a/n yaay we have finally made it, thank you so much to those that have stuck by me throughout this story. your words of encouragement have been my lifeline, no matter how long or far i drift away from this story you always managed to pull m back to it eventually. Hope you guys like the final chapter and as always please feel free to ask any questions :)
Sarah stood in the vast field near her home wrapped in Jareth's arms as she stared numbly at the pyre. It was her mother's final goodbye; never again would she see her mother's face. Sarah knew that her mother had her faults but she loved her all the same. She never understood her mother and that thought overwhelmed her with guilt and regret.
"I knew your mother for a long time and though she might not have shown it well she did love you," Jareth said as if he knew what she was thinking.
They grew silent again as the pyre was lit sending a haze of sage and lavender scented smoke into the sky.
"Farewell mother, until we meet again," Sarah said solemnly.
"Come let us return to the castle." Jareth coaxed her hand onto the crystal he held in his hand.
"I need some time alone," Sarah explained tonelessly.
"I understand precious, I have had the suite next to mine prepared for you." Jareth kissed her gently on the top of her head before he released her from his grasp.
"Helen can you please escort Sarah to her chambers and get her anything that she requires," Jareth instructed.
"Oo-of course sire." Helen stammered in shock.
Jareth frowned slightly at the obvious shock portrayed on her face 'Was I that oblivious to my staff that she should be shocked that I said please.' He thought disgusted by himself.
He waited until he could no longer see her before he strode purposefully out the castle doors and into the city. Jareth's eyes darted around him taking in all the changes that he had been too absorbed in himself to notice.
"I have become the very thing I've spent my whole life despising. How could I have let this come to pass?" Jareth berated himself.
Jareth stared up at the writing above a large set of doors 'Flint's Stone Carving'; with a heavy sigh he pulled himself out of his self-loathing and walked into the large workshop.
"You... Your Majesty! What brings you here?" A scrawny grey goblin with long sharp talons at the end of his fingers; came out from behind a large shapeless lump of marble.
"My apologies for startling you, I have a request to make." Jareth began.
"Of course sire whatever you need I would be honoured to offer my humble services." The goblin bowed low.
"Please there is no need for that, I am a paying customer. I would like to commission a statue in white marble of this woman." Jareth held a crystal out to the goblin; within the crystal was an image of Sarah's mother smiling happily at the baby she held in her arms.
"It would be no trouble at all sire. It will be my best piece yet." He exclaimed happily.
"I would expect nothing less of the Underground's finest stone carver." Jareth smiled at his enthusiasm.
"Do you have a specific time you would need it ready by?" The goblin asked eagerly.
"I would like it as soon as possible, though if you have other customers I have no qualms about you finishing them first." Jareth insisted firmly.
"If I may be honest your majesty, there's not been much call for a stone carver. Not a lot of goblin folk want statues carved and the fae turns their noses up at a goblin carver." He explained his large smile fading away.
"You have my most sincere apologies, Flint; I will address this matter along with anything else I have been neglecting. You have my word." Jareth promised.
"Thank you, Sire, you leave this with me I'll have her finished in no time!" Flint hurried back to the marble and immediately started carving away using his incredibly sharp nails.
The next few days passed by in a blur, Jareth spent countless hours in meeting after meeting. He finally felt like he was getting through to some of the members of his court. He knew it was going to be a long process but he was going to eradicate the prejudice actions against his people. His focus, for now, was within his Kingdom but his goal was to bring change to the entire Underground. All Jareth needed now was Sarah by his side; he had not seen her these past three days, he wanted to respect her privacy and allow her time to grieve.
"Sire." Flint called out timidly.
"Ah Flint, is it all setup?" Jareth asked.
"Yes, all set up in the new garden. Hoggle led me to the spot that you wanted it and the guards you sent to help completed the task with ease." Flint explained.
"You have my thanks, Flint." Jareth inclined his head towards him.
"No, no your majesty it is I who must thank you. I have had more commissions this week than I have had all year. I also heard that the market has been busier than it's been in years and some of the local seamstresses have been called upon as well." Flint rambled excitedly his eyes brimming with tears of joy.
"It is as it should have been, I was failing in my duty as your King but I am doing what I can to correct my mistakes," Jareth admitted.
"That's what counts, we all make mistakes admitting that you have made a mistake is not an easy thing to do and correcting that mistake is even harder. I say you are doing much more than just correcting your mistakes your highness. I must be getting back to my workshop now; I hope your beloved is pleased with my work." Flint bowed graciously before racing out the castle doors.
'I hope she is as well Flint.' He thought wistfully to himself.
Jareth transported himself to Sarah's door and waited patiently for her to answer his knock.
"Who is it?" She called quietly.
"It's me, please Sarah may I come in?" He asked gently.
The door clicked audibly as it opened revealing Sarah sat on the window seat her legs curled up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them as she stared out into the labyrinth. Jareth walked slowly towards her and knelt down beside her, he gently placed his arms around her pulling her tightly to his chest.
"I'm here." He whispered.
Those two small words were all it took to burst through the fragile walls she had tried to build around her heart.
"She's really gone isn't she?" Sarah sobbed.
"As long as you remember her and love her, she's never truly gone, Sarah," Jareth replied comfortingly.
They sat wrapped in each other's embrace neither of them said a word nor did they make any attempt to move. They stayed oblivious to the passing hours, content as they were to absorb each other's, love.
Jareth looked out the window as the sun began to set casting an orange, pink and purple glow over the labyrinth.
"I have something to show you," Jareth informed her.
"But I'm comfortable." Sarah nuzzled her head deep into Jareth's chest.
"You will not regret it, I can carry you if you'd like," Jareth suggested as he stood up with her still in his arms.
"Ok ok, I'll walk." Sarah sighed with a small smile. She had missed him these past few days but had been too stubborn to call for him.
"Well, we don't have to walk all the way love." He took her hand and swiftly transported them to a garden gate.
"Jareth what is this?" Sarah asked frowning slightly at the newly built in gate.
"This is your private garden; you will have complete privacy here no one else can enter without your permission except me of course," Jareth explained
"Of course." Sarah smiled teasingly. No matter how low she was feeling Jareth always managed to make her smile just by being the man she loved.
Jareth led her through the gate and into the wide open space with rows upon rows of her favourite flowers fluttered gently in the light evening breeze. At the far end stood her mother's statue next to a marble bench covered in cushions. He watched her as she slipped out of his arms and walked silently towards the statue.
"It looks so real." She whispered as she smoothed her hand over the marble.
"I thought it may bring you peace and serve as a reminder that a part of her is still here." Jareth joined her next to the statue, taking hold of her hand as he spoke.
"Thank you, Jareth; I can't tell you how much this means to me." She gazed lovingly up into his eyes.
"Sarah..." He began as he knelt down on one knee.
"...I have made so many mistakes that I'm only just beginning to see now. I know I insulted you by not doing this right the first time so please allow me to rectify that mistake. I know you are grieving the loss of your mother but in times of great sadness, we need to cling that much tighter to those we love and celebrate life and happiness. I love you with every part of my being; you are the other half of my soul. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife and my queen? Will you help me fight in the oncoming battle for equality within the Underground? Will you stay by my side even when I am being a narcissistic prick? Will you love me for who I am not the power I wield?" Jareth poured his heart out to her.
"Yes, a thousand times yes!" Sarah exclaimed tears streaming down her face.
Jareth placed a ring on her finger with a large glistening emerald; the ring was silver and resembled a vine wrapping itself neatly around her finger. "There is one more thing I'd like to show you." Jareth didn't wait for her reply and transported them to the edge of the forest.
"What are we doing Jareth?" Sarah asked still deliriously happy.
"You soon see Precious," Jareth replied vaguely.
She rolled her eyes at him but followed his lead, she was happy to go anywhere as long as he was with her.
"Close your eyes," Jareth instructed.
"Jareth." Sarah moaned playfully."
"Please?" Jareth pouted dramatically.
Sarah laughed at his puppy dog impression but gave in to his plea and closed her eyes. She let him guide her slowly when she felt her feet sink slightly into the ground. It felt like... sand.
"Jareth?" She questioned.
"Open your eyes, my love."
Sarah opened her eyes to see the moon reflecting off the dark waters of the lake. Her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped in realisation.
As if he read her mind Jareth grabbed hold of her hands and gently made her look up at him.
"You had enough to deal with, do not feel guilty for forgetting. You are the reason we were able to save the lake and the portal." He caressed her cheek as he spoke.
"I guess you're right, Thank you for taking care of it Jareth." She pressed her face against his hand soaking up his caress.
"Someone is waiting for you by the shore; I will give you a moment to talk. I'll be waiting right here for you." Jareth kissed her lips lightly before sitting down on a patch of grass.
"Who? Wait... Derryn?" Sarah demanded.
"Go and find out." Jareth smiled.
Sarah rushed towards the shore completely shocked that he would want to see her.
"Derryn, Is that you?" She asked as she reached the figure staring out at the lake.
"Hello, Ariadne... well I guess I should call you Sarah now. I don't think I'll ever get used to that." He replied.
"I thought you'd never speak to me again."
"To be honest so did I, but then your boyfriend and I had a chat." He admitted.
"You and Jareth?" Sarah asked bewildered. Just how much did she miss in three days?
"I was shocked too also for the fact that I didn't try to kill him or at least punch him in his pretty face."
"Derryn." Sarah admonished him with a slight scowl.
"Was that too far?" he asked.
"Just a little." She replied.
"I just want to say I'm sorry for blaming you for something I did and I also want to thank you for bringing back the lake. I may never get my skin back but at least now I can see my family." He gave her a small smile before turning his head back towards the lake.
"Do you think we could ever get our old friendship back?" Sarah asked hopefully.
"No." Sarah's face dropped at his quick response.
"It won't be what we had and that's a good thing, we can work on building a new friendship. You're with Jareth now and maybe I'll find someone too but we'll still be there for each other whenever we need. It's how it should've always been." He added quickly.
"I think I'd like that." Sarah smiled.
Derryn pulled her into his arms and squeezed her gently, he laughed as he pulled away. "I think you better get back to glitter King before he starts putting holes in more than just the grass."
Sarah laughed as she looked over at Jareth to see him standing with tufts of grass clenched in his hands.
"I'll see you soon?" She asked turning to face Derryn once more.
"You can count on it." He promised.
She smiled at him before walking over to her love.
"Are you ok?" He demanded the second she got back to him.
"Thanks to you I will be."
"When we were in the Ice Kingdom I made a vow that if we were to survive that I would spend every single day for however long we lived; making you smile."
"I am the luckiest girl in the entire world, take us home." Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her lips.
"With pleasure." Jareth purred as he curled his arms around her waist, kissed her fiercely and transported them to what would now be their bedroom.
THE END!