Jareth's Return

Jareth(20)

In the months following her introduction to the kingdom, Theodora had been settling in rather nicely - not that she had been having trouble before the ceremony. Most of the people who met her seemed to like her to some degree and those who did not, wisely kept the fact quiet from their king.

While winter was settling nicely, Jareth spent much time in Council meetings coming up with several defense plans, and the rest of the time, he spent with his woman and the Mardinsons, when they weren't busy with their own tasks. He was not sure what to think of Theodora's new friend Holiday. He disliked when he flirted with her, but he trusted Theodora enough to tolerate the man. Though, he was never sure if that was a good idea, when Holiday started to flirt with him.

The Necromancer tried to attack the citizens, but stopped when she realized Theodora was notified immediately and through her, Jareth. The afflicted person was then brought to the palace where Jareth watched in both anger and awe as Theodora healed them. It often disrupted the few times they had alone together and, though he would never begrudge his people for getting what they deserved of their king, it was nuisance enough for him to come up with the idea of Xander drawing vials of Theodora's blood, as frequently as her body allowed, to keep on hand for the event. All the healers knew the process, Jareth had ordered it become a well-known procedure.

Theodora still squirrelled the blood crystals away for who knows what.

Jareth also knew it would come in handy for the no-doubt-impending war. The war Jareth was dreading like nothing ever before. The Necromancer, this was a being who had given him something to live for and then taken it away in the same day. He didn't think he could survive another ordeal like that; neither his heart, nor his mind could withstand the pain.

His heart physically ached and his eyes burned slightly at the thought of the little chocolate-haired, blue-eyed babe whom had stolen his heart in a short time. Ever since that day in the dining room so long ago, when Jareth poured his heart out and cried like a small child in the arms of the woman he loved, the thought of Toby didn't hurt with the suffocating sharpness it once produced.

Theodora had healed him, or at least helped him to start. Apparently thinking of her summoned her, because he found her as he often did; with Holiday, whom insisted to be called Holi, and Alexander sitting in a room and playing some sort of game. This one was with small cubes covered with dots, the numbers varying depending on the side. He watched as the human was victorious in her turn.

Standing there watching them, Jareth wanted nothing more than to preserve this innocence. Not just in the people in front of him, but for everyone in his kingdom, under his protection. They deserved this happy, carefree life; not having to look over their shoulders for a monster. He didn't want them to go through the anguish he felt, losing someone close to them. It wasn't a pain he wished on his worst enemies.

Well, maybe the Necromancer.

He doubled his resolve - not that it was weak in the first place - to end this with as little casualties as possible.

When he was finally noticed, he declined the plea to join in the game. "Not at this time, I think. Theodora, would you mind joining me later tonight, just before dinner? There is something I wish to show you." She accepted and the smile on her face made his heart and stomach flutter. "Wear something warm. It will be cold out." She nodded and laughed as Holi failed in his turn with the small number-cubes.

During the rest of the day, his head was filled with thoughts of war and his date later that night. There weren't many strategies that were possible to execute since they didn't know where the Necromancer was hiding. All they could do, really, was sit and wait for her to attack them and pray to the Consciousness that they were well trained enough to defeat her. Jareth did not doubt his warriors' ability, but being overconfident was like asking for death.