! Please Jareth," she said pulling back slightly to look into his face. "Please forgive me. I know I hurt you and it was terrible of me. I'm sorry," she sobbed. "So sorry," she quietly added, laying her head down on his shoulder.
Jareth had still not moved during her impassioned speech and his hands remained motionless at his sides. But something in him snapped as Sarah stayed there sobbing in his arms and ever so slowly his arms went around her waist. Soon they were wrapped so tightly around her she could hardly breathe. "Sarah," he whispered in her ear.
The tears continued to pour out, but now they were tears of joy. "I love you Jareth," she told him with her whole heart. Pulling back again, green eyes met the mismatched ones that had regained their spark of life and she added with a bright smile, "You have power over me!"
A clock that neither could see began to toll the hour of midnight. A bright flash of light engulfed the two holding each other so close, but neither cared about it as Jareth gave a happy laugh and kissed his lady soundly, until both were breathless and giddy. When the lack of oxygen began to be a serious problem, their lips broke apart, but both remained wrapped up in the other's arms.
"I love you as well my dear. But do you realize what you just did?" He asked her, a look of surprised wonder on his face.
"I lost the challenge," she told him with an impish grin.
Throwing back his head, Jareth laughed out loud. "Why yes you did my love. I hope you're not too disappointed?"
"I couldn't be happier to lose," she told him, snuggling up close on his chest.
With a small chuckle he silently agreed. Stroking her back he began to question her again, "Besides that, do you understand what just happened?"
A sigh escaped her lips as she shook her head slightly. "No, but if you keep rubbing my back like that you can explain it to me."
"That flash of light… I don't understand how or why, but the ceremony was completed," he told her as he complied with her wish and rubbed her back. When she remained silent he told her, "When Haldir was accepted into the Fairy Court I saw something similar… But that was sanctioned and performed by the High Court."
Sarah looked up at him with a small shrug and said, "I have no clue what you're talking about, but if I was accepted that's good right? We can be married now with out any worries? Speaking of which, where's my ring?" He smiled at her as he placed the ring back on her finger, first using a touch of magic to cleanse it and make it clear again. Sarah smiled, happy to see it in its rightful spot again. Looking at her love she said, "I don't think we're really formally engaged until it's announced, but I'll leave that up to you." Going up on tiptoe she ensnared his lips with her own. After kissing him thoroughly for a few minutes she said, "But that can wait until later. For now I think it's time we work on another memorable night."
She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, making him smile in amusement and anticipation. Grabbing her up into another embrace he took them back to his chambers, content to do as she asked. She'll figure out soon enough what it means, was the last coherent thought Jareth was able to have for many hours.
The following morning, the king and his lady appeared before the court, arms linked and both glowing happily. Before breakfast could start, the king signaled for silence. With one last smiled exchanged between him and his soon to be bride, Jareth announced to the room at large, "Ladies and Lords of the Goblin Court, friends and honored guests, please allow me to introduce my fiancé and the future Goblin Queen, Princess Sarah Williams!" The thunderous applause and cheering that greeted the announcement shook the hall around them. Sarah graciously stood and curtsied to the court before turning to Jareth and receiving the kiss he swooped in to give her.
If it was possible the noise grew louder at the display from the king and future queen. The couple turned happy faces back to the crowd, the queen with a bright blush and the king with a sly smirk. The fairy prince and princess were the first to approach the high table, the men sharing a brotherly hug, while Valletta kissed Sarah on both cheeks as she had at the ball. "Well done my lady," the princess whispered in her ear. Sarah smiled her thanks, showing her true gratitude for all the princess had done for her by the gathering moisture in her eyes.
Haldir next went to Sarah as Valletta moved on to congratulate Jareth. The fairy prince hugged his future sister in law and gave her a roguish wink. "Keep him happy Sarah. He's much easier to deal with when he's not threatening people with that blasted bog." The two of them laughed at Haldir's joke, causing Jareth to look over at them. At Sarah's poorly feigned innocent look he rolled his eyes, figuring it was better if he didn't ask.
Lord Avery was next to join them, bowing before his lord and lady. "I seem to have heard that congratulations were in order," he said to them dryly.
"Indeed," Jareth replied with a hint of sarcasm, "I believe the neighboring kingdoms heard that raucous noise. I dread to think of what will happen when the rest of the goblins are told."
The group laughed and the prince and princess began to ply Jareth with questions on when the wedding would be. Avery went to Sarah's side and gave her another bow and lopsided grin. Sarah sighed at the man, knowing what he was probably thinking. "I know, if I had been honest with you, none of this would have happened."
Avery smiled at her and nodded. "Remember that in the future." Sarah stuck her tongue out at the fae lord, making him smile. "Such a charming mortal you are. I hope you're planning on staying awhile."
Jareth had come up next to her and placed his arm around her shoulders as they were talking. Snuggling in close to his side she replied to Avery while looking deep into Jareth's eyes. "Oh yes my lord, I plan to stay. Until the world falls down and beyond!"