Chapter
Six
Nothing
happened.
Her
fingers rested gently against the crystal, and yet there was no
reaction at all. No sparks, no flashes ... not so much as a fizzle.
It was about as thrilling as fireworks in the middle of a
thunderstorm, and just about as useful. Clearly, this oh-so-special
crystal was a dud.
After
several moments of this absolute nothingness, Sarah scowled darkly
and opened her mouth with the full intention of blasting the Goblin
King's ears for pulling such a nasty trick on her. Again.
But she hadn't even gotten the first word out when the
orb suddenly flared to life, causing her to release a rather
undignified squeal, instead, which she topped off with a gigantic
leap backwards.
She didn't let go of the
crystal, however. Or, more precisely, the crystal wasn't letting go
of her. It seemed to be melting, flowing up her arm in thin,
golden streams, both scalding hot and bitterly cold, yet strangely
painless.
Sarah thought she
screamed, but she wasn't completely sure. She couldn't seem to hear
much over the strange thundering in her ears, which she realized a
moment later was her own frantic heartbeat. What kind of a sucker
was she to keep falling for such obvious tricks? Didn't she
possess the capability to actually learn from past mistakes? Her
eyes burned with hot, angry tears as she glared at the stoic king,
betrayal written on every line of her face, while he simply stared
back and seemed not at all concerned over the fact that she was being
devoured alive by his "gift".
The
streams of light, in the meantime, had worked their way from one arm
to the other, and were now flowing down to her feet. It was then she
noticed something rather odd. Where the light passed, her clothing
was transformed; from plain cotton and denim to swaths of shimmering
satin, frothy lace, the glitter of precious gems. It went on and on,
until she was covered head-to-toe in the light, which now seemed to
pulse around her like a warm, golden cocoon. And then it abruptly
faded, and Sarah found herself standing in the forest, bedecked in
the gown of her wildest fantasies. She stared down at
herself, touching the fabric reverently, noted the glitter of her
bejeweled fingers, and couldn't help but feel just the tiniest bit
foolish about her impromptu panic attack.
A polite cough brought
her eyes abruptly to Jareth's face. He was watching her, smiling
slightly, and she just knew he was laughing at her. She tried
her hardest not to bristle at him. "I trust you're pleased with
your gift?" he asked, sounding much more smug than she liked.
"Does it suit you?"
There
was a strange, almost gentle expression on his face that belied his
self-satisfied tone, and she suddenly found it rather
difficult to look him in the eye. "It's fine," she
stammered. "I mean ... yes. It suits me. Nicely." She
cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably.
"Well then. Shall
we?" He extended a hand in exactly the same manner as he had in
her dream, and her heart skipped a beat. Was he actually asking her
to dance? Jareth saw her hesitation and smiled gently. "Touch
your dreams," he whispered.
She jumped slightly at
the familiar words, her wide-eyed gaze dropping to his hand.
Hesitantly, her own extended toward it; she half-expected him to fade
into mist the way he had in her dream, but the fingers that closed
over her own were tight and strong, and as he pulled her close
against him, his warm breath ghosting softly across her face, she
suddenly felt lightheaded. Was this what swooning was? Part of her
protested – She was a modern woman, damn it! Modern women did
not swoon! – but
the rest of her was much too busy enjoying the sensation of being
wrapped securely in the Goblin King's embrace to pay that first part
any attention.
Jareth's
other arm came about her waist, pulling her even closer, and a soft,
haunting melody swelled around them, coming from the trees and the
grass and the very air; a song that was as familiar to Sarah as a
cherished memory. He danced her around the glen, his
every movement graceful and precise, and just like the first time,
Sarah allowed him to lead her and simply relished in the warmth and
closeness of him, her eyes lidded as she gazed into his beautiful
face, completely enraptured and looking very much like a woman in
love.
Jareth returned her gaze
as he sang softly to her, the deep, velvet tones of his voice flowing
over her like warm honey.
"There's
such a sad love deep in your eyes,
a kind of pale jewel,
opened and closed within your eyes.
I'll place the sky
within your eyes.
There's such a fooled
heart, beating so fast,
in search of new
dreams, a love that will last within your heart.
I'll place the moon
within your heart.
As the pain sweeps
through, makes no sense for you.
Every thrill is gone.
Wasn't too much fun at
all,
but I'll be there for
you as the world falls down."
Sarah closed her eyes as
she listened to him sing. Her common sense seemed to be melting
away; she was completely enchanted by him. Wasn't she being crazy,
allowing herself to get so carried away by someone who had used
nothing but trickery and deceit to bend her to his will? But his
words felt sincere, and could even the Goblin King fake the
sort of emotions she was seeing in his eyes at the moment?
At some point that she
hadn't even noticed, their pace had turned from a waltz to a slow
dance, and Sarah allowed herself to relax further into his arms,
daring to rest her head on his shoulder as he continued to sing into
her ear.
"I'll paint you
mornings of gold,
I'll spin you
Valentine evenings.
'Though we're
strangers 'til now,
We're choosing a path
between the stars.
I'll lay my love
between the stars.
As the pain sweeps
through, makes no sense for you.
Every thrill is gone.
Wasn't too much fun at
all,
but I'll be there for
you, as the world falls down.
Falling in love…"
By the time the last
word was sung, they were barely moving at all. The couple stood in
the center of the clearing, heedless of anything but each other as
their gazes met and held for long, silent moments.
After a time, Sarah
slowly blinked, bringing an abrupt end to the trance into which they
had both fallen. Her senses slowly began to return, and she realized
with some trepidation that she was still being held rather intimately
in Jareth's embrace. He was gazing down at her expectantly, and she
thought that she ought to say something. "I ... that was
beautiful," she whispered. "Thank you, Jareth.” She
ignored the way her cheeks heated when his name slipped from her
lips; it seemed such an intimate thing to call him. Which was
utterly ridiculous, of course, she hastily told herself. It was
his name, after all. “It was ... it was a great gift,”
she continued, stuttering slightly as her awkwardness began to
return. “ I never knew that you could be kind."
"There is much
about me that you don't yet know," he replied quietly,
seriously. "Perhaps, in time, you will discover more." He
paused, and slowly shook his head. "But not tonight, I fear."
Withdrawing his arms, he took a step back, his hands sliding from
her shoulders, down her arms to her wrists, before grasping her
fingers in his own.
Sarah realized at once
what was happening. He was going to leave. Of course. He had
to leave; he'd said it himself, that it was only for one night. And
the night, it appeared, was nearly over. The sky, without her
notice, had become washed in the pale, grayish-pink light of
approaching dawn. She tried to tell herself that it was relief she
felt, and not overwhelming disappointment and the fear that, after
this night, she would never, ever see the Goblin King again.
“W-well, I ... I guess this is it, then,” she stammered.
“It's almost morning, so I guess you have to go back and ...
kick the goblins around or something, right?” She managed a
smile, determined to show him that she wasn't at all affected by his
impending departure. “It was really nice to see you again,”
she continued, and actually found herself meaning it. Of course, it
had been much more than nice, but she could barely admit that
to herself, let alone him.
Jareth tilted his head
to the side, a sad smile pulling at his lips. "Yes. I suppose
this is ... farewell," he agreed, and squeezed the hands that
were still trapped within his own.
He bowed to her and
raised one hand, and then the other, to his lips; even through her
gloves she could feel their warmth as he kissed her knuckles, and she
shivered despite herself. What is this man doing to me?
she thought despairingly. After this, she was never going to be able
to pretend that her life was normal, or that fairy tales didn't
exist.
The clearing was growing
brighter as the sky began to take on the first fiery hues of sunrise.
The moon had long-since vanished, and Sarah wondered whimsically if
it had only stayed in one position above them for so long because
Jareth willed it to do so, and had now released it to resume its
normal path. In the far distance, she heard a rooster crowing. It
wouldn't be much longer before her family started waking up. She was
supposed to help her grandmother and Karyn start Christmas dinner; if
she didn't show up soon, they'd start wonder where on earth she'd
gone off to. I'll just tell them I was in the forest, dancing with
the Goblin King, she thought, and it made her smile fleetingly to
imagine their reactions over that bit of information.
"What amuses you?"
His voice brought her
from her musings, and she shook her head dismissively. "Oh, I
was just thinking of my family's reaction if I decide to tell them
where I've been," she replied, somewhat bitterly. “They'll
figure out I've gone missing before I get back, probably.”
"I would send you
back, if that is your wish," he offered.
She blinked in surprise.
"Would you really do that for me?" she asked in
astonishment. Then, with a slightly suspicious glare, “What's
the catch?”
That got a surprised
laugh out of him, and he shook his head bemusedly. “Still so
mistrustful, even now,” he chided gently. His smile was sad as
he regarded her. "Do you not yet realize that there is nothing
I would not do for you?" he murmured.
Sarah blinked again,
startled by the seriousness of his tone. What exactly did he mean by
that? Before she could think to ask, however, he was suddenly
pulling her close to him, pressing one hand firmly to her back as he
entangled the fingers of the other into her silky hair. Her eyes
widened in shock as she felt him tug on the strands, causing her to
lift her face in order to ease the pulling, and was given no time to
protest as he leaned in and pressed a warm, firm mouth gently to her
own. She stiffened at the unexpected invasion, but it lasted barely
a moment before she found herself melting into him, her resistance
thoroughly crushed beneath a myriad
of newly-awakened sensations and feelings. She'd been kissed just
once before, a clumsy attempt by a classmate, after which she'd
smacked him firmly and had walked away in disgust.
Jareth's kiss was
nothing like that unpleasant boy's whose name she couldn't
even remember. His was the kiss of a man who clearly knew
what he was doing as he angled her head further to the side and fit
his mouth more securely to hers, slipping past her lips to stroke and
tangle his tongue with her own. She found herself trembling in his
arms, weak and lightheaded, nearly overcome with emotion. She'd
never imagined that anything could feel so intense, or so intimate,
and the thought that she might never get to experience this exquisite
warmth again nearly brought tears to her eyes.
Something inside her
began to ache when Jareth finally eased the heavenly kiss,
reluctantly parting from her mouth to allow a cool breeze to ghost
across her flushed cheeks. For a moment Sarah was disoriented, but as
her senses slowly began to reassert themselves, she realized that she
was now standing in the guest room at her grandparents' house,
dressed once again in her normal clothes. The breeze was coming from
an open window, through which she could see that the sun was just
peeking over the canopy of the trees, touching Jareth's hair with a
halo of gold. In that moment, he looked almost angelic, and Sarah's
heart began to ache just a little bit more.
He was gazing at her
steadily, his captivating eyes filled with gentle warmth and the
flicker of unfulfilled desire. She could only stare back, having no
idea what to do next. She supposed she ought to say something, but
what did one say after an experience like that? Especially in
the face of his leaving? And then, suddenly, the words she'd never
intended to say were pouring from her lips in a great rush. “Don't
go back,” she commanded. “I ... I don't want you to go.”
He smiled gently and
reached out to caress her cheek softly, opening his lips to speak—
A sudden, rapid pounding
startled them both, and they whirled to face the closed door.
"Sawah!" came Toby's impatient call from the other side.
"Get up! You pwomised we'd pway with my caw today! Get up!
Pweeease?"
Surprisingly, Jareth
laughed, but Sarah wasn't nearly so amused. Of all the rotten
timing! And it had been getting so good, too! She glared at
the door, then glanced over at Jareth, considering. Would he be
willing to take the little brat a second time if she wished it? She
wouldn't go after him, this time around! Jareth appeared to read her
thoughts, and he cast her a slightly chastising look, although his
lips were still twitching with amusement. She huffed slightly,
feeling very much put out. She didn't want this dream to end! The
last thing she wanted was to wake up and go back to the real world.
All she desired was to stay right there, in Jareth's arms, forever.
It ... it wasn't fair!
Toby wasn't having any
though. He kept pounding away on the door. He'd keep at it for hours
if she let him; she knew this from experience. She huffed an
exasperated sigh, feeling the beginnings of a headache tickling
behind her temples.
"He reminds me of
somebody else I know," Jareth observed lightly, his voice soft
and teasing. His eyes were twinkling as he watched her, and she shot
him a dirty look before sighing again and shaking her head.
"Somehow, it's your
fault. I just know it,” she snorted, earning another amused
laugh. She glanced up at him, then graced him with a slight smile.
"So I guess this is it then, huh? You'll go back to your world,
I'll come back to mine, and this will be just another dream that
never really happened."
His hands came up to
cradle her face, and he rested his forehead gently against hers. "It
happened," he murmured. "I trust that you will never
believe otherwise, and I promise you that I will not forget. I thank
you."
“Huh? For what?”
He smiled. "Because,
after all of my effort, you have finally bestowed upon me the trust
and friendship I have so long desired of you. That is your
gift to me, and although we
must part, so long as you hold me in your heart, I will always
be with you."
"SAAA-WAAH!"
Toby's cry was now a
full-throated bellow, and Sarah closed her eyes and did her best not
to cry as reality again tried to reassert itself. She felt Jareth's
hands softly caressing her face, and warm lips briefly touched her
eyelids as a gentle voice whispered, "Farewell, beloved."
She sucked in a sharp
breath as her eyes snapped open, certain that she'd heard wrong. But
Jareth had vanished, as if he'd never been there, and the sparkles of
magic might have merely been dust mites caught in the golden sunrise.
The strength seemed to bleed from Sarah's legs as she sank slowly
onto the bed, trying hard to breathe. That was it? Was it over now?
Would she ever see him again, or had this been their final meeting,
the reconciliation they'd both needed. Why, now that it was too
late, why was she only just now realizing that she was completely in
love with him?
Life wasn't just unfair,
it seemed. Life was downright cruel.
There was an odd weight
resting against her chest.
Her brow furrowed as her
hand came up, and she felt cool metal touch her fingers; a length of
chain hung about her neck. What the…? She glanced down
and was astonished to discover Jareth's pendant hanging there,
glinting silver and gold in the light. "Jareth,"
she whispered, hardly able to believe that he would part with such a
precious item. Was this a promise, then? Was it his way of telling
her that they'd meet again in the future?
Her lips curved into a
sad smile. Maybe Jareth was right. Even if they couldn't see each
other, as long as they held onto their memories, they'd always be
close to each other in their hearts. Until the day came when she
could see him again, could touch his face, and hold his hand, and
tell him in person how much she actually loved him, all she could do
was cling to the knowledge that he was thinking of her. It would be
enough. It had to be.
Gathering her composure,
Sarah wiped her eyes and pasted a plastic smile on her face,
preparing herself to face the real world once again.
~~The End~~
