What if... , Ch. 3

Hours passed by quietly as Sarah and Gwen lay on the warm grass and talk away. They had finished their breakfast and now the remaining food was set aside for some hungry creature to find. Sarah kept smiling at all the storied Gwen told her about her friends and their personal love- dramas.

"Now, she's wondering who to pick- the gorgeous, smart and romantic elf or the goblin her mother chose for her" Gwen said and coughed away a smile.

Sarah, on the other hand, had no intention of doing so. She laughed loudly and deeply, like she had never before. This, of course, made Gwen laugh as well. So there they were, two young ladies, lying on the grass behind a beautiful palace, laughing together like best friends.

"May I know what the object of your amusement is?" Jareth grinned above them.
The two girls bounced up at that very second so fast, that Gwen lost her balance. She waved her hands in a very ungraceful way, trying not to fall. Sarah grabbed her arm and helped her, smiling widely.

"Your Majesty," Gwen said, bowing."I am sorry for being so clumsy."

"Don't worry about it, Gwenevere. All is well, when it ends well." Jareth said.

"Now, do you mind if a tired and bored to death King is to join you?"
Sarah threw a look at Gwen and said:

"No. Sit with us." she smiled.
Jareth smiled and bowed his head to thank the girls before sitting on the grass beside them.

"So how did the meeting go?" Sarah said while fixing her dress.

"It bored me to death." the Goblin King sighed, making the two girls laugh. "I'm serious! My 'guests' were three monarch I don't know about, who requested an alliance with the Goblin Kingdom."

"But isn't that good, milord?" Gwen asked, rather interested.

"It's good. But I gave up listening on the third reason they gave me! And now I have to organize a ball in celebration."

Jareth lay back on the grass and closed his eyes. "This whole thing's tiering me way too much."

The girls looked at him, knowing they can't help. The feeling devastated Sarah even though she was used to it. Gwen knew she could do something and when she caught the glance, exchanged by the two of them, she breathed and said:

"Maybe I can help with the ball? I love organizing things like that and I could be of some use. Perhaps I can do the whole thing if you like?"
Jareth looked at her.

"My lady, you would really do that for me?" he said amazed.

"Yes, of course."

The man stood up, moved by the noble action. He gently took Gwen's hand in his and patted a kiss.

"Thank you." a moment of silence followed and he turned to face Sarah."Would you
like to take a walk with me?"

Sarah smiled and let herself be lifted up along with him. She said her goodbyes to Gwen rather quickly before storming off with Jareth.

"Where are we going?" she asked while laughing.

"You know perfectly well, it's your favorite place" Jareth winked at her.

Sarah's heart skipped a beat. The Labyrinth. That creature, created of strands of magic and the powerful nature, rising up beautifully before the palace never seized to amaze her. She had become fond of it and adored the small walks they took between its walls. Jareth knew it very well. It was his and it obeyed his every command. There was a certain amount of love that haunted their relationship. A love that people feel for their homes, but much stronger, or at least that was what Sarah thought. The truth was that the relationship was deeper than that, way deeper, in a way that only Jareth and the living maze could understand.

"Ten years" the King breathed and peered into the walls of the Labyrinth.

He caressed one of the walls but held Sarah's hand tightly. She enjoyed the feeling very much. His hands were always warm. Always welcoming. She wondered how did his hands look like without the leather black gloves.

"Has it really been that long?" she questioned out loud.

"Seems like forever to me." his voice came from beside her.

"Yes, it does. I can hardly remember why I came here in the first place? Do you?"

"Like it was yesterday." Jareth said and turned around to face her.
He walked backwards with a huge grin on his face. She could see his mind wandering, sinking in memories that were now a decade old.

"I remember you." He grinned and turned Sarah around just like in a dance. "A fifteen year old girl, dying to become an actress. I remember how I used to watch you play that old guitar of yours."

"It used to belong to my mother." Sarah twirled around with him. "That was all she left to me when she left."

"Yes…" Jareth's smile faded away.

"It's okay." she said. "I was long over it. You know, I remember you also."
Jareth pulled her closer to him and the warmth of his body wrapped around her waist, just like his hands. They started moving in a strange waltz-like way that wasn't really a dance but somehow they knew what they were doing.

"Really? And what do you remember about me?"

"I remember…" Sarah sank in her memories, trying to remember how she felt for him.
"I didn't like you. I was afraid of you…"

'And I loved you.' Jareth thought but didn't say. 'I still do'.
Instead, a proud grin took over his face.

"I intended that." he said. "I wanted everyone to fear me that- was my way of dealing with things. By threats and punishments."

"Yeah, I remember the spoiled king you used to be" Sarah winked at him playfully.

"You were an ungrateful little girl too, you know." he bit his lower lip and spun
her around.

Sarah squealed and pressed herself into him. She felt his heartbeat, his shaky breaths and his blood, pumping in his veins. And she felt safe and at home, right there in his arms. While Jareth, he was going to faint. Every time their bodies had no space between them his head started spinning, drunk with the feeling of love every bit of him felt. He knew he was in love. He knew it from the moment he laid eyes on her. And watching her grow before his eyes and turn into the simply beautiful woman she was now was the biggest reward the gods could give him. She had changed him into a better person. Well, his arrogance still showed once in a while but Sarah found it rather fun than obnoxious. She enjoyed his company and didn't move away, that was all that mattered to him in that moment. So his hands reached and pulled her even closer to him. Hers wrapped around his waist and he felt her warm breath brush against his chin. He tilted his head down to smile at her.

"I wanted to tell you something." he whispered. "We're having a celebration tonight for the decade that you lived here"

"That's so sweet. Thank you" Sarah smiled at him.

Her eyes began to close. She stretched her neck and felt his lips brush against hers. A ghostly kiss, merely a kiss at all. She knew what she wanted. Her hands traveled up his body to reach the back of his head as she pulled him into her.

"Your Majesty" a voice cleared his throat.

Jareth groaned.

'Perfect timing!'