"No! I don't want to hear it!" Sarah screamed as she slammed the door in his face.
She knew it wouldn't keep him out but the sound was satisfying.
She turned and stomped through the room, knowing he would be right behind her.
Damn magical asshole.
"Sarah I told you there was nothing..."
She turned and glared at him in such a way it halted him midsentence.
"I saw you." She growled. "I saw you and...her..." She ground out.
Jareth put his hand out. "My love, she stuck her tongue down my throat before I could do anything to stop it. If you had paused 5 seconds you would have seen me shove her away and chastise her for such an action. I would never..."
"You just have to flirt. Be all charming...of course she was going to think something. Can't you just be normal?" Sarah demanded.
He sighed, saying nothing. He sat and put his head in his hands. After a few minutes, he spoke quietly as he settled his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together and looked up. His eyes pleaded for calm.
"You know my position here. I have to do what I can to negotiate with other kingdoms. We cannot afford a war in this realm. There are far to few of us as it is. I was merely being sociable to the Princess of the Darkseer's Kingdom. How was I to know she would take it as a precursor to an affair?"
"I know how these people are. You told me yourself, fidelity isn't high up on this world's priorities. But you promised me. Jareth, it was the one thing I asked. I knew what I would have to put up with, but this?!" She answered, crossing her arms, she continued. "I also know you had a relationship with her before. How come you didn't tell me that and I had to hear about it from court gossip?"
He slowly stood and approached her carefully his arms up, hands splayed in a sign of creating peace. "Sarah, yes..I should have told you, many years before I met you I was involved with the woman. Trust me, it was short term. She is odious. Pretty of face and black of heart. You realize she heard you coming and did it to spite both of us, do you not? She wanted to hurt us. Why else would she accost right outside the doors to the conference. How could you not trust me after all this time?"
He watched as Sarah's shoulders sagged. Her hands went to her face as her eyes welled with tears. "I do...I just...you have to understand. The looks I get, the whispers, the frowns at me behind your back. They think you married far far under your station. Their biggest prize not only married a commoner, but a human one at that. That is lower than marrying your maid here to so many of them. They are polite to my face because they have to be."
Jareth's eyes were soft and sympathetic as he took her gently into the circle of his arms. He leaned his chin against her forehead and closed his eyes. Of course he knew. The Underground courts were notoriously prejudiced against humans. That he took one and gave her magic, immortality and placed her upon the throne next to him galled a large percentage of his people.
"Our people love you, Sarah. Our kingdom, all our subjects, they adore you." He reminded her. "You are more than just my wife and their queen, you are a heroine. They are all that matters. They would give their lives for you. This is why I hate it when we have to host these infernal conferences. Having all these, as you like to call them, assholes, sullying our halls."
She turned her head and laid it on his shoulder. "You told me, I know. You warned me before I even came here. I loved you so much I never gave it a second thought and mostly I don't but there are times when it really hurts that people try to undermine everything we have."
She felt her anger, at least at him, start to drain away.
"You do remember there is no divorce in the underground, right?" He replied, smirking. "You are stuck with me. Not that I would let you get away from me, precious."
Sarah tilted her head up to look at him. "Would you chase me? I am a lot of trouble."
He chuckled and placed a kiss on her nose. "Yes you are, and I would chase you until the end of time to get you back. I am a glutton for punishment. Maybe I'm a bit of a masochist."
"Hey now." She poked him in the side and smiled, her tears drying. "I'm not that bad."
He placed a hand low on her abdomen, over the slight swell beginning to form "We will chalk it up to pregnancy hormones?"
"Typical man." She scoffed and pushed him away. He saw a hint of smile, however, and that was a good sign.
"Well it has happened before, do I need to remind you of when the Duke of Fargreen grabbed my behind when you were with child the last time? I would guess his fingers still throb where you removed his hand from my person, bent them back and forced him to the ground in a headlock. Precedent and all that."
Her face turned red as the memory played in her head. "Well that was just rude. I was standing right there. No manners at all."
Jareth suddenly swept her up and placed her on the bed, crawling over her until they were face to face. "Once and for all, woman. I desire no one...I repeat...NO ONE..else but you. You are beautiful and sexy and drive me insane with want every day. I worship your lips , your eyes, your hair, your creamy skin, your luscious breasts, hips, and thighs, I love your taste when you climax on my lips and tongue, when I am inside you and your legs wrap around me...sometimes I lose my breath and get aroused just looking at you across the room. Above all that, you are so much more. My shelter, my sanctuary, my dearest friend. What more can I say or do?"
Sarah's heart swelled with love and emotion as he spoke. She knew these things because he told her all the time, but the thought of anyone trying to take him from her made her crazy. She was typically calm and reasonable, but pregnancy tended to take over her emotions.
"I'm sorry for getting so crazy." She answered. Amid his declaration, he kissed her here and there. She felt her body responding to the touch of his lips and hands, as it always did.
As it always will.
"I just love you so." She whispered, her hands burying themselves in his hair. "I really really love you."
He kissed her hard. "Then show me, love. Show me how much, let me love you. Always trust me, Have absolute faith in my love for you.""
Jareth undid the stays on her bodice, and pushed it down, then leaned back and pushed her dress over her hips and off her body. Next went her undergarments and stockings until she was bare. She glowed with life and he just looked at her as she lay there, unashamed to be naked and vulnerable for him.
"You are a goddess. Sarah. A life giving, magical, undeniable goddess. Those women aren't catty because you have me. They are jealous because they know they can never hold a candle to you. They merely try their hand at me to prove to themselves they are in your league, but they could never turn my eyes from you."
He kicked his boots off and practically ripped his jacket, tunic and leggings to get them out of the way. When he was as nude as she he lay against her, kissing and touching her, both of their hands wandering over each other's bodies, finding those sensitive spots, sounds of kisses and sighs and words of love filling the room as their desire rose.
Jareth spread her thighs and kissed her center, licking and nibbling until she was on the edge, mumbling and grasping his shoulders. He pushed himself up and buried himself in her familiar, welcoming heat. Her body opening to let him. She gladly wrapped her body around his, taking everything he gave.
Their releasing happened quickly after that, powerful and needed. The anger and frustration giving way to their enduring love and passion for each other.
In the moments that followed, Jareth lay on his back, his wife next to him. Her head on his chest, arms sprawled over his waist, one leg between his.
"Well I guess that is settled. " He remarked with that familiar smirk. "You know what this means."
Sarah looked up at him. "We can stay here all day and pretend we don't have a conference hall full of dignitaries who are waiting for us to return?"
Jareth snorted and laughed as he sat them both up. "I wish. It means we have to go back. Shall we dress?"
They reluctantly got off the bed, neither wanting to leave the room at all.
Sarah grabbed her clothes but found them taken from her hands. Jareth produced a crystal and let it pop, returning their clothes to their bodies, everything in place.
"Sometimes I think you forget who you are married to love." He said as he took her arm.
"Nope. I can promise that is something I never forget for a second." She answered as she gripped his arm and pressed her face to his shoulder.
They disappeared and reappeared in front of the closed doors to the conference hall.
A sigh, and a kiss, then Jareth pushed the doors open.
Those gathered, kings, queens, and dignitaries from all over the underground had been gossiping from the moment The Goblin Queen had stomped out and the Goblin King had followed her, leaving the smug smirking Darkseer princess to spread the story that The King of the Goblins wished a dalliance with her and his wife had thrown a typical human tantrum.
When the monarchs returned it was obvious to all what exactly the two had been up to. They were both glowing and flushed, each other heavily scented with each other's mark.
Jareth guided his wife to their place at the head of the table as the crowd hushed.
Sarah stood and curtsied prettily, head bowed in supplication. "I do so apologize to this storied gathering and all of you. Being with child as I am, my emotions do get the better of me."
They had not announced the pregnancy yet, but Sarah felt it necessary for any other females in the room who dare think of making a move towards her husband that he was a family man.
Jareth smiled proudly. "Yes, it is a honor to announce today the coming of our third child. I was going to save it for the final feast, but it seems the secret is out."
The room was silent for a moment, then burst into a din of expected congratulations to the royal couple.
"Well well well!" Said King Gregor of the Ogre lands as he stepped up and slapped Jareth on the back. "Number Three? At this rate you will have no need of an army, You will create your own!
He took Sarah's hand and placed a light kiss across her knuckles, bowing over it. "My dear, you are ravishing. Practically sparkle with life. My dear friend Jareth is a lucky lucky man. No question as to why he cannot keep his hands off of you."
Gregor was a friend and ally to The Goblin Kingdom. "Thank you." Sarah answered. "How kind of you to say."
All the monarchs in turn came to give their good wishes, The last Sarah could see was the obviously perturbed princess who coveted her husband. The woman was beautiful no doubt, with black hair and dark blue eyes. She could have any man she wanted.
Except mine. Sarah thought.
When the woman was right in front of her, she gave Jareth what Sarah assumed was meant to be a smoldering look, then took Sarah's hand in hers. "How exciting. Another baby. Tell me, is it true humans get hugely fat and swollen during pregnancy? Must be incredibly uncomfortable. You probably feel like a huge pig being fattened up for market." She giggled behind her hand.
She leaned in to kiss Sarah on the cheek. Sarah let her lean in, grabbing her arms, and promptly dug her fingernails into the woman's flesh so she could not move, leaning in to place her mouth by the other woman's ear, sending out an unspoken magical request as she did.
"If you so much as look at my husband in a way that remotely suggests you have the idea to try and destroy my family again, I will rip your heart out with my bare hands and feed it to my goblins. Do not try me. I beat that maze out there, and I won the heart of The Goblin King. You don't do that if you are weak and not willing to fight for what is yours. He is mine. As I am his. This kingdom is ours and our children's who will inherit it. Remember that. I suggest you leave my kingdom and never return before you force me to bog you for your rude, disrespectful behavior. Then you can smell as horrible as your personality suggests you are otherwise."
Sarah felt her nails break flesh just enough to cause a sting, so she pulled away and plastered her best fake queen smile on and met the other woman's surprised eyes.
Just then a small snicker came from behind Sarah, and the woman looked down to see 2 rather nasty looking goblins grinning up at her peeking around their beloved queen's skirts, salivating with glee. "You called us Queenie?" One of them said, drooling a little more. "We here if you needs!"
The princess backed up. "I am sorry My Lord, My Lady, I must go."
She rushed out of the hall, unnerved by The Goblin Queen and her subjects.
The rest of the meeting went smoothly, and a few hours later with everyone tired and hungry adjourned for the evening to the dining room.
As Jareth and Sarah left the room arm in arm, he leaned in. "I got word The Princess of Darkseers has fled The Goblin Kingdom in a terrible hurry, chased by a goblin horde. You wouldn't know anything about that would you dearest?" He asked, laughter in his eyes.
She blinked innocently. "Me? Why would I know anything? You know how the goblins are. Wild and vicious, once they get it into their heads someone might be a threat."
"Oh I think their Queen has a bit of of a wild and vicious streak too. She was no threat you know. Not to you. She is not fit walk in your shadow."
"Jareth, I know. I trust you. I believe you. But I need to make it clear I will not tolerate it. Maybe the word will spread and we won't have to deal with this again. People need to know I don't share."
"You are cruel, dearest. I always loved that about you." Jareth said so no one could hear. "I believe I am becoming aroused again at your ruthlessness."
Sarah kissed his cheek."Let's just get the rest of this day over with, then we can discuss all of this later. Alone."
"My thoughts exactly." He replied, his smile growing, his tongue running over his teeth in a decidedly feral way looking at her like she was his next meal.
Sarah shuddered. She loved that side of him.
How could I think he would stray? Hormones, definitely hormones. I could never tell him that though. Smug man that he is when he is proven to be right all along.
"Alright, let's go." She directed him to lead her to the dining hall where everyone was waiting.
"You lead, and I will always follow, my love." He said as a reminder, letting her move slightly ahead.
"You just want to look at my butt." She joked.
He laughed and let a hand stray to give her bottom a squeeze as they approached the door to join the rest for the evening meal. "That too. Shall we?"
She nodded to the guard to open the doors to the dining hall. "Yes, let's."
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This has been sitting in my documents for quite a while. I had thoughts of inserting it into a story at some point but never fit anywhere. So, figured it might be a little fun vignette and useful as a vehicle to say...I'M STILL HERE AND WORKING ON MY WIPs I PROMISE!
My next IATOW chapter is almost done, I've just been very very blocked and it's completely frustrating. So one sentence, one word at a time, I've kept going anyway. I also wrote the first 2 chapters in my take on "Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud" and working on cleaning up my deleted bits of "Something Precious" that will be inserted into that one when I post it on AO3. Those will not be for the feint of heart, and are very dark for me. There will be trigger warnings for that when I get it over there.
I have no idea on what storyverse I've created that this fits into, so feel free to add it into whichever you like, or not. Reader's choice :)
Also, I know the title is kind of silly, but couldn't come up with anything else to call it on the fly, because as I wrote above I didn't originally intend it for a one shot.