Time moves on

Time moves on – The curse of Tyos


Jareth rode wearily through the lands of Tyos back to his own kingdom. The assembly of the courts of the underworld represented by Jareth, King of the Goblins and Queen Vatharim, the Queen and ruler of the neighbouring lands of Tyos.

Relations between the two mighty rulers had been turbulent. Both had sought to destroy the other at points through history, boundaries had been fought over. Casualties had been high on both sides. Jareth now needed Vatharim’s help to protect his Kingdom, he had thrown in the argument that if Goblin City and the Labyrinth were defeated then Tyos would be next. Trying to persuade Vatharim that to unite with him now, to face a common enemy, would save her lands and subjects. The problem was that she was as spoiled and temperamental as he. She wanted far more than he could give in return. She wanted him.

Oh they had been lovers many times as the battles raged around them, Jareth had magic, and she wanted some, she had always wanted to bare his child to give her greater power, to hold the Goblin Kings son and heir would effectively unite their lands. This was her goal, she was far weaker than Jareth, as the battles had proven, but to have his child would bind him to her forever. She did not love him, she did not know what love entailed, and she only sought to control and rule. Jareth had always been too sly for her, rendering himself sterile so as not to give her what she wanted. He had of course reversed the spell when Sarah had returned to him. In the days before Sarah he may have conceded to Vatharim’s demands and allowed their Kingdoms to merge, after all, sex was sex, Vatharim was beautiful, if spiteful and wicked, and to save his lands, and the threats to the Aboveworld, it was a price he could have lived with. But not now. It was not a conscious decision; he just did not want another.

The Gods of he Underworld had decreed that the Labyrinth would be the portal to the Aboveworld. In return for the runaways that tried to fight through the Labyrinth as Sarah had done The Goblin King must protect the portals to prevent crossovers into the Aboveworld. The odd Goblin and Fairy wasn’t a problem, the Gods knew that to keep the balances correct a certain amount of crossover was essential. It was the all out take over of the Aboveground that needed monitoring and protection, as if the world above them were destroyed, then so would the Underworld forever. Nothing would exist. And such a threat was quickly becoming a reality. A group, small at first, of discontented creatures from all across the Underworld had grown in size and stature. They now threatened to take The Labyrinth by force and invade the Aboveworld, plundering its fruits.

Jareth rode on, thinking of Sarah, the welcome he would receive, her warmth and love would wrap around him, he smirked as he recalled their goodbyes, he had made her beg and plead to take her body with his. She played his games, and he knew that the games tonight would ease the troubles of his mind at least until the morning. He would feel powerful over her; she would cower and beg before him.

He frowned as the wind picked up and swirled his capes around him, the skies above him darkened and as he neared the gates to The Goblin City the rain poured and whipped at him, soaking him to the skin. He knew that his rages caused the weather pattern to alter, and on occasion, when Sarah stood up to him, her moods had also affected the weather. He presumed she must be miserable and raging without him.

He strode through the Castle, his wet robes swishing on the stone floors, leaving a trail behind him. He kicked the Goblins that slept in alcoves, and terrorised the slaves and serfs. Sarah allowed them too many liberties in his absence, he asserted his dominance immediately.

“Sarah?” he called moving from room to room “Come and kneel before your King!” he chuckled to himself, she was probably cowering somewhere, or maybe had readied herself and was waiting for him, naked, compliant to his every wish… his thoughts wandered as he leaped up steps three at a time, energized by the promise of the night to come. He entered their bedchamber, smiling as he caught her scent.

“Sarah, you King is home, I have brought you a present…” he promised as he started to undress, his penis already starting to thicken and lengthen at the thought of his Queens youthful body.

He watched as she walked out of the bathroom the adjoined their sleeping quarters, she had a thin gossamer type gown on, the folds shifting to reveal parts of her body as other parts were shielded.

“My King” she bowed before him, he could see her perfect breasts as the gown billowed at the front, she stood and he could see the rosy nipples poking through the wafer thin fabric, it had taken but a moment for her to reach him but he was now hard, and wanted release without delay. He reached for her, the games could wait until later he decided, he wanted to feel that body writhe and buck underneath him now.

Sarah moved away from his grasp, dismayed that the sight of him naked and fully aroused still had her stomach twirling and her knees weak, despite that he had betrayed her.

“My present?” she demanded, keeping her cool

Jareth swept his hands up and down his body “Me” he replied.

“Oh” Sarah turned away unimpressed.

He swung her around by her shoulder, holding her against him, kissing her forcefully, there was something not right although he did not know what? Sarah did not respond, he ground against her, touched her body, kissed and nibbled at her neck, did all the things he knew that drove her crazy. Only this time they didn’t. He pushed her from him, his eyes looking quizzical.

“Sarah, what troubles you?” he asked “Do you tire of me?”

“No” simple, monotone.

“Then come to me, love me!” he commanded “The mood has altered the weather, you have missed me, but now I am here and I will make up every day, minute and second that I left you”

“That is what you think troubles me?” Sarah asked unable to keep the fury from her voice.

“What else can it be my love?” he asked moving in on her again.

“You bastard Jareth!” she pushed him and he staggered back, all muscles tense “You have tormented and tortured me, made me beg, I thought you would hurt me, kill me even, but never, ever did I think that you would betray me!” her voice rose to a shriek.

“Betray you? Sarah you are indulging in fantasy!” he ripped back, shivering as he wrapped his still wet cloak around his naked form.

“Is this not all fantasy?” Sarah drew an arc with her arm around her “The Devoted Goblin King, in love with the girl that bested him, that girl, loving him in return. But no, you can’t keep your dick in your pants for a few weeks can you?” She raged “What is it? Perks to being a King? Shag the most beautiful woman available?”

“Sarah! I have taken only you, only you have felt my body since you returned, I know not of what you speak!” Jareth was torn between rage and curiosity “I told you that Vatharim and I had been lovers in times gone!”

“Last night?” she whispered “Last night you bedded your faithful adversary while I sat and ached for you”

“I did not!” hot denial

“Those crystals you gave me, the ones so that I might ‘ease my longing’, see you when I missed you most. Well I saw you last night alright!” Sarah slapped him hard, he was too shocked to stop her.

“What do you mean? Saw me doing what?”

“You know what!” she screeched at him “That bitch bouncing on top of you, crying out your name, your hands roaming her body, telling her how beautiful she was, how wonderfully wet and tight she was, how you had ached for her!” Sarah began to sob.

“That did not happen” he said through gritted teeth.

“Really?” retorted Sarah. She threw the crystal at him, the one that had showed her his betrayal “I am sure with your power you can make it show you”

Jareth sat down hard into one of the luxurious chairs, concentrating on the Crystal, it must be a trick, he thought, without Sarah he would be weak and easier to defeat, the group of discontent must be behind this. He looked in astonishment as he saw himself, in the plush surroundings of the Castle of Tyos. He studied as the events unfolded, the meal, the uneasy truce between himself and Vatharim, the wine. He watched as the crystal went dark. The events were true.

He laughed “Your jealousy is touching, however we dined, as Heads of State, nothing more, she went to her bed I went to mine alone”

“Keep watching” Sarah sobbed

He looked again, seeing himself, prone on the bed in which he had slept, Vatharim caressing his body, sucking him, riding him, he indeed was touching her body, in the way he touched Sarah. He knew that this had happened, there was no tampering with the magic he had bestowed on the crystals, but he could not remember. He watched in horror as he obviously climaxed inside her, his cries echoing through the crystal, he looked away, mortified. Had he been that drunk to sleep with her and not remember? Something caught his attention within the crystal, as Vatharim rose to leave he reached out to her sleepily “Sarah?” the voice from the crystal echoed.

“I thought she was you!” he cried

“What?” Sarah’s head snapped up

“I remember I dreamt of us, knowing I was to return, I dreamt of you, I don’t know how she…” he stopped, he remembered vaguely having a wet dream of Sarah, not something he had experienced for a long time, but it had been pleasurable and he had put it down to lack of sex and lusting for her.

“You have been caught Jareth” Sarah’s shoulders slumped and her head bowed “At least be brave enough to admit it”

“But I did not do…” he could not deny, could not explain. Confusion washed over him.

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Jareth sat in his old throne room, the one he had not used since Sarah had returned and given herself to him, a serf entered gingerly.

“Majesty, Queen Vatharim, and Ruler of Tyos” he announced as he shuffled aside and Vatharim entered the dank chamber.

“Jareth! King of The Goblins!” she shrilled

“You!” he shuddered, fury etched in his now lined face “You enter my Kingdom?”

“To bring you glad tidings Great One!” she crowed “I have decided to join forces with you; we will defeat the Group of Miscontent together!”

“What else?” he demanded standing and stalking around her.

“Else?” she feigned innocence

“Am I to be a father?” his voice was low, dangerous.

“I..I have no idea, ask you precious Sarah” she tried but the falter in her voice gave her away.

“Liar!” he thundered “Somehow you tricked me, made me..” words failed him

“Make love with me?” she replied sweetly.

“Fuck you, I thought you were Sarah, you made a dream a weaved it about me to take what you wanted” he replied his face inches from hers “You have always wanted my child, and now that I wouldn’t give you my body you drugged me and took it”

“Like you are so innocent!” she retorted “With your new found love for a mortal, you think that I can just be dropped like a toy you have fallen out of favour with?”

“You deceived me!” he growled

“You are hardly a Paragon of virtue King are you?” she shrilled “Yes, you made it clear that you would not give yourself to me any longer, so I took what I desired”

“Are you with my child?” he had to know, she had robbed him of Sarah, although she remained in the Castle, her magic too weak to transport herself above ground, he had not seen her since the day of his return, she had shut herself away from him.

“No”

“I don’t believe you”

“You, of all people, should know that what we believe and what is real are separate” she sat in his throne, swinging her legs “Banish the girl, take me as your wife, we have work to do and can provide the underworld with many healthy future leaders”

“I would rather be alone” he stood over her “I should kill you”

“But you won’t” she quipped “In case I do carry your heir, your precious Sarah will not give you any now will she, now you have betrayed her so”

Jareth dragged her out of the throne bodily, throwing her onto the cold floor “You will remain here” he appeared to concede “As my captive” his riding crop flicked over her body “And if you do not produce an heir, then I shall kill you”

Vatharim struggled as the crop spurted forth leather ties that bound her, Jareth called for his Goblin Guards

“The dungeons!” he commanded as they advanced on her “You do not harm her in any way” he added “Feed and ensure she is warm”

He sat back on his throne, he would have his revenge, if she bore a child, he would then kill her, if she did not he would kill her anyway. He would send his court to Tyos, to put the lands in order and rally the guards. He would take her Kingdom without a second thought. It would never ease the unfamiliar ache in his chest, but it would save the underworld. His gaze returned to the window, his thoughts to Sarah.

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Sarah rocked back on her heels, she had kept the crystals, unknown to Jareth. She had watched him suffer without her, part of her glad that he withered, part aching to run and forgive him. But she truly did not believe his story that he had been the unwilling party. She knew he was too powerful to be so tricked.

What she had just seen in the crystal shocked her. She knew now that Jareth had not been willing, that he had thought himself dreaming, of her. And the Queen had taken advantage and got what she wanted. Sarah was surprised however to find herself not feeling so different, although unknowing, he had given his body to another. She remained angry that it had happened and could not shake the feelings of betrayal, but she must speak to him.

“Jareth?” she spoke softly, Jareth smiled, these dreams were new, since she had hidden herself away, he often dreamt that she returned to him with her heart repaired, to repair his.

“My Sarah” he sighed, to open his eyes would shatter the illusion.

“Jareth, I know what happened” she stroked his hair, lifeless and dirty as it was.

“Do you forgive me my love?” he asked “I only love you, I fall apart without you”

“I cannot forget, you have lain in the arms of another” Sarah said “But maybe in time, I can forgive”

Jareth frowned, this was new, even his damn dreams were against him, he moved opening his eyes, and Sarah was before him.

“You are real?” he asked

“Yes” she was perplexed “I saw her Jareth, heard what she did. King you are in disarray, your robes are filthy, and you are unkempt”

“There is no reason to be, without you”

“What about your Kingdom, the group of Miscontent?”

“Without you there is cold emptiness, it can all crumble” he sighed

She pressed her lips against his gently, sliding onto his body as he slumped on the throne. He wrapped his arms around her.

“I can’t see you like this Jareth, we cannot have back the time that is gone, but we will reunite and become stronger”

“But can you forgive me?” he needed her to say it.

“I already have” she murmured into his chest.

With that he picked her up, carrying her through the castle, striding into the bathroom of their quarters as he summoned an overflowing bath, they slowly undressed the other, drinking in the sights half forgotten before them. Sliding into the water Jareth put his arms around Sarah, allowing the water to soothe them both, he felt she had gained weight.

“Comfort eating?” he teased

“Not exactly” she replied “If Vatharim does not give you an heir, I will soon” she rubbed her hand across her thickening waistline, with an absence of pregnancy test kits in the underworld Sarah had visited the old hag at the dump, she had confirmed Sarah’s suspicions.

Jareth didn’t reply, he simply kissed the top of her head and sighed, stroking her body, arousing the dormant feelings.