“Not when it’s lunch,” Arulan retorted.
“Lunch?” Sarah asked, her face already beginning to flush. Deepening the shade of red on her cheeks was Sarah’s realization she was still naked beneath the duvet as she moved to join Jareth in the sitting area. He had cleverly used is magic to clad himself in sleeping pants before he left their warm bed. Quickly she pulled the cover up under her arms and tightened them around her chest.
The elf’s smile widened. “I should be on my way,” she told them as she excused herself. “The staff will be waiting for me to join them in the dining hall. Unless you two care to take your meal with the rest of us?”
“I think not,” Jareth politely refused her invitation as he used his magic to swing open the door to their chamber.
“I can take a hint,” Arulan declared, shutting the door behind her as she left.
Jareth poured them both a glass of mead as Sarah slipped out of bed and wrapped a silk robe around herself. Frowning, the king watched her cover a majority of her exposed skin. “You’ve no reason to be embarrassed,” he reminded her as she joined him at the table.
“What makes you think I’m embarrassed?” she attempted to ask coyly.
Seeing her try so hard to hide it amused him. “I’ve not seen that shade upon your cheeks since the second time we made love last night,” he pointed out, turning Sarah’s cheeks a deeper rose.
“That wasn’t from embarrassment.”
“Yes, well I didn’t say it happened for the same reason, merely that it had happened. In fact, I would be concerned if it had happened for the same reason,” he said upon second thought.
“You’re worried I would be embarrassed we had made love?”
“I’m more worried Arulan might make you...”
Sarah refused to allow him to finish his thought. Rather she slunk over to him, parting the slit in her robe to reveal her thighs, then she straddled his lap. “That is a talent only you possess, dear.” Jareth sneered devilishly as he grasped her and sunk his teeth into her neck. Suddenly he’d forgotten all about lunch although he still had a healthy appetite. Sarah felt his weight above her as Jareth expertly rolled her from his lap and lay her on her back on the couch. His fingers trailed along the edge of her robe, to her waist where he undid the tie and peeled back one half of the robe. Cupping her breast he lowered his mouth over her nipple. Their eyes stayed locked as he gauged her reaction to his various stimulations; licking, sucking, biting. From her hip, she gathered up one of his hands. They were as bare as they had been the night before. “I finally feel like I have all of you,” she said as she examined his long thin fingers, in awe of the pleasure they brought her skin at ever touch, amazed by the way he made her body sing.
“You always have, love. You always have.” Jareth cupped Sarah’s face in his palm, bringing his lips hard down on to hers. “And you always shall.” Growing serious, Sarah’s eyes strayed from his focus. The king was concerned he might have said something to hurt her feelings or that she may have some residual feelings of distrust at his keeping the secret of his mortal heritage from her. He backed away from her. Sarah skittered to the corner of the couch, pulling her robe back around herself. “Sarah, love, what’s got you so upset?”
“I’m not upset.” Screwing up his face, Jareth looked skeptically at her. “I’m not upset,” she tried to sound more convincing. “Contemplative maybe.” She could tell by the absence of change in his expression, he was not convinced. “Inquisitive?” Now she wasn’t even convinced. “Fine I’m upset.”
“As I thought.” Holding out his unsheathed hands, he welcomed her to come and lie against him. An offer she readily accepted. “Tell me what it is that has you so troubled.”
“It isn’t any one thing. It’s more like everything.”
Jareth raised an eyebrow and folded his arms around her, his chin resting on the top of her head. “Everything then, well the goblins are most probably rutting around in their food, swilling ale from the tap and that’s not bothering you, is it?”
“No,” she smiled. The king had that calm and easy way about him and the uncanny ability to force a smile even in the most desperate of situations. “It’s just when you say always that way, in regard to you and I, it gets me thinking that we don’t have always.”
“I had hoped we might have made it a while longer enjoying this new found level of our relationship before we had to bring up all the difficult decision making, but if it will ease your troubled mind,” Jareth held Sarah tight against him, her hands caught in his. “Sarah do you understand why it is that I couldn’t touch you until now?”
“You had to be certain I truly loved you,” she said as if it was common knowledge.
The king smiled at her simplicity, refreshed by her innocence. “Yes, that is true, but there are two distinct reasons. One is personal the other political. I have never touched a woman with my bare hands. As I’ve told you before, we fey are a particularly sensitive bunch, with heightened capabilities where each of the senses is concerned. There has never been another woman I have ever desired as much as I have desired you and so in hopes you would some day return to me, I have saved these hands for you,” he offered tenderly.
“I’m glad for that,” Sarah said as her thumbs rolled over his knuckles, his display now meaning quite a bit more than she had originally given him credit for. “But what political reason could there be for you to keep you hands covered?”
“You see, it was bad enough my great grandfather found himself hopelessly enamored by a woman who didn’t share his class and my grandfather was as public with his affairs as he had chosen to be, but the love my parents shared made these circumstances trifle by comparison. By the time the Triumvirate had christened me fey, it was too late to punish my mother. She’d already given up on ever finding love again. No one would compare to Ian in her heart. Worried I too may be prone to this trait of hers, they added a condition.”
“A condition?” she asked. “One to keep you from falling in love with a mortal.”
“Precisely. You see, they tweaked my senses Sarah. They made it so were I to touch a mortal with my bare hand, the flesh would burn, causing a terrible pain for me and a dreadful experience for the female involved.”
Slipping one of Jareth’s hands inside her robe Sarah noted, “Your touch feels anything but dreadful to me.”
“This pleases me, but I suspect it is so because I have given you my soul and more importantly because the moment you realized you had true love in your heart for me our souls fused and you no longer had the benefits and drawbacks of a fey, but you became one as well, at least fractionally.” She did not respond. Not fully able to understand the meaning of what he said nor the magnitude of it. Sarah waited for him to continue. “Everything is changed for us Sarah, my love.”
“Changed how?” Sitting up, facing him, she displayed a new interest in what he had to tell her.
“There is a small part of you which is fey. The Triumvirate has only forbidden unity between a fey and a mortal, but the laws have not been written for a circumstance such as ours. We could petition the Triumvirate, appeal to them, reasoning our love, a rare and true one at that, has made you a suitable mate for me by supreme intervention and therefore we should be allowed to join our lives. You would become queen of the Underground and share in ruling my kingdom.”
“Queen,” she repeated. “I don’t think I could be queen of anything.” Self doubt clouded her normally bright green eyes.
“From what I hear you did quite the job of it when you gathered my men to ‘ride to my aid’ at the meadow.” Sarah flushed, mortified at they way he had used the words she had spouted off that day. “Don’t go getting that chagrined look about you. It was a brave thing you did, the act of a clever and passionate woman whose thoughts were foremost of this kingdom and it’s king. I was honored when I heard your tale of leadership recounted to me, honored and grateful I had you on my side. There’s not a member of my staff nor a subject in my rule who would not be happy to serve you as they have served me, some happier.”
“I got them killed,” she frowned.
Jareth edged closer to her, his arm encircling her waist. “It was Tiberon’s blood thirst that got them killed, nothing more, certainly nothing to do with you. Were I in your position I’d have done very near the same thing.”
“Very near?” she asked, curious as to what he might do differently.
Raising an eyebrow he said, “I’d have kept the lady home from battle, for I know that is as the king would have wanted it.”
A few minutes past as Sarah sat in deep reflection. “But queen, Jareth, it sounds so formal?”
“It is formal. You’d be considered royalty Sarah, you wouldn’t suppose you could just go on being treated as a commoner, would you?”
Thinking it over took far less time than one might suspect. “I rather hoped that I would. I’m treated quite well by your subjects and your staff. I’ve never even liked being addressed as Miss Williams, let alone Queen Sarah.” Although, hearing it aloud, her name and the title, united as she and the king would be, it wasn’t all so bad after all.
“Well, I think it sounds lovely,” he voiced. “But all of that is a technicality. We could easily ask everyone to be less formal with you in private at your request. What is important now Sarah is that we decide if you want to stay?”
“And if I want to return Aboveground, I do so without you, don’t I?”
“Not necessarily,” Jareth’s face hung a little. He’d expected that with all the Underground had to offer her, royalty, friends, freedom, her choice would have been a rather quick and easy one. “I could return Aboveground if you wish; however, there are consequences just the same as there would be if we were to stay.”
“Such as?”
“I would need to revoke my power and rescind my throne, both of which I’m willing to do, in order to reclaim my mortality. But there would be sacrifices for you as well. You would have to give up my soul.”
“Give it back to you, you mean.”
The king shook his head, “No, I mean give it up entirely, otherwise I could have a difficult time with the transition.”
“And by difficult you mean risky.” Jareth did not confirm her suspicion. “Deadly?” His eyes told her she was right. “So if I ask you to come Aboveground, you give up your kingdom, I give up your soul and we run the risk of your dying. But if I were to come Underground, I give up nothing really and I get to stay with you. It doesn’t seem like a difficult decision, does it?”
“On the surface, I suppose it doesn’t, but you’ve got your own personal demons to put to rest. Only you know if you can live with letting them all go. I will do whatever you ask of me Sarah. I will go wherever you decide we should go, you need but say the word.”
“It’s all so much to consider Jareth.”
“So it is. Why not have something to eat,” he motioned to the lunch Arulan had brought them. “We can make these decisions later.”
They both picked at the trays she’d left for them. Seasoned fresh fish over rice with a side of asparagus. To Sarah, it felt positively ordinary sitting and having lunch with Jareth. She watched the way he cut his food and how his hand held his goblet when raising it to his lips. Even the rolling of his jaw muscles as he chewed were graceful. Nothing about her felt as if it fit into his world. She was rough around the edges, New York had groomed her to be tough and self aware. Nothing she had ever muttered held even a fraction of the poetic fluidity Jareth words seemed to drip with. Then there was the idea that going Aboveground again meant giving up Jareth’s soul. Not an idea she was entirely comfortable with. Sarah enjoyed the idea of sharing something with him on a metaphysical level. As if he could sense her doubts, and maybe he could, the king looked over at Sarah. Smiling, his devilish grin spread ear to ear, while he looked her, Jareth’s eyes showed her what he saw. A silver white ball gown that seemed to make her float across the marble floors. Combs holding up her rich black hair, revealing the delicate necklace high on her throat. Jareth always made her feel as if she belonged, if nothing else she knew that she belonged with him, and that he belonged here. The Aboveground could never appreciate everything Jareth truly was.
“So if I wanted to go back to New York, I’d have to give up your soul.” Devastated, the king only shook his head. “Well that’ll never do. I’m not giving away anything you’ve ever given me, especially not something as precious as your soul. I suppose, I’ll just have to get used to being a Queen.”
“Your majesty,” Jareth smiled brightly as he pulled her close. “It shall be my pleasure to assist you in ever way possible.” His lips covered hers in a thankful kiss, one that told her he was grateful for her decision and touched by her sentiment. “You know,” he said looking thoughtful, “time has flown today. Why I believe it’s time for bed already.” Jareth looked at a watch he never wore. “Ah yes, it says so right here.” He flashed his naked wrist at Sarah and then snatched her into his arms and lifted her from the couch. He lay her on the mattress where the duvet had been peeled back, ready to welcome her.
“Tuck me in,” she requested.
Slipping in beside her, Jareth banished their clothing and pressed their bodies together. “Snug?” he asked.
“Uh-huh,” she sighed. “Tell me a bed time story.”
“A fairytale?”
“Of course,” Sarah replied.
His fingers folded her stray hair behind her ears. “One with a happy ending, love?”
Her hand covered the back of his neck, his golden locks silk against her thin fingers. “No. One that never ends.”
Her sense of humor, thrilled him. She’d be right at home here in no time. “Right then,” he said as she pulled his lips closer to hers and claimed them as her own.
***** ***** *****
In Jareth’s office, Deverell sat going over and over again, a piece of correspondence sent a day earlier to the Underground from the Triumvirate. Most of it was all formality. Introducing themselves and wishing the king well, In the interests of the Underground and in compliance with the bargains previously agreed upon between our organization and the king so on so forth. The part that concerned him read, “You are to bring us the mortal in three days time so that we may rectify the situation which brought chaos to our realm some six and one half weeks ago this morning.” Deverell reread the line for the fiftieth time. Surely he was wise enough to think up some solution to Sarah’s being sent Aboveground.
Arulan came knocking round the door. “Come in,” he grunted without looking up.
“I overlooked your not being at lunch, but I simply can’t allow you to skip every meal served in this castle today,” she said as she set the silver tray on the desk before Jareth’s new assistant.
A quick glance at the grandfather clock in the corner and he realized she had a point. “Thank you.”
“What’s got you pent up in here so long today?” the elf asked.
Without responding, Deverell slid the letter across the desk and watched as Arulan snatched it up and began to read. As her eyes grew wider he asked, “Now do you see?”
“Indeed,” she said stiffly. “Three days time…they expect her the day after tomorrow.”
“They do,” he agreed. “I should notify his majesty.”
“I would recommend you do it in private, without Sarah around. I’m sure he’d rather give her the news himself.”
“And how am I to do that when they’ve been inseparable for days now. The entire kingdom is buzzing with the news of Sarah’s attendance at Darien’s funeral and how it came on the elbow of the king.” Slumping over on the desk the king’s new assistant looked to Jareth’s long time servant for guidance.
“If you mean to ask for my help, I could go to their chambers with you and claim some business with milady so you are free to speak with his majesty.”
Deverell drummed his fingers on the desk. “I hate to wait Arulan. I feel like I should give him as much notice as possible.”
“You want to do this now?” Thinking it over for a moment she decided they had both gotten up and dressed earlier, it was probably a safe bet. “We can try.”
Jumping to her side, the fey abandoned the meal she’d brought him and stood only slightly behind Arulan allowing her to take the lead as they marched off to the king’s chambers. They paused at the entrance, Arulan’s ivory white knuckles raising to rap upon the door. Halting in mid-twist her wrist froze. From beyond the door she heard the sounds of playful laughter and soft cooing. On the verge of tears, the elf thrust the papers back at Deverell. “I won’t do this to them,” she cried, “not today. Just give them today.” Quietly, her frivolous footsteps barely sounded as she ran down the hall.
***** ***** *****
“If you were to have things your way, I would never leave this bed. I’d stay here until my muscles began to atrophy and I was too weak to move, and so I’d have no choice but to lie here and allow you to wait on me hand and foot, be at your mercy whenever you needed me.”
“Sarah, love, I need you every minute of every day for all of eternity,” Jareth said to her as she lie in his arms, nothing but the sheet covering her frame.
Her hands pulled him closer as a thought crossed and uncrossed her mind until she felt compelled to ask, “What will happen when I grow old?”
“What do you mean?”
“When I’m gone, you know, like your father. It’ll happen some day. I’m okay with that, I understand. I’d just as soon live the life I’ve got left with you than live forever without you.” Her admission moved the king deeply. Sarah felt his head fall close to hers.
In her ear, Jareth whispered, “Oh, I suppose after some acceptable period of mourning, a day or so, I’d go Aboveground and find myself another mortal to take your place.”
“I see,” she said in a vain attempt to remain emotionless.
He laughed as he pulled her to face him. “Do you believe everything I tell you? You precious thing. I could never love another. The day your life ends, mine ends as well, but what would you say if I offered you forever, again? Only this time I think you’re old enough to understand what I mean.” He waited a moment as understanding took control of her. “The Triumvirate will never allow you to remain here without christening you fey, once that happens you’ll be as immortal as I am. Not only will you have forever, but I shall be at your side through every minute of it.”
“What the hell?” she said nonchalantly. “It’s only forever.” Her lips stretched up to meet his, both curled into a grin. Jareth’s lips grinned back, but after a quick brush, his love left their bed and set about dressing.
“Where is it you think you’re going?” the king asked.
Sarah only began to hum as she continued, now pinning up her hair. “If I’m going to be queen, I’ve got work to do, things to get the hang of. Surely you don’t want our subjects questioning why you’ve chosen me over all other mortals.”
Propping his hands behind his head, the king said smugly, “Well I kept trying to get Madonna to wish away one of her little brats, but we can’t always get everything we wish for.”
“I can,” she declared, paying him no mind. Before she left, Sarah bent to kiss Jareth goodbye, her mouth couldn’t resist tasting his neck and chest before she tore herself away. “I’ll be back for dinner.”
A snap of his fingers and Jareth kicked his long legs out of bed, “Suppose I’ll go run the kingdom,” he said. “Seems I’ve nothing better to do.” He returned her smile as she closed the door behind her, blowing a kiss between the crack as she left.
***** ***** *****
At the barn, Sarah met Gribbin who was busily grooming Shindeagon. “You startled me milady,” he said when she tapped his shoulder.
“My apologies,” she said with a curtsey. “Gribbin, I see you’re busy. I’ll come back when it’s more convenient.”
“Oh now, not too busy for you,” he said over his shoulder. “Tell you what, if you want to take that bucket there out to the fence and treat the horses for me, I’ll finish up with this one and you’ll have my undivided attention.”
“I’d love to,” she agreed, scooping up a bucket of peeled carrots. Shindeagon whinnied as Sarah began to leave the barn, one of her hind legs kicking into the air.
“Alright, alright,” Gribbin chastised. “Best give her one. Such a jealous nag, you are.” The horse made a deep grunting noise at his insult to express her offense at his comment.
At the fence, Sarah was warmly greeted by all of the horses in the pen, but for the Shagya and the still wild mustang. Cymeron nudged at the carrot, but refused to eat. Sarah’s hand reached out and stroked the horse along her blaze. Chataigne came and greedily gobbled up the snubbed vegetable. Shadowmere took the next and waited around for another offering. Checking the bucket, Sarah decided there was plenty for two carrots per horse and let her have her way. So as not to be out done, Chataigne gladly took another. “Come now,” she encouraged the still shy horse which had belonged to Turgomon. “You’ve got to eat.” As she had seen Jareth do with his stallion, Sarah swatted the other lingering horses away. “There, now no one’s watching you.” The horse only nudged the carrot, continuing to plead for Sarah’s affection.
Slowly the Princess Amalthea crossed the field to where the mortal stood, she shunned Sarah’s offer of food and focused her penetrating blue eyes on the girl. As she had before, the horse spoke to her in a majestic voice which echoed inside her head. “It’s good to see you again.”
“As it is to see you,” Sarah replied. It occurred to her then why the Shagya was so readily friendly with her. Those rumors were true. She’d grown to distrust magic and found Sarah’s mortality and Jareth’s partial mortality a comfort to her. “I’m pleased you feel you can come to me.”
The unicorn seemed to smile. “She doesn’t know,” the horse told Sarah. “No one’s told her about Turgomon and so she thinks he’s got no time for her or that she’s disappointed him somehow.”
“Oh,” Sarah said. “Well that’s not true at all.”
Cymeron whinnied. “She understands you Sarah. She wants to know where her master is.”
Explaining what happened wouldn’t be easy for Sarah, but as she thought about the relief she could bring the animal, her choice began to clarify. “Cymeron, I’ve got to tell you something about Turgomon. It won’t be easy for me to tell you or for you to hear. Your master isn’t angry with you. His absence has nothing to do with not wanting to see you.” The horse came closer, nudging Sarah’s face as if she could anticipate what was coming. “I’m sorry sweetie, but Turgomon was killed at the meadow that day.” Sarah watched the huge drop form in the large brown eye of the animal as her pain ran through her. “Now, now,” Sarah soothed. “There was nothing you could have done.” Cymeron whinnied as though she were wounded and took off running wild around the pen. “I shouldn’t have told her, Sarah said as she watched the horse attempting to outrun the truth.
“We can conquer the truth, but lies only stew in our imagination until it dreams up something far worse. She’ll be fine as soon as she comes to terms with her loss.”
“How can she understand me?” Sarah asked.
“Perhaps it’s your mortal lineage, or the calm way in which you speak, even your nature. Whatever it is Sarah, it has been given to you for a reason.” Amalthea’s head shook, her mane blowing wildly her horn pointing to the yet untamed stallion in the corner. “I understand the king is in need of a new stallion.”
It was true. Bagheera had been killed in the battle as well. Up until now, neither Gribbin nor Jareth had been able to tame the creature to which the unicorn referred. “I don’t know the first thing about breaking a horse,” Sarah said.
“What’s to know. A horse only needs broken because they can’t understand what the riders are trying to do, but if you can talk to him, get him to understand what you want, he’ll most likely jump at the opportunity to serve a king.” Having given her advice, the Shagya returned to her solitary corner of the pen.
Sarah continued to watched the stallion as he snorted and strode around the field. His mane and tail were a shimmering pure black. Beneath his crimsoned brown hide his muscles rolled as he kicked his heals in the air, each stride seeming as if his feet failed to touch the ground. He was a majestic creature, worthy to serve the king, if only she could help to settle him. Curious at her stare, the stallion journeyed to the side of the field where Sarah stood and galloped passed. She noticed his white boots on all four legs and the blaze which covered his entire muzzle, from eyes to nose and spanning the full bridge. “You’re beautiful,” she said aloud. As if he’d heard her, the horse stopped, turned and trotted passed her more slowly. That was when Sarah noticed the star shaped white mark on his under belly, just high enough on his right side to be easily seen. ‘So unique, so ethereal,’ she thought.
Gribbin came behind her, a whip in his hands, snapping it in the direction of the wandering stallion who bucked onto his hind legs and let loose with a whinny which echoed across the kingdom. He snapped the whip again. It cracked against the air. “Stop it ” Sarah shouted. “Please stop.”
“Milady, that’s a wild stallion, you can’t hand feed a wild stallion.”
Looking over the magnificent equestrian, Sarah edged closer. “I beg to differ.” Into the bucket went her steady hand as Gribbin looked on in fright. “Here you are,” she offered him a carrot. “You wouldn’t mind a treat would you? No, then come on.” The horse came closer to the fence, Gribbin’s look went from fright to amazement. “There you go, there. I’m not going to take it away,” she promised when the creature began to sniff the offering suspiciously. “You’re not the dreadful beast they think you are, are you? No you’re not. Not in the slightest.” The animal had begun to nibble on the edge of the carrot. “What you need is a proper name.” Sarah contemplated as she watched him eat. “Stardust,” she decided. “Star for that unusual marking on your side and dust like the cloud that rises behind you when you run. Stardust.” The stallion seemed to shake his head as he greedily finished the first offering and stood there, waiting for another. Sarah obliged him, sticking out another carrot for him to chew.
“I can’t but hardly believe what I’m seeing,” Gribbin said. “No one’s so much as been able to look at him before now. You’ve certainly got a way with animals miss.”
“Gribbin, if you’ll help me, I’d like to break this stallion for the king to use now that his Bagheera is gone.”
“Aye miss, I’ll help you.” He stared on at the sight which continued to amaze him. “After what I just seen I’d be too intrigued by what came next not to.”
***** ***** *****
Jareth sat in his office with Deverell as his new assistant tried to elegantly introduce the correspondence. “Sire, beg pardon, I should not have read this when I saw from whence it came and to whom it had been addressed, but since you were...busy...I admit to taking a liberty or two.”
Scanning the flawless script with his mismatched eyes, the king digested the words, “That’ll be tomorrow.” He said nothing more, only rose in an uneasy silence there with the other fey. His boots clicked against the marble floor as Jareth paced back and forth.
“Surely you knew this was coming, your majesty.”
“I did, but Deverell, there is more to this than you know.” Jareth sat in one of the chairs before the fireplace and began a thin, frail laugh. “I love her and she loves me. I don’t dread this trip, I’m not worried about going. Quite the contrary, I can’t wait.” His new assistant looked at him as if he had two heads. “This time when we go, it won’t be to worry about her leaving, it will be to be sure she stays,” he drew out the last word and followed it with more laughter, the catching kind that made Deverell join in.
“You’re going to petition the Triumvirate?”
The king raised his eyebrow at the youngster, “So you’ve been doing your homework?”
“I suppose,” Deverell admitted. “I just want to do a good job for you’re your majesty.”
“You know Deverell, that title is so formal. What say, when it’s just you and I, you call me Jareth?”
“Your majesty?” he asked with great surprise.
“You heard me. Sarah’s done something to me, something I can’t explain, something I don’t want to explain.” Folding the letter, the king tucked it inside his pocket. “Since you’ve been doing so much research I think I’ll let you take care of the petition scroll while I go and find some flowers for my mortal.” Jareth turned to leave.
“I don’t know if I should be drawing up something so obviously important to you.”
“Come now, I’ve learned to trust you, you’ve got to learn to be trusted. Just draw it up and I’ll sign it.”
***** ***** *****
Stardust’s blaze was snowy white in contrast to his black mane, a fact Sarah couldn’t escape as she warmed up to the stallion. Her foot rested on the bottom slat of the fence as she sat on the top, leaning in to rub the horse. Gribbin watched on in horror and amazement. One leg slipped over the fence. Stardust moved away. “Give me another carrot,” Sarah called softly to Gribbin.
“Milady,” he replied nervously, “I’m most certain his majesty would not want you doing this.” Warily edging closer with the bucket, Gribbin stopped short, trying to force Sarah back over to the outside of the pen.
His attempt failed miserably, as she made a long reach for the pail and snatched it from his shaking hands. “There, see, I’m not going to hurt you.” As Stardust reached to nibble the carrot, Sarah smoothed her hand over his neck, her fingers untangling his mane. “You’re a beauty, you are. A real thoroughbred.” Sarah patted at his shoulder and smoothed down over his back. With a calm voice, she led him parallel to the fence. “That’s a good boy, now just be steady for me.” Carefully she began to climb the slats of the fence. “Steady.”
“Miss, I don’t think that’s such a wise idea,” Gribbin warned.
“Ssshhh, you’ll scare him.”
“Scare him?” he asked. “You’re worried that I’ll scare him?”
As if she didn’t hear him, Sarah continued talking to the horse, “You don’t mind if we go for a little ride do you?” Her hands filled with tufts of his black hair as she pulled herself on to his back. Like a shot, the stallion took off across the field. Quickly the girl lost her hold of his mane and went crashing flat on her back to the cold ground beneath. A gust of breath rushed from her chest as her eyes took in the expansive fall sky above her.
Gribbin called to her from the fence, “You alright milady?”
“Fine,” Sarah grumbled back. “Have it your way,” she challenged the horse who’d slowed to a trot. She’d watched Jareth mount his horse from the ground a number of times and for a moment it occurred to her she might be able to do the same. As Stardust ran circles around her she paced herself along his right side. Legs pumping in time to his stride, she reached for his mane. As her hands filled with his hair, her feet leapt from the ground. Sensing her elevation, the animal sped up, ruining her timing and leaving Sarah face down in the dirt, her skull inches from the stallion’s thundering hooves.
Looking toward the Shagya, Sarah heard the words filling her head, “Don’t give up now. He’s impressed with you Sarah, use that to your advantage.”
Dusting herself off, a new fire made the mortal jump to her feet. “Right, my advantage.” Looking around the field, she spotted a stack of hay bales and a new idea crossed her mind. Scurrying up the bales, Sarah perched on top of the stack and waited. Stardust was asserting his dominance, marking his territory. Before he’d stop, his hooves would stain every inch of the pen. She could be patient. Eventually he neared the bales and thirsty from his exercise, began to drink from a nearby trough. Then hungry at his expended energy, began to nibble at the straw which stuck out from the bales. Seeing her opportunity, Sarah mounted him, a firm grasp on his mane and her legs tightening around his mid-section. For a moment he protested, but Sarah lowered her lips to his ear, gently stroking his neck as she told him, “I want you for the king, Stardust. Think about that, you, stallion to the Goblin King. What do you think of that?” The horse lifted it’s two front legs into the air and let out a small cry as he broke out into a gallop. This time, the ground failed to use its magnetism to yank her down. Instead, she balanced herself atop the eighteen hand horse, the world below rushing passed like a video in fast forward. Sarah’s face was aglow as the wind whipped her hair loose from its bun. Her arms extended to her sides as her legs further tightened around Stardust, all her trust in the animal. Riding a wild stallion was exhilarating, although, she also knew this ride meant his feral days would end. A piece of her felt guilty stealing his freedom by offering him companionship and yet she knew there was honor in this domestication.
Gribbin was by the fence, his stumpy legs carrying him from side to side the length of the field as he vainly attempted to keep up with the mad pattern of horse and rider. Jareth strode toward the barn, a collection of wild flowers held in his hand. The closer he came the easier it was to recognize the amber streak in the field. Wild flowers fell like confetti to the ground, contrasting the speeding horse as gift and bearer moved in slow motion. In his wake, Jareth left a splattered array as his strides changed to heavy falls when he began running toward the fence, having now recognized the figure on the back of the animal. “Sarah,” he called with all the air in his lungs. As he came up beside the farrier he asked, “What have you let happen to her?” gathering up the goblin’s shirt front in his leather fist. When Gribbin failed to respond, the king made a swift leap and jumped the fence, heading for the stallion. He stood in the path of the beast and narrowed his eyes, his stance rigid with resolution. Stardust slowed quickly sending Sarah jerking forward.
“Whoa,” she called. The sudden change of momentum alerted her to the king’s presence. Now just a few feet from the king, the stallion slowed to a trot. “Show him what you can do boy,” she whispered. Before his majesty the horse stood still, his coal eyes locked with Jareth’s mismatched blues. “It isn’t what you think, Jareth,” Sarah tried to explain. In humbling servitude, the once wild stallion fell to his knees and bowed to the king. Carefully, Sarah dismounted, “This is your new stallion. This is Stardust.”
Grabbing his love, he pulled Sarah close to his side. “What are you doing? Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?” Jareth looked back at the subservient horse, still unimpressed with his genuflection. “This is a feral animal. It is no match for you.” Noticing her grass stained clothes, Jareth began to paint the picture. “Why is he doing that? And you, what happened to you?”
Sarah smiled, her white teeth a strong contradiction to her skin, smeared with mud and perspiration. “He’s bowing to his king. Come on, you need a new horse and this one,” Stardust rose to his feet, his head held high with dignity, “this one is the finest there could be, except of course for Bagheera.” She watched Jareth eye the horse, stalking around the animal, assessing his physique and judging his temperament. “He’s as stubborn as you are and twice as arrogant.”
“And broken by the same woman I see,” Jareth raised a brow at the mortal while he reached for the horse’s blaze. “You are a fine specimen. I certainly approve of your look, solid and noteworthy. You have respect in you.” Stardust accepted his touch, though he withheld the affection he had shown Sarah. Probably for the best given theirs would begin as more of a business relationship. Jareth’s wounds at the loss of Bagheera were deep. They would take time to heal, it would take time until this creature was anything more than a servant to him, anything more than a new member of his staff. The king looked from the intense stare in the wide eyes of the animal to the knowing beam which Sarah wore. In time, he would come to accept this creature as his, in time he would love and trust it has he had his former steed. “Well, we’ll see how it goes, but I’m not making any promises.” After a brief pause, Jareth swatted the horse and sent him back to running about the field. Sarah thought she noticed his head held a bit higher and hers rose too, with pride at what she had been able to accomplish with him. “You need a bath,” he chided Sarah.
“So I do,” she agreed. “Care to help me with the spots I can’t reach.
“Say no more,” Jareth said raising his hand and transporting them both home.
***** ***** *****
Steaming water filled the tub in the master bath to the rim, nothing but soft candle light filling the room, as Sarah wiped the grime from her face. “What a busy day you’ve had,” the king commented as he undid the buttons of her blouse. “What possessed you to break a wild stallion?” he asked. Sarah shrugged, busy enjoying his touch. Her open shirt exposed the curve of her breasts, but rather than peel back the cotton cover from her skin, Jareth reached into her hair, removing a pin, loosening her already crumbling chignon. His free hand lifted and removed the last pin. His fingers shook her hair, causing it to fall loose around her face, over her shoulders. Sarah fought the urge to shake her locks, resting her head back into his palms instead. Massaging her scalp, the king continued to entangle in her long strands.
“Mmmmm,” she moaned as the ache in her neck conceded to the persuasive touch. “Take off the gloves.”
“Beg your pardon?” he asked in bogus surprise.
Sarah’s eyes, which had fallen closed seconds after she felt Jareth kneading her scalp, snapped open. “You heard me.” A finger jabbed at his chest, “Take off the gloves.”
“Take off the blouse,” he countered.
Sarah’s hands smoothed over her open shirt fronts, pulling them out from her chest and closing off what little could be seen. As his look grew impatient, she slipped her shoulders out. In counterpoint Jareth loosened the tips of his gloves. “Tease,” she purred as she backed away from him, the shirt slipping lower the further they separated. Once the collar had fallen to her elbows, Sarah straightened her arms, letting it cascade the rest of the way to the floor. Slipping her fingers inside the waistband of her breeches, she slid the beige pants down over her hips, passed her knees, where it was simple for her to pull her toes out from the heel straps at the ends of the legs. As her spine arched, pulling her back to standing, Sarah flicked back her head, a wave of raven hair coming forward from the nape of her neck. As the momentum from her fluid action began to fade, the locks fell to her shoulders and her shaking head dispersed them unevenly across her back. No longer able to resist the display, Jareth pulled her closer and kissed her hard.
“You were saying something about a tease darling,” he reminded her as he broke their kiss. Gathering her into his arms, Jareth turned and submersed Sarah in the hot water. She watched as he undressed himself in the more conventional, mortal way, undoing his shirt and pulling it over his head and then slipping out of his now painfully tight breeches, so he could join her in the tub. Sinking into the water, he spun his finger, indicating to Sarah she should turn around. Taking sponge in hand he smoothed over her shoulders, across her neck and down her back a bit before she leaned back to rest against his chest. Continuing to bathe her, he brought the sponge up her stomach and between her breasts, deviating from his path to make small, deliberate circles to either side of her sternum. Water rolled over her hardened nipples making them glisten as they mirrored the candlelight. Doing away with the sponge, Jareth palms continued to bucket water over her as she sunk her hands beneath the surface, massaging at his calves. Serenity filled them as they each took comfort in the other’s closeness. Jareth wondered how he had existed all those years without her, how he had managed to find satisfaction even temporality when he sought the companionship of others, when the satisfaction of love was so great it overwhelmed him. Sarah thought about the feelings she once had for this fey, for his world. In retrospect, perhaps she wasn’t as terrified as intrigued and perhaps he didn’t frighten her as much as he fascinated her. Everything she had been shown was no more lascivious than what she had seen now, only at thirty Sarah understood it and with understanding her fears had been calmed. Suddenly she felt more in charge of her life than she ever had.
Pressing against his knees, Sarah spun herself to face the king. Her lips caught his briefly, but quickly left to taste the droplets of water gathered on his neck and chest. The further from his mouth she wandered, the more Jareth grew alert and when her face broke the tension of the water’s surface, he was very aware of what she was managing to do while submersed. Sarah was surprised to find him at least partially flaccid as she began only playing with him at first. Normally, their first kiss was enough to make him eager and ready. Not wanting the meager disappoint to get the better of her, she took him into her mouth anyway, working him over with her tongue and allowing him to grow hard inside her. What she discovered was a new kind of thrill for her, solid knowledge that she could control him. Regardless of how he may display his dominance over any other being in his kingdom, Sarah knew that when it came to her and what she wanted, the Goblin King would always concede.
Remaining beneath the water for what seemed an extraordinarily long while, she continued to take her pleasure from the king. Allowing her mouth to fill with water made it especially easy for her to maneuver over and around him, while her flicking tongue creating tiny waves, which thrilled Jareth. As she came back above the water for air, he was sad, but only briefly, to see her torment end. Her breasts heaved as she refilled her lungs. The king looked on admiringly and she smiled back at him. A bright and knowing smile that told him his pleasure had not ended, but quite to the contrary, had only just begun. Sarah took his hardness into her hand and stroked him rather roughly as she pinched and squeezed at her wet, erect nipple with her free hand in complete confidence. Jareth couldn’t help thinking how far she had come from the skittish young girl who shied away from the lurid behavior of the other dancers at her first ball. No, this was a brand new woman, a fierce woman who feared little and surrendered to even less. Watching carefully, Jareth saw her hips beginning to rock and knew it wouldn’t be long before they united. It crossed his mind to stop her now and tell her that tomorrow, they’d be going to the Triumvirate, but he was distracted just then as the hand which had been working over her breast slid slowly along her torso until it rested on her mound, her two longest fingers slipping inside her folds and tracing small circles over her bud. Raising an eyebrow with interest he watched on. In seconds her fingers had slipped inside her slick hole. “Sarah,” he called to her low, her name rolling from his lips in time to the finger which curled back, beckoning her closer. She smiled at him devilishly, inching toward him in the tub, raising her knees up and over his thighs one at a time. Jareth hands grabbed her buttocks and her roaming fingers found his ready shaft and guided it into her. They both moaned in satisfaction as their union took place.
“You are no longer the innocent little girl who left me all those years ago, I see.”
“Does that displease your majesty?” she asked, nervous that it may.
“Oh no, love, it pleases me very much,” he said while thinking it would be damn near impossible to grow bored with someone who was so apt to change.
“Good,” she replied, pulling him to her by the shoulders. “Then shut up and fuck me.”
“As milady wishes,” he complied wrapping her legs around his waist as he stood in the tub. Sarah was weightless in his arms and thrilled by how easily she could relinquish control to him and how readily he accepted. Carefully he stepped out of the tub, one foot at a time and headed for the door to the bedroom.
“Not that boring old thing,” she smirked down at him. “If I’m to make love with you forever Jareth dear, we’ve got to keep it interesting.”
“Interesting you say,” he commented as he lay her back against the wall. “How’s this for interesting?”
The tiles were cold against her skin and the feeling of suspension added to her pleasure as she cried out her approval. Jareth bent his knees so as to better penetrate her and began a series of deep thrusts. One arm supported her waist, relying on her shoulders to do the rest, the king brought his other hand to her breast mimicking the things he watched her do earlier. As he bent to lap at the dark pink circle he just tormented, Sarah could see over his shoulder. The mirror on the far side of the room reflected them. She watched his backside tighten as he drove himself into her and the strong arch of his back as he attempted to reach as much of her as possible. It amazed her how they seemed to so easily fit together, fluid perfection, in their union. Added sense added sensation and Sarah called out as her legs tightened around the king’s waist and the indeterminate words which fell from her lips echoed in the open room.
Half from pleasure and half from pain, Jareth moaned. “You’re petite as a feather love, but I can’t keep this up much longer.” It was obvious he was having trouble the longer they stayed in this position.
“Set me down,” she said. He reacted with a look of disappoint as he withdrew from her warmth and set her on the floor again, but it was quickly washed away as he watched her look around and settle on a small ottoman, by the door where he often sat to remove his boots. She slid it away from the wall some and lay face down, her knees on the floor. Over her shoulder she raised her brow at him suggestively. Jareth was immediately behind her, careful as he entered her. It was deeper access and before long Sarah was crying out again, this time in shear joy rather than orgasm. Her hands clenched the fabric of the ottoman as she arched her back and met his thrusts by crashing back into him. In the mirror, he watched her face as his hands massaged her back helping to control and time her movements as well as remove the divots the tile had left in her flesh. Bending around her, he massaged her breasts and sunk his hands lower where he could fondle her clitoris and extend his fingers to feel himself sink into her. Everything about this woman brought him joy. He found himself thinking of the other times they had made love and remembered the exhilaration in her eyes the time he had swatted her on the backside. Straightening his posture his hand kneaded her fleshy cheeks and then without warning, gave the right one a slap. The same spark returned to Sarah’s eyes. Sensing her approval, Jareth continued to alternate between rubbing and patting her. His new position allowed his sack to crash against Sarah’s sensitive nub. “Jareth,” she called as her pleasure neared again. “Oh Jareth.”
Feeling her walls tighten around him, the king increased the speed of his movements, holding her hips and pulling her over his engorged member until he too was satisfied. Sarah’s orgasm continued even after his had ended. She bucked wildly against him hungry to be finished off. When her jerking movement became painful for him, Jareth captured her hair and pulled it hard, stilling her. Then he reached round her front, grabbing her bud between his forefinger and thumb and pinching it hard as he made shallow thrusts into her until she collapsed against the bench beneath her satiated.
As he withdrew from her this time, Jareth rolled her onto her back and kissed her swollen lips, teeth marks evident in the transparent flesh. “I love you,” she told him as his strange eyes caressed her.
“And I you, love.”
Smiling she asked, “Do you suppose you’ll ever grow bored of me?”
“No, I don’t think that will be an issue for us.” They both laughed.
***** ***** *****
Jareth met Arulan at the door, as Sarah finished dressing and helped her to bring the silver dinner trays into the seating area. “I figured this being your last night, you’d want to have dinner privately.” The king hushed her and looked quickly about to see if Sarah had joined them. “You haven’t told her ” Another hush from the king. “Jareth, really, how could you not tell her.”
“They’ve let her stay every time, every time. Do you really think they’d be so heartless as to take her from me now?”
Her eyes stayed to the floor, “The future is not mine to predict anymore than it is yours to control. You’ve got to tell her Jareth. She’ll want to prepare, mentally if nothing else. She’ll want to think up what she should say. She’ll have questions, want to know what they’ll expect of her, what they’ll ask.” Gathering up the lids, Arulan left as Sarah came from the bath. “Good day miss,” the elf said just as she backed into the hallway.
“What’s going on?” the mortal asked when she saw Jareth’s tentative look.
“Nothing,” he lied. “Come, have your dinner.” Sarah sat across from him, nibbling at her meal and waiting for him to say something more. “What if this had been your last day here?”
Calmly, she replied, “I don’t know. I can’t say I would be disappointed in how I had chosen to spend it, but it would have been nice to see Hoggle again. Or Ludo and Didymus for that matter, but even if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t regret what I’ve done with my time here, wouldn’t regret what I’ve done with you,” she added when she saw the king’s face drawing long. “But Jareth,” his eyes met hers, “I don’t want to leave. We’re going to petition the Triumvirate, that’s what you said. Have you changed your mind?” Sarah’s fork fell against her plate.
“No, certainly I haven’t.” He caught her hand and held it in his glove. The leather suddenly repulsing her more than usual. “Sarah, my love, there’s something I must tell you. Something I should have told you the moment I was made aware, but alas you do succeed in distracting me.” Though the thought of how had graced his lips in a seductive sneer, it was quickly replaced with seriousness. “Tomorrow, we go before the Triumvirate.”
“When tomorrow?”
It was hard to determine her mood as she stared at her plate, her hand limp in his. “Immediately after breakfast.”
Sarah looked at him, her eyes wet and asked, “May we dine with the others in the morning?”
“Aye, and if it pleases you, I’ll invite your friends as well.”
“I’d like that,” she admitted. He was nothing if not willing to please, with her at least.
They went back to eating, uncomfortable silence their only companionship until Jareth could bear it no longer, “You never said why it was you practically got yourself killed with that stallion today.”
“I just wanted to give something back to you. You’ve given me so much and I cost you Bagheera.”
“You have cost me nothing. It’s true, I have lost a great many things in your name, but I would give them over tenfold, I would give everything I have for you Sarah and I would do it willingly.” Shoving his tray aside, Jareth took Sarah by the hand and led her to their bed. “Close your eyes and rest, love. I’m off to make arrangements for tomorrow’s breakfast, when I get back...”
“When you get back, you’ll wake me.”
“Oh Sarah, it’s going to take me some time to write all those scrolls. You need your rest.” Lifting the duvet he tucked her in up to her chin.
“Jareth, if his is to be my last night here I’ve no intention of sleeping. When you get back, you’ll wake me,” she reminded.
“I’d be a fool not to,” he said dropping a tiny peck on her nose.
***** ***** *****