*******
"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."
-William Shakespeare
*******
Oo.oO
The women surrounding him were there merely for decoration. He was sure his guests would take most of them by the end of the evening. They hung onto him, dripping sweet comments like honey. It was almost amusing; there was only one woman he wanted tonight.
A masked man came up to him and spoke to him quietly, then turned and walked away. He smiled and broke away from the crowd of women, their arms outstretched, wanting their beloved king to return to them, his power making them feel special. He made his way to the other side of the room and outside to the balcony overlooking his Labyrinth. The night was dark and clear, stars glittering in the sky like diamonds. He saw her at once, leaning over the railing and looking down over the lake. Her dress sparkled as she turned, sensing his presence behind her. A smile of pure joy broke out on her face. She ran into his embrace, nuzzling her face into his neck.
"I missed you so much," she murmured against his pale skin, sending waves of electricity through his body. Her delicately curled hair tickled his chin and he closed his eyes, savouring the feeling of her in his arms.
"As I missed you, my love. I have so much I want to say to you, but -"
Her finger on his lip silenced him and she lifted her head from his shoulder. Looking into her eyes, he could see they were filled with love and happiness. She leaned forward slightly for a kiss, his eyes fluttered closed.
Oo.oO
It turned out to be very difficult for Jareth to wake up the next morning, the sleeping spell that Talia had put over him the night before fell over his body like a blanket in the winter. His golden lashes tickled his cheeks as his lids fluttered, trying to open through the haze of sleep. His gaze reached past the confines of darkness and flitted around his room. It had all been a dream.
He thought of it now as he sat in his study, the day's work spread before him. Already he had gotten through a few papers - invitations to gatherings and a ball, letters of complaint about members of his kingdom, political matters - but he was finding it almost impossible to concentrate. He could not stop thinking about the dream he had had. It had been so vivid; he had woken up with the feel of her breath against his lips, tingling in his fingertips where his hands had laid on her waist. He sighed and closed his eyes. It was only a dream, he reminded himself. It was not real. The sounds of his castle drifted to him; the scurrying of the servants through the halls, goblins running amok in the throne room. By the gods, he thought. It must be filthy by now.
He thought of Talia's words the night before about Sarah. She was right; he probably should say something to Sarah. But he just couldn't bring himself to go to her in person. It would be final and the repercussions could have devastating effects on him. She could kill him with one glance. But she could make him shine too. She brought out the best in him, even with her absence. The very best.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Enter."
A head poked around the door with a grin. "Busy, Jareth?"
"Not really. How are you, Malachy?" He leaned back in his chair and sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.
The other man entered the room and sat in a chair in the corner, legs crossed. He grabbed a book from a shelf behind him and began flipping through the pages. His brown, mischievous eyes focused on Jareth. Around his neck he wore the pendant of the Faerie like Jareth, but it held the mark of his own royalty within its center. He was a prince; ruler of Salencia, Kingdom of Night.
"I hear that you've been a little ghastly lately. A bad mood, was it? Talia sent for me, she was concerned." The prince blinked and placed the book back on the shelf. He stood up and walked over to the desk, taking a seat in the chair opposite Jareth. "Will you tell me what is wrong or shall I guess her name?"
Jareth smirked. "I do think we both know what I am brooding about, Malachy. However, I am sure you realise that I do not care to talk about the girl. I must forget her."
"Woman."
An eyebrow rose. "Excuse me?"
Malachy chuckled. "She would be a woman now, you know that, Jareth. Not a girl at all. A woman who can think for herself and make her own choices. A woman who can choose whom she cares to love."
"If a woman can choose whom she cares to love," Jareth spat. "Then why is it that I cannot?"
"I wish it were that easy, my friend. But she showed you that she could conquer your precious Labyrinth, and in the same day," he held a hand over his chest and continued with mock exasperation. "She conquered your heart!"
Jareth couldn't help the small turning of his lips into a smile. "That she has."
Suddenly the door flew open and Talia bustled into the room, all lace and smiles. She stood next to Malachy and seemed to bounce in place. Her hands waved frantically.
"Oh, Jareth! I have the most wonderful news! I met Sarah! I talked to Sarah!"
Jareth stood, alarmed. The force sent his chair flying backwards to the floor. "You did what?!"
In her excitement, Talia did not notice the look of rage that passed through the king's eyes. "I saw her and talked with her! Or, rather, talked at her, she was quite afraid of me! Can you imagine that? Someone afraid of me!" She giggled and continued. "I've been arranging for you to see her, Jareth, you shall -"
His roar of anger sent her speech reeling away and she fell into silence. "You dare to presume you can interfere with my life?"
"But I was only -"
"Trying to help, were you now? Lady Talia, you can help me by keeping your pretty little nose out of my business and my life. Leave my castle now! I cannot bare to look at you at this moment."
Tears streamed down Talia's cheeks and she hung her head in resignation. Turning, she left the room quietly.
Jareth sat down in his chair once more, his face red and breathing deep. He ran a hand through his hair. Malachy, who had remained in his seat throughout the slight display, broke his silence.
"She meant well, Jareth." He said quietly, an echo of a voice.
"She means to run my life," Jareth snapped. "It will not happen." He stood up and began pacing around the room. "How dare she go Aboveground and interfere with the mortal! She had absolutely no right to talk to Sarah."
Malachy sighed and turned to watch his friend circle the room. "She wants you to be happy. She did it because she thought it would please you."
"She is ruining everything!"
"There is nothing to ruin!" the prince cried out, coming to his feet. "You have not seen her but for your crystals for years now! You have not spoken with her or even been in the same vicinity as the girl! What the hell is there to ruin if there was nothing established in the first place?" He stalked over to Jareth and stood before him, eyes full of anger at his good friends blindness. "Talia has done nothing that any of your dearest friends would not have done themselves. We all want what is best for you, Jareth. It is you who is not seeing clearly." With that said, he left the room and slammed the door behind him, leaving Jareth alone wondering why all of his friends had been right and himself so terribly wrong.
"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."
-William Shakespeare
*******
Oo.oO
The women surrounding him were there merely for decoration. He was sure his guests would take most of them by the end of the evening. They hung onto him, dripping sweet comments like honey. It was almost amusing; there was only one woman he wanted tonight.
A masked man came up to him and spoke to him quietly, then turned and walked away. He smiled and broke away from the crowd of women, their arms outstretched, wanting their beloved king to return to them, his power making them feel special. He made his way to the other side of the room and outside to the balcony overlooking his Labyrinth. The night was dark and clear, stars glittering in the sky like diamonds. He saw her at once, leaning over the railing and looking down over the lake. Her dress sparkled as she turned, sensing his presence behind her. A smile of pure joy broke out on her face. She ran into his embrace, nuzzling her face into his neck.
"I missed you so much," she murmured against his pale skin, sending waves of electricity through his body. Her delicately curled hair tickled his chin and he closed his eyes, savouring the feeling of her in his arms.
"As I missed you, my love. I have so much I want to say to you, but -"
Her finger on his lip silenced him and she lifted her head from his shoulder. Looking into her eyes, he could see they were filled with love and happiness. She leaned forward slightly for a kiss, his eyes fluttered closed.
Oo.oO
It turned out to be very difficult for Jareth to wake up the next morning, the sleeping spell that Talia had put over him the night before fell over his body like a blanket in the winter. His golden lashes tickled his cheeks as his lids fluttered, trying to open through the haze of sleep. His gaze reached past the confines of darkness and flitted around his room. It had all been a dream.
He thought of it now as he sat in his study, the day's work spread before him. Already he had gotten through a few papers - invitations to gatherings and a ball, letters of complaint about members of his kingdom, political matters - but he was finding it almost impossible to concentrate. He could not stop thinking about the dream he had had. It had been so vivid; he had woken up with the feel of her breath against his lips, tingling in his fingertips where his hands had laid on her waist. He sighed and closed his eyes. It was only a dream, he reminded himself. It was not real. The sounds of his castle drifted to him; the scurrying of the servants through the halls, goblins running amok in the throne room. By the gods, he thought. It must be filthy by now.
He thought of Talia's words the night before about Sarah. She was right; he probably should say something to Sarah. But he just couldn't bring himself to go to her in person. It would be final and the repercussions could have devastating effects on him. She could kill him with one glance. But she could make him shine too. She brought out the best in him, even with her absence. The very best.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Enter."
A head poked around the door with a grin. "Busy, Jareth?"
"Not really. How are you, Malachy?" He leaned back in his chair and sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.
The other man entered the room and sat in a chair in the corner, legs crossed. He grabbed a book from a shelf behind him and began flipping through the pages. His brown, mischievous eyes focused on Jareth. Around his neck he wore the pendant of the Faerie like Jareth, but it held the mark of his own royalty within its center. He was a prince; ruler of Salencia, Kingdom of Night.
"I hear that you've been a little ghastly lately. A bad mood, was it? Talia sent for me, she was concerned." The prince blinked and placed the book back on the shelf. He stood up and walked over to the desk, taking a seat in the chair opposite Jareth. "Will you tell me what is wrong or shall I guess her name?"
Jareth smirked. "I do think we both know what I am brooding about, Malachy. However, I am sure you realise that I do not care to talk about the girl. I must forget her."
"Woman."
An eyebrow rose. "Excuse me?"
Malachy chuckled. "She would be a woman now, you know that, Jareth. Not a girl at all. A woman who can think for herself and make her own choices. A woman who can choose whom she cares to love."
"If a woman can choose whom she cares to love," Jareth spat. "Then why is it that I cannot?"
"I wish it were that easy, my friend. But she showed you that she could conquer your precious Labyrinth, and in the same day," he held a hand over his chest and continued with mock exasperation. "She conquered your heart!"
Jareth couldn't help the small turning of his lips into a smile. "That she has."
Suddenly the door flew open and Talia bustled into the room, all lace and smiles. She stood next to Malachy and seemed to bounce in place. Her hands waved frantically.
"Oh, Jareth! I have the most wonderful news! I met Sarah! I talked to Sarah!"
Jareth stood, alarmed. The force sent his chair flying backwards to the floor. "You did what?!"
In her excitement, Talia did not notice the look of rage that passed through the king's eyes. "I saw her and talked with her! Or, rather, talked at her, she was quite afraid of me! Can you imagine that? Someone afraid of me!" She giggled and continued. "I've been arranging for you to see her, Jareth, you shall -"
His roar of anger sent her speech reeling away and she fell into silence. "You dare to presume you can interfere with my life?"
"But I was only -"
"Trying to help, were you now? Lady Talia, you can help me by keeping your pretty little nose out of my business and my life. Leave my castle now! I cannot bare to look at you at this moment."
Tears streamed down Talia's cheeks and she hung her head in resignation. Turning, she left the room quietly.
Jareth sat down in his chair once more, his face red and breathing deep. He ran a hand through his hair. Malachy, who had remained in his seat throughout the slight display, broke his silence.
"She meant well, Jareth." He said quietly, an echo of a voice.
"She means to run my life," Jareth snapped. "It will not happen." He stood up and began pacing around the room. "How dare she go Aboveground and interfere with the mortal! She had absolutely no right to talk to Sarah."
Malachy sighed and turned to watch his friend circle the room. "She wants you to be happy. She did it because she thought it would please you."
"She is ruining everything!"
"There is nothing to ruin!" the prince cried out, coming to his feet. "You have not seen her but for your crystals for years now! You have not spoken with her or even been in the same vicinity as the girl! What the hell is there to ruin if there was nothing established in the first place?" He stalked over to Jareth and stood before him, eyes full of anger at his good friends blindness. "Talia has done nothing that any of your dearest friends would not have done themselves. We all want what is best for you, Jareth. It is you who is not seeing clearly." With that said, he left the room and slammed the door behind him, leaving Jareth alone wondering why all of his friends had been right and himself so terribly wrong.