========
To: marysia@marysia.com
Subject: story for submission for the Laby Archives
From: Cormak3032@aol.com
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 18:19:46 EST
--------
Author: Corrie "Cormak" McDermott

Story Title:The Debt

Rating: NC-17

Summary: 10 years have passed since Sarah defeated the Labyrinth and the 
Goblin King. She never expects to see him again. Things become interesting 
when he claims that she owes him something.  Romance, angst, etc.
--------
Disclaimers: The  Labyrinth and it's characters don't belong to me. Although I 
do wish Jareth was my very own. Any other characters mentioned (that are not 
from the movie) Belong to me! If you would like to archive my story please feel 
free but it must be in it's entirety with my name and e-mail addy included!:) 
Please excuse any typos. The lyrics at the bottom of this chapter belong to 
David Bowie from his song "Strangers When we Meet."

The Debt
By Corrie McDermott
Cormak3032@yahoo.com 
January 2002-Feburary 2002
Rating: NC:17 story has mature content, violence and adult situations.

The Reunion

	She felt a chill as she scribbled carelessly in her sketchbook. Rising she 
turned and closed the window and shut out the cold that had been invading. She 
peered out into the night to see that the sky had become dark with clouds, the 
moon's light had long since been shut out. Glancing at her clock she groaned. 
Nearly midnight and she was still wide-awake. She tossed back her long dark hair 
and sighed as she sat back into the chair at her desk. She looked down at her 
scribbles and sighed heavily at what she had drawn. She closed the book quickly 
not wanting to look at it any longer. She stretched and decided that if she was 
ever going to get any sleep she should shut off the light and lay down. As she 
sat on the corner of her bed she closed her eyes as images came to mind. It had 
been 10 years and still she could see everything as clearly as she had when she 
was 15.  She shook her head angry with herself. She reached for the light switch 
and crawled into her bed pulling the covers up to her chin. She closed her eyes, 
hoping that sleep would take her, take her away from the visions. Tonight was 
not an anniversary that she wished to remember. 

	He watched her silently, pondering what he should do. It had taken him 
years to bring himself to  look at her. Every time he saw her she brought too 
many painful memories. His defeat had been one of them. He had lived for a 
millenia and no one had beaten him, no one except her and her damned iron will. 
The thought of iron alone frightened him. And she possessed a will made of it. 
She was dangerous just as iron was, just as fire is to a moth attracted to the 
light of a flame. And despite himself and the grief she caused him he knew that 
was attracted to the flame. But he refused to be burned. 

	She turned over in her bed. Sleep would not come to her and she was 
becoming frustrated. The clock read 11:37. She had been in bed for 4 lousy 
minutes. Why did it feel like she had been laying here for an eternity. She 
closed her eyes and an image immediately flashed through her mind. He was tall 
and slender and looked even thinner dressed in black. That wild blond hair of 
his, nearly white in the moonlight.  "Jareth.." she whispered.  She cursed 
herself for allowing his name to fall from her lips. She sat up glancing wildly 
around the room. After finding nothing out of the ordinary she pulled the covers 
closer to her, relaxing into the warmth they provided her. 

	"What's the matter, Sarah? You don't wish to remember me? Or you don't 
wish to remember what you nearly did to your baby brother? He would have made a 
wonderful goblin."  

	Her eyes widened in horror and she sat up, clutching the covers to her, 
praying to god that this was a dream and she had finally fallen asleep. Her 
fears became reality when she looked up to see the Goblin King standing in her 
room. She gasped and watched as he smiled deviously, letting her know he was 
amused by her actions.  

	"Oh come now." He said pulling one of his black gloves further up his 
hand. "are you really that surprised to see me?" One of his brows rose. "You did 
call me." 

	"I did no such thing!" she cried out horrified. 

	He only grinned and this made her angry. How dare he come after all these 
years and toy with her. "My name could be a stray thought and I could hear it. 
You most certainly called me."

	"What do you want?"

	"What makes you think that I want anything?" He said putting his hand onto 
his hips. The window was suddenly open again and rain was pouring down in heavy 
sheets outside.  When she gave no response he added. "Have you forgotten what 
today is?"

	"It's Thursday."

	"And do you remember what happened exactly 10 years ago this night?" 

	"I defeated you and your sorry excuse for a Labyrinth." She spit. 

	He didn't let her see how her words bothered him but instead flaunted a 
mask of arrogance. "And you called upon me to take away your baby brother. How 
is little Toby? He must be just over 10 years old now."

	"Toby is none of your concern." She said bitterly. 

	"I do believe that I have hit a soft spot."

	"The only soft spot is your head."

	"My my, we've gotten flippant in our old age." He let his eyes fall over 
her. She had unwillingly let the covers slide from her grasp and he let his 
mismatched eyes roll over her form. She had filled out slightly but she was 
still as breath takingly beautiful as he remembered and still so cruel. Her eyes 
were filled with anger. Not only her feelings towards him this instant but her 
anger at the world. 

	"You're not welcome here Goblin King. Leave."

	He moved towards her and she flew out of the bed trying to move as far 
away from him as she could.  "You were not welcome in my labyrinth either but I 
gave into to your wishes. I took your baby brother as you expected me to and I 
allowed you a fair chance to defeat me and my Labyrinth."

	"Fair? You don't know the meaning of the word."

	"As I recall, you were the one who didn't know the meaning. And it seems 
that you still don't.  I gave you what you wanted 10 years ago. I even let you 
defeat me. Now you will give me what I want. You owe me that much."

	"I don't owe you shit!" she yelled back furious. 

	He smirked at her language. "That's right you don't. You owe me much 
more."

	"There was never a bargain that if won that I owed you anything."

	"Oh but there was. Honestly, I thought you read the book."

	"I did read the book, about a hundred times and there was never anything 
about the girl owing the Goblin King for taking the child. He did it because she 
asked him to. He had given her special powers, powers to call upon should she 
need him and she used those powers to have him take the child."

	"And the Goblin King did as the maiden asked. But you don't get anything 
for free. That simply isn't how it works. Do you remember why the Goblin King 
gave the girl these powers." Her mind drew a blank. "Think hard Sarah. You spoke 
the very words 10 years ago this night. You were a spoiled, lonely teenager who 
wanted truth to ring in those words and they rang loud and clear."

	"Oh no!" she cried as the revelation hit her hard. * And the Goblin King 
had fallen in love with the girl... *  

	"Oh yes.." he hissed. 

	"But it's just a story!"

	"You didn't think so back then. And that hasn't changed now. The 'story' 
is as real as you or I." His voice became bitter and angry. "Have you any idea 
what it's like to feel rejection? To hear the words that would destroy you 
uttered so carelessly by one you foolishly allowed to play with your heart? It's 
betrayal and pain at it's cruelest. But no you don't know how it feels, do you 
dear, innocent sweet Sarah. You still live in a fantasy world no matter how hard 
you try to hide it."

	"What do you mean words that would destroy you?"

	"I have spent 10 years trying to regenerate my powers and to rebuild the 
kingdom that you destroyed! 10 years of agony thinking about what you did to me 
and my kingdom because of 6 words!" He stopped and regained his composure after 
his outburst. "So I have come back to claim what is right fully mine; the maiden 
who wished the child away. And she will fear me, love me and do as I say.. even 
if she has to pretend to."

	"I will NEVER love you! You're a monster!!" His response was a laugh. Her 
bedroom and her apartment faded and she found herself alone in a cold castle 
bedroom. It was beautiful in it's decoration but she didn't see it's beauty. 
Sarah threw herself onto the bed and let the tears pour from her face. 	   


* * * *
	All my violence
	Raining tears upon the sheet
	I'm bewildered
	Because we're strangers when we meet...
	
I'd rather starve...

After a short while, no tears would fall from her eyes. She was exhausted from 
crying and she really didn't want Jareth to see that she had been upset, should 
he make an appearance. She could just imagine him reveling in the delight of her 
sorrow. "Arrogant bastard." She spit. When he made no immediate appearance she 
sank into the bed. She was more then tired now and sleep came quickly. 

	She awakened disoriented the next morning or mid morning. Then she 
bitterly remembered the Goblin King's demands of the debt that she supposedly 
owed him. The day began to pass before she knew it and during the time she had 
to herself, she quietly took in her surroundings. The room she was in was 
decorated with beautiful cranberry colored drapery. The bed sheets, blankets and 
canopy matched the curtains as did the cloths that adorned tables beside the 
bed. All of the wooden furniture in the room was a dark cherry, including the 
canopy bed she sat on. Candles burned in different places in the room giving off 
a soft warm glow. There was a large porcelain tub behind wooden shades, along 
with soaps that were as fragrant as spring flowers and other bath accessories.  
A bureau with a mirror sitting atop it caught her attention and she moved to it. 
Opening the drawers she found the most beautiful dresses. Some made of cotton, 
others of silk. Some where very fancy while others were of a plain simple style. 
They were beautiful. She pulled a lavender dress carefully from the drawer. 
There was a full length mirror just on the other side of the room. It wouldn't 
hurt to try it on. She couldn't very well stay in her flannel pajamas forever. 

	"I take it that everything is to your tastes?" She whirled around, 
startled at the voice, dropping the dress on the floor. It crumpled in a heap as 
she looked up to see Jareth standing before her. 

	"Don't you know how to knock?"

	"This is my castle, why should I have to knock?" He clasped his hands 
behind his back and raised a brow.

	"Because it's the polite thing to do, but wait, nothing about you is 
polite." She shot back. 

	"Harsh words will get you no where, my dear Sarah." He stepped towards her 
and she stepped back away from him quickly. He leaned over and picked up the 
lavender dress. "This would look beautiful on you. You shall wear it to dinner 
tonight."

	"I will do no such thing. You like it so much why don't you wear it!"

	His lips twisted in an amused smile at her anger. "Dinner is at 6 o clock. 
A servant will be up to attend to your bath and your preparations for dinner. Do 
not arrive late, or my patience may grow very thin." Without another word he was 
gone. He had disappeared as quickly and quietly as he first came.

	"Of all the nerve! He's even worse then I thought he was as a child! 
Telling me what to wear and that I have to go to dinner! What an arrogant, self-
centered, son of a bitch."

	Just then there was a knock at the door and she jumped. She really hoped 
that he had not come back to mock her.  There was another soft knock. It 
couldn't be Jareth, he didn't knock and the touch to the door was too soft. 

	"Yes?" she called out softly. "Come in?"

	The giant oak door opened slowly and Sarah's eyes fell upon the most 
beautiful woman she had ever seen. She had to be an elf with the pointy ears 
that she sported. She had long golden hair that was tied back from her face and 
she wore a plain green dress that brought out the color of her eyes. She was 
tall and thin and graceful and Sarah felt plain and ugly in her presence. She 
bowed ever so slightly. "My lady, I am Metta. I shall attend to your needs, 
whatever they might be. Preparing a bath, fetching a snack from the kitchens, 
accompanying you on a walk of the gardens, or preparing you for meals with His 
Highness." She closed the door behind her. 

	"That's very kind of you, Metta, but I don't need an assistant. I really 
can take care of myself and I would rather not get 'prepared for meals with his 
High and all mighty I think I'm the King of the world."

	"Please my lady, do not get the King angered. You do not wish to see his 
full temper. He does not let it be shown too often but when he does it is not a 
pleasant sight. You should be honored that the King wishes you to dine with him. 
He usually dines alone and has done so for a very long time. He always consumes 
the best foods we have and best wines. It is an incredible honor to dine in his 
company."

	"You can't be serious."

	"Oh but I am My lady."

	"Could you stop calling me that please? My name is Sarah."

	Metta's eyes widened. "You are Sarah?"

	"Um, yeah. Why is that such a big surprise? Not a common name around 
here?"

	'No it's very common. Then you... you are the one who defeated his 
highness."

	"Yeah I did, a very long time ago. How did you know that?"

	"Everyone knows about the only girl to defeat his highness. He has been 
King of this land for hundreds of years and no one defeated him until you."

	"Really?" This bit of knowledge was quite interesting to her. "No wonder 
he's so rude to me. He's still got a grudge against me. Too bad for him. Serves 
him right."

	"There are many within his Kingdom who worship you. You provide them with 
hope. You have proven that the King can be defeated and that he is not as 
powerful as he claims to be. Others despise you. They are loyal to the king and 
helped him restore his castle and the Goblin City after they were destroyed by 
you."

	"So I have some enemies then."

	"It's very possible, Lady Sarah." 

	Sarah let the new usage of her name slide. "And which side are you on 
Metta? Do I have to worry about you?"

	"Oh no Lady Sarah. I am partial to no side. Although I have served the 
King many years, I cook and clean and tend to needs, but I do not pick sides to 
ally myself with. I find it safer to keep quiet."

	"You're smart."

	"I will prepare the bath for you. Then we will dress you and prepare your 
hair."

	"I'm sure I can fill up my own bath and all that stuff."

	"It is my pleasure and honor to do it Lady Sarah. I am most honored to be 
an assistant to you." Sarah rolled her eyes as the elf girl moved behind the 
wooden shades and began to fill the tub. How could someone in Jareth's services 
stay so sweet and na‹ve? Sarah sat on the edge of the bed and listened as the 
water filled the tub. It was funny she didn't remember there being any plumbing 
near the tub? It had been just a tub. She shrugged assuming that magic must be 
involved somewhere. 10 minutes later she lay in the tub, full of bubbles, hot 
water and flower petals. The hot water felt good against her skin and for a 
short while she forgot all about where she was and the Goblin King.  Metta 
finally beckoned her to leave the tub for fear that her fine skin would shrivel. 
Regretfully she obeyed and towel dried herself. 

	"Metta, could I please have the yellow dress from the bureau?"

	"But his highness wishes you to wear the lavender one, Lady Sarah. You 
will upset him if you do not wear what he would like."

	Sarah poked her head around the wooden shade. "I wear what I want. I don't 
care who Jareth thinks he is. I'm wearing what I want. He's lucky I'm going to 
even show up to dinner!"

	"I'm sorry, I can not go against the wishes of my King." Metta told her 
with regret in her eyes. Sarah rolled her eyes and pulling the towel tightly 
around herself walked across the room and brought back the yellow dress. She 
changed into it and felt much better to be in new clothes and to have bathed.  
Metta asked her to sit on the small cushioned bench. Metta carefully brushed her 
hair and wove small flowers into her dark tresses

	"I feel like a Princess." Sarah commented as she stood in front of the 
full-length mirror. 

	Metta smiled a genuine smile. "And you look like a Princess as well. His 
Highness must have high regard for you to give you this room and these clothes."

	"His highness could kiss my ass for all I care. I'm not going to let him 
manipulate me with pretty things. He's still the Goblin King and he's still an 
arrogant bastard." Metta pulled back at her words. "This dress is plain and 
simple. It suits my needs for comfort and I don't care what his high and all 
mighty wants."

	Metta swallowed. "I shall lead you to the dining hall. His Highness will 
be waiting."

	"Why don't we take our time, Metta? I haven't even seen the rest of the 
castle."

	"Perhaps tomorrow, Lady Sarah." She looked absolutely terrified about 
Sarah's idea to be late for dinner. Maybe Jareth would do something to her and 
blame things on her. 

	"Ok tomorrow." She said in defeat.  She let Metta lead her down the hall 
and to the dining room. She was surprised to find that not a single goblin was 
to be seen. The floors were swept and everything was tidy. A big surprise from 
the last time she had seen this castle or it's predecessor. Then again she had 
only seen the throne room and that damn room with all the stairs. 

	After a short while they reached the dining hall. Metta did not step 
inside the room. "Your Highness, My lady is prepared for dinner."

	"Excellent. That will be all Metta." She bowed and was gone, leaving Sarah 
to fend for herself.  "Do step into the light so I can see you Sarah." She did 
as he asked and a grin appeared on her face as she stepped into the light in the 
pale yellow dress. "You defy me and that is a very dangerous thing to do." He 
said coldly as he looked at the dress she wore.

	"I wouldn't have joined you for dinner either, but my stomach needed to be 
entertained so I thought I would come after all." 

	The Goblin King's eyes slanted with annoyance. "You try my patience."

	'Good I'll try it again tomorrow and the day after and the day after that 
until you release me."

	"There will be no chance of that. You are mine now Sarah. And you will 
love me and do as I say."

	"I'll love you as much as I love a nasty puss filled blister. You mean 
nothing to me and you never will mean anything. You might be able to force me 
into doing things for you but I will NEVER love you. NEVER." Fire burned in her 
eyes. 

	He rose from the table and walked towards her, stopping to stare at her 
with cruel bitter mismatched eyes. Putting his hands on his hips he replied, 
"Still the same little actress that I remember so well. 10 years has done 
nothing but made you look older. You are still the same impulsive little girl 
who wished her brother into my care. And here I thought that perhaps you had 
matured. I see I was very wrong."

	"How dare you! You know nothing about me but your false predictions."

	"And you know nothing of me but your own false predictions."

	'I know that you haven't changed all that much either. You are still 
arrogant, self-centered, bitter, cruel, cold, uncaring, and petty. I do not make 
false predictions. I make judgement on what I see before my eyes. You've shown 
me that you are exactly the same heartless bastard you were 10 years ago, so 
don't start preaching to me about changing. I have changed my thoughts and 
actions, but nothing has changed the way I feel about you." She spun on her heel 
to leave the room.

	'I thought you were hungry." He asked, his voice cold. 

	"I'd rather starve then eat with you." And she was gone. 

	He snapped his gloved fingers and Metta appeared at the doorway looking 
frightened. "You are to bring a small tray of fruits to her each morning with 
water and nothing else for the rest of the day. She will soon change her mind 
and dine with me when her stomach turns on her." Metta nodded and was gone. When 
Jareth was sure that she had left he walked to the table. Angrily he threw a 
tray of food and watched it splatter all over the floor. He would get what he 
wanted no matter what the cost. 


What's for breakfast??

	Sarah paced back and forth across 'her' room. Every once and a while she 
would kick at her dress to keep from tripping over it. She was so angry she 
could practically feel the steam rising from her ears! If she thought that 
Jareth was arrogant and dominant before, he was beyond that now. Who did he 
think he was anyway? Taking her from her world and thrusting her into his. And 
his demands were too much for her. She decided that if he wanted to make 
demands, fine let him, but she would do exactly opposite of whatever he asked of 
her. She would not play into his hands. "He expects me to love him." She 
chuckled coldly. "How could I ever love... a a heartless tyrant?!" Finally 
exhausted she sat on the corner of the bed crossing her arms over her chest. Her 
stomach rumbled. "Shut up! I don't want to hear it! I'll find a way to get food. 
He wouldn't starve me. Would he?" The thought suddenly terrified her and she 
wondered if her actions had been appropriate. But he was just so damn pushy and 
stubborn and vile! He seemed to know what made her angry and he tried to use her 
own anger against her.  Sarah fell back onto the bed, one arm stretched above 
her head. She never heard the small knock on the door. Her own anger had 
exhausted her and had put her to sleep. 

	She could hear roosters crowing loudly and she opened her eyes to find 
that she was still within Jareth's castle. She was praying that everything thus 
far had been a dream, a very realistic one. But to her disappointment it was 
not. She rolled over and realized that she was tangled. She had not even 
bothered to change last night and still wore the pale yellow dress. It was now 
crumpled and wrapped around her legs from sleep.  Despite sleeping the whole 
night she was still tired and cranky and anger was an ever- present emotion that 
gripped her. She couldn't forgive Jareth for what he was doing and she wouldn't.  
He had gone over the edge with his demands and she didn't care to find out what 
else he asked of her.  A soft knock brought her out of her thoughts. "Go away!"

	'Please Lady Sarah, it is Metta. I have brought you some breakfast."

	Sarah opened her mouth to tell her to take it away but stopped. She was 
starving she had not eaten in a whole day. And she did say she'd rather stave 
then dine with Jareth. This would be eating alone. "Come in Metta."

	She watched Metta enter the room with a silver tray and it had food on it! 
She could hardly wait to dive into it. Metta put the tray onto one of the tables 
beside the bed and Sarah's mouth dropped. 

	'Is anything wrong, Lady Sarah?"

	"Peaches. You brought me peaches." She said through grit teeth. 

	"Yes, the finest peaches to be found anywhere. His Highness said that you 
liked peaches." Metta was quite pleased with herself as she smiled happily. 
Sarah however was not happy.. at all. 

	Sarah clenched her teeth together to hold back the scream that threatened 
to come out. "Leave the tray." She said through her teeth. 

	Metta did not have to be told twice and she bowed before hastily leaving 
the room. She was very aware of Sarah's anger.  When she was gone Sarah nearly 
threw the tray across the room. "I can not believe him! He sends me peaches!" 
She glanced at the tray in disgust as if he had given her a plate of slimy 
worms. On the silver tray was a platter with two whole peaches and one sliced in 
a bowl. There was a large goblet filled with water and a beautiful purple 
flower.  She reached for the water but stopped midway. "What if he poisoned this 
stuff with magic? I don't want to see that ballroom ever again or him for that 
matter!" She looked down at the tray. The peaches did look really good, sweet 
and juicy and she was so hungry. She shook her head and moved away to sit on the 
other side of the bed. She would not touch them. She would wait until lunchtime. 
Perhaps then she would have some real food.  She yawned and curled up into a 
ball on the bed and soon she was fast asleep. 

	Metta was making her way back to the kitchen with the tray still full of 
fruit. Sarah had not answered the door, so she opened it and found the tray 
still full. She left the goblet of water, still untouched on the table, put the 
flower in a vase along side the goblet and took the tray.

	"Did she eat them?" came a voice that echoed from all directions. Metta 
stopped and froze in mid step. 

	"N-no your Highness. She did not." 

	Jareth stepped from the shadows of the hall to see for himself that the 
tray was untouched. He growled low in his throat and Metta's hands shook as she 
held the tray. He gestured with his hand for her to continue on her way and she 
did so with utmost haste. Jareth paced a small portion of the hallway. His hands 
clenched behind his back. "She still dares to defy me. And I should have 
expected this much from her." He conjured up a crystal and peered into it seeing 
Sarah curled up asleep on the bed. She looked beautiful with her long dark hair 
spread out over the sheets of the bed. He sneered at the yellow dress she still 
wore. He knew that she would continue to defy him because it pleased her to see 
him angry. She was not living up to her end of the bargain. She was not 
cooperating as she was expected to. Did he honestly expect any less of her? She 
had been head strong at 15, did he really expect her to be any different at 25?  
She was a grown woman now and she made it clear that she was not frightened of 
him. He sighed deeply tossing the crystal into thin air and he disappeared along 
with it. 


Two sides of the same coin...



The pattern stayed the same for three days. Metta brought fruit, water and a 
purple flower every morning and they all sat untouched on the tray. Sarah was so 
hungry but she refused to eat. She was fearful that Jareth had used magic on the 
fruit and she did not wish to be manipulated by his magic. Every afternoon Metta 
came to take the untouched tray and return it to the kitchen.  She returned 
later in the afternoon to prepare her a bath and to tell her that His Highness 
wished for her to join him at dinner. She refused and instead went to bed.  
Jareth was growing furious by now. He hated to be defied, especially by a 
stubborn mortal girl, but he also hated to see what she was doing to herself by 
defying him. 

	"She will starve herself to death rather then eat with you. Doesn't that 
tell you something?"  Jareth growled. "Are you that much of a sore loser? Just 
let the girl go home."

	Jareth turned to the dark haired man who sat sipping tea across the table 
from him. Aiden was a creature of magic much like himself and he had been a 
friend to Jareth ever since he became the Goblin King.  " I would rather die 
then let her go, you know that."

	"You're both two sides of the same coin, you know that? Both too damned 
stubborn, both needing to have the upper hand. I dare say that you deserve each 
other."

	"She will never accept me. She defies me at every turn."

	Aiden set his cup down on the table and sighed. "I thought I was here to 
talk about our deal, not to hear about a past lover you hope to regain."

	"She was never my lover." Jareth said angrily.

	'Perhaps not in reality, but in your dreams, hmm?" He smiled devilishly 
and Jareth wanted to smack that smile right off his face.  Aiden knew him all 
too well and at times he hated the knowledge Aiden possessed. 

	"Yes our deal." Jareth began. 
	
	"The marble from the far mountains of your kingdom in return for the food 
you wished. I can't believe that those Goblins of yours can't grow crops. 
Seriously Jareth, when the marble that runs through your mountains runs out how 
will you feed yourself?"

	"I will find a way."

	"I'm sure you will." Aiden rose from the table. "Thanks for the tea. I'll 
have a transport from my Kingdom here next week to take the marble, it will 
carry the food you require." Aiden turned to leave the room but stopped at the 
last minute. "Just let the mortal go Jareth. You know the legend as well as I 
do." And with that he was gone. Jareth sank into the chair to ponder his words. 

	Sarah dressed in a cotton dress after her bath. She took a seat by the 
window gazing out into the Labyrinth. She wondered what was happening at home. 
She was sure that no one missed her but work. Dad, Karen and Toby were far away 
and she only spoke to them once or twice a month. But how she missed them. There 
was a tap at the door and she sighed. "Come in." Metta was most likely here to 
comb her hair out and try to convince her to eat with the Goblin King.  The elf 
made no vocal sign that she had entered. But Sarah knew that she was there when 
the brush began to run through her hair. She sighed and let her head fall back 
as she closed her eyes. Getting her hair brushed by a timid elf was the only 
comfort she looked forward to each day. Metta was terribly quiet today. "Metta 
is something wrong? You're so quiet."

	"Metta is preparing dinner."

	Sarah let out a gasp and spun from the chair to face the Goblin King. He 
held the hair brush in his black gloved hand. 

	"Wh-what are you doing here?"

	"I was brushing your hair." He told her innocently. 

	"But why?"

	"Because it comforts you." How the hell did he know that? She squinted her 
eyes at him. She watched him lay the brush on the table beside the bed. "Why 
will you not dine with me?"

	"You know damn well why I won't."

	His mismatched eyes studied her. "Do you hate me Sarah?"

	"With a passion." She blurted. 

	"Why? I have done you no harm." She opened her mouth to speak and he cut 
her off. "It was you who took it upon yourself not to eat. I gave you a 
beautiful room with fine dresses, a servant to attend to your needs, yet you 
still defy me and you still act as if I am the most foul creature ever to grace 
existence. I can be cruel Sarah, but I have not harmed you."

	For once she had no words to spew back at him. His lips turned up into a 
slight grin. "Join me for dinner." He asked in a calm tone. 

	"No."

	"Sarah..."

	"No! Leave me alone!"

	"Sarah, you don't even give me a chance. What DO you think I will do to 
you? It's dinner, nothing more. Yet you act as if I'm asking you to let me kill 
you."
	
	"You might as well! You took me away from my home and brought me here 
where I'm forced to do what you ask of me."

	"You have not done one thing I have asked you to and has there been any 
punishment from me? No there had been none. I merely came to take what was 
rightfully mine and that was you."

	"You don't love me! Just let me go!"

	"Let you go? Back to that hell you came from?"

	"This is the hell."

	"No, your life aboveground was the hell. Your family far away, not many 
friends, a job that doesn't make you happy, no suitor in your life."

	"So what do you think your part in all this is? To save me? Please Jareth, 
we both know that you will never be the knight on the white horse."

	"I never claimed to be him."

	"What do you hope to accomplish with me here? You know damn well that I 
will never love you. So what will you do, keep me locked up?"

	"You are not a prisoner."

	"Oh yes I am. I am a prisoner of your kingdom."

	"You are as ungrateful as an adult as you were as a child. I offered you 
your dreams once and you destroyed my kingdom." His voice was cold and bitter.

	"You offered me your dreams, a life with you. That wasn't my dreams."

	"I saw how you looked for me in your fantasy. It was you who brought me 
into it, not I." He remembered the shape her dream had taken. It was her mind 
who beckoned him to the strange masked ball. It was her mind that beckoned him 
to take her into his arms and dance with her. And he had done so with an 
eagerness he wished he could forget. He fell for her the minute he saw her in 
that dress And despite everything between them, he had not stopped falling. 

	"I did no such thing."

	He sighed. "I grow tired of arguing with you. Is it such a terrible thing 
to dine with me? That's all I ask of you. Wear what you wish to dinner, even 
show up 5 minutes late if you feel like it, but stop starving yourself."

	"Is that concern I detect? Because that's definitely out of character for 
you Goblin King." She could not keep the sarcasm from her voice.

	He said nothing to this but turned from her and left the room. It was only 
after he closed the door behind him that she realized he had knocked upon 
entering. 


Unexpected 

	He watched the fire roar up the stone chimney. Orange, red, yellow, gold, 
blue and white swirling as one to reach upward to the air that fueled them. 
"Moth to a flame." He whispered to himself. He forced himself to look elsewhere. 
To anything that took his mind off of the mortal girl he had taken into his 
home. A mortal girl who drew him to her, despite her lack of knowledge, despite 
her attitude and despite the fact that she was so very young. She was an adult 
by mortal standards but then again so was he. He looked to be between 30 and 35 
years of age. She looked only 10 years younger. But looks can be deceiving. He 
turned in his chair and a movement caught his eyes. Someone was lurking in the 
shadows of the doorway. Probably one of his stupid goblins. 

	"If I find out that someone has peed near the doorway to my dining hall 
again there will be a price to pay!" He roared. He didn't intend to ruin another 
pair of good boots.

	A surprised feminine chuckle was his reply. His eyes widened and he nearly 
shot out of his seat when he heard the sound. 

	"Can't keep your goblins out of mischief can you, oh Goblin King?" His 
eyes squinted with anger at her tone and he was about to shoot a smart comment 
back at her but when she stepped into the light, his anger nearly dissolved.  
She was wearing a simple blue dress, her hair down with a small barrette holding 
up the right side. The sight of her nearly took his breath away. How could a 
mortal woman, so young be so beautiful. There was a sparkle in her blue eyes and 
he had to stop himself from gawking at her. 

	He was standing now beside the dining table. "You tell them something and 
it's as good as forgotten the very next moment." He stood taller in his usual 
attire, black knee high riding boots, gray pants, white poet shirt with a low 
neckline but no leather jacket this time. To her eyes he looked strange without 
it as if he were dressed down.  He watched as she walked into the room. "I must 
say, I'm a little surprised to see you Sarah." He gave her a chuckle and she 
couldn't decide if it was friendly or not.

	"Wow you mean you have other emotions beside anger and arrogance? That's a 
surprise indeed." She braved. He ignored the comment and walked to a chair that 
he proceeded to pull out for her. "I can seat myself, thanks." *Fine seat 
yourself. I hope the chair falls apart the minute your bottom touches it. * He 
thought bitterly. He moved away from the chair and took a seat in his own. " So, 
uh where is the food?" She asked sitting and gesturing with her eyes at the 
empty table. 

	"The chefs have not brought it out yet." He snapped his fingers and Metta 
along with 3 other elves began to bring out dishes. The first elf, a young girl 
with red hair set plates, glasses and silverware in front of Jareth while Metta 
did the same for Sarah. Then two young elfin men brought out trays. They opened 
the covered trays to present steaks as well as a variety of vegetables. Sarah 
could feel the drool gathering in her mouth. She was so hungry and the food 
looked so good. "Serve the Lady first." Jareth ordered and one of the young 
elves filled her plate with steak and vegetables while the other put buttered 
bread in front of her along with a glass of some sort of wine. They did the same 
for Jareth , bowed to them both and left the room.  Jareth watched with 
amusement as Sarah stared at the plate with wide eyes. He gave another chuckle. 
"Well do eat. You've had nothing in your stomach for 3 days." 

	She cut her steak and slowly began eating. Everything tasted so good. For 
a while she forgot about Jareth and that he was sitting at the opposite end of 
the table. He merely watched her with a look of amusement on her face as he ate 
his own meal. "Dinner isn't such a terrible thing, is it?" he asked when they 
were both nearly finished. 

	"Dinner wasn't the problem. It was delicious, it was the company that went 
with dinner that I didn't find to my taste."

	"You aren't happy unless you find a way to insult me are you?"

	She didn't answer but instead changed the subject. "Why do you have elves 
serving you?"

	He raised a brow. "Do you really believe that goblins would be able to 
handle such tasks? You've seen them for yourself dear Sarah."

	"Yes I have. Maybe the fault does not lie with the goblins but a King who 
is incapable of ruling them. Where did you steal the elves from?"

	"I didn't steal them from anywhere. They came to me, looking for work. 
They were scrawny, pathetic creatures and I dare admit I felt pity for them."

	"Ooh two new emotions in one sitting. I think I'm going to faint."

	"Did you say that you were 25? Because you don't act your age." He shot 
back. She opened her mouth to say something but snapped it shut. "What is your 
problem?"

	"Right now my problem is you."

	'Why? Because I have been so cruel and ruthless with you." They were both 
standing now, staring at each other with anger in their eyes. "You are an 
ungrateful, selfish, spoiled little girl."

	"Then why on earth do you want me here?!" She wouldn't back down and 
Jareth knew this. Maybe Aiden had been right. Maybe it was better if he sent her 
home. But first he needed time to think and the way they were both going about 
things was not going to work. He was going to end up burnt by the flame again 
while she went home and tried to live her life. He couldn't live through it 
again.  He stared her down, almost unsure of how to proceed. His eyes traveled 
down the length of her body, studying everything about her. Surely it was more 
then beauty that attracted him to her. He knew part of the attraction was her 
looks, but then again there were many beautiful women and he could have any of 
them if he wished it. He could even have her against her will, but that was not 
how he wished for things to be so. She would love him, on her own accord and 
only then would he finally be complete. 

	So they stood silently looking at each other. Sarah was very aware that 
Jareth was letting his eyes roam over her and despite herself she allowed 
herself to look at him. This was the first time that the two of them were not 
screaming at each other. He was standing close to her. She could hear the sound 
of his breathing, watched the rise and fall of his chest. The skin of his chest 
was as pale as the skin on his face. The neckline was very low and she could see 
his pectoral muscles. He wasn't heavily built but he was not without muscle 
either. He had very little hair on his chest but the little he did have was 
blond and barely noticeable. She dared to let her eyes fall farther. Who in 
their right mind would wear such pants? Anyone caught above ground in those 
pants would be ridiculed. But on him they seemed right somehow. They rose well 
above his waist and his white shirt was tucked into them. They were skin-tight 
and she could make out every muscle in his legs, not to mention the bulge 
between them. She forced her eyes lower, feeling the skin on her cheeks warm. 
His legs were long and slender, and slightly muscled. 

	The same time that she was thoroughly checking him out, he was doing the 
very same thing to her. Following the curve of her breasts just below the low 
cut dress. Her skin had a slight tan to it. Her tiny waist, her slender arms. 
And he wished he could see her legs. She was tall, but shorter then him and not 
by much.  He suddenly wanted to see her face and as he looked into her eyes, 
their eyes locked onto each other. It felt as if they were staring at each other 
for minutes but in reality it was mere seconds. His mismatched eyes searched her 
blue ones. She realized that there was no anger or arrogance in his eyes. There 
was something else and she turned her head quickly. To her horror she let out a 
shuddering breath, she hadn't realized she'd been holding. 

	"Thank you for dinner." She said quickly, her voice shaking. She turned 
and fled the room. She raced to her room and fell on the bed. She felt like a 
coward but she couldn't stay in that room another minute with him. Not after 
realizing how handsome he really was and certainly not after seeing that look in 
his eyes. She trembled with fear. 

	Jareth watched her flee and he willed to call out to her but decided 
against it. This was an unexpected stand still, best to leave it as such. It was 
obvious by her reaction and her examination of him that she was aware that there 
was some sort of attraction between them. Right now it might just be a physical 
attraction noticed. That alone was not enough. For he knew it wasn't physical 
attraction alone that willed him to love her. There was something else about her 
that made her different from anyone he had ever courted or ever come into 
contact with. It was something he couldn't put his finger on this moment, but he 
believed that in time he would discover it just as she would discover things 
about him. 

All the King's Horses...

	Morning came quickly, much quicker then she would have expected. Metta was 
tapping at her door and she allowed her to come in. 

	"Good morning Lady Sarah." She balanced a silver tray that Sarah expected 
to once again hold peaches. But to her surprise there were no peaches but a 
waffle covered with strawberries a glass of milk, bacon and scrambled eggs. 
Metta smiled as Sarah's face lit up. "You are in a fine mood this morning."

	"I ate last night and you just brought me something that made me very 
happy." Metta set the tray on the table and Sarah reached eagerly for it. 

"His highness hoped that you would enjoy this food." Metta said with a smile. 
Sarah stopped the fork full of food from reaching her mouth. "I've noticed that 
he is trying very hard to please you, Lady Sarah." Metta was beaming as if this 
was the most wonderful thing.

Sarah let the fork she held fall back to the tray. "Tell me Metta, how long have 
you served the Goblin King?"

"7 years now."

"How did you come into his service?"

"My family and I were driven from our home by a terrible fire. His Highness was 
kind to offer us a place to stay. We served him as thanks. He has been very kind 
to us." So the Goblin King had been truthful with her.

"But yet you fear him?"

"Who doesn't? He is the King and he should be feared."

"So it's been seven years now and he must have decided that you would work for 
him permanently."

"No, we are free to leave at anytime but why go into the cold cruel underground 
when you can live in a castle, and eat good food?"

"He lets others leave if they wish, yet he won't yield to my wishes."

"His Highness is very fond of you Lady Sarah."

"If he's fond of me then he should let me go home."

"After you are finished with breakfast, His Highness wishes to show you 
something. He thought  of something that would put you at ease."

"yeah whatever. I'll be ready in a little while."

"His highness asks that you do not wear a dress Lady Sarah. He had me bring 
these clothes for you. There are shoes here beside the bed that should accompany 
the clothing." She placed a small package on the edge of the bed before bowing 
and leaving the room. 

Sarah glanced at the package and then went back to her meal. Finally curiosity 
got the better of her and she carefully opened the package. It had been wrapped 
in brown paper with some sort of twine. 

"No, no way!" she said as she held up one of the articles of clothing.


Nearly and hour later Metta led her to Jareth's throne room. Despite having the 
castle rebuilt, the throne room looked nearly identical. Goblins were running 
about everywhere. Two were chasing a chicken around the room. She didn't see 
Jareth sitting in his throne as she expected. She watched one Goblin chase the 
chicken and it ran right into the back of a black boot. Jareth's boot. He was 
standing at a window looking out over his Kingdom.

"Incompetent little-" he started but saw Sarah standing in the room. 

"Ah, you've decided to wear the clothing I had sent to you."

"Could you possibly be any more conceited? What is the purpose of dressing to 
look like you?" The Goblin King flicked back his wild blond mane and took in her 
appearance. She wore a white blouse carefully tucked into skin tight tan pants 
that were tucked into knee high black boots. She felt uncomfortable as his 
mismatched eyes roamed over her like an animal looking at its prey.  He broke 
his careful examination of her and pulled at his black gloves. 

"I suppose I should have been cruel as you still expect me to be. I should have 
let you ride in a dress."

She opened her mouth to say something but he was walking away down a hall. She 
quickly followed. The sound of the noisy goblins died down as they moved further 
from the throne room and all that could be heard was the sound their boots 
clicking the cold stone floors. Sarah was tempted to ask all the questions that 
were flashing through her mind but she didn't as they turned a corner and walked 
outside. It was a beautiful day. Warm and comfortable with a slight breeze. 

"Where are we going?" She finally asked. They had started walking down a path 
and she felt a little fear at being led away from the castle alone with him 
through a section of woods. 

"You'll see." A short walk later the woods opened to a large meadow. There was a 
stone building and a smell that she recognized from aboveground.  Jareth strode 
into the building and was instantly greeted by tall young man. The young man 
acknowledged Sarah a moment later with a nod and she felt herself blush. He was 
very handsome and he appeared to be human.  He disappeared for a moment and then 
came back with something that made Sarah nearly squeal with delight. Walking 
slowly behind him was a beautiful bay horse. The horse had been saddled in an 
English saddle and the man tied her in cross ties before again disappearing. She 
expected to see another horse be brought out, but the man never returned. 

Jareth turned to watch the surprise and joy consume Sarah's features. "Well 
don't just stand there."  She cautiously walked forward and let her hand touch 
the horse's neck. The fur was soft like velvet. "There are some trails 
surrounding the stable that I'm sure you will enjoy. It's just spring around 
these parts and the flowers are blooming." 

Sarah glanced down at her attire and suddenly realized what the outfit had been 
for. She was going riding. Jareth pulled down the stirrups and untied the horse, 
tossing the reins over the animal's neck. Sarah could only watch. He did 
everything with that mocking arrogance, she noticed. He turned to her and 
offered her a leg up which she took and she swung herself onto the horse's back.  
Jareth gave her an amused but cocky look as she settled herself. 

"You knew I liked to ride didn't you?" She couldn't keep the joy out of her 
voice. This was a great gift even if it was from the Goblin King.

"Well you did work at a stable for 2 years just to ride these creatures. And you 
needed to get out of the castle and get some fresh air." She was suddenly 
touched by this strange concern it was uncharacteristic of him. "Besides, I have 
a Kingdom to run and I'm not going to be bothered with what to do with you while 
I have urgent matters to attend." He stood with his hands on his hips, that smug 
look ever present. 

Nothing was ever nice about him or generous. She should have known that much. "I 
take it that you aren't riding with me." She failed to keep, was that 
disappointment in her voice?

"Very astute of you, Sarah." And with that he left the stable without looking 
back. 

"Bastard." She cursed. She turned her attention the horse beneath her that pawed 
at the cobblestone floor "Ok ok, let's go for a ride. I feel bad. I don't even 
know your name."

"She doesn't have one." Sarah looked up to see the man who had brought the horse 
out.

"Doesn't have a name? But everyone has a name."

"The King doesn't name his horses, well 'cept for his favorite." The man was 
leaning against a stall wall eating an apple. He was tall and very handsome with 
dark hair and blue eyes. "Feel free to name, her if you like. She is yours now."

'Mine?"

"Aye. The King arrived at the stable early this morning to pick her out for you. 
One of the finest in the stable. Arabian mare, 15 years old. Pure blood Arab 
too."

Sarah reached down to pat the mare's neck. Soft as velvet. "I think I'll call 
her Velvet."

"Suits her." The mare whinnied as if she agreed. Sarah and the man both laughed. 

'I'm Sarah." She announced politely.

"Aye I know who ye are. Only girl to beat the King at his own Game."

'Everyone seems to know."

"Aye. The King defeated. That be big news indeed. I'm Riley, head stable 
master." He said tipping his hat to her. 

"Nice to meet you." The mare pawed the ground again and with a laugh Sarah bid 
Riley goodbye. She gave the mare a little kick and a cluck with her tongue. She 
trotted Velvet to an old stone wall and they galloped across a field green and 
covered with wild flowers. She laughed as the wind whipped through her hair, 
oblivious to everything else around her, even to the white owl who sat perched 
in a tree along the field.


Small Discoveries

	The hours passed by in a blur as she rode through green meadows and along 
wooded paths. Velvet never seemed to tire and this helped Sarah forget that time 
was passing all around her. Soon the sun was low in the sky. Sarah hurried back 
to the stables amazed that she remembered the way after such a long ride. 

	"Have a good time, Miss Sarah?" The stable master Riley stood at the barn 
doors his arms crossed over his chest and a smile on his face.

	Sarah jumped down from Velvet and gave the mare a pat. "Yes! I lost all 
track of time."

	"I can see that." Riley smiled. "Here let me take yer girl."

	'But I haven't cooled her out yet."

	"That's all right. I can do it for ye."

	"I'd like to do it Riley. Which stall is hers? I'd like to brush her when 
I'm finished."

	"Third stall from the back. It's not necessary for ye to cool out yer own 
horse. The King might not like it that I've let ye take to her care. Tis my 
job."

	"Nonsense. If Jareth has a problem with me taking care of my own horse, 
then too bad for him. You did say that Velvet is mine didn't you?"

	"Aye, she be yers." Riley nodded. 

	"Then from now on I will care for her. I'll feed her in the morning, I'll 
groom her, clean her stall, give her water and feed her." Riley opened his mouth 
to protest. "Please Riley. I don't mind doing these things and it will get me 
away from the castle." * And Jareth. * 

	Riley sighed. "Och all right. Just remember t'was yer idea, not mine." He 
grinned at her and walked into the barn. 

	Sarah smiled and reached up to scratch Velvet's head. She then led the 
mare around the yards surrounding the stable to cool her down. After touching 
the mare's chest to make sure the skin was cool to the touch she brought her 
inside. She proceeded to take off her saddle and bridle and then began to groom 
her. Time again seemed to pass by and soon Riley was lighting lanterns around 
the barn. Night had fallen and it was past dinner time. Sarah hardly noticed 
that she was hungry but when she saw Metta arrive with a tray full of food she 
suddenly felt famished. 

	"His Highness thought that perhaps you would be hungry. He sent this for 
you."

	"Thank you Metta. I'll eat up, finish what I was doing and I'll be in 
shortly. I think I need a bath."

	"I shall prepare one when you return." The young elf smiled, bowed and 
walked out into the night. 

	Sarah heard some rustling in the barn isles and saw that Riley was putting 
on his coat. "G'night Miss Sarah."

	"Uh, would you like to join me for dinner? Metta brought more then enough 
for two." She asked with hope in her voice. 

	He looked as if he was going to decline her offer but instead draped his 
coat over the side of a stall. "Aye, all right. I suppose I can spare some time 
to eat with ye. There's some fresh water there in that bucket to wash yer 
hands." She nodded with a smile and washed her hands. When she turned back, 
Riley had taken the tray of food and put it down on a large tack trunk. He also 
put two stools on either side. They both sat down, unsure of what to touch 
first. There was chicken, vegetables and bread.

	"So." Riley started as they both started picking at the food. "Ye be the 
Sarah of legend."

	She blushed. "I wouldn't say of legend."

	"Aye, I would. Tis not a living soul that doesn't know of the girl who 
bested the Goblin King. How did you do it, lass?"

	"I.. I'm not entirely sure. I just know that I had to get my baby brother 
back. I had some help along the way of course." She suddenly wondered what had 
happened to Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus. She missed them so. 

	"Help or not, ye beat the Labyrinth and the King. Tis quite a feat."

	"Hasn't anyone ever beaten him before?" she asked before popping a piece 
of chicken into her mouth.

	"Not that anyone knows of. But despite his loss to you, he seems very fond 
of you."

	"Yeah well he has a strange way of showing it." She couldn't keep the 
bitterness out of her voice.

	Riley sensed the anger in her and changed the subject. " So, the Sarah of 
legend likes horses, eh?"

	"Yes. I love all animals. A friend in high school took lessons at a local 
stable and she got me hooked on horses and riding. Of course I couldn't have my 
own. It was out of the question with my parents. I went away to school and 
didn't have very much money. So I made a bargain with the owner of the stable. 
If I cleaned a few stalls everyday and did night feedings then I could free 
lease one of the horses."

	"Sounds like a good deal all round."

	"It was..." Sarah noted with sadness in her voice.

	"Like all good things it didn't last did it?"

	'No. I had to move to try and make a name for myself out in the real world 
and I had to leave the horse and stable behind."

	"That's a real pity." Riley told her shaking his head. "But you have yer 
own horse here now." He gave her a smile. 

	"Yes I do." She looked uneasy for a moment. "Riley can I ask you 
something?"

	"Sure."

	"I know things aren't what they always seem in this place, but are you 
human?"

	He gave a little chuckle. "Aye I'm human." He didn't seem bothered by her 
question.

	'I didn't think that there were any humans in the Underground."

	"There are. There are many creatures in this realm, though humans were not 
originally part of this place."

	"Where you born here?"

	"Aye. I know no other place but the Underground. My father was born here 
as well, but not my mum. She was born in a place I've forgotten the exact name 
of. She came from the Aboveground like ye did tho." 

	"Your mother is from aboveground? Could I speak to her sometime?"

	Riley nodded. "I would let ye if she were still alive. She passed 2 
summers ago."

	'I'm sorry."

	'Don't be. She lived a good life here although she said it didn't start 
out as such. Ye see, my mum was one of the unfortunates who lost to the King. 
She didn't wish away no babe. She wished 'er self here and never returned home. 
She said it was difficult living here at first. But she met my father and they 
had a good life together."

	"Why would she wish herself here?"

	"Because she,  like many couldn't deal with the unpleasantries of the 
Aboveground." Came a calm, cold voice.  Sarah and Riley turned to the stable 
door to see the Goblin King dressed in all black, his hands on his hips. A cape 
billowed out behind him and his golden hair danced wildly around his pale face. 
Sarah shuttered. He was the perfect picture of evil and beauty entwined as one.

	"Yer Majesty." Riley immediately stood and bowed. He then quickly grabbed 
his hat and coat and without a glance back, left the stable. 

	Sarah was about to open her mouth and say something when she noticed that 
Jareth was not looking at her. Instead his mismatched eyes were gazing at the 
tray of half eaten food on the tack trunk and the empty stool. She saw something 
in his eyes as they fell upon her. Jealousy. And as quickly as it was there, it 
was gone. Replaced by his cold, dangerous glare. 

	"I had the food sent out here for you. Not for the stable boy." He said in 
a flat, emotionless tone.

	"You're going to tell me who I can share my food with now?" she had no 
intention of keeping the anger out of her voice. 

	"You forget why you are here." He said as he advanced toward her. 

	She stood, challenging him by doing so without even speaking. "Why don't 
you remind me? Because I fail to see why I must be here."

	'Because you owe me a debt. I did everything you asked of me and more and 
you betrayed me with those words. I still hear them in my sleep at times. They 
have never left me."

	"Your problem, not mine." She said crossing her arms over her chest. He 
began to walk around her and she felt like a piece of scrap meat that a vulture 
was circling around. She felt extremely uncomfortable as he circled her and let 
his cruel eyes glance over her.

	"But obviously they are your problem, dear Sarah." He stopped his circling 
and stood close to her. "Otherwise you would not be here."

	She felt courage well up inside of her and she took a step at him. He 
stood his ground as she knew he would. He feared nothing. Anger flashed in her 
green eyes and a fire burned in their depths. "I did my part, just like you did. 
You were the ruthless villain and I was the maiden who saved the child. I did 
what was expected of me, just as you claim you did the same. So I should feel 
sorry for nothing."

	"Obviously you feel regret about something, otherwise you wouldn't be 
trying to hide it." He disappeared in a swirl of glitter and she sighed. Warm 
breath touched her cheek and she jumped when she saw him standing behind her, 
his face nearly resting on her shoulder. She spun around and faced him. "Tell 
me, did you honestly think that the Goblin King would just give the power to 
just anyone and for nothing?"

	"The book-"

	'The book is a work of fiction with a few truths interlaced within its 
pages. Everything comes with a price. Your world is cruel and uncaring Sarah, 
why should mine be any different? You should have paid more attention to the 
little details and not all the fantasy." He stepped away from her again and 
moved to a stall. He ran his black gloved hands over the face of a beautiful 
white horse. She watched as the animal put forth complete trust in him. It was 
so odd to see the Goblin King, dressed all in black, touching a white horse. It 
didn't seem right. He was evil, he should be touching a black horse. Jareth 
moved away from the animal and focused his attention on Sarah once again. He 
walked towards her, but she stood her ground. 

	"What do you want from me?" She asked, her tone nearly as cold as his.

	A gloved finger touched her cheek. Running from her cheekbone down her jaw 
line. She shivered at the contact, but stood her ground. He was staring at her 
with those mismatched eyes of his. Letting them roam all over her face, her 
hair. Taking in her angry eyes, the soft flesh of her face that begged to be 
touched and her full lips which longed to be kissed. His lips formed a thin 
cruel line that twisted into a devious smile. His hand lifted her chin and then 
his lips were on hers. She felt warm, soft lips upon her own and she closed her 
eyes. Her right arm and hand instinctively reached forward and her hand buried 
itself in soft hair. All rational thought dissolved as soft lips moved gently 
and passionately over her own. All she was aware of was a mouth upon hers and a 
hand slowly snaking up her back. She felt fingers skim along her jaw and 
realized that they felt like they were encased in leather. With a violent jerk 
she pulled back, realizing to her horror that she had been kissing the Goblin 
King. Jareth's mismatched eyes were full of amusement and in their depths she 
saw desire. His lips curled up in another devious grin. He watched her body 
tense and anger and confusion crept into her eyes.
 
	"I want the same thing you want from me..." His voice echoed as he 
disappeared in a cloud of glitter. 

Disclaimers: Just remember the initials JH. If you're a David Bowie fan then you 
know where the chapter title comes from. "Strangers When we meet" belongs to the 
ever talented DB who gave life to our favorite Goblin King. 

	Steely resolve is falling from me...


	Sarah stood trembling in the dimly lit barn. Her mind was reeling with 
what had just happened. Jareth, The Goblin King and ruler of the Labyrinth and 
the Underground had kissed her. She sat on a stool and ran her hands through her 
dark hair. Anger suddenly engulfed her. "Bastard!" She stood and began to pace 
the cobble stone isle. "Who does he think he is? I want nothing from him but to 
go home!! And he expects me to like him?" * He's arrogant, selfish, conceited, 
dangerous, tall, handsome. * She shook her head, angry with herself for allowing 
the last two words to enter her mind.

 "I will never love him and I am NOT attracted to him." She said to comfort 
herself. She gathered the tray of half eaten food and moved to each lantern, 
blowing out the flames. She left one lantern for herself to find her way back to 
the castle. 

	Metta met her at the doorway back into the castle. "Lady Sarah, I had 
grown worried when you did not return."

	"I'm sorry Metta. How about that bath?" She had not ridden a horse in 
nearly 2 years and on her walk back to the castle her muscles had reminded her 
of that fact. She wanted nothing more then to sit and soak in her tub. 

	Metta accompanied her to her room. The young elf filled the tub and 
prepared Sarah's night clothes before leaving. 

	Sarah forced herself to forget about Jareth as she soaked, but his kiss 
was imprinted in her mind and her lips still tingled. She had been kissed by men 
before, why was this kiss any different?  "Maybe because he's the Goblin King 
and no matter how hard I try to deter myself from noticing, he's still drop dead 
gorgeous." She sank deep into the hot, bubbly water feeling a sense of defeat.

 "So he's handsome, so what. That doesn't change the fact that he's still an 
arrogant son of a bitch. If I keep reminding myself of that, there won't be a 
problem." This satisfied her, for now. She realized that she wasn't an immature 
15 year old child anymore who had foolishly wished her baby brother away. She 
was a 25 year old woman now, she could handle the situation she was in. She was 
an adult after all. And being an adult she noticed things she would not have 
noticed as a child. Like how handsome a certain Goblin King looked in form 
fitting pants. She quickly banished the thought from her mind. She had evaded 
other handsome men before. She was still single after all. She sighed.  Jareth 
wasn't just some other handsome guy she knew from work or school.  Things had 
just become a whole lot more complicated for her. 

	She soaked a short while longer before getting out, drying herself and 
dressing in her nightgown. She collapsed onto her bed and pulled the blankets 
around her. Her body was exhausted from riding Velvet all day and her mind was 
exhausted from trying to repress images and thoughts of an insolent Goblin King. 
She forced her thoughts to Jareth's gift to her. Soon sleep claimed her and the 
only thing that filled her thoughts was riding a beautiful Arabian mare across 
endless green fields. 

	True to her word she began to take complete care of Velvet. If she didn't 
love horses so much she would not have accepted such a gift from the Goblin 
King, just to rebel against him. But her love for horses won. She kept herself 
very busy at the barn. She skipped breakfast, often lunch too. She would help 
Riley with the other horses and spend hours fussing over Velvet. She braided 
flowers into her long black mane and brushed her coat until it shone like 
bronze. She polished the saddle and bridle that belonged to the mare and now her 
so that it was spotless. She took very long rides out over the countryside. She 
realized she did all this to stay away from the castle and the Goblin King. She 
was still having an emotional battle on the inside. He mind told her to stay 
away from him, he was an arrogant, King who knew nothing of love or compassion. 
He only knew pain, suffering and cruelty. Another part of her wondered what it 
would be like to be in his arms, to try to dissolve the mask he flaunted, 
feigning dominance, to see him laugh a genuine laugh, to let him love her like 
he claimed to. 

	He did not attend dinner every night and Sarah became accustomed to eating 
alone in her own room when she came back from the stables. As time passed and 
she saw no sign of him, she started remaining in the castle a little more each 
day, hoping to catch a glance of him. He was no where to be found. To her 
astonishment, she realized that she missed him. Everyday that passed that she 
didn't see him, felt incomplete.  She longed to see that wild blond hair and 
smug stance, those mismatched eyes, his weird choice of clothing that she had 
begun to grow fond of. Jareth just wouldn't be Jareth if he didn't wear the 
clothes he did. 

	He never came by the stables to see how she was enjoying the gift he had 
given her. At first she thought he might join her for a ride, but soon those 
thoughts vanished.  He had meant what he said about getting her out of the way 
or maybe he was actually busy running his Kingdom. Still, he didn't appear for 
dinner, never asked her to dine with him. She even got back from the stables 
early a few times to bath and prepare for a dinner with him but no invitation 
ever came and when she arrived at the dinning hall at 7 it was deserted. 

	She longed to see him, even just to know that he was there, alive and 
present. She didn't know what she would say to him if she saw him. She just 
wanted to see him...


The Goblin King's Secrets

	Sarah wiped the sweat from her brow with her arm. The day had grown hot 
very quickly. Velvet was lathered in sweat and desperately needed a cool bath 
and some water so that she wouldn't overheat. The same for herself wasn't such a 
bad thing either. After cooling the mare out she tied her to a fence and 
bucketed water from the pump to sponge her down. Velvet enjoyed the bath and 
shook furiously after sending water spraying out in all directions. Sarah 
laughed as the water splashed her. She untied the mare and let her out in one of 
the many large fields that surrounded the stable. She bucked and kicked and 
rolled in the grass. Sarah laughed at her antics and didn't notice the raven 
staring down at her from a tree nearby. 

	"It's a bit hot today, isn't it?" Riley said putting one booted foot on 
the bottom fence railing and leaning his elbows on the top rail as he came to 
stand beside her.

	"Yes. It was too hot to ride today. I got as far as the stone wall and 
noticed Velvet breaking into a sweat. I figured she would enjoy the day off."

	"Aye, she seems to be having a grand ole time out there in the field. I 
haven't seen her this spirited since she was but 7. Ye done good for her Sarah."

	"She's done some good for me too." She smiled sweetly. 

	"I'm glad that I did the stalls early this morning. Way too hot to be 
doing 'em now." Riley said wiping the sweat from his forehead.

	"What do you plan to do with the rest of your day?"

	"Goin home. A friend and I will be fishing. Nice day to sit by the pond 
and relax."

	"Sounds like fun."

	"Aye, and what of you Sarah? What will you do with your day off?"

	"I think I'll wander about the castle. I actually haven't seen too much of 
it and being inside the stone walls may provide some relief from the heat."

	"Smart girl. G'day to ye."

	"You too Riley. Have fun fishing."

	
	Sarah walked slowly through the stone halls. A nice cool bath would be a 
welcomed event. Her clothes were nearly dry from Velvet's little shower, but 
they still clung to her like a second skin. She wanted to shed them and don a 
dress. Something soft, cotton and preferably sleeveless. She was very tired and 
practically dragging herself along when she heard something that perked her 
interest. 

	"Absolutely out of the question." The voice was cold, irritated and very 
familiar.

	"Jareth..." she whispered and she felt excitement course her veins. She 
saw a large oak door opened slightly a jar and she positioned herself near it. 
She could see Jareth sitting in a large chair with a high back. Another man was 
with him. He was tall, with dark hair. He stood at the side of the table they 
both were near. Maps and other parchments were strewn across the dark cherry 
wood. 

	"Oh and having her here has done so much for you, hasn't it? Look at you. 
You're even more irritable then before."

	"The only thing irritating me right now is you." Jareth shot back coldly. 
Sarah leaned against the framing of the door to get a better look. Jareth was 
dressed in a black poet's shirt, the neck line a bit higher then most of his 
shirts. He wore no vest, cape or jacket. He wore his tight black pants and black 
knee high boots. * He looks devilishly handsome when he's angry. * 

	"I'm only trying to help you Jareth."

	"You can help me by going over these maps. That WAS what our plan for the 
day." Jareth reached for a map and once it was in his grasp he tossed it down on 
the table in front of him. "If I recall last time you were here, you didn't wish 
to talk about my guest."

	"Things have changed. I never expected to receive your urgent message."

	Jareth let his chin rest on a black gloved hand. "How did he find out 
about her so quickly? If one of my servants let the secret of her existence here 
out, I will punish them with great pain."

	"Perhaps he was out for a flight when he saw her. You do let her have the 
run of your kingdom."

	"Hardly." Jareth said glaring. "Besides, he's not one for just going out 
for a flight, and certainly not in my Kingdom." 

	"He will tell the High court you know. You know that don't you?"

	"Of course I do you twit! Don't you think I thought about that before I 
even brought her here?" Jareth let out a frustrated sigh and sank back into the 
large chair, draping one long leg over the arm it. Sarah leaned closer to the 
door. She had a funny feeling who they were talking about. 

	"Just send her back. You'll be saving yourself a hell of a lot of 
trouble."

	Jareth rubbed at his forehead. "Aiden, we've been over this before. I 
would rather die then give her up. I've waited so long to bring her back and now 
that she is here I have no intent on returning her."

	"Oh yes, because you two have grown so close since she arrived. Seriously 
when was the last time you saw her?"
	
	"I see her everyday." Sarah nearly gasped at his outright lie and inhaled 
deeply when she heard Aiden's reply.

	"I don't mean spying on her from the tree tops." Jareth didn't reply. 
"You've been ignoring her lately haven't you? You need your head bashed against 
a very hard wall. You should be spending time with her."

	"Don't presume to tell me what I should or should not be doing with her. 
You who hasn't been with a woman since your wife died. You're not qualified."

	"I'm much more qualified then you!" Aiden shot back. "At least I had a 
wife whom I loved very much and spent 300 lovely years with. You've been alone 
for 400 years Jareth." Jareth opened his mouth to speak but Aiden cut him off. 
"-I'm not counting any silly one night stands or flings after a masked ball. You 
have been alone since Cyla betrayed you."

	'Don't speak her name in my presence, EVER again." The Goblin King said 
through grit teeth.

	"Fine, but you've still been alone. You have no idea how to properly court 
a woman. The woman must be wondering where the hell you have been hiding 
yourself."

	"She does not care. She is most likely glad that she doesn't have to spend 
time in my presence." Jareth admitted quietly. He twirled a quill in a jar of 
black ink on the table in front of him. "I've seen her. She visits the stable 
everyday and enjoys the gift I gave her. I thought that perhaps once I had given 
her the mare, she would see that I am not totally cruel." Angrily he knocked the 
jar of ink with his hand and it splattered all over the dark cherry table as 
well as the maps and parchments. "I have been fooling myself. She will never 
love me." He said with anguish in his voice.

	Aiden sighed softly "You really love her don't you?"

	"More then I care to admit to anyone, including myself." He let out 
softly. Sarah gasped loudly and quickly clamped her mouth with her hand. "What 
was that?" Jareth was out of his chair in an instant. 

	"I shall take a look." Aiden went to the door and looked about. His eyes 
settled upon Sarah trying to remain still against the wall and he gave her a 
brilliant smile. Her eyes were wide with the fear that he would tell Jareth that 
she had been eavesdropping.  "There is nothing here." Aiden called back to 
Jareth. "It must have been our imaginations." He winked at Sarah and closed the 
door behind him. Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't understand why 
Aiden had covered for her, but she was grateful. She quickly glanced around to 
make sure that no one was in the hall to see her slip away. She really needed 
that bath! 

	Aiden returned to the table. He understood why Jareth liked the mortal 
woman. She was beautiful and her eyes danced with fire and mischief. She had 
also been the only one to ever defeat Jareth's Labyrinth, mortal, Fae or 
otherwise. That alone was a quality he admired of her. But Aiden knew it was 
still risky for Jareth to keep her in his Kingdom. Many Fae were known to 
despise mortals. Some Fae had tortured them in the past, mocked them, enslaved 
them and even raped mortal women. Despite Jareth's cruel streak, raping was by 
no way something he took lightly. In fact the act outraged him. He may be a man 
of cruelty and arrogance and he was known to be pompous but he was not beyond 
compassion and he did have morals. Fae women could protect themselves with their 
magic from such acts, mortal women had no defense against a ruthless Fae male. 
Jareth had been foolish enough to speak the truth of what he felt and had been 
banished because of it. 

	"The routes and planning will need to be done at a later time." Aiden said 
gesturing at the maps and parchments now splattered with black ink. 

	"Yes, but we shouldn't wait too long. If anyone thinks of advancing upon 
my castle, despite my Labyrinth's defenses I must be ready to flee with her, 
should either of our lives depend on it."

	"You are an incredibly foolish man, Jareth. But also a very courageous 
one. To risk the court and the Fae who despise you for the love of a mortal 
woman. Very honorable. Who would have thought that about you?" Aiden gave him a 
smile and extended his hand. Jareth took it in his own and the two men shook. 
"Till we meet again. And I hope the next time we meet that you would have spent 
some time with that mortal of yours. If you're going to keep her here and go 
through all this trouble you might as well enjoy her."

	"Aiden." Jareth said coldly.

	Aiden gave a chuckle. "You know what I mean. Spend some time with her. I 
have the feeling that she will come around. Just try to lighten up a little will 
you?"

	Jareth allowed a smile to form on his lips and he nodded. 'Of course." 
Aiden bowed and disappeared.

Night Ride

Sarah climbed out of the tub and heard a soft knock at the door. She reached 
quickly for her robe. Metta must have brought lunch. She wrapped the robe around 
her and walked from behind the wooden shades that separated the tub from the 
rest of the room. The door sung open and she gasped. The Goblin King stood 
before her, still holding the door knob with one hand. His face flushed. "My 
apologies." He said quickly turning his head. Sarah's heart was pounding in her 
chest. The conversation she overhead only a few hours before was in her mind. 
She needed to act as if she had not heard it. She should act cold and 
unforgiving as she would when she first came to the underground. 

	"It's all right." She said tightening the robe around her. "Just wait for 
me to answer before you walk in."

	He nodded and his previous embarrassment faded as he let his eyes gaze 
from the floor up the length of her body. He said nothing but only stared at her 
as if he were seeing her for the first time. 

	"Finally decided to stop avoiding me?" she let out with some coldness.  
She expected him to lie or make up a lame excuse. 

	"Yes." He exhaled softly. His mismatched eyes had not met her blue ones. 
He was avoiding eye contact. Very unlike him.

	"And?" she pushed when the silence was too much for her. He shook his 
blond mane and finally looked into her eyes. 

	"I shall show you something tonight. I believe it will be of some interest 
to you." There was a slight coldness to his voice.

	'Is that so. What if I don't feel like going anywhere with you?"

	"It was not a request." He spit bitterly. "Meet me at the stables at 8 
sharp." Without another word he left the room, leaving behind a shocked Sarah. 

	"Yeah that went well." She reached for a dress and sighed. 

	The afternoon passed by very slowly. She was eager to know what he wanted 
to show her and she was eager to see him again. She had changed from her dress 
to her riding outfit around 1:00. The night could not arrive fast enough. 

She made her way to the stable hoping to see the Goblin King there, but he was 
no where to be seen. Perhaps he was planning on making some sort of cruel joke, 
getting her hopes up and then standing her up.. She heard the sound of 
horseshoes hitting cobblestone. Light flared from the back of the stable. An 
unnatural light and bathed in it's bluish glow were two horses. Sarah's 
beautiful bay mare and the white horse Sarah had seen Jareth touching the night 
he kissed her.

 Jareth stood between the two horses, both of which were saddled. His wild hair 
glowed in the strange light. He was dressed in dark clothing with a long flowing 
cape trailing behind him. He commanded power and grace with every step he took 
towards her. As he neared her she realized that he had a navy blue poet's shirt 
on that hardly covered the pale skin of his chest. The black pants he wore did 
nothing to conceal every intimate detail of the beauty and perfection of his 
lower body and Sarah flushed when she realized where her eyes had been drawn to. 
He was some sort of dark knight that should be feared and considered dangerous 
and very forbidden. A black gloved hand extended forward and offered her the 
reins of her horse. 

	"Shall we?" In one graceful leap he was in the saddle. She looked down at 
the reins he had placed in her hand and then up at him. He looked smug and so 
devious. His mismatched eyes sparkled with mischief. He was taking her on a 
Night ride somewhere. She could only imagine where and the mischief in his eyes 
only excited her all the more. She felt like she shouldn't be doing this and she 
wanted to do it all the more. He clucked to his horse and dug his heels into the 
horse's side galloping from the barn. Sarah and Velvet had no trouble keeping 
up. The night was warm and the moon was full in the sky casting light and 
causing shadows to form everywhere it couldn't reach. 

	Jareth's cape trailed behind him as his horse galloped on. He rode very 
well and Sarah realized that horses were probably the only form of 
transportation other then magic or the wings of the owl he sometimes used. They 
rode on towards the mountains into areas she had never ridden through before. 
Strange vines with large leaves and bright colored flowers clung to the trees. 
Strange blue moss grew on the bark of others. Sarah closed her eyes and felt the 
wind rush her hair. She let out a joyful laugh. This was true freedom and Jareth 
had not taken it from her, he had given it to her. 

	A short while later, Jareth pulled his horse to a trot and finally to a 
dead halt. Sarah did the same. The Goblin King jumped from his saddle and put a 
leather encased finger to his lips. She jumped down quietly from Velvet's back 
and tied the mare beside Jareth's horse. They crept quietly through underbrush 
and Jareth stopped at a clearing once again putting a finger to his lips.  He 
gestured for Sarah to join him and she did so cautiously. He raised a gloved 
hand and pointed. Sarah drew in a sharp breath at what she saw before her. A 
sparkling lake and two pure white unicorns. Jareth grinned at the surprised look 
on her face and slowly squatted down to blend in with the shadows. Sarah did the 
same, not taking her eyes off the unicorns grazing quietly in front of them. 

	"Beautiful aren't they." His accent made itself clear on the word aren't. 
Sarah could only nod. They watched the unicorns for a short while. They grazed 
on the green grass by the lake and occasionally nickered softly to each other. 
"They are mates." Jareth offered. "Unicorns mate for life. These two have been 
coming here for quite some time. I admit that I was surprised to find them 
taking sanctuary in my kingdom." Something crashed far off in the distance and 
the unicorns, startled and cautious fled into the woods to Sarah's dismay.

	Jareth stood and began to walk to the horses. Sarah followed after a few 
glances back at the lake. He held aside branches for her as they walked. "What 
do you mean they are taking sanctuary in your kingdom?"

	"Unicorns are a being of pure innocent magic. Pure and untainted by greed 
or extortion. Those without magic and even those with hunt these creatures. They 
grow scarce despite the fact that they are immortal."

	"So why don't you hunt them?" He stopped and turned to regard her. 

	"You really think I'm heartless, don't you?" his voice dripped with anger. 

	"Well it's just.." she stumbled.

	"You what? Still assume to know all the facts about me when you don't?" he 
threw his cape out of his way and began to walk quickly.

	"Jareth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by that. It's just the way you 
act sometimes and..." She paused. "I'm sorry. You did such a wonderful thing for 
me, bringing me here and sharing the unicorns with you and I've shot you down 
for it." He turned to face her. Her face was lowered and her eyes closed. Her 
dark hair cascaded down her shoulders. She looked incredibly vulnerable and no 
where near the firey woman he knew her to be. He took a deep breath before 
backtracking to her. He slowly lifted her chin with his hand. 

	"I'll forgive you on one condition." She eyed him warily. Forgiveness 
shouldn't have conditions. "Dine with me tonight."

	"All right." He seemed pleased and continued to walk to the horses. They 
mounted in silence and started back the way they came. She watched him as he 
rode. Tall and slender in the saddle, never losing his balance. His cape 
billowed behind him and he looked as if he were clearly enjoying himself. Sarah 
didn't want to give him any false hope. She still didn't know how she felt about 
him and see needed more time to decide. 

	 
Propositions 


	The ride back to the stables felt entirely too short to Sarah. Both she 
and Jareth seemed to enjoy feeling the wind rush through their hair. Soon they 
were back at the stone stable. Jareth dismounted his horse with a grace she 
could only wish to someday possess. He offered her a hand down from Velvet and 
took the mare's reins into his hand. 

	"Wait here." He commanded in a soft tone. She watched as he led both 
horses into the barn and as the doors magically shut behind him.  She was 
nervous and excited at the same time. He had given her another precious gift. He 
had shared with her the unicorns that took refuge from the devious hunters that 
craved their magic.  

	She grew impatient as she stood outside. It was a beautiful night as the 
moon cast it's blue light on everything and the stars burned brightly. She felt 
a warm tingling sensation embrace her and she looked down to see that her riding 
clothes had been replaced by a pale blue sleeveless dress. It was plain and 
simple, but comfortable and cool.  The doors of the stable creaked open and 
Jareth stood at the entrance. He had not changed but had removed his cape and 
his wild and unruly hair looked neater. 

	He gestured for her to enter and she did so. They walked through the barn 
to the courtyard on the north side. Sarah gasped at what she saw. Within the 
small garden courtyard was a small table, covered with a cranberry cloth. In its 
center were two candles. Other candles were scattered around the courtyard, 
giving an intimate and very romantic setting. Different dishes of food were 
arranged in front of two place settings.  Jareth guided her to the table and 
pulled out a chair for her. She was too stunned by what lay before her to resist 
him and she sat, still gazing wildly around her. Jareth grinned as he watched 
her and made his way to his own seat. The stable courtyard had always been a 
very wonderful place. It was filled with exotic plants, a fountain and was 
carefully tended to. When she wasn't spending time with Velvet or helping Riley 
with the other horses she sometimes spent time here. It was place to escape  
from reality. 

	Neither of them spoke, but Jareth began to lift the lids off of some of 
the dishes. Sarah finally tore her eyes away from her environment and let them 
fall upon Jareth when she heard the clatter and clink of dishes. He was busy 
filling his plate with food and did not notice her staring at him. His face was 
bathed in the gentle golden light of the candles that flickered on the table. 
The sight of him nearly took her breath away. She quickly placed her gaze 
elsewhere and began to fill her own plate. *I'm an adult, I can handle this and 
I can handle him.  * she told herself. She realized that she still didn't know 
him. He was a mystery and that attracted her even more to him. She loved 
mysteries and challenges and she believed he would be an interesting one. 

	They ate in relative silence until she afforded to look at him and caught 
him grinning at her. "What?" she asked innocently. 

	The grin widened and his mismatched eyes sparkled. She wasn't sure if it 
was due to the candles or his sudden amusement with her. 

	"Do I have food on my face or something?" She reached for her napkin and 
dabbed her mouth. This made him grin even more. 

	"No. You are very beautiful when you're caught off guard. Then again you 
are beautiful all the time. Even when you are angry." His tone was soft. 

	She hated herself for blushing furiously at his comment. "What is this all 
about Jareth?"

	"Hmm?" he asked innocently. 

	"You know what I mean. The dinner setting, our ride earlier. You ignored 
me for a week and suddenly you're nice to me and treating me to a dinner."

	"I merely wish to correct a terrible wrong I have done." He said this with 
no regret in his voice, but his usual arrogance. 

	"Oh?" she inquired.

	"I realize the way I brought you here was not exactly proper. I should 
have explained the debt to you long ago, before I took the child, but it slipped 
my mind as it always does."

	"Slipped your mind? Oh how convenient for you." There was a touch of 
sarcasm. 

	"Would you have wished the child away if you knew of the debt you would 
owe me for taking him?"

	"I..I don't know. I was a child Jareth. Children do stupid ,impulsive 
things. I would not have understood what it meant, I'm not sure I understand 
this debt even now. You can't expect someone to love you, especially... 
especially if they don't know you." She felt embarrassed and she didn't want to 
say too much. He still didn't know of her eavesdropping and he would no doubt be 
furious if he knew that she knew his feelings for her. He seemed a private 
person by nature.

	"Then perhaps I shall allow you to get to know me better. I'm much more 
then I project to be."

	"I'm sure, most people are."

	"And you Sarah, are you more then you project to be? Would you allow me 
the same benefit of getting to know you?"

	"Why..why do you want to know me?"

	"Why do you want to know me?"

	"Because I'm stuck here. I can't go home. I don't have many friends here. 
I'm alone. I want to know someone."

	"Even if that someone is me? A person you hate?"

	She tossed her napkin on the table. "I don't hate you Jareth."

	"Ah but you claimed you did, and with a passion."

	"I was angry, I didn't mean it. Just like I didn't mean to wish Toby away. 
It was a mistake, I'm human and I make them. Don't you?"

	"I'm not human, I'm Fae, but I suppose I can make improper judgements."

	"How big of you to admit that."

	"You are not alone here. I thought you would have noticed that by now."

	"Oh and who's here for me hang out with? I can't exactly have a great 
conversation with a goblin can I?"

	He didn't laugh but his eyes were full of amusement at her words. "You and 
my stable master are friendly, Metta would talk to you if you wished."

	"That's not enough. Riley is too busy to hang out with me and I think he's 
afraid to spend time with me, no thanks to you. And Metta, she's so na‹ve and 
and..."

	"I am here." He offered. "While I may not pose as the friend you desire, 
I'm here none the less." He shifted in his seat and Sarah wasn't sure if he was 
uncomfortable with his position in the chair or with what they were discussing.

 "I find myself willing to extend my generosity to you once again. And I propose 
a deal." She gazed at him warily. She didn't like deals but she would hear him 
out. She nodded for him to continue. "Within 3 months we will spend time getting 
to know each other, as friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Unless we both agree 
upon the situation. That way no one will be taken advantage of. Should something 
more develop between us it must be agreed upon mutually. If less becomes between 
us that too must be mutual. If at the end of 3 months you can truthfully say 
that you harbor no feelings for me. If you can admit that you don't love me and 
never will, I will send you home." She opened her mouth to speak but he 
continued. "You will need time to make your decision. Should you decide you do 
have feelings for me, you will stay here with me forever. If you decide you 
don't, you will return home and you will never be able to return to the 
underground."

	"That isn't very fair. What if I go home and then realize that I do need 
you." She watched one brow arch up and quickly added. "That's completely 
hypothetical, not to get your hopes up."

	"You should know by now that life is not fair, and it may never be fair. 
Even if you were to realize you had feelings for me, you could not return. I 
would not answer you." He sat back in his chair pulling his napkin off his lap 
and letting it crumple into a heap on the table. "I realize that the end result 
will be a big decision, for whatever you decide will have a great impact on your 
life."

	She sat quietly for a moment contemplating. "What if I don't agree to the 
deal?"

	"Then you stay here regardless and will be forced to love me by way of the 
debt. I know this sounds harsh, but it was the original agreement that you stay 
here permanently. I would prefer you chose to stay on your own will and that if 
you were to love me that too would be of your own choosing. I don't like to keep 
prisoners." He rose from the table and walked to stand in the moonlight. It cast 
its eerie glow upon him, making his skin look pale and alien and his hair white. 

	"You don't have to keep prisoners. You can just let me go right now." She 
got to her feet and stood about 5 feet from him.

	"I would rather die then let you go." He admitted softly. 

	"Why?" she let out in desperation. She had heard him say that to Aiden.  
"What is so important about me? I'm a no body. I'm an average woman who is 
barely holding my own financially. I've got as much talent as everyone else so 
I'm not good enough to find the right job. My father is so busy taking care of 
Karen and Toby that he has no time for me. My mother left me when I was a child 
to pursue her acting career. I don't have a boyfriend. There is nothing special 
about me." There were tears in her eyes as she realized how empty and awful her 
life had become. 

	'You're so very wrong, Sarah." He was facing her now with some kind of 
sadness in his eyes. She expected him to say more but he just stood and looked 
at her. "You believe in things that no one else does and you pursue something 
until you get it."

	"Obviously that's not true. I don't have the job I want, my family still 
doesn't give a damn about me and I'm still alone. I've achieved nothing for my 
efforts." She crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes blocking out 
tears that threatened to fall. "A big fat nothing."

	"Yet you wish to still go home."

	"Because it's my home. Everything dear and familiar to me is aboveground."

	"For now, but things change."

	She realized that he was right. She was so busy trying to believe that he 
was evil and that the underground was such a horrible place that she didn't look 
at the terrible things that were part of her own world. And she didn't 
acknowledge the good qualities of the Underground. She stepped forward.  "I 
agree to your deal. We'll get to know each other and if I don't' feel anything 
for you or this place then I'll take my chances and go back where I came from." 
She extended her hand to him and he gently took it within his own gloved one. 

	"Agreed." He turned her hand and placed a gentle kiss on the palm. She 
shivered at the contact. His lips were soft and gentle upon her skin. He 
released her hand and smiled at her. "You can accompany me for breakfast if you 
wish in the morning so that we may get properly acquainted."

	"Jareth we have 3 months." She reminded him, trying to take her mind off 
what he had done to her hand and how the hell she was going to deal with her 
emotions the next few months. 

	"And I intend in every way, shape or form to persuade you to stay with me 
at the end of that time. Within the boundaries of truth of course.  I will be 
showing who I am truthfully and I expect the same from you. No lies or 
deceptions from either of us."

	'Fine. I can live with that."

	"Good." He bowed gracefully before her. "You have already won my heart, 
and before I'm through I will have yours." He rose, his eyes full of arrogance 
and something unfamiliar and then he was gone. Along with the intimate setting 
he had provided for them. She stood alone in the empty courtyard feeling very 
lost and confused. How was she going to keep her emotions in check when the 
smallest things he did to her made her weak in the knees? With a deep sigh she 
made her way back to the castle for a very long and sleepless night.

	
Confessions...

	Sarah spent much of the night tossing and turning in bed. Part of her was 
confident that she could refuse the advances she knew Jareth would make at her. 
She could refuse him and block out her emotions to go home. The other part of 
her begged to know what was so great about home. There was nothing to look 
forward to there. Only crushed dreams and a life of loneliness. What if she 
learned that Jareth had good qualities? She didn't know him that well. She had 
presumed to believe that his he was evil, manipulative and down right dangerous. 
She knew he was still these things but he seemed to be more as well. He could be 
sweet and romantic. She knew this because of the way he spoke to Aiden about 
her. He would rather die then give her up. No one had ever cared that much about 
her. He had given her Velvet, whom she enjoyed tremendously. Taking care of the 
mare gave her something to look forward to. Velvet depended on her and that 
comforted her to know that she was needed. He had also taken her for a night 
ride to see the unicorns. She realized that he put forth a good amount of trust 
in her to bring her to see the creatures that others hunted. Jareth didn't hunt 
them and that surprised her. It seemed she had a lot to learn about the Goblin 
King. And he had been generous with her. She still didn't know how her debt to 
him came about, but he was willing to bend the rules for her happiness. He was 
putting his heart on the line for her. She had been surprised how he willingly 
admitted that she had won his heart. Perhaps it was a way to sucker her into 
falling for him. Yet in his conversation with Aiden, he obviously felt something 
for her. She didn't understand how but he did and he was willing to let her go 
if she didn't love him, even if that meant he would be hurt as a result. 

	She calmed the chaotic whirling thoughts in her mind by telling herself 
that only time would tell how things would turn out. Maybe she would stay here 
with Jareth or maybe she would go home. She refused to just fall head over heels 
for him. She was very picky about who she dated. She had only been with a hand 
full of men her whole life. She wasn't going down without a fight. She had 
banished the idea of fairy tale endings long ago. The Underground and the 
Labyrinth were not fairy tales any longer. They were reality. 

	She left for the stables early to take care of Velvet before breakfast. 
She refused to slack off in her duties to sit around with the Goblin King. She 
returned to her room and bathed and dressed before Metta had even arrived. Metta 
frowned seeing that Sarah had taken care of herself, but to Sarah it felt good 
to tend to her own needs. She expected to eat in the dinning hall but was 
pleasantly surprised when Metta brought her to an unknown section of the castle. 

	"Metta, where are we?" she asked as they walked deeper into unknown 
territory.

	"Why the royal wing of course. His highness has his own section of the 
castle. Few ever see it, but he asked that I bring you through."

	"Huh, he's trying to show off what he's got." She said to herself as she 
glanced at the scenic tapestries and beautiful sculpture that lined the halls. 
There were royal blue curtains with gold trim in all the windows and there was 
not a goblin to be seen. Metta stopped in front of two giant double doors. 

	"This is where we part Lady Sarah. His highness is inside." She bowed and 
walked back the way they had come. 

	The doors were huge. Both made out of dark wood and they were covered with 
carved scenes. Unicorns, dragons, mermaids, mountains. They were incredible. She 
finally pushed the doors open and was surprised to see that this was a library. 
She had never seen so many books in her life. She also didn't expect to see 
Jareth and Aiden standing by a table. She took a deep breath before letting them 
know her presence. She had to act as if she had never seen Aiden before. 

	"Ah, Sarah. I see Metta remembered the way to the library. I thought that 
she had forgotten when you didn't show right away. I'd like to introduce you to 
a close friend of mine, Aiden."

	Aiden smiled sweetly and stepped close to Sarah, taking her hand in his. 
He placed a gentle kiss on her skin. "Just about his only friend. It's a 
pleasure to be in the presence of true beauty." Sarah blushed at his words and 
he winked at her. 

	"I thought perhaps things might get off to a good start if we didn't eat 
alone. I'm sure we could strike up a good conversation between the three of us, 
while all getting to know each other better and there would be no uneasiness." 
Jareth told her.

	"Jareth, I don't believe I could know you any better then I do. If you 
need any dirt on this fellow, you're looking at the only man who can tell you 
all, besides Jareth himself." Aiden told Sarah with a grin.

	Jareth shot him an annoyed look and Sarah giggled. She liked Aiden 
already. "Let us eat before the food gets cold."

	Jareth pulled a seat out for Sarah and pushed it in for her before taking 
his own seat. As they reached for fruits, drinks, breads, cheeses, muffins and 
other goodies Aiden started their conversation.

	"Lady Sarah, how are you enjoying your stay in the underground?"

	"I didn't enjoy it very much at first." She told him truthfully as she 
poured herself some kind of fruit juice. "In fact I hated it, but it's growing 
on me."

	"Nothing like aboveground is it?" Aiden replied flashing a grin.

	"Have you been aboveground before?" she asked as she reached for an apple. 

	"Yes, I've been quite a few times, although not recently so I am out of 
touch with your time."

	"Well maybe I could help you catch up. When did you last visit?"

	Aiden scratched his chin. "Hmm, I believe it was just after America was 
discovered by the Spaniards. Have you ever been to America? It must have a small 
population by now."

	Sarah laughed. "I'm from America. If you visited now, I'm sure you would 
find the world quite changed. Most of us don't ride horses any longer, but have 
cars." Aiden gave her a blank stare. "They are machines with wheels that don't 
need animals to pull them. They power themselves and take you great distances in 
a short period of time. We have planes that can fly over oceans and mountains. 
There is so much to see."

	"I will have to see these wonders for myself. Cars sound interesting as 
well as planes. Have you seen these things Jareth?"

	The Goblin King looked up from spreading butter over a muffin. "I have 
seen these things and more. But I don't pay much attention to machinery and 
such."

	"Ah yes. You see, Jareth doesn't like machines. He believes that they are 
the reason humans no longer believe in magic. He's afraid that if the Fae decide 
to experiment with machinery that we will forget our magic and become lazy, 
mindless individuals."

	"It's certainly something to be concerned about." She admitted. "It's 
already happened with some of us aboveground."

	"But not you." Jareth told her with a lop sided grin. "You still believe 
in magic and do things for yourself."

	'Sometimes, not always. I can be just as lazy as the next person. So how 
do you two know each other?"

	"It's a long story but we grew up together. I'm fifty years older then 
Jareth, but we're still close enough in age that we have things in common. We 
even were part of the court together. Of course that was quite a while ago from 
now, but those were the days. Do you ever miss them Jareth?"

	"No. I do not." Jareth's voice was as cold as ice.

	"Ah yes. I sometimes forget what a touchy subject the past can be."

	"Are you still acting Sarah?" Jareth asked her.

	She shook her head. "No I gave it up about 8 years ago."

	"Such a pity. Why did you stop? You were so good at it."

	'I had my reasons."

	"And they were?"

	"I don't think she wants to tell us." Aiden admitted with a raised brow.

	"No it's all right. I'm ok with my decision. Truth is I didn't want to be 
like my mother. She became an actress and it became so important to her that she 
abandoned her family for it. I don't want to be like that."

	"I see. You don't wish to make the selfish mistakes your mother did to 
your own family." Aiden said understanding.

	"Exactly. I mean I don't have my own family yet, but someday I will and I 
won't put them through what my mom did to my father and I."

	"Thoughtful girl." Aiden smiled. The doors to the library opened and a 
tall goblin came rushing in. He shuffled quickly to Jareth and whispered 
something in his ear. 

	"I'm afraid that something begs my attentions. Aiden, would you mind 
keeping Sarah company while I'm gone? I shalln't be too long."

	"Of course. Take your time." Jareth nodded his thanks and he and the 
goblin left the room. "His goblins, always getting into trouble." Aiden said 
with a grin.

	"Aiden, I never did get the chance to thank you for what you did the other 
day."

	"It was no problem.  I won't lie to you my lady, I didn't like fibbing to 
Jareth, but it was for his own good. If he found out that you were listening in 
the hall he would have been outraged." He took a deep breath and leaned over the 
table. "Jareth is very fond of you, as I'm sure you heard. In fact he's begun to 
act like his old self again since he met you. He was angry with you after you 
defeated his Labyrinth, which was quite an accomplishment. But he got over it 
and realized that he really cared for you. Jareth hasn't cared about anyone for 
nearly 400 years."

	"Cyla." Sarah let out in a whisper.

	"Ah so you heard."

	"I heard the name and I heard Jareth's tone. Something terrible happened."

	"Yes. Something terrible indeed. Something that changed Jareth forever."

	"Tell me."

	"I..I don't think that I should. It's not my business to say." Sarah 
nodded feeling disappointed. "I will tell you that he loved Cyla very much and 
she betrayed him to his own friends as well as the Fae court. He was never the 
same after that. When he's ready he will tell you all. It's a difficult subject 
for him, but he knows he can't keep his past from you." He looked at her 
thoughtfully, taking in her beauty. She really was lovely. "Jareth will be in a 
lot of trouble if anyone finds out that you are here. He risks much."

	"Then why does he bother? He could send me home and he would have no 
problems."

	"I suppose that he believes that dealing with the court, and the past is 
easier then letting you go. He was devastated when he lost you. He was prepared 
to give you everything if you stayed with him. He realized that you were a child 
though and he let you go. He knew that the debt would allow him to claim you 
again. And he didn't wish to confront you until you were older and more mature." 
He rested his elbows on the table and talked softly. "I'm sure he's hinted at 
how he feels about you and you must have heard what he told me the other day. 
The debt allows him to keep you here, but he doesn't want to keep you here 
against your will. He wants you to stay because you want to and because you love 
him by your own accord and not because you are forced to."

	"But I don't love him Aiden. I might someday, but I don't right now and I 
don't know if I ever will."

	Aiden smiled. "I know. He pulled you away from your life and brought you 
here and that must have angered you. And you have every right to be upset about 
that, but I beg you to give Jareth a chance. Please don't judge him until you 
get to know him. His old self is resurfacing everyday because you are here. He 
has a kind heart despite how he sometimes acts. He protects his own and he has 
many good qualities. You'll see them for yourself with time."

	She nodded and let her eyes fall to the table. "He..He made a deal with 
me. We would spend time getting to know each other. 3 months. If at the end of 
those 3 months I don't love him then he will send me home. If I do love him then 
I will stay with him, forever."

	"Seriously?"

	"Yes."

	"He's offered you immortality. Ingenious I must say."

	"I don't understand." She flashed him a confused look. 

	"It solves many problems. If he gives you immortality then he doesn't have 
to worry about losing you because of the short life span you humans have and at 
the same time he would solve some of the problem with the court."

	"I'm still confused." 

	The doors to the library opened and Jareth stepped through them. 

	"I will explain at a later time." Aiden whispered and Sarah nodded.  "The 
castle still in one piece?" Aiden asked Jareth. 

	'Barely. Some of the younger goblins decided to use my throne as a 
playground and one of them got stuck. And others decided it was a good time to 
have a food fight. I swear, sometimes I wonder if these creatures have a brain."

	"Ah the joys of being the Goblin King." Aiden flashed a devious smile and 
Sarah giggled.  "Well I thank you for your hospitality Jareth, but I must be 
going. Very good food and good company as well." Aiden stood and bowed before 
them both. " Lady Sarah it was a pleasure and I hope to see you again very 
soon."

	"I'd like that." She replied nodding. She believed Aiden to believe a good 
man and if he was friends with Jareth then that must mean something.

	"Then it shall be so. Enjoy the day." He smiled and disappeared in a cloud 
of smoke.

	"That's one way to make an exit." Sarah commented with a grin. 

	"I hope he didn't talk your ear off. He has the tendency to do that. And 
of course I hope he didn't feel the need to begin telling you dirty little 
secrets of mine."

	"The Goblin King has dirty little secrets?" She teased smiling at him.

	"I'm positive that you dear Sarah have a few of your own. Little secrets 
that you wish no one to discover."

	She shrugged. "I'm curious, did you ever tell anyone of my Labyrinth and 
your time here?" He snapped his fingers and a high footstool appeared. He 
propped his legs upon it, crossing them at the ankles.  She shook her head. 
"Really? You told no one?" His voice seemed almost hurt as if she had insulted 
him.


	"Come on Jareth, who would believed me? My step mother, who thinks I'm 
insane as it is for worshipping fairy tales, or perhaps I should have told Toby 
so he could have hated me for the rest of his life. Maybe I should have told my 
friend Aimee who would have proceeded to tell the entire campus that I'm crazy."

	"But you still believed it was real." He took a sip of his drink and 
peered at her over the rim of the crystal glass. 

	She lowered her eyes from him, almost ashamed. "I did for a little while. 
But then I grew up Jareth. I still love my fairy tales but the Labyrinth became 
nothing more then a realistic dream. I have a vivid imagination, everyone has 
always told me so."

	He inhaled sharply." You believed that you dreamed everything up?" She 
nodded. 

	" As I got older I did. I felt everything was a dream but at the same time 
I wasn't so sure." She looked at him wearily. "I have this sketchbook and I've 
drawn some pictures in it. Pictures so real and life like that I could not have 
possibly come up with these characters myself." She closed her eyes remembering 
the incredible drawing that she had done of him. It had looked exactly like him, 
especially his eyes.

	He took a deep breath and let it out sharply. "Did you ever forget me?" 
his voice was thick with emotion. 

	She wanted to tell him yes, that she had forgotten him and banished him 
from her mind, but she had agreed to be truthful with him. "No. I didn't forget 
you. Of all that I met within the Labyrinth, I remembered you the most vividly." 

	He grinned at this but the grin faded quickly. "Why would you remember me 
better then your friends?" She refused to look at him and let a silence fall 
between them. "Sarah.." he called softly.

	She finally looked up at him and met his mismatched eyes that were begging 
for her to answer him. "Because I feared you."

	"You feared me?" he echoed. There was no arrogance in his voice, but 
instead surprise.

	"Oh yes. I feared that you would come back to take Toby from me, I feared 
you would just show up unexpected at the house just like you had the night we 
met. That you would try to manipulate me with your magic or your words."  * I 
feared what would have happened if I had accepted that crystal...  * 

	"I would never do such things. I may be a being of great power but even I 
am bound to certain rules. Interfering directly in human affairs is a rule that 
is not to be broken. Unless that human calls me and asks that I interfere as you 
did when you asked me to take the baby."

	"And I was so stupid for saying the words!" she cried out. 

	The outburst startled him. "Sarah, " he started in a near whisper. "Do you 
regret what happened? That you sent the baby to me, that you had to solve my 
Labyrinth?" He held his breath as he waited for her to answer.

	She lowered her head. "I.. I don't know. Sometimes I want to regret it so 
that I could stop feeling guilty about wishing Toby away and so I could forget 
the things about that night that bothered me. And other times I realized how 
lucky I was to experience the Labyrinth even if I believed it to be a dream as I 
got older. I..I can't give you a truthful answer, because I don't even have one 
for myself."

	He watched as she began to withdraw from him and he cursed himself for 
pushing her and asking too much of her this soon. He rose from his seat and 
walked to a nearby window. "It is a beautiful day, cooler then yesterday. Velvet 
must be wondering where you are. You should attend her." 

	Sarah looked up at him. He stood gazing out the window, his hands entwined 
together behind his back. Distancing herself from him was a good idea. It had 
been the first day of their 3 months and she was already having problems with 
her emotions. They were talking about too much too quickly. 

	She stood. "Thank you for breakfast.. and for having Aiden here. It made 
things..easier."

	He merely nodded, his blond hair falling down his shoulders and he didn't 
look at her. She watched him a moment more and then exited the room. As she made 
her way down the hall, she heard something shatter from within the library. She 
was fearful and curious to know what he had broken but she kept walking.

	The Goblin King was bent over, resting his arms on the back of a chair; 
his face buried within them, glass scattered at his feet. Throwing the crystal 
and watching it shatter did nothing to comfort him and he felt more misery at 
seeing the broken pieces. How was he going to survive these next 3 months, and 
how would he deal with eternity if she denied him?

Disclaimers: I got this fortune from a cookie that says " If your desires are 
not extravagant they will be granted." Is wanting the Goblin King all for myself 
too extravagant? It is?..damn.  The lyrics found in this chapter are from the 
song "Night Ride across the Caucasus" sung by Loreena  McKennitt. Also the song 
that Sarah danced to alone, I had Loreena's song " Marco Polo" in mind. Both of 
her songs come from her album "the Book of secrets" if it's possible, go to 
www.cdnow.com and listen to clips of these songs. They make this chapter 
interesting. 


Avyar

	Over the next few days, Jareth was careful while within Sarah's presence. 
He didn't spend too much time with her, but he didn't ignore her either. He 
didn't want to push her and ruin his chances. A week passed by quickly and 
Jareth noticed that Sarah was becoming more and more comfortable in his 
presence. She was looking into his eyes more, not shying from small advances 
that he carefully and skillfully disguised from her. 

	Sarah wiped her mouth with her napkin and gave a sigh. 

	"Full?" Jareth asked her with a smile as he settled his wineglass upon the 
table. 

	"Very. My compliments to the chief." She said referring to their dinner.

	"I hope you are not too full to ride?"

	"Ride? As in ride on horses?"

	Jareth gave a throaty chuckle, his eyes shining with amusement. "What else 
would you ride?"

	Sarah blushed fiercely and forced her mind out of the gutter. "Velvet will 
be too tired. I rode her all afternoon while you and Aiden were in the library."

	"You will not be riding Velvet."

	"Then who? I have never ridden any other horse in the stable. Riley told 
me that they would be too much for me to handle. Many of them are only green 
broke."

	'You needn't worry. You don't even have to change."

	"Jareth I can't possibly ride in this dress." She glanced down at the 
simple, yet still elegant pale blue dress she wore.

	Jareth's response was a smile as he stood from the table. He walked to her 
side and offered a leather encased hand to her. She cocked her head, regarding 
his hand and wondering if she should take it. Finally she decided it was ok and 
slowly slide her hand into his. The leather was soft upon her skin. He helped 
her stand and pulling a crystal from the air, they left the room. 

	Sarah felt something shift beneath her and looked down to see that she was 
on a horse. She was on jareth's horse. He sat in front of her snuggly in his 
saddle. And she was sitting behind him, both her legs on the left side of the 
horse. The horse pranced in place, eager to run. She quickly grabbed a hold of 
Jareth. He was dressed in black leggings, with his black knee high boots. He 
wore a white poets shirt and a soft long navy blue coat. She wrapped her arms 
around his waist, afraid that she would fall from the horse.  He smiled looking 
down to see her hands around him. She drew herself closer to him, her head 
almost resting on his shoulder. 

	'Hold on tight." He dug his heels into the horses side and the horse did a 
half rear. Sarah gripped Jareth even tighter and soon they were off. Jareth's 
white steed ran like the wind. His hooves thundered over the forest floor as 
they raced onward into the night. At first Sarah was uncomfortable. She was used 
to sitting astride her own horse, but soon she began to enjoy to the feel of the 
wind rushing through her hair and Jareth's presence. She felt safe and warm 
holding onto him as they rode as if nothing could happen to her. She laughed and 
Jareth's horse picked up more speed. This made her laugh wildly. She looked to 
see Jareth glancing back at her, he rarely smiled with his teeth, but she caught 
a glance of his pointed teeth, sparkling in the moonlight. His smile was genuine 
and it made her laugh more. 

	As they rode deeper into the night Sarah noticed fires burning in the 
woods, people singing and dancing. Jareth pulled his horse to sharp halt, 
causing Sarah to bump against him. She laughed and he jumped quickly from the 
saddle pulling her down from the horse. He grabbed her hand and dragged her into 
the woods. She noticed he was bringing her towards the sound of the music. The 
music was haunting. Some sort of string and wind instruments. It sounded like 
Celtic music. People were dancing by a large fire that seemed to almost touch 
the heavens. Sarah was shocked and mesmerized by the people. They were 
commoners, dressed in simple clothing. Men and women, human, goblins, was that a 
centaur playing a panflute? Jareth wasn't walking any more, he was running and 
she grabbed her skirt trying to keep up with him. He pulled her into the 
clearing where everyone was dancing. 

	"Dance with me." He pleaded, out of breath. She laughed and nodded out of 
breath herself from their run through the woods. He didn't pull her to him but 
began to dance in rhythm with the others who danced in a circle around the 
flames that burned. Sarah found herself dancing with other men and women, 
spinning wildly with them. Jareth, in the chaos had been pushed back to the 
other side and she watched him. He was dancing as well, and was he laughing? 
Everyone started taking partners and he twirled a young girl around wildly. 
Sarah found herself being pulled and looked up to see a young man who began to 
twirl her. Everyone traded partners and she felt a familiar gloved hand close 
upon her own. She looked up to see Jareth. He had shed his coat and the top two 
buttons of his poet's shirt had come unbuttoned allowing  the pale flesh of his 
chest to be exposed as his shirt moved back and forth from his movements. A 
woman with long wavy blond hair began to sing a haunting melody and soon she and 
Jareth were following the dance that others had begun.  Side stepping across the 
dirt forest floor and doing a dance with their feet as they moved. Their hands 
raised they would spin and side step the opposite direction.

Oooh Ride on, through the Night. Ride on
Oooh Ride on, Through the Night, Ride on.

There are visions, there are memories.
There are echoes of thundering hooves
There are fires, there is laughter
There's the sound of a thousand doves

Oooh Ride on, through the Night. Ride on
Oooh Ride on, Through the Night, Ride on.

In the velvet of the darkness
By the silhouette of silent trees
They are watching, they are waiting
They are witnessing life's mysteries

Oooh Ride on, through the Night. Ride on
Oooh Ride on, Through the Night, Ride on.

Cascading stars on the slumbering hills
They are dancing as far as the sea
Riding o'er land, you can feel its gentle hand
Leading on to it's destiny

Oooh Ride on, through the Night. Ride on
Oooh Ride on, Through the Night, Ride on.

Take me with you on this journey
Where the boundaries of time are now tossed
In cathedrals of the forest
In the words of tongues now lost

Find the answers, ask the questions
Find the roots of an ancient tree
Take me dancing, take me singing
I'll ride on til the moon meets the sea.


	Soon after the song ended another began, this one much faster and lively. 
Sarah could hardly believe what she and Jareth were doing. Was this the same man 
who had stolen her baby brother 10 years ago? Was this the man who had been 
nothing but bitter, cruel and relentless in his determination to see her fail 
his Labyrinth? He looked younger as he laughed, his sharp teeth showing as his 
lips curled up into a real smile. His blond hair danced wildly around his pale 
face. His mismatched eyes sparkled with joy and life. 

	Another song started, this one contained drums, and a stringed instrument 
that reminded her of a violin. She noticed the men step away from the 'dance 
floor' leaving only the women.  Sarah began to make up her own dance steps, 
using something she had leaned in dance lessons as a child. The other women 
began to follow her lead and soon 20 or so women followed her every move. All 
the men were standing in a circle, clapping their hands with the beat of the 
drums. Jareth joined them, clapping his black gloved hands together to the 
rhythm. Another woman stepped forward and began to dance beside Sarah. She 
changed the steps, adding her own and everyone began to follow her lead. Sarah 
stepped back and every so often another woman would step forward adding her own 
steps. Sarah laughed wildly trying to remember all these new moves. 

	The dance finally ended and Sarah left the floor, her legs beginning to 
tire. She found Jareth leaning against a tree and he offered her a glass of some 
sort of fruit juice. She eagerly accepted it and drained it quickly. It was some 
sort of punch and it was sweet. She glanced around, fully taking in their 
surroundings. There were tents, and little wooden houses, a small stable, far 
off with horses who swished their tales and didn't seemed bothered by the noise. 
A group of men were playing some kind of game in a circle. They sat on wooden 
stools and on tree stumps tossing sticks at an object rolling around in the 
center. She watched people laugh and eat food. Sarah was surprised that no one 
really noticed she and Jareth. Did they know that he was the Goblin King? Gazing 
down at herself she realized she had worn a very plain dress tonight and 
Jareth's outfit was not much different from many other men. They wore high 
necked poet's shirts and leather vests, with brown, tan or black pants and knee 
high boots. They both fit right in.

	She turned to look up Jareth but he was no longer by her side. He was 
talking to a gentleman not far off. They were laughing about something and Sarah 
took the time to stare at him. He had buttoned up his shirt and made himself a 
little more presentable after their dancing. He was incredibly handsome as he 
stood smiling and laughing. After a short while he returned to her side with 
another glass of juice for her. He offered her his hand and she didn't hesitate 
to take it within her own. He led her to a fallen tree log still within the camp 
but slightly more secluded. She sat down and he sat beside her. They sat on the 
ground with their backs leaning against the log. Sarah couldn't stop smiling. 
	
	"Enjoying yourself?" he asked with a grin.

	"Yes!" she shouted. "What is this place?"

	"Avyar. A place to escape reality's cold touch upon us."

	"It's wonderful."

	"I'm glad you like it." He smiled and took a sip of his own juice. He 
continued to smile at her, gazing intently at her.  She smiled in return. They 
finally looked away from each other and looked around the camp watching the 
others continue to dance. Without even realizing it, Sarah leaned against 
Jareth. He wasn't bothered by this in the least and slowly let his hand slide 
across the log until it fell onto her shoulder. She didn't seem to notice. Time 
passed quickly and soon the music was dying and people were beginning to call it 
a night. Jareth stood and pulled Sarah to her feet. He led her back to his 
horse. 

	He gently put his hands under her arms to lift her onto the horse. He 
leaned close to her to lift her, but didn't finish the intended motion. Instead 
he bent forward and let his lips touch hers softly. He expected her to pull away 
and he would have obliged her request had she not wanted this. He certainly 
didn't expect her to lean into the kiss and deepen it. She wrapped her arms 
around his neck and he put one hand behind her head and another on the back of 
her waist to pull her closer to him. She smelled like freshly blooming flowers 
and tasted like sweet fruit juice. He nearly jumped when he felt her tongue 
probe his lips. He granted her access. She pushed her body against him and he 
let her guide him backwards. His back touched a tree and she groaned as his lips 
left her mouth and he began to trail hot open mouthed kisses along her neck. He 
felt something tug at his shirt and looked down to see her trembling hands 
trying to undo the buttons. He jerked away from her suddenly. This was very 
unlike her. And it was too sudden. He waved a hand over her and her eyes closed 
as she slumped against him. He sighed, breathing heavily. The sleep spell had 
worked. He lifted her into her arms and brought forth a crystal, which brought 
them and the horse back to his castle. He put her down on her bed and placed a 
soft kiss on her forehead. "This will be done the right way or not at all." He 
whispered to her. With regret burning brightly in his eyes he left the room for 
his own chambers. 

Truth hurts

The large double doors flew open and Jareth and Aiden looked up in surprise as 
Sarah came storming in. She was dressed in her nightshirt and was barefoot as 
well. Her long brown hair settled wildly about her shoulders. She didn't care 
what she looked like and she didn't acknowledge Jareth and Aiden's look of 
shock. 

	"What the hell did you put in that juice?!" she demanded angrily.

	Jareth blinked, a complete look of shock and confusion registering on his 
face. "I didn't put anything in it."

	"Bullshit!" she spit. 

	Aiden coughed. "Um, if you'll excuse me. Nature calls." He hastily left 
the room, closing the doors behind him. 

	Sarah's face was bright red. "What the hell did you put in it!?"

	Jareth looked at her with complete innocence, his eyes wide with surprise 
at her attitude. "I swear I put nothing in it."

	"Why don't I believe you?" she cried out angrily.

	"I don't know."

	"I trusted you and you took advantage of me! Just as I knew you would!"

	"What? I-"

	"You broke the rules of your own deal. Send me home!" She demanded.

	"I didn't break the rules." There was anger in his voice and suddenly he 
was standing. 

	"You did too!" she cried, not caring that she sounded like a spoiled 
little child, determined to get her way. "To become more then friends, had to be 
a mutual agreement."

	"And it was a mutual agreement. I didn't see you trying to stop me from 
kissing you. Had you asked me to stop I would have!" He walked toward her and 
she stood her ground. He watched as she grew even angrier. 

	"You did something to that juice." She insisted stubbornly.

	"I didn't do anything to the juice!" he shouted. His brows came down 
harshly over his mismatched eyes. He began to pace around her like he had that 
night at the barn. "You feel guilty for enjoying yourself and you're trying to 
blame it on me. You enjoyed that kiss and you can't deal your emotions so you're 
trying to find an excuse."

	'I'm doing no such thing. I didn't enjoy it."

	"Oh really? I seem to remember you eagerly responding. Do you remember all 
that happened?"

	"Of course I do."

	"Then surely you remember wrapping your arms about my neck, pushing me 
backwards against a tree while you kissed me and reaching to undo the buttons of 
my shirt. Yet you didn't enjoy what was happening?"

	"I wasn't myself. You did something to me with magic."

	"No I didn't! I would never manipulate you with magic."

	She laughed and it wasn't a pleasant sound. "Yes you would. You've been 
using me all along. Playing nice because you just want to get me into your bed!"

	Jareth's eyes grew cold and dark. "If I just wanted to bed you I could 
have done it last night! And I could have done it a long time ago and forced 
you, against your will!" he spit, his face close to hers.

	"Then why didn't you do it? Why must you insist on playing these games 
with me!"

	"I'm not playing games with you!" He was so angry he was trembling. Why 
wouldn't she understand?

	"Yes you are! What else would all this be about? You want to torture me 
and play games with me like the past! Why else wouldn't you bed me right away if 
that's what you wanted?"

	He stood close to her, staring directly in her eyes. "Only those who died 
before me know why I love you after all you have done to me. And only they know 
why I'm willing to wait eternity for love that might never be returned! You want 
the truth? I do want to bed you, but not like this. It will be done correctly, 
after you've admitted you love me or not at all. But it appears I've been 
waiting like a fool because you will never feel anything but bitter hate for an 
act of the past. An act I've wished everyday for 10 years that I could take 
back. But I can't take it back because what's done is done. I took your brother 
and made you face my Labyrinth. I can't change the past Sarah.  I can try to 
make sure that the future turns out better, but you won't let me! All you see is 
red and you are blinded by what happened 10 years ago!" He threw himself down 
hard into a chair, nearly breaking it.

	Sarah was shaking where she stood. What had she done? His eyes had become 
dark and his emotions unreadable. "I..I"

	Jareth pulled a crystal forth from the air. "Go home Sarah. You've caused 
enough damage." He offered the crystal to her, balancing it on his fingertips. 

	She could take it, go home and leave all of this behind her. She could go 
home and forget all that had happened here. She stepped forward reaching for it, 
but she stopped when she saw the look in his eyes. It was there only for a 
second but she saw it clearly and nearly cried. In that one glance she saw the 
truth. He truly loved her and she was breaking his heart. Confused and fearful 
of what she had seen and heard, she stepped back , stumbling and nearly falling. 
Quickly she fled the room, rushing down the stone halls, blinded by her tears.  
Jareth let the crystal fall from his hand with a whimper and it shattered on the 
floor in front of him. He buried his face in his gloved hands and trembled as he 
fought to keep from sobbing.



	Sarah sat curled into a ball on her bed, sobbing. God how she had been so 
wrong!. She shivered as his words echoed in her mind. He truly loved her and she 
had been stupid and blind in missing what he felt. She assumed that it was all a 
game, he had a goal and it had been to bed her. But it had not been a game like 
the past. She was beginning to believe what he felt for her was love and she 
might have destroyed those feelings with her impulsive actions. He had been 
right, she had not changed. She was still the spoiled, selfish little brat she 
had been as a child.

	"I'm such an idiot!" she sobbed letting her face fall forward into her 
pillow. She grasped the soft fabric in her hands and sobbed like a baby. She had 
enjoyed that kiss and she had allowed it to continue. She had been so 
intoxicated by him and not any juice. His touch, his scent, the way he looked at 
her. Those things had drawn her in. "I can't let myself love him." She sobbed. 
'He's the Goblin King!" Last night's events began to replay in her mind. Dinner 
like usual, a wild night ride to Avyar. They had danced together and she could 
not remember the last time she had laughed so much.  Jareth had been so 
different. Always smiling, happy with his surrounding and who was in his 
company. She remembered their kiss and she shuddered. She had enjoyed it more 
then she cared to admit. And Jareth, would he have stopped had she asked him to? 

	She nodded to herself, answering her own question. He had pulled away from 
her and had cast a sleep spell upon her when she had reached for the buttons on 
his shirt. Her own actions had been so sudden.  He had not taken advantage of 
her, he had protected her. Protected her from herself before she made a harsh 
mistake. The atmosphere that night had made them both act a little differently 
then normal. It wasn't the juice and it wasn't Jareth's magic. 

	She heard a sound within the room and looked up to see Jareth standing 
before her. He was in all black, his cape and hair flowing out behind him on a 
wind that wasn't there before. He pulled a crystal from the air.  His stance was 
rigid and his eyes cold and angry. He let the crystal roll back and forth along 
his hands.

	"What are you doing?" she asked, not caring that tears were still 
streaming down her cheeks. 

"I'm sending you home." His voice was cold and distant.

"You can't do that." She shook her head, clutching her nightgown around her, 
feeling cold and vulnerable.

"I most certainly can." He stopped rolling the crystal and fear gripped her. She 
needed to talk to him before anything rash happened.

She shook her head. "We have a deal. Or have you forgotten?"

"It's obvious how you feel Sarah. Why should I wait 2 more months for a decision 
I already know the answer to." His voice remained cold and bitter. 

"You can't possibly know the answer because I don't even know it myself. I want 
the 3 months I was promised. I have two left to remain here before I have to 
decide. We have a mutual agreement. I am not agreeing to go home. I promised 
that I would get to know you and I intend to keep that promise." She looked at 
him defiantly.

"Isn't it a little too late for that?" He mocked. He pulled at his gloves and 
then put his hands on his slender hips.

"It's never too late to try to make a wrong, right. Jareth, I know I hurt you 
and badly and you have to believe me that it was not my intention to do so." 
Tears stung her eyes and she again remembered his words "I seriously thought 
this was some kind of game and I was wrong for assuming that. " her voice shook. 

"Why should I believe you?" he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I can't make you believe me. I can't even ask for your trust because I've 
completely shattered it! All I can do is stand here before you and beg you to 
let me have another chance.  I want to see who you are. I want to know the real 
Jareth so that when I make my decision, I don't regret it. Because if I choose 
wrong, go home and realize that I love you and can't be with you. I would rather 
die." A tear trickled down her cheek and his insolent gaze dissolved.

He took a shaky breath. "What are you saying?"

"I'm asking you, I'm begging you to help me make the right decision. I owe it to 
you to make the right decision and I owe it to myself. I promise to leave the 
past behind us and live in the now. Please Jareth." She pleaded

Something inside him told him to deny her as she had done to him twice. To hurt 
her as she had him. He shivered at the thought. No matter how much she had hurt 
him , he could never hurt her intentionally. He loved her, despite everything. 
He nodded, some of his spiky hair falling over his eyes. 

She managed a smile through her tears. "Dine with me?" he nodded slowly. 


The way forward is sometimes the way back...

Dinner turned out to be a time of reflection for both Sarah and Jareth. They 
barely said anything to each other but polite formalities. In the days that 
followed Jareth spent a great deal of time with Aiden. 

	"I'm terribly sorry to hear how things turned out, but there is still 
hope." Aiden offered.

	Jareth nodded slowly. "I know there is, but I still feel as if it's 
withering all around me."

	"You're afraid to be hurt again by embracing hope and that's normal 
Jareth. Did Sarah ever say why she was all alone aboveground?" Jareth shook his 
head. "Perhaps you should ask her."

	"It's not really any of my business." Jareth told him gazing up to look at 
his friend for the first time in nearly 10 minutes.

	"Perhaps not directly your business, but finding out why she secludes 
herself from everyone might be the first step in learning how to make things 
right between you. In all truth neither of you truly know each other. You need 
to sit and talk things out."

	"She agreed to live in the present time and that we would forget the 
past."

	"We both know that forgetting the past doesn't do any good. We can repress 
emotions and thoughts of it but when they come back to us we are helpless 
against its onslaught. I have an idea. Why don't you both visit my Kingdom? It 
will be neutral ground for you both."

	"I..I don't know Aiden."

	Aiden put a hand on Jareth's shoulder. "You agreed to let her get to know 
you, despite what just happened. Do you regret that?"

	"Of course not, I love her!" 

	"Then take the opportunity I'm giving you both. Take things painfully slow 
if you must. It's obvious that you are both hurting." Jareth raised a brow. "Yes 
you heard me correctly, she is hurting as well. I see how she looks at you every 
time you walk by her. She regrets hurting you and she's hurting herself and 
trying very hard to hide it from you. I have this odd feeling that she isn't 
hurting just from what she did to you, but something from her past that has 
nothing to do with you at all. Will you accept my invitation?"

	"Yes. I will need to ask Sarah though."

	"Let me ask her."

	'yes, that would be a better idea. I think she trusts you. At least she 
trusts someone."


	Sarah folded the clothes and then laid them down in the large chest. "Lady 
Sarah, please let me pack for you." Metta begged her.

	"Metta I have nothing else to do. I might as well help." The elf girl 
nodded and together they packed Sarah's things. An hour later two goblins came 
to the room and carried the chest away. Sarah sighed staring at the empty room. 
In only an hour and a half she and Jareth would be riding together to Noross, 
Aiden's Kingdom. Aiden had been kind in offering them both a vacation away from 
the goblins and away from everything familiar. 

	She was worried about riding with Jareth in the wagon. It would be just 
the two of them alone riding for 2 days and making camp during the night in 
between. What if they argued? What if she said the wrong thing? What if she hurt 
him again? What if he wanted revenge? She squeezed her eyes shut forcing the 
thoughts from her mind. How could they move on into the future if she still 
couldn't get over the past?

	They had been riding for an hour now. Jareth sat beside her on the long 
wooden bench of the wagon. They had barely said a word to each other as he held 
the reins within his black gloved hands and flipped them against the horse's 
backs every so often to keep them moving. He didn't look at her, he didn't speak 
to her. It was almost as though she were not there. Thinking back at the past 
week she realized after she what had happened between them, he had not touched 
her. He would casually place a hand on her shoulder or arm sometimes and ever 
since she stormed into the library and blamed him for taking advantage of her he 
had kept his hands at his sides. He had become withdrawn from her. Could she 
blame him after what she had done? She didn't deserve this chance to get to know 
him, just as she didn't deserve his love.

"I realize that you didn't take advantage of me." The words came out suddenly, 
and although they were a near whisper they shattered the previous silence 
between them as if they had been a shout.

Jareth sighed heavily and let the reins slap gently over the horse's backs. 
"Sarah, I thought we were not to speak of the past? What's done is done. Forget 
about it."

"I can't Jareth. I can't sit here and lock the past away. It's part of me and 
it's part of you. How can we live in the future if we can't get over the past? 
Someone once told me that "the way forward is sometimes the way back." I didn't 
understand what it meant back then, but I do now. You know as well as I do that 
we're not going forward. We are both so uptight and so afraid to say or do the 
wrong thing because of the past that it's consuming us. Maybe if we sat down and 
just talked things out then we will be able to see the good and bad in the past 
and move on."

He turned his face to look at her, the first time he had looked at her during 
their trip. "Is it such a good idea to speak of things that bring up anger and 
bitterness? To dig deeply into a past that is painful for us both?"

	"How else will we get through this?"

"Will you answer my questions of your past if I ask them?" he asked suddenly.

"yes. If you want to know something then ask me."

"I'm not ready to ask yet but I will ask something of you soon and I expect 
honesty from you." He gazed up at the sky that was darkening. "We should stop to 
set up camp. We still have a full day's ride ahead of us tomorrow."

	They rode a short while longer and Jareth pulled the wagon off to the side 
of the road. He started a fire and unpacked some food. They ate in silence. Both 
sitting on fallen logs, deep in thought. 

	"Why are you alone?" his voice startled her out of her thoughts. 

	"What?"

	"Why are you alone? Why don't you live with your family and why don't you 
have a suitor in your life?" 

	'I.. Well I don't live with my family because I went to make a name for 
myself in the world. I couldn't exactly live at home with my dad my whole life. 
I...I wasn't happy there anyway." She admitted, looking away from him.

	"Why not? You had your brother back, certainly he made you happy?" 

	"Yes, Toby made me very happy. But she doesn't let me see him."

	"Your step mother?" he guessed.

	She sighed. "Yes. My step mother."

	"Why won't she let you see him?"

	"Why all the questions?" she felt very uncomfortable. 

	"You said you would answer my questions about your past."

	'Yes, I suppose I did. She, um. She thought that he would grow up to be 
too much like me. A dreamer. He already loved fiction and fantasy. She didn't 
want him to get involved in that and she took him away from the house a lot so 
that I couldn't see him. My dad didn't seem to notice and I brought it to his 
attention and he told me that I was jealous that Toby was getting attention and 
that I wasn't. I wasn't jealous. I just wanted to see my brother. He started 
becoming all I had left. Karen didn't love me and she never would, my father 
favored Karen over me. My real mother left me when I was 6 years old to pursue 
acting. God I'm a fool for idolizing her." She said with a frustrated sigh. " 
Toby was all I had and they took him from me."

	Jareth licked his dry lips but didn't dare say a word. She had fought so 
hard to gain her brother back from him only to lose him to an ignorant step 
mother.

	'So I moved away. They didn't notice anyway. Karen was most likely happy, 
dad was too busy to care. Toby noticed but that didn't change anything. He was a 
child."

	'Why no man in your life, to take care of you if you lived alone?" he 
asked cautiously as he ate some bread. 

	'I take care of myself. I can't rely on anyone. Everyone I ever cared 
about left me to fend for myself."

	"So you didn't accept a single man into your life?" 

	'I didn't say that. I let some in and what good did that do me? None."

	"Tell me." He said softly. 

	She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "I'm not going to tell you 
about my past boyfriends."

	"I don't wish to know about them all, just the one that hurt you."

	"Excuse me?"

	'It's obvious that one of them hurt you badly." She opened her mouth to 
ask how he knew that but he answered the unasked question himself. "Your tone of 
voice indicates that you bitterly despise someone."

	"Bitterly despise doesn't exactly cover it."

	"Explain." He said calmly and emotionless. 

	"Jareth.."

	"Sarah, we are not going to move forward if we don't get to know each 
other. Didn't you say that yourself? How can I understand you if I don't know 
what you have been through?"

	'Fine. I met someone when I was a freshman in college. I loved him and he 
hurt me. That good enough?"

	"Good Night Sarah." Jareth stood, starting to leave. 

	Her eyes widened. "Where are you going?"

	"To sleep. You don't wish to tell me seriously what happened. You still 
don't trust me."

	"Sit down. I do trust you."

	One brow rose. "Oh really?" There was sarcasm in his voice. 

	"What do you want me to do!? Sit here and spill out every single detail?" 
she cried out in frustration.

	'Good night." He turned and began to walk away. 

	"His name was Wesley and he was a year older then me." He shouted after 
him. "He only liked me because I was popular. Because of my stupid mother.".

	Jareth turned when he heard her voice quiver. He took a few steps forward 
but he didn't sit. He remained standing, towering over her. She made lazy 
circles in the dirt with her finger. 

	"I was so na‹ve. I fell for him right way, without a fight. He was 
handsome and a star player on the lacrosse team. Every girl wanted to date him. 
I never expected him to notice me, never mind want to date me. But he did. I 
spent time with him and I fell for him like a bloody fool." 

She gazed up at Jareth with tears in her eyes. He stared down at her, not 
showing any emotion. "He only liked me because my mom is a well known actress. 
That's why everyone liked me. He pretended to love me and was so sweet to me 
when I was with him, but behind my back he made fun of me. He told everyone that 
I was a dreamer and a geek. He made up embarrassing stories about me and spread 
them around campus. I never even knew it was him that started them! One day he 
was really angry with me, I couldn't go to his stupid lacrosse game because I 
promised a friend that we would go riding. In front of a crowd of our so called 
friends he yelled out that I was a spoiled little rich girl who's own mother had 
left her because she didn't love her and she was embarrassed of her. Just as he 
was embarrassed to have me as a girlfriend." Sarah squeezed her eyes shut. "He 
yelled out that he had never loved me, I was just a nice diversion." Tears 
streamed down her cheeks. "It all came down on me like a ton of bricks. I was so 
stupid for not seeing his true colors right from the beginning. The thing I 
hated the most was that after he dumped me I missed him. I missed that jerk. 
Because for 8 months he had been everything I wanted him to be and I had 
honestly loved him. I promised once I pulled myself together to look after 
myself. I would live for me and I wouldn't let anyone hurt me again. I haven't 
dated anyone in years. I hate being alone. I feel like no one wants me. Coming 
here made me start to see the reality of everything. I am not happy, I'm 
miserable and lonely." 

	She glanced up at the Goblin King with pain and anger in her eyes. "Does 
that cover everything you wanted to know?"

	"Sarah.." his eyes were full of sorrow. "I'm sorry, but I had to know."

	"Why so you can come up with some clever way to get around my defenses?"

	He shook his head, his blond mane falling around him and framing his 
handsome face." So I can help you heal. Aiden was right. We are both two sides 
of the same coin. We're both hurting and we need each other to heal."

	'But you're hurting because of me. It's all my fault that you feel the way 
you do."

	"Yes you hurt me Sarah, but I forgive you." 

	"Why? Why don't you hate me like everyone else? Why don't you see me for 
what I really am? A spoiled, selfish unwanted no body!" She began to cry and he 
advanced towards her. She quickly got to her feet and rushed away from him 
standing with her back facing him as sobs wracked her body. She felt him put his 
hands on her shoulders and he turned her to face him. His mismatched eyes were 
full of sorrow. 

	"It's they who don't see you for what you really are. They don't 
understand." He hesitantly pulled her towards him and he felt her tense. "Forget 
them Sarah. They don't understand." She trembled as he ran his hand over one of 
her arms and pulled her slowly to him trying to soothe her. This was the first 
time someone had held her. Her mother, her father and certainly not Karen or 
Wesley had never held her and tried to soothe her pain. They had only added to 
the misery she already felt. She fell forward completely against him, grasping 
his shirt in both fists as she began to sob. He rocked her gently and placed a 
kiss in her hair. "I promise I won't let them hurt you, ever again." His voice 
was soft and full of emotion. This made her sob more and she buried her face 
into his neck. 

	Jareth held her tightly and looked up to the night sky as he held her. He 
thanked whoever it was that told her the way forward was the way back, he was a 
wise man indeed.


Disclaimers: Jim Henson owns the Labyrinth and characters. I own those not in 
the movie. I also own the lyrics at the end of this chapter. They're from a song 
I wrote called "Empty". 

Almost Human...

Sarah slept most of the ride to Noross the following day. Spilling her feelings 
to Jareth had been emotionally overwhelming for her and he was glad that she 
slept. The day felt like it would never end as he rode and watched over her. He 
couldn't stop thinking about what she had told him. She had been through a lot 
in her life, nearly as much as he had and she was a lot younger then he. She 
felt unwanted, and he couldn't get angry with her for feeling that way. He 
desperately wanted her to see that she was wanted and she was someone 
incredible. 

Her mother had left her when she was 6 years old to pursue her acting career. 
That must have been traumatic for her, especially if she idolized her mother. 
Her father had remarried and she gained a step mother, whom she didn't get along 
with. Her father and new mother had a child together who she obviously began to 
despise right away. Why else would she have wished the baby to him unless she 
had been jealous of him? She beat his Labyrinth and regained her brother only to 
lose him to her step mother. That must have been a horrible blow to her. She 
moved away and no one seemed to care. She met someone she fell in love with and 
he hurt her. Life had indeed been unfair to her. 

	He gazed down at her sleeping form beside him. Her long dark hair fell 
over her like black silk as she slept on. She looked so peaceful. He sighed and 
hoped that her thoughts were as peaceful. 

	Sarah didn't awaken until they had already arrived at the gates of Noross. 
The giant golden gates were opened almost ceremoniously for her and Jareth. The 
land was green and flowering with life. It was a stark contrast to Jareth's 
Labyrinth. As they rode to the entrance of a large castle, Aiden was there to 
greet them. 

	"Ah, Jareth, Sarah, so glad that you could both make it. I hope the ride 
here was not too long. Elbon here will drive the wagon to the stable and feed 
and water the horses and Larin will see to it that your things are brought to 
your room." It was two humanoids that took to the tasks and Aiden, the true 
gentleman he was, thanked them for their efforts. 

"Come I will take you on a tour of the castle." He helped Sarah down from the 
wagon and Jareth jumped down behind her following both her and Aiden into the 
castle.  Aiden's castle was beautiful. He too seemed to enjoy sculpture and fine 
tapestries. There were no goblins running about and no noise. The floors were 
marble and they were so clean you could see your reflection as you walked. There 
were many potted plants and some hallways opened up at the sides with sitting 
rooms. These rooms had trees and beautiful flowers and small bubbling fountains. 

	"Your castle is beautiful." Sarah let out softly as she walked beside 
Aiden. Jareth walked slowly behind them. Aiden noticed that he didn't seem to be 
his usual self, but didn't ask what was wrong. He hoped that nothing bad had 
happened on their journey to his kingdom. 

	"Thank you. I hope that you will both dine with me this evening. It's a 
fair night and dinner on the balconies might be in order."

	"Sounds wonderful." Sarah told him. Jareth nodded quietly. 

	"Splendid. I shall show you to your rooms so that you may get ready for 
this evening. I'm sure you'd both like to rest as well. Riding in a wagon isn't 
exactly the most comfortable way to travel." He grinned and Sarah smiled at his 
warmth. 

	They walked a short ways and Aiden showed Sarah her room. It was enormous 
with a large canopy bed, tall windows that let so much light in, beautiful 
bureaus, a vanity and a table and chairs. The chest with her things was already 
waiting for her at the end of the bed. Aiden smiled at her satisfaction and told 
her he would see her at dinner. Then he and Jareth began to walk away.  

"Jareth." She called softly.  The Goblin King stopped and walked to her slowly. 
Aiden kept on walking as if he had not noticed Jareth missing along his side. 

	She walked to him nervously as she played with the ends of her hair. "I... 
I wanted to thank you for last night."

	'Don't thank me. I was foolish to force you to speak of things you 
obviously wanted to forget." He said shaking his head.

	"Maybe I did want to forget them, but I feel better now that I talked 
about them to someone." She paused and looked up at him with a shy smile. " It 
meant a lot to me for you to be the one I finally talked everything out with."

	His brows rose in surprise. She leaned toward him and placed a light kiss 
on his cheek before quickly escaping to her room. Jareth stood in the hall, in 
shock and his hand rose to where she had kissed him. A grin appeared on his face 
and there was a spring in his step as he caught up with Aiden. 

	Dinner was incredible. Aiden had balconies that overlooked a sparkling 
lake. They sat at a large table with paper lanterns glowing around the balcony 
and the gardens. The night was warm, the food and company were wonderful. The 
sound of something resembling crickets put Sarah at ease. Aiden retired early 
claiming that he had a meeting with a few of his subjects early in the morning. 
This left Jareth and Sarah alone together under the canopy of stars. Sarah sat 
on a small marble wall that overlooked the lake and Jareth stood not far from 
her, lost in his thoughts. 

	"Aiden has a beautiful castle. So much marble." She commented after a 
short while. 

	Jareth let out a chuckle. "Where do you think most of this marble came 
from?"

	"I don't- you?" She asked as his eyes sparkled. He smiled devilishly. "Get 
out. You're kidding me."

	"I jest you not. Much of this marble came from the mountains on the 
outskirts of my kingdom. Aiden has a weakness for it. Wanted a castle made of 
the stuff and he has it. We trade often. He takes the marble and in return I get 
many fine foods that aren't found in my own kingdom."

	"Sounds fair."

	"Yes, it's a fair deal." Jareth moved closer to her to stare out at the 
lake and clasped his hands behind his back. "Aiden is a good friend. I don't 
know where I would be without him." He smiled at her warmly.

	"You've been friends a long time, haven't you?"

	"873 years."

	Her eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

	He let out a chuckle. "Quite serious. We're Fae, Sarah. We are long 
lived."

	"Immortal?"

	"Yes, immortal." He nodded. 

	"The wisdom, you both must have..." she trailed off.

	"Age and wisdom don't always go hand and hand. I'm nearly 900 years old 
and I still don't know how to properly court a lady." He smiled at her with 
warmth in his eyes.

	She blushed and recovered with a grin. "Ok so you're lacking in the 
relationship department. But what else you must know..."

	"We do know a great deal. It's amazing to think how much the aboveground 
can change in the lifetime of a Fae."

	She smiled and looked out over the lake. As a silence settled and in the 
distance she heard the whinny of a horse, most likely one at Aiden's stable. It 
made her think of Velvet. She missed her horse. She knew if she left the 
Underground, her horse would not be all that she would miss. Day by day, the 
Goblin King she once feared and loathed was becoming more and more dear to her. 
But she wasn't ready to give herself up to him just yet. She still wished to 
learn about him and his past. 

	She shivered when a slight breeze swept across the balcony and an instant 
later Jareth draped his black cape around her. "It's ok. I'm fine."

	"You're cold. Maybe we should go inside." He offered.

	"No, no I'm fine. It's such a beautiful night." She smiled at his concern 
for her. He nodded. "Would you sit with me?" she asked quietly. Jareth hesitated 
for a moment and then dropped slowly to sit beside her on the fine white marble. 

She looked nervous suddenly. "Jareth I have to tell you something and I know 
you're going to be mad at me but I have to be honest with you." Jareth 
swallowed, his breath catching in his throat. Had she made an early decision? 
Did she plan on leaving? He nodded and forced himself to deal with what ever she 
said. 

	"A few weeks ago, when we were both avoiding each other, I came in from 
riding and I heard the sound of your voice. I hadn't seen you in a whole week 
and I had to see you. I peeked into the room I heard your voice come from and I 
saw you and Aiden. I didn't mean to stay as long as I did, but I heard 
everything."

	"You were eavesdropping?" The brow above his blue eye arched up.

	She swallowed. "Yes. I didn't mean to but you were talking about me and I 
heard everything. Aiden's pleas telling you to send me go home, you refusing, 
you admitting what you felt, among other things." She lowered her eyes from him, 
ashamed. 

	"The sound I heard. It was you out in the hall?"

	"Yes." She said lowering her head. 

	'So you knew of my feelings for you and yet you still felt they were not 
genuine?" his voice was full of pain.

	She chanced a look at him and wanted to cry when she saw the hurt in the 
depth of his mismatched eyes. "Jareth I didn't know you, I still don't 
completely. Everything I ever learned about the Goblin King told me that he 
didn't love and he certainly wouldn't love me. It wasn't just me thinking you 
were incapable of the emotion without a hidden agenda, it was my own way of 
guarding myself. I told you last night what I've been through not only with 
Wesley, but with my own family. I put up a wall around myself. I have to or the 
army comes marching in and they leave a lot of wounded. I've been hurt too much 
to just let someone in without a fight. And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to 
eavesdrop, I didn't mean to put us both through all of this. I'm really sorry."

	"So Aiden lied to me." His voice was suddenly cold, dripping with ice. 

	'He told a fib, yes. Please don't be angry with him. What's done is done, 
right? Let it go. Isn't that what you told me? Aiden is very loyal to you. He 
didn't want you to be upset."

	Jareth let out a sigh. "He was right with what he did. I would have 
exploded if I knew you were there."

	She nodded and bit her lower lip. Her voice became soft. "You asked about 
my past, Jareth and if we are ever going to move forward or backward or 
anywhere, I need to know about yours. I need to know about the court and about 
Cyla." 

	Jareth winced visibly as if someone had poked him with a sharp object. 
"Sarah, please, anything but that."

	"We have to be honest with each other. I need to know what you've been 
through, just as you needed to know what I went through. Love is about honesty, 
trust and forgiveness. We have the forgiveness down pact. Now we need the first 
two."

	"Sarah I don't know if I can." He pulled away from her, standing and 
turning away. She stood and walked to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

	"You're Jareth and you can do anything. You even made a spoiled little 15 
year old feel special when no one else could." His head turned to look at her 
and he gave her a sad smile. "If we're going to move forward, we have to go 
back, remember?"

	Jareth sighed and sat, gesturing for Sarah to do the same. She did so and 
he reached over and took her hands into his, drawing comfort from her. "Cyla was 
the first woman I ever loved." His voice cracked and he took a moment to 
recompose himself before continuing. 

"She was older then I, and powerful. I was young and I wanted power. I wanted a 
kingdom, I wanted children, I wanted a queen. She could give me all that for she 
was the daughter of King Graycis. An older Fae who was very well known and 
popular within the Fae court. He had an incredible Kingdom and his daughter was 
to inherit it. Aiden warned me to stay away from her, that I was young and she 
would use me until she grew bored of me and found someone else. I was a fool for 
not listening to him. I became so in love with her, willing to do anything, even 
be her slave. She knew this and used it to her advantage."

Jareth paused and moved his leather encased fingers gently over Sarah's hands. 
"One night an arrogant Lord, Lord Farris captured two mortal women. Many Fae do 
not like mortals and they torture them and use them as slaves. Farris was one 
who did such things and he went beyond being cruel. Cyla and I were staying at 
his estate for business when I heard screaming. I learned that he had brutally 
raped the two mortal women. I was horrified. I couldn't believe that anyone 
would be so cruel. I saw these women the next day. It was if he had taken the 
life out of them. They were battered and bruised and worthless for slaves in his 
eyes, so he killed them in cold blood. Others who were members of the court 
watched him kill the women as if it was a sport. I was sick. Cyla didn't 
understand my sympathy and concern for the treatment of the women and I should 
have noticed them that something wasn't right between us. But love is blind."

	He glanced away from Sarah out over the lake, still gently caressing her 
hands. "She proceeded to tell every Fae with an influence in the court about my 
concern. Soon those who I thought were friends were laughing at me, telling me 
if I loved mortals so much I should live among them." He turned back to Sarah 
and shook his head. " Thankfully, with time, everything died down. The incident 
passed on and no one brought any mortals into the Underground for years. I 
believed everything to be all right. Word came that a King had died and he had 
no heir. They were looking for a King to take his place and they offered the 
kingdom to me. I accepted eagerly for I was still wishing for a kingdom of my 
own. Aiden ruled Noross by now and I envied him. He had a beautiful kingdom and 
an enchanting wife by his side. And oh how I longed for the same." 

He paused and looked at Sarah with sadness in his eyes. "It turns out that the 
joke was on me. The Fae court had managed to trick me, rather reluctantly into 
becoming the Goblin King. A position no one would touch with a ten foot pole and 
for good reason. The goblins were uncontrollable, and the land even more 
uncontrollable. The Labyrinth. No one could control the legendary Labyrinth. I'd 
been tricked by friends in the court. Friends I had served 50 years with. I 
thought everything was going well and then they tricked me. It was all a setup. 
A setup planned skillfully by the woman I loved and wanted to marry." Jareth 
closed his eyes and held Sarah's hands tightly within his own. 

" Cyla announced at my inauguation as King of the goblins that she was seeing 
Lord Farris and that she loved him. Not only did she betray me in court she 
betrayed me by loving the very man I completely despised. I was banished from 
the court forever and a stipulation was added to me ruling over the castle 
beyond the Goblin City. Every time a child was wished away I had to take it and 
make the one who wished the child away, run my Labyrinth."

	'I hated taking away innocent children and being forced to keep them if 
their brother, sister, mother , babysitter, or cousin could not beat me. I 
became bitter, cruel and arrogant over time. I forgot who I once was and turned 
into what you saw 10 years ago. Aiden was the only one of my original friends 
that stuck by my side. Had he not been around I fear to think what I would have 
become or what I would have done." Jareth's eyes were filled with pain and Sarah 
wanted to cry after hearing his story. 

	"Where is she now?" she choked out.

	"She still lives with Farris, so Aiden has heard. He doesn't mingle with 
the court much either or anyone outside his Kingdom, save me. She supposedly 
married Farris and had a child."

	'My god Jareth. I am so sorry." A tear streamed down her face.

	He stroked her hands with his gloved fingers. "It's the past." He looked 
up at her and saw the tear rolling down her cheek and he nearly lost it. He 
reached up and lightly touched her face, wiping the tear from her soft skin. 
"I'm over her. I've had 400 years to get over her. I still hurt when I think of 
her, but you never fully heal and I've accepted that. But you Sarah, you brought 
me hope by defeating my labyrinth. You brought me the first hope in 400 years."

	"400 years is a long time to be alone."

	"Yes. It was eternity as far as I was concerned." 

She felt him shiver beside her and she draped half of his cape around him. His 
eyes were full of pain and sorrow and she reached over gently pulling him 
against her. He let his head fall into her neck and shoulder and she leaned her 
head upon his. He was trembling and she moved closer to him. He let out a soft 
sob as she let her hand fall into his hair. She pushed back the wild, blond 
locks and smoothed them with her gentle touch, trying to comfort him. She pulled 
him closer and he sobbed softly against her. Aiden had been so very right. They 
were two sides of the same coin. And they had more in common then she would have 
thought.  She had just learned everything she needed to know. Tears trickled 
down her cheeks as she held him to her. The Goblin King could love and he could 
hurt...And he had been hurt badly. He was almost human...

I feel the pressure, as it grips my mind.
The pain I feel, gets harder to hide

No one understands, what it's like
To feel this way. 
And to be empty...

Acting strong, is such a lie.
I'm really crying inside. 

No one understands, what it's like
To live my life 
And to feel so empty

No one understands, it doesn't disappear
The sting of first love, never fades away.
It'll come to you, when you are vulnerable
And it'll bring you down, on your knees. 
Oh It'll bring you down, on your knees....

The Great Escape...

Aiden was surprised to see Jareth awake at 5 'o clock. The Goblin King was 
standing with his back facing the King of Noross. Dressed in a leather jacket 
with a high collar, most likely a white shirt, beneath it. He wore black pants 
and black boots. He was standing on one of the balconies looking out over the 
land as the sun began to rise. 

	"I didn't expect to see you up this early." Aiden told him. Jareth didn't 
say anything and Aiden walked to his side gazing up at his friend with concern. 
"Are you all right? Nothing bad happened between you and Sarah last night after 
I left I hope." Jareth shook his head, his blond hair settling against him.  
After a short silence he sighed. 

	"I told her." He said softly. 

	"Told her what?" Aiden lounged against the marble railing..

	The Goblin King inhaled deeply and let out the breath slowly. "I told her 
about Cyla."

	Aiden's eyes widened. "Seriously? My word Jareth, you have that much trust 
in her?"

	"Yes and then some. It was only fair." He looked at the King of Noross. 
His friend was leaning against the railing, dressed in a cranberry frock coat 
with gold trim, a white shirt beneath that, black pants and black boots. "The 
night before, out on the road she told me everything. She told me of how 
unwanted she felt, and about a young man she fell in love with. The bastard hurt 
her badly and yet she still loved him. She told me of her family life and how 
difficult things had been for her. We are more alike then I ever dreamed. I knew 
there was something about her that drew me to her besides her beauty. I finally 
discovered what it was that night."

	'Two sides of the same coin didn't I say that?"

"Yes my friend, you did."

"The poor girl. So you told her about the court and the betrayal?"

	"Yes. And I told her about how I became the Goblin King."

	Aiden gave a bright smile. "So you told her everything then." Jareth 
nodded. "What was her reaction?"

	"She cried and it was nearly my undoing. She held me and I.." Jareth let 
his words trail off.

	"You what?"

	Jareth lowered his voice. "I cried in her arms like a baby. I haven't 
cried like that since I was a child. I didn't even cry when Cyla left me."

	"No when Cyla left you, that's when you became bitter and always angry." 
Aiden's smile widened. "The old wounds are finally healing."

	"Yes. But I'm frightened Aiden."

	"You frightened? That doesn't seem like you."

	"She hasn't made her decision yet. There are 2 weeks remaining before she 
decides. What if she chooses to leave? I will not be able to survive if she 
denies me a third time. I've already lost so much of myself to her, if she 
leaves there will be nothing left."

	Aiden gave his friend a hardy slap on the back. "She knows what you've 
been through now, just as you know what she's been through. It seems to me that 
you're both starting to heal. You've put forth trust and honesty between you.  
It's only a matter of time before things finally happen as they should. You two 
are destined to be together. She'll realize that, if she hasn't already. Let her 
have time, let her come to you. Don't push her away, but don't smother her 
either. Let her choose the pace. She knows what you feel for her, now she has to 
decide what she feels for you."

	Jareth nodded. "I'm afraid I must go. Official business. Hang in there." 
He gave Jareth another pat and left the Goblin King to digest his words. 

	Jareth was still standing on the balcony when Sarah found him. She was a 
little hesitant to approach him after what had happened the previous night. 
She'd never seen a grown man cry and Jareth was the last person she ever thought 
she would see break down. He turned when he heard her approaching him and he 
gave her a sad smile. 

	"Did you ok sleep last night?" she asked. Seeing dark circles under his 
eyes worried her. She reached up to touch his face and let her fingers gently 
slide over his high cheekbone and along his jaw. He reached for her hand and put 
a gentle kiss on the palm, making her shiver. 

	"I didn't bother trying. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep." He smiled 
and released her hand. 

	"Are you all right?" The concern in her voice was genuine. 

	'Yes. I'm feeling much better. It actually felt good to talk about what 
happened. I feel like I'm at peace with myself now."

	"That's how I felt after talking with you. I mean talking didn't change 
the past, but it made me feel better about it. I feel stronger. " He nodded. 

	"I approached everything so wrong last time." He let out softly. 

	"What do you mean?"

	"When I offered you your dreams, offered you everything when you beat my 
Labyrinth. I was foolish enough to think you would accept my offers. Everything 
about the time we met was wrong."

	"I wouldn't change it for the world." She told him taking his hand in hers 
and squeezing it. "Things happen for a reason. We don't always know what that 
reason is but we figure it out eventually. Jareth I was too young to love you 
back then. I was only 15 and I still had so many of my own problems to sort 
through and I needed to grow up."

	"And you matured quite nicely." He told her, kissing her hand again. " I 
take back everything I said about you being a spoiled little child. You possess 
more knowledge and wisdom then some 2000 year old Fae I know. But you were too 
young. I realized that after I lost you. I rebuilt my Kingdom and I spent the 
last 10 years just thinking. Thinking of how you beat me, how I could have let 
you go so easily, how to get you back. I should have been thinking how to bring 
you back without making the same mistakes as the past."

	"Hey there was no harm done. I've learned a lot of things about you that I 
would never have guessed in a million years. Everything happened as it should 
have. I wouldn't change the past for anything. No regrets here."

	He nodded. 'You're right. I would change nothing. No regrets." 

	She smiled sweetly. 'Good." She slipped her arm through one of his and 
leaned against him. "Jareth, I-" she started nervously. She would have continued 
but one of Aiden's guards came rushing up to them.

	"Your majesty, my lady, King Aiden wishes to see you both at once in the 
audience hall. He says it is urgent." 

	"Yes of course. Come on Sarah." Jareth took her hand and they quickly 
followed the guard to the audience hall. As soon as they entered, the doors shut 
behind them and a frazzled looking Aiden rushed to them. 

	"I was worried when neither of you were found in your rooms. Jareth you 
and Sarah must flee and quickly, I've gotten wind of some serious news."

	"What? What is it?" Jareth practically barked. He sounded like the old 
Goblin King that Sarah remembered. 

	"Farris knows about Sarah. He's heard rumors of her existence in the 
underground and he will stop at nothing to have her. He has gone to the courts 
to plead his right for revenge. They did not answer his plea and left the matter 
up to him. He is gathering a small army as we speak. He wants Sarah. He believes 
having her will be sufficient revenge."

	"No!" Jareth's cry was half anger and half anguish. 

	"Why does he want me?" Sarah asked. 

	Jareth spun to face her, grabbing her shoulders. "Because he's sick and 
twisted. He wants revenge against me for trying to embarrass him within the 
court for his actions over 400 years ago."

	"The mortal women." Sarah's eyes widened. 

	"Yes! He has no doubt learned that you were the one who defeated my 
Labyrinth and that you are close to my heart. He's somehow learned that you are 
here."

"We have a spy in our midst's." Aiden realized horrified. 

"We must have one. It's the only way that he could know all he does."

"What will happen? Jareth?" She grabbed his arm, suddenly afraid. She was 
powerless against someone with magic. 

"Farris won't stop until he finds you and has his way with you." Sarah swallowed 
and Jareth gripped her tighter. "I won't let it happen. I promise you."

	"Elbon has saddled two of my fastest horses. I've already sent word to 
your castle and they are preparing fresh horses as well as packing food and 
other necessities." Aiden told them.

	"Where are we going?" Sarah asked bewildered. 

	"To hide in the mountains. There are veins of iron in the far mountains, 
although they will weaken my magic by being near them, it will also weaken 
Farris'. He's more fearful of iron then I am and he will stay away. It will give 
me time to prepare a small army."

	"No, you two will take cover and I will prepare the army."

	"Aiden, I could not ask you to do such. You would risk too much."

	"You don't have to ask, besides I offered. Any risk is worth it for a good 
friend. One who deserves happiness with the woman of his dreams. Elbon must have 
brought the horses around front. Go quickly. I will gather an army while you 
hide Sarah from danger."

	Jareth stepped forward and clasped Aiden's hand tightly. "I owe you much 
my friend." 

	"In friendship, we owe nothing. We are both equally blessed. Now go!"	
	
	"We must hurry Sarah." Jareth took a last look at his friend and rushed 
down the halls, with Sarah holding his hand tightly. 

	The ride back to the castle beyond the Goblin City took only a day. Sarah 
and jareth rode their horses hard and made incredible time. When they arrived, 
the castle was a buzz with what was going on. Jareth's white horse and Velvet 
were saddled and ready and one pack horse, packed with food and other provisions 
was already waiting. Sarah changed quickly into her riding clothes and paced by 
the door, waiting for Jareth. He rushed down the stairs, dressed completely in 
black, fastening a belt with a long scabbard on the right side, around his 
waist. Sarah was going to ask what it was for but her question was answered. 
Jareth reached the end of the stairs and smashed a glass case that was there. He 
pulled a long bladed, iron sword from the case and put it in the scabbard. 

	'Jareth, what is that for?" Her eyes were full of fear. He moved to her 
quickly and placed a kiss on her brow. 

	"I'm not taking any chances. If Farris so much as looks at you the wrong 
way, he will wish he hadn't." he took her hand and pulled her out the door. They 
mounted their horses quickly and started off. Sarah took once glance back at the 
castle, praying that everything was going to be all right. 

To those who are interested check out my cast page! 
http://www.geocities.com/cormak3032/labyrinth/thedebt.html let me know what you 
all think! 

Also if you have a real player installed on your computer and would like to hear 
the entire song 'Night Ride Across Caucasus" by Loreena McKennitt from the 
chapter "Avyar" check out this link. 
http://free.freespeech.org/cw/ram/nightrideacrossthecaucasus.ram 

Disclaimers: please see the first few chapters and if you feel like having a 
laugh check out the later chapters.



Dream becomes reality....

Thunder echoed in the sky above, and dark clouds let their rain fall without 
mercy. Sarah huddled in a ball in the saddle trying to keep warm. Staying dry 
was no longer a concern, she was soaked to the bone. Jareth didn't fair much 
better. His long blond hair was matted to his face and his cape stuck to him 
like a second skin. They had been riding for hours when the storm suddenly broke 
and it gave no sign of ever letting up. 

	Jareth finally pulled his white horse to a stop by a large tree and jumped 
down from the saddle. He moved to the packhorse and began to undo the packs.  
Sarah dismounted Velvet and helped him carry a folded canvas. Using special 
wooden poles that fit together they created a small tent. Luckily the blankets 
they had with them were dry from being within the canvas. 

	"Go inside and keep warm." Jareth told her. Sarah nodded and went inside 
the makeshift tent, putting blankets down on the ground and dividing up the 
tent. By now it had grown dark and Jareth lit a lantern they had brought along. 
There was no way he would be able to light a fire with wet timber. Sarah ate a 
small dinner of fruit and breads and watched him as he stood out in the rain 
leaning casually against the tree.

	"Jareth, come out of the rain."

	"I'm fine out here."

	"Jareth, you're soaked. Why don't you use you magic and dry us off and 
make a fire while you're at it?"
	
	"I can't use any magic. Farris will be able to track us easily if I do."

	Sarah blinked. "Oh. That rules out that idea. You're still soaked. Come 
inside."

	"Sarah, got to sleep. We have a long day of riding tomorrow."

	"What about you? You come inside and sleep too." She gestured with her 
hand to a spot beside her that she had prepared for him with blankets.

	"I'll be fine out here."

	"Bullshit! Jareth come in from the rain!" her angered voice surprised him 
and he finally agreed, crawling slowly into the tent to lay down at the complete 
opposite end from her.

	Sarah reached into one of the packs and pulled out a white shirt. "Put 
this on." She said throwing it at him. He sat up with his back turned to her. He 
slipped the wet shirt off and quickly put on the dry one. Sighing he laid down. 
Sarah draped a blanket over him and he pulled it around himself, drifting off to 
sleep. Sarah sighed looking at the empty space directly beside her. She ran her 
hand over it and closed her eyes, letting sleep claim her. 

	Jareth awakened in the middle of the night to hear a strange noise. He 
rolled over and saw Sarah sitting up, shivering uncontrollable, her teeth 
chattering. He was sitting up in seconds and he took his blanket and wrapped it 
around her.  Her hair was soaked and matted against her face and he panicked. 

	"I should have stopped sooner. I shouldn't have made you ride in the rain 
for so long." He pulled her to him, attempting to keep her warm with the heat of 
his own body. She curled against him and soon her shivering subsided and she was 
asleep. Jareth gently pushed back the hairs from her face and just held her. 

	It was morning by the time he awakened. He was still sitting up with her 
in his arms and had somehow managed to fall asleep sitting. Sarah was sleeping 
peacefully. She no longer shivered and the small fever was gone.  The rain was 
still coming down, but no longer in heavy sheets. She slowly awakened and looked 
up to see him staring down at her. 

	"How are you feeling?" he asked.

	'Like I got run over by a Mack truck."

	"What?"
	
	'Never mind, it was a joke."

	"Are you hungry."

	"A little." 

	He reached over, still cradling her in his arms and he pulled one of the 
packs towards him. "Would you like some fruit?"

	"Anything but a peach is fine." He let out a throaty laugh and handed her 
an apple. She bit into it slowly, very aware that he was watching her eat and he 
was still holding her. She felt safe and warm in his arms and she didn't want to 
leave. Jareth had other plans and he went outside surveying the area and the 
weather. 

	"It hasn't rained for weeks and now it decides to rain." He let out in 
annoyance.

	"Oh well, maybe that will slow Farris down." She added thoughtfully.

	'You're right. And from what I hear, Farris hates bad weather. As 
uncomfortable this is for us, it may be a good head start." Sarah shivered 
suddenly, her body trembling. "You're cold."

	'I'm ok, it was just a chill. We should pack up and get moving." She said. 
She began to fold the blankets from the tent. They wrapped everything back into 
the waterproof canvas and packed the horses. The rain had let up to a fine mist 
and a fog had settled. 

	They mounted up and rode for half of the day before Jareth stopped by the 
side of a pond. The rain had started again and after a stretching their legs 
Jareth wanted to ride hard to the base of the first group of mountains where 
there were a few caves.  They rode hard and made it by nightfall.  The caves 
were large enough to fit the horses inside and they tied them up by the 
entrance. Jareth started a fire with leaves and twigs he found scattered around 
the inside of the cave. He brought wet timber from outside and placed it near 
the now roaring fire, with hope that they would dry. 

	Sarah sat shivering near the fire and as he watched her he realized it was 
now or never. They were getting closer to the mountains and already he could 
feel his magic weakening. He knelt beside her and the look on his face spoke 
volumes. 

	"Jareth, what's going on?" he reached forward into the air as if to pull 
something from it, but nothing happened. 

	"It's already weakening."

	"Jareth I thought you said that you couldn't use your magic or he would 
find us?" She looked confused and that pained Jareth. He could do it while she 
slept. No.. he couldn't do that to her. 

	"He'll find me but he won't find you. I'm sending you back aboveground. 
You'll be safe there and you'll never have to worry about Farris again."

	"No! Jareth I'm not leaving!"

	"Sarah." He pleaded.

	"No!" He ignored her and reached for the air again but wasn't able to 
finish the motion. She pulled him to her and kissed him hard on the mouth. He 
lost himself in the kiss for a moment and then pulled back gasping for air.

	"Sarah." Visions of the last time they kissed floated through his mind and 
he grew concerned. 

	"I've made my decision Jareth. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying with 
you." He just stared at her. Her words didn't seem to register. She nervously 
tugged at the collar of his shirt and then wrapped her arms around his neck 
looking into his eyes. "I love you, Jareth and I don't ever want to leave you." 

	Jareth's eyes widened and his lower lip trembled as the shock washed over 
him. Sarah smiled  and leaned forward gently pressing her lips to his. The kiss 
was short and sweet and Sarah looked at him again. He was completely bewildered. 
His lips finally twisted in a smile and his pointed teeth came out of hiding. He 
put his hands around her waist and laughing twirled her around him. He put her 
down and suddenly looked serious.

	"Sarah do you know what you would be committing yourself to?"

	"You of course, as well as a population of goblins and maybe immortality."

	'How?"

	"Aiden is a wealth of information. He said that if you offered forever to 
me that meant I would become immortal. I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend 
forever with, then you." She grinned and tightened her grip around his neck. 
"Now I'm offering you your dreams. When all of this is over and Farris had been 
dealt with, you will have your queen, you already have your kingdom and maybe 
someday you'll have children." Jareth's head fell forward and he hugged Sarah. 
The years he spent alone, feeling pain seemed to melt away as he lost himself in 
her warm embrace. 

	"I love you Sarah." He said softly into her hair. 

	She hugged him tightly. "I love you too." Jareth's head rose and he lifted 
a gloved hand to her face, gently tracing the edges. 

	"I didn't think I would ever hear those words from you. I had almost 
convinced myself that you would never say them."

	'Well not only did I say them, I meant them. I couldn't go back 
aboveground." She gently combed his wild blond hair behind his ears. " It's not 
my home anymore. The underground is home, Anywhere you are is home. We'll face 
the future together." He smiled and lowered his lips to her, kissing her gently 
but passionately. They lowered to the ground, holding each other and kissing 
each other occasionally. There was no empty spot beside Sarah tonight. Jareth 
lay on his side with Sarah in his arms, a smile on his face as he slept. 

Esperance...

	Sarah awakened feeling something warm beside her. Rolling onto her back 
and looking up she saw Jareth propped up on one elbow staring down at her. 

	"Good morning." He said quietly. He flashed her a warm smile. 

	She stretched her arms above her head. "Good morning." She snuggled closer 
to him and he gently smoothed her dark hair from her face. To her 
disappointment, he still wore his gloves.

They rested like this for a short time, just reveling in the feeling of being 
close together. Hearing each other's breathing and the soft murmur of 
heartbeats. One of the horses snorted and Sarah turned her head to see them. 
They were munching happily on tall grass that was growing by the entrance to the 
cave. The fire that Jareth had built the night before had died down to a few 
smoking cinders. 

Sarah smiled thinking about the previous night. Jareth had been stubborn and 
protective and prepared to send her home. She had certainly shocked him and 
herself with her actions. It was as if the moment was perfect. She and Jareth 
both learned at the same time what she felt for him. She did love him, with all 
her heart. The thought of being sent aboveground never to see him again was more 
then she could deal with. She knew how Jareth felt now, because she would rather 
die then be separated from him.

He had been a complete gentleman with her last night. They had kissed a few 
times and held each other but nothing more. It was an unspoken understanding 
between them that anything more would have to wait until they were finished with 
Farris and his army. She wondered how Aiden was doing with preparing his army. 
She wondered what would happen over the next few days. She still didn't 
understand why she and Jareth had to hide. She was feeling stronger suddenly and 
fearless. She didn't want to hide in the mountains. She wanted to drive the Fae 
bastard out of Jareth's kingdom. The same Kingdom that might become hers one 
day. 

"What are you thinking about?" came a soft voice.  She looked up to see Jareth 
staring at her intently. 

"A little bit of everything." She said with a smirk. 

"You look so beautiful when you're deep in thought." He gently lowered his lips 
to hers and gave her a gentle kiss, which she returned. "Then again, " he said 
staring at her seductively. "You're always beautiful." 

"Such a kiss ass." She teased and he grinned. "Jareth, I don't want to hide." 
She let out softly.

"Where is this coming from?" one brow rose and he looked concerned.

"I was just thinking, hiding in the mountains isn't going to make Farris go 
away. If he wants to get back at you, this isn't going to stop him."

"I know that." He replied softly. "The whole purpose of hiding is to allow my 
army to gather at the castle while Farris is out looking for me, to allow Aiden 
to prepare his army, which Farris doesn't know about and to get you to safety."

"Me to safety?" she asked confused. 

"Yes, love.  There is a temple in the heart of the mountains, very near the 
iron. I've sent Metta and Riley ahead of us. They will take care of you there as 
well as a few goblin guards. Only those not bothered by iron will be able to 
watch over you, which means that you will be safe from Farris. I won't be able 
to stay with you, because I'm Fae and very vulnerable to iron. I'll return to 
the castle to fight Farris. Aiden will be able to sneak around and together we 
will corner Farris. When all is safe, I will come back for you."

'How long is that going to take?" She moved closer to him and he smiled, running 
a hand over her soft skin. 

'It could be a few days, maybe a few weeks. Farris has become powerful and he 
can't be underestimated."

"What if I don't want to stay at this temple? What if I want to go with you?" 
She sat up. 

"You are going to the temple, that way Farris has no chance of getting his hands 
on you." She opened her mouth to speak and a gloved finger touched her lips, 
silencing her. "This is not open to negotiation.  I just gained you and your 
love and I'm not going to lose you. I've already lost one to Farris, I will not 
lose a second and I will not let him act as if you are worth nothing. We will 
show the Fae court that mortals are important and equals."

"Why aren't you and Aiden like the others? Why don't you hate mortals?"

"I think my sense of honor and the belief that we are all equals came from Aiden 
and his father. Aiden despite being 50 years older then I and was very 
influential. He's very honorable and down to earth for a Fae, which is unusual. 
Most of us are pompous and arrogant." She flashed him a grin. "I looked up to 
him as a older brother and a best friend at the same time. If I had listened to 
him more in the past I would have saved myself a lot of heart ache." He reached 
for her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "But I would 
change nothing, because I gained you. And you are worth all the heartache I went 
though and more."

Jareth got to his feet and offered his hand to Sarah. She took it eagerly and he 
pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. "I love you." He whispered into 
her ear. She looked up and him and he placed a kiss on her forehead. 

"I love you too." She held him tighter and lost herself in the feeling of warmth 
that seemed to embrace them both. 

"We should begin packing the horses. We have another day's ride and it's not 
going to be very comfortable. It will be rough terrain for the horses and the 
closer I get to the mountains the more my strength will fail me. I won't be able 
to stay with you long once we get there."

"The iron?"

He nodded, touching her face with one gloved hand. "Iron is deadly to Fae."

"That's why you brought the sword. Incase we ran into trouble."

"Yes. It's not 100% iron or I wouldn't be able to handle it. But there is enough 
that it can do serious damage to anyone stabbed with it." He reached for the 
scabbard he had abandoned the night before and pulled the sword from its sheath. 
It glittered in the light of the sun that was entering the cave. It was a 
beautiful sword with scenes etched into the blade and an ivory handle. 

"It's beautiful." She commented.

"Beautiful and deadly. How ironic that they should go hand and hand."

"Where did you get it?" 

He put the sword back into the scabbard and fastened it to his belt. "It was my 
father's."

"Your father?" She gave him a look of surprise.

'Don't be so surprised, I did have one." He placed a quick kiss on her lips and 
moved towards the entrance of the cave. 

"Tell me about him." She said, folding the blankets they slept on, the previous 
night. 

"There isn't much to tell. I never knew him very well. He died when I was a 
child. My father was a powerful lord and he was driven out of his land and 
murdered. No one knows who the murderer was. It could have been anyone. My 
mother was also killed. I was to be killed as well, but a gentleman saved me 
from destruction." He said as he saddled his horse. "This gentleman said he 
would take me under his wing, quite literally, for his other form is an eagle. A 
very noble and powerful bird. He wanted an apprentice and I was Fae and needed a 
teacher. My father's sword was found on the battlefield and this man kept it 
until I was I older and less bitter with the world before he gave it to me."

"Who was the man?"

"Aiden's father, King Varian. Aiden takes after his father. They are so much 
alike it is remarkable. Aiden even shares the same form as his father. An 
eagle."

"Wow. And you can turn into an owl right?"

"Yes, a barn owl. Certainly not the most majestic of birds but still a worthy 
form. It's better then being a raven like Farris. They are intelligent but 
sneaky."

"Aren't you curious to know who killed your family and about a land that should 
be yours?"

"I used to be, but King Varian told me it was best to leave it be. There were no 
clues as to who murdered my father and mother. To avoid further bloodshed my 
father's land was divided up amongst the most powerful from the court. I have my 
own kingdom now, I don't need to wage war to get back small chunks of land." He 
slipped the bridle over his horse's head and fastened the throat strap. 

"I can't believe they would do that. Just divide up the land and not give any to 
you and not even look for the murderer."

"This isn't the Aboveground." Jareth told her flipping the reins over his 
horse's head. "Things work differently here. Justice isn't always served."

"Then what's the purpose of the court?" Sarah asked putting the blankets within 
the canvas on the packhorse. 

"It doesn't have a good one. It's a group of male Fae who sit around, bicker and 
fight for power. I was a member of the court along side Aiden for 50 years. King 
Varian believed that the experience would be good for us. It didn't do me much 
good. I told you what the court did to me. They never truly thought that I was 
one of them. As far as they were concerned I was an orphan. It was only because 
of Aiden's father who claimed me as a son, that enabled me to join the court. 
Believe me when I say that being banished is no longer such a horrible thing to 
me. I don't miss the bickering, squabbling and back stabbing."

Sarah stood and just watched Jareth. He moved to her side, helping to pack a few 
things. She watched him, his long slender frame, his wild blond hair and those 
captivating eyes. "What is it love?" she had not stopped staring at him. 

"How are you able to be so strong after all that has happened to you? Your 
parents, the court, Cyla, the betrayal, being tricked into becoming the Goblin 
King. You're the strongest person I've ever met."

"Don't give me so much credit. I was ready to give up on life, until you waltzed 
into mine. Only when I met you did I start living again." He claimed her lips in 
a kiss and moved to Velvet quickly saddling the mare. After he was finished, he 
mounted his horse. 

Looking at the white stallion she remembered something Riley had said to her. 
"Jareth, what is your horse's name?"

"Esperance" He said simply. She gave him a blank stare.

 "It's French. It means Hope." He gave the horse a kick with his heels and 
started off, with the packhorse following.  Sarah watched him ride the horse out 
of the cave and leapt up on Velvet, following the Goblin King out into the 
sunshine of a new day.


The temple within the mountains...


	The sun was warm and felt refreshing in contrast to the previous day's 
rain.  Sarah rode Velvet behind Jareth and Esperance and the packhorse. There 
was so much beauty to see out in the wilderness of Jareth's kingdom that Sarah 
sometimes forgot that they were escaping from a tyrant. The trails they rode on 
now, were not too steep but she could see up ahead that the trail was becoming 
treacherous. Sharp, jagged rocks reached for the sky. The trail narrowed. One 
false move and a horse and rider would go tumbling to the bottom to certain 
death. 

	"Sarah stay close to the side of the mountain. Velvet is sure footed but 
you can never be too careful." She nodded gulping as she looked down. 

	They rode a short ways before a small flat clearing appeared and Jareth 
rode to it, stopping for a much needed rest. Sarah noticed that he looked 
exhausted. Although the terrain was deadly, it was the horses that should be 
tired, not their riders. Sarah's muscles ached from sitting in the saddle for 
hours at a time, but no more then they usually ached when she rode Velvet all 
day. She watched as Jareth dismounted slowly and took a seat on a flat rock.  
She jumped down off of Velvet and went to the packhorse grabbing something to 
eat and drink for them both. He was leaning back, his eyes closed and a trace of 
sweat lining his brow. Glancing ahead at the trail and then back at Jareth, she 
knew that they were nearing the iron.

	She offered him some bread, which he refused. "Jareth, you need to eat 
something. We've been riding for hours and you've eaten nothing."

	He smiled at her concern. "I'm fine. I'm exhausted and food isn't a 
concern right now. I will eat before I return to my castle." Sweat trickled down 
the side of his face and Sarah wiped the liquid away with her hand. 

	'The iron. It has that much of an effect on you?"

	"Yes. And the iron in these mountains is raw and untouched. Its very 
presence is enough to effect me. We have already journeyed far enough that my 
magic is nearly useless. I'm completely vulnerable here and we must get you to 
the temple so I may leave."

	Sarah flashed him a look of concern and fear and he reached over to stroke 
her face with the back of his fingers. "Fear not love, things will turn out all 
right."

	"But what if they don't? What if something goes wrong and I lose you? 
Jareth I don't want to lose you." The thought of losing him brought her near 
tears and he gave her a sad smile.

	"Things happen for a reason, didn't you say that. Only time can tell what 
will happen." He stood and went to Esperance, swinging himself into the saddle 
with ease and he refused to show her that the small leap had cost him much of 
his strength. He had to be strong for her even if he couldn't be strong for 
himself. He would never admit to her that the thought of leaving her behind and 
the thought of engaging Farris in battle scared him out of his mind.  "We should 
go." She nodded and slowly walked to Velvet. She leapt into the saddle and they 
traveled on. 

	The sweat was trickling down the sides of Jareth's face and he was shaking 
by the time they made it to the temple. It was a small stone building with 
columns and barrel vaulting nestled in the jagged rocks of an unforgiving 
mountain. There were statues and reliefs carved into the exterior walls. It 
reminded Sarah of something built by the ancient Romans. Jareth dismounted 
Esperance and immediately his knees buckled and he fell to the ground. Sarah 
rushed to him and grew concerned. 

	'I can't stay here much longer. I need my strength for the battle." Sarah 
nodded, cursing this temple for being her protector and for driving away the man 
she held dear to her heart. She wanted nothing more then for Jareth to stay with 
her, but she knew it couldn't happen. Jareth got to his feet and straightened 
himself. "You must speak to no one of this Sarah. I can't appear weak in front 
of anyone." She nodded and followed him to the temple. Horses were outside and a 
wagon. Riley, Metta and the goblins must be inside. They entered to find a fire 
already roaring in a fire place and the temple was divided into living quarters. 
Riley and Metta came forward bowing before their King. 

	"Yer Highness, everything is prepared and the goblins surround much of the 
perimeter of the temple." Riley told him.

	"Excellent."

	"Everything is prepare for Lady Sarah. I have brought many of her things 
from the castle." Metta bowed and Jareth nodded. 

	"You must all protect Sarah, for your lives depend on it. You should be 
safe here, from Farris and his men. I don't think he knows of this place and he 
wouldn't dare venture to where there is raw iron. I shall be back in a few days 
time to escort you all home, when the threat has passed. Guard Sarah and 
yourselves well." Riley and Metta bowed again and Jareth took a hold of Sarah's 
arm, steering her out of the temple quickly. His grip was tight and she knew his 
strength was failing him, but he refused to buckle before his subjects. 

	They walked to the gates of the temple and Sarah looked up at Jareth with 
tears in her eyes. "Don't cry. Please don't cry." He told her and he pulled her 
into his arms. The minute her face met his chest the sobs escaped from her body 
and she gripped him tightly. "Shhh. Please Sarah. You must be strong, we have to 
remain strong for each other and never give up hope." She nodded against him and 
he pulled back from her, still holding her but looking into her face. She 
noticed his eyes glazed with tears and the worry nearly drowned her. 

	"You have to promise me that you'll be careful. That you'll beat that jerk 
and that you'll come back for me. Promise me Jareth. Promise me you'll come 
back." She gripped the collar of his white shirt tightly. 

	"Sarah, I can't promise you that, as much as I want to. I don't hold fate 
in my grasp, but you know I will put everything I have into defeating Farris and 
returning to you." She reached up to touch his face, tracing his jaw line. He 
smiled and captured her hand, kissing it with his warm lips. "Your love has made 
my will to live strong and I'll be damned if I let Farris take away what we both 
deserve. Happiness with each other."

	"You'd better come back." She said smiling through her tears and slapping 
him playfully on the chest. "You said you wanted to bed me and I plan to hold 
you to your words."

	A devious grin spread across his face and he pulled her to him, his lips 
hovering mere inches from hers. "I always keep my word. When we return to my 
castle I will ravish you beyond your wildest dreams." His lips fell upon her and 
the light kiss he meant for her became much more when she responded and wrapped 
her arms around his neck. Only when Jareth felt his strength continue to weaken 
did he pull back, gasping for breath. 'I must go." He whispered pushing back 
stray locks of dark brown hair from her face.  She nodded and they released each 
other. 

	Jareth leapt onto Esperance and trotted him to the gate. He stopped there 
and turned in the saddle to catch a final glimpse of Sarah. Her dark hair 
billowed around her and she looked like an angel. *I love you  Sarah. * The 
voice was within her mind and she knew he had somehow used his magic to tell 
her. She nodded to him and mouthed the words 'I love you' back to him. Esperance 
reared and he and Jareth disappeared around a corner. Sarah turned back to the 
temple, unaware of the dark shadow watching from the doorway. 

	
Deceptions...


	The ride back to the castle beyond the Goblin City was uneventful for 
Jareth. He rode straight though the first night in order to be back at the 
castle late the following evening. Already his goblins had polished their armor 
and pulled swords, cannons, spears and other weaponry from storage. Goblins 
weren't very intelligent creatures but one thing Jareth had learned about them 
and had come to admire was that they were loyal and very protective of their 
homes. He had no doubt that they would fight to the last to protect their King, 
their land and their own. Jareth dressed Esperance in armor and he dressed 
himself in black with a thick, black leather chest plate. His father's sword was 
on his hip. Everything was ready. Now it was time to wait. 

* * * * * 

	Sarah awakened in her cot within the temple. It was still dark within the 
stone building but that didn't mean it wasn't day. Her part of the temple faced 
the mountain and very little light ventured forth. She stretched and got out of 
her 'bed' and moved to a small pan with fresh water. She splashed the water onto 
her face and felt refreshed. She dressed quickly and left her part of the temple 
to go outside. It was going to be another beautiful sunny day. The sun had just 
risen over the horizon and it cast strange shadows as it touched the jagged 
rocks of the mountain. She shivered at the cool morning air. Riley was attending 
to the horses as he had the day before. He kept himself busy by caring for them. 
There was not much to do here. She turned to face the gateway to the temple and 
for a moment she could picture Jareth and Esperance before they had left her. 
She wondered where he was and if he was ok. He must be at the castle by now.  
She turned back to watch Riley and a hand covered her mouth. She struggled but 
whoever held her was strong. A figure dressed in armor crept up behind Riley and 
Sarah tried to make as much noise as she could to warn him. Riley glanced up, 
his eyes wide with horror when he saw Sarah and then the hilt of a sword crashed 
upon his head. He fell to the ground with a sick thud. 
 
* * * *
	
	Jareth paced in front of the group of goblins assembled before him. He 
sensed something was very wrong. Aiden had not arrived with his forces as he 
promised and he counted on Aiden to help defeat Farris. Only united together 
would their armies be victorious. He stopped his pacing and gazed up at the 
mountains in the distance. He wondered what his beautiful Sarah was doing. He 
had been away from her for only 2 days and he missed her so much, his heart 
ached. There was a shout from within the goblins and Jareth looked up to see 
that in the near distance horses and riders approached. Farris' men. Jareth 
straightened himself to full height and forced his thoughts of Sarah to the back 
of his mind. He needed to concentrate if he was to defeat Farris and see Sarah 
again. He shouted to a group of goblins who went scurrying into the nearing 
woods to hide and come around.  Jareth mounted Esperance and waited. Soon very 
soon, everything would begin or end. 

* * * * 

	When her captor made no motions Sarah bit the hand that covered her mouth. 
There was a male scream of anguish and she spun around to face a young elf man 
who gripped his hand. He looked familiar but she didn't know how. 

	"You fools. Can you not even hold a human woman?"  That voice, so familiar 
but so cold and cruel. Sarah spun to face the newcomer and her jaw dropped. 

	Standing before her, hair pulled into a pony tail, a leather band around 
the head, and dressed in pants and coat with arrows and a bow was none other 
then Metta. 

	"What's wrong 'Lady Sarah'? Oh, but you never expected that the na‹ve, 
frightened lady in waiting could be a traitor to both her lady and King." Metta 
threw her head back, laughing. Sarah felt the anger boil her blood. 

	"How could you? Who?"

	"Oh come now, you beat Jareth's Labyrinth, you must some brains."

	"You work for Farris, don't you?" The fear hit her for a moment and she 
forced it away. 

	"Very good." She purred. 

	'But, but.."

	"But..but." Metta mimicked in her usual soft voice. "Really Sarah, I think 
you were the one who was na‹ve. You and Jareth truly deserve each other for you 
are both equally foolish."

	Sarah grew angry and prepared to charge the elf woman, but she was held 
back by strong hands again. This time they didn't clamp her mouth but held her 
roughly by the shoulders. 

	"Jareth was hurting so badly because you defeated him, it was easy to get 
him to feel pity for us and go into his services."

	'It was all a setup. Farris sent you to work for Jareth so you could spy 
on him." The realization was said quietly.

	Metta clapped her hands together as if complimenting someone on a 
performance well done. "What do you think, Lior what should we give her? A medal 
or a chest to pin it on?" The elf who held her laughed.

 "Farris is a brilliant Fae. He knew that Jareth would be vulnerable after he 
was defeated. Part of his Kingdom was destroyed so Farris didn't want it just 
yet. He sent us to work for him and then I could not have overheard a better 
thing. Jareth talking to Aiden and revealing his plan to claim you by way of the 
debt. It was easy to convince Farris to wait and hold off until you came. Jareth 
is at his weakest. He will fall easily and if he doesn't he will soon after. I 
must say, that little display between you and Jareth before he left was perfect. 
He will not hurt Farris as long as Farris keeps you prisoner. The dark lord will 
make him grovel at his feet, embarrass him in court again, take his kingdom and 
all because Jareth would give up everything for you. The magics of the past only 
know why he would waste so much on such a pitiful creature. Humans have no place 
here. And they never will. Jareth will realize the truth or he will die. Then 
again, he might just die anyway!"

	"You're sick! All of you are sick and twisted!" Sarah cried out angrily. 

	Metta laughed. "Think what you wish little mortal. Once Farris has his way 
with you, that spirit your precious Jareth loves so much will be gone. Gag her, 
bind her hands and feet and put her in the wagon. We must hurry if we are to 
reach Darkwood before the Lord returns from defeating the Goblin King."  

	Another elf moved toward her with a white cloth in his hands. "JARETH!!!!" 
Sarah's cry echoed through the mountains. It was the last thing she said before 
the cloth was forced into her mouth and tied tightly behind her head. 

* * * * 

	Esperance staggered on three legs and finally collapsed to the ground 
beneath Jareth. His faithful steed had taken a spear and 6 arrows before finally 
falling. Jareth leapt from his back, rolling to the ground. He nearly cried out 
as he watched the horse fall to his side. The horse's breathing was labored and 
a few moments later the white stallion lay completely still. After enduring 2 
days of battle, the mighty stallion was dead. 

	There was blood in his spiky blond hair, some of his own, most belonging 
to others. He gazed around him and saw that his goblins were retreating. Farris' 
army was too much for them. They had heeded his advice for once that they should 
flee rather then be slaughtered like animals. He gazed wildly around at the 
edges of the woods and fields. Where was Aiden with his army? 

	"Ready to give up Goblin King?" his title was spat with disgust and Jareth 
looked up to see Farris sitting on the back of a black horse. The dark lord was 
grinning deviously. "Be a smart boy and give up."

	'Never." Jareth said calmly controlling his fury. 

	'Oh I think you will want to surrender. I've just come into possession of 
something I've wanted. Something of yours and I hear it is something dear to 
you. Something you gained for your own just recently."

	Jareth's eyes widened. 

	"That's right Goblin King. I have your little mortal lover." Farris's blue 
eyes were full of amusement.

	"Nice try Farris." He wasn't about to fall for his deceptions.

	"Ah, you think I jest? You'll know I speak the truth when you hear her 
cries as I take her for my own." Farris laughed and called back his men. "Come 
to Darkwood for her if you dare Goblin King!!!!" Farris' black horse reared and 
the dark lord and his horse faded from view. 

	The sound of approaching hooves forced Jareth to look north. Velvet 
approached at break neck speed, but it wasn't Sarah who rode the mare. Riley 
jumped down when he approached the King and fell to his knees. "They took us by 
surprise your majesty. They knocked me out and I was powerless to stop them from 
taking her."

	Jareth closed his eyes. No, this was not happening. Farris did not have 
Sarah. "Who? Who took her." He tried to remain calm.

	"Metta and the elves that worked in the castle. They took her. They must 
be working for Farris."

	Jareth turned from the stable master and fell to his knees in the blood 
stained grass. Darkwood was a well guarded estate. Nearly impossible to 
penetrate and Sarah was there. His Sarah was held by Farris. The cruel Fae who 
brutally raped and murdered mortal women. Jareth let out a cry of anguish and 
his head fell forward into his hands. 

Hope had died in more ways then one....

The Journey to Darkwood. 



	Her bottom felt as if it was already covered with bruises. Each time the 
wagon hit a bump, Sarah went flying up in the air to land not too gracefully on 
the hard wooden planks. The gag was cutting the sides of her mouth and the ropes 
that tied her hands and feet together were rubbing her skin raw. She had to do 
something to escape. She couldn't let herself fall into Farris' hands. Damn 
Metta and the other elves. Metta truly had deceived them so well that Sarah had 
been captured easily. A little too easily for Sarah's liking. She'd be damned if 
she would let them take her away without a fight!

	Sarah looked to the south and prayed that Jareth was all right. She prayed 
that Farris did not defeat him and that Aiden and Jareth's armies had beaten the 
cruel Fae. She looked around her surroundings, desperately plotting her escape. 
They were nearly at the bottom of the mountain. She hoped that her captors would 
let the horses rest at the bottom. 

	Her hopes were fulfilled when the wagon stopped beside a stream a short 
time later. Sarah, Metta and two male elves got down from the wagon while 
another male lead the horses to the stream to drink. Sarah suddenly had an idea. 
She made a few motions with her hands and the two males looked at her like she 
was crazy. 

	"What is she trying to say?" One asked the other. 

	"She needs to do her business." Metta told them with a hint of annoyance. 
What did men know anyway? "Untie her feet and take the rope and tie it around 
her waist and use it as a leash. She can do her business behind those bushes. 
You have two minutes, if you're not finished, too bad." Metta looked at a blond 
haired male and said to him. "Give her two minutes and then pull her back."

	The blond haired elf dropped to his knees and quickly untied the ropes 
from Sarah's ankles. As soon as she was free she kicked him with all her might. 
He fell back onto the ground from her unexpected blow and Sarah ran away as fast 
as she could. She ran straight through bushes and trees, ignoring thorns that 
scratched her and branches that reached out for her. She was glad she had worn 
her riding pants and boots today and not one of the dresses Metta had brought 
for her. She looked back only once and when she didn't see anyone she felt the 
first relief she had felt in over an hour. 

	Pain suddenly ripped through her arm and Sarah stumbled and then fell to 
the ground. Pain shot through her and she didn't know the source. Sprawled on 
her stomach on the ground she peered at her right arm to see an arrow sticking 
up from her flesh near her shoulder.  Metta was suddenly by her side, bow still 
in hand. 

	"You try another stunt like that and you will wish you didn't!" She 
gripped Sarah's injured arm tightly and Sarah had to grit her teeth from 
screaming out. 

	The gag had somehow managed to come untied from her mouth and Sarah cried 
out. "You can't kill me. Farris wants me alive!" 

	"Perhaps so, but that doesn't mean we can't have a bit of fun with you. 
Now move, or I'll put another arrow in you. I'm a master archer so you had 
better not mess with me." 

	Sarah stood her ground and Metta took a hold of the arrow buried in 
Sarah's flesh, forcing it straight through the other side of her arm. The arrow, 
covered with Sarah's blood fell to the ground and Sarah cried out at the pain 
that now shot through her. "I said MOVE!" Metta yelled. With Sarah's hands still 
tied she couldn't' even reach the wound to try and stop the bleeding. 

	Sarah stumbled and forced herself to look at the ground in front of her 
making herself concentrate on taking each step. The pain in her arm was 
unbearable and the walk back to the wagon seemed long and agonizing. When they 
arrived back at the wagon Metta ordered one of the males to wrap the injury. 

	"Farris will not like this." One of them told Metta. Sarah noticed the 
fear in his voice. 

	"He'll get over it. A minor injury is a small oversight compared to the 
girl escaping and us returning with nothing.  We've wasted enough time, let's 
go." She was clearly angered by Sarah's little escapade.

	It was the blond haired elf that attended to Sarah's injury. He wrapped it 
tightly with a white cloth. Metta ordered that another gag be put on Sarah and 
to tie her to the wagon. She would not risk her escaping again. If the ride in 
the bumpy wagon was uncomfortable before it was three times as bad now.

 It was nearly nightfall when they arrived at Darkwood. The name fit the kingdom 
well. A tall dark castle situated in the center of dark, deadly looking woods. 
Nothing was green or blossoming. Everything was dead or took on the appearance 
of being dead.  The castle was made of some kind of black stone and it blended 
in with a dark stormy sky. What kind of person would want to live in a place 
like this? As they approached the castle Sarah could not help feeling a small 
amount of fear at what would be found inside. The elves in the wagon seemed to 
grow uncomfortable as they neared the building. All except Metta who kept calm 
and cool. 

	'You are late." came a deep voice as the wagon halted before tall metal 
doors. 

	"We ran into problems, my lord." Metta stepped down from the wagon and 
bowed before a man with short, dark, curly hair and blue eyes, dressed in black.  
Sarah's breath caught in her throat when she saw him. He reminded her of Jareth 
when she first met him. Arrogant, powerful, cruel and dark. But Jareth had never 
raped and murdered innocent people. This man had. 

	'Problems? 5 elves could not handle a mortal woman?" His insult cut deep 
and Metta winced but recovered quickly.

	"She is unlike most, my lord. She is very spirited." Metta told him. 

	A cruel smiled curled itself on his lips. "The more spirit the better. I 
shall enjoy breaking her." His grin widened when he saw Sarah's face. Anger 
flashed across her features. She would not be broken, not by this man. "Put her 
in the dungeons for now. The Goblin King will no doubt try to come here for her. 
And let the fool come." The Fae disappeared from the doorway of the castle a 
devious laugh echoing behind him. 

	The elves untied Sarah from the wagon and dragged her into the dark castle 
locking her in the depths of a dungeon cell. The trip to the dungeons was 
frightening. There were menacing gargoyles and grotesque statues at every turn. 
Tapestries with scenes of death and destruction lined the walls. The halls were 
dark, barely lit by a few candles here and there. And shadows seemed to reach 
out like figures to grab you as you walked past them. 

The elves untied her hands and feet and took the gag from her mouth and left her 
in a cell, filled with filth. It was damp, and dark and dreary. Rats scurried 
along the floors and the small metal pan that sat near the door to the cell was 
full of mold. The remains of a meal belonging to whomever had been in this cell 
before her. 

	Sarah pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face into them. She 
shivered at the cold that attacked her. The pain in her arm stung fiercely and 
she forced herself to ignored it. She had much more to worry about now. Tears 
streamed down her face and she angrily wiped them away. She remembered that 
Jareth told her to be strong and she would be strong. It was her nature to 
survive no matter what. She grit her teeth against the pain she felt and closed 
her eyes. She thought of anything in her life that had given her joy. She 
thought of Toby taking his first steps when he was younger. About how Toby made 
her laugh with his silly antics as he grew up. She let visions of Jareth enter 
her mind. His smile, the way he looked at her. His eyes, that wild blond hair, 
his tall slender body. 

Her body couldn't leave this wretched place but her mind certainly could.... 

Finding Trust...

	Books were strewn all over the library. Tossed on chairs, tables, the 
floor. It looked as if a tornado had gone through the place. Jareth glanced 
quickly through another book and with disgust threw it at the floor. 

	"What are ye looking for yer majesty?" Jareth spun to see that Riley was 
standing behind him.

	"A very important book. Perhaps Sarah's only chance to be rescued."

	"What does it look like? Maybe I can help ye find it?" 

	Jareth regarded the man for a moment. He had not left his King's side in 
hours and he had offered his help more then once or twice within those hours. He 
seemed genuinely concerned about Sarah and wanted to help, no matter what that 
help might entail. 

	"I've forgotten. I could have sworn it was brown leather with gold trim 
but I've looked through every book I could find like that. We're running out of 
time."

	"Couldn't we rescue her without the book?"

	'No. I don't believe I have enough power to enter Darkwood without being 
noticed. The book I search for could change that."

	"Sounds like a powerful book." Riley commented. 

	'That's an understatement."  Jareth turned back to the shelves and 
continued to pull out books. Riley made his way to a shelf on the other side of 
the library and began to go through the books. 

	'I found something, mighty interesting, yer majesty." The stable master 
called nearly an hour later. Jareth was at his side in an instant. 

	"You brillant man. You've found it." Jareth could hardly keep the joy and 
relief out of his voice. The first spark of light in a time of darkness. Jareth 
reached for the book and flipped through the yellowed pages. 

	"Ye're really fond of the Lady Sarah, aren't ye, yer majesty?" The 
question hung in the air for a moment and Riley feared he had said too much. 

	One of Jareth's brows arched as he looked at the stable master. Returning 
his eyes to the pages of the book he replied. "That's another understatement." 
Jareth shut the book quickly and tucked it under his arm. "Prepare me a horse."

	"Which...which horse?" Riley had never seen the Goblin King ride any other 
horse but Esperance, but the stallion was now dead. 

	"Saddle the Friesian kept near Velvet. He is a powerful horse and he will 
be able to carry me to the gates of Darkwood quickly."

	Riley nodded and left the room in a rush. Jareth knocked books away from a 
chair and sat in it opening the large brown leather book again. He would need to 
study everything carefully. These spells were ancient and had not been practiced 
in centuries. To own the book was an incredible thing itself. It had been deep 
within his Labyrinth, lost for centuries for none could tame the Labyrinth's 
wild and ever changing ways. He was the first who tamed it and harnessed the 
wild energy. He made a pact with the Labyrinth that thus far, he had never 
broken. 

	It was after midnight when he had finally finished reading and re reading 
to make sure that everything was perfect. He memorized the spell and hid the 
book in his private chambers so he would find it easily should he need it again. 
The Friesian stallion was saddled and ready at the barn and standing in the next 
set of cross ties stood another horse, saddled and ready to go. 

	"Riley, you can not come with me. As good as your intentions are I can not 
permit it." Jareth told him with annoyance. 

	"If I had been on my guard, they would not have taken Sarah."

	"Don't be a fool and blame yourself for what happened." The Goblin King 
told him angrily. "I have already done that myself and it gets us no where."

	'I'm not just goin' to help find the lady, but to protect my King." Riley 
told him standing taller.

	"I don't need protecting. My magic and the spell will protect me."

	"Ye may need me for something. I can stay outside the gates with the 
horses ready should we need to escape."

	Jareth sighed. This man was as stubborn as Sarah. "Very well. You will 
stay with the horses outside the gates." Riley nodded and the two men mounted 
their horses in silence. They kicked their heels into their mounts sides and 
they were off into the chilly night air. 


Sarah shivered in the darkness and jumped every time she heard a sound. It was 
usually the rats scurrying about looking for food. Light suddenly flickered and 
she stood with baited breath, praying it was Jareth or even Aiden who had come 
to rescue her. She felt the hope flee her when Farris came to stand before the 
door of the cell, a lantern in hand. She stood tall before him, refusing to give 
in to the fear she felt for her situation and for him. She knew what he had done 
to other mortal women. She would not let herself become another victim. 

	Farris gazed her over quickly, an insolent smile gracing his face. 
"Enjoying your stay?" he asked. Damn these Fae and their arrogance and control. 

"I would have expected better quarters then these, but then when I look at who 
I'm staying with the dungeon is probably the best room in the house."

Farris chuckled and it wasn't a nice sound. "Metta was correct, you're spirited, 
much more spirited then any mortal I've met."

"Violated more like it!" She let the anger flow with her voice. 

"Harsh words my dear. Harsh indeed. I gave them pleasure and they couldn't 
handle it."

"You raped them, pure and simple. There is no pleasure in that." She moved 
towards the bars of the door, the raw anger flowing from her like a waterfall. 

"There will be pleasure and you will feel it for yourself. You will cry out my 
name in release and not the Goblin King's!"  Sarah rushed forward and spit at 
him. Farris wiped the liquid from his face and gave her an amused look. "I see 
it will be a challenge breaking your spirit. And I do love challenges." He 
tossed his cape behind him and left the dungeons. Sarah fell back onto the bench 
in her cell, relieved that he was finally gone. She was unaware of the pair of 
angry eyes that watched from the shadows. 


	They rode their horses hard, very hard. Standing outside the gates of 
Darkwood Jareth tried hard to not shiver. The last time he was here had not been 
pleasant experience. He could still hear the screams in his mind at times. 

	Jareth dismounted the black Friesian and took a deep breath. "Either this 
will work or it won't." He began to recite strange words that Riley had never 
heard before. A blue light surrounded him and then suddenly the Goblin King was 
gone. 

	Jareth looked around, noticing that he was in the halls that lead to the 
dungeons. His memory of the estate was well intact and his magic had not let him 
down. The halls seemed darker then he remembered. There were more grotesque 
statues and tapestries. He moved slowly down the hall, creeping along the walls 
quietly. If the spell worked properly, he would be invisible to everyone and his 
magic could not be traced or detected, but he could still he heard. The floors 
were creaky in spots and he to be cautious.  It was night and most of the 
castles inhabitants would be sleeping. Now was the time to find Sarah and free 
her. 

	Sarah sat on a damp bench, knees drawn to her face. She shivered at the 
cold and jumped every time a rat went scurrying by her. Her arm was throbbing so 
badly and the conditions of this cell were no doubt doing more harm then good. 
The chains on the door to the cage rattled on their own and Sarah flew back 
against the stone wall glancing up fearfully. She wasn't ready to face Farris 
again, but when she looked up no one was there. The chains rattled again and 
harder this time. 

	"Sarah." 

	She looked around her. She saw nothing. But that voice. "Jareth? Jareth is 
that you?"

	"It's me." Came the response.

	Sarah shook her head. "I must be going insane. I thought I heard Jareth 
and I don't see him."

	'You can't see me because I'm invisible. But I'm here." He chanted a few 
strange words and in front of the cell door appeared the Goblin King. Dressed in 
black with armor plating and his sword at his side.

	"Jareth!" she cried. Was she dreaming? Was he really here to save her?

	"Sshhh. You'll wake the guards." He warned. Sarah rushed to the bars of 
the cell and Jareth noticed the bandaging around her arm and the blood that 
stained the once white cloth. "What did he do to you?" his voice was full of 
horror and anger. 

	"It wasn't Farris. It was Metta. I tried to escape on the way here and she 
shot me with an arrow." Jareth's eyes grew cold and they narrowed. "I'm ok, I'll 
heal. Let's get out of here." Jareth drew forth a crystal from the air, but with 
some difficulty. 

	"Back away from the bars." Sarah did as he told her. He hurled the crystal 
at the bars and it exploded. The smoke cleared but the bars remained. 

	"What happened? Why didn't it work?" Sarah asked frantically.

	"I feared it. The bars contain iron. No magic, new or ancient can destroy 
iron. I need the key. It's the only way I can free you. Who has it?"

	"I do."  Jareth spun at the voice and his eyes narrowed. A tall slender 
woman with long wavy red hair and pale skin stepped forth from the shadows with 
a key in her hand. "You! What are you doing here?" Jareth looked ready to kill. 

	"Believe it or not, I've come to help."

	"I don't want your help Cyla."

 Sarah gasped. This was Cyla, the very one who had betrayed Jareth. The woman he 
had loved so long ago.

	"Do you want to free your woman or not? I've come to help you. You don't 
know what I've been through these last 400 years."

	"You? What about me Cyla? Banished to the Labyrinth because of you!"

	"I haven't come here to argue with you, but if it makes you feel any 
better I've spent the last 400 years in agony."

	Jareth let out a horrible chuckle.

 "You don't believe me? The very man I loved who claimed to love me never 
returned those affections. He turned our son against me and made me live in fear 
by threatening to kill him. He's taken every mistress he wants to bed with no 
regrets or concern for me and now he has his eyes set on your mortal." Cyla's 
blue eyes were full of fear and truth. "He deserves to die and I will help you."

	Jareth put his hands on his slender hips. "And you want to help us why? 
Because you are jealous that your husband can't control himself? Because he 
wants Sarah and you're jealous?" One brow was arched as he gazed at her. If 
nothing else, Jareth was amused. 

	'I'm not jealous, not any longer. I've gotten used to it after 400 years. 
I wish to help you to free my son and I from this place. And to try and undo 
some of the damage I have done. I was so wrong to betray you Jareth, but I 
didn't love you, not like you loved me. Farris made it all a game, a very fun 
game. One where he promised me him and his estate and power for my help."

	"You have your own kingdom to inherit. Why did you need him?"

	"I wanted more land then just my father's kingdom and I paid dearly for my 
greed. My father will not speak to me. My mother and he bore another child that 
they have named heir to the throne. I have nothing! Nothing but this hell that I 
made for myself. But my son should not be made to suffer because of me. I want 
to see Farris cut down."

	"How will I know that you won't turn on me? Won't betray me? I will not 
gamble with Sarah's life because of you!"

	"I do not expect you to! Take the key, free your Sarah and leave. But 
Farris will go after you. He won't rest until he has killed you and your 
precious Sarah. But if you allow me to help you, I can get you both through the 
castle safely to Farris' chambers. You could kill him while he slept." She 
reached out offering the key to Jareth in the same manner he had offered crystal 
balls to Sarah when she was a child. He eyed her wearily. "I know you have no 
reason to trust me, with all that I have done to you. I don't blame you. But if 
I wanted to betray you, I would not have offered you the key to Sarah's freedom. 
I would have called for the guards the minute I saw you appear." 

	Jareth reached for the key and took it into his black gloved hand. "We 
shall see if you have changed Cyla. I warn you, if any harm comes to Sarah 
because of you, I will kill you." He spit. Cyla nodded and Jareth turned from 
her thrusting the key into the lock. It turned and he opened the door. Sarah 
rushed to him and he took her into his arms holding her tightly. He glanced down 
at her arm. The recent activity had caused the wound to bleed again. 

	"I'll need to get you to a healer, before that becomes infected." He told 
her. 

	"There is a healer upstairs. I can take you to her." Cyla informed them. 

	"No." 

	"Jareth. It's all right. I'd rather have this healed then get an 
infection." Sarah told him. Cyla watched the two interact. Jareth brushed 
Sarah's hair back with his hands and gazed down at her.

 He truly loved the mortal woman who stood before him. Cyla knew he had once 
loved her that way and she had been foolish enough to throw that love away. 

	"How can you trust her?" he asked Sarah, still playing with her hair.

	'She helped to free me. I know the past you've shared was difficult, but 
she wants to change. Things weren't always so wonderful between us. In fact it 
was only a month ago that things weren't well between us. Yet look at us now. 
Give her a chance. There doesn't need to be anymore bloodshed or suffering." The 
fact that she trusted Cyla so easily hurt him. It had taken a long time for him 
to gain her trust and she was putting trust in Cyla so quickly. But he 
understood why, the situation was very different from the two of them, and he 
had her love now as she had his. Cyla was a means to escape from Farris and the 
horrible deeds he would force upon her.

	Jareth and Cyla glanced at each other. "Perhaps you were right about 
mortals after all. They are equals and this one is wise for one so young. I can 
see why you love her." Jareth shot her a look and Cyla grinned. "It may have 
been 400 years that we have not seen each other, but I can still read you like a 
book. The healer is this way." Cyla began to walk away down the hall.

	Jareth looked down at Sarah and then unexpectedly picked her up into his 
arms careful to avoid touching her arm. "You're tired and weak. Let me carry 
you." He told her. She nodded and let herself fall against him, resting her head 
on his shoulder. He placed a kiss in her hair and followed Cyla through the dark 
hall. 

A mystery uncovered...


Jareth held Sarah's hand as the healer carefully worked her magic to heal the 
wound. 

	"Almost as good as new." The healer said after 15 minutes. "There will be 
a scar unfortunately. Humans scar easy and don't heal completely." 

	Sarah nodded and thanked the healer. Her arm was stiff but felt much 
better. The healer was an older woman with long silver hair. She had a kind face 
and obviously a kind heart to share her healing powers with others. Sarah 
wondered how she ended up in such a place as Darkwood. 

	"We will need to cut through the throne room to escape. Farris' chambers 
are on the other side. You would be able to kill him easily." Cyla told Jareth. 

	"Why do you have to kill him? Isn't there another way?" Sarah asked. 

	"Compassion. That's deadly." Cyla told her. 

	'There is no other way Sarah." Jareth replied, ignoring Cyla's previous 
comment. "It's nearly impossible to keep a Fae as powerful as Farris prisoner. 
It would only be a matter of time before he found a way to escape and seek 
revenge. Let's go and get this over with."

	The trio entered the hallway with Cyla leading. 

The castle was quiet, too quiet for Jareth's liking. Farris had to know that he 
was there. As a master of his own castle, not much escaped Jareth without his 
noticing. He doubted that much escaped Farris either. 

	There were no guards stationed outside the throne room and this worried 
Jareth. This was all too easy.

	"Something doesn't feel right." He whispered to Sarah as they crept 
quietly across the room.

	"That's because it isn't." Light flared out from all directions in the 
previously darkened room. Farris stood, dressed in black with a cape flowing 
behind him. His cruel eyes were filled with bitter amusement. "Splendidly done 
my dear. Just as we planned." He said casting a glance at Cyla. 

	"You!! I knew I shouldn't have trusted you!" Jareth cried out. Cyla shrank 
away from him. She looked frightened. 

	"I had to Jareth. I'm sorry." She looked ready to break down and cry.

	"You haven't changed a bit. You're still a heartless traitor!" Sarah 
clutched his arm and glanced down at her own that had been healed. If Cyla was 
truly heartless she would not have brought her to the healer. Something didn't 
seem right about this whole situation. 

	"Once a fool, always a fool, eh Jareth?" Farris stood one hand on his 
hips, looking at Jareth with complete arrogance. 

Jareth pulled Sarah behind him and drew his sword. It glittered in the harsh 
light. 

"So you want to play games do you Goblin King?" Farris threw his cape off behind 
him and pulled a sword from the scabbard that was tied to his side. "Two can 
play. What do you suppose we make a little deal?"

	"I don't make deals with the devil." Jareth shot back arrogantly. 

	Farris let out a laugh. "Oh Jareth, you're still so utterly amusing. Still 
the same little orphan who made himself the joke of the entire High Court. But 
let's leave the past behind us, shall we? Here's the deal. No use of magic on 
each other. I plan to kill you Goblin King and I plan to do it without magic. It 
will be so much more satisfying."

	"Fine." Jareth told him gripping the handle of his sword tightly. "No 
magic." Not much magic could be used in the presence of iron so Jareth felt he 
wasn't losing much if he didn't use his. The two powerful Fae stood a moment 
looking at each other trying to find a weakness, or anything that would let on 
where a weakness could be found. Farris' eyes left the Goblin King and moved 
briefly to Sarah. 

	"I must tell you Jareth. She's very pretty for a mortal. After I've killed 
you, I look forward to breaking the spirit of your little lover." Jareth lunged 
forward and two swords clashed. "Ooh I do believe I have hit a nerve. Tell me 
how is she in bed? She must be good with that spirit of hers." Jareth raised his 
sword once more and let it come down hard on Farris'. Farris dodged his next 
attack easily. Jareth's anger was getting the better of him and if he kept this 
up he would surely lose. 

	Sarah knew this to be true. "Jareth, don't listen to him! He's trying to 
get you angry so you will lose your concentration!" She cried out.

	"I never liked women that talked too much!" Farris raised a hand at Sarah 
and she went skidding backwards on the black tiled floor. Cyla watched for a 
moment and then rushed to her side helping her to her feet. 

	"You said no magic." Jareth said through grit teeth.

	"And I haven't used any magic on you. I never agreed not to use any on the 
mortal." Farris circled to the left and Jareth mirrored his movements. " So tell 
me, what is it like to live with Goblins? I hear they are uncivilized, filthy 
creatures. Did you sleep with any during your 400 years as King? I hear the 
females are particularly interesting once in bed."  Jareth took a deep breath 
and ignored the insult. "I don't hear you denying anything. Goblin King." Farris 
seemed pleased with himself. 

	"So how did it feel to be beaten by a mere mortal child?" the insult went 
no where. Farris didn't know that Sarah beating him brought the first hope into 
his life in 400 years. "Oh you're no fun at all." Farris raised his sword and it 
came down hard, but Jareth was prepared and deflected the blow. 

	For 10 minutes the two men tried to get the sword out of their opponents 
hand and neither had been successful.  They were evenly matched without magic. 

	Farris raised his sword one last time and when it came down the force 
combined with his dark magic sent Jareth crashing to the ground. He landed hard 
on his back and his sword slid to Farris' feet. 

	"You said no magic!" Sarah cried and Cyla tried to hold her back.

	"Sarah don't, you'll only get yourself killed!" Cyla told her.

	"I'd rather die then live without Jareth." She began to sob and Cyla took 
her into her arms. 

	 Farris laughed at Sarah's little display and picked up Jareth's sword, 
tossing his own behind him. He looked over the sword like an animal looked over 
its prey. "How perfect." He purred. "Get to your feet!" he ordered and he took 
the sword and cut the side of Jareth's face as a warning. The blood gushed from 
the small wound on the Goblin King's pale cheek. 

	'No!" Sarah cried out. She couldn't let him kill Jareth.

	"Guards, seize her and Cyla too. I won't risk her betraying me as well." 
Guards entered the room and seized Sarah and Cyla. Neither of the women were a 
match for the strong men. "Get up Goblin King!" When Jareth didn't move, Farris 
let the sword swing forward to cut the other side of his face. 

	'No please." Sarah sobbed. Farris snickered at her plea. 

	"Get..up." He ordered again. This time Jareth got to his feet. He stood 
tall, with anger and arrogance in his eyes. 

	Farris positioned the sharp blade of the sword horizontal to Jareth's 
heart. "How completely fitting this is."

	"What?" Jareth grunted. He tried to keep his wits about him. He couldn't 
use his magic to escape because of the iron so close to him. He didn't want to 
die, not like this, not in front of Sarah, leaving her alone and at the mercy of 
this tyrant.

	"Nearly 900 years ago, a situation very much like this one. A king, at the 
other end of my blade. His lover and Queen held by my guards. " Farris let out a 
devious laugh. "How fitting that it should be now that his son is at the end of 
the blade that belonged to that man. The very same blade that was left on the 
battlefield after it was plunged into its owner's heart!" 

	Jareth's eyes widened and the color drained from his face. Farris laughed 
louder. 

 "It was you! You killed my father?!" Jareth's mismatched eyes burned with fire. 
He loathed Farris before, now it was beyond that.

"It only took you 800 years to figure it out!" Farris was laughing as if this 
was all a joke.

"Why?!" Jareth demanded. He ignored the blade so close to him. He wanted 
answers.

"For his land, why else! I would have had it all too if Aiden's father had not 
intervened. King Varian and his damned justice and honor. Instead of giving me 
the land I rightfully claimed by law he convinced the court that it should be 
split amongst the nobles there. No one suspected me of anything but greed for 
having more land. I was too young then to be thought as a murderer and too young 
to be cut my fair share of the land."

"So what do you hope to claim by killing me now?" Jareth cocked his head, 
regarding the dark lord. 

"Because you've been a thorn in my side for years. You are all that stands 
between me and the land! Varian managed to convince the nobles to tend the land 
until the day it's rightful heir would return. While some will no doubt want to 
keep the land, many know that the rightful heir will show one day, even though 
no one knew who it was. No one but King Varian and myself knew. And when he 
finally died only I possessed the knowledge of who would become king. I can 
convince the court the true king should be me. With Varian dead, you soon to be 
dead, and Varian's son no longer in court, I can take what is rightfully mine."

"All that is rightfully yours... is hell." Came a familiar voice. Jareth's eyes 
widened in surprise. Standing behind Farris, with a sword pointed at the Dark 
lord's back, was Aiden.

	
A time to Kill...



	"King Aiden of Noross. How nice of you to visit." Farris let out coldly. 
The irritation didn't escape his voice.

	"Better late then never." Aiden said and he gave Jareth a grin. "I suppose 
that my being here changes all of your plans, Lord Farris." Aiden's voice was 
completely calm and this angered Farris further.

	"Hardly. I'll kill you as well." The dark lord spit.

	"You don't seem to be in a position to be making threats. After all, it is 
I who has the sword pointed at your back, not the other way around."

	"You wouldn't kill a man from the back. Your honor does not permit it."

	'My honor would permit it if I am saving a friend's life, which I am 
doing. There is no shame in that." 

	"First your father then you. What is so important about this man?" Farris 
asked eyeing the Goblin King. Jareth stood before him, the blade of his father's 
sword still hovering over his heart. He looked angry and determined. 

	"A kingdom was wrongfully taken from him. We merely protect him so that he 
may reclaim it."

	"You knew?" Jareth's surprised voice echoed through the room.

	Aiden nodded. "Yes, I knew. I was sworn to secrecy. My father told me the 
day would come when it was time for you to learn the truth. If you knew before 
hand you would have rushed off prematurely to battle Farris and would have lost. 
We didn't tell you, to protect you."

	Sarah and Cyla remained silent, still held by the guards, to digest all 
this new information. It was shocking news to both women. 

	"But it seems your protection did little good. Because if I die then so 
does the Goblin King. You may live to tell the story Aiden, but he will not and 
the land will go no where. I'd rather see no one rule it then him." Farris spit, 
eyeing Jareth.

	The three men stood silently and Sarah let out a shuddering breath. Her 
heart was beating so hard in her chest she was sure that everyone in the room 
could hear it. The sight of the sword's sharp tip, pointed at Jareth's heart was 
more then she could bear.

	"Drop the sword, Farris." Aiden commanded. 

	"As you wish." The dark lord started to bend over to place the sword on 
the floor and suddenly thrust the blade forward." Sarah cried out as the blade 
shot towards Jareth, but the Goblin King had been ready. He neatly dodged the 
blade and Farris stabbed empty air. The Dark Lord fell to the floor on his 
stomach. The sword slid from his grasp and he reached for it, crawling on his 
belly. Jareth was a step ahead of him and he picked up the sword quickly. 

	"Perhaps I should bestow upon you the same courtesy you bestowed upon my 
father and mother!" Jareth yelled pointing the blade at Farris. Jareth rolled 
the dark lord over with his foot and Farris lay on his back staring up at the 
Goblin King. The tables had turned. The tip of the blade now pointed at Farris' 
heart. 

	"Then do it, Goblin King. Kill me."

	"There is not a method of killing invented that would be sufficient 
enough. I wish for you to suffer as I have."

	"Then you're a pitiful fool! No magic can hold me. What would you do, lock 
me away somewhere to forget me? In one of your oubliette's perhaps?"

	'No, we'll be going to court so that everyone can see who the real Farris 
is. They will decide your fate. Now get up!" The dark lord didn't have to be 
told twice. "Release the women." Jareth called to the guards. They did so 
without hesitation. 

	"Cowards." Farris spit at them.

 Jareth forced him across the room with every intention of locking Farris in the 
dark lord's own dungeons. His magic would be useless there until Jareth and 
Aiden figured out what to do with him. Just as the guards were letting Sarah go 
one of them tossed her forward right toward Farris. The dark lord easily slipped 
from Jareth's grasp and grabbed Sarah pulling her in front of him like a shield. 

Jareth moved towards them. He had to free Sarah.

	"Take another step and she's dead!" The dark lord let a dagger fall from 
his sleeve and he positioned it over Sarah's throat. Jareth cursed and backed 
away, dropping the sword he held. He should have listened to his own words from 
earlier instead of trying to be honorable like Aiden. If he had killed Farris 
before, Sarah would be safe. What good was his honor if he lost Sarah?

	He watched helplessly as Sarah struggled against Farris and she stopped 
immediately when the blade of his dagger dug into her throat causing a small 
cut. Farris gripped her tighter, letting his hand settle on one her breasts. She 
cried out when he tightened his grip. He was getting a sick pleasure from 
touching her. He let his hands roam the front her body while he held her and he 
leaned his face close to her head. Sarah struggled against him and he only held 
her tighter and touched her more. He placed quick kisses on her neck and 
hungrily reached for her earlobe with his mouth. The rage was growing within 
Jareth. The sight of Farris' hands on Sarah's body was enough to make him go 
crazy. Farris was backing away towards the doorway, pulling Sarah with him. He 
dropped the dagger as he reached the doorframe and put his arm around Sarah's 
neck. Sarah had no doubt that he could snap her neck like a twig if he wanted 
to. 

	Jareth panicked. What if Farris chose to use his magic now that he had 
dropped the iron? He could disappear with Sarah and do who knows what to her if 
he chose to take revenge. And then an idea hit him. 

It took Jareth only seconds to transform into an owl. He dove at Farris, clawed 
feet aimed right at the Fae's face. Farris had a small fraction of time to react 
and thankfully didn't react with magic. He lost his grip on Sarah and she fell, 
crawling away on her hands and knees. 

	Jareth let out a fearless cry and attacked Farris, scratching his face 
with his sharp claws. Farris stumbled backwards and fell onto the ground, his 
face scratched and bloodied. He reached blindly for Sarah, his only bargaining 
tool and his last chance for escape. But she was gone. He had sorely 
underestimated the Goblin King and had forgotten that he could transform. Jareth 
transformed back into his humanoid form and reached for Sarah, pulling her up 
off the floor and into his arms. 

	Mad with rage, Farris lunged at them. He had managed to get a hold of his 
sword in the brief moment that Jareth had reached for Sarah. Farris charged at 
them with it raised high above him. Jareth pushed Sarah out of the way and 
rolled on the floor grabbing his father's sword. Farris continued to run at him, 
unaware that Jareth now held a sword in his hands. The sound of the blade 
cutting into flesh was a sickening sound and Sarah turned her eyes away. 

	Farris let out an agonizing scream as the iron sword was driven into his 
chest. He was dead by the time he hit the floor. The last thing he had seen 
before death took him into its dark folds, was Jareth. 

Sarah cried out and rushed to Jareth, throwing herself into his arms. She buried 
her face into his neck, drawing comfort from the warmth of him and his very 
presence. Jareth let out a tremendous sigh as he held her to him. He looked down 
at the body on the ground. He had never killed, and he never realized how deadly 
iron really was. The Dark Lord never had a chance. The moment the iron went into 
his chest, he had died.  He shivered looking at Farris' crumpled body. That 
could have been him on the floor or even Sarah. He tightened his grip on her and 
buried his face into her hair thankful they were both alive. He was oblivious to 
Aiden and Cyla still within the room. 

A shadow watched over the scene for a moment, before disappearing from the door, 
moving swiftly down the hall. 

"It's finally over." Aiden said after a short silence. He let out the breath he 
had been holding since Farris had grabbed Sarah. 

Jareth lifted his head from Sarah's hair. "Yes and no." he said softly.  Aiden 
nodded understanding Jareth's words. There was still the matter of the court, of 
a kingdom not yet claimed, catching Metta and the other traitorous elves and of 
course Sarah's presence in the underground. The high court might not permit her 
to rule by Jareth's side. They might not even permit her to stay in the 
Underground at all. Things were far from over.  Jareth finally released Sarah 
from his embrace content that she was safe from harm. "I thought you had 
abandoned me." He said turning to Aiden. 'You didn't show on the battlefield. 
Where were you?"

Aiden grinned. "Gathering the largest army ever assembled in the underground." 
Jareth gave him a blank stare. "I still have a few friends in high places and 
they were more then happy to send reinforcements. If Farris had gotten outside 
with Sarah, he would not have gotten very far." 

Jareth walked to a window and gazed out into the night. Thousands upon thousands 
of torches lit the area surrounding Farris' castle. "I should have known 
better." Jareth let out. He closed his eyes and then looked apologetically at 
his old friend. "Aiden-"

Aiden put up a black gloved hand. "No need to apologize. I would have been 
worried and would have thought the worst too. But things turned out all right 
and that's all that matters."

A confused look washed over the Goblin King. "How did you know that we were 
here?" He and Aiden had not spoken since he and Sarah left Noross. So much had 
happened in between.

"Your stable master. He went looking for me and stumbled upon the army and I out 
on the road. We decided to come here when he told me of all that had happened."

"I owe him a great deal." Jareth said, gazing at Sarah. " The tables turned when 
you came."

"They did and I was glad to be of some help. Now, I think it's time we all went 
home. I think we've all had enough excitement for the night."  

Jareth nodded as Sarah stepped beside him at the window to look outside for 
herself. He drew her to him. "Yes. Home sounds like a wonderful place to be 
right now. I have promises left to fulfill." He gazed down at Sarah and she 
smiled, understanding his words. She suddenly looked up at him with concern. 
"What is it love?"

She said nothing but reached up to gently touch the marks Farris had made on his 
face with his sword. She frowned when he winced at her touch. "Nothing my own 
magic can't fix once we're home." He told her and to reassure her he placed a 
soft kiss on her lips. Sarah responded and wrapped her arms around his neck.

'All right all right. Why don't you two get a room for pity's sake!" Aiden let 
out. He was overjoyed that Jareth and Sarah had reconciled and apparently more 
then that had happened. He could tell from the way that Sarah was staring at 
Jareth that she had already admitted her feelings to him. He would have to ask 
Jareth about this later. 

 Jareth grinned deviously at Aiden's words. "That... won't be a problem." He 
replied caressing Sarah's face. 

"What about me? Has everyone forgotten me?" Cyla's voice shattered the 
happiness. 

It was true, in all the danger and excitement Aiden, Sarah and Jareth had all 
forgotten about Cyla.

"You should be locked away for all eternity." Jareth replied coldly. 

"I don't think she truly meant us any harm Jareth." Sarah said softly. 

"Excuse me? She delivered us right into Farris' hands!" He didn't attempt to 
keep the anger out of his voice.

'Jareth, I didn't want to! Those who came before us know, that I didn't want 
to!" Cyla cried out.

"Then why did you?" He unconsciously tightened his grip on Sarah.

"I did it for my son. Farris threatened to kill him if I did anything stupid. He 
knew you would come for Sarah. He knew you would go straight to the dungeons. If 
I didn't do as he asked he would have killed my son. You must believe me."

Jareth said nothing for a moment and regarded his ex lover. "You have changed 
Cyla. Maybe not completely but you have changed. You're not behaving selfishly."

"I made this life for myself and I've accepted that. My son doesn't deserved to 
be punished because his mother was a fool."

Jareth glanced at Sarah and then Cyla. Despite her immortality Cyla looked 
older, much older then she should have looked. Fae or not, immortal or not, she 
had suffered and it showed.

"You and your son will be free to go and when I face the courts explaining my 
actions I will ask that they give you Darkwood. Let that be your punishment. You 
have your own magic, try to restore this place or destroy it. The decision is 
yours."

"You would do that for me?" 

"Yes." He gazed at Sarah again. "We have all suffered enough." He took Sarah's 
hands into his own and smiled at her seductively. " Now if you two don't mind." 
Jareth started, glancing at Cyla and then Aiden. 'I'd like to return to my 
castle."

"Of course of course." Aiden laughed. "We will talk again old friend about the 
future. There is much to talk about."

"We'll talk but not tonight or tomorrow or the next day. I will be unavailable." 
He gazed lovingly down at Sarah. "Ready to go home, love?"

She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "As ready as I'll ever be." Jareth 
grinned and seconds later he and Sarah were gone, replaced by sparkling glitter. 


Safe Haven

Sarah felt disoriented when she and Jareth reappeared at his castle. Gazing 
around at the environment she had little doubt in her mind that she was in 
Jareth's chambers. The room was large and decorated quite well. He had a large 
canopy bed with wine colored sheets and a soft looking blanket draped over them. 
There were bureaus made of dark cherry wood with gold metal trimming and 
carvings. There were tapestries, sculptures, and a few oil paintings. Some were 
of places she recognized within the Labyrinth, others were portraits of people 
she did not know. After glancing around the room she saw Jareth standing by the 
window. 

	He was no longer in his armor but a simple, open front black poet's shirt, 
tight black pants and his black boots. His blond hair drifted around him and in 
the pale light of the moon it looked white. His pale skin glittered in the light 
and the cuts that were on his face were gone. He looked solemn and as if he was 
mourning. She didn't understand. He had just received a victory and they were 
both safe and alive.

 As she walked to him she realized that her outfit had changed as well. She was 
dressed in a long silk nightgown and a robe. She pulled the robe around her as 
she walked and took a place beside Jareth at the window.  He didn't look at her 
for a long time. He gazed out at the Goblin City below them. Dogs barked, cats 
meowed from the streets. Candles and lanterns flickered in nearly every house. 

"They fought honorable for their homes and for their King. I lost many of them. 
Farris' men slaughtered them like animals." His voice was soft, nearly a 
whisper.

Sarah was silent for a while. "You care about them don't you? The goblins."

He gave her a sad smile. "I suppose that I do. Who would have thought it? I 
despised these creatures for the longest time. It took me years and years to get 
the slightest and simplest task through to them. Yet on the battlefield they 
fought bravely and well. They joined in teams and for a short while they had the 
upper hand against Farris' men. I've sent word of the victory so that those who 
are well may rejoice. I'd like to honor those who died. I was thinking about a 
memorial."

She smiled at him. "I think that's a wonderful idea." 

He smiled in return and pulled her to him, resting his chin on her head. They 
stood like this for a while before Sarah finally lifted her head to gaze up at 
him.

"Are you all right?"

He nodded slowly. "I'll be fine."

"That isn't what I asked."

"You can't expect everything to be fine and wonderful. There is still much at 
stake, despite Farris' death and there will still be grieving." He stroked her 
face and Sarah nearly jumped when she realized that he touched her with his bare 
hands. He wore no gloves. His touch was electric and it sent jolts of pleasure 
through her body.  He continued to caress her face softly. "I...I lost 
Esperance." He said softly. 

Sarah pulled back from his touch. His eyes were full of sorrow. "I don't 
understand."

'He died out on the battlefield. He fought until the end." 

Sarah clutched Jareth to her and ran her hands through his silky wild hair as he 
buried his face into her neck. "I'm so sorry." Tears spilled from her eyes. 
Jareth never told her of his love for the horse, but it was obvious that he 
cared about the stallion, even more so then she cared about Velvet. There was no 
doubt a history between them. She continued to run her fingers through his hair 
and she placed a kiss in the silky strands. He lifted his head to look at her, 
there were tears in his eyes, but despite the tears he smiled. 

He bent towards her taking her face into his hands. He claimed her lips in a 
kiss and she responded eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was an 
unspoken feeling between them that they needed some release for all the pain 
they had felt, shared or from their own pasts. They needed to feel some joy, 
some safe haven from the pain and suffering. That safe haven could only be found 
within each other's arms. 

Jareth kissed her with an intensity he had not kissed her with before. He was 
hungry for her and she felt the same way about him. He teased her, kissing her 
roughly and then pulling away only for her to come at him with rough, teasing 
kisses of her own. His hands left her face. One buried itself in her hair. The 
other fell to her waist. She could feel the warmth of his hand through the 
flimsy silk of her nightgown and she wanted to feel more of him. 

She reached eagerly for the buttons of his shirt and nearly ripped them from the 
fabric when she couldn't get them unbuttoned quickly enough. Jareth chuckled 
against her mouth at her frustration. Finally the buttons gave way and she let 
her hands roam over the soft pale flesh of his chest. She pulled her mouth away 
from his and began to tug the shirt up over his head. He lifted his arms and it 
was off. A crumpled pool of black silk; forgotten on the floor beside them. Her 
hands roamed over him freely now. His skin pale like fine porcelain, was soft 
and warm. 

Jareth was carefully sliding the robe off of Sarah's shoulders and soon that too 
was a pool of silk on the floor. He let his hands roam over her bare arms and 
his mouth left hers to place hot open mouthed kisses on the flesh of her neck. 
Sarah threw her head back at the sensation and Jareth nipped her playfully with 
his sharp teeth. A warmth spread over her as he inched the straps of her 
nightgown down her shoulders and he guided her toward his bed. 

Sarah shivered as the nightgown fell to the floor and the cool night air swept 
over her bare skin. Jareth stopped kissing her and gazed at her. His eyes were 
hungry, full of desire. She stood almost completely naked before him, except for 
her underwear. His hands reached for her, landing on her shoulders, pushing her 
back gently onto the bed as his lips claimed hers once again. 

She would have expected that when she fell back onto the sheets and Jareth knelt 
over her that she would have been nervous as she had felt a few other times, 
with other men in her life. But she didn't feel that. Jareth propped himself on 
his elbows over her and continued to kiss her and it felt like such a natural 
thing. And because it felt that way she knew this was right. Being here with him 
was so totally right. 

His lips left hers once more and he trailed kisses slowly down her neck inching 
closer and closer to her chest. One of his hands slid up her side and settled on 
one breast. She gasped as his thumb moved over the sensitive skin and then 
moaned when his mouth replaced his hand. He moved to the other breast, giving it 
the same slow and tedious attention. The warmth she felt before was spreading 
through her fast. She felt like she was on fire. 

Her hands roamed over his back, his chest and inched toward the waistband of his 
pants. He pulled his mouth from her breast and kicked his boots off. They went 
crashing to the floor at the end of the bed but neither of them heard the sound; 
they were too involved in each other. She teased him, sliding her finger along 
the inside of the waist of his pants. He trembled anticipating her touch and she 
smiled to herself. Finally feeling as if she had teased him enough she slowly 
slid the pants down his slender hips. He kicked them off as well and knelt over 
her. The powerful Goblin King was naked and completely vulnerable before her. 

She had imagined that he was well endowed, judging from the way his pants fit 
him and she wasn't disappointed. She reached for him and he threw his head back 
with a groan when her fingers touched his flesh; gently stroking the length of 
him. The contact didn't last long. He pulled away from her and eagerly reached 
for her underwear. He slid them down her long legs and disposed of them quickly. 
He leaned over her again and reached for her mouth. She pulled him down against 
her and they both gasped at the feeling of their flesh coming into contact with 
each other. 

"Please..." the first word spoken between them. A feminine whisper, a plea. 

Jareth kissed her lips then a placed a light kiss on her forehead. He shifted 
slightly and gazed down at her. Her eyes were filled with love. The kind of love 
that was real, sincere. Love that many wished for and only a handful actually 
received and experienced. That same love was mirrored in his own eyes as he 
gazed down at her. 

He entered her slowly and a feeling that rivaled electricity shot through them 
both. The feeling gave way slightly and he moved within her. Thrusting, but 
gently. She matched his movements and the fire that burned within her spread as 
far as it could. He moved against her harder and she matched the movements 
perfectly. The world around her vanished and became one thing, Jareth. She 
became aware of only him. The warmth of his flesh, the taste of his lips and 
mouth, his soft hair tickling her face, his hands as they roamed over her in 
every direction and the feel of him moving within her. Waves washed over her and 
she cried out his name in release. Moments later he threw his head back and 
cried out her name as he reached his own release. She pulled him down to her and 
they trembled within each other's arms. 

After a short while he rolled off of her and pulled her on top of him. He 
reached up brushing back the dark hair that hung in her face. 

"Does it... always feel... like that?" She asked between breaths. She'd been 
with others before and never had she felt such intensity, such exquisite 
pleasure.

He reached up cupping her face in his palm. "No...I've never felt that way 
before. This was... the first time." He told her honestly. It was the truth. She 
wasn't the first or only one he'd made love to, but he had never experienced the 
emotions and feelings he had with her.  "I love you." He whispered softly. 

She smiled. "I know." She leaned forward kissing him. "I love you too." He 
smiled deviously. And rolled onto his side. She rolled with him and they lay on 
their sides, facing each other. 

He played with her hair, curling the silky strands on his fingers. "I was wrong 
you know." He said softly. 

She gazed over at him. He looked so handsome with his blond hair framing his 
pale, sculptured face. "Wrong about what?" she reached over tracing his 
cheekbone and allowing her fingers to trace his jaw line.

"The debt. You never truly owed me anything. It's I who am in debt to you. For 
helping me out of a time of darkness, for bringing me hope. For allowing me to 
love again. For loving me despite everything..."

She smiled. She had forgotten about the debt. "Then I guess we're even."

He nodded. "Yes." He pulled her to him, resting his head above hers on the 
pillows. "And now that I have you, I promise I will never let any harm come to 
you."

She nuzzled closer to him, burying her face into his neck and his soft hair. "I 
know; because you always keep your word." He smiled and pulled a sheet over 
them. 

The warm rays of a new day's sun peered over the horizon., but neither of them 
noticed. Content with the feeling of being safe within each others arms, they 
drifted off to sleep.