A Promise to the Goblin King

Echo the Insane

Disclaimer: As Much as I Would Love to Own Jareth, Sarah, Hoggle, and Didymus, I do not. Pity.

Summary: When the Goblin King falls ill due to a Love Spell, it's Sarah's heart that is put on display.

Her hands were gentle, the cloth cool on his forehead Jareth stared up through the haze, his fevered mind racing. Why was she here? How had she come? Where was here, anyway?

"Shh," she soothed, dipping the cloth into a bowl of water. Her wide, hazel eyes were worried, her brow puckered, lips turned down.

"You are...beautiful," he said, his voice stuttered and small, so unlike the commanding, silk voice he was famous for.

"Shh," she repeated, searching his face, her worried look deepening. "You're very sick, Jareth."

He raised a naked hand, running his index finger down the curve of her cheek. Her skin was so soft, so perfect. He had always dreamed of touching her with his bare fingers, always wondered what she felt like.

"Heaven, oh heaven," he whispered.

Sarah looked so worried. She put the towel away, slipping her hand under his neck. She lifted his head a bit, drew him near her. She held up a goblet of water, pressed it to his lips. "Drink," she commanded, and he obeyed. The water tasted sweet, it cooled his aching throat and sent shivers all the way to his toes. "Jareth?"

"Hmn?"

She laid him back on the bed, her long hair falling around her face as she leaned closer to him. How he longed to kiss her, to lean up and meet her lips. She was everything and nothing rolled up into one. "Focus," she commanded, and he tried with all his might. "You must remember what happened last night Jareth. What happened to you?"

Last night? Was there even a last night? Was there a moment beyond this one? He looked into her eyes and was sure there was no past, no future, only now. He raised his hands, placed them on either side of her face. She reached up, gently taking them from her face, folding them over his stomach.

"What happened to you Jareth?"

He loved how she said his name. It was a caress, a wonderful song. "Again," he breathed.

"What happened to you?" she repeated, thinking he had misheard her. He felt disappointment swell in him, for she had not said his name.

"Sarah," he whispered, reaching for her face with one hand this time. She did not stop him, she let him run his fingers over her brow, down the bridge of her nose, to the curve of her lips. If only he could kiss her. He tried to raise, to taste her at last, but her warm, small hands pushed him back into the bed. The rejection stung, and perhaps his eyes betrayed his feelings, because she smiled a sad, small smile.

"Later Jareth. You can kiss me later."

Ah, that would do. He could wait for later, as long as later came soon. He said as much, and she smiled that sad smile once again.

"If you can tell me what happened last night, I will kiss you as soon as you are well," she promised, running her fingers through his hair. His heart lifted and dancing inside of him. He would get well soon, he was sure of it. He would have that kiss in no time.

"I love you," he said, taking her free hand in his.

Her eyes flashed pain for a moment, before she smiled softly at him.

"I love you too Jareth. With all my heart," she said, and it sounded like a promise. Jareth felt his stomach do back flips, his heart flutter. It was wonderful to be in love after so long, after living alone without a single stirring of feeling for oh so long.

He kissed her fingers and she let him. The dwarf, Higtin, came in and spoke soft words to Sarah. Jareth couldn't make them out, but the disappointed look on Sarah's face broke his heart. Hogsmith left, and they were alone again.

"Who came to see you last night Jareth?" Sarah asked, turning to face him again. He was caught by the loveliness of her, by the storm of her eyes, the satin of her hair, the glow of her skin.

"Perfection," he mumbled, memorizing every feature of his beloved.

Sarah's face pinched in pain for a heartbeat, then smoothed again. "Jareth, please try to remember. I must know if you are to get well."

"Get well?" he repeated, smiling after a second. "You will kiss me then."

"Yes," Sarah sighed, sounding tired. "I will kiss you when you are well. You will get well if you can remember last night, Jareth."

Oh that made sense. He fell ill last night, so what happened last night? He bit his lip, furrowed his brow, and...

"I took a child," he began, feeling more than a bit sleepy. "I took a child from a woman. She was dark, very dark. I didn't want to take the child, but she summoned me. We came to the Labyrinth and..." oh he couldn't remember.

"Last night?" Sarah repeated.

"Yes."

She looked around his quarters, scowling. "There's no child here Jareth. The goblins told me you went to a summons but didn't return to the castle with a child."

"Because the child was...was..." his eyes widened, his mouth opening slowly. "The child wasn't real. It was a spell, Sarah."

Sarah's eyes widened. She grabbed his hand. "What?"

"I took the child from her. As soon as I touched it, I knew. It was a spell. That woman wasn't a woman," he met her eyes, his own wide. "She was a hag. She put a curse on me Sarah."

"A hag," Sarah whispered. She turned towards the door. "Hoggle! Hoggle come here!" she called, and the dwarf appeared seconds later. "A hag put a curse on him!" she told the dwarf, who looked understandably upset. Jareth was getting a bit upset too. How dare a hag of all creatures put a curse on him? Him, the Goblin King!

"What sorta curse?" Hedmare asked, his overly large eyes squinting at Jareth as though he could see the spell upon him.

"I do not know," Jareth said, feeling suddenly tired again. "She laughed, said she had trapped me at last. 'Love will be your downfall, King,' she said. Laughed at me. Had the gall to laugh at me," he sneered. "'Love will be your downfall.'"

Sarah looked stricken. She looked down at his hand, holding hers. "I see," she said. She turned towards Hogneg. "Love spell, I think."

A love spell? Nonsense. He was the Goblin King, master of his own emotions. He had loved Sarah since she came to his Labyrinth. He was sure of it. He remembered watching her, longing for her, being so angry when she left. He loved her, really loved her.

Higger ran off then, the fox knight behind him. He hadn't even noticed Didymus in the corner. No doubt trying to protect his sick king.

"Sarah?" he called. Her back was still to him, but eventually she turned. She looked so small, so sad. Her eyelashes were a bit damp, though she wasn't crying. "Sarah?"

She reached over, touched his face. "Shh, it's okay," she said, leaning down close to him. For a moment, he was sure she would kiss him. Her face was so close, but she hesitated. Instead, she placed a kiss upon his brow, then lay her head on his chest. He lifted his arms, though they were heavy and ached, and wrapped them around her. He was suddenly quite sure he would never hold her again after tonight. He felt it; a moment of clarity; and doubted everything. Did he love her? Was it a love spell making him ill? What if it was? What if the feeling inside him; this warmth that gave him purpose again; was false? Could he live after finally feeling love...if this was love at all?

"Sarah," he sighed, burying his face in her hair. He fell asleep, holding her, frightened.

When he woke, she was not in his arms, but laying beside him. She was on top of the covers, her hand resting on his chest, her hair fallen in her face. She was staring at him from behind the strands, her eyes dark and unreadable.

"Hullo," she said quietly.

"Hello," he replied, feeling stronger, more like himself. The fever was broken. He felt fine, in fact. He sat up, her hand sliding from him reluctantly.

"Did it work?" she asked, sitting up beside him.

"What work?" he asked, scowling at her.

She held up a small vial, where the remnants of a blue liquid pooled at the bottom. "The cure of a Hag's Love Curse. The Wise Man made it, said it would cure you. Do you feel...better?" she asked, chewing her lip between her teeth.

He remembered things much clearer now. That stupid hag had thought to curse him, probably had been hired by one of his many enemies. He remembered thinking of nothing but Sarah, of wishing with all his heart that she should appear before him. He remembered being convinced he loved her with all his heart. Looking at her now, he felt nothing but usual mixture of amusement and confusion when it came to her.

"Yes, I feel fine now," he said, raising his eyebrow at her. "You needn't worry, I don't really love you. It was the spell," he told her, feeling quite sure that was what it had been.

She lowered her eyes from his face, smiled a bit, and shrugged. "I'm glad you're all right then." She rose off the bed, her movements a bit sluggish. "Would you mind wishing me back to Aboveground then?" she asked, her back to him as she stretched.

"Certainly." He snapped his fingers and she was gone. Only after did he realize he hadn't thanked her for caring for him. He rubbed his chest, where her hand had been only second before, feeling the warmth where she had touched. Something tickled in the back of his mind, something important he had forgotten.

He dressed, he stormed imperiously around the castle, he kicked goblins, he was back to his old self within the day. He felt no ill effects, just that nagging sense he was forgetting.

Night fell and he was still struggling to remember whatever it was that he forgot. He replayed the morning's events, replayed the feelings he had been forced to feel.

He remembered how warm Sarah's hands wore. How soft her hair felt. How good she smelt. How good it felt to hold her.

How horrifying. The Goblin King had been pining over a girl. He looked down at his gloved hand, and for a moment, remembered how good it had felt to hold hers.

Suddenly it hit him. She had promised him a kiss when he was well. Jareth raised an eyebrow and stared out over his land. A promise to the Goblin King could not be broken. He wondered if she would do it willingly, or if he would have to take his kiss. Either way would be a fun distraction. He could make a game of it. He was pretty sure she would fight him on it. Yes, it would be quite the distraction!

He went about his business, changed into a suitable kissing outfit (silk shirt, tight pants, high boots), and made to leave. He stepped through the gates of the Labyrinth, started up the hill that lead to Aboveground

"Where are you going?"

He turned around, looked down at Higbrain over by the gate; no doubt dousing fairies with poison, and felt a great deal of irritation. "Out," he said, "not that I have to justify my actions to you."

Hogturd scowled up at him. "Don't bother Sarah," he said. "Yous done enough damage to her already."

Jareth scowled back at the creature. "I do what I please Higfart, or do I need to remind you that I am King? Perhaps a trip to the Bog shall stir your memory."

Hogfoot didn't even seem perturbed by the threat. "Do as you please then," he said, turning away from him, going about his business. "But if you hurt Sarah, I'll make you regrets it."

"My my, someone has a backbone," he taunted, returning to his journey.

"Sarah changes people," the dwarf called out, turning a corner and out of sight. Jareth paused, wondering why that almost sounded like a warning.

He stepped into Aboveground, through the full length mirror in Sarah's apartment. He found her laying in bed, her eyes closed in sleep. There was a box of tissues beside her, one still clutched in her hand, the waste basket beside her bed littered with previously used ones. Jareth scowled, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her. She had fallen asleep with her lamp on, it's soft light casting shadows over her face.

She had been crying not too long ago. Perhaps she had only just drifted to sleep. He took the glove off his right hand, suddenly overcome with the urge to touch her with his bare skin once again. He ran the tip of his finger down her cheek, finding it still damp.

She stirred, but did not wake, nuzzling her cheek against his finger. Jareth's scowl deepened, and in a flash, he remembered her face so close to his. He remembered the reluctant honesty in her eyes, the way her voice caught when she said she loved him too.

Oh dear, he'd nearly forgotten that dumb spell made him confess love to her. He had told her it was the spell that made him say those things. But why did she say them back?

He tucked her hair behind her ear, stared at her face (which was rather pleasing, even to his un-enchanted mind). "Sarah," he called, for had come with a purpose after all.

Her eyes opened slowly, a look of sleepy confusion crossing her face. "Jareth?" she replied, sitting up slowly, rubbing the back of her hand across her face. She tossed the tissue into the basket, yawned softly, then looked at him. "Are you all right?" she asked, looking at him searchingly.

"Of course," he said, a bit surprised. "Why do you ask?"

"You're here," she said, motioning to the room around them. "You aren't feeling after effects from that curse, are you?" She sounded genuinely worried, her face pinched and eyes wide.

"No, not at all," he said, looking her over, then down to the tissues beside her. "But you seem a bit upset, pet."

Sarah flushed, pushing the tissues away, as if having distance between them would make him forget he saw them. "Just an emotional day is all," she mumbled, looking down at her hands, folded in her lap. "Why are you here anyway?" she asked hesitantly.

Jareth smirked. Now to the point, the very reason he had come. He looked forward to her indignation, to the fight that would no doubt ensue. "You promised me something when I was well."

Sarah's brow furrowed, then her eyes widened. She blushed scarlet, then looked down at her hands again. "M-Must I?" she asked, her voice small and broken.

Jareth did not really expect this sort of reaction. "You aren't angry I've come to take a kiss from you, Sarah?" he asked teasingly, leaning closer to her. To his surprise, and discomfort, her face suddenly twinged, her eyes burning with those tears again. "Sarah?" he asked, for some reason a bit...worried for her.

She looked up, her expression one of utter dismay. "I-I don't..." she said, searching his face. Suddenly, all the pain went out of her; she just looked resigned. "All right Jareth. You are better, and I promised," she whispered. She lifted her hands, placed them upon his face, and drew herself closer. He was frozen, completely shocked and more than a little confused. She wasn't fighting, she wasn't doing anything he was sure she would do.

Then she was kissing him. Her mouth was gentle, and warm, and from the touch he could suddenly see her heart.

In his mind, he saw her as she was all those years ago, after running his Labyrinth. He saw her sitting before her mirror, brushing her hair, staring into her reflection. He saw the longing, the sadness, the way she search the room in the mirror for any trace of...of what? Of the Labyrinth?

Of him?

He saw her years later, on dates, feeling nothing as she dance with the faceless boys of her past. He saw her kiss a suitor, only to pull away in disappointment. He saw her turned down marriage proposals, then finally, turn down the chance at any relationships that came her way. Then he saw her dreams. He saw her dancing with him, staring up at him without fear; only wonder. He saw her kissing him in her dreams, saw him smiling down at her.

Loving her.

She broke the kiss, pulling away from him. She was crying, turning her face away from him. "Was that all right?" she asked, her voice cracking.

He was speechless. No one had ever loved him, not truly loved him. To see it, to feel it, to know it was more than he could bare. Jareth stumbled away from her. She did not look at him as he turned and ran back to the mirror, but he was sure he heard her weeping as he fell back into the Underground.

He fell into his throne room, fell in a heap at the foot of his throne. He felt as though someone had knocked the air out of him, as though he'd been beaten black and blue from the inside out.

It made sense, all of sudden. The gentle way she had cared for him, the pained looks she had tried to hide. He remembered how sad she had seemed, how saying she loved him too seemed to tear her apart. She had known he didn't mean what he was saying, but she had meant every word. With all my heart, she had said. She loved him with all her heart and he...

What? What did he feel? Had it all been a spell? He had never loved her at all? Or did he love her all along? Oh he was so confused. His heart hurt. His mind raced. He looked down at his still bare hand, suddenly aware he had left his glove on the edge of her bed.

Her face, swimming in pain and misery came to him then. She hadn't wanted to kiss him, was afraid to kiss him.

She loves me.

Jareth clenched his fingers in his hair, gritted his teeth. She loves me, what does that mean?

Could he love her back? She was afraid of kissing him, of showing him her love. Of him rejecting her.

Oh and how he rejected her. Running away, blind and afraid. He could picture her now, sitting in the bed, feeling alone and unwanted and...

He rose, stumbling to his feet. Sarah, oh Sarah, what do I do?

So he went back. He didn't know what to do, but he had to do something. He couldn't let her sit there and think...think she wasn't worthy. It wasn't that. If anyone was worthy it was her. He just...didn't know if he could love. If he was capable of it.

He found her where he left her. She had his glove in her hands, her head bowed. Tears were splashing onto the glove. She was utterly silent, her shoulders shaking just a bit with every breath.

"Sarah," he called, reaching towards her.

She lifted her head slowly, looking lost and small. "Do you..want your glove?" she asked, her voice sounding far away. She lifted her hand, holding the glove out to him.

In that moment, looking at her, seeing every bit of pain she had every endured for him, he was sure. He went to her side, ignored her outstretched hand, and embraced her, pulling her against him. "I love you," he said, burying his face into her hair. "I'm sorry pet. I love you."

Her arm was still outstretched beside him. She had stopped breathing, her lungs caught in a gasp. "You...do?" she asked at last, barely able to hope.

"Oh yes, sweetness," he whispered, kissing her temple, running his hands up into her hair, down her back. "The curse wouldn't have worked if I didn't love you already, I'm sure of that now. I love you Sarah." Suddenly it was so clear, so easy to say and feel and be. He loved her, and he was sure she loved him. Loved him more than herself, more than the world.

"I love you," she said, her voice a keening whisper. "Oh I have loved you so very long."

"I know, I know." He kissed her forehead, then her lips. She kissed him back, held him desperately. "Come with me, precious thing," he murmured, kissing down her neck, her collar bone. "Come with me to the Underground."

Sarah sighed and melted against him. "Yes," she hissed between her teeth, feeling his mouth trail down her skin.

She was his, and always had been his, forever. Jareth smiled, and took her home at last.