Chapter 25. Compromise and Conciliation

Author's note.

More sex….

Jareth, sated, and peaceful held the girl in his arms. She was spent, and covered in a slick sheen of sweat. He had made her howl, and beg and he was satisfied. Now she lay peaceful in his arms, sleeping. Taking a long breath he allowed sleep to claim him as well.

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Lilith watched as the room began to mend itself. "One has to admire his style." She chuckled. "A bit over dramatic but it is to be expected."

Gilgamesh walked at her side as they left the arches of the stair room. "He is your son."

"Yes," She agreed.

The Babylonian paused. "Do you think they have come to a peaceful resolution?"

"I think negotiations have begun." She suggested. Hooking her arm into that of the old King she sighed. "I only hope they can go beyond what caused the gulf betwixt them in the first place."

"You and I interfered," He warned. "Perhaps we should at this time make ourselves scarce."

She nodded, "If he needs me, he knows he has but to call."

"Let us away."

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Hoggle sat with Sir Didymus, each studying the chess board between them. They had been at this game since they'd been returned from the world of mortal man. The ground beneath them began to shiver and quake. Then it went still.

Hoggle looked down, "What was that?"

The little knight didn't take his eyes off the chess board. "What is what, my brother?"

Hoggle shook his head, "Never mind." He too went back to the game.

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Jareth awoke to find her staring at him. "What?" He asked sleepily.

"That's my question." She said sharply.

Rolling to his side, he looked at her. "You look… upset." He commented.

"I think I have a right to be upset, don't you?" She was pulling the blanket about her modestly.

"Charming;" He muttered. "Modesty after we've spent the night rutting."

Sarah's cheeks burned with color. "I didn't rut…." She protested.

"Yes you did." He said sitting up and stretching. "Charmingly, but yes you did." He rested his elbows on his upraised knees. "You don't look none the worse for wear either."

Sarah groaned and hung her head. "What did you do to me?"

"I made love to you." He said calmly. Changing the subject he looked about. "I'm hungry, are you?"

She looked up at him, shocked. "You can think about food at a time like this?"

He shoved off the blanket and moved off the bed. Stretching and noticing her overt her eyes; "Yes, I can." He smiled wickedly, "Unless you've a better offer?" Watching her pull the blanket tighter made him chuckle.

"It's not funny." She snapped. "You… did… something… to me…"

"I made love to you." He said firmly. "And you." He pointed to her, "Made love to me."

Sarah tried to make sense of the muddled memories of the recent hours. "OH God." She moaned.

"You said that several times," He teased crossing his arms. "I know I'm good, but godly…"

Sarah lay back in the bed and moaned. "Just shoot me now!"

He crawled over the bed and straddled her. "NO."

Eyes popped wide, she looked at the man now pulling the blanket back from her. "Stop that!" She began to giggle as he ticked her in places no one else knew of, "Jareth!"

He pulled her into his arms. "Sarah." He replied.

Holding him off with one hand she moaned; "Stop."

"No." He said calmly as he rolled on top of her. "I don't want to."

"We can't do this?" She protested, thinking of a hundred reasons why she should stop him.

Jareth smiled wickedly. "Sweetheart, we already have done this, and I want more."

"Wait a minute!" she demanded. "What happens now?"

Still smiling that wicked smile he whispered. "Well, to begin with, I'm going to shove my rock hard shaft…"

"I don't mean that!"She yelped. "I mean what happens… to us… to me…"

He paused and seemed totally relaxed. "Oh that," he murmured. "You come here to the Underground and we live happily ever after."

"Doubtful!" she snapped. "I don't think we even like each other."

"Maybe not, but we do love each other." He sighed and began to renew his assault.

Sarah yelped again. "I can't come to live here!"

"You have to," He insisted. "I won't have my wife live away from me." He pinned her down to the mattress. "Now be a good little girl and lay still while I ravish you."

"I'm not kidding!" She protested.

He held her down. "Neither am I." He moved her legs apart and slid into place. He watched her face, the shock of him entering her visible. "Good morning." He said happily.

"What are you doing?" She gasped.

"Ravishing you," He repeated making sure she could feel each long stroke.

"You can't do this!" she protested.

"Yes I can." He said with pride. "And you love it."

Sarah felt her body betray her. It was responding to him with equal passion. She felt a wave of desire hit her like surf on the rocks at the sea shore. "You're not being fair." She moaned.

"No, I'm not." He agreed. "I'm playing dirty." He smiled wickedly. "Play dirty with me Sarah." He suggested.

Sarah gave in to the heat that now liked at her like flames of a fire. "Oh Jareth, don't stop." She begged.

"That's my girl," he growled as he began to ride faster and harder.

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Hoggle looked at Didymus, "Didn't you feel that? That rumbling in the ground?"

"No," the Knight said, "Your move."

Hoggle looked about him, "Someone's move, but it's not mine." He muttered.

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Sarah lay sprawled over Jareth's chest. "Can we talk now?" she asked with effort.

"If we must," he sighed.

Too exhausted to rise, she moved her head to face him. "What do you plan to do with me now?"

Reaching down he moved the damp hair from her face. "I told you, we are going to live happily ever after."

"And just how do you plan to accomplish that little feat?" She rolled off his chest and lay back on the pillows.

"By making you my love slave," He teased. When she opened her mouth to protest, he put a finger to her lips. "Kidding…well half kidding…" thinking about it he smiled; "Although it's really not a bad idea."

"Jareth," She muttered under his finger.

"You and I are going to be married, with all the pomp and circumstance." He sat up, and stretched again as he had earlier. "You will live in my castle with me, and all my merry little goblins."

"And that's that, is it?" She asked feeling a bit overcome.

He looked at her with his head cocked to one side. "Yes, Sarah, that's that." He narrowed his gaze. "You were always meant to be mine, and now you are. We fit together, whether you like it or not, you belong with me."

She leaned up on her elbow and placed her head in her hand. "I guess fighting it is stupid at this point."

"Well said." He smiled down at her. "Sarah, we can have a good life together."

"Oh sure we can." She said sarcastically. "You ordering me about; and me defying you. Sounds great, Jareth."

He snickered. "I have no intentions of ordering you about all the time."

"Right, and next you'll tell me you did this all for my own good." She looked away.

"Are you always this grumpy before breakfast?" He asked. "I think I should know… if you are… I can arrange for meals to be delivered to our bed chamber so the rest of the castle doesn't see the Queen…well…. You're not at your best right now." He rose from the bed.

Sarah sat up, clutching the bedding again. "I'm not grumpy." She protested.

"You need breakfast," He suggested softly. "I say we bathe, dress and go eat."

"Bathe?" She looked about the temple arches. "I don't see a bathroom, do you?"

He smiled. "Not here." He moved to the bed and gathered her up in his arms, bedding and all. In a breath they were now in his bedchamber. He carried her toward the bathing area, "Here."

Sarah opened her mouth and gasped, "Modern plumping?"

Jareth snickered. "Sarah I may prefer the clothes of a time gone by, but the luxury of modern plumbing is something I refuse to live without." He lowered her to her feet. "So is it a shower or a bath?"

"Shower," she said as she headed toward the stall. "You can go now."

"Not so fast, precious." He crooned. "This stall is big enough for you and me both." He tugged the blanket off her and tossed it aside as he shoved her into the wide shower area. "Now, you scrub my back and I'll do yours."

Sarah groaned. "You're a bully, that's what you are."

"The sooner we get showed, the sooner we get breakfast." He warned.

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Sarah looked at her reflection, no matter what else she felt, she had to admit the man had great style and fabulous taste in clothes. She smoothed the shoulders of the empire styled gown and turned once more before she exited the dressing room. He was waiting, trying to be accommodating, and fighting the urge to barge into her dressing room and pull her out by the hair. He smiled when she'd emerged appearing as regal as he'd always known she'd been capable of.

"Charming choice," He complemented her.

"Thank you." She said placing her hand on the arm he held out to her. "And thank you for the dresses, they're lovely." She admitted freely to him.

He led her down the stairs toward the main hall of the palace. "Of course," He said with poise and self-confidence restored. "They were picked with you in mind."

Sarah looked at the hall. "I don't remember this part of the castle."

"That's because you weren't in this part of the castle." He told her smoothly. "You were only in the part that is used for the running of the Labyrinth, or what we call the public rooms. This is part of the private rooms, rooms for my own use." The breakfast room was filled with light from a tall wide window. He seated her, then himself. "I should have asked, what do you like for breakfast?"

"Oh the usual… different things on different days… toast, eggs… sometimes hot cereal." She smiled. "What do you like?"

He also smiled. "The usual… toast… eggs… sometimes hot cereal." Leaning back he relaxed a bit. "I'm glad to see we've similar taste in food."

Sarah looked about the room; "This is very nice."

A tall goblinish looking woman came in and served them fruit juice and began to bring platters out.

"Don't be planning too many changes, will you?" He teased.

"Changes?" She looked about, "Change what?"

"This is your home now, Sarah." He advised. "I understand women need to make their own mark."

"My home," Sarah muttered as she sipped the juice. "That's going to take some getting use to."

"You have forever." He sighed heavily; he motioned her to try one of the items placed on the table. "After we've eaten I should like to speak to you."

"I should like to speak to you as well." She muttered softly.

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Lilith sat with Gilgamesh at the edge of his garden. "He's always been a brash child, but I do love him dearly." She finished telling her tale.

"He will mellow, in time."

"I doubt it." Lilith said. "He's use to getting his own way. And most Fae are only too happy to allow him that privilege."

"Ah, I see your point." The King sighed. "He's dealing with a equally bull headed mortal."

"She is most assuredly his equal." Lilith laughed.

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Jareth entered the throne room with Sarah on his arm, "We shall speak here." He announced. He moved away from her and took his seat in the throne, looking down on her. "Sarah Williams," He began in an overbearing tone. "You will before the entire kingdom wed me."

"Fine," She crossed her arms, her voice like ice, "Now about Toby."

"Toby is not a chip on this table," he stated hotly slapping the side rail of his throne.

Sarah moved forward, her eyes burning with defiance. "Don't you ever take that tone with me, Jareth!" she snapped. "Don't think you can intimidate me with a slap of your hand on your throne! I know you're the King! I know you're the one with all the power here!"

He smiled wanly, "Am I?"

She turned her back on him. "Damn you," she took deep breaths and counted to ten.

He moved down from the throne, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. "I told you before I will not bargain with what is mine."

"Let him live his life…" she begged.

"You wish me to free my heir?" He moved closer, his lips at her ear. "Then offer to replace him."

"I already did that, remember?" she turned to face him, "You turned me down."

"I don't mean offer yourself in replacement." He teased.

Sarah looked at him, blinked several times and gasped. "You want me to have a baby with you?"

"It is a solution." He offered with a quirky smile. "I'm surprised you had not thought of it sooner."

"Oh great," she shoved him back and moved away. "I have to surrender myself and give you a child. Forget it!"

"Sarah," He sealed the throne room and she was trapped. "I can't live within you." His voice was sad.

"Not my fault!" She shouted.

"I can't live within you," He repeated, "However," Now his voice became authoritative and commanding, "My sons and daughters can."

Sarah collapsed against the wall where once an archway stood. "Your what?"

He moved to kneel beside her, his hands cupping her face. "My sons and daughters," He kissed her softly. "With you, I shall create a dynasty! You are young and resilient and if I'm any judge… fertile as the Nile." He drank in her scent. "I can't live within you… but I can live alongside you."

Sarah blinked, "Just how many children are you planning? I mean the idea of being kept barefoot and pregnant…"

"Oh never barefoot…" He teased softly, standing and pulling her to her feet. "As for how many, right now the number is negotiable."

"So you want me to become your… mortal wife, and baby maker…" she looked downcast.

He forced her face up, "I want you to be my Queen."

Sarah leaned toward him, her head resting on his chest. "I can't fight you…." She moaned. "I don't even want to."

"At last," He swept her up into his arms as the sealed walls fell away, "At last." He began to dance about the room with her in his arms, clinging to him as he moved. Dozens of goblins scurried in, some playing instruments and others singing wildly. He stood in the center of the happy goblins, he smiled. "If not within, alongside will do…nicely."

Sarah looked at him, "Man of my dreams," she said with sarcasm.

"Villain in your nightmares;" He teased as they kissed.

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Author's note

Happily ever after?

Oh, come now!

Thank you to all who read this tale… until the next time the voices shout.

I leave you with this…