A Forgotten Love

Chapter 13

Jareth reached his hand up to Sarah's face and lightly brushed her cheek. Sarah closed her eyes tightly and breathed in his scent, Oh God, he was real. This was almost too much to take. She inhaled sharply as he stroked her cheek.

"Well, you called?"

Sarah couldn't even respond to him, she was completely overwrought with desire. She couldn't control it if he touched her one more time.

Jareth slowly ran his hand down the length of her arm, "Sarah..."

Sarah spun around so fast she almost knocked him off his feet. Her mouth met his so fiercely that he didn't even have time to react. She needed to be close to him, and he didn't seem to resist her. Sarah moaned as she kissed him and slid her fingers up into his silken hair. "Oh God Jareth..."

"Yes my love" he groaned in between her feverish kisses.

Sarah breathed into his ear, "Take me with you..."

"As you wish, Love" Jareth held out a hand and swished it in front of her vanity mirror and it shimmered to reveal his bedchambers. He scooped her up into his strong arms and stepped through the mirror with her. She laid her head against his chest and reveled in the warmth and security of his embrace.

Jareth strode across the room with her and set her down on the satin sheets of his bed. Sarah looked up into his mismatched eyes and pulled him to her in a deep kiss.

"Stay with me tonight..." Sarah breathed softly.

How could he resist? This was exactly what he had been waiting for. He had her right where he wanted her. But, there was something stirring within him that he hadn't anticipated. He would make love to her with all the passion he had within him, but he wasn't so sure about being able to walk away from her. In fact, he never wanted to leave her side. She looked angelic lying on his bed, with her trembling lips and her sparkling green eyes. He wouldn't think about his kingdom now; he only wanted to think of the beauty that lay in front of him beckoning to be touched.

Sarah pulled him on top of her and kissed him deeply, brushing his lips gently with her tongue. He responded by parting his lips slightly granting her entry. Her tongue probed his mouth as one of her hands slid up into his silky blond hair. Her other hand roamed lower and traced the form of his hips over his tight breeches. She could feel his hardness pressing against her thigh, and she achingly rubbed against it causing him to cry out, "Sarah, Oh God, I have waited so long for you..."

She reached her hand down and stroked his hardness through his breeches and he breathed in sharply. "You don't have to wait anymore", she whispered in his ear. She pulled her hands back up to his chest and began unbuttoning his poet's shirt that had hung half open on his chest. Jareth kneeled on his bed over her and pulled off his unbuttoned shirt and tossed it to the floor. Sarah gazed up at his chest that was so pale and smooth it looked like finely polished alabaster. She ran her hands down his chest to the top of his breeches. She could see his erection straining against the taught fabric.

"These too..." she whispered, but he caught her hands as she tried to pull them down.

"Not just yet my love, I want to see you first." Jareth reached over to her side and quickly untied her wrap around blouse to expose her creamy smooth skin. She was wearing a black lace bra underneath her blouse that he noticed accentuated her heaving breasts as she panted with desire. He ran a fingertip over her nipple and he felt it harden under his soft caress as she groaned with desire. She could feel the fire that seemed to spread from between her legs as she begged him not to stop. He lifted her forward slightly to unclasp her bra, but she beat him to it letting it fall to the floor next ts dis discarded shirt.

He lay her back down onto the bed, and leaned down to take one nipple in his mouth as his hand kneaded her other breast with his palm. His tongue lightly flecked across her nipple and he felt her shudder under him. She spread her legs to allow him access as she lifted her hips to meet his. Sarah cried out as she felt his erection brush across her sex.

Without warning Sarah pushed him over onto his back and straddled him. Her black skirt was now up around her waist. He reached down to stroke her between her legs and was surprised to feel that she was already moist with desire for him. He could feel her heat even through the black lace panties she was still wearing. This was almost too much to take. Not only was he finally about to make love to Sarah, but she was in control of the situation making love to HIM.

Jareth stroked her breasts as she writhed against him in utter desire. If she didn't cease her uninhibited movements, he would find his release before he entered her. Jareth Forced Sarah back and ruthlessly pulled her panties off of her, dropped his boots and breeches to the floor all in one swift movement. He liked the idea of her controlling the situation so he invited her back on top of him. Sarah, still wearing her skirt around her waist and her knee length black boots, straddled him once more. This time, there was no clothing separating his arousal from her. She gently stroked the length of his shaft before easing it into her. She cried out in sheer pleasure as she realized that at this moment she was making love to the very man who had long ago been her adversary. She rocked her hips back and forth taking him deep inside of her as he matched her rhythm and groaned with pleasure. She could feel her climax beginning to build as she held her breath. Jareth reached up to cup her breasts as she rode him. He couldn't keep his cries of pleasure from escaping as she moved so gracefully along the length of him. He felt his climax was imminent as she tensed and violent tremors overtook her; She screamed out his name as she climaxed. Jareth tightened his grip on her hips as he plunged himself into her as deep as he could go and cried out her name as he found his release.

Exhausted, Sarah collapsed onto his chest and continued to try and catch her breath. Her body was still shaking. Jareth wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes. He didn't want the moment to end, but he had to make a decision. He had her there in his castle, where he could finally force her to fix what she had destroyed.

When Sarah defeated his Labyrinth six years earlier, she took with her the power to restore it if she so wished. Since she had left, the castle beyond the Goblin city had fallen into ruin. Onew rew rooms within the castle remained untouched due to the remaining power of the Goblin King himself. He had only enough power to keep a small fragment intact, but nowhere near the power that Sarah possessed to restore it. Jareth decided to talk with her about this matter instead of trying to use physical force. As much as it seemed he would have to bow to her once again, he knew how headstrong she could be and that it wouldn't get anything accomplished. Jareth realized if there was ever a better time, this was it.

"Sarah, my love, I need to discuss something with you."

"Just hold me, I'm still trying to figure out if what I think just happened, REALLY happened."

"I assure you, what ever you think just happened, most surely did...was it to your liking?"

"Oh my GOD, I have NEVER experienced anything so powerful in my life. I'm sorry about my forwardness, I'm sure you weren't really expecting my behavior. I must admit, I was a bit surprised things went as far as they did...you and I used to be enemies, suddenly, it seems we are lovers."

"Well, I wasn't as surprised as you may think. Although you were but a child last time we met, I could sense that you found me attractive no matter how much you kept trying to deny it."

"I did not! That never even crossed my mind! All I could think about was getting my brother back!"

"Sarah, Sarah...how you haven't changed. Well, actually, you have blossomed quite nicely, but I see you are still the same obstinate girl you once were."

"I have too changed! I have a career and I have even made amends with Karen...not that I would even expect you to care about any of that..."

"Well, since we are now in a talkative mood, there is something I simply MUST discuss with you."

Sarah drew back and pulled the blanket off of Jareth, wrapping it around herself. He didn't seem to notice much that by pulling the blanket to herself she left him lying completely naked. She couldn't stop her eyes from wandering lower to his waist as his eyes followed her glance.

"You like what you see?"

"Ahh, what is it you wanted to talk to me about??"

Jareth smirked at her obvious embarrassment, but continued, "We have not encountered one another in six years. The last time you were in my kingdom and you said those words, much was lost."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that by uttering those words, you defeated me AND my kingdom. My kingdom has fallen into ruin over the years. Many of my subjects have been forced from their homes because of it. Not to mention the damage that was done to the Goblin City BEFORE you confronted me."

Sarah looked completely shocked. She had no idea the repercussions that would later ensue from her reactions.

"My God Jareth, I was mad at you for taking my brother. I just HAD to get him back no matter what the cost. I never stopped to think about what would happen when I said those words."

Sarah looked down and a small tear slid down her cheek. "I suppose my friends have been affected by all of this as well?"

"I am afraid to say so, but yes they have. I tried to protect ALL of my subjects no matter WHAT the cost, but unfortunately, the price that had to be paid wasn't a pleasant one."

"What do you mean?? What happened to Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus?"

"They are all ok, I assure you. They are quite alive, but alas, they had to make adjustments in their lives and HOMES as well."

"Well, where are they?"

"Sadly, Hoggle is currently living in a small hut on the edge of the Bog of Eternal Stench, Ludo is living in the enchanted forest among the Fireys, and Sir Didymus is sharing a small hut with one of my Goblins in the outer limits of the city."

Sarah lowered her head into her hands and cried aloud. How could she have been so thoughtless? They had risked their lives to help her defeat the Labyrinth, and what did she do? She put them in the worst possible living conditions that could exist. She remembered how happy they all were when she called them upon returning to her house the night she defeated the Labyrinth. They were all so happy, but she sent them back to the hell that she condemned them too and never once bothered to call on them again. She couldn't blame them if they never wanted to speak to her again. She decided she had to make it right somehow...she had to make up for all the damage she had done.

"Jareth, is there anything I can do to help? I am the cause of all of this, and I could never forgive myself if I couldn't make it right again."

"Actually, there is something you can do...but first I must send you back home. I have some things I have to prepare before you can help. I will return for you in exactly three of your aboveground days, in which time you will accompany me back here and we can get started, agreed?"

"Yes, I will do anything I can. Please accept my apology, I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"Of course. I understand. Now, please, I must go."

Sarah stood up and began to get dressed. Jareth snapped his fingers and was fully dressed in his usual underground attire. He waved his hand in front of the mirror and it showed her bedroom once again. He gently kissed her hand as he beckoned her to go back to her home. Sarah turned reluctantly and walked through the mirror as she found herself back in her room. She turned and saw Jareth give a sad smile as he waved his hand and suddenly his image was gone. Sarah decided she needed some air, so she threw on a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans and went for a walk.
***
Jareth slumped down into his exquisitely carved armchair, and thought about all that had happened. Surely he had missed something...Sarah wasn't supposed to agree to help him so easily...He had hoped that she would be willing to come to his bed, but he certainly didn't expect the feverish passion that she had shown. He couldn't help think of how beautiful she was and how wonderful it had felt to be at HER mercy. Was he falling for this woman?? It certainly wasn't in his game plan, but would it be such a bad thing? He had planned to get her to fall madly in love with him and then discard her. He knew now that it just couldn't be done. In fact, he had no intentions of EVER leaving her. He had much bigger plans now. He knew that there was still yet a major hurdle he would need to over come with her before she could ever appreciate his growing love, and maybe even love him in return. How would Sarah react when she found out that she would have to MARRY him and remain in the underground forever as his queen in order to reverse the damage she had done? He could only hope that using her friends as bait would be all the convincing she would need.

Jareth stood and made his way to his throne room. He needed to find out how much progress the seamstress Helga had made with the dress.

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Chapter 14

Sarah felt the butterflies in her stomach every time she thought about what she had just experienced. She couldn't even believe that she had just nailed the Goblin King. What surprised her even more was her forward behavior. She had initiated all of it; He merely follower ler lead. She had to admit, it felt good to be in control of someone so powerful. But what now? She knew that she would help him fix his Labyrinth, but what happens after that? She couldn't very well have a relationship with him...I mean who would remotely understand when they would ask, "So, Jareth, what do you do for a living?" and he replies, "I'm the Goblin King, I steal babies!" She would also have a hard time explaining his unearthly look to people too. Sarah sighed. She looked around and saw that she had been so caught up in her thoughts that she had already walked about five blocks from her house.

"I wonder if Colvin is around...I really could use someone to talk to right about now."

Sarah kept walking until she saw Colvin's parent's house looming just ahead. It was a large colonial style yellow house with Black trim. She walked up to the front door that had a beautiful trellis arching over it with gorgeous burgundy colored roses. Colvin's mom always had good taste, especially when it came to gardening. Their yard was beautifully landscaped, and there was a small green house in the backyard. Colvin's dad had a very high paying job, which is how Colvin was able to afford living in California.

Sarah knocked at the front door and Colvin's mom Sue answered.

"Hi Sarah, It is so nice to see you! You look great! Colvin is here somewhere, come on in!"

Sarah stepped into their spotlessly clean house. Sue walked over the bottom of the stairs.

"Colvin!! Colvin your friend Sarah is here to see you!!"

"Tell her to come up!" Sarah heard Colvin yell back down to her mother.

Sue looked back at Sarah, and gestured towards the stairs. "Do you want something to drink dear?"

"No thanks, Sue, I'm good. Well, we'll be upstairs."

Sarah climbed the hardwood staircase up to Colvin's room. She opened the door to see Colvin lying on her bed reading a book titled, "Good In Bed".

Colvin looked up from her book when she heard Sarah enter her room. Sarah noticed she had cut her blond hair short, just above her shoulders in a wild trendy style. Colvin had a small heart shaped face, with a beautiful bright smile.

"Hey you, what's up?"

"Nothing and everything" Sarah replied with a sigh.

Colvin arched her eyebrow at her friend, "What do you mean? Is there something your not telling me?"

Sarah looked apprehensively at her friend and thought about how she was going to explain this to her.

"Ok, so, I have this friend..."

"Stop right there and don't feed me that bullshit...I know the friend is you. Please continue."

Sarah burst out laughing at her friend's remark. "Ok, so I have a dilemma."

"Which is?"

"Colvin, you have to swear to me that this stays in this room. I know what I am about to tell you is not only a long story, but it is so unbelievable, I didn't believe it myself for a long time."

"Ok, I swear I won't breath a word."

"Promise you won't laugh at me or call me crazy?"

"Yes, yes, yes already, just tell me what's the matter!!"

"Ok, here goes...Well, six years ago just before I moved away, I had a strange experience...only I didn't really think it happened afterwards because it seemed like it was just a dream,"

"Are you trying to tell me that you slept with Mark Hannigan in eighth Grade??!!? I knew you liked him, but I didn't think you would..."

"NO! No, GOD NO!... It has nothing to do with Sex..."

At that last comment, Sarah blushed quickly, thinking of what she had just done only about an hour earlier...

"Colvin, do you reme tha that book I used to read all the time?"

"You mean that little red one? Oh, what was it...The Labyrinth, right?"

"Yes! That book. Well, what I have to tell you has to do with that book."

"Oh. Ok...."

"My dad and Karen used to make me baby-sit all the time, and GOD I hated it. Well, one night, I was out at the park, rehearsing lines from The Labyrinth, when I realized I was running late. I got home, and Karen bitched at me for being late and that they needed to go. I was sooo pissed off because she didn't even ask me if I would sit for Toby, she just always assumed...Anyways, I went upstairs, and Toby just would not stop crying. So, still being upset, I tried to tell him a story - even though it was a particularly biased story. Well I basically was telling him about the Labyrinth, although I changed it a little to my liking..."

"What do you mean YOUR liking?"

"Well, I always got so caught up in the story, and I kind of secretly admired the Goblin King...I mean he was so powerful, plus he sounded hot the way they describe him in the book. Anyways, I told Toby that the Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl and had given her certain powers. So, the story went that one night after the girl's stepmother had been cruel to her, she called on the Goblin King for help."

"So, what is the big deal?"

"I'm getting to that. Well, I don't know what made me do it, but I held Toby up and I wished him away to the goblins because he wouldn't stop crying."

Colvin burst out laughing.

"You promised wou wouldn't laugh at me!!"

"I'm sorry, its just, oh, you seem so upset because you feel guilty over wishing your brother away to the...ok, am I hearing you correctly...GOBLINS!!!"

"Ok, ok, I know this sounds absolutely ridiculous...the point is that I had been reading that story, and I was just sort of joking around. I didn't seriously believe that goblins would come take my brother away..."

"So what is the problem then??"

"Well, that is just it...I wished him away and turned to walk out of the room and BAM...Silence. I turned back around, wondering why he had stopped crying so suddenly, and he was gone. My heart thudded in my chest...I could hear strange noises all around me...and there was this white owl scratching at the glass doors trying to get in."

"Are you sure you didn't fall asleep and dream all of this? You know, sometimes I have these totally realistic dreams where I am having sex with the pope in his..."

"No, no, it wasn't a dream...did you just say you wanted to have sex with the POPE??!!??"

"Just a joke...sorry...so are you sure it wasn't just a dream? Toby is fine, he is six years old, almost seven. He is fine Sarah."

"Yes, he is fine now...but he wasn't before..."

"What are you talking about?"

"The owl finally managed to open the doors and get in...I think the strong wind outside helped...I shielded my face so that it wouldn't attack me...but suddenly it wasn't there any more...There was this really tall man. I knew he must be the Goblin King because he fit the description in the book rather well."

"Are you SERIOUS?? What did he look like then?"

"Well, He was tall like I said, with long wild silvery blond hair...kind of like a rock star. He had very strange eyes...One was green and the other was a pale blue. He was wearing very strange clothing too...He had a billowing black cape that came to a high arch behind his head, and he had on some sort of a gilded breastplate. He had tight breeches, you know, like you would wear riding, and tall black boots. He was simply breathtaking to look at. I have never in my life ssomesomeone so BEAUTIFUL. Oh yeah, he kept doing this weird juggling thing with crystal balls too...but very graceful, like a cat. He offered me my dreams you know, to forget about Toby."

"What on earth did you eat before you went to bed that night??? I want some!!!"

Colvin laughed again, but stopped abruptly as she saw the serious look on Sarah's face. She knew Sarah very well, and knew that if she was joking with her about all of this, there was NO WAY Sarah could keep a straight face this long.

"You really believe what you are telling me, don't you."

"I am not making this up, Colvin. I know this sounds totally ridiculous, but I swear on my life that this was real. It didn't stop there either...I looked outside the doors to see this sprawling maze...The Labyrinth to be exact, and a tiny dot of a castle so far away in the center of it. He told me I had only 13 hours to get to the castle, or else he would keep Toby forever. I didn't know what else to do, so I fought my way through the Labyrinth to the castle. I had to confront him just before I saved Toby. I almost couldn't do it. If you had seen the way he looked at me...Anyways, I remembered the speech at the end of the book that the heroine delivers, so I said her lines."

"Well, what did you say?"

"Give me the Child. Through Dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen. My will is as strong as yours, and my Kingdom is as great, you have no Power over me."

"Wow. So then what happened?"

"I found that world dissolving around me, and I was home again. I watched the owl fly away as the clock struck midnight. I ran upstairs and found Toby sound asleep. I had beaten his Labyrinth. But, it was when I went to bed that night that I thought exactly what you thought...it must have all been a dream. But it wasn't..."

"How do you know Sarah?"

"Because he came to me today."

"WHAT??!! Are you insane??"

"I can't prove it to you right now, but I will. I need a few days, but I will prove it. I am going to see him again."

"Why now, all of the sudden six years later are you seeing this guy again??"

"Well, just before I came home for the summer, Karen talked me into going to see a therapist to relieve stress from school. I'm not crazy, I had never been before, but she told me it was like yoga, and it would be good for my health to go...so I did. It turns out, I had a repressed memory, and that memory was about that time I spent in the Labyrinth."

"So, you didn't think it was a dream then??"

"I did at first, but Dr. Simms explained to me that she didn't know what it all meant, but that repressed memories can only occur from some physical experience...not from dreams. She suggested I try to look through my old things to help discover what was missing from my past, and it has all come back to me."

"It is really hard to believe Sarah, I mean come on...Shit like that doesn't happen everyday, you know?"

"I know it is hard to believe...but there is something else."

Sarah blushed thinking of her steamy encounter with the Goblin King that anoonnoon.

"What more COULD there be??"

"I told you he came to me today..."

"Yes, and?"

"I had been having these dreams about him the past couple of nights...you know, erotic dreams...once I started to remember things, I couldn't get my mind off of how attractive he was...The dreams were so real...I found myself wanting him."

"Yeah, so, what is wrong with that? Lust is a human sin...it is ok."

"Well, I needed the proof for myself that it was all real, so I called him."

"On the phone??"

"No!! Don't be stupid, Goblins don't have phones!!"

"Well, I don't know, do I look like I have EVER seen a Goblin??? NO, I didn't think so...anyways, you were saying??"

"Oh, so, yeah, I SUMMONED him...and he came to me."

"So you SUMMONED him, then what?"

"I jumped his bones!!!"

Colvin just about peed her pants laughing at Sarah. Sarah blushed a deeper shade of crimson that Colvin had ever seen her blush bef She She threw her hands up to cover her face and managed to choke out from behind her hands and say, "Do you think I am a slut??"

Colvin laughed even harder.

"Let me get this straight...you had sex TODAY with the GOBLIN KING???!!! This is too good...you gotta give me details...was he huge?"

Sarah playfully slapped her friend's arm, and made a shocked face at her as if she couldn't believe she had uttered such a thing.

"If you must know, yes, he was hung like a horse!!"

Sarah couldn't help herself this time and laughed along with her friend.

"But what now? I am going with him in three days or so to help him fix the Goblin Kingdom. I destroyed a lot of it when I said those words. I had friends there that helped me make it through the Labyrinth in time. They are living in misery since I said those words. I promised Jareth I would make it right."

"So it's Jareth now? No more Mr. Goblin King? Well, I suppose it makes sense, now that you've seen his wang!!"

"Yes, his name is Jareth. I think I am falling in Love with him Colvin."

"What did you say??"

"You heard me."

Sarah looked down as a single tear slid down her cheek. "I don't think I could bear never seeing him again after what happened. What if I fix his kingdom, and that is it? What if he just used me to get what he wanted?"

"Don't worry about it right now. A woman ALWAYS has time to make a man fall in love with her if he isn't already. I'll admit, I don't know shit about all this Goblin stuff, but I do know about men. It will be ok. Promise me that you will prove this to me though...Not that I don't take you seriously, but all of this is hard to swallow, and I don't want to end up labeled as the biggest gullible stupid head in the world, ok?"

"Yes, I PROMISE you that I will prove it to you. You are the only person I have ever told any of this too...Please don't tell anyone."

"Are you kidding, people would think I was crazy! NOT that I think that of you, but we have a deal. Now, don't you worry about Jareth...when are you seeing him again?"

"Three days. He said he would come back for me in three days."

"Plenty of time...we have to get you some seductive clothing, and rent LOTS of Audry Hepburn movies. You my dear, need to learn THE MOVES."
***
MEANWHILE...
Jareth Sat in his throne room and had the seamstress, Helga, summoned.

"How are you making progress on the dress?"

"It is almost finished your majesty, all that is left to be done is the beading on the bodice. It will be done by tomorrow you Highness."

"Splendid. I warn you Helga, this dress has to be perfect. If there is so much as one small bead out of place, I will personally have you locked in the Oubliette, you understand?"

"Yes your majesty, it will be perfect."
ou mou may go."

Helga turned and hobbled out of the throne room. He didn't like being so nasty to his subjects, but this was important. What better than fear to motivate? He produced a crystal at his graceful fingertips. He gazed into the crystal and saw the almost finished dress Helga had been working on. She was not lying to him, the dress was almost finished and so far, it looked like a flawless replica of the image he had presented to her for the design. Jareth closed his eyes and became lost in thought. He could not help but drift back to the enchanting fantasy he had given Sarah last time she was in his Labyrinth. How beautiful she looked in that dress. He couldn't wait to see her in it once again. It would only be a matter of time.

Jareth was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't even hear anyone enter the throne room.

"Jareth, I thought I might find you here."

Jareth jolted upright and looked over to his left to see his good friend Valerian lounging in the windowsill.

"Valerian, I didn't expect to see you today..."

"Who is she?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Don't act all innocent, Jareth, I know you better than that."

Jareth sighed, He knew his friend would no doubt figure out that something was going on."

"Do you remember the mortal I told you about a while back? The one that defeated my Labyrinth?"

"Yes..."

"Well, I have successfully persuaded her to come back and fix what she had destroyed."

"However did you manage that?"

Jareth just looked at his friend and gave a slight smirk.

"You didn't...You DID! You Dog! Well, you always were smooth with the ladies..."

"Yes, but I haven't told her what she must do to fix my kingdom. I fear that will be the difficult in accepting that proposal."

"What are you proposing?"

"Why Marriage of course! I can't very well let her fix everything as if she was doing some charitable thing, now can I! I must have her fix it and then pledge her life and love to me."

"You never could swallow your pride...how are you going to tell her?"

"I haven't thought of that just yet, but I am working on it. I don't want to frighten her off, I am so close..."

"You're in love with her, aren't you?"

"What? that is absurd! I am certainly NOT in Love with her..."

"First step, Denial. Oh man, you've got it bad."

Jareth sighed. He couldn't lie to his fd. Hd. He had fallen for Sarah. How could he not? He had been thinking of her all day everyday since she arrived back home almost like an obsession.

"You're right. I have fallen for her. YOU BETTER NOT BREATHE A WORD OF THIS!! If I find out you said this to anyone, I will push you into the bog! Are we clear?"

Valerian Laughed. He knew Jareth was daydreaming about someone as soon as he had looked at him. He wanted to see his friend happy. He knew Jareth had been alone for far too long.

"Well, you have to offer her something as comfort if you are going to lay a shock like that on her..."

"What are you suggesting, an engagement ring? I am not that much of a toad, of course I will present her with an acceptable ring."

"No, I mean something that will make the transition of living here be easier on her."

"like what?"

"I know you probably won't like this idea, but maybe you should allow her to visit her family in her realm whenever she chooses so that she won't feel so much like a prisoner."

"Out of the question!! She will have to stay here. I may allow her to visit only if I accompany her. I can't have her doing whatever she pleases, I will still be her King, even if she becomes my wife. She will have to learn to respect my authority."

"Jareth, Jareth, Jareth...when are you going to learn that bossing a woman around will not win her heart. You know you love this girl, so have a loving relationship with her and be happy!"

"We shall see. I still don't know how she will take my proposal."

"Well, if I can be of any assistance, don't hesitate to call,"

With that last statement, Valerian dissolved into thin air once again leaving Jareth alone with his thoughts. He had to admit, His friend could see right through him no matter how he tried to hide it. Valerian was a good friend, and Jareth knew that he would never steer him wrong. Valerian has given Jareth good advice on more than one occasion in the past. Jareth decided to not dwell on it, because only time would tell. Judging by Sarah's actions, he assumed he had a fighting chance to win her love, but he couldn't be completely certain that her actions this afternoon had not been a direct result of the fantasies he had presented her with.


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Chapter 15

Sarah stood in her bedroom wearing a borrowed black halter-top, and a pair of faded low-rise boot cut jeans that hugged her form. Looking at herself in the mirror, she had to admit, she looked HOT! She had her hair up is an elegant French twist and she had even applied makeup. She couldn't help but feel the butterflies that flitted around her stomach as she waited in her bedroom for the Goblin King to arrive. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to practice her Zen breathing. When she opened her eyes, the Goblin King's refion ion stood just behind hers in the mirror. Startled, she spun around fast and clutched a hand to her chest.

"You scared the Shit out of me!"

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry, it's nothing, just an expression."

"Are you ready to come with me to the underground? I have something important...Sarah are you alright?"

Sarah was attempting to gaze longingly up at him, batting her eyes as he spoke to her, trying to mimic Audrey Hepburn's infamous seductive glances. Apparently, he didn't find it so seductive.

"Do you have something in your eye? Here, let me have a look."

"I'm FINE!! Just, never mind."

"Are you angry with me?"

"No, I was just taking a friends stupid advice...I should've known."

"Known what?"

Sarah just looked up at him and laughed. It wasn't quite the reaction she was going for, but now that she thought about it, it was pretty funny. Ok, so she was no Audrey Hepburn. She apparently still had his attention though.

"Yes, I'm ready, shall we?"

Sarah latched onto Jareth as he used his crystal this time to transport them to the Throne room of his castle. It was surprisingly empty, and not quite as messy as she had seen it last.

"This room looks a lot different than I remember it. It...it is CLEANER!"

"Yes, well, most of what you remember was all of us here in the underground trying to play the parts you expected us to play."

"What do you mean?""I "I mean, you expected a villain, and I fulfilled that role. You expected your brother to be taken (Per the story) and my goblins took him. You didn't expect I would just hand him over just like that, so I presented the challenge. You had preformed ideas of what goblins are like, as well as what I would be like, so we lived up to your expectations. Do you not recall what I said to you just before you said the words?"

"I can't remember...Yes, I do...you said you werhaushausted of living up to my expectations of you. So, I created all of it??"

"Well, Yes and no. The underground does exist as you can clearly see. I do not steal children; that is clearly a myth. What would I want with mortal children? I just happened to notice you in particular because you were so feisty and you truly believed in magic. That made you different. I was only too happy to oblige in your little saga, just for the mere curiosity of where it would lead. You said it selfself in the story, although at the time, I didn't know it."

"What did I say?"

"You said, and I quote, 'but what no one knew was that the King of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl and had given her certain powers.' I played along, but I never dreamed of the consequences."

"What are you saying?"

"Let me start over...I have much to explain to you, and I wish to start from the beginning. It will all make sense soon, I promise."

"Ok, I am really confused, but go ahead, start from the beginning."

Jareth took a deep sigh and took hold of Sarah's hand.

"Youter ter sit down for this, it is kind of a long story."

"Sure whatever." Sarah replied as she eyed his throne... "Do you mind?"

Jareth cringed and reluctantly gestured for her to sit there. If she chose to marry him and be his queen, she would have to get used to a throne right? He threw a spell on the doors to bloce ene entrances. All he needed was a nosy goblin wandering in to see Sarah sitting on Jareth's throne. All hell would break loose. Besides, he wanted to make sure he had her alone anyway.

"Ok, well, first of all, what are your questions so that I can make sure to answer them all?"

"Umm, When can we start fixing the labyrinth, where do we start? It is enormous! And will it include manual labor? Because I am not exactly dressed for that."

"To start, yes, we will begin HOPEFULLY soon after we have this . As. As far as where we start, I think we should start here and work our way out. And No, you will not be doing phyl lal labor, it will be done with Magic."

"But Jareth, I don't have any magic, how will I..."

"I'm getting to that...have patience and hear me out."

"Ok, whatever you say. I'm listening."

"So, as you already noticed, you will need magic, and you have none. There is only ONE way for you to gain magic ability, but it is not easy."

"Ok, and which way is that? You want me to run the Labyrinth again?? Because I know I can..."

"No, No, you will not be running the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth is in ruin in many places, remember? No, This is much more serious, and requires much thought on your part."

"What do I have to do?"

"You have to become my wife and queen. It is the ONLY way. Once you become queen you..."

"WHAT??!!?? You so did not just say what I think you said."

"Sarah, it is the only way. I told you it wouldn't be an easy decision to make. But as my queen, you would gain many powers. Not only the ability to do magic, but you would become immortal as well."

"Are you shitting me?"

"What? I don't even understand your question..."

"Another expression. Look, if that is the only way, it is the only way. But I have a few questions for you...for starters, what about my family and my life aboveground?"

"You would have to remain here in the Underground, however, I could arrange for you to visit your family from time to time with me accompanying you."

"No WAY...that is ou the the question. How would I explain that I up and got married without telling my parents, let alone not even inviting them to the wedding! And better yet, how am I going to explain why you don't look normal? Jareth, guys in the Aboveground don't wear eye shadow!!! Well, on second thought, some do, BUT THAT IS NOT THE POINT!!!"

"It is not makeup. Sarah, I am Fae, NOT human. You may touch my eyes if you don't believe me."

"OK, ok, I believe you...but that still doesn't help me."

"Sarah, I want you to think about this decision, it is not to be made in haste. If you wish to help me restore my Labyrinth and help your friends, you know what your choice must be. If not, then you will have to remain Aboveground, where I will wipe all memories of the Underground and of me from your mind. You will live your life as if NOTHING ever happened. The choice is yours. You have a few hours in the Underground to see your friends if you wish before I return you home. I will expect your decision in the morning."

"Sure, no pressure there..."

"What was that?"

"NothiNeveNever mind."

Jareth turned and disappeared before Sarah even had time to stand up.

"Well, it looks like I am on my own again. Come on feet, let's see how much Damage we caused."

Sarah got up and walked swiftly out of the throne room towards the Goblin City Gates.


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