A Chat with the Goblin King
By: Tal J. Smith
Sarah was sitting cross legged on a park bench in her favorite spot by the fountain reading. Her signature jeans made her unladylike seating position acceptable and an overly large flowing long sleeve blouse hid her curvaceous figure. She was not one to flaunt her haunting beauty. She never dressed ostentatious like other twenty four year olds. She merely dressed comfortably. Who was she going to impress anyway?
She heard someone pass by her and sit down. She'd just finished her book flipping the last page closed, when she glanced up at the stranger now sitting several feet away from her on the same bench.
Sarah did a double take when she recognized the noble fae sitting regally across from her absently tapping a riding crop on his knee. He remained silent while she took him in. Her eyes grew wide. He watched her reaction to him with amusement.
A gust of wind blew a lock of Sarah's hair into her mouth and eyes. The Goblin King stared as she absently pushed the hair behind her ear, as if savoring the movement with intense eyes.
Sarah's breathing became tight. She uncrossed her legs from her zen position and put both feet on the floor, just in case she needed to stand quickly. The King noticed and his eyes narrowed as if offended. She remained silent waiting for him to make any movement towards her. She looked him up and down once more.
He was wearing tight grey breeches with knee high black suede boots. A cream colored poet's shirt jutted out from a black leather jacket. Frilly cuffs covered the tops of his buttersoft black leather gloves, and his chest….well. The jacket and the poet's shirt left a deep "V" open to reveal a pale velvet skinned chest almost to his navel. The crescent moon medallion he always wore glinted in the sunlight. Sarah stared at his chest wondering if it was cold and hard, or velvety soft and warm to the touch.
"Do I pass inspection?" Jareth said with a smirk.
Sarah shook her head slightly as he brought her mind back to reality.
"You know, people will stare with you dressed like that." Sarah said with a wary look to her eyes, like she was ready to bolt at anytime. The Goblin King was careful to appear as unthreatening as possible.
"I seem to recall a young girl dressed as a princess in this very park whom did not encounter such looks. I will take my chances." The King re-crossed his legs still tapping the riding crop on a boot. Sarah stared at the riding crop. He said nothing else. Another gust of wind played with Jareth's hair brining his scent to Sarah's nose.
She remembered that smell. It tasted like magic, spices, male heat, mystery and adventure.
She sighed, "Ok I'll bite, why have you come here? Did someone get wished away or are ya just enjoying the scenery? I'm not an expert, but I'm sure there are places just as beautiful in the Labyrinth." Sarah asked curious. No need to piss him off until she knew what he was there for.
Jareth turned and looked at her seriously. "Perhaps I came for the company?" He then grinned at her sardonically. She narrowed her eyes at him not willing to trust him.
"Well, folks around here will tell you that "Spooky Sarah" isn't worth talking too. Her head is always in the clouds." She smiled sadly. "You may be bored with my company. Most are."
"Again, I will take my chances." The King looked out over the park at a child playing with a kite.
Sarah followed his gaze. "He's growing up nicely. I can't believe I wished him away. He's my whole world now." She sighed but said nothing else.
"You'd be surprised what mortals will and will not do when unhappy." He didn't look at her but kept staring at the boy. "You'd be surprised what immortals to do be happy as well."
"What do they do? I'm sure it can't be as bad as wishing away a sibling." Sarah said quizzically; slightly curious to the change in conversation.
"They propose to young girls at the most inopportune times." Jareth still did not look at Sarah. But Sarah stared at his profile in silence. He went on speaking softer. "It….it is not usual a Fae gets turned down, by a human, even less so by a teenager."
Sarah smiled softly, "I'm sure she was a bratty young bitch at the time. So it probably wasn't entirely your fault."
Jareth's lips turned up in a small smile. "Perhaps she thought me unattractive and dimwitted."
Sarah snorted, "Nah, I don't think that was it."
"No?" A painted eyebrow raised.
"No." She said firmly.
"Perhaps she misunderstood my offer?" Jareth made a sidelong glance in her direction and continued to watch Toby.
Sarah cocked her head as if thinking; she put a finger on her chin. "Possibly, but I don't think that was it either."
"Then it was my castle and subjects which she found distasteful." Jareth said as a goblin poked it head out from under the park bench where he had been sleeping since Sarah sat down. Sarah held a hand to her lips and mouthed "Shhh" and he went back under the park bench. She smiled secretively. Jareth, still watching Toby, did not seem to notice the exchange.
Did Jareth know how often his goblins came to visit her?
"I'm sure your subjects were charming." He glanced at Sarah wondering what had put the mirth in her eyes.
"I'm at a loss as to why a mortal would not want forever with me." He ran his hand through his hair frustrated. Something she had never seen him do before. It actually made her want to feel those golden locks. Was his hair as soft as she thought it was?
"Perhaps she wanted to undo the horrible wrong she did to her brother, even if it meant sacrificing her happiness." Sarah and Jareth locked eyes. She said softer, "Perhaps she didn't know you well enough."
"Do you think she would have chosen me if there were other "options" involved?" Jareth's face looked impassive, but his eyes grew more pronounced.
"You know, I just bet she is probably sitting somewhere right now, wondering why her handsome king doesn't just come right out and ask to kiss her so he'd know how much she actually wanted him." As Jareth's eye brows went up in surprise, Sarah was even surprised she said it too.
He slowly scooted closer to her on the bench, inches from Sarah. Their eyes still bore down on each other.
"Sarah, precious." He looked like he would die if he didn't do something.
"Yes Jareth." Her voice was low, and husky. She swore his mismatched eyes grew darker with desire.
"May I…" Sarah leaned into his mouth and their lips met.
It was light and sweet. Lips just barely pressing. Then she felt the moisture of his tongue. She let him in. They tasted each other lightly, then deeper. Sarah's right hand came up behind his ear. He hissed in a breath as she explored the points of his sensitive ears. Her nails scraped lightly along his neck to bury her hand in his hair. He snaked an arm around her waist to pull her into him more. Someone moaned (she was not sure who) and the kiss grew more heated, if that was possible. The pressure on her lips turned almost bruising, as if he was kissing her like she was his life essence and he was drinking it though her.
Her left hand came up to touch his bare chest through the slit in his poet's shirt. Her nails found his nipple. She ran her fingertips of it as it became harder. He froze, and pulled away from her kiss looking shocked. She'd never seen him shocked. It scared her a bit.
Sarah looked at her left hand on his chest, she got very embarrassed at the way she was touching a king. He held her by both arms and just stared with a strange expression on his face.
She stammered. "I'm….I'm sorry, may I…" He abruptly pulled her into his lap and kissed her harder. This time, Sarah's hands grew more brazen, she explored his chest and even felt the hard shaft of his erection pressing into her backside as she devoured the Goblin King's mouth. She smiled into his kiss and chuckled. She put both arms around his neck and pulled his head towards her. He felt so right. He smelled so good, and he was a really, really great kisser.
He broke them apart again after a minute or two, or twenty, she had no idea.
"Will you come back with me?" Jareth looked at her like he'd just found a jewel but still afraid it could slip though his fingers. The heat in his eyes had a promise that said they'd be finishing what they started here on this bench if she said yes.
Sarah smiled knowingly, "How about we date for a bit? I'm not in the habit of moving in with a guy I haven't dated for a little while at least." Jareth knowing she'd not dated since the run through the Labyrinth realized the gentle tease in her voice. At least she hadn't said no.
"I will court you then, and after you will come back with me?" Jareth said sternly but with a slight inflection at the end, as if determined to make it not sound like such a demand. She knew it must have been hard for him to ask.
Jareth now looked like a kid just before opening his Christmas presents waiting for her answer. Sarah thought there were so many emotions and expressions she'd get to see now. He was like a multi-layered puzzle she could not wait to solve.
She felt excited. "Only if I get to visit here."
"Done." He bent to kiss her again with a small grin on his lips.
Sarah let him have a small kiss, "Jareth." She sighed in low guttural breath. He groaned.
"You undo me with my name on your lips." A gloved hand had found its way under her shirt and at the small of her back.
"Um, maybe we should continue this later in a more private setting." Jareth looked around him as if noticing for the first time that they we in the park and Toby has stopped playing with the kite and was silently watching them from the fountain across the grass.
"Ahh," he looked at Toby, "You are quite right." He slid away from her and went to stand, fixing his breeches slightly. Sarah could plainly see what had made him uncomfortable. Serves him right for wearing such tight pants.
She blushed and tried to hide a smile while he adjusted. "I will return tonight to…..discuss "options." he smirked.
"I think that would be a good idea." Jareth bowed deep, made a salute to Toby with his riding crop, and vanished in a cloud of glitter.
Sarah smiled.
Toby sauntered over.
"What did his tightness want?" He started wrapping up his kite.
"Just a date." Sarah sighed happily and started gathering her purse and book.
Toby grinned at her, "He wasn't angry about the Goblins visiting us?"
Sarah looked back under the park bench at the Goblin rousing out of his nap to come along with them. "Nope, I'm still not sure if he knows they visit."
"Well, hope your date goes good, I'm guessing your answer was yes from that kiss." They started walking home.
Sarah put her arm over his shoulder. "Yup, that was a big yes."
"Well don't forget to re-introduce us. I have to make sure he'll treat you good." Toby lectured.
"Ya know, I have a feeling you'll get to see a lot more of him from now on."
Sarah dropped Toby off at her parent's house and continued on to her small apartment near Main Street.
She had just closed the door and turned when a tall blonde man said from behind her. "Are you free tonight Sarah?"
Sarah jumped and smiled. "Already? Not one for waiting are you?" she turned and looked into his mismatched eyes.
"I've waited too long." Jareth stared seriously.
"For one who can alter time, that's saying something." Sarah chuckled, "Ok, dinner then, what do you like?"
"You." Jareth smirked.
Sarah turned toward the kitchen tossing her book and purse onto an end table, "Well I am not on the menu quite yet. What can I make for you?"
Jareth deflated slightly, "Well then if I were to have a second choice….." He waved his hand and a blue glowing doorway appeared. "Allow me to invite you to dine in the castle Sarah. I have a private meal prepared for us."
Sarah thought to herself. Well I have agreed to date him….I'm an adult, I have nothing keeping me from having an adventure with a fae king, and Toby is home safe. Do I trust him so easy? She's wanted him for so long. Well, what the hell?
Jareth saw her internal argument. Worried she would not take this leap of faith. What if she did not want him enough to trust him? He could still not believe she had agreed to a courtship. Why had he not thought to simply ask Sarah for a chance at a relationship before? That Sarah would be calm and rational was not what he expected. She was an intelligent woman with no hint of selfishness or disdain. None of the mocking sarcasm he had come to anticipate. She still had the sarcasm, but it was more humorous and light then mocking and bitter.
She seemed to have made up her mind.
She placed her hand in his.
"I would love to your Majesty."
Jareth winced slightly, "Please, Sarah, my name sounds so much more….erotic on your lips."
Sarah blushed again, "Alright Jareth." She looked down at her jeans. "Um Should I change? If you give me about 30 minutes I can make myself presentable. I could use a shower."
"No need." He created a crystal and tossed it at her feet.
Sarah shivered, and when she opened her eyes, she was in a forest green velvet gown with a green thick brocade bodice. It reminded her of what Fiona wore in Shrek.
"Wow, ok, this is nice, but next time…." Sarah said warningly looking him in the eyes with a steely expression. "Ask my permission first."
Jareth looked bemused at her tone. His Sarah could make a lesser man shake in his boots with that steel, "As you wish, precious." He held out a gloved hand, and could not keep the genuine smile off his face when she placed her hand in his.
They walked though the blue glowing doorway together.
OXOXOXOXXO
Authors Note: Just a quick visitation story opening I thought of the other day while reading in a park. Thought it was cute and mellow. Let me know if you all want me to continue this love story with reviews!