Labyrinth 1. Moving

**Author's Note: Well, this is my first M fic, so I'd really like to know what you think- even if you hate it- because I'm not really sure if I should continue with it, or how far I should actually take it.**

**The usual disclaimer applies; I own nothing, though I wish I did.**

**Oh, and this story contains Dark Jareth- you have been forewarned! Hope you enjoy it. :)**

"Hoggle?" Sarah called out.

If anyone had entered her room, all they would have seen was the dark-haired eighteen year old staring so intently into her mirror. Anyone who didn't know the real reason she looked into the mirror might think her vain. But she wasn't being vain. She _was_ staring into the mirror in front of her, however her eyes were not focussed on herself, but rather darting anywhere else, seemingly looking for someone other than herself in its reflection. It was only when she had almost given up hope and was about to get up from her chair that a voice answered her.

"Sarah?"

Sarah turned straight back to the mirror; a smile lighting up her face as she saw her friend in the mirror.

"Hoggle! I thought you'd forgotten me!"

"Me? Forget you? Not likely," he grumbled in response.

"Hoggle, I'm sorry I haven't, you know... spoken to you in a while... it's just..."

"It's alright, not bothered... Don't need me no more..." he mumbled, almost to himself.

"Oh Hoggle, don't say that! I do still need you! I think now more than ever!"

Hoggle's face brightened at the thought.

"Really? You do?"

Sarah nodded.

"Well, that's okay then," Hoggle said, in a more pleasant tone.

"How've you been?" Sarah questioned after a pause.

The dwarf shrugged, and then said, "Oh, you know how it is, more fairies to exterminate... Everyone misses you though..."

"I've missed you all too! Everything's just been a bit busy here."

Sarah paused, absentmindedly fiddling with a hairbrush on the table.

"Karen says we're moving..."

Hoggle tilted his head to the side and waited for Sarah to continue. It took a while before she had readied herself to say what was really on her mind.

"It's been three years since everything happened. And it all happened here. It feels like- leaving here- I'll lose more than just the house I grew up in... I feel like I'm going to be losing my connection with you and the others."

"Naw, of course not! Remember, should you need us."

"I'll call," she finished in a whisper.

A small smile curved her lips upward at the memory of the end of that night and the spur-of-the-moment party she'd had in her room with her friends from the Underground. Sarah sighed then, the smile slipping from her face. She would miss that memory at just the sight of her room.

Not all of that night had been as pleasant as that party though; and she well remembered it. The Goblin King. She shivered at the memory of the fae King. He had been so beautiful; so entrancing, particularly the last time she'd seen him. But Sarah had eventually seen past the veneer that he had tried to present her with as a distraction from her task of saving Toby. It had seemed that his entire purpose towards her during her time in the Labyrinth had been to distract her. And although now, she did note the Goblin King's appeal, Sarah would always remember how she had turned him down; _repeatedly_. And the only time that he had actually succeeded in making her mind spin was due solely to her being under the influence of the hallucinogenic drug he'd forced Hoggle to give her in that wretched peach. His distraction had never really worked against Sarah as he had so hoped, and that thought made her smile again.

Sarah let out another long and loud sigh as her mind was drawn back from her memories. She hadn't even noticed Hoggle's image disappear from her mirror until then. Sarah felt a pang of guilt that she'd called her friend to her and her thoughts of the Goblin King had overtaken her mind again. Those thoughts, it seemed, often gained control of her mind should she find herself thinking of him. Sarah cursed under her breath and murmured an apology to Hoggle, just hoping that he'd hear her. A knock at her door made her turn from her mirror and her thoughts of her visit to the Underground all those years ago.

"Sarah?"

She frowned at the voice behind her door. _What does _she _want? _Sarah thought, her anger at the woman brought back fully, simply by the sound of her voice. Her stepmother didn't even wait for a response before opening the door and entering Sarah's room.

"What, Karen?" she snapped back.

"Sarah honestly, I wish you'd stop treating me like I'm ruining your life-"

"Haven't you noticed you are?" Sarah retorted under her breath.

Karen rolled her eyes at her stepdaughter. She often wondered what she'd done to deserve an eighteen year old who acted so childishly. The girl had been nothing like she'd expected or wanted in a daughter when she married Robert- and it had been abundantly clear to Karen that she was the last thing that Sarah wanted in a mother, step or not.

"I came to see if you'd started packing yet," Karen said as she frowned and looked around Sarah's room.

"Sarah, we're moving in less than a week; if you actually want to keep anything you own, I suggest you start as soon as possible."

"Like you'd care if I didn't pack. You think all my stuff's junk anyway!"

"Well Sarah, perhaps you could stand to lose some of these old toys that you're far too old to even take notice of," Karen answered in the sickly sweet voice she used when something was irritating her.

Sarah stared at her stepmother indignantly and just waited for her to leave. Eventually Karen gave in as she usually did when Sarah gave her such a stare, leaving Sarah alone to her thoughts. The girl let out a long and impatient groan. _Why has she _always_ got to be like that? It's not fair._ When it came to her stepmother, Sarah had no patience, and she had a right not to. Karen had never cared for Sarah, and Sarah's opinions never mattered a shred to Karen. That was one of the reasons that they were moving, and one of the reasons that Sarah had had no say in the matter.

Sarah lay down on her bed, staring up at the room that would only be hers for a matter of days. She knew exactly what Karen meant about having kept all of her old toys that most would say she should have discarded years earlier. But she hadn't. Though they didn't mean what they used to mean to her, they were a reminder of what had happened three years ago; of the dangers she'd faced and the friends that she'd met. They were a reminder of the person that her visit to the Underground had allowed her to be, and she'd be damned if Karen was going to get her to throw them away now.

Sarah slowly opened the drawer beside her, revealing the little red book that she often found herself reading when her mind was troubled. She pulled it out and placed it in the centre of her vanity table, right before her mirror. With another long sigh and a glance at the book that she would likely be drawn to later, Sarah stood and reluctantly picked up one of the empty cardboard boxes that littered the corner of her room.

* * *

Leaning her back against the white, panelled door, Sarah took one last look around her room, taking it in for the final time. She couldn't help but feel so sad as she looked over the emptiness left by the absence of her things. She didn't want to leave the place where she'd grown up, where she'd experienced so much. It made no sense to Sarah why Karen got to decide that she could just uproot the whole family as she was doing now. It just wasn't fair.

Sarah pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin against them, remembering the many arguments she'd had with both Karen and her father over the past week. She had tried to explain to them what the house meant to her, and all that they had said in response was that she would soon be moving out to go to college soon anyway. It was the truth, but before, Sarah had always known that she could return home at any time.

This time she'd never get to come back. And she was afraid. Afraid of the memories she had fading and eventually disappearing. But most of all, she didn't want to lose her connection with her friends in the Underground. And something in the back of her mind told her that moving out of her house might just sever those ties for good.

Sarah leant her head back, knocking it lightly against the wooden door behind her and closed her eyes. _It's not fair,_ she found herself thinking, suddenly remembering all those years ago the words of the Goblin King's response to her outburst of the very same phrase. _"You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is."_ Even though it was a memory of Jareth, Sarah would still miss how easy it was to be reminded of the Underground in this house.

She sighed, knowing that she had only hours before they left for good. And there were a few other places that she needed to say goodbye to before she left. With that, Sarah pushed herself from the carpeted floor and picked up the bag by her side. She'd packed a few things that she'd known she'd find herself wanting at some point that day, and somehow, that little red book had found its way into the mess she'd stuffed inside.

Sarah opened the door to her room and left it, despite a tugging in the back of her mind that tried to keep her inside the room she didn't really want to leave behind. She found herself in her father and Karen's equally empty bedroom, her eyes travelling over to the French doors and the balcony behind them. Sarah let out an audible sigh at the sight. She wasn't even really sure why she'd come to look at the French doors, and it took her three long minutes to figure out why.

Between those open French doors, she had first seen the Goblin King and had made her entrance to the Underground. Those French doors had been her doorway to meeting the best friends she'd ever had, despite what it had almost cost her. The sight beyond them now was much different to what she had seen that evening though, as now she stared at the light-grey sky and saw no barn owl or castle in the distance. Sarah shivered and turned away from what had once been and what would never be again; at least not for her.

She would never again wish her brother away, but she never regretted having done it the first time. She had often felt extremely guilty about putting her brother in such danger and of having let him be stolen away by the Goblin King. But she had never regretted it. There had been so much she'd gained in that one trip through the Labyrinth for her to ever _really_ regret having ventured into the Underground. As Sarah headed downstairs, she was met again with the droning sounds of Karen's voice.

"Sarah, _there_ you are. I need you to go and buy some bread so I can make Toby's lunch," Karen said, gesturing at some money that rested on the table before her.

_Oh sure, that's _exactly_ what I want to be doing, _Sarah thought grumpily. _Just because she doesn't care that we're leaving doesn't mean I don't._ She was about to shoot back a snapping retort, but one smiling, happy look from her four year old half-brother told her that she was going to go out and buy bread regardless. Taking the money and shoving it into her small bag, she flashed a small smile at Toby. Sarah had almost made it out of the door before Karen started speaking again.

"You know Sarah, we're moving into a new neighbourhood today, the least you could do is try to look a little nicer. Put some make-up on or something."

Sarah rolled her eyes at her stepmother, but almost had to hold back the small smile as she remembered that she had put her Sony Discman into her little bag. She could already predict that it was going to be particularly useful at drowning out the sounds of Karen's voice. Sarah left the house quickly, not caring to hear anything more that her stepmother had had to say.

Besides, Sarah had another place that she wanted to see before they left town for good. She decided that before she bought the bread she would visit the park. Truthfully, the park was her favourite place to be. She had spent countless days just sitting under a tree reading, or oftentimes she could be found acting out some part from a play that had captured her imagination.

Sarah reached the park quickly, knowing her route perfectly and she sat down on her favourite bench, one that looked out over the small lake in front of her. Sarah took in a deep breath of the fresh air she was so accustomed to and her eyes searched the surrounding landscape, trailing everything so familiar that she wouldn't see again. There was seemingly no one else near, and the grey sky seemed to be darkening so much that Sarah guessed that rain was soon to follow.

"This is so_ depressing_," Sarah said to no one but herself.

"I wish this wasn't happening."

She regretted it as soon as the words slipped through the barrier she usually put up regarding the use of "I wish". Sarah looked around quickly, just to make sure for herself that she'd not just made a horrible mistake. No one was there though to Sarah's relief, even when she checked behind herself. A long ragged sigh broke from her lips as she tried to calm the thoughts that had arisen because of the last time she'd made a wish.

"Making wishes again, Sarah?"

Sarah's whole body immediately tensed. Her green eyes had gone wide and she dared not take another breath. The voice she had just heard behind her was one that she would never be able to forget. It was sneering, almost mocking; but that only reminded her more so of the danger the voice brought.

Slowly, Sarah turned, attempting to ready herself to face the King of the Goblins. But when she turned, there was no one there. Sarah was stunned; shocked. He wasn't there. _You imagined it, Sarah_, she thought, putting the memory of his voice down to her impending upheaval from the home she'd grown up in. But when she turned her head back to face the lake again, Sarah's breath caught in her throat.

Before her, stood the Goblin King, dressed magnificently in the black armour that Sarah had first seen him in, his long, dark-blue cloak draped behind him. He was mystifying. Beautiful as only one of the fae could be. The two were frozen for a moment, trapped in the silence of their stares, hers terrified, while his was dark, dangerous and definitely amused. A smirk took hold of his features as he took note of the fear in Sarah's eyes.

"You," she whispered as soon as she found her voice again.

He cocked his head to the side, his smirk broadening as he replied, "Me."

"You... y-you can't be here. You can't-"

"Whatever gave you that idea, my dear?" he interrupted in a soft yet taunting voice.

Sarah opened her mouth to answer but found that she was lost for words. Instead she tried to tear her eyes away from the fae King before her, searching for anyone, anything, that might help her.

"There's no one else here, Sarah. You're simply wasting your time."

She saw immediately that he was right. That there was no one near to help her. _Would they even see him?_ she thought almost helplessly; but she found that another thought nagged at her. _Why is there _no one_ in this park?_

"Why are you here?" Sarah asked, trying to reinforce her voice with a strength that she was finding it hard to grasp on to.

"You made a wish, Sarah," Jareth answered simply.

Sarah frowned; her thick brows creasing in frustration.

"But I didn't. I never-"

"You know very well that you did," he said, his tone serious.

"And you know very well that I was listening."

"But I... I didn't mean to."

"Oh, you didn't?" he said, reminding her very much of the night he had first appeared to her.

"Wait," Sarah said, realisation worming its way into her mind.

"That wish had nothing to do with you."

His smirk, if it could, widened even more, causing Sarah's resolve to start to crack slightly.

"Think Sarah. What did you wish for?"

Sarah paused and said quietly, "All I wished was that this wasn't happening. That's nothing to do with you though."

"You wished _what_ wasn't happening, Sarah?" he asked, his mismatched eyes sparkling.

All Sarah could do was stare at the towering figure before her. She couldn't tell him the truth; that she wished she wasn't moving for risk of losing her connection with the Underground. She knew that that would make him too happy, and give him too much of a reason to be standing in front of her.

"I wished that I wasn't moving," she lied as she gathered her thoughts.

"You're _lying_, Sarah," Jareth said, his voice had an almost sing-song taunting quality to it now.

"I've lived here my _whole_ life. I don't want to leave," she retorted, trying to justify her badly formed lie.

"Sarah, it would do you well to stop lying."

He needn't have added "_to me_" to the end of his sentence; his tone _more_ than implied it. But there was something even over that in the tone of his voice that truly shocked Sarah into silence. She could feel his eyes intently watching her.

"The wish had nothing to do with _you_," she answered, reasoning that that at least, was the truth.

"What's said is said. And it is well within my power to grant your wish."

"What are you talking about?" Sarah questioned eventually, feeling increasingly confused.

"You don't want to forget about the Underground. That is easily remedied."

"What do you mean?" she asked, worry creeping into the fringes of her voice.

The Goblin King tilted his head to the side again as he stared her down.

"Come, come now, Sarah. Don't act so childishly; you know exactly what I mean."

He paused.

"I'm taking you back with me."

She stared speechlessly at him as her eyes widened.

"But... I-I _beat_ you. You have _no_ power over me."

Something flashed in the Goblin King's mismatched eyes; something that told Sarah that she had just said the wrong thing entirely. He took a step forward and Sarah tried to stand; she wanted to get as far away from Jareth as possible. But she found that she couldn't. He was straight in front of her, crouching so that they were at eye level before she could even blink. Sarah couldn't help but visibly flinch as his hand reached out to take hold of her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"I wouldn't say that," Jareth said through his smirk.

It was clear to Sarah now that he _did_ have some measure of power over her; but that didn't meant that she would give up so easily.

"I ran your Labyrinth, I beat it. You can't take me back there anymore than you can Toby!" she shouted desperately.

"It's true that I may not be able to take your brother back, but _you_ made a wish, my dear."

"Not for you to take me back!"

"I thought you'd have learned before that wishes are not always what they may seem. You made a wish, and now you get to face the consequences."

"No!" she yelled, trying to push herself back from him.

She didn't get the chance to say anymore though because with that, the Goblin King's free hand moved up to hold her arm at the elbow and she almost cried out at the strength of his touch. Sarah tried move back from him, but his iron grip around her arm and his fingers grasping her chin forbade any movement.

"Let go of me," she ordered through gritted teeth.

"I think we both know that you're in no position to be issuing commands."

"No, let go! It's not f-" she caught herself before she finished her sentence, hoping that Jareth wouldn't notice what she had almost said.

Of course, Jareth had; and the laugh that came free of his lips was amused but held an underlying harshness.

"What? _Not fair_? Really Sarah, I thought you'd grown out of saying that," he replied mockingly, daring her to answer.

She had sense enough to stay silent in response. Jareth stood with the smirk still lingering in his expression, and pulled Sarah up to stand before him. She grimaced as she was forced to stand so close to the Goblin King, staring up into those mismatched eyes.

"Please, just let me go," she said a whisper.

"I've frozen time for you and _still,_ all you can do is act so ungratefully. Though I must say I'm a little surprised at you, Sarah. I just thought you might have grown up a little in the years you've been back here."

_So that's why there's no one here_, Sarah thought dejectedly. She wanted someone desperately to see them; to save her. She needed someone's help. And he had just confirmed that no one would be saving her. She was alone; and she couldn't see any way to save herself on her own this time.

"You rejected me all those years ago, but this time you don't have the luxury of that choice. This wish leaves no room for a rescuer."

"But I didn't wish for this!" she said loudly, trying to pull back from his hand.

His grip tightened around her elbow, making her take a deep, sharp breath.

"But this is what you're getting regardless. And I must say; it's long overdue."

"Why are you doing this?" Sarah whispered.

The Goblin King stared at the young woman before him, almost surprised that she did not know the answer to the question she'd asked. Jareth wasn't one to answer her so easily however, and instead of replying to her, he shifted his hand from under her chin to gently caress her cheek. He felt Sarah shiver beneath his touch.

"Please. Stop. Just leave me be," she said, her voice drifting into a weak and vulnerable waver.

Jareth let out a short laugh at her plea. To him, it was just an admission of her helplessness. Sarah couldn't even look away from those mismatched eyes as she felt a gust of wind sweep around them. If she had been in a different frame of mind, Sarah might have thought, _how cliché_ or _I hate magic_, but as it was, she couldn't keep her mind off of the hand stroking softly at her cheek. And what it really meant.

"There," Jareth said finally, giving the dark-haired young woman in front of him one last small smile before he released her arm.

She pulled away from the hand on her cheek as soon as he let go of her, stumbling backward. It took her a moment to place where he had taken her, for as she glanced around, things seemed to take time to come into focus. She was in a throne room. _Jareth's_ _throne room_, she corrected herself.

The wide throne, the room's centre piece, stood directly behind the Goblin King, looking regal compared to the rest of the filthy room. Sticky, grubby fingers of hundreds of goblins had no doubt been the cause of the dirty marks that smudged over the stone walls. But the room was empty of the creatures now and its only occupants were the Goblin King and the wide-eyed girl now at its centre.

"Welcome home, Sarah," Jareth said with a humoured yet menacing tone.

Sarah stared over to him, not knowing how to respond. _Home?_ she thought, her mind whirling. _No. No, this isn't right._

"This _isn't_ my home," she snapped eventually, pulling some fire from deep within herself.

That dark something flashed in Jareth's eyes again, signalling once more that her words had not been the ones that he wanted to hear.

"Well you'll never be returning Aboveground, so I'd get used to it if I were you," Jareth replied in a harsh tone.

"You can't keep me here. It's not like I'm some child that was wished away. You have to take me home."

"Think carefully, Sarah," he said patronisingly.

"You wished _yourself_ away. And there's no one to run the Labyrinth to save you."

She stared at him blankly.

"But I didn't wish for _this_. I just didn't."

"You wished that nothing of what was happening to you was happening. I simply ensured that it won't. Honestly Sarah, there's just no pleasing you, is there?"

"You have _no_ right to interfere like that!"

"You're about to cross a thin line, Sarah. I'd watch where you step."

Something in his voice warned her not to respond, but she pushed it aside and shouted, _"_Bullshit! Just take. me. home!"

"_Language_, Sarah," Jareth said harshly as he stepped toward Sarah, closing the gap that she had created earlier.

"Fuck you!" she spat back, deciding that if coarse language was what bothered him, coarse language would be what she used.

His hands took hold of her shoulders in a forceful grasp. Sarah's hands came up against his chest, trying to push him away from her; an action that only painfully tightened his grip on her. Jareth squeezed harder until she couldn't stop herself whimpering aloud in pain. He smiled at the sound, and then spoke again.

"You should take note, Sarah, that now you live in the Underground, I am your King. And as my subject you must do as I say."

"Screw you!" she whispered through clenched teeth.

Jareth's eyebrows rose in an amused gesture as a smirk broke into his expression once more.

"Be careful what you wish for, my dear."

Sarah froze in his vice-like grip. She could tell that he was deadly serious despite his seemingly trademark smirk; and she was honestly terrified of him.

"I have been generous, but I can be cruel," he added, repeating the words he'd said in their final encounter all those years ago.

Sarah was fighting hard now to bite back her threatening tears, but as he continued to stare at her so seriously, she finally broke down. An overwhelming sense of hopelessness washed over Sarah and she seemed to slump in Jareth's grasp. He released her arms and she sank to the ground, bringing her knees up to her chest.

"It's n-not fair," she whispered through the gasping breaths she took in.

No one knew about the Underground. No one knew that she'd been there. No one knew how she had defeated the Goblin King and won back her brother. No one would save her. No one would even know where to look.

And no one knew what Jareth wanted now- not even she. Sarah had merely thought that Jareth's offer to her three years ago had been simply an attempted, and failed, distraction. Jareth knew though, that his offer had indeed been genuine; and now he had a lifetime to make her see sense- in whatever ways he had to. He let out a long and amused sigh as sobs began wracking Sarah's body. Jareth stared down at her, smirking.

"Ah but Sarah; the best is yet to come."


	2. Hopeless and Helpless

"Ah but Sarah; the best is yet to come."

Sarah could barely focus on his words as her hopelessness held her still, leaving her to just cry on the cold stone floor of the grubby throne room. She had no way to get out of the Underground; no one knew that she was there. And she very much doubted that Jareth would let her contact her friends that lived there. She was completely alone.

_No. Not alone,_ she thought as a gentle touch on her shoulder pulled her back to the present. Sarah had been looking too intently at the bigger picture to realise the danger she was in at that very moment. The gentle touch reminded her of that though.

As hopeless and helpless as Sarah felt, she didn't want Jareth touching her. Sarah wrenched her shoulder free from his grasp, acting as rebelliously as she felt she dared in her present situation. She didn't even want to look up to see what expression had formed on the fae's face, knowing that whatever it was, it would be something she'd regret looking at.

But she hadn't realised that that sharp movement of her shoulder was probably the worst thing she could have done as the Goblin King's strong hand wove into her long, dark hair and pulled her to her feet. Sarah cried out at the pain, her hands flying to her head as if she was trying to pry him off of her.

"There's no use resisting, Sarah."

"Let go!" she managed to say in a pained gasp.

Jareth smirked at her and replied tauntingly, "Say please."

Though Sarah felt as if at any moment all of the hair that he grasped would be ripped out of her very skull, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her pride stood in the way. She just wasn't willing to give in to his demands so easily; even_ if_ they gave her some relief.

"No," she shot back through gritted teeth.

Jareth smiled at the response, but let out a long sigh.

"Ah Sarah, you haven't let go of that spirit at all, have you?"

She glared at him with the hardest, cruellest stare that she could muster. But it was only enough to bring another laugh to the Goblin King, and she winced as his hand moved with his laughter, pulling her hair even more.

"Stop it!" Sarah managed to gasp through the pain.  
"_Again_ ignoring your manners, Sarah? That is certainly no way to get what you want."

"Saying please didn't get you to leave me in the park, did it?" she snapped.

Jareth let go of her hair then, and Sarah flinched backward, clutching her head and the newly found relief from pain that she felt there. She stared up at the fae before her and waited for him to say something. But he didn't. At the look on his face, she half expected him to hit her. But again, he didn't. He simply took in a long, deep breath and stared back at her.

"You know Sarah; it really isn't all that hard to behave. You'll learn though."

There was something in his voice that made Sarah want to start crying all over again. There had been something so serious, so mocking about the way he'd said those words. _"You'll learn though."_ Sarah's body gave an involuntary shiver, because, more than just the serious yet mocking tone; Jareth's voice had held the promise of things to come. And Sarah was deadly certain that she didn't want to find out what those things were.

"Go to Hell, Jareth!" she shouted back at him.

There was nothing more that she could say, or even think, before a mind-numbing pain swallowed her in its intense embrace. Sarah could have sworn she'd heard the loud _slap _of his open palm on the side of her face, but now all she could hear was a deafening and reverberating ringing.

Her hands went up to her head, as if applying pressure might relieve the pain. It didn't. Though her knees were weak, and her head dizzy and throbbing, Sarah would later be proud of herself for managing to remain on her feet. She saw the Goblin King's mouth moving, but she couldn't make out his inaudible words.

"Do you hear me, Sarah?" Jareth asked again, when Sarah could finally hear his still slightly muffled words.

He wasn't at all asking out of concern for her- she could see that from the look on his face. His question was more of a confirmation; a confirmation that followed something she'd missed. A confirmation that dared her to defy him. But Sarah didn't know what he was asking her, and her thoughts were not collected enough for her to know how to answer.

"What?" she asked eventually, still clutching her head.

Jareth's eyes flashed, but she didn't notice. Sarah was still trying to focus on getting her thoughts straight. For his part, Jareth was not happy to be repeating himself.

"_I_ _said_, that you should remember that I am your King now, and you should address me as such. Do you understand?" he said the last part with a sneer, as if he took a great deal of pleasure in having power over her.

She gaped at him. _What does he expect me to do, call him '_YourMajesty'_ or something?_ Sarah thought angrily, determined that, even if it meant that he hit her again, she would _not_ be calling him by that title. To do that would be admitting the power he had over her. And she couldn't do that. She _wouldn't_.

Sarah's lack of spoken response was enough of an answer for Jareth though. He didn't even know if he was angry or not. In truth, he was rather pleased that the girl who had beaten his Labyrinth would not give in to him so easily. A smirk rose to his lips and his mismatched eyes seemed to light up. The Goblin King had always enjoyed a challenge. And Sarah _would_ bend to his will eventually.

* * *

The moon shone through the thin glass pane of a large window, illuminating just vague silhouettes of things in the room. Sarah was sitting with her legs crossed on what she could faintly make out was a bed, covered in what felt like a thick satin sheet. It seemed to Sarah that time worked differently in the Underground, as she had discovered from how easily Jareth had manipulated it to take away two precious hours when she'd first run the Labyrinth. Either that or she had been unconscious for longer than she'd initially thought.

But time was the least of Sarah's worries right now. Her head was still throbbing from when he'd hit her the first time. But after she'd refused to address him by his 'royal title' and he had hit her again, Sarah hadn't been able to remember anything but a thumping, pulsing agony that resounded through her skull. Thinking hard or moving too quickly still made her head ache, but she _had_ to think hard to figure out how she'd got to where she was.

Sarah remembered being hit, and since there was no one else around, she surmised that it must have been Jareth that had carried her to this room, placing her on this bed. If that were the case, then he had subsequently left Sarah alone in the dark room. She had been unconscious when he'd brought her there, so, in truth, she had no idea where _there _was.

_Probably somewhere in that Godforsaken castle, _Sarah thought bitterly. She had realised though, as she sat in the darkness, that she would just have to wait until someone, unfortunately most likely Jareth, came back to truly find that out because her one attempt at getting up had sent her in a dizzying flop back to the bed.

There was something about her present situation that made her feel so helpless as she just sat there, unable to move from the bed that Jareth had set her down on. Sarah was glad, at least, that Jareth had not been there when she had woken up. Jareth's earlier implications had made her so nervous- scared even- that, had he been there, she would have been so afraid that he would act upon them, she would have only hurt her head more in trying to get away from him.

But Sarah still couldn't help fearing the moment he would come back into the room. And she knew already, that she wouldn't be able to comply with any orders he would give her. And she was still trying to ready herself for it when she realised that that meant that a new bout of pain would soon set in.

* * *

Jareth was alone in his throne room, glad that he had banished the little creatures that usually invaded the room for the entire evening. It gave him time to watch Sarah in peace through one of his many, magic crystals. For the past two hours she had simply been sitting on the bed he'd put her on, staring out at the moon through the large window. His smirk came back to him slowly as he remembered the time Sarah had tried to stand but couldn't; and had to sit back down on the bed, clutching her head.

Jareth hadn't meant to hit her as hard as he did; or he had not meant to knock her unconscious at least. She just had to learn. And the sooner she did, the sooner they could get on with things. Not that Jareth wouldn't enjoy getting her to that stage; but when she accepted her life in the Underground, her position; everything would be much better.

His thoughts flickered back to the girl- _no;_ _woman_, he corrected himself- as she let out a long sigh. _She does that so often_, he thought, not particularly concerned by it. In the moonlight, he couldn't help but notice that her already pale skin caught the silver rays perfectly. The light made even the frown set on her face beautiful. But the Goblin King would always find her beautiful; no matter her expression.

He had watched her all those years ago, running his Labyrinth to reclaim her little brother; and his love for her had grown. She had been so stubborn, so persistent- and she seemed to have kept those traits with her over the years. But when she'd left- _when she _rejected_ me,_ he thought resentfully- she had destroyed him. Not literally, of course; and Sarah would never find out about it, but she _had_ affected him to a great extent.

Jareth had turned angrier, and infinitely more short-tempered since. So much so that he pitied anyone that had to run his Labyrinth, for they were nowhere near as well received as Sarah had been. For two years, the Goblin King had tried to persuade himself to get over Sarah. But each time, his new conquests were so submissive, so tame, and so... not Sarah, that after those two years, Jareth had completely given up on the task and turned his attentions to finding a way to bring Sarah back to him.

Through his crystals, Jareth was able to bridge the gap through the Aboveground and the Underground, which otherwise he could only break when a wish was made. But when a wish was made, he had to visit the wisher, and could spare no time to see Sarah. So he simply watched her through his crystals. Jareth became very much absorbed in watching Sarah just live her life, amazed by the changes in her. She had grown up in those two ears that Jareth had tried to forget about her, and was all the more stunning for it.

But Jareth had spent the last year not only watching; but waiting. Waiting for Sarah to slip up. To say something that would give him access to her. He knew that she still remembered everything that happened when she wished her brother to the Underground. And he also knew that Sarah still contacted the friends she'd made on her brief visit. So Jareth _had_ been waiting for her to slip up; he knew eventually that she'd make a wish, and that he would somehow be able to interpret it to his will.

That simple slip of the tongue earlier that very day had been as music to the Goblin King's ears. He had been watching, as he often was, and caught the words that had now imprinted in his mind. _"I wish this wasn't happening."_ Now _that_ was a wish that he could- and did- easily manipulate.

_I have her now though._ _And I will not let her go again,_ he thought as he watched Sarah give up waiting and settle down atop of the satin sheet, trying to sleep away whatever was troubling her mind. _Me, no doubt,_ he thought, hoping that he was right.

* * *

The door opened without a sound and a stream of yellowish light flooded into the room in a column. The shadow of the Goblin King intruded on the brightness as he stepped inside, careful not to wake the room's sleeping inhabitant. Jareth had waited until she had grown tired of waiting for him to reappear, and fallen asleep, before returning to her. Sarah was so much more peaceable when she slept. He had often indulged in watching her while she slept over the last year. It would be so much harder to resist her when she was so close, but he wouldn't touch her. Not yet anyway. He would at least try persuading her first- knowing, of course, that she would try to reject him once more. But then would come the fun part.

Jareth stood beside her bed, looking down at the sleeping woman who seemed so much more than she had all those years ago. Sarah's dark hair was splayed in disarray over her pillow, one hand buried beneath it as she lay in such a peaceful state. Her breathing was even as she slept in what looked like a dreamless sleep. She was so relaxed; and so beautiful. So_ perfect._ _So_ perfect, in fact, that Jareth could not help himself from reaching out and brushing a small, misplaced strand of hair that lay against her cheek.

But that small, gentle contact of his gloved fingers on her cheek was enough to wake her. Sarah's eyes snapped open and she froze for a moment, those green orbs flicking from Jareth's hand to the half-smirking expression on his face. It didn't take her long to break out of the daze she always awoke to, and fully realise where she was. And when she did, Sarah flinched back from him, pushing herself so far to the other side of the bed that she almost fell off the edge.

"Careful Sarah; you don't want to fall."

She stared at him in the dimming moonlight, not failing to notice how the light caught his skin, making him look even more beautiful. _Don't think about that,_ Sarah told herself. _It's just because he's fae._ The growing smirk on his face reminded her just how much she hated him for what he was doing.

"What do you care? You've already beaten me enough, what could one more fall matter to you?" she retorted, satisfied that the distance of the bed would be enough to protect her from his anger; fornowat least.

"Of course I care, Sarah," Jareth answered; his voice even but his brows creased into a frown.

"You _don't_," she bit back, _so_ convinced that she was correct.

He sighed and said, "Yes Sarah, I _do _care."

"Prove it. Take me home!" she said, trying to trick him into sending her back Aboveground."

"You are home. Besides, I have proved that I care."

"_How_?" Sarah asked, outraged.

"I brought you here."

He paused before continuing, "You know, I've always been so committed to make sure that all your wishes come true, and each time I've tried you've treated me so cruelly. Everything I've done, I've done for you," he said, repeating the words he'd once sung to her.

She could only look at him for a few seconds as if he wove a tale in which she was just the spoiled brat that continually refused the story's hero. It may have been true, but Jareth was no hero; and Sarah wasn't going to let him get away with claiming that he was. Sarah opened her mouth to speak, but Jareth continued.

"I offer you so much, and you-"

"You _offer _me?" Sarah asked with a frown.

"The only thing you've offered me since I've been here is a slap on the face!"

"But _that_, you deserved, Sarah. I've had others killed for less."

"I _deserved_ it? You know what," she started as she stood up from the bed, on the opposite side to him.

Her fists were clenched and she ignored any dizziness that she still felt. Her anger was _far_ too overpowering now.

"Why don't you just send me back and then stop doing me these _favours?_" Sarah yelled, spitting the last word at him.

Jareth was angry now. She was just so ungrateful. She didn't give a damn about what it had taken for him to bring her to the Underground.

"You are _never_ returning Aboveground, Sarah," he said simply, but his words rang with finality.

A silence echoed between them as Sarah couldn't help but feel another wave of the helplessness she'd felt before. After all, _she_ couldn't very well get herself out of the Underground. Sarah needed someone's help, and, at the moment, all she had was Jareth. And he did _not_ seem like he would want to help her any time soon. But she knew that she had to push her helplessness back for the moment.

"You think _anything_ you've done has actually been good for me? Well, it hasn't."

"You know very well that you don't mean that, Sarah," Jareth answered knowingly.

She couldn't answer, because he was in fact correct. She would never admit to him what good coming to the Labyrinth the first time had done for her. But what her last visit had done still made no difference to how she felt.

"Just _stop_ _it_ and take me home."

"What's done is done," Jareth replied dismissively.

His dismissal only incensed her further as she replied, through gritted teeth, "I _hate_ you."

Sarah regretted it as soon as she said those words. Not because she hadn't meant them, because she had; but because even in the moonlight she could see the silent anger in his expression. She was now extremely glad of the bed between them, blocking her from the reach of his wrath.

"You may think so now, Sarah, but soon you'll see-"

"Is that before or after you hit me again?"

"That depends on how you behave. And if you continue interrupting me, I'd have to say after," Jareth answered in a calm voice, his eyes never leaving Sarah's.

"I brought you here. With great trouble to myself I brought you here. I have tried reasoning with you. I carried you to this room, when I could just as easily have left you on the floor; even after you were _so_ rude to me. It seems to me Sarah, that you need to gain some perspective and start being grateful for what I'm giving-"

"You want me to be _grateful_? Grateful that you knocked me unconscious and decided to carry me to a bedroom where I wake to find you standing over me in the dark?"

A blink of her dark lashes was all that it took for the Goblin King to start moving. Jareth was round to Sarah's side of the bed and before she knew it, her back was pressed up against the hard, stone wall behind her. _So much for the bed barrier_, Sarah thought desperately as she struggled against the strong hands on her wrists that pinned her back.

"Yes, you should be grateful. Think of all the things that I could, but am _not _doing to you, Sarah. Because soon I will give up on trying to be polite."

Sarah bit her lip to fight screaming back at him; because she knew that if she did, then he would only end up hitting her again. But she didn't know what to do when Jareth pressed his body up against her, and raised her hands up beside her head, still keeping hold of her wrists. Sarah tried to shrink back from him, pushing her back harder into the wall to try and get away, but to no avail. His face was so close to hers that she could feel his hot breath on her skin, a stark contrast to the cold stone on her back.

"And you don't want me to stop being polite," he whispered to her in such a way that sent a shiver up her spine.

Sarah glared up at him, meeting his eyes and the playful, yet sadistic stare he was giving her.

"Let go of me," Sarah said in a whisper.

Jareth's grip tightened painfully around her wrists, eliciting a distressed cry from Sarah's lips.

"_Manners,_ Sarah," he reminded her, as the smirk flickered on his lips.

She couldn't do it. She couldn't say please him even if it meant that his grip would loosen. It would be _wrong_. What he was doing was wrong. _He shouldn't be allowed to get what he wants through actions like these_, Sarah thought as she glowered at him through the tears unwittingly forming in her eyes. The tears that broadened the smirk on the fae King's face so much do that she visibly tried to cringe back from him again.

"Sarah, just _give_ _in_. It will be much easier for you if you do."

Sarah froze, a cold wave running through her body.

"A-and... if I don't?"

She didn't even have a chance to regret the question before his lips crashed down upon hers, closing the minute gap between them. Sarah's eyes went wide as she was sandwiched between the wall and his lips, with no escape. Jareth's lips moved against hers, though hers were reluctant and still. If Sarah had actually wanted this to happen, she would have noticed more the feel of his kiss and the expert nature of which it was performed.

As it was, Sarah was only hit with an intense fear of the fae as his teeth nipped at her bottom lip. If he could do this, what else would he be willing to do? She didn't know; and she certainly didn't want to find out. She just wanted Jareth away from her; but it seemed that her fighting against him was useless.

When he finally pulled back from her, his eyes flickered back to hers, something that she noticed even through the darkness. As the touch of his lips and teeth still lingered on hers, she was almost certain that they would bear bruises as a result of that forced kiss.

But she didn't have time to think about that as he smirked and said quietly, "Use your imagination."

**Author's Note: Reviews make me write faster, so if you want more, please do review! :)**


	3. For All Eternity

He smirked and said quietly, "Use your imagination."

The words sent an unwitting but very definite and frightened shiver up Sarah's spine. She was motionless and said nothing, though inside she was screaming. Screaming so loud that she was sure if she did so aloud then the glass of the thin window would crack. She was truly scared now, and her wide, green eyes in the moonlight betrayed her completely to the Goblin King.

Jareth let out a laugh. It was small, but it was enough to make Sarah's breath catch in her throat again. She was so frightened of what he might do that she'd almost forgotten what they were arguing about. _Almost. _Of course, she would never forget what they were arguing about- mostly because he wouldn't allow her to. Jareth wanted her to give in; and Sarah's pride would not allow that. But would her pride protect her from his wanton lust? She suspected not.

The feel of the Goblin King's fingers, gently circling, almost tickling her palms brought another shiver to Sarah's trapped body. And that shiver broadened the smirk on those lips that had moments before been upon hers; those lips that Sarah hated so much right now. _His _lips.

Jareth pulled away from her then, taking pleasure in knowing that he was the cause of her unwilling shivers. Stepping backwards, he relinquished his firm grip on her thin wrists. Sarah didn't try to run, or to even shout back at him. Something in her had frozen and all she could do was slide her back down the cold stone wall as she sank to the floor.

With a glittering smile, Jareth clicked his fingers and the light flickered into all the candles around the room; the fire roared under the grand, stone fireplace. Everything was suddenly illuminated. But Sarah wasn't looking around the room; she just couldn't stop staring at the Goblin King. He moved away from her and around to the other side of the bed, with no seeming purpose to this action.

Though it did give Sarah a measure of relief to watch him leave the space before her, she couldn't stop watching him. Sarah's eyes found the tall, black boots Jareth was wearing; the ones that reached his knees, covering only those grey riding trousers that were entirely too revealing for Sarah's liking. Above that, was a white shirt with puffed sleeves that seemed, to her, to be made of so thin a material that she suspected she would be able to feel every muscle and contort of his chest through.

Sarah blinked, catching herself and the thoughts that were filling her mind. She hated Jareth and everything that he was making her think. _It's _so_ wrong. _She wanted to run from him, from everything. If she did though, she knew he'd only hurt her. _But, _she surmised, _he'll only hurt me anyway... _Sarah would have run right then if she could have forced herself to. Her exit, a large and solid oak door engraved with curling, detailed patterns, was before her, and the Goblin King was standing far out of her way.

As it was though, all that had held her frozen, held her still. Even though she was screaming at herself to move, no choice of hers would let her. Sarah was stuck. But a minute later, that didn't matter anymore, because Jareth was making his way back around to her, his lean body blocking her only exit. She looked down, the floor- or anything- was better than that looking at the smirk on the fae's face.

Jareth bent down so he was crouching at her eye level. And some strange impulse meant that Sarah couldn't stop her eyes flickering up from the floor to meet his. To her surprise, there was a softer glint in those mismatched eyes than she had seen before- but really, that only scared her more. Because she couldn't read in those eyes what his intentions really were.

He let out a small sigh and brought a hand up to lightly cup her cheek. Sarah didn't pull back; no matter how much she wanted to. Despite the fact that she didn't think she _could_ move with Jareth in such close proximity to her, Sarah didn't want to give him any more encouragement- or excuses- to do as he wished with her.

"Sarah," Jareth said in a soft voice that was meant to be soothing.

She didn't respond.

"I think you should rest now; it's been a long day. I'll come back to you in the morning."

Sarah was surprised, and she tried hard not to let it show. But it did. And though the Goblin King noticed it, he hid his feelings behind a gentle mask. He wanted to try a softer approach to winning her over. Jareth pushed one hand under her knees and the other to support her back as he lifted Sarah into his arms. He felt her whole body tense as he held her, but she didn't try to fight him.

Relishing the feel of her body in his hands, the only barrier between them being the thin clothes they wore, he didn't want to let her go. Jareth pushed back his feelings for the girl in his arms; letting Sarah ease into her new Underground life seemed a more peaceful and easy way for him to get what he wanted. Or so he suspected. He'd decided so when he'd seen the shock, the deadening look, in her eyes as he'd walked away. It was maddening. Jareth was determined not to have her broken so easily. He was determined to draw it out.

Jareth set Sarah back down on the bed, withdrawing his arms from under her in a slow and lingering movement. She looked up at him, and in those green eyes, he saw an ocean of sadness and fear mingled together. He couldn't have that. She could _not_ break so soon. That wouldn't be the Sarah he knew. _Perhaps things will be better in the morning_, he thought, leaving Sarah with a soft kiss pressed to her forehead and leaving the room.

Her eyes followed him, watching him as he went. The skin where his lips had touched her forehead tingled with a sensation that she didn't ever want to feel from something Jareth had done to her. Confusion and relief swept over her as the door shut with a click, marking the Goblin King's exit. Her mind whirled. Jareth had presented her with what was an undeniable threat, but had seemed to change and turn softer so immediately that she honestly had no idea what the fae was thinking. Sarah was utterly bewildered by him and his mood swing-like actions.

_Perhaps things will be better in the morning_, she thought, unknowingly echoing the Goblin King. She didn't know how wrong she was.

* * *

Sarah's eyes fluttered open to the natural light of a new morning. But there was something _unnatural _about the light, and it took her a minute to figure out what it was. But when it hit her, it was as if she'd been slapped. _Of course_, Sarah thought gloomily as she turned her head. _I'm in the Underground._

Sarah glanced out of the window on her right. She almost felt as if instead of looking through thin glass to the outside, she was looking through a portal to a memory. Through it, Sarah could see the Labyrinth, in all of its magnificent- and twisted- glory. _But_, she surmised, _at least it's familiar. Which is more than I can say about this place._ Sarah turned her head again, her green eyes flickering around to take in the details of the room that was now supposedly to be hers.

Her eyes first found the dimmed but still faintly glowing light of the fire that Jareth had clicked into existence. It gave the rest of the room a warm glow that mingled with the morning's sunlight in a way that would almost be calming if she wasn't so wary. Sarah turned her attention then to elsewhere in the room, taking in the large walls that trapped her in this stony prison, but also the intricately detailed tapestries that lined them in parts.

There was a tall wardrobe, made of a dark wood, varnished until it reflected light that hit it. Sarah vaguely wondered what was inside, but pushed her curiosity back until she had looked over the rest of the room. Other things that caught her eye though were the large chez lounge covered in smooth, red velvet and a tall, gold rimmed mirror that reflected Sarah's image.

She noticed that her dark hair was frizzed as it always was in the morning, but the thing that Sarah was looking at when she saw herself was the darkening bruise on the side of her forehead. It marred the skin where Jareth had hit her last night. Sarah's mouth fell open at the sight of it, and slowly, she reached her hand up to finger the sensitive skin. The pain pulled her fingers away immediately, a wince drawing across her features.

At that, Sarah turned to the door she had seen last night- the one she had considered running through. But when she did, she saw another door that she had not noticed. Sarah blinked. She could have sworn that there was no door there a moment ago. _Stupid Labyrinth. Even the castle never stops changing_, she thought with a frown.

Sarah went first to the door that she had seen, as she was almost sure that there was where her exit lay. But she found that it was locked.

"Typical," she sighed to herself.

"He _would_ lock me in here."

She was almost angry as she gave up on that door and turned to the other door. It was an exact copy of the first, the only difference being that when Sarah tried the door, it opened.

A little surprised, Sarah pushed the door open, not knowing what to expect. A wave of emotion hit her as she stared around the adjoining room. The emotion was disappointment. The room was only a bathroom. Admittedly, it was a pristine and gorgeously decorated bathroom; but it was still _just_ a bathroom. No exit could be found within like Sarah had hoped there would be.

She let out long sigh, disappointed that there was no way out of these two rooms that she'd been locked inside of. Looking on the brighter side of things- or the only bright side that she could find- a bathroom was at least a good thing to have. After relieving herself, Sarah filled the porcelain-white sink up with water.

The water felt warm on her skin as she sank her hands into it and splashed it against her face. When she looked up though, and her eyes found the mirror, she saw not herself reflected, but the Goblin King. Sarah turned to see Jareth leaning against the door frame, his arms folded across his chest and grinning with that trademark smirk of his.

"Good morning Sarah," he said, bowing his head slightly.

"It was until you showed up," Sarah muttered under her breath.

Something in his eyes flashed, but it was gone as soon as it came. Sarah would have barely even noticed it if she wasn't staring into those momentarily-glaring, mismatched eyes. But she was. And that something she saw made her bite her lip in fear of the fae King. Jareth said nothing for a while, but merely stared at her in a way that made her seriously wish that he wouldn't.

"Did you sleep well?" Jareth asked, his voice keeping its calm tone.

In truth, Sarah _had _slept well, but she wasn't going to tell him that. She couldn't help but think that he might get some weird sort of satisfaction at the fact she'd slept well in the bed he'd left her in. But she didn't want that something to flash back into his gaze, so Sarah stayed silent. And _that_ proved to be the wrong thing to do as Jareth glared at her.

"You would do well to answer me, Sarah," he said, his voice now edged with the harsh tone she remembered from the previous day.

If she could have hidden it she would have, but Sarah visibly flinched backward, her back pressing into the rim of the sink. A tiny smile turned the corner of the Goblin King's lips upward at her reaction to him. _Perhaps harsher methods _are _what Sarah needs to learn to behave_, Jareth thought as he strode towards her. It was only when he was right in front of her that she decided to speak, not caring if it elicited an angry response.

"What? Because if I don't you'll get angry with me? And if you don't like what you hear you'll get even angrier?" Sarah replied in a low voice as her temper began to get the better of her.

She regretted saying it as soon as that something appeared in his eyes again. Jareth's hand took a hold of Sarah's chin and held her gaze to him as he pulled her face just centimetres from his own. She struggled against him, but she already knew that it was no use. The Goblin King's grip was like iron. And it seemed that the rest of him was too, as Sarah's hands flew up to his chest when she tried to prise him off of her, they beat against hard, well-toned muscles. He only smirked at her attempt.

"You're just proving my point," Sarah managed to gasp out as he held her in that position.

Jareth paused for a moment before answering, "That may be; but if you simply behaved yourself, I wouldn't have to reprimand you constantly, would I?"

Sarah just stared at him; she had nothing to say that would result in her not getting hurt. But she _couldn't_ say _nothing_.

"I can behave _perfectly_ fine. The fact that you've kidnapped me is what's making me reluctant. Take me home and I'll be as nice as pie to you."

Jareth sighed; his hot breath blew onto Sarah's face.

"Enough Sarah. You are not going Aboveground again. However can I get that through to you? Besides; I've never been fond of pie," he said, his voice still unforgiving.

"I'll never stop fighting you," Sarah whispered as his grip on her chin tightened.

"Well, we have all of eternity to find out, don't we?" Jareth replied, a lascivious grin growing on his face.

Sarah's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to form a shaky response. But Jareth never heard what it was, because before she could speak, he used his vice-like grip on her to pull her to him. Her already-open mouth moulded perfectly against his as he forced Sarah into another kiss.

She tried to pull back from him, but the Goblin King used his hold on her to keep her where he wanted her. Jareth seized the opportunity her attempted response had given him and slipped his tongue into her mouth. Running it over Sarah's tongue, he moved to explore the entirety of it. It was so expertly done that he had easily claimed her mouth.

Sarah whimpered into his mouth, not in an encouraging way, but in a way that iterated her discomfort. Her hands gripped his shirt as she tried to push him away from her again, but it was no use. He had her pinned between himself and the porcelain sink. Sarah could feel the pressure- the heat- radiating from his body as he leant into her. Jareth's other hand came round to rest on the small of her back and he pulled them so their bodies were literally pushing into each other. And Sarah's eyes widened even more at what she felt through those skin-tight trousers pressing against her then. _How far is he going to take this?_ she thought as she still continued to struggle against him.

But all thoughts seemed to fly from her mind as Jareth deepened the kiss, turning to fire and passion, as the hand on her back traced up her spine until it rested on the back of her neck, entwined in her dark hair. Her mind was lost to the sensations he was creating, all hope of keeping her will strong; gone. Finally, he pulled back. And both of them were gasping for air. Sarah didn't even have enough breath to tell him to stop; but she managed to clear her head somewhat of the seduction he had enveloped her in.

Jareth's lips moved to her neck then, and his hands fell to her shoulders. Before she could articulate her disagreement- her anger- with his actions, Sarah's mind had started to sink into place that his kiss had just taken her to. His tongue ran in delicate circles over the skin that his lips were massaging so intensely. And her legs had become suddenly very ineffective in supporting her as he gently nipped at the spot between her neck and her clavicle, sucking to sooth the pain and increase the fire he was building in her. She didn't know how she did it, because her mind was so far beyond her control, but Sarah managed to speak up then.

"Stop... _Please_... _Stop_..."

Jareth trailed his lips up her neck, tickling the sensitive flesh until he was by her ear.

"Stop what, Sarah?"

His whisper sent a shiver through her, and, to Sarah's discomfort, her body unwittingly moved against his. She tried to answer, but found herself only able to gasp as he began sucking against her earlobe, his tongue playing with her skin as he waited for a reply.

"Please... _No_..." Sarah managed to gasp out.

"I don't... want this."

"But you _are_ enjoying it," Jareth replied in another low, throaty whisper.

Sarah shivered again. But he was right. She would hate herself for admitting it, even if she would never say so aloud; but she _was _enjoyingthe feelings he was creating in her, if not whathewas doing to her. But Jareth pressed a light kiss to her lips then, and pulled back slowly before she could reply.

"Perhaps another time," Jareth said as he stepped back from her completely.

Sarah dropped to the ground, her weak knees still unable to support her properly. Jareth didn't even try to hold back his smirk as he left the room, pulling the door closed behind him. Sarah watched him go with tears and hate in her wide, green eyes. Her breathing was still heavy; the fire in her was still holding prevalence over the rest of her. And she worked hard to calm both.

She hated herself for not being better at pushing him away; for not stopping him. She hated that she had taken so much pleasure in what he'd done. It was _so_ wrong, and she knew it. And she was disgusted with herself for it. No one had ever done such things to Sarah before- she had never let anyone get that close- but the Goblin King had been relentless. And he had made her feel things that she had never wanted to feel because of him. That was what sickened her.

Running her tongue over her teeth sickened her even more though. All that she could taste was _him_. Sarah unsteadily pulled herself to her feet, using the rim of the sink to balance her. She pulled the plug free and let the water go down, so that she could spit into the sink. She was trying to rid herself of the taste of the tongue that had so invaded her mouth. It didn't work. So Sarah ended up rinsing her mouth out with water repeatedly. After looking around, Sarah located a toothbrush and she made use of it immediately. The taste of toothpaste would be _so_ much more welcome than the taste of _him_.

That was when Sarah caught sight of herself in the mirror. She was covered in red marks. The most prominent, and angry-looking, of which, was where his hand had gripped her chin and held her in place. But there were other red marks lining patches of her pale skin where his lips- his teeth- and his tongue had worked so tirelessly. Sarah grabbed a cloth that lay beside where she found the toothbrush and, after wetting it, began feverishly rubbing at the skin. She was determined to never let him do those things to her again.

* * *

Jareth had left unsatisfied. But he was a step closer to getting what he wanted. And what he wanted was for Sarah to submit to him; to be his Queen for all eternity. The thing that had made him smirk as he left though, was that he'd left _her _unsatisfied too.

He'd tried to do things the polite way. He'd tried to ease her into this life. But she had wanted none of it. And, in truth, Sarah had responded much better to his preferred method than the one that meant he had to wait. _Much better than I thought she would_, Jareth pondered as he walked down the long, stone corridor.

Indeed, he had been surprised at how she had reacted when he'd kissed her. He knew how to please a woman- he knew _very _well- and he could tell that she was enjoying it. But she still fought him like she'd said she would. That was the Sarah he knew.

But Jareth remembered all too well those weak hands on his chest, trying to push him away. They were feeble attempts, and he _was_ a lot stronger than her, but they _were_ still attempts. Though they wouldn't be for long.

**Author's Note: Not entirely sure whether I'm happy with this one... :/ Please do lemme know what you guys think anyway though... :)**

**Kit xx**


	4. Passion's Powerful Ally

**Author's Note: Hey guys, I am **_**so**_** sorry it took me so long to write this; I only really figured out where this story was going yesterday and wrote this whole thing in one sitting. Hope you all find it worth the wait anyway. :)**

**Reviews are always appreciated. :)**

**Kit xx**

* * *

Neck rubbed red and raw, Sarah finally left the bathroom. She was tentative at first, wondering if Jareth would be waiting just outside the door. She shivered at that thought. Relief washed over Sarah though when she saw that the room she had slept in was empty of any creature. Every furnishing lay in the place that they'd been left, even the unmade, silk sheet strewn over the bed. Only one thing was different.

Atop of the soft pillow that her head had rested on last night was a small, folded piece of paper. And as curious as Sarah was as to what was written on that piece of paper, she didn't want to open it. She knew who'd written it, and she wanted nothing to do with anything that Jareth wanted. Sarah almost considered tearing up the letter without even glancing at it, but eventually her curiosity got the better of her.

The script was neat and finitely curly; so much so that Sarah could have thought it beautiful. But she couldn't. Because it was _Jareth's_ handwriting; and as far as she was concerned, _nothing_ that stemmed from the Goblin King could be beautiful.

_Sarah,_

_There are clothes for you in the wardrobe. I will return for you later._

_Yours forever,_

_Jareth._

Sarah blinked. She couldn't stop staring down at the words on the page in disbelief. It made her feel sick. It _disgusted_ her, and the thing that bothered her the most was just how every word dribbled with an expectance, and an overwhelming dominance. _'Yours forever'_, she read over again. _Does he _still_ think that he's doing these things out of some weird sort of love?_ Sarah shivered. _I'd hate to see the state of people that he hates._

Crumpling the letter as her hand clenched into a fist, Sarah went over to the fire and dropped it into the burning embers. She watched as the piece of paper, and the curling script on it, creased in on itself and burnt to ashes. Bitterly, Sarah wished that she could destroy Jareth's attentions for her so easily. But it wasn't _ever_ going to be that easy. Not when Jareth was concerned.

After staring at the blazing embers for a while, Sarah thought about what Jareth had written again. Looking past the obvious things that disgusted her, Sarah remembered the clothes that he'd mentioned. She looked down at the clothes she was wearing; a simple white blouse and a pair of old jeans, and she almost dreaded to think about what those clothes he wanted her to wear would actually look like, but she turned towards the wardrobe anyway.

Curiosity had always been a big problem for Sarah, and it seemed that that wasn't changing because of the situation that Jareth had put her in. Sarah's fingers wrapped around the wardrobe door handle and she pulled it open. Inside was an array of clothing that she couldn't have dreamed up if she'd tried. Mostly, the clothes were dresses like those she'd always wished she could wear, made of beautiful, soft materials. There were a few long tunic-like shirts beside two pairs of leggings as well. But everything was distinctly medieval in style; nothing modern.

And it was clear to Sarah that Jareth really wanted her to wear a dress. _I'm not wearing _anything_ that he wants me to wear_, Sarah thought as she closed the wardrobe door on the fine-material clothes no matter how much she otherwise would have wanted to wear those things. She didn't even bother checking the drawers beneath the wardrobe door. _I won't wear it, so what's the point?_

Sarah's back slumped against the hard wood of the wardrobe door and she sighed. Looking around the room again, Sarah set her mind to finding something that could help her escape. She _had_ to escape; but she quickly realised that there was nothing. Nothing at all.

"Why the hell are you doing this to me, Jareth?" she growled to herself.

She heard that very familiar chuckle and her head whipped around to its source. A quick scan of the room told her that there was no one there. Sarah let out the breath she was holding and stalked over to the window. _Stupid Goblin King_, she thought angrily.

"Very funny, Jareth," Sarah said in a contemptuous whisper.

She got no answer this time, and she was glad for it. Sarah didn't know how long she stared out of the thin glass at the Labyrinth below, just watching the walls move and disappear, only to reappear in a different place moments later. How she ever made it through the Labyrinth, she had no idea.

From her vantage point, Sarah could tell it was utterly more complicated than it had appeared to be on her brief visit all those years ago. She was totally absorbed in watching the flowing landscape far below that she didn't even notice the sudden appearance behind her, sparkles and all.

Jareth stood there, in the middle of the room, with his hands on his hips. He was almost surprised that she hadn't noticed him enter her room, but he was also almost glad. It gave him an opportunity to watch her, and this time, not through one of his crystals. She stared out at his kingdom for a long time, head tilted slightly to the side before he heard her let out a small sigh. _What are you thinking, Sarah?_ Jareth wondered to himself.

He watched her breathing slowly, in and out, in and out. _Such a gentle, peaceful movement_, he thought. He moved closer to her, soundlessly, until he was directly behind her. And he wondered how it was that she still hadn't noticed him there. Jareth was _hardly_ one to go unnoticed for long though, and so let out a sigh of his own as he wondered whether she'd notice.

She noticed. Smirking, he watched in amusement as her body tensed and stilled. He watched as she asked herself whether she dared to turn around and face who she knew it would be behind her. Sarah could feel his eyes on her and wished so much that she could be anywhere other than in his glare. Even the Bog of Eternal Stench was seemingly preferable to her at that moment.

"What are you doing?" she asked, panic evident in her voice.

"Admiring the view," he replied simply.

Jareth's sharp fae eyes could see Sarah's reflection in the thin glass before her and the momentary panic flickering on her face. But when she slowly turned around to meet his gaze, her expression was schooled enough to hide the feeling. _Just like Sarah to try and fool me,_ Jareth thought as his smirk grew.

Sarah thought about his words. _"Admiring the view."_ But she knew that he had so evidently been looking at her. She had to repress another shiver at the thought of him considering her a _"view"._ Jareth's hand moved up to her cheek and his thumb gently stroked the pale skin. This time, Sarah couldn't hold back her shiver.

"Something wrong?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"It's just cold in here," Sarah replied, playing along with his stupid game.

Admittedly, it _was_ cold. But that had not been the reason she'd shivered; and Jareth knew that. He allowed himself to glance down at her clothes for a moment, and only then did he realise that she had not done as he had asked and dressed in the clothes that he had so kindly provided her with.

"Did you not read the note I left for you?"

Sarah blinked. _Take a stand_, she thought, deciding that she was right to do as she wished in disobeying him.

"I did," she replied curtly.

"Then why have you not done as I instructed?" he asked, his voice rimming with a cold edge.

She didn't answer; she was almost afraid to.

So Jareth suggested lasciviously, "I'll take them off for you then."

Her eyes widened and she stuttered back a response that tried to sound a lot more confident than she felt, "N-no, thank you. I'm fine."

Jareth shook his head and smirked. He removed his gloves slowly, one and then the other, carefully placing them on the windowsill.

"You had your chance, Sarah. Now it's my turn."

Sarah couldn't even object; her mouth wasn't working. She stumbled backward until the backs of her knees hit the bed and she watched in horror as the Goblin King pulled his white shirt up and over his mess of blond hair. His knee-high black boots were next, and then it was only the fae king, dressed in skin-tight trousers, standing before her. He was beautiful; but all the same, Sarah shrank back for him.

He pushed Sarah down on the bed, all breath leaving her lungs as she hit the soft, silk sheets. She tried to grab hold of something- anything- to pull herself out of his reach. But the Goblin King was quick. His strong hands took hold of her arms as he straddled her, pinning her to the spongy bed. Tears prickled at Sarah's eyes as she struggled against his grip. She wouldn't let this happen. She _couldn't_. She _had_ to stop him.

"Wait, stop-" was all that she managed to get out before his lips collided with hers.

Jareth used her small plea to slip his tongue inside her mouth, bringing a strangled cry to her lips only to be swallowed by him. He smiled into the kiss, his tongue sliding back from her only to re-enter her mouth, tracing patterns across her tongue. Sarah gave a shiver, her body unwittingly shuddering against his. She hated this; and what he was doing to her, but even more than that, Sarah hated how her body was reacting to his touch.

He pulled back from her then, but only enough to move his attentions to her ear. Jareth nipped at her lobe, gently sucking at the now-sensitive flesh there. Sarah wanted him off of her; she wanted him to stop what he was doing. But there was some tiny part of her, that she would later put down to an irresistible impulse, that wanted him to continue what he was doing. _No,_ she thought. _This is _not_ what I want._ Sarah seemed to snap out of the seduction he was slipping her into.

"Wait, no. I-"

Before she could say anymore, the Goblin King's hands tightened around her wrists, eliciting a pained cry from her kiss-rouged lips. His mouth moved down to her neck, tracing soft but passionate patterns on the soft skin. As Jareth's tongue, teeth and lips continued their assault on her pale flesh, Sarah did all she could to push herself away from him; but between his strong grip on her wrists and his body pressing over her, Sarah had no escape. Resting his lips for a moment at the base of her neck, Jareth paused to listen to the heavy breathing that Sarah was trying so hard to keep under control.

Jareth pushed both of her hands above her head, so that he could take a hold of both in one strong hand. His free hand, he then let slide down Sarah's neck, tickling the sensitive skin that his mouth had just abused. She shivered against his touch again, and a satisfied smirk appeared to overcome those tireless lips that were almost mesmerising her.

Whispering to her in a low voice, Jareth said into her skin, "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. There's no point trying to deny that you want this, you're body is giving me the only answer that I need."

"I _don't _want this!" she managed to rasp out.

"You're _lying_ again, Sarah," he whispered as his mouth began a tingling pathway down to the opening of her shirt.

"You should have removed this when I told you to, love," Jareth said as he pulled back from her slightly.

He could see the fear in her wide green eyes, mingled with the glistening shine of her tears. His fingers followed the line that his mouth had trailed to her shirt and Jareth began working to undo the buttons.

"Stop!" Sarah shouted at him, though it seemed more of a wail or cry than anything with strength behind it.

"Don't do this," she whispered as his fingers undid the last button.

Jareth pushed the material to the side, revealing her body to his wandering eyes. Sarah struggled against his grip, finally really understanding that what he was planning was really going to happen. And she couldn't stop him. His eyes drank her in. Her thin, pale torso heaved under the weight of his attentions to her body. The only thing concealing the swell of her breasts now was the black bra that she was wearing. _But she won't be wearing it for long_, he thought.

Sarah cringed back from the lust she saw in his mismatched eyes and she knew, as his hand slid up her waist, that this was the last choice she could make in this unpreventable act. She could just lie back and take it; or she could fight to the last. Sarah chose the latter.

Jareth's lips, formed into their trademark smirk, came back up to hers again. But they did not meet the reaction that they expected. Because as Jareth began to kiss her again, Sarah's teeth clamped down on his bottom lip. He pulled back from her sharply and stared at her. His tongue ran slowly over his lip, tasting the small amount of blood that she had drawn.

"Now _that_ was naughty, Sarah," Jareth said in a low voice.

It seemed that it was Jareth's turn to do something unexpected; though Sarah knew that whatever it was, it would be bad for her. Jareth's free hand hit the side of Sarah's face hard making her world spin. Sarah only barely felt him release her hands. But Sarah couldn't even concentrate on pushing him away as she felt him unfasten the clasp of her bra. He pulled both that and her already-open shirt free from her body and threw them out of reach. As she tried to put herself into focus, Sarah's attempt to cover herself seemed in vain as Jareth pushed her hands away.

His hands found her body again quickly, marvelling at the soft skin beneath them as they worked gently over to the newly-exposed flesh. Sarah gave a sharp gasp as his hands, before so strong and over-powering, were now carefully massaging her breasts- an area that she had allowed no man to touch before.

"Stop!" she breathed, trying to ignore whatever he was doing to make her feel as she did increasingly under his touch.

Jareth ignored her though, simply lowering his mouth to one of her nipples, already raised from the feel of the cold air. Sarah's neck arched back as she tried to escape from his touch, his mouth, and his tongue that by now was gently flicking at the hardened nub. She couldn't help but let out a tiny involuntary groan that Jareth was quick to pick up on.

"That's it, Sarah," Jareth whispered as he paused, only to turn his attentions to her other nipple.

"Jareth... Enough," she gasped, over the waves of pleasure she was fighting hard against.

The Goblin King froze in his ministrations, and for a moment, Sarah thought that he might be listening to her. She was _very_ wrong. And she realised it as his teeth clamped down in no gentle way on her nipple whilst his hand tightly gripped her other breast. Sarah cried out loudly as the pain, unlike any pain that she had before felt, flooded her body. She pushed against him however she could, but she was still not strong enough to get him off her.

After what felt like an eternity, though was really only seconds, Jareth's mouth released her. His hand, however, did not. The pain was still there, as if his teeth still had their hold over her skin, but it was somewhat lessened by the discontinuation.

"What did I tell you about respect, Sarah?" he said, smirking, but in a voice so serious that she knew this was meant as a lesson.

"Fine, just let go!" she snapped back, determined to never refer to him by _any _name, be it one he liked or one he didn't.

"Apologise."

Sarah blinked, though in shock or pain, Jareth couldn't tell. She didn't answer him. His hand seemed to tighten around her again and she couldn't hold back another pained cry.

"Apologise and I'll loosen my grip."

That was enough of a reason for Sarah. Her pride had nothing on the pain he was causing her. She would hate herself for giving in later, but the only thing that she could focus on in that moment was the pain.

"I'm sorry," she breathed through gritted teeth.

"What are you sorry for, Sarah?" Jareth asked, taking clear enjoyment of the fact that she was submitting to him, even for so small a thing.

"For not treating you with... respect," Sarah answered, her eyes filled with a mixture of deep resentment and new pain.

He released her in a painfully slow way, and heard her exhale a ragged breath as if she'd been holding it in as he'd held her. Jareth moved his lips down to the red, soon-to-be bruise-marks on her tender breasts, gently placing small kisses where his fingers had placed their hurt. His tongue smoothly massaged the area, sending waves of a jolting feeling from her overly-sensitive flesh, before he returned to the nipple his teeth had so hurt.

Sarah squirmed under him, trying to get back. She didn't want him in anywhere near a position that he could hurt her like that again. But he was, and there was no escaping for her. _This is _really_ happening_, she thought lamely. Her hands still pushed at his shoulders, but they had no effect. Jareth didn't even seem to notice her attempts as he slid his hands down her sides in an agonisingly slow manner until they reached the top of her jeans.

Jareth looked up from her then, his lips moving away from the breasts that he had so tormented with both pleasure and pain. Placing the tiniest of kisses on her neck, he trailed his way back up to her ear.

"Let's get you out of these wretched things," he whispered as his hands worked to undo the button and zip of her jeans.

She felt the weight of his body leave hers for a moment as he yanked down the jeans, making short work of them. Using the opportunity, Sarah tried to get away from the Goblin King again. But all that she successfully managed was to push herself further onto the bed before his hands on her hips were stopping her.

Sarah could've screamed as she lay there in his grasp- and she had no doubt that at some point she would if he really did go through with what he had so aptly started. Jareth's thumbs fingered the lace fringes of her underwear; the only thing she had left that kept her shielded from him. But his eyes were already visualising what lay beneath the thin fabric, and his intent was clearly written on his face.

Sarah tried the last thing she could think of to stop him from continuing; the last thing before kicking him as hard as she could, that is. She placed her hands over his, rather more gently than he would have expected. The gesture caught his attention where her other forms of protests had failed. Jareth looked up at the teary-green eyes that he knew almost better than his own.

"Please don't. I don't want this," Sarah said in as calm a voice as she could muster despite the circumstances.

He stared at her for a moment before that smirk reappeared on his face and he answered, "I'm afraid that it's not your decision to make, love."

His hands were out from under hers within a second, and, to Sarah's dismay, they had taken her underwear with them. As Jareth pulled her last little piece of clothing away from her and discarded it with her other forgotten clothes, more tears slipped down the sides of Sarah's face. She was completely unveiled to him, whether she liked it or not- and she certainly did not.

And he was revelling in the moment. Jareth's eyes raked over her naked form, and his hands and lips were back on her before she could even attempt to move. Jareth stole another kiss, delving his tongue into her mouth again, but this time meeting no biting teeth.

Because Jareth knew where Sarah's attentions lay right then; and that was where his hands were slowly slipping down to the newly-revealed skin of her legs. Right then, Sarah was putting all she had into keeping her legs firmly pressed together. Jareth smiled into her lips as he pulled back from her, leaving her gasping for breath.

He'd only moved enough so that he could look into those wide, green eyes; so that he could see the fear grow to heightened levels as he used a knee to push himself between her legs, stopping her from closing herself to him. She let out a sharp whimper of protest that he captured in another encapsulating kiss. Sarah felt his body pushing down on her, and even though he was fully clothed, she could feel his arousal pressing against her thigh. She would have gasped if she could.

Sarah felt a hand creep up her body to toy with the nipple his teeth had tortured so. She shivered, not meaning to, but pushing herself closer to the part of him that she wanted to be nowhere near. The part of him that she knew would soon be intimately closer to her if she could find no escape.

As his lips released hers, Sarah couldn't help but say again, "Please. Please don't."

Her request seemed to glean more of annoyed reaction from the Goblin King this time, because, instead of the smirk, she was momentarily met with a scowl.

"This _is_ happening, Sarah. This connection is all that keeps you from truly being mine; forever."

Then the smirk reappeared as he added, "I promise you'll enjoy it; have no doubt about that."

And then his hand was where she never wanted it to be and her efforts couldn't stop him. Slowly, _tantalisingly_ so, Jareth's hand slipped down to the dark curls between her legs, his long, adept fingers reaching further and further. Sarah closed her eyes when those searching fingers found what they were looking for. A short laugh came for Jareth's lips as he trailed a wet finger back up her abdomen.

"It seems like you are already enjoying this more than you're letting on, Sarah," he sneered at her in amusement.

"You're so wet already. And I've barely begun."

Sarah started to speak, but her words weren't coming out quite right; her sentences weren't fully formed.

"Whatever you're doing- My body _isn't_- I _don't_ want this. I _never_ will."

"And yet your body disagrees with you," Jareth replied simply, his hand tracing patterns back down to the wetness he was so satisfied to have found.

His fingers teased at her most private place. Sarah discovered that the only thing she could do now was to try and block as much enjoyment, both his and hers, from the experience. But her pleasure, _most_ _especially_ her pleasure, needed to be kept under control. Sarah knew that she couldn't let him see her enjoying any of the sensations he was creating so well in her.

But just as that thought crossed her mind, Jareth's fingers found her clitoris. Sarah's eyes flew open as quickly as a gasp was torn from her lips. She saw the satisfied, smirking face of the fae above her as soon as her eyes opened, and watched him watch her face contort as his finger circled over the sensitive area.

Despite how much she wanted him to get off her, and away from her, Sarah couldn't make herself ask him to stop. It was like she'd completely lost the ability to control her voice. And she knew that that was true when she couldn't quell a moan that slipped from her open lips.

Jareth's mouth began working on her neck again, stimulating the skin that he'd left to the cool air. And again, Sarah found it impossible to hold back a moan. She hated herself for giving him so much knowledge of how well her body was responding to his touch. And it _was _responding _very_ well.

Sarah felt like she'd never felt before. Everything that he was doing to her was so new, and he was making her feel so... _good_. But although her body seemed to love such sensations; her mind did not. It was as if the two parts of her were at war- and her body had a powerful ally in the form of the Goblin King.

Waiting until he could free one more moan from between her kiss-swollen lips, Jareth nipped at her delicate skin. The sound that issued from somewhere deep in her throat was beautiful to his ears. It signalled the feelings soon-to-come that would help her release the fire within her.

And with that signal, Jareth slipped a finger inside her. He felt her tighten around his finger as her moan abruptly turned into a cry. Jareth looked up at Sarah then, his lips ceasing their intense massaging.

There was something in his voice, an amusement, as he spoke, "Sarah, is there, by any chance, something you're not telling me?"

Sarah grimaced, totally aware that his finger was still deep inside of her.

"What, like, I want you out of me now?" she bit back though heavy breaths.

"Like the fact that you're a virgin, love," Jareth answered softly, though the amusement was still there.

Sarah's eyes closed. That was it; she knew he'd find out. And she had no idea what would happen now. Somewhere in her she hoped that he gave a damn about her virginity, that he would leave her with just the humiliation he'd already forced upon her. Surprisingly, Jareth _was_ concerned about her virginity- only not in the same way as she was.

"Perfect," Sarah heard him whisper, and her eyes snapped open.

"P-perfect?" she questioned.

"Now it will only be you and I. And I can show you the meaning of love."

With that, Jareth withdrew his finger, only to thrust it inside her again. Sarah cried out but that didn't slow him this time. All it did was encourage him. His finger moved faster in her, and once he was certain that she could handle it, Jareth drove another finger inside her opening.

Another loud cry ripped from deep in her. Sarah's hands flew up to Jareth's shoulders, shoving him away, but she couldn't stop his hand from working that seductive movement that held her on the tip of something she couldn't identify.

As she neared the brink of her release, Jareth withdrew from her and left her breathing in an unsteady rhythm. She would never admit it- even though she knew that _both_ of them knew it- but Sarah's body yearned for some continuation of his ministrations. But her mind was glad he'd stopped, even if it had barely any control over what was happening to her.

The reason that the Goblin King had withdrawn from her became obvious almost immediately though. Sarah tried to push herself back- no matter what her body was feeling- when his attentions were distracted in undoing those incredibly-tight trousers that he always wore. Evidently, he wasn't _that_ distracted, as when he was free of his trousers, Jareth's strong grip pulled her back beneath him.

She squirmed as she tried to free herself, but it was no use. There was no escape from this fate, and although she'd already known this, as she caught sight of him, in _all_ of his glory; Sarah was frightened. She was _really_ frightened. Jareth pinned her hands to the bed as he manoeuvred himself between her legs again. As he rested his tip at her already wet and waiting entrance, he paused.

"This will hurt, Sarah," Jareth whispered into Sarah's ear before he took her lips in a kiss that would swallow her cries of pain.

No matter what he had been doing to her before, Sarah was sure that the pain of him inside her was the most excruciating thing she would ever feel. She couldn't focus on anything but the pain. And the fact that she could feel the entirety of him inside her body, radiating a heat and a pulsating, relentless pain.

Jareth released her lips, but tried to keep himself still inside her. She needed to adjust to the size of him, but it was hard to resist moving. She was so tight that it was almost too much for him; but he restrained himself.

"Stop. Please, take it out," she half-cried, tears slipping from her eyes again.

"Shhh, Sarah. It will be over in a moment."

And after what seemed like an age, it hurt her slightly less. Until Jareth thrust into her again and another bout of pain ran through her. She whimpered loudly as his hips moved back and forth, but he didn't stop. Despite his care for her comfort, right now, what she was doing for him _far_ overwhelmed that. He was enjoying the feel of her so tightly surrounding his shaft as he thrust in and out of her.

Jareth's control loosened eventually; after Sarah's pain had lessened and only tiny inserts of pleasure hit her body. That was when she felt his release. She heard it, his moans that culminated in a climax of one loud unleashing growl. But she felt it most of all; his fluids filling her.

She lay underneath Jareth, as he collapsed on top of her, somehow ensuring that he kept his full weight off of her. Sarah could feel his heavy breaths on her neck and they made her shiver despite the heat between her and Jareth. He rolled over, pulling himself out of her, but never letting go of Sarah. He clutched her body, drawing her to him so that her head lay on his bare chest.

Sarah was disgusted. She felt like she could be sick. That was _rape_. Whatever way he put it, or might later try to spin it, to her, this would _always_ be rape. And it was how she had lost her virginity; something that she'd held onto so covetously. Taken. Just like that, by the Goblin King. The fae who now had her encircled in his arms, unwilling to let go, even for her to wash away the fluids that had filled her and that she felt still on the inside of her thighs.

"You're mine now, Sarah."

And no matter how much she may hate it or fight against it, Sarah had a very definite feeling that he truly believed that. And that was when the tears started falling again.


	5. Aftermath

Jareth felt her tears on his bare chest, her body shaking slightly as she cried. But he made no move except to sigh at her reaction. He didn't want her to cry. _Such a silly reaction, _he thought as he stared down at her. After a while though, Jareth moved one of his hands from its hold on Sarah's delicate body to tilt her chin upward so that she was forced to look at him.

But Sarah didn't want to cooperate with him. She didn't want to be touching him. She didn't even want to look at him. Sarah's eyes closed just before they met his, her tears never ceasing all the while. Jareth scowled, and his grip held her head in place.

"Sarah," he growled warningly.

She didn't open her eyes though. It was bad enough that he was forcing her to stay on top of him, keeping her skin in constant contact with his after so intimate- or in Sarah's opinion, _appalling_- an act. _Why can't he just let me go? Hasn't he done enough?_ she thought desperately.

Sarah felt the grip of his strong hand around her waist tighten, offering a painful reminder of what his anger had made him do to her. Her eyes snapped open and she glared at him through the water overflowing from her eyes.

"Did I hurt you?"

Sarah stared at the Goblin King, her mouth falling open. _Did he _really _just ask that? _She was sure that he must have known how much he'd hurt her. Sarah pushed against Jareth's body, trying to pry herself from his grasp.

"Hurt me? _Hurt _me? Of course, you hurt me! You- you- you raped me! You _raped_ me!" Sarah burst out with all the anger she felt.

Jareth grabbed her shoulders so painfully that she winced. He held her until she stilled under his grip, momentarily giving up her struggle.

"Sarah; you are _mine_. All I did was unite us forever."

Sarah blanched.

"All that you did was make me hate you forever," Sarah retorted hatefully.

The Goblin King paused, staring into her eyes for as long as it took for her to look away from him in discomfort. There was something so sad and broken in her eyes. It was not what he had expected at all. True, he had known that in taking her as he did it would hurt her, but he had not expected her to break. She _couldn't_ break so soon. That wouldn't be the Sarah he knew. Besides, he had a reason to do what he had done; Sarah just didn't know what it was yet. _But perhaps I should say something, _he thought cautiously.

"All the same, I will have eternity to make it up to you."

Sarah's eyes blinked back up to him, confusion mingling with her fear and sadness. She didn't say anything though; so it was up to Jareth to continue.

"The connection we have just established has bonded us forever."

"No."

Jareth finally allowed Sarah to push herself away from him this time, taking some enjoyment out of the fact that couldn't seem to find her clothes. _Of course, she can't, _he thought, remembering how he had sent them away in a flash of sparkles.

Frustrated, Sarah tried to yank the sheet from under where Jareth lay, but it was clear that Jareth had no intention of moving from his place. So Sarah perched herself on the edge of the soft bed, pulling the fringes of the satin sheet up to cover her body from his wandering eyes.

"It is true, Sarah. And because of this connection, you'll never be able to leave- never _want_ to leave."

"Bullshit! What you just did made me want to leave you faster than I can even say," Sarah bit back.

"So you might think for now, love; but soon you'll realise that you're wrong."

"How are you going to do that, then? Rape me again and try to convince me that I'll like it?" she shouted back, hate in her eyes.

The Goblin King said nothing. _Perhaps I'll leave her waiting- wondering- for a while._ Sarah just stared at him, repulsed.

"_Well?_"

Jareth sighed and sat up from his spot on Sarah's bed. She flinched back, still clutching the sheet, as if she was frightened that he'd try to touch her again. She was. But Jareth didn't touch her. Instead, he stood up. He knew that Sarah's eyes were following him, unable to look away. In a flash, Jareth clothed himself in something different than he had worn before. He was gone in the next moment, leaving the clothes he had been wearing before behind as a reminder to Sarah of what had just happened.

"I'll come back later with some food when you've calmed yourself," his voice echoed after him.

Sarah blinked. He was gone. Jareth was gone. _Her rapist_ was gone. Sarah stayed for a moment where she was, frozen and staring to where he'd disappeared. She didn't know how long it was that she'd sat there, tears falling freely once more from her pained green eyes. It was only just really hitting her, what he'd done. What it meant.

Eventually snapping out of her daze, Sarah stood only to find that her legs were shaky. Shaky and sore. What Jareth had done to her was unlike anything she'd ever felt before, both in the initial pleasure he'd given her, and in the pain. The pain. She couldn't get over how much he had hurt her; how much he had taken from her in so short a time.

Sarah stumbled toward the door leading to the bathroom, using that thin sheet covered in the remnants of the act just carried out, to shield herself from anything and everything. Thankfully, Sarah was able to pull the door open as easily as she had the first time. But this time, she didn't look around; she went immediately to the bath and began running boiling hot water.

She let the sheet drop to the floor and submerged herself in the water, not caring if she scalded herself. When the large bath was full, Sarah turned off the water and began scrubbing herself. She felt dirty. Disgusting. Violated. She felt _him_ on her. And she had to get that feeling off her. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't scrape away what he had done to her.

She gave up after a while; not when she knew that she was physically clean, but when she realised that it wasn't being clean on the outside that bothered her; it was the feeling of how wrong what he'd done to her was. He hadn't just raped her body. But he'd raped her mind too. Her soul. She would never be the same again.

Sarah sat in the steaming water until it was freezing. She couldn't bring herself to get out of the bath. She wanted to. But she didn't want to. She didn't know what she wanted. Her mind was fuzzy and her brain seemed as if it wanted to save her from remembering anything of what had happened. Yet she _did_ remember it all too well.

Eventually, Sarah pulled herself out of the bath, her limbs aching from her struggle with the Goblin King. Picking up the sheet that lay strewn across the floor, Sarah wrapped it around herself, knowing that it was all she had to cover her. She grimaced. It smelled of _him_, of the things that he'd done to her. She wished that she had been stronger; that she had fought him off before he could have done what he'd done.

But she hadn't. And now she had to live with the fact that the Goblin King had literally stolen her virginity. _I can never get that back_, Sarah thought dully as she found her way back into the room where he'd done _it_. Sarah couldn't look at the bed. The thought of it made her feel sick; so much so that she had to stagger back into the bathroom where she abruptly vomited into the toilet.

She wiped her mouth with the sheet around her. In Sarah's opinion, it needed to be destroyed anyway, what was a little extra vileness added on top of what Jareth had dyed it with. Sarah reached the wardrobe before she even realised she was moving. Everything felt so odd, as if she wasn't really in control of what she was doing. She just knew that she had to get dressed. Being naked upon Jareth's return was _not_ an option.

But as she pulled at the wardrobe door handle, Sarah found that it wouldn't open. Sarah tried again, but to no avail. She cursed Jareth in her mind. _So I can't even get dressed now?_ she thought in anger. _This is sick. Wrong._ Sarah turned and looked for her clothes again, finding that they truly were gone. The only clothes left in the room were Jareth's. Sarah shivered and thought numbly, _So it's a choice between this bloody and wet sheet or Jareth's clothes?_

Of the two, Sarah chose Jareth's clothes. True, they smelled of him. True, it was probably exactly what he wanted. But it was better than the sheet, and it offered just a little more protection from anything that Jareth might try to do to her. _Not that _my_ clothes helped much,_ Sarah thought bitterly as she dropped the sheet and stepped into Jareth's clothes. They were too big for her slight body, but she held them up.

Sarah moved over to the chez lounge just so that she was away from the bed and the dirty, ruined sheet that she'd had to use to cover herself. She pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around them. Again, she lost track of time as she rocked herself back and forth, closing her eyes in an attempt to hold back the tears. Her attempt was futile. As were her thoughts of convincing herself that she would be okay; that everything would be fine.

Because she knew nothing would ever be fine again.

* * *

Jareth smirked as he leaned back into his throne, one leg thrown over its curved back. The Goblins that had convened for their usual uncoordinated revelry in the throne room had no idea what had put their King in such a good mood. But they were taking advantage of it. Jareth frankly just wasn't paying attention though, so wrapped up in his thoughts was he.

Of course, he was thinking about what had transpired between he and Sarah. _Sarah_. She was beautiful. In every fibre of her being, she was beautiful. Sarah's body, so womanly and... irresistible. Just thinking about the feel of her skin; being inside her and making them as if they were one being was enough to keep the smirk on the Goblin King's face. Sarah's struggles even, for a time, had been amiable. He was glad that she still held the fire in her that it had taken to reject him years ago. And he would get to keep her forever.

But Jareth faltered then, because he had watched through one of his crystals how Sarah had broken down crying and sat so frozen as she was in place. Where was the fire then? It seemed to return slightly later though, and he'd almost smiled at the futility of her attempts to wash herself of him, and what he'd done to her. She couldn't get rid of him that easily. His touch was permanent. Though she didn't know that yet.

As much as Jareth had enjoyed claiming her for his own, making her his forever; Jareth knew the seriousness of what he'd done. It would take her a _long_ time to come back to him after that, he knew. But it had been necessary. And he had many tricks up his sleeves to persuade her. Jareth snapped out of his thoughts when a white and brown spotted chicken landed roughly in his lap.

"Enough!" he shouted at the Goblins, deciding that they'd perhaps been allowed a little too much freedom in the last few hours and it had _definitely_ gone to their heads.

Every Goblin in the room froze at their King's sudden change of mood. They were used to Jareth's ever changing moods and swings of anger; but they could see in his mismatched eyes that it was about time that they left.

Røem Bååba, one of the more admired of the goblins in the room, mumbled in a deep voice, "Uhhhh... Time ta go..."

The other Goblin's hastily agreed and fled the room, leaving Jareth behind to smirk at his fear-inducing control over the could-be-fierce creatures. But Jareth left his throne room empty almost straight after the Goblins. He decided that it was about time to go back to Sarah; she would be hungry, he knew.

As he neared the room where Sarah was virtually imprisoned, he conjured up a tray of food that he knew would appeal to Sarah's tastes. It wouldn't do for Weech to cook for him and Sarah. Jareth almost chuckled at the thought of offering the woman that he was trying to win over "Something Brown in a Brown Gravy". _No_, Jareth thought. _I've never dared try that... concoction; I wouldn't expect Sarah to._

_Unless she does something... unsavoury_, he added to himself as he vanished through the locked door and appeared in the adjoining room.

* * *

Sarah was still curled up into herself when Jareth returned in his usual array of glitter and grandeur. She flinched slightly at the sight of him, but she didn't move. It was almost as if she couldn't. Jareth said nothing as he placed the silver tray in his hand down on the small table beside Sarah's bed.

The smell of food, particularly the strong, delicious scent of freshly cooked bacon, caught Sarah's attention. She didn't move though. Even with how hungry she knew herself to be, going anywhere near Jareth was a terrifying thought to her. _Terrifying?_ she wondered numbly. _Is that what it's come to? I couldn't fight him off and... What's happened to me?_

She snapped out of her thoughts when she felt a shadow wash over her. She looked up and saw the Goblin King standing in front of her. She closed her eyes, not wanting to look at that smirk on his face. Jareth watched her as she made herself as small as she could get, trying to make herself as tiny a target as possible.

Sarah looked ravishing in his clothes; so much so that he wanted to reach out and touch her as intimately as he had before. But he knew he couldn't. Right now, he wanted her to snap out of this sadness; he wanted her to be _her_ again.

"Sarah," he began in a quiet voice.

She flinched again at the sound of his voice, no matter how non-threatening he had tried to sound.

"Talk to me."

She didn't respond. Couldn't respond. It was awful to think that when he'd done what he'd done, when he'd raped her; Jareth had seemingly stolen all strength from her body. All her will to resist.

"Sarah..."

It was a warning; and Sarah knew that she wasn't meant to ignore it. But she couldn't face it- couldn't face _him_. Not now. When Jareth got no response for a second time, he let out a slightly aggravated sigh and turned to begin pacing the room. If she could have, Sarah would have let out a sigh of relief; but her stomach was still in knots. Jareth paused and looked down at the stained sheet that Sarah had left on the floor. With a flick of his hand, it was gone, and a new silk sheet replaced it neatly folded on the bed.

_Perhaps I should leave her to eat and return later_, he thought until another thought crossed his mind. _I am the Goblin King; why am I coming and going for the sake of this girl? _Secretly, he knew the answer to this question, but he would not allow himself to admit it. _She belongs to me. Everything I've done has been just, anyway. I've had my reasons._

Jareth crossed the room quickly until he was back before Sarah. His unrelenting grip was around her upper arms before she could even try to push herself away. She let out a small cry as he yanked her upwards. Her mind was swimming. She felt sick. _What else is he going to do?_

Her question was answered as Jareth pressed his lips to hers. He didn't try to open her mouth, to slip his tongue inside her. The kiss was desperate, forceful, but no more than a kiss. But all Sarah could do was freeze under his grasp; no fight left in her.

Jareth pulled back and looked into Sarah's dead green eyes and whispered, "You can't ignore me forever, love."

And he was gone again, leaving Sarah alone as the tears started to fall again. She stood where Jareth had left her; she didn't remember moving. She didn't remember running another scalding hot bath. She didn't remember taking off Jareth's clothes. She didn't remember sinking down into the heat, but she did remember not wanting to come back up.

* * *

As soon as Jareth reappeared in his own room, he felt the need to return. He was feeling almost a little... bad. He realised that kissing Sarah was not the best way to get her to come back around him. But he couldn't stop himself. She was just so damn frustrating. First, she frustrated him when she resisted, and now... It was like she'd gone numb. Like she wasn't there anymore.

The worst part of it all was that he had _had_ to take her as he'd done. She wouldn't have agreed to creating the connection that would bond them forever any other way. And he'd done it for her own good, despite how much enjoyment he'd taken from the act. It was for her.

Jareth frowned, dismissing the thoughts of the visitor who had forced his hand. He summoned up another crystal as he paced his room. Sarah appeared inside, as happened so often when he created that type of crystal. It took only a moment for time to slow down for Jareth; not literally, but what he saw reflected in the magic glass made it seem as if it had. Jareth had disappeared before the following glitter and crystal hit the floor in a shattered flash of light.

The Goblin King appeared just as quickly in Sarah's bathroom. She didn't notice. Sarah didn't notice anything. Jareth plunged his arms into the large bath, wincing slightly at the heat of the water, and circled Sarah's body. Dripping wet, her heat-red body was limp in his arms as he pulled her out.

"Sarah!" he shouted.

He got no response. He placed Sarah on the ground and worked to expel the water from her lungs.

"Sarah, wake up. Sarah!" he growled.

He had no idea what had happened, but in his heart, he knew it was his fault. _She probably blacked out_, he thought as he tried to press air into her. Or at least he hoped that was the reason that she was so close to leaving him. That was when she woke, spluttering up some of that too-hot water. Jareth turned her onto her side and let out a breath of relief.

As she continued to cough up a little more of the water, he stayed by her side, not touching her. Jareth knew that this was his fault. He'd _had_ to do what he did. She didn't know, but he had to. _And this is the result,_ he thought grimly. _She'll never see past the monster in me now._

* * *

**Author's Note: Don't worry guys, the fiery, rebellious Sarah that we all know and love **_**isn't**_** gone, she's just... buried... for the moment- but believe me, she'll be back soon enough. :)**

**Røem Bååba and Weech come from Brian Froud and Terry Jones' "The Goblins of Labyrinth". :)**

**Oh and weirdly, I've discovered that I usually write these chapters in like a day after I've just finished a trowel-load of Macbeth analysis. Random... :P :)**

**Anyway please keep reviewing, every time I see a review it makes me really happy- and therefore I write quicker... ;P**

**Kit xx**


	6. Inner Conflict

She'd thought she'd heard him calling, but everything was fuzzy; hazy. She didn't want to come back; not to him. Sarah opened her eyes to see that her world was on its side, and her head was resting against the somehow-warm marble floor. Was it the floor that was warm, or was it her? She didn't know, didn't care. She didn't know what was happening, or why she was coughing up water that burned her throat.

After she stopped crying, she just lay there, trying to keep her breathing normal- or as normal as it could get after almost drowning. Sarah knew who was behind her, she could hear him there- feel him there. She wondered if he could see the discoloured bruises forming over her skin. She wondered if he would feel bad about being the cause of them.

Eventually, she managed to murmur out, her voice raw, "Why?"

Jareth blinked. _Why? What is she thinking? She just almost drowned and she's asking _me _why?_

"Why what, Sarah?" he asked softly, or Sarah thought so, though her ears were still a little funny.

_Why what, indeed. Why did he take me in the first place? Why did he rape me? Why did he save me now?_ So many questions, so few answers. And she didn't have the strength to ask any of them.

Again, all she could do was whisper out, "Why?"

She heard Jareth sigh behind her, but still she did not touch her. She was grateful. _Grateful? Grateful that he's not touching me? What's happened to me?_ It took the Goblin King a long time to answer, and when he did, Sarah could have sworn that she heard something of genuine guilt in his voice. _No, that's probably just my ears_, she thought hazily.

"Sarah, I didn't... I didn't realise that this would happen. I-I just thought... I had to do what I did-" Jareth began in a sigh.

"No... You didn't. You _wanted_ to," Sarah gasped out, closing her eyes to the sight of the well-lit room.

"I... I might have wanted to, but I was prepared to wait-" Jareth started.

"But... You didn't," she choked out.

It was only then that Jareth realised that Sarah was crying, and tiny droplets were rolling from her eyes. One hung on the bridge of her nose, only to halt before following its fellows toward the already wet floor.

"I couldn't wait," he said, almost sadly.

Her heart would have broken if it didn't already feel like a hollow shell, a carcass of what used to be. _That's his reason? _That's_ his reason for raping me? _If she could have seen him, she would have seen the frown creasing his beautiful fae features.

"I couldn't wait because someone was going to try and take you from me. I needed to create the bond between us that means that he will be unable to just steal you away as he planned," Jareth said, his voice low.

"He?" Sarah asked, quietly intrigued.

"I can't explain about him, love. Not now. Not with you so weak."

It didn't make sense to Sarah; she couldn't understand why he'd given her a reason such as that, but refused to elaborate. _Unless..._

"You're lying," she said in a dull voice.

Why would she expect anything less from her kidnapper; her rapist?

"Why are you making up some imaginary fae? You're a monster. Just admit it," Sarah continued as she tried to push herself onto her elbows.

Jareth was shocked, though he knew he shouldn't be. _Why _would_ she believe me?_ he thought. _What reason has she got to trust me? _It was the truth though. He _had_ been visited and a threat _had_ been made against Sarah by a fae that was _far_ worse than he. A fae that wanted to steal Sarah away into the darkness of his lands, so that he could do with her as he wished, and in the process, do great damage to the Goblin King.

"Sarah, I am _not_ lying to you," Jareth said in a calm voice.

"You _are_!" Sarah cried back as she tried to sit up.

He wanted to help her; she wasn't strong enough to sit up, but she was still trying anyway. She looked so fragile and broken. But she did sit up. She managed to, only swaying slightly. Sarah reached for the shirt that she had worn before to cover herself now, because she was painfully aware that she was naked before him. Naked and soaking wet.

"Sarah, I had to do what I did," he said, hating himself for saying it as he knew she would hate him on hearing it.

She shook her head, not at all helping with her dizziness, and replied in a whisper, "No. You _didn't_ have to rape me."

She paused, before continuing, her voice so low and quiet that he strained to hear her.

"So you had to make this connection; why didn't you try a different route? Why did you _just_ rape me?"

Jareth closed his eyes. _That's it, isn't it? Why _didn't_ I try seducing her, or convincing her? _But, in truth, he knew why he hadn't done either of those things and he told her his only reason.

"You would never have agreed."

Sarah blanched; she felt like she was going to be sick. And she was. Sarah leant forward, she didn't even try to reach the toilet. She knew she wouldn't make it. Sarah felt Jareth's hand on her back as she vomited, and she flinched forward but almost fell in her attempt to get away from him. Jareth had to steady her, but as soon as he had, he let go of her arms. It was obvious to him that his touch repulsed her, and for now, he was willing to push back his own feelings for her.

"_I wouldn't have agreed?_" Sarah said, quietly outraged, when she regained some of her composure.

"Of course I wouldn't have agreed! And I'd have been right not to."

Jareth let out a long sigh. He knew that she wouldn't believe him. In truth, _he_ wouldn't have believed himself had he been in her position. What could he do now though? He had only just got Sarah back, and now he was going to lose her because of a badly-made decision that had been forced upon him. But Sarah would be in much worse hands than his if he hadn't made that decision. What he'd done to her would be only a needle's tip to what would happen if Tebras had taken her.

Turning from his thoughts, Jareth noticed that Sarah hadn't moved since her last angry retort. Jareth wanted to reach out a hand to her, to comfort her; but he knew his touch would be anything but comforting. He knew that she would just flinch away from him again.

"Sarah... I..."

Jareth sighed again.

"What can I say? I can't undo what I've done; just know that I had no choice-"

"But you- you enjoyed it," Sarah whispered through gritted teeth.

"I tried to make sure that you enjoyed it too," he reminded her.

_He did..._ she thought, remembering how he'd touched her at times so gently. She shivered as other memories flooded back to her. Memories of the pain he'd caused her. The vivid recollections flashed before her eyes, and until they stopped, she didn't realise that she was in Jareth's arms, turned as if she herself had thrown herself there.

"Shh, Sarah. Calm down, love," Jareth soothed.

Her head rested against his chest, her fingers curled around the fabric of his shirt at his shoulders. She was crying; sobbing. Sarah thought to pull back from him, but she didn't. She didn't want to move. Didn't want to do anything. The Goblin King's arms wrapped around her weren't threatening; they weren't anywhere that they shouldn't be. It was comforting in an odd sort of way.

"Please. Just leave me alone," she whispered into his chest with a sense of self-revulsion that she hadn't pushed him away.

Jareth sighed, and she felt the movement of his very breath. Felt his heart beating. It was an erratic sort of beating, one that showed how restless and unhappy he was.

"I can't leave you now, Sarah. You almost died the last time I left you," Jareth said into her dark, still-wet hair.

Sarah closed her eyes again, thinking about what had happened. She was in the bath, submerged in the extremely hot water; and she didn't want to come back up. And she hadn't. All she remembered was that she was tired; so very tired of facing everything.

_Did I pass out? Just fall asleep? _She knew that she hadn't tried to kill herself; as strong-willed as she was, Sarah _never_ thought herself capable of committing suicide. She supposed that that was before Jareth had raped her though. _So much has changed since... Was it only this morning? _Sarah wondered distantly.

The two of them sat there on the marble floor until Jareth noticed Sarah start to shiver. He frowned, but Sarah said nothing. She had just buried herself in his comfortable chest. Doing so made her feel sick though. Jareth had _raped_ her, and she was willingly staying in his embrace. _Why am I doing this?_ Sarah wondered, but even as she thought it, she couldn't make herself move. Her breathing was calm except for the cold shivers that were hitting her naked body.

"Sarah, I'm going to take you to bed," Jareth said.

She froze; her breath catching in her throat. Sarah pushed herself back from him quickly, and his embracing arms let her go. Sarah backed herself frantically into the wall, her eyes wide. Her knees went up against her chest, as if to shield herself from him. Her arms were crossed over herself, her fingernails digging into her skin. around Jareth merely stared at her confusedly.

"No. No, no, no; not again. I _will_ _not _allow you to rape me again," she cried out, shaking her head from side to side.

The Goblin King's mouth fell open for a second, before he caught himself. There was the Sarah he knew; the one who would defend herself to the last. Even if her resistance was tempered and tainted by what he'd done to her. But it saddened Jareth to think that only a misunderstanding had brought her back to him. Jareth shook his head slowly, though Sarah didn't notice.

"Sarah, I'm not going to hurt you. I want you to get some sleep. You almost_ died._ I was merely suggesting that your bed might be more comfortable than the floor," he replied, standing up and moving beside her.

Sarah looked up at him as if to test the honesty in his face, in his mismatched eyes. What she found surprised her. It was almost as if he was as distressed as she was. _He can never understand what he did though_, she thought. _How much he changed me._ A flash of hope- relief- washed through her though, as the look on his face told her that he wouldn't touch her like he had again. At least, not for now.

When he offered a hand for her to take, Sarah hesitated. As much as it had taken for her to push herself away from the Goblin King, she didn't think that she could make it out of the bathroom without his help. His eyes had held their sincerity, but Sarah knew that she could never trust the fae King though. _Never._

"I will not hurt you like I did again, Sarah."

_Is this some sort of trick? Some way to get me to trust him? To willingly go with him so that he might take me by surprise by some sick, twisted plan of his?_

"I... I don't believe you," Sarah said quietly, looking down from his would-be honest eyes.

She heard Jareth sigh again, and she almost wanted to know what he was thinking. _Almost._

"I give you my vow, Sarah, that I will not touch you against your will again."

Sarah blinked her wide, green eyes back up at him. _Did he really just say that? Did he just make a_ vow_?_ Sarah didn't know what to say, or how to respond. A fae's vow was forever binding, and with it, Jareth had just sworn never to rape her, never to kiss her, never to even touch her with her permission. It was too good to be true. _Except that Jareth _had_ just made that vow, and that _had _been reality... Hadn't it? _Sarah thought, questioning herself.

She was truly shocked that he had made such a vow, but an inner part of her rejoiced. She didn't understand him at all. First, he had been so evil toward her, beating and eventually raping her... _But this,_ she thought. _Is this supposed to be kindness? _She honestly had no idea.

For his part, Jareth knew what he could have just given up in making that vow. But he needed her to trust him; to understand that he was not truly as evil as she thought him to be.

Not half as reluctant now though, Sarah tentatively reached a hand out to his. Jareth saw it as a victory, even if he may have given up anything they might share in the future. _If I hadn't just made that vow, then there would be no future for us anyway_, he thought almost sadly. But if he could convince her later to return to him, then the world would be his again. All would be right- or Jareth's version of what was right anyway.

Instead of lifting Sarah into his arms and carrying her to her bed as he'd initially planned on doing, Jareth simply pulled Sarah to her feet. The hand not in hers wound its way around her waist, there for support only. Sarah's pulse raced, but she didn't tell him to remove his hand- she knew that his vow protected her from his lust. But something in the back of her mind was screaming at her to get his hand away from her body.

When they reached her bed, Sarah felt her knees go weak. She hadn't been able to go near it since he'd raped her. She didn't want to be near it now. She just felt... She didn't know _how_ she felt.

Jareth pulled back the new, clean sheet and set Sarah down on the spongy bed. It was so different to the last time she'd been in that bed, but Sarah still couldn't her tears from falling again as Jareth pulled the sheet up to cover her naked body. He knelt down beside her and she closed her eyes, wishing that he would just leave her alone.

"Sarah... I'm so sorry," was all she heard before merciful sleep embraced her.

* * *

Jareth watched as Sarah slept, not peacefully, but seemingly almost fitfully. Her eyes, under their closed lids, flickered back and forth as if a dream was plaguing her mind. He wondered what she dreamed of; if he was a part of the images running though her unconscious mind.

The Goblin King stood and turned away from Sarah then. As he paced the room, Jareth ran his hand through his unruly, blond hair. _What are you doing, Jareth?_ he asked himself as he continued striding back and forth. _What have you let her do to you?_

Jareth knew that how he was acting was not normal. It wasn't _him_. When he had taken her, he hadn't expected the reaction he'd got. He didn't know what he'd expected, but it hadn't been _that_. Others that had met the same fate as Sarah had reacted so differently, so much so that they had either disappeared as his fancy changed, or the eventually fell in love with him only to be discarded on his whims.

But now he'd seen what his actions had done to _Sarah_. And it was horrible. Watching her fall apart before him was... dare he think it, _heartbreaking._ Jareth shook his head, _This is not me._ _Hadn't I wanted her to break? _he thought_. Hadn't I told myself how much of a pleasure it would be when I'd got her to the stage where she was begging to be with me, where she was truly broken and mine?_

And he'd hit Sarah. More than once. Just to show that he had some measure of control over her. _Power._ He hadn't understood when he was doing it, what it would really be doing to the girl who'd rejected him all those years ago. What had been a small thing to him, had been so much more to Sarah.

_I'm cruel. It's in my nature. _But Jareth didn't realise just how cruel he really was until he'd looked into her lightless green eyes. He wouldn't have raped her then, not so soon, not after more attempts to persuade her to his way of thinking. He knew himself now to be the monster that she'd always thought him to be. _If I'd only had more time to convince her..._

But he hadn't. Tebras had given him no chance to try any other method than to bond he and Sarah when he did. The Goblin King had known as soon as the threat was made that it was serious. And it was far better that he had raped Sarah and this had happened, than _anything_ that Tebras could dream up in his dark, twisted brain.

_"You _wanted_ to", _Sarah's voice echoed in his mind. Jareth sighed. He _had _wanted to, and nothing that he could say to Sarah- or to himself- could convince either of them that he hadn't. So he'd wanted her; Tebras had forced him to take her, and now she hated him. It made sense of a situation that Tebras could create. Jareth inwardly cursed the dark fae, hoping that his shadow-seeking senses would let him hear it.

* * *

Sarah's dreams were dark. Darker than she could have imagined.

_She didn't know what was happening, she didn't know where she was; and she didn't realise she was dreaming. Everything felt strange. Her whole body felt as if it was being pressured against, the dark shadows of her mind pressing down on her. But she couldn't feel anything else- especially nothing of what Jareth had done to her. Sarah was dressed in some thin material, a small nightdress, she thought it felt like._

_She could see nothing in the darkness, except the tendril-like purples and deep blues that pulsated and fluctuated in an erratic rhythm. Sarah stared at the odd movement as if it were part of a creature, living and breathing. _Odd_, she thought._

_"Hello?" she called into the coloured darkness._

_The movement stopped with her voice. Then more tendrils appeared, curling and flowing into view; this time mixing with a dusky red. Sarah tried to step backward, until she realised that she couldn't. There was something in her mind that was telling her to just stay still; to remain calm. It was strange; but that little voice that told her to be calm was doing anything but making her feel calm._

_It was as if she could feel a presence with her, one that's breathing mimicked the flux of the deep-coloured wisps. Sarah frowned. _What is this thing?_ she thought as the strands curled out towards her, swirling around her arms. These shadows weren't warm and suffocating as she'd expected them to feel; but they were cold; cold and hair-raising on her skin. Like fear wrapping itself around her._

_Her frown deepened as her eyes were covered by the screen of deepening smoke. The sensation crawling up her skin made her feel as if her skin was slowly freezing; whether from the cold and or the fear, Sarah didn't know. It was then though, as she felt one tendril creep up her neck, that she noticed it suddenly felt more like fingers than smoke._

_Sarah flinched as memories of what Jareth had done to her flooded back, hitting her as harshly as he once had. But that wasn't what scared her the most; because what scared her the most was that as she felt those fingers caressing her neck, she had no idea who those fingers belonged to. They didn't feel like Jareth's touch. This was different. _Besides,_ she thought, _he made a vow never to touch me unless I wanted him to. So who...

_Sarah gasped as she felt what could have been lips at her throat. Something hit her in that touch, and Sarah pushed herself backward in an attempt to find her way out of the tendrils- or arms. She threw her arms out wildly, but they merely passed through the shadows of the would-be person._

"_Who- What are you?" she cried out._

_A cruel laugh was all that she heard in response. A cruel laugh that was _not _Jareth's. She felt the smoke encircle her again as she took another step backward. It should have held her paralysed by fear, but Sarah couldn't do that again. She couldn't be the girl who submitted, or the girl who withdrew from herself whilst her body was used._

_So Sarah fought, and she fought hard against the shadow's grasp. And it took her a long time to reach some measure of escape. But she refused to give up. She _couldn't._ And just before the light of reality welcomed her from this dream, Sarah heard a voice in the dark. It was pitiless; malicious. Evil._

_In a way worse than Jareth ever could have, it sneered at her and whispered, "I am much worse than your worst imaginings. I'm your most vicious Nightmare, little human."_

* * *

Sarah woke with another scream on the tip of her tongue. She didn't know that she'd been screaming, unable to be woken, for the last two minutes. But Jareth did, and the concern on his face showed it clearly. Jareth didn't understand what had happened to cause her to scream as she did; and he could only hope that the answer was not _him._

Jareth's hands were on her shoulders from where he'd tried to rouse her from the fit of screams she lapsed into. Sarah's eyes snapped open and she immediately pushed his hands away. She didn't want anyone touching her; be it Jareth, or that thing from her dream. _Nightmare_, she corrected herself. He stared at her confusedly. She sat bolt upright in bed, gasping for breath.

"Sarah, are you alright?"

She almost shook her head, but all Jareth saw was her staring outward at nothing in particular. _What just happened? _Sarah asked herself, only to find that Jareth had a similar question for her.

"What happened? What did you..." he drifted off, almost ashamed that he would find she'd dreamt of him and what he'd done to her.

Sarah was silent for a long time; and Jareth had to repeat himself before she'd give an answer. Sarah didn't really know _how _to answer though.

"I... I don't know," she replied blankly.

Because really, Sarah had no idea what she had just dreamed up. Had it been some sick imagining of her mind spawned from what Jareth had done to her earlier that day? Or had it been something more? It had certainly _felt_ like something more.

Sarah shivered at the thought. If it was real, then she had seen how she was just as helpless in the advances of that dark being as she had been against Jareth. But at least she knew that her dream had given her something. At least she knew that she wouldn't give up.

Her strength was back. Her resolve. Her will. She would fight again to never let herself be touched by Jareth or that other creature from her nightmare. She would _not_ give in. _Never again_, she thought as she took a deep breath.

* * *

**Author's Note: Another large helping of Macbeth and here's the result. :P It just makes me question what I'll be like when we finish the play... tomorrow... Hopefully I'll still stay on top of the story with quick updates anyway. :)**

**Thank you so much to everyone who is reviewing by the way; it really means so much to me! :D**

**Kit xx**


	7. It's All A Game

"That wasn't you?" she asked the Goblin King doubtfully.

Jareth frowned as he looked at her. He didn't understand what had her so... frightened, almost. But that she'd mentioned him was what bothered him. _Did she dream of my touch?_ Jareth wondered, hoping that the answer was no, but convincing himself that the answer was the opposite.

"What are you talking about, Sarah?"

She paused before answering, only to pull the sheet that was over her up again, clutching it to shield what was left of the modesty that Jareth had all but stolen away. Her scowl ran deep frown lines into her pale skin, and something hit Jareth then, as if her expression had painted him a picture that he could not ignore. _A scowl shows emotion_, he thought, realising that whatever Sarah had dreamt, it had seemingly brought her out of herself. Back to him.

"It _wasn't_ you..." she confirmed, convincing herself that the being in her dream was either of her own invention... Or someone else's.

But it wasn't Jareth.

"What did you dream of, love?" Jareth asked softly.

_Love. Why does he have to call me that? He doesn't love me; he _never_ has_, Sarah thought, his use of the word almost irritating her. She didn't want think about that though, or anything that his love had brought upon her, so she thought of her response to his question. She pushed everything else into the deep recesses of her mind. But as she tried to recall her dream- her _nightmare_- for the Goblin King, Sarah found that her memories fled from her as the mouse from the owl. Her scowl deepened.

"I... I don't remember..."

Her response frustrated Jareth. _Did_ she not remember? Or was she purposefully refusing to tell him? The former was acceptable; the latter was not. Was she abusing the fact that he had given his vow? If so, he couldn't let her get away with it. Even _if_ he still almost felt bad about what he'd done.

"Sarah," he said, staring at her seriously.

He saw Sarah flinch, even though she knew that he wouldn't- _couldn't_- touch her. The tone of his voice was one he'd used before. One that meant that he was as serious as his stare, and one that told her that she would regret it if she didn't listen to him.

She flashed her green eyes back up at him, and in them he saw fear. But he also saw the strength- the fire- that had seemingly escaped her since he'd raped her. _What did she dream of that made that return?_ he asked himself, that question bothering him more and more as she refused to answer him. He had an inkling, but that was not for her to know.

"What?" Sarah said, a small strength in her voice.

Jareth was glad that Sarah's fire had returned to her; to him. Of course he was glad. But there was a little _too_ much attitude in her reply for his liking. So Jareth put a hand on the edge of Sarah's bed and leant down to her, his face so close to hers that he could hear her breath catch in her throat. For a moment, Sarah almost thought that he was going to kiss her.

"Y-your vow," she reminded him, her voice wavering with the fear she tried not to show.

Then Jareth smirked that horrible smirk that Sarah hated so much and answered, "There's _so_ much that I can do without touching you, Sarah, dear."

He watched as Sarah's eyes widened and she moved back from him.

"So you should watch your manners."

With that he pulled back, leaving her mind reeling. _What happened to the Jareth that was just telling me how sorry he was? How he'd never meant to do to me what he had? Where is _he_ now? _Sarah wondered. _And why is this evil part of him back?_

Jareth watched as her mind thought through his actions and his smirk remained. This _is me_, he thought. _Why had I softened myself for her and let her think that she could take advantage of that?_

"Do you understand, Sarah?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but a glare from him stilled her tongue before her words slipped out. She merely gave a nod instead. Even if she was determined not to let herself give up as she almost had before, Sarah was not willing to test the Goblin King. Not when he was looking at her like that.

"Good. Now, tell me what you dreamt of?"

Sarah stared at him. Hadn't she just told him that she didn't remember? She didn't understand the Goblin King at all. She never would. His mood swings confounded her and filled her with a fear that only he was capable of inducing in her. That was what she'd thought before the thing from her nightmare though- the thing that was fast fading the more that she tried to remember it.

"I don't remember. I really don't... All I know was that it scared me," she answered quietly.

"Hm," Jareth said quietly.

What she had dreamt exactly would torment Jareth's mind for a long while, but his suspicions were growing the more she seemed to think and forget about what had happened in her dream. Different things were tormenting Sarah's mind. She felt scared; not quite as scared as she had felt before Jareth had made his vow to her, but she was still scared. Very much so. His threat lay in the forefront of her mind. "_There's _so _much that I can do without touching you, Sarah, dear." _She didn't doubt that that was the truth.

As Sarah sat, covered only in that clean, soft sheet, and as the silence grew between them; Sarah realised that she felt extremely uncomfortable. She wanted to be wearing something; being naked in the very same bed that she was raped in only made her feel like crying again. _Don't cry, Sarah, _she told herself. _You have to be strong. Or at least pretend to be._

"Do you..." Sarah started, but she stopped as Jareth looked up.

"Yes?" he asked, his voice making it clear that she'd disturbed him from his deep thoughts.

"Are there any clothes that I can wear?" she asked as she made a point of not looking into his mismatched eyes.

If she had been looking at him, Sarah would have seen Jareth smirk. Here she was, asking him for something. She had just put _him_ was in control once again without really even realising it. _As it should be,_ he thought, not willing to consider what her brief breakdown had done to him. That_ wasn't me,_ Jareth added grimly.

"Certainly," he replied.

"They're in the wardrobe."

But Jareth made no move toward the tall wardrobe. Sarah blinked. _He doesn't expect... Does he just want to make me to ask?_

"Would you mind?" she asked, even though she hated herself for it.

But she knew that Jareth would have remained still had she been stubborn about it. And her alternative option was really no option at all, in Sarah's opinion. Getting up, naked, and walking over to the wardrobe that may or may not open for her was not an idea that she liked. Sarah didn't even know if she even _could_ manage that.

"As you wish," was all that Jareth said in response, though his smirk remained on his face as he stepped over to the wardrobe.

Sarah couldn't see what he was doing, or what he was rifling through once the door had opened so easily for him. She wished that it had done the same for her earlier; but then she caught herself. _Don't even think of that word. It's what got you into all of this trouble in the first place_, she told herself.

Jareth emerged from the wardrobe carrying something that Sarah thought barely even qualified in being called clothing. It was a nightdress of sorts, though they weren't the words that Sarah would have used to describe it. To her, it was more of a black slip of material, lace rimming the fringes of the soft-looking fabric. It was very short, and all too revealing. Sarah's mouth hung open as he placed that and some rather too risqué underwear before her.

"No... I am not wearing those _things_," Sarah said in disgust.

Jareth just raised an eyebrow and answered, "So you'd prefer to remain naked?"

"How about you get me some other clothes; preferably something that actually _covers_ my body?" Sarah retorted.

Jareth glared at her, silencing the attitude in her tone.

"It's this or _nothing_, Sarah."

She shook her head vehemently and refused again to wear something so revealing.

"Pity, I would have liked to have seen you in this. Though if you'd prefer to stay naked, I don't mind. Your body is beautiful."

Sarah blanched; she felt like being sick again at just the sound of him describing how he'd have liked to have seen her wear something that she could _never_ have imagined herself wearing. It was worse that he'd mentioned her body though, and Sarah shivered as a memory of when he'd raped her came shooting back.

But what bothered her the most was how Jareth was acting. Sarah didn't understand why he had been so... almost _kind_ to her before she had fallen asleep, and now he was back to ordering her around. He was an anomaly; a mystery that Sarah yearned for never having found its way into her life. And as much as Jareth seemed to enjoy granting her wishes; Sarah very much doubted that he'd _ever_ grant _that _wish.

So she took the hardly-there material with a frown that only made the Goblin King smile. But then a staring match began between the two, as both resolutely held their positions. Jareth was determined that he would stay; and Sarah was single-minded in not letting Jareth watch as she dressed herself. Both, however, were two stubborn for their own good.

"Do you mind?" Sarah asked, eventually looking away from those mismatched eyes.

"I'm not leaving, love," he replied calmly.

Sarah's fist clenched around the fabric of the sheet covering her.

"I am not getting changed in front of you then, she snapped back and turned her head completely from the Goblin King.

Jareth's eyebrows rose. _Where _has_ this come from?_ he wondered, pondering on Sarah's attitude and the renewed strength behind it.

"That's fine by me, love. I've already told you how much I love your body."

Sarah grimaced so much so that even with her face turned away from him, Jareth could see how it creased her features. _Sure_, Sarah thought. _I'm not scared that he'll try to do what he did again... he can't... _But there was something in her that wanted so desperately to fight back against the way Jareth spoke to her- as if they were lovers or something. As if_ I would _ever_ consensually stay with Jareth._ That thought disgusted her.

But she was stopped from offering up her retort by her stomach, which promptly gave its own, rather loud, growl. Sarah looked down at her stomach through the sheet covering her, and, once again, realised that she was starving.

Seeing the deepening frown on her face, Jareth's eyes flickered to the plate of food he'd brought in before Sarah's... bath _incident._ But instead of offering her the tray of most-likely stale food, with a wave of his hand, Jareth summoned up a fresh tray.

"You should eat," Jareth suggested, holding out the fresh plate of food.

Though it smelled unbelievably good, Sarah turned her nose up at it. She wasn't going to do anything until he was gone. She refused. She already knew that she was going to end up wearing that _thing_ that he called a nightgown. But she wouldn't put it on until Jareth left. And she wouldn't eat until Jareth left. In fact, she wouldn't do _anything_ until Jareth left.

"Sarah, you haven't eaten since yesterday morning. You _need_ to eat; just something?" he said softly, almost pleadingly.

_That_ confused Sarah. There he was again. _Nice_ Jareth. _Is he bi-polar or something?_ Sarah wondered. She could never predict when he would make the transition between the two and she certainly didn't want to provoke the other side of him. But _because_ Sarah could never predict when his mood would switch, she never knew what would set him off. She took a risk anyway though.

"Fine," she replied eventually.

"But I'd like to eat alone."

Jareth's eyebrows scrunched into a frown, but he was gone, his answer only a simple sigh. All that was left behind of him were the usual sparks and falling glitter. Sarah was left alone with the tray of food that she had wanted to eat since it had first been brought in, but had been too distracted before to actually eat anything.

But first, Sarah pushed her legs from the edge of the bed and let the sheet drop. She tentatively stood up on shaky legs and had to use the bedpost to steady herself as she pulled on the promiscuous underwear and tugged the slip of material over her head. _I suppose it's better than nothing_, Sarah thought. _But really not by much._

She didn't want to think about what Jareth would have said if he'd seen her dressed in such a thing- in fact, she dreaded to think about what he _would _say when he returned to her room. She pushed those thoughts aside and turned her attentions to the tray of food before her.

Sarah moved it onto the bed and sat down beside it, not really trusting herself to stay standing for too much longer. She stared at the food and realised just how much that she wanted to eat it, all of it. But something about the food in front of her wasn't right. _Or perhaps it's _me_ that's not right..._ she thought for a moment, before dismissing the feeling and picking up an apple from amongst the many varying food items.

She managed about half of the apple before she started to feel sick. And with that feeling, she dropped the apple back onto the tray and ran to the bathroom. She vomited for the third time that day. Sarah grimaced as she stood up straight again, only to slump to the ground. Running hadn't done her any good. Neither had vomiting.

"Is this how it's going to be from now on? With me not being able to keep anything down?" she said aloud, not knowing if the Goblin King was listening or not.

Sarah guessed that he was not when she received no response. It was either that, or he merely had _no_ response to give her. Using the side of the large bath, still full from when she'd almost drowned, Sarah tried to stand. But she felt dizzy and stumbled slightly. She grimaced again.

"What have you done to me, Jareth?" Sarah whispered as she stared into the mirror before her, still holding onto the side of the bath for support.

* * *

"Fine," she replied eventually.

"But I'd like to eat alone."

Jareth's eyebrows scrunched into a frown, but with a sigh, he disappeared. He seemingly re-materialised into his study, a room empty of all other creatures- a room _never_ entered by the goblins under his rule. He had a few rooms in the castle like that. Sarah's room was one of them; this was another. As a result, this room was incredibly organised compared to others in the castle.

Running a gloved hand through his long, blond hair, Jareth wandered over to his desk and took a seat behind the carefully stacked papers there. He rested his elbows on the desk and fingered the bridge of his nose. _Nothing makes sense anymore_, he thought grimly.

Sarah was confusing him again. First, she had fought against him as he'd thought he'd wanted, but after he'd been threatened and had taken her, she had broken. Though _now_, after waking from a dream that she had soon forgotten, she was defiant once more. She truly made no sense to him.

Of course, he knew by now who had created the dream that had her waking screaming. It was painfully obvious. _Who else would tamper with Sarah's dreams other than Tebras? _he thought almost angrily. Jareth did not understand why the dark fae had taken such an interest in Sarah; but he had, and for the moment, that was all that mattered.

Summoning a crystal with his left hand, Jareth sent the transparent orb floating through his open window. _If Tebras is going to invade her dreams, then he should at least be strong enough to discuss it like the King he is. Instead of using his usual tricks._

Before Jareth could do anything else though, a voice resounded in his mind. The words were said in a whisper, but they sounded more like a shout to the Goblin King. "_What have you done to me, Jareth?"_ Sarah's voice asked him. And, in all honesty, Jareth had no answer for that.

He had done what he wanted, as well as what he'd been forced to do. And he'd created a rift that had widened what was already there. It was up to him to fix what fragile a thing that he had broken; or indeed, what _Tebras_ had forced him to break.

With a long sigh, Jareth thought back to his last meeting with Tebras in an attempt to devise a way to deal with the fae without bringing war upon himself and his kingdom.

* * *

_Jareth left Sarah unsatisfied in her bathroom, his smirk still wide on his face. He'd written her that small note instructing her on what she should wear, not really knowing whether she'd listen to his instruction. _It would be in her best interests to_, he thought as he strode down the adjoining corridor. He could have immediately popped into his study, but Jareth felt that he needed the walk to help bring his emotions, and his lust, back under control._

_The Goblin King past more and more corridors and the occasional Goblin doing things mischievous that they knew they shouldn't. At the sight of their King, they had skulked off and disappeared, but Jareth was in no mood to follow them. He would set them back in line later- or as in line as Goblins could ever be anyway._

_When Jareth finally reached the intricately carved door of his study, his gloved hand paused on the gold handle. The handle was cold; he could feel it even through the leather of his gloves. One of his eyebrows rose. _Well_, Jareth thought._ That's _not_ what I was expecting.

_The cold heralded the arrival of a King he did not relish seeing. In fact, a King that he detested meeting even so infrequently as they did. And he knew that the feeling was reciprocated. Jareth pushed down the handle and walked into the room and the shroud of black and purple smoke._

_With a sigh, Jareth waved a hand and the Dark King's dark haze began to disperse. He waited where he stood until the smoke was steadily sucked back to the fae creating it. Even then though, the shadows moved around Tebras as if they were a very part of his essence. They were, in fact. What else could be expected of the King of the Darklands?_

_"Tebras," Jareth said in a toneless voice._

"_How very... _interesting_ to see you."_

_The Dark King gave a small, courteous nod of his head, his curling black tresses swaying slightly as he did. He made no move to stand as he reclined in the formerly red velvet armchair that his shadows were working to pervert, draining all colour from the used-to-be soft material. Tebras' eyes found those of the Goblin King. Mystery and pain met mismatched fae beauty as they stared at each other._

"_Indeed. Do take a seat; no, I insist," Jareth said sarcastically, and moving to take his own seat behind his desk._

_Tebras took no notice of the comment, but the shadows surrounding his dark form fluctuated slightly. Jareth eyed the Dark King and waited for him to give the reason for his appearance. Tebras shifted, black silk robes rippling in the fluid motion._

_When Jareth realised however, that the dark fae refused to speak first, he asked, "And what do I owe the..."_

_He paused and flashed his eyes up to the grey, misty eyes of the other King, before adding, "_pleasure _of your company?"_

_Tebras' head tilted to the side, his strong jaw lifting upward slightly. He ran his tongue over his thin bottom lip as Jareth had so often seen him do. One thick black eyebrow rose though no other expression was visible of the Dark King's face._

_"I hear you brought the little human girl back Underground," Tebras said, his voice as spine-tingling and heartless as it always was._

_Jareth didn't move. He let no flicker of emotion pass over his face at the mention of Sarah. Of course, he knew how fast news travelled in the Underground, but that Tebras had learned of Sarah and was interested enough to pay Jareth a visit was anything but good. Indeed, with Tebras involved, nothing_ _was _ever_ good. Eventually though, the Goblin King gave a slight inclination of his head to confirm what Tebras had heard._

"_I hear that she's quite beautiful... for a _human_," he added, placing a slight sense of disgust in the emphasis of the final word._

_Jareth stared at the King of the Darklands seriously, every moment growing as cold as Tebras usually infused into any room that he was in. Tebras was _far _too interested in Sarah for Jareth's liking, but since he'd not actually said anything more than mere observation, Jareth could do nothing._

"_I also hear that she's quite fiery... That's always something _fun_ in a woman..."_

_Jareth sighed. He'd had enough of the Dark King for the foreseeable future, and decided to be blunt._

_"What is it, exactly, that you want, Tebras?"_

_"Just to remind you that you might want to watch out with that one. After all, you never know who might want to take her away."_

_Jareth's glare darkened and he was on his feet before he'd even noticed he was moving. A satisfied smile twisted Tebras' lips as he mimicked the Goblin King. The dark fae stepped towards Jareth, the table now being all that separated them. Jareth's hands had balled into fists as he looked at the slightly taller fae. _Not again_, he thought grimly._

_Though he didn't let that thought become visible in his features as he asked, "Is that supposed to be a threat?"_

_Tebras laughed a cold, and cruel laugh. One that was much more piercing and evil than Jareth's own could ever be._

_"Oh Jareth, I do so enjoy our little games. This is just the beginning of the next one," he replied, flashing white teeth in the direction of the Goblin King._

_"Be careful what you're getting yourself into Tebras. This is _not_ a game that you want to play," Jareth said back, his voice laced with suppressed anger._

_"But I've already started playing. I've set the game. Your move, Jareth."_

_Tebras stepped back then, letting his shadows swirl around him until they finally enveloped him. But before he disappeared, Jareth heard that distinctive voice speak once more._

"_Now don't go letting your guard down Goblin King; remember what happened last time."_

_And, with those final words, Tebras was gone. All that was left for Jareth though, was a harsh reminder of the last 'game' that he and Tebras had played. He wouldn't let what had happened before, happen again. Not to Sarah. Jareth knew that he had to stop Tebras before he got in position to repeat what he'd once before done. And the first barrier that Jareth could put in the Dark King's path would be to create the bond between Sarah and himself._

_Jareth knew that that alone would not stop Tebras though. But it would slow him down enough so that the Goblin King could put more measures in place to keep Sarah from Tebras' cruel grasp._

* * *

It wasn't too long before the shadowy tendrils started to find their way in through the open window. Jareth gave a small sigh. He never understood why Tebras couldn't just appear as other fae did; why he instead chose to slowly seep into the room. But Jareth always ended up putting it down to the dark fae's nature, which was of fear-inducing terror. _Supposedly, terrifying things move slowly and unstoppably_, he thought, shaking his head slightly.

When the shadows finally formed into the shape that would soon be the Dark King, Jareth sat up straight in his seat and waited. Tebras' face appeared from the shadows before the rest of his black-robed existence became solid once more. He was smiling that same cruel smile that he wore as he'd left their last encounter.

"Tebras," Jareth said in a polite, but low, voice.

"Why Jareth, how kind of you to invite me back to your... _charming_ castle," the dark fae answered, his voice as sneering as Jareth's had been when he'd spoken to Sarah only the previous day.

"Enough pleasantries for today, Tebras," Jareth said, causing the other fae to raise an eyebrow.

"If you wish," Tebras replied, his voice turning colder and sounding far harsher.

Though, the smile remained on his face as he asked, "Why did you call me here?"

"Stay out her dreams."

The way Jareth had said it highlighted that it was not meant as a request, but as a command. But what was one King's command to another? What did what the Goblin King wanted ever really matter to the King of the Darklands? The King who craved war, pain and suffering above all else.

"It's a _game_, Jareth. Play along. You have your tricks, and I have mine."

"Stay out of her dreams, Tebras," Jareth repeated, sounding all the more serious for it.

"Just because you bonded her, Jareth, doesn't mean that I can't take her from you."

Tebras paused and added with a smirk, "And, as I hear it, she didn't take too well to the bonding process."

_I swear I'll strangle whatever creature Tebras is using as a source_, Jareth thought irately.

"Stay out of her dreams or I _will_ make you," Jareth replied menacingly.

"Looking forward to it, Goblin King. I shall eagerly await your next move," he replied, a twisted enjoyment evident in his cruel voice.

"Oh, and she _is _a beauty. A prize well worth playing for- and I know you agree with that," Tebras added, just seeking to provoke Jareth further.

He was far too successful in his attempt though and Jareth's teeth clenched as he bit back an all too angry response. _You know what Tebras is like. He's baiting you. _Don't_ bite_, he chastised himself. _It's all part of the game. A game that you _will_ win no matter the cost. He will not have Sarah_, he determined.

"That's the spirit, Jareth," Tebras smirked at the Goblin King's expression.

"This game is already seeming to be far more entertaining than our previous ones. Am I detecting that you actually care for this human?"

With no answer, Tebras' smile grew and a cruel, amused laugh ripped from between those thin lips.

"You had best get back to the little human then... before she has any more... _bad dreams_."

As Jareth opened his mouth to reply, the wisps of black, purple and deep blue smoke engulfed the dark fae once more. And Jareth growled into the darkness that was left in his wake. Tebras had a knack for twisting emotions, and Jareth had no idea that he was doing it until after it had been done.

With another deep growl, Jareth realised that Tebras might have been playing with both he and Sarah all day, turning their emotions however he liked. He kicked the ruined chair that the Dark King had sat in the previous day, making a mental note to build a magic barrier to stop Tebras manipulating their emotions. Jareth knew that he couldn't stop Tebras from entering Sarah's dreams quite yet though. She'd have to agree for him to be able to do that. And that meant that he had to explain everything to her.

Bringing a hand up to stroke over his face thoughtfully, Jareth once more almost regretted bringing Sarah to the Underground. And he once more regretted that he would have to do more than one thing that he knew he would be hard-pressed to persuade her into.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hey guys, I hope you're all still enjoying the story. :) Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up; I had some serious writer's block.**

**And now, more bad news- my A Level exams start on the 4****th**** May, so if another chapter's not done by then, it may be a couple more weeks before another chapter will pop up. :/ So hopefully you guys will still be interested to know what's going to happen and will :stick with me over the break I'm going to have to take for a while. :)**

**Just to confirm something, because a couple of people have mentioned it: Sarah is NOT pregnant, and this is not going to be one of those stories in which she gets pregnant. :)**

**Kit xx**


	8. Something Unexpected

Magic sparks floated to the ground through the open bathroom door and Sarah didn't have to turn her head to know that Jareth had returned. She sat still perched on the edge of the large bath, not really sure if she could get herself back to the bed without feeling the need to be sick again. A groan escaped her lips as she heard the booted footsteps approach her.

Sarah's arms instinctively crossed over her body as if to shield herself from the Goblin King and she finally looked up at him. His eyebrows were curled into a frown, but it seemed to be one more of concern than of anger. Jareth stopped before he reached Sarah and held out a hand for her to take, but she pointedly refused to accept his help.

"Sarah... Please allow me to help you."

She gave him no response, so he continued, "You have my vow, remember?"

Though it was said in his normal voice, it was the look in his eyes that showed his honesty. It was the look in his eyes that had her reaching out and placing her hand in his. Jareth took her accepting his hand as a good sign and pulled her to her feet. She hated to admit it, but she knew that she would have fallen if it weren't for his other arm wrapping around her waist a moment later.

Sarah blanched. Even though she knew that he wouldn't- _couldn't_- do anything, the feel of his body against hers as he supported her brought back the memories of what he'd done before he'd made that vow. The feel of his body against hers made her want to curl up into a ball and forget everything. But she'd never be able to forget.

It took longer than Sarah would have liked for them to reach the bed and, all the way there, Sarah was resisting the urge to push Jareth away. If she did, she knew that she'd only fall and then earn his retribution later. With a sigh, Jareth let her lower herself into a sitting position on the bed and push herself back from him. _She'll come around_, he thought. _She has to_.

Sarah's eyes never left his as he stood at the side of her bed. And the only reason that she did eventually look away was when her stomach gave a loud grumble, causing her frown to darken significantly.

"I can help you eat if you'd let me," Jareth offered.

She turned her glare back to him and spat back, "I can eat just fine, thank you. It's keeping it down that's the problem."

He took a deep breath and tried to keep himself calm. He needed her to understand that he meant well to be able to bar Tebras entry to her dreams. And if convincing her started here, then so be it.

"Even so, I can help you do that if you'll allow me to," he replied evenly.

She didn't stop staring at him coldly for a while and Jareth waited in silence for her to reply. It took over ten minutes for Sarah to start to give in, and Jareth spotted the signs of it as soon as they appeared. He had to fight back a smile, though he hid it so expertly that Sarah did not notice at all.

"Fine," Sarah answered eventually, looking away from him.

Jareth allowed himself a small smile then. _At least she trusts me enough to allow me to do this... It's a start_, he thought. Jareth waved a hand over the food on the plate, a silver glitter sprinkling over it. Though she knew it wasn't silver glitter. It was magic. So Sarah eyed the food suspiciously after he'd done that, not reaching out for the food and looking as if she wanted to do anything but.

"You'll be able to eat it now, Sarah. It'll be easy," Jareth said in an attempt to reassure her.

"I remember the last time you gave me magic food. I remember what that did," Sarah replied, her voice low.

The Goblin King frowned, and, with a sigh, answered, "This is a different kind of magic, Sarah. What I did here is nothing like the peach. Besides, as I remember it, you quite enjoyed what came from that little incantation."

"You drugged me!" she retorted incredulously.

Smirking slightly, Jareth replied, "I merely lowered your inhibitions slightly-"

"_Slightly_?"

"It was just a small enchantment, love. This is nothing of _that_ sort."

"_Stop_ calling me love!" she shouted, her breathing strong and heavy.

"You _don't _love me! You never have! You're just sick and twisted and you want everyone and everything under your control!"

His glare was as cold and cruel as she had ever seen it. His hands were balled into fists. But Jareth didn't hit out at her- though he direly wanted to. If she'd have been in a position to, Sarah would have noticed that a particular part of the Labyrinth had just crumbled as a result of his anger. If she'd have been in a position to, Sarah would have noticed exactly what her provoking him was doing.

However, Sarah was too absorbed in watching Jareth's reaction; because she knew she'd just inadvertently set something she didn't want to start into motion. For his part, Jareth was well aware that Tebras couldn't manipulate Sarah's emotion anymore. He knew that that was really Sarah speaking. It was _her_ opinion. And that made him all the more enraged.

Jareth leant over the bed to where Sarah was; his face so close to hers that he was almost touching her. The Goblin King's mismatched eyes pierced straight through her own and Sarah had to force herself to keep looking into them. Jareth's hands were placed on either side of her legs, his fingers bunching the sheet under them. But really, Sarah was scared. Honestly and truly scared.

Sarah knew that Jareth couldn't break his vow, but the fear of the unknown- the fear of what he could do that she couldn't even imagine- was what had her frozen in place. There was something almost static in the air that she was breathing that made her seem to hold her breath and wait for the Goblin King to say something.

"Remember what I said about watching your manners?" he said, his voice a deep growl.

Sarah couldn't have answered if she'd wanted to. For some reason, she couldn't seem to make her tongue work. But, she figured, that even if she could, now would be the wrong time to talk back to the Goblin King. He was just so angry. Jareth's hot breath steamed onto Sarah's face in a rhythmic pattern and she longed to pull away from where his glare held her.

But then, Sarah did something that neither of them expected her to. Because as she felt his warm breath make contact with skin, Sarah's chin tilted upward, and closed the gap between them. Her eyes closed and her lips brushed his for but a moment before she pushed herself back Jareth.

Sarah's eyes flashed open and she stared at the Goblin King as her fingers went to her lips. It was clear from the look on Jareth's face that he hadn't been expecting what Sarah had done. _Which means_, she thought more-than-worriedly. _He didn't make me do that..._

"Why did I do that?" she whispered, her eyes wide.

It took a moment for Jareth to collect himself. He pushed himself back from where he leant on the bed and straightened his shirt. _Why _did_ she just do that?_ Jareth wondered. _It's starting far more quickly than I'd thought it would..._

"Why did I do that?" Sarah asked again, this time directing the question to Jareth.

The Goblin King had the answer, but he couldn't explain it to her. He knew that Sarah would just find a way to turn this around and blame it on him. She would say that he had made her do that. But he hadn't. Not technically anyway. And he knew that there was no way that he could persuade her to believe that.

"Don't fall asleep, Sarah," was all he said before he disappeared in his usual shower of sparks and glitter, leaving her in shock and disbelief at what she'd just done.

* * *

Sarah couldn't have slept then if she'd tried. She was so shocked with herself that her mind was still whirling through the night until the sun started to rise again. _Why did I try to kiss him?_ she wondered. _No. Why _did_ I kiss him? ...What's wrong with me? _And no matter how hard she tried, Sarah still could not understand her actions.

What she'd done made no sense at all. She _hated_ Jareth. In fact, she _really_ hated Jareth. But something had happened in that moment, with his lips so close to hers, that had Sarah feeling the need to lean forward, to touch him. But when she so obviously detested the Goblin King, that odd feeling had no place and _definitely_ made no sense.

Sarah was sure that she would never understand why she'd kissed him. She just knew that she hated Jareth, but she hadn't been able to stop herself from doing it. It had magic written _all_ over it. Only one thing stopped Sarah from placing the blame directly on Jareth's shoulders though. And that was the look of utter surprise that had lit his face after she'd kissed him. Even he couldn't fake that.

"Urgh," Sarah growled exasperatedly into her hands.

_Why does nothing in this place ever make sense?_ she thought as she craved an answer she knew that she'd never get. Sarah tried to distract herself then. She tried eating- just a grape at first to test the sincerity of Jareth's spell. But when she felt no drug-induced after effects, or the need to vomit, Sarah ate more.

All the while, her mind was consumed with her torturous and confused thoughts about why she'd kissed the Goblin King though. Eventually, after exhausting herself in thinking about the situation, Sarah slumped into a sleep that she didn't remember Jareth telling her not to slip into.

That was a big mistake. Because instead of a normal, relaxing sleep like she might have expected, Sarah's dreams were once again interrupted by the King of the Darklands. Though she was still oblivious of her dark visitor's identity, Sarah was quick to realise his malicious nature.

_Tebras appeared to her as he had before, hidden under a swirling shroud of smoky tendrils. Dusky red. Deep purple. Midnight blue. And black. She recognised the colours and the wisps as they fluctuated unevenly. She recognised the cold that was everywhere, surrounding her in a chilling embrace. And she recognised this dream. Sarah was suddenly very much aware of how evil that being had been the last time she'd dreamt of it._

_Sarah's eyes flickered around the dark space around her desperately in search of some light. In search of some way out of the dream. She'd found it the last time as Jareth had woken her, but she realised now that Jareth wasn't waiting at her bedside this time. She was alone to face whatever had invaded her dreams. She stumbled backward, away from the advancing smoke-like cloud._

_"Afraid, little human?" Sarah heard that cold voice sneer at her._

_It was the same voice she'd heard in her last dream. The same voice that had said to her, "_I am much worse than your worst imaginings. I'm your most vicious Nightmare, little human_." And so far, Sarah was inclined to agree with that statement. She backed further away from where the voice had come from, shrouded amongst the waves of shadows._

_"Who are you?" she asked, trying to keep the fear from her voice._

_"I told you before," Tebras started, but he paused to watch Sarah's reaction._

_He paused to watch her squirm. He paused to watch her jump back at the sound of his voice by her ear. Because that's exactly what she did, only he then managed to steal a sharp gasp for those pretty lips as well as the fear leaking from her eyes. The fear that he was drinking in. And the fear that only made him stronger._

"_I'm your worst nightmare."_

_Sarah shivered as the cold around her worsened. She had no idea, but the cold exuded from the dark fae's very essence, just as the shadows did. All that she knew was that she was afraid. Even more so than she had been with Jareth before this dream._

_"What do you want?" Sarah asked the figure in the darkness, unable to keep the waiver from her voice this time._

_And with that little splinter of his success, the shadowy tendrils seemed to coil around her arms, and, all too quickly, they had solidified. She fought against their hold, their freezing grip on her almost burning to the touch, but she could not release herself. The cold laugh she'd heard before resounded throughout her sleeping mind, and she writhed in an attempt to push herself back from it. _

_Tebras smirked at the sight of the struggling girl. _She really is worth stealing away from the Goblin King_, he thought as he took another step closer to Sarah. His long fingers reached out to take hold of Sarah's chin, and he watched as she instantly stilled upon feeling his icy touch._

_But it was more than that that had Sarah stop struggling. It was that she could finally see the figure that had hidden himself in the darkness that had held her frozen. It was that she was staring into those grey, mystery-filled eyes and saw the pain and suffering of thousands. She wanted to run. She wanted to escape this fae even more than she had ever wanted to escape Jareth. Even _after_ he'd raped her._

_But she couldn't escape. Not when this man- no, _fae_, because she realised instantly that he was fae- had her locked in an iron combination of his grip and his glare. Sarah's wide, green eyes watched as Tebras ran his tongue slowly over his thin bottom lip and she felt herself start trembling. Unable to stop, unable to get away, Sarah simply had to wait as he moved closer to her._

_Black curls brushed her cheek as he gave a cruel and low whisper in her ear, "I want _you_."_

* * *

Sarah awoke to find the mismatched eyes of the Goblin King just inches away from her own. His hands cupped her cheeks, but she didn't pull back from him. She couldn't. This time she woke from her nightmare knowing that she'd been crying and screaming. That she still was.

It took Sarah half an hour to calm herself after that, and even that was quickened by Jareth's soothing words to aid her. She didn't know why his words helped, but they did. And as his arms surrounded her, Sarah felt a great deal more comfort than she'd ever have expected to find in Jareth's embrace.

"What... what was that?" Sarah eventually asked, her voice a whisper.

She heard him exhale loudly, but she didn't lift her head from where it rested on his chest. How she was feeling was odd. It was as if, even though she knew Jareth was dangerous and she hated him for all that he was, being in his arms made her feel so much safer. And it was safe to say that she did not understand this feeling at all.

"I told you not to fall asleep, Sarah," he sighed.

That was when she pushed herself back from him. His hands released her, though he wished he didn't have to, and he met her wide-eyed glare to see the deep frown etched onto her expression.

"You know what... _who_ that was," she whispered accusingly.

He noted that that had been a statement, not a question, and regrettably gave Sarah a nod.

"Tebras, King of the Darklands," Jareth said, distastefully.

"I've been trying to protect you from him."

Sarah paused for a moment and turned her eyes from Jareth. She looked down and she could still see the fading red marks where those shadowlike tendrils had grasped her arms. _That actually seems to almost make sense..._ she thought grimly.

"So... you weren't... making him up..."

The Goblin King let out another long sigh as Sarah's still frightened green eyes turned back to his.

"I'm sorry, love. I wasn't lying. I wish I had been."

"_Stop_ calling me that!"

She saw something harsh flash in his mismatched eyes. Something that should have frightened her. But something that wasn't enough to scratch the surface of the fear that she'd felt when looking into the misty grey eyes of the dark fae in her nightmares.

Brushing past the annoyance he'd felt at Sarah's tone, Jareth sighed and said "I need to create a barrier in your mind."

Sarah blinked.

"What?" she asked, his words not really registering properly to her.

"I need to put up a barrier in your mind to stop Tebras from getting into your dreams."

A glimmer of hope that seemed more like relief flickered in Sarah's eyes as he spoke. _There's a way to stop him? To stop that thing?_ she thought.

"_You_ can stop him?"

Jareth stared at her, sitting up straight as one leg swung down to hang off of the side of her bed.

"I _am_ the Goblin King, Sarah."

She did have to give him that. She'd always assumed that he had more powers than she'd seen. But this would be one that would help her for the better for once; and it was more than she could have hoped for.

"What do you have to do to stop him?" Sarah asked quietly.

_Good, so she's at least open to it... But still cautious_, Jareth thought as he ran a hand through his long, blond and perfectly dishevelled hair.

"Not much. You just have to agree, and I'll cast the spell that will bar him from accessing your mind."

Sarah paused. As much as she wanted to stop this Tebras from entering her dreams- or her nightmares- again, she couldn't decide how wise it would be to allow Jareth to cast a spell on her. Especially one that affected her mind.

The fae always twisted situations like these- as she well knew. And Sarah certainly didn't trust the Goblin King. But if it was a choice between Jareth and the King of the Darklands, she'd agree to what Jareth suggested any day. And so, reluctantly, Sarah gave Jareth a small nod.

"Fine. Okay, just stop him," she answered quietly.

"Believe me, I've been trying," Jareth muttered under his breath, just low enough that Sarah couldn't hear him.

* * *

That morning, Hoggle had been expecting to do nothing but walk around the Labyrinth, exterminating a few pests on his way. He had been expecting to go on his way safely and quietly. And he had been expecting a simple, typical day. However, he had not been expecting though, as he gripped his insect spray, to suddenly appear in the centre of the Goblin King's throne room.

It was safe to say that Hoggle had _not_ been on the best of terms with the Goblin King since he'd helped Sarah run the Labyrinth successfully; not that they'd been particularly friendly _before_ Sarah. So when Hoggle looked around at the almost empty room before him, and stared up at the Goblin King as he sat, reclining on his throne. Hoggle didn't know what to think and almost stumbled backward as he realised where he had been brought.

"Er, er Jareth-"

The Goblin King's eyebrows rose and Hoggle immediately realised what he'd done wrong. Or what Jareth would think that he'd done wrong anyway.

"Er- y'majesty, I meant. Y'majesty."

"Indeed," Jareth said in a low voice.

A silence that was awkward only for Hoggle filled the room that Jareth had once more emptied of Goblins. Hoggle had no idea why he was standing in front of the Goblin King, but he was sure that whatever it was wouldn't be good for him. In fact, he was sensing an impending trip to a certain Bog of Eternal Stench even though he knew that he'd done nothing wrong.

"Hogwart-"

"-Hoggle-"

"_Yes_... I have a job for you."

Hoggle didn't move, and he didn't answer for a while either. The last job that Jareth had given to him had been to make sure Sarah ate that drugged peach all those years ago. Any job that Hoggle could expect to receive from Jareth couldn't be good. And what was worse was that there was no way Hoggle could say no to this offer without taking a dip in that foul-smelling bog and reeking of it for the rest of his life.

"A-a job?"

Jareth gave a simple nod and Hoggle waited for him to continue. And he did, eventually, after he'd straightened himself in his throne, now only resting one elbow against it.

"I have a... _friend _of yours staying in my castle, and I want you to go and... _talk_ with her."

Hoggle frowned. He had a grand total of four friends, and only one of them was a "her". Which meant that Jareth had Sarah. And that Hoggle was correct about the bad feeling he'd had as soon as he'd appeared in Jareth's throne room.

"What've you done with Sarah?" Hoggle asked in what was more of a demanding shout than a question.

The Goblin King scowled at Hoggle. _Surely the dwarf knows his place by now? _And_ that I do _not_ accept insolence, _Jareth thought. But he didn't reprimand Hoggle, or punish him in the many ways that he usually would have for any creature speaking out at him.

Instead, Jareth gave a reply that the dwarf did not expect. And he did so because he needed Sarah to trust him- and the one way that he could see was to use the friends she'd made on her last visit to the Underground.

"She's in trouble. And I need your help to protect her."

Hoggle's mouth hung open. Had the Goblin King really just asked for his help? And what's more, had Jareth really just said that he wanted to protect Sarah? Hoggle was _more_ than confused at this. The last thing he had heard was that the Goblin King hated Sarah for besting his Labyrinth, and now he was trying to protecting her?

It made no sense. But Hoggle didn't have to wait too long for an explanation, as Jareth was quick to provide him with one. Of course, he omitted a few select details that might dissuade the dwarf from helping him. Because he needed Hoggle's help if he was going to get exactly what he wanted. And, eventually, Jareth always got what he'd wanted.

**Author's Note: So I pretty much wrote this before my exams started, therefore, I had to finish it. Anyways hope you like it. :)**

**Kit xx**


	9. The People Much Loved

Having been left alone since Jareth had told her about King of the Darklands, Sarah had paced her room, confused. _Everything's _so_ wrong_, she thought, letting out a silent groan. She didn't understand anything anymore. It felt as if she was involved in something far beyond her comprehension; and she hated that fact.

Shaking her head at the thought, Sarah made her way to the wardrobe and half-prayed that it would open. When she pulled at the door, a relieved sigh slipped from her lips as it opened with ease. _Clothes!_ she thought happily, instantly inching herself out of the ridiculous nightdress Jareth had given her.

Not caring that the Goblin King was clearly implying that he wanted her to wear a dress because of the multitudinous number of the things, Sarah chose a tunic-like shirt and trousers. The material felt soft and warm against her skin as she pulled the garments on, glad to be free of something as flimsy as what she had been wearing.

When she was dressed, Sarah picked up the black slip of material. Her eyes flashed to the window and she almost considered dumping it outside. Though she knew that Jareth wouldn't be too pleased with that. _Fuck him,_ Sarah thought, shaking her head. But when she came up to the window, she found that it would not open.

"Urgh; fine," Sarah frowned, her voice low.

And that was when the slight, black nightdress hit the floor in a pile in the corner of the room. She was determined that she wouldn't be touching that _ever _again. But after she'd done that, Sarah had no idea what to do with herself. What could she do?

In the last few days she'd effectively been kidnapped, beaten, raped and even abused in her own dreams. Her life would never be the same, and all she had to show for it was a bruised and sore body. Sarah took a seat on the window ledge and wondered if she would ever be able to get home; if she would ever be able to return to normality.

_Of course not_, was the only answer she found. _Jareth would hunt me down where ever I tried to run... Besides, I'm probably safer here while the King of the Darklands... _wants_ me._ She shivered at the thought. At the memory of the dark figure from her nightmares. And then she realised what a sad thought it was that she was safer with her rapist than elsewhere.

So Sarah sat there for a long time; she didn't know how long, but she just sat there. Out of her window, she watched the Labyrinth changing as she had done before... It was quite mesmerising, she found, watching the ground far below switch and change in unpredictable patterns.

Sarah sighed and rested her forehead against the cold, thin glass. _Urgh_, she thought sadly. _It's not fair._ Her life literally _sucked_, but the only person that she could talk to was Jareth- and she would never iterate her feelings again to a fae that she was sure would only mock her for it later.

A door opened and closed from somewhere behind her. Sarah wouldn't have turned just to see Jareth standing there; only the lack of booted footsteps to be heard alerted her. She turned her head and saw the dwarf standing stock-still in front of the now-closed door. Her eyes wide, Sarah couldn't stop a few tears from slipping free as a grin took hold of her lips.

"Hoggle!" she exclaimed as she ran over to him.

Sarah embraced the dwarf in her arms, unbelievably glad to have him there with her. But Hoggle frowned at seeing her. His eyes caught sight of the bruises littering her skin in the places not covered by her clothes. Jareth had only told him that he was protecting Sarah in every way possible. _If that's true, why's she look like that?_

"Sarah?" he said eventually.

She pulled back and, seeing his frown, couldn't stop more tears from rolling down her cheeks.

"It's good to see you," Sarah whispered, standing up beside him.

"What happened, Sarah?"

It was Sarah's turn to frown this time. How could she explain everything that happened? How could she do that?

"I... It's not... Jareth kidnapped me... Effectively..." she replied lamely.

Hoggle's frown darkened slightly, the wrinkles on his face creasing deeply.

"He told me. Said he brought you 'ere to protect you."

Sarah blinked. _Did Hoggle really just say that? Protect me? _Protect _me?_ She shook her head quickly and stared at her friend.

"I only _need_ protecting because he brought me here!"

Hoggle was confused. If that was true, then the Goblin King had lied to him. _But why'd he make up so much just t' put me in a room with Sarah an' have her say the opposite?_

Sarah felt awful. She felt like Jareth had humiliated her in every way possible and she just couldn't keep it in any longer. Sarah couldn't even look at her friend as she spoke to him, she was too embarrassed. But she _had_ to tell him. Hoggle had come into the room thinking the Jareth was trying to protect her- that everything he'd done had been to save her. She had to set Hoggle right, and that meant that she had to tell him _everything_.

As she went on, Sarah was very much aware that she was complaining. And, of course, she knew that she was just listing the vast number of injustices that had been performed upon her. But she couldn't help it. With Hoggle, her good and trustworthy friend, there, Sarah couldn't help but blurt out what had happened.

The dwarf stood where he was, listening, horrified at everything he'd been told. Anger swelled in him as he watched his friend look away as she spoke, almost as if she was ashamed. The Goblin King was a monster, he already knew, but the extent of his evils... Hoggle could never have guessed that he could be so cruel to one that he professed to love. And by the end of Sarah's tale, he was just as confused as she was.

But there was a difference in his expression as soon as Sarah mentioned the King of the Darklands. Because as soon as she'd uttered that name, Hoggle froze. Everyone in the Underground knew of Jareth and Tebras' history. Everyone in the Underground knew what had happened in the past. And now Hoggle was hearing that Tebras had his sights set on Sarah.

"Sarah, that ain't good..." he started.

She stared at him for a while and answered, "I know. I've met him. He keeps coming into my dreams."

"_Nightmares_," she corrected.

"No, Sarah, you don't understand. This really ain't good."

Sarah's frown deepened at her friend's insistence. _What does he mean? _Sarah wondered. She knew how much she had to fear the King of the Darklands, didn't she? She knew exactly what terror he sent running through her at his mere presence, didn't she?

"Hoggle... What do you mean?" Sarah asked warily.

At first, the dwarf seemed reluctant to answer. It wasn't his place to tell her. And he knew that if Jareth hadn't told her, then _he_ would probably end up in the Bog of Eternal Stench for doing so. But he didn't care. Sarah needed to know what the King of the Darklands had done. What he was capable of before she unwittingly met the same fate.

* * *

Jareth watched Sarah and her little friend through a crystal as he sat in his private study. Watching Sarah recount the past couple of days to Hoggle, Jareth almost wondered why he bothered telling the dwarf anything beforehand. It had clearly had no effect. Hoggle's emotions were too easily led by Sarah's tears for him to even understand why Jareth had tried to explain to him his reasons.

The Goblin King shook his head slightly and leant back in his high-backed chair. Even as a girl, Jareth couldn't quite remember Sarah acting _so _childishly. _And the stupid dwarf is buying it?_ he thought with a frown.

This reunion between friends was not going as well as he'd hoped. Jareth needed Hoggle to make Sarah realise how important what he'd done- and what he was doing- really was. He still had more to do to keep her safe. To keep her his.

It wasn't until Sarah had mentioned Tebras that things actually began to go Jareth's way. He saw Hoggle freeze at the name and the Goblin King leant forward against his desk. _This could be interesting..._

Jareth wondered what the dwarf would dare to say. He wondered how far this story might be from the truth. But mostly, he wondered exactly when it was that he was going to have to intervene.

* * *

"What's Jareth told you about the King of the Darklands, Sarah?"

Sarah blinked.

"Well... Not much really. Just- just that he was the one that was in my nightmares-"

"He's in yer nightmares? Not good, not good... But you said Jareth's stopped that now, right?"

Sarah frowned and replied, "Well, yes, but... Hoggle, what's going on?"

Hoggle stared at his friend and was silent for a long time. How did he begin to explain _this_?

"If Tebras _does_ want you, then it's much worse than Jareth wanting you. Much worse."

Sarah's frown darkened. _What's Hoggle talking about? Could he _really _be that much worse that Jareth?_ But she did not interrupt, and merely waited for her friend to continue.

"The Goblin King and the King of the Darklands have almost been at war for years- centuries even... No one knows why it started-"

"Actually, I think you'll find that _I_ do," a smooth voice came from the corner of the room.

Both Hoggle and Sarah turned, half-surprised at the suddenness of the fae king who had appeared without them noticing. Jareth sat, arms draped across the back of the red-velvet, chez lounge. Hoggle froze in his story and Sarah's green eyes flashed between them.

"Now, surely, you know that it's not your place to be discussing _that_, Hogwash," Jareth continued, one eyebrow rising as he did.

"_Hoggle_," came Sarah's sharp voice in return.

She had expected Hoggle to have spoken as she had. But when he said nothing, Sarah looked back to him confused. _He's not still that scared of him, is he?_ she wondered. But Hoggle had good reason to be scared this time. Talking about Jareth and Tebras' history was something that _everyone_ had learned never to do- or a fate worse than just a trip to the Bog of Eternal Stench was in order.

Hoggle stuttered to say something, but Jareth merely waved a hand and the dwarf disappeared. Sarah's face fell and her fists clenched.

"What did you do?" she whispered, anxiety clear in her eyes.

"Bring him back!"

The Goblin King rolled his eyes at her unnecessary worry for her friend.

"_Relax,_ Sarah, I simply sent him back to his quaint little hovel; which is _far_ less than I should have done, you know."

"Well aren't you the hero," Sarah bit back sarcastically.

"Watch your tongue, Sarah. You're already in a worse situation than you know. You don't want to be saying something you'll regret."

"Urgh!" she growled.

"Why don't you just explain it to me then so I know exactly what it is that you don't want me to do?"

"It seems that I have to now that your little friend has started blurting out things that he shouldn't. Why don't you take a seat," he added.

It was clearly not a question, but Sarah still made no move. With a sigh, Jareth summoned up a chair that knocked Sarah's knees from under her, forcing her to sit down.

"You should really learn to do as you're told, you know. Most _children_ are aware of how to do that," he said coldly.

Sarah just glared at him. But she said nothing and didn't try to stand though. As much as she wanted to do both, she wanted to find out what was between Jareth and Tebras; why Tebras wanted her. And Sarah was well aware that this might be the only chance she could have at finding this out- so if she had to hold her tongue to do it; then she would.

"Tebras has always had a certain _knack_ for troubling the other fae royalty. In fact, he's almost as good at that as he is at instigating pain and suffering- something, I believe, you've recently become aware of."

Jareth paused, watching Sarah's face for a moment. It was clear from her expression that she very clearly remembered how good Tebras was in his disturbing and twisted abilities. _And how little she knows..._ Jareth thought.

"Yes, well, Tebras has always enjoyed using those abilities to manipulate people in order to achieve his sole aim. This- _you_- will be his third attempt at starting a war between us."

Sarah frowned as she said, "Me? Wait, what? Why would I be the cause of anyth-"

A gesture of Jareth's finger meeting his lips silenced her.

"Patience, Sarah. You must hear this to its end because I shall not repeat it again."

He waited for Sarah's response and was given a small, silent nod in return.

"Good. Now," Jareth started, his eyes turning away from where Sarah sat to look out of the window.

"A long time ago- many, many years ago, in fact- a young woman ran my Labyrinth to bring back the child that her idiotic sister had wished away. She almost beat me, too; just a minute late. But I admired her bravery, and her will; I let her keep her child, her daughter, if she agreed to stay in the Underground with me."

He paused and a sort of melancholic look took over his expression. It was a look much softer than the ones she was used to. It was a look that showed both love and pain. And despite the fact that he had tried to profess his love for her many times, Sarah had never quite seen it as she was seeing it now, written so clearly in his expression.

"Of course, she stayed. She loved her daughter too much to leave her. And in time she grew to love me as much."

He sighed, his voice picking up a heavy and saddened tone.

"And that was exactly what caught Tebras' attention. He started the first of what he calls games, but what are really sick and twisted tricks designed to make those concerned suffer. Tebras took her when she was out in the castle gardens. Susannah. Once I'd realised she was gone, they were in his castle, and the only way that I could bring her back would be to create a war between both of our kingdoms. And it wouldn't even have been worth it," Jareth said, his voice low.

"Her mind was too far gone by then. The thing you don't know, Sarah, is what the King of the Darklands is capable of- _especially_ in his own castle. I won't describe the things he did to her merely because I loved her; but I will tell you that he sent her back, wounded so terribly that even my magic could not save her. She died in my arms."

Sarah listened intently, not knowing what to feel as the Goblin King spoke his sad tale. Strangely, she found herself feeling sorry for him. Even when memories of what he'd done to her flooded back, she could not seem to hate him in that moment.

"I'm sorry," she found herself half-whispering before she could stop herself.

Something in Jareth's eyes flashed as he said coldly, "That is not the end of the tale Sarah."

She blinked and glanced away from the hard look in those intense, mismatched eyes.

"I raised her daughter as if she was my own; my princess. Lianna was the spitting image of her mother."

He almost smiled at the memory, and that confused Sarah even more. _He really did care for both of these women_, Sarah thought. _But... What happened to the daughter? Where is she now?_

"I protected Lianna with everything I could; and yet, once she was a woman, Tebras returned to take her from me too. But this time, he made me watch what he did to her."

Anger gripped his features this time as he paused.

"One night, she fell asleep; and she never woke up again. He trapped her in her own nightmares. He tortured her so that I could see every mark appear on her body, unable to wake her from the dreams he'd invaded. She died, her body comatose but her mind writhing in pain."

Sarah couldn't repress the shudder that slivered up her spine. _Her nightmares. He almost did the same to me. If Jareth hadn't stopped him..._

"I almost did go to war that time; but I was overruled by my father. Because she was _just a human after all_," he said the last part as if he believed anything but that.

"I remember that Tebras once said that he'd never use the same trick twice. It's why I didn't choose to cast the spell over you in the first place. I didn't expect him to try it again."

Another sigh escaped the Goblin King and he finished, his expression blank, "I hope now that you understand now why I've been trying to protect you from him. I won't have those things done to another person I love."

Sarah blinked; the spell she'd been held frozen under suddenly breaking with a thought.

"You should have left me at home then," Sarah started, frowning.

"Because then I'd be safe from both of you."

Jareth's face took on a dark expression that Sarah knew she should be frightened of. He stood, staring harshly at the girl in the chair as he stepped towards her.

"Tebras would have found you eventually anyway. It wouldn't have been much longer before he realised how much I loved you."

"Stop saying that! You don't love me!" Sarah almost shouted back.

Jareth grabbed her shoulders and lifted her from the chair. Her eyes were wide as he spoke back to her in a deep and menacing voice.

"Don't ever say that again, Sarah. I _do_ love you."

And even though Jareth was touching her and she didn't want him to- or she thought she didn't want him to- Sarah couldn't force herself to tell him to get off. She couldn't force herself to tell him to stop and so his vow did not stop him. As tears started to drip down her cheeks and she beat against the Goblin King's chest, Sarah soon found herself crying into the crook of his neck, surrounded by his arms' embrace.

"You raped me," she whispered in a tiny gasp.

"Sarah, I had to," Jareth replied with a sigh.

"I had to do what I hadn't with them. I had to bond us so that he could not do to you what he had to them."

"I- I don't understand," she eventually mumbled into his chest, somehow unable- or unwilling- to push herself back from him.

"With us bonded, Tebras will be unable to charm you with his magic or any other of his many _persuasive _skills. He will even be unable to rape you without causing immense pain to himself."

Sarah frowned into Jareth's neck.

"But- but, why..."

"I won't let Tebras take you too, Sarah. I won't. But you have to help me in that. You have to do as I say."

With that, Sarah pushed herself back from his all-too-comfortable and warm embrace.

Her green eyes flashed to his when she said seriously, "I've never been good at doing as I was told."

"A fact that I'm well aware of, Sarah."

* * *

**Author's Note: I HATE writers block. I've just been stuck on this chapter for so long. But, it's sorted now, and I hope you all still like the story. :)**

**Oh and just in case anyone's interested, I've starting writing the story of Jareth and Tebras' previous 'altercations'. I guess the plot's kind of ruined now that I've written a bit of it here, but I'm gunna write it anyway. :P Lemme know if you're interested in me finishing and posting it. :)**

**Kit xx**


	10. The Only Choice Left

Jareth left Sarah alone that night. He did not return to her to talk, nor even to provide her with food, though the likes of which did appear magically in her room anyway. But Jareth had spent enough energy that day explaining what had happened between he and Tebras. And still, even after all these years, thinking about what happened to Susannah and Lianna drained him.

How he had loved them both, and both had been ripped from his grasp. Jareth was determined not to let Tebras take Sarah too. The Goblin King ran a gloved hand through his long, dishevelled hair. Everything was such a mess and he well knew it.

Tebras twisted every situation. All Jareth had wanted was Sarah back; and though, perhaps, his intentions were less than honourable, Tebras' appearance had forced him into taking Sarah. And the Goblin King couldn't help but wonder if she even really understood his actions; the love he felt for her that she seemed blinded to.

With a sigh, Jareth thought, _At least we're bonded. Perhaps _that_ will persuade her..._

* * *

_His body slammed into hers, pinning her against the wall, the side of her face grazing slightly on the stone at the force he'd used. His lips were on her other cheek, kissing their way across the pale skin to her jaw line. She didn't know which side was worse. As Jareth started to make his way down to the crease where her neck a shoulder met, Sarah knew that she'd rather hit the wall a thousand times more than let him have her again. But she wasn't fighting him off._

_The Goblin King's hands were on her waist, ruffling the thin material of the light blue gown he'd made her wear. Her hands were free, just pushing gently against the wall._ Why aren't I doing anything? _Sarah thought as she felt Jareth's hand move from her waist to undo the thick blue ribbon that held the dress in place._

_She shivered when the dress fell to the floor in a pile, leaving her naked before the fae who had raped her. Sarah wanted to move, she_ wanted_ to stop his hands from moving round to cup her breasts. But she couldn't._ Why can't I do anything? _she thought as his hands moved in a way that he knew she couldn't help but like._

_Sarah didn't say anything. She didn't move; didn't try to get him off her. And it took only a few more gentle movements from Jareth's adept fingers for Sarah to figure out why she was frozen. She_ liked _what he was doing. _No. I_ don't... _I don't like what he's doing, _Sarah thought, trying to convince herself that that was the truth. But as Jareth unleashed a loud moan from her lips, there was no way that she could convince herself that she didn't like what he was doing._

_Jareth's lips were still working at her neck so tirelessly in their aim for her pleasure and, as one of his hands moved away from her breast to begin removing his own clothing, he nipped at her sensitive flesh. It distracted her from the missing hand that had returned so much sooner than she would have thought possible for someone to undress themselves._

_The Goblin King's fingers trailed over her soft flesh, occasionally turning their attentions to her raised nipples and providing them with a softer touch than that of the rough wall on which they rested. Sarah let out another throaty moan that only encouraged Jareth to move further in his ministrations._

_Sarah didn't understand._ Why am I letting him do this? Why do I _like_ that he's doing this? _She had no answers to the questions that she was asking, but she didn't care anymore when she felt him rub up against her. She had no idea how good it would feel to have him sliding his shaft between her legs, not inside her, but so that in each movement he brushed over her in a way that sent waves of pleasure through her body._

* * *

Sarah woke up breathing heavily. She was alone and it was dark. Her thoughts, though uncollected, were somewhat clear. _That was... that was a dream? But..._ Sarah tried to calm herself down as she tried to figure out if that had been a dream or just some sort of repressed memory of when he'd raped her. She'd done a good job of blocking _those_ images from her mind- or so she'd thought. _Of course, it was a dream. Why else would I have liked it?_ she thought with a grimace as she sat up, surrounded by the soft, silk sheet over her.

She didn't understand though, how even in a dream, her subconscious mind would tell her she was enjoying what Jareth did to her. _He fucking raped me, for Christ's sake!_ But Sarah couldn't get the thoughts- and feelings- that that dream had brought to her out of her head.

And that was when it hit her. It wasn't her; this wasn't her fault. It was Jareth. Magic. _He's obviously put some sort of spell on me to make me dream of him, or something perverted like that_, she thought angrily. _I should never have let him mess with my mind_.

With a huff, Sarah lay back down to sleep, hoping that she wouldn't dream of the Goblin King again. Because that dream _had_ done its job in arousing her, whether she liked it or not. And it _had_ made her yearn for Jareth's touch; but Sarah had enough self-control to fight against the dream, and scrunch her eyes shut.

Little did she know, she _would_ dream of Jareth again, though he was unaware of what her subconscious mind was leading her to imagine. Sarah hadn't before been afraid to sleep since Jareth had barred Tebras from her dreams; but what she'd dreamt of then made her wonder how confident she was in that assertion.

* * *

The next morning, when Jareth appeared in Sarah's room, she was wide awake, fully dressed in another tunic-like shirt and trousers, and perched on the windowsill. Jareth frowned slightly as he noticed that she looked as if she'd had very little sleep. As her eyes flickered over to him, Jareth watched as a myriad of emotion flashed over her face before her expression settled into a frown.

"_You_," she whispered.

One of Jareth's eyebrows rose as he looked at her questioningly, some part of him holding back his annoyance at her tone.

"First him and now _you_," she continued, scowling harshly at him.

"Stay out of my dreams."

Jareth's own frown darkened as he replied, "Sarah, what are you talking about?"

"As if you don't know what you put into my head," she retorted angrily.

The Goblin King could only stare at her blankly then, because, in truth, he'd done nothing to Sarah in the night just past. He'd placed no spell on her to make her dream of him. He knew, of course, that Sarah wouldn't believe any type of denial from him, however Jareth tried anyway.

Cautiously, he started, "Sarah, I honestly have no idea what it is that you're talking about."

She faltered a little, before coming back with, "Like I'm going to believe that! All this time you've spent trying to convince me that you loved me, when, really, all you want is my body."

At that Jareth blinked._ What _did _she dream about?_ he wondered, utterly intrigued by her reaction. The Goblin King tilted his head to the side slightly as he looked at the woman who was attempting to stare at him furiously.

"What did you dream of, Sarah?" he asked, taking a step towards her.

Sarah's mouth opened a little, but she closed it, as if to decide that the response to that question was _not_ anything that Jareth needed to hear. So instead she just stood up and folded her arms, moving away from the window a little. But Jareth wasn't satisfied with that as an answer.

"I asked you a question, Sarah."

Her eyes trailed over to him and, through gritted teeth, she answered, "You know very well what you made me dream last night."

That small and all-too-familiar smirk crept into Jareth's expression once again as he took another step closer to Sarah.

"Sarah, I can promise you that I did nothing to your dreams other than stopping Tebras from entering them," he said, almost amusedly.

Sarah hesitated again, but Jareth continued before she could answer.

"The only question that remains now is what it was that you _did _dream of."

Her eyes widened as the Goblin King stopped just before her, his body less than an arm's length away from her. Sarah didn't step back though; she didn't want provoke him more than her silence already probably was. And a little part of her wouldn't let her back down. Not this time. Not ever.

"Obviously, you dreamt of me," Jareth said, watching her expression flicker as he spoke.

Sure enough, Sarah's face betrayed her and that only brought a broader smirk to Jareth's features.

"_Obviously_," he repeated.

"So what was it that you dreamt of me doing, Sarah?" Jareth questioned, closing the gap between them so that they were mere inches apart.

Sarah refused to look into those mismatched eyes and instead fixated her gaze on the stone floor below. But Jareth wasn't going to accept that either. His hand reached out and gently pulled her chin up, forcing her to look at him. It was an extremely uncomfortable moment for Sarah, but she still didn't back away. So Jareth's hands moved to her shoulders, just resting lightly there.

"Come on, Sarah. It can't be that hard to admit... _Can it?_" he added, suggestively.

Sarah let out a long, ragged breath that she could keep under control no longer as his hands slid down her arms. _Why am I not telling him to get the fuck off of me?_ a voice in the back of Sarah's mind asked; but that could barely penetrate the memories of the dreams she'd had. And she had no idea why she couldn't block _those_ out.

Sarah frowned and closed her eyes as Jareth's lips came close enough to brush her cheek. Another long and heavy breath slipped through her lips. Something was wrong with her and she knew it. It was like she was lost in some spell that trapped her in the lust Jareth was pushing on her.

And she couldn't get away from it or force him to stop. Not even when Jareth pressed his body up against hers. All that succeeded in doing was pulling a badly-suppressed groan out of Sarah. She didn't want him that close to her; she _hated_ him being that close to her, in fact. But everything in her seemed to be stopping her from pulling away. All that she had to do was say one little word, and then Jareth would stop. But she couldn't do that either.

"I wonder, Sarah... do I arouse you?" he whispered in her ear, now knowing full well the reason for the answer she would give.

A shiver crept up her body, and after that, Sarah refused to open her eyes and answer him. What _could_ she say? _Yes_, would have been the honest answer, yet she had no idea why. It was as if every inch of her was being drawn to him. And, for whatever the reason it was happening, she despised herself for it.

Though, before she could even think of anything else, Sarah felt his lips brush down to her neck. She let out a sharp gasp as she felt him; his lips; his tongue. And she couldn't stop herself from tilting her head back slightly, unwittingly pushing her neck into his lips.

But that was all it took for Sarah's eyes to flash open, self-control triumphing over whatever it was that was battling her emotions. As she hadn't before, she suddenly pulled herself back a little.

"Stop," she managed to get out in a heavy breath.

With that one word, Jareth's lips left the skin they'd been teasing so well. With that one word, he pulled away from her, his hands leaving her arms. His body left where it had fitted perfectly against hers, taking the warmth he'd brought to her with him.

Sarah could only stare at the smirking fae in front of her, her eyes not really focussing on him. She could almost swear she was seeing stars as her world started to swirl. Dizziness and some other strange feeling tugged at her as she started to lose focus. And Sarah soon slipped into a strange and, what would seem to her, unprompted unconsciousness.

* * *

Jareth could tell that she was close to waking when her eyes began to flicker beneath her sleep-closed eyelids. He wasn't sure _what_ exactly that she was dreaming this time, but he knew the reason for it. A small smirk came to the Goblin King's lips as he watched Sarah sleep, her breathing quickening and restlessness peaking, bringing her closer to waking.

Minutes later, Sarah shot up in her large, soft bed. Her eyes flashed to where Jareth was standing and then immediately to her body, as if checking to make sure that he'd tried nothing. After all, she couldn't object if she was unconscious. To her relief, she was still fully clothed and untouched by him. So the first thing Sarah thought to do was calm her breathing from the latest dream she'd had.

"What did you do?" she asked in a whisper.

Jareth tilted his head as he replied, "Nothing."

Sarah stared at him seriously for a moment.

"You swore not to," she said almost as a clarification.

"I did swear."

"And yet you were touching me earlier," she accused.

"I stopped as soon as you told me to."

"But, I didn't-"

Jareth merely shook his head, interrupting her.

"Whatever you think, you _enjoyed_ that. I can't touch you without your permission, remember? So for me to touch you, you must have wanted that."

Sarah stared at him, trying to look doubtful despite what she knew. Her dreams had _made_ her want that, and she was too confused to understand why. Seeing the confusion breaking through in Sarah's expression, Jareth continued.

"There was one thing that I forgot to mention about me bonding us."

Sarah looked up at him, a frown now creeping into her features.

"You see, as well as stopping Tebras from charming you or touching you without causing immense pain to himself, bonding has its effects on you also."

Sarah blinked.

"W-what are you talking about?" she asked uncertainly.

Mismatched eyes stared into her confused and frightened green ones as he continued.

"You will always drawn to me. Your body will need mine and no other will ever satisfy you- in fact, they would suffer in the act of trying. I'll be like a drug to you now; and you will never be able to leave me."

Sarah stared at the Goblin King blankly.

"_What_?" she whispered after a long silence had filled the room.

"You heard me, Sarah," he replied, his voice calm and even.

"So... So it wasn't just a way to stop Tebras then," Sarah started, anger and realisation finally hitting her.

"It was a way for you to keep me here!"

Jareth didn't reply for a moment, but, when he did, he tilted his head to the side a little and said, "That wasn't on the top of my priorities... but it was among them."

Disbelieving Jareth's actions, Sarah's breathing started to get out of her control. She was almost hyperventilating by the time she spoke again.

"Get out," she said through gritted teeth and between breaths.

With a sigh, Jareth started, "Sarah-"

"Get out, get out! I _hate_ you!"

_A childish reaction_, he thought. _She'll get used to it soon._ But with a bow, Jareth disappeared in an array of magic and sparks, leaving Sarah to realise exactly what it was the Jareth had done to her.

* * *

When he'd left her alone, Sarah started to understand what Jareth had done. _So he's stopped Tebras from being able to charm or rape me, but,_ she wondered, _how much more did he take from me in doing it?_ Because he had bonded them, she would never be able to return home. If she needed him as much as he said she was going to, then she would be forced to stay with him.

She would never go home. Never see Toby again. Her father. Even Karen... Sarah groaned and lay back down on the bed as the tears started to fall. What was even worse though, was that she knew now why she dreamt of Jareth. Why she was finding it hard to resist his advances.

And now, she even knew why it was so easy for Jareth to swear he'd never touch her without her permission again. He'd tricked her into trusting him that tiny bit more than she had, knowing full well that he wouldn't have to wait long before _she_ came to him.

So, now, when she thought about what Jareth had done, she knew that he had just taken every choice from her and left her with him as her only option. Him. How Sarah hated him for all that he had done. Because Jareth knew that she'd be pushing herself on him, no matter how much she hated it.

As Jareth had made it sound, Sarah was going to be addicted to him, and she could already feel the signs of it. _This is sick_, Sarah couldn't help but think. _Totally. Fucking. Sick._ She wiped away some of the tears that had trailed across her cheeks, only for them to be replaced by fresh ones.

As devastated and horrified as she was though, there was a tiny part of her, that couldn't help but feel a little relieved. Relieved that it wasn't _her_ that was responsible for those dreams she was having _and_ the fact that she _liked_ them. And it wasn't _her_ that was the reason she didn't want to stop what Jareth had been doing to her. It was magic. _Bonding_. It wasn't her fault that these feelings were taking over her.

But Sarah still found herself crying herself into a migraine that day, allowing herself for once to think those words that had gotten her into trouble time and time again. _It's not fair_.

* * *

Hoggle had been pacing around his home since Jareth has sent him back there. Everything that he had found out was twisted, and Hoggle couldn't do anything about it. Jareth had Sarah. That was bad in itself, but that Tebras was after Sarah... Hoggle knew that there was nothing worse.

But, despite his fear of what the two fae might do, with Sarah caught in the middle of their ongoing feud, Hoggle knew he _had_ to at least try to do something. _But what?_ he thought, trying to think of a way around the Goblin King's hold over Sarah.

Hoggle had called upon Sarah's other friends; Ludo, Didymus and Ambrosius. He needed them before he could do anything or come up with any sort of plan. So he was waiting for them to arrive, pacing around his home, ringing circles around his possessions.

When the others had finally arrived; frustrated, Hoggle threw his arms up in the air. Though, of course, his friends had no cause to understand his haste. However, they _did _understand when Hoggle explained what Jareth had done. Outrage peaked when Hoggle's story turned to Terbas.

"The knave!" Didymus interrupted before Hoggle could finish.

"How dare he-"

"Yes, yes, Didymus, we _know_ tha'. We jus' need t' figure out a way t' get Sarah outta there," Hoggle started, waving a hand to dismiss Didymus' protests.

And so the group began to plan Sarah's rescue from both Jareth and Tebras, though it would take longer than they had thought for them to come up with a plan that just might work. One that later struck them as if by magic.

The main problem they had, but didn't know it, however, was that Sarah's friends had no idea what bonding was. So they didn't understand that whatever they were planning was completely pointless. Because Sarah _couldn't _leave now, even though that was what she wanted more than anything.

* * *

Again, Jareth left Sarah to her thoughts. What else could he do? He'd have to let her calm herself down and try to accept her new life- for it certainly was her new life now. There was no turning back now for Sarah. Or for him. Since he'd brought Sarah back to the Underground, he'd made his choice for the both of them. And now Sarah was aware of that fact.

In his study, Jareth leant back in his chair, a crystal resting in the palm of his hand. He'd had enough of watching Sarah crying. Watching her pity herself. So he let the crystal drop from his grip, to where it rolled slowly off the desk before him and shattered on the stone floor. With a sigh from the Goblin King, the crystal shards littering the floor faded into the same glittering dust that was left when Jareth used his magic.

As the dust started to vanish, however, Jareth noticed the visitor that had been watching him for some time. Anger flared in him at the sight, but the Goblin King refused to let it show in his expression. _Why did I not see it sooner?_ Jareth thought as he stared darkly at the black bird perched on the open window's ledge. The raven tilted its head at Jareth's glare, until the Goblin King let out a sigh.

"I'd have thought better of you than stooping to use a raven as your spy, Tebras," was all Jareth said before the bird tried to fly away.

But it didn't make it more than an inch away from the window ledge, before something inside it seemed to choke the life from it. Feathers flew in all directions and blood sprayed against the glass window pane. After a moment, all that still moved were the few glints of magic sparks that proved Jareth's use of magic.

_A bird of ill omen_, Jareth thought as he walked over to the window, his eyes trailing over the carmine, viscous liquid splattered over the wall. Not only had the bird been sent as a spy, it seemed; but it had also been a message. A message heralding Tebras' next move.

With a frown, Jareth vanished, ready to make preparations of his own. For the Goblin King knew that, whatever Tebras' next move would be, he would have to do something even more extreme to save Sarah. And it all now depended on how willing she was to cooperate.

* * *

**Author's Note: Long overdue chapter, eh? Well, I only have one exam next week and then I should be all for writing loads more. :D Oh, and I got a new job, not that you guys really wanted to know, just thought I'd say. :P**

**Oh yeah, and I wrote the first chapter of Tebras and Jareth's back story and I'm working on the second chapter now. It's called 'It's Just A Game To Him' You can find it here: www. fanfiction. net/s/7025435/1/ Its_Just_A_Game_To_Him (just remove the spaces 'cus the stupid thing won't let me link without putting them in). Reviews would be greatly appreciated! :)**

**Kit xx**


	11. Mesmerised

Sarah's green eyes were open, but there was seemingly nothing behind them. Not that usual spark that normally shone through them. Nothing. She was just sat, straight-backed, staring blankly at the wall across from her. Her knees pulled up to her chest, it had finally sunk in what her life was to be from now on.

The tears had stopped falling, dying with the only hope she'd had of freeing herself from Jareth's clutches. She was stuck. There was no way out. And there was nothing that she could do about it.

This life was now hers and she had to deal with it- she had to deal with _Jareth_- whatever it meant for her. A sigh slipped through her slightly parted lips as she allowed herself to slowly try awakening what was really her again.

She wasn't given much of a chance to do that though, as Jareth appeared right in front of the, ever-locked, door. Why he couldn't just _use_ the door, Sarah would never know; but he was still there. Right when she didn't want to see him. And he said nothing for a while; leaving Sarah to wonder if he'd just appeared to stare at her. His _prize_. The girl he'd stolen from her own home and would never give back as he did with so many children.

It was Sarah that interrupted the echoing silence though, finally turning her pained and questioning gaze on him.

"Why did you do it? Why did you bring me here?" she whispered.

Jareth met her gaze, considering her for a moment. It was a question that she desperately wanted an answer to; and one that the Goblin King was sure that he had answered before.

"I wanted you, so I took you," he replied.

There was really no point lying to her. She was his. And she finally knew it.

"I hadn't meant for things to start as they had, but they did. I cannot change that now, Sarah."

She just continued to stare at him with that same damaged-looking gaze, no emotion flickering across her face as he had expected.

"Perhaps you should think of things between us beginning anew."

That caught Sarah's attention and a flicker of panic sparked in her eyes as she said, "What?"

"Perhaps you should think of things between us beginning anew," he repeated seriously.

"You raped me. You _raped _me. You can't make me forget that. No matter what happens; that fact will _never_ go away."

The frown that had recently become as common as his usual smirk turned Jareth's features. A flash of anger passed through him and he physically had to stop himself from moving. _Why does she insist on being so stubborn? _hethought, annoyed at Sarah for holding onto something as much as she insisted on holding onto _that_. It seemed to him that she would never back down on that particular subject.

"Sarah," he said warningly.

"I can't," Sarah said, helplessness slipping into her tone.

"I can't just let that go; and besides, even if you _were_ forced to, before that happened, you were beating me."

"Sarah, you must forget that. It makes no difference to me; we'll be together forever no matter what you hold onto. But it will make a difference to _you_. And it will eat you up inside if you don't let go of it."

"I can't," Sarah repeated.

"I can help you forget," Jareth said, watching the frustration build in Sarah's eyes.

Strength finally winning out, Sarah bit back, "I don't _want_ to forget. Because if I do forget, and we start again, then I might trust you, and I swore to myself that I'd _never_ do that."

Jareth scowled at Sarah and she felt the flash of fear that she knew she would feel on uttering those words. But she was who she was, and she couldn't have held that in to save her life. And now she was expecting to face the consequences. But she was surprised to find that Jareth made no move towards her; in fact, his face was even so schooled that she had no idea what to expect.

For his part, Jareth was just barely keeping his temper under control. Whereas before, he would have taught her the importance of her manners; Jareth knew that he couldn't do that now. Aside from the fact that he'd sworn to her that he'd never touch her without her permission- and he knew that she would strongly object to his touching her _then_- Jareth understood that now was a time for softer words.

With an almost regretful sigh, Jareth answered, "If that is how you feel, Sarah; I will not use magic to force you to forget- though it would make both our lives easier."

Some sort of relief passed over Sarah's face, and she was unable to hide it.

"However, Sarah; you must try to accept your life here. That is the condition on which I will allow that."

Sarah frowned; another expression that she could not hide from the Goblin King. But she nodded anyway, deciding that it was better to agree with what she knew she would have to do anyway, than risk a worse life in which she wouldn't remember the evils that the Goblin King was capable of.

An almost smirk fell across Jareth's face at her response. At least the stubborn girl would give him this victory. _The first of many_, he hoped.

* * *

It wasn't as if Jareth had forgotten about Tebras and the foreshadowing omen that his raven had brought; not at all. In fact, Jareth had fortified his castle more strongly than he thought he ever had before. He wasn't going to let anything- or anyone- touch Sarah.

But he was determined to finally start he and Sarah on the right path. So on the night following Sarah and his last conversation, Jareth had ordered a meal prepared. A meal that he intended to be his and Sarah's first together now that she had accepted that this was to be her fate. A meal that he intended to go well at any cost.

He'd advised Sarah, before leaving her, to bathe and ready herself for the night to come. He would have left her to choose her own dress; though Jareth doubted very much that she would choose something suitable for the night to come. And that was why he, knowing that she was in the bathroom, had appeared in her room to select an appropriate dress.

After picking a dress that he deemed suitable, the Goblin King set it down neatly on Sarah's bed and vanished to get himself ready for the impending night.

* * *

Stepping out of the bath, Sarah quickly picked up a towel and wrapped it around herself. She didn't want to risk being naked by the time Jareth returned to her room. The worst thing about that situation, she thought, was that she didn't know if she could stop herself from doing anything that she might regret. So, her hair still dripping wet, Sarah dried her body as fast as she could and walked out into her room.

She was surprised though when she found her room to be empty, but something still seemed out of place, as if someone _had_ been there while she was gone. But when Sarah caught sight of the dress lying on her bed, she knew exactly who had been there. And as she examined the style and fit of the deep red dress, it was even more obvious that Jareth had been present.

Sarah rolled her eyes and turned away from it. She knew that it would impossible for her to ignore what was more than a suggestion as to what she was to wear; but she _did_ have control over what underwear she wore.

And she was determined to choose the underwear that covered her body the most. The underwear that Jareth would find the least appealing. Because if she couldn't stop herself later, Sarah wanted to put as many objects in the Goblin King's path as was possible. And she knew that, unfortunately, she had very few objects at her disposal.

However, nothing really seemed to go the way that Sarah wanted it to- or rather, nothing really seemed to go the way that Jareth _didn't_ want it to. Because when she looked through the underwear that he had provided her with, her face fell.

Nothing in that drawer was suitable in helping her shield herself from Jareth- nothing in that drawer was even really suitable to help her cover herself. Most of the items were either made of lace or silk, but all of them were far too sheer and far too revealing for Sarah's liking.

_But_, she supposed, _they're better than nothing._ So Sarah quickly pulled herself into the least sheer of those things in the drawer before she found a corset that laced at the front. She frowned as she picked it up, considering how Jareth would react to seeing her in such a thing.

After a while though, Sarah came to the conclusion that it would at least shield her body more from his wandering eyes. _It'd take him longer to get it undone too, _she found herself thinking, hoping that wearing the corset would give her enough time to control herself and tell him to stop whatever he might try to do.

As soon as the lace front of the corset was tied, Sarah went back over to that deep red dress and slipped into it. It slid over her body like the smooth material it was made of suggested it would, but as soon as the dress was hanging from her shoulders, she realised that it would be impossible for her to tie it herself.

Sarah tried to reach around for the ribbons that would secure the dress on her body, but she couldn't. Jareth had obviously chosen this dress for the express purpose that he would have to help her into it. She let out a frustrated sigh and ran her hand through her still-wet hair, only to find that it was dry.

Her head snapped around at the obviously-magical change and Sarah's eyes landed on the face of the fae that she was certainly sick of seeing. The face of the fae that she knew she was going to be inexorably drawn to.

"You're going to need me to help you with that, Sarah," Jareth said from the other side of the room.

Frowning, and turning away from him, she replied, "I gathered that."

Because she'd turned away, Sarah didn't see the scowl in Jareth's expression. She heard the footsteps come towards her, but she didn't move one way or the other. She almost felt as if she couldn't step away from the Goblin King; but Sarah was glad that she still had enough self-control to stop herself from moving towards him.

That was, until she felt Jareth's gloved hands on her shoulders, straightening the dress that he'd chosen for her. And when his hands slid down to where the ribbon to tie the dress started, Sarah found herself biting her lip to keep control.

It seemed to Sarah to take the longest time for Jareth to lace and tighten the dress that she knew he could have simply used his magic to tie. The magic that she was only just aware was weaving her hair into intricate curls as it had done once before in a drug-induced peach dream.

When she finally felt his fingers tying the bow that secured the dress at the nape of her neck and his hands withdraw from her, Sarah let out a relieved breath, glad that he had stopped touching her. Glad that she had stopped _herself_ from touching _him_. Inwardly, she cursed what Jareth had done by bonding them, and what it would do to her for the rest of her life.

With a sigh, Sarah turned to face Jareth. For the first time really observing what he was wearing, and as she did, Sarah saw what looked like his normal clothes, though these were black with the exception of his usually white shirt. Over those, he wore a long jacket, each section of it glimmering with unseen sequins. It was beautiful. _He_ was beautiful.

But Sarah caught herself at that though, and, to distract herself, asked, "So are you going to tell me what's going on? Where we're going?"

However she soon realised that she would receive no reply from the Goblin King.

"Of course you're not," Sarah said with a sigh.

Jareth smirked, holding his hand out for Sarah to take. Reluctantly, she placed her hand in his, once again establishing the connection between them that had her fighting to keep her self-control. But when their hands met, Sarah felt that familiar wind that had brought her to the Underground. Only this time, the wind took Sarah and Jareth to a different place entirely.

* * *

They appeared in a shower of glitter as the sudden wind passed. It was room that Sarah had never seen before; but that was nothing unusual- she'd only seen about five rooms in the entirety of the Goblin King's castle. But the room that she and Jareth had appeared in now, was by far the grandest of them.

The room was so huge; magnificently so, in fact, that it appeared to be some sort of never-ending ballroom. The stone floor that hid surreptitious sparkles stretched out over the longest space that Sarah had ever seen; or at least, that was what the illusion would have her believe. The illusion that could only be identified if one knew what to look for; and Sarah certainly did not.

At least four-stories high, the walls towered over them, lined with pillars of twisted marble. It almost seemed to Sarah that those pillars held the rim of the beautiful crystal dome at the room's centre. The dome was stunning, and as soon as Sarah's eyes found it, she couldn't seem to turn away.

It seemed that even in such a horrible place where so many wrongs had been performed upon her, there was still place for beauty to find her. As rain started to fall, the light had that already tinted the sunset clouds to pink, red and orange shone into the tiny droplets. A myriad of colours reflected onto the crystal dome as they rebounded off its surface, sliding down it in tiny, meandering pathways.

Sarah let out a small sigh as she looked upward, mesmerised, and Jareth observed her from where he stood; her hand still in his. He couldn't keep his eyes from roaming over her whilst she was so distracted. The deep red dress he had chosen for her complimented her skin perfectly, the contours of the material flowing perfectly against her shape. Its sleeves fell down until their fluid ripples hung just over her knuckles.

The A-line skirt hung from her hips in a way that made him long to remove it; in a way that made him long to look once more on the body beneath it. As did the corset that she'd dressed herself in without realising the way that it would push her breasts so obviously into his attention. He refrained from doing anything though, and limited himself to simply looking.

That was, until he'd thought that Sarah had spent enough time staring at the ceiling and, using the connection between them to his advantage, Jareth lifted the hand that he still held, to his lips. Her dazed green eyes blinked out of their distraction and soon found his; but she didn't flinch back. The magic that kept them bonded refused to let her. It made her crave his touch more than he knew she would ever admit.

But in that brief moment that he caught her gaze, Jareth also knew that he was winning. He was beating back both Sarah's self-control and her will until only her want for him remained. _What harm is there in giving her one night to remember that I do not always have to be so cruel? To make her see what she could have should she behave herself_, he thought as his free hand moved to her waist.

And before Sarah knew it, they were dancing. She was letting herself be swirled around the endless, sparkling floor by the Goblin King; and she didn't even try to get away; to stop. She was _enjoying_ it- though she had convinced herself that that was due to the magic responsible for bonding them.

Music had sprung from nowhere though Sarah could barely even hear it. All she could feel was the touch of Jareth's gloved hand in hers, the other on her waist; the pressure of his body pushed up against hers as they danced. It was enough to steal her reason away; to blind her to all else but the fae that gazed at her with those mesmerising, mismatched eyes.

It was enough to make her lean into him and press her lips against his to give a kiss like no other she had given before. One that held more fire and passion than she would ever have given the Goblin King if she was not as lost in the moment as she was then.

As soon as her lips touched his though, the dancing, the spinning, all of it stopped. All that was left was the way that Sarah was kissing Jareth; and the way that he was doing nothing to stop her. Jareth knew that he wouldn't have had to wait for too long before she would come to him; and he was enjoying getting what he wanted, finally, after getting passed the milestone that Tebras had placed in their way.

When Sarah finally pulled back, her breathing was heavy. She looked on the fae before her with half-lidded eyes and the magic that bonded them together had her body yearning for more. The tiny voice that still sounded in the back of her mind that screamed to have her stop what she was doing made her pause though; as if she was just almost hearing what it had to say.

Jareth seized the opportunity in Sarah's pause though, to take a step back from her. Sarah blinked her eyes a little, able to regain some of the sense that she'd lost to his touch. As she did, Jareth waved a hand to direct her attention towards a set of double doors that she could have sworn were not there a second before.

He led her through them and into an adjoining room that, though smaller, was no less grand. A large and perfectly varnished cedar wood dining table stood at the centre of the room in front of a magnificent stone fireplace that crackled with the warmth of the fire in its hearth.

Two high-backed chairs stood at either end of the table, each beautifully carved so that they curled and flowed into gorgeous patterns. A place setting was laid out before each, so Sarah could only assume that they were to be eating there in the room that was equally as stunning as the first.

Jareth walked her over to the right, and pulled out the chair for her in an ever-so-gentlemanly way. It took her until the time that the first course was brought out to them for Sarah to fully realise what them being bonded was doing to her. Her sense seemed to fully return as the salad was placed before her by some unseen creature.

Sarah blinked. She started to eat and, only then, came up with the conclusion that she really had no idea what was going on. They seemed to fly though the five course meal with Sarah feeling much the same way, in fact. Something in her seemed to be stopping her from thinking straight, and she couldn't help but think that it was the Goblin King.

A simple look from him distracted her from all of those thoughts though. And although it was difficult for her to focus her mind after being plied with such fine food and wine- the latter of which she had tried to resist- Sarah tried to form a conversation with the fae at the other side of the table.

"So... So what was that room?" she asked, pausing in her meal to take another tiny sip of the wine before her.

The Goblin King tilted his head to the side as he answered plainly, "It was my castle's ballroom, Sarah."

"Well yes, I just meant... It didn't look like it should..."

"I know what you were trying to say, my love. It doesn't seem to fit with the rest of my castle, does it?"

Sarah nodded, slightly embarrassed though she couldn't fathom why she felt _that_ emotion.

"But if you recall the room in which you found your brother; would you expect that room to be in my castle either?"

Sarah opened her mouth to respond; but, her thoughts not being all that collected, Jareth continued before she could reply.

"There are many secrets in the Goblin City, not just my castle, that remain undiscovered to all of those who don't know how to find them. These rooms are just two of those."

Sarah didn't reply, and no more was said. Though, in truth, she found the subject fascinating. She found the Underground fascinating. _Which is probably good if I am to spend the rest of my life here_, she thought sulkily during one of her clearer moments.

After the pair had finished that beautifully prepared meal, Jareth stood. Sarah mimicked him, and simply watched as he made his way over to her, taking a hold her hand. As he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, her eyes closed and her reason fled once again.

Sarah didn't even notice the slight wind as it passed them in a tiny gust, returning her to her room. But when she opened her eyes, she noticed. And she also noticed that the Goblin King had not returned with her.

"Goodnight, Sarah," Jareth's voice came, echoing in a whisper, as if he was so much closer than she thought.

For a moment, she was almost disappointed; but then she caught herself. _Disappointed? I should be _glad_ that he's gone!_ she thought, incredulous at herself. Frustrated, she frowned and thought to put this night behind her. The first thing that she needed to do to do that though, was to get out of the dress that Jareth had made her wear.

Only, when she thought about it; she wondered how it was that she was supposed to get out of the dress if Jareth had had to tie her into it. Her frown darkened as reached around to loosen the bow at the nape of her neck. _At least that'll be a start_, she thought.

But when her fingers found the ribbon there, Sarah felt it literally untie itself. She blinked as the dress, now incredibly loose, slipped from her shoulders and fell to the stone floor at her feet. Standing still, just in her underwear, Sarah knew that Jareth must have been watching her to perform that spell.

And with her thoughts not clouded in their yearning for his touch, Sarah quickly changed into the longest and least-revealing nightdress that she could find before climbing into bed and throwing the silk sheet over herself. She breathed a sigh of relief as she lay back in the bed that she couldn't help but find somewhat lonely.

But Sarah didn't sleep; not right away anyway. Instead, Sarah ended up reflecting on the evening that just moments before she had been determined to forget. She hadn't acted like herself all evening and hadn't been able to help that. She'd let Jareth kiss her- _no. _I _kissed _him, she corrected herself with a scowl.

It took her almost an hour to realise that this entire night had been Jareth's attempt to make her forget about what had passed between them before without using magic to do it. He wasn't breaking his promise to her, but he was trying his hardest to make her forget what had happened.

Truly, it had been like some sort of fairytale evening. It would have been perfect had Sarah not known what a monster Jareth really was. What a fakery the entire night had really been.

Sarah let out a long and frustrated sigh as she realised all of this. As she realised that the only time that she seemed to be able to think straight was when Jareth _wasn't_ around her. And how rarely he let that happen was yet to be determined.

* * *

Jareth appeared in his study when he sent Sarah to her own room. He hadn't wanted to push his luck when their bonding was still so new, and Jareth knew that if he'd returned with Sarah to her room, then he definitely couldn't have resisted her. He had still been rather satisfied with the progress that this evening had given him though.

The kiss that Sarah had initiated in particular was proof of how useful their bonding had been not just in keeping Tebras back. In fact, that kiss had given him hope that Sarah might very soon forget what he had been forced to do to her, and instead might turn her mind to the possible pleasures of the future.

A crystal appeared in Jareth's waiting palm, showing him the dark-haired girl that he'd just left alone.

"Goodnight, Sarah," he whispered, knowing that she would hear him.

The Goblin King watched as Sarah's face fell, disappointment lining her expression. He couldn't keep the smirk from his own features as saw that, glad that his decision to leave had not been in vain. Glad that the evening had had some worth whether Sarah would admit it to herself or not.

As Sarah tried to undress herself, Jareth knew it would be impossible; so he waved a hand and the ribbon holding the dress to her quickly unravelled itself. The material fell to the floor and Jareth's breath caught slightly at the sight of her then.

Whether it was just the way that his magic had curled her hair into a beautiful style, or the way that the little wine she had consumed tinted her cheeks slightly red; Jareth couldn't fail to notice how irresistible she was. What hope she'd had in wishing that the underwear she'd chosen would not arouse Jareth's attentions, Sarah was sorely incorrect.

She was stunning. A mesmerising vision. And one that he had to hold himself back from paying a midnight visit to. But Jareth didn't get to watch Sarah for very long, because a dark mist clouded the crystal in his hand. He frowned, knowing that Tebras' dark mist was directly affecting his crystal, and not Sarah- if it was, then he'd be doing a lot more than just frowning.

Jareth knew that this was some sort of message from Tebras, and it wasn't likely to be pleasant. But what he saw next, the images that replayed over and over in the crystal orb, had him holding his breath for a very different reason than Sarah just had. The images replaying were horrific, and they were the perfect foil for what Jareth had spent the whole day trying to build with Sarah.

What could have been some semblance of happiness, would now be so much harder achieve. Especially since Jareth knew that Sarah would place the blame for what he was seeing now directly on his shoulders.

In a flash of magic glitter, Jareth departed his study and his castle, to seek the truth of such images. He only hoped that this time, Tebras was sending him false images. Images of pain that he wanted to create instead of pain that he had created. But, unlike Sarah's wishes when she was Aboveground, Jareth's hopes went unnoticed.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry this took so long to get up. I had MAJOR writer's block and I didn't want to post this until I actually liked it. So anyways, hope you liked it! :) And if you did (or didn't) I'd love to hear why. :)**

**Kit xx**


	12. Because Of You

Hoggle used the shadows of the night to camouflage his movements, knowing that the less they were noticed, the less chance the Goblin King would have of finding out what he, Ludo, Didymus and Ambrosius were planning. And it was _necessary_ that the Goblin King had no idea of what they were doing. That was why he had left the others in his home- they all made far too much noise to risk bringing along.

The dwarf made his way through the Labyrinth in the way only he and a few others knew how to; quickly. He knew that he had to find the one other creature that might care enough about Sarah to help them rescue her. The worm.

Hoggle couldn't quite recall how he and the others had come to the decision to involve the worm, but they had. And that was why he was on his way to find the creature in the midnight gloom.

He stopped in the seemingly endless corridor that he knew the worm kept his home in. The only problem was that he didn't know _exactly_ where the hidden house was as it moved as frequently as the Labyrinth did. After an hour of silent searching, Hoggle finally came across the worm out sitting on a protruding brick, his blue skin looking almost purple in the light of the moon.

"Urgh, finally, there y'ar," Hoggle whispered to the creature.

The tiny creature tilted his head at the dwarf and smiled at him.

"'Allo," he said, his voice far louder than Hoggle would have liked.

"Shhhhh!" Hoggle whispered hastily.

"Ohhh, what's got your knickers in a twist?" he answered, still too loud for the secrecy Hoggle had been hoping for.

_Even the walls have ears round here,_ he thought as he bit back an angry shout.

"Will you jus' shurrup fer a second?" he whispered.

The worm stared up at him with his large eyes, as he replied, "Alright, alright, calm down."

"I'll give you _calm down_," Hoggle muttered under his breath.

"Pardon?" the worm asked.

"Nothin'. Look, I need yer help. Well, _Sarah_ needs yer help."

"Sarah? Who's that then?"

Hoggle rolled his eyes at the small creature, cursing his memory.

"Y'know, nice girl, ran the Labyrinth a few years back- she actually _beat_ Jareth-"

"Oh yes, yes, _now_ I remember."

"Right, well she needs yer help."

Not bothering to wait for the worm to acknowledge him, Hoggle launched into an explanation of the plan that he and the others had come up with just hours before. It didn't take long to explain. It was just vital that the worm played along and agreed to help them.

Because they knew that only the worm could get past Jareth's defences and make it into the castle without him realising. Only the worm stood a chance of sneaking Sarah out of the castle right under the Goblin King's nose.

But Hoggle didn't know that he needn't have been quiet or secret in his operations that night. Because, not only was Jareth not watching for any sort of escape attempt from either Sarah or her friends; the Goblin King's mind was preoccupied with something else entirely. Something not of their world.

* * *

_The Goblin King had Sarah pinned. She was virtually sandwiched between the cool glass of the thin window on her back and his warm body pressed against her front. One hand entangled in her hair, the other grasped Sarah's, their fingers laced together._

_When he had raped her this had been so different. Everything had been one-sided, in that Jareth wanted it and Sarah didn't. Here, there was no resistance; no hesitation. Only need. An over-whelming need for the others' touch. Here, Sarah found that she was as much a part of this as her partner in it._

_Her body moved against his just as much as his against hers. Her lips, her tongue, explored just as much as his did. And she couldn't quite imagine what was making her so bold, save for the connection that had bonded them. _Yes, that must be it_, she thought as her lips met Jareth's for yet another hurried but passionate kiss._

_Before she even knew what she was doing, Sarah's free hand moved to try and pull Jareth's shirt from his body. She wouldn't have been able to do it if not for his help though. And Jareth was quick to help her in her actions, as he pulled back from her for the tiniest of moments to pull the thin material of his white shirt over his head._

_That moment was a moment too long for the connection Sarah felt however, as, the moment Jareth was free of his shirt, she crushed her body to his, feeling all the better for his touch. Her hands roamed over his well-built chest, fingers running over the smooth contours of his muscled exterior._

_And she felt an overwhelming need to remove what little clothing _she_ was wearing; what little clothing separated their bodies. And it seemed that the Goblin King felt the same as he quickly pushed down the sleeves that held the thin shift up and let it slip from her body._

_All she was left wearing was the corset and lace underwear that she had thought to dress herself in to stop Jareth's advances. Yet now, all she wanted to do was help him to remove it. That wasn't until after she'd seen the lust in his eyes though; the want. Her fingers moved to undo the bow that she'd tied so tightly earlier, before Jareth's could. And, soon enough, she had slipped free of the contraption to allow Jareth's hands to roam as freely as hers could._

_Her back pressed against the window once more as the Goblin King's body pushed against hers. She met him in a deep kiss, her tongue flicking out to duel with his. But it wasn't his tongue that she was paying attention to, not really. It was the way that his hand had moved to cup her breast, his fingers gently tracing over her newly flesh exposed flesh. It was the way she liked what he- what _they_ were doing. It was the way she wanted more-_

Sarah found herself sitting up in bed, wearing that tiny shift of a nightdress that was the thing that covered her the most. Her night had once more proved to be restless, and in the shadow of the moonlight that shone through the window that had featured so heavily in her dream, she looked around, wishing that she wasn't alone.

She blinked. _Did I really just think that? Did I really just wish that the Goblin King was here? With me? _Sarah ran her fingers through her long hair, pushing it back from her face. _This is so wrong_, she thought, longing for the moments of mental clarity she had that seemed to be getting fewer and farther between.

Sarah pulled the silk sheet that covered her up to her chest, as a chill ran up her spine. This time, her dreams had taken her much too far into the realms of allowing Jareth to have his way with her. Or _was_ it Jareth's way anymore? The way she was inadvertently being drawn to him seemed enough to suggest that it was as much _her_ way as it was his right now.

But in her brief moments of clarity, Sarah knew that she didn't want this. She also knew that she was powerless to stop it. Letting out a long and heavy sigh, Sarah couldn't help but wonder if there was something she could do to stop herself going to Jareth; if there was some way that she could keep a hold of her right mind when she was around him. _If_ _only_, she thought sadly.

Remembering part of the dream she'd had, Sarah realised that she was still wearing the corset she'd dressed in earlier. She removed it quickly from under the shift as her mind lingered on the way Jareth had looked at it. And as she placed it at the side of her bed, Sarah couldn't help but sigh again.

Nothing seemed to be going the way she wanted it to. Though that wasn't all that surprising- it was just overwhelming. Especially after she had allowed herself to be so entranced by the Goblin King earlier that day. Sarah shook her head and tried to hold back the tears that she knew were soon to fall; the tears that lately she just couldn't seem to hold back.

She felt them drip down her cheeks, but she did nothing to try and stem their flow. _What would be the point?_ she thought grimly. _Is this really what it's come to? I'm either going to be driven mad by dreams and actions that call me to him or I go to him and lose everything that's still me. _Neither choice was one that Sarah really wanted to consider; and yet, she couldn't get the thought out of her head.

_I hate the Goblin _King, she thought truthfully. _I hate Jareth. I hate him._ _I'd rather die than keep feeling like I... want him... I- I don't want him. I _hate _him. _She didn't love him- she didn't even want him. That was just the magic trying to control her thoughts; trying to control her.

_Too bad it's winning_, she thought sadly. In truth, Sarah understood what was happening, and she understood that if she didn't do something then this situation was going to rip her apart. And she wondered if she dared to take the easy way out. She wondered if she dared to just end her life and be done with all of this twisted suffering that Jareth was putting her through.

But, no sooner had she had that thought, then her mind was distracted by the visitor who had somehow made their way into her room. A friend that she had not seen in years. Though it was hard to make him out in the darkness, Sarah recognised him immediately. The worm.

She blinked, trying to make sure that she wasn't seeing things. To make sure that seeing the worm wasn't some sort of illusion. But as she did, she was half afraid that he _would_ be a figment of her imagination; and that when she opened her eyes, he would have never even been there. And that was why a smile spread across her face when her eyes opened and she caught sight of the still-there worm.

"'Allo," the worm said cheerily.

"What are you doing here?" she couldn't help but ask, her voice quiet but filled with happiness.

"Well, your friend, the short one with the big nose; you know, impatient sort of fellow- can't for the life of me remember 'is name.

"Hoggle?" she guessed.

"That's the one. Well, he said you needed some sort of help, and I'm here because he said that I could get you out of here. And I'd said that that would be-"

But Sarah wasn't listening as the worm continued to ramble on. Her thoughts had already turned to the news that he'd just brought her before the rambling had started. _An escape? _He was offering her an _escape_. _There might be a way out for me?_ she thought blankly. That had certainly cleared her mind.

"Wait a second," Sarah said, interrupting the flow of his rambling.

"You're saying that you can get me out of here?"

The worm nodded his tiny little head at her and Sarah couldn't stop the myriad of emotion that flowed through her at that. Happiness was at the head of them. Until, that was, Sarah remembered one little detail that ruined everything. She was bonded to Jareth.

If she tried to leave... She couldn't even think about it. Jareth had already told her that she was to be addicted to him- and she was certainly feeling the effect of that. If she got away- if she made it home- Sarah had no idea what the craving she was already having for Jareth would do to her.

It seemed that distance between them, though it cleared her head somewhat, only seemed to increase the yearning that her body felt for him. That was why, even though she hated that she had to say it, the decision she made was very much set in stone. She would rather live than be driven mad by Jareth's magic.

"I... I can't," Sarah whispered, a lump coming to her throat as soon as she'd uttered those words.

"What d'ya mean? I can get you out of here. I know a way out and I'm s'posed to get you out of here," the worm said confusedly.

"I know, but; I can't. Believe me, you don't know how much I wish that I could leave this place. But it's impossible," she replied gravely, only just keeping her tears from her eyes.

_Are you really doing this, Sarah? Turning down your one chance at freedom? Your one chance to get back to your family?_ she asked herself sadly. Her eyes closed as she fought back those prickling tears.

"If you're sure," the worm said, turning his back on her.

"I'll come back in a few days if you've changed your mind."

_I won't have_, she thought, finally opening her eyes to let the tears flow freely. She noticed then that the worm had somehow disappeared into the darkness of her room, leaving her, once again, to cry out her sorrows alone.

* * *

Jareth returned to his castle in the early hours of the morning. Dark circles were clearly noticeable under his mismatched eyes as he appeared in his own room. The Goblin King was quick to disrobe and lay down on his bed. He was tired. _Dead tired. _It took an enormous amount of effort for him to go Aboveground without having been called, and he needed to sleep.

The only problem was that that night, sleep was being well and truly evasive to him. So Jareth lay awake, staring the ornate ceiling above him. He couldn't keep his mind off of what he'd seen. Off of what he would have to tell Sarah the moment he next visited her. _That conversation is going to be bad enough without a lack of sleep on top of it_, he thought, frustrated with himself.

What Tebras had shown him in his crystal was a mere glimpse of what havoc he had wreaked Aboveground. And Jareth had witnessed the horrors in person, simply to confirm them. Though angered at the sight of Tebras' clear influence, Jareth couldn't help but see what this move had done- or would do, rather.

Tebras must have known how well Sarah was responding to him after their being bonded. And he had picked the perfect move to turn Sarah against him once again. He had picked the perfect move to make her blame him for everything that had happened once more.

Jareth closed his eyes and wished for sleep. He just hoped that when he woke and revealed to Sarah what Tebras had done, she would not hate him as much as the King of the Darklands wanted her to.

* * *

Sarah saw herself with Jareth that night more than she cared to admit. And her dreams had left her _wanting_ him more than she'd care to admit. This _bonding_ truly was testing her willpower to the extreme- and she just hoped that when Jareth next appeared to her, he wouldn't be encouraging the side of her that Sarah wanted most to resist.

So when Jareth materialised in her room, sparks and all, Sarah was almost relieved to see that the fae's smirk was_ not_ on his face. But the absent expression quickly wormed its way into her mind as she wondered at the one that replaced it. He wasn't happy. Not in the slightest. He almost looked... _regretful?_

_Why would _Jareth _look regretful? After all he's done..._ And then the thought hit Sarah._ What _has_ he done? What more could he do that would leave him with that expression?_ She didn't have the answers to those questions, and she had the distinct feeling that she wasn't going to like them when she found out. If _I find out_, Sarah amended.

"What did you do?" Sarah asked, her voice a nervous whisper.

One of Jareth's eyebrows rose and he slowly shook his head. Dishevelled, blond hair shifted with the smooth movement, but soon, Jareth's mismatched eyes were trained on Sarah once more.

"What did you _do_?" she repeated, her voice even quieter as her discomfort grew.

"Not me," he answered simply.

_Not me?_ Sarah thought. That left only one other person- _fae- _that could put that expression on Jareth's face. And Sarah was pretty sure that that was worse. Jareth could be cruel, but Tebras... Sarah was well aware that the King of the Darklands seemed to have no boundaries when it came to hurting people- _especially_ when it came to hurting Jareth. _Or the women he claims to love_, she added.

"What is it?" Sarah asked.

"Sarah..." he started with a sigh; the enormity of what she did not know, weighing him down.

"Tell me. _Please_," she added before Jareth could get angry with her.

The Goblin King slowly stepped towards where Sarah sat, perched on the edge of her bed. If she wasn't so nervous, so scared; then Sarah might've taken notice of the draw of her body to his. But, as it was, Sarah couldn't ignore her fear, and Jareth keeping her in suspense was doing _nothing_ to help her quell it.

"Please?" she asked again.

Jareth paused at the edge of her bed and gestured to the empty space beside her.

"May I?" Jareth asked.

_Since when does Jareth _ask _to do anything? _Sarah wondered, but, mutely, she nodded. He sat down at her side, so close that his leg was almost touching hers. But from so close, Sarah could see the dark circles under Jareth's eyes that only added to his gaunt expression.

"Jareth, what the fuck is going on?" she asked finally, when the silence had echoed between them for too long.

He frowned at her use of language, but did not reprimand her. _Too bad to even scold me?_ Sarah thought, realising that what he was to tell her may actually be something that merited panicking.

"You remember that I told you about Tebras picking at the things we love? Using them for his own ends?" Jareth said, his voice sounding slightly strained.

"Seriously, Jareth, you're scaring me-"

"Do you remember?" he interrupted.

Startled, she nodded slowly. _How could I forget what he told me happened to the last two women that he loved_, Sarah though ruefully.

"The King of the Darklands has... _decided_ that instead of hurting you directly, it would be better to turn you away from me."

"And... and how has he tried to do that?" Sarah asked quietly, when Jareth did not continue.

"He's done something that he plans for you to blame on me-"

"Jareth, please! Just tell me."

He stared at her for a moment, mismatched eyes filled with hesitancy. And he took hold of her hand in a gesture that was meant to be comforting.

"He killed them."

Sarah blanched. Fear flooded into her and she felt her fingers slip from his palm.

"_Who?_ He killed _who?_" Sarah asked, with what sense she had still.

Jareth sighed and reluctantly finished, "Your father, stepmother..."

"No... Don't be stupid... They're not... He _didn't_..."

"I'm not lying, Sarah. I wish I was," Jareth said in a quiet voice.

"But- but what about... T-Toby?" she choked, no quite daring to hear Jareth's answer.

The Goblin King lowered his gaze from her, giving her the only reply that he could. Sarah's wide eyed glare was set on Jareth as he averted his eyes, and she slowly felt the tears begin to slide down her cheeks.

"No... no- they're not... They're not de- they're _not_..." she stuttered.

"I'm sorry, Sarah," Jareth said, placing a hand on top of hers again.

"I... I don't believe you," Sarah whispered, pushing herself to her feet and away from Jareth.

"Why would I lie about this?" he asked calmly as he, too, stood.

"Show me then. Take me Aboveground."

"You know that I can't and won't do that," he answered.

"They're my _family_. I need to... I need to see. I need to know."

Jareth stared at her sadly. He could see her growing more and more frustrated. He could see her trying to deny the truth in his words. And he could see that she was about to fall apart.

"Sarah, I went there myself to verify what Tebras did. You don't want to see that. _I_ don't want you to see that," Jareth added, taking hold of Sarah's wrists in an attempt to calm her.

But Sarah quickly stilled under his touch as she asked, "You- you went...? You saw...?"

The Goblin King gave her a single nod and watched as renewed tears fell from her bright, broken-hearted, green eyes.

"So... They're really...?" she struggled slowly.

"I am sorry, Sarah," he said again, trying to meet her gaze.

"Because of me," she whispered through uneven and ragged breaths.

"No, love. Not you," Jareth whispered, cupping her face in his hands and moving closer to her.

"It's Tebras. It's what he does."

Sarah stayed silent for some time; crying. She felt as if her heart had been ripped out and dragged across the floor. At least before, with everything she had suffered, Sarah had known that her family were safe. _But now_... She was almost certain at this point that the only thing keeping her together- keeping her from falling into nothingness- was Jareth's hands on her face.

But the contact between them was something else entirely. Blinking out of her dazed and bleary-eyed stare, Sarah focussed on the face of the fae before her. She saw concern on his features; pain. It was nothing compared to what she felt at that precise moment. Tears of sadness also became those of anger as she continued to look at the Goblin King.

"It might be what Tebras does, but if you didn't '_love_' me then Tebras never would have done it. _Never_."

Jareth stared at her seriously. She was falling into the trap that Tebras had wanted to force them into. She was going to blame him for what the Dark King had done. If he didn't convince her now that this was not his fault, bond or no, he would stand no chance with Sarah.

"This is exactly what he wants, Sarah. He's _counting_ on you blaming me."

"Maybe he's right that I should."

She tried to pull back from him, but Jareth took hold of her arm.

"Let go of me," she ordered harshly.

And when she pulled back again, Jareth had no choice but to honour his vow and let her slip through his fingers. She walked unsteadily over to her bed again and placed a hand on the corner of the footboard, standing with her back toward the Goblin King.

"You kidnapped me. You beat me. You _raped_ me. I almost drowned. A psycho fae King _wants_ me. You put some spell on me to make me think that I want _you_. And now... My family are gone," she said, anger and pain lining her tone.

Jareth stayed where he was, his eyes glued to the woman's back as she listed the worst things that she possibly could. And he had no defence for some of them.

"Don't try and tell me this isn't your fault; because if you'd never have brought me here, then _none_ of this would have happened."

Sarah paused, as if she expected Jareth to try and object to her statement. But the Goblin King said nothing. Any objection he made, he knew, would only make the situation worse.

"I'm sorry, Sarah," he repeated simply.

It was not the answer that she had expected, but it still wasn't one that made a difference. Her family were _dead_. The thought made her feel sick; and Sarah felt the tears threaten once more.

"Just go. _Leave_," she said without turning back to Jareth.

She heard Jareth let out a deep breath before he said, "Sarah, you need-"

"I don't need _you_. Please leave... Just... just leave."

And reluctantly, Jareth _did_ leave. No sparks floated to the ground as he went; he just left as she'd asked. But even though Sarah was adamant that she did not need him, the Goblin King knew that she needed _someone_. So when he left, he went to collect those that she would need. Those that _he_ would need so that she would be alright and Tebras' plan would fail.

* * *

Eventually, Sarah turned after she heard no sound behind her for some time. She was grateful to see that Jareth had left; she couldn't face seeing him. Not after this. Not after the fact that the consequences of his actions meant that her family were... Sarah couldn't even think the word.

And, now that she was finally alone, what had happened really started to sink in. She slumped down onto her knees, touching the hard, stone floor with her fingertips to steady herself. She almost felt as if none of this was real. None of it was really happening. The cold floor was helping her keep her stability though, and her stability was stopping her from fading out of consciousness.

Sarah could barely see her tears as they hit the floor through her water-filled eyes. Nothing was normal. And even though she had known for a while that she would never see her family again, at least she had known that they were alive and Aboveground.

_Not anymore though_. Her father would never get to sit down with his morning paper and coffee as he always did. Karen would never get to be irritatingly self-absorbed as she always was. And Toby... Toby would never get to grow up. Toby would never get to graduate school; he'd never get a job; have a girlfriend.

_And it's my fault_, she thought, letting her sobs wrack her entire body as she curled into a ball on the floor. As much as she blamed this on Jareth; she couldn't totally blame him. This was as much her fault as it was his.

Because if she had never wished Toby away all those years ago, then she never would have met the Goblin King. She would have remained the spoiled brat that she was- but she'd have been a spoiled brat whose family were still alive.

And in that moment, Sarah was quite certain that she didn't care what happened to her anymore. She didn't care what the almost-warring Kings did to her or each other. Frankly, she just didn't care. Because the only things that she did care about, had just been killed because of her. _I might as well have done it myself. It's my fault. I'm just as bad as the fae that murdered them_, she thought as she gave voice to her pain in a loud and sorrow-filled wail.

* * *

**Author's Note: Okay pleeeeeeeeeeease don't kill me for taking so long to update. I have been on holiday for two weeks and I got stuck on writing part of this chapter. *More excuses* So, in short, I'm really sorry it took so long. On the bright side, no cliffhanger this time. :) Hope you guys liked it! :)**

**Kit xx**


	13. Giving Up And Waking Up

She had been crying for so long that her breathing came out in short and sharp bursts. It was almost as if she was trying to catch her breath, but somehow, could not. Sarah's eyes were squeezed tightly shut to the world. She didn't want to see anything around her; anyone. She was in the Underground, and she'd never wanted to be. She'd _wanted_ to be with her family.

But there was no way that Sarah could be with her family again. Because they were gone and she could never get them back. _Ever_. Her thoughts were a jumbled mix of memories and imaginings. Her mind played over times that she wished that she could change, times that could have been better; times when she wished that she could have appreciated her family when she hadn't.

And her thoughts brimmed with horrible imaginings of what the Dark King had done to her family. Jareth had refused to tell her before he'd left. And Sarah had no idea which was worse; knowing or not knowing. She wanted to know, for her own piece of mind, how it had happened. If there was anything that could have been done.

_Nothing I can do. Can't change anything. They're really..._ gone, she thought eventually. So now she had only her memories to swirl around her. And they did nothing to help her feel any better. But something in the back of her mind whispered, _Good. You _should_ suffer. It's your fault that they're gone. Your fault._

As much as she wanted to deny it, at least this pain was real. And as far as she knew, neither of the fae Kings in her life could take that from her as they had taken her family. She was clinging desperately to the pain; as if it was the only thing that she had left that could keep her sane. _As if_, she thought lamely.

"Sawah?"

_And now I'm imagining Ludo's here?_ she thought.

"My Lady; _oh_, my Lady..." Didymus' voice chimed in.

_And now Didymus. You truly have gone round the bend._

Her blurry eyes closed as she tried to ignore the hallucinations that she assumed her not-so-certain mental state had brought on.

"Sarah, Jareth told us- he told us what Tebras did," Hoggle said.

Sarah frowned. If she really was crazy, why would her dazed mind tell her that her friends knew about her family? _To torment me?_ she wondered vaguely. _To say it was my fault?_

"Leave me alone," she replied, her voice sounding hoarse and croaky.

"Sarah, it's _us_," Hoggle said.

And Sarah felt a hand on her shoulder. _Felt? Hallucinations don't touch you_, she thought as her green eyes flashed open. Her friends stood before her; her real friends. And she'd thought that they were mere imaginings like the ones she'd been seeing of her family.

"It is you," she murmured blankly.

"Why are you here?"

It wasn't that Sarah didn't want them there; because she did. Or she thought she did... _Maybe_... As much as she felt like she wanted them there, Sarah wanted to be alone. And as much as Sarah wanted to be alone, she knew that she needed her friends with her.

"His majesty commanded us here- though, of course, we would have been here as soon as possible if it were possible for us to be here-"

"Didymus, shut up you daft-"

"Can you _not_ argue?" Sarah interrupted, tired of the pointlessness of their bickering already.

"Of course, my Lady, I apologise... We didn't..."

"Sawah _sad_," Ludo said, noticing the barely drying tears stains dripping down her face.

Sarah couldn't hold back her tears any longer as she heard him say those words. And she didn't have the energy to answer him. Or any of them. All she wanted to do was cry. And they let her. Her friends simply held their tongues and tried to comfort Sarah as best as they could.

As well meaning as her friends were, however, they could not cheer Sarah up. She knew that no one could. Her family were dead and she couldn't change that. Neither could her friends.

And neither could Jareth. That much had been apparent from the fact that he'd told her what Tebras had done- if he'd been able to change things then he would have done to avoid all this. To avoid her having a breakdown and blaming him for it.

Her friends were taking it in turns to have her cry into their embrace. No one spoke, because every time that they tried, Sarah refused to discuss anything with them. Eventually, a tray of food appeared on the bedside table, but Sarah refused that too.

After much persuasion though, they convinced her to choke down some of the soup that had appeared. And the only reason she agreed to it was because she wanted them to stop badgering her about it; she knew that she would most likely throw it up later anyway.

When she had had as much as she could manage of the soup- though that amount was barely satisfying her friends- Sarah pushed the still-half-full bowl aside. She hadn't stopped crying as she ate; she'd merely done so silently in the hopes that her friends would think that they'd helped.

Sarah _wanted_ them to think that they'd helped, but, really, they'd done almost nothing to heal the heartache she felt. They didn't need to know that though, so Sarah focussed all of her energy on trying to hold back the flow of her tears. To her, that almost seemed a little silly though; _she_ was the one in such pain and _she_ was trying to reassure _them_. Sarah ignored that thought and continued pretending that their presence was actually doing her some good.

"Sarah?" Hoggle said eventually.

She looked up after a moment, steeling herself to fake her feelings.

"The worm told us what yeh said."

Sarah sighed; she'd completely forgotten that the worm had even visited her. Too much had happened since then for that to be her priority.

"We can get yeh outta here, Sarah."

"No. You can't," she answered tiredly.

"Never fear, my Lady. We have a perfectly formed plan to create an infallible escape!"

"Shut up!" Hoggle hissed at Didymus' outburst, well aware that Jareth could be listening in on them.

"I can't."

"Sawah be free."

"_No_, Ludo," Sarah insisted.

"We have ter get yeh outta here. Only _bad_ things happen here."

"Don't you think I know that, Hoggle?" Sarah all but shouted, her fists clenching.

"But I can't leave. I _can't_. Besides, where is it that you think I could go if I did escape? My family are _dead_. My home is gone. All I have is here."

That admission might just have depressed Sarah even further if such a thing had been possible. She wished that she could have stopped those words before they'd left her mouth, but she hadn't. And she'd effectively just screamed at her friends.

"You've got us, my Lady," Didymus said eventually, his usually loud voice quiet.

Sarah opened her mouth to reply. She wanted to say sorry. She wanted to say that she hadn't meant to say such things. But she couldn't. Because, before Sarah's very eyes, her friends disappeared into a shower of Jareth magic. And all Sarah could do was continue to cry about it.

* * *

Sarah leaned back against the door, her head resting on the dark wood surface. Her eyes were closed, the room was quiet and she felt like if she stayed as still as she was, then she might just fade out of existence. And the pain might just fade away with her. Of course, she knew she'd have no such luck. _A girl can only hope._

Dark circles lined the area under her eyes. Sarah had not slept in days. Not since she'd found out what had happened to her family. She _couldn't_ sleep- even though she felt the most tired that she ever had done.

She'd been alone, without even Jareth attempting to visit her, since her friends had vanished; and she'd had a lot of time to think about what Tebras might have done to her family. Sarah knew that if she tried to sleep, then all she would see would be horrific nightmares of what ifs.

She didn't hear Jareth enter her room; she only noticed when she opened her eyes and saw him standing there, a few steps away from her. Her eyes met his and Sarah hoped that he could see the pain in her glare- the pain that he was responsible for.

"I'm sorry, Sarah," Jareth whispered.

"I'd have prevented it if I could have," he added when she gave him no response.

Sarah simply continued to glare at him. This was his fault as much as it was hers. _We both deserve to suffer_. But Sarah knew that Jareth would not suffer from the death of her family; he just didn't care. Supposedly, he _did _care about _her_ though, so Sarah planned to make him pay through her silence. And her ignorance.

That had been her plan anyway. She hadn't expected to crumble at the first hurdle as he crouched beside her, and reached one hand out to softly cup her cheek. Sarah flinched slightly at the contact, but she didn't pull back. She _wanted_ to; but the moment his skin had touched hers, Sarah felt a calm that she hadn't felt since he'd told her about her parents.

The thing that Sarah hated the most in that moment was that the only comfort she could find was in his hand. In his touch. And tears started to drip down her face once more as she felt the need to move closer to him. As she felt the need to have him take care of her.

Sarah frowned as she let him circle his arms around her; but she let him do it, all the same. She buried her face in his chest, the warmth she found there a welcome reprieve.

And she cursed herself silently for allowing herself into this position, and allowing him to hold her in such a way. But, no matter how she felt, Sarah couldn't push away from the Goblin King. Because she knew that if she did then she would only feel worse.

"It's _not_ your fault, love. And neither is it mine," she heard Jareth whisper to her.

Sarah choked back an angry and pained sob as she looked up at him. She moved back slightly, but remained in the comfort of his arms as she gave him a cold glance.

"It _is_ and always will be our fault that they're gone."

"Sarah, listen to me now," he ordered, a deep frown creasing his brows.

"This is what Tebras _wants_. He _wants_ you to blame us for his actions; he _wants_ you to sink back into the depression that he knows that you're capable of."

"I don't care. It's my fault, Jareth," she answered, her voice quiet.

Jareth fixed her with a levelling glare of his mismatched eyes as he said, "If that's how you want to behave, Sarah, then you've already let him win. If you're really giving up, then speak; because your family are dead and then you might as well be too. If you're really giving up, then save me a lot of trouble and admit it. Because then I might as well just hand you over to Tebras now, no matter how much it will hurt me to do so."

Sarah's mouth fell open. Had he really just said what she thought he had? _Was that a get-over-it speech?_ she thought blankly. Her eyes left his, unable to bear holding that intrusive stare any longer. _Would he really do that? Give me to Tebras? _part of her asked, while another part of her answered, _Of course, he would. It's _Jareth_._

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Sarah wondered if Jareth was right though. If she gave up now, Tebras _would_ win; and she might as well be dead. And, even though she thought that her death was probably warranted after what had happened to her family because of her, Sarah would do almost anything to make sure that Tebras did not win. Not for Jareth, or herself. But to spite the fae King that had murdered her family.

She forced her mouth closed and flickered her green eyes back up to meet the Goblin King's. And in those eyes, Jareth saw something that he often admired and sometimes despised. Her willpower.

"I'm not giving up," she said eventually.

"But that doesn't mean that I'm finished grieving either."

A threatening tear, clung to her eyelashes, just waiting for more to join it. And they did. Sarah cried again, as she often had been doing in the Underground. _At least this time she's not crying for herself_, Jareth thought as he pulled her back to the position she had been in before.

"It's not fair..." she sobbed quietly into his chest.

"It never is, love," he answered, stroking a hand down her long, dark hair.

* * *

Jareth had no idea how long they stayed there; but, regardless of the reason or the time, he was glad of it. He had thought that, after Tebras' actions, Sarah would try not to let him anywhere near her. But his bonding them had done more than even the pain she was feeling, because it drew her to him still.

It made her understand that she needed him. It made her want him by her side to comfort her. And that she was allowing him to hold her in such a way spoke volumes. She needed _and_ wanted him there, despite what she told herself she thought of him.

The silence interrupted only by the sound of her cries gave Jareth time to mull over something that he'd said before._ "I'd have prevented it if I could have."_ _Perhaps that wasn't entirely the truth_, he thought. Perhaps, in spite of all the pain that it caused her, Jareth was glad that she was being forced to choose him. The only thing that he truly wished he could have prevented was the fact that she blamed him for their deaths.

Unintentionally, Tebras might actually have done him a favour in forcing Sarah to forget about any other life that she once could have had. Jareth ran his hand rhythmically over Sarah's hair again in a soft gesture; in an attempt to calm her slightly.

He felt her breaths against his chest start to calm and slow as she tried to get her breathing under control. She had done enough crying for one day and Jareth was, in fact, surprised that she had any tears _left_ to cry out.

"You should sleep," Jareth said quietly, breaking the silence that held the room.

"Need to," she whispered into his chest.

"_Have_ you slept?" he enquired.

After a short pause, Sarah admitted, "No. Don't want to dream."

"I can stop your nightmares, Sarah. I won't let you dream of them," he promised as he adjusted his grasp on her.

Before she could even reply to him, the Goblin King was standing and had lifted her into his arms. Cradled in his grip, Sarah stayed as still as possible as he carried her over to the bed. Just the thought of the position they were in heading toward a bed made her feel sick enough. Her memories of what he'd done were still too vivid for her to relax in that moment though.

"I'm not going to hurt you, love," she heard Jareth murmur as he felt the tension in her body.

Jareth set her down on her bed and slipped the unmade cover over her.

"Sleep, Sarah," he said, taking a step back from her.

"Wait," she said, her voice weary and barely more than a whisper.

In truth, Jareth was about to leave her to her dreamless sleep, but her protest caught him just before he could depart. He tilted his head at her as he watched a myriad of emotions flicker across her face.

"Don't go," she said eventually.

The Goblin King paused to stare at her and allow her to elaborate.

"I don't want to be alone anymore."

Jareth raised an eyebrow at her suggestively and he saw her frown in response. _Clearly not_, he thought, a little disappointedly.

"I have business to attend to, Sarah-"

"Please?" she asked.

"Unless there is a reason you can give me that might require my staying, I should go," he replied.

Sarah had to bite back her sharp answer of, _How about that my family just fucking died?_ With a sigh, she spoke again.

"I don't love you. I don't even think I like you... I just... Don't leave," she added in a whisper.

Jareth stared her and tried hard to fight back a frown. That statement was something that he would have to have a word with her about later. But, for now, Jareth was at least appreciative that she wanted him to stay.

He just wanted to make her understand that he was still the one in control as he answered, "I'm going to need more than that, Sarah."

Jareth watched her face contort into an unpleasant expression as she battled with herself. He knew what she would say, however. He just wanted to _make_ her say it. He just wanted to make her acknowledge the fact that both of them knew it.

"I... I-I need you," she replied eventually.

A wicked smile crossed his face for a moment as the Goblin King stepped back to Sarah. And then he did nothing else but take her hand and wait until she drifted into a deep sleep.

* * *

When Sarah had finally fallen asleep; when her eyes had closed and her breathing had calmed enough that Jareth was certain of it, Jareth had dropped her hand, placing it gently at her side. But he didn't step away from where he'd stood. Jareth merely started to remove his boots and placed them at the side of her bed.

His shirt was wet from where she'd cried rivers onto it and he had no choice but to remove it. The Goblin King slowly unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it over his head, setting it down at the side of her bed. He was sure that Sarah wasn't aware of his actions- she was in too deep a sleep to notice what he did. _What a surprise for her when she wakes_, Jareth thought, a smirk creeping back into his expression.

He kept his trousers on though. Despite how much he might want to lie beside Sarah wearing nothing, he would refrain. And he'd much rather wait until _she_ was completely unclothed too before he did that. Still, Jareth made no move except to tilt his head at the sleeping woman before him.

Sarah was so peaceful as she slept, even though she slept now with pain etched across her face. And, though Jareth knew it was not Tebras troubling her, he knew that what _was_ troubling her was because of the Dark King's doing. She had been wallowing for days, and Jareth would admit that he had had just about enough of it.

The Goblin King made a decision then as he stared at the sleeping woman before him. He made a decision that would prevent Sarah from sinking further into a long process of grieving that Jareth wished her to abstain from. Jareth would stop her before she fell too deeply into the depression that Tebras wanted her in.

A light flash of magic filled the room and dusted over Sarah's sleeping form as the silent spell was cast. All Jareth did then was bend to press a small kiss to the woman's forehead before moving around the bed and climbing in beside her.

* * *

Sarah felt something not necessarily hard, but definitely not as soft as her pillow, beneath her head. But she had to open her eyes to figure out that it was Jareth's chest that she had been asleep on. What was worse, she could feel that his arm was curled around her waist.

A blush crept up to her cheeks as she closed her eyes again. The intimacy of the position felt too much for her, regardless of the fact that her body was drawn to his. It wasn't right that she could lie so comfortably when resting next to- or _on_- Jareth; not when she truly hated him so much. Besides, she wasn't supposed to feel any sort of comfort after what she'd been responsible for.

Part of that though, she was sure, came from the fact that she hadn't dreamt of Jareth last night. In truth, she hadn't dreamt of anything. For once since Jareth had bonded them, Sarah had had a good night's sleep.

_So that's it then? Touch Jareth and the dreams of him go away?_ Sarah thought. _Too simple._ But she liked the idea of just touching him like she was far more than any alternative apart from not _wanting_ to touch him at all.

She shifted slightly, trying to make the movement as fluid as possible as she pretended to remain sleeping. Her head rolled to the side as she turned, falling lightly onto her pillow, but before her body could follow, the arm around her waist tightened protectively.

Sarah bit back the urge to squirm out of the Goblin King's grasp. And she bit back the urge to peek through her supposedly sleep-closed lids to see if Jareth was, indeed, awake.

It took Sarah until that exact movement to actually remember exactly _why_ they were in that position though. She'd _asked_ Jareth to stay with her, and she'd fallen asleep with him there. _And at some point he ended up shirtless- and in my bed_, she added, trying to keep the frown from her face.

Little did she know, but the blush on her face had already alerted the Goblin King to the fact that she was awake, as had the fact that she had tried to move away from him- the latter being the reason that _he _had woken. As he shifted himself onto his side, Sarah felt herself slip onto the comfortable mattress but kept up her charade of feigned sleep.

The hand not wrapped around Sarah's waist trailed up to her neck, softly brushing at her skin. Still, she made no movement and tried to keep herself from tensing. She found that task impossible though as his lips came down on hers, his hand on her neck making it impossible for her to back away.

Sarah's eyes snapped open to find Jareth staring straight back at her, his maddening lips still pressed against hers. Dark intent prickled in the depths of those mismatched eyes and Sarah wanted him off of her... Or she thought she did. She said a silent curse in her mind that she couldn't even seem to force herself to push him away from her then.

Her voice was muffled by the force of his kiss as she tried to protest. But she couldn't. And she couldn't ignore the way his lips moved against hers; or the way that his tongue had somehow managed to push itself inside her to once more explore her mouth.

Sarah couldn't quite remember why it was that she was trying to stop him for a moment, as she returned the kiss. An almost surprise lit his expression as he deepened the kiss, rolling her onto her back so that his body almost rested lightly atop of hers.

A small sound escaped her as he suddenly withdrew from her, leaving her lips tingling at the sensation his touch had caused. And it gave her the moment she needed to clear her mind.

"Morning, love," he said with that awful smirk in his expression.

"Don't," she whispered quietly.

And Jareth had to listen to her; his vow forced him to. So the Goblin King didn't lower his lips back to hers, no matter how much he wanted to. And he _did_ want to.

"Does that mean that you're asking me to move away from you, also?" he asked.

Sarah said nothing in reply. She wanted to, Gods knew she _wanted_ to, but she wasn't quite sure that she had the energy to push him away after already resisting the draw of another all-too-pleasurable kiss. She couldn't bear to look at the growing smirk on his face though and turned her head from him. Jareth lowered his head so that his cheek brushed hers; so that his lips lay right beside her ear.

"You look beautiful in the morning," he sighed.

The feel of his breath on her ear, whispering a compliment in her ear, sent a shiver rippling through her. She shut her eyes to him and did all that she could to stop herself turning to meet his lips.

"Jareth, don't."

"If you insist," Jareth replied, leaning back from her completely and removing any trace of his touch from Sarah's skin save for the tingling sensation running through her.

He sat up, the soft bedcover slipping from his body as he did. And all that Sarah could do was stare at him.

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?" Sarah asked, rather bluntly.

The Goblin King turned his head so that he faced her.

"Why? Does it bother you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

Sarah frowned at him and refused to answer his question. _Of course, it _bothers_ me_, she thought. The problem she was having was that her mind was warring with itself as to what type of bothering Jareth was doing to her. He bothered her in the sense that he made her extremely uncomfortable and that his body reminded her of all the dreams that she didn't want to have. But the sight of him also had the power to stir things in her that she didn't want to acknowledge.

Eventually though, Jareth answered, "It was a little soggy by the time you actually fell asleep. I wasn't going to sleep in a wet shirt and I was fairly certain that you wouldn't mind too much."

She scowled at him at that comment, but something niggled at the back of her mind. His shirt _had_ been wet, but she couldn't quite remember why. Sarah found it hard to remember most of what had even happened the night before as she struggled to recall her memories.

His shirt had been wet because... _Because of my tears... I was crying_, she realised finally. Jareth watched as Sarah's scowl deepened, but he said nothing to interrupt her thoughts. _Why was I crying?_ she thought blankly, but, for the life of her, she could not remember the reason.

"Why was I crying?" she asked him after a while.

Jareth's own expression formed into a frown then as he met Sarah's questioning gaze.

"That's not a question that you're going to want to know the answer to, Sarah," Jareth replied carefully.

"Why was I crying, Jareth?" she asked again, sitting herself up beside him.

He gave her no answer at all that time, however. And Sarah started to grow more and more worried about what she couldn't remember, and what he wasn't telling her.

"You once told me," she started carefully.

"That you could make me forget my pain and forget what you did to me... Is that what you did? Did you make me forget something that you did?"

A pregnant pause took up residence between them as Jareth stared at the woman next to him.

"You don't want to remember what you've forgotten, love."

"It's not your decision as to what I want to remember!" Sarah almost shouted at him.

"Calm yourself down, Sarah."

"Tell me!"

His eyes flashed as he said, "_Manners_, Sarah."

Her instinctual response was filled with a lot of words that she knew would only anger Jareth, so Sarah bit her tongue and added, through gritted teeth, "_Please_."

"Tebras murdered your family," he replied simply.

Sarah stared at him as memories flooded back to her. But as the memories came back, Sarah was shocked that nothing else came with it. No pain; no sadness. But she knew that her family were dead; and she knew that she had felt everything so vividly. Now though, there was _nothing_.

"Why can't I...?" she asked, trailing off slightly as she didn't know how to finish.

"It's part of the spell I put on you. As of last night, you will no longer be able to feel pain and sadness at the thought of your family. You will only remember happiness that you felt with them."

Sarah blinked. _Did he... did he actually do something that might be considered kind? And _unselfish_? _she wondered blankly.

"Let me get this straight," she started.

"You made me forget everything about my family that makes me hurt?"

Slowly, Jareth bowed his head.

"And you did this _because_...?"

One eyebrow rose as he met her eyes with a stare that made it obvious that he thought she already knew the answer. She merely stared back at him uncomprehendingly until he spoke.

"I love you, Sarah. I don't want to see you in pain."

She hated that he answered that way; but, if she was honest with herself, then Sarah could have predicted he'd say that. Because he never failed to remind her that the reason that he did so many of the things he did was out of what he believed was 'love'.

Seeing her expression change, Jareth sighed and said, "Honestly, Sarah, how many times must I tell you that before you believe me?"

_Stop trying to seduce me into fucking you and we'll have a talk_, she thought, not daring to actually say those words.

"Of course, the spell I put on you does not mean that you will be unable to feel the pain if someone stronger than you wanted you to. I could bring it back if I wished to. And so could any other powerful fae," he added ruefully.

It took Sarah a few seconds to understand what he meant by that; but when she did, she said, "So that means... _Tebras_ could?"

"If he wanted to," Jareth answered truthfully.

"But he will _never_ get close enough to you to do such a thing, Sarah. I will never allow that."

Sarah tried to seem hopeful at the thought that Jareth could stop Tebras taking her, and that he could stop the fae King from making her feel the pain that had literally made her want to die once more. But Jareth's track record in protecting women from Tebras left little to be hopeful about.

"He will not touch you, love," Jareth reassured her, resting a hand on her shoulder when he saw the uncertainty on her face.

"And I'll kill him if he does."

* * *

**Author's Note: What's that you say? Another update in less than a week? **_**Me?**_** If I hadn't just posted this then I'd think you were kidding.**

**Anyway, yeah, so it might be a bit surprising, but I just managed to get this one written really quickly; might have something to do with having Evanescence's _'Breathe No More'_ on repeat... Anywhoooo, hope you like the chapter! :)**

**Just a question I've been wondering the answer to lately: What do you guys think of Jareth in this story? (I know some of you have made your opinions of him **_**very**_** clear. I'd just like to gauge how the majority of people feel about him. :) )**

**Also, another question, why do we, in so many fanfics, my own included, call Sarah's stepmother Karen when her name is Irene? :P**

**So yeah, that asked, I'm off to the pub now as a reward for all my hard work; hope you all have a good night too! :D**

**Kit xx**


	14. An Unanticipated Question

"He will not touch you, love... And I'll kill him if he does."

Sarah blinked. _Did Jareth really say that?_ she wondered. _Would he really do something so dangerous... for me?_ A frown found her expression as she looked away from the Goblin King. _Do I really matter that much to him?_ Sarah asked herself. But she quickly shook herself out of the train of thought that she knew her mind was taking her down with another simple thought. _He raped you. He's _evil_... Just not as evil as Tebras_, she added.

But something dragged Sarah quickly from her thoughts as she felt the Goblin King's hand tighten his grip on her shoulder to the point where it was actually starting to hurt her.

"Um, Jareth?" she said quietly.

It appeared that Jareth was lost in his own thoughts and didn't even seem to be aware that he was hurting her until he caught sight of the pain in her expression. He released her immediately and she felt some relief pass over her that he'd done so as quickly as he had.

Jareth swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, his bare feet brushing against the cold, stone floor. He could feel Sarah's eyes on him as he left her bed and her along with it. Picking up his shirt from where he'd set it down, he pulled it on and began buttoning it.

"You're going?" she asked, in what seemed almost like a harmless question.

He paused as he took hold of a button and looked up at her, "Unless you're going to try and convince me to stay."

The smirk and the suggestiveness lit Jareth's face and Sarah felt herself blushing.

"I... I- no. I-I just wondered," she managed eventually.

Jareth's smirk did not fade at the sight of her blush; he rather enjoyed it. What he did _not_ enjoy however, was that she still denied herself to him. They both knew that she wanted him. It was only her stubborn will that was keeping them apart now- a thing that Jareth mentally cursed.

He stepped around the edge of the bed slowly, well aware that her eyes followed him and observed the grace of his walk. Watched the way his body moved. _If she'd only admit it!_ he thought as he came to a stop next to her. Jareth looked down at the woman he'd spent the whole night resisting and couldn't help but want to reiterate his earlier statement.

"You really _do_ look beautiful in the morning, Sarah," he said, bending so that his lips just barely grazed hers.

"As you do always," he added in a whisper before pressing his lips firmly upon hers once more.

Jareth felt her responding to him, and there was no hint of resistance in her as he kissed her. But he knew that that wasn't an invitation; and he knew that if he tried to do anything further then she would only deny him. _Better to let her think that I'm _not_ trying_, he thought as he pulled back and disappeared into a shower of magic to deal with other matters of significant importance.

* * *

Where they were- where they had been for days- it was pitch black. No light found its way into the abyss-like space that Hoggle, Ludo, Didymus and Ambrosius found themselves. Around them all they could feel were the metal bars of a cage that encased them even below their feet.

There was no floor beneath them, nor walls behind them, or even anything that suggested that the cage was hung from the ceiling. They just seemed to be there; suspended in the dark. And they all knew that it was Jareth's magic that was responsible for doing so.

"Do you know why you're here?"

As suddenly as the voice had come, echoing reminders of the Goblin King's voice rebounded through the dark-shrouded cage.

"Jareth!" Hoggle called angrily to the disembodied voice that had only now spoken to them after days of imprisonment.

"You fiend! Show yourself! And I will fight you to the deat-"

"Brother, shh," Ludo interrupted, one huge hand coming up to cover Didymus' mouth, while the other, index finger raised, came to his lips even though it was too dark to see the movement.

"Do you know why you're here?" Jareth's voice repeated.

"Let us go, Jareth. We ain't done nothin' to deserve this!" Hoggle yelled gruffly.

"Oh, really? And you're _sure_ about that are you?" came the Goblin King's voice in return.

None of the friends had a chance to answer that question before Jareth's voice sounded once more.

"And when you were trying to convince Sarah to leave my castle, you were just joking around, were you?"

Hoggle froze; the ghost of a retort still on his lips.

"I thought not," Jareth finished when the silence had stretched for too long.

"But she said no! So why-"

"The attempt is enough to condemn, Hogwash."

Hoggle resisted the urge to correct the Goblin King, but since his mouth had grown so dry, he wasn't sure if he _could_ have replied anyway.

"But since it would deeply displease Sarah for me to have you executed, then you will live out your service in here."

Hoggle held back his sigh of relief, as he frowned and glared into the darkness.

"There ain't no way Sarah'd say no to a chance to escape from you. What'd yeh do to 'er?" he shouted.

"_Me?_ I did nothing," Jareth's voice replied.

Even without seeing him, the Goblin King's obvious smirk was virtually audible.

"Yeh brainwashed her! You made her think she can't ever escape yeh!"

"She can't," Jareth answered simply.

"She _bloody_ _well_ can!" Hoggle bit back into the darkness.

"No, she really _cannot_; and she knows it," Jareth answered, amusement still heavy in his tone.

"Let Sawah go," Ludo put in, his voice loud and echoing.

"She's mine. She belongs to me. _Forever_," Jareth said.

The last word hung in the air and stopped any would-be retort from the prisoners.

"That is beside the point anyway," Jareth continued.

"Where is the worm?"

"We don't know," Hoggle answered hurriedly.

"_Where_ is the worm?" Jareth repeated.

"We don't know! If you can't find 'im, how're we s'posed to know where 'e is?"

Hoggle got no reply from the Goblin King then, as his voice faded into nothingness, leaving only the reverberating silence from before in its wake.

"What've yeh got yourself into, Sarah?" Hoggle muttered to himself.

* * *

Sarah sat on the soft chez lounge, running her fingers over the smooth red velvet. Her eyes looked down, following the tiny patterns that she was tracing into the flow of the material. _What the Hell is going on?_ she thought idly.

She had been trying relentlessly to think about her family; to remember them, and remember the pain she had felt before. But she couldn't do it. Jareth had literally stolen that emotion from her. All that she could think of when she tried to remember her family were positive memories.

_Is it really such a bad thing?_ Sarah thought. _Why are you trying to pick a hole in something that actually makes things better for you?_ But in the back of her mind, Sarah knew that it was because what he had done was still an invasion. Regardless of the result, Jareth had still manipulated her without her consent- something that he constantly seemed to be doing.

A plate of food appeared on the table beside her bed, along with a large glass that Sarah strongly suspected contained peach juice. With a sigh, Sarah stood and went over to sit on her bed. Pulling her legs up, Sarah placed the plate on her lap and started picking at the food even though she wasn't really hungry.

When she'd finished, Sarah found herself walking around her room restlessly. The long red dress she was wearing trailed behind her slightly as she went, but it only irritated her as she fidgeted. Sarah paused by the window, and looked out of it.

The Labyrinth had changed again, as it always seemed to be doing, and Sarah found herself wishing that she could be out of the room that she'd basically been locked in for over a week. She wanted to be able to go somewhere, to just see something different than the stone walls surrounding her.

But what she wanted more than anything was to find her friends. They had left so suddenly in the midst of their argument; in the midst of her screaming at them. Sarah wanted to apologise and explain herself. She wanted to reconcile with them. She _needed_ to reconcile with them. And that meant asking Jareth for a favour; something that she was dreading from the moment that she'd thought it.

Sarah stood by her window, staring out of it at the subtle changes and shifts the Labyrinth made, until it became so dark that she could no longer see anything. She blinked then and turned to look at the roaring fire that both heated and lit her room, she hadn't noticed it flicker into existence, but was almost grateful for it as she took in the dimly lit room.

Slipping out of her dress, Sarah quickly changed into one of the shifts that Jareth had given her to use as a nightdress. She folded the red dress that she had almost left crumpled on the floor and placed it on the table that her food seemed to appear on and disappear from, because her dresses seemed to be following suit.

With that, Sarah climbed into her bed and curled into the soft sheet cover that she pulled over her. Immediately, the firelight dimmed as if it knew she was going to try sleeping. _More like Jareth's watching me again and turning it down himself_, Sarah thought, shutting her eyes quickly against the possible unwelcome intrusion.

* * *

Dreams of Jareth came back thick and fast as Sarah slept. And this time she did not have his touch to hold them back as the dreams pulled at her mind, taunting and teasing her with what the bond between she and Jareth told her she wanted. Breathing heavy, her eyes continually snapped open, breaking whatever trance that her dreams held her in; only for Sarah to drift back into another dream even more persuasive than the last.

The last time Sarah woke, it was with the remnants of a word hanging on her lips. And she couldn't for the life of her remember what it was that she'd said. She could guess though. Sarah pulled her palms up to cover her eyes, pressing them down lightly as she tried to calm her breathing and the feelings in her that the dreams always ignited.

"I'm getting a little tired of letting dream me have all the fun, you know."

Sarah froze. Removing her hands from her eyes, Sarah looked to the left and saw the outline of the Goblin King perched lightly on the edge of her bed. As she pushed herself into a sitting position, Jareth flicked his wrist and the fire illuminated the room. And the smirk on Jareth's face.

She stared at him, her reply caught in her throat. Her breathing was still too heavy for her liking, particularly since Jareth knew that she'd been dreaming about him. _How_ he had figured that out though, was a mystery to her.

"How did you-?" Sarah stared to ask.

Jareth's smirk grew wider as he answered, "You've been calling my name in your sleep for the past half an hour."

"Calling your name?" Sarah asked, her mouth almost hanging open.

"Actually, I believe _moaning_ might be a more appropriate word for it."

Sarah blanched and turned her eyes away from that awful smirk. _I've been _moaning _his name?_ she thought, horrified. She heard him chuckle softly from her side and closed her eyes, embarrassed by what his magic had made her unknowingly do. Easing herself quickly out of her bed, Sarah sought to quickly change the subject.

"Why didn't you visit me? Before, I mean; when I was... upset?" she asked.

Jareth paused, acknowledging the fact that she refused to acknowledge what he'd said with an increasingly large smirk that forced her to look away once more. He moved to stand too, inching closer to where Sarah was.

And she suddenly found herself remembering and despising the tiny shift she wore. She knew that Jareth needed none of the encouragement that she knew the thin, body-hugging material would give him. But Sarah stood her ground, and waited for the answer that he eventually gave.

"You were in the mood for hating me. My presence would only have made you hurt more."

Sarah frowned and replied, "Your presence hurts me every minute."

Jareth started to frown, but the expression halted as Sarah continued.

She looked away as, grudgingly, she added, "So does when your presence is absent, however."

Jareth's eyebrows rose as he looked at her, enjoying the struggle it took for Sarah to reach that admission.

"We could remedy that."

Sarah blinked as Jareth took a step closer to her, intention written all over his sharp, fae features. Sarah shook her head before she let him get any closer to her. While she still had some of her willpower that had already been left weakened by her dreams.

"_No_, Jareth."

But the Goblin King took no notice of her objection as he simply took hold of her hand. She stared at him, confused, as he made no other move but to lightly hold her palm, his thumb running slowly over her fingers.

"What are you doing?" Sarah asked, unsure of where all the dark intention in his eyes had fled to.

"Marry me, Sarah."

Sarah stared at him, utterly dumbfounded by the words that had just come out of Jareth's mouth. Silence echoed between them for what seemed like an endless minute before Sarah could reply.

"M-marry you?"

Jareth tilted his head to the side in acquiescence and Sarah literally had to concentrate on stopping her jaw from dropping open once again.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said as she snatched her hand from his grasp.

Jareth's brow furrowed for a second as he replied, "I am deadly serious, Sarah."

It didn't take any sort of consideration for Sarah to come up with an answer, "N-no."

"Sarah-"

"No, no, no, no. _No_," she repeated, sensing that Jareth was clearly not going to get the message.

"Ah, but you see, the point is that you _must_. You have to agree to this."

"No. No- I don't. I _won't_," Sarah added, her voice infused with an emphatic insistence.

"_Sarah_," Jareth tried.

"With _all_ that you've done to me, you're going to force me into this too? _No_."

"Sarah, you know that I love you. I will take care of you, but the only way that I can do that is if you agree to this," Jareth said as he tried to soften his expression.

"You _love_ me? Act like it. Don't force me into this."

"I have to. This is where I went wrong with Susannah... You don't understand, Sarah-"

"I am _not_ Susannah. And I don't love you. Don't make me do this," Sarah bit back, unable to hold back some of her anger.

A flash of anger flickered across Jareth's expression, but he once more calmed himself before speaking to Sarah. Even now, the topic of Susannah was one that he did not take lightly to being spoken of in such a way.

"I'm not _making_ you, Sarah," Jareth said, trying to make the woman before him understand.

"But you don't seem to understand, as my wife, everything will change. It puts you in a very different position in regards to Tebras; because he will not only be trying to take a human woman, he will be trying to take the Goblin Queen. The world opens up an enormous amount of possibilities concerning what I can do to Tebras if he continues coming after you."

Sarah blinked.

"I can't marry you, Jareth," she piped up eventually.

"As much as I dislike having to persuade you into agreeing to this Sarah, you _don't_ really have a choice. You're too vulnerable at the moment, Sarah."

"Please don't do this, Jareth."

Jareth moved toward her, his hands settling lightly on either side of her waist, ruffling the thin material there. Sarah's eyes closed as she tried to ignore the fact that she wished that the material of her shift was not separating his skin from hers. Her back arched against Jareth slightly as he pulled her hips to his.

"Say yes."

"No," she replied, the sound came out as no more than sigh.

"_Yes_," he said, trailing his hands up the arch of her back in a way that was agonisingly slow.

"Jareth..." Sarah started, hating the way that she couldn't resist as he pressed her body to his chest.

"One little word, Sarah," Jareth whispered, bending his head slightly so that she could feel his breath on her neck.

Sarah couldn't hold back the shiver that ran through her at that. Her hands found their way to rest on his arms, neither pulling him closer nor pushing him away.

"No," she answered, clinging onto the last string of resistance that she had left.

His lips brushed over her skin, teasing her with the thought of what her body was telling her that she wanted.

"That's not the one I meant," he whispered back to her.

"I _can't_."

"The only thing stopping you is your stubbornness," Jareth said, one hand slipping tantalisingly slowly down to her backside.

Sarah gasped and her eyes flashed open, only to find Jareth's mismatched eyes staring intensely back at her.

"_Please_," she whispered.

"Marry me, Sarah," Jareth said, something that savoured strangely of hope lingering in his voice.

"Why?" she asked.

"I love you," he replied simply.

"You don't."

"Must we have this conversation again?" the Goblin King asked with a sigh.

But he didn't step back or try to justify himself to her as he so often found himself doing. Jareth just lowered his lips to hers and pressed one chaste kiss against their soft surface. As he pulled back, he felt her unconsciously follow him as if she didn't want to be parted from his touch.

"Say yes."

"Jareth, I-"

But before Sarah could reply to that, Jareth captured her lips in another intoxicating kiss. And he felt her responding to him once more; he felt her giving herself over to the side of her that wanted him. When he pulled away for a second time, the reluctance in her was even more obvious, but Jareth purposefully held himself back from her.

"Say yes, Sarah, and I will give you everything I have to offer."

He'd set the ultimatum purposefully after leaving her on edge; after making her want him more than her will could stop her from acting against him. Sarah blinked, trying to wipe her thoughts clear of what Jareth was doing. But she couldn't.

All that she could feel were his hands on her, and his body pressed against hers so tightly that she could feel his growing arousal through both his and her clothes. That alone should have made her snap out her daze, but as it was, Sarah was so blinded by the effects Jareth was having on her that it only made her want to lose herself even more in his embrace.

"_Jareth_..."

"Say yes and I'll do whatever you want that it's in my power to do," he whispered.

He could see how torn she was from the look in her eyes; but he knew which part of her was winning. And he had magic to thank for that. Sarah met his eyes, and Jareth could see just how close she was to cracking. Sarah frowned, but couldn't tear her eyes away from the Goblin King.

She knew what he was saying made sense. And she was doomed to stay with Jareth anyway; so marriage... _Is that supposed to be a plus?_ She knew how much safer she would be as Jareth's wife than as Jareth's... _As Jareth's _what_?_ Sarah found herself wondering. _What am I right now? The girl he professes to love? His _plaything_?_

But even though, logically, Sarah knew that agreeing to marry Jareth would be a choice that could mean the difference between Tebras taking her or not; she couldn't get passed what had happened. He _had_ beaten, raped and continually manipulated her.

If she said yes to Jareth, she _wanted_ to do nothing that would change things between them- she wanted to continue denying him physically with every fibre of her that she could cling to. But she wondered if that was going to be possible.

If she said yes, then she would be agreeing to marry the fae who'd raped her. And she couldn't help but feel sick at that thought; because that _was_ sick. _What other choice do you have though? _the voice in the back ofSarah's mind asked grimly.

It seemed that Jareth had had enough of waiting though as he quickly snapped her out of her thoughts with a sharp squeeze of the hand on her bottom. It sent a wave of tingling pleasure up her body, making her shiver against him.

"Your answer, Sarah?

The Goblin King stared into Sarah's bright green eyes and saw her pain as she fought with herself to come up with her reply. That was, until her eyelids closed softly, shielding them from his penetrating gaze. But that wasn't the only reason that Sarah had shut her eyes. Because Sarah couldn't bear to see Jareth's reaction as she finally answered him.

"I hate you. Gods _know_ I hate you... But yes," Sarah whispered.

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, I'm freaking out at the prospect of getting my results on Thursday. Can't believe I have to wait until 8am to find out what I got- I can **_**SO **_**tell that I'm going to get no sleep that night...**

**Anyway, onto the chapter, I'd love to know what you guys think, so please do let me know. :) And if there's anything you'd like to see more of less of, I'm all ears. :)**

**Oh, and thanks to everyone who reviewed and let me know what you think of my Jareth. It was really interesting to hear how you guys feel about him! :)**

**Kit xx**


	15. Things That Can't Be Helped

"I hate you. Gods _know_ I hate you... But yes," Sarah whispered.

The smile on Jareth's face was one of triumph more than anything else; one of dominance and pleasure. Jareth's lips were on Sarah's in a heartbeat, his tongue slipping inside her mouth to caress hers. He heard and felt her gasp, but was pleased to feel her return the gesture as she ran her tongue slowly across his own.

Enjoying the taste of her compliance- enjoying the taste of _her_- Jareth revelled in the lingering kiss that had her helpless under his touch. As he pulled back, he nipped at her bottom lip gently, bringing a small sound out of her.

"Everything I have to offer," Jareth said, his voice soft as he reaffirmed his earlier promise.

Before Sarah could even answer, his lips pressed against hers once more, engulfing her in another kiss more passionate than the first. And she couldn't help but respond as feelings that she couldn't stop blossomed in her.

Jareth's hand lifted from her bottom, making a fingertip pathway under her shift to the small of her back. Brushing his fingers over the skin newly revealed to him, Jareth traced curling patterns into her skin and felt Sarah shiver in response to the movement.

"I hate you," she whispered, pulling her lips from his.

But Jareth wasn't listening. The hand not caressing her back moved to entangle in her sleep-mussed hair. Sarah groaned as he used the leverage he'd gained there to tilt her into meeting his lips again. They remained, locked in that kiss for an inhumanly long time, only pulling away because of a shared need for breath.

His hand still entwined in Sarah's hair, Jareth kept her forehead pressed against his, stopping her from pulling away. Not that Sarah _could_ have pulled back, the constant touch of his skin against hers was almost soothing in the sense that she finally could relieve the persistent pain of having spent so long resisting him.

Brushing his lips across her skin, Jareth teased his way across her jaw line to her ear. And Sarah gasped as he sucked at her lobe, his tongue flicking over it lightly before he moved to the area behind her ear. Her body arched into Jareth's as his teeth nipped at her sensitive skin. Sarah wasn't sure how he was doing it, but the small and simple action brought another soft moan to her lips.

Jareth smirked against her skin, and finally released her from his teeth. He could feel her shiver against his breath; against his touch. And he revelled in the power he had over Sarah. _Finally_, Jareth thought as his lips traced down the line of her neck and he bit down again, not caring if he left a mark.

Sarah's breath caught in her throat as she waited the agonising seconds that Jareth's teeth held her. She didn't try to push him away, or anything of the sort. She didn't know _what _to do. Jareth had her teetering on the edge of mixed pain and pleasure; and she couldn't pull back to stop either sensation. When he released her, his tongue soothed her, running lightly over her as he sucked at her tortured skin.

Jareth repeated the movement on other parts of her neck, the vulnerability of her submission and the sounds escaping her only pushing him further. Lips pressing maddeningly against her throat, they trailed their way down to her still-covered breasts. But Jareth paused at the soft hemline of her shift, his eyes flashing to her heavy-lidded green ones.

"Admit it, Sarah. If I did what I did before to you now, you'd enjoy it," Jareth whispered, his breath tickling her skin.

Sarah froze, trying as hard as she could to resist the shiver she felt building.

"No- no, I wouldn't," she answered eventually, her voice quiet and heavy.

One of Jareth's brows rose at her answer. _Still denying it? _he thought, almost irritated and determined to make her admit that she wanted him. Releasing his hold on her hair, Jareth's hands both slipped to Sarah's hips, resting lightly there for a short moment.

His hands skimmed upward, slowly brushing across her skin, and taking with them the shift that blocked her body from him. Whether she wanted to or not, Sarah's arms lifted over her head as the material was slid off of her.

_What a time to have chosen not to wear a bra..._ Sarah thought desperately as Jareth's eyes landed lasciviously on her breasts. She made a tiny noise of protest, but seemed to be capable of little else in the form of resistance. And Jareth only ignored it, instead watching as her nipples hardened when the cold air lapped at Sarah's exposed skin.

His hands moved to brush lightly over her breasts, the touch of his fingers far too teasing for Sarah's liking. Until, without warning, both hands closed firmly over her skin. A velvety moan slipped out of Sarah as his fingers began kneading at her soft flesh, massaging her in a way that she couldn't back away from.

"Yes, you _would_ enjoy it."

Whilst continuing his careful ministrations, Jareth pinched at her left nipple, pulling yet another gasp from her lips. The smirk that Sarah hated came to rest on Jareth's features at her response and Sarah shut her eyes against it. He bent his head and once more used his lips to begin working relentlessly against her.

"I hate you," Sarah gasped as the combined efforts of Jareth's fingers and lips sent waves of pleasure through her.

For a moment, she couldn't focus on anything but what Jareth was doing to her, regardless of what she truly felt for him. For a moment, she was lost to his touch. Until he removed it completely from her. Sarah frowned, and opened her eyes only to see Jareth still smirking at her.

Even if she didn't want to admit it, Sarah wanted him to touch her again. But she didn't have to make another move to get him to do as she wished- or as her _body_ wished- because one of Jareth's arms swept behind her, the other moving to catch her legs, just at the knees.

Sarah couldn't help but place a hand on his chest to steady herself as he lifted her into his strong embrace. And she couldn't help but think that the position Jareth now held her in was a little too reminiscent of a married couple, the groom carrying the bride over the threshold to the marriage bed. _But we're not married... _yet, she added sadly.

Jareth carried Sarah over to the bed as she had known he would, and lay her gently there. His eyes rolled over her almost-naked body, taking in every aspect of her. And Sarah couldn't help but feel self-conscious as the Goblin King did so. She didn't move however; his touch was like a drug that held her intoxicated; relaxed and wanting more.

She wanted him to continue what he had been doing. _I don't_, she thought. But she was being drawn to him; she could feel her flesh prickling at the absence of his. _I do, _she corrected herself._ I do... _want_ him_. It was a hard realisation for Sarah to come to; but one that was an inescapable reality.

Sarah blinked back at Jareth, watching his movements just as he watched her. Carefully and intensely. His eyes never leaving hers, Jareth's fingers adeptly went to work on his shirt, unbuttoning and removing it in a swift and smooth motion. Those too-tight trousers and boots were gone, too, in much the same manner, and Jareth quickly discarded his clothing on the stone floor.

Sarah couldn't hold in her gasp as she stared at him. It wasn't that she'd not seen him naked before, because she _had_. The situation then had just been... _different_. _This is wrong_, she thought, but she couldn't take her eyes from Jareth's body and the part of him that proved just how ready he was for this.

_He raped you_, she told herself. But something in her was trying to convince her that that didn't matter anymore. And she had a distinct feeling that it was Jareth's magic. Sarah couldn't help ignoring that fact though. She _wanted_ to feel his body pressed against hers; she wanted to touch him just as much as she wanted him to touch her. And she knew just how wrong it was for her to think and feel such a thing.

The tiniest touch of his fingers as Jareth moved to pull down the last remaining shred of clothing that shielded her body from him had Sarah holding her breath. She didn't even offer any resistance to the action. She _couldn't_ have, no matter how much her mind screamed at her to object.

Sarah couldn't even think properly as Jareth bent down, his hands pressing into the silk sheet on either side of her, carefully keeping his skin from hers. His knees, too, came up to rest on the bed, either side of her so that he was straddling her. But, once more, Jareth kept his touch away from her.

Green eyes blinked up at the Goblin King as Sarah stared at him questioningly, her body feeling starved from the lack of his attentions, though his touch had really only been absented for mere minutes. He was _so_ close though. And Sarah could just _so_ easily reach out and touch him. Clinging to the last thread of self-respect that she had, Sarah pointedly refused to do such a thing.

"I want you, Sarah. Tell me that you want _me_," Jareth said, mismatched eyes looking down on her through the small space of air lingering between them like an invisible barrier.

It wasn't a command. Yet it felt to Sarah like it was. And she couldn't control what she said right now anymore than she could control what she did. Or so she'd thought. Sarah managed to keep her lips together enough to stop any words from slipping free from between them.

Dipping his head down so that the tips of his long, blond hair settled on the bed, pooling and entwining with hers, Jareth brushed his lips softly over her eyelashes, and sent tickling tremors through her.

As he pulled back, he ordered in a whisper, "Now."

_It's one little word, Sarah. Just tell him to stop and he _has_ to_, Sarah thought. But another little part of her, that was suddenly not so little anymore, thought, _Say it. It's only _three_ little words and he'll touch you again. And he'll do wonderful things to you. He wants you. And _you_ want_ him.

"I-" she started, the words hanging on the edge of her tongue as if she hadn't decided _which_ words she wanted to let free.

Jareth stilled at the sound, waiting for her reply. And he _knew_ that he wouldn't have to wait long. He could see that his magic was working on her; he could see it in her eyes. Like an addict, her pupils were dilated. Sarah was almost utterly lost in a magic trance of what his magic wanted her to do.

"I- I want..."

"_Say it_," the Goblin King commanded as she trailed off.

"I want... you," Sarah whispered, the humiliation she felt in admitting such a thing almost overwhelming.

But if it was the price she had to pay to get his hands to touch her again, to roam over her body in pleasurable pathways; then she would say it. Because she- or the magic he'd placed on her- wanted that far more than she wanted to hold to herself. At least, right now anyway.

Jareth's smirk spread across his face as he tilted his head and pressed another kiss to Sarah's already kiss-rouged lips. The kiss didn't last long however, as he trailed down her neck until, finally, focussing his attention on her breasts. Sarah's back arched into him when he captured her in his lips.

She shivered as he bestowed his attentions on one breast and then the other. And she wanted to feel more of him on her, touching her; but Jareth was careful enough to keep the rest of his body just far enough away so that his skin didn't even so much as brush hers.

Sarah couldn't help letting a moan slip free of her lips as a result of his ministrations and almost immediately wished that she hadn't. Because, on hearing the noise escape her, Jareth moved his attentions away from her breasts, leaving her breathing heavily.

Jareth adjusted his weight as he repositioned himself. Using a knee to further widen her already slightly-parted legs, he settled himself between them. Sarah moaned again as his lips pressed a pathway down her naked skin, each touch sending a burst of pleasurable sensation through her.

It didn't take Jareth long to find the part of her that he wanted to as he lifted his lips from her body and moved his hands to rest on her knees, pulling them even further apart. Sarah shuddered when his lips found her body once again, just not in the place that she'd expected.

His lips pressed closed and together, the Goblin King placed a soft and chaste kiss against her sex. Sarah couldn't stop herself from shuddering at the sensation. Before she could even dwell on such a thing, Jareth's tongue darted out, and he ran it upwards in a tantalisingly slow motion from her entrance all the way up to her clit.

Sarah moaned, unable to stop herself from releasing the sound and shifting slightly as his tongue explored her, settling for a moment to slowly lick her clit. She squirmed when he took her into his mouth, sucking her gently and using his tongue to massage her in a way that made Sarah want to scream.

Her fingers curled into the sheet at her sides as Jareth used his mouth to make her feel things she didn't think that she'd _ever_ want to feel because of Jareth's doing. Sarah lost track of time- she lost track of everything- as his ministrations continually worked against her.

He hadn't done _this_ to her before. He hadn't done this last time at all. Whatever he was doing was so much better than _anything_ that he'd done to her before. But before the sensation could become too overwhelming, Jareth went one step further in his attempts to please her.

Sarah felt him move; readjust himself, though she didn't know why for a moment. But when she felt his finger slip inside of her she knew. The way he moved inside of her had her making noises that Jareth had longed to hear her make. The feel of the heat of her core and the wetness he'd created in her had Jareth seeking only to push her further.

And the combined efforts of his fingers, his lips and his tongue had Sarah hanging on the edge of a release that Jareth so wanted her to achieve. Sarah couldn't help but reach her hands down and entwine them in his long, already-dishevelled hair, her hands only encouraging his movements.

She couldn't believe what she was doing. It was like she no longer had any power over her movements; she was lost to the feelings he was sparking from deep within her. She was lost to his magical seduction. And it felt _so_ _good._

Her breath coming out in huffs, Jareth finally plunged another finger inside of her. Feeling her still-tight walls clench around his fingers, he groaned. And that _long_ groan vibrating through her was enough to finally send Sarah over the edge.

Jareth felt her body clamp down on his finger as her climax sent rhythmic bursts through her entire body. She cried out as waves of heat and pure pleasure shocked and shook her body. The Goblin King groaned again as he lifted his head from her, revelling in the fact that he had finally been able to provide her with the bliss that he was _long_ overdue in giving her.

When the aftershocks that rocked Sarah's body finally subsided, Jareth withdrew his fingers from her. A smirk turned Jareth's lips as he stared at her, his expression as maddening to her as the things he had just been doing.

"That was..." Sarah started, her voice shaky.

"I told you you'd enjoy it," Jareth replied, his wide grin reaching and lighting his eyes.

The Goblin King shifted, positioning himself over her once again. Sarah could feel his arousal pressed against her entrance, and she lost herself in the feel of him. Lost herself in the kiss that he placed on her lips, his tongue slipping into her mouth so that she was forced to taste herself.

Sarah squirmed beneath Jareth, unable to stop herself from grinding herself against him. Shock had Jareth's brows shooting upward slightly, but his smirk didn't falter when he pulled back from their kiss.

"Isn't _someone_ a bit eager?" he teased.

A strange sort of pain flashed over Sarah's features as if she had almost regained control of herself for a second. But the moment soon past and Sarah only just stopped her words from slipping out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Instead, she replaced them with a dismissal, and whispered, "Shut up, Jareth."

And, with that, Sarah wrapped an arm around Jareth's neck and crushed her lips to his. That one little action _did_ surprise Jareth. Regardless of their bond, and the magic that created it, he hadn't quite expected her to submit herself to its power so easily. He hadn't expected her to actively participate, encouraging him to go further. It was more than he could have hoped for.

Taking that as an indication of her eagerness, Jareth slowly pushed into her, sheathing his shaft inside her until he reached her core. Sarah's moan was swallowed in his mouth as he filled her; and as her hips rose slightly to meet his.

A wave of contentment washed over her at the realisation that they were joined. His being inside of her felt _right_. It felt... _comfortable_; though she had no idea why. _It _has_ to be his magic_, she thought as she fought against another loud moan that threatened to spill from her lips.

She hated herself for doing as she did, but he was irresistible to her. He wasn't what Sarah wanted; he was what she _needed_. Sarah didn't _like_ the thought of it; she didn't even _like _the thought of her being joined with Jareth.

The point, she knew, was that if she was going to _have_ to suffer his touch; his presence, then she might as well do it in a way that meant that she was granted _some_ pleasure. In a way that meant that she was granted some reprieve from the pain and suffering that had engulfed her life.

Jareth thrust himself in and out of her in _long_, languorous strokes that had Sarah helpless in a haze of pleasure. She found herself wondering back to the first time that they'd been together. How much she'd hated it. Despite the fact that it had been rape, the pain of losing the virginity that she had so prided had overwhelmed any other feeling that Jareth could have given her.

_This_ time it was different. _This_ time she could feel every ounce of pleasure that oozed from his touch. And Sarah liked it. Regardless of what had been and what was; she liked what Jareth was doing and how he was making her feel. So Sarah bucked her hips against his, silently urging him to move faster- harder- inside of her. And, silently, Jareth complied, increasing the pace of each steady thrust into her.

Soon, both were breathing heavily. Soon, both were in need of their release. And when it finally came, the jolts hit Sarah harder than they had the first time. Her body shuddered around Jareth as the tremors ran through her and she didn't even try to hold back her loud cry at the feeling of him filling her. The feeling of his seed spilling inside her; at the moment, not the least bit concerned as to the perhaps-consequences of such a thing.

She heard Jareth, too, reach his orgasm; and the sound of it was almost too much for her to bear. It made her want to do everything that they had just done twice over. It made her want him _more_. But after lingering only a moment as their breathing calmed, Jareth pulled himself out of her. And Sarah couldn't help but feel a distinct emptiness without him there.

Jareth's touch remained, however, and they lay together that night, in Sarah's bed. One of Jareth's arms had circled around her shoulders, while the other rested lightly but comfortably on her prominent hip bone. Sarah's head lay in the dip between Jareth's chest and shoulder. And she couldn't help but once again feel comfortable. She couldn't help but feel like everything was _right_.

* * *

Everything was _wrong_. An hour after drifting into a relaxed sleep, her body entangled with that of the Goblin King; her future _husband_, Sarah's eyes had snapped open. She didn't move, or alert the sleeping fae in any way to the fact that she was awake. Sarah merely froze.

As Jareth slept on, Sarah realised what a fool she had been. _What have you done, Sarah?_ she asked herself, a tear trailing down the side of her face and pooling in a tiny droplet on Jareth's skin. She had _let_ herself have sex with Jareth, and she was only now realising the consequences of her actions.

Sarah felt _awful_ despite the sense of relaxed satisfaction her body felt at being handled in such a way. _It was wrong_, she thought. _I _hate_ him. _But the quiet little voice in the back of her mind- the part of her that had encouraged Sarah to tell Jareth she wanted him- had chimed in,_ But you let him do it._ Sarah blinked.

_You encouraged him. You could have stopped him at any point and he would have had to obey. But you _didn't._ You wanted it, and you wanted him. The only person that you can rightfully blame is _yourself. The voice continued to torment Sarah with things she knew to be true; realities that she avoided thinking about.

Sarah closed her eyes again and let out a silent sigh. The thing she most hated about the whole experience was not the Goblin King's smirk; or the sense of triumph in his eyes. It was the fact that she'd enjoyed it. The fact that it felt so right to be with Jareth, entangled and as one.

But it _wasn't_ right; and she knew it. _Isn't there some sort of mental illness or syndrome that fits this description?_ she wondered briefly, her mind flickering back to news reports of women who had fallen for their rapist. _You're _not_ falling for him_, Sarah reminded herself, adding almost doubtfully, _It's just the magic_.

And Sarah drifted back into an uneasy sleep, her mind filled with regrets and uncertainties.

* * *

**Author's Note: Overdue **_**again**_**, I know. Apologies guys. :/ I've been really busy, what with work, getting into University, passing my A levels and stuff. So I hope that this was worth the wait anyway. :) Please do let me know what you think.**

**Also, since I'm actually starting Uni soon, I hope you guys will bear with me while my updates might be a little more erratic than usual. :)**

**Kit xx**


	16. The Things One Tries To Forget

When she woke the next morning, Sarah found that Jareth was still beside her. What was worse, at least for her, was that her body and his had, at some point in the night, become entangled once again. Their legs were twisted together and Jareth's arm draped over Sarah just as hers did over him.

She opened her eyes to realise that her face was nuzzled into the crook of Jareth's neck; and with a sigh, Sarah quickly understood that there was no way that she was going to be able to squirm out of that position without Jareth waking up. _Why do you even want to move?_ a voice in the back of her mind asked her. _Because it's _him._ And no matter what I agreed to last night, I don't want to stay in his arms longer than I have to_, Sarah argued with herself. _Do I?_

Feeling the breath of her long sigh ripple over his skin, Jareth opened his eyes. He'd been awake for some time now; he just hadn't seen the worth in moving away from a position that it had taken him so long to convince Sarah into.

"Good morning, Sarah," he whispered, feeling her body tense as she realised that he, too, was awake.

He regretted speaking almost as soon as he had; because Sarah's arms quickly withdrew from around him, and she untangled her legs from him in an attempt to pull away. But just because she'd let go, didn't mean that _he_ had to. Not until she said those words.

"Get off me, Jareth," she said, one of her hands pushing against his chest.

And, with that, the Goblin King grudgingly released her and watched as she rolled away from him until she sat upright with her legs draped over the side of the bed. Jareth shifted himself a little, using his elbow to support himself as his head rested in his palm.

The red, morning dawn of the Labyrinth swept in through the window and Sarah stood out magnificently in the light. Jareth's eyes followed the line of her spine all the way up the length of her bare back. He watched as she pulled her dark hair around to drape it over one shoulder, trailing her fingers through the dark and slightly-tangled tresses as she did so.

Jareth had no idea what was going through Sarah's mind as she sat there; and she was glad of it. She was feeling strangely... _empty_ without his touch. She knew that that was just the magic that bound them making her feel such a thing, but she was fighting against her body's urge to return to her place in his arms.

_What am I _doing? she thought with a frown. _I agreed to marry him; of course this was going to happen- of course this _is _going to happen._ The thought hit her then that she was willingly surrendering herself to Jareth's touch and just... _Jareth_ in general.

The thing that constantly nagged at her though, was that Jareth had raped her. He had stolen her dignity, her pride and her virginity in one fell swoop. And she couldn't get past that. _You're going to _have_ to get over what happened,_ she told herself._ It's the only way that you'll be able to survive the rest of your life with him._

"Jareth?" she whispered.

"Yes, love?" he answered, noticing the tentative tone of her voice.

"I... I need you to do something for me," Sarah said, her voice no louder than before.

"And what would that be, love?"

Swallowing the lump that seemed to appear in her throat, she answered, "I need you to make me forget."

Jareth blinked and immediately pushed himself upright. His brows had arched into a deep frown, his mismatched eyes set firmly on the back of Sarah's head.

"_Sarah_," he started, his voice edged with a growl.

"I will _not_ help you forget about last night-"

But Sarah interrupted Jareth before he could get any further into his sudden burst of anger.

"_Not_ last night."

Jareth froze. He had almost let a misunderstanding carry him away. It was hard for him not to immediately jump to such a conclusion, however; Sarah was continually doing things that frustrated him. She was continually denying what she felt for him, so _naturally_ he had assumed that she wanted to forget what had transpired between them the previous night.

"Look at me, Sarah," Jareth commanded, his voice calmer and softer than it had been just a moment ago.

Hesitantly, Sarah turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. She wore an expression of conflicted emotions; her teeth nibbling at her bottom lip, worrying the soft skin there. It was a while before she could even force her eyes up to meet his; and when she did, she was surprised to see none of the anger that she'd heard in his voice moments earlier.

"What do you want to forget, love?" Jareth asked, voice still soft.

Sarah closed her eyes again before speaking. She couldn't face looking at the Goblin King while she spoke words that she knew would bring him such immense pleasure.

"I want... I _need_ to forget that you raped me."

Jareth said nothing for a moment; his mouth merely hung slightly open as he fought to make sense of what he'd just heard Sarah say. He couldn't quite decide if his ears had deceived him.

_Did she really say that she wanted to forget what I had to do?_ he thought blankly, still staring at her. It was too good to be true. She had once sworn to him that forget that was something she would never do; and he wondered what it was that had changed her mind so drastically. As he was about to ask, he stopped, because Sarah, her eyes still closed, started speaking again.

"Please be under no illusion, Jareth; I'm not doing this because I love you- or _anything_ of the sort. I'm doing this because I agreed to marry you, and if I have to be with you for the rest of my life and the only thing I can remember is that you raped me, it'll kill me. I know it will, because I was thinking about it just now. And I can tell you now that _that_ memory will _not_ fade in time."

He was almost a little disappointed to hear her say that, but he brushed the feeling aside. _At least it's a step in the right direction_, he thought. _Things will change once she has forgotten_.

"Sarah-" Jareth started, but he once again found himself interrupted by Sarah.

"_Please_?" she asked, her voice almost pleading.

She needn't have asked again. Jareth was more than pleased to acquiesce to her request. Doing so would make life so much easier for both of them; and it would stop her from so stubbornly refusing him all the time. No, Jareth had no problem with granting _this_ wish of Sarah's.

"As you wish, Sarah," she heard him say, before feeling the bed shift slightly as Jareth moved closer to her.

When she opened her eyes, Sarah found that Jareth was sat beside her. She blinked slightly and turned her head back to him, not knowing how he was to make her forget. If she had been expecting a flick of his wrist and a wave of glitter, then she was very much mistaken.

The Goblin King took Sarah's chin in his hand and, gently, he tilted her head so that her lips grazed his. The slight brush of their lips brought a soft tingling sensation to Sarah's skin. The sensation only became stronger when Jareth pressed his lips to hers more forcefully, until the almost-tickling feeling had spread throughout her entire body.

Jareth's lips quickly withdrew from Sarah, and, as soon as they had, the tingling sensation withdrew too. Only it didn't tickle or tingle as it disappeared; it burnt. It was like someone scraping razorblades through her insides; and the mere second in reality that she actually felt that sharp pain, Sarah could have sworn was a lifetime.

But it was over; and the pain subsided in an instant. And then everything went dark.

* * *

Sarah's eyes opened slowly, and she found herself, once again, cradled in the Goblin King's arms. She groaned and lifted her head from Jareth's chest. Seeing that she was awake, Jareth helped her sit up, though he held her still in his lap. _When did I get here?_ she wondered vaguely, but pushed the question aside as there were many more that were more important right now.

"What happened?" she questioned, her voice a little shaky.

"I helped you forget," was Jareth's simple reply.

Her brow creased slightly as she asked, "Forget _what?_"

A small glimmer of amusement shining in his eyes, Jareth bent his head and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Nothing, love."

But seeing the doubt still lining her features, Jareth added, "There would hardly be a point in you asking me to help you forget something merely to tell you again straight after, now would there?"

"I _asked_ you to help me forget something?"

Jareth sighed slightly, and answered, "The side effects of that particular spell I used have removed even any mention of the incident in question."

Sarah still seemed to be having trouble registering this information.

"So I asked you to help me forget... and that's why I can't remember a huge chuck of the last week right?"

Jareth nodded in reply and then asked, "What is the last thing that you remember?"

Sarah's green eyes flickered away from his when she answered, almost as if she was embarrassed by what she had to say.

"I... I remember waking up... With _you_... And then I sat up and..." she paused, her frown darkening.

"Then everything goes black until I woke up again just now."

Jareth nodded again, this time in understanding.

"Another side effect was that you were pulled into unconscious."

She blinked at him.

"It was for your own good, really. The memory being hidden causes an immense amount of pain that you did not feel, or if you did, you no longer remember it."

"Right..." Sarah said sceptically.

"Remind me again why I asked you to help me forget?"

This time, Jareth frowned. How to answer that without giving too much away, he was unsure; but he tried anyway.

"The memory hurt you, _constantly_... And it built a barrier between us that you felt you could not look past while it lingered; so you asked me to help you forget."

"What, so I forgot had something to do with you?"

He nodded again.

"But what...? I don't understand. I'm so confused," she started, frustration seeping through to her features.

"I know, love. Don't worry. At the moment, all of your memories will be slightly scattered. The important ones will come back to you. The ones that matter; except for the one you asked me to take away. Only an extremely powerful fae can bring that memory back," he added with a frown.

"An extremely powerful fae..." she whispered, the words seemingly triggering a memory from the depths of her mind.

"Tebras," she gasped.

Jareth scowled. _Yes, Tebras _could_ make that memory return; just as I could. But he'll never get the chance._

"Wasn't there... wasn't there something important... _oh_," she finished, finally remembering flashes of information about the King of the Darklands.

"Did we... you and I; did we have... sex? The second day that I was back in the Underground?" she asked, bemused.

Jareth couldn't help but blink at her. Something in her had managed to retain that sliver of information. _Perhaps I should have been more careful when I locked the memory away_, he thought to himself. But he did find it intriguing that she thought she'd willing had sex with him that day. _How much different would things be if she thought that?_ he mused. _Or if she'd _done _that._  
So, out of curiosity as to what Sarah would do next, Jareth simply replied, "Yes."

"I, er... I don't really remember," Sarah mumbled, as if she was almost afraid that she would insult him by saying such a thing.

Jareth merely laughed in response, a soft, humour-filled chuckle that made his chest shake with its rhythm.

"As long as you remember last night, I shan't be too offended," he replied once his laugh had subsided.

"Now _that_ I do remember," she replied with a small smile, a tiny blush colouring her cheeks.

"But... _why_ did we? The first time, I mean" Sarah asked eventually.

"It's just; all I can remember before that is that you were angry with me... You-y-"

"Sarah; now is not the time for questions. You asked me to help you forget, don't ask for me to reveal what you no longer wished to know."

Sarah opened her mouth to reply, but swiftly closed it again. She didn't understand. Whatever it was that had happened between just before the time that Jareth had confirmed they'd had sex and the next thing that she could remember, something drastic had changed. And Sarah couldn't figure out why that was. _But you didn't want to know. That's why you asked him to make you forget_.

Snapping Sarah from her thoughts, Jareth's hands moved to cup her cheek. His thumb lightly stroked circles over her smooth skin, and her eyes flickered back up to meet his.

"I think now, love," Jareth started eventually breaking the silence.

"That, as much as I enjoy the smell of me on you, it might be time for us to take a bath."

Sarah blinked at his proposal, for the first time noticing that they smelled of the sex they'd shared the night before. She couldn't stop a blush from rising to her cheeks once more as Jareth smirked at her reaction.

Effortlessly sweeping her up into his arms, Sarah felt herself pressed against Jareth's bare chest. She made a small noise in surprise and watched as the Goblin King's smirk only broadened in response.

"I'm pretty sure that I can walk, you know," Sarah said, one eyebrow raised.

"Perhaps; that, however, would mean that I have to stop touching you, and that is something that I am _very_ reluctant to do right now," Jareth whispered down to her.

She couldn't stop a smile coming to her lips, unaware that she had any reason to resist or loathe Jareth's touch. Only aware that the feel of Jareth's body against hers gave her a soothing sensation in place of what otherwise would have been emptiness.

Her smile remained until she noticed something odd; something she'd not seen before in the room that was now all too familiar to her.

"Is it just my memory, or was that door not there before?"

Jareth chuckled a little, walking them closer to the newly-appeared door, and then answered, "No, love. That door's not been there since you arrived."

"So wait, what? Are we going somewhere?"

"You'll see," was all Jareth said in response.

A flash of panic rolled over Sarah's features as she struggled slightly in his arms.

"Jareth, I'm _naked_. You're _naked_. We-"

"Relax, Sarah. Where we're going, clothes aren't essential."

Sarah's eyes were still wide and alarm still lit her expression until Jareth pushed the door open with his back. When he turned back Sarah finally got to see the mystery room beyond.

"A bathroom? Seriously? That's what I was worried about?"

Jareth smirked at her, finally setting her down so that her feet brushed the smooth tiles of the new room.

"And here I was thinking that a girl only needs one bathroom."

Jareth's hand remained on the small of her back and he used it to his advantage now, pulling her closer to him again. So close that his lips almost brushed hers.

"Ah, but you see, this is _my_ bathroom," he whispered against her.

"That would explain the extravagance then," Sarah smiled back before pressing her lips to his, surprising him with her eagerness.

_Of course, it _shouldn't_ surprise_ _me_, he thought. _She has no reason left now to have any doubts about me._ With that thought, he reluctantly pulled away from the kiss of the woman he loved. The woman whose memories had confused her into thinking that she wanted to be with him for more reasons than the magic bond between them.

Jareth moved away from Sarah and further into the room. With a flick of one wrist, the door that had only recently appeared in Sarah's room closed and disappeared altogether; its replacement a continuation of the sanded-stone walks that lined the rest of the large room.

The bathroom was light, through there were no windows. Sarah had no idea, in fact, where the light was coming from as there were no lamps or even candles. Dismissing the thought; however, Sarah trailed her eyes over the rest of the room. It was a stunning room. _Fit_ _for_ _a_ _King,_ Sarah thought, knowing that since it was _Jareth's_ bathroom that was really no surprise.

Every surface was seemingly smooth and spotless. Pristine and clear. And imbued and surreptitiously covered with an unsurprising coating of _glitter_. Sarah couldn't fight the small smile playing on her lips at the sight of the sparkling substance that seemed ever-present in the Underground.

After running over the length of the room, Sarah's eyes couldn't help but land on what seemed to constantly capture her attention. Jareth. Still naked, her eyes followed the contours of his lean, muscled body as he stood beside the huge bath, steam rising from the hot water.

_When did he run that?_ Sarah vaguely found herself wondering, but her concentration was soon brought straight back to Jareth as, in his usual, ever-graceful movements, Jareth lowered himself into the bath.

His head turned back around to where Sarah stood, now suddenly a little self-conscious. And it was a moment before Sarah realised that she was biting her lip, her breath held because of the expectancy in his gesture.

"Well, Sarah?"

She blinked, almost as if it took her mind some time to register what he meant by that. And when she did, she found herself blushing slightly as she so seemed to be doing that morning, and stepping towards the bath.

Sarah was soon settled beside the Goblin King, in the soothing water that was far deeper than she'd imagined it to be. _Gods it's almost like a pool,_ she thought, as she felt the water swirl around her pale form.

"Nice of you to join me, love."

She didn't answer him, but he noticed the corners of her lips twitch into an almost embarrassed smile. Quickly though, she felt herself pulled closer to Jareth. And before she knew it, Jareth's hands were on her. It took Sarah a moment to realise that he was rubbing cleansing and sweet-smelling oils into her skin; and it only took her that moment because of the way his hands worked, gently kneading the oils into her skin.

When he was finished, the look that Jareth gave her was enough to inform her of what she was supposed to do next. What he _expected_ her to do next. Sarah blinked, pausing for a second before pouring some of the oil into her palms and turning to massage it into Jareth's skin.

The only reason she paused though, was because this was unlike any bath that she'd ever taken before. The whole experience was just turning out to be so much more... _sensual _than she'd thought.

For Jareth, too, this was becoming a more pleasurable experience than even he had predicted. The way that Sarah was running her fingers over his skin was so tantalising and too much of a possible prelude to more erotic sensations. So much so that Jareth wanted to take her, right then and there, in the bath.

In a swift movement, Jareth had readjusted both of their positions so that Sarah's back pressed against the side of the bath. Water rippled and splashed around them at the sudden movement, and Sarah couldn't stop herself from letting out a small, high-pitched noise. Jareth chuckled slightly, placing his hands like a barrier on either side of Sarah.

Quietly, he whispered in her ear, "Come now, Sarah, what did you expect touching me like that would lead to."

"I-" Sarah, started, but her response was swallowed by his crushing lips.

Tilting her head to the side as she closed her eyes, Sarah was lost in Jareth's all-encompassing kiss. In the way his lips moved against hers. In the way that he hungrily parted her lips with his tongue, forcing an entrance that he wouldn't have been denied from anyway.

In the way that- _You're forgetting something, Sarah. _Sarah's eyes flashed open immediately. The voice that had just spoken to her was not one that she recognised; but it wasn't one that she could focus on as Jareth's ministrations continued to distract her.

His hands moved from their place on the bath behind Sarah, to her wrists. Slowly, the Goblin King's caressing fingers slid upward, following the natural contours of her arms. Jareth pulled back from their kiss, only to press them to her neck.

Sarah couldn't help but let a moan pass from between her kiss-swollen lips, and as her head rolled back to rest on the lip that rimmed the edge of the bath, she could almost feel the smirk in the kisses and gentle nips that he placed on her neck. That was, until the voice in her mind spoke again.

_You're _forgetting_, Sarah._

Jareth's teeth sunk into her neck, just below her jaw.

Remember, _Sarah_.

Sarah gasped, pulling in a thick burst of air through her teeth.

_Stop him._

One of his hands fell from her shoulder to cup her breast.

_STOP,_ the voice inside her yelled. Immediately, Sarah froze, having no idea why the voice was so insistent on putting a stop to what she and Jareth were about to do. What she _so_ wanted to do. And when Jareth felt her body tense he, himself, paused. Something wasn't right and he could read it easily in Sarah's expression.

"Sarah?" he asked, questioning the sudden shift in her demeanour.

"Jareth, I can't. _We _can't, not _now._"

He frowns but backs off.

"Why not?" he enquired.

"Well... It kind of defeats the object of us just getting clean, doesn't it?"

To that the Goblin King said nothing. Sarah had no reason to hate him anymore, yet still she denied herself from him. Jareth pulled away from her, moving to the other side of the bath.

He hated putting the space between them, but his vow once again forced him away. _Bide your time_, he told himself. _Bide your time until you can_ _finally put your plan to find a way around your promise into action._

Without a word, Jareth stood and left the bath. A flick of his wrist was all it took for a towel to wrap itself around his waist. And as soon as he had done that, Jareth turned back to Sarah and held out a hand for her.

Sarah blinked; Jareth's face was set into an unreadable mask, so she had no idea how he'd reacted to her pushing him away. _Have I done that before?_ she wondered, her memories still hazy and incomplete.

Not knowing the answer to that question, Sarah stood, wading through the bath until she stepped out onto the tiled floor beside Jareth. She took his hand and he pulled her toward him. And just when she thought that he was going to envelope her in his arms, a towel surrounded her instead.

"Thanks," Sarah whispered, giving him a grateful smile.

"Jareth... where are we going?" she asked when the Goblin King led her to another door of the same size and shape as the one that had led from her room.

Only this door was in a different place, so Sarah wasn't surprised when Jareth led her through into a room that wasn't the one she'd been locked in. The room she found herself in now was far more extravagant than hers had been. It was downright stunning; so much so that it made Sarah's breath catch in her throat.

It was huge; the ceiling, even, was twice as high as it had been in her room. Briefly, Sarah found herself wondering, that if Jareth's room really was so near to hers, how this castle made any sense. _Of course, it makes no sense. The _Underground_ makes no sense. It's not supposed to._

Around the large room, there were numerous velvet-covered and high-backed chairs, their legs heavily and intricately carved. The tables were much the same, just without the velvet; as were the huge wardrobe and the frame of the bed. Someone's_ a big fan of details..._ Sarah thought, wondering at the elaborate carvings engraved into the dark wood.

Covering one of the walls was a large mirror that reflected the extravagance and made the already massive room seem even larger. But Sarah had to turn her attention back to the bed because, just that in itself, would have been enough to make her hold her breath.

It was huge; bigger than the biggest king-sized bed she'd ever seen. _What is this then? _Goblin King_-sized?_ Sarah mused to herself as her eyes trailed over the soft-looking, silky-smooth red material covering the bed. The pillows too, were far larger than their normal counterparts. _Probably because _normal_ pillows would be lost in that mammoth bed..._

Sarah's head snapped to her left as Jareth clicked a fire into existence, and she saw that the ancient-looking fireplace had the same intricate detail as the wooden furniture in the room. _Huh..._ she thought silently to herself. Uncertainly, Sarah turned to Jareth with a question on the tip of her tongue.

"Yes, love, this is _my_ room," Jareth smirked at her.

"_Our_ room from now on, in fact," he added.

"What?" Sarah asked before she could stop herself.

He raised an eyebrow at her and answered, "Sarah, love, soon we'll be married. Then there'll be no need for that other room."

Sarah's mouth opened slightly and it took her a moment to register what he'd said.

"Soon? _How_ soon is _soon_?" she asked.

Jareth's lips curled into a wicked smile as he answered, "By the end of next week."

She blinked. _The end of next week?_ she thought blankly. _That really _is_ soon..._

"It would be sooner," Jareth started as he ran the back of his hand over her cheek.

"But fae weddings are just _so_ difficult to organise."

Sarah couldn't find the words to answer Jareth then. Luckily, she didn't have to though, because a frown crossed over Jareth's expression so quickly that Sarah didn't even have time to understand the look before his hand left her cheek.

"Jareth, what-?"

The Goblin King paused, his frown darkening as he replied, "I have to go. We have a visitor."

Jareth cursed almost silently under his breath before running a hand through his perfectly dishevelled hair.

"Get dressed, Sarah. I will be back."

"Wait, Jareth; it's not... _him_ is it?"

Jareth said nothing for a moment, but instead merely flicked his wrist, his armour appearing to coat over his body. As he turned to leave, Jareth paused at the door, looking back at the woman standing, worried and staring after him.

He sighed and then replied, "No. It's not Tebras."

And then he was gone, leaving Sarah dumbfounded and alone in the room that was now supposed to be hers also. Having already ran her eyes though the details of the new room that she suspected she was going to be spending a _lot_ of time in, Sarah padded over to the wardrobe. But she stopped dead before she got there.

Sarah stood in front of the mirror, staring at the woman her image reflected. She saw herself; but in a way that made her seem so much older. So much more... weathered. Her body carried bruises, both from Jareth's anger and love; both new and old. Her eyes were... _tired_. And as soon as she looked at them, the voice spoke up once more.

_REMEMBER, SARAH._

And she did. Sarah remembered everything. Everything that Jareth had allowed her to forget. It all made sense then, why the voice in her mind was telling her to stop touching Jareth. Why her body wanted the Goblin King so much, but her mind protested. Jareth had raped her; and she remembered.

_How short-lived reprieves can be..._ she thought gloomily.

* * *

When Jareth returned, he found Sarah still stood in front of the mirror. He had been gone for over an hour, and he had expected her to have obeyed his orders by the time he returned. But there she was, still clutching that towel around her otherwise-naked form.

"_Sarah,_" he started, but found that she interrupted him.

"I remember," she whispered.

Bemused, Jareth asked, "What?"

"I remember _everything_... What you did; what happened after... Why I asked you to help me forget..."

Jareth frowned as he stared at Sarah. _How is it possible that she remembers? I did not undo the memory- and Tebras is barred from her mind. Which leaves only... Nessa._ Jareth scowled. Now he had yet another bone to pick with that fae.

"You know, I thought I wanted to forget, but... I didn't like not knowing... And it obviously didn't work..." Sarah paused, considering something.

"Is there any way that you could just... make it so that I can remember but don't feel anything in regards to it... Like you did when my parents and Toby..." she trailed off; not because it was painful to say; but because she just didn't want to finish the sentence.

Jareth nodded to her.

"Why didn't we do this before?" she enquired with a pained frown.

"It's not what you asked for," he replied simply.

_"Jareth,_" Sarah warned, her voice suddenly harsh.

"Perhaps I had thought that it might be easier should you forget the incident completely."

Sarah stared at the Goblin King for a moment. _He's probably right..._ she thought sadly.

A silence stretched between them that soon became awkward.

"So... no passing out this time, right?" Sarah asked warily.

The corners of Jareth's lips twisted into a smirk as he replied, "No love, that spell I can do _without_ you passing out. However, the _kiss_ that preceded it would still be welcome."

It wasn't said as a request. A moment of brief discomfort passed over Sarah's face as she stared at the fae she was to spend the rest of her life with. _Kiss him and you won't hurt every time you have to_, she thought._ Kiss him and the pain goes away... This time you can keep yourself though. This time will be better. This time will work. This time it _has_ to._

* * *

**Author's Note: Right, well, I'm not so sure about this chapter. I'm a bit worried about it to be honest; considered re-writing the whole thing. :/ So anyway, please don't be **_**too**_** harsh on me about this chapter; but, still, I'd love to know what you think. :)**

**On a completely unrelated note, I moved into my new house on Saturday. It's kind of awesome (seriously, my room has two cupboards that Harry Potter could live in... And it's in the attic and the floor has two levels too. :D)... The only thing I'm not happy with is that my kettle set the fire alarm off at 8am this morning; so I woke everyone up, and we spent 20 minutes trying to figure out how to turn it off. Oh and I fell down the stairs. :L Clumsy Kit is back. :L ¬¬**

**Kit xx**


	17. The Fae That Likes To Play

And when she kissed him; all the pain went away. Well, not _all_ of it; but the pain she felt regarding the fact that he'd raped her disappeared completely. She felt nothing about it; not the overwhelming fear and pain that she had before. _Nothing_. But she _remembered_. And her rational mind still had enough sense to be wary of the Goblin King, whereas before, she had not even known that she had anything to be wary about.

But while he was doing it, Jareth was very careful as to what emotions he took from her. He took away her pain and disgust; the unpleasantness. But he left the lust that the bond created. He left that lust because if he took it away, Jareth knew that Sarah too might try to go.

_No_, he thought. _She needs to be at my side; safe._ Though Jareth wasn't entirely sure how safe either of them would be with _Nessa_ visiting.

"Sarah?" Jareth asked as he pulled back from her.

The woman blinked at him for a moment before taking a step back from him.

"It worked," she whispered quietly, glad that this time she could still remember that willingly going to Jareth was not something she really wanted to do.

All the response she was given to that was a simple nod of Jareth's head as he moved over to the wardrobe that she had initially been heading toward. He pulled open the doors, withdrew a long dress and closed them again before Sarah could even see the rest of its contents.

Sarah stared at the dress; in shape, it was like the others she'd worn in the day since she'd been in the Underground. Long-sleeved. Form-hugging until it reached her hips where the material hung loosely until it reached the floor. It was just like any other dress she'd worn there- all except for the fabric it was made from.

She couldn't take her eyes off of the way that it seemed to change- shimmer almost- as Jareth brought it back toward her. She wasn't even sure what colour that it was actually supposed to be as it flickered so easily between whites, silvers and golds. _It's beautiful_, Sarah couldn't help but think.

"Put this on, Sarah," Jareth said, something still clearly bothering him as he frowned slightly.

The Goblin King handed Sarah the strange-yet-beautiful dress and paced over to stand beside the door he had entered from. Sarah blinked as she realised something that obviously hadn't occurred to Jareth- or, at least, she _hoped_ that he'd merely just forgotten.

"Erm, Jareth I need-" but Sarah's voice stopped before she could even finish her sentence.

"Oh," she finished, blinking down at herself.

Sarah dropped the towel that she held about herself and let it pool at her feet. She was _more_ than surprised that Jareth had used his magic to clothe her in underwear; especially underwear that was not too revealing or lacy for her liking.

"Thanks..." she whispered, slowly pulling the dress over her head.

She was confused. Strike that, she was _more_ than confused; Sarah didn't understand what was going on in the slightest. She didn't understand why Jareth was acting about as un-Jareth-like as she could think of. The Goblin King that she knew would take any and every opportunity he was given to look at her body. _Something must really be bothering him... Something serious,_ Sarah thought blankly as she smoothed out the bottom of the dress.

As soon as her hands were away from the dress, Sarah felt her hair begin to move and shift. She turned to Jareth, who was still at the other end of the room, and she realised that it was his magic that was manipulating her hair into the style he wanted it. Sarah said nothing, but merely watched in the mirror as her hair seemed to move of its own accord into a mixture of curls and tiny ringlets. _Wow..._ Sarah thought. _I actually look... Wow._

But as Sarah turned, expecting to see Jareth staring at her, or far closer than she would have liked, she found that the Goblin King was seemingly lost in thought. She tilted her head his way and tried to figure out what had suddenly changed the way he was acting.

The only things that she could think of were either the fact that she had remembered that he'd raped her... or the mysterious visitor that he had disappeared to go and meet. Either way, Sarah was even more unsure of what Jareth might do _now_ than she had been before.

For his part, Jareth was _not_ trying to ignore the woman before him who, he knew, looked stunning in the dress he'd told her to wear. But his mind was too busy mulling over the meeting he'd just had with a fae that most certainly should _not_ have been in his castle.

* * *

When he'd left Sarah, Jareth vanished and re-appeared outside of his throne room. He was well aware of who was in his throne room, waiting for him to join her. What Jareth _didn't_ know, was where she'd gotten the nerve to actually show up in his kingdom when she was well aware of the possible consequences of making such an appearance.

Composing himself, and washing the frown from his features, Jareth pushed open the door to his throne room. It was no surprise to him that he found the place empty of Goblins; though he wasn't sure if they had vacated the area because they were more frightened of her or what he might do _because_ of her. Whatever the reason for their absence, Jareth found himself alone with Nessa.

The female fae was waiting patiently in the middle of the room, her arms crossed over herself. She looked much the same as she always had. Her sharp, fae features were diluted somewhat by the voluptuousness of her figure- a part of herself that she _never_ failed to emphasise with the clothes she wore.

Her dark hair hung straight to her hips, only parts of it braided; and the almost-pure white streaks that shone in contrast to her black hair still ran its length as they had all her life.

Nessa's head snapped around at the sound of Jareth's entrance. Immediately, a broad and beautiful grin spread across her face, her bright blue eyes lighting up at the sight of him. Jareth didn't return the gesture. To see her in his kingdom was _not_ something he saw fit to smile about.

"Why are you here?" he asked, his expression still masked as he moved over to his throne and took a seat.

"So blunt, Jareth; where _are _your manners?" the female fae replied teasingly.

"_Nessa_," Jareth warned, his voice serious.

But to that Nessa merely rolled her eyes.

"I heard about your wedding."

And, before Jareth could speak a word in response, she continued, "You need me; so don't even bother trying to send me away. Got that?"

The Goblin King narrowed his own mismatched eyes at her, trying to fathom a way around what she'd said. It was true that he needed a fae of his own blood present at his marriage to Sarah; but he had planned to contact another. Jareth did not want any of his sisters in his kingdom- and they knew _exactly_ why.

"I would have asked someone else," Jareth replied in a low voice.

"Oh, brother, get _over_ it. I'm here now. No point sending me away."

Nessa paused for a moment, her smile faltering slightly.

"Besides, I hear Tebras has his sights set on someone _else_ right now."

Jareth tensed, his fingers curling around the edge of his throne.

"So I'm pretty sure that I'm safe while he's so preoccupied."

"Nessa, you need to leave," Jareth said, straining to keep his voice calm.

"Jareth, _relax_. I'm a big girl. Tebras wouldn't dream of trying anything with me; can you _imagine_ what father would do to him?"

"Yes, and war is _exactly_ what Tebras wants, Nessa. So you are even more of a perfect target than Sarah- which is why you need to leave."

Ignoring the comment, Nessa chose to pick out a sliver of information that she thought was a better topic of conversation than her brother's fruitless insistence that she must leave.

"Just to make this clear, Jareth; this is _the_ Sarah, isn't it? The one that beat your Labyrinth?"

His frown darkening slightly, Jareth gave his younger sister a nod in reply.

"And you persuaded her to marry you... That _is_ an interesting turn of events."

"_Nessa-_"

"What? I was just curious as to what could possibly have changed; as I recall it, the last chance you gave her to be with you, she reje-"

"_Enough_," Jareth ordered, his tone too serious for Nessa to ignore.

"I _am_ aware of certain things that you have been... _obliged_ to do. I just wondered how you managed to convince the girl."

"What _things_ are you aware of, Nessa?" Jareth asked sharply.

In response, the female fae merely smirked at him. And it didn't take the Goblin King long to put two things together that he realised he should have thought of before. _Only an extremely powerful fae can bring that memory back_.

"You warned her, Nessa. You tried to make her remember."

Nessa's eyes twinkled as she simply answered, "Naturally."

"Why?" Jareth asked, biting back the frustration that only Sarah and his sisters ever seemed to bring out in him.

"I couldn't let you have it all the easy way, Jareth... You know me," she said, amusement edging her tone.

"Indeed I do," Jareth scowled at her.

After a moment's pause, she added, "I could take away the other spells you placed on her too."

"_Nessa_," Jareth warned, his eyes suddenly flashing dark.

That warning certainly put Nessa on notice. Though she still smiled his way and held to her provocative attitude, Nessa did not mean to hurt her brother. The almost-panic she saw in him at that had warned her more than his words ever could that it was imperative she do nothing- no matter how much she might enjoy tampering with relationships.

"But I wouldn't do that to you, brother, now, would I? Perhaps someone else. But I have to leave you with a _few_ of your little tricks now, don't I?"

Jareth seemed to visibly relax for a moment, knowing that his sister understood that if she did anything with those spells, she would be crossing a line that was not to be crossed- by _anyone_.

"But I would _so_ like to meet her, Jareth. Particularly if she is to become my sister-in-law."

Jareth's jaw locked slightly with those words. Introducing Sarah to Nessa was _not_ something that he had wanted to do. Sarah was still human, and his sister had a _long_ history of manipulating humans. If Sarah stepped one foot out of line with Nessa, they could both be in serious trouble.

But Jareth merely nodded his head at her once more and answered, "It is about time we ate; if you would care to join us, I will bring Sarah shortly."

Nessa grinned at him.

"I know where to go, brother," she interrupted before Jareth could direct her.

"I shall be eagerly awaiting the arrival of your future bride."

With that, she was gone, leaving a small sprinkle of glitter in her place. And, with that, Jareth put his head in his hands and let out a long, deep sigh. _This is _not_ what I need_, he thought, contemplating how badly introducing Sarah and Nessa might go.

* * *

As he leaned against the wall beside the door, Jareth once again found himself frustrated by his sister. He hadn't known that Nessa had completely removed that spell from Sarah. She hadn't revealed it during their conversation. Jareth wished she _had_ said something, so that he could have been more prepared. But, Nessa hadn't.

So Jareth was now left wondering what _else_ Nessa would interfere with without giving him any notice. And he knew that that was a serious problem, because Nessa's version of interfering could prove fatal- and, in fact, _had_ in the past. Jareth was well aware that he had to warn Sarah before he took her anywhere near his sister.

"Jareth?"

Blinking out of his thoughts, Jareth looked up to see Sarah standing before him, staring blankly at him. As soon as his eyes rolled over her though, Jareth saw how breathtaking his wife-to-be was in the dress made from Goblin thread. _Perfect_, he thought; yet he couldn't help but wonder if that would work against them when he introduced Sarah to his sister.

"Sarah," Jareth replied, his voice soft.

A look of confusion crossed Sarah's expression for a moment, as if she didn't understand what was causing him to act in such a way. _Of course, she doesn't understand; she's never met Nessa before_, he thought.

"Before we leave, there are a few things that I should tell you."

Sarah blinked, even more surprised at Jareth's sudden willingness to give her information. _What the fuck is going on?_ Sarah thought, with no idea what had changed in the Goblin King.

"You remember the visitor that I just went to see?"

Sarah nodded.

"It was my sister."

The woman blinked, and then asked, "You have a sister?"

"I have three, but that is beside the point. Nessa is the one that we have to worry about right now."

"Wait, _worry_? I thought you just said that she was your sister?"

"I did. But she's still... dangerous... Particularly for _you_- for a human."

Sarah couldn't hold back a frown as she met those mismatched eyes. _What _is _it with the fae! _she thought. _Can't they just be _nice _for once?_

"Great. Just what I need," Sarah muttered sarcastically.

Jareth's expression mimicked hers for a moment as he said, "Indeed."

"But, you see, you are about to meet my sister, and there are a few things that you must know about Nessa."

He paused for a moment, running a gloved hand through his hair.

"My sister likes to spend time Aboveground; she likes... _interfering_ with mortals. Aboveground, in the past, she went under the pseudonym Hedone."

When nothing seemed to register on Sarah's face as he'd thought it would, Jareth continued, "Think about what you know of Greek mythology, Sarah. My sister was known to mortals as _wanton_ _pleasure_; here in the Underground, she is much more powerful. Here she likes to play with both lust and love- so _do_ _not_ provoke her Sarah."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Besides, I already have enough issues in those particular areas," she answered, trying to mask the fact that pretty much the only thought running through her head was, _Shit, shit, shit, shit._

Jareth scowled at her.

"This is serious, Sarah. Nessa is not to be trifled with. One wrong step and she can be worse than Tebras."

_Or you_, Sarah thought, but didn't dare to voice _that_ particular opinion.

"So, _why_ am I meeting her? Wouldn't it just be easier and safer for me to just stay here while _you_ go and see her?"

"Nothing is _ever_ easy..." he sighed.

"_She_ wants to meet _you_, Sarah, and it will be far worse if you don't come now."

_Fantastic_, Sarah thought. _So it's either meet the psycho sister or have her hate me and be potentially worse off later. _Great_ choices._

"Okay... So... How am I supposed to not piss her off then?"

"For starters, that use of language should be tempered as I have already told you," Jareth replied, his tone suddenly harsh.

"You need to watch what you say; do not speak unless spoken to or unless you can avoid it. _Definitely _say nothing about our relationship. Given even the smallest sliver of information, Nessa can twist things out of proportion."

_Right... _crap_, _Sarah thought.

"Also, you need not to react when I touch you. What Nessa would do if she saw that, well..."

"Well I _wouldn't_ react if you didn't touch me," Sarah replied before she could stop herself.

"_Sarah_," Jareth cautioned.

"_Okay_... So, I guess I say nothing and do nothing then?"

For a moment, Jareth paused, and then he nodded. In this case, Sarah _not_ acting like herself was probably the best course of action. Sarah took a breath and once again found herself thinking, _What have you gotten yourself in for, Sarah? _But as Jareth took her hand, he pulled Sarah from her thoughts.

"So we go then?" she asked almost nervously.

"Yes. Just remember what I've said. She _will_ try to provoke _you_, Sarah, so you must remember."

Sarah nodded. As Jareth tried to pull her toward the door, she paused. The Goblin King met her eyes questioningly.

"Out of curiosity, what were you...?"

Jareth merely stared at her blankly.

"You know, your _sister_ was Hedone... What were you?"

Jareth rolled his eyes at Sarah. He couldn't believe she was asking about something so ridiculous as that after he had just explained the seriousness of the situation. _Did I not make myself clear?_

Trying to brush off the subject, Jareth answered, "Sarah, I have a job to do and a Kingdom to run; I have very little time to play with humans.

Sarah frowned at him for a second.

"You've really been the Goblin King for that long?"

Jareth scowled again.

"Time works differently here in the Underground, Sarah."

"Oh... Right..."

_Women_, Jareth silently cursed, wondering when his life had become so frustratingly complicated.

* * *

In a flurry of magic, Jareth and Sarah appeared before a set of double doors, ornately carved with twisting vines and ivy leaves. Soundlessly, Jareth gave her hand a small squeeze before releasing it and then placing his palm against the wooden door.

The vines seemed to writhe and curl until the doors pushed open slowly. And Sarah found herself holding her breath out of nervousness as the adjoining room was revealed to her.

The room was large, yet strangely empty. The walls were tall, made of stone that was smooth and suspiciously pristine. In the back of her mind, Sarah guessed that the goblins- and their extremely dirty, sticky fingers- were obviously _not_ allowed inside this room.

But at the forefront of her mind, Sarah was focussed on one thing only. At the room's centre, stood a small, round table covered in a white table cloth that _almost_ reached the floor. Around it were three, high-backed chairs, only one of which was occupied.

The woman- the _fae_- that Sarah saw was... there was no word to describe her other than stunning. The crimson material of her dress clung tightly to her curvaceous body until blossoming with its fishtail skirt, contrasting shockingly against her near-translucent skin.

Sarah almost felt the need to look away as her eyes travelled up the fae and were met with the sight of her rather too-revealed chest. _Wanton lust remember, Sarah_, she thought to herself, quickly shifting her gaze to the female's face. Her features were sharp, just as Jareth's were; but Sarah barely noticed.

Sarah was drawn to those entrancing blue eyes that, at that very moment, were staring straight back at her. She quickly looked down, but not quick enough to miss the smirk that took over Nessa's voluptuous lips.

Later, Sarah would wonder at her use of the word 'voluptuous' to describe Nessa. _It's funny,_ she would think. _That's the word that Bram Stoker used to describe the three vampire women. Beautiful; and _deadly.

"Well, well, well," the voice said, startling Sarah out of her thoughts.

"The Goblin King and his bride to be."

Nessa's voice was like honey; so smooth, so... _sensuous_. And so edged with a hidden danger that Sarah could almost feel a shiver running up her spine. The female fae's brows rose as she looked on the woman who was to be her sister in law before turning to her brother.

"You placed another spell on her?"

Sarah blinked. Nessa hadn't actually spoken a word directly to her and yet she was already ignoring her; bypassing her as if she was a mere object to be discussed. It annoyed Sarah, but she said nothing. _Do not provoke her_, Jareth's voice rang through her mind.

How this fae even know that she had a spell put on her was a mystery that Sarah was going to have to live with unanswered. _What _spell Nessa was referring to was the mystery that was really bothering her, however.

"She _asked_," Jareth replied curtly, tilting his head to the side slightly.

Sarah relaxed a little; only because she was now aware of what spell Nessa was talking about. But, even so, Sarah was still extremely unsure of Jareth's sister; she had no idea what the female fae before her was thinking as those bright eyes flickered back to her, trailing over her form.

"You certainly know how to pick your women, don't you, Jareth?" Nessa said, her tongue running over her bottom lip.

But, with that, Nessa turned her head and picked up the tea cup before her, taking a sip of the steaming liquid inside.

Still in the doorway, Sarah whispered to Jareth, "Was that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?"

Jareth didn't turn his head to acknowledge her, but Sarah could see the flash of irritation on his face at her speaking.

But he answered anyway, "With Nessa? Probably both."

Jareth took Sarah's arm and led her though into the room where his sister waited. Nessa didn't look back at them as Jareth pulled back a chair for Sarah and then sat himself, placing body between his sister and Sarah.

"Tea, Sarah?" Jareth asked, trying to break the awkward tension and silence that was growing by the second.

Sarah blinked and turned his way, for a moment disconcerted that Jareth had spoken to her when he'd basically told her to try and remain invisible.

"Um, yes, please," she answered after a short pause.

"You're not sure? You should be sure before you answer," Nessa chipped in; the only sound following her voice was the clinking of her cup being placed back on its saucer.

"I'm just pointing out that if you're uncertain about something as simple as this, what other more difficult answers might you be struggling with?

Sarah said nothing. Um was apparently a bad answer; so Sarah figured that everything else that she had to say would likely be the same. _Best to stay silent_, she thought, remembering what Jareth had said._ Even if she _is_ trying to provoking me._ Jareth quirked a brow at Sarah but, he too, said nothing as he waved a hand and a cup of hot tea appeared before Sarah.

"Hm," was all that Nessa said in response to Sarah's silence.

"Nessa?" Jareth asked, turning Nessa's scrutinising gaze from Sarah when he gestured to her now-empty cup.

"Thank you, brother."

Another long silence took up residence between the room's three occupants that neither Sarah nor Jareth were willing to break this time. So the two of them waited for Nessa to speak; to say something. The fae woman took another sip of her tea, seemingly ignoring the fact that the steam rising from it signalled its boiling nature.

"You've set the date, then?" Nessa suddenly asked, changing the subject.

Jareth looked up at his sister, and he nodded once.

"The end of next week."

"So soon, brother."

"With our current situation, sooner seemed to be the better option."

"_Ah_, you mean, Tebras," Nessa said.

"Yes," Jareth answered.

"Speaking of Tebras, you still should not have come."

One of Nessa's brows rose as she looked pointedly at Jareth.

"And who else would you have called for your wedding? Nyx? Mariana?"

Jareth's expression soon turned serious.

"You know very well that I would not have them here just as I would not have you."

"They wouldn't have been bold enough to come anyway," Nessa shrugged.

For her part, Sarah was confused. She had no idea who Nyx and Mariana were, but it was clear that Nessa had struck a nerve in Jareth at their mention.

"No; you always were my most... _confident_ sister."

Sarah blinked. _So Nyx and Mariana are his other sisters,_ Sarah realised, quickly understanding that Jareth had purposefully revealed that to her in his last comment. For that, she was grateful. She didn't need to be any more lost than she already was.

"_Confident_? That's a new one, Jareth," Nessa replied with an amused smirk.

"Well," Jareth started, his own expression mimicking hers.

"There are a number of other words that I could use to describe you-"

Nessa reached out and lightly slapped her brother's arm in a mocking attempt to scold him. And conversation paused as she rolled her eyes and let out a small laugh. But, after a moment, Nessa's attention flickered again, back to Sarah this time.

"Are you enjoying your time in the Underground?" Nessa asked, blue eyes staring intently at her.

Sarah stilled under her intent gaze. _No_, was the honest answer; but she wasn't going to tell Nessa that. But what she could say without outright lying, Sarah didn't know. Sarah's eyes flashed to Jareth's, seeking some sort of help with her dilemma.

But she quickly wished that she hadn't looked at him at all; for his expression was blank and he gave no indication as to what her answer should be. _I hate you, Jareth_, Sarah thought, mentally cursing that he had put her in this situation.

"It's... different," Sarah commented, finally.

"Smart answer," Nessa replied immediately.

"Smarter than the lie you wanted to tell anyway."

Sarah was immediately more uncomfortable at the mention that this fae could read what she was thinking so easily. But Sarah avoided shifting; she avoided anything that might show the female that she was at all uncomfortable. _Just stay still and try not to draw any attention to yourself. Don't provoke her_, Sarah repeated over and over in her mind.

"How is it that my brother convinced you to agree to marry him?"

Sarah went blank. _Crap, crap, crap. I can't _lie,_ that'll make things worse_._ How do I answer...?_ But, thankfully, Jareth rescued Sarah from having to answer that particular question.

"Now, now, Nessa; you have to leave us with _some_ air of mystery."

"Can't blame me for asking, Jareth," Nessa shrugged at her brother.

"As my only brother, you can hardly expect me not to be... _interested_ in your choice of wife. She is human, after all-"

"_Nessa_," Jareth warned quickly.

"You know very well that I have no problem with humans- I've had my fair share of them myself. This one just intrigues me."

"I have a _name_," Sarah blurted out before she could stop herself.

Immediately she realised what she'd done and looked down, away from those blue eyes that had suddenly sparked at her comment.

"And apparently you have a voice too," Nessa smirked, amusement lining her voice.

Even though she was still staring at the table, Sarah could feel Jareth's glare boring into her. _Fuck, I'm going to pay for that one later_, she thought, wishing that she'd kept her mouth shut.

"Nice to see that you haven't lost the spirit that helped you beat the Labyrinth."

Sarah blinked and looked up at Nessa quickly. _How does _she_ know that my _'spirit' _helped me beat Jareth's Labyrinth? Was it even my spirit that had helped me through it? Does it even matter?_ her thoughts whirled through her mind.

"If she had lost that, then she wouldn't be the same Sarah that I fell in love with," Jareth put in.

"Like she wasn't when you used your magic to hide that memory away?"

Jareth frowned at his sister but said nothing; he merely gave her a stony glare as she took another sip of her tea. A smile flashed across Nessa's face at the instant discomfort she'd brought between Sarah and her brother.

"Well, as _enlightening_ as this meeting was, I must be getting back to my room," Nessa said, disappearing in a flourish of sparks.

Sarah blinked, and confusedly asked, "What just happened?"

"_Nessa_ just happened," Jareth replied with a long sigh.

"You spoke when you ought to have said nothing," he added after a while.

"She was-" Sarah started in protest.

"Provoking you; as I _told_ you she would. And now I have to spend more of my energy protecting you from Nessa too."

"Wait a second, I wouldn't have _had_ to say anything if _you_ had. She's _your_ sister, and this is _your_ castle, can't you just... I don't know, do _something_... You act as if she's the one that's in control here."

Something in Jareth's eyes flashed as his expression quickly turned dark. Sarah soon realised what she'd said and wished that she hadn't opened her mouth at all. Biting her bottom lip, Sarah's eyes followed Jareth as he stood, moving to tower over her.

"Let us just get this straight, Sarah. My sister _is_ who she is. I would not change or temper that for anything. But I _would_ protect you from anything she should try to do."

He paused.

"That makes no sense," Sarah frowned, taking advantage of his momentary silence.

Jareth's voice turned more harsh and serious as he replied, "What I mean, is that I would not change the way she acts or the things she says _unless _they were to cause you harm. Aside from that... It may actually be impossible to control my sister in _some_ instances."

_So I'm fucked then, _Sarah thought to herself

"But I will not allow you hurt, Sarah. Physically _or_ mentally."

"Wait, what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Sarah asked, more than confused by that last comment.

"Never mind, Sarah," Jareth answered, brushing away her question.

He surprised her then, as his expression softened slightly and he placed his hand gently down upon her shoulder. Sarah blinked up at him, her bewilderment evident in the way that her features creased.

"All will be fine, Sarah. I won't let any harm come to you."

_Yeah_... _Right_... Sarah thought, almost certain that he had just about as much idea of exactly how much could go wrong as she did.

"By the way, love," Jareth added, bending to whisper in her ear.

"You look stunning."

Sarah sighed. _Could_ _he be any _more_ confusing?_

* * *

**Author's Note: Soooooooo, thoughts on Nessa?**

**Oh, and in response to a couple of reviews that I've been given that I can't reply to because they're not signed in or members or whatever; I don't usually like to comment against how people feel about my story because literature that provokes emotion is always great and I welcome different interpretations garnered from my writing. **_**However**_**;**

**Jareth is coming off **_**exactly**_** as I want him to. Please understand, the way he's acting is a lot down to the stressful and painful memories of his past- and, sometimes, the thought of losing someone that means so much **_**again, **_**can drive people to do things and act in certain ways that contravenes how they would normally act. And sometimes- perhaps a lot of times- he can just be a bit of a knob; but can't everyone?**

**On another note, I just started another JarethxSarah story (I know, I know, I'm an awful person and should learn to finish a story before starting a new one- I just can't help it though!) If you're interested it's called 'Where She Belongs'. (Yes, I know that was a shameless plug; please forgive me). :)**

**Kit xx**


	18. Thoughts Interrupted

"By the way, love," Jareth added, bending to whisper in her ear.

"You look stunning."

Sarah sighed. _Could_ _he be any _more_ confusing? _Jareth's hand remained on her shoulder as Sarah kept silent and still in her seat beside that small table arranged in all of its finery. She didn't want to move, she didn't even know if she was supposed to. But Jareth stood, removing the way his breath brushed against her ear and taking his hand from her shoulder.

Sarah let out a sigh of relief and of disappointment as she felt him withdraw from her and step back from the table. With him still behind her though, Sarah had to turn her head to see Jareth.

"Come," Jareth said; the fact that it was a command was obvious even when he spoke gently towards her.

But Sarah didn't make a move in any direction. She merely frowned at the thought of returning to that room where she had no idea what would happen.

"_Great_," Sarah replied before thinking through expressing that sentiment properly.

The Goblin King quirked a brow at Sarah- an expression that almost demanded an explanation as to her defiance. Sarah opened her mouth to offer him one before sharply clearing her throat.

"I mean... I just... I feel like I haven't been anywhere for a long time," Sarah started- well aware that her excuse for speaking back to him was pathetic- as she tried to pretend that she actually cared.

But she'd started now; she knew that she might as well finish.

"We only just came here and I... I don't want to go back to your room so soon," she concluded lamely.

"_Our_ room," was the first thing that came out of Jareth's mouth in response to her reluctant outburst.

But as soon as he'd said it, Jareth surprised Sarah by immediately adding, "Also, if you _had_ done as you were asked to _when_ I asked it of you, then you would have discovered that I was not intending to return you to our room _just_ yet."

Sarah stared blankly at the Goblin King for a moment.

"Y-you weren't?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Don't be so surprised, Sarah," Jareth replied.

"I'm not quite as evil as you think."

Sarah didn't articulate how untruthful Jareth's statement actually was; she knew that he'd just end up glaring at her and she would somehow end up paying for it later. The other reason that Sarah kept her mouth shut was because she was altogether too intrigued by where Jareth was supposedly taking her.

So Sarah stood from the seat where she'd almost been frozen to since she'd been placed in it, and moved to where Jareth had indicated. Sarah didn't flinch when his hand came up to rest on the small of her back; she merely sighed again. Despite the fact that she was reluctant to admit it- even to herself- Sarah felt far better, and far more comfortable, when Jareth was touching her.

Sarah's mind still had a hard time registering what her body felt; particularly since the last spell he'd put on her allowed Sarah's mind to freely object to the lust she felt without dredging her through the pain of the memories that caused her objection in the first place.

But before he could really start to think about the nature of how it felt to merely be touching Jareth and not detesting it, the Goblin King pulled her around to face him. With his face so close to hers, it wasn't hard for Sarah to predict what would happen next.

His lips came down upon hers at the same time as Sarah leant upward to close the gap between them. She couldn't have stopped herself if she'd tried, but it didn't really matter. It would have happened even if she _had_ stopped herself. But somehow, even though her memories reminded her that she shouldn't, Sarah's body craved Jareth's in a way that could not adequately be explained.

Without her feelings holding her back, nothing but sheer will power could stop her from doing more. Sarah merely found herself closing her eyes and trying to wait out the kiss that she had to force herself not to join him too ardently in though she desperately wanted to.

But with her eyes closed, Sarah didn't notice that the Goblin King's magic had surrounded them both and taken them elsewhere. She felt a slight nudge as they appeared, their feet touching the ground gently. With that, she immediately pulled back from Jareth, leaving his arms quickly.

Looking around at their new surroundings, Sarah couldn't help but gasp. Everything around her was bright and colourful. Natural. Jareth had brought her to a garden, that was, for lack of a better word, _stunning_. A faint breeze took her hair just as it swayed the flowers and branches of the trees around her.

She twirled slowly, trying to take in everything that she could see. And everything she could _smell_, for the wind pulled waves of sweet-smelling pollen her way as she breathed in deeply.

It hadn't occurred to her that she would miss being outside so much as she had. In fact, she couldn't even remember the last time she'd been outside. She'd been virtually under room-arrest since she'd been in the Underground. But this feeling was better than anything she could have thought of in that moment.

As she spun around, her dress, made from a material that already seemed to shimmer without the aid of the sunlight that now reflected upon it, gave Sarah a certain radiance. _Beautiful_, Jareth couldn't help but think as he watched her. Such attire befitted her so well, as did her smile.

Shaking his head as Sarah's twirl had finished, the Goblin King coughed, bringing her attention back to him. Even though she was still looking at him, he could tell that her mind was still preoccupied by the garden he'd brought her too.

Jareth didn't mind as much as he could have; he knew that the gardens would be almost overwhelming for her and she had behaved better than he might have predicted when meeting Nessa. For once, he would give Sarah the moment to be slightly distracted.

"Would you like to take a walk?" he asked, offering her his hand.

"I think I'd like that," Sarah replied after a short pause, the exhilaration of being in the fresh air seeming to stall her thought process slightly.

Slowly placing her hand in his, Sarah felt his fingers close about hers. He pulled her closer to him as they began walking and she made no move to resist. Sarah's eyes kept flickering to the beautiful flowers and plants around her as Jareth led her through the castle gardens. She had no time to even notice that she should mind him touching her.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he said quietly.

She nodded, her mind still preoccupied with the gardens around her. _I wonder, is he trying to get on my good side? _she thought distractedly. _He seems to be being a little _too_ pleasant... Or is he just happy because I've allowed him to take away the pain of the biggest thing that was keeping him away from me?_

"You know, soon this will all be partly yours."

She blinked, Jareth's word tugging her sharply from her thoughts.

"As my wife, you will have some measure of control over the Underground," he continued, not once taking his eyes off of her.

"I will?" she asked blankly.

"Honestly, Sarah, it's as if you'd never heard of a marriage before..." Jareth replied, rolling his eyes at her.

"I suppose that I should explain using something that you might better understand... Running this kingdom will soon be like creating a shared account at a bank in your world."

Sarah stared at Jareth, as she tried to understand how he could compare running a kingdom- a job that she had no idea that she was being roped into taking, though in retrospect, she figured that she probably should have seen it coming- to opening a joint checking account.

"The only difference will be that it comes with a lot more responsibility- getting something wrong in our position means more than just becoming a little overdrawn... Your decisions will mean so much; though mine will always be the final word in any decision made," he added, finally.

"Not a lot of changes there then," Sarah muttered quietly, but, of course, Jareth caught her words.

"More will change than you'd think."

She didn't question him further on the matter, as she didn't really want to know what Jareth meant by that. He did continue, for a short moment, anyway though.

"Obviously, I won't be passing you these responsibilities until after Tebras has been properly dealt with. And he _will_ be properly dealt with soon enough."

Sarah tried not to look doubtful at that. To her, Tebras was still just a figure of her nightmares and as such a figment of something that she could purely fear. And with her fears no longer torn between Jareth and Tebras, she had a sole focus for the emotion. To her, Tebras almost seemed undefeatable with those dreamlike invasions, like some storybook villain. Only he was much worse- and he had something against her even though they'd never actually met.

"Sarah," Jareth said, clearly noticing the doubt in her expression.

"I will _not_ let Tebras hurt you, whatever happens."

There was something in his voice then that Sarah almost wanted to believe; something quite convincing. It seemed like he really _did_ want his words to be truthful. And Sarah wasn't sure if that made the situation more strange and sick than it already was. Jareth placed his hand on her cheek, trying to momentarily reassure Sarah; and all she could do was stare at him for a second.

"I hope you're right," Sarah murmured quietly, not bothering to stop herself from leaning into his touch.

"I refuse to be wrong," Jareth replied, stepping close enough to Sarah so that his breath tickled her cheek.

Just as soon as she felt the ripple of his breath on her skin, she felt the soft touch of his lips soothing the sensation. _You shouldn't like this_, she thought, hating herself for allowing him to act in such a way, but at the same time revelling in it. _So twisted_, she thought with a sigh.

Surprisingly- or at least Sarah found it surprising- Jareth was the first to move away from the close position that he'd managed to put himself in. The Goblin King felt a twinge of something familiar pulling at the back of his mind, and he sighed.

"Ah, to interrupt the moment," Jareth said, his voice suddenly less soft than it had been a moment ago.

Sarah was clearly confused as he stepped back from her.

"As they say, magic calls."

But that made no more sense to Sarah than his stepping away from her; so she merely stood where she was, still waiting for Jareth to explain.

"A child has just been wished away; and, unlike the other cases since you've been here, there will actually be a runner this time. I must go."

Sarah blinked slowly.

"Oh," she murmured, just as Jareth took hold of her arm.

It was barely a second before she found herself back in the room that she now had to call hers. _And his_, she thought with a frown.

"I'll be back in approximately thirteen hours. That is, if they are as committed as you were... _Doubtful_," Jareth finished.

Placing a chaste kiss to her forehead, Jareth said only one thing further before he disappeared.

"Under no circumstances are you to leave this room."

He waited for her to nod in response, and as soon as she did, he was gone. Though Sarah wouldn't have known where to go if she _had_ left the room, she couldn't resist testing the door anyway. Locked. _Doesn't even trust me enough to follow instructions_, she thought, frowning. _He's probably right not to._

Turning back to the room that she found herself locked in, she frowned. _Exactly the same_, she huffed, stepping slowly away from the door. And with that, Sarah simply sat herself down on one of the high-backed velvet chairs beside the fire and leaned back into it. _If you're going to be stuck in here again then you might as well be comfortable_, she told herself, trying to find a brighter side to the moment.

She stared into the flames as they rose and died, flickering and dancing. It was quite relaxing; mesmerising, even. But it was exactly that captivating quality that set Sarah's mind to work while she looked so aimlessly into the flames.

Her mind ran over what had just happened, and she couldn't help but find it odd. _What was I doing? What were_ we _doing?_ _Playing happy families- was that it? Planning a future as if I actually liked him, or loved him- or am happy to be with him? _

_And what was _with_ his sister? _Sarah didn't understand the fae woman at all. In fact, she understood Nessa just about as well as she understood Jareth.

A slightly perfumed smell suddenly filled Sarah's nose, strong enough to draw her from her thoughts. Looking away from the fire and turning in the already angled chair, Sarah's focus quickly shifted in the direction of the sudden alteration in the room.

She didn't know what she had been expecting, but it wasn't what she found. Nessa stood at the centre of the room, her sharp eyes focussed on Sarah. She said something that Sarah did not quite hear because Sarah had started panicking as soon as she'd set eyes on Nessa. Jareth had told her to say as little as possible to the female fae, yet how could she avoid saying anything when it was just the two of them?

"Sorry?" Sarah asked, feigning that she hadn't heard Nessa's words.

Looking at her oddly, Nessa repeated, "I am told that my brother has found another runner for his Labyrinth."

Sarah nodded in reply; she was relatively certain that Jareth's 'say nothing unless you must' rule still applied here. But Sarah had no idea how she could keep that one up without Jareth there to answer for her.

"It's doubtful that they'll do as well as you did- or so I hear."

Sarah didn't know how to respond to that comment. _Did she just sort of compliment me? _Nessa started making her way across the room, far closer to Sarah than she would have liked. In fact, Sarah had to bite the inside of her lip just to restrain herself from getting up and stepping away from her.

"You really are quite one of a kind, aren't you," Nessa said, the comment more of a statement than a question.

Her voice held a hint of curiosity, but Sarah could see hard seriousness in the fae woman's eyes. And, in only the moment that it took for Sarah to blink, Nessa was standing less than a foot away from her. It seemed to Sarah that Nessa shared her brother's misunderstanding of personal space boundaries.

"But what makes you so special?" Nessa queried, wonderingly.

The fae's hand reached out to Sarah's face, slender fingers grazing her cheek as they passed lightly over her skin. All Sarah could do was sit there, thinking about how bad an idea it would be to run from Nessa- like it always would be with her brother.

As the hand shifted from her cheek, Sarah heard the fae woman sigh. Nessa's invasive fingers moved on to stroke themselves into her hair. All Sarah could do was stare at Jareth's strange sister as she ran her fingers down her dark hair, weaving in and out of dark strands.

"You are quite beautiful for a human," Nessa commented eventually, finally withdrawing her touch.

Once again, Sarah said nothing.

"Just unappreciative," she added, her voice slipping into a tone three octaves lower than it had been before.

"I- I'm sorry?" Sarah questioned, unsure if she'd just heard the fae woman correctly.

"You should be; I know how you treat my brother," Nessa replied, her blue eyes darkening somewhat.

Sarah blinked. She knew that she had heard Nessa rightly that time. _Is she trying to make out that _I'm_ the bad guy in this relationship?_ Sarah thought, outraged.

"You don't know anything about how we treat each other," Sarah started, against her better judgement.

Nessa's eyes became as hard as stone as she replied, "I know _everything_ about how you treat each other, and I know how much he does for you."

"But do you know what he's done _to_ me?" Sarah asked, her anger rising.

"Yes, I do."

"You clearly _don't_, or you would not act or believe as you are."

Disregarding that last sentiment, Nessa said, "You know, if you let him love you, you will find no one better."

"With all respect to you, you have _no_ idea what he's done to me and what he's put me through," Sarah bit back through gritted teeth.

"I have every idea; and I know an awful lot more about my brother than you ever will. And I can see the lengths he would go to to protect you. He does so much... You should appreciate what he does for you more."

Nessa paused for a moment before adding, "He loves you. You might not see it, but he does... _I _see it though. And I see what your presence is doing to him. If it were my place, I would deal with you accordingly... Be glad that it is _not_ my place."

"We should _all_ be glad that it's not your place to deal with my affairs," came Jareth's voice from behind the two women.

Both women's heads snapped around to where the Goblin King stood, behind them. Neither of them had heard him enter the room, and neither knew how long he had been there.

"I think that you should return to your room, Nessa," Jareth advised.

Rolling her eyes, Nessa took a step away from Sarah. Shooting her brother a reproachful look, she disappeared in a puff of slightly red-tinged and perfumed smoke. Sarah stared at the space where Nessa had been just moments ago, a strange expression of confusion and anger on her face.

"Well, at least you didn't leave the room," Jareth said eventually, sighing.

He said nothing about overhearing Sarah and Nessa's conversation and merely left Sarah's mind to run over the thoughts that his sister had put into her mind. _Is that just how all fae are? _she wondered. _Do they all just equate kidnap, rape and a magical attraction that forces someone to stay, with _love_?_

Sarah shook her head as she sat back in her seat, leaning against the cushioned back of the chair that she'd adopted as her own. Closing her eyes, she couldn't help but ponder on what Nessa had told her. _He does so much... You should appreciate what he does for you more._ As a frown creased her features, she couldn't help but wonder what it was that Jareth was actually doing for her.

"Frowning doesn't suit you, Sarah," Jareth's voice said interrupting her thoughts.

Sarah's eyes snapped open and she looked up to see the Goblin King at her side.

"Jareth," she said.

He moved his hand over to her and placed it on her shoulder, gently squeezing. She couldn't help but lean slightly toward him at the touch, but, thankfully, the glove he was wearing shielded her somewhat from the full effect of his touch.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," Sarah breathed,

"No, you don't," he replied smoothly, his fingers softly squeezing her shoulder once more.

"I know," she admitted eventually, her voice a mere whisper.

"I wish I did."

A silence grew between them for a moment as Jareth shifted to perch himself on the arm of Sarah's chair; all the while, his hand remaining on her shoulder.

"Nessa won't be paying anymore visits to our room," Jareth said, finally breaking the silence.

"She won't?" Sarah asked, a feeling of relief passing over her.

"No; she will not. It's too... _dangerous_. No one but the two of us and whoever _I_ allow will be able to enter this room from now on. Though I must admit, the part of that conversation that I heard you two having was _certainly_ very interesting," the Goblin King said, mismatched eyes glinting with intrigue.

"What is this we're doing, Jareth?" Sarah started abruptly, fed up with the closeness that he was suddenly trying to create between them.

It just felt too... _couple-like_ for Sarah's liking. Jareth merely looked at her quizzically until she explained herself though.

"Playing happy families? Acting like we're getting married because we both want to? It's all a lie, isn't it?" she continued, almost angrily.

A scowl now dominating his features, the Goblin King replied carefully.

"Perhaps these are not the best circumstances, Sarah; but this is no lie. This is real _and_ it is right."

"You're so sure?"

"I am. This would have happened anyway, it just would have taken a little longer if we didn't have to worry about Tebras."

"How do you know that?"

"I-"

"How do you know- that unless I absolutely _had_ to- that I would ever marry you?" Sarah said coldly.

Jareth bit back an irritated retort, but Sarah could feel his growing anger in the way that his grip on her shoulder started to tighten. She didn't have the strength to tell him to get off her though.

"You still don't understand that we are meant to be together, do you, Sarah?" Jareth replied, his voice deceptively calm as he spoke.

She blinked. _He's still spouting that crap then?_ she thought, yet she did not articulate it.

"_Of course_, I don't _understand_ that. It's not true."

"It's more true than you could ever know. Tebras has seen it, that's why he wants you so much. Even Nessa saw it."

At that, Sarah found herself speechless. What could she say in response to a supposed affirmation of what Jareth had said.

All she could do, after a long and awkward silence, was say, "I'm not going to win this argument, am I?"

"Never, pet," he replied, his eyes glinting with seriousness.

Sarah sighed, and murmured, "Thought not."

Closing her eyes again, she turned her head away from the Goblin King and leant it against the velvet back of her chair.

"I take it that they didn't beat you then?" she asked absentmindedly, trying not to think about what Jareth had said, and what he meant.

"Who?" Jareth enquired softly.

"The runner."

"He's still running," The Goblin King replied simply.

"Oh... Do you think he'll do well?" she whispered.

After a short pause, Jareth answered, "Probably not. He's been running for an hour and has only just realised that there are turns in the Labyrinth."

"Right... I see..." she said quietly.

_This is so twisted_, Sarah thought. Having a normal conversation with the Goblin King when she was going to have to marry him against her wishes, and some magical bond forced her to want to endure his touches, just seemed so odd._ So twisted. _So_ the rest of my life._

* * *

**Author's Note: Um, wow... A four month absence... If you're still reading this, then thank you for being so patient. I've been really busy with Uni work and am unhappy to say that my fanfic writing has had to take a major backseat. :/ So, I'm really sorry it took me so long to update this story, and I hope you'll let me know what you think though. :)**

**Kit xx**


	19. Glowing Orbs

Jareth had left not long after their conversation had finished and had been gone for some time. Apparently, a lot of the creatures in the Labyrinth fancied their chances at eating the runner and Jareth, obviously, had to stop that from happening. No serious harm could come to the runner. It was part of the rules.

_I wonder if he did the same for me,_ Sarah thought briefly as she stared out of the tall windows. There was a balcony beyond them, meaning that _somewhere_ there was a door. But Sarah had a feeling that, even _should_ she locate it, the door would be locked for her anyway. _As is _every_ door in this place..._

Sarah's glance, which had moments ago been settled on nothing in particular, suddenly shifted to a section of the labyrinth that changed quickly. It was almost like watching falling dominoes, Sarah thought, guessing that that must be where the runner currently was.

She sighed. What she wouldn't give to just be a runner facing the Labyrinth again, and for Toby to still be alive... _So much for wishing_. All that had done was get her into the situation that she was in now.

Sarah frowned as she stared at the Labyrinth outside and the runner that she'd never meet. The walls had stopped moving abruptly, so either the runner had stopped moving, given up, or come across a challenge that had _made_ him stop.

Sarah briefly wondered if it even mattered if the runner beat Jareth's Labyrinth, the inhumanity of her situation tempering her own feelings. _Of course it matters_, Sarah interrupted herself. _Just like it mattered when _I_ had to get Toby back..._

She stepped away from the window when there was no more movement after a solid ten minutes. As she turned, she vaguely found herself hoping that the runner hadn't been eaten, hoping that he would manage to get the child he wished away back. But both Jareth and Nessa had said how doubtful that was.

Feeling sorry for the runner who might stand no chance, Sarah slumped back into her chair. Her mind had settled on something she hadn't thought of in too great detail for a long while. Her run of the Labyrinth, though always in the front of her mind, hadn't been something she'd really had that much time to think over.

How much had she changed since she'd entered the Labyrinth, since meeting her friends; since meeting Jareth. With another heavy sigh, Sarah wondered when she would see her friends again. She felt like she was very much in need of a long conversation that didn't involve her constantly warring with herself about her feelings for Jareth.

Sarah hadn't had any communication with her friends since the worm had come to her, asking her to run away from the Goblin King's castle. She never could have done it, she knew; but did they? Had they given up on her? Sarah couldn't say for sure, but she wanted to see them again- and soon.

"Frowning again, Sarah?"

Sarah's head snapped to the side, and she saw Jareth standing next to her once again. She shrugged, not realising that her brows had creased into a frown whilst she was thinking about her friends.

"What are you thinking, love?" he asked.

"My friends," Sarah answered honestly.

Jareth paused, stepping toward her slightly. He said nothing on the subject in reply, prompting Sarah to continue.

"I think I'd like to speak to them again."

"That is impossible right now, Sarah," he replied.

Sarah blinked. _Did he just say _no_?_ she thought, confused. Just moments ago he was being so nice to her- and besides, why would he want to keep her from her friends anyway? Sarah had no idea; so she asked.

"_Why?_"

"It's complicated," he replied.

Sarah rolled her eyes and bit back, "How cliché, Jareth."

The hard look that suddenly morphed his mismatched eyes stopped anything further from Sarah.

"If you're finished," Jareth said, the steely look he gave her burning into her.

"Your friends are gone."

"They're _what?_" Sarah snapped, regardless of what look she would receive in return for it.

"They're gone. Is it really so necessary for me to repeat everything that I say?"

She frowned and said, "Where are they?"

Jareth let out a long breath, almost a huff, of annoyance. He had known that Sarah would enquire about her friends sooner or later.

"That is not for you to know," he answered enigmatically.

"_I'm_ not allowed to know where _my_ friends are?" Sarah half-shouted, anger and frustration bubbling up inside her.

"That is correct," Jareth said bluntly, his words harsh.

"Now, if you'd stop acting so childishly, I might explain why."

Sarah stopped herself from replying simply because she wanted an answer.

"Your friends are gone- and before you ask again, I cannot tell you where they are."

"Why not?" Sarah asked, clearly confused and getting angrier by the second.

Frustrated, Jareth continued, "I have had to hide them, for their own good."

"I don't understand..." Sarah said after a while.

"Think about it, Sarah. If Tebras is willing to use your family to get to you, and consequently get to me, what do you think that he would do to your friends given the chance?"

"I- I guess; so... they're okay?"

"They're alive, which is more than I could say they would be had I not hidden them," Jareth replied quickly.

Sarah, of course, thought his answer a little oddly phrased, but she said nothing. She had no idea that, in reality, Jareth had imprisoned her friends though he had still yet to locate the Worm- for trying to encourage her to escape him; and Jareth had no intention of revealing that to her.

He'd set them free eventually, but, for now, he was killing two birds with one stone. He was punishing them for their intended crime and protecting them from Tebras at the same time; though the latter, he would admit, was simply for Sarah's sake. He could care less about them, but she seemed to thrive in their company, though Jareth couldn't understand why.

A long silence developed as both the Goblin King and Sarah let the matter drop. Sarah's mind however, dwelled on the topic as well as what she had spoken to Nessa about previously. After a couple of minutes in the strange silence, she couldn't resist questioning Jareth on what Nessa had said.

"What did Nessa mean... you do so much for me?" Sarah asked quietly.

"As much as it pleases me to learn that you don't comprehend the things that I do for you, love," he started dryly.

Sarah frowned to herself. That probably hadn't been the best phrasing to get him to answer her. _Oh well, at least he's not angry_, she thought. _Or yelling._

"I put a lot of effort into keeping you safe. Like I said before, I've even been keeping your little friends safe for you."

She bit her tongue to stop herself from replying with the fact that she wouldn't need to be kept safe if he hadn't brought her to the Underground. She had nothing to say about the fact that he was protecting her friends however.

"I shan't waste the time in going into detail because you don't really want to know."

Sarah looked down a little; she wasn't going to let him make her feel bad because he couldn't be bothered to explain things to her. Why should she be grateful if he wouldn't even give her any details on the matter?

"It's all worth it though, or it will be when you start appreciating things more."

_What is there to appreciate_? she wondered, but, again, she stopped herself from speaking. She didn't really want to keep arguing. She was tired of it; it just got her nowhere and made Jareth angry- which consequently made her life less pleasant. She knew that her friends were safe, as was she- sort of. What was the point in continuing the argument? _Maybe the key to happiness is silence_, Sarah mused. After a while though, she could not help but interrupt the quiet.

"How's the runner doing?" she asked, out of pure curiosity.

"He gave up," Jareth replied, his tone unsurprised.

Sarah blinked, slight disappointed, and asked, "He did? When?"

"About four hours into the Labyrinth. He fell into an oubliette that most pass by without noticing. There was a way out, but he didn't care enough to find it, so he gave up and I sent him home with no knowledge of what he's lost."

Jareth shrugged as he spoke and started removing his gloves, pulling at one finger at a time.

"What about the child? What do you-?" Sarah started.

"She'll be fine. The children I take are often better off in the Underground than they would have been Aboveground. This one will be."

Slightly offended, Sarah sat up straight in her chair and replied, "_Toby_ wouldn't have been better off here!"

Jareth raised his eyebrows at her and, with a slightly amused smirk, said, "I did say _often_."

With a slight huff, Sarah leaned back in her chair. Thinking about it though, Sarah expected that maybe if she hadn't beaten the Labyrinth, Toby might still be alive. Tebras might not have been able to get to him. If she hadn't won, then maybe Tebras- and maybe even Jareth- wouldn't have been after her either...

"Where do they go? The children, I mean," Sarah asked.

"Wherever they are needed. They are always adopted by someone who will take care of them."

Jareth's answer was nonchalant and its vagueness made Sarah wonder at who he was talking about adopting the children to.

"...But not goblins right?" she enquired.

Jareth smiled a little.

"No, not goblins. They do not make great parents to those not of their... _resilience_. The children who go unclaimed go to other kingdoms better suited for their fragility."

Sarah nodded in understanding.

"So... so they're all okay then?"

"Yes, Sarah."

"Good."

She lapsed into silence for a moment, considering this new information; and, as she sat back, Sarah couldn't quite work out what she should be feeling. She'd never really thought about what Jareth did with the children who were not returned to their wishers; but, for some reason, she had always thought it to be unpleasant.

But, in finding out otherwise now, she didn't know what to think. Of course, it wasn't enough to remotely change her mind about Jareth, however it did perhaps lessen the anger she could have felt towards him in that respect.

"What are you thinking?" Jareth asked, taking a seat on the chair opposite her.

Sarah blinked and looked up at him, shrugging her shoulders. Why did he always want to know what she was thinking?

"That maybe you're not as bad as I thought you were... Or maybe that you're just brainwashing the sense out of me," Sarah replied quietly.

"I think the former would be a more apt answer," he said dryly.

"You're the one that likes it when I don't lie," Sarah said, shrugging again.

"I'm also the one that likes _you_; regardless of _your_ flaws."

Sarah didn't offer a response to that. She could bring up the fact that he'd raped her, or that he'd gotten her family killed, or that he'd hurt her so much; but she didn't. They weren't _really_ arguing for once, and the moment's peace was almost... _nice_.

"So... so, where are you sending that child then?" Sarah asked, trying to turn conversation to a place that felt less likely to end with either of them yelling at each other.

"She's already gone," Jareth replied.

"Where, though?"

"To a family in my father's kingdom; they will take good care of her there."

"Oh, right..." Sarah answered, nodding slightly.

"Jareth?"

"Hm?"

"What is your father's kingdom?"

He looked over at her, clearly noticing the interest in her voice. She was actually asking something about _him_? The fact that Sarah was actually bothering to try and find something out about him for once had almost startled the Goblin King into silence. He answered anyway, if a little taken aback by her interest.

"My father is the High King of the fae; he rules over a huge number of fae-"

"Wait, so, does he rule over Tebras then?"

"No; he does not. Though my father has power over other regents, myself included, he has no power over Tebras."

"Why not?" Sarah asked quietly.

"Because Tebras is not truly a fae," Jareth answered, his lips curling down in disapproval.

Sarah frowned too, and couldn't help but say, "I- I don't understand, how can he not be-"

"Well, he is a fae- he was born a fae... But living in the Darklands can do things to a fae; it can... _alter_ them. And since Tebras has lived there all his life... I can't even begin to describe how that has warped him and his magic. It is enough to say that it was twisted so cruelly and drastically however, that he was elected to rule his kingdo-"

"Elected? Like _democratically_?" Sarah asked.

"I'd appreciate it if you would allow me to finish a sentence, Sarah," Jareth reprimanded her, his voice slightly stern.

"But yes, the people of the Darklands have always elected their ruler, partly because the previous one never has any children because they can never find a mate willing to match their cruelty. There's also the matter of them requiring the fiercest leader they can lay their hands on..."

"But why would they want that?"

"They have a reputation; and they want to keep it."

Sarah frowned and said, "And I thought democracy was supposed to be a good thing... That's horrible."

"_That's_ the Kingdom that Tebras rules; are you really all that surprised?"

Sarah didn't answer; she was a little too disturbed by the thought that there were actually a race of people in the Underground who _wanted_ Tebras to rule them. Who wanted him to be so evil. _What type of people would want that?_ Sarah wondered, hoping that she'd never have to meet them.

"So... you said your father doesn't command him; is it just him, or are there other... kingdoms out there that don't have to listen to him?"

"The non-fae kingdoms don't have to obey him, obviously they like to stay on good terms with him though because he is extremely powerful. He could summon me and my Kingdom to war at any moment. Not that he would," he added, slightly bitterly.

"Non-fae kingdoms?" Sarah asked, her eyebrows still creased together.

At that, Jareth couldn't help but smile a little at her.

"You have a lot to learn about the Underground, love. I'm just glad to see that you've finally started trying."

Sarah blinked. _Is that what it looks like I'm doing to him?_ she wondered. In reality, she had just been trying to begin a conversation that wouldn't end in an argument. It had worked, and Sarah actually had found the conversation interesting, but she still didn't know how she felt about what Jareth thought she was doing.

Lost in her thoughts, Sarah didn't even notice as the Goblin King moved over to her, leaving his perch on the chair opposite to her. She only looked up when she felt his fingertips brush the side of her cheek softly, letting out the smallest of sighs at the feeling.

"How is it that one touch from you makes me lose myself? How is it that the bond-"

Jareth smirked and knelt beside her.

"That is not necessarily the bond, Sarah. If you let me, I can prove that it is mostly due to my own particular talents."

She almost shivered at the way he spoke; and she _did_ shiver when his hand slipped down to push her back and came to rest gently on her neck. Sarah quickly found herself surrendering to the sensations that she knew would become all too familiar soon enough. How she wished she could say no... How she wished she could stop wishing that she could say no.

* * *

Sarah could barely believe that she'd let that happen again; well, she could believe that it had happened, it was just the fact that she had participated so willingly. And she couldn't understand why, after what had just happened, Jareth had quite so suddenly left her alone. Was she just some booty call to him? Sarah answered her own question with a, _probably_.

She got out of bed to collect the dress that Jareth had so vigorously discarded, and found it hanging haphazardly on the edge of a chair. Tutting, Sarah picked up the garment and pulled it over her head. She actually wanted a bath, but since Jareth had been so kind as to lock the bathroom door to her, she knew that she wasn't going to get one. _Brilliant_, she thought. She smelled of sex and the Goblin King and the only thing she had to wear was that beautiful dress.

_Guess I'll have to ruin it then_, she thought. Sarah sighed. She didn't care that Jareth had basically ordered her to remain naked before he'd left; it was cold. _He _was wearing clothes so _he_ didn't feel it, but she'd be damned if she was going to freeze because he thought it'd be nice for her to hang around until he felt like another round.

The room, that was reasonably well-lit, suddenly dimmed, leading Sarah to frown. Whatever Jareth was playing at with all this, it was annoying her already.

"Stop messing around, Jareth," she grumbled, assuming that he could hear her.

She shivered as a waft of cold air extinguished the fire at the other side of the room. She blinked, the room was now even darker. _Stupid Goblin King_, she thought.

"Har, har, very funny..."

A knock to her right startled her and she jumped, her hand flying up to clutch at her chest. Sarah stared at the window and the newly darkened sky outside of it. All it was was a window, but, for some reason, the knock had Sarah flashbacking to the first time she'd met Jareth; when he'd burst into her father and Karen's room disguised as a barn owl.

But there was nothing there this time. No sign of, well, _anything_. So, out of curiosity, Sarah stepped closer to the window to investigate. _Nothing_, she thought with a frown as she stopped in front of the glass. Unimpressed after seeing nothing for a good two minutes, she turned away. But as soon as her back was to the window, she felt the room's temperature drop considerably again. And the room suddenly sank into the pitch dark.

"What the-?" she started uncertainly.

"Jareth, if this is your idea of a joke, then I'm gunna have to tell you, it's not very funny."

That was when she noticed the strange greyish light that had so suddenly sprung into existence. It was odd, but it was almost _mystifying_ in a way. Just the way that the glowing light hit the objects in the room was sort of... hypnotic. Sarah tried to stop looking at anything in particular; the eerie glare was starting to quickly make her eyes feel drowsy. She tried to shake out of whatever weird trance that she seemed to be slipping into, but to no avail.

_Weird_... she thought vaguely, as she finally turned back to the window and to the source of the mysterious light. It was not at all what she had expected- not that she had known what to expect- and, in fact, Sarah couldn't even tell what _it_ was.

To her it just appeared to be a glowing orb of light that fuzzed and blurred at its edges. _Strange really, _she thought, that an odd sphere was having that much of an effect on her. And, to her, it didn't feel malicious in the slightest; so her fears of it being Tebras were not really present. _What is Jareth playing at?_ she wondered, tilting her head to the side.

It was strange though, because, as she tried so hard not to look at the orb, she didn't want to look at anything more. Sarah couldn't stop herself from nearing the window. It was curiosity, wasn't it? _That has to be it_, Sarah though vaguely when she placed her palms up against the glass as if she wanted to reach through it.

Sarah frowned and tried to shake her head, but she couldn't. And she tried to avert her eyes, but, as soon as she did, her eyes found the door handle to the balcony beyond, the one that she'd not noticed before. _Something's weird..._ she thought, though that did nothing to stop her hand from slipping down the window to reach for the handle.

Her fingers closed around the handle, all the while, her eyes remained fixated on the still-glowing orb. She couldn't even blink. She couldn't even-

"That is not a very wise thing to do, Sarah."

Sarah heard Jareth's voice, and she knew it came from somewhere close to her right, but she still couldn't take her eyes off of the grey orb in front of her. She could feel the Goblin King uncurling her fingers from the door handle, but Sarah almost didn't recognise what was happening.

The light that had diminished in the room was now back on in full force, however Sarah hadn't really noticed apart from the fact that it made her eyes blurry. She felt herself pushed back from the window sharply, but she almost couldn't even feel it, just dizziness and blurriness.

"This was not a wise move, Tebras."

For as little a time as he'd actually been in the room, a glowing crystal had already formed in Jareth's hand. The crystal in question appeared to be opaquely white; _so_ white that should anyone have looked at it, it would have hurt their eyes. He threw it at the window with such force of magic that it shattered outward, sending shards of glass that flashed with the light of Jareth's crystal toward the dull grey orb.

As the hypnotic light disappeared, and the shattered glass along with it, a wall literally built itself in the window's place, creating a thick and stony barrier between the Goblin King, Sarah and the King of the Darklands' trap. Jareth scowled momentarily at the wall he never should have had to bring into existence, confirming that all traces of Tebras were gone.

He was fuming. How could Sarah have been so easily led astray? Surely she'd have known not to follow strange magic out of mere curiosity. She wasn't that stupid, was she? He turned quickly, his expression suddenly angry; almost more angry than she'd ever seen him. And considering just _how_ angry Sarah had seen him get, she should have been scared. The problem though, was that she _wasn't_.

"You _silly_ girl!" he shouted, his tone far harsher than it had been when he last spoke to her.

"How could you be so unintelligent as to follow magic you do not recognise? How could you _not_ realise that it was a trick? Was it that you were just _curious_?" he spat mockingly.

Jareth stared at her, expecting some sort of reaction from Sarah; but his expression quickly softened as he noticed the trance-induced confusion that remained on her face. Clearly, Tebras had used his magic to do more than just entice her curiosity, as Jareth had originally thought. Whatever spell Tebras had put on her was not wearing off well and lingering far too long, causing a frown to appear on Jareth's face.

Weaving his arm around Sarah's waist, Jareth led her over to their bed and sat her down on it. As he sat beside her he was almost surprised with how docile and easily influenced she was being. That was _not_ a good sign, the Goblin King knew. _Sarah should never be so easily controlled; except perhaps by me._

"Sarah?" he said, looking at her intently.

It seemed like she barely even registered his voice, let alone what he was saying.

"Sarah, Tebras has put you under a spell that I need to lift, do you understand me?" Jareth asked.

He got no more reaction out of her then than he had by yelling at her. The Goblin King sighed as a crystal appeared in his hand. The crystal started to glow just like the one he had thrown at the window, only slightly less bright. Jareth lifted it so that it was directly in front of Sarah's still-glazed-over eyes.

It took a minute or two for the magic to take effect as it silently combated the trance Tebras had put her in. Slowly, Sarah started blinking rapidly, as if she was confused. Which she had a right to be.

"Jareth?" she asked, noticing he was at her side and that she was now sat on the bed with him.

"W-what... what's going on? What happened?"

"Tebras; _again_," Jareth replied.

Scowling, Sarah asked, "What did he do? I don't know what-"

"He put you under a spell that held you briefly under his influence."

Sarah was silent on hearing that news; she didn't want to think about ever being under Tebras' control, no matter how '_briefly_'. Of course, that was _all _that she could think about from then on.

"I didn't... It was like I couldn't control myself..." she said, frowning.

"That should never have happened," Jareth said, his voice still soft, although his anger at Tebras' latest attempt on Sarah was obviously seething beneath his voice.

"How did he do it?" Sarah enquired quietly.

"He has his ways," was all that Jareth said in reply.

"Rest assured that that will not happen again."

Sarah nodded mutely. She was almost sure that he'd said that to her at least once before.

"Though that will probably not be for lack of trying," he added.

"I'd imagine not," Sarah replied in a whisper.

Jareth looked down at his hands as they balled into fists. The room became silent then as both Sarah and Jareth turned to their own thoughts on the matter. For Sarah's part, that was a bad thing, because she allowed her thoughts to run away with her entirely.

"I should have been more careful, shouldn't I?" Sarah said abruptly, her voice tense and slightly higher pitched than usual.

Jareth looked up at her, only then noticing that she had started to cry. He frowned and reached out, cupping her cheek in his hand. What had almost happened was finally catching up with her, it seemed.

"He could've... And I didn't even think- it really didn't seem like it was him- his magic- I-I didn't-"

"Shh, love," Jareth interrupted, trying to soothe her.

"How could you have known?"

"But, you yelled- you said- I remember you said-"

"I know what I said, but it's not your fault. You were under a spell that was specifically designed to deceive you and pull you under Tebras' control."

"I- yeah... I suppose... but I should have just-" Sarah started.

"Do not blame yourself, Sarah. You could have done nothing to stop what happened."

Closing her eyes, she replied, "I think that's what scares me the most."

Her voice betrayed her fear all the more as it cracked and faltered when she spoke.

"Sarah, I will _always_ be there when you need me," Jareth reassured her.

"You almost weren't though," she whispered.

"_Almost_. I _will_ be there _whenever_ you truly need me, Sarah. _Believe_ that," he said emphatically.

"I wish I could," Sarah replied, sadly and yet, also, honestly.

Jareth leaned closer to her, setting a soft and chaste kiss on her lips. His thumb went to swipe away the remnants of her tears as he pulled back.

"I thought I told you to be careful what you wish for, love," he said quietly.

"I don't think I'd complain if you granted that one," she said with a tiny smile.

Jareth shook his head slowly and returned her smile with a small one of his own. Getting Sarah to really trust him would take more power than he had.

* * *

The light of two glowing, pink spheres lit the balcony Nessa had chosen to recline on and, with a small sigh, she leaned back against the cold stone of the castle's outer wall. Instead of sitting on a bench or a chair that she could easily have magicked into existence, Nessa chose to perch on the thin stone wall that protectively rimmed the balcony.

From the glow of the orbs either side of her and her stance on the precarious ledge, Nessa almost looked like some beautiful gargoyle. It would be too much of a stretch to describe her as a statuesque angel, because, although stunning, Nessa was _obviously_ dangerous; even from afar.

Nessa looked down at the thick book in her hands, illuminated by the pink suns hovering beside either shoulder. She appeared eerily comfortable and comfortably sensual as she sat, focussing on her book, with one leg draped over the ledge.

The night was pleasant enough for it, she had thought; and she'd always preferred to be able to see the sky when she visited Jareth's kingdom. Something about being surrounded by walls that could move and changed whenever they wished had never really appealed to Nessa.

It wasn't long before Nessa noticed the change though; first in the temperature, and then in the amount of light her two magical orbs were giving out. It wasn't hard for her to guess what would happen next; the wisps of dark smoke, the purple tendrils reaching out from it, and the grand entrance of someone she used to know very well. She'd seen it so many times before; yet not for years. And there he was, standing on her balcony.

"Tebras," Nessa said blandly, no sense of surprise in her voice or expression.

"Nessa, how nice to see you again. What has it been?" he replied with a cruel smile plastered across his face.

"Years," she replied simply.

"I take it you've been-" Tebras started, but Nessa cut him off abruptly.

"Fine," was her blunt reply.

"Come, come now, Nessa. Why so reticent? I'm sure that you've not forgotten the fun that we used to have together?" he teased suggestively, urging her to remember their intermingled past.

* * *

**Author's Note: Stayed up 'til 2.15am to finish this chapter, so I hope you all enjoyed it and will let me know what you think! :)**

**Kit xx**


	20. Fascinating Information

"Come, come now, Nessa. Why so reticent? I'm sure that you've not forgotten the fun that we used to have together?" he teased suggestively, urging her to remember their intermingled past.

"That was a long time ago, Tebras; and you know exactly why things changed between us," she replied tersely.

"Tut, tut, Nessa dear. The problems of your brother should hardly have any sway over you."

"You killed the two women he loved for no reason-"

"I had reasons," he interrupted quickly, but then refused to expand on the comment.

"Either way, you still did what you did."

"That's what we do though, is it not?"

"Not to my brother. Not like that."

Tebras tutted, "Now you're just being picky Nessa, dear. Remember the fun we used to have?"

His hand reached out to caress her cheek but she swiftly moved out of the way. Out of his reach.

"Remember when you ruined it?" she replied, her smooth voice somehow sounding harsh.

"How you haven't changed, Hedone."

Nessa narrowed her eyes at the mention of her old name, a name that Tebras had too much connection with for her liking. She brushed the comment off without letting her annoyance show however.

"Those scratches on your face, I do sincerely hope they were my brother's doing?" she replied tauntingly, observing the few, bleeding and unexplained cuts she had noticed on him.

"Indeed," he answered flatly.

As he did, Nessa slipped off the side of her balcony edge and turned her back on the King of the Darklands. She paused at the door and looked back at him, her eyes bright in the pinkish light of her glowing orbs.

"Leave my brother and Sarah alone," she ordered him matter-of-factly.

"Or what, my dear?"

She stared at him for a moment, and then replied, "Or I'll make your life a living nightmare."

As she disappeared back into the castle, Nessa's pink orbs extinguished, leaving Tebras in total darkness.

"Can't wait," he whispered, an unseen smirk lighting his twisted face.

* * *

Sarah woke up but didn't open her eyes. She didn't need to to realise where she was; she could tell that she was lying in bed, pressed up against Jareth with her arms around her. For some reason though, Sarah didn't mind. She knew that she was supposed to mind, after everything, but she just... _didn't_.

_Hm_, she thought. _Perhaps I'm just trying to get over everything... Forget about the bad things, I have to spend the rest of my life with him after all..._ she tried to reason with herself. _And perhaps I'm an idiot..._

"I was so careful..."

Sarah heard the words whispered, as if the Goblin King was merely mumbling to himself. Sarah opened her eyes to the darkness of the middle of the night and saw that Jareth was still asleep. _And sleep talking apparently..._

"Should never have happened," he whispered.

She stared up at him, his face just inches from hers, and guessed at what he meant. _'Should never have happened'_; hadn't he said something similar to her earlier after he'd saved her _again_ from Tebras? _Maybe he does care about me. Maybe it's not _all_ a lie... Or maybe I'm just getting better at lying to myself... Maybe delusion is the only way I'm going to be able to live properly,_ she thought as she closed her eyes again.

When she next opened them, she was still lying beside Jareth. Her midnight eavesdrop on the Goblin King's unconscious thoughts still lingered on her mind too. She didn't have time to dwell on what she'd thought about the night before as, _this_ time, Jareth was awake

When he noticed that she, too, had woken, he whispered, "Morning, love."

Sarah just let out a long and tired sigh, but didn't move. She could see that Jareth lay on his side, propped up on one elbow, and was looking at her softly.

"Time to get up, Sarah," he continued.

"Don't want to," she grumbled, closing her eyes again.

She was not appreciating the rush to get out of bed. In fact, at that point in time, she was so comfortable, she hated mornings for the fact they meant that she had to move. Sarah closed her eyes again, pretending she was going back to sleep.

"As much as I'd like to stay here too, I have business to attend to," Jareth replied.

"Well why don't you get up and I'll just stay in bed? You're going to leave me in here all day anyway," Sarah sighed, her brain glad that he would be leaving, yet the bond drawing her to wish him to stay and her own wants drawing her to remain in bed.

"Always so presumptuous, Sarah."

At that, Sarah opened her eyes and looked at him.

"You're _not_ locking me in here?" she asked, slightly stunned.

"I have to return the window back to its normal state; and it is safer for you not to be here while I do that. I have to put more precautions in place so that we don't have a repeat of last night's incident."

She looked at the wall then back to Jareth for a moment.

"What did you do to it?" she enquired, trying to recall what had happened but finding it hard.

"The quickest thing that I could to get rid of Tebras. I threw a condensed orb of pure light at him," Jareth answered simply.

Sarah frowned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she asked, "Light?"

He nodded.

"You can do that?"

"After everything you've seen, you're surprised by that?" Jareth asked, seemingly amused.

Sarah's frown deepened as she looked at him.

"Not necessarily surprised, just... I don't really understand."

Jareth shifted from his position next to her to sit up, allowing the silk sheet covering him to slip lower and reveal his body to Sarah. How she wanted to reach out and touch his chest... Sarah snapped out of the thought with a blink; that was the bond between them talking, she knew.

"Tebras has darkness within him, it comes with the territory of being King of the Darklands, so naturally he uses darkness to his advantage. I used light against him. I won; for now."

This had started to sound a little too much like a twisted real-life collector's card game or something of the sort. She half expected him to say next that he used his agility to outmanoeuvre Tebras' strength. On the other hand, she had more pressing matters to think of than comparisons between her life a silly game.

"So, what? You have light in you?"

"Not particularly, but it is something that I've found is incredibly useful in fighting Tebras off in the past," he replied.

"How did you find that out?" Sarah asked, sitting up beside him, but unlike Jareth, holding the sheet up to cover herself.

"Well, there is the matter of common sense," he said, dryly.

"However, there's also the fact that light has been something used for millenniums of the Underground whenever a King of the Darkland Realm oversteps his mark."

"And you couldn't just, you know, throw a huge ball of light at him and be done with it?" she questioned.

"If only it were that simple, Sarah. To do such a thing would mean war; and that's exactly what Tebras has been after for years."

"Then when you threw light at him to save me, does that mean-"

"No. Tebras was in _my_ Kingdom, I had a right to cause him harm for what he was doing; however, _killing_ a regent is a more serious matter than you can fathom."

"Oh, right... How did he know you wouldn't just kill him last night?"

Jareth shrugged.

"I didn't kill him after he did much worse than simply _attempt_ to kidnap you."

"Is there nothing you can do about him? I mean _really_?"

The Goblin King stared at Sarah seriously for a long moment before almost bitterly shaking his head.

"What is to be done with Tebras remains to be seen and has done for years," he frowned.

"Anyway, now you know why I need you to get out of bed," Jareth said, abruptly changing the subject.

Blinking, Sarah said, "Okay... I guess I'll get up then."

Jareth couldn't help but smile slightly as Sarah resolved to do as he instructed. She was learning, even if it did take some explanation. She was about to slide out of bed when she realised a fundamental flaw in her movement; one that Jareth had been aware of for some time. She frowned for a second and turned to the Goblin King, opening her mouth to speak when he interrupted her.

"Still so shy, Sarah?"

She scowled slightly.

"Just because I let you touch me, doesn't mean I want to be naked in front of you all the time."

"_Let_ me?" Jareth asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sarah faltered a little and replied, "I didn't mean it like that."

"Yes, you did," Jareth said, almost brushing away the comment.

That was something that confused Sarah as it was something that she'd thought he'd hold onto rather than let go. But clearly, Jareth wasn't in the mood to argue just like she hadn't been the previous day. _Does this mean we've come to some sort of freaky unspoken agreement or something?_ Sarah wondered, confused by the fact that they were both being altogether a little too nice to each other.

Distracting her from the thought, Jareth walked around the bed, toward his wardrobe. And Sarah couldn't stop watching him. She was sure that the way he was moving was specifically measured for her; and it was driving her crazy. And the fact that it was driving her crazy, was driving her crazy because she knew that the feeling wasn't a natural one of her own.

She tried to ignore it, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from him. _I'm so pathetic_, she thought, unable to stop thinking about how the body she had been touching was the body she was now staring at. She shook her head as Jareth disappeared behind the wardrobe doors, and tried to snap out of those thoughts.

The Goblin King returned to her side of the bed, and lay down a dress and a pair of flat slip-on shoes on top of it. Sarah's eyes flickered to them for a moment before returning to Jareth.

"Is there any chance I can have a bath first?" she asked.

"My thoughts exactly, love," he replied with a small smirk.

Taking her hand, he pulled back the sheet covering her as she slid out of bed. And as his eyes travelled over her body, she couldn't help but blush.

"Jareth?"

The Goblin King looked back up at her, meeting her gaze.

"Could you look at my eyes? Please?"

Jareth smirked and leant closer to her, his lips lingering beside her ear.

"You're so beautiful, sometimes I can't help myself."

She shivered and frowned but didn't move back from him.

"Don't."

"As you wish," he replied, pulling back and leading her toward the bathroom.

Again, she found herself surprised that he'd let such a thing go. It wasn't like him at all. But she allowed the unusual moment to pass unrecognised.

When they entered the room, the first thing that Sarah noticed was that the bath was already full of water and suspiciously crystal-like bubbles. And she briefly found herself wondering about Jareth's magic. It seemed somehow to be linked with crystals; every instance she had seen him use magic had been related to them. Tebras had his darkness and Jareth had his... crystals? _Hm_, she thought, making a mental note to ask Jareth about it later.

But the fact that he had run this bath without her even noticing made her wonder what else Jareth could be doing without her realising. _Perhaps that's something else I should ask him about..._ she thought.

Soon enough, the two were sat side by side amongst the slightly-glittering bubbles, submerged somewhat in the warmth of the water. Quite quickly though, Sarah felt Jareth's hands close about her waist as he pulled her easily into his lap. She didn't even try to move as he settled her there, one arm shifting to circle around her, holding her to him, and the other pulling her hair over one shoulder.

His lips found her now-bared neck and Sarah couldn't help but let out a groan as she closed her eyes. She tilted her head backward to rest on his shoulder, only succeeding in giving him better access to the spot he was torturing with kisses.

"Don't do that to me," she sighed.

Smirking, Jareth whispered in her ear, "Does it bother you that much, Sarah?"

Eyes still closed, she replied, "You know it does."

He kissed her again, teasing her until she groaned once more, the sound vibrating through her throat. As she opened her eyes and slowly leant forward, Jareth allowed her to slip out of his grip with little resistance. Sarah moved quickly to the opposite end of the bath, trying to cool the tingling sensation where his body had been touching hers. He stared at her for a while with a small smirk on his face.

Sarah stared back at him, feeling something inside her pull her back to Jareth. It was the bond between them, she knew. But knowing that didn't make her want to go to him any less. Holding to her dignity for a little longer, Sarah didn't move back to him. She just tried to change the subject, veering away from anything Jareth-related.

"So... you said I'm not staying in here today; where am I going...?"

"You may go through any door that is unlocked to you, Sarah."

She raised an eyebrow at him. This was _definitely_ a new development. Why was he letting her just wander around? She didn't understand, but she wasn't going to complain; even if she had had to get out of bed, it beat staying locked up all day.

"Any door that's unlocked," she repeated quietly.

"Seriously?"

Jareth nodded once.

"Just try to stay out of trouble," Jareth added.

* * *

As he sat on his throne, the room otherwise empty, Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose. He had commanded Nessa to come to him in his throne room, but had said nothing as to why. And she was late. When Nessa finally arrived, Jareth was getting a little irritated.

"Good morning, brother," she said, smiling slightly.

"It's a good morning, is it?" he replied in a toneless voice.

"Judging by the amount of time you spent in bed this morning, I would say that you'd think so."

Jareth rolled his eyes. He didn't even want to guess at how his sister knew that.

"I saw Tebras last night," Nessa continued nonchalantly.

That was enough to make Jareth pause, turning a serious glare her way.

"You _what?"_

"I saw Tebras-"

"I _heard_ what you said; however, I thought you had determined not to see him again," Jareth observed, a tense edge to his voice.

"Relax, Jareth. I was reading on the balcony and he came to me. It's not like I asked him to visit," she explained.

Anger was rising in Jareth already. He had known that this would happen with Nessa here. Or any of his sisters for that matter. They all had a history with Tebras, but Nessa was the worst. Her history went a whole lot deeper than Nyx's or Mariana's.

"What happened?" Jareth enquired tersely.

"He just made conversation," was Nessa's evasive reply.

Impatiently, Jareth prompted, "Such as?"

She shrugged.

"Like it matters. I'm more interested in the scratches all over him. Apparently they were your doing?"

Jareth nodded, a slight feeling of satisfaction washing through him at the thought that he had caused at least semi-lasting marks on Tebras.

"What was it?"

"Glass. A window to be exact," Jareth answered.

Nessa raised a brow at him out of curiosity.

"He went after Sarah again."

After a short pause, Nessa commented, "Well... that's interesting... And so like him."

A silence followed her last quiet remark as Jareth tried to judge his sister's thoughts. He could read nothing from expression however and turned his mind to the matter that he had brought Nessa to speak with him about.

"Listen, Nessa, I have business to attend to that means I must... leave... While I'm gone, I would ask that you to ensure Tebras stays away from Sarah."

He knew that he was stepping on dangerous ground in asking that of Nessa, but, as he had to leave, he could think of no other solution. With how bold Tebras had been last night, he knew that he couldn't leave Sarah unprotected. But as soon as Nessa blinked, a smirk appearing on her beautiful face, Jareth sighed. He knew that this was a bad idea.

"I must have your oath that no harm will come to Sarah, by your or any other's hand- or magic," Jareth added.

"Really, brother? You require an oath from your own sister?"

He stared at her seriously.

"Oh fine, fine. I give you my word that I will allow no harm to come to Sarah, by my or any other's hand or magic for the duration of your absence."

"Good," Jareth answered, glad that he had an oath.

He couldn't tell what would have happened without it. Sarah probably would have been in more danger from Nessa than Tebras... But with Nessa's oath; well, Jareth certainly felt more comfortable.

"Thank you," he added quietly.

* * *

Jareth left Sarah to dress and then vacate the room. He said that he had other business to deal with that meant she didn't have to rush too much. Sarah was still eager to be out of that room, she couldn't wait to not be locked up. Getting to stretch her legs was something she'd been craving since Jareth had brought her to the Underground.

The dress Jareth had given her wasn't too long or heavy as some of the others she'd worn there. And it wasn't difficult to get into; in fact, it seemed altogether a little too easy. _Stop trying to find flaws in things, Sarah,_ she chastised herself. _Can't it just be good and normal for once?_ Though that didn't stop the small, nagging voice in the back of her mind that replied, _Of course not._

Sarah sighed and went to the door Jareth left through, pushing it open tentatively. She looked through the now-open door, that a tiny part of her had still not expected to open, and was surprised by what she saw. It was... just a corridor. Nothing special, and nothing unusual. _Just_ a stone corridor.

She stepped out into the corridor and looked around. There were no doors or windows to the left or right; the corridor just disappeared into a large downward-leading staircase. _Guess the only way is down_, Sarah thought, walking along the corridor and down the stairs.

The stairs were longer than she thought, and about half way down they split into two, one spiralling off to the right, and the other to the left. _Which one to take, _she thought, and then found herself wishing that she had a coin to flip. Since she didn't though, Sarah just took the left staircase and hoped for the best.

Sarah spent the entire day walking through different ups and downs in the castle, and stumbling into many different types of rooms that made utterly no sense. They included a room filled with precariously stacked boxes of varying sizes, that Sarah assumed it would be impossible to actually open any but the very top ones, and only then if they could be reached; and another room full of colourful lights that flashed in odd intervals.

There was also another room that she decided to avoid entirely when she walked in and saw an oval room caked in a thick, black and sticky substance that was dripping down the walls. That was a bit too strange for Sarah's liking.

But as she walked around, she found herself glad of the shoes that Jareth had given her, they were flat and comfortable; perfect for walking really. He must have known that her curiosity would lead her to spend the entire day walking around his castle, only stopped by the occasional locked door.

Eventually though, Sarah found a room that she was more than happy to stop in. She let out a gasp as soon as she stepped into the huge room, looking around at the extensive library in front of her. Uneven and wavy shelves of books covered the tall walls to the ceiling in strange patterns, with thin ladders that stretched up their lengths.

Sarah stepped further into the room, to the shelves nearest to her. She couldn't resist reaching out to run her fingers over the old spines and beautiful bindings of the books. With a contended sigh, she withdrew a leather-bound book and perused the cover, bemused that she recognised the title.

_Macbeth. Who knew Jareth read Shakespeare?_ she thought, running her hand over the beautiful cover. But after finding the play, she took a seat on one of the chairs she'd spotted in the room and settled down to read. Sarah certainly didn't mind spending her time in this room. Not at all.

* * *

When Jareth returned, he found Sarah sat comfortably in one of the library chairs, a small book in her hands. It didn't really surprise him that she'd stumbled into this room. The Labyrinth would have led her to where ever she wanted to go. She looked up at him and said nothing, almost as if she was expecting him to say something.

When he didn't, she observed, "I guess you fixed the window then."

He nodded once, but said nothing more for a moment.

"That's good, isn't it?" she asked.

"I have to leave, Sarah."

Sarah stared at him unblinkingly. A flash of panic had quickly wormed into her at the thought of Jareth leaving; and she had no idea why it bothered her. She had spent so long hating him and wanting him to leave her alone; and now? Sarah stood up, placing her book her chair, and gave an annoyed huff, aimed both at Jareth and herself.

_I don't _really_ want him to stay, do I?_ she thought, confused. Maybe it was the bond, or maybe it was just fear of Tebras, but it definitely bothered Sarah that she was feeling this way at all.

"What about always being there if I need you? What if Tebras comes back?" she hated the way her voice had risen unintentionally.

Jareth frowned as he watched the woman become increasingly frustrated, and begin working herself up. It was certainly something to watch, he thought, as he'd not at all been expecting Sarah to react in such a way.

"Nessa has agreed to watch out for you."

Sarah's eyes widened and her voice rose as she bit back, "Weren't you just continuously telling me how dangerous she is?"

"She has given her oath to make sure that you come to no harm while I'm gone," he answered.

At that however, Sarah still looked sceptical; but slightly less panic-stricken than she had a moment ago.

"Where are you going?" she asked after a small pause.

"I have to visit my father," the Goblin King replied, the tiniest of frowns creasing his features.

"Why?"

"Wedding plans," was Jareth's simple answer.

Sarah said nothing. She didn't really feel like commenting on the marriage she'd only agreed to because she could see no other option.

"I also have to inform my father of Tebras' movements," he added.

Sarah tilted her head to the side as she said, "I thought you said that he didn't care about what Tebras did to humans?"

"He doesn't," Jareth answered bluntly.

"But Tebras has started trying to get back in touch with Nessa-"

"Wait a second, did you just say,_ back_ in touch?" Sarah asked, interrupting him.

Jareth sighed.

"Sit down, Sarah," he said, taking a seat himself.

He waited until she had done as he asked before continuing.

"Once, a long time ago now, Tebras and Nessa were close. And by that I mean, _very_ close. My sister can be cruel in her own right, but with Tebras... they worked very well together, to say the least," he took a breath, as if revealing his sister's history was extremely taxing.

"Then, of course, Tebras killed Susannah and Nessa refused to speak to him or indulge him again. They were so close; but, all the same, after Tebras aimed his... _talents_ in my direction, Nessa turned away from him."

"Wow," Sarah said, blinking with the shocking revelation.

"So... Nessa and Tebras then?"

"They did work well together. They could have made a formidable pairing. It is lucky for all of us that their union was not initiated before Tebras made his move against me."

"They were that serious?" Sarah asked in a whisper.

Jareth nodded with a frown.

"I'd had a number of conversations with my father about preventing their union; but had Tebras initiated their union, I am sure my father would not have refused. The alliance would be too great an opportunity to pass up. As much as I would see my sister happy, I would not have her permanently tied with Tebras. She doesn't deserve that."

"So... the timing of his... _actions_ was good, then..."

Jareth scowled and answered, "What he did can _never_ be construed as a good thing... It was just pure luck that Nessa was not bound to him before he did such a thing."

Jareth stood, shaking his head out of the memories of the past.

"I have to go. The castle is still open to you, but mind you do not get yourself into trouble. I will not be here to get out you out of it; and, if it's not life-threatening, Nessa will probably just point and laugh."

Sarah stared at him for a while, trying to judge if he was being serious or not.

"_Great_; that makes me feel _so_ much better," she replied rolling her eyes.

Jareth smiled a little and placed a kiss on her forehead, lingering for a moment. And, in an instant, he had disappeared, leaving only a flourish of glitter to fall over Sarah and her new-found library.

* * *

Sarah had been walking aimlessly though the castle, just because it was better than being cooped up in Jareth's room. She had no idea how long this freedom would last, but she wasn't going to take it for granted while she had it. There was also the fact that she wasn't _quite_ sure how to find Jareth's room again.

The only thing she hadn't been expecting on her travels was to bump into Nessa in a room made purely of glass. The fae woman was staring out to the Labyrinth beyond the glass when Sarah entered the room, but she took notice of Sarah's appearance as soon as the door had opened.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt-" Sarah stammered.

She was pretty sure that she was supposed to say away from Nessa, even if Jareth had said that she was supposed to be protecting her.

"Stay," Nessa said, her voice too commanding for Sarah to risk ignoring.

Sarah faltered and loitered in the doorway.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. I promised Jareth that no harm would come to you," Nessa admitted, reassuring Sarah slightly.

At that, Sarah's curiosity overtook her wariness of Nessa, and she wandered further into the room to stand beside the fae woman.

"Why?" Sarah questioned.

She had no idea why Nessa would agree to effectively babysit her while Jareth was gone; especially when the fae woman had made it quite obvious that she wasn't all that fond of Sarah.

"He asked," was all that Nessa replied with.

Though, after a short pause, she added, "Plus, when my brother loses someone he loves, things tend to go wrong around here. Can't have that again; he's almost _impossible_ when he's like that."

Sarah stared but said nothing.

"Like when you beat his Labyrinth. You have no idea what happened to this place then... It was _fascinating_. A rather lot darker than it is now... And that was just with you beating him; you cannot even imagine what happened when he lost Susannah and Lianna."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sarah asked, when Nessa lapsed into silence.

"Because I want my brother to be happy and it would seem, right now, that you are the key to that happiness... I would not see it ruined; by you or anyone else."

She paused.

"Don't get caught by Tebras."

"I'm not planning on it," Sarah put in.

"If he loses another person he loves to Tebras then even father won't be able to stop him from going to war," she murmured.

Sarah looked at the fae woman. At some point Nessa had stopped talking to Sarah, and was in fact ignoring her completely, as she spoke quietly to herself. Sarah frowned. She could tell that Nessa cared for her brother, and she could tell that what Tebras was doing to him seemed to be affecting her too; but Sarah didn't understand her. Nessa was an enigma to her, and that probably wasn't going to change any time soon.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm off back to Chester tomorrow, and probably won't be able to update again until after my exam on June 1st. But after that I'm free for the summer. :D**

**Anyway, about the chapter, I hope you all liked it and will let me know your opinions! :) I _really_ appreciate reviews as they let me know what you're thinking about the story/my writing. :)**

**Oh, and I know, I know, my Macbeth obsession has reared its head again. Sorry guys, couldn't resist... :P**

**Kit xx**


	21. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Author's Note:

Hi guys, I know, long time no updates, and for that I apologise. I've hit a bit of a roadblock with this fic but I'm hoping I'll get past it soon.

I just wanted to say that with 's crack down on MA stories, this story may go missing from this site. But if you're still interested in reading it then it's already posted on my deviantART page countesscasualty .deviantart .com and I'm also trying to post it on (that is, if I ever figure that site out...) That being said, I plan to continue to post this story here until such time it is deleted (if that actually happens).

Here's hoping you haven't given up on me and this fic.

Kit xx


	22. Without Jareth

After their peculiar conversation, Sarah said nothing. She just waited until Nessa seemed to realise that she was still in the room. Eventually, Nessa sighed and turned to look at Sarah through half-lidded eyes.

"Why are you here?"

Sarah blinked.

"I- I got lost," she answered quickly.

"I suppose that I should take you back to my brother's room," Nessa said, apparently unsurprised that Sarah had gotten lost in the castle.

She knew that it was her duty to do so. She had promised Jareth that she would keep Sarah safe and his room was the safest in the castle for her- particularly after the extra precautions that had so recently been added.

"Follow me."

Nessa was silent again as she led Sarah out of the glass room and back into the corridor beyond. They remained quiet as they walked through seemingly innumerable passageways and corridors; but Sarah couldn't help but marvel at the ease with which the fae woman led her through the castle. Sarah didn't understand how Nessa could so easily tell where she was going- every corridor looked the same to her.

"How do you find your way around here?" she asked eventually, interrupting the silence.

Nessa smiled to herself, turning her head back to throw a quick glance in Sarah's direction.

"I may not live here, but I've been visiting for centuries. It's easy enough to pick up- _if_ you're attentive enough," she replied.

As Nessa looked away again, Sarah couldn't help but think that that comment was meant as a jab towards her, but she did her best to ignore it. She chose instead to focus on the fact that Nessa had said that she'd been visiting the castle for centuries.

_Just how old is she?_ she wondered. _And_ centuries? _How old does that make Jareth? _Sarah wanted to ask; but she didn't dare to enquire about it to could only guess that Jareth's sister would somehow mock her for it and turn the question back on her. Sighing, Sarah knew then that she could wait until Jareth returned before offering up that question.

It took at least ten minutes for the pair to reach Sarah and Jareth's room and Nessa offered up no attempt at conversation past what Sarah had started before. Sarah didn't really mind; at least that meant that Nessa wasn't making her feel uncomfortable.

When they arrived outside the familiar door, Nessa stopped and turned to the side. Sarah paused, not sure if the fae woman wanted something. But she wished she hadn't when Nessa wordlessly looked at her as if to say, '_Well? This _is_ where you wanted to go._' In equal silence, Sarah passed her and opened the door, quickly stepping inside.

"Thank you," Sarah said quietly as she closed the door, leaving Nessa vaguely amused and surprised by her gratitude.

* * *

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door on Nessa. She would admit that their walk had been a little awkward, especially at its end; but she was glad that nothing serious had happened. For all that Jareth had said that his sister was twisted and enjoyed others' pain, Sarah was glad that she hadn't really met that side of Nessa while they were alone.

Flicking off her shoes, she left them beside the door. She sighed at the sensation of the cool stone on her now-bare feet; it was soothing almost after a day of walking. Sarah moved further into the room and heavily took a seat on the edge of the bed.

The bed. It seemed totally innocuous and innocent now as she perched on the corner; but it wasn't at all like that when Jareth was there. Sarah couldn't help but recall what had been done in that bed; what she and Jareth had done. She closed her eyes as images flooded her mind.

_Jareth's smirk spreading across his face as he tilted his head and pressed another kiss to her lips. A kiss that soon trailed down her neck until those lips focussed their attention on her breasts. Her back arching into him when he captured her in his lips.__His tongue caressing her sex. Her hips bucking against his, silently urging him to move faster- harder- inside of her._

She shook herself out of those thoughts; it wasn't her choice to think about them. It was the bond between her and Jareth that did it. But soon enough, a grumbling from her stomach luckily interrupted her thoughts.

Sarah frowned and looked down at the source of the noise. She was hungry and she couldn't believe that she hadn't noticed it before- and she realised then that she hadn't eaten all day. _Why didn't I find something to eat when I was exploring the castle?_

She scowled at her own stupidity and wondered if it would be worth leaving the room and trying to find a kitchen in the castle. _It's either that or starve... _she thought with a sigh. Sarah pushed herself off of the corner of the bed and went to retrieve her shoes when a knock made her freeze. _A knock? Who would knock?_ she thought, confused. _Nessa?__ Doesn't__ she usually just appear in the room if she wants something?_

"Um, hello?" Sarah asked cautiously.

She didn't have to wait long until she received a reply.

"Sarah?"

She stared at the door. The voice that had replied was a man's- and it was one that she didn't recognise. _Who the hell is that?_

"Yes?" she ventured.

The door opened slowly and a man that she'd never seen before walked in. He was tall, only just shorter than Jareth, and had about the same build. His light brown hair rested in uneven waves on his shoulders and most of his sharp features betrayed that he was fae.

She stared at him. His appearance didn't make him seem evil; there was nothing of that horrible air that Tebras had. But Sarah knew that appearances could be deceiving, so as he closed the door behind him, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. The fae stared back, his soft brown eyes wide for a moment with some emotion that she could not determine.

"Who are you?" Sarah asked.

At her question, he bowed his head, and answered, "Forgive me, my name is Conn."

Sarah said nothing. She was still confused; knowing his name wasn't helping her figure out who he was or why he was there.

"I take it Jareth's not mentioned me then?" he continued.

Sarah shook her head slowly; cautiously. Conn smiled, revealing a single dimple in his left cheek as he sought to explain himself for her benefit.

"I'm a friend of Jareth's, an aide of sorts, among other things- and apparently now I'm a waiter."

Sarah raised a brow at him and Conn motioned to the tray of food in his hands. Sarah blinked. She hadn't even noticed that he was carrying a tray before he gestured to it.

"Hungry?"

Sarah bit her lip for a second before answering, "Yes."

Conn moved into the room and set the tray down on one of the intricately-carved tables. She didn't make a move as he walked around her. He turned back to Sarah when he noticed that she did not follow.

"Come, eat."

"I'm not sure that I should," Sarah said quietly.

She still didn't know if she believed this fae. Surely Jareth would have told her about an aide- especially if he was going to be coming into his- her- _their_ room like this.

"Well, Sarah, I-"

"How do you know my name?"

A sideways smile lifted his lips as he replied, "Who _doesn't_ around here? Since you ran the Labyrinth, all I ever heard was Sarah this, Sarah that."

She looked away for a second. Had she really been cause for so much discussion? And did that mean that _Jareth_ been talking about her?

"But I must ask, despite rumours that I have heard, why are you here, Sarah?"

She blinked and asked, "You don't know?"

He shook his head.

"I have been absent for some time, so I am somewhat 'out of the loop', you might say," he said.

"Where _is_ Jareth?"

"Oh... He's not here... He's visiting his father."

He nodded, before adding, "Well the question I really wanted an answer to was why you are here."

She frowned a little and said, "Jareth brought me here... A couple of weeks ago..."

"Did he now?" Conn answered, looking at her from under his momentary scowl.

"I was only gone for two months, and he does this? Has he no control?" he murmured to himself.

"Erm, excuse me?"

Conn looked back up at her.

"I'm not exactly in a position to be so trusting right now, so would you mind... You know, I'm struggling to understand why Jareth hasn't mentioned you before?"

"And I'm struggling to understand what possessed Jareth to make him think that bringing you here was a good idea."

She wasn't put off by the insult that could be taken from his words- in fact, she agreed with him.

"Ditto," Sarah muttered, rolling her eyes.

"As an answer to your question, you would be better off asking Jareth to explain about me, at least then you will believe it," Conn said.

If_ I can believe what the Goblin King says..._ she thought bitterly.

"But, if it will make you feel more comfortable, I will leave you now."

With a nod, Conn turned, quitting the room and leaving Sarah more than a little confused. Closing the door behind him, he couldn't help but scowl. Conn had first heard about Sarah being in the castle from a gossiping Goblin in the kitchens, talking about how they'd seen the mortal wandering around the castle all day. That had not been what he was expecting when he'd returned to Jareth's kingdom. If this rumour was true, then Jareth was going to get an earful.

And then Conn had encountered Nessa. Another surprise. And Jareth's sister had revealed the truth behind the reason that Sarah was there. He'd discovered that the mortal was staying in Jareth's room and he knew that he had to investigate. The tray that he'd thought to take was on Nessa's instruction. She had told him that she had a feeling that Sarah was going to be hungry.

Conn heaved a deep sigh as he walked down the corridor that led from the Goblin King's room. He was going to rip Jareth a new one the next time he saw him.

* * *

Sarah stared at the door for a moment before she felt safe that Conn was gone. As wary as she was feeling, she couldn't stop herself from moving over to the tray that had been left to her. She glanced down at the plate on the tray; on it was a small selection of chicken and salad. It was such a normal meal, and right then she couldn't help but welcome it.

She picked up the cutlery beside the plate and began to eat. The food was gone within minutes; and she hadn't realised that she had been as hungry as she was. Sipping at the glass of water that had also been brought, Sarah couldn't stop her mind dwelling on her first meeting with Conn though.

She wasn't sure whether to believe the fae at all; he seemed nice enough. She frowned to herself. One thing that she still didn't understand was why Jareth wouldn't have mentioned him if he was supposed to be an aide and a friend. She couldn't figure it out and she knew that she _wouldn't_ be able to figure it out until Jareth returned.

Sarah wasn't sure if she trusted Conn enough to just leave her be- too much had happened to allow her to simply believe him. She just wasn't that trusting anymore. Leaving the remainder of her food on the tray, she got up and pushed a chair up against the door, effectively blocking it. Her defence would probably do no good against magic, but it gave her some piece of mind at least.

Then she turned back to the empty room. She was enjoying the fact that Jareth was gone- or she had thought she was. She had thought it would be a relief to have him away from her- at least she didn't have to worry about the temptation to throw herself at him now. But then she felt it. It started out as a little nagging, but as the night wore on, the feeling grew and grew.

And she knew what it was. She was craving Jareth. She could feel her body yearning after him. It was a sensation that made her almost feel like she missed him. But she didn't _miss_ him. _That would be ridiculous, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it?_ she thought. _No_, a small voice in the back of her mind replied. Sarah was sure that it was only the bond between them that made her long for his return; that made her want to his touch again. She was sure...

Sarah slipped into what she could only assume was meant to be a shirt that had been put in the wardrobe so that she could wear in the day. It was too small to be one of Jareth's shirts, and it was certainly a lot better than any of the minimal sleeping attire that she'd been given, so she was satisfied with wearing it.

She lay back in their bed, and as she did, the lights dimmed. She didn't know how that was possible- maybe Jareth was watching her again- but she just closed her eyes and tried not to think about it. Sarah had other thoughts that were troubling her when the lights went out.

She couldn't stop thinking about the Goblin King. Even the sheets smelled like him and she mentally cursed the aroma. Like she needed anything else to remind her of him. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but she just couldn't stop inhaling his scent. She couldn't stop thinking about him and she could feel need arising in her.

She scowled to herself in the dark. _So _this_ is what he meant by never being able to leave him_, she thought. The almost-pain was like a deep gnawing in her stomach, a hunger that couldn't be sated. _Ignore it_, _Sarah_, she told herself. It took her an hour and a half of repeating that phrase before she finally fell asleep- and then she only went on to dream about him.

_ They were in the bed that they now shared, and their clothes were significantly absent. Her back was pressed against the soft sheets while his body pinned hers down. Jareth's thumbs stroked tickling circles over her palms as he held her hands still._

_ She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as his lips found her neck. They drifted to quickly to her breasts, capturing one of her nipples in his mouth. Sarah's back arched as one of his hands left hers to massage the other and she couldn't help but let out a throaty moan._

_ Entangling her fingers in his long hair, she pulled his lips away from her breast and brought him into a kiss. She knew it was wrong that she should be enjoying this so much, but she didn't care. _Especially_ when the hand that still held hers released her and trailed down her body to dip between her legs._

_ Sarah squirmed under his touch, pushing her hips up to his. She could feel the length of him pressing against her and it was driving her insane._

_ She pulled back from him and whispered, "Please Jareth._

_He paused, but only for a second as she continued, "I want you."_

_ It wasn't _her_ that had said that surely? The bond; it had to be. But the smile that then lit Jareth's face proved that she had uttered the word whether reluctantly or not._

_ "As you wish," he grinned._

_ Jareth parted her legs and shifted them, positioning himself at her entrance-_

Sarah woke before the feeling of him entering her could fill her dream, a moan on her lips. She found herself panting from the suggestion of her subconscious, but she felt no satisfaction. _What a disappointment_, she thought with a frustrated groan.

Then she chastised herself for even thinking that. She didn't _really_ believe that. It was just the bond talking. Despite that, and though she couldn't believe she was thinking it- even in her dreams- she wanted Jareth. And she wanted him to come back right now.

* * *

The next morning, Sarah found her way back to the library in an attempt to forget about what she was feeling. She was trying her hardest to block _those_ images from her mind. She didn't need to think about anything like that. _Stupid bond..._ she thought, frustrated.

The deep feeling in the pit of her belly stuck with her even as she tried to distract herself. Although, after a while, Sarah managed to push the thought of that ache to the back of her mind- how long that would last though, she wasn't sure. She tried to divert her mind's focus to something else that had been bothering her.

Sarah realised that she knew very little about the marriage ceremony she'd agreed and, being in a library as vast as this, it gave her the perfect opportunity to do some research. _If only I knew where to start..._ Sarah looked around at the huge library; there were so many books around her that she had no idea where to begin.

She wasn't quite sure exactly _what_ it was that she was looking for; something on fae marriage, or fae lore, maybe. So far she knew virtually nothing on the subject so whatever would help her figure something out would be good at least.

Sarah combed over the spines of the books that she could easily reach and found nothing, so instead she tried one of the ladders so that she might check those books that were out of her reach. She leant outward to her right, holding tightly to the edge of the rail as she scanned the book covers.

"You're going to hurt yourself like that," an amused female voice said.

Sarah stopped moving and her head whipped around to the sound of the voice; Nessa. The fae woman leant against the frame of the doorway, her arms folded across her body. Her long hair was draped over one shoulder, wrapped into a dual-streaked plait that gave her a somewhat relaxed look.

"Oh, don't stop on my account, I'm just here to watch," she smirked.

Sarah scowled. Of course Nessa would just love it if she fell. What had Jareth said about not getting into trouble? _If it's not life-threatening, Nessa will probably just point and laugh._ Sarah could certainly see that side of her in her obvious smirk. Seeing the expression on the mortal's face though, Nessa rolled her eyes.

"You're no fun," she said, pushing off the door and walking leisurely into the room.

Sarah sighed and started to climb down the ladder. The last thing she needed was to somehow be pushed or to fall off of a ladder just because Nessa thought it might be a laugh- not that that was what she was expecting, but from what she had heard about Jareth's sister, Sarah wasn't too sure.

"I wonder, what are you looking for in my brother's library? Some mortal author?"

Sarah narrowed her eyes. Why would Nessa want to know what she was looking for? So she could mock it?

"Come, come, now, I do deserve an answer, Sarah. Indulge me. I'm curious."

Not knowing what else to do, Sarah remained silent until her feet touched the ground. After that though, she knew that she couldn't avoid answering Nessa. It was just going to be a little humiliating to admit what she was searching for among those shelves.

"I..." Sarah started, her voice somewhat shaky.

Clearing her throat, she began again, "I wanted to know more about fae weddings... Since I have to have one in a couple of days."

"_Have_ to have one?" Nessa questioned quickly.

Sarah cringed. She hadn't meant to say that; or she _had_, but not in front of Nessa.

"I- I didn't-"

"You didn't _what?"_

Sarah tried for an end to that sentence, but came up short. She just shrugged her shoulders instead- at least that wouldn't result in her digging herself a deeper hole.

Nessa merely raised a brow at her silence and asked, "And what has Jareth told you about fae weddings?"

Sarah bit her lip. _Should I lie? _she wondered, but she quickly realised that Nessa would probably see through any falsehood that she might try to tell. _Besides, you never know, she might actually give you some information_, the voice in the back of her mind piped up.

"Basically... nothing," she admitted quietly.

"Hm..." Nessa replied simply.

After a moment of silence, Sarah asked, "You're not going to say anything?"

Nessa gave her a wicked grin as she replied, "Despite how much that I would _love_ to inform you of what you're letting yourself in for, I think my brother would be less than impressed. It's not my place."

Sarah sighed, she had been hoping that Nessa wouldn't have said something like that. She had hoped for an answer.

"But then again, I never _have_ been one to adhere to the rules."

Sarah blinked.

"So you'll tell me?"

"No," Nessa beamed.

Sarah frowned, confused.

"Try the fifth shelf on the right, two storeys up," was all that Nessa said before turning and walking out of the room.

Sarah stared after her, wondering whether or not to take Nessa's advice. _It couldn't hurt to just check, could it? _Curiosity led her to it though. She checked the area that Nessa had told her to and came across something that looked like what she was after.

The book was old and looked as if it hadn't been touched for quite some time. Sarah carefully checked the table of contents and flicked through the book until she found an adequate page. She took a seat and read a promising passage before looking back away from the book.

What she had just read was not what she had been expecting. Unlike traditional human 'fairytale' weddings, fae weddings were an intimate affair. The book gave no exact number, but suggested a range from between five and twelve participants depending on the bridegroom or bride's choice. Sarah frowned at that, guessing that she'd get no choice in the number of the guests.

Her frown remained when she recalled that the book _specifically_ mentioned the attendance of a blood relative. As far as she was aware, Sarah had only one blood relative left. Her family had only been small to begin with, and her grandparents had all passed away. The same now could be said about her father and Toby.

The only person that Sarah had left was her mother; and Sarah couldn't see how Jareth was going to persuade _her_ to come to the Underground- even though it _was_ a matter of life or death. Sarah hadn't seen her mother since she'd walked out on her and her father to become an actress.

She used to miss her terribly and follow her career with devoted eagerness. Not after she'd been in the Underground though. When she'd come back she'd realised how futile her attempts to keep parts of her mother with her had been. How her mother didn't care whether she gave a damn about her acting career. How her mother didn't care.

Sarah closed the book and put it back on the shelf, making a mental note to keep track of it. She was getting a headache from thinking about her mother, and the aching she'd been trying to repress was rising again. With a sigh, Sarah realised that this was going to be a lot more complicated than she'd thought.

* * *

Sarah had spent the past hour traipsing around the castle and trying to locate the kitchens. Unfortunately, every room that she went into was not the one that she sought. _Who knew that it could be so hard to find a kitchen?_ she thought, clearly frustrated.

Even though she was almost certain that she'd not gone back on herself, Sarah had occasionally found herself in rooms that she'd already been in. Confused, she always left those rooms behind and headed in the opposite direction. _This castle makes no sense_, she frowned to herself.

As she continued her search, Sarah couldn't help wondering where Nessa was; and if she was going to accidentally run into her again. With the amount of doors she'd tried in the seemingly unending castle, it was a definite possibility. Sarah didn't really want to find her though. Nessa was _so_... She didn't know what it was, but she was still pretty certain that she would do better to stay away from the fae woman as much as possible.

Of course, then Sarah's thoughts turned back to her recent introduction, Conn. What if she bumped into him? Would that be such a bad thing? _Not if he honestly is Jareth's aide... But if he lied..._ Sarah shuddered at that thought. If Conn wasn't what he said he was then he could be anyone else; a danger, a helper of Tebras'. She shook her head. That didn't bear thinking about.

She turned her thoughts back to finding the kitchens; she knew that she really needed to locate them at some point. Sarah's stomach growled with a mixture of hunger and the need that Jareth had left her with. _At least I might be able to satisfy _one_ of those things_, she thought with a frown.

Sarah noticed that there was no noise as she walked the castle. It was odd; almost _eerily_ quiet. Wasn't there always supposed to be some goblin or other wreaking havoc somewhere in the castle? If so, then she hadn't come upon one all day. She shrugged the strange feeling off and continued walking, testing every door that would open for her.

Slowly, she headed up another flight of stairs; but just as she reached the landing at the top of those stairs, a figure collided with her. Before Sarah could even let out a scream of surprise, she found a hand covering her mouth. Her first thought was of Conn; and that he must have been lying. That he must have been working for Tebras and that she'd taken no notice of her fears.

But as Sarah finally caught sight of the disorienting attacker that had her pinned to a wall, she was surprised to see Nessa. Although, the fae woman holding her was not necessarily the calm and collected Nessa that she had previously seen. This time there was a hard and serious edge in her eyes.

Nessa placed her index finger to her lips, an order of silence for Sarah to obey. Confused, Sarah nodded, and only then did Nessa remove her hand. She stared at the fae woman as she quickly took her forearm and pulled her along after her. Sarah had no idea what was going on, but she didn't like it. Something was clearly wrong.

"We are not alone," Nessa whispered.

Sarah frowned at the back of Nessa's head, but she didn't struggle against the fae woman's pull. _What is that supposed to mean? Who's in the castle?_ And Sarah's thoughts quickly ran to the worst scenario possible. _Tebras_. She stilled- much to Nessa's irritation.

"_Come on_," Nessa hissed through clenched teeth.

She tugged on Sarah's arm, so forcefully that she managed to pull Sarah out of her pause and down the hall. Blinking, Sarah followed the fae woman. For a moment, her mind had gone blank and she'd been frozen by the what ifs of her imagination. Nessa's pull on her arm had brought her back to reality though.

Sarah didn't ask where she was being taken- the look in Nessa's eyes had matched the serious look that she had seen in Jareth's many a time. But as they rounded a corner, Nessa came to an abrupt halt. Conn stood before them at the intersection and Nessa's quick stop had Sarah's doubts about him rising quickly.

Was it _him_ that they were running from? Sarah looked between the two fae questioningly, her thoughts running away with her. But when Nessa just nodded to Conn, it was clear that they knew each other- which meant that the likelihood of him telling the truth went up considerably.

"You noticed it?" Nessa asked.

Conn nodded and merely replied, "We have to go."

"_No_, we could just stick around here playing cards for the next few hours," Nessa answered calmly, her voice heavily sarcastic.

He said nothing in reply. It seemed that he was used to Nessa's attitude, even though her response had put Sarah on edge. Conn just led the two women down the corridor and through a door at its end. Sarah stared around the room as the fae led her inside. It was so... _strange._

The room appeared to be made entirely of mirrors. Sarah thought she'd seen something of the like at a carnival before, but never elsewhere. And in the Goblin King's castle? _How peculiar, _she thought as she was taken though the reflective and utterly confusing maze.

Conn paused in no particularly special place and gestured toward one of the mirrors. Placing a hand on Nessa's back, he urged her forward. Sarah just watched, confused, as Nessa walked straight into, and apparently straight though, the mirror. The fae woman's hand on her forearm pulled Sarah through right after her.

She closed her eyes as she felt sure that she would collide with the glass, but her nervousness was unwarranted. She passed through the mirror just as easily as Nessa had, and she was surprised by the unusual feeling that came over her when she entered it.

It was like being immersed in jelly, cold and sort of solidly fluid. Sarah couldn't describe the strange feeling that flowed over her momentarily before Nessa pulled her out of it. Sarah closed her eyes as she stumbled out onto the other side of the mirror; her mind suddenly dizzy and confused.

When she regained her composure she looked around, blinking. She found that they were now in a huge hall, its walls glittering and golden. The only thing inside, apart from themselves, were a large number of similar mirror mirror-doorways dotted around in a circle.

"Where are we?" Sarah asked, one hand clutching the side of her head as she tried to quell her lingering dizziness.

"My father's palace."

Sarah stared at the back of Nessa's head.

_ "Sorry_?"

"My father's palace- _where Jareth is_," she added patronisingly.

Sarah looked around again, not certain as to why Nessa felt the need to act like that. She had only said 'sorry?' for clarification; how was she to automatically understand that walking through a mirror was going to bring them to exactly where Jareth was.

"Did Jareth come this way?" Sarah questioned quickly, in a small attempt at getting an explanation.

Nessa raised a brow and turned to face her. Sarah was being rather more bold with these questions right now than she'd thought she would be. _Perhaps that boldness warrants an answer_, she thought. _This time, at least._

"No; he flew. This is the normal entrance here from my brother's castle; the one that I always use. Every noble has a similar doorway so that they might contact the High King, our father, in an emergency."

Sarah looked around at the other mirror-doors in the room. _So they're gateways to other kingdoms?_ she thought, frowning a little. There seemed to be quite a number of them around the room- Sarah had no idea that there were so many kingdoms in the Underground. And they all lived under the rule of Jareth's father; which meant that, one day, they would all live under Jareth's rule... She paled at the thought.

"The doorways are locked and hidden away from anyone that does not know how to find them- and very few are privileged enough to be privy to that information," Nessa continued.

Sarah blinked and slowly asked, "Why didn't Jareth come this way then?"

Nessa smiled a little at that question, as if she knew some secret that Sarah would never understand.

"My father requests that Jareth makes his own way to the castle. It's a male thing," she added when she noticed Sarah's blank stare.

Sarah gave a nod, though she didn't really understand. Why would a father make a journey that much harder for his son when they had a much easier option? Even if that son _was_ Jareth, she couldn't quite figure it out.

The two women were silent for a moment, before Sarah abruptly blurted out, "Who was in the castle?"

"Three guesses, Sarah," Nessa replied dryly.

Sarah paused before sighing, "Tebras... _right_."

"Something of his, yes," Nessa corrected, a melancholic smile playing on her lips.

Conn appeared from the mirror behind them, interrupting them.

"I've locked it again," he said, nodding at Nessa.

"Good. Come, we must seek my brother."

Sarah assumed that Nessa meant all of them even though she looked solely at Conn, so she followed Nessa out of the room. The fae woman already knew where Jareth would be. He would be speaking with their father in his study- if not, then he would already have been back to his own kingdom.

As far as Nessa was concerned, Jareth's conversation with their father was probably not going too well; but this was urgent. How Tebras' minion had entered the castle, she didn't know, but she couldn't have left it to run amok in Jareth's kingdom.

Nessa left Sarah in a room with Conn for protection, before departing to where she knew her brother would be.

* * *

**Author's Note: So; long time no update. Good thing? I have the next two chapters pretty much fully planned out, so I just have to write them now. :)**

**Anyway, to the chapter; new character, new information and new places. Aren't we awash with new things? (Excuse me whilst I go and hit myself with a book for uttering that last sentence... 'cus I don't even know...).**

**Hope you guys liked it and will let me know your thoughts! :)**

**Kit xx**


	23. Meeting The Family

Nessa did not pause in her stride as she pushed open the oak door emblazoned with golden panels and entered her father's study. The two figures inside the room paused though, almost startled by the sudden interruption of their conversation. They had placed a spell on the door to stop anyone entering, but Nessa knew how to circumvent it. Growing up in the High King's castle, all of Kenrick's children had learnt that there were ways around certain spells.

As Nessa came to a stop in the middle of the room she gave the two fae before her a gleaming smile and nodded her head once. Jareth stood quickly, but their father merely turned his head and seemed to look quite confused for a moment.

"Nessa?" Kenrick asked, surprised to see his daughter.

"Where's Sarah?" Jareth questioned immediately.

He had left his sister responsible for Sarah's safety, and Nessa's presence here did not bode well for Sarah's health. Nessa's presence could mean that any number of things had happened. But Nessa just rolled her eyes at him.

"She's fine. She's in a room down the hall... with Conn," she answered, smiling a little at being able to reveal such information.

Jareth's expression became a mixture of a little surprise and confusion at the mention of his aide. Conn should still have been away; in fact, he wasn't due back for another two weeks.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Perhaps you would like to discuss this elsewhere?" Nessa replied, mindful of their father's presence.

"Nonsense," Kenrick said.

"Anything that needs to be said, may be said in front of me."

Nessa met Jareth's eyes, seeking his approval for her words. She wouldn't normally do such a thing, but giving their father leeway over any of her siblings was not usually something that she found fun. Her father had been known to take things a little too far in the past, holding onto information for centuries. But Jareth nodded to her, giving her the permission she sought.

"Tebras sent a Shade into your castle."

Jareth's expression darkened. A _Shade_. A true citizen of the Darklands. The worst thing about such news was that a Shade was one of the only creatures that Jareth couldn't stop from entering his castle; or he could, but not when he was away. This was just what he had feared would happen. And Nessa couldn't defend anyone against a Shade. She just hadn't got enough light in her. As much as Jareth would have hated to admit it, Nessa would have been the perfect match for Tebras.

So Nessa had brought Sarah here. To where his father was. And she had admitted that a Shade had found its way into his castle, even though she had tried to warn him that he might not want such information heard by their father. _Brilliant_, he thought, closing his eyes for only a moment.

"You're letting his citizens wonder through your castle?" Kenrick enquired with a raised brow.

"I wouldn't have to if you would agree to my suggestion."

"Your suggestion is ridiculous, Jareth," Kenrick answered, waving a dismissive hand.

"I will not agree to go to war."

Jareth was becoming increasingly tense. Nessa could tell. She could see it in the way his hands clenched into fists and in the way that his jaw tightened.

"It is the only way the he will ever stop."

"It's not the only way, son-"

"I will _not_ give Sarah up. I could not save Susannah or Lianna because of your refusal to offer aid. I _will not_ lose Sarah too," Jareth snapped.

If it had been any other fae that had spoken to him in such a way, Kenrick would have had them punished. But since this was his hot-tempered son who seemed to have an overbearing fondness for these human girls, his face remained expressionless.

"And what do you intend to do to persuade me otherwise?"

"I actually came here to announce that Sarah and I will be married by the end of the week."

Kenrick's lips tightened to a thin line. _Overbearing fondness indeed_.

"Marry the human," he said, testing the words.

"We shall see. Why not bring her in? After all, she is only down the hall."

Nessa looked between her father and brother. This was already awkward enough. But Nessa didn't enjoy watching her family squabble- watching Sarah suffer through this would be a different matter though. Nessa was sure that it would be interesting to watch Sarah squirm; particularly since she couldn't imagine that Sarah would suffer her father's games very well. She was so young. She could barely deal with Jareth, let alone her and their father. This _would_ be interesting.

"Very well. I will get her," Jareth said tersely before swiftly turning and leaving the room.

* * *

Jareth's fists remained tightly clenched as he made his way to the room that Sarah had been left in. The Shade would lose interest and it would find nothing of worth that it could get its claws into apart from her; he knew that he could afford to leave it for little while. As long as Sarah was out of its reach then it would be fine.

_Now_ was what he was worried about. He hadn't been expecting to have to introduce Sarah to his father so soon. He had wanted to be able to better prepare her before that had to happen. And he had _wanted_ her to be his wife by the time she met him. But he had had no such luck.

He opened the door and stepped inside the room, immediately seeing Sarah sat in a comfortable chair by the fire. Coincidentally, it was the chair that he always chose when he had occasion to sit in this room. She seemed to be marvelling at the room, taking no notice of its other occupant, Conn, who was just standing awkwardly beside her and observing her thoughtfully.

Sarah's eyes flashed to him quickly and she smiled. Jareth stopped dead where he stood. She was smiling at him? Simply because he was there? _That's... different_, he thought, a little confused. For her part, Sarah wouldn't hesitate to admit that he was a sight for sore eyes, even if she didn't want to.

"Jareth," she said, still smiling that strange and unexpected smile.

"Sarah," he replied.

She was on her feet before the word had finished leaving his lips. And she crossed the room, throwing her arms around him in an unprompted embrace too. She knew that she was hugging him, and that it wasn't like her. But she just couldn't help herself. It hurt not to touch him, and she had been without for what felt like such a long time.

They were silent for a long moment, lingering in the surprising embrace. Jareth just looked down at the top of Sarah's head, baffled by the strangeness of the action. A small smirk eventually lifted his lips.

"Miss me, Sarah?" he asked.

Although he couldn't see it, Sarah's face flushed red.

"Don't push your luck," she muttered into his chest.

Before Jareth could answer, a cough from Conn brought his attention away from the woman with her arms wrapped around him. Jareth looked up in time to see his aide raise his brows.

"We'll talk later, Conn," Jareth said seriously.

"As you wish," he nodded.

Then he left the room, allowing Sarah and Jareth a moment alone. Sarah felt quite bad about doubting Conn in that moment. It seemed that he had been truthful all along. But who could blame her for questioning him? She had every right to after all that had happened. Sarah finally looked up at Jareth, only to find that he was already staring at her.

"What's going on? Nessa said there was something in the castle, and Conn wouldn't explain-"

"There _is_ something in the castle; but I will deal with it later. Right now, I must introduce you to my father."

He said the last part as if he would rather dive headfirst into the Bog of Eternal Stench than allow his father and Sarah to meet. She blinked at him.

"Your father?"

Jareth nodded.

"He wants to meet you; which means that you are... _required_ to meet him."

She frowned.

"You're making this out as if it's going to be... not so much fun at all," she said carefully.

"That's exactly what it's going to be. Far more dangerous than fun."

_Dangerous_, Sarah thought. She'd heard that word a lot in regard to Jareth's family. Why couldn't he just have a friendly Aunt Flo that liked to give out sweets or something? Why did he have to have the human-hating, royal family that was always _dangerous_?

"Don't say a word unless you are spoken to directly," Jareth advised.

"Don't make a move unless I allow it. Look to me if you are unsure of anything; and I will keep my hand on your back so that I might prompt you if needed."

Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. He kissed her forehead gently, a gesture that she both hated and loved it at the same time. The skin his lips had touched tingled at the soothing contact. Jareth paused and looked at her for a long moment.

"Sarah?"

She looked at him questioningly.

"As comfortable as I am right now, you have to let go of me before we can go anywhere."

She blinked, realising that she still had her arms wrapped around Jareth. She hadn't noticed. With a small frown, she pushed herself back from him. The worst part was that she didn't quite know why she was frowning. Was it that she was holding him in the first place and seemed to forget her discomfort? Or was it that she was letting go of him?

* * *

Jareth led Sarah back to his father's study, his hand resting on the small of her back as he had promised it would be. Conn had disappeared, but Jareth knew where he would be. He knew that his aide would already be greeting his father and would be waiting for him in the study. Jareth took a deep breath as he walked Sarah along. How he was dreading this.

"How nice to see you again, Conn," Kenrick was saying as the two walked in.

"Glad to see all of that nasty business is behind you."

Conn nodded once to the High King, but said nothing to that remark. It looked to Sarah as if he was almost uncomfortable by the mention of that 'nasty business', but Sarah didn't have time to wonder what that could have been, because the High King's eyes turned on her.

Kenrick stared at Sarah for a long time before saying a word; and all Sarah could think to do was stare back. He looked to be about the same height and build as Jareth, though that was hard to judge as he remained seated. It was immediately obvious where Jareth had gotten his hair though, as Kenrick's was just as unruly as his son's, only it was longer and a slightly paler shade of blond.

Their features, too, were similar. Sharp, angular. The only difference was their eyes, because Kenrick's were the same bright blue eyes that Nessa must have inherited. Sarah couldn't help but find that unnerving as she remembered how horribly cold Nessa's eyes could turn in just a moment. Eventually though, Kenrick shattered the silence.

"So _you're_ the human," he said.

Sarah didn't reply. Jareth's fingers on her back pushed her a little. Apparently she was supposed to answer that; it had sounded rhetorical to her.

"Yes," she replied quietly.

"What is your name, girl?"

"Sarah Williams."

He didn't even seem to acknowledge that she'd spoken, but just continued in his questioning.

"And your age, girl?"

She tried to fight back a frown. She didn't like how he kept calling her 'girl'.

She took a breath before replying, "Eighteen."

He sniggered at that, and gave her a cruel, mocking look.

"Quite articulate, your human girl, is she not, Jareth?"

Sarah said nothing. Even though she would have loved to yell at this fae more with every word he spoke, she knew that it would do no good. Jareth had told her not to speak unless necessary- and he probably wouldn't believe a good telling off was necessary, even if she did.

Jareth frowned at his father. Despite what Kenrick had just said, mocking Sarah for saying so little, he knew that it was better if Sarah remained silent. If she said a word against his father's remarks then it would only make things ten times worse.

"More than you or I will ever know," Jareth replied calmly, ignoring the slight.

He didn't mention that most of the time when Sarah was being 'articulate', she was throwing harsh words his way. But his father didn't need to know that. Following that interruption by Jareth, Sarah just tried to say as little as possible. It was lucky then that Kenrick turned to asking Jareth questions about Sarah even though she was still present. He really was quite rude, in her opinion.

"She's a little on the small side for a human. Very young."

Jareth's lips tightened to a thin line.

"I am very aware of her age and build."

Kenrick snickered.

"I'll bet you are, son."

Sarah tried to remain expressionless but the taunting was getting to her. _Don't. Say. A. Word._ she told herself, repeating the order over and over like a mantra.

"Perhaps better as a plaything, don't you think?" the High King suggested.

Sarah's eyes flashed. She couldn't stop them, no matter what her mantra was. _Did he just refer to me as a _plaything_?_ she thought, outraged. Jareth's hand shifted to around her waist and he pulled her tightly close to him.

"Better as a queen, I think," Jareth replied definitively.

Some strange feeling flooded through Sarah. She didn't understand it, but it almost felt nice to have Jareth defending her.

The feeling was shattered almost instantly when Kenrick said, "You _think_."

They were silent for some time, but Jareth's arm remained possessively wrapped around her, holding her tightly in place.

"We will see; but for now, I think you have more pressing matters, my son."

Jareth still said nothing.

"Jareth, you will return to your castle and deal with Tebras' Shade. Your kingdom must be cared for, after all. As for the girl, she will remain here with Nessa and me."

Sarah looked at Jareth uncertainly, but he did not meet her eyes. Jareth reluctantly nodded. No matter his opinion, he could not disagree with his father's order. Then he swiftly led Sarah out of the room, Conn following closely behind. Nessa and Kenrick remained, just watching while the others quit the room.

No one spoke as Jareth led them through a number of corridors until he finally stopped in a room a few floors above his father's study. When the door to the bedroom that they'd stopped in was firmly shut, only then did they break the silence.

"So your father seems... nice," Sarah muttered.

"You've seen nothing yet, Sarah."

"Great, and I thought you were bad."

He scowled at her but said nothing. He would have rebuked her, but he knew that she was agitated. His father's words had cut her into anger, but she had done well not to lash out. _Better me than my father_, Jareth thought. _For the time being anyway._

After a moment, Jareth said, "You will be expected to eat dinner with Nessa and my father. The same rules apply then as the ones that did just; except I will not be there to give you guidance."

She swallowed the lump growing in her throat.

"And do not think that Nessa will help you, because she won't. Nessa will enjoy watching you squirm regardless of what she says. However, you may trust Conn. I would trust him with my life; you may too."

Jareth turned to his aide.

"Conn, you will stay and keep her out of trouble. I will brief you of everything that has happened when I return."

The fae just nodded and said, "I will hold you to that."

Jareth's expression was grimly set as he mimicked the nod in reply.

"You realise that I won't be able to join them for dinner?"

Jareth frowned. That hadn't occurred to him. It seemed that Sarah really would be on her own with his father and sister. That did not bode well.

"Just do your best to prepare her before."

Conn nodded again. And with a small pause, in which he bent to kiss Sarah- a kiss which she couldn't help but feel that she _needed_ after so long without- Jareth quickly left.

* * *

Sarah looked at the dress that Conn had sent for. She had to look presentable at dinner, apparently- but how this was 'presentable', she didn't know. The dress was floor-length and navy blue. Cinched in at the waist and sleeveless, it was far too low-cut at the neckline for Sarah's liking.

Though she questioned that this dress was really appropriate, Conn assured her that it was. She had to look comfortable with herself even in something such as this in order to appear that way to Nessa and Kenrick. _And how am I supposed to look comfortable in _this_?_ she wondered, but she kept quiet.

Placing the dress back on the bed, she turned back to Jareth's aide, who stood beside her. She couldn't help but find Conn quite puzzling; she wanted to understand more about why anyone would stay and work with Jareth. Because at the moment he was an enigma that was willingly working for Jareth. She just didn't understand.

"So why do you work for Jareth?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Why are you marrying him?" Conn replied quickly; cuttingly.

"Long story," Sarah answered, rolling her eyes.

"And that's different. Yours probably involves you _agreeing_ to be near him."

Conn frowned. He could hardly wait to hear Jareth's recollection of what had transpired between him and Sarah. He could tell that he was going to have a lot to say on the matter.

"He is my friend."

"Why would anyone really be friends with him?"

The question escaped her before she could stop it, but Conn didn't take it too seriously. He seemed to understand something of her dislike of Jareth; or rather, in not understanding, he made no judgement.

"I've been in Jareth's service for most of my life. Well, actually for all of the pleasant parts of it anyway, save for a few early years that I don't recall."

"_Jareth_? _Pleasant_?"

Conn smiled a little.

"Believe it or not, Jareth and his sister saved my life once upon a time."

Sarah blinked.

_ "Nessa_?"

Now _that_ would be something. Sarah just couldn't imagine Nessa saving anyone, let alone _wanting_ to. At that Conn laughed, a full and amused sound that was pleasant to hear.

"No," he said, shaking his head.

"Nessa's not too fond of saving people; she prefers throwing you in at the deep end and hanging around to find out if you'll drown."

Sarah stared. _So I've heard._

"So, who...?"

"Mariana."

"That's one of Jareth's other sisters, right?" she asked, a little uncertainly.

Conn nodded and replied, "The eldest of the twins."

They were silent for a moment, but Sarah couldn't hold back her curiosity.

"Do you mind me asking what happened?"

"I wouldn't have brought it up if I did," he answered, but she could already see an edge of pain creeping into his eyes as he spoke.

"I was born on the outskirts of the Darklands in a city called Bridge. Not so original a name, I know, but the city literally bridges the gap between the Darklands and the rest of the Underground so it seemed appropriate when they named it."

Sarah made a mental note to have a look at a map of the Underground some time. _How big is this place?_

"Anyway, when I was about three summers old, Tebras' armies pillaged the city because apparently he felt that the reputation of the Darklands needed reaffirming."

Conn paused for a second and scowled, as if remembering something deeply unpleasant.

"They took prisoners, and I was one of them."

"But why would they take a child?" Sarah whispered, completely enraptured by Conn's story.

"Why does Tebras do anything that he does?" was the bitter reply she was given.

"I would suggest that taking a child takes away what matters most to a family; it brings the most pain... But that is only a thought... Anyway, I grew up in the Darklands as a... servant of sorts. I spent seventeen years there doing and seeing unimaginable things before a certain gathering that Tebras and a party of his courtiers were invited to. Jareth and his family were there too, all the nobles seemed to be, and I was brought along as a servant."

He paused again, like he was struggling to come up with the right explanation for what happened next.

"Now what you must understand is that the people of the Darklands do not treat their servants with any type of respect; a casual beating is no more than that; casual. It is offered no more than a bat of an eyelid there."

Sarah swallowed the lump sticking in her throat.

"I was being treated as I... commonly was when Mariana observed me. All I knew after that was that I had been released from the service of the King of the Darklands and was to return here with Mariana and Jareth. I didn't find out until later that they bought me from Tebras because of a much unfamiliar to me compassionate side."

"They _bought_ you?"

He shrugged.

"They gave me my freedom, and said I could leave whenever I wanted. I stayed on to work for Jareth not because he made me, but because I wanted to."

Sarah still couldn't quite understand it. How could _buying_ any person ever be considered as a good thing?

"I'm sorry, but I still don't understand how they saved your life by _buying_ you."

"You would if you actually knew what they did in the Darklands," Conn replied, a dark edge to his voice.

She frowned. This conversation was starting to make her feel a little ill.

"I don't want to find out what they do there," she said quietly.

"_No_, you don't."

He sighed before adding, "Jareth should never have brought you here."

"Tell me about it."

He put a hand on her shoulder, a comforting gesture. Sarah tried not to look too confused. She just wasn't used to comfort, apart from when it was from Jareth. It was so odd.

"But you're here now, and we have issues to deal with; and at present, those issues are Jareth's family."

Sarah shook herself out of the strange, slightly sick feeling that she had sunk into.

"Right... Yes... Them."

Conn smiled a little and said, "Good. Now, I'm going to help you through this, alright?"

Sarah nodded. She didn't understand Conn at all. How could he just brush off his problems like that? The tale that he had just told her had clearly caused him pain to retell and yet, now, he seemed to have forgotten that he'd even mentioned it.

"The thing you need to know about Nessa is that the more uncomfortable you are, the happier she'll be. If you pay her no mind then eventually she'll turn her attentions elsewhere."

Sarah nodded again.

"And Jareth's father... Well, the less you say to him, the better. Kenrick does not care for mortals and he _will_ insult you. Worse than he did when Jareth was there. Unlike with Nessa though, he will not stop if he gets no rise- but still, you must give him nothing."

"But, how...?"

"He wants a rise from you and he will not stop until he gets one; however if you can ride it out until the end of your meal then he will be impressed. He will respect you a little, at least."

"Right... So, I just have to stay as quiet and calm as possible?"

"In theory, yes; but you must make conversation when they speak to you, and even when they provoke you, you must remember what I've told you."

"Right, so stay quiet, but make conversation; how does that make sense?"

"It doesn't. Nothing about Jareth's family really makes that much sense. Particularly to someone who was not born in our society."

"Okay... Well, I can try..."

"And we can only hope that that's enough. Just remember what I said. I'll leave you to dress now."

He moved to leave, but Sarah's voice stopped him.

"Thank you," she said, really meaning it.

Without saying a word, Conn nodded and left the room.

* * *

Conn led her to another room, that lay at the end of another number of indistinguishable corridors. He left her at the door, still quite nervous at the thought of the impending dinner that Jareth had left her to face alone. Just as Conn was retreating the way that they had come, Sarah suddenly panicked.

"Wait, Conn," she hissed, trying to keep her voice quiet enough not to disturb the occupants of the adjoining room.

He turned and gave her a quizzical look.

"Am I supposed to knock?"

Conn grinned, the dimple in his left cheek making an appearance.

"No, just go in," he replied before heading off again.

"Right, just go in," she murmured to herself.

Sarah took a breath and paused to readjust her dress. How Conn had ever thought that she was going to be able to look comfortable in this was beyond her. She had to keep pulling it up at the top because the bottom of the dress was too heavy, it kept pulling it down. She was going to have to watch that, she knew.

She pulled the braid that she'd twisted her hair into over her right shoulder and took another deep breath. Sarah was more than nervous; she was damn near petrified. Why did she have to be so careful every time she encountered Jareth's family? Why couldn't they just be normal? It was a stupid thought, she knew, but ranting to herself was all that she had right then. Sarah groaned as she lifted the top of her dress again.

"Damn dress... So uncomfortable," she muttered to herself.

"You know, talking to yourself is one of the first signs of madness."

Sarah's head whipped around to her right, where she found Nessa observing her. _How the hell did she get so close?_ Sarah thought, shocked. She hadn't even heard her coming. When Sarah gave no reply though, Nessa just rolled her eyes and placed her hand on the door handle in front of them.

Nessa walked inside without holding the door for Sarah, but she followed the fae woman through anyway. Sarah couldn't help but look around at the huge hall she'd just walked into. The ceiling was three times as high as it had been in the corridor and it curved into an arch, framed by huge and sturdy-looking wooden beams. It looked to Sarah as if they would have had to cut down half a forest just to support this room.

She blinked as her eyes travelled lower. Everything in the room was very... gold. Or orange and yellow. The colours made the room warm, as well as undeniably regal. Every pattern on every surface that had one was ornate and marked with acute precision. _High King's dining hall indeed_, Sarah thought blankly.

But the size of the room seemed to dwarf its contents, she noticed. Apart from adornments that lined the walls of the room, the only objects in it were a long, but not too long, table, surrounded by six chairs. Sarah blinked as she looked at the table. There were five places set, but Sarah only knew of three people in attendance. Who else was she going to have to contend with?

"Usually, if we have more company we would eat in the dining hall; but this serves the purpose when there are so few of us," Nessa said as if she was reeling off a boring history lesson.

Sarah hadn't asked the question, but apparently Nessa thought it might be amusing to inform her that what she thought was a massive dining room, was, in fact, just a miniature of the real thing. Although it made her pause, Sarah's mind was still preoccupied with the five place settings.

"Um, Nessa? Is there supposed to be someone else joining us?" she asked quietly.

Nessa followed Sarah's gaze to the table and settled there for a moment. Then she shrugged.

"My father has many guests," was all that she said.

But she moved around to a chair and stood beside it.

"You will sit between me and my father," she added, gesturing to the chair on her right.

Sarah nodded and moved to the chair. She didn't sit down though. She had a feeling that she wasn't supposed to yet. Besides, it would be just her luck that Ness would have told her to sit in some very important person's chair and it would be very embarrassing when they came into the room. _No_, she thought decidedly. She would stand for now.

After an awkward five minutes, in which both Sarah and Nessa seemed determined to say nothing, two women entered the room. Sarah couldn't help but stare at the them. Their resemblance to each other was shocking save for one thing; their hair. One had hair that was strikingly similar to Jareth's in colour, whilst the others' was as dark as Nessa's but without the blonde streaks.

Sarah didn't have to think too hard to figure out who the two women were. They had to be Jareth's other sisters; the twins. But Sarah couldn't help but think, _Oh crap, more of Jareth's family. How the hell am I supposed to act around these two? No one told me how I should behave around them._

Sarah had to remind herself to breathe for a moment. It hit her for a moment though, that the only reason she hadn't been told about how to act around them was because neither Jareth or Conn knew that they were here- which had turned out to be a very unfortunate coincidence for Sarah.

Of the two identical and yet opposite women, the fairer of them broke into a broad grin, whereas the other fae simply gave a small and fleeting smile. It was strange to see Nessa return the expression, but she seemed genuinely pleased, or perhaps it was amused, to see them.

"Nessa!" the blonde woman exclaimed happily as she approached.

"Mariana, Nyx," she smiled.

"I had no idea you two were here."

Both women hugged their older sister in turn and the fairer fae replied, "We were intending to visit father and we heard Jareth was here so we wanted to surprise him... But he seems to have gone away just as we arrived."

"He'll be back," Nessa smiled.

"He left something behind."

At that, all three women turned their attention on Sarah, who tried not to shrink away from their gazes. All three of them, it seemed, had inherited Kenrick's bright blue eyes.

"You must be Sarah?"

Sarah nodded once and then stilled because, before she knew what was happening, the blonde fae was hugging her. More than a little surprised, she blinked as she was released.

"Forgive me, I'm Mariana, and this is Nyx," she said, gesturing to her darker-haired sister.

"It's so nice to finally meet you."

Nessa gave a short, derisive laugh, but Mariana either did not notice or chose to ignore it.

"We've heard so much about you."

Shortly after the twins' entrance, Kenrick followed, dressed as grandly as he usually would have been. Sarah noticed then that she had been right about his height and build being close to Jareth's. Familial resemblance seemed to run well in this family.

Taking a seat at the head of the table, Kenrick commanded that they all sit. Just to be certain, Sarah waited until the three fae women took their seats before she sat herself. It seemed that Nessa had been telling the truth about where she ought to sit.

"It is nice to have all of my daughters together again. How rare it is that I see you all at once nowadays. You should visit more often."

His tone sound reproving and no one said anything.

"So Nessa, what brought you to Jareth's kingdom?" Kenrick continued.

"His impending marriage, of course," Nessa smirked, looking sideways at Sarah.

"Ah yes, yes, of course... And you volunteered?"

Nessa nodded.

"Naturally."

"Hm," was all he said, almost as if that annoyed him slightly.

_Probably because I'm human_, Sarah thought, trying not to frown. Conversation went on in much the same fashion for a while as food was brought out. And Sarah was just glad that they seemed to be taking no notice of her for the time being. Of course, the mere act of thinking such a thing meant that attention swiftly turned her way.

"So, girl," Kenrick started, using that diminutive name that Sarah hated once more.

"Your parents, what do they do?"

Sarah paused for a second.

"They're dead," she answered quietly.

"Oh? An _orphan_. How charitable of Jareth," Kenrick mused.

Although she didn't feel the pain of _her_ words as she spoke them, she felt the sting of Kenrick's. _Do not rise to it. Do not rise to it. Do not rise to it,_ she repeated over and over. But Mariana saved her from the anxiety of stumbling onto an answer that wasn't what would be defined as a 'bad' one.

"Oh, that's awful. How long?"

Sarah frowned a little as she said, "A couple of weeks actually."

She was quite certain that they could all do the maths. That date coincided with her being brought to the Underground; no one mentioned it though.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Mariana added.

"Losing a family member is always hard. Losing more than one must hurt to no end."

_That_ _was_ _weird_, Sarah thought. Mariana actually seemed to mean that. It had occurred to her, as she'd watched the family over the meal, that Nyx was dark, quiet, and had not said a word for the entire evening. But Mariana was talkative and bubbly and... _nice_. Neither of the twins seemed on par with Nessa and Kenrick's harshness; they both seemed to be alright- which Sarah found extremely odd.

Sarah also noticed that Mariana was doing somewhat of a good job at deflecting things Kenrick said to her. If they were picking sides, then Sarah might have been tempted to say that Mariana was acting on hers. Eventually though, Nessa started saying things to stop Mariana interfering. It was clearly meddling in her attempts to watch Sarah struggle under their father's questioning.

"Mariana, I believe that that question was directed towards Sarah," Nessa put in.

Mariana just shrugged and answered, "Well there's no harm in anyone else voicing their opinions."

"Except for when they butt into a conversation that they are not a part of."

"The poor girl had her mouth full; it would have been impossible for her to answer anyway."

Sarah stayed silent and watched as Jareth's weird family work around her. She just hoped to go unnoticed. As bad as it was when they were questioning her, Sarah thought it worse now that they were arguing _about _her. She wished that she could just fade into the background though as their argument continued. Eventually though, after words between Mariana and Nessa took a nasty turn, Nyx spoke up.

"Enough sisters; there is only so much of your words that I can take."

The other two looked at her, but they quieted themselves immediately. Even Kenrick, who seemed amused at the sight of his two daughters arguing, said nothing. Sarah couldn't help but wonder what it was about the darker twin's words that had silenced them, but she was truly grateful. Especially since the rest of the meal was then taken in silence.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sooooo, more Jareth in this chapter. Hope that makes up for his being completely absent in the last one. :) I would have had this posted earlier, but I'm on holiday right now (so I'm dutifully stealing internet from a restaurant to bring this update to you). Anyway, I hope you guys like the chapter and will let me know what you think. :)**

**EDIT: Um, I just found out that my cat, Molly, who I've had for 15 years has died. So I'm sorry but I don't know how long it'll be before I can write the next chapter.**

**Kit xx**


	24. Something Special

When dinner was finished, Sarah was eager to leave, but she wasn't quite sure if she was allowed to, or if she might inadvertently offend someone by going. She had wished then that she'd asked Conn before, but the thought hadn't crossed her mind. Luckily Nyx suggested that Mariana showed her back to her room at just the moment that thought passed through her mind.

At first, Sarah was a little wary, but she followed Mariana out of the dining hall after nodding her goodbyes to the rest of Jareth's family. She chewed on her bottom lip as she trailed behind the fair fae woman, wondering if she should try to make conversation or not.

"I am sorry about my father and sister. They're not very personable at times," Mariana apologised.

Sarah blinked. She didn't quite know how to respond to that.

"I hope that dinner wasn't too much of a trauma for you. After all, you did have to brave our family without my brother. You did very well, considering all those... _lovely_ questions you were asked."

"Erm, thank you, Mariana," Sarah answered, trying to come up with a reply to Jareth's sister's words.

"Please, call me Ana," she smiled.

Sarah nodded, and their conversation effectively ended when the pair reached the room that Jareth had put her in. How Mariana knew exactly which room that was baffled her, but Sarah didn't ask about it.

She was lucky enough to receive an answer for her question without having to ask, however, as Mariana soon observed, "This was Jareth's room when we grew up here."

"Oh..."

_ That makes sense_, Sarah thought. Mariana lingered in the doorway as Sarah was about to step inside, and that made her pause. She looked up at the fae woman, and the curious expression on her face.

"I wonder, Sarah, may I come in? I'd like to become better acquainted with you if you'll allow me to. We are to become sisters after all."

Sarah stalled. She didn't know what to say. Jareth had said that his family was dangerous, well he hadn't particularly said anything about Mariana, but she wondered if staying away from them and staying silent still applied. Then again, Mariana had been nothing but kind to her since she'd met her... _How bad can it be?_

Sarah nodded and the two women walked inside the adjoining room. It gave off a different feel to Sarah now that she knew that this had been Jareth's room. And she just couldn't imagine what it would be like growing up in a room like this. It was so... _austere_ in a way. The thought made her frown a little. She actually found it hard to imagine what Jareth would have been like growing up at all, so she turned her thoughts from the matter.

Mariana took a seat in one of the two chairs by the fire that she always used to find her brother sat reading in and waved Sarah to sit in the other. Somewhat reluctantly, Sarah joined Jareth's sister and gave a small and awkward smile.

"So, you're marrying my brother," Mariana said matter-of-factly.

The smile on her face made Sarah think that she seemed happy; but Sarah wasn't too sure what reason she had to be so happy about it. _She_ wasn't even happy. She was just going along with it because she had to, and because the bond compelled her.

"Yes... I am," she replied evenly.

"You don't seem to be entirely pleased with that," Mariana noted empathetically.

Sarah tried to hide her frown. Was she that easy to see through?

"Um, no... I _am_ happy," she lied quickly.

"I just... I'm finding it hard to deal with things right now."

Mariana nodded, the way someone who actually cared about what they were listening to would.

"I know; I must say again how sorry I am about your family; and about all of this Tebras business."

Sarah blinked.

"You know about that?"

"Yes."

As far as Sarah knew, Jareth wasn't aware of Mariana's presence in the castle, so who had told her about what was happening? Was it Nessa? No, she couldn't have told Mariana; she hadn't known that the twins were there either.

"How?"

Mariana paused as if she was weighing up something in her mind. After a while, she appeared to settle whatever conflict she was mentally sifting through, and gave Sarah a serious look.

"I see things," she answered eventually.

This time, Sarah allowed her frown to show.

"I don't quite follow."

Mariana smiled a little sadly.

"What you must understand, Sarah, is that every fae is born with something special about them. A gift, if you will... I see things. Not the future, but I see the past. I see the things that dwell heavily on people's minds and the things that they try to hide."

As she paused, Sarah's frown only grew. By the sound of it, Mariana could virtually watch her past like a movie. _That's disturbing_... she thought. But then her mind drifted to what exactly Mariana might have seen, though Mariana swiftly answered that for her.

"I've seen what has transpired between you and my brother, and I can only apologise for his actions. His intentions were well-reasoned. _Mostly_. He never meant to truly hurt you. I could see it in his eyes."

Sarah said nothing to that. She wasn't so sure. She was still having a hard time believing that Mariana could see inside her mind and was still sort of okay with what Jareth had done. _Unless she truly believes that what he did was right... Like Jareth does..._

"He only wanted to protect you, believe me. I saw what losing those he loves did to Jareth and he wants anything but a repeat of last time. He'll do anything to prevent Tebras hurting you... Even if that means he has to grudgingly hurt you himself."

"It didn't seem all that grudgingly done to me," Sarah muttered.

But Mariana could only give her another sympathetic, sad smile.

"I can't speak for my brother, but I know that he's been trying to tell you he didn't mean it the way you're taking it. He only wants your safety, Sarah. He's made mistakes, but driven by love, don't we all?"

Sarah sighed. Fed up of a conversation that was really getting them nowhere, she changed the subject slightly.

"You said that every fae is born with something special right?"

Mariana nodded.

"So...

"You want to know what Jareth's is, don't you?" she smiled.

Sarah said nothing, but a tiny smile gave her away. Even if she didn't like him all that much, she wanted to use the opportunity to learn as much about her future husband from someone other than him. Plus, she'd have to admit that she was curious.

"Jareth has his crystals."

Sarah frowned. _Crystals?_ She'd already seen him use them, but she hadn't thought anything of them. Then again, he really was her only experience with magic so she didn't have much compare with. She had thought that that was something that every fae could do. _Apparently not._

"None of us can control them as he does," Mariana went on.

"But... how is that something special?" Sarah asked, slightly confused.

Mariana gave a large smile.

"You've clearly not seen what he can really do with them then."

Sarah stared. She thought about when she'd seen Jareth with his crystals beforehand. The things she'd seen him do were quite wonderful, but she didn't understand why that was so special. Perhaps she _hadn't_ seen what he could really do with them.

"So if you can see things and Jareth can control crystals... What can your other sisters do? If you don't mind my asking, that is."

"My sister, Nyx, she suffers from terrible head pains. Being twins, we seem to have inherited two sides of a similar gift... Sometimes I feel bad though, because I can control this; Nyx can't control what she was given," she paused and heaved a saddened sigh.

"She hears too much. And by that, I mean that she hears thoughts."

Sarah froze.

"She hears _thoughts_? Wait- did she hear _my_ thoughts- at dinner?"

She remembered the thoughts that had run through her head when Nyx and Mariana had walked into the dining hall. Something like '_Oh_ _crap_.'

"She may have done- most probably really," Mariana answered quietly.

"She rarely speaks of what she hears, not even to me."

Sarah breathed a small sigh of relief. At least that meant that only one of Jareth's sisters would potentially know how strange she'd thought them all through dinner. The realisation came to Sarah then, now knowing what she did, that she had just been thinking how horrible it felt to be at the centre of that argument when Nyx stopped it. _She must have heard what I was thinking and what... felt sorry enough for me to stop them arguing?_

"And Nessa; well, Nessa's good at manipulating people. Abnormally good at it. No one's ever been able to figure out what her special talent is, but I've always assumed that it was that."

Sarah frowned and asked, "What... what do you mean?"

Mariana seemed to look a little uncomfortable as she discussed her older sister's unusual talent, and she looked away from Sarah for a moment.

"She's always seemed to be able to pick out the things that can hurt a person; she can make them or break them however she chooses- _if_ she chooses to... It's just lucky for all of us that we're family. She'd never hurt us that much."

"I'm not family though."

"Not yet; but you will be."

Mariana placed her hand on Sarah's for a moment and gave her a small smile.

"I'll leave you to your thoughts," she said.

With that, Mariana stood and made for the door quickly.

Just as she reached the doorway, however, Sarah called out, "Ana?"

The fae woman turned and enquired, "Yes?"

"It was nice to meet you."

Mariana gave her a jovial grin.

"Likewise. I hope to see more of you, Sarah."

* * *

In his barn owl form, Jareth set off flying for home. Making his own way was the only way his father allowed him to come and go between the two castles. Even so, it irritated Jareth. The journey was a long one and he was flying it at top speed.

He had to deal with the Shade, but, in truth, he was more nervous about leaving Sarah with Nessa _and_ his father. And the longer he was gone, the longer Sarah would be left alone with them. Sarah was going to be lucky if she escaped the night in one piece.

Jareth's one solace was that at least he knew that Tebras wouldn't touch her. His father was opposed to starting anything with Tebras and he was a firm believer that his children should deal with their own problems, but if the King of the Darklands made any move against a guest of his palace then Kenrick would have no choice but to retaliate.

And Jareth was certain that Tebras wanted his war with him and not his father. The Goblin King had fewer allies to call upon than the High King did. And the High King was by no means certain to join a war between Jareth and Tebras- even if his only son and the heir to his throne was directly involved. Like he always said, his children should solve their own problems.

Jareth mentally tutted to himself. Certainly he understood the value of solving one's own problems; but Tebras was _more_ than just a problem. Tebras was evil. An enemy much worse than a simple problem. And he wasn't going to go away until he was dealt with. Jareth almost couldn't believe what he was thinking. Would Tebras really push him to war? And what would be the cost?

In truth, he had no idea. All he knew for certain was that Sarah was safe for now; because if Tebras went for Sarah while she was a guest of his father, then it would push Kenrick into the , Jareth was almost sure that Tebras would wait until he had Sarah again, simply so that he had the satisfaction of taking her from him. As he had with Susannah and Lianna.

The Goblin King refused to think about that and turned his thoughts to the Shade in his castle. That was something he'd have to deal with presently. And it was a problem that was more easily solved than Tebras.

* * *

Jareth arrived at his castle some time later, and he landed in the throne room, transforming back to his normal fae form. His eyes scanned the room and he found it completely empty of goblins. Though he didn't find it surprising. With a Shade about, they no doubt would have buried themselves away in whatever hiding place that they could find. Even goblins knew that Shades were bad news.

Jareth could feel the Shade's presence in the castle; and he knew of its location as soon as he'd neared the boundary of his realm. It was in his castle, still shifting around. _Searching for Sarah_, he supposed. The Goblin King's thoughts dwelled on the nature of the Shade as he set off with a purposeful walk toward it.

Born and bred in the Darklands, Shades were not fae, but had a similar natural life spans. A Shade was a being of shadows made entirely out of hate and fear, conjured through the pain of those trapped in the Darklands. They had garnered a reputation for being Tebras' dogs, sent out only to do his dirty work. Jareth was solaced though, in that he knew how to ward off Tebras' minions.

It was true that Shades were dangerous- but they weren't all that smart; they had no active brain after all. They could only hold onto one order at a time. And Jareth guessed that Tebras' order would have had something to do with finding Sarah- or worse. But since she wasn't there, the Shade was likely sifting through the castle, still trying to find her or anything of hers.

Seeking out the Shade, Jareth found it sniffing about in Sarah's old room. It was empty of all of Sarah's things, but it could probably still smell her in the air. Jareth stared harshly as he walked into the room and spotted the creature's dark form appearing like an anthropomorphism of shadows in the corner of the room. The Shade paused when it noticed him enter the room, it's almost-corporal form turning to face him, deep shadowy eyes staring almost incomprehensively at Jareth.

"Your business here is done," Jareth said, his harsh voice commanding and regal.

A crystal appeared in his hand. Pure light. The creature didn't even have time to flee before the orb collided with it. It howled in pain, a sound that made goblins around his kingdom shudder in whatever place they had concealed themselves. And, in a wave of pain and anger, two emotions that would overrun its orders and led to pure and primal instinct, it lunged at Jareth.

Passing through the wooden bed frame like the shadows it was made of, the Shade's arms clawed out. But Jareth swerved and the beast only just managed to send suddenly sharp and fully formed claws grazing into his arm. Jareth grimaced at the sound of his shirt and skin tearing as the creature's momentum sent it colliding with the chaise long that Sarah had once sat on.

The Goblin King sent another crystal into the beast and its scream was worse even than the previous one. But this time it's shadowy form melted into a brownish smoke that smelt of rust and dried blood. The substance fell to the floor and seemed to stain it. Jareth let out a breath. It was gone.

And it had done quite some damage to the room. The bed frame and the chaise long that it had only just touched were slowly disintegrating; the acidic poison in the genetic make-up of the Shade was imminently destructive. Jareth frowned. He would have to have everything in this room burnt, just for good measure.

His only regret was that he'd let it scratch him. He looked down at the wound on his arm and saw that there were four long scratches that ran over his bicep. Jareth felt no pain now, but he knew that he would later. That was how Darkland injuries worked. They gave lasting agony that only set in after a few hours. He sighed. _That will sting later._

Jareth looked around the castle to make sure that nothing was out of place. Not that the Shade would have had the brain to do something independent and actually search for something if its orders were otherwise, but he wanted to be certain. When he was satisfied, Jareth took a moment.

He knew that he would be exhausted after flying back to his father's palace- and the journey would be made only worse by the cuts on his arm. He would have to fly there just to get Sarah back. Damn his father and his insistence that he make his own way to the palace. Life would be so much easier if he could use the doorway that linked their castles. But no; Kenrick insisted.

With a sigh, Jareth transformed into a barn owl and took off. He just hoped that Sarah would be amiable- or, in fact, just still in one piece- when he arrived back at his father's palace.

* * *

By the time Jareth arrived back at his father's palace it was midway through the night and the Underground moon looked over from its high-up vantage point. He landed on the North tower, the one he'd taken off from. The one that he always used when he came to his father's palace.

Transforming back into his fae form, Jareth glanced down at his arm. It was starting to become painful, and that flight had certainly done him no favours. The sound of footsteps made Jareth look up quickly. Confused, he frowned as his eyes settled on the form of his youngest sibling walking out onto the tower.

"Nyx?"

She smiled.

"I didn't know you were here."

"Ana and I were going to surprise you at dinner; but you left," she said with a tiny shrug.

His mouth set in a grim line. Dinner. That meant that Mariana and Nyx had surprised _Sarah_ at dinner. And she wouldn't have been at all prepared for them. He was certain that he was going to be given grief from her when he next saw her because of it. At least the twins were friendly, and at times genuinely nice. If she hadn't already managed to insult them then Sarah might be able to get along with them. They weren't nearly as dangerous as Nessa.

"How did you know I was back?" Jareth asked.

"You think loudly, brother."

His expression softened. He hadn't meant to disturb her with his thoughts. If he had known that Nyx was here then he would have tried to quiet them somewhat.

"How are you?" he enquired.

"The same. Always the same."

He said nothing to that. He always felt for his sister. The genetic defect in her magic caused her at best irritation, at worst mind-numbing agony. She could never go anywhere busy as anyone and everyone's thoughts seemed to overwhelm her. She was fragile. And he hated that she was so vulnerable.

"Oh relax, brother," she said.

"You always were the dramatic."

He blinked. Even knowing her all of her life, Jareth still hadn't figured out how to hide his thoughts from her. It had been a pain when they were growing up.

"It's still a pain now," she put in, trying to smile through the sadness in her tone.

"I take it that you met Sarah then?" he asked, changing the subject.

At that, Nyx's expression altered. And he was surprised to see that she was smiling slightly.

"Yes. She didn't insult either of us by the way," she joked quietly.

"She thinks as loudly as you do."

Jareth stiffened somewhat as he carefully asked, "And what, pray tell, were those loud thoughts?"

Nyx looked down, almost as if she was slightly embarrassed by the information that she had unwittingly discovered.

"Between us, Ana and I know everything."

His lips drew closed to a thin line again, prompting his younger sister to place a comforting hand on his uninjured arm.

"Relax, brother. It is not as bad as you think."

He stared for a moment.

"Even _she_ doesn't think that it's _that_ bad; not deep down, not anymore."

He blinked, clearly surprised.

"_Sarah_?"

Nyx nodded; she knew why Jareth would find it hard to accept this, even though it was the truth. He had no idea what his future wife was thinking, but only what she told him. And she kept telling him that she hated him. Jareth still didn't understand why she was telling him this. It was odd for his sister to divulge the things that she learnt- particularly things that were of such importance.

"Why are you telling me this, Nyx?"

She shrugged.

"I know you love her; Ana told me that she saw it in your face as you told Sarah."

"So what has she thought that has led you to believe that she doesn't hate me?"

_ So the human girl's words _have_ got to him..._ she thought sadly.

_ "Hate?_ I didn't mention hate. Surely you don't think so badly of yourself?" Nyx asked quietly, tilting her head to the side.

He avoided her eyes as he said, "You do know what I did, don't you?"

She nodded.

"And I know that she doesn't hate you; she thinks she does... but she doesn't. Sarah's just displaying what she has convinced herself that she ought to feel."

He narrowed his eyes.

"A bond can be more powerful than you know, brother- and yours is a strong one."

The siblings were silent for a while, and the hand on his arm gave a reassuring squeeze.

"I hope you have a good wedding, brother. I do hope you will excuse my absence- your goblins drive me insane. There are too many chickens in their thoughts."

He smiled sorrowfully at her. _I wouldn't let you come even if you could. It's too dangerous with Tebras right now._ She squeezed his arm once more.

"Third time lucky," she whispered dryly.

He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes, He loved the first two women too dearly to laugh.

"Susannah and Lianna," Nyx frowned.

"I'll leave you to your thoughts brother."

Even though they both knew that she'd probably still be able to hear them, she left. Jareth scowled as she walked back into the palace. _Poor Nyx. It must be such a burden-_

"I heard that!" Jareth heard shouted back at him from down the corridor.

He smirked and shook his head, chuckling slightly. And he turned his thoughts to the growing pain in his arm. At least that wouldn't bother Nyx too much.

* * *

**Author's Note: So, not writing left me to think too much so I'm back with a new chapter. :) More time with Jareth's sisters; so please do let me know what you think of them and the rest of the chapter. :) I hope you liked it! :)**

**Kit xx**


	25. Concerned

Jareth had left her in the room that had been his growing up and now he rounded the familiar corners and corridors that he knew well to find his way back there. It was strange to think of Sarah being here in the setting of his childhood. And it was just as strange to think how long ago that was and how much had happened since he had been a boy, growing up in his father's palace.

He stopped outside his door and pushed it open. A beam of light cast through the already dark room, the only glow inside coming from the flickering of the dim fire. He could see from where he was that Sarah was asleep- asleep in his bed. And Jareth couldn't help but love that sight.

She looked so peaceful that way that he didn't want to wake her, so when he entered the room, he was sure to be quiet. Closing the door behind him, Jareth approached the bed soundlessly. He magicked away his clothes with a wave of his hand and they were replaced only by a pair of soft pyjama bottoms. Jareth didn't have the energy to do anything else.

He sat on the bed beside Sarah and looked down at his arm in the vague light. The pain from the wound was getting a lot worse, and he knew that sleep would be the best thing for him right then. Jareth was about to lie down when he noticed Sarah shift.

She squirmed around in her sleep and her unconscious expression formed into a frown. He watched as she moved; and as she started moaning. But what surprised him was that she then began moaning _his_ name. He smiled, then tucked a wayward strand of her hair behind her ear, pulling a groan from her at the touch. She woke with a start seconds after, his name forming on her lips. And as her eyes opened, it took only the tiniest moment for them to settle on him.

"Jareth?"

His smile grew, pain momentarily forgotten.

"I didn't think you'd be back tonight..."

He shrugged. It was a bad mistake. The cuts on his arm stabbed pain through him and Jareth could barely fight back a wince.

"Jareth? Are you okay?"

He stared at her. She actually sounded worried about him.

"It's nothing."

_ "Jareth."_

_ "Sarah_," he replied, his tone mimicking hers.

"What happened?" she asked.

He said nothing for a moment.

"Was there someone in the castle?"

"Yes."

"Who? Tebras?"

"Sarah, I'm tired and in pain. I will explain tomorrow. For now I want to relax."

She stared.

"So you _are_ in pain?"

He sighed, clearly exasperated.

"Yes."

"So does that mean you got hurt at the castle?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

He sighed again. Would she never give up?

"My arm. It will be fine," he replied after a moment's pause.

"Are you sure?"

"_Yes_."

"Okay..."

After a small silence, Jareth couldn't resist continuing their conversation. He was too curious about one thing.

"Are you actually concerned for me, Sarah?" Jareth asked, enquiring after her constant questions.

She frowned a little.

"Maybe," she replied quietly.

She herself didn't even know. Was it concern that she was feeling? Perhaps. At that point in time, all she knew was Jareth. Without him, where would she be? Lost and alone in the Underground. And what would their bond do to her if he was gone? It was driving her insane just being away for him for a couple of days- what would being without him for the rest of her life do?

She didn't want to think about it. And strangely, the thought of Jareth being hurt or... worse, actually bothered her. She couldn't figure out why that was though, so she turned her attention away from those thoughts.

"I don't know," she said aloud.

Jareth raised a brow. At least that wasn't another repetition of 'I hate you!' Deciding not to push his luck though, he changed the subject.

"You survived dinner with my family then, I see?"

Sarah blinked. She had almost forgotten about the previous evening.

"Yes... Barely... You know, your other sisters-"

"Were there, yes."

She blinked.

"You knew? You knew and you didn't say anything?"

She seemed outraged.

"Sarah, enough," he said, before she could continue under the wrong impression.

"I met Nyx on my way down here. I didn't know the twins were here until then."

After a second, she realised that she'd got it wrong and her expression softened.

"Oh..."

"Yes, _oh._ You must not always jump to such conclusions, Sarah."

"You can't blame me," she put in grudgingly.

"Here is thing, Sarah. I _can_," he answered.

He raised a hand to point a finger in order to continue chastising her, but he instantly regretted it. He grimaced. Jareth's arm pained him again and he actually groaned. Sarah frowned immediately and her hand went out to steady him. He didn't look up for a moment and his hair fell forward to cover his face.

"Jareth?"

"I'm fine."

"You're not," Sarah answered.

"You should lay down."

"I said I'm-"

"You need to lay down. Every time you move, you get hurt, so just lay down."

He raised his eyebrows at her commanding tone but did as she said. After all, he was hardly going to question what looked like one of the only caring gestures she had given him. Sarah looked down at him and gasped as she finally saw the wound on his arm.

"What happened?" she asked again.

"I will tell you in the morning."

She scowled at him.

"Why haven't you bandaged your arm?"

"Because, Sarah."

She stared insistently.

"Just drop it. We will talk in the morning."

Begrudgingly, she acquiesced, "Okay."

"Go to sleep, Sarah."

She carefully lay down beside him. She didn't want to sleep; she wanted to talk to him. In fact, she wanted to touch him too. But she couldn't do either of those things. Sarah settled with sliding her hand over the sheets so that her fingers slid into Jareth's hand, where she could hold it.

She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep so that she wouldn't have to see his reaction. Of course, he knew that she was awake, but he said nothing. He merely turned his head to look at her attempt at a blank expression. Jareth could barely believe it. She was holding his hand of her own volition. _Maybe Nyx was right_, he thought. Maybe Sarah didn't hate him like they both thought.

* * *

Jareth rested late into the morning, long after Sarah had woken up. And she found herself watching him as he slept. He looked like he was in so much pain even whilst he was sleeping. The cuts on his arm looked far more inflamed and much nastier now than they had when she'd first seen them.

Sarah let him sleep even though she desperately wanted to know what had happened. She was... concerned. She couldn't believe that that was actually something that she feeling towards Jareth, but she was. The fact that he had pointed it out to her the night before had made the thought linger in her mind and she found it hard to shrug off. It was probably just an effect of the bond. Or the fact that she was in this foreign castle and Jareth was the only one that she could depend on. Yes, that had to be it.

When Jareth woke up, he found Sarah staring at him, and immediately she asked, "How do you feel?"

"Good morning to you too."

She frowned at him.

"How do you feel?" she enquired again.

"I'm fine."

But the way he winced as he sat up betrayed him.

"You're not. You were groaning in your sleep and those cuts look worse."

"Why Sarah, that _is_ genuine concern, isn't it?"

She rolled her eyes at him to keep her expression from revealing her.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

He sighed.

"Can I not just have a moment to wake up?"

Her frown deepened. Sarah allowed Jareth his moment though; in fact she remained silent until he insisted they bathe together. Even when Jareth sat her in his lap, with her back pressed to his chest, Sarah didn't question him about what happened the previous night. It was only when Jareth wrapped his arms around her that eventually, after a long while of silence, he decided it was time to inform her of what had occurred in their home.

"The Shade was searching for you as far as I could tell. I found it in your old room."

She swallowed.

"It caught me with its claws just before I could destroy it."

"It hurts doesn't it?" Sarah asked after a short pause.

"Yes," he replied, finally giving her a truthful answer.

"How badly?" she whispered.

"It doesn't matter. It's just going to get worse over time."

She sucked in a tiny breath.

"What do you mean?"

Jareth's voice wasn't the slightest bit unnerved as he replied, "Darkland injuries are as nasty as the creatures that live there; they get worse the longer one is exposed to them."

It seemed to Sarah as if the fact that he'd just admitted that he would be in an increasing amount of pain didn't really bother him. But he veered away from discussing his pain before Sarah could reply and asked her to help him clean the cut.

She turned in his lap, so that her legs now straddled his. It took an awful lot of concentration to distract her from the proximity of his body. She hadn't been with him intimately for what felt like an age and, as much as she hated to admit it, she missed it. Sarah tried to ignore the thought by focussing on helping Jareth, using a small facecloth to carefully clean the wound.

"Shouldn't you get this seen to or something?"

"When we return home," he answered dismissively. "Here it must remain uncovered."

She looked at him questioningly.

"Another of my father's stipulations. In his opinion, to bandage anything less than nearly-fatal shows weakness."

"That's ridiculous."

Sarah was disliking Kenrick even more with everything that she learnt about him. How could he act in such a way towards his own son- even if his son was Jareth?

"Yes. But, in this instance, his insisting may prove useful."

"How?"

"Well, an injury on the arm of the heir to the High King's throne will certainly raise questions; and, since all of the nobles have spies in this castle, word will get around and enquiries will be made."

"And that's a good thing?"

"If a war is brewing, sides must be taken; and my being seen in such a position with my father certainly puts us at an advantage. After all, who would have the nerve to stand against the High King?"

"But I thought he wouldn't-"

"No. You're right, he won't help. What is important is that the other nobles think that he will."

"Oh."

They lapsed into silence. She looked down- careful not to look too far though, because she was well aware that they were both naked.

"Jareth?"

"Yes?"

"I thought you said that a war as what Tebras wanted, and that you weren't going to give him that?"

Jareth sighed. He pushed a wet strand of her hair over her shoulder, brushing over her shoulder lightly.

"He is pushing me too far. It is either he takes you or we end this with a war. And I have no intention of letting you fall into his hands."

She leant into him, pressing her cheek to his chest as she rested her head against him. He looked down and noticed a tear slip down her face.

"What is it?" he asked.

"You're going to start a war over me. I'm not worth that."

"Firstly, yes, you are; and secondly, this war has been brewing for a long time. You are just its catalyst."

"But still..."

He tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"I have allowed him commit and get away with so many atrocities, crimes of an unforgivable nature, all for the sake of peace. It is clear to me now that Tebras must be dealt with or he will never stop. War is the only way."

She looked down. She hated the situation. She hated Tebras. And she hated that she didn't hate Jareth so much anymore.

"I wish that wasn't true..." Sarah whispered.

"If I could grant that wish then I would, love."

* * *

Sarah sat on the bed, wrapped in a towel. She felt a little vulnerable like that, but still, she was not in as bad a position as Jareth was. She could see pain etched into his features, even though it seemed that the soothing water made him feel slightly better. She couldn't tell that he was in more pain than he was letting on however, as he covered it mostly by pacing up and down the room.

"Why didn't you tell me about Conn?"

Jareth looked up. The question seemed a little out of the blue.

"Why would I?" he answered, bemused.

She shrugged and replied, "I kind of freaked out a little when I first met him because I had no idea if he was telling the truth or not; and by that I mean I had no way of knowing that he wasn't a friend of Tebras'."

He frowned. Her reasoning did make sense. Perhaps it was an oversight on his part- though he had thought that he had more time to explain before Conn returned.

"If I am honest, Conn was the furthest thing from my mind with everything that is going on with you and Tebras. I didn't think about it. Besides, he wasn't supposed to return for a while," he reasoned.

"I had hoped to give you an appropriate introduction."

Sarah frowned to herself.

"From what he told me, I think he already knows quite a lot about me."

Jareth tilted his head to the side.

"But you don't know much about him."

Sarah faltered and said, "He told me about his past... with Tebras..."

"Ah, but that was who he was; how much did he tell you about who he is now?"

She paused.

"He said he was like an aide... and a friend."

Jareth raised a brow.

"Did he now?"

She nodded.

"That was understatement on his part. Conn probably knows more about me than anyone else in the Underground."

Sarah said nothing.

"He is my most cherished friend."

Sarah found it odd to hear Jareth speak about Conn this way. It was hard to think about Jareth having friends- particularly any close ones. But he seemed to genuinely be serious about Conn. _Friends_... Sarah just couldn't get her head around it.

"I had sent Conn on a delicate embassy when I brought you here, acting as an ambassador for my Kingdom, so that is why I didn't think to tell you about him."

Sarah looked at him quizzically.

"He was visiting another fae kingdom that I believe will aid us against Tebras, regardless of my father's help."

_ An embassy to other kingdoms? How many are there?_ she wondered, reminding herself once again that she desperately need to get her hands on a map of the Underground.

"Another fae kingdom? You think there's someone that will help us?"

"The Underground is bigger than you know, Sarah, and Tebras has been an irritation to many kingdoms. The Summer fae particularly despise him."

"Summer fae?"

Jareth nodded. _This is just getting even more confusing... _Sarah thought.

"They are the opposite to those who dwell in the Darklands. They thrive in the light; and to be allied with them would put us at a great advantage."

"Because nothing fights the dark like the light, right?" she said quietly.

"Exactly," he agreed.

"And with their help, we stand a far better chance against Tebras."

Sarah pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them there. The two of them remained silent for a while, and Jareth continued his slow pacing.

"I wish you would tell me things, Jareth," she murmured quietly.

He stared. As far as he was aware, he _was_ telling her things.

"I feel like I don't know anything here- like a child that you're keeping things from."

He blinked and considered her point. There was so much that he hadn't told her; but he had been telling her things as they came up. Jareth had only told her what he thought she would need to know when she needed to know it, otherwise there would be far too much to tell her. As reluctant as he might be to admit it though, she had a point. His lips formed into a thin line.

"Is there anything in particular that's bothering you?"

"Where do I start?" she muttered.

"You didn't tell me about Tebras at first, you won't tell me where my friends are, you didn't tell me about Conn or your sisters or your father-"

"Now Sarah, you cannot blame me for that. I will not reveal your friends' location for the sake of their safety and your feelings. As for the other instances you have mentioned, I have already explained my lack of forthcoming information."

He moved to sit down beside her on the bed and took her hand. She didn't resist him.

"The reason that I deny you information is that I don't want to overwhelm you, or worse, frighten you."

She turned her head to look at him.

"I feel _lost_, Jareth," she said flatly.

"I understand what you're saying, but I need to know more than you're telling me. Whenever you're not around, what do I know? Only what I can scrounge off others."

He sighed. She truly did look lost- and it didn't suit her.

"I will try to be more accommodating from now on if you feel it necessary."

"I do feel that," Sarah said sadly.

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, watching as her expression remained unchanged.

"Sarah?" he asked after she remained silent for some time, apparently wrapped up in her thoughts.

She blinked and said, "Hm?"

Jareth just looked at her questioningly, wondering on the thoughts she was absorbed in.

She looked a little reluctant as she started to reply, "I was wondering, since said you'd said you'd tell me more things..."

She swallowed, bracing herself for something she'd wanted to ask for a long while.

"Well... can you tell me about fae weddings?"

He paused. _What did she just say?_

"You want to know about fae weddings?" he asked, seeking confirmation that he'd heard her correctly.

She nodded.

"I had thought that you wouldn't want to speak of weddings since you were so reluctant to accept ours."

Sarah frowned. She had hoped that he wouldn't say something like that. It bothered her enough that she was having to ask about their own wedding.

"I need to know what to expect, Jareth. I don't like surprises anymore."

He stared for a moment. He still couldn't believe that she wanted to talk about their wedding. He had thought it would be a forbidden subject- one that would only cause them pain. But Jareth was determined not to waste the opportunity that Sarah had presented him with.

"Well... Our wedding will be small compared to what you are used to-"

"Five to twelve people right?"

He opened his mouth to reply but paused. _How did she know that? _Jareth narrowed his eyes at her, making her look down for a second.

"It was in a book that I found in the library," she whispered in explanation.

"Hm... Indeed. Well, you are correct-"

"Right, so who will be at our wedding?"

She had been waiting to ask that question for some time; but she didn't understand why he proceeded to scowl as soon as she'd uttered it.

"Sarah, do not interrupt me again," he said.

Sarah froze. His tone was suddenly so harsh; so commanding. It was such a difference to how he had just been speaking to her that it reminded her of when he'd rebuked her, when he'd been cruel to her; and when he'd raped her.

"Why do you do that?" she whispered.

"Do what?" he said, some irritation lingering in his tone.

"One minute, you can be so nice and almost... sweet; and then you'll just yell at me or something because of the tiniest, ridiculous thing."

Jareth stared.

"That was _almost _a compliment," he replied, his voice flat.

She bit her bottom lip anxiously.

"However, how I act doesn't concern you, Sarah."

"Yes it does," she frowned.

"When you're yelling at me for nothing-"

"I _never_ yell at you over nothing."

She looked outraged and slipped her hand out of his.

"Oh, _sure_."

"Watch your tone, Sarah."

She rolled her eyes and said, "No Jareth, it's important that you know that how you speak to me actually matters."

He looked at her with harsh eyes.

"It is important that _you_ realise that you must treat me with respect. I am a _king_, Sarah."

"But-"

_ "No_ buts. You will be my wife. My Queen. You cannot remain silent forever; you must learn to speak properly- and you cannot speak to your superiors thusly."

She frowned.

"You must learn respect."

The way he was speaking made her half expect that he was going to hit her. In fact, he might have if could have. Sarah said nothing. She was almost afraid to.

"Silence is a start; better than your always answering back anyway," Jareth growled.

"When we are married, Conn will teach you the manners you must learn before I lose my temper."

Sarah paled. _Conn will teach you. _What was that supposed to mean? The way he said that was as if Conn was going to beat some 'manners' into her. But he wouldn't do that... would he?

"So, what? Because you can't hurt me, he will?"

Jareth blinked.

"What are you talking about?"

"Threatening me about Conn 'teaching' me manners. I know what that means," she snapped defensively.

Jareth's expression softened as he replied, "You misunderstand me, Sarah.

I'm not sure that I do."

His eyes flashed.

"Then you understand completely that by 'teach', I mean that Conn will instruct you formally of the ways in which you are expected to act?"

Sarah stayed silent. That wasn't what she'd thought, at all. Jareth sighed.

"I knew talking about our wedding would bring about an argument. We will discuss this later."

He moved to get up, but Sarah caught his uninjured arm. He looked back at her expectantly, waiting for an explanation.

"Wait, please, can we just talk about it? I need to know."

He raised a brow.

"Do you promise to behave?"

She nodded.

"Very well."

And Jareth sat down again, readying himself to continue.

* * *

**Author's Note: After reading a third of Wuthering Heights yesterday morning, I felt like doing a bit of writing. Guess I got a bit carried away, but hey, it resulted in another chapter, so there's an upside. :) Hope you guys like it and will let me know what you think! :)**

**Kit xx**


	26. Actually Caring

"Our wedding will involve a blood relative of each of ours in attendance," Jareth started.

Sarah didn't know what that was supposed to mean. Her family was gone, she didn't have anyone to attend- except... Jareth could see the question on the tip of her tongue, but thankfully, she said nothing.

"Nessa will be there to represent my family, as she has already established by her turning up as she did, and your mother will be there to represent yours."

Sarah's eyes grew wide. _My_ mother_?_ she thought. _How is he going to get her here? She hasn't cared about me for years... _But a nagging voice at the back of her mind reminded her that her mother was the only family that she had left, and that if she was going to marry Jareth, then her mother was most likely going to turn up- whether she wanted to or not.

"Don't question it, Sarah. I _will_ get her there," was all that Jareth gave by way of an explanation.

"Conn will also be present, as the fae to unite us."

Sarah looked confused again so Jareth explained before she could ask.

"He will act the equivalent of a minister in human weddings. In fae weddings, that role is usually performed by a nominated friend who is highly valued by one or both participants."

Sarah nodded. _Okay, that makes sense. _Then Jareth struggled for a moment as to how to continue his explanation.

"I cannot really explain the workings of a fae wedding further. It is more the experience and the feeling there that you get there that are important. All I can really tell you now is that there must be an exchange of blood."

That certainly made her pause. _Did he just say '_blood'_? _she thought as her eyes opened widely and she stared openly at Jareth.

"Blood?" she asked, seeking confirmation as she swallowed the growing lump in her throat.

Jareth simply nodded.

"It is not nearly as gruesome as it sounds; just a simple cut. It is nothing for you to worry about."

But seeing the worry still in her eyes, he added, "Trust me."

For her part, Sarah still wasn't certain. And as to trusting him, who knew if she'd ever actually be able to do that?

"Come," Jareth said, holding out a hand to her.

"We should dress, we will be expected to bid my family farewell before we leave."

_Oh_ _great_, she thought. She didn't relish the thought of seeing Kenrick ever again, but she guessed that it would be a certainty if she was to remain with Jareth- and _that_ was an unfortunate certainty already.

* * *

After they were dressed, the two went to say goodbye to Jareth's father and his twin sisters. When they arrived beside the hall of mirror-like doors, Nessa and Conn were already there waiting, as were Nyx and Mariana. Kenrick, however, was not there.

"Father's already come and gone, Jareth," Mariana said when she saw her brother.

Jareth nodded. He was half pleased at that because it meant that Kenrick would have no more chance to insult Sarah; but he was more annoyed about the situation because he had never actually made any headway on the Tebras front. Irritatingly, his father had managed to worm his way out of discussing that one any further.

As they bid the twins goodbye, Mariana said to her brother, "I do hope it shan't be too long before I see Sarah again."

"Not until after this business with Tebras is finished with, Ana," he replied firmly.

He didn't want another sister in any more danger with Tebras than was necessary- Nessa was enough trouble as it was.

"Well then you must come to see us," she insisted with a smile.

Knowing that there was no way that he could actually outright deny his sister that, he diplomatically answered, "We shall see."

Although Mariana tried twice to speak to Sarah, Jareth continually answered before she could say a word, almost as if he didn't want the two speaking. Sarah found it quite annoying- especially since Ana was one of the only fae she'd met that she could see herself actually being friends with. Apparently though, that decision was out of her hands.

It was only after Nyx and Mariana departed that Sarah was informed that Conn and Jareth would being flying back to the castle. Sarah frowned and wanted to question them, but the two men left immediately. She knew that Jareth could transform into a barn owl, but Conn? Could he too? She remained confused until Nessa grudgingly explained that Conn was able to take the form of a kestrel, but she refused to say anything else.

For their part, Nessa and Sarah travelled back to the Goblin King's castle through the mirror-like door that they'd arrived through. Sarah wasn't given any time to question Nessa on anything that had happened the night before either, since the fae woman promptly insisted on taking Sarah back to the room that she and Jareth shared.

Left alone, Sarah only found herself waiting for Jareth and Conn's return. She ended up sat down beside the window, looking out in case she could see them returning. There was something in her that was worried about Jareth; worried about the injury he'd only received because of her, though she didn't know why.

Sarah was absentmindedly fiddling with something on her dress when the door opened. Her head whipped around to see something she hadn't been expecting- at least not really. It wasn't just Jareth that entered the room, but Conn too. And Jareth was slumped, hanging unconscious over his shoulder.

"What happened?" Sarah asked, immediately getting to her feet.

Conn lay Jareth down on the bed before acknowledging Sarah.

"Pain and fatigue. He just needs rest. I only went with him because I was afraid that this would happen."

"Oh..."

"I have to go. I need you to do something."

She stared. He was going? Just leaving her with Jareth unconscious like that?

"I need you to wash his wound again, and then I need you to wrap it."

"Me? But I don't know the first thing about-"

"It's easy," he said, producing a small roll of bandages from nowhere.

"Okay..." Sarah said doubtfully, as she took them from him.

"Good. Now I'm going to fetch a healer since our stubborn King here has refused to have one living in the castle like any sane person would," Conn explained before swiftly leaving Sarah alone with the unconscious Goblin King.

* * *

Sarah looked at Jareth for a moment. He looked like he was in a lot of pain. She couldn't help but feel a niggling worry about what Conn had said; because if Jareth only needed 'rest', then why had Conn gone to get a healer? Dismissing those thoughts briefly, Sarah went to the bathroom and dug around in a cupboard until she found a basin and cloth. She supposed that she should focus on what Conn had told her to do rather than whatever horrible uncertainty popped into her mind.

She filled the basin with water and took it over to where Jareth lay, placing it on the floor beside him. Before Sarah could do anything about cleaning him up though, she realised that she had to get his shirt off. It took her awhile, since Jareth was a lot heavier than she had thought he would be, but she managed it eventually.

Once she had, she looked down at his now-naked chest for a moment and softly ran her hand over the contours there. Then she caught herself and abruptly pulled her hand away from him. Sarah frowned at herself and looked to Jareth's arm in an attempt to distract herself from what she had just done.

The wound looked even nastier now than it had when she had last seen it, so Sarah knelt on the floor next to him and began bathing it cautiously. Even unconscious, he still winced and groaned as soon as she went near it, so she was sure to be careful as she cleaned his arm.

Once she was satisfied, Sarah unravelled the bandage and wrapped it around Jareth's arm. It took her a while to get it right, but eventually she tied the bandage and looked down at her handiwork. It wasn't perfect, but she hoped it would be okay, as would Jareth- even if she knew that that was something odd for her to feel.

There was something to be said about what she was doing; caring for him like that was bringing out her affectionate side. She actually wanted Jareth to be okay- particularly as he was hurt because of her presence. The fact that she was only present because he'd forced her to be, for once, did not even cross her mind.

* * *

Sarah sat on the floor at Jareth's side and waited for Conn to return. She brushed a blond strand of hair from his face as she stared at him. He looked so different like this. He didn't seem to be the dangerous fae that she knew that he could easily be. _Why does he have to be unconscious and in pain to be like this?_ she thought to herself.

To her surprise, it took only an hour for Conn to come back- accompanied with what appeared to be a healer. The fae that was with him was tall and so thin that his limbs looked out of shape, almost as if they did not quite belong to the rest of his body. He didn't say a word to Sarah, but merely gestured for her to get out of the way so that he could get about his work. Sarah moved quickly and watched as the fae man looked Jareth over before unwrapping the bandage that she'd only just put on. He simply tutted at the sight of what lay beneath.

"Right; get out," he ordered, not even turning to look at Conn and Sarah.

She blinked, but before she even had time to process that, Conn took her by the arm and pulled her out of the room. Once he had shut the door, he turned to Sarah.

"Sorry. Galen isn't very patient, and being made to wait only makes him more of a grumpy old sod."

"Oh, right," Sarah replied.

"Why did we have to leave the room?"

"I would suggest that it is because a common treatment for Darkland injuries involves an intense application of light. I could have stayed, but because you are still mortal, it likely would have blinded you."

"Wait, did you just say '_still_ mortal'?" she asked with suddenly widening eyes.

Conn responded by narrowing his own eyes. He hadn't meant to say that. He hadn't meant to say that at all.

"I may have..."

"What did you mean by that?"

Conn quickly tried to cover himself by replying, "I just assumed that since Jareth has gone to so much trouble to keep you that he wouldn't intend to let you go for something as menial as a mortal lifespan."

He shrugged and added, "I could be wrong though..."

He knew that he wasn't though. Sarah just didn't need to know the truth about that right now, and it certainly wasn't his place to inform her of it. If she knew the truth of the matter, then any sympathy she was currently feeling for his friend would likely disappear. If she knew the process of granting her immortality, Conn had an ominous feeling that she'd likely not be best pleased.

Sarah said nothing, but her mind was churning. Jareth was going to alter her lifespan now? _Like I need something else to think about_, she thought crossly. That was all too confusing for the moment though, so Sarah just turned her mind back to the matters at hand. The two waited outside for some time until Galen came out. He gave Sarah a cursory glance before turning to Conn and clearing his throat.

"It's not a bad wound as far as Darkland injuries go, but he should stay in bed until tomorrow morning. He will require a visit every couple of hours including through the night."

Conn nodded.

"I have had a room prepared for you, I will show you there now."

Galen nodded. Then he turned to Sarah for a second and she blinked, almost startled when he turned his hardened green eyes on her.

"Re-wrap his arm again," was all that he said before Conn and Galen disappeared, leaving Sarah just standing there looking after them.

For a moment, she didn't know what to do; she just stood there. Then she guessed that she should probably go and see Jareth before Galen returned, she didn't much fancy having him yell at her for not having done as he had instructed. He looked very much like he could be the 'grumpy old sod' that Conn had dubbed him.

When she went back into the room, she saw that Jareth was lying down in the same position that she had left him in. What made her pause though, was the way that his skin was giving off a vague glow, as if he was some sort of low-lit light bulb. She stood over him, looking at skin, confused by the odd phenomenon that she was witnessing.

Eventually though, she forced herself to stop looking at the light radiating from Jareth and wrapped his arm again. It was easier the second time, she thought, having learnt from experience. Conn came back in after a while, and found Sarah sat on the floor beside Jareth once more.

"So, Galen's staying in the castle. Jareth will certainly be annoyed by that, but it is the best thing for him. Do remind him that if he wakes up," he said as Sarah turned her head to him.

"Galen says he will need a few courses of treatment."

Sarah nodded.

"He will be alright though," Conn affirmed after seeing the expression on her face.

"You're sure?" she whispered after a moment's glance back at Jareth.

Conn put his hand on Sarah's shoulder, a comforting gesture that Sarah hated that she even wanted. She hated that she even cared at all.

"I've seen far worse injuries than this from Tebras' people. It's just the exhaustion taking its toll. For now, I would suggest that you sleep elsewhere-"

She shook her head.

"I shouldn't."

"Galen will be coming back every few hours throughout the rest of the day and night. Every time he needs to treat Jareth you'll have to leave the room. It would be better for you to sleep somewhere else."

"I'll get up when he comes and stand outside. I'd rather do that than go elsewhere," she said.

She knew that even with Jareth unconscious, she was much safer in his room- their room- than anywhere else.

Conn didn't understand, but nodded anyway and replied, "If you're certain... I will bring you some food."

He was about to leave when Sarah's voice stopped him.

"Is his skin supposed to glow that way?"

He turned back and looked at his friend, noting the light radiating from his skin.

"Yes. It's an after effect of the treatment Galen gave him; it does him no harm."

Conn was about to leave again when he observed the odd expression on Sarah's face. He could tell that she didn't want to be alone right now.

"I'll tell you what, how about I bring food for us both and we will talk if it will make you feel better?"

She nodded.

"That would be nice," she murmured

With that, Conn left, feeling that, even if Sarah didn't want to admit it, she was worried about Jareth.

* * *

When Conn came back, he found that Sarah was sat down by the fire in one of the high-backed velvet chairs. He brought a tray of food over with two plates upon it and sat in the chair that Jareth usually sat in. On the table between the two chairs, Conn placed one plate in front of Sarah, setting a knife and fork either side of it. She stared for a moment before realising how hungry she was and then began to eat. Conn waited for a moment and then slowly joined her.

"You wanted to talk?" he said after some time.

She nodded, and finished the food that was currently in her mouth.

"So... he's going to be okay then?"

Conn nodded.

"I've seen Jareth in worse shape and Galen is the best healer I have known," he confirmed.

"He'd have to be very stubborn if he wanted to stay unwell for long."

Sarah was silent for a long time, her thoughts dwelling on why she suddenly felt somewhat gladdened by that news.

"I don't know why I even care," she muttered eventually.

Conn raised an eyebrow at her. She was certainly at war with herself, and he couldn't wait until he got the chance to question Jareth about it.

"I'm sorry, I know this must seem odd, but it doesn't exactly seem to me like you and Jareth are on the best of terms."

Sarah shrugged. She didn't even know how to respond to that. She hated him, didn't she? She thought she did; but recently she'd been realising that she couldn't cope without Jareth. Her hate somehow hadn't been as prominent anymore. She almost felt comfortable with him, and she was worrying about him. Her eyes flickered to Jareth's figure laying on the bed and she stared there for a long moment.

"I... I don't know what's between us anymore."

Conn's brows creased.

"But you _are_ marrying him?"

She nodded and let out a slow sigh.

"It's a long story."

"One that you clearly do not wish to reveal," he observed.

She looked at the meal before her for a long time, refusing to comment.

"_Clearly"_, he repeated.

"It doesn't matter how we got here anymore. It's all one big mess," she murmured.

"Is that what you really think?"

She nodded.

"It doesn't matter what I think; we just have to live with the hand we're dealt," she replied, knowing that in this case, she was right.

Conn stared.

Then he said, "Thank you for speaking with me, Sarah."

Quicker than Sarah realised was possible, Conn took his plate and had left the room. She stared at the door where he had vanished, and then at Jareth. There had been no point in telling Conn about what had happened. Jareth would tell him eventually, and he would be believed over her.

There was no point fighting it anymore. She was marrying Jareth whether she liked it or not, and she was going to have to remember that she had chosen this life- even if it was only over death.

* * *

Hours later, after two more of Galen's treatments, Jareth woke up. The glow was only just fading from his skin- as it had done an hour after each treatment- when he opened his eyes and found Sarah sat on the edge of their bed. She had moved there after rewrapping Jareth's wound for the fourth time. He was surprised to see her there, looking worried. He didn't even know what had happened.

"Sarah?" he frowned.

"You passed out in case you were wondering."

Jareth's frown became a scowl.

"Conn brought you in."

He sat up and grimaced. He had to stop inadvertently hurting himself.

"Don't do that," Sarah frowned, pushing him back down carefully.

He scowled but allowed her to do it.

"Galen will kill me if you get more hurt."

The sound of that name in particular made Jareth pause.

"_Galen_?"

"The healer."

"I know who he is," he muttered.

The expression on his face and the tone of his voice told Sarah that Jareth had suddenly become somewhat sulky. _Merely at the mention of the healer's name_, she thought, slightly amused.

"Conn was right when he said that you didn't like healers," she observed.

He scowled. He didn't like the thought of Sarah learning things about him through Conn; that way he had no idea what his friend might be saying about him. Jareth looked down at his arm and at the bandage he saw there.

"Did Galen do this?"

She shook her head and answered, "I did."

He stared at her for a moment. He was taken aback at the notion of Sarah tending to his wounds- that was not like her in the slightest. Not in regards to him anyway.

_ "You_ did?"

"Surprised?" she asked.

He didn't answer, but with his good arm, he reached out and took hold of her chin. He pulled her face close to his. He had moved so quickly that she was a little startled as he pulled her over him and had to support herself by placing her arms either side of him on the bed. Jareth sealed his lips over hers and she could only stare at him as he kissed her- she didn't pull away before he did though. Keeping her held there, he let out a long breath.

"What was that for?"

"Bandaging my arm, behaving so well in front of my father; the fact that I love you."

She said nothing. She just looked down, away from those mismatched eyes. He still didn't let go of her chin though.

"I cannot wait until you are my wife, Sarah."

At that, she looked back up at him and only then did her release her, just to run the back of his hand over her cheek. She shuddered.

"You should probably get better first," she whispered, his touch affecting her more than she would care to admit.

He smirked a little.

"Oh I'm sure I will be fine."

He stroked his hand down her neck this time and her eyes closed.

"Oh, fuck it," she muttered.

Then she kissed him; a lot more passionately than he would have expected too. She had surprised him yet again- not that he was going to complain. And he didn't resist either; he merely enjoyed the feeling of her giving in to her need for him.

Her hands found his bare chest and he grinned into her lips. The only issue he had with the whole thing was with her swearing; he would have to teach her about that.

Their positions shifting somewhat, and Sarah ended up lying on top of him as they kissed. As her hands wound into his hair, she revelled in the feeling of his body against her, of his touch and hers. Before she could do anything further though, Jareth rolled them over so that he was now on top of her, pinning her down.

"What did I say about the language, Sarah?"

She didn't reply to that. She was still somewhat los in a daze of his touch.

"Do you need to be reminded?"

She stared. He was serious. This was not what she had expected when she'd instigated this.

"Jareth?" she said nervously.

_ "Well_?"

"You told me not to swear," she mumbled when she noticed that there was no give in him.

"And do I need to remind you how strongly I feel about that?"

She frowned. That felt like a threat.

"You can't touch me if I say not to," she warned.

He smirked.

"Ah, but don't you see the flaw in your plan?"

She didn't answer.

"You want and need my touch far more than I need yours. I think that the best punishment for you is to _deny_ _you_ my touch," he reasoned with a smirk.

"Perhaps I should just get some more rest."

She blinked as he rolled off of her and lay at her side, no longer touching her at all. She panicked a little at the sudden absence of his touch.

"Wait," she said, annoyed that she couldn't stop the panic in her voice.

She needed him. He couldn't just touch her and then stop like that. And he knew that that was exactly how she felt. Jareth's smirk grew and he turned his head to look at her.

"Have you made a better decision, Sarah?"

She frowned and stared at him. _This is going to be painful_, she thought.

"I won't do it again," she muttered.

"Do you promise?" he teased.

She felt like a child being rebuked, but she knew that she wasn't going to get what she wanted without giving in.

"Yes," she whispered grudgingly.

"Good. Now where were we?"

He pulled her onto him then groaned immediately. She froze and looked up from over him. He'd used his bad arm to pull her onto him and now he was suffering for it. Sarah sat up instantly, her legs straddling him. She looked from his arm to his face, and the pained expression that she saw in the latter held her gaze for a moment.

"I'll go and get Galen," she said quickly.

She went to move, but he caught her wrist with his good arm. She looked back at him.

"I don't need him."

Sarah stared.

"You're in pain-"

"I'll be _fine_."

With that, Jareth pulled her down so that she lay cradled into his side. And he held her there tightly to make sure she stayed in place.

"I hate healers."

* * *

**Author's Note: Sooooooo, long time no update; but, finally, I have something for you. :) Hope you'll let me know what you think! :)**

**Kit xx**


	27. A Discussion Worth Waiting For

Sarah and Jareth finally fell asleep after a couple of hours, but quickly found themselves jolted awake by the gruff voice of the healer. Sarah's eyes opened to find the tall fae standing about two feet away from them and glaring at her as if she was a pest clinging on to his patient.

"Get out," he grumbled at Sarah.

"I'm not here to watch you two spoon. Get outside now so I can do my work or else I'll blind you and have to heal you again later."

More than a little startled, Sarah got up hurriedly and rushed out of the room. She didn't want to antagonise the already-grumpy healer. Jareth frowned; he hated healers- and he hated how Galen had just ruined the comfortable sleep that he and Sarah had drifted into.

_That was awkward_, Sarah thought as she stood in the corridor, trying to smooth down her sleep-mussed hair. She tried to stifle a yawn as she waited, but couldn't help but give in to the small gesture her body used to illustrate signs of her tiredness. It was safe to say that Sarah was feeling the effects of having her sleep disturbed.

Galen left after a while and simply rolled his eyes as he walked by Sarah. She said nothing to him; he really didn't seem to like her. _Oh well,_ she thought. _As long as he's healing Jareth. _Sarah went back inside to find that Jareth was glowing again. He was sat up and definitely didn't seem too happy.

"Now do you see why I don't like healers?" Jareth asked.

Sarah didn't answer. Certainly, Galen was grouchy, but he was just doing his job. She just shrugged, wondering if he could see the movement. Since it was the middle of the night, there was only one low light in the room, plus that which was coming from Jareth, Sarah couldn't only just see him and not much else.

"Come back to bed," he said.

She obeyed and then paused as she was climbing into the bed. It still felt wrong to her that she would so willingly respond to his orders. She definitely wasn't too fond of the idea.

"What's wrong?" Jareth asked, noticing her hesitation.

"Nothing," she replied and continued to slide into bed.

Jareth pulled her cheek around and kissed her. She didn't resist. As they lay down, she rested her head on his chest. _This is so wrong,_ Sarah thought.

"Go to sleep, Sarah," Jareth whispered.

And she did.

* * *

Sarah once again managed to find her way to the library later that day. She was determined to find out more about fae marriage, after all, as much as she might like to deny the fact, her wedding was only days away.

She was trying to locate the book that Nessa had pointed out to her again, but was having no luck when Conn walked into the large room. Sarah paused immediately; she couldn't help but feel like a child that had been caught snooping where she shouldn't be.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" he asked helpfully.

"Um... no," she replied, a little too quickly to escape Conn's notice.

He smiled a little like he didn't believe her, so she gave in. There couldn't really be anything all that wrong with her finding more out about fae weddings, could there?

"I'm looking for some information about fae weddings."

Conn didn't say anything for a moment.

"Why?" he asked eventually.

"I'm just interested since I'm supposed to be having one soon," she said as if the answer was obvious.

He tilted his head to the side curiously and enquired, "Surely it would be better to ask Jareth?"

Sarah frowned.

"I did."

"And?"

"He told me some things, but..."

"But, what?"

"I feel like he kept some things to himself," she admitted.

"Like he wanted to be able to hold it over me."

"I don't think that that is the case at all, even though I _do_ know how much Jareth enjoys possessing knowledge that others do not."

"He has so much control over me, it wouldn't surprise me if it was," she bit back.

Conn stared for a moment.

"But don't you understand, Sarah?"

"Understand what?"

"Jareth is marrying you."

"Yes, I know that. I agreed to it..."

"No, but he's _marrying _you."

She was confused. She didn't have a clue what Conn was hinting at.

"And?"

"He hasn't told you, has he?"

Sarah narrowed her eyes at him.

"Told me what?"

Conn considered things for a moment and came to the conclusion that this information would be better heard from the Goblin King's mouth than from his.

"Ask him what happens at the exchange of blood when you marry."

"What?"

"And if he doesn't explain it properly, come back to me and I'll tell you just how important and honouring a gesture it is."

Sarah frowned. She had no idea what Conn was talking about, but she was determined to find out. She went back to see Jareth again, only to find that the door to their room was locked. She scowled but then guessed that she was only locked outside because Galen must be healing Jareth again.

Her suspicion was confirmed when the grouchy healer left the room moments later. He completely ignored her as he walked past and Sarah didn't try to make a conversation. She had to speak to Jareth. What Conn had said intrigued her too much to ignore.

She went inside, and, sure enough, Jareth was glowing again. He blinked at the sight of her. Of all the things he had been expecting that day, Sarah visiting when she had not been called was not among them.

"Sarah. How nice of you to visit."

"Well, Conn and I were talking and... he mentioned something."

"Oh?"

She shut the door and came further into the room, only stopping when she was about a foot away from where he sat upright in bed.

"He said that you marrying me was... special somehow. And that something happens when we exchange... blood," she added the last part a little uncomfortably, as if the thought made her a little nauseated.

Jareth said nothing for a moment.

"It is special," he replied eventually.

"Well... how?" she asked.

"Other than the fact that I have chosen you to be my queen and wife, you mean?" he said, one eyebrow raised.

Sarah faltered a little, before nodding. Apparently she hadn't got this conversation off to a very good start.

But Jareth continued anyway, "When we marry and exchange blood, I get a share of the bond I gave you."

Sarah blinked.

"I will feel the bond like you, just not quite as strongly as you do. Fae marriage is actually more of a commitment to a fae male than a woman since it is about the male receiving the bond too. It shows that the male actually cares enough for the female he is bonded to. It shows that he cares enough to spend the rest of his life, and eternity, with her."

Sarah's mouth almost fell open.

"You're... You're going to have the bond too...?" she asked, testing the words out.

"That's right, love," he replied, nodding.

"But... but why?"

"As I said before, it shows that I care for you. And it will protect you from Tebras by influencing my father somewhat."

"It will?"

"My father cannot then dispute how I feel about you, and he knows exactly what it will do to me should anything happen to you."

"Oh," Sarah said.

She couldn't believe it. Jareth was actually doing something that didn't negatively affect her. In fact, if what he was saying was true, then marrying her would put them on a more level playing field. He would need her just like she needed him. Though Sarah would have rather not be in a position where either of them needed each other, it was still something to have him doing this.

"You seem surprised," Jareth observed, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Sarah shrugged, "I guess I am..."

"Why?"

She bit her lip for a moment. She didn't want to say something that he would take the wrong way and that would ruin the moment they were having.

"Well, I just... I didn't think that you'd do something like that."

The Goblin King rolled his eyes.

"You'll have to stop thinking like that, Sarah. I keep telling you that I love you."

She said nothing to that and tried to change the subject.

"Well, anyway, I just came to ask about that..." she said, trailing off quickly.

"I'll leave you to rest."

"Or you could stay," Jareth suggested.

Sarah froze and the words hung awkwardly in the air.

"And do what?" she dared to ask.

"Just stay."

She didn't know what to say.

"Okay," she replied eventually, knowing that it would be easier not to fight him because she was probably going to end up there anyway.

His eyes glinted a little at her agreement but he said nothing. Sarah merely stood uncomfortably in the same place for a moment because she couldn't work out what to do with herself.

"Come and sit, Sarah," Jareth said, placing his hand on the bed beside him.

_ He's being nice, _she told herself_. Just do it. _So she did. She was uncomfortable, but she did it. _Maybe things will be different_, she thought. _Maybe him taking the bond will be good and will mean that he's not go so much power over me._ She hoped that would be the case anyway.

* * *

Galen was satisfied that Jareth was healed by the time it grew dark that evening. It had taken a few more treatments before he had actually decided it was alright to leave though. After Jareth had both thanked and paid the healer for his work and troubles, the grouchy man departed for the meantime. However, he had only left on the promise that he would be back to check on the King at some point in the near future.

Now mostly healed, Jareth set himself to get back to work. Being away from his responsibilities for most of a day had irritated him, even if he had gotten to spend a fair amount of time with Sarah. There was also the matter that Jareth could only manage to hold Conn's questions back for so long, and now that he was healthy, Jareth knew that he wouldn't be able to refuse giving him answers.

Jareth and his aide had much discuss, and they both knew that it wasn't going to be a fun conversation. Leaving Sarah to do as she pleased, the two fae headed to Jareth's study. Jareth sat in his desk, assuming the position he always took when they discussed things, while Conn remained standing.

"First, we will discuss your meeting with the Summer Fae," Jareth began, knowing what Conn would want to talk about first.

Conn wasn't happy, but he knew that this was an important matter also. He had been on an embassy to the Summer Court because Jareth had been trying for an alliance with them for centuries. They shared a mutual hatred for Tebras and Jareth had always been on amicable terms with them, but the Goblin King wanted a guarantee of their aid should anything happen with Tebras.

And that had been before he'd even brought Sarah back Underground. Now it was imperative that Conn's mission had gone well. Jareth needed to know the result of such a meeting. However, Conn could not resist waiting to ask about Sarah, and apparently, regardless of Jareth's position as King, Conn wasn't going to rest until he knew exactly what had happened with Sarah.

"Sarah shouldn't be in the Underground," he said.

"How many times did we discuss this?"

Jareth frowned. It was true that Conn had spent most of the previous year trying to dissuade Jareth from reclaiming Sarah. He went on and on about what Tebras would do if Jareth revealed Sarah. And it had happened just as he had said it would. Jareth sighed. He had been hoping to avoid the 'I told you so' look for as long as possible.

"So, Jareth?" Conn persisted.

The Goblin King sighed again.

"I believe you owe me an explanation."

Jareth raised a brow, but Conn was unfazed.

"I took Sarah; you know the reasons why."

"How?"

"She made a wish and I interpreted it as I chose to."

"She didn't agree to come to the Underground, did she?"

"You know that she did not."

"Ah Jareth, you never were above kidnapping," Conn said giving his friend a small, sideways smile.

Jareth smirked, "Well, it is in my nature."

But Conn's playful attitude dropped quickly as he replied, "And now Tebras is after her. I warned you, Jar-"

"I know," the Goblin King snapped.

"I won't talk about my reasons for bringing her here, you already know them."

Bowing his head for a moment, Conn changed the subject slightly.

"Why does Sarah think that she hates you?"

Jareth looked uncomfortable.

"I'm not sure that that is entirely in her mind," he admitted.

Conn stared.

"What did you do?"

Jareth paused for a moment. To say that he had not been looking forward to this part of the conversation would have been an understatement.

"I may have made some unfortunate decisions," he said slowly.

Conn eyed him carefully, so Jareth explained a little.

"She was defiant at first, and I was still angry about when she rejected me. I didn't behave in the most gracious way towards her... And I may have punished her."

Conn just listened, but something bothered him about his friend's story.

"And how, exactly, did you go from that to being bonded?" he asked.

Jareth paused again.

"I may also have forced the bonding on her."

Conn's eyes widened.

"You _what?"_

"It was a regrettable decision. Tebras announced his attentions, and I panicked. If you had been here to make me see sense then I probably would have made the bond differently."

"You're right. You wouldn't even have done it. You should have left her where she was; _Aboveground_. Gods, I leave you alone for the tiniest amount of time and you do this?" Conn growled, venting his frustration.

Jareth frowned. He knew that his aide would react like this, that was partly why he had dreaded telling him about it.

"Why did you do it, Jareth? I know how you feel about her; why would you jeopardize what you could have with her like that?"

"What's done is done," Jareth answered firmly.

"I panicked," he added after a while.

His tone was softer then and Conn could read the vulnerability in his King. But Jareth wasn't just Conn's King, he had become his friend- and it hurt him to see Jareth in such pain. Conn put a hand on his shoulder.

"She'll get over it," Conn reasoned.

Jareth shrugged.

"Thus far, she has been very good at clinging to the memory," Jareth noted.

Conn shrugged.

"When you marry, it will be a moot point."

Jareth stared.

"What?" Conn asked, sensing that he was missing a crucial piece of information.

The Goblin King said nothing.

"She did _agree_ to marry you, right?"

"Only to ensure her safety," Jareth replied.

Conn frowned.

"At least that proves that she trusts you enough to keep her safe."

"I wouldn't exactly say trust. The situation is just so dire that she feels she must marry me in order to survive."

"It'll come, Jareth. You'll have eternity to convince her," Conn said softly.

"Hopefully," the Goblin King put in bitterly.

Conn sighed.

"I wish you had been here," Jareth muttered.

"Like you said, what's done is done. There's nothing you can do to change it now, we just have to focus our efforts on dealing with Tebras- once that's done you can work on your relationship with Sarah."

Jareth nodded and tried to pull himself back together. He hadn't meant for this conversation to go this way. Conn just had a way of getting under his skin. Jareth was certain that it was a trick he'd picked up whilst in the Darklands.

"You're right," Jareth said, regaining a little more of his kingly composure.

"Now, tell me how it went with the Summer Court."

At that, Conn's demeanour changed, and a half-smile lit his sharp features.

"Did the Summer Fae agree?"

"Well... _no_," Conn started.

"They are deliberating though. They say that they want to meet directly with you before any commitment is made."

Jareth blinked. His heart sunk when Conn had said that they didn't agree, but it appeared that there was hope yet.

"They seemed willing. Tebras has been acting against them a lot recently and they look like they've had enough."

"Good; I have too."

"Shall I send a letter to the Summer Court then?"

"Yes. Inform them that we are willing to meet with them at their earliest possible convenience- after this weekend, that is."

Conn was midway through a nod when he paused.

"Forgive me, but did you say _we_?"

Jareth smiled sadly and said, "We will have a Goblin Queen by then."

Conn said nothing, but completed his initial nod.

"Speaking of having a Goblin Queen, after Sarah and I are married, I need you to educate her in her new role and responsibilities. She needs to know how to behave before we meet the Summer Court- or anyone else for that matter."

Conn nodded again and left Jareth to sigh to himself. He frowned and rested his head in his hands. What a mess he had weaved.

* * *

Nessa was sat on her balcony looking out over the Labyrinth again, as she often did when visiting Jareth's castle. She was glad to hear of her brother's recovery, but the fact that his injury had been due to a Shade of Tebras' only made her angry. Tebras had done enough to her brother over the years.

She had no idea what the Dark King's angle was, but if it was war that he wanted then he was closer than most people knew. Nessa scowled to herself. All Tebras would have to do was get to Sarah and there would be no stopping her brother from going after him. She could tell. And it bothered her greatly.

_Why is Tebras doing this?_ she wondered. Her eyes closed and she drifted back to the memories she had of him. She had more to recall of Tebras than most fae did, but she couldn't say that her memories were entirely pleasant. Certainly, they had had their fun, particularly Aboveground and particularly with easily manipulated humans.

Tebras had understood Nessa's need for discord in a way that most others did not. She couldn't dispute the fact that he had, on occasion, taken things too far. It was in his nature. But they had been well suited. She had even thought of the possibility of a marriage to him; he had been courting her, after all.

But then he had turned on Jareth and she had terminated her contact with him. Nessa had never understood why Tebras had done that to her brother and she never would. She may have been like him in many ways, but family was everything to her.

The unrelenting nature of which Tebras was pursuing her brother bothered Nessa greatly. So greatly, in fact, that she determined to do something that she had said a number of times that she would never do. With a sigh, Nessa held out her hand and a vivid pink orb formed in the air above her palm.

A wave of her hand sent the orb drifting out over the Labyrinth. It would arrive in the Darklands soon enough and Tebras would get her message. Then she would speak once more to the fae that she used to know so well; then she would speak to the King of the Darklands.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hi guys! First update of the year, sorry it's a bit short. :)**

**Hope you liked the chapter and will let me know what you're thinking about it! :)**

**Also, I gave blood for the first time the other day even though I hate needles. So woo! :D**

**Kit xx**


	28. New Developments

Sarah woke up in an empty bed. Jareth hadn't returned to their room before she'd gone to bed, but she'd assumed that he'd just slide into bed beside her when he did get back. She thrust her hand onto his side of the bed only to find that it was cold though.

Sarah couldn't help but feel like she missed Jareth, and she frowned at herself for thinking such a thing. Where was Jareth anyway? With a sigh she sat up, wondering if he had ever actually made it back to their room after leaving to get work done with Conn.

Then she saw him, sleeping in his chair by the fire. She was so puzzled by the sight that she did nothing but stare for what seemed a long time. _Why_? Sarah wondered. She just couldn't understand why he hadn't come to bed; it wasn't like him to avoid taking advantage of their bond.

Sarah pushed herself out of bed, immediately feeling colder as the chilled morning air touched her skin. She regretted the choice of sleeping attire that Jareth had given her- not that she had ever liked it- but right now it didn't do much to cover her legs. She could literally feel the goosepimples appearing on them.

But she was more curious as to why Jareth was sleeping in a chair rather than in bed to concern herself with the cold. Sarah stopped in front of where Jareth was sleeping and tilted her head to the side. It didn't take long for him to open his eyes though, and Jareth blinked when he saw her standing in front of him.

"What are you doing, Sarah?" he whispered.

She didn't answer him and instead asked, "Why are you sleeping here?"

Jareth raised an eyebrow. In truth, he hadn't wanted to sleep in his bed with Sarah after what he'd explained to Conn. He had felt too bad. So he had slept, fully-clothed, in his chair. But he wouldn't tell Sarah that, so he just shrugged. She frowned. The fact that he was there confused her. It really wasn't like him not to take advantage of having her in his bed.

"Shouldn't you still be resting in bed though?"

He smirked a little. He couldn't help it.

"I'm fine," he replied.

"But one would almost think that you missed me, love."

She said nothing, and Jareth knew he'd been correct. So he reached out and took her hand, gently pulling her into his lap. Sarah sighed, a little relieved as she fell into his lap. She couldn't help but feel the relief his touch brought.

"You did miss me, didn't you?" he teased softly.

Closing her eyes as she just rested her head on his shoulder, she replied, "You know I did."

Jareth looked down at the woman resting in his arms. He didn't understand why she was behaving so amicably towards him. Perhaps leaving her for the night had had more of an effect than he'd known it would. And he took advantage of the situation only by running his hand slowly over her sleep-mussed hair. This was peaceful. This, he liked.

In fact, he just couldn't resist the tune that came to mind; and the song he sang in the ballroom dream came humming from his lips. Of course, Sarah recognised the song, but she didn't open her eyes. She wasn't sure how she felt about that song, though she didn't want to break this peace, so she stayed silent. Until the humming stopped and his lips found hers that was.

She made a sound that was muffled into his mouth but didn't push away from him. Jareth's fingers ran up her thigh, stroking her skin lightly as their kiss continued. Eventually, he pulled back and leant his forehead against Sarah's. He didn't fail to notice to she was breathing heavily.

"We should get up," she whispered.

"Is that really what you want?"

She said nothing for a moment.

"It's what I wish I wanted," she admitted.

"What is it that you really want then, Sarah?"

She bit her bottom lip for a second, saying nothing. And she couldn't resist pressing her lips to his once more. Of course, Jareth took that as an invitation. Their next kisses lasted a lot longer, and even became much more passionate. That was, until Jareth withdrew and placed his lips beside her ear.

"Did I mention how much I love you wearing this?" he said, fingering the bottom of her shift lightly.

"Did I mention how I'm not surprised?"

Jareth smirked and kissed her again, surprising her as he lifted her into his arms and started walking towards their bed.

"Doesn't that hurt your arm?" she asked.

He shook his head, aware of a slight twinge of pain, but disregarding it.

"I'm fine," he said.

With that, he placed Sarah on their bed so that her legs dangled off the edge, smirking at the position he'd placed her in.

"Now, where were we?"

"You were saying something about how you loved this shift," she said as his fingers felt under the bottom of it.

"Ah yes. Though I must say, I much prefer you without it."

Sarah just rolled her eyes. She hated herself for enjoying this, even the talking part of it. _What's wrong with me?_ she thought. But when Jareth slid his hands up her body, removing her shift at the same time, she didn't care anymore. _Stupid bond. I can't wait until he knows what I'm going through_, she thought, before allowing herself to fall under Jareth's control once more.

He threw her shift across the room. They wouldn't be needing that anymore. His eyes raked lasciviously over her naked form. It felt like it had been so long since he'd been given the chance to get Sarah in such a position. And he was going to savour the moment.

Leaning over her, Jareth pressed a kiss to her stomach, just above her navel. She let out a long breath. A smirk turning the corners of his lips, the Goblin King kissed a path up her body until, finally, he kissed her, his tongue slipping into her mouth.

As Sarah lost herself in his kiss, Jareth's hands cupped her breasts, beginning an onslaught of pleasure on them. She'd missed this- even if she would never willingly admit that aloud. Despite the bond that kept her wanting, she knew that Jareth was skilled in his art.

He certainly did know how to please a woman. Even if she didn't know much about sex, she was quite sure that a partner couldn't always be a skilled as Jareth; he knew exactly what buttons to press to set her off. Sarah tried to stop these thoughts taking over her rational mind, after all, the Goblin King had used these same skills to rape her and cause her so much pain.

But right now, it felt so good that she couldn't force herself to really care. Jareth's lips left hers and she frowned. He didn't fail to notice her expression and lifted a hand to push a stray strand of hair back from her face.

"Relax, love, there are other uses my mouth right now."

He watched the confusion form in her expression and loved it. His hands glided smoothly down the sides of her body as he knelt at the side of the bed between Sarah's legs. The position didn't leave much to Sarah's imagination. She understood completely what his comment meant now. Jareth softly pressed a kiss on her thigh. Sarah closed her eyes as his lips and tongue went to work just as she had thought they would.

"Oh, Jareth," she couldn't help but moan.

He was doing something beautiful to her. Her toes were curling and her fists bunching in the sheet beneath her. And Jareth was enjoying the sounds of how much he was effecting her. It was something he wished to hear more often. Finally, her body wracked into spasms, her orgasm taking over her control in waves of bliss.

The Goblin King rested his elbows gently on her knees as he watched the woman he would marry experience such bliss at his hands. When she finally calmed down, a small smile played on Sarah's lips.

"I don't want to know how you got so good at that, do I?" she murmured.

He smirked.

"Would you be jealous, love?"

She said nothing for a moment. In all honesty, she didn't know.

So she settled on answering, "I would be right now."

Jareth grinned.

"Good to know."

"Uh-huh," Sarah murmured, still wound in a haze of feeling.

She was too preoccupied to notice Jareth standing up again and stripping out of his clothes. But she did notice when his hands stroked up her legs until they grasped her hips. Using his perfect leverage, Jareth pulled her closer to the edge of the bed.

Sarah moaned again. She could feel him pressed against her; and it felt so good. Jareth smiled at the sound. It was so pleasant to be with Sarah again. He pushed into her, pleased by the welcoming feel of her embracing him. Sarah took a deep breath as she felt him slip inside of her. They were joined together again, and his thrusts only made her feel even better about it. Their joining felt perfect, even if her not pleasure- hazed mind would never admit it.

After a while, Sarah wasn't far off another climax. The feel of his manhood inside her was enough to drive her crazy enough, but the intensity of the moment increased when she wrapped her legs around him as they moved together, simultaneously working for their pleasure.

As Jareth brought her to another climax, her nails scraped against his back. He sucked in a deep breath before releasing himself into her. It felt so good to do that; to release in Sarah. He had missed her so much. And they would have forever to make sure that he never missed her again.

* * *

Dark purple velvet drapes hung over the walls, fading into the blackness of the rest of the room. What little light in the room stemmed from the candles littered around that cast up unnatural deep blue flames. The Dark King's study was much different to The Goblin King's in so many ways.

The raven, Corvus, sat perched on the back of Tebras' twisted, dark wood chair, while Tebras sat at his desk, scanning the yellowing pages of an ancient book, his mind preoccupied in a search for a specific spell. His dark tresses fell forward as he bent over in his work.

A caw from Corvus made him look up in time to see a pink orb floating through the shadows concealing an open window. He raised his dark eyebrows. That magic was extremely familiar. And it hadn't been sent his way for a longer time than he cared for.

Tebras plucked the orb from the air, carefully turning it in his long, adept fingers. A wicked smirk crossed his face as he received Nessa's message. She wanted to meet with him, Aboveground, in a place with a name too mundane to really recall, the next day at noon.

He couldn't stop the smirk that caught his lips from growing. _That's_ _interesting_, he thought. Who could have predicted that him going after Jareth could have brought Nessa back into contact with him? Perhaps he had more to gain here than just winning the game and starting a war.

Tebras twirled the orb in his fingers once more, sucking in a deep breath. How he had missed the feel of Nessa's magic. He'd missed her presence too. Perhaps Nessa contacting him would be the perfect way to bring her back to him. They used to have such fun. He would just have to wait and see. She would have been the perfect queen, after all.

* * *

Due to how the morning had thus far played out, Jareth had decided that he could afford to shirk his duties for one more day. He would spend this day with Sarah. She had opened herself up to him that morning in a way that surprised him and he just couldn't let that go.

For her part, Sarah wanted to kick herself for instigating their actions that morning. There was no denying it, she had been the one that had pushed them further than a kiss. Then again, they were going to be married. Jareth was going to share the bond with her, and she couldn't hate him forever, could she? _Not when I feel like this_, she told herself, hating herself for thinking that. They did nothing for a long while, until Jareth heard Sarah's stomach rumble.

"Time for breakfast, I think," he suggested.

He stood up, still naked, and Sarah couldn't help but watch him. She just couldn't resist, even if a voice in the back of her mind was telling her to. For his part, Jareth was busy conjuring a tray from a crystal he had created. And when he turned around, Sarah just stared. The tray in his hand was filled with soft, squidgy-looking brownies.

"Is that- are those brownies?" she asked, blinking.

Jareth smirked.

"Indeed they are, love."

Sarah couldn't help but smile a little. She'd never told Jareth, but she loved brownies. And, Aboveground, she had enjoyed making them whenever she felt like it. So having them back in her life was a nice seeming return to normalcy.

"I take it that you enjoy brownies then?" he commented, noting her expression.

Sarah shrugged, trying to hide how pleased she was that, of all the things he could bring, he had chosen brownies.

"Who can say no to chocolate?"

"I shall have to remember that," he replied.

Sarah blinked. That almost confused her a little.

"Why?" she asked.

He paused, giving her a sombre look.

"Because, despite what you may think, I am inclined to make you happy where ever I can."

She stared.

"Really?"

"If you were more forthcoming in revealing things about yourself to me, then it might be a more common occurrence," he added.

Sarah said nothing to that. If he was telling the truth then that was almost nice. _But when would Jareth mean something like that?_

When she did not reply, Jareth bypassed the comment and took a seat beside her on their bed, placing the tray of brownies between them. The Goblin King picked one up, and offered it to her as if wanting to feed it to her. Sarah looked a little sceptical. She could feed herself, after all. But something in Jareth's eyes was almost pleading in their appeal to allow him this.

She didn't understand it; but she didn't feel like saying no. So she opened her mouth and let him slip the small piece of brownie into it. It felt a little strange having him feed her. She'd seen people do things like this in romantic movies, but it just felt odd to her. Odd, and yet, extremely tasty.

Sarah soon forgot whatever was bothering her about the way she was eating thanks to the taste of what she was eating. Her eyes closed as she savoured the taste of the brownie, a tiny moan humming from her lips. Gods, that was good. She looked at Jareth when she'd finished and found that he was smirking, just watching her enjoy her food.

"I've made a lot of brownies in my time, but they've never tasted like that," she admitted.

Jareth's smirk widened.

"You'd be surprised how good some Underground food can taste if you let it."

She looked down at her hands for a second. What did he mean by that?

"Relax, Sarah," he soothed as he lifted another brownie to her lips.

"Just enjoy the taste."

And she did. Little did she know, but the chocolate in the brownies would act as an aphrodisiac, and it would lead them right back to where they had been that morning.

* * *

After their second bout of lovemaking, Jareth dressed magically in a plain poet's shirt, tight trousers and boots. He was busying himself by the fire, twirling a crystal in his fingers, while Sarah went to the bathroom. But she came back out of the room almost immediately, her eyes quite wide. Jareth raised his brows. What was bothering her now?

"Wait, how long have I been here?"

The panic in her voice alerted him that something was not quite right. He stood, the crystal vanishing as he walked over and stopped in front of Sarah.

"Around three weeks," he replied.

"Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no."

"What is it?" Jareth frowned, staring questioningly at her.

"My... time of the month," she frowned.

"I should have... last week."

Jareth just stared as Sarah continued to struggle getting her words out.

"I might be... Pregnant."

The look on her face was one of horror, as if there was nothing worse than the prospect of what she had just admitted.

"You're not pregnant, Sarah."

She blinked.

"How do you know?"

"I cast a spell to pause your cycle."

"You did what?"

"It is dangerous enough to protect you from Tebras. If you became pregnant then he would go after our child too," he reasoned.

"And I didn't tell you I had done such a thing in case you thought my meddling was unnecessary- which it is not."

Sarah stared. _That was kind of sweet_, she thought, considering that his actions had actually worked out quite positively for her.

"I will not remove the spell until Tebras has been dealt with."

He smirked and added, "Then we can have all the children we want."

At that, she blanched. The sweet moment he had achieved had been instantly ruined.

_ "Until_?" she queried.

Jareth raised his brows.

"We will have children, Sarah. When there is no danger to them from Tebras, we will have children."

She stared.

"What if I don't want children?" she dared to ask.

He rolled his eyes and replied, "Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not being ridiculous," Sarah bit back.

She wasn't happy with where this conversation was headed. All of her choices were being stolen from her before she could even think to make them.

"I'm eighteen, Jareth. This is not something I've been thinking about right now."

"Sarah, I'm quite sure that you weren't thinking about any of this before it came upon you," he noted.

"Yeah, but... Look, I'm too young to have children. It's just-"

"You are not too young, Sarah; in fact, you are at the prime age to conceive."

Sarah stared. She couldn't believe what was happening. He just wasn't listening to her.

"Jareth, I'm too young for this, don't you understand? I've already lost my whole family, I'm being forced to stay with you for the rest of my life or I'll go insane, and I'm marrying you in a few days. I'm too young for things to happen this way."

The Goblin King looked at her curiously and then crouched down slightly to her level so that he could meet her eyes. He hadn't meant to disrupt their day in such a way by mentioning that they would have children in the future, and Sarah was taking this the wrong way completely.

"I will not force you, Sarah," he said carefully.

"I was merely stating that at some point in the future we will be expected to have children. I am the heir to my father's throne, after all. I am expected to provide an heir, and since you will be my wife, so will you."

Sarah said nothing, so Jareth continued.

"I did not mean to insinuate that I expect anything from you immediately, Sarah."

At that, he noticed some of the tension suddenly ease from her body.

"Oh..." she said after a while.

"I still... I don't want to talk about this; can we not?"

"We will have to in the future, love," the Goblin King said quietly.

"But, for now, we can leave the subject alone."

Sarah nodded, still uneasy. He watched as she trailed quickly back into the bathroom. Jareth disliked how uncomfortable she had been at the mention of having children. But it was a bridge that they would cross at some point in the future.

After Tebras had been dealt with, Sarah would bear him a child. She would have to. It was the only way that he could ensure that she stayed with him for the rest of eternity. He wouldn't lose her after so much trouble. He wouldn't lose her to mortality.

* * *

Nessa grumbled to herself as she slipped the red Aboveground dress over her head. It was so different to the dresses she usually wore; Aboveground clothing normally was. It was the feel of the material that bothered her most, the fabric in the Underground was far less synthetic than what she now wore.

Still, she knew that she had to ready herself to meet Tebras. One thing she'd learnt from her past trysts Aboveground was that it was always better to fit in if there was a chance of any mischief. And there usually was with Tebras around.

Nessa wasn't worried about him turning up, despite having received no message in return for hers. She knew that he would come. He would never pass up a meeting with her- or he never had before. It had been years since she'd arranged one. But since he'd taken the chance to visit her the other night, she sensed that he would come.

A knock on her door startled Nessa. She didn't need anyone in her brother's castle knowing where she was going; they might tell her brother. And if Jareth found out then there would be hell to pay- not that she couldn't handle that. But when Conn came in and frowned at her Aboveground clothing, Nessa knew that she was going to have to be careful in keeping Jareth out of the loop now.

"Going somewhere?" Conn asked.

Nessa ran her tongue swiftly over her bottom lip, considering what to do next. _To lie or not to lie? That is the question_, she thought, already knowing the answer to that question.

"It has been a while since I've been Aboveground. I have some business to take care of," she said.

"Business?"

"Yes, _business_."

"Anything that I should be aware of?" he asked.

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "It's not really any of your concern."

"But it might be Jareth's."

She paused at that comment and narrowed her eyes. She'd had a feeling that the conversation might turn this way as soon as Conn had stepped into her room. _Such a pain_, she thought.

"It is not his concern either," she said sharply.

"Nessa-"

"What did you come here to say, Conn?"

He frowned.

"I came to ask if you would be joining your brother and Sarah for dinner this evening."

"I will not be joining them; my business will keep me away," Nessa said carefully.

"So I'll tell Jareth that your business Aboveground will make you absent then?"

"You will do no such thing," she put in quickly.

Conn raised his brows. Nessa was acting so suspiciously.

"If he should ask-" he started.

"It's none of his concern, just as it's none of yours. I'm tired of repeating myself, Conn."

"But, if he should ask," Conn persisted, knowing that this was agitating her and wanting to know why it bothered her so much.

"Tell him then," she said in a low voice, suddenly turning on him.

"I _dare_ you to."

Conn stared at his friend's sister. He didn't like the sound of this, not when she had so suddenly sounded so cruel. She had always been secretive, but he hadn't known her to be like this. Why did she so emphatically not want him to tell Jareth about her little trip Aboveground?

"What are you doing, Nessa?"

_ "Business_," she repeated once again.

"I will be back before morning, so there is no need for my brother to hear of my little outing, do you understand?"

She stared at him harshly.

Conn wanted to say something, but she continued, "If I must order you to say nothing, then I shall."

He frowned. That was it. As the High King's daughter, Nessa outranked him. He couldn't go against her unless he was commanded to directly by Jareth. Conn sighed.

"If you insist."

"Good. Tell my brother that I will be eating alone, if he indeed questions you."

Conn sighed again, but nodded anyway.

"Should anything go awry however, I shall never forgive myself," he muttered, knowing that that would not affect her decision in the slightest.

"Well it's a good thing that nothing will go wrong then, isn't it?" she replied matter-of-factly.

"It's just business."

With that, Conn shrugged and left her to continue getting ready. Nessa sighed. She would have preferred that no one knew about her trip Aboveground, but it didn't really matter. She knew that Conn wouldn't say anything. She wasn't worried about that. The only thing that was really bothering her now was how unsure she was of what her meeting with Tebras would bring.

* * *

**Author's Note: So, erm, lots going on in this chapter; eh, eh? :P I definitely should have been doing Uni work instead of writing this but oh welllllll; I couldn't resist writing this chapter. :) Hope you enjoyed it and will let me know what you think! :)**

**Also: 300 REVIEWS! :D I actually love you guys so much. Thank you to every single one of you that left a review, I appreciate it so much. :D**

**Kit xx**


	29. Time For Dinner

Sarah toyed lightly with her fork for a moment- a self imposed pause to stop herself from attacking her food like some sort of animal. Despite the act that she was putting up, she was famished. As much as she'd enjoyed the brownies she and Jareth had eaten earlier, what they'd done afterwards had made her rather hungry again.

Jareth had brought her to this small dining room and sat her at his side. Her chair was a lot closer to him than she normally would have liked, but she said nothing. Her bond would have been far happier to have had her sitting on his knee, after all. Luckily for Sarah though, before Jareth could come to that idea himself, Conn came to eat with them and the Goblin King was more well-behaved than he otherwise might have been.

Having Conn there was almost a shattering of whatever bubble Sarah had been in that morning. It had brought her back to the present. She tried not to think about what she and the Goblin King had done that day. And she tried even more not to think about how much she had actually enjoyed herself.

As a result of her attempting to distract herself and also trying to control how quickly she ate the food in front of her, Sarah didn't realise that the three of them were quiet for a long time.

It was Conn that broke the silence though, with, "So, nice day we had today, wasn't it?"

Sarah said nothing. She really didn't want to comment on how she had spent her day. It was bad enough that when she looked over at Jareth, she caught the amusement in his eyes.

So Jareth replied, "I can't say that we really spent much time taking in the weather, Conn."

His tone was almost rebuking; and that was because he knew that his friend was well aware of how they spent their day. Conn couldn't help but smirk a little. He loved to tease, even to the extent that Jareth was almost about to kick him under the table.

"How did you enjoy your paperwork?" Jareth countered, abruptly changing the subject.

"You mean _your_ paperwork?"

Jareth inclined his head.

"Oh, I'd say it was the most enthralling thing I've read in a long while."

"Really?" Jareth mused, obviously entertained by his friend's sarcasm.

"If you call taxes and menial complaints enthralling," Conn replied, rolling his eyes.

"I see that I picked the perfect day to take off then," Jareth smirked.

"If you weren't the Goblin King, I'd probably punch you for dumping that work on me."

"You could try," Jareth commented, tilting his head to the side tauntingly.

Sarah was bemused. Watching these two talk was like watching old school friends talk, but in a, one was now the boss of the other and they're both still awfully aware of that, kind of way. But still, she found it so odd to watch them. Jareth seemed much less serious all of a sudden. _Just another way for him to confuse me_, she thought, as she fought back a frown.

"Where is my dear sister this evening?" Jareth asked.

That question brought Sarah out of her thoughts. If she was honest, Sarah had been quite relieved that Nessa wasn't with them while they ate. It let her relax a little; not that she wasn't already quite relaxed from she and Jareth's morning activities. It seemed unusual then, though, that Conn remained quiet for a moment.

Eventually he said, "Oh, you know Nessa..."

"And why does that worry me?"

Conn slowly chewed his food; a way to avoid answering- even just for a few seconds.

"Conn?"

Jareth's tone was more forceful and serious, clearly an answer was required- food or no.

"Well?"

"You know that Nessa won't tell me anything about where she goes."

Jareth's eyes narrowed. Conn was regarding his friend carefully. He had intended to inform Jareth about this when Sarah wasn't with him, but he could hardly refuse to answer him now.

"Especially when it looks like she's headed Aboveground..." Conn added.

Both Jareth and Sarah paused. Jareth did so because he knew it was unusual for Nessa to travel Aboveground without some sort of mischief in mind; and that made him nervous. Sarah was more concerned with the fact that Nessa could so easily travel Aboveground, and that it must be easy to travel between the two places. Which meant that Jareth could have gone Above whenever he wished..

Both were puzzled as to the reason why however. And Jareth took this matter more seriously than Sarah or Conn expected. The Goblin King wiped his mouth with a serviette and stood up swiftly.

"I think I must pay my sister a visit. She has a fair amount to explain when she returns."

Jareth leant down and pressed a kiss to the top of Sarah's head before turning to speak to them both.

"Do excuse me."

Then he left abruptly, striding out of the room. Sarah turned back to her food immediately; leaving Conn to consider the consequences of revealing Nessa's whereabouts without being observed.

* * *

The Dark King sent a message to Nessa before she'd left the Underground to rearrange for dinner Aboveground, instead of their planned noon-time meeting. She had expected as much. At least the restaurant remained the same, and still on the neutral ground of Above that she had wanted.

It seemed that Tebras had manipulated her own magical orb to get it back to her; it must have been the only way he could get past Jareth's defences. Nessa knew that she would have to be careful what she sent the Dark King from now on. She didn't want him manipulating anything else of hers to hurt her brother. Or even Sarah.

Nessa walked into the restaurant and immediately saw the King of the Darklands sat at the bar. She could see that the bartender was clearly uncomfortable- what human in the vicinity wasn't? Tebras could make anyone uncomfortable; it was in his nature.

The Dark King was clad in a black suit, one that the humans might say was obviously tailor-made, perhaps a designer brand. Tebras looked relaxed in the mortal clothing, despite the unnerving nature that he put out. Nessa didn't know how he could appear comfortable; she hated what she wore. But the fact that they wore mortal clothing reminded her of the old days, when they would harass the Aboveground world together, blending in with the mortals. It had been such fun. But times had changed now.

As soon as Nessa stepped past the maitre d', Tebras swivelled in his chair. His eyes found her, and they lit up at the sight. It was almost menacing- like a predator catching sight of their prey. But Nessa remembered it well and it didn't unnerve her. She also knew he smirk that crossed his face at the sight of her.

She gave no indication that she even noticed his expression though, and just walked over to him, her hips swaying as usual. Nessa's hair was draped over one shoulder, and her dress was tight and body-hugging. Her heels were tall and probably almost impossible to walk in without magical assistance.

Tebras' eyes didn't leave her for a second. She was a sight to behold; an alluring vixen. She always had been. When Nessa reached him, she hopped smoothly onto the stool beside him. One leg crossed over the other, and Tebras couldn't help but notice the movement, his eyes following each long leg.

Nessa said nothing, but her red-painted lips curved into a small smile. She was so tantalising. The bartender came over to them and it was clear that he couldn't take his eyes off of Nessa. Most men in the room couldn't, in fact.

"Um, can I, uh- can I get you a drink?" he asked.

"Glenfiddich with ice," Tebras replied, before Nessa even looked in the mortal man's direction.

The bartender slowly moved off to get the drink. It was clear that he was still watching Nessa though.

"I'm half-expecting the poor boy to start drooling at any moment," Tebras commented.

"Better drooling at me than terrified by you," she replied.

Tebras smirked.

"So you say."

The bartender placed the drink before Nessa and moved away much quicker thanks to a sharp glance from Tebras. Nessa's fingers wrapped around the glass lightly and she took a sip. It didn't surprise her that Tebras remembered what she liked to drink. Just like she recognised the absinth in his glass.

"Let's move to a table. You must be hungry."

She rolled her eyes, but followed him anyway. They settled themselves quickly- apparently the Dark King had some terrifying control over the wait staff and they'd been holding a table for him for over an hour. Nessa smiled to herself, mortals were so amusing sometimes.

After their meal was ordered, and it was taken _very_ swiftly, Tebras turned to Nessa and asked, "As much as I am glad that you wanted this meeting, I wonder, why did you call me here, Nessa?"

She did not reply for a moment. _Straight to the point, as ever_, she thought.

"Why, after all this time, after refusing to see me for all these years, do you want to see me now?"

Her red lips twitched downward for a moment at that.

"Can you no longer stand to be away from me, Hedone?"

Nessa rolled her eyes and replied, "I want you to leave my brother alone."

Tebras' black eyes turned hard for a moment, a flicker of the evil in his nature settling in his glare.

"It's not really your concern-"

She scoffed.

"Oh please; of course it's my concern. He's my brother."

"You and he rarely even see each other."

"That's because of you and you know it, Tebras."

"Hardly."

"So, the fact that my brother wants to protect my sisters and I from you by keeping us at arm's-length means nothing then?"

"I wouldn't harm you, nor your sisters."

"It's only my brother that you set vicious eyes on then?"

Tebras paused and ran a finger slowly across his bottom lip.

"Did you ever consider why I behave as I do?"

"It's not in my mind to consider the reasons that you do things."

"That surprises me; I'm sure you could come up with something."

"I try not to think about your kingdom's reasons for doing _anything_."

"Really? And here I was thinking that of all other fae, you would understand us best."

Nessa shrugged.

"Perhaps once," she mused, before adding, "but I barely think of you since you started harassing my brother."

Her words were cutting, and Tebras felt them.

"Ouch," he said, putting a hand over his heart.

"That hurt."

Nessa raised her brows.

"You hurt my brother."

"Nessa, I am not here to discuss your brother; what occurs in our little game is between me and him."

"What a shame, because that's the _only_ reason I'm here."

"She started to get up from their table, but his hand caught hers. It was cold, just like she remembered.

_ "Nessa_," he said warningly.

She narrowed her eyes and sat back down.

"I want you to leave Jareth alone."

"Not until our business is done."

"When you kill each other?"

A waitress stopped at their table, pausing their conversation. It was quite obvious that the young girl could have heard their words, and, rather unnerved, she placed plates before each of them and left.

"Poor girl will be disturbed by your comment," Tebras noted.

"No less than she would by her proximity to you."

Tebras picked up his cutlery in a smooth moment and began to eat with a shrug.

"I mean it, Tebras. Leave Jareth and Sarah alone."

That caught Tebras' attention; and something in his eyes twinkled.

"Since when do you care about the mortal?"

"Since when did you?"

"You know I'm not telling. There's no fun in that, Nessa."

"What would it take to get you to tell, Tebras?"

The Dark King paused. That would be a question he would very much like to peruse. He opened his mouth but swiftly closed it again, contemplating his words carefully. His lips curled into a wicked grin.

"Why don't you ask your brother about when our altercations began? I think he should be able to adequately explain it. Get him to think back to when it started; to why. You might find out something interesting about your _wonderful_ brother."

Nessa frowned. She wasn't getting anywhere.

"Goodbye, Tebras."

And with that, she got up, and this time he let her go.

* * *

After Jareth disappeared, Sarah and Conn were left to talk- something that Sarah found more than awkward.

"So, today seems to have taken you two on a different path," Conn commented.

Sarah frowned.

"I don't know what you mean."

"You said you hated my friend so recently, and from what he had told me previously, I would say that he thought you did too... But the way you two spent this afternoon tells a rather different story..."

Sarah sighed, more to herself than to Conn. Clearly, he knew a lot more about she and Jareth's relationship than she'd hoped he would. And that meant he'd heard the Goblin King's full story, and only parts of hers. She needed to clarify this misunderstanding right away, before Conn started to get even more of the wrong impression.

"Oh, you really don't understand," she whispered.

"In my heart I will always hate him for what he did to me."

Conn stared.

"But I can't live with that. The only way I'm ever going to survive is by trying to put that in the past. I have to try my best to ignore what happened, and... embrace whatever happens now... I have to spend the rest of my life with Jareth, and the only way I can do that is by trying to move on, even though it will always linger at the back of my mind that what he did was so wrong. And the bond makes me want to be with him, to love him. If I give into that, I will hate myself for it, but it's the only way I'll be able to survive."

"That's quite an admission, Sarah."

She chewed her bottom lip a little, then said, "I know, but it seems that you've already heard Jareth's side of the story, I just wanted to make my part known."

He nodded.

"I see," Conn mused.

"For what it's worth, Jareth does love you. He may not have realised how much he hurt you when he bonded you, but he does now."

Blinking in surprise, Sarah asked, "How do you know?"

"You didn't see the turmoil in my friend when he admitted to me what he did to you. He wishes he could change the way things happened now that he realises what he did, but he can't."

"I know. And neither can I," she frowned. "So, now what?"

"We get on with things. And I have to teach you your place; you are to be our Goblin Queen, after all."

Sarah's frown deepened.

"The first thing we should probably cover is table etiquette."

The look on her face made him laugh.

"I'm aware that you've mastered Aboveground etiquette, but in the Underground it is quite a bit more complicated. The knives, forks and spoons are all as you would have already learnt."

Sarah nodded. Karen had insisted that all go out to enough fancy restaurants that she'd been forced to learn or face the nagging of a lifetime. That was, before Sarah was old enough to babysit, and she and Toby could be left at home alone.

"There will be a lot of food that you don't recognise," Conn continued.

"It is lucky for you that Jareth has a taste for Aboveground cuisine. Other kingdoms have far more... exotic tastes."

Sarah frowned and asked, "Like...?"

"It would be better for you not to know what some fae eat," he hedged warily, before adding, "Just thinking forward; don't ask what's in the meals you eat outside of the Goblin Kingdom. Your reaction would likely be inappropriate."

Sarah's frown deepened and Conn sensed a question coming from her.

So he quelled it with a simple, "You truly do not want to know, Sarah."

She sighed.

"You're probably right..."

Although, in her mind Sarah was thinking that she'd love nothing more than to know what she was supposed to be eating.

* * *

By the time Nessa returned to her room, it was late. She still disliked how Underground and Aboveground time worked differently; it just made travelling between them awkward. Nessa closed the door behind her and sighed. Tonight had not gone as she had wished.

"Why so dressed up?"

Her brother's voice caught her unaware and she frowned.

Without turning, Nessa answered, "Can't a woman dress as she wishes?"

"Since when have you ever wished to dress in mortal attire?"

Her lips pursed and she looked around at her brother. The look on his face was a very serious one that she remembered from when they were children. Funnily enough, it had been directed at her far more than their sisters.

"I'll admit, it has been awhile; however-" she started smoothly, but Jareth cut her off.

"Where did you go, Nessa?"

_ "Out_."

"Do _not_ test me, Nessa. Where did you go?"

"I went to dinner," she replied simply.

"Who with?"

"Can I not go out alone and entertain myself Aboveground?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You can; but you didn't."

She shrugged.

"Prove it."

A low growl rumbled from the back of his throat and Nessa watched carefully as his mismatched eyes flickered menacingly.

She sighed, before finally admitting, "I went with Tebras."

The Goblin King scowled.

"What in the name of the Underground would possess you to do that?"

His voice was harsh, and reminiscent of their father's 'angry voice'. Nessa wasn't too fond of that.

"Well, this is a lesson never to offer a hand to one's brother..." she muttered.

"Offer a hand? You put yourself in danger!"

"Hardly."

"Not _hardly_. You went _to_ him. He could have done anything to you, you silly girl."

"Do _not_ call me that, Jareth."

"Why not? You are a silly girl. Only a silly girl would do something so undeniably stupid."

"I was trying to protect you and your mortal."

"What exactly is it that you thought you could do?"

"I spoke with him."

"Oh, and how successful were you in convincing him to abort his centuries long quest to create a war and destroy my kingdom? Would he accept an offer of a handshake as a peace offering?" Jareth scoffed.

"He would not discuss it," Nessa admitted quietly.

"How surprised I am," he bit back.

"He _did_ tell me that you knew exactly why this started; and that I would discover something interesting about you when you told me."

Jareth glowered at his sister.

"I do _not_ know why he is forcing this vendetta upon me, Nessa. Do not allow yourself to be manipulated by the Dark King's insinuations."

Nessa narrowed her eyes.

"So you do not know, then?"

"Of course not."

She shrugged again, "Next time I shall refrain from offering my assistance."

"There won't be a next time."

Nessa stared.

"After the wedding you will be leaving and you will not return to my kingdom until this situation is resolved."

She shot him a harsh glare.

"You may regret pushing me away, Jareth."

"I'm sure I will live," he replied, before vanishing in a glittering shower.

Nessa glowered in silence at the space her brother had previously occupied. _So much for being rewarded for my efforts..._ she thought with a frown.

* * *

**Author's Note: Woah it's been a while. Sorry guys. Been really busy 'cus of Uni. The fact that I'm doing a creative writing course means a lot of original writing takes up my time. :/ Will never abandon this story or any of my others though.**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter and will let me know what you think. :)**

**Kit xx**


	30. Teaching Sarah Some Lessons

"You should always sit to Jareth's right," Conn said, continuing his explanation.

"A ruler's consort always sits on their right. It's a sign of respect for their position."

Sarah winced at the word consort. She didn't like the fact that she was going to be openly acknowledged for being with Jareth, even if she had no notion of who the people acknowledging her would be.

"Depending on which country of the Underground you visit, the amount of courses will differ from two to seventeen."

"Seventeen?" she asked incredulously.

He nodded.

"Those will be hard for you to digest, so my advice to you would be to learn the art of small bites and making it look like you've eaten more than you have whenever you face that."

"Right..." she said, doubtful that even that would help her through seventeen courses of food.

"Although I should also say that my advice would be not to eat too much food even if it's the most delicious thing you've ever tasted too."

"Why?"

"_Seventeen_ courses, that's why. Plus it could have some adverse affects."

Sarah's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the sound of that.

"Adverse effects?"

Conn made a face as if he was about to say something he wasn't entirely comfortable with. Apparently, that made two of them.

"Some rulers like to play with their guests, and I don't mean only their digestive system. Pixies, in particular, have been known to infuse the seachmall plant into their food... It certainly makes their dinner parties interesting."

"Seachmall? What does that do?"

"It's a plant that induces the same results as some of your Aboveground drugs."

"Excuse me, drugs? _Great._"

"You asked. The drugs won't harm you though, and you probably won't even know they effect you until after they wear off."

"But that's... still, that's..."

Conn shrugged.

"You may like it."

Sarah looked almost horrified at that. In her mind, there was no way that she would like being on any sort of drug. All she could think of was the peach she'd eaten when she ran the Labyrinth and how that had affected her. She'd almost forgotten about Toby because of it.

"I'm just telling you the truth; those drugs give all types of reactions. I could tell you a story or two about Jareth," he started, before stopping himself.

"But I won't. He wouldn't appreciate it."

Sarah tentatively rubbed her left thumbnail as she considered what Conn was telling her. She was too preoccupied with thoughts of being drugged and having to eat strange foods to care what Jareth looked like on drugs.

"Look, I'm still worried about what they eat. I can be picky enough when it comes to normal food, what if-"

But Conn didn't let her finish, interrupting her with, "Jareth will decide whether or not any different foods would be appropriate for you. Even if he does allow them, you'll never distinguish them from other things though."

She frowned.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, the food you will experience elsewhere will appear strange, it could look as one thing and taste completely different."

"How does that work?"

"Magic, Sarah. For the most part, the difference shouldn't be overly extreme, you just won't recognise most of it by sight. My advice to you would be the same as my advice to a child; you don't know if you like it until you try it, and don't judge it by its appearance."

"And what if I don't like it when I have tasted it?" she queried stubbornly.

Conn smirked a little.

"Well, you have to eat it anyway. Small bites though."

"So it really doesn't matter what my opinion is then?"

Conn shrugged.

"Jareth or I will note your distaste and put effort into making sure it isn't served to you again. But it would be highly inappropriate for you to leave food almost untouched - and should spitting it out even occur to you then we have a lot more work to do."

Conn paused to give her a serious look, but she just looked at the table. Spitting it out had been the first thing she'd thought of, particularly if something was going to be as disgusting as her imagination led her to believe, but Sarah wasn't going to admit that to him.

"Given that you will have so many kingdoms to visit given time, I think the easiest way for you to comprehend how you must act and how to react to the food would be for you to experience it, or things like it, from our own kitchens."

"Like a mock tasting," she nodded.

"Yeah, that makes sense."

"Exactly."

She felt a little relieved. The thought of being surprised by some foul food did not appeal to her in the slightest. But she did wonder if her trying to eat something again when the time came that she already knew was going to be disgusting would make the situation worse.

"Now, we should discuss how you are to act," Conn said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Well... I'm guessing I should just keep my mouth shut unless someone questions me?"

"How did you know?"

She shrugged.

"That's the only thing Jareth's been telling me to do when I've met anyone so far."

"Well, you will have more freedom as the Goblin Queen, but I would suggest that you avoid asking anything until you've had more instruction."

"So are you just going to tell me what to say then?"

"Not quite. Before you meet other nobles, I will instruct you about what is acceptable to mention to certain fae, and what is not. Until you become well-versed in the histories and rumours about other Kingdoms, that is probably the best that you will be able to manage."

Sarah ran her hand over her forehead. Apparently, there was a lot that she was going to have to be taught.

"You've really thought this out haven't you?" she said.

"Of course. As soon as I found out that we were to have Goblin Queen who knew nothing, I had to think it through. You have a lot to learn, Sarah."

Sarah opened her mouth to object about not knowing anything, but stopped herself. She realised it was quite true in relation to other areas of the Underground and probably a number of other things. She thought back to the room of mirror-doors they'd been in; there were a large number of other doors there and Sarah could only think that they had to be gateways to other kingdoms.

Since it had played on her mind, Sarah asked, "How many other kingdoms... or countries or whatever... are there in the Underground, Conn?"

He tilted his head to the side. Her interest intrigued him, since he hadn't thought she would be at all bothered by more than her immediate situation.

"Twenty nine. Not counting those that are not established under the current High Court's system."

Sarah blinked.

"Twenty nine?"

She hadn't thought it would be nearly that many. _And Conn said there were more_, she thought.

"Is the Underground really that big?"

Conn shrugged.

"As big as Aboveground."

"I had no idea," Sarah said blankly.

"We exist on a different plain, but occupy similar space. It only makes sense that we are as large. In fact, our kingdoms are considerably larger than some of those Aboveground."

Sarah shook her head a little and said, "I just didn't think that there would be so many. I mean-"

"I'm sure that you thought we were the only kingdom at first, right?"

"Then I went to Jareth's father's... And there's Tebras' kingdom..." she admitted.

Conn's lips pursed.

"Yes, though his is not part of the twenty nine kingdoms I spoke of. The Darklands do not bow to the High King as the rest of us do."

"I guess not..."

"I'll tell you what," Conn began, changing the subject slightly, "how about we arrange for a proper lesson about the kingdoms of the Underground tomorrow? We can go through things more easily when I have the proper equipment."

"Equipment?"

He smiled, and replied, "Well a map would be helpful."

"Oh... yes," Sarah nodded, a little embarrassed that she hadn't thought of that.

"Tomorrow in the library then. Though I think the Goblin King will be demanding your attention again soon enough, Sarah, so, for now, I'd advise that you return to your rooms."

She took a breath, her face dropping somewhat.

"Okay," she said as she stood up and tucked her chair under the table.

Conn couldn't help but chuckle.

"Don't act so sad, Sarah. He's not as bad as you think he is. At least he loves you."

She tilted her head at him, but didn't know how to respond.

"Time will show you, if you don't believe it now."

* * *

By the time Sarah found her way back to her and Jareth's rooms, he was already there. He was sitting by the fire in his chair, absentmindedly twiddling two crystals between his fingers. He didn't turn to see her when she opened the door. In fact, he didn't seem to notice her at all.

"Jareth?"

"Hm?" he replied idly.

She walked over to him, leaning her forearm on the back of his chair and resting her chin on top of it. The Goblin King didn't look back at her.

"So... did you find Nessa?" she ventured.

His fist clenched and the crystals popped like mere bubbles.

"Yes."

Sarah bit her bottom lip.

"That doesn't sound like a good yes," she said quietly.

Air hissed from Jareth's nostrils and he closed his eyes for a moment. He was clearly angry, and it appeared to be Nessa's fault.

"She went to Tebras," he said sharply.

Sarah blinked.

"She what?"

"She arranged to meet with him."

"Wh-why would she do that?"

Jareth gripped the arm of his chair, his fingers digging into the fabric.

"She used to be close to him, but she'd stopped seeing him after he'd started this vendetta against me. She said she wanted to help us and that her intention was to talk to him about us... but things are rarely that simple when it comes to Nessa's intentions," he explained, frustration obvious in the arch of his brows.

"What happened?"

"Apparently nothing, but again, I'm not sure if I believe that is the truth. This would be far simpler had it been one of my other sister's that was here."

From what Sarah knew of Mariana and Nyx, she would be inclined to agree. She couldn't see either of them deciding to meet up with Tebras.

"Stupid girl," Jareth hissed.

Sarah moved around and stood in front of him.

"I just don't understand why would she go to Tebras... I know you said she was dangerous... but him?"

Jareth's eyes met hers, and she could clearly see his frustration in them.

"My sisters are complicated creatures, Nessa most especially. She can find opportunities that no one understands until it's too late... She likes to manipulate things and she's very good at it, Sarah. Maybe we're all in _her_ game now," he added, shaking his head.

"Why can't you all just play Scrabble or Monopoly or something," Sarah muttered.

The corner of the Goblin King's lips turned upwards and he took her hand. She let him pull her into his lap; it seemed to be becoming a place that was a little more comfortable than she'd like to admit.

"If I could send Tebras to jail as easily as you can in that game we wouldn't have such a problem," Jareth replied quietly.

Sarah was a little bemused about the fact that he actually knew how to play Monopoly, but she didn't mention it.

They just sat for awhile, until Jareth asked, "So what did you and Conn talk about in my absence?"

"He was telling me about... dinner etiquette, I guess."

"Oh?"

"And how some fae like to drug their guests..."

Jareth raised his brows.

"Trust Conn to start with that," he muttered.

"He didn't start with it," Sarah reasoned.

"And I'm sure he went into great detail about the evenings I've encountered such things."

"No, actually. He said you wouldn't like it if he did."

"Well, he was right," Jareth grinned.

If he was honest, he was a little surprised, and relieved, that his friend hadn't used the opportunity to reveal some of his more embarrassing moments.

"But seriously, Jareth... That's not safe though, right?"

"Safe enough. It tends to be a form of entertainment, a lucid dream to spend the evening in," the Goblin King shrugged.

"But..."

"It's not dangerous. Endangering royals from any other kingdom would be far too perilous to risk. Especially me, and, because of marriage, you. Not everyone is a warmonger that would tempt the High King's wrath."

"So is it... kind of like the peach you gave me when I ran the Labyrinth then?"

His lips curled upward into a small smirk.

"Somewhat like that, yes."

She let out a huff of air. She didn't much want to be in a situation like that again. Jareth's index finger trailed slowly over her chin, pulling her attention straight back to him.

"Relax, Sarah. You most likely won't encounter something like that for a long while. I doubt we will be visiting more kingdoms than necessary until Tebras has been dealt with."

They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence for a moment, and Jareth absentmindedly fingered the ends of her hair.

"Do they really serve seventeen courses?" Sarah queried.

"Some do," Jareth chuckled.

There was a frown on her face as she asked, "Why would do that? Surely that's a waste of food."

He shrugged.

"Customs, traditions... some are just fat rulers that just like food."

She smiled a little.

"The Underground's strange," she sighed.

"Only to some," the Goblin King replied.

* * *

Jareth got up early that morning while Sarah was asleep, though he didn't realise his movements had woken her. Still lying in bed, she leant on one arm and looked up at him. When he noticed she was watching him, he went back to her.

The Goblin King's hand stroked down her hair gently, and he said, "Go back to sleep, Sarah. I will see you this evening for dinner."

"Where are you going?"

He gave her a small smile and replied, "I have some preparations for our wedding to take care of."

Sarah seemed to wake up a little at the mention of the wedding she still knew so little about.

"What preparations?"

"I'll tell you later."

She frowned and replied, "I'll hold you to that."

"I'm sure you will," he said, softly kissing the top of her head before turning serious.

"I need you to stay away from Nessa as much as possible. If you can, stay close to Conn for now. Promise me."

It wasn't a question, but Sarah didn't much mind. She didn't really want to be near Jareth's sister, especially after she'd been told that Nessa had been speaking with Tebras.

"Sure," she said, stifling a yawn.

"Good. Go back to sleep, Sarah."

With that, Jareth left the room. He had to speak to Conn before he went about his business and it was still early enough that Jareth knew he would find his friend in his rooms. When he arrived outside of Conn's door, Jareth knocked. Conn opened the door quickly, almost a little surprised to see Jareth there.

"You're up early," he commented.

Jareth merely shrugged and replied, "We need to talk."

Conn sighed and held the door open so that Jareth could come inside.

"We always need to talk."

Conn shut the door again and both fae sat down beside Conn's desk. Jareth's eyes drifted over the papers sprawled across the desk. Unsurprisingly, it was all work.

"Couldn't sleep again?" Jareth asked.

"As per usual."

Jareth gestured at Conn's paperwork and said, "I still wonder how I got on before I met you; how much work would get done without my friend the insomniac these days?"

"Very little," Conn smirked.

"What did you want to talk about. Nessa?"

Jareth's expression darkened, and Conn didn't like it. Apparently, he'd hit the nail on the head.

"She met with Tebras."

Conn blinked.

"Is she crazy?"

"I'm beginning to believe so," Jareth said tersely.

Conn shook his head, not understanding why anyone would willingly go near the ruler of the Darklands.

"Why?"

"She said she wanted to help by talking to him."

"Talking does no good when it comes to either of them; they both love manipulation as much as the other. I'd wager that that conversation went around in circles and the subject of help wasn't mentioned at all."

Jareth ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

"I know she's dangerous and manipulative, but she _is_ my sister. I'm not sure that I believe that she would turn completely to him."

"You can never be certain when it comes to Nessa, you know that. And you know how close they used to be."

"True; though I suspect that their former closeness is the only reason he actually let her return here."

"That, and the fact that your father wouldn't find his daughter's disappearance a matter to just sweep under the rug."

Jareth's expression was bitter at that. No, his father wouldn't have allowed Tebras to take Nessa, but he'd had no problem letting the Dark King have the two women his son loved. Conn put his hand on his friend's shoulder, but said nothing more about the matter. The gesture simply meant that he understood what his friend was going though.

"Do you think she truly has any allegiance to him anymore?" he asked.

"Truthfully, I don't know," Jareth muttered.

Conn nodded, "So we watch her."

"She has to be kept away from Sarah."

"I agree. I also think she should leave the castle after your wedding," Conn added.

"I've already told her she's leaving afterwards. Even without this... development, I wanted her gone after the wedding. Here I was thinking it would be too dangerous for her to be staying here, and she wanders right into the hands of evil with a smile on her face."

"We just need to be careful, Jareth."

The Goblin King gave him a gloomy look. He clearly wasn't enjoying being so conflicted about his sister's loyalties.

"I know real evil; I've witnessed it. I don't believe Nessa is truly evil, but you need to be careful. I don't think she would hurt you, but Sarah, I'm not so certain about."

Jareth took a deep breath, regaining his composure. He would take his friend's advice for now, after all, he had other things to worry about.

"I have to go Aboveground to take care of some business for the wedding, so I need you to watch Sarah," the Goblin King said.

He nodded, then asked, "You're acquiring Sarah's representative?"

The corners of Jareth's lips turned upwards into a small smile. He'd never understand how Conn knew so much about what he was planning. It probably had something to do with all the paperwork he was doing.

"Indeed."

"How are you going to convince Sarah's mother to come to the Underground?"

To that, Jareth smirked.

"Use your imagination, Conn."

* * *

Later that morning, Sarah made her way to the library. As much as she was loathe to accept that she was going to spend the rest of her life in the Underground alongside Jareth, she knew that it couldn't hurt to learn more about the place.

She could only hope that this wouldn't be like geography classes Aboveground. She shuddered at the memory. She'd always hated geography classes, though that probably had something to do with her overly-strict teacher. But she would have to admit that she was intrigued by the countries of the Underground.

She'd only really seen the Goblin Kingdom, and the Labyrinth had been interesting enough. She'd thought about it when she was alone that morning, and she couldn't help but wonder what the rest of the Underground was like._ I guess I'll find out now_, she thought.

Conn was already in the library when she got there. He had pulled out a large table and set up a huge map that stretched over its top. Sarah was a little bemused as to why the map needed to be so big, but she was sure there was a reason. At least it was going to be memorable.

"Ah, Sarah."

"Morning," she said with a small smile.

"I trust you slept well?"

Sarah averted her eyes for a moment and nodded. She would rather Conn not be made aware of how she and Jareth had spent the evening.

"Good."

"And you?" she asked, out of politeness.

He gave a sideways smile, his eyes somewhat sad, and answered, "I never sleep well."

"Why not?"

His tongue clicked against the top of his mouth as he thought about how best to answer that.

Eventually, he came up with, "I can never relax in the dark."

"Oh... I..."

Sarah trailed off, not knowing what to say. She guessed it made sense that after being in the Darklands, Conn wouldn't like the darkness.

"Anyway, are you ready for your lesson?"

Blinking out of those thoughts, she nodded.

"This is a pretty big map."

"It's easier to see the locations you need to know this way," he explained.

"Right."

Sarah moved around the table until she was stood beside him. That was the first time she looked properly over the map, the right way up, and she realised that it was quite spectacular. The map had been inscribed on a surface that was almost parchment-like, but thicker, and the colour was tinted with a type of glitter that seemed to do more than just make it shimmer. Different sections of the map were tinted with light colours and seemed to move as she looked on it.

"Is it moving or are my eyes going funny?"

"It's in the nature of the map to follow the projection of the Underground. This is one of the most accurate maps of the Underground as it morphs to the changes that occur."

"Oh..."

Sarah's eyes couldn't help but focus on the swirling black smudge that took over the entire top right corner of the map.

"Is that... the Darklands?" Sarah asked pointing to the dark mass.

Conn's lips pursed and he nodded.

"It's huge..."

Sarah didn't know quite how she felt about the Darklands being so large, especially when its ruler wanted to wage a war on Jareth and do away with her. It didn't do anything to make her feel better about her situation.

"It's bigger than it appears on the map," Conn said.

"It is?"

"No one can tell exactly how big though because our magic barely penetrates the darkness."

"That's... kind of terrifying..."

He bobbed his head.

"It is indeed... Perhaps we would be better off discussing countries that I can teach you about, instead of the mysteries I can't explain."

"That's probably a good idea."

"We'll start here," he said, pointing to what was obviously the Labyrinth.

A dotted line surrounded the Labyrinth and a built-up city beside it. It was bigger than she could imagine, even though she'd traversed it herself. She couldn't help but think that she could barely have gone through a tenth of the place and probably missed out entire sections in her run.

"This, as you can probably guess, is the Goblin Kingdom; the area that you and Jareth will rule over. Most of the land is covered by the Labyrinth, the other sections are divided into the Goblin City, the palace and its grounds, and the Port of Gnó."

"The Labyrinth has a port?"

Conn shook his head and said, "Not the Labyrinth, the Goblin Kingdom."

"Oh, right."

"And yes, we do have a port," he said, pointing to the west of the Labyrinth, where the kingdom's border met a great river.

"It's an integral part of the kingdom's infrastructure and offers trade routes that the Labyrinth otherwise denies. The port is the kingdom's business hub, if you will, where we ship out our main produce - apples, peaches and oranges from the orchards-"

Sarah made a face. She couldn't imagine why there would be any market for drugged peaches.

Conn noted the expression and added, "They're just normal fruits."

Still somewhat doubting him, Sarah said, "For some reason, I didn't imagine the Lab- Goblin Kingdom would, I don't know... sell things..."

Conn shrugged.

"Everyone has to if they want things that they can't otherwise acquire; and fruit, well that's about all the Goblins can handle. That and the chickens; I'm sure you've noticed that we have an abundance of those."

Thinking back to her run of the Labyrinth, Sarah could indeed remember a number of black chickens roaming the Goblin City. She nodded.

"So we ship out what we can, and import what we can't produce."

"Couldn't you just use magic to get what you can't make?" she asked.

He gave her a sideways smirk.

"That wouldn't do relations between kingdoms very much good now, would it?"

"Good point..." she said.

If she was honest, she hadn't thought at all about the fact that Jareth's kingdom would have any sort of trade, or anything like that. Sarah was a little worried too, since she didn't even know much about this sort of thing when she was Aboveground - not that that mattered anymore.

"Since good terms are what we're going for, the goblins don't run the port. In fact, they're not too fond of water so most stay away," Conn continued.

"So who does run it?"

"Fae. They originally come from other kingdoms, it suited both us and them to migrate to us. And the fact that they don't have to deal with the goblins makes the opportunities there all the more attractive. An interesting fact about the Goblin Kingdom is that originally there were no fae here until we established order and took over the Labyrinth and its caretaking. For safekeeping, of course."

She thought back to how crazy and disorganised the goblins were even when they were supposed to be keeping her away from Toby. It was probably a good thing that goblins weren't involved in running a port. Though she didn't quite know how she felt about how it sounded like the fae had invaded the Goblin Kingdom years ago, even if they were disorganised.

"You'll learn more about the port when Jareth takes you there though."

"He's going to take me there?"

"Eventually. When it's safer... Now, the Goblin Kingdom is bordered by four other kingdoms," Conn continued, tracing his finger over the map.

Sarah couldn't help but look at Conn's arms as he did. There were scars crisscrossing over his skin. It only took a moment before he saw her looking and rolled down his sleeves, before speaking again, seemingly unfazed.

"Across the river, in the west, are the Fathach, or giants as you will think them."

Sarah took a breath_. I guess I can't really be surprised by the fact that there are other things out there anymore_, she thought. She couldn't help wondering what other mythical creatures she'd thought were fictional would turn out not to be though.

"They keep to themselves for the most part, and dislike most of their own kingdom, let alone others. To the north and north-eastern border are the Avartagh Mountains, and beyond those are the cities where the more creative fae live; it has become a sort of centre for art there. The mountains were long ago mined for the minerals inside them and in the caverns dug into the mountains, more cities were constructed, morphing the environment to suit the needs of those living and working there. To the south and southeast, are the desert lands. When Jareth first brought you to the Labyrinth, you would have been on the edge of the border."

Sarah thought back to the sand and rocky landscape at the entrance of the Labyrinth. She hadn't thought at all about what was behind her at the time.

"They're not the most friendly of peoples. They're rough and coarse; not gentile fae like a lot of others. From a young age, they walk barefoot across the sand in high heat to train themselves to be hardy. They're not heathens mind; they have great sandstone cities at the centre of their kingdom, in which they revel in the heat and the power of the sun."

She watched as Conn's finger trailed over to the smallest border line connecting to the Goblin Kingdom. Sarah noticed a green tinge of the map that sprawled to the east in a great expanse.

"To the east, the forest of Saol connects to the fringes of the kingdom. The forest is jointly inhabited by communities of nymphs, satyrs and fauns, though those who don't know how to find them will rarely see them. It is easier to get lost and disappear in there than it is in the Labyrinth, and they aren't usually inclined to help out a traveller either. I wouldn't advise a walk in that forest," he added.

Sarah was starting to get the impression that most of the places surrounding the Goblin Kingdom weren't too friendly.

"Jareth ensures that it's a high priority to maintain cordial relations with all of these kingdoms for obvious reasons."

Sarah nodded. That made a lot of sense if these creatures were as unwelcoming as they seemed. She'd thought the goblins were bad enough. Over in the northwest corner of the map, Conn pointed out a section of the map that glittered gold, and depicted a giant city. Even the image on the map looked beautiful.

"This is the Kingdom of the High King."

Sarah realised that that must have been where she'd been, only she'd not had the chance or the inclination to look outside. Conn then pointed to a section of the map surrounding the border of the High Kingdom and opened his mouth to speak but swiftly closed it again. Sarah looked at him questioningly and followed his gaze to the doorway. She blinked as she realised that Nessa was standing there watching them.

"Looks like you're having fun," she commented.

"Good morning, Nessa," Conn replied.

Nessa strolled into the room, her pace leisurely and her long green dress swishing around her legs. Her eyebrows rose as she looked over the map of the Underground.

"Teaching her a lesson or two?"

"She'll need it someday."

"Perhaps," Nessa replied, running the tip of her middle finger slowly over the edge of the map.

Conn frowned.

"She'll be ruling over most of the Underground with your brother someday, whether you think it or not, Nessa," he said in a careful voice.

The fae woman flicked her hair over her shoulder and replied, "Well that really all depends on whether or not my brother will accept help when it's offered."

"What you did was not helpful."

"And how would you know that?"

"Jareth-"

"Oh, he told you did he? Well, he barely asked me what happened so I can't fathom what you think you know."

Sarah didn't know where to look. She wished she could be anywhere else than awkwardly standing beside the two fae right then. She felt like she had been caught in the middle of a blossoming argument that was becoming far more serious by the moment.

"I know that you like to think you are more clever than you are, and you like to insert yourself into other people's business."

Nessa stared, her jaw locking for a moment. She didn't like that, and Conn knew it.

"I go where I want to go and I do what I want to do. You should try it some time; it's fun," she replied sharply.

"So you say."

"When you have as many people skills as I do, you never know what you can do. Maybe you'd have made progress years ago had you had a little chat-"

"There are no deals when it comes to Tebras, Nessa. You can't help anything by talking with him."

"You would know, _Fimus_."

Conn scowled at that, and Nessa looked almost a little too self-satisfied for saying it. Sarah could only wonder at what it meant though.

"You have _no_ right, Nessa. This is not your kingdom and-"

"And I am not you ruler; why must you be so hostile to a guest?" she said smoothly, her eyes twinkling slightly.

Conn took a deep breath and tried to calm himself somewhat.

"Just because you're good at manipulating people does not mean you are always right. There are consequences for your actions."

Nessa merely rolled her eyes at him.

"You are to leave Sarah alone until the wedding, Nessa."

Her eyes narrowed at that. She did not need to be instructed by someone like Conn and she didn't like the fact that he thought could tell her what to do.

"If that's what my brother wants then he can tell me to my face," she replied, her voice sickly sweet.

"I'm sure he will. Now leave."

Nessa paused, appearing to think for a moment before simply replying, "No."

A huff of air hissed through Conn's nostrils. He turned to Sarah and took her arm, proceeding to pull her out of the room.

"Nice talking to you," Nessa said with a small smile as they disappeared.

Conn's face was thunderous as he led Sarah away. Sarah didn't know quite what to say. She had no idea why both Conn and Nessa had just been so antagonistic towards each other and how it had escalated so quickly.

"What just happened?" she asked.

"Do not ask, Sarah."

The tone of his voice was too serious for her to even think of querying him again. All she knew was that she was very bemused by what she had seen, and that her lesson had abruptly ended.

* * *

**Author's Note: It's been a while. I suck at updating. Uni's taken over my life. So much original fiction to write that my fanfics had to take a back seat. I finish soon though. I just wanted to let you all know that I'm not giving up on this or abandoning, and will keep updating whenever I have time. Hopefully I will have more time when Uni is over.**

**Also, I've left it too long to figure out whose reviews I've replied to and whose I haven't, so I apologize if I haven't replied to one; I will be back to replying as normal from now on.**

**So anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and will let me know what you thought. :)**

**Kit xx**


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Labyrinth, Angst