Underground

XVI

Sleep evaded you entirely that night.

You tossed and turned under the sheets, a huff escaping your lips before you eventually threw them to one side. You slipped away from the bed and shuffled over to the window, which overlooked a world far beyond your comprehension.

The sky was full of stars. A black canvas with tiny white dots that twinkled as far as you could see. It almost felt like the sky was winking at you. And the moon, so large and bright, centred itself high above the ground.

So soothing.

You settled against the window, your shoulder leaning against the cool glass.

There was a garden just beneath your window. Like the Labyrinth, it stretched further than you could see, but from the details closer to the kings castle, you spotted a fountain, hedges of various flowers and a shimmering lake that reflected the glowing moon. There was more to see, but it was all out of sight due to the darkness.

It reminded you somewhat of the place you'd met that unicorn. A stunning creature that should only have been alive in a fantasy book; yet, it was real and you were in the same world as it. You started to wonder if you'd get the chance to see the unicorn again.

But then your thoughts drifted to being in Jareth's realm. Inside his castle. In the Underground.

How long would you remain there for? Jareth had been wanting an answer from you, to know if you'd dedicate your entire life to serving him, and he you. But could you really throw away your life like this? You had worked so hard from a young girl to achieve your dreams of performing on stage, and by remaining with Jareth in the Underground, you'd effectively be throwing away all that hard work. Harry had been a huge supporter of yours, but he threw all of that back in your face when you chose Jareth over him—his love was conditional, and now that you'd realised it you couldn't help but grimace.

It wasn't long before the sun was rising. You hadn't slept at all, and you felt the consequences of that as you dragged your feet. Across the room, you searched through the wardrobes and found many, beautiful dresses befitting royalty; some were far too flashy for a casual occasion, so you slipped on the most casual-looking dress you could find.

It was cream coloured and reminded you of a simple summer dress, one that you would wear on a picnic date or a walk in the park with your friends.

You sat at the vanity table and used the hairbrush and comb that was already there. Your hair, soft and silky, you styled it simply and left it utterly casual. You weren't attempting to impress anyone today—and that included Jareth. You were far too tired to make a whole lot of effort.

But...

Isn't Jareth a King?

You stared at yourself in the mirror as your thoughts became full of Jareth and his royal status. He was ruler of the Goblins, of the Underground; he wanted you to become his Queen, didn't he? Surely that meant you'd have to dress up and play the part.

You breathed out quietly and closed your eyes. No, you weren't a Queen yet. You hadn't told him what choice you'd made—you hadn't even decided whether you wanted to stay with him forever.

In the heat of the moment of dealing with Harry and his infidelity, you were more than happy to have found someone who valued you for you. But did Jareth truly value you as your own person? Could you seriously leave behind your life and family for someone you didn't truly know?

So you decided against dressing up all fancy. You simply found the least glamorous looking dress in the wardrobe—which reminded you sort of like a gothic dress—and decided that it would do. There were some boots at the bottom of the wardrobe, ones that laced up around your mid calf, and they paired nicely with the dress.