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Summer Storms and Imaginary Kings	By : Jetredgirl Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 5486 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Labyrinth or it's characters but hey if someone wants to sign them over to me i'll take 'em!

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
Thank you to all for reading! It is appreciated more than you know!! Keeps me going through the blocks when they hit, and helps me to fight through and chip away so I can carry on with this tale :o)
Another month went by, then 2. Sarah at 8 months pregnant was ready for it to be over.
Not being able to move around very quickly at all, she limited her duties to mornings only, Then would spend the afternoons with her feet up. She tired easily and Jareth watched her like a hawk.
She had a tendency to try and do too much, and seemed to listen to no one but him when it was enough. Even then it was a grudging admission.
Sherryana was proving invaluable to Sarah now, able to handle all but the very few things Sarah herself had to do. Sarah hated to have to lean on her so much, as she was just married as well, but Sarah made it clear, that if and when the blonde was pregnant Sarah would surely do the same thing for her.
She read a great deal, mostly about the history of The Goblin Kingdom and the entire realm. She thought that since she was having a baby here, she should know the history, not only for herself, but her daughter's sake.
She spent much of her reading time in her gardens, where flowers were blooming faster than Hoggle could take care of. Her commandeered a group of goblins to help him.
Jareth had realized that The Labyrinth itself, and by extension, The Goblin Kingdom, was responding to his wife's pregnancy, creating a springlike burst of life within it's walls.
Flowers, trees, hedges, were all bursting with life. The birds, insects, and fairies, responding to bounty also flourished. Babies were being born all over his kingdom, even to immortals.
He expected soon his wife's assistant would also be with child.. Sarah's influence on the very makeup of the Goblin lands was something of an enigma to him. He was certain she was not creating it of her own free will or in her conscious mind, it was just happening.
The Labyrinth itself was being elusive and oddly silent on the matter.
He spent much time in the library trying to find precedent for such an event. There was none. While Keepers had certainly had children, there had never been a child of two Keepers born before.
For Sarah, as the time passed, she felt more and more like there was something wrong somewhere, like something was prodding here to look, but she just could not see.
She had an almost overwhelming desire to go aboveground, like it was pulling at her, but the idea was firmly put out of her head by her husband, who insisted traveling the Ways to the aboveground was too strenuous for her to attempt . She made him promise they would go after the baby came and she was up for the trip, which he did.
He tried to keep her mind from dwelling on her worries, when he could, but with her unable to work as much, He had to revert back to his singular sovereign state and handle most duties himself, he did not mind, but it did keep him from caring for Sarah as much as he would like.
Sarah had been invaluable when there were wished away children, but now he had barred her from the throne during the time the children were present, as she became overly emotional about the whole situation.
He learned this the first time they had had a wish away after she became pregnant, and she had insisted that she wanted to keep the child, regardless of the rules they were sworn to follow.
It had been one of those sad situations he saw so many times, parents dead, grandparent to sick and elderly to take on the task, so on a whim, she had wished the child away, hoping against hope The Goblin King would come, and he did.
After assuring the elderly woman her grandson would be well taken care of of, all she wanted was to pass over in peace and be with her loved ones again, with the stipulation to give her a year of health to be able to take care of the things she want to get done, and make a trip to her childhood home one last time.
He let her keep her memories of the child as well, although there would be no trace anywhere else, it was rare, but occasionally in such cases he tried to be compassionate. The memories gave the old woman comfort in her final days.
He mulled over his decision afterwards, and factored in the possibility that impending fatherhood was making him see things differently.
He wasn't sure yet if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Sarah, in her condition, was so moved that she demanded to keep the child. It had taken hours to convince her that there was a family waiting for him that would love and cherish him. After that, she was no longer allowed to resume those duties until after the babe was born.
The child, a strapping boy of three, was sent to The Kingdom of The White Mountains, whose High Princess and her husband would be perfect parents to the big lad, he was of hearty stock, with dark hair and eyes pale skin ,and would fit right in to the mountain dwelling people, whose physical attributes were due to the weather there.
The Goblin King always tried to find a place where the children would not stand out because of their physicality, but blend in, to make it easier for them to adjust. In a short time his memories of being born human would fade away.
Jareth had delivered that latest wish away, to it's new home, and returning home reached out through his bond to locate his wife. He followed the thread out to the gardens, where Sarah sat upon a lounge chair she had created, reading quietly.
"Good Afternoon, love." He kept his voice light and upbeat.
He sat down at the end of the chair facing her.
She looked up. "Hello Your Majesty...how did it go?"
He smiled at her. "Lord Callum and his wife are thrilled of course. The girl seemed shy at first, but was taking to her new surroundings as I left. All will be well. And you? How is your day?"
She sighed. "Bored, restless, want to go out and walk and visit my friends, and that niggling feeling is still poking at me. It's hard to focus on anything these days."
Jareth reached out and took her hands. "What did Moirah say today?"
"It could be anytime now, technically I'm 8 months along in human terms, but she isn't sure exactly what that mean in immortal terms. She just tells me to be prepared now, for anything." She let him hold her hands, but they were limp in his grasp.
He could feel her weariness. he kissed her hands the laid them down gently, and caressed her growing belly. "The babe is good then?"
"Yes, she is fine. Feisty, kicking the crap out of me. Making me really desperately want a bowl of cookies'n'cream ice cream. She must have a little human in her after all, the way she likes that stuff."
It had taken some practice, but Jareth had become very proficient at conjuring the frozen confection in the past few months. It was quite good, but very rich for his system. Sarah seemed to want to live on it at this point, and it was the least he could do.
"After dinner, wife. I promise. We will play a game if you like, and I will make sure you have as big of a bowl of it as you desire."
"That's another thing..I miss you, Jareth..I miss us being..together. Playing games and eating ice cream and reading to each other is nice, but..." her voice drifted off.
Moirah had told her a couple of weeks before, that although lovemaking was no real danger to the baby, that her inability to estimate an approximate due date led her to believe that it might be better if the couple refrained until after the birth and recovery.
Jareth knew how she was feeling, he craved his wife's body, he found her more rounded form delectable, but knew they had forever to be together, and that if it was safer for Sarah and the child to hold out for a short time, he could control his desires.
"It won't be long, precious. I miss you too, but if Moirah says it is best, then it is." He bent down and kissed her..then nibbled on her neck a little trying to tickle her and make her smile.
Sarah giggled and pushed him away. "Stop..you keep that up and I won't be responsible for my actions..then you will have to explain that to Moirah."
Jareth stood up, and offered his hand to Sarah, who took it, and he helped pull her up. "Let us go have an early dinner,then retire to our rooms. I have nothing more to to do today, so let us spend it together."
Sarah nodded, and put her arm in his.
They had a light dinner, and once in their chambers, Jareth set up the chessboard in front of the fire and made sure Sarah had her ice cream, then the two proceeded to talk and play for several hours until Sarah started nodding off.
He made sure she was safely tucked into bed, then went for a walk around the castle grounds. He loved the night, it was instinctual to him. The darkness, the moon and star, all called to him. He had perfect night vision due to his owl like nature.
He had lived a solitary existence for so long, that it still amazed him that it was no longer the case. Sarah had been his wife for almost a year now. How calming it was, to have a mate like her. She knew how to sooth his soul when he needed it.
He thought, before he found her, that he would never want to give up his freedom. That even if he were to eventually marry for the purpose of producing children, that it would be like most other underground marriages, that himself and whomever he married may have children with each other but basically lead separate lives in all other but the most formal of ways.
He found, with Sarah, no desire to be be free of her...in fact he found freedom in her presence, in her quiet strength, that never existed in his life before. A freedom to let go of his tight control in the most private aspect of his life, and be open. if only with her, and eventually their offspring.
Smiling to himself, he transported back to his chambers, changed and slipped into his bed.
As he got comfortable, Sarah turned and wrapped herself around him, laying her head on his chest. He felt the hard swell of her middle pressing against him.
"Have a good walk?." Sarah asked still mostly asleep.
"Yes, now go back to your slumber." He replied, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer.
"Mmm..nighty night.." She said as she drifted off.
The king was still smiling as he closed his eyes and joined her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jareth..." A voice said.
He started to wake..wondering if he was dreaming.
"Wha...?" He said, groggy.
"Jareth, you must wake up. It is important."
He awoke then, realizing The Labyrinth was speaking to him.
He gently removed Sarah from his side, she snuggled deeper into the bed but remained sleeping.
"What is it?" He thought back, not wanting to wake Sarah he chose to communicate without speaking out loud. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes. Jareth. you must get dressed, and go aboveground immediately."
He got out of bed and stood.
"Why?" He asked. This was an unusual request, and he had heard no one wish away a child.
"It is the Queen's brother, he is in desperate need of help." The Labyrinth said to him.
Jareth's eyes narrowed in thought. This must be what Sarah had been sensing.
"What happened?"He asked.
"Just get dressed and come, now" All will be made clear. Once you are ready I will guide you to his location."
He dressed magically, in full armor, not knowing what he was walking into.
"Let us go." He said. and he was gone.
When he reappeared his eyes widened in shock. He was standing in the living room of Sarah's old aboveground apartment.
"Who the fuck are you now?!" A middle aged human man yelled after he appeared. A woman clung to him in fear. Jareth automatically swept his hand and frozen their movements to assess the situation.
Then he noticed the figure cowered on the floor. The figure of young teenaged boy, shaggy blond hair, ratty clothes, clinging to some sort of bag.
The boy looked up at him with huge fearful blue eyes.
Jareth took a step towards him. "Toby?" putting his hand out, but the boy cowered further iinto himself.
"How...do you know...my name? What did you just do to those people? Who are you? Where the hell is my sister?Why doesn't anyone know her? I know this is where she lives..or lived!" He finally said, in a voice just changing from boy to man.
Jareth crouched next to the boy. "Toby...look at me."
The boy complied.
"Where is your mother?" Jareth finally asked.
"She...she...after my dad died...she got so depressed..then 4 months ago..she took some pills and..she ..I tried to save her, I found her, but I couldn't..." He started sobbing.
Through the sobs he continued "My uncle...he took me in b..but..I had all these memories come flooding in, of my sister..but no one knew who..who I was talking about...I ran away, I knew her address..but she isn't here..where is she? Do you know?"
Jareth rocked back on his heels, He was torn at what to do about this development. He knew Toby might have had some vague memories of Sarah, as he had been to his realm, but this was much more than that. He thought for a moment.
Meeting the boy's eyes he said. "Yes, your sister if fine, Toby, you must go back to your uncle's home. Eventually Sarah will come to visit you I promise." He thought that sounded like a reasonable compromise.
"No!" Toby yelled. "I can't go back there! My uncle he, he doesn't like me very much. i mean he hits me and stuff, and when he isn't doing that, he ignores me. I hate him! I want Sarah! Where is she?! Why can't I see her?! And What the fuck did you do to them?" He said pointing at the frozen couple, the boy's voice was becoming desperate.
Jareth felt his anger rise at the boy's uncle, but he could not jump to any conclusions. "They will be fine, I swear it... Toby, may I put my hand upon your head? It will not hurt, but I need to know something." He had to check to make sure the boy's words were truthful and not just youthful desire fueling exaggeration.
They boy stared at him for a minute, but reluctantly nodded.
Jareth put his hand on the boy's head, and creating a crystal in his other hand, pulling at his memories so Jareth could see them. He knew in a few seconds Toby was telling the truth.
Jareth took a deep breath, closed his eyes and thought. Reaching out to The Labyrinth he asked for guidance. The answer was immediate. "You must bring him, My King, there is no one else."
He nodded and opened his eyes.
"Toby, do you know who I am at all?"
The boy narrowed his eyes. "You look vaguely familiar, like I had dreams about you or something, but not anything solid."
"Alright. Toby, I am The Goblin King." Jareth told him.
Toby's eyes about popped out of his head. "Like in the story Sarah used to read me?"
"Yes, just like in the story." He could not help but smirk. "May we stand?"
Jareth stood up, and Toby with him. He was already taller than his sister, Jareth noted.
"Toby, that story is not just a story, it is truth. It is along tale, how we came to both be here in this time and place, too long to tell now, and not mine tell in any case. your sister now resides with me. She is my queen and wife."
"No one remembers her because in leaving this world, her presence was erased from here. I do not yet know why your memories of her have returned."
Toby gasped. taking a step back. "How in the...?"
"Like I said, a very long story. Now, I have an offer to make to you." Jareth said.
Toby nodded. "Okay..I guess."
"As her brother, you have the opportunity to join your sister in my kingdom. But know this. You will be erased here just as she was, and you can never come back here. It is the biggest decision you will ever make. Life there will be vastly different than it is here, not better or worse, just different."
Toby did think about it, but he had to ask something. "Does my sister even want me there? I mean she left soo...I mean...like, does she even think about me?"
Jareth laid his hand on the boy's shoulder. "She would be thrilled to have you there. She left you here because she thought you were safe, and that you would be better off. She always planned to come back someday to see you, to offer you the same chance, but she wanted you to grow up first, to have a life here. She loves you very much and has missed you dearly."
Toby thought about this. If he were given a chance to go live in some storybook place, wouldn't he go too. Yes, he would. and Sarah..he remembered her dreamy smile when she read that book to him, like she was wishing she could go into the book and stay there. His love of fairytales was something that came from his big sister's influence.
"I want to go." He said, standing straight and looking in the kings eyes. Yes, he desperately wanted to be away from this place, all these memories.
Jareth nodded. "Then you must repeat these words...I wish The Goblin King would take me away, right now." Jareth laid his hands on the boys shoulders.
Toby said he words.
A second after they disappeared, The two frozen forms of the man and woman started looking around they could not figure out why they had been standing in the middle of their living room for no reason or how they got there, but shook it off, figuring they must have both sleepwalked for some reason, then went back to bed, still curious but the memory was quickly fading from memory.
The next day they had no idea of the events that had occurred in their little two story walkup apartment, The man noticed as he was drinking his coffee and looking out the bedroom window, that the bluebird's nest, long abandoned, had some new tenants, he smiled, he loved birds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was just after dawn at The goblin Castle when they appeared in the throne room, few were awake, but Caolin was just walking in when they arrived.
He stopped, seeing the king appear with a young boy in tow. A young human boy. This was unusual. The child was obviously too old to be a wish away.
"Your Majesty?" Caolin called out.
Jareth turned. "Ah. Caolin, would you please have the rooms prepared 3 suites down from mine on the opposite side? No one has used them for quite a while. They will do quite nicely I think."
"Yes, My Lord, but..if I may ask who our guest is?"His eyes slid to the young male human, whose was unkempt, obviously unnerved,and a bit nauseated from transporting.
"Sir Caolin, may I introduce to you The Lord Tobias, brother to The Queen."
Caolin bowed deepely as was his place, but the boy looked like he had no idea what was going on.
"Welcome, Lord Tobias."
Finally the human squeaked out "Ummm..yeah..okay, thanks. I'm a Lord?"
Jareth smiled a little. "Technically, yes. When you are of age you will be make a Duke, as is tradition for all siblings to a Queen or King. The moment Sarah was crowned Queen, your were a Lord in or world whether you ever came here or not."
"Oh. Okay, I think. Whatever. Where is Sarah?" Toby asked.
"She is still asleep, I sincerely hope, she has been tried as of late, and needs her rest." Jareth said.
Toby got a fearful feeling in his belly. "She is okay right? She isn't sick or anything?" He could not take losing his last family member.
"She is fine. You will see later. First I think you need to eat, and bathe. Caolin will escort you to your rooms, and have food brought to you, and fresh clothing. Also you might want to take a nap.
"I need some time to allow her to awaken and prepare her for your presence here, I do not want her surprised right now." Jareth replied firmly.
Toby opened his mouth to argue, but he got the distinct feeling arguing with this..man..or whatever he was, would not be a wise idea. So he nodded his head and let the other man lead the way to the room he was being given.
Sarah awoke slowly, noting Jareth was long gone. She was used to that these days. Normally they rose together, but recently he had been letting her sleep in.
She got up, bathed and dressed.
Jareth had installed steps with rails to get in and out of the tub for here, and made sure the smooth surface was coasted in a fine grained tile of some sort that would prevent her from slipping.
She thought he was being overly cautious, but he insisted, so she gave in to his changes. He also had created a seat on the side magically morphing the shape of the tub, so she would not have to sit all the way down, to make it easier for her to rise. He could change it back easily.
Sarah had to admit to herself, it was easier. She wouldn't tell him that though. She hated to admit things were harder for her since her belly had grown to(at least to her)enormous proportions.
When she was clean and dressed, she ran the bell on the table, and an elf brought her her breakfast.
"Good day My Lady!" Lyndele exclaimed, putting the food on the table, along with juice and water.
"Good day, Lyndele, so what is the news around the castle?" Sarah asked, making conversation.
"Oh big news Your Majesty! The king brought a boy here just before dawn this morning! A human boy! Gave him a room too, he ain't never done that for a wish away before. Ardele seen him when he took him a tray of food. Said he was an older one too, not no youngling he say."
This puzzled Sarah. "How odd. I wonder what the cut off age for wish aways."
"Hear tell, My Lady, once younglings is old enough to have younglings of their own, they to old." The small creature replied.
"Oh, so puberty then. And this boy is older than that?" Sarah asked.
"That's what everyone is sayin'." Lyndele replied. "I got to get back now, My Lady."
The elf bowed. "Ardele will be back to fetch the dishes."
"Oh..yes, of course, thank you Lyndele." Sarah said, letting the elf return to his duties.
Sarah ate quickly, wanting to get done and go and find out what was going on.
once she was done, she made her way to Jareth's study.
"Good morning Feran, is the king in and available?" She asked the guard outside the door.
"He is in, Your Majesty, and always available to you." the tall goblin answered.
Sarah knocked on the door, cracking it open, she peeked in and saw Jareth at his desk, and Caolin standing by.
"Jareth?" she said softly.
Jareth's had immediately looked up at the knock, and was relieved to see Sarah.
"Ah, good, you are up. Sleep well?" He asked her, looking her over magically.
"I can feel it when you do that, you know." She said. He had also started habitually using their bond to assess her condition, which kind of bugged her. It was sweet in one way, but annoying.
"I am aware, but I will continue to do so. My duty to my Queen is to protect her and keep her from harm if possible. So get used to it, at least until you have given birth."
Sarah sighed heavily, and let it go for now. She had more pressing matters anyway.
"What is this I hear you brought a boy to the castle and gave him a room? Shouldn't I be informed if we are to have guests?"
Caolin and Jareth's eyes met.
"Excuse me You Majesty, I need to deliver those messages now." Caolin said, excusing himself.
Jareth gestured to the chair. "Sarah please sit. We need to talk."
Sarah was concerned. "What is it? What happened?"
He sat for a moment, trying to put together the right words, in a way that would not upset his wife.
"Something has happened, and I was put in a position to act without consulting you. I do not want you to fret, and swear to me you will listen to the whole story."
Sarah's worry bloomed into a slight fear. "Tell me Jareth, what did you do? What in the world are you talking about?"
"Toby is here." He said, quietly.
"WHAT?! What do you mean, Toby is here, how the hell did that happen?!" She jumped up as fast as she could manage.
Jareth stood up, and took his wife's shoulders. "Sarah please, relax, sit down, I can't have you jumping around and getting upset."
She took a few deep breaths and sat down again.
"Jareth, you have to agree this is..what happened?!" She was almost frantic to go seek her brother out, but restrained herself for the moment to hear her husband out.
"Your stepmother committed suicide approximately 4 months ago. Toby went to live with his uncle, who was abusive. Apparently, Toby's memories of you returned after his mother was gone."
"My research tells me this is because of his prior contact with The Labyrinth and the underground. I believe The Labyrinth itself remained connected to both of you, and saw what happened and returned his memories to him without my knowledge.
"He sought you out at your former home, and scared the new tenants, who I'm sure were at the very least were going to contact the authorities, at worst they might have hurt him or worse, knowing how humans love their firearms, bloody iron filled revolting things they are."
"The Labyrinth woke me and I went to find him. Once I assessed the situation, I thought it was for the best that he come here."
Sarah listened intently. Karen is dead? What the hell? "How did she..why?" She wondered out loud.
"Toby says she took some sort of pills, and that he found her and tried to save her. I will never understand how humans can throw their lives away so frivolously, and with a child to care for." He had a look of disgust on his face.
Sarah stood again, more calmly. "I need to see him, he needs me." She demanded.
"Yes. Please, though Sarah, do not overtax yourself. I realize this is an..emotional situation, but you cannot sacrifice your health."
Her lips tightened. "I realize that, your Majesty. The baby and I are perfectly okay. quit fussing over me so damn much. "She said, irritated. "now tell me which room he is in so that I can go see him."
Jareth nodded. "I will escort you. He is in rooms located in our same wing, as he is family and will be a permanent resident."
He took her arm and they walked back towards their rooms, going past and several doors down.
Jareth knocked. "Toby? Are you awake?"
Hearing nothing, they went in.
They went through the sitting room into the bedroom, and there Sarah laid her eyes on her brother for the first time in several years, since she had not seen him in person for almost 3 years before she came to the the underground.
Her eyes welled up with tears seeing his sleeping form. He had grown so very much, no longer the child she remembered, but a young man.
Toby had bathed and eaten, then passed out in the robe provided for him by Caolin. He hadn't slept well in a good many days.
Sarah sat down gently on the bed and stroked his face and hair.
"Toby?" She said quietly. "Tobes?"
His eyes slowly opened, and he turned his head.
He gasped, sat up and threw himself into his sister's embrace, sobbing.
Sarah rocked him much like she did when he was little and he had a nightmare, cooing and shushing him.
Finally his sobs died down and he pulled back and looked at her.
"Mom is dead." He blurted, wiping his eyes.
"Jareth told me. I'm so sorry Toby. I had no idea things were so bad. I would have come for you if I would have known, I swear. I would never have left you behind all alone."
He slowly nodded. "After she died, all of the sudden, it was like a lightbulb switched on in my head. I asked everyone about you, where you were, if I could go live with you."
He paused, sniffling, then continued. "They thought I was crazy. I had to go to therapy, they tried to make me take pills, but I spit them out until they caught on and started doing blood tests. Then Uncle Frank, he...he couldn't handle me, he said, smacked me around and always said stuff like "hey thanks sis for offing yourself and sticking me with your psycho kid"...I had to leave, then, you weren't there."
"I stole some money from his stash and bought a bus ticket, and a little more for food. I had your address memorized, but when I got there, no one knew who you were." He stared down at his hands as he told his story. The tears started again, but he wasn't sobbing anymore.
Sarah moved to sit next to him, and put her arms around him, crying with him.
"We are together now, Tobes, nothing can change that now. You are safe here with us. I will never let anything happen to you like that again. this is your home now"
Jareth had taken a chair and observed silently.
After a few minutes Toby finally said something. "Sarah...are you pregnant?"
Sarah had to laugh, and even Jareth smirked.
"Yes, Toby, I am most certainly very pregnant. You are going to have a niece. Isn't that exciting?"
Toby grimaced in typical teenage boy fashion. "I'm not going to have to change diapers or anything am I? Gross."
Jareth finally spoke. "It is doubtful, Lord Toby. The child almost certainly will have to have a nanny."
Sarah gave him a foul look. This was an ongoing argument between them. Sarah wanted to do everything herself. He kept trying to explain to her that the workload of The Goblin Queen is such that, at least part of the time, there would have to be another person to help care for any children they may have.
"Well, we will talk about all that later." Sarah said giving her husband another glare.
Toby had many questions circling around in his head.
"What is he?" He asked pointing at Jareth.
Sarah smirked. "Well that is loaded question at this point in time." She looked at Jareth who stood.
"It's seems, precious, you have the situation in hand. Please don't get too emotional or do too much. I will see you both at dinner." He announced while turning and leaving.
After he left Toby repeated his question.
"He an immortal, Toby..I am too, now. I've been changed into one of his kind." She answered.
Toby's eyes widened. "You mean you aren't a human anymore?"
She smiled. "Not technically. Eventually you will be a changeling, that is what Jareth says happens to most humans here, and that the younger you are the quicker the process is. It means you will be somewhere in between."
"Oh. So he can't change me into one. too?" the boy asked.
"No, he can't. but maybe someday, someone can. if you find someone here and get married. Maybe it will happen. I would rather save that discussion for another time, when you are older...or maybe Jareth or Caolin can explain it to you." Sarah said, blushing a little.
"Okay." Toby said embracing his sister again. for the moment he was just happy to not be alone.
"Sis, you could have told me you wanted to leave..I mean if you love this guy, I would have been sad, but I would have understood...you should have let me know.." Toby told her.
Sarah didn't meet his eyes for a minute., when she did the tears were back. "I didn't have a chance, Tobes. It was a 1 time offer, not by his choice, it's just, those were the rules, I had to leave with him, or never see him again.
"If I left you a note or wrote you a letter, it would have vanished with me."
"I think, I need to tell you a story. The story of how this all happened, when it started, what I did. You may not know this, but you play a big part in it. I just hope..please don't hate me, okay kid? I was so young when it started. Young, and stupid, and resentful of your mom, she didn't deserve it, but my relationship with my own mom was so...complicated. I hate to say this but, even though a part of me regrets it, but now, obviously, a big part of me doesn't."
Toby nodded again. "Okay, Sarah, I'm listening."
So Sarah told him how it all began, About finding the book, about wishing him away, her journey, her triumph, and her inner defeat. Her love for her king, and his love for her. How he came back to her and brought her to the underground.
He was a little angry at first, but as the story unfolded, he realized that she was about the same age he is now, and he could understand, kind of, that you make stupid mistakes when you are 15.
He laughed at the antics of Sarah's friends, and she promised to introduced them to him. He saw the pain in her eyes as she recalled for him that while she had won, deep down she felt she lost. Even at 15, a part of her she didn't even know existed, recognized Jareth immediately as her other half, and to lose him had left a hole in her she never could fill in the human world..which is why she could never settle, never find her path, and had never been truly happy.
After she revealed all to him, he did not speak for a long time.
Finally he reached out for her hand and looked in her eyes.
"You did the right thing, then, Sis. I get it. I guess, I can't help feeling how I feel. That I wish you would have stayed for me. Or took me with you. But, I think I can learn to deal." He said, squeezing her hand.
Sarah hugged him fiercely again. "Oh Tobes! I hope you know how much I missed you! Especially these past few months, the more pregnant I got. I couldn't help thinking how excited you would be to have a niece or nephew."
Toby, in typical teenage fashion, squirmed out of her embrace. "Yeah, I get it. so, what is it like here? I asked that one guy..Caleb? Anyway, he said there is no electricity, so I know no tv and video games..which kinda sucks, but I can learn to live with that. So what do you guys do? Magic right?"
Sarah laughed and ruffled her brother's hair. "His name is Caolin, he is your new brother in law's assistant and friend. True kiddo, no electricity, in the traditional sense. But magic accomplishes many of the same things."
"No tv, that is true, but hey it rots your brain anyway right? There is whole wonderful world out there to see, let me tell you."
"Can I do magic too?" Toby asked, excited about the prospect.
"Not yet, I don't think..eventually you will at least have some abilities. We will have to wait and see." Sarah answered.
Just then Toby's stomach grumbled, and Sarah noticed the sun was going down.
Toby gave her a sheepish look. "Sorry. I ate earlier, but..well I haven't eaten much lately, besides vending machine food."
Sarah grinned. "Well, let's go eat, you can meet some more people. But, get dressed first I think, I'll go into the next room and wait."
Toby agreed. After she had stepped out of the room , he pulled on the clothes he was given, some stretchy looking pants, a long shirt that laced up the front, a vest and some boots. He looked in the mirror. He thought he looked kind of cool, like a pirate.
A brush provided for him let him smooth his hair back, and he found a leather strip he tied it back in a ponytail with. It had grown alot since his mom died. She always made him keep it short but after...wel lhe didn't feel like cutting it and his uncle didn't care what he did.
He walked into the room where his sister was sitting and waiting.
"Wow, Tobes, look at you! You will fit right in here! Those young immortal girls won't know what hit them!"
He helped her stand when he saw she was having a little trouble, then she took his hand as they walk to the dining hall. He noticed he was almost a head taller than her now. He was nervous at meeting all these people, but he knew Sarah wouldn't let anything happen to him.
When they walk ed in, the quiet conversations inside stopped abruptly.
After a moment, Jareth stood. "Everyone I would like you to meet someone. This is Lord Tobias, brother to the Queen."
Everyone stood.
"Lord Tobias, This is Sir Caolin who you have met, his wife, and Sarah's assistant, Lady Sherryana. My sister, The Duchess Justinia, who is our royal Librarian, and The Royal Healer, Merrik, and Sarah's midwife, The Lady Moirah."
Toby smiled at them all. "Um.. Hi." They all smiled back and bowed their heads, they had been briefed by Jareth beforehand, and knew the boy, being human, would have no knowledge of local customs.
He gestured to the chairs next to him. Sarah took a set next to Jareth, and Toby followed nervously, and took the seat next to her.
A small pointy eared creature brought out a plate of food and set in front of him, and he dug in hungrily.
"Enjoying your food, brother?" Sarah asked. He definitely had that teenage boy appetite.
He nodded, his mouth full. Part of the reason he was keeping his mouth full is it kept him from having to talk or answer questions from all the people around him.
He swallowed and drank some water, getting up the courage to say something.
"Hey..um.. thanks, Goblin King, for bringing me, and the room and clothes and stuff. I don't know what would have happened to me if you had not came there."
Jareth nodded. "You are welcome, Lord Tobias, you are family, and this is your home, please regard it as such."
He looked at Sarah. "I had an idea, love, to send for Jewel to come for a visit. She and Tobias are close in age, it may help him to settle in more easily. She should be here tomorrow."
"That is a wonderful idea Your Majesty!" She turned to Toby. "You will like her Tobes, she is very..how we would say above, cool."
"Okay..I guess." He still wasn't that good with girls, but it might be nice to have someone to hang out with.
They finished eating, and Toby walked back to his rooms alongside his sister and her husband.
He was still very intimidated by the man, even though he wasn't that much taller, he had a presence that made him think of a tightly coiled spring of such immense power that if sprung would fling him across the room with a thought, and odd eyes that when he looked at you made you feel like he could see everything you had ever done and will do. The way he tilted his head when observing something made Toby think of a bird of some kind.
While they had been eating he started to notice the subtle physical changes in his sister, not just the pregnancy stuff, but the upswept brows, the slight sheen to her skin, her hair thicker and longer than it used to be, and looking around the table, he knew she had said the truth, she was one of them. Is this what he would be someday?
Sarah had said he would be changeling..does that mean he would have any of those traits or just some of them?
They had stopped in the front of his room. The two were looking at him oddly, waiting for him to do something.
"Toby? You okay?" Sarah asked finally.
He snapped out of his thoughts. "Oh! Yep I'm fine, just thinking..and tired. Night Sis, and...Goblin King."
"Sleep well, Tobias, if you need anything we are just in the rooms three doors down to the left. To the right is the recently finished nursery rooms, and there is no one else on this hall yet."
"Goodnight Toby." Sarah said, kissing his cheek.
Toby yawned as he nodded. "Okay." He went in and closed the door.
Jareth took his wife's hand and kissed it softly. "Shall we?"
Sarah had been staring at Toby's door, lost in her own thoughts. She turned back to Jareth and smiled. "Yes, husband."
Inside, Toby had changed into some soft cotton pants left on his bed. He guessed he was supposed to sleep in them. He reached into his worn backpack and took out his old Star Wars t-shirt and pulled it over his head. It still smelled like the soap he had used to wash it in a sink at the bus station when he had arrived in Connecticut.
He curled up into a ball under the blankets, wondering what was going to happen to him now.
He turned and found something soft..Lancelot. He smiled, tears coming to his eyes.
"Thanks Sis." He said out loud. He held the old bear tightly to him, finally falling asleep.
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Summer Storms and Imaginary Kings