Your Eyes Can Be So Cruel

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Yay! Chapter 5! I love writing this story. Thanks for all the support! The uploading of chapters may be getting slower, but that is because I'm in the process of moving and starting a new job. Please do not worry, I won't let it die out.

Thanks to my beta Kit and all my readers!

Oh....I should give you the warning that an OC will be appearing! Hehehe

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She just stayed completely still. Not giving him an inch, whether it was in defiance or fear was not apparent. He had to admit he was fighting the urge to rip her out of the pool and make her fear him, love him….to be his slave. Though there was time enough for that, and he was a sadist after all. In the truest sense of the world, he found his pleasure in watching her struggle and suffer through his trails. He liked watching that moment when she was almost utterly defeated, and part of him loved that bit of fire that would rise up when she was at the point of breaking.

His hand flexed in her hair, just enough to pull. Her bottom lip quivered a bit, but still she gave him no more. Sighing with an air of boredom he released her hair, letting her body slide back into the water. Her hands flew to cover her chest, making his lips twitch, just a bit, but not enough to smile.

“I had plenty of time to look Sarah.” The blush the swept over her cheeks made his stomach tighten. Definitely better that she grew up a bit.

“You’d have no right anyway.” Her hold around herself tightened, only pushing her breasts higher.

“No?” Jareth shifted to where his arm rested on his knee now, and his chin in his hand. “I do believe I have every right. You were wished away to me after all.” Her eyes glistened again, so close to tears, but so stubborn. “You should be glad I’m being so generous and not taking advantage of you.”

She pulled her gaze away from him, staring down into the water. The flowers still spun in small circles in the warm water that no longer touched her. She felt hollowed out at the reminder of her brother’s words. She supposed she had held on to some hope that this was still a terrible nightmare, and she would wake in morning, make Toby pancakes, and go on with her normal life. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and Jareth couldn’t help but feel triumph over that small gesture.

“Tears Sarah?”

He smiled at her, and if it had been anyone else she would have taken it as a sign of caring or sympathy. Though she knew all too well he was gloating. The anger bubbled up inside. She just wanted to wipe that smug, self confident look off his face, and before she knew it her hands dropped and then rose up sharply. The small fluffs of fur seem to squeal in horror as a small wave of water flew towards the Goblin Kings face.

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Toby rolled over in his bed. He rubbed his face impatiently at something that wouldn’t stop tickling his nose.

“Knock it off” Hissed a goblin with purple like skin with black patches.

A smaller goblin was sitting above the boys head with a feather in mid tickle. Its face crumpled. The huge bottom lip pouted further and it crossed its arms, looking away angrily.

“It’s boring” It whined.

The bigger goblin made faces in mockery of the smaller.

“Of course it is!” It hissed pulling the other goblin down and literally dragged it into the girl’s room. “We have to wait. Just until the Doppelganger can cross over.”

The small goblins head dragged across the hardwood floors with a high pitch squeak.

“I wanna go back. Underground smells better.”

The bigger goblin sighed in frustration and dropped the others head. There was a loud thunk, then silence.

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The water stop mere inches from the insufferable know it all jerk of a whatevers face.
He smiled at her again. In a way that put knots in her stomach. It was feral, almost to the point of crazed, and then the water was rushing back towards her. She had only a second to shriek before she lost her footing and was submerged in the pool. She came back up quickly, her hair over her face, sputtering out the water she had inhaled on her way down.

“You’re no match for me Sarah. “ He continued to smile down at her as he stood from his crouching position by the pool.

Sarah finally found her way somewhat out of the tangle of her hair. “I remember otherwise.” She half choked through the water she was still trying not to swallow.

No rage this time, no icy demeanor, just an elegant shrug of his shoulder. “Perception is a wonderful thing.”

Oh the girl was practically steaming in rage at this point. It was good to know not all things changed, and that she was still very easy to goad. There would be no sport to this if she wasn’t. Suddenly though the fire was gone. Instead there was just that 15 year old girl again, heart broken and pleading.

“Please just let me go home.” Her arms snaked around to hold herself again, but instead of coverage it was a movement of comfort.

Jareth’s heart was not moved though. He had plans for Sarah, and he finally had the opportunity.

“I thought I had no power over you Sarah.” He smirked, “If that’s true you should be more than able to send yourself home.” An unearthly breeze picked up, moving the silk delicately around his body.

Sarah shivered at the wind that felt more like a caress, and whispered in her ear. When she looked up again the Goblin King was gone. She was once again alone somewhere in Labyrinth. Panic started to settle into her stomach. What was she to do? There was no task set for her this time. No direction. No….clothes? Sarah fairly nearly growled in frustration when she noticed the flimsy silk set she had arrived in was no longer there.

“This is GENEROUS!?” She yelled to the forest.

The small creatures around her squeaked and bounced away from her. The larger ones quivered slightly as they headed back towards the snow. All but one. The smallest of them all stayed behind bouncing around in the water.

Sarah sighed. Her skin was beginning to prune. She hated that feeling so much. Looking around cautiously and not seeing any sign of a self obsessed bird she pulled herself from the pool and sat where her clothes had been. She watched the wet ball of fluff as it continued its small figure eights around the flowers. Sarah put her head in her hand.

“Shouldn’t you be with your family?” She asked it halfheartedly.

The ball of fluff shot up from the water, shaking it off like a dog, and then made a beeline towards the others. Sarah dipped her toe into the water sighing again. She was not looking forward to trying to find her way around this place naked. Though she was sure Jareth was quiet amused with himself at this point. I wish I had some clothes. That would show that bastard . There was a soft brush against her shoulder and she jumped. The tiny ball of fluff was back, and bouncing lightly on her shoulder. Since she was obviously not getting the hint the ball tugged on her hair. How, she wasn’t sure since it was just a ball of fluff with a tail.

Sarah slowly turned her head in the direction of her hair and gasped in shock. Hanging from one of the brightly lit trees was a dress that was the perfect mix of what Sarah would have like when she was young and what she was like now. Still suspicious she looked around the forest again, glaring at all of the shadows. Deeming it safe she got up quickly and ran towards the tree and pulled the garment on without a second thought.

The little ball of fluff continued to dance, or bounce around her happily.

Sarah very nearly purred like her companion. The black leather pants were butter soft and molded perfectly to her body. While her top was a mixture of leather and silk. The upmost part was a small bodice of the same black leather that buckled down the front with silver clasps. Her shoulders were left bare expect for the two strips of braided leather that held the flowing white silk onto the bodice. Oh the feel of the silk! There was so much of it too. Not only were her sleeves made of the fine stuff, but it also spilled down from the bodice, all the way to her ankles, but was split open in three spots so she was still able to move without tripping. Tripping would hopefully also be lessened by the fact that she now also had a pair of comfy leather boots.

The…well…it was just a ball of fluff…kept bouncing around her even when she started walking away. She stopped, twisting this way and that way trying to keep it in her sight.

“Shouldn’t you be with your family?” She asked it again. It stopped and shuddered before bouncing up to her hand that she had held out at first to play with the flower on the tree. The little fluff was no bigger than one of those super bounce balls, or perhaps a jaw breaker. It purred and snuggled down further into her hand, making her giggle.

“Okay….if you insist on staying I suppose I should call you something.” The ball started vibrating in her hand; the sensation went all through her arm. “Do you have a name?” She asked as if it could answer. The vibrating stopped though. “Is that a no?” The vibrating started up again. “Oh I get it then. Well….let’s see…you’re quite little….”She smiled at it when it squeaked. “You like dancing it seems as well.” Sarah looked up at the canopy of the trees, her eyes searching. “Fluffy?” no vibration. “Lance?” Still nothing. “Dittle?”

The vibration that shot through her almost sent her stumbling backwards. “Well now that we have that figured out.” Sarah looked around the forest but there didn’t seem to be any path anywhere. “How to we get to the castle Dittle?”

Dittle bounced in her hand humming loudly, and then started to glow with the strangest blue she had ever seen before zinging off in to what seemed to Sarah to be a random direction.

“Wait for me!” She shouted while running after it.

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Jareth sat at the top of his tower, once again in his window. For as cruel as he could be he still had his moments of needing time to himself. Time to think. And this was by far his favorite place to do that. Away from all of his “subjects” and able to just look out over his kingdom. As strange as it was, even by fey definition, it was still his home.

Home.

What a strange word, and how often a place is given that word. Perhaps that is why Sarah is so confused. She puts a place to the word, instead of….

He shook his head and smiled ruefully. Ah the irony that was his existence. Jareth called one of the crystals, and played with it for a bit before setting it to the breeze. Find you mistress was the command he sent it with.
It was cruel of him to take Sarah’s clothes, but even a King needed a bit of fun. It would make her stronger.

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Sarah had been following Dittle for what seemed like hours. Luckily the little thing had slowed down its pace a bit otherwise Sarah would be laying somewhere on the ground near death. Ok, well maybe not near death, but close enough to it. The farther they went through the forest the more ruins seemed to appear. Giant blocks of sparkling white marble or granite. She couldn’t really tell, but it was odd in a place that was filled with such dark colors. It was almost blinding against the black soil, trees, and bright red flowers.

She had used a few of the blocks as place to rest, which Dittle had seemed very upset by, but would still allow her small breaks. It seemed to be in a real hurry once the blocks of stone had appeared. When they had first started off the speed was out of excitement, but the glow had died from its fur the moment they had come across the first one, and then it had been driving her relentlessly.

Sarah took a deep shuddering breath as she looked around her. The trees had thinned out here. Where there had been several clumped together and had obscured her line of sight before, now there was one or two within a few feet of each other and was very easy to see the field in the distance at the end of the trees. It would take at least another hour to get to the edge though. She sighed and tossed a pebble she found sitting on the block next to her. It skidded across the forest floor and then made an unnatural bounce onto a stone step.

Step? There hadn’t been a step there before. Sarah’s eyes followed the step up onto the next one and then the next one until she could make out the crumbling ruins of what looked like a temple from Greece. Sarah’s mouth dropped in shock and her eyes sparkled. It was beautiful even in its decay. She stood and started walking towards it. Dittle bounced next to her, a little more agitated than it had been.

“Oh don’t worry.” She said soothingly. “I just want a quick look and then we’ll go.” Dittle made an odd mewling sound. “I promise.”

Sarah stepped up onto the first step and felt a shiver run up her spine. It was fairly dark inside, but still she walked on. Something told her she needed to go in here. She took another step. It seemed harmless enough. Another step. What could happen?

She walked slowly into the temple, but it wasn’t as dark as she had first thought.
There was a soft green glow to the stone on the inside that gave her just enough light to look around. Dittle was fairly near quaking on her shoulder by now, but it was just a quick look. There were columns broken and fallen; now sitting in random puddles on the ground. There was another set of stairs that seemed to lead up to a chair. No, more like a throne that was in the shape of a crescent moon. Sarah found herself attracted to that spot. Without meaning to she walked closer to it, and before she knew it she was walking up the stairs. She ran her hands over the marble. It was the same glistening white, or at least she thought it was with that green glow gone perhaps, and it was warm. As if someone had been sitting there for centuries. She couldn’t help her curiosity, and it wouldn’t hurt anything if she just sat done for a minute.

Dittle made a very high pitched noise as Sarah made full contact with the throne.

There was a small tinkling sound like glass against stone which caused Sarah’s head to jerk up. She knew that sound, and sure enough a crystal was rolling across the floor, through the puddles towards the bottom of the dais. It jumped into the air and into a leather clad hand.

Sarah gasped.

The man smiled at her very softly as if he’d known her for years and was merely seeing her after a time apart. She had to admit that she was glad it wasn’t the Goblin King, but who was this dark man? His skin was a golden brown, and his hair which went down to his waist in a braid was as black as the leather he wore. His coat was of the same cut as one she had seen on him so long ago, but instead of that symbol the Goblin King wore, this mans coat was held together by two crescent moons. Her eyes traveled up to his face which was softer, and kinder than…well him. And his eyes. His eyes were so much like his, but so different. One gold and one green, they were warm and inviting. He seemed to be the exact opposite in every way.

He turned the crystal in his hand, closing a firm grip around it.

“Hello Sarah.”