As The World Falls Down

Chapter 25

The cool, watery sensation of your skin and dress pushing through the portal was delightfully cool and brief, leaving a shimmery feeling on your bare skin as you stepped into the cool, evening air. It smelled like pine needles and women's perfume, most likely stripped from the skin of the women in the pairs who passed you two by on their way into the party to join the festivities. The castle was even larger in person, and as you and Jareth approached the entrance, you could make out a mountain range in the distance, separated by the land you were on by an inky, winding river. Striding up the carpet and stone steps, you were very aware of your heels, and prayed you wouldn't fall on your face before you reached the guard elves. Thankfully, you maneuvered your way up steadily, and smiled sheepishly when you faced the elf with the guest list. His eyes lit up when he looked at Jareth, and moved to check off something on his list instantly.

"King Jareth of the Goblin realm, welcome," he chirped, smiling dazzlingly and gesturing toward the grand gates. He turned the beam of his smile on you. "Plus one, I see."

"Say hi to the wife for me, Ambrose," Jareth purred, before he turned you away with the swing of his elbow and set you off once again. You gave him a look but he didn't look at you, instead keeping his eyes ahead as you walked.

"Wow, you didn't even give us enough time for me to be hypothetically hit on," you teased under your breath. "Still wary of my interaction with elf men, I see."

"Hush," he replied with a sharp whisper. You giggled, but were cut off before you could retort, instead jumping slightly when the gates opened of their own volition and found yourself overwhelmed with your first real impression of The Ball.

The expanse of the ballroom (as well as the adjoint room for the food and chatter) was far bigger than you had anticipated, revealing itself in a burst of bright, golden candlelight that made you blink uncomfortably for a few seconds. As your eyes adjusted, you craned your neck to see the ceilings of cathedral proportions, as well as follow the sprawling staircases that burst from the heart of the dance floor and sank into hallways of the second story. As large as it was, the ballroom was absolutely swarming with all kinds of people: elves, dwarves, trolls, nymphs alike sailed across the dance floor and littered the linings of the room in their finest gowns and suits. A dwarf band was tucked in the space between the staircases, playing a full bodied song that sang with itself in harmony, allowing a perfect rhythm for the dancers to step to. It ran along the tops of endless conversations that filled the space with noise, and your ears hummed as they adjusted to the sound all around you.

"It's so beautiful," you exclaimed, turning to Jareth with an unrestrained smile. "This is so cool! I had no idea it'd be this cool!"

"The party has hardly even begun, Y/N," he laughed, charmed by your glee. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"I feel like I've heard you say that before," you replied and he laughed again, walking into the threshold of the crowd with you in tow.

You felt suddenly bashful, noticing more than a few people doing a double take as they scanned Jareth, then you, then you again with a bewildered look. You knew when you passed them by, they were turning to each other and speculating about you. Who were you to him, the cold, distant Goblin King? A lover? A toy? What could you have possibly done to earn a platform alongside that man? You played through countless conversations in your mind, and realized that your thoughts were turning from self conscious to self aware, as you realized what power you held in this space. You felt it, and it felt good. You looked up at your king and felt grateful all over again.

Jareth guided you to a quieter corner of the banquet room, and you took your hand off his arm for the first time since you arrived, rolling your tense shoulders as he looked at you dotingly.