It's Only Forever

Speaking of Dreams

 Dinner that night was a simple affair — except, of course, for the goblins bringing in each dish of food and setting them on the table with such reverence that Sarah had the sense that they enjoyed working for Bjorg.

The dwarf, himself, sat at the head of the long table grinning from ear to ear at Jareth sitting next to him. Their conversation, now that Sarah was around, was mundanely about the daily upkeep of his flowers. Nothing was said about Jocelyn nor about the remainder of the journey they were to take. It should have irked Sarah, but her thoughts were decidedly elsewhere.

She was seated on Bjorg's other side — directly across from the Goblin King — finding it severely difficult to avoid his gaze. The kiss constantly flitting across her thoughts, she tried to keep her focus down on her food only for her gaze to automatically draw upward towards him. Most times, he caught her line of sight, smirking mischievously as she quickly turned back to her food.

Sarah felt like a giddy schoolgirl again — ignoring the fact that she'd only just recently graduated high school. In a way she'd never believed she could feel about the arrogant fae, he'd changed the way she saw him in only a few days' journey. She was left reimagining the way his lips had felt on hers, his palms pressed against her back, the nape of his neck warm against her arms — "Huh?"

Her arm was shaken lightly by Bjorg, a knowing look in his eyes. "So, my dear Sarah, you are to become the queen of the Labyrinth?"

"Urm... yes, I guess so," she replied, disoriented. Even now, her thoughts continued to run wild, and she feared the possibility that Jareth could still see into her mind.

Bjorg vehemently shook his head, "No, no, no, no, that blasé response just will not do! My Lord, here, does not love so easily —"

"— Bjorg —" Jareth's voice came out as a warning tone that was swiftly ignored.

"— why, he chose you out of so many admirers! It is such an honor. You must be something else for a mere mortal girl —"

"—Bjorg —"

"Hush now, Jareth, I'm talking to Sarah —"

"And are making her most uncomfortable," Jareth said, trading glances between the two of them.

Bjorg waved a hand carelessly, "Fine, have it your way! Sheesh, an old dwarf can't satisfy his curiosity!" With that, he stood and nodded to everyone in turn, "For that, I shall retire to my room. Take your time finishing your meal everyone, and have a good night."

Serboa, who Sarah had forgotten about, jumped up from the seat next to her. "If I may talk with you just a little more, Bjorg?" He got down from his chair, bounding over next to the dwarf on their way out of the dining room.

Leaving Sarah alone in the dining room. With Jareth.

She tried focusing on finishing the beef stew, forcing herself to think about what Serboa could possibly be talking to Bjorg about; and what Autumn and Ambrosias might be up to seeing as they were still out in the field. Of course, as far as that dinner had gone, Serboa had most likely only said he'd wanted to talk to Bjorg as a front for leaving her and Jareth alone.... The goblin had had his fair share of comments since that morning about catching them kissing.

It was a thought that made her heart pound again.

"Sarah," Jareth stated lightly, bringing her gaze sharply up toward his thoughtful features. "If I were to guess, I'd think that you seem quite nervous this evening. What say you?"

She picked up her clear glass of water, bringing it up to her mouth for a sip before replying, "I'd say that's ridiculous."

"I thought as much," he said, picking up his own glass to bring it up for a slight toast. "But the blush upon your cheeks seems to be telling a different story."