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Jareth is being uncooperative, perhaps the ball will help? |
Disclaimer: I don’t own the rights to anything you recognize from the movie and/or the book. The characters and places that you recognize from the movie and/or the book belong to their respective owners. Though, I DO own the rights to all my personal locations and personal OC’s. I make no monetary profit from this story. Sitting down when they were finally back in their room was a very special moment for Sarah. She took off the offending shoes and swore to kill them as soon as she had control of her feet again. Eireach was sitting down in his lounging chair to read the book he had started the night before and she threw the shoes over at him. “What was that for? I thought we had a nice day.” He was looking from her to the offending shoes. Sarah laughed and then walked over to him. “Yes we had a lovely day, but those shoes were made by Satan and I had to throw them. It made me feel better.” He put on a cross face and leaned down to pick up the shoes. “Well then, they will just have to be punished to the full extent of the law.” He summoned a small crystal and crossed the room. He threw the crystal into the fire and then tossed the shoes in. “There…they can’t hurt you anymore.” She was laughing so hard that her sides were beginning to hurt. “That’s right! Damn shoes got what was coming to ‘em!” There was a sharp knock on the door that made her jump and she stopped laughing instantly. She mouthed ‘Jareth?’ to Eireach before he opened the door. He shrugged, but didn’t look too excited about opening the door. It wasn’t Jareth though. Instead it was an almost six foot tall woman with fiery red hair that was in elegant disarray. She didn’t look happy and Sarah was not looking forward to what was going to come out of that woman’s mouth once she started going off on her tirade. “Just what do you think you are doing Sarah?” Amazingly, she sounded more upset than she did mad. Maesia looked like she was about to cry as she settled into a chair near Sarah. “Why are you doing this?” She motioned with a heavy hand towards Eireach. “I know that you care for my son…I know that you love him. Why can’t you see that?” “I do.” Sarah wasn’t trying to play games with Jareth’s mother. She was only trying to trick Jareth, so she couldn’t lie to this woman who had done nothing but try and help her. Looking at Maesia now she saw a picture perfect example of stunned. “But then why…?” She looked helplessly from Eireach to Sarah and back again. “It was a feeble attempt of mine to make Jareth so jealous that he would steal me away from Eireach.” One pale, graceful hand went up to cover emerald eyes. Her head was shaking slightly. Obviously, Maesia didn’t have high thoughts about their plan. “That might have worked if my ego-maniacal son was still in his pissed off tyrant stage, but alas, he is passed that.” Sarah scanned the woman sitting before her. What was it that she was here for? “Then what stage is he in now and do you have any thoughts on how or what I can do to persuade him to forgive me?” Maesia sighed and leaned back into the chair. “Forgiveness I fear will take more than simple trickery, but I do know of a way to get him to take you back.” Sarah’s eyes brightened and she scooted forward to sit on the edge of her seat. “What?” Eireach sat down next to Sarah and listened intently, though Sarah knew that his heart would not be in the discussion. Truly, there was a part of her heart that wasn’t in the conversation either. “Well, now Jareth is moping around like a little boy who got something stolen from him. He just wants you happy now. He sees you with Eireach and thinks that you are truly in love with him.” Sarah was confused. “Why would that stop him? He has always taken what he has wanted before. What is the difference this time?” “He doesn’t want to be that man you met in the Labyrinth all those years ago. That wasn’t him…Sarah that was who he thought you wanted him to be. He thought you wanted the villain.” Maesia propped her head up on her hand. “Now he is giving you up because he thinks that is what you want. That boy will do anything for you. It is really quite inconvenient at times. This being an example.” Sarah felt Eireach shift uncomfortably and her heart cried for him. This had to be horrible for him, but suddenly she heard his voice. “So what do you suggest we do differently?” She could hear the strain in his voice and from the look on Maesia’s face, so did she. Those emerald green eyes took on deep sympathy, but continued on. “I think that the best thing to do is make Jareth believe that Sarah doesn’t love you, but that you are forcing your love on her. That is the only way he will do anything about your relationship. If he thinks that Sarah is happy he is going to leave her be, but if she looks upset, worried, sad or uncomfortable then I believe he will take her away.” When Sarah looked over at him she could see the tears starting to well up in his eyes. She placed her hand on his, but he pulled it away slowly. “It would probably be best to do this at the ball, so that…” she paused slightly, and Sarah caught it, but didn’t question her, “…certain people can see Jareth wanting you back.” Eireach’s voice could be heard now, barely a whisper through his clouded emotions. “You do know that if this plan of yours works Jareth is going to banish me from the Goblin City.” Maesia looked sad still as she nodded. Sarah’s heart clenched in her chest. She wanted to go to Jareth, but she didn’t want to cause Eireach to lose his home and everything over this. “No! We can’t do this! It’s not fair to Eireach!” She felt his soothing hand rub her back and heard his voice gently calming her. “Sarah, I was going to leave the castle once you went to Jareth anyways. I couldn’t have stayed.” “But where will you go?” He made a weak attempt at a smile. “I have an old family house out beyond the Goblin City. I have been meaning to go there for quite some time now anyways.” Sarah wanted to cry, but she wanted to jump with joy at the same time. Her heart was being pulled in too many different directions at once. Maesia came to her rescue. “Now then, if you are going to convince Jareth of anything then you go right ahead and keep crying. A red face will be good.” She looked back at Eireach as Maesia led her off into the closet to start deciding what to wear for the ball. He was smiling, but she knew it was only because he knew that was what she wanted to see. The first half of the next day had been spent with Eireach and Maesia, deciding exactly what they would do at the ball. Sarah and Eireach immersed themselves in the roles they were given, but when they weren’t practicing, they could barely look at one another. Every time they did, tears were inevitable. “Come my dear, its time to get you ready for the ball.” Sarah barely heard or felt Maesia’s touch as she ushered her to the closet. “I had this made for you.” Maesia handed her a box and Sarah finally snapped into reality. “Oh Maesia, you didn’t have to do that, really.” Maesia waved her off as Erina and Jeaule came in. “I know, but we want to catch his eye and there is no way you can fail to do so in this dress.” Sarah looked up at her apprehensively. “Its not a big poofy dress is it?” Maesia smiled at the pleading. “Please say its not a poofy dress” Maesia took the box from Sarah’s hands and placed it on the chair in front of them. They were back in the first room Sarah had been placed in when she came to the castle. Maesia thought it would be easier for Sarah and Eireach to prepare for the ball without looking at one another. “It is, I assure you, NOT a poofy dress.” She chuckled slightly when Sarah audibly exhaled in relief. Before Sarah could think, Maesia lifted the lid of the box to reveal the jewel of a dress she had created for the girl. Watching the pure rapture flood over Sarah’s face made all the sadness of the day wash away. “Oh Maesia!!” Sarah ran her fingertips reverently over the brightly colored and patterned material. It looked like a field of wildflowers and when Sarah lifted it from the box she made a throaty sound of pure pleasure. “Its gorgeous…” Her voice seemed far off as she inspected it and gasped as, when Maesia snapped her fingers, it was on her body. It had a deep v-cut neckline that plunged daringly between cleavage that wound up into a strap behind her neck that kept the dress on. The back dipped so low as to be nearly obscene with a pretty silken dark maroon tie at the base of her spine. The skirt gathered in and up on her right hip, exposing all of her right thigh and dragged behind her slightly on the ground. It was the back of the skirt that had Sarah most entranced, it had peacock feathers that seemed to morph from the pattern of the dress into a reality of feathers at the bottom. Maesia gestured to Jeaule, who brought forth another box, smaller this time. “I also have your mask, since this is after all a masquerade ball.” Sarah gasped again as the shiny onyx mask was revealed. It was a simple black mask true, but the top was adorned with the most beautiful, most perfect peacock feathers she had ever seen. Maesia led her over to the vanity and sat her down so Jeaule and Erina could get to work on her makeup. “Maesia, you have done more than you needed to. How could I ever thank you?” “You can thank me by getting my stubborn boy to get over this moping attitude of his. It really is starting to bore me.” Sarah smiled as Jareth’s mother leaned in to inspect the job that Erina and Jeaule had done. “You really have taken to the transformation beautifully Sarah. Has anyone told you that?” Sarah’s brow knitted as she remembered the one who had. “Yes…” Maesia nodded in understanding and patted her hand. “I know it hurts my dear, but think…which would you rather lose?” Those hazel eyes narrowed in frustration again and Maesia could see the tears starting to well. “Don’t you dare start crying,” she said as lightly as she could and tilted Sarah’s face up to her’s. “You don’t want to mess up the gorgeous make up that Erina and Jeaule have just done do you?” Sarah smiled and shook her head. “You will do what your heart asks…and we both know that it wants Jareth.” Sarah nodded and sighed deeply, a weary smile crossing her face. “He is just so aggravating.” Maesia laughed gaily at that. “Yes, yes he is my dear, but if anyone can deal with it, I think you can.” They spent the rest of the time getting ready smiling and talking together as if they were mother and daughter, which was a strange feeling for Sarah. She had never had a mother before. When she was finally led back to Eireach’s room, he felt her heart clench again, she didn’t know if she could face him, but she knew that she had to. When he opened the door, her heart broke for him. His heart was clear in his eyes and she knew it was breaking as well. “You look beautiful.” She lowered her head demurely, but took the chance to look him over. He wore an elaborate outfit of red leather that made him look like a medieval prince, his mask looked like fire around his coopery curls. “So do you….” He forced a smile on his face and held out his arm. “Shall we?” Sarah smiled weakly as she strung her arm through his. “And so the spectacle begins.” Sarah knew that she wouldn’t have to act to hard to look miserable tonight and knew that a rouge tear had run down her cheek. The masquerade had begun and his mother had been late. He was curious about that until she insisted that Erina had needed her help with her wardrobe. After seeing the girl’s elaborate hairdo he believed her and let it be. He truly didn’t care, he was waiting for Sarah to show up. He needed to see her, to make sure she was happy once and for all. His thoughts had been traveling back to that moment where he could have sworn he had seen her look devastated as Erina was trying to seduce him. He had to make sure that she wasn’t still in love with him. As if on cue, the doors opened and there were Sarah and Eireach, though tonight she wasn’t hanging on him as she had done the night before, merely had her arm through his. She didn’t look happy though her dress was bold and bright against her skin. He didn’t have time to take her in any further as the trumpets blared, announcing the arrival of a distinguished guest. It was Blix that came forward, clearing his throat to introduce the guest. “Ladies and gentleman! The esteemed Queen of the Fairies, Medb!” There was polite clapping through the ballroom, though Jareth knew that no one there wanted Medb as company anymore than he did. Jareth sneered, how scandalous could the woman be? Everyone knows you aren’t supposed to be announced at a masquerade ball, but surely the woman wanted the attention. His lip quivered with distain as she entered his ballroom as if it was her own. Her dress looked like a pathetic abortion of Sarah’s elegant dress. It was an eyesore that had everyone turning away from the overdramatic use of colors. The woman was beautiful, no one could deny it, but her dress made her repulsive and that was Medb’s way. Jareth slipped back into the shadows before the woman got a lock on him. He did not want to deal with her unabashed flirting tonight. It always drove him mad. He sighed with guilt as he saw Medb swoop down on his mother. Over by his mother…. “Oh Maesia, I was so pleased to get an invitation to the ball. I wanted to come and see how my bet was going.” Maesia’s blood boiled at the haughty tone of Medb’s voice. The woman was entirely too sure of herself for her own good. It kept a smile on Maesia’s face to know that Sarah would far outshine her highness tonight though. “Yes, well, it’s a pleasure having you here.” Complementing the woman felt like acid on her tongue, but she had to and Medb knew it. A slow, malicious sneer overtook the porcelain like face of Medb which was framed by a glory of onyx waving hair. “So where is the silly little human that everyone thinks will steal Jareth from me?” Maesia smiled up into Medb’s cold blue eyes and pointed to Sarah, who was dancing uncomfortably with Eireach. It pleased her deeper than she would ever admit to see the look on Medb’s face when her highness took in Sarah’s form. The flat out shock and fury that the girl, now Fae, was far more beautiful than she would ever be was more of a treat than Maesia could stand. “Well,” Medb scoffed, trying to regain her composure, “she doesn’t look like much.” The Queen of the Fairies was unconsciously smoothing the offending folds of her dress as she turned back to Maesia. “She’s more than you think.” Back in the shadows…. Jareth was pleased by the worry that had taken over Medb’s face. As if he would ever love a bitch like her? Jareth kept himself in the shadows, not caring if people wondered where he was. It was a better place to keep his watch over Sarah during the ball Jareth watched as she was pulled along in a dance, it was obvious, she didn’t want to dance. Eireach seemed to think differently of what was going to happen during the ball. He kept trying to kiss her neck or touch her, but she kept squirming when he would do so. This was worse than watching her give the attention back. He jumped when her eyes somehow found his in the shadows. How did she know he was there? It didn’t matter, she knew and it was like a knife to his heart when those eyes were pleading him to help. She looked almost scared being touched by someone that she obviously didn’t want to be touched by. He wanted to do more than take her away from him, he wanted to make sure that Eireach could never touch anything again. ‘But this could be a nice punishment for her….’ He screamed inwardly at his bad voice. He didn’t want to be influenced by it. Not now when he could actually save Sarah and make things better. ‘You will listen to me…you always do now.’ Jareth decided to let her dance for a while longer, but he wasn’t going to let it go beyond the ball if he kept that up. About ten minutes later he caught Sarah looking beseechingly at his mother. He stepped from the shadows, secure in the fact that Medb was surrounded by a group of young Fae, and crossed to his mother. “Mother? Why is she looking to you for help?” His mother looked up at him, her irritation clear in the set of her jaw behind the crimson mask. “Perhaps she feels that I might have the feelings to save her since you seem to not care.” Jareth looked over at Eireach and Sarah and saw the bastard trying to trail kisses down her neck as he looked over at him with a self-satisfied smirk. Jareth had had enough. He crossed the dance floor and stood before the couple. “Lord Tur, I wish a dance.” It wasn’t a request, it was a demand and no one refused him in his own castle. Eireach smirked at him again and gave him Sarah’s hand, which gripped in Jareth’s hand the second they made contact. “Be my guest…” the Lord bowed deeply, clearly mocking him. “…your majesty.” Jareth waved his hand and a new, very familiar song started that had instant tears welling in Sarah’s eyes. “So you remember this.” She bit her lower lip and nodded slowly as she linked her hand in his. He felt his resolve slip as she placed her hand on his shoulder and his drifted up her side till it rested near the bottom of her ribcage. He started to lead her around the dance floor in a dance they had already shared once. “Jareth…” she pleaded softly before cutting off, unsure of herself. His hand left her back and tilted her chin up. “What did I tell you about diverting your eyes from me…?” He felt his lip quirk as she managed a smile, but offered nothing further about what she was going to say. Because he wanted to, he pulled her to his chest, continuing the dance where he could breathe in the scent of her hair. “Sarah…” he heard himself start. Her head rested softly on his shoulder and he caught a glimpse of righteous anger on Medb’s face as she spotted them. “Yes Jareth?” He turned his head to catch her eyes as, surprising even to him, worry crept into his voice. “Are you happy?” Sarah’s gaze dropped from his as she answered. “As happy as I can be.” The song ended and he felt a tap on his shoulder before he could question her further. He turned to see Lord Tur with that smirk on his face still. “If it pleases my liege, I would like my slave back.” Jareth was about to deny him the right when another hand grabbed at him, it was Medb. “He would be glad to give you back your little…” Medb’s glare went over Sarah dismissively. “…slave.” She thrust Sarah into Eireach’s arms and pulled Jareth into the next dance. “It’s so good to finally dance with you tonight. I have been waiting. Where ever were you?” She tried in vain to keep his attention, but, while he answered every question respectfully, his eyes kept drifting back to Sarah. That seemed to make her livid. “You aren’t a very attentive dance partner Jareth. One would think you are trying to insult me.” He knew, considering what he was in for, that making her mad would be a very bad idea. She would only make it worse on Sarah when the time came if he treated the Queen of the Fairies poorly now. “I am sorry your highness, I am simply distracted by foul doings in my very own castle. I can’t be seen as weak willed by my subjects.” She huffed indignantly, but seemed to take that as an answer as they continued their dance. Meanwhile, with Sarah and Eireach… “He isn’t doing anything…damn that Medb!” Eireach griped indignantly. Sarah sighed, she knew he didn’t mean it, but she did and she needed to push Jareth further. “I know, we have to take more drastic measures.” Eireach flinched at her determination, but he nodded. “What do you suggest?” Sarah sighed again as she thought about what the heck he could do. She looked desperately down at her dress and knew the answer. She told him what to do and, though he looked apprehensive about it, he agreed. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t kill me outright here on the dance floor.” The smile he said it with assured Sarah that Jareth would do no such thing. Back with Jareth… Jareth tried desperately to keep his attention on Medb, but as he took another quick look over at Sarah, his blood turned to fire in his veins. Eireach was trying to reach into Sarah’s dress despite her obvious entreaties for him to stop. Jareth was sure he saw fire as Lord Tur’s hand disappeared within the top of Sarah’s dress. He stepped away from Medb and with a wave of his hand, stopped the music. “Lord Tur! Grab your slave and follow me…” He lowered his voice threateningly. “…now.” Sarah looked frightened and Eireach just still looked smug. He laced Sarah’s arm though his to lead her towards the door. Jareth stalked to them, ignoring the furious ranting of Medb, he didn’t care about her at the moment. Jareth led them, in a fury, down through the halls and towards the courtroom where this had all gone wrong. Blasting the doors open with his magic before he ran into them, he charged into the courtroom. He stalked up to the judge’s panel and screamed out the names he needed. “Danu! Morrigan! Dagda!” The room shook slightly before three figures made an appearance before them. None but Dagda looked all to pleased at being called there, though under their perturbed exterior, this was what they had been waiting for all this time. Danu looked down at the gathering and spoke out. “What is the meaning of this?” Jareth grabbed Eireach with his magic and dragged him before the court. “This man is abusing his rank as master to his slave!” Eireach gave a secret little smile to Morrigan who gave one back. Jareth mistook it and blew up. “So you are pleased that he is taking advantage of what shouldn’t even have been his in the first place!?” Dagda turned to look at Jareth. “So do you want to take control like you should have in the beginning?” Jareth hadn’t thought that it was going to be a choice for him. He was really rather hoping that the gods would more take the right away from Eireach and just give it to him. Now they were going to make him say that he wanted Sarah back. “Jareth?” He snapped out of his thought and looked up at the panel of judges. “We weren’t summoned here to watch you act like a fish Jareth, now give us an answer or we are leaving.” Morrigan wasn’t known for her kindness so Jareth took no offense to this. He cleared his throat and looked back at Sarah. She was looking at him expectantly. Turning back to the judges, he gave them his answer. “Yes…I want her back. I should have taken her in the beginning.” Danu cracked her gavel and his world was frozen. Sarah looked at Jareth, he seemed like a statue. She walked around in front of him and saw that he wasn’t blinking, he was frozen in place…or time…wherever he was, he was frozen. Sarah spun around to look up at the judges. “What is this for?!” She snapped at them. Morrigan looked furious, Dagda was laughing and Danu was calm as ever. She was the one that had the kindness to answer. “We have suspended him so that you will have a chance to say goodbye to Lord Tur. If Jareth weren’t frozen you wouldn’t even have been able to wave goodbye without making Jareth curious.” Eireach stood behind her, tears were showing in his eyes again. She ran up to him and delved deep into his embrace. “I guess this is goodbye.” His voice was cracking and she could feel the tears falling onto the top of her head. “Thank you…for everything that you did for me. You helped me more than I deserved and more than you needed to. I will forever be grateful and a part of me will always love you…never forget that.” He squeezed her tight for a moment before letting her go and stepping back. “I love you Sarah. We will meet again.” He looked up at Morrigan with that secret smile again, but it was a sad one. “I know it.” He hugged her again and she pulled him down for a light kiss. “Goodbye Sarah.” She stepped back. “Goodbye.” Morrigan waved her hand and he disappeared. Sarah looked up at her. “Where did he go?” “I merely sent him to his home outside the Goblin City. While he is now banished from this place, he did not deserve Jareth’s wrath. Now go stand back where you were when Jareth was frozen.” Sarah moved back behind Jareth and watched as he came to. He shook his head and then looked frantically around the courtroom. “Where is Eireach!?” He looked livid. Danu looked down at him. “He is gone. We have banished him from the Goblin City, no more need be done about him.” Jareth spun on her. “This is MY kingdom and I will not have the gods giving out my punishments!” Morrigan was practically writhing with anger when Sarah decided that she should step in. She walked up to Jareth and placed a hand on his shoulder. He spun around on her this time, but she just reached up and pulled him to a kiss. She felt his body calm and his hands trailed up into her hair. When she pulled back she smiled at him. “Don’t worry about him. We are together again. It will take work for us to trust each other, but we have to forget the past to do that…he is part of the past.” She held her hand out. “Let’s go.” He started to ruffle his feathers, so to speak, but she smiled at him again and he just exhaled deeply. “This will be interesting.” Morrigan commented as the two left the courtroom. “Very interesting indeed.” |