Love's Mercy

15 The Way We Once Were

"Giovanni, you are unbelievable," Jareth said as they trudged along an overgrown trail against the dark of night. "Forcing us all to walk this distance without sleep, without rest, without-"

"Hush yourself!" Viehn snapped. "I will not hear it. Blame not your woes upon the sorcerer any longer."

"We all must be treading with our hands over our eyes lest they tell us which foot to place in front of the other. What benefit does it serve us to find this castle in the dead of night? Whatever you hope to find, Giovanni, it had best be worth- ah!" He ceased to speak as a root had tripped him, but Daraen had caught him.

"Haven't you said enough?" Maria spoke, and Jareth was ultimately silenced.

"Jareth, worry not," Daraen had said to him as he regained his composure, though he was dismissed with a sound of irritation.

"We should all worry," Jareth said, though none replied. Giovanni awaited for the rest to pass them by before Jareth did reach their place. "I should tell you that you are absurd, but I'm certain all are convinced of my feeling by now."

"That I am absurd, or that you believe me to be?" Giovanni said as they joined to his pace. "We are all quite convinced of your daily disapproval."

"Both. Though neither is more likely. You are not absurd," he added. "Only your ideas are."

"How sweet you are to me," Giovanni said, dully. "Listen, sir, I am made greatly aware of your disdain for this journey, only I wish you would hold your tongue from now on."

"And why is that?"

"For the reason that you irritate me!" Giovanni said as a reprimand. "Keep quiet your objections for they now hinder myself. It is the thorn upon the rose that is first to be cut."

"And you are this rose?" he balked. "Please. Now I do find you absurd."

"I certainly might find the grace of one, save yourself."

"I fell for the reason it is dark as your Maria's heart, and you are the reason we are making this mad quest. How long do you anticipate until we shall reach this castle?"

"Only but an hour or more..." Giovanni pondered. Jareth looked to them, in confusion, they realized. "One will not even see the sunlight return?"

"Fine," he said, seemingly sated with the answer. "I'll never understand the things you say."

"Most do not. I make no effort to garner comprehension."

"That much is obvious." Jareth exhaled, a fatigue apparent.

"Do you trust me?" Giovanni asked, and moved him aside as another root did approach.

"Madly, I do. It seems all others do as well," he said, and thanked them as he regained his step.

Giovanni smiled. "I like to hear that."

"You like anything that agrees with you."

"That is not true; ever do you find new ways of dissension. May it be I like all that disagrees with me as well."

Jareth turned away. "You're strange..."

"So you've said! Now walk properly, darling, or I shall leave you behind," Giovanni said, and hurried back to Maria's side.

"Hold," she said as they approached. "There." She pointed, and bent to a tangle of thorns and vines that laid by the side of the path. As she stood, a cloth of red was held between her fingers.