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You remind me of the Babe,What babe?The Babe with the PowerMagic Dance—David Bowie
12:05 AM, June 21, 1971, The Summer Solstice
Linda Williams had been in labor for sixteen hours when her stubborn, willful, obstinate child decided to grace the world with her presence. She stared at her husband and the fear and pride on his face as the doctor presented him with his daughter. “Princess” he cooed over her as he stepped to hand the girl to the nurses. Linda smiled. They’d been arguing over baby names for weeks now. “That’s it Robert, she is a princess. We’ll call her Sarah, it’s Hebrew for princess, like my great-grandmother.”“Sarah—it’s perfect,” he cooed again, “she will always be our little princess.”“Yes.” Linda watched her husband as the nurses cleaned the baby up, suddenly a bit jealous of her daughter. She quickly shook the feeling aside as Robert placed the child in her arms. She loved the little girl. The figure hiding in the shadows of the room agreed to the naming as well. This girl’s soul reached out and demanded recognition across the Mists. Fate itself recognized the child’s potential. Little Sarah received happy blessings from her shadowy benefactor as she slept on her mother’s chest. The child, the princess of the long day and dying light, would be recognized and revered by her subjects. Fate itself would bend to her will.

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We used what we couldTo get the things we wantBut we lost each other on the wayI guess you know I never wanted anyone more than youSomething in the Air—David Bowie“You have no power over me.” The girl finally said. She was confused, but confident. She would beat him. He looked heartbroken and dropped the crystal. The expression confused the girl. The pieces of the room scattered into the void and the girl fell. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The owl watched the party in the girl’s room with pain. There was also pride. No creature, mortal or Immortal, ever beat the Goblin King at his own game, especially when he so blatantly cheated. None but this slip of a girl. As he flew off into the night, fae song graced the winds along with the sounds of a happy celebration among friends. Another figure watched the celebrations and the circling owl, but with a different sort of pride and pain. This figure melded further into the shadows and let the Mists take them home. Magic hung on the air as Fate let her web draw closer.

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9:35 PM, June 27, 1986
Karen Irene Williams hated, no, absolutely detested, the dinners with her husband’s law partners. For six years these men dangled a full partnership in the firm before her husband and repeatedly she found that Robert was denied access to the power he rightfully deserved. And yet here, on a night filled with horrid thunderstorms and the threat of danger, she sat with Robert as they dangled the carrot once more. The sudden appearance of the charming teenaged hostess who went to school with Sarah, Melissa if she remembered correctly, distracted Karen, as did her words. “Mrs. Williams there’s a phone call for you.”Karen hurriedly excused herself and followed Melissa to the hostess stand. Before she picked up the blinking line, she made a point of thanking the girl. “Hello?”“Karen.” The voice on the phone was calm and collected, but years of listening to it, betrayed the excitement underneath. “Did she do it?”“Yes. She beat him, and he never suspected our involvement.”“Is my son safe?”“He’s happily sleeping in his crib, blissfully unaware of the raucous party his sister is having with a bunch of goblins next door in her room. You should be proud of her.”“I am more than proud of her; I am in awe. I had my doubts.”“She performed admirably, and she rescued the baby. He cheated mercilessly, even offered himself up to her on a silver platter, and she beat him nonetheless.”The pretense of calm was gone from the other voice now. Open excitement and joy replaced the cool tone. Karen allowed herself to appear upset for the sake of the dinner party watching her, but she too was proud of her stepdaughter. “Thank you for calling me, I assume you’ll stay at the house until we return.”“Of course, my dear. I cannot wait to tell you everything that happened. That fop thought he was dealing with a teenaged girl, not a warrior princess in training. If that doesn’t take him down a notch, I don’t know what will. Our mistress will be pleased.”Karen gave a grim smile into the phone for the benefit of her dinner companions and said goodbye. As she walked back to the table. Michael Hatch leered at the woman as she played the part of concerned mother, and then opened his mouth to follow up with his lewd gazes, “Well Karen, do we need to send you home to your nice, warm bed?”She regarded the man with open hostility and then burst into tears, mostly for effect, but partly to shame the idiot. Robert chastised his rival for the senior partner position and then turned to his wife.“Karen, who was on the phone?”Feigning the need to control sobbing, Karen composed herself before answering. “Ms. Morgan next door says the storm took out power for half the neighborhood. She says that the road home is blocked. Oh, Robert, Sarah and Toby are stuck alone in the dark in this horrible weather.” Robert understood the code his wife fed him. His wife was no shrinking violet and he was well aware of everything happening in his home tonight. “My darling, it’s alright, if Ms. Morgan called then she must have power and you know she won’t leave the children by themselves. I bet the old biddy,” he turned his eyes skyward and apologized for referring to her as such. “Will have them safe and sound for us when we get home.” Karen let out a heavy dry sob and clung to her husband. Robert turned to his employers and leveled a ferocious glare on them. In another lifetime, the look on his face would have cowed even the most bloodthirsty of men. “Well Mr. Winston, Aubrey, it would seem I need to leave. My children are stuck at home with no power. I think this dinner is over for Karen and myself.” Aubrey Powers glared at the sniffling Karen and then turned on Robert. He and his sister didn’t get along, but he stood firm in his dislike of her ex-husband and his new wife. “Isn’t Sarah sixteen now Robert? Can she not handle a simple power outage? It sounds like this neighbor woman is going over to check on her, why…”The man stopped speaking as Karen rose out of her chair and bent over the table at him with a ferocity that none at the table but her husband knew she possessed. “You listen to me, Aubrey Powers, you know full well you were going to give this sleaze,” she gestured at Hatch, “the senior partnership tonight and you merely invited my husband and me here to gloat because you and your sister both are vindictive, pitiful human beings. My children are at home, alone, in the dark with no telling what kind of damage done by the storm because you felt the need to lord your position over my husband. So if you will excuse us, we are leaving.”The entire dining room turned to stare at the woman. Most of them knew Karen through social functions around town and held no pity for the lawyer who obviously befouled her mood. She was well-respected and her handling of the social scene in the small town meant that she would come out on top if Powers pressed her any further. This was a mother upset that her children could be in danger and none of the parents in the room would forgive a slight against her. Harlan Winston, brilliant lawyer though he was, made the mistake of incurring the wrath of every parent in the room by opening his mouth to support his law partner. “Robert you’d best settle your part of the bill before you rush off into the night for nothing.” Robert turned on the man and sized him up before turning towards the door with his wife. “I quit.” He called over his shoulder. “You idiots don’t deserve my talents.”The entire room stopped talking and stared at the man. Robert Williams was the epitome of calm and collected. He never insulted anyone, ever. If the law firm of Powers, Winston, & Smith earned the ire of both Karen and Robert Williams, the men and women in the room, loyal to the couple after the infamous departure of the former Mrs. Williams, would never let them forget it. The front of house manager, witness to many of the high and low points of the Williams’ family over the years, suddenly felt the need to make the town’s loyalties known. He stopped dead in his tracks and quickly decided to add an eighteen percent gratuity before passing the bill to a stunned Aubrey Powers and requested that the law firm choose another restaurant to dine at in the future. Robert and Karen climbed into their car just as the rest of the dinner party were unceremoniously kicked out, the wait staff having conveniently lost their umbrellas. As they drove back towards the big Victorian house that sat on the edge of the town park, Karen could not help but drop the glamour and her cultivated mid-Atlantic accent for her naturally blue tinted skin and Irish brogue. She turned on her husband. “Are you sure you’re ready for this? Toby and Sarah are marked now and with how I think your daughter behaved in the Labyrinth, we are likely going to be threatened. Sarah will be able to handle herself, but our son, he is just a babe. If they decide to use him against her, will we be enough to stop them?”Robert glanced over at the dryad next to him and chose his words carefully. “My darling, I am fully aware of what awaits us. This will be a piece of cake.” The woman in the passenger seat was not so sure. A millennium of dealing with the denizens of the Underground left her wary, at best.  Later that evening, as Karen fussed over her son, she invited a nervous Sarah into the room to help her console the teething baby. “Oh, Sarah I’m so glad you were here, I don’t know what I would have done if one of those idiot sitters had been here. Ms. Morgan said Toby was fast asleep and you handled all this like a pro.” Sarah gaped at her stepmother. In the six years since Karen began her relationship with Sarah’s father, Sarah had barely gotten a kind word out of the woman. “Karen, um, I…I would never allow anything to hurt Toby,” She stuttered.The older woman smiled at the conviction in the girl’s voice. Karen lay her son back down and turned her gaze upon her stepdaughter. “Sarah, princess, I want you to know, I’ve been hard on you for a long time and I’m not going to apologize for it. You needed a strong hand to temper the anger and resentment you had after Linda divorced your father and left you behind. But I want you to know that I have never, for one instant, thought that you were anything other than my child. Toby may have all of the attention because he’s a baby, but I am always here for you. And I trust you with him completely.”She opened her arms and happily accepted the girl’s sobbing form into a tight, motherly hug. Sarah spent the next few minutes crying in her stepmother’s arms as her baby brother settled into a deep sleep. Karen held the girl and acknowledged the shrouded figure in the hall with a smile. She was proud of the girl and her mistress’ training could now begin in earnest with Sarah.

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The throat is deep and the mouth is wide
Saw some things on the other side
Made me promise to never tell
But you know me, I can't help myself
Now I've got something you have to see
They put something inside of me
The smile is red and its eyes are black
I don't think I'll be coming back
Came Back Haunted—Nine Inch NailsThe Goblin King stood in the tunnels beneath the Labyrinth and stared at the wall. In his hands he clutched the silly beggar disguise he used to hamper the girl’s progress towards her brother. He smiled painfully, remembering the fire in her eyes and the loyalty she so easily won from his least favorite dwarf. In the few months since the girl defeated him, Jareth revisited all of the places he stood in Sarah’s path, wondering if the flickers of emotion he remembered in her young eyes were imaginary. Folding the costume up and placing it carefully on the floor of the tunnel, he strode towards the False Alarms and the hidden exit they disguised. Once above in the sunshine, Jareth’s body language changed from pensive and pained to confident. He began his walk back to the castle with purpose. The sound of crows and ravens calling in the distance halted his progress. Only one creature of the Underground was followed by the black birds, and this creature certainly waited its turn to chastise the Goblin King for becoming enamored of a mortal girl. Resolving to catch hell sooner rather than later, Jareth disappeared from the path and landed himself in his throne room. The thickly robed figure draped across his throne, playing with a tendril of dark red hair grinned as Jareth prepared to receive his punishment. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 1st, 1987, May Day
Sarah happily pushed Toby’s stroller down the street towards the park. Since the big storm that changed the whole family, the girl grew from a spoiled brat to a thoughtful young woman. But, she still harbored a deep abiding love for fairy stories and shared them with the toddler who was happily chatting away in the stroller. Sarah noticed a presence behind her and whipped around to find Mrs. Morgan had snuck up on her, again. “Damn.”“Sarah my dear, you know better. What have I been telling you for all these years?” The woman’s lilting Welsh accent chided. “Always know what’s at my back. I swear you’re not human Mrs. M. There’s not a single creature alive that can sneak up on me like you.” “Creature?” The woman questioned lightly, a knowing smile painted on her face.“Well, I was going to say human, but you know just as well as I that saying that might invite unwanted attention from things that aren’t. Human that is.”“Just so, girl.” The woman agreed then turned her head towards the stroller. “Hello Toby, my love, and just how are you doing today, young man?”Despite her hands being covered in filthy gardening gloves and the dirt strewn all over Mrs. M’s clothes, Sarah made no effort to stop the woman from swooping down upon her little brother and releasing him from the stroller. The toddler giggled with delight as his second favorite babysitter nuzzled him to her dirt-streaked cheeks. Karen and Mrs. M seemed to have a truce when it came to the Williams children that allowed Mrs. M to send the children home filthy without repercussions. Mrs. Morgan removed her gloves and brushed the dirt off her clothes to follow the children to the park.Sarah took a moment to look at her neighbor and wonder why it was she never got remarried. Mrs. Morgan told her one day after Linda left that husbands and wives often didn’t get along and she found it easier to remain a happy widow than marry another man. Mrs. Morgan moved in to the house down the street the week Sarah was born and took an instant liking to the newborn. When Linda left, it was to Mrs. M’s house that Sarah fled and Robert sought solace. It was Mrs. Morgan who introduced Karen and her father a year after her mother left, Sarah didn’t understand why at the time and it hurt to see her maternal figure helping to replace her mother. She hadn’t forgiven Mrs. M for that until a few months ago, when she and Karen reached their current understanding. Now, as a more mature Sarah gazed upon the woman who protected her for most of her life, she noticed the strangeness of her presence. Ebliu Morgan exuded power and grace. Her bright blonde hair, streaked with white-grey hung in a tight braid to her waist. Azure blue eyes shone out of a face that reminded Sarah of Katherine Hepburn. She was a little taller than Sarah’s father, who stood over six feet, and her face, though wrinkled in its late middle years, retained a great beauty. But hers was not an ethereal beauty. ‘Not like the women in the ballroom,’ Sarah caught herself thinking. Ebliu Morgan was beautiful in her confidence. Sarah admired her and tried to emulate the unflappable Mrs. Morgan as much as possible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The figure lounging in Jareth’s throne suddenly threw off the hood covering her face and stared down the Goblin King before speaking lowly to the monarch. “What have you done?”Jareth, frightened and excited, stared back at the woman. He couldn’t choose whether to hug or scream at her for the sudden appearance in his throne room. He remained silent, weighing his options, when she chose for him and unleashed an even-toned, but hateful tirade. “Jareth, Goblin King, Lord of the Labyrinth, Keeper of the Unwanted, Lord of the Night, Master of the Swarm, Lord of the Mountain Halls, Lord of the Summerlands, what have you done?” She spat out. Using his full name and titles meant she invoked her right of power over him. It hurt because she was one of the few who could claim any hold over him. “I leave you in charge of the Labyrinth for a few hundred years and I come back to find it filthy, misused and,” on the last word she seethed with such hatred that her hair began to glow and inky electricity crackled across her skin, “beaten.” His ire up now, Jareth fired back at the woman. “Goddess Morrigan, if you would kindly remove your ass from my throne and address me with respect, I will happily atone for my actions of the last centuries.”The two began throwing offences and foul language at one another that would have made any creature, but a goblin, blush. Those very same goblins, watching the scene, whipped heads back and forth as the two traded insults and anger for several minutes. No one had spoken to the King this way in a long time, not even the girl who ate the peach and forgot everything riled up their king so well. The goblins themselves snickered and began placing bets on who would eventually run out of insults and give up. Most of them lost when Jareth sputtered and could not think of a single thing to say after the Goddess called him a prancing fop who tortured little girls with their dreams rather than play by his own rules. Those that won knew the relationship between the two arguing Immortals and won more money when the Goddess embraced the King and held him close while he sobbed in her arms. Nearly a millennia spent apart was entirely too long for the two. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ebliu Morgan danced around the park with Sarah and Toby for hours, telling the siblings stories from beyond the Fairy Mists and using Merlin the sheepdog as her willing cohort to relate the tales. Sarah watched her brother, who was enraptured, stare at the woman and silently thanked her immensely for the story of the Labyrinth. She gave her the right words and, even though Sarah would regret uttering them for the rest of her life, she could admit to herself that without crossing the Mists and fighting for her brother, she would have remained a spoiled brat. The little group drew the attention of other families in the park and soon Ebliu Morgan had a collection of little children running around her calling Merlin, ‘Cu Chulain, hero of Ireland.’ As sunset creeped upon the park, Mrs. Morgan announced that she had a roast in the oven and she helped Sarah pack Toby up and led the siblings and their ever faithful dog back towards the row of Victorian houses. She delivered them to the doorstep and stopped the girl before she went inside. “Sarah, dear, I have a proposition for you. Now that the school year is over, I want you to come train with me.” “Train? Train for what?”“You remember when you were a little girl and I told you that you had potential to be a warrior? Well, I talked it over with your parents,” Sarah raised an eyebrow, she really thought the woman had been joking for all these years. “And they agree that it is a good idea for you to learn how to defend yourself.” “Mrs. M, why do I need to know how to defend myself?”“Sarah, I know you went Underground. I smelled the Mists on you the second I came to check on you kids that night. You travelled Underground and did battle with the fae. And my dear, they do not lose with grace. Especially to a girl such as yourself.”Sarah’s eyes popped wide open and stared at her neighbor with open fear. ‘How does she know?’ she thought to herself. “Karen is no fool either, she knew that whoever you fought with tried to make Changelings of you both. Said she could smell peaches on you and that Toby was fed in the night, and it wasn’t cheerios and applesauce he smelled of, either. My darling girl, you have a year and a day to celebrate your victory. If you cannot defend yourself by that time, I’m afraid of what challenges the Fae will rain down upon your head. I couldn’t even reveal this to you until I was sure you hadn’t forgotten. Mortals aren’t supposed to remember their time Underground. Your little trip woke up a part of yourself that we hoped would stay dormant until you were ready.”Sarah tried to process what her beloved neighbor, her friend, was telling her, but was distracted by the appearance of her father and stepmother at the door. Karen dropped her glamour and Robert his protective wards for just a moment, long enough for the girl to see them both, and she swooned. Karen took the stroller with her sleeping toddler and Robert carried his daughter inside while Morgan held the door. It would be a long night. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jareth stood in the embrace of the Goddess for what seemed like forever, ‘not long at all,’ he mused. Once he composed himself, he drew back and assessed the appearance of the woman before him. In the centuries since he’d seen her, she’d not changed a bit. Long, dark red hair framed a face not blessed with the gentle features of the Fae. No great beauty, not like their mother, Morrigan relied on her awe-inspiring power to impress. This made the mismatched pupils of her gray eyes behind the slightly crooked nose a striking combination. Jareth fondly remembered her turning down more than one Fae lord when they were presented at their father’s court so many centuries ago. She looked almost average, but he knew better. Under the unassuming façade and intense power was a woman who turned down her very dreams. He, on the other hand, was born to entice and beguile all that gazed upon him. Taking a moment to truly analyze her twin, Morrigan saw that he still favored the clothing of a fairytale fop to that of a true Goblin King. His own blue eyes carried the same mismatched pupils, one of the few traits they shared as twins, and radiated power as he carried himself with more aplomb than she thought possible as children. Now, too, those eyes spoke of pain and defeat. Morrigan huffed and shook her head at her brother. ‘What am I going to do with you?’ She wondered to herself. Jareth caught the stray thought from his sister and smiled grimly. He wasn’t sure either. “Morrigan, why are you here?”“You know why, you fell in love with a mortal girl, you gave her powers. And now, as the idiots at father’s court and the Unseelie plot against you, you’ve not sought to protect yourself or your kingdom from the fallout. Sarah Williams is a Champion of the Labyrinth. No matter what you offered her, you know the rules. She is Queen by Right of Conquest.” Morrigan placed careful emphasis on the word queen. “There will be a line of Immortals at her door if you do not get over yourself and stake your claim on her, you bloody fool.” Jareth narrowed his eyes at his sister. She’d been spying on him, and Sarah. Something in the back of his mind clicked into place and he remembered something from his years of watching the girl. “You told her about me!”The Goddess smiled as the depth of her betrayal dawned upon him. “I did not. Morgan did that at my behest. The Labyrinth wants her Jareth, and it used me to get her. She was marked as mine on the day of her birth. She’s not entirely mortal you know, especially considering who her father and stepmother are. My faithful dryad has kept watch over the girl for years.”“Her father? The stepmother is a dryad?” Disbelief radiated off of the Goblin King until his mind caught up with his sister’s words. “Odras. That’s a powerful glamour you helped her set up for me to not see your faithful servant.” He paused for a moment, “Wait, Toby is not human? I tried to turn them both into changelings to beat the girl. Do you know what bait you dangled in front of me sister!”Stepping back and sitting on the throne once more, Morrigan openly sneered at her twin. “Indeed I do, brother dear. Though I did not expect you to offer yourself up on a platter for my girl. She almost failed and all my years of training her would have gone down the drain because of a bit of teenaged lust and romantic daydreams. But I gave her the right words and she refused you. And once the year and a day is up, I will need your help. “My spies,” she reached over to pat the head of a particularly large raven, “tell me there are plans to ensnare the Champion of the Labyrinth, and seeing as how you my darling brother are entirely smitten with her and the Labyrinth is demanding she take her place as Queen,” she emphasized the word again so her brother would not miss the point. “I think it would be best if you helped me protect our girl and train her.”Jareth, never one to openly show emotions when plotting, schooled his face into a blank slate and contemplated his sister’s words. She was obviously not telling him everything. But the Labyrinth was sentient, a powerful being, and one with a good relationship to his sister. He’d been the Goblin King for near a millennium now and he was all too aware of the whispers on the Blessed Isle about his lack of wife. His sister dangled a not-quite-mortal in front of him for Danu knew how long and he took the bait. He was well and truly besotted with the girl and his sister was now using the prospect of wedding and bedding Sarah to bend him to her will. ‘Ah, well the devil you know, and all that’ he mused.He felt the Labyrinth react around him as he made up his mind. The low rumble through the castle set the goblins to singing and dancing around the feet of the King and the Goddess. Jareth smirked at his sister. “Fine. But tell me sister, what do you get from Sarah? You never work with the Labyrinth without fair trade.”“Is my brother’s happiness and the discontinued interference from the Seelie and Unseelie in your affairs and mine not enough?”“No. What is Sarah Williams to you?”She smirked at her brother and delivered her answer slowly and with glee, “My heir.”Jareth paled and gazed at his sister with confusion, earning a chuckle from Morrigan.“Well that would be a new low even for me brother, but no. She’s not my daughter. She’s my heir. Do you remember exactly how I became The Morrigan?”

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I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings, yeah, yeah
I have no rival, no man can be my equal
Take me to the future of you all
Born to be kings, princes of the universe
Fighting and free
Got your world in my hand
I'm here for your love and I'll make my stand
We were born to be princes of the universe
Princes of the Universe—Queen

Sarah woke up in her bed. Mrs. Morgan hovered over her, checking her forehead for a temperature and muttering something under her breath. She noticed the girl’s eyelids flutter and patiently waited for reality to set in. When it did, the fifteen-year-old sat bolt up in bed and stared at the woman.

“Who are you really?”

“Not the right question Sarah. What have I told you about using your right words?”

The girl shuddered at the statement. “Fine. What are you?”

“I am a witch by trade and training, sent here to guard you by my friend and mistress. My mother was the fae princess, Igraine, daughter of King Nuada, my father is Lugh the Lightbringer.”

“What’s your real name?”

“Morgan Le Fay.”

The girl openly gaped like a fish at the woman. “What do you mean Morgan Le Fay? Like King Arthur’s sister Morgan Le Fay?”

Ebliu smiled at her, “Of course my dear. Why else would I move in next door? I had to help my brother take care of his first child. I’ve had lots of practice after all, with three boys and a girl of my own.”

Sarah lay back on her pillows and closed her eyes, totally incapable of comprehending the day she was having. Ebliu kept barreling along with the information though.

“When Arthur told me he actually married Linda, I was thrilled. Not since Guinevere had a woman even turned his head for more than a fortnight. The day you were born, I watched Linda with you. I could tell she would never be a good mother. She was too absent, too absorbed in the attention. I could see that she loved you desperately, but she’s a narcissist. I asked Arthur to buy me the house next door and I never left. I couldn’t leave my darling niece to fend for herself with only my daft brother around. He’s a bloody good king, but he’s never understood a woman in his life.”

Sarah sat straight up as the realization hit her.

“Arthur. Niece. My father is King Arthur, is that what you’re telling me? What the fuck?” Sarah slumped back down on her bed and threw an arm over her face. “When did my life become a fairy tale?”

"I will forgive your language because of your stress my dear, but yes. You are the only daughter of the ‘Once and Future King.’ Little Toby is his one and only son. In all the millennia since your father died and was reborn on Avalon, I never thought he’d have children. Our lives were a tragedy after all. All those damned storytellers even cast me as the villain out to destroy the virtuous Guinevere. Bah! That woman was entirely unworthy of my brother and getting caught with Lancelot just proved that. I was so happy when I got to boot her blonde behind out of the castle.”
Sarah squared her shoulders and swung her feet off the bed, suddenly angry at the woman in her room.

“So, when I went to the Labyrinth, to win Toby back... What was I actually doing there? Why did you fill my head with stories of magic? Why encourage me to read that book? If I’m the daughter of some mythical king, why send me off to fight Jare—the Goblin King?”

Morgan smiled at her niece, proud to see her riled up by all the information. Sarah was never one to let life beat her down. Now that her life was changing irrevocably, she quickly turned to take it head on. Before she could answer her though, Karen opened the door.

“Sarah, I trust Morgan told you some of what’s going on?” Sarah nodded and stared at the beautiful creature before her. She knew it was Karen, but at the same time, it wasn’t. “Good, come downstairs for a cup of tea, dear, and your father and I will tell you everything.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The guards openly gaped at the pair walking the halls to the grand reception hall. The boy, blond, pale, and beautiful, and his sister, red-headed, olive-skinned, and plain, were the youngest of the High King’s children and were used to breaking every rule possible. Some of the men escorting them had taken bets on how long it would take for the twins’ mother to throw an outright fit on seeing her children. Others took bets to see how many power-hungry social climbers would find themselves at the mercy of the Princess’ wrath by the end of the celebrations.

Tam Lin, head guard to the twins, was sure to win, betting only one man would risk his charge’s wrath, terrifying all others into submission. The other guards hoped the rest of the nobility was stupid, the twins’ ability to disembowel with words alone was legendary and the warriors loved the entertainment.

Sensing the amusement of their personal guards and the open horror of everyone else they encountered, the twins happily marched towards the reception hall. Today was all about them, and no matter what their mother said, they had the support of the High Queen.

As they neared the doors, the girl grabbed her brother’s hand tightly, pressing against their bond with nervousness and brazen excitement. The boy gripped her hand just as tightly.
“Morrigan, you are going to explode.” The boy spoke with more than a little laughter in his voice.

“Quiet Jareth, Titania won’t let mother anywhere near us today. If I’m going to explode, it’s going to be with laughter when that foul Lord Farelin finally gets the hint that I’m not marrying anyone, least of all him.”

“Well, I think the whole court is going to lose their minds. We’re certainly breaking a lot of rules today. I mean did you see the robes mother sent me? They were betrothal robes Morri, I think she wants us both married off by the end of the week.”

“Well, she sent me a dress. A lavender dress, Jare. Millie had to burn it for me. It was covered in love charms.”

“Damn. What are we going to do about her? She is our mother, no matter what claims she renounced at our birth.”

Morrigan turned to her twin and, with a knowing glance at Tam Lin, their personal guard and teacher, she bestowed Jareth with a rare smile. Her tone, though, betrayed her disgust for the whole situation.

“Titania promised to not let mother push father around. She swore we would be able to make our own choices. It is our right as Children of the Peace. Besides, none of these courtiers know how deep our connection goes. The second any of the fools lays hands on one of us, the other should pull hard. It’s time to show these frivolous creatures exactly how powerful we are.”

Jareth schooled his face into his trademark smirk and took his sister’s arm. “Morrigan, I would pull you through the Mists themselves to keep you safe.”

Tam Lin smiled behind his charges. Not only would he win some coin, he would prove to their mother exactly why she was so wrong about her children. His, and his wife’s, loyalty to the Empress only went so far. Over the centuries, his love and respect for these two children surpassed his allegiances to the Unseelie Court. Janet, he knew, felt the same.

Tonight, the children would leave their charge, officially recognized as adults by the two courts. He would miss them. Janet already waited on the other side with their mistress, ready to keep her infamous rage from destroying Oberon and Titania’s fine halls. His wife had cried over the twins’ departure from their care for the last week.

The doors opened before Tam Lin and his soldiers. The warrior felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes. The twins strode in confidently as the Major Domo announced them. Tam Lin and the guards followed them in, but took up ceremonial positions along the hall. This was their show now.

“Introducing Princess Morrigan, daughter of Oberon and Ishtar, and Prince Jareth, son of Oberon and Ishtar, first of their names. Lady and Lord of the Summerlands, the High King Oberon introduces you to the Court of Avalon.”

A collective gasp went around the ladies of the room as the pair of young Fae entered the hall. Jareth and Morrigan marched forward, earning glares and respectful nods from various clusters of the courtiers. At the far end of the room, placed high on a dais, sat a pair of thrones. Surrounding them were the twins’ half-siblings, visiting dignitaries, and various other members of the High King and Queen’s retinue. One of them, a beautiful olive-skinned, black-haired, woman fumed with such anger that the air around her crackled with inky static electricity.

Once the twins reached the dais, they both swept into low bows before their father and his queen. Their mother, standing slightly to the right of Oberon, began to open her mouth to rail against her obstinate children, but Titania beat her to it.

“Rise children. I bid you welcome to my court. I see you have chosen to make a dramatic entrance. Is the armor dragonsteel?”

Morrigan regarded her stepmother with a blank face, but the mischievous gleam in her eye and the quick glare she gave her mother betrayed her emotions to the Faerie Queen.

“Yes, your majesty, Hippolyta gave us each two sets in celebration of our last name day.”

Oberon stared at his children, barely concealing his pride. A crackle of Ishtar’s anger danced across his arm and he decided to rile her up further. He needed more ammunition to use against her in securing his children’s proper place Underground. These children were not meant for political marriages or petty power plays; they were warrior stock.

They deserved to be King and Queen in their own right. Especially his daughter, who so disappointed her beautiful mother. Beauty was omnipresent in the Underground, and his daughter’s lack of the superficial loveliness made her a target for the machinations of power-hungry social climbers who believed her insecure and weak. He let out a slight chuckle at the thought of anyone trying to court his daughter. The sound brought Ishtar’s full attention on him and he cleared his throat before addressing his youngest children.

“Well Hippolyta certainly does spoil you children. Have you two learned any useful skills under her tutelage?”

Jareth noticed his father cover up the laugh and smirked, “Yes father. The Queen provided us with the best tutors, but insisted we learn to fight. She proudly sends word that we have bested the most seasoned of Amazon warriors and humbly requests that our training continue.”

One of the men on the dais laughed out loud, the sound echoing around the hall. Titania’s son, Nuada, King of the Fair Folk of Eire, quickly covered his mouth and turned to his mother.

“Hippolyta is understating things. I visited my brother and sister recently and personally saw Morrigan knock an attacking group of twenty to the ground without breaking a sweat. I daresay, she is a better warrior than her mother,” he dared not look at Ishtar but instead let his voice carry as a mildly spoken threat through the room. “I fear for any warrior that stands in her path.”

“Thank you brother, I look forward to proving my skills to those who doubt my abilities. Perhaps I will participate in some of the games this week during the celebration. I believe you owe me a wrestling match.” Morrigan teased.

That was Ishtar’s last straw.

“You will do no such thing,” she hissed. “You are a princess and will conduct yourself as such.”

The goddess was unprepared for the vicious glare both of her children levelled on her. Oberon chose that moment to prevent any bloodshed and stood to address the crowd.

“My friends, with the blessing of our Queen, I happily accept my son and daughter as members of this Court. Let us celebrate them and the peace they represent for us all.”

He turned expectantly to Ishtar, who seethed silently. A beautiful Pictish woman, with flaming red hair and blue woad swirling across her skin, laid a gentle hand on Ishtar’s elbow. Tam Lin smiled at his wife’s use of her power. She truly could calm the most savage of beasts, as he well remembered. The goddess tensed under the hand, but she controlled her power and stood straighter to address the hall.

“I, Ishtar, Empress of the Unseelie Court, recognize my son and daughter as members of my court. Let us celebrate them and the peace they represent for us all.”

Oberon nodded at his former lover and extended a hand to his wife. “In honor of this momentous occasion, I declare a week of celebrations in my children’s honor. Tonight there will be a fete and tomorrow the games will begin. I bid you all farewell until this evening.”

The crowd, except for the twins and those on the dais, bowed to the High King and Queen, and Ishtar, then made to exit. Before the doors could shut behind the last courtier, an eruption of gossip echoed through the hall. Tam Lin and his soldiers arranged themselves behind Ishtar. Their duty to the children was done now they were recognized by both Seelie and Unseelie alike.

Oberon and Titania both turned on Ishtar the moment the doors closed. The goddess bristled with fury. Given her dual nature of beauty and war, the effect produced a very angry, but incredibly stunning creature that radiated crackling power.

Titania stepped between the twins and their mother letting her own power shield the young Immortals. Her children and grandchildren, Nuada at the front, mirrored her stance. The queen loved these children of her husband’s fiercely. Oberon placed a hand on Ishtar’s arm, earning his fine coat a deep burn in the process. He spoke calmly, but the barely contained wrath lurking in his eyes spoke volumes.

“Ishtar, you were invited to these proceedings on the condition that you would not interfere with the children. You left them to my care the moment they were born. You renounced your claim on them then. You may not dictate their futures, now that their power exceeds that of your other children.”

His voice softened a moment before he continued. “Ishtar, you took one look at Morrigan and Jareth and decided they were unsuitable heirs to your own powers. I know you love our children, but they have grown knowing you abandoned them. You cannot expect forgiveness, or obedience after all this time. They have been accepted by both courts and are now adults. Mend your relationship with them, or I think you will find they are more like you than you know.”

The goddess stared at Oberon as her power sizzled around her, burning the air, the dais, and the stone floor. As his voice softened, though, she seemed to snap out of her rage. She turned her eyes on her children and stayed silent for a moment before she spoke. The rich honey of her voice was meant to seduce and cajole warriors into great acts of love and glory, but when turned on her children it only served to anger them and generated automatic defiance.

“My children, I wish you great and happy lives. Your father is right. I have been too long away from you and to expect anything more from you now is a mistake. I do love you. But I will respect any boundaries you set for me. Please enjoy yourselves this week. I will leave immediately for Uruk. I think Enlil and Gilgamesh have been left on their own for too long. If you ever feel as though you need me, please feel free to call. I should have been a better mother, but it is not in my nature. Please accept these as tokens of my regret, and as an inadequate apology.”

The power around her suddenly coalesced into two pendants that hovered in the air before her. One, made of hammered bronze and gold, shaped like a bull’s horns turned downward, she placed in Jareth’s hands. The other an eight-pointed star, wrought of forged silver, she placed in Morrigan’s hands. The twins shared a look, and then with one voice addressed their mother with cool contempt.

“We accept them mother.” The twins looked down at their gifts and placed them around their necks.

Jareth silently conversed with his sister for a moment before looking back at his mother. “You are not forgiven Ishtar, but, if you are willing to make the effort, then we will accept your apology. Our only restriction thus far is that you refrain from trying to dress us for court any further.”

Titania laughed out loud and took the children by their arms, leading them towards the back of the hall to avoid the gossiping courtiers. “I believe that settles things, Ishtar. Have fun with Enlil, I do not envy you the task of making him come to heel.”

Ishtar looked at Oberon and then the retreating backs of the Faerie Queen and her children. “What have I done, Oberon?”

“You alienated the two most powerful children the Underground has seen in as many centuries. And you did so to secure your own power. I know you have pushed Farelin towards Morrigan, as well as a bevy of young Immortals towards Jareth. She was not the beauty you hoped for and he is not the warrior you wanted, but I think both reflect our power equally. Using them for political maneuvering is a mistake, one I hope you will rectify soon. It is a good idea to leave Avalon for the time being. Let them come to terms with your surrender. You love them, but you cannot control them. You have no power over them."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Well she took me by the hand
I could see she was a fiery one
Her legs ran all the way
Up to heaven and past Avalon
Tell me somethin' girl, what it is you have in store
She said come with me now
On the Devil's Dance Floor
The Devil’s Dance Floor—Flogging Molly

Steely resolve is falling from me
My poor soul, poor bruised passivity
All your regrets ran rough-shod over me
I'm so glad that we're strangers when we meet
I'm so thankful, cause we're strangers when we meet.
I'm in clover, for we're strangers when we meet.
Heel head over, cause we're strangers when we meet.
Strangers When We Meet—David Bowie

August, 1987
Morgan sat on the bench watching the two sparring partners. The taller of the two easily parried every blow the shorter combatant lobbed his way with the heavy broadsword. It was too heavy a weapon by far for the shorter fighter, but, as Lugh’s daughter, she learned long ago to never trust an Immortal in combat. The ability to wield any weapon with any sort of skill could mean the difference between life and death. The clatter of a sword hitting the ground drew her attention. “Bravo Sarah! Gawain, quit gawking at your cousin and pick up your blade. You know better, boy!”Sarah ripped off her mask, huffing and puffing in the modified fencing uniform. They began the day with epees and she was bruised head to toe from the impact of the various blades her cousin used on her. “Morgan, please, I’m done. Let me rest. Even Gawain is about to fall over.” The witch regarded her son and niece and acquiesced. “Alright. Go wash up. I promised I’d feed you.”Sarah, still not quite used to seeing a Knight of the Round Table as her cousin, shook her head to get a handle on her brain. Gawain, on the other hand, took her momentary distraction to grab revenge for his defeat and swung his cousin over his shoulder before she could react. “Fair maiden, you smell of the bog, we must not tarry before the smell repels all suitors.” The burly Welshman bellowed. “Gawain, put me down this instant! You stupid overgrown field hand, just wait ‘til Owain sees what you’re doing. He’s gonna plant you on your knightly ass.”The man ignored his cousin and carried her up the stairs from his mother’s basement to the kitchen where his older brother and sister were cooking dinner. As expected, Owain scolded his brother and promptly rescued his cousin, knocking Gawain onto his haunches in the process. Morfydd rolled her eyes at the antics and continued her dominance of the stove. “If you three are quite finished, dinner is almost ready, and I’ll not have you upsetting it with your foul odors or by spilling anything. Gawain, Sarah, go wash up. Owain, put that chicken in the oven now.”Morfydd’s tone allowed for no argument. This may be her mother’s house, but even Morgan did not argue with her only daughter when the woman was in residence. Any place Morfydd called home became her castle and no one would wrest power from her without serious injury or death, as was the case on more than one occasion during Europe’s medieval conflicts and more viciously when the Nazis invaded France. Morgan slowly ascended the stairs and took in the scene before her. She was glad that Sarah so readily accepted the magical nature of her life. Having an extended family ready to take her in softened the blow, but she knew that the first challenge from the Underground could test Sarah’s faith in her new found lineage. For all her bravado, she was still a girl of sixteen, a very recent sixteen at that, with all the insecurities that came with it. Morgan could only hope that it was the Goblin King who showed up first. Any other Immortal would play on her youth and weakness. He would as well, but not with the intent to tear her down or control her. The besotted fool wanted her at his side, not at his feet. “You’d best listen to Morfydd, fools, if you plan on eating this week.”Gawain and Sarah scampered off, pushing each other as they raced for the bathrooms upstairs. Owain stepped over and kissed his mother on the cheek. Morfydd didn’t even look up. “Thank you, mother. How is she progressing?” The woman said as she deftly sliced through the Cornish hen before her. “She knocked Gawain’s broadsword out of his hands just a moment ago. Would have knocked him to his knees if allowed to use magic too. The Underground is woefully unprepared for her. I’ve been training her mind for years. This bit is simply the practical skills she’ll need.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Upstairs, Sarah winced as she removed her clothing. She stood under the heat of the shower and felt some of her muscles relax a bit. Morgan and Gawain had been putting her through her paces for three months now since school ended in May. She grimaced a half smile as the water flowed over her back. Gawain accidentally drew blood there. But, she was learning to be her father’s daughter more every day. Robert, or Arthur, as he was properly called, explained much of his long life to his daughter and made one thing clear: she was a princess with all the privileges that entailed, at least Underground, but she was his daughter. There would be no shirking of her responsibilities and he expected her to be as skilled a fighter as any of his knights. This was no longer the medieval world which restricted mortal women to witchcraft and domesticity as their power. As she would one day be a queen, he expected her to earn that title with blood, sweat, and tears. Considering the stories his sister fed the girl since infancy, Sarah was more than ready to take on the challenge. Morgan had these months to bring her to an adequate level. Arthur made it clear she would miss no school, as the cultivation of her mind was her first responsibility. Her first day training with Gawain though, proved to be inordinately difficult. She collapsed from exhaustion only three hours into their session. He insisted, after a brief rest, she stand up and continue in the hand-to-hand combat they’d been practicing. He poked and prodded her pride until she finally snapped. The rage which overtook her fueled her for hours. When her father asked her later how the day went, she smirked and declared it, “a piece of cake.”Since then she earned her fair share of scars and proved to be a decent student. Not the best by any means, but ten hours in the Labyrinth taught her nothing came without a cost. Gawain, and even her father, gave her more than a few memorable training incidents over the last few months. But it was Morgan and the magic training which took it all out of her. The water turned abruptly cold and Sarah quickly shut off the tap. As she toweled off and pulled on clean clothes, she cursed herself for not learning even a quarter of the spells her aunt attempted to teach her. Her magic seemed to be reactionary. When angered, or excited, Sarah was capable of accomplishing great spells, but when practicing could barely light a candle or open a window. Sarah sighed and examined herself in the bathroom mirror. A yellowing bruise on her cheek remained from the week before when she attempted to summon a book and managed to hit herself in the face with a heavy cauldron instead. ‘All this innate talent and nothing practical to show for it. How does the Goblin King do it?’ She thought to herself. She blushed furiously thinking about the Goblin King. Morgan told her she was meant to beat him, to refuse everything he offered her. As time went on, she wondered how much of that final offer was real. The pain in his eyes made her stumble over her right words, but she couldn’t lose Toby. Not after everything she went through. Nothing would stop her. But she had not expected the offer. And she remembered the opening lines to her story: what no one knew. She shrugged off the feeling and dried her hair. Studying herself in the mirror, she realized she was growing up. The fifteen-year-old brat who wished her baby brother away no longer stared back at her. The sixteen-year-old face before her was fast becoming a woman. She was being tested and failing miserably in places, but scratching by in others. She was earning the courage that got her through the Labyrinth. But sometimes…“Hoggle, Didymus, Ludo, I need you.”The eyes of her three friends stared back at her in the mirror and she smiled at them. “My lady, who hast hurt thou!”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Morrigan watched her brother closely. He paced his throne room, empty now except for the odd chicken that wandered through, and tried to remember everything. “Jareth, stop moving, you’re wearing a path into my castle.”He snapped to attention ready to give her a violent retort when he noticed her teasing. “You asked me to remember everything. I am trying. I had just gotten to the point where mother left us at court when you so rudely interrupted me.”“Ah, yes, mother. Ishtar has faded in this last millennium. So few believe in her anymore. And she gave me so much of her power that day, immortality wears on her.”“She did say she loved us. I suppose her actions speak louder than words.” Jareth played with his pendant and noticed his sister doing the same. “Indeed. Do you remember what happened next?”Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to remember what happened at the fete.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Morrigan entered the ballroom on the arm of her step-brother, Nuada. Jareth entered behind them escorting Nuada’s daughter, Igraine. The two young royals and their partners cut a path through the crowd. Nuada beamed at his little sister, while Igraine made sure every available suitor in the room caught her eye. The twins pasted looks of cool disinterest on their faces and made their way towards the dais at the back of the room. There Oberon and Titania waited, the Faerie Queen grinning madly at the second insult to court manners her husband’s children were enacting. First armor on both of them, and now this. The whispers were utterly deafening. Jareth wore a silver circlet on his head and cut a dashing figure in leather breeches and dragon hide coat. The violet scaling on the coat revealed the leather was freely given by the dragon in question, but to wear such a gift to court was an insult to the High King and Queen who never received such boons from the dragons. It marked Jareth as an equal with his father and stepmother. Morrigan, forgoing a dress, wore the robes of a magician and a black circlet. The deep grey robes, paneled with black in the folds, reflected sparkling light. The cloth was a gift from the Swarm, the fairies that lived in the Underground, spun from their hair and imbued with all the dangerous and protective qualities of the fairies themselves. Wearing such robes meant Morrigan was Mistress of the Swarm. To master the Swarm meant one achieved a level equal to the Faerie Queen herself. The twins were certainly making a statement on where they stood in relation to the High King and Queen this evening. Titania chanced a look at her husband and found him gob smacked. “Oberon, my love, close your mouth.”“When did they become adults, Titania?”“When you weren’t looking my dear. I did my best to ensure there would be no doubt of who and what they were, my darling.” She sighed happily at the twins, “I adore them.”“Would that most wives were as understanding as you.”“Most wives do not have the same luxuries as myself. I was a queen long before I married you and my elevation in station from then on was due to my own birth and my achievements. I love you, my king, but I do not need you.”“A fact I never forget my love. Come let’s greet the children and silence some of the gossips.”As the monarchs stood, a trumpet echoed from the doorway. The Major Domo scrambled to halt the new guests so he could properly introduce them. Their leader did not stop his determined gait as one of his servants gave his title to the flustered man. “His highness Gwyn ap Nudd, Goblin King, Lord of the Labyrinth, Keeper of the Unwanted, Lord of the Night.”Oberon and Titania turned curious eyes on the Goblin King. And, acknowledging the twins, they moved past them to greet Gwyn ap Nudd. For his part the Goblin King cut a striking figure in the crowd. Of highborn Hobgoblin stock and born to a fae mother, the man was handsome in every way the Fae were simply beautiful. Dark hair and a cruel smile balanced a youthful face and green eyes which gleamed with mischievous glee. He bowed low before the High King and Queen, standing tall when Titania placed a hand on his shoulder. The cruelty faded from his smile as she pulled him in for a hug. “My dear Gwyn, it has been far too long. What made you decide to come visit us?”The Goblin King chuckled, “Why, my queen, I heard a startling rumor about this morning’s announcement of your stepchildren, and I decided I simply had to lay eyes on them at once. It is not often those of my age cause such a stir at court, and I wanted to see who laid to rest the memories of my own presentation just twenty years ago.”“And who is this you’ve brought with you, Gwyn?”The Goblin King turned to see Oberon eyeing his childhood friend. Also a hobgoblin of mixed Fae blood, Robin Goodfellow had become Gwyn’s faithful companion over the centuries. Realizing he was the topic of conversation, the young goblin stepped to his monarch’s side and swept into a low bow. “Majesties, I am Robin Goodfellow, known as Puck to my King. I am his majesty’s squire and childhood companion.” “Ah, I see, so you are the one who’s been raiding my stores of Love Lies Idle then?” The High King raised an eyebrow at the two goblins before him, both struggling to keep from laughing. Puck composed himself and had the good sense to look shocked. “Why my King I would never do such a thing. Though I have noticed a fair few humans chasing down unrequited love as of late. Why just the other day I saw— “ Nuada stepped in and interrupted the goblin, “You saw my stable boy chasing my prized stallion, Robin Goodfellow. I knew you had to be involved.” Titania glared at Puck. “A stable boy, sir, surely you have a better use for your talents? An ass maybe?”Gwyn deftly stepped in before Puck tried to charm the queen. “Perhaps your majesties could find a use for him? Robin Goodfellow, my friend, I place you in service to the High King and Queen until such time as they see fit to release you.” Robin bowed graciously. Titania and Oberon shared a look before Oberon bid him to enjoy the party. The hobgoblin practically scampered away towards a group of Fae women. During the conversation, Jareth and Morrigan, free of their escorts, stood by watching the Goblin King with interest. It was part of their plan to make a splashy entrance at the expense of the Goblin King’s own reputation from twenty years previous. And with their dramatic rival drawn out, the twins were eager to share notes and team up with the Goblin King. Wreaking havoc on the court and its ridiculous customs earned none of them lasting friends on the Blessed Isle and the twins had a deep feeling that Gwyn ap Nudd would become a central part of their lives in the future. For his own part, the Goblin King surreptitiously observed the twins from the moment he stepped into the ballroom. Banter with the High King and Queen aside, his focus stayed solely on the brother and sister. He noticed, as most did, the differences between them immediately. The boy was fair-skinned and blue eyed, like so many of the fae who claimed direct descent from Danu. But, unlike the Tuatha de Danaan, his eyes were dark cobalt, and the pupils two different sizes. He was lithe and tall, but carried himself with the gravitas of a much larger man. Gwyn immediately decided the two would be friends. The sister, though, was much harder to read. She possessed dark red hair and grey eyes, which bore flecks of blue, and her own set of mismatched pupils. She was not beautiful like the rest of her kind. Where most Fae women were graceful and soft, she carried herself like a hardened warrior, aware of her surroundings at all times. The Goblin King studied her robes and could only guess what lay under the shapeless garment, but like her brother she was tall. He supposed they shared a lithe form as well. And then suddenly he noticed that his focus had not escaped her. Those grey eyes narrowed and studied him deeply, probing at his very soul. Smirking, he raised himself up to his full height, which nearly mirrored the twins’ own. Unlike most goblins, he would not be staring up at them, but would face them nearly eye-to-eye. Oberon noticed the power play between the young ones and grinned. “Gwyn ap Nudd, I’d like to introduce you to my youngest children, Princess Morrigan and Prince Jareth. Children this is Gwyn ap Nudd, the Goblin King.”The three bowed their heads to one another, ceremony placing them on equal footing. The Goblin King spoke first with a barely concealed smile gracing his lips.“Well, now that I have met the competition, you must call me Gwyn and nothing else. I feel we three are to be great friends.”Morrigan found herself smiling openly at him, her joy tugging at the bond with her brother until he mirrored her expression. She could feel that, like them, he was a creature of the between. As Goblin King, he, like no other, understood their situation. And her quick reading of him revealed the honesty behind his words of friendship. Honesty was unusual for the Fae, even if they could never lie, and Morrigan silently pulled at her brother, reminding him of their need for friends. Jareth pushed back, a feeling of acceptance inciting her to speak. “You may call me Morrigan and you must call my brother Jareth. I look forward to making your acquaintance,” She paused to let her smile widen further. “Gwyn.”Gwyn, as with most of the court who spent time with the princess, was taken aback by the smile. Without the cold look of indifference on her face, the princess suddenly reflected a beauty most others were unaware she possessed. Convinced that he had to know this girl more, Gwyn took her hand and placed a ghost of a kiss on the back of the princess’ hand. The way she said his name, as well, left Gwyn wondering why he’d never sought her out before. Jareth cleared his throat and gestured for the Goblin King to follow the twins. Gwyn managed to drop her hand without appearing to be a complete idiot, he hoped, and trailed behind them. The young Immortals retreated to the whispers of the courtiers and the happy smiles of the High King and Queen. The fete continued as though the Goblin King never walked in. For hours, as the full moon rose, the three mingled with the crowd, introducing each other to the various acquaintances they knew in court. It became clear to anyone watching that the three were going to become inseparable.
One of those watching was Puck and, noticing the lingering glances of dozens of courtiers on the Lady Morrigan, he decided to commit a little mischief. Acquitting himself of the conversation he was having with a particularly vapid lady, Puck strode off into the crowd. Morrigan felt a tap on her shoulder, just as she began truly enjoying herself, and saw Gwyn’s eyes narrow and his posture straighten. She turned to find Robin Goodfellow grinning madly at her.
“My lady, I would like to request a dance from you if it is not too forward.” Narrowing her eyes at the hobgoblin, Morrigan smirked at him. “Why Sir Goodfellow— “ “Oh please, my lady, call me Puck. Sir Goodfellow is my father.”“Puck then, you realize you are the first gentleman to ask me to dance this evening.”“Well, my lady, if you will forgive my forwardness, as my friend the Goblin King does daily,” he quickly looked at his friend and king with a slight apology in his eyes before turning a mischievous look on the princess again. “I noticed every power hungry fool in this room is waiting for one of his fellows to face your wrath and ask you first. I think it only fitting that I be the one to break the ice so you, hopefully, do not break one of them, my lady. I think you deserve to enjoy yourself this evening and I humbly offer myself before you in hopes of accomplishing this goal.”The Goblin King shook his head at his friend’s attempts to charm Morrigan. But, as he glanced around the room, he noticed the open stares bestowed upon the young princess and then silently thanked his friend for stepping in to defuse what would certainly have been an annoying situation for Morrigan. None of the men staring at her seemed to be looking at her, as much as the sign of station on her head. From the conversations they had during the evening, he knew she would have chewed up and spit out any man who came near her. Or her brother would have done it for her. Most every woman in the room was openly admiring Jareth, but he was keeping close to his sister, obviously wary of all of them. “Why Puck, your forwardness is refreshing. I daresay none but my brothers and the Goblin King have dared speak a kind word to me in years. I will say however, that I had not planned on dancing this evening, so if you will give me a moment to change my attire.”Gwyn’s eyes broke away from his perusal of the room as Morrigan waved her hand and changed from the magician’s robes to a crimson and black gown which would shame any of the mortal queens Above. She gracefully took the shorter hobgoblin’s offered hand and Puck, openly gaping at the beautiful dress and the body underneath it, swept her towards the dancing courtiers. Jareth raised an arched eyebrow and sighed. “Well there goes the second surprise of the evening.” He said, clapping a friendly hand on Gwyn’s shoulder. It reminded the Goblin King to shut his mouth. “I really thought she’d wait for a more spectacular moment to change.” The annoyed, but obviously proud tone of Jareth’s voice brought the Goblin King out of his stunned silence. “A more spectacular moment, Jareth? I think this is perfect. Everyone resigned themselves to the two of you waltzing around making one statement all evening. Puck’s intervention shocked them once more. He is good at sniffing out trouble, and something tells me your sister is surrounded by it at all times.”Jareth studied his new friend, who hadn’t taken his eyes off of his sister once since her wardrobe change. He grinned wickedly and turned to actually watch his sister put all of the dancing lessons she hated to good use. He remembered when Hippolyta forced her to learn to dance, arguing that a princess and a warrior needed to have better footwork than any man on the dance floor and the battlefield. Now she moved with grace and composure and looked every inch the royal princess she was. “You are right, Morrigan attracts danger as moths follow a flame.” He winced as the much shorter Puck trod on his sister’s toes, though Morrigan happily ignored the Hobgoblin’s inability to dance with such a tall woman. “In fact, I believe you should rescue my sister from the danger of bruised toes. Puck is dwarfed by her and you are the only one here besides our family that shares our height. Go, dance with my sister. If we are to be friends, it only makes sense you take a turn around the floor with her. Besides, I’m about to make my own second statement of the evening, and it would be wonderful if all eyes drifted away from me at the moment.”Gwyn cast a sidelong glance at Jareth and grinned. He wished him luck and went to interrupt Puck and Morrigan. Jareth was correct, the shorter goblin was having a time trying to keep up with the much taller princess’ steps and he didn’t want anyone else cutting in before he had a chance to understand the girl better. He tapped Puck’s shoulder and clearly stated for those immediately around them, “My turn.”The Goblin King’s possessive tone made Morrigan laugh out loud, stunning the ballroom, and she happily took his offered arm. “Gwyn, if you become more imperious, people will begin to talk about your intentions for our friendship.”“Good, let them talk. I have few friends here and I am happy to find new ones like you and your brother. I wonder why we never met before to be honest.”“That would be the High Queen’s doing. Ishtar abandoned us to our father on the day of our birth. Said she wanted nothing to do with us. She bid Tam Lin and Janet organize a personal guard for us and then left. Father was stunned. He gathered us up and brought us here. Titania took us in immediately. She took an extended visit Above to visit Nuada and brought us with her.” Morrigan caught her stepmother’s eye over Gwyn’s shoulder as he twirled her around and grinned. The Faerie Queen practically vibrated with glee. “When we were in our second century,” She continued. “Tuathal Techtmar marched on Tara and Nuada rode out to help him reclaim his throne. Finvarra was convinced there was treachery afoot. So Titania sent us and Igraine, to Baba Yaga for safe keeping. The crazy old bat had us traipsing through the woods chasing helpless mortals like we were some of your goblins.” Gwyn snorted ungracefully at the thought as Morrigan smiled wistfully. “We spent three centuries with her until the witch split us apart. I went back to Titania and she set me among the Swarm to learn their magic and tame them. Jareth was sent to Zmaj who trained him in all of the dragons’ secrets. After a time, our positions were switched. I was less successful with the dragons, though we are on good terms. Jareth finally won the Swarm over through pure charm and a promise that a contingent of them would forever serve as protectors to the gates of his lands. The last century we spent with the Amazons. Hippolyta was only supposed to keep us from our mother’s meddling, but she decided to make us warriors instead.”“I heard you entered the reception hall wearing dragon steel armor this morning.” Gwyn grinned madly. Morrigan sneered, making Gwyn twitch. He never wanted to be on her bad side. “Oh we both did. It is my dearest wish that every power hungry, groping fool in this room understands I will suffer none of them to accost me with declarations of love and marriage this week.”Gwyn studied the woman in his arms closely. She was deprived of her mother’s love and acceptance and became her own person, dependent only on the affection freely offered to her. He decided he could learn to love a woman like her. Clearing his throat gently he swept her away from the dancers and towards a quiet corner. “I hope I would not count as one of those fools, Morrigan.”She snapped her head away from her perusal of the crowd and stared at him. Not sure how to take his tone, his words, or the closeness and privacy in which she suddenly found herself. Scrutinizing him carefully, she stepped back cautiously to find herself trapped by the drapes hung along the walls. To his credit the Goblin King did not follow her steps but took one back away from her, quirking an eyebrow. Her mouth suddenly dry, Morrigan carefully considered her next words. “I do not think you a fool Gwyn, but I wonder what intent lies behind those words. You’ve known me all of a few hours and yet I find myself sequestered here with you, away from the safety of my family. Forgive me if I’m a bit surprised and confused.” Gwyn openly smiled at her and offered her his hand. “Why princess, my intent was not to confuse you. I would like to be your friend. A close friend even, and in doing so, I would like you to place your trust in me. You understand the intentions of most every unattached male in this room, and it was my intention to sweep you back here in full view of them and stake a claim.”He paused and tried to organize his thoughts. “I cannot say myself what claim that is, but I would hope you accept it and allow me to help you fend off the unwanted advances your station will produce. It would also do me some good, as most of the reason I avoid the Seelie and Unseelie courts these days is to evade the simpering females with ideas on being my queen.” He watched her process his words, carefully considering the implications of them, and finally deciding to give in. She took his hand and found herself led towards one of the servants. The two happily chatted over several glasses of wine, each deftly fending off the advances of anyone else. It wasn’t until the noise of the room died down a bit that Morrigan reached out for her twin. Turning to look for him she found he too took his chance to create waves at their announcement ball. No longer in his dragonskin coat and leather breeches, Jareth calmly led Igraine to the dance. Both of them grinned wickedly, wearing coordinated forest green accented with deep midnight blue. His jacket, shirt, and breeches left little to the imagination as the fabric clung to him. Igraine wore the same gown as Morrigan, though with her figure they looked like entirely different dresses. Titania watched the scene appreciatively. She always taught her children the best armor in the Underground was clothing, or lack thereof. You were never safe enough to lack armor amongst the creatures that humans feared and worshipped. Morrigan smiled impishly at the two, knowing Igraine was nothing more than a sister to either of them, but enjoying the show nonetheless as half a dozen courtiers eyed her brother with open jealousy and every woman not related to him in the room did the same to Igraine. They danced improperly close to one another for several minutes before separating and taking new partners only to abandon them during the dance and return to one another. “He certainly knows how to toy with women, doesn’t he?” Gwyn watched Morrigan’s reactions to the dance, searching for the plan behind the siblings’ actions. “Do you know our mother, Ishtar, well?” Gwyn shook his head. “She is an Akkadian goddess. Feminine love, fertility and warfare. She took one look at me, her youngest daughter, and did not even bother studying my brother. I was not beautiful; I would not carry on her primary function. But my brother, he entices and beguiles everyone, male and female. He cannot help it. He is certainly a skilled warrior, but not as skilled as I am. We are the fractured parts of our mother’s whole. Oberon gifted us with our form and a significant part of our magical ability, but our souls are the incongruent function of our mother.”“And she abandoned you for it.” He saw a single tear roll down Morrigan’s cheek. She did not acknowledge its presence and let it be, if she were to wipe it away it would be taken as a weakness and used against her. Taking her hand in his, Gwyn entwined their fingers and squeezed. “A mother’s abandonment is hard to forget. But it helps when you have a father who loves you. Believe me, I know. And I daresay Titania thinks of you and your brother more as hers than anything else. You seem to be strong Morrigan, but believe me when I tell you that you will always crave your mother’s approval. It is impossible to replace. I think the best remedy is to surround yourself with friends and family who provide their love at no cost.” He spoke lowly, remembering his own mother’s flighty nature.Morrigan turned her head slightly, thinking on his words. Unaware that either of them were still holding hands, they were surprised when someone bumped into them and pulled them apart. The offending party quickly swept into a too-low bow. Lord Farelin finally made his move. Gwyn immediately took on the visage of the young, brash Goblin King and took a step back towards Morrigan. “My lady, my sincere apologies.” The offending Fae simpered. “Lord Farelin, I thought I made myself clear when you appeared in the gardens a few days ago. I do not want to see you in my presence ever again. Leave now, before you regret your decision to defy me.”The Fae lord glanced quickly between a smirking Goblin King and the haughty princess. Deciding to press his luck a little further, he reached for her hand and planted a hot kiss on her knuckles. “My lady, I did not mean to intrude upon your evening. I hope you can forgive me and that we may become friends. I think I could be quite useful to you here at court since you spent so much time away from Avalon— “ “Stop. Right. There. You are of no use to me Lord Farelin. I find you revolting. Do not ever speak to me again if you know what is good for you.” Morrigan turned her back on the man but found her hand encumbered once again. This time an obviously annoyed Lord Farelin yanked her close to him before Gwyn could react. He made to kiss Morrigan and she reached in and tugged, hard, on her connection to Jareth. With a loud crack, she disappeared from the Fae’s arms, which knocked him off balance and sent him tumbling to the floor. She reappeared, dressed once again in armor at her brother’s side. He too was dressed in armor and only Morrigan’s hand and the quick appearance of the Goblin King at his sister’s side stopped Jareth from pulling his short sword on the odious Lord Farelin. Igraine stood to his left and began to chuckle at the sight of angry man on the floor. In her sweet lilting voice, she giggled before addressing him. “My Lord Farelin, you were warned to stay away from my dear Morrigan. I am surprised at you, behaving in such a way with royalty.” Her tone turned suddenly dark, “I think perhaps it is time you learned a lesson.” Both women stepped forward in unison and clasped hands. Morrigan spoke next. “I think for the liberties you attempted to take with my dear Igraine last year you should spend twenty years at the mercy of our beloved teacher Baba Yaga.” Igraine chimed in, “And for the liberties you attempted to take with my dear Morrigan you will spend thirty years at the mercy of the Swarm.” Both girls began to radiate power, the slight blue electric tinge to their skin growing until a loud pop and a cackle announce the arrival of the slightly mad Baba Yaga. The witch slithered towards the now standing Lord Farelin and gave him a withering stare. “You laid hands on my pretties did you? I gave them the power to call me many years ago when they felt they were in trouble. Which means you must be trouble, little Lord. My Queen, Titania, do you accept the punishment mete out by your daughter and granddaughter?” The High Queen appeared at the witch’s side, none too pleased to see the man before her. “I do.” Another cackle sounded from the witch’s lips and then a crack. The lord and witch were gone in an instant. Igraine and Morrigan released each other, bowed to the High Queen, and announced they were leaving for the night. Jareth quickly took Igraine by the arm as Gwyn and Nuada escorted Morrigan and all five disappeared from the ballroom. After such a dramatic exit, the High King and Queen bid their guests good evening and they too vanished. The crowd remaining in the ballroom quickly broke into groups and, still enjoying the entertainment, began whispering conspiracy and intrigue amongst one another about the behavior of the twins. None suspected them of such power, despite the circumstances of their birth. Many of the creatures in the room suddenly found centuries’ old schemes disrupted by the unexpected display of independence and power from the two.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

And I have been waiting
But you need a sign
That all of this could be yours
Be yours tonight
I have been patient
But you've got to try
Then all of this could be yours
Be yours tonight
All this Could be Yours—Cold War Kids

Fill your heart with love today
Don't play the game of time
Things that happened in the past
Only happened in your mind, only in your mind
Oh, forget your mind, and you'll be free, yeah
Fill Your Heart—David Bowie

Sarah watched the family gathered around Morgan’s table and could hardly believe she belonged to it. On her left, strapped in a booster seat, three-year-old Toby happily chatted in toddler speak to his sister as his mother, sitting on his other side, tried to keep him from flinging food and utensils around. Sarah turned her gaze on the woman and still found herself struck by the beauty of the dryad. Gone was the glamour of the woman she thought she knew and instead in her place was an otherworldly creature who seemed to be right.

Odras, she told Sarah, was her proper name. But she would always be Karen to the family. It was such a mundane name to place on such a creature, but Sarah found she could trust that name. No one outside her father, Toby, Morgan, and herself would ever call her by anything different in private. It was a way to trust each other.

Sarah turned her gaze on her father. She grew up believing herself to be the daughter of a successful lawyer named Robert. But the name was one he adopted some two centuries previous while living in Avignon. It was like Karen, a mundane name, but something only the family would call him now. Arthur Pendragon sat before her, the King of his table. His daughter and son on his left and his beloved sister at his right hand. Medieval writers be damned. Morgan le Fay never wished a dark day in her younger brother’s life. And sitting next to each other, all glamour dropped in the privacy of Morgan’s home, Sarah suddenly saw the resemblance between herself, Morgan and her father more clearly than she ever had.

As a child, everyone told her she looked like her mother, which was true, but as she grew she developed the brow line, lips, and chin of Morgan and her father. Sarah decided that Igraine must have been a beautiful woman to produce such children as her father and aunt. No matter who their fathers were.

She turned her eyes on her three cousins next. Morfydd and Owain shared a father and carried very little of Morgan’s fair complexion. Gawain had more Fae blood in him. His red tinged blond hair and deep blue-green eyes revealed much about his father’s lineage. The line of Danu ran strong in her cousin’s features. Sarah’s eyes strayed to the empty seat across from Gawain.

He told her his mother always set a place for her youngest son, Mordred, but that he never appeared. Not since he was bewitched into killing his beloved uncle. When Arthur was carried off to Avalon and bound as a fae, Mordred strayed away, mortally wounded. He disappeared before his family could find him. Some of the stories were at least partially true then.

“Sarah! Hey, cousin, are you alive in there?”

Gawain’s large hand waving in front of her face startled Sarah and she dropped her spoon. Shaking her head, she smiled broadly at her family.

“Sorry, still trying to get over the fact that you guys are real and I’m not dreaming.”

Toby reached for her and gurgled happily. She pulled him out of his seat and sat him in her lap, content to spend the rest of the meal wrestling with the toddler.

Odras and Arthur shared a look with Morgan. Sarah’s acceptance of the family would be crucial to her return Underground. Any faltering belief in her ancestry, in her birthright, and the Immortals would pounce on her. But she seemed less overwhelmed with information and more with emotion the last few weeks and the three saw acceptance in her eyes at every turn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth groaned at the memory of the fete. He forgot just how petulant they appeared. Morrigan smiled at him, still draped across his throne.

“Oh, yes, we did that. We were such arrogant brats back then. No wonder Nuada made Igraine go above. The affair with Lugh, Morgan’s birth. We were the nightmare generation of the royals. Father and Titania never knew what to do with us. We bent and broke so many rules we became unpunishable.”

“Yes, but I forgot how Gwyn looked at you that night. After all, the men who came to woo you before were such foolish nasty creatures, I did not expect him to sweep in and become our friend. Nor did I know exactly what he was doing to you sister. I could feel the joy and the nervousness from you every time he came near, but since he always appeared with a new adventure I didn’t think to take a second look.”

Morrigan stopped smiling. She sat upright in the throne and ran her hands through her hair, an uncharacteristic show of vulnerability.

“So much of that time, those memories, are lost to me now. The price I had to pay.” She looked at her brother and gave him a half smile. “I’d pay it again you know. In a heartbeat. It seems impossible I’ve been without my dreams for half my life. I still have you though, broken as we are, brother. I would move the stars for you.”

Jareth winced at the phrase. “Yes, but what does this trip through our memories have to do with Sarah?”

“All in good time dear brother,” She said and drew another crystal from the air.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the century and a half since their announcement to the court of Avalon, the twins proved to be as reckless and conniving as any young Fae. But where most others were hindered by their own limited power and insipid scheming, Jareth and Morrigan found themselves at the center of a group that fueled the gossip mills and anger of the Underground through their antics. The young Goblin King, Igraine the daughter of the twins’ half-brother Nuada, and Robin Goodfellow all surrounded the twins pushing the group to its limits.

Now they were all in serious trouble. A trip to visit the dragons ended in Igraine running off with the God of Light, Lugh. When they reappeared a year and a half later, Igraine was violently berating an elder god and holding a baby in her arms, in full view of the court. The little group kept her absence a secret, but with the display before them, all five suddenly found themselves under the uncomfortable scrutiny of the High King and Queen.

To her credit, Igraine appeared to be a wonderful mother. She doted upon her daughter and it was clear the girl would be a powerful witch one day. Lugh named his daughter Ebliu, Igraine called her Morgan, in honor of her best friend. Nuada welcomed his daughter and new granddaughter into his open arms, but to keep the court settled and power balanced, it was decided Igraine and the baby should remain Above with her father. Puck was subsequently pressed into the High King’s personal service by the oath Gwyn ap Nudd placed upon him and he barely saw the other three.

Sensing that separating the remaining three would be the most detrimental outcome, Titania pressed her husband to send the twins to the Labyrinth for a century or two. No one thought about the malevolent whispers gathering at the edges of the court. No one thought about Lord Farelin, returned and seemingly humbled by his time with the witch Baba Yaga and the Swarm. The Underground was more focused on the mischief the group wrought than the plots and schemes of the power-hungry.

Jareth and Morrigan happily packed their bags and followed the Goblin King home to his kingdom. Secretly, Gwyn felt glad Igraine ran off with Lugh, she was becoming bored by their adventures and needed to settle down a bit. Puck also needed some separation from his king, the hobgoblin needed a stronger hand than his best friend to control the sometimes dangerous outcomes of his tricks. Now, with his remaining two friends in tow, Gwyn planned to return to his kingdom indefinitely. It was time to properly introduce the Fae twins to the Labyrinth.

In the first few days, the Labyrinth eagerly welcomed back her king, and the twins noticed the boost in Gwyn’s appearance and magical ability. It did not acknowledge the brother and sister until the eighth day.

Having grown up in the kingdom, and placed on the throne quite young, Gwyn was used to the outrageous displays the Labyrinth could come up with when announcing its presence. But even this caught him off guard.

Sitting on his throne, watching Jareth and Morrigan acquaint themselves with the goblins while he listened to grievances, chickens chasing brownies and imps around, the ground suddenly shook hard enough to dislodge the unidentifiable creatures nesting in the rafters. All the doors in the castle blew open scattering the goblins. Then a young woman with vibrant, dark brown hair and fiery green eyes brazenly strolled into the throne room.

“Gwyn ap Nudd, you have brought strangers onto my lands. Tell me, my lord, why you bring fae such as these to my castle.”

The siblings jumped to attention and made their way to flank their friend’s throne. Morrigan placed a hand on Gwyn’s shoulder and stared hard at the creature before her.

“What are your names Tuatha de Danaan? What do you mean to my lord?”

Jareth stepped forward a little caught off guard by the beauty of the woman-creature before him. “I am Jareth, son of Oberon and Ishtar, Lord of the Summerlands, heir to the Mountain Halls. I name your king as friend and blood brother.”

The Labyrinth regarded him with a tilted head and then smiled. “You are acceptable, Jareth. I expect you will remain here longer than you ever thought. I hope I can be counted among your friends.”Jareth too stared at the woman. She was beautiful, unlike any woman he’d yet encountered in the Underground. He bowed to her and took a step back to stand with his friend.

Morrigan did not step forward immediately. Instead she reached out with her magic and laid bare her feelings before the strange creature. The woman-creature jolted and turned her full attention on the princess. When the creature motioned for her to step forward, Gwyn grabbed her hand from his shoulder and refused to let her go completely nose to nose with the creature.

“I am Morrigan, daughter of Oberon and Ishtar, Lady of the Summerlands, Mistress of the Swarm.”

The woman-creature glared at her and at her hand, where Gwyn held her in a firm grip. “And what do you mean to my king, Mistress of the Swarm?”

“I do not know, Labyrinth. What does he mean to you?”

“Clever girl. Do you know how the Goblin King is chosen?”

“No, Gwyn has not shared that with us.”

“It is rare for the title to pass from father to son. On the deathbed of the King, all of the eligible young men are gathered in the kingdom and set to run my challenges. I weed out the unworthy and name the winner the heir. Gwyn ap Nudd is the first Goblin King to sit on my throne through succession since the time of Danu. This makes him special to me. I’ve not had a king as wicked as myself in a long time. It is refreshing.

“To me the young king is life and vitality. He is just and kind and respects my power above all others. And you, princess, show me your feelings through magic, but do not express them aloud. Is it because my king is also incredibly cruel? You can be cruel yourself I see, as can your brother. If you and your beloved Jareth become cruel to each other, I fear any rupture will not be healed with words alone. But I will attempt to find you the answers you seek, Morrigan of the Swarm.”

The woman-creature turned her full gaze back on her king. Gwyn pulled Morrigan back to his side and gazed deep into the eyes of his willful kingdom.

“Labyrinth, you have never interrogated my guests before, Fae or not. Why are these two different?"

“One names you blood brother, the other is unsure of her status. I sense that you too are unsure, but not of yourself. You fear I will not accept them. Because they are not goblin. But my king you have tested them for a century. They are devious, cruel, and dangerous creatures. They delight in playing games and tricks. They push you and each other to the limits of their abilities to see how far they will fall. They answer to no Seelie or Unseelie ruler. And you wait until your other friends, the less resilient ones are pulled away before you bring these two to me. You wait to see if you’ve tested them enough. Well I tell you they are goblin, my king. But answer the question I gave the girl, what does she mean to you?”

“You find them worthy?” The woman-creature nodded. “Then I would have her as my queen. A true queen, not a consort.”

Morrigan wrenched her hand out of Gwyn’s and marched from the room. Jareth felt the tug of pain on his connection to his sister and gave his friend a long look. He turned to the woman-creature before him.

“Do you find my sister worthy of the queenship, creature? Or will she be queen in title only? She deserves to rule by his side.”

“And do you deserve to rule little prince? Do you deserve a kingdom of your own?”

Jareth let a smirk cross his face. “I do, but she is my sister and I defer to her wishes.”

“Loyalty. Hmm. Unexpected.” The woman-creature returned to staring at her king. “She is worthy of being queen. But she must pass my trials first. I accept no rulers but those who survive. I am not ruled, I am managed.”

With a loud rumble and a pop, the woman disappeared. Jareth took off after his sister following the pull of their connection into the Goblin City. She headed for the gates into the Labyrinth. Gwyn remained on his throne. His head reeled as all his schemes to get Morrigan to stay with him evaporated. She walked out on him. Rejected his offer. Gwyn slumped into his throne and put his head in his hands.

“That did not go well.” He muttered.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Well maybe I’m just thinking that the rooms are all on fire
Every time that you walk in the room
Well there is magic all around you, if I do say so myself
Well I have known this much longer than I’ve known you
Rooms on Fire—Stevie Nicks

She said I need to get to know you
Well what do you want to know
Still not sure if I should trust you
She must have been hurt before
Is that why she holds a gun up high?
And why she can’t make up her mind?
Can’t she see we’re on the same side?
Ceasefire—Judas
 
November 1, 1987
Sarah screamed and the knife she’d been twirling through the air suddenly launched itself at the wall, embedding itself to the hilt inches from her father’s face as he came down the basement stairs.
“This is not fair!”Arthur cautiously approached his daughter, who now sat on the floor, spitting like a tiger. “Sarah, princess?”She jolted at the sound of her father’s voice and stood up. “Dad, I, oh, er, I— ““Take a moment, princess, breathe.” He waited for her to take a deep breath and pulled her into a hug. She nuzzled against his chest and he was struck by how much she’d grown up in the last year. His little girl was disappearing before his eyes. “What’s so unfair, princess?”“Why is this happening to me, Dad? I’m just a kid. I mean I know you and Karen and Morgan were going to tell me the truth eventually, but why is it so important that I’m ready? You won’t tell me anything. I beat the stupid Labyrinth. I beat him. Why is it suddenly more important than anything that I know how to fight, how to do magic?”Arthur sighed heavily. The longer he spent away from his identity as Robert Williams the more difficult it became to remember what logical reason stood between telling his daughter the whole truth. “We wanted to protect you. You weren’t supposed to go Underground for a long time, you were too young. Now, the magic in your blood is awake and if you don’t learn control, it will kill you. And there are a lot of people Underground who would like to take you away from us or hurt you, just because of who you are. I think we’ll have some answers for you tonight at dinner. Go spend some time with Toby. Relax, clear your head.” Several hours later, as Sarah helped Karen cook dinner and set the table, she noticed they had two extra place settings. Her stepmother said nothing except that they were having guests for dinner. “And make sure you wear something nice to dinner, dear. These guests are very important.”Sarah picked Toby up and spun him around, “Oh we have to look nice for dinner, squirt. Whatever are we going to wear?”Karen watched the children in their moment of glee for a moment. “Go on Sarah, get ready. You’re still all sweaty from this morning and then chasing his little nibs around the house all day.” She pulled the younger girl toward her suddenly in a hug. “You remember when I told you that the right clothes could feel like armor? Dress like you’re about to take on the High King himself. Come prepared to do battle with your wit and fire. And if you can get my son to take a bath, I will be eternally grateful.”Sarah hugged her stepmother, Toby squished between them pulling at their hair. “Alright, come little prince, it’s time for you to take a bath.”The toddler squealed and chanted “Ba- Ba- Bat” over and over as his sister carried him up the stairs. After Arthur came back from Morgan’s and took over bath duty, Sarah retreated into her room and picked through her closet. ‘Going into battle with the High King,’ she thought. Sarah dug around until she found her birthday gift from her mother last year. A mid-calf Chanel little black dress, accented with dark green around the skirt, the dress didn’t quite fit when she tried it on over a year ago, her mother too inattentive to know exactly which dresses would fit her daughter. But, with all her training and finally hitting her last growth spurt, Sarah knew it would fit now. When she emerged from her room an hour later, gone was the awkward teenage girl who spent all her time last summer playing in the park in her mother’s borrowed costumes, in her place stood a woman who looked ready to take on the devil and win. Gawain and Owain flanked her at the bottom of the stairs and led her towards the dining room, making Sarah wonder why they were being so protective. When she reached the doorway, Sarah froze. Sitting directly across from her father with his back to her was a familiar figure with wispy blond hair. Arthur caught her eye and gave her a small smile and then stood to welcome her to the table. Karen called this dining room the war room and tonight she was right. As Arthur stood, so did the others. Owain and Gawain joined their sister and mother on Arthur’s right, the same side of the table as Jareth’s companion, as Sarah took her place at her father’s left hand. Karen, already seated on what would be Sarah’s left, was ready to behave as a buffer between her and the Goblin King. Sarah refused to make eye contact with the man at the opposite end of the table. The woman on the Goblin King’s left remained hooded, though her head turned as Sarah took her seat across the table. She kept her chin up under the scrutiny. Sarah caught her aunt’s eye and the older woman grinned madly at her. Sarah sighed when she caught Jareth staring and looked at her father again. He squeezed her hand then turned his attention to the man across from him. “Welcome to our home, I believe you know everyone here, Jareth.”Sarah nearly jumped out of her seat when the Goblin King opened his mouth. She forgot about his voice. Silky smooth and slightly mocking, he sounded exactly as she remembered from a year ago. “Indeed I do, Arthur. Though I am surprised, I did not know you were Sarah’s father. Many things about this situation are unexpected.” He gave a pointed glare to the figure on his left. “You have me at a distinct disadvantage, especially since I am outnumbered tonight. It is nice to see you again, Morfydd, Owain, Gawain.” Each of the three nod their heads at the Goblin King. Jareth inclined his head in return and turned his attention on the dryad. “Odras, I’ve not seen you for an age. How is it you found yourself in the Aboveground?”“My lady asked that I provide support to the family. That support found me a beloved husband, a witty beautiful daughter, and my delightful son.” Karen glared at him, the annoyance in her tone nearly made Sarah twitch. “Ah, yes, young Tobias. Is the boy asleep in his crib upstairs?”Sarah snarled and whipped her head around to glare at the Goblin King. “You will not touch him. I won him back and you will not go anywhere near him. Nor will they.” She gestured at the figures hiding amongst the shadows. The rest of the table glanced around, finally noticing the goblins hiding silently in the dark recesses of the room. “He is my brother and you will not lay a finger on him.”“I had no plan to, precious. My apologies for the goblins though, they refused to remain in the castle while I was vulnerable to you. They seem to think you’ll destroy me like you did their city.”The icy hatred that passed between the two broke when a particularly ugly goblin tugged on Sarah’s skirt. “Lady, you gon’ hurt King?”Sarah turned away from the blue eyes at the end of the table in looked into the wide brown eyes at her feet. The creature was ugly, but its wide eyes and smile, though unsettling, were not frightening. She reached down and picked up the goblin, who closely resembled a gremlin, ‘Like from the movie.’ She thought, ‘No wonder Toby wanted to see it so badly.’“I promise I’ll try not to hurt him.” She said, charmed by the ugly little thing. “What is your name?”“Tee.” The little creature whipped its head around and gave his king a pleading look. “King you promise not to hurt girl who ate the peach and forgot everything?”Jareth coldly stared at the goblin in Sarah’s lap. Tee was normally one of the few lower goblins who could be trusted. Now, here he was, an immediate and devoted servant to the girl. ‘Why does she insist on turning my subjects against me?’ He thought. “I, too, promise to try.” He conceded. “Good. Up we go then. Lady, we will keep brother safe. No one takes him. Not even King.” The sound of a dozen small pops echoed in the room, and the goblins disappeared. Sarah and Jareth resumed glaring at each other and Karen started passing bowls around the table. Everyone but the two figures at the far end eagerly dug into the food. Karen turned to the still cloaked individual and passed her a roll. “This food is all from Morgan’s estates in the Summerlands.”Sarah watched the person accept the roll and Jareth passed the butter and then held the platter of chicken as the figure filled a plate. He never took his eyes off of the girl who beat him. The figure suddenly pulled back the hood and Sarah gasped. “You!”Morrigan grinned at the girl. “Me.”“But you were old. You looked like an old woman. You…you gave me that box of toys. The ones that look like my friends. And the statue of him!” Sarah exclaimed while pointing at a tense Goblin King, more than a little exasperated.The goddess smirked, exactly like her brother, and shrugged. “The Labyrinth thought you would react better to the challenges if you had an idea of what to expect. I gave you those toys as a child so you would be ready once you used the words from the book.”Jareth watched the exchange between his sister and Sarah with narrowed eyes. He still did not know how deep Morrigan’s conspiracy with his obstinate kingdom and its subjects went. With Sarah and her cousins’ reactions, it seemed only his sister and his friends were in on the plan. ‘Friends I’ve not seen in nearly a century,’ he noted, as Sarah angrily glared at his sister. Her cousins were too busy glaring at him to notice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Morrigan calmly walked through the Goblin City. The air around her sizzled with the energy of her frustration. As she reached the gates, the woman-creature blocked her path. “I gave you the answer you wanted. Why do you run?”“I am not running. I am thinking.” The half-fae princess sniped. “If you go any further, you will leave the protection of the city and I will begin your trials. Only a Champion of the Labyrinth can be Goblin King or Queen. There has not been a proper Queen since before Danu chose to fade into the Summerlands. Gwyn ap Nudd is correct that you are worthy. Do you not wish to be queen?”“I was born to be a queen.” She snapped again at the creature and turned back towards the castle, “But what makes me worthy to rule this kingdom?”“If you wish to know, you would not be queen long. Soon you would face a choice and all of your options would strip you of your title. But, in the time you rule here, should you choose this path, I think you will make the kingdom stronger, and leave us in very capable hands. Your heir will lead us in battle and the Goblin Kingdom will break with Seelie and Unseelie alike. However, if you do not take up the title and complete the trials, my borders will fail. The Goblin Kingdom will fall to ruin and I will disappear as humanity forgets about me, about magic. The goblins themselves will be scattered across the realms and their mischief will wreak havoc on the mortals Above. You are worthy because you will fail. Your failure will bind us to a new king and queen who will take back the power the Immortals have stolen from me.”“I suppose that was meant to be encouraging?” Morrigan sneered.“It is the truth. It is your choice, and you are bound to it by Fate. Return to the castle. Sleep. Make your choice. Though,” the creature looked hard on the young fae before her, flashes of fate dancing along the edges of its vision, “I believe you have already made it. You will live here with our king and rule well.”Morrigan closed her eyes and stood up straight. “This is only a dream. I will wake in the morning and all of this will have never happened.”“You would turn down your dreams then, girl?” The Labyrinth questioned softly. “I would, perhaps, but not today.” Morrigan was confident, but Fate reared its head at her words. Morrigan turned on her heels and practically ran back to the castle. Halfway there she collided with her brother, who barely managed to keep them upright. “Morri, where did you go? What are you doing? How could you run? What in the name of Danu possessed you to do that? I couldn’t feel you, what happened?”Jareth’s wide-eyed, drawn appearance showed his utter panic. Morrigan tugged hard on their connection to reassure her brother. “I’m still here. I think it was the Labyrinth. It stopped me and made me come back. Come on, I have a marriage proposal to accept.”Still tense from losing the connection with his sister, Jareth followed her closely, keeping a hand on her at all times. As the two returned to the throne room, they found Gwyn still bent over in the throne room, muttering to himself. A goblin tugged on his leg until Gwyn looked at him. The little creature with brown eyes and bat wing ears, pointed towards the middle of the room. Gwyn followed Tee’s finger to see Morrigan smirking at him, an eyebrow raised. “Are you moping, Goblin King?”He narrowed his eyes at her. “I do not mope. I brood. There is a difference. You ran away from me.”“Yes I did. You know why.”“Still felt as though you were rejecting me.”“I know.”“Will you run the trials?”“Yes.”“Do you want to stay here with me?”“Before you answer, Morrigan, might I suggest we take this conversation elsewhere? I do not think it wise to discuss this any further here.” Jareth suggested, concerned spies may lurk in the Goblin King’s halls. Any politically minded Immortal worth its weight in iron would gleefully exploit the obvious affection between his sister and friend. Gwyn started to argue with his friend and quickly rethought the situation. Fae families across the Underground had been waltzing eligible partners before Morrigan and himself at every opportunity. If they married each other, then power would shift dramatically, effectively uniting the High King and an increasingly beleaguered Ishtar, to any action Gwyn undertook against any other kingdom. This was certainly a conversation better continued in private.“Yes, let me.” Gwyn grabbed their arms and landed them in a hidden corner of his gardens. “Hoggle, attend your king.”A small dwarf appeared, peaking around the corner of a privet hedge. He gave the two Fae a once over and frowned. “Yer Majesty, what can I do fer ya?”“Hoggle, I need you to check the castle for any unwanted guests or anything that might be listening.”“And whats about these two? Fae can’t be trusted, Yer Majesty.”“I’m part fae, Hoggle.” Gwyn said, smiling.“Yep and you and yer brother are tricksy enough. Don’t need more o’ them wanderin’ around.”Gwyn laughed at the dwarf. “Hoggle, I intend to keep them here. She is going to be my Queen.”“Bah, queen. Yer wife maybe, but not a queen. Labyrinth won’t have none of it.”A teenaged boy walked out of the hedges to Hoggle’s right. Dark-blond hair and ice blue eyes on a strong face and body glared down at the dwarf. “My king wants the girl to be his queen. I want her to be queen. Therefore, she will be queen, Hoggle. You must learn to trust these two, caretaker. They will be a part of our kingdom for the rest of their lives.”The dwarf glared up at the imposing boy-creature. Huffing and puffing he began walking away, grumbling about fae being rats and not worthy of the Goblin Kingdom. The man bowed to the group and walked into the hedges as if he were never there. Jareth shook his head. ‘I don’t think I will ever understand this place,’ he thought. He suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of joy, which didn’t belong to him, and turned to see his best friend passionately kissing his sister. Morrigan seemed dazed at first and then she pushed Gwyn against one of the stone statues and deepened the kiss, silently pushing against her bond with Jareth, willing him to leave. Her twin felt the push and rolled his eyes. “By the Gods. Could you not wait until I was at least three kingdoms away?” Jareth snapped maliciously. “You need to stop. We have serious matters to discuss here. What are the trials my sister must complete, Gwyn? And why does your Labyrinth seem to think I will not be leaving?”Gwyn reluctantly pulled away from the woman in front of him. Scarcely believing she really stood before him as more than his friend. “Gwyn, I asked you a question. Quit ogling my sister and answer me.”Considering the situation, Gwyn let his friend’s imperious tone slide. “Jareth, you are not King here. I owe you no explanations. And in truth, my friend, I cannot give them.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The woman who once gave her a free box of toys at a yard sale stood on the porch with Sarah. She was younger than the old woman who cackled when eleven-year-old Sarah gleefully accepted the box, but still the same. Sarah suspected glamours wound themselves around her even now, and that she would never really know the true face of the woman before her. “So, you’re the Morrigan. The goddess of death.” “I am not only a goddess of death.” Morrigan stated simply. “I am a warning. Fate charged me with appearing to those who held great power in their hands. A reminder to choose wisely.” “But in all the stories you appear as someone dies. Even my father, you carried him to Avalon.”“Yes. I appeared to him before the battle, and Mordred, and forewarned them of their fates. As I was forewarned of my own.” Sarah sat down in the porch swing and pulled her legs up under her skirt in the chilly November air. Morrigan remained standing, still cloaked in her grey-black robes. They glittered in the moonlight. “Does this mean you’re here to warn me of my fate?”“Yes and no. I’m here to help you make a choice.” The goddess took a long look at the stars above her. “Once upon a time, I was the Goblin Queen.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It can lift you up,
Never let you down,
Take your world and turn it all around,
Ever since time, nothing’s ever been found,
That’s stronger than love.
Ever since time, nothing’s ever been found,
That’s stronger than love.
This thing called love—Johnny Cash

Uich gwennen na 'wanath ah na dhín
An uich gwennen na ringyrn ambar hen
Boe naid bain gwannathar
Boe cuil ban firitha
Boe naer gwannathach
Breath of Life/Grace of the Valar—Sheila Chandra and Howard Shore
“Yes and no. I’m here to help you make a choice.” The goddess took a long look at the stars above her. “Once upon a time, I was the Goblin Queen.”Sarah’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “But he,” She gestured through the window where Jareth stood, speaking with her parents. “Is the Goblin King. I thought he was always the king. I mean the fae are immortal right?”“The fae are immortal yes, as are the gods, but it does not mean we cannot die. The goblins were ruled by another goblin until my brother and I came along. We are the children of Oberon and Ishtar. Youngest of the royal children of both courts, Seelie and Unseelie. Our birth was the price of peace between the Immortals. We were raised by the Faerie Queen, Baba Yaga, Dragons, the Swarm, and Hippolyta the Amazon Queen. We wrought havoc upon the courts in our youth with our circle of friends. Igraine, your grandmother, and Robin Goodfellow, better known as Puck, followed us into many adventures. “But Jareth and I, we were always tied to Gwyn ap Nudd, the last Goblin King. He was a hobgoblin, like Puck, but his grandmother was fae. Hobgoblins look more human than anything else, but with fae blood, Gwyn was a sight to behold. Dark hair and piercing green eyes, much like yourself my dear. I often wonder if Linda did not have a bit of hobgoblin blood in her. Gwyn was beautiful.” A tear ran down the woman’s cheek, catching the moonlight. Morrigan’s wistful tone and refusal to acknowledge her tears made Sarah sad. Whatever happened was a hard memory for the goddess to retread. The front door opened and Jareth stepped out, he placed an arm around his sister’s shoulder and then passed a blanket to Sarah, still seated on the swing. “Morri, you should wait. She is not ready.” He leaned his head close to her and whispered in her ear, “You are not ready.”“The year and a day of protection will be over tonight, brother. I would have her know the consequences now. Let her come to terms with her choices before those damnable courts choose for her.” Morrigan stubbornly grit out. Sarah wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and stood from the swing. The fire in her eyes belied the calm expression on her face. Jareth watched her approach and found himself smitten once more with the girl in front of him. She poked a finger into his chest and snarled. “I would like to know exactly what I’ve been dumped into thank you very much. Ready or not, it’s my life and I’ll be damned if you decide for me. And what did you mean by a year and a day of protection? It’s November first, that’s way over a year.”Morrigan sidestepped her brother and placed herself firmly in between him and Sarah. Rage seethed from his skin and the azure luminescence sizzling in the air around him reminded Morrigan much of their mother. She placed a hand on his forearm and pushed him back gently. “Jareth, you are not her king. You do not have the right to decide for her.” She turned on the girl behind her. “And you, young princess, would do well to remember that he is a king. You cannot grant him an insult every time he forgets himself. Let there be peace between you. As for the year and a day, time passes a little differently Underground.”Morrigan stepped down from the porch and fully into the moonlight, her grey robes catching the light from left over jack-o-lanterns on the neighbors’ porches. The fabric shimmered in the darkness. Ravens and crows gathered in the trees around the house, silent as the grave. A light shone in the trees across from the old Victorian house, a will-o’-the-wisp beckoning them into the night. Morrigan set out to follow it, barely waiting for her brother and Sarah. Jareth gave a half bow and swept his arm out, “Ladies first.”“Age before beauty, Jareth.” She stood next to him and motioned for him to follow Morrigan first. “You do remember my name. Shame it was the dwarf who shared it with you. I would have much preferred to tell you my name in private,” he growled into her ear before gently taking her arm and leading her behind his sister. Sarah shivered from the touch, willing herself to believe it was only the chilly air making her break out in goosebumps. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Oberon looked down his nose at the ugly creature before him. Titania gleefully tried tempting the creature with cakes and candies, but to its credit, the little goblin refused the queen, intent on fulfilling his king’s task. “What brings a goblin to court?”The little creature dipped into a bow that made his ears droop, their points touching the floor. “Your Majesty, High King Oberon. I am Tee. Goblin King Messenger. I bring this for you and Queen,” he produced a thick scroll of parchment from his satchel. “King requests you read now and send me back with message.” Satisfied this part of his king’s orders were complete, Tee began to eye the sweets the High Queen still offered. Oberon took the offered scroll and broke the seal. As he read, his brow furrowed and his jaw clenched. Titania noticed the change in her husband’s behavior and snatched the scroll away the moment he finished reading. Her face changed as well. She giggled to herself in a manner that made the courtiers in the hall around them shiver. The Faerie Queen did not giggle, and the few times she had, entire civilizations disappeared into the ether. The Queen ignored the terrified looks of her subjects as they flashed back to when Titania went by the name Mab, and bent low to look the goblin in its eyes, smiling sweetly. “Dear Tee, please give me your satchel. You deserve a treat for bringing such delightful news to us.” She snatched a handkerchief from a passing courtier and bound up every sweet she could lay her hands on, depositing them in the ugly little creature’s bag. She patted his head and then turned on her husband, fully aware the court waited with bated breath to hear the Goblin King’s news.“Oberon, my love, the court is waiting. It is done. She passed the trials the Labyrinth set, and if Jareth is remaining, then it means they are happy. Make the announcement to the court now. Or risk one of these fools rushing in to break them apart.”Sighing, Oberon pulled his gaze from the floor and looked at his wife. She was right. Sometimes he hated when she was right, she became entirely too smug. No small wonder Jareth turned out the way he did with her as his mentor. He finally stood and, taking his wife’s hand, cleared his throat to address the court. “Lords and Ladies of the court, I am pleased to announce that my daughter, the Princess Morrigan, is to wed the Goblin King in three days’ time.” He waved a hand, sending invitations to those who with the right and privilege to attend. “Gwyn ap Nudd welcomes anyone with an invitation to join the queen and myself for the ceremony. I will hear no more grievances today. Enjoy your afternoon.” As courtiers flounced out of the throne room, the High King turned his full attention on the little goblin messenger. “Tee, you said?”“Yes, Majesty.” “You may return to your king and tell him to expect us and a full retinue to arrive in two days. Tell him I issued invitations, but to prepare for unexpected visitors.”“Yes, King.”“And Tee, has word been sent to other concerned parties?”“King means Ishtar Lady, dragons, witch, warrior lady, and Swarm?” He chattered happily. Oberon nod his head. “King was last message for Tee. Morri Lady said father be last. So can’t say no.” The goblin snuck a look at the queen. “But Morri Lady said High Queen would not let King say no.” Titania let out an unladylike snort and covered her face with her hands. Oberon huffed and dismissed the goblin. Tee bowed once more and only a tiny pop revealed that he magicked himself away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Labyrinth rustled itself, its walls and traps throughout the maze shaking gently in response. The kingdom hardly ever had visitors, most Immortals rightfully wary of a sentient being older than themselves, and many of them were now lost within the Labyrinth. The borders of the kingdom far exceeded the Labyrinth, but the creature was its heart. Without it, the kingdom would die. It bled magic into the very air, all the wished away and unwanted creatures of the Underground seeking the belonging the creature provided. But these visitors were neither unwanted nor wished away. They were invading, setting down upon the kingdom’s grounds to witness the wedding between the Labyrinth’s chosen King and Queen. Over the centuries, the Goblin Kingdom hosted many a wedding, but this was the first between a true King and Queen in centuries. The first wedding since Badb Macha wed Neit that required the presence of so many outsiders. The Labyrinth had not tested a queen in millennia. There had been many kings, sometimes simultaneously when a pair of brothers or lovers earned the Labyrinth’s respect. Queens were rare. The Immortal women of the Underground were largely reticent to engage with a creature like the Labyrinth. Most of them were more than content to wage wars and wreak havoc without the added responsibility of managing a sentient maze. Nor were they able to exist as truly neutral arbiters between the Seelie and Unseelie. The few women who did catch the Labyrinth’s eye over the millennia were powerful and their reigns coincided with threats to the Goblin Kingdom. They, with kings and without, kept the Labyrinth separate from the paltry conflicts between the Seelie and Unseelie. In twenty centuries, only eleven women held the title of Goblin Queen. Some of them ruled for hundreds of years, others only a few months. There were sister Queens and lovers who ruled together with unflinching strength. The Labyrinth twitched as the Fireys decapitated a small group of interlopers. Her king would not be pleased, but they could be healed. Kings, it reminded itself, were useful to the Labyrinth, they were its caretakers and playthings. Queens were its protectors and partners. A King was disposable, Queens were crucial. The Labyrinth would endure invasions and occupations forever if it meant keeping a Queen on the throne. Morrigan, the Labyrinth decided the moment she set foot on its soil, would be a wonderful queen. She would strengthen the kingdom with her magic and her will. Fate, though, doomed her to tragedy. She was meant for more, meant to bring the Labyrinth someone even stronger. She was meant to lose everything. So, bowing to the winds of Fate, the Labyrinth stole from her. It took Gwyn away and ejected her from the castle, forcing her to run the Labyrinth to retrieve her lost love. The creature fondly remembered Morrigan railing against it, even beating the walls at times, as the Labyrinth made it increasingly difficult to reach the castle in thirteen hours. But, as it knew would happen, Morrigan stormed through the gates of the Goblin City with two hours to spare. She angrily blew through the doors of the castle and when she reached the throne room, she threw herself upon the Goblin King and unceremoniously evicted every creature within the room. The two emerged several hours later, clothing torn and bodies bruised, but smiling widely.Jareth, party to some of the feelings and experiences in the throne room, blushed furiously and quickly excused himself from their company. Gwyn summoned Tee immediately and sent him out with invitations to the wedding and coronation ceremony. Grasping his bride’s arm, he then disappeared with her into his private rooms. The Labyrinth had been delighted until it went looking for the fae prince. Jareth had retreated to the library and attempted to block out his connection to his sister. Failing miserably, he tried to focus all of his attention on the book before him, a tome on goblin history written by Gwyn’s grandfather, Beli Mawr, a former scribe to Barren Jon, the only half-troll to become Goblin King. When the connection and corresponding emotions dulled, Jareth abruptly looked up to find the woman-creature that was the Labyrinth standing before him. “Good evening. I hope my help is appreciated. I imagine the bond you share with your sister can be quite embarrassing in such situations.”Sighing contentedly now that he was free from his sister’s love life, Jareth stood and poured himself a goblet of wine. “Yes, thank you. It is an unusual connection we share. This isn’t normally a problem. Usually we can easily suppress our bond in these,” He paused to smirk at the woman-creature before him. “Situations. I think my sister is simply too happy to care, at the moment.”“Perhaps.” The woman-creature agreed. “I have not encountered a bond such as this in a long time. Most of the twins among the Immortals were born human.”“It is true. Twins are incredibly rare among us. The last pair was before even my father’s time. It is said they could summon one another through the Mists themselves.”“I remember them.” The Labyrinth hummed, drawing up the image of the two women. “They attempted to travel through my borders once. Identical sisters they were. Fiery tempers. They made many enemies here. I trapped them in an oubliette for several decades. They did quite a bit of damage in their attempts to escape.”“You trapped them? How? The legends say they could break any enchantment; escape any prison.”“Yes, little prince, they could, but only if they retained their bond. I learned quickly to suppress it to near breaking, which is how I know to do so now. The harder they tried to escape their sentence, the more I diminished the bond. I would never have broken it, but they did not know the depths of my cruelty and did not want to aggravate me further.”“You are a strange creature.”“I am aware. You should know your sister will not be queen for long. Her happiness will be ripped from her. If you want her to survive you must be prepared to do whatever it takes.”“Is it possible for you to be more cryptic, Labyrinth?” Jareth growled out at the creature. “I am a creature of mystery and puzzlement, little prince. I cannot help what I am. But I do try to help those worthy of ruling this kingdom.”“This is your attempt to help me? Am I to understand you deem me worthy?”“You understand correctly, little prince.”Weeks later, as he watched his sister’s hand-fasting and investiture as queen, he would remember the Labyrinth’s words. She looked so happy. He resolved he would accept any burden, pay any price, to keep that smile on his sister’s face. The Labyrinth bore the invasion well and forcefully evicted or imprisoned only a few of the interlopers. All the while, it watched and waited. The Labyrinth was older than any of them. It read the lines of Fate like words on a page. Each possible future spread before it like the walls of its maze. So, it paid attention as the lines converged around the new Goblin Queen and her brother.
It mourned her future. It rejoiced in his. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jareth tried to remain calm, regretting his decision to touch the girl. He positively vibrated with energy, because, even though they’d been walking for several minutes now, she had not removed her arm from his. ‘She still much too young for you to keep, get your head on straight,’ he thought, grinding his teeth. Suddenly Morrigan stopped in front of them and he realized where they were. Sarah removed her arm from his and bristled at the realization as well. She glanced at him and saw the tension in his jaw. He narrowed his eyes and studied his sister carefully. “Why are we here, Morrigan?” He finally ground out. “This is where your story began.” She replied coolly. “I was under the impression the story began with you. Not with us.” He gestured to Sarah and himself. “You are half right, my dear brother, it began when I directed Sarah, through Morgan, to a fairy tale. The Labyrinth, the creation of some lost Victorian author bent on instilling morality into the young men and women who read his play. Or that is how it read once editors took a heavy hand to Robin Goodfellow’s manuscript.” Jareth twitched at the name. “Yes, brother, that Robin. Writing a little fairy tale to perpetuate belief in the goblins was an easy enough task for Gwyn’s beloved Puck. He gave Morgan a copy some years ago. She gave it to Sarah. Though I did not think to read the personal notes Robin left in the book after he gave it to me. He returned some of the script to its original state. What no one knew.” Jareth sneered at the phrase. Morrigan held his gaze for a moment then turned to the girl. “Sarah, I told you that you were my heir, but I did not explain why.”Morrigan took a seat on the bench and levelled a stony gaze on the two people before her. “I was the Goblin Queen when your grandparents, Igraine and Uther Pendragon, were king and queen in Britain, just over a thousand years ago. My husband, Gwyn ap Nudd, the Goblin King, and I traveled frequently between the two realms to execute our duties. We used it as an excuse to visit our old friend and her husband. Our willing friendship with mortals from Aboveground, as well as our marriage shifting power Underground, earned us few friends. And then Jareth was kidnapped.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

She came without a farthing
A babe without a name
So much ado 'bout nothing
Is what she'd try to say
So much ado my lover
So many games we played
Through every fleeted summer
Through every precious day
All dead, all dead
All the dreams we had
And I wonder why I still live on
All dead, all dead
And alone I'm spared
My sweeter half instead
All dead
And gone
All dead...
All Dead, All Dead—Queen

The Four of Us Are Dying (Instrumental)—Nine Inch Nails
Morrigan felt the jolt of pain the moment it happened. She shot to her feet in the throne room, clutched her stomach and screamed. Gwyn barely had time to stagger to his feet as she collapsed, managing to catch her before her head cracked against the stone floor. Convulsing and muttering to herself, he tried to calm her. When the healers arrived and poured a sleeping potion down her throat, she managed to grab his shirt and whisper one thing before it took her. “Jareth”Gwyn immediately barked orders, sending hobgoblins off to every kingdom, above and below, to seek out the prince. “Tee!”The little goblin popped into existence by his king’s side. “Oh, Morri Lady hurt.”“Yes, Tee. I want you to send the goblins out, now. Tell them to travel every shadow, I want Jareth found. And you must go to Titania. Tell her he is missing. Then do the same with Ishtar and Gilgamesh.”The little goblin hopped into a salute and then disappeared with another pop. Gwyn transported Morrigan to their bed and held her in his arms as goblins bustled in and out, keeping him apprised of all intelligence. His generals filed in and recommended they begin to mobilize the army as a precaution. To kidnap an Immortal as powerful as Jareth meant the person responsible was very strong. Though goblins were creatures of the shadows, they thrived on open action rather than subterfuge. It was hard to trick a goblin, but harder still to beat one. Jareth was accompanied by six well trained hobgoblins and they were missing as well. None of it boded well for the missing prince. Well into the night, Morrigan began to stir. As she regained consciousness, she struggled against her husband’s arms. “Shh, Morri, I’m here. You’re safe.” Gwyn tried to soothe her. She growled at him, struggling furiously against his arms. “Jareth is not safe. He is in pain. Let me go.” “Do you promise not to have a seizure and collapse again?” He spoke softly, still pinning her body to his. “Yes. Let me go.” Unused to the rage rolling off his wife, Gwyn let her go and she immediately disappeared into the sitting room. Following her, he found Morrigan dressing in her dragonsteel armor. She buckled a goblin blade to her hip, the hilt glinting wickedly in the firelight. Several daggers and knives disappeared into sheaths. “Where is he?” Gwyn asked as she dropped a dagger into her boot. “I don’t know. He is encased in iron. I think it is only our connection keeping him alive. I need a contingent of troops. Our best. The pukwudgies should do.” “If you think you are leaving here without me, you are mistaken, wife.” His overtly possessive tone usually distracted her enough to buy him time to reason with her. “I will not argue with you, this is Jareth. Someone must remain here. If we both leave and are captured, there is no one to protect the Labyrinth.” She pleaded. Morrigan never begged for anything. She was a creature of action and he often relied on her for strength. Seeing his wife brought low by the absence of her brother nearly broke the Goblin King. Centuries of war and bloodshed could not match the pain in her eyes. A deep rumble in the castle cut off Gwyn’s response and suddenly a grim looking goblin rose through the floor. “I will care for myself,” The Labyrinth insisted. “The two of you must go to Avalon. There are needed allies there. Jareth is heir to this kingdom and I would see him returned.”Before the pair could ask any questions the goblin melted into the floor of the castle once more. Morrigan stared her husband down before relenting under his equally angry gaze. “I will not argue with you or the creature. You should wear armor. I still want those troops with us.”A wave of his hand and Gwyn was clad in black goblin-made armor. He pulled his wife close and moved them into the throne room. Seconds later, one of his generals burst in, still pulling on his armor. “General, I need as many of the pukwudgie regiment as can be mustered. We are going to Avalon, now.”“Yes, Sire, most of them are here in the castle already. We summoned them earlier when the prince went missing. Commander Alfsige is prepared.”“Double the patrols on the borders. Nothing gets in this kingdom that does not belong while we are absent.”“I will see it done your majesty. We shall protect the borders until you return.”The swarthy troll exited the room and Gwyn turned his attention to his wife once more. She had collapsed onto her throne, breathing heavily. Concerned, he felt her forehead and found her running a high temperature. “Morri?”He bent down before her, running a hand through her hair gently. “Iron poisoning,” She muttered. “He’s dying.”She pulled a crystal from the air, a skill she rarely exhibited. To manipulate crystals was one of the most difficult forms of magic. Jareth liked to show off his talent, while Morrigan preferred to keep the skill hidden. “Hoggle, meet us in the throne room with Alim. No excuses dwarf. Bring me the Wise Man, now!”She dropped the crystal and it disappeared before hitting the ground. Her breathing became shallower and her eyes bloodshot. Gwyn gathered his wife into his arms and waited for the Wise Man. Hoggle appeared a moment later pushing a large creature wearing a bird hat into the room. The dwarf took one look at his queen and quit pushing the old man to run to her side. Centuries of her presence softened the dwarf’s heart towards the woman to the point of unquestioning loyalty. Gwyn knew Hoggle would defy anything to serve his queen, perhaps even the Labyrinth itself. “Mistress, yer burnin’ up. What’s wrong with ye?” The dwarf grumbled gently, a hand wrapped around his queen’s wrist. Concern clouded the dwarf’s features and Gwyn resisted the urge to pat his subject on the shoulder. Neither man wanted to appear weak in front of the queen. Alim, the Wise Man, hobbled closer and took a sniff of the Queen’s hair. “Iron poisoning,” he muttered.The old man started digging in his robes. He finally found a large flask. The bird pulled the cork when his fingers couldn’t grasp it and he poured a good measure of dark brown liquid down the queen’s throat. Hoggle and Gwyn held her down as she sputtered. “Agh! Khara! What is in that?”The bird on his head piped up, dropping the cork into Hoggle’s hands, “You don’t wanna know, Queenie.”Alim glared up at the bird, “Quiet! It’s a remedy for iron poisoning. But you need to take the bottle and have some the second your pain comes back. It’s potent and will prolong your brother’s life.”Hoggle stared wide eyed at his queen. “Jareth is making you sick! That rat— “Morrigan squeezed his hand. “Not his fault Hoggle. He’s been taken. Feel like sniffing out a real rat?”“I don’t leaves the border, mistress. I’m the caretaker. Only one ‘sides you and the king who knows how to care for the Labyrinth. You goes and finds yer brother. I’ll keeps the wicked creature from killing everyone.”The entrance of thirty vicious looking pukwudgies, led by an especially malicious half-troll, effectively ended any conversation. Alim took one look at them and gave another bottle to the queen.“For energy my queen. No other healer need know I can make it. Drink it when you’re ready for a real fight. Might save your life.”Morrigan accepted the second bottle and shoved them both into a hidden pocket. Gwyn steadied her and the two concentrated hard, disappearing with the pukwudgies in a great crack of energy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sarah found herself shaking in the cold air. She tightened the blanket around her shoulders and looked at Jareth. He stared at his sister with an agonized look on his face. It seemed they were both in pain, remembering what happened. The crystal, which held the memory, fell to the ground as Morrigan trembled. It popped, like a soap bubble, and both twins winced. Sarah broke the uncomfortable silence first. “You were dying?”He didn’t move to look at her, only dropped his head and sighed. “Yes, and she was dying right along with me. There was a plot. Our father tried to figure out who was behind it for years. Farelin took me to lure Morrigan out. He wanted both of us dead. Took me while I visited Igraine above. She was concerned about your father.”Morrigan interrupted him. “What he means is Igraine was fighting with, Gorlois, her former husband about the end of their marriage. After she and Uther had a son, the bastard threatened to kidnap the boy. Jareth was in Cumbria trying to be noble and save the life of his friend’s child. He has a tendency to overlook danger where the women he cares for are concerned,” She whispered to the girl conspiratorially. “All Lord Farelin needed to do was threaten Igraine and Jareth came running.”“I don’t get it,” Sarah frowned. “Why would this guy want you dead? Wouldn’t killing you start a war?” “Farelin attempted to court me before I met Gwyn. He attempted to take,” Morrigan paused to look for the right word. The girl was still innocent. “Liberties with myself and Igraine. He tried again at our announcement ball. Igraine and I sent him to Baba Yaga and the Swarm for fifty years as punishment. He returned a malevolent man. Farelin began plotting in court to kill us, a plot which gained traction after I married Gwyn.”“Why would your marriage matter?”“Has Morgan taught you about the Seelie and Unseelie?”“Yes, the Seelie are the Immortals who hold to the Accords. They do not interfere with mortals unless invited and mostly use their magic to benefit our two worlds. Not that they can’t be evil in their own right, but they generally follow rules and boundaries. The Unseelie are the opposite. They actively treat with mortals, are inherently self-interested, and exploit any weakness.” Sarah rattled off, proud to show off her knowledge to the goddess. Morrigan nodded in appreciation which made Sarah beam. “That’s the basics. As for why Farelin wanted us dead, Jareth and I are the products of a peace between Seelie and Unseelie. When the Accords were broken and the High Court torn asunder, Oberon and Titania went to war with Ishtar, Enlil, and all their allies. They fought for centuries, both above and below. To ensure peace, the two courts decided to cement their treaty with a child. Either Oberon or Titania needed to have a child with one of the sibling gods, Ishtar or Enlil. Titania was ready to keep fighting rather than share a bed with Enlil, so Oberon bit the bullet as you say.”“No one twisted their arms. Father had an affair with Ishtar ages ago,” Jareth said, rolling his eyes. “When she gave birth to twins, everyone was overjoyed, except mother. Morri was a disappointment because she wasn’t beautiful. She didn’t even spare a second look at me before she left. Ishtar renounced any claim and left us with father. Titania took charge of our upbringing. She made sure to uphold the peace. She raised us amongst the leading factions of Seelie and Unseelie, making sure we learned how to defend ourselves and the magic necessary to harness our power. We were meant to serve as Arbiters of the Peace. Then we fell in with the Goblins.”Sarah tilted her head and a furrow developed on her forehead. “What’s wrong with the goblins? They’re great little things, once you get past the creepy eyes, and the attempted murder.”Jareth stared at her. She surprised him, again. Mortals were terrified of Goblins, but not his Sarah. ‘His Sarah,’ He thought and sighed. ‘Get it together man. She is just a girl.’Morrigan took advantage of her brother’s silence to finish his statement. “Our lives were the peace. We were supposed to be a bridge, to become the adjudicators between the courts alongside Hippolyta and her husband, Theseus. Goblins are neither Seelie nor Unseelie. They inhabit the shadows, the in between places of the world. Choosing to align ourselves with the Goblin Kingdom and the Labyrinth meant all of our considerable power was thrown in with an essentially neutral party.”“Like Switzerland suddenly getting nukes,” Sarah muttered under her breath. Jareth resisted the urge to chuckle.“We went from manageable living treaties meant to keep the balance between the two courts, to wild cards. We were a liability and some in the courts saw this as enough of a threat to do us harm. Farelin, in his hatred of me and in league with our Uncle Enlil, capitalized on this and took Jareth.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Oberon and Titania received the message from the goblin, Tee, and immediately retired to their personal chambers to call Ishtar. Before either royal could summon her, the goddess swept into Avalon, clothed in darkness. Her magic rolled off her skin in waves. The pendants she gave her children were linked to her power. When Jareth was taken and the pendant’s protection spell diminished, she sent her own scouts out and then angrily made for Avalon. Titania hurriedly ushered her into the private wing of the palace. Ishtar thought of the irony. A thousand years prior, she would have happily invaded these quarters to assassinate the very woman who now led her through the corridors. The queen escorted Ishtar through a door, and instead of finding herself in a sitting room, the goddess appeared on a lush green field in the middle of a great stone circle. Flustered, and still crackling with power, Ishtar took her bearings and spotted Oberon beyond the henge. He stood with both palms pressed against a massive oak tree, his forehead lightly touching the trunk. Titania took Ishtar’s hand and pulled her towards the king. “Oberon, she’s here. Have you found anything?”The king sighed and pulled away from the tree. “No. Whoever took him concealed him well. Ishtar, have any of your scouts found anything?”Ishtar felt utterly lost. “No. I’ve only trusted Gilgamesh with the news. I think Enlil may be behind this. He disappeared several months ago and the rest of the Unseelie court are silent about his whereabouts. Gilgamesh and our allies are fast becoming the minority in support of peace. I sent out scouts the second I realized he was taken, but they have found nothing. They believe they are searching for him because he’s run off with some Lord’s daughter.”“As do ours. Perhaps that is how he was trapped. Jareth is perceptive. If he believed he was in danger, he would not have set foot away from the Labyrinth, or his sister.” Titania wrapped her arm around the other woman. Times like these made strange bedfellows. “The damnable creature has protected him in the past from irate lovers, and there are few who would dare cross Morrigan. Neither would allow him out of their sight if they perceived danger.”Oberon nod his head in agreement. “Then where is he?”Ishtar and Titania both shook their heads. The appearance of a tiny goblin startled all three out of their thoughts. Titania looked down at Tee in surprise. Only herself and Oberon were supposed to have access to this place. “King, Queen, we finds where Jareth taken. He was Above with Igraine Lady. King and Morri Queen come here now.” Tee, bowed and disappeared. Titania turned and ran back to the henge. She returned a few moments later with Gwyn and Morrigan. Ishtar approached her daughter and the two women stared each other down before Morrigan suddenly collapsed in her mother’s arms. “You came.”“I could not allow my children to suffer.” Ishtar admitted, hoping her daughter understood. “Can we save him?” The Goblin Queen implored. Morrigan never admitted defeat or weakness. To exhibit such behavior, even among family, revealed how much pain she was in. “I do not know, daughter.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Igraine paced her bedroom. Her husband forcefully escorted her to their chambers several hours before. Their son, Arthur, was snatched from her arms by a group of armed men and carried away by a peasant couple. Jareth intervened and a man she did not recognize struck him unconscious with the hilt of his sword, then he too was carried away. Uther returned to find the men gone and Igraine inconsolable on the steps of the castle, his knights gathered around her protectively. Now, hours later, she found herself locked away in the safety of her chambers. Uther placed guards at her door who pushed her back in the room every time she opened it to leave and she was not talented enough with magic to simply disappear from the room, not anymore. She’d lived among mortals for too long. Her powers waned with every year. Movement in the shadows caught her eye, several goblins emerged and stared up at her. One tiny goblin stepped forward, motioning for Igraine to come close. “Lady. Baby safe. We finds him. No find Jareth. Our King come soon.”Igraine breathed a sigh of relief. She stooped down to pick the goblin up. “What’s your name?”“Lutin, Lady.”“Lutin, please, I wish you and the goblins would take my son to the Labyrinth. Keep him safe for me?”“Lady sure?”“Yes, please go save my son.”All the goblins, but Lutin, disappeared into the shadows. “I stay with you Lady. King say protect you.”“Thank you Lutin.”The little goblin bowed low and returned to the shadows, barely visible and completely silent. Sure of her child’s safety, Igraine collapsed in a heap on the floor and began to cry. When her husband opened her door later, he found her dressed in some of his clothing, buckling on her own armor and weapons from a concealed portion of a trunk at the foot of their bed. She turned to him and finished concealing a blade up her sleeve. She eyed him carefully. He wore his armor and the black varnish set off his blond hair. His dark brown eyes appeared black in the darkened room.“What are you?” He demanded.“I am fae.” Igraine snapped back at him. “My father is Nuada Airgetlám, King of Eire.” “It is because of you our son was taken,” He began. The ire in his voice nearly made her flinch. It wasn’t often the two of them fought.“Before you begin yelling at me husband, remember what I am. I am much stronger than you, iron blades or not. Arthur was taken to lure Jareth out. I have assurances that our son is safe. I am going to save my friend.”Uther grimaced and grabbed his wife, hard, by the arms. “Igraine. Where is our boy?”“In Gwyn ap Nudd’s kingdom. I will retrieve him later.” She pushed him away, still concealing weapons on her person.“Gwyn ap Nudd is waiting for you in the courtyard. He has your family with him. I did not know he was the Goblin King.” His eyes turned pleading and his voice dropped as he followed her out of the room. “Why did you not tell me who you were Igraine?”“Is Morrigan with them?” She said, pointedly ignoring her husband’s question and pulling a dragonsteel blade from a hidden cache in the great hall. More weapons, none made by human hands, appeared and Uther frowned. “She is with my knights. They have an idea of who took Arthur and Jareth. I was sent here to collect you. When were you planning to tell me that you were a fae witch and granddaughter to the Faerie Queen? Why hide all of this from me?”“With these Christians running around burning druids and witches, husband? I never planned on telling you.” She picked up a black cloak and swung it round her shoulders. Uther took his wife’s arm again and pulled her close. The mortal man searched the fae woman’s eyes for any sign of treachery. Finding none, he kissed her and pulled her out the door, ignoring the looks from their servants at seeing their queen dressed in armor. In the courtyard, the servants of the castle were beside themselves. Four obviously non-human creatures stood before them. The fifth, a woman, ordered a horse and departed with a loyal contingent of Uther’s knights moments before. All the servants saw of her was a black hood and red hair as crows and ravens flocked overhead. One of the men stood in the courtyard, surrounded by moving shadows. Days later some of them would swear he looked like the queen’s cousin Gwyn ap Nudd, only this man wore black woad upon his face. The others stood apart, still as statues. The oldest man’s golden hair was tinged with silvery grey at the temples, but his deep blue eyes and aquiline features reflected the strength of youth. The two women, one with black hair and bronze skin, the other with golden-brown hair and green eyes, flanked him. The servants marveled at the creatures. Their queen suddenly seemed less extraordinary in her beauty. The sight of their king and queen emerging from the castle startled most enough to send them back to their tasks, afraid of drawing the attention of either the otherworldly creatures or their masters. Uther Pendragon, more used to dealing with the Immortals, despite his queen’s trickery, bent his knee before the High King and Queen. Titania reached down and pulled the man to his feet. “You do not bow before me, mortal. I am not here to usurp authority. You are King here. I hold to the Accords. I am breaking my own laws appearing on your lands uninvited.”“Then consider yourself and the High King invited to my lands.” The Queen pressed her hand to Uther’s cheek. Both turned to face the Goblin King, who remained surrounded by goblins. All of them chattering quietly, sharing information. Uther drew his attention. “You are Gwyn ap Nudd the Goblin King? Not the King of Dyfed? My wife tells me our son is safe in your lands.”“He is, though she should have chosen her words more carefully when requesting the goblins’ help, Uther Pendragon. My kinsmen and my lands will demand a price for their assistance. And Dyfed is one of the many gateways to my lands, its true king is my younger brother Edern. He has your son.” He turned away from the king to listen to a small, winged goblin that landed on his shoulder. “Morrigan rides west. It would seem Jareth is putting up a fight. He is free of his iron prison.” “If he is still Above, then his captors must be mortal, as you believed Ishtar,” Oberon interjected.
Igraine stepped forward. “The men who attacked us were mortal, but their leader is fae. I have no doubt. If this man left Jareth with them, he wants us to follow.”“He wants my daughter to follow.” Ishtar muttered. The goddess turned to Oberon. “He means to break the peace. If they are killed and one side or the other is blamed, then we will be at war again.”
The goddess turned her attention on the mortal king. “Where is the most secluded source of iron to the west?”Uther considered for a moment. “Coniston, Langdale, or Grasmere. They are small villages amongst the lakes. The proper mines are along the coast, but there are too many people there to hide.”“Grasmere. Helm Crag would allow anyone to see us coming for miles.” Offered Igraine. “Then it is a good thing they will not see us.” Gwyn waved his hand and the goblins encircled them all, the shadows closed over the group and when the servants hovering in the courtyard looked next, all of them were gone. The one man who dared utter, “witchcraft,” was glared into submission immediately. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Morrigan’s horse reared up in the darkness. The pale skin and glimmering blue armor of the pukwudgies frightened the beast. She held up her hand to signal the mortal knights behind her. Their leader cantered up beside her. “My lady, what are these creatures?”“These are my best knights, Sir Lucan. They are pukwudgies.” The half-troll commander of the group stepped towards his queen’s horse. “This is Alfsige, their commander. Alfsige, this is Sir Lucan. Why are you not with your king?”The growling voice that answered her made Lucan’s skin crawl in fear. Goblins haunted the dreams and shadows of every mortal child and Lucan remembered his fears while facing the pale-blue creatures in front of him. “The king is ahead. The goddess believes this is a trap. Your family waits for you to spring it. We are here to provide distraction. Your brother escaped, my queen. Lutin saw him heading towards the lake. He is being chased by men and fae.”“Sir Lucan, circle your men behind and remain unseen, take my horse. My brother will be hurt and we will likely be too exhausted to return home by normal means. If you see the opportunity, take him back to your castle and call for Baba Yaga. She will care for him. Do not offer her anything in exchange. Tell her that I demand her services and only answer the questions that pertain to my brother. Do not let her take him from the castle.”“Yes, my lady.” Lucan waited for Morrigan to dismount and gather her weapons. Then the company of knights galloped off into the darkness, happy to be away from the strange warrior woman and her terrifying creatures. Alfsige took his queen’s arm. “My queen, you must save your strength. Allow me.”Morrigan nodded, a grim scowl on her face. In the next instant, the thirty pukwudgies and their queen vanished into the shadows. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The goblins deposited their king and the other royals at the base of Helm Crag. Ishtar sniffed the air, “Humans, they reek of fear.” She pointed to the top. Gwyn signaled his goblins and disappeared up the side of the crag. The sounds of dying men and cackling goblins echoed a moment later. “It is clear.” Gwyn called down. Igraine grabbed her husband’s shoulder and transported them as the others did the same. From the top, Igraine could see goblins of all shapes and sizes ranging out into the darkness. No creature would come within miles of Grasmere without the Goblin King knowing of it. A reflection of light off pale hair towards the lake caught her eye. “Gwyn, there. Lutin was right.” Igraine pointed at the lakeshore. “And there, Morrigan has arrived.” Oberon pointed to the left of his son where the moonlight shone on pale goblin skin. The pukwudgies had arrived. Larger shadows began moving more intently towards the lake. Before any of them could move to join Morrigan, a second group of warriors attacked the crag. Ishtar and Titania, appearing to be unarmed, were taken on by only a few. Both women quickly dispatched them with well-placed bursts of magic and concealed blades. Turning to join the rest, they found some fifty fae attacking the others. Igraine viciously sliced through the Fae attacking her, her dragonsteel blades cleaving flesh from bone as she fought to get to her husband. Uther, armed with the most dangerous weapon, a blade of cold steel, deftly parried the blows of a dozen warriors. He did not aim for killing blows against the stronger opponents, instead he wounded as many as possible with his iron blade. With iron, he could level the field and allow for the three women fighting around him to kill them outright. Uther blocked a blow and nearly gasped as his beloved, beautiful wife slit the throat of the man, whose eyes widened in shock, nearly decapitating him in the process. The husband and wife locked eyes for a split second and Uther suddenly found himself regretting every cross word he ever directed at her. Oberon and Gwyn were quickly separated from the rest of the group. The attacking men did not register this mistake until it was too late and a flurry of small goblins pounced. Oberon, wielding a curved dragonsteel scimitar, carved through his assailants. Gwyn, carrying a short sword and knife he stole off a Roman in his youth, struck without mercy. The two kings pushed the remaining men towards the women and mortal king before turning their attention back towards the lake. The pukwudgie warriors were under attack. Morrigan’s magic shot through the air in bolts of teal and emerald electricity and the occasional glint of a crystal, lobbed into the darkness, caught the moonlight. Then the sound of her scream followed by a roar of rage echoed around them.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I bet you thought that I would lay down and die, oh no
Demon fangs spitting in my cup all night long
Wield your tongue at my throne of power, oh no
I never for a second thought that I was dead, oh no
I never for a second let you into my head, oh no
I'll take a bow and I'll show you how to survive
Oh No—Goodbye June

If I could control tomorrow’s haze
The darkened shore wouldn’t bother me
If I can’t control the web we weave
My life will be lost in the fallen leaves
Every single move’s uncertain
Don’t tell god your plans
No control
No Control—David Bowie
The pukwudgies surrounded their queen when the sounds of fighting drifted down from the crag above. Morrigan ignored it all and pulled hard on her connection to Jareth. The pained cry to her right sent her tearing across the moor towards the lakeshore. She ripped the small vial Alim gave her from her sleeve and swallowed the foul liquid as she ran, chasing it with the last of the remedy for iron poisoning. Alfsige and his men kept pace with her, despite the significant height differences between them. As they neared the shore, the glint of metal caught the goblins’ attention. Alfsige barely managed to grab his queen and shove her aside as a dagger flew through the darkness towards her chest. He ducked slightly to avoid it himself and signaled to his soldiers to split off and follow the blade’s origin. The rest of the regiment continued following the queen as she barreled toward her brother. On the shore of the lake, a shadowed man held a steel blade to Jareth’s throat. Morrigan’s eyes swept over her brother as she came to a sudden stop. His skin was pallid in the moonlight and his normally azure eyes appeared as grey as her own. The iron poisoning was killing him. Morrigan’s eyes flashed an unearthly green in the moonlight as she faced off with the fae holding her brother on his knees. “Farelin. You dare to harm the son of the High King, the chosen heir of the Goblin King?”The Lord appeared ill himself. His skin drawn tight over his sharp features. Despite his worn appearance, he was still a formidable warrior.“The High King made a mistake in keeping the peace through children. You carry too much power. Too much magic in your veins. We tried to control you. You defied us and now you must die.”“You kidnapped the child as well.”“Igraine should not have been allowed to marry the mortal. Baba Yaga told her centuries ago that her son would be a great king. That boy should have been mine. Not the spawn of a paltry mortal.” Farelin spat. Rage emanated from him in rolling waves of sickly brown magic. Morrigan studied him for a moment, remembering his magic as a deep indigo. Whatever he agreed to in this plot, it damaged him enough to change his magic. Morrigan conjured a crystal behind her back. Alfsige and his men began melting into the shadows surrounding Farelin. “You could not have managed this on your own, Farelin. And only Immortals could attack my parents with such ferocity.” She gestured her head to the crag. Farelin whipped his head around and could not miss the figures of his king and queen and the Unseelie Empress amongst the group above him.“They were not supposed to be here!” His voice betrayed his panic. His words were not directed at Morrigan though, but to someone behind her.She turned and found a man cloaked in shadow only inches behind her. He snatched the crystal from her hands and crushed it. As the moonlight caught his face, she snarled. “Enlil.” The olive-skinned man chuckled. “Yes. Are you surprised Goblin Queen?” “Not especially, Uncle. But mother will be more than happy to see you I am sure. She is whipping herself into a blood rage on the crag. Can you smell her ferocity on the wind? I’ve not felt her this angry since Jareth and I set Jormungandr loose in Babylon. Do you remember how Thor raged? Odin had to throw the poor dragon into the ocean after that. Loki still hates us.” She kept talking, drawing the attention of Farelin and Enlil as the pukwudgies slowly dispatched hidden threats and surrounded them. Once her warriors encircled the four, she stopped chattering about her Norse cousins. “What did you promise this Seelie traitor for his services?”“The boy and his mother. You were my price. Any children you produce could be very powerful if they have the right father.”“And I suppose your boy Enkidu is the right father.”“You were always so incredibly intelligent, my dear. Farelin, kill him.” Farelin made to slit Jareth’s throat as Enlil grabbed Morrigan and plunged a steel dagger into her thigh. She screamed high and loud. Jareth, weak though he was, roared and broke free of Farelin. He snatched the knife from his hand and drove it into his captor’s throat. Suddenly, a contingent of fae and mortal warriors leapt to Farelin’s defense and the pukwudgies attacked them. Jareth stumbled towards his sister throwing weak bolts of magic at anything that got too near. Morrigan ripped the dagger from her leg as Enlil used his magic to wrap steel cords tight around her legs and arms. After a full day fighting off her brother’s iron poisoning, the contact of the real thing on her skin made her crumble. She struggled mightily in her bonds, but the iron leeched her remaining power away. Jareth fell to his knees before her and began pulling at the restraints. Unable to free his sister he turned his attention on his uncle. “Free her now!” He snarled. Before Enlil could retort, the younger man attacked him, swinging fists with a power he should not have. The woman on the ground began to glow an unearthly green as power sizzled in the cool night air. Enlil attempted to dodge the crippling blows of his nephew’s fists. Morrigan’s power grew tenfold and the steel cords binding her snapped one by one. Throwing the steel bands off, she made her way to join her brother, but was suddenly stopped by Farelin, his sword drawn. His throat was wrapped tightly in a torn section of his cloak and his own power radiated off of him in a repulsive tawny aura. Despite the gushing wound in his neck, the fae stood strong before her. Still bleeding from her thigh, Morrigan steadied herself and drew her sword. Farelin lunged at her in an unexpected fury and she barely managed to parry the strike, recovering quickly enough to land a right hook across his jaw. Two centuries of training with battle-hardened Amazons taught her to always do the unexpected when fighting denizens of the Underground. Farelin staggered and then turned on her again this time managing to land a hard blow across her shoulder. Only the strength of her armor deflected the blade, allowing her to remain upright. Morrigan ducked her head and ran full tilt at his midsection, knocking him to the ground. She pulled a crystal from the air and hurled it at his chest. Pulling hard on the deepest reserves of her power she channeled the worst torture hex she could manage into the crystal as it flew. The magic took hold of him and he began writhing in agony. Morrigan stumbled away from the screaming fae lord and struggled to remain standing. She turned and found Jareth brawling with Enlil a few feet away. At the sight of her, Enlil dodged a blow and disappeared. Jareth stumbled as his swing connected with air and Morrigan ran to catch him. The pukwudgies closed ranks around them, fending off attacks from the dwindling men and fae. Alfsige glanced over his shoulder and saw the twins huddled in a heap on the ground. Suddenly, Uther’s knights charged forward out of the early morning fog. Morrigan, with a great deal of assistance from Alfsige, lifted Jareth up onto a waiting horse and the knights galloped off to Pendragon castle. The dawn began to creep along the horizon as Morrigan watched them race towards the sun. She tugged on the connection between herself and Jareth and felt it growing incredibly weak. The sound of continued fighting drew her attention away from the horizon. There were only twelve pukwudgies remaining. And, though their numbers were considerably thinned, some eighty fae and human warriors surrounded them. Blood seeped down Morrigan’s leg underneath her armor, and as Jareth was taken farther away from her, the last of her magic began to fail. A loud crack resounded across the moor. Ishtar appeared out of an eruption of billowing black mist and let loose a volley of magic. Igraine stood at her side fending off any that came too close to the goddess with lethal strokes of her sword. Uther and Oberon flanked the group, cleaving through men and fae. Titania, giggling like a malicious child, flung purple lightning bolts into the chests of her attackers. Surrounded by goblins and sword drawn, Gwyn strode directly through the fray towards his wife. The pukwudgies rallied at the arrival of their king and avidly rejoined the battle. Alfsige hauled his queen to her feet and shoved her into his king’s arms.“Sir, she is bleeding terribly. The knight, Lucan, has her brother. They ride for Pendragon castle. We will finish these pitiful warriors. You take her away.”“It is not very kingly to flee a fight, Alfsige.” The hobgoblin complained as his loyal subjects dismembered an unfortunate man over Alfsige’s shoulder. “Nor is it to let your queen die. Go, I will bring you their heads.” Alfsige gave a wicked fanged smile. “Lutin!” The little goblin appeared at his king’s feet clutching a bloody ear. “Find me a horse now!”The goblin disappeared once more. Gwyn swept his wife off her feet and cradled her in his arms. The sound of hooves on the moor made him turn and he saw a terrified horse galloping towards him, several goblins on its back. Gwyn stood before the creature and it reared instead of riding over him. Lutin climbed atop the frightened creature’s head and looked down at his king. “I finds horse, King.”Gwyn helped Morrigan climb atop the stallion and then swung himself up. He patted the goblin on his head. “Fine work, Lutin. Now, go help the others. Tell them where we have gone and get them to the castle once this is over.” Lutin bowed and then jumped from the horse’s head, a tiny but razor-sharp blade in his hand, and disappeared into the battle. Gwyn spurred the stallion and galloped towards the rising sun. Morrigan passed out as they rode, falling back against Gwyn. He placed a hand on her thigh and drew away blood. Pressing his hand back down, he used his magic to bind the wound. She was losing too much blood and reeked of iron. A quick glance at her face revealed a sickly paleness. He kicked the horse, forcing it to go faster. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lucan burst through the gates of the castle. His men were bruised and bloodied, having fought their way through the battle to reach their unconscious charge. He shouted for help and dropped down from his horse. Several squires appeared at his side and helped him lower the injured fae. A servant arrived with a sheet and the men carefully lowered him into the fabric and then carried him inside. They hurried him into the antechamber off of the great hall and Lucan called for more linens and hot water. Several of the maidservants appeared moments later carrying a bevy of blankets, sheets, and scraps of linen. The cook and a page boy followed, hauling a cauldron full of water towards the fireplace. They quickly set about lighting a fire. The women shooed Lucan away and began cleaning the unconscious man. Remembering what the Goblin Queen told him, Lucan wondered who this Baba Yaga was and how she could possibly help the dying man. He stepped back into the hall and cleared his throat. “Baba Yaga, I summon you here.” A faint smell of spice and sweets wafted through the hall and Lucan found himself staring into the eyes of an ugly crone. Her hair hung in long braids, black with streaks of grey and red running through it. She was slightly hunched over and dressed in a tattered green gown. Her beaked nose and piercing yellow eyes sat above a mouth that grinned maliciously. He thought he glimpsed a set of talons peek out from beneath her robes.“Not often one of your Celtic ilk calls me. How is it you know of Baba Yaga?” She croaked. Lucan forced himself to remain calm and not run away in terror. He’d rather fight the hounds of hell than speak to this woman. Steeling himself, he remembered his instructions. “The Goblin Queen Morrigan demands your presence here. Her brother, Jareth, is in the room there,” he gestured behind him. “He has been poisoned by iron and tortured. I fear he is close to death. The Goblin Queen told me to carry him here and call for your aid.” The witch’s eyes widened and her grin became a grimace. “My darling boy!” She shouted. She hobbled around him and into the antechamber. The women in the room screamed and backed away from the witch. Baba Yaga shook her head and pointed at them. “All those who help me save this boy will earn a boon from me this night. I will grant you all perpetual luck and protection whether he lives or not, but if you help me, and he lives, all of your descendants will share this reward.”The frightened maidservants all looked at each other and returned to their work. Lucan watched as they continued to strip the fae down and clean him with boiling water from the cauldron. Baba Yaga pulled various vials and decanters from the air and applying them to the linens. She tore them into strips and, with the help of the women, began binding Jareth’s wounds. They worked desperately and only the sound of a horse in the courtyard drew Lucan’s attention away.“That will be his sister. Bring her in here as well. I can smell the blood from here.” Baba Yaga called over her shoulder. He quickly left his chair and ran to the courtyard. He found it overrun with goblins of all shapes and sizes and a single horse. The Goblin King gingerly lowered his wife down from the saddle. Lucan ran to his side calling again for aid. The same squires helped carry the unconscious queen into the antechamber. Gwyn stepped in first and blanched. Jareth was as pale as his hair, bound in linen bandages and bundled in front of a fire. Baba Yaga leapt to her feet and directed the maidservants to strip the queen of her armor. Lucan hurried the curious squires out of the room. “I will send in food and drink for you, your grace.”Gwyn only nod his head as he slumped into a chair and grasped his wife’s hand. Once her clothing was removed, he saw how badly she was injured. Her right shoulder was black with bruises and her face bore dozens of small scratches. Her left thigh bled through his conjured bandages and the entire leg was covered in dried and drying blood. Thick red welts wrapped around her body where she was bound by the iron. He silently thanked Hippolyta for giving her dragonsteel armor, otherwise the welts would have been open sores, as Jareth’s were. Baba Yaga fretted over Morrigan and worked quickly. When another maid arrived with wine, bread, and cheese, she bid Gwyn pour two goblets full. “Drink yours down Gwynny boy and then bring me the second.”He did as he was told, crouching next to his wife with the goblet. “Pour it down her throat. The alcohol will deaden the pain I am about to cause her.”Gwyn gingerly lifted Morrigan up into his lap and poured the mead into her mouth. Once the goblet was emptied he set it to the side and, careful not to touch her shoulder, cradled her in his lap. Baba Yaga pulled a long silver knife and tongs from the air and dipped them in several of her tonics. “Ladies, you will need to restrain the boy. I am about to cause her harm and it will wake him. Do not let him out of that bundle. Gwynny boy, hold her down.”Several of the maidservants quickly rushed across the room and pinned Jareth to the floor. Two remained with Baba Yaga and held Morrigan’s legs while Gwyn wrapped his arms around her torso. The witch raised the knife and sliced along the wound on Morrigan’s thigh, opening it back up and making it much bigger. Morrigan jerked at the pain and woke up. Gwyn watched as she registered his face above her and then squeezed her tighter as the witch drove the tongs into the wound. Across the room Jareth bolted awake to the sound of his sister screaming and found himself bound in a sheet and pinned to the floor by several women. Morrigan kept screaming and he managed to turn his head enough, while fighting against the women, to see Baba Yaga digging in her leg with a pair of tongs. He watched, wide-eyed, as the witch pulled the end of a dagger from the gash in his sister’s leg. Then, realizing that Gwyn held her in his arms, Jareth stopped struggling. He tugged on their weakened connection and passed out once more. Morrigan, now shot through with energy, writhed in her husband’s arms and the women holding her legs down. Baba Yaga slapped a hand against one of the welts on her abdomen and she stilled. “Quit struggling girl. I had to take it out. Now, you either pass out or stay still. I must clean the rest of the iron out of the wound.” Baba Yaga snapped at her. Morrigan resolved to remain still but, when the witch produced a decanter of the same brown liquid Alim gave her and poured it into the gash on her leg, she passed out from the pain. Gwyn stroked her hair and squeezed her tight. Baba Yaga allowed him his comfort but shooed him away as she and the maidservants bound Morrigan in a sheet and placed her in front of the fire with her brother. The witch blessed the women in the room and told them to go rest and return in a few hours. Once they were gone she turned her attention on the Goblin King. “Gwyn ap Nudd, you look as though death grips your soul. Take off that armor, boy, and let me get a look at your wounds.”He shrugged out of his armor and began removing his shirt. The only blows he received were to his torso and shoulders. He winced as the fabric caught on something embedded in his shoulder. Baba Yaga immediately yanked it out and cursed. “You did not know that you were stabbed with this!”He shook his head, suddenly dizzy.“Oh, Gwynny, I hope you meant it when you said Jareth would be your heir.” “What do you mean?” “This is the broken remains of a Mawt blade. My kindred in Akkadia use them. There is no antidote to the poison they carry. You have days at best.”“I’m going to die?” “Yes,” She answered sadly. “You are.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Four days passed before either twin awoke. Morrigan opened her eyes to find her mother and Titania staring down at her. She attempted to sit up and both women pressed her back down into the bed. She reluctantly allowed them to do so. Turning her head to take in her surroundings, she found herself in her brother’s chambers in her own castle. A groan next to her on the bed made her turn to find Jareth, still unconscious, beside her. She reached over and took his hand, the pain on his face disappeared and she sighed. Turning back to the women, she realized that they were both scarred along their faces and arms. Iron wounds took much longer to heal. “What happened after Enlil fled,” she managed to croak out. Ishtar’s eyes widened in fury. “We slaughtered his men. Once Gwyn left the field with you, the goblins unleashed a fury I did not know they possessed. Between the pukwudgies and the admirable leadership of Tee and Lutin, we destroyed them. The peace remains. Seelie and Unseelie both witnessed Farelin confess on Avalon. Enlil has vanished. He wrought a terrible vengeance for his defeat though.”Titania gave the goddess a warning glare. One that did not go unnoticed by Morrigan. Before she could inquire further, Baba Yaga appeared at her bedside with Alim. “Ah, you’re awake. Good. I wondered if either of you would wake up before Samhain.”“Baba, you saved us. I knew you would.” Morrigan rasped. “Don’t go singing my praises yet, girl. You are not healed. Only treated. You and Jareth were wounded with cold-forged iron. The only reason either of you breathes yet is because your mother is not fae, Danu’s bloodline makes you weak. If you two had not called upon all the magic you did during the fight, you would have been awake three days ago. You’re lucky the Labyrinth wanted you alive.” Morrigan grimaced. She remembered calling on the Labyrinth, its magic pouring into her, and snapping the steel bands that held her. Jareth did the same, pulling himself from the brink of death to fight their uncle, a fight he was winning. She remembered staggering to her feet after hexing Farelin and watching him batter Enlil. Then Gwyn came and took her away.“Gwyn. Where is he?” Morrigan croaked out, her throat dry. Titania began to cry silently. Ishtar refused to meet her gaze. This time when she made to lift herself they did not stop her. Baba Yaga helped her from the bed, then she and Alim led her out of her brother’s chambers. As she shuffled along the corridor, she realized exactly how exhausted she was. The stairs up to her own chambers were the most painful, but as Titania kept crying behind her, she forced herself to move forward. Climbing the tower took several minutes and nearly cost Morrigan all of her energy.Ishtar moved ahead of them and opened the door, allowing Alim to carry her inside. As her eyes adjusted to the brightness of her chambers, Morrigan saw evidence of sickness everywhere. Bloody sheets lay in a pile by the fireplace where a cauldron of boiling water hung above the fire. Vials and decanters in a myriad of colors were set up on every flat surface. As her eyes traveled to the bed, Morrigan let out a stuttering cry. Gwyn lay upon the bed, a vicious wound bandaged on his left shoulder. Angry red welts radiated from the lesion and his skin was a pallid yellow. Sweat shone across his shirtless form and his brow furrowed in pain. Morrigan pushed away from Alim and hobbled to the bed. She took Gwyn’s right hand into hers and squeezed tight. “Gwyn, please wake up. My love, please.”His eyes fluttered open and he graced her with a winning smile. “My queen awakes. I hoped I would see you before,” he trailed off. “You are not going to die, Gwyn ap Nudd. The Labyrinth would not allow it.”“The Labyrinth has not allowed it yet, my darling. Its magic and the work of Baba Yaga and Alim are all that have kept me alive these past days. Even now, the Labyrinth keeps the pain at bay. I wanted to see you alive and healing before I died.” He pulled his hand from hers and reached up to brush his thumb across her lips. “You will live now, my queen. I saved you.”“And I shall save you.”“No. You must live. Keep the kingdom safe.”He fell unconscious. Morrigan kissed him and, with a strength that shocked everyone in the room, she stood up and marched out. Titania and Ishtar barely managed to keep up with her as she strode out of the castle. In the city, goblins began trailing her as she continued her pace. They sang dirges and keened at the sight of her. Hobgoblins, more violent than their lower cousins, appeared from the very shadows, every one armed to the teeth. They corralled the wailing lower goblins and followed their queen as she hobbled through the city. Every resident of the Labyrinth felt the pain of their queen and stood ready to protect her. At the gates, she finally wobbled, but her mother grabbed her arm and steadied her. Ishtar gently touched the star pendant her daughter still wore and passed a bit of her energy along to her. Morrigan gave her a grim smile and pushed on. As she reached the edge of the Firey Forest, near the heart of the maze, she stopped and took a deep breath. “Labyrinth, you and I must speak.”The familiar brunette woman-creature with the flaming green eyes appeared before her. “Lady of the Labyrinth, you should be with your husband. I can hold him here no longer.”“You will hold him here long enough for me to find a cure.”“There is no cure, my queen.” The woman-creature gave her a look of sadness. “I refuse to believe that. I will do anything to save him.”The woman-creature studied her carefully before responding. “You cannot. You carry his child. I foresee great danger to the babe if you try to save him.” Morrigan’s hands flew to her abdomen. She stared down at her stomach, ‘A child. Everything I ever dreamed of,’ She thought to herself, frowning. ‘But not without Gwyn.’ A hundred thoughts about her brother and husband and unborn child flew through her mind. “You told me once that I would come to lose everything. If he dies, then I lose everything.” Morrigan whispered. “Yes and no. I said you would lose your dreams, child. You need to return to the castle. You can only save one of them. The witch and the wise man have not sensed how close to death your brother is. Would you do anything to save him?”Morrigan staggered, her mother catching her once again. “Jareth is dying?”“He is. Which of them would you save? With my power and yours, with a sacrifice, we could save one of them. You must choose.”Morrigan’s head reeled. Her husband and brother were dying. She was pregnant and recovering from grave injuries herself. Farelin attacked her and Enlil still wanted her dead. ‘How am I supposed to save anyone?’“You have made your decision then. Go back to the castle. You will know what to do.”The woman-creature’s voice startled Morrigan. “Wait. I did not make any decision!”“You did. And it will be done.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

This young man he died fair soon

By the light of a hunter’s moon

‘Twas not by bone, nor yet by blade

Of the berries of the woody nightshade

The Devil and the Huntsman—Sam Lee and Daniel Pemberton

You know so much, it’s making you cry

You refuse to talk, but you think like mad

You’ve cut out your soul and the face of thought

Oh, what have you done?

Oh, what have you done?

Love is Lost—David Bowie
Ishtar carefully studied her daughter as Titania led her back towards the castle. Goblins followed her every step, some running up and touching the hem of her dress, others presenting her with trinkets. Morrigan ignored them all, deep in thought. But Ishtar thanked every single one, accepting the gifts. She grimaced every time her daughter’s hands trailed to her abdomen. Ishtar contemplated the words the Labyrinth spoke. It was a creature that dealt only in riddles. The goddess knew her daughter would emerge from this test a broken woman, whatever she chose. Once they neared the castle, Morrigan was accosted by Baba Yaga and Alim. They led back to her brother’s chambers. She gazed down at him and noticed his color had not returned. It looked as if the very pigment faded from him, turning him into a creature of pale marble rather than the vibrant man she knew. She tugged on their connection and found it to be nothing more than a bare thread between them. He was dying, quickly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sarah, sitting on the bench with Morrigan, watched Jareth closely as his sister spoke and memories played in another crystal. He was in great pain. She suddenly felt empathy for her erstwhile enemy. Morrigan chose him, as evident from his continued existence, and he felt guilty for taking her husband from her. ‘What about the baby?’ Her eyes flicked to Morrigan who appeared calm. There was no mention of a child yet. ‘What happened to the baby?’Sarah returned her gaze to Jareth and the realization hit her. Morrigan always wanted a family. That was her dream. To have a lover and child, a family that would love her and remain with her always, something she and Jareth were denied by their mother. The reason for Jareth’s pain became clear. To save her brother, Morrigan gave up her dreams, her deepest desires. Her sadness disappeared and rage took its place. ‘How could he offer me my dreams in exchange for my brother after what his sister went through?’ She thought. ‘Of all the horrible things to do, I could never give up Toby. No matter how angry he makes me, I will always choose my brother over myself.’“Oh—,” Sarah muttered to herself. Jareth turned to stare at her. She only half paid attention to his sister’s story now, obviously caught up in her own head. ‘What are you thinking Sarah mine?’ He thought. Sarah hadn’t realized she spoke, didn’t know that Jareth now bore holes into her with his eyes. ‘He offered me my dreams as a test. I bet he only lets those who refuse the offer run the Labyrinth. I wonder how many have taken his offer. How many have broken his heart by doing what he believes his sister should have done?’Morrigan noticed her audience had stopped listening. She looked up at her brother and realized he was staring at Sarah, pain and open wonder written on his face. She looked at the girl and saw Sarah working out a puzzle in her mind. “Do you have a question, Sarah?” The goddess’ voice startled Sarah from her train of thought. “What? Oh, yes. But,” She trailed off as she turned to look at Jareth again. Morrigan took one of her hands and squeezed. “It’s alright, ask.”Sarah gulped, her nerves running wild. She locked eyes with Jareth, and suddenly she felt calm. He would answer her, no matter how much it hurt him. The look in his eyes said he would never refuse her anything. She took a deep breath. “You offered me my dreams, Jareth. Morrigan obviously gave up her dream of a family to save you. Do you offer everyone who wishes away a child their dreams? How many of them have taken that offer? How many have done what you think Morrigan should have done?”Jareth’s face fell into a mask of indifference. The only indication her question hurt him was in his eyes, where the deep azure blue flashed silver-grey for a moment. He searched his sister’s face for a way out. She merely smiled at him, encouraging him to answer. “I do offer them all their dreams. And eventually all of them accepted, every single one. Except for you, Sarah. You chose to save your brother. I would never hurt the boy, and he would never have been a goblin. But you didn’t know that. You only knew you had a choice. Let your brother go and live the life you always wanted, or leave it all behind and save him from an unknown fate. And you happily chose him.” Jareth spoke calmly, his voice betrayed none of the pain from his last millennium of existence. “You’ve been trying to prove to her for centuries that she made the wrong choice. And you never forgave her for it. How long ago did this happen? How long have you two been separated by this?” Sarah stood, a little indignant that the Goblin King would torture himself over an impossible choice.Morrigan smiled inwardly, keeping her face schooled. The girl truly was a wonder. She mentally added up the centuries before answering the question. “Time moves a bit differently in the Underground, as I already told you. But it is 1987 by the Gregorian calendar, yes?” The girl nodded her head. “So, this happened around the time the Saxons invaded England.”Sarah jolted, remembering her eighth grade social studies teacher’s rhyme about William the Conqueror in 1066, which meant England was established before that. “Exactly how old are you two?” She practically shouted at them, disturbing the nighttime peace of the park with her voice. Morrigan’s winged companions squawked lightly in the trees around them.Morrigan chuckled. “We were born around the year, hmm,” She did a bit more mental calculation, “200. The Unseelie were secretly supporting the Romans in the Punic Wars, with the promise of human sacrifices in the temples. And they were prolonging the fighting in China between the warring states. The Seelie took offense at the slaughter of innocent humans and helped Hannibal invade and the Emperor Qin come to power. The Romans reneged on their promises soon after and Qin cemented his power, so the Unseelie approached Oberon and Titania for peace.”Sarah gaped at them, doing the math in her head. “What? 200 BC? That means you’re almost 2200 years old. You’d already lived for a thousand years when the Normans invaded?” She slumped down onto the bench again and frowned. Morrigan grinned. “Yes. But even now we are considered young. Our mother has been alive since priests in ancient Mesopotamia burned her humanity out of her, binding her as a goddess. Oberon and Titania were bound around the same time. The fae were made by binding humans to the earth using Danu’s blood. Iron is poison to them because it repels this magic, reacts violently to the blood of her descendants. The gods and goddesses were bound through human sacrifice. They represent aspects of human behavior. They are not weakened by iron as the fae are, but by human disbelief.”“I don’t think I can handle this.” Sarah dropped her head into her hands. Suddenly a new thought popped in her head. “Wait, wait, that means…Hold on. My dad isn’t forty-seven, he’s a thousand. That’s just fucked up. He’s only half-fae, how is he still alive?”Jareth held back a smile at the incredulous look on Sarah’s face. Morrigan kicked him before turning back to the girl. “Your father became Immortal at his death. I performed the ritual myself. Igraine gave up her immortality to save her son.”“And what about Karen?”“She is fae, a dryad. Nymphs, dryads, trolls, etc… they are bound to a specific place. And these bindings make them vulnerable, as they are eternally bound to a single territory, they can wander, but only so far before they are pulled back. Karen is bound to a spring at Cruachan in Ireland. It is one of my holy sites. The Irish used it as a burial ground for their heroes, men and women I appeared to. Odras’ husband was one of the heroes. She brought me her prized bull as tribute so I would allow her to guard over him for eternity. “We became friends and I bound her so she could watch over him, but I didn’t bind her directly to the earth. I wanted to give her a choice, she could remain there forever or wander as she chose, until she needed to come back and replenish herself. Fae like Jareth are bound to the earth itself as they are direct descendants of Danu, who bound her half-human children and supplicants with her own blood as penance. They were the first generation of fae. The second generation, who are born to magic, are restless as a result. The whole earth and all its magic calls to them. Only the magic of the kingdoms can bind a fae like him to a single place. To claim a title is to claim protection against aimlessness.”“What did you bind my dad to?”“His kingdom. He is the ‘Once and Future King’ because he is bound to the ancient borders of his kingdom.”“So Camelot did exist.” Sarah tried to remember the map of hanging in Morgan’s living room. “So he ruled like the entire western half of Great Britain.”“Yes, he certainly outdid himself.” Morrigan grinned. “Would have taken all of England if not for the Saxon invasions.” “But he’s a myth! How does nobody know about him?”Jareth coughed and when Sarah looked at him she saw a Cheshire Cat grin on his face. “I did that with some help. I changed the memories of every human who knew him. Then I reordered time and told his story to the Celts all over France and the British Isles. Made him a legend before he was even born.” Morrigan shook her head at the smug look on her brother’s face. Sarah was shocked, then she abruptly smiled and laughed. “Jareth, that’s brilliant.”The goddess thought her brother would explode at Sarah’s compliment. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Morrigan collapsed onto the Goblin throne, her head in her hands. She sobbed silently for several minutes before a gnarled hand appeared on her knee. She looked up to find Hoggle perched on the dais his eyes streaming tears. “Yer gonna be alright.” “I’m not, Hoggle. I have to make a choice. Jareth and Gwyn are both dying and I have to choose to save one of them. And I might lose my child.”Hoggle staggered back off the dais and gaped at his queen. “Who told you tha’?” “The thrice-damned Labyrinth.”“What?” The dwarf sputtered. “It told me I already made the choice. But I didn’t! I don’t know what to do, Hoggle.”The dwarf staggered back from his queen, more than a little enraged. “You save Gwyn o’ course. He’s yer husband. The father to yer bairn.”“But Jareth is my twin, Hoggle. The other half of my soul. We’ve never been apart in our entire lives. If he dies...”“But yer gonna have a family. Yer never gonna find a man like Gwyn again.”“I would never even look, Hoggle. No matter what I do, something is going to happen to me. I won’t be your queen anymore. I will become something else.”The dwarf could not believe it. He knew the Labyrinth was a tricky, fickle creature, but to force his queen to choose between her twin and her husband, all while risking the life of her child was a new low. In all his long, long life he’d never seen the creature treat its monarchs this way. Whatever Fate had in store, the creature was willing to sacrifice everything it loved to see it through.“How do I choose, Hoggle?”The dwarf sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. He couldn’t help her. If Fate demanded a sacrifice from his queen, it would take one. Morrigan was on her own. “I thinks the Labyrinth is right. You made the choice already. Yer just gonna have to accept it.”Without a second thought, he left the throne room, unable to look at the broken form of his queen. He feared what he would see in her eyes. Afraid of what she would see in his. Morrigan watched him go, saw the slump to his shoulders. Hoggle was right. She’d made her decision. She stood and surveyed the throne room. Positioned at the base of one of the towers, the circular chamber shone with amber light as the sun reflected off the peach colored stone. The banners hanging along the walls bore Gwyn’s sigil, an owl perched on top of a crystal. He once joked that he never would have chosen the symbols if he knew Jareth could turn into an owl and pull crystals from the air. The sound of footsteps interrupted her thoughts. She turned to find Titania leaning against the entryway. Morrigan watched her for a moment before crossing the room. Titania pulled her into a hug and let her sob into her shoulder. “Oh Morri, my darling girl. There is no right choice here. Only the choice you can live with.” She pulled the girl away and forced her to make eye contact. “Who can you survive without, my girl?”Morrigan sniffled and clenched her eyes closed. She let Titania draw her back into another hug and they stayed there for a few moments before the High Queen released her once more. “Go save him, Morrigan. No matter what happens, you will never lose the support of your people or your family.”Morrigan walked up the stairs behind the queen. The adjacent tower held the royal apartments. At the top, her husband lay in excruciating pain, ready to die knowing his wife would care for their kingdom. Below him lay her brother, fading away into nothing, unable to pull himself away from the void. Steeling herself, Morrigan made her decision. The castle shook gently as she climbed, the Labyrinth readying itself for a great exertion of power. The air around her became thick and she placed her hand on the wall of the tower for support. Sparks flew from the wall into her fingers, her entire body absorbing the extra power. Unable to handle it, Morrigan wrenched her hand back and ran the rest of the way. Ishtar looked up when the door to her son’s chambers opened. Morrigan stepped through, her face grim and her magic crackling around her in green bolts of electricity. The goddess stepped away from the bed and moved to stand behind her daughter. The castle rumbled again and Morrigan shuddered. She bent to her knees next to her brother and placed her hands on the floor. Ishtar watched the green magic rolling off her daughter change to black, like her own. The castle kept shuddering as Morrigan drew more and more of the magic into herself. Baba Yaga, Alim, and Titania all appeared in the open doorway. Ishtar glared, daring them to set foot in the room. Once the castle stopped shaking, Morrigan pulled her hands from the floor and lay them across her brother’s chest. He was so pale now, he looked as though someone painted him white. The second Morrigan’s hands touched him, color shot back into his body. His hair returned to its white-blond and his skin to its healthy pink tinge. Morrigan began to shake violently, but she kept her hands on his chest, all of her will bent on healing him. She screamed when she felt something snap within her. Above them in the king’s chambers, goblins began keening, some singing a dirge, others crying out in despair. Their king was dead. Ishtar bent to the floor and saw the blood flowing down her daughter’s thighs. The goddess cried out and made to grab Morrigan, but Baba Yaga ran across the room and wrenched her back. “Don’t touch her. We have to let this happen.”Power continued to roll out of Morrigan and into her brother. Jareth began shaking, his own magic, a shimmering blue, growing stronger and reaching out to mingle with the black waves. Morrigan screamed again when she felt the thin tether tying them together snap. She pulled her hands off her brother and his eyes flew open. He jumped from the bed and knelt next to her. She grabbed his face in her hands and placed her forehead to his. They held each other that way for several moments seeking their connection, now irrevocably broken, until the blood soaking into the floor caught Jareth’s attention. “Morri, what did you do?” He pleaded with her as he pulled her up. She wobbled and collapsed against him. “I saved you. I saved you. I saved you.” She muttered, over and over, sobbing. The magic continued to roll off of her in black waves, growing weaker as Morrigan fell into unconsciousness. Watching her daughter slip away, dying before her, Ishtar ripped herself free of Baba Yaga’s arms and pulled the woman into her arms. “My daughter, you will not die. I will not allow it.” Ishtar knelt to the floor, dipping her hands in the blood of her lost grandchild. Blood was required for what she planned, blood freely given in sacrifice. She let her magic pool around her and pushed it towards Morrigan. “I bind you daughter.” The castle shook violently and the dark-haired woman-creature rose from the floor. “What are you doing, goddess?”“Saving my child. You gave her an impossible choice. Fate will not force me to lose one child and keep another. I choose to save them both.” Ishtar pressed her bloody palm to her daughter’s face, drawing symbols in her native Akkadian across Morrigan’s forehead and cheeks. Morrigan poured all of her power into Jareth, effectively binding him to the lands of the Goblin Kingdom. She ripped away everything that made her fae and gave it to him, gave him the magic in her blood. Jareth was now fully fae and bound to the Labyrinth, all traces of his mother’s power purged from him. Without her connection to the earth, Morrigan would die. Only the tenuous connection to her mother’s godhood kept her breathing. The woman-creature placed a hand on Morrigan’s back adding to the power Ishtar exuded. “You wish to change her destiny. You must bind her to Fate. Make her Fate’s messenger. Bind her to greatness. Make it her obligation to seek out those who can choose their fate. To find those who would sacrifice their dreams as she did.”Ishtar sucked in a breath and poured more of her power into her daughter. “I bind you Morrigan de Anu de Tuatha de Danaan. I bind you to destiny. I bind you to find those who can choose their fate. You will exist to grant them the choice. I bind you to serve them as they will serve you. I bind you to fate, to see it, and grant the worthy the choice to change it. I bind you, Morrigan.” Ishtar continued speaking, this time in Sumerian, then again in Akkadian and Babylonian. She bound her dying child in the languages of all her adherents. Their faith kept the goddess in power, and she would sacrifice it all to save her child.The Labyrinth began its own chant in a language only the oldest of gods would recognize. Power poured from each of them into the unconscious Goblin Queen. The shadowy aura that enveloped Morrigan grew darker, her form shimmering and changing before them. Jareth collapsed on the bed, unable to do anything to save his sister. Suddenly the goddess felt her powers diminish and the Labyrinth disappeared. Baba Yaga grabbed Ishtar as she began to fall. Jareth caught his sister and cradled her against him. He stared at his mother, and then looked to the others in the room. “Why did you let her save me?”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I’m so glad I found you, I’m not gonna lose you
Whatever it takes I will stay here with you
Take it to the good times, see it through the bad times
Whatever it takes here’s what I’m gonna do
Let ‘em say we’re crazy, what do they know
Put your arms around me baby, don’t ever let go
Let the world around us just fall apart
Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now—Starship (I am fully aware of how fucking cheesy this song is…bite me)

Change will come to those who have no fear
But I’m not her, you never were the kind who kept a rule book near
We were like a pair of thieves, tumbled locks and broken codes
You cannot take that away from me, my small reprieve is your heart of gold
We were like a battlefield locked inside a holy war, your love is my due diligence
The only thing worth fighting for
The Only Thing Worth Fighting For—Lera Lynn
 Odras and Arthur sat on the porch swing of the old Victorian house. Wrapped in blankets and holding mugs of hot tea, to any passing human the couple would have appeared normal. But underneath the glamour of Robert and Karen, the dryad and the Fae king waited patiently for their princess to return to her tower. Inside the house, Morgan le Fay stood guard with several dozen goblins over Toby. The toddler, a quickly growing three-year-old, slept soundly. Occasionally, one of the goblins would stand to peek into the crib, cooing quietly over the boy. Morgan thought she heard one of them whisper, “Babe with the power,” at one point but shrugged it off. She too looked normal to any human, but underneath her glamour was the daughter of Lugh and Igraine, a powerful witch. She too waited for the return of the princess. Her choice on this night would determine their futures.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sarah felt glad she was sitting on the bench. She looked quickly between Jareth and Morrigan, coming to terms with the story she heard. Jareth, still pained by his past, struggled to stand still. Pacing the path in front of the bench, he watched his sister, wondering what point telling the story made. Finally, she spoke, her voice still thick with emotion from the memory. “Sarah, when Gwyn died he left Jareth as his heir. The Labyrinth made him run the trials with the other candidates from the kingdom, and when he succeeded it proclaimed him Goblin King. The Labyrinth and my mother saved my life that night too. They bound me to the choice, a chance to choose fate, as I chose mine. I became a goddess, a portent of change. I left the throne of the Goblin Queen empty with no heir.”“But you said the Labyrinth hadn’t had a Goblin Queen for a long time until you.”“Yes, but the Labyrinth predicted my heir would be a great ruler, one who would lead the Goblin Kingdom into battle. Your whole family is bound to me, Sarah. I gave Odras the choice to live for eternity. I gave your father the choice to die on that battlefield by Mordred’s hand. I gave Igraine the choice to gift her immortality to her son and join her beloved Uther. I gave Morgan the choice to return with her brother to Avalon. I gave Linda the choice of marrying a man she didn’t truly love. All of these choices bind me to your family, to anyone I give a choice. They serve me and I them. Odras serves as my friend and I serve as her benefactor. Arthur serves as my knight and I serve as his children’s protector. Igraine served as my sister long before her choice and I served as her release from a long life she did not want. Morgan serves as my student and I, her teacher. Linda served me by giving me a child who could be a Champion in return for her dreams.” Sarah stared at the ground, the gravity of Morrigan’s presence in her life weighing on her. The goddess paused for a moment to let her absorb the information then gently lifted the girl’s chin. “You are a child of choice, Sarah. Fate determined through all the choices of your family and mine that you would be born. Even your birthday was fated. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year and a portent of the shortening days ahead. The solstice is a day of change. You were born under my auspices and I have been granting you choices ever since. You chose fencing and chess lessons over summer camp as a child. You chose your father over your mother when she left. You chose The Labyrinth over a dozen different fairy tales. You chose to say your right words. In doing so you became Champion of the Labyrinth, and the Queen by right of conquest. I claimed you as my chosen heir on the day you were born, Sarah. Your choices led you to earn my choice. You have a double claim on the title of Goblin Queen. And now, when your protection from the Underground fades, a year and a day since your victory, you must choose again.”Jareth stood stock still, realizing the long game Morrigan had been playing, still played. In the several hundred years since he’d last seen his sister she’d been working overtime pushing Fate towards Sarah. Then he remembered why she came to see him the last time. She told him he had to choose. Choose to forgive her for saving him and breaking their bond or choose to let the Goblin Kingdom collapse. Her words stung him and so he ran away from her. ‘She told me then so I could wallow. She lost her husband, baby, and me. And I couldn’t forgive her for that.’ He thought painfully.Sarah cleared her throat, pulling him from his thoughts. She squared her shoulders, a familiar glint of defiance in her eyes. “Alright then, what is my choice?”“Truthfully, you have many paths to choose from. But I foresee two futures ahead of you. Both lead to war in the Underground, which could lead to a dozen different outcomes. On one path, you refuse your claim on the throne and chaos ensues. The other leads to you claiming your title as Goblin Queen and ensuring peace. How you arrive at either of those fates is broken up into hundreds of little choices. But you must choose which path to travel.”Sarah glanced over at Jareth, whose face had yet to crack with the weight of the thoughts behind his dancing blue eyes. Then she looked back to the goddess seated before her. ‘If I choose to ignore my right as Champion of the Labyrinth to claim the throne and help the Underground into war, what will happen? No matter what she says about uncertainty, war usually ends up with a lot of people dead. What if Hoggle, Didymus, or Ludo died? I couldn’t do that. But if I claim the title, what does that mean? She says both choices lead to war, but would I have to marry Jareth? He can’t stand me, and no matter what my hormones are saying, I really can’t stand him.’ She grimaced and shook her head trying to jumble her thoughts loose, looking for a way to navigate the choice. ‘She said I will make hundreds of little choices on my chosen path. All I have to do today is say I will claim the title, not when I will claim it. Things could change. Jareth and I could become friends. He obviously cares about his people, otherwise he wouldn’t still be here.’Sarah sighed and turned her head skyward. She looked to the stars hoping they’d show her that she made the right decision. Finding nothing, she looked back at the fae king and the goddess. “You said hundreds of little decisions. So all I have to choose is the path and then from there I’ll have to make little choices which push me down the path.”“Yes.”“Well I won’t risk my friends dying because the Underground goes to war over me being scared of a silly title. I will claim my right as Champion of the Labyrinth.” Jareth snapped to attention next to her. His eyes searching her face for the real answer. His Sarah would never willingly bow down to Fate, not without a fight. Morrigan’s magic began to glitter in a black aura that engulfed her person. “But, I do not claim it now. I will become the Goblin Queen, but I don’t know when. I love the Labyrinth and my friends, but I’m just not sure I could stop being Sarah Williams overnight and become Sarah Pendragon, Goblin Queen. I want to spend some time figuring myself out, making mistakes as a teenager. Dad will train me to be a princess. Karen is training me to be a strong woman. And Morgan is training me to be a warrior. I assume you two will be making appearances to help me. So I choose the path, but reserve the right to live my life as I see fit.”Morrigan beamed with pride and Jareth retreated into himself. He resolved to wait. A year ago she was too young to keep, and she knew it now. He could wait until she was ready, making it clear how he felt along the way. She was sixteen now, but in a few years the mortal girl would grow up and become a woman. He shuddered to think about how dangerous she would be. The Underground would welcome back a different Sarah. ‘But what about the boy?’“Morri, what about the boy? Will Arthur and Odras return with Sarah when the time comes?” Jareth questioned, calmly.Sarah bristled, she hadn’t thought about that. “What is my dad even doing here in the first place? Why settle down in upstate New York and become a lawyer? He could be a Wall Street CEO or a European Prince.”Morrigan grinned. “He wanted to be normal for a time. He spent years going on adventures across both realms. He’s fought demons, slain dragons, rescued princesses, and secured justice. Thirty years ago he decided his next big adventure would be mundanity. He wanted a nice quiet, normal mortal life with a wife and children. Unfortunately for him, normality is relative.”“He’s happy now. If they decide to stay I won’t change their minds for them.” Sarah stated.Jareth was proud of her. She really did change in the Labyrinth. The spoiled brat was gone and in her place was a young woman who could rule a kingdom. He noticed her shiver under the blanket he brought for her. He took off his jacket and passed it to her. She looked a bit shocked but put it on and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders again. “Thank you, Jareth.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Gawain and Owain stood at the head of the path which led to the park, waiting. Their breath became fog in the increasingly cold night air. But they would wait all night if necessary. The brothers did not trust Jareth. Morrigan was their mother’s teacher. They grew up with her, knew how to navigate her capricious and brutal nature. Jareth was less familiar. He spent a lot of time with Arthur and their mother, but never really paid much attention to Morgan’s children. The rumors of his love life and cruelty from court made them feel extra protective over their young cousin. Sarah beat him once already, but now her protection was up and they weren’t sure what Jareth would do. So the brothers waited in the cold for the goddess to return their cousin. The clock chimed the eighth strike of midnight when a figure emerged from the mist. As it neared, Morrigan’s cloak gave her away. The brothers searched behind her for their cousin, upset to see neither she nor Jareth were there.“Where is Sarah?” Owain spoke calmly. The clock chimed its ninth bell. “She is with my brother. They are speaking in private about what Sarah decided. They will be here before the last strike. I am going to return to the house, I must speak with Arthur and Odras. Do not pester them. Sarah has had a trying night, and my brother has relived some of the worst pain in his life, neither of them will be in the mood for overprotective knights in shining armor.” She glared at them to make her point clear. Morrigan studied the boys she saw grow up so long ago. Owain, built like his father King Urien, was broad shouldered and his red hair and beard supported a strong jaw. He sometimes looked more like a bear than a man with his golden brown eyes. Gawain was taller than his brother, his muscle affixed to long, lean limbs. He, like his half-sister Morfydd, shared his mother’s blond hair and the deep blue-green eyes of their grandfather, Lugh. But Gawain and his brother Mordred took after their father, King Lot, much to Morgan’s chagrin. Her relationship with the king was tumultuous and he fathered a dozen children with other women while married to her. Her sons with Lot were reflections of each other, one with her hair and eyes and the other with his. Both shared the face of their father, aquiline nose and a strong chin. Mordred carried the black hair and dark brown eyes of his father, traits none of Morgan’s other children shared. He was separated by his youth and by his physical differences from day one. Morrigan remembered standing before him, offering the choice for eternal glory or happiness and the pain she felt when he opted for glory. A path that led him to fatally wound his beloved uncle and disappear, mortally wounded and in agony, from the battlefield. The goddess had her suspicions about who cursed the boy, but could prove nothing. Troubled by her memories, Morrigan bid the brothers a good night and melted into the darkness behind them. The last three chimes of midnight felt like an eternity to wait. But the brothers had already lost one family member to the enchantments of an unknown creature of the Underground. They would stand guard over their cousin in penitence for their brother. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Morrigan led the way back through the park towards Sarah’s house. Jareth felt the cold creep along his skin, but it disappeared when he looked at Sarah and saw she no longer shivered. Midnight began to chime and Jareth realized Sarah’s protection from Fae interference as a mortal Champion of the Labyrinth would end at the final bell toll, a marker of the sun’s passage to the other side of the earth. He placed a gentle hand on her elbow and motioned for her to stop. Using magic, he paused time around the two of them between the eighth and ninth chimes of the clock. Then he drew a crystal from the air, and placing it on his palm, he reached inside and drew out a necklace. On it were several charms: an owl, a tiny crystal, a maze, and a castle. Sarah watched him, transfixed by the way he deftly manipulated his magic, something she was unable to do. When he offered her the necklace, she happily lifted her hair and allowed him to fasten it around her neck. She fiddled with the charms and found that each released a different feeling of magic along her fingertips. “What is this for, Jareth?”“Your protection ends at the final stroke of midnight as the sun reaches its farthest point away from you, a kind of old magic. But since you acknowledged your intent to become my queen, I feel it necessary to remind any creatures of the Underground of your identity. It may not save your life with some Fae, but it will certainly give them pause. I spelled it for protection as well. And until you’ve trained enough to transport yourself, the charms can channel some of the Labyrinth’s magic to send you somewhere.”“So each charm will send me somewhere different? The castle is obvious, but what about the others?”“Yes the castle will drop you into the Escher room, where you can lose any unwanted guests. The maze will send you to any place in the Labyrinth you want. The crystal will send you anywhere Above or Underground as long as you are specific enough. And the owl will send you to me.” As he listed the charms she held each one, testing the magic they channeled. When she concentrated on the owl, she saw Jareth’s own pendant glow. “Thank you. I’m really bad at all the magic stuff. Morgan wants me to be able to use it when I fight, but all I seem to do is direct massive waves of energy out.” She flung her arms wide to demonstrate and a shimmering arc of crimson burst from her, dissipating in the foggy midnight air. “Half the time I don’t even hit Gawain or Owain with it.” She placed a hand on her necklace again. “This is elegant magic. I’m not sure I’ll ever be patient enough to create something like this.”Jareth smiled down at her, watching her play with the necklace. “When Baba Yaga taught Morrigan and myself to use magic as children, she said I had the finesse of a beached whale. She told me to start small. Had me trying to light candles or shut doors for nearly two years. Then one day she sent me outside and told me to knock a bucket off of a stump. I did it every day for another three years. Using magic is all about thinking small. Don’t try to make anything too big or push too hard, just knock the bucket off the stump.”“Hmm. That’s actually good advice.” Sarah mused. Then realizing she was playing with her necklace, she dropped it back to her chest and blushed. Jareth saw her embarrassment at being alone with him and took a half step away from her. He reached his hand out and took her arm in his. “Come now, let’s get you inside. I’m sure your cousins and father are not very happy we’re out here alone.”“As if they know, Jareth. You reordered time. I’ve been waiting for the ninth chime on that clock for a while now.” Sarah quirked an eyebrow at him. She could recognize the feel of magic now. Especially his, which fluttered against her skin like feathers. “Ah, you caught me. I wanted to have a moment alone with a pretty girl in the moonlight.” He teased, but the heated gleam in his eye revealed the truth of his words. She laughed as the ninth chime sounded and allowed him to lead her back up the path. They fell into a comfortable silence. When they reached the head of the path at the twelfth chime and found Owain and Gawain waiting for them, Sarah bristled. “About time. Come on Sarah, we’ll walk you home.” Gawain moved to step between his cousin and the Goblin King.“Jareth is already walking me home. You two can go on back, we’re fine.” Sarah scolded, entirely unimpressed with Gawain’s display. Especially since he spent most of the previous year making sure she could defend herself against the likes of Jareth. She wrapped her arm tighter around the Goblin King’s and, pulling him with her, pushed past Gawain towards her house. Owain raised his eyebrows and Gawain glowered at her. When younger brother made to speak, Owain interrupted him. “Then we’ll tag along. Don’t want Uncle Arthur taking a swing at the Goblin King tonight.” He chuckled, eternally unflappable, like his mother. Gawain glared at the back of his brother’s head as he allowed Jareth and Sarah to walk past and then glared at Jareth’s head as his brother dragged him along behind them. As they walked back to the house, Sarah kept looking over her shoulder at her cousins. Jareth noticed and let her arm go, which made Gawain smirk. He claimed his small victory, thinking he intimidated the Goblin King, when Jareth draped his arm around Sarah’s shoulders pulled her close to him, instead. Sarah glared at him, but didn’t try to escape. ‘What is it with men?’ She thought to herself. ‘Always trying to one-up each other.’ She sighed.Sarah remained lost in her thoughts until they reached her porch. At the sight of his daughter and nephews, Arthur stood from the porch swing. Odras went inside when the clock began chiming midnight. The Once and Future King frowned at the arm draped around his daughter’s shoulders and the coat she wore. As she came up the stairs he saw the necklace and raised an eyebrow. Jareth caught his eye and gave a smug grin, but he removed his arm and bid Sarah good night. Owain led her inside towards the kitchen and Gawain made a point of stepping in between his uncle and the Goblin King as he followed his brother. Jareth turned to look at Arthur. Without the glamour, he appeared no older than thirty-five, faint traces of silver shot through his blond hair, the same as the last time Jareth saw him. He remembered the little boy who used to chase goblins through his castle and then the young warrior who come to him for help when Morgan was captured by the Saxons. He smiled at the memory. They rode the horses to exhaustion chasing the Saxons, and when they caught up to them Morgan had all fifty of the marauding Vikings cowering. “What are your intentions with my daughter, Jareth?” Arthur asked, using his ‘King’ voice, demanding and a bit pretentious. Jareth thought he sounded like his grandfather, Nuada. His stepbrother commanded respect just with the sound of his voice. “Arthur— “Jareth began, his own voice more uncertain than he cared to admit. “Oh, no. None of that. I’ve known you my whole life, Jareth. I know you. I even helped you run away from one or two enraged lovers. But this is my child. My first born. My daughter. I don’t care what Morrigan says about fate or destiny putting you two together. She’s just a child.”“I know.” Jareth leaned his head back and ran a hand through his hair, his eyes fixed on the porch roof. “But Morrigan had no idea I would react to her like this. She only thought to create the perfect heir and queen for the Labyrinth, and ended up creating someone I could never let go. I’ve been watching her for a long time, since she first started acting out that damned play. I was intrigued. I didn’t recognize you or Odras because I was fixated on her. And then she wished away the boy. I lost my head when she was in the Labyrinth. I knew I would never find another woman like her. But she was too young. She still is. I would never have kept her. I would have returned her here no matter what. But now…” “But now, what?” Arthur stopped his rambling. “Why is Morrigan insisting she be trained? What is going on Underground?”“Oberon thinks Enlil is gathering the Unseelie for another war. No one has seen Baba Yaga in nearly a century and the dragons have retreated into the nests in the Carpathians.”“Quetzacoatl tells me there have been raids on the Seelie territories in Mexico, Chupacabras attacking humans in broad daylight.” Arthur interjected. “He’s worried that Pachamama is losing control.”Jareth nodded solemnly. “Gilgamesh sent word to me last month. The Djinn were spotted passing between the realms again. The Unseelie are splintering too. Vishnu and Shiva have a full blown rebellion on their hands. Someone is stirring the pot, as the mortals say.”Arthur hummed, all his old skills as a leader thrumming to life with the information. It wasn’t often he missed his previous life as a King and general. Knowing his daughter would be at the center of this though, and with the possibility of Enlil’s death finally at hand, made him settle into his old habits. “And my mother is growing incredibly weak. She’s not been at her full strength since she bound Morrigan. But now,” Jareth sighed. “It’s as though the life is being drained from her. Titania has her shielded on Avalon and she still fades. And most of the Unseelie will not stand by my brother without my mother’s leadership, despite my other siblings rallying to his side. Morrigan foresees war and Sarah drawn into it. She gave her a choice, refuse her title and plunge into uncertainty, or claim it and fight.”Arthur sighed deeply. “I know my daughter. She chose to fight. When are we leaving?”Jareth chuckled and placed a hand on Arthur’s shoulder. “You honestly think she would make something that simple? This is Sarah we are dealing with. She said she will claim the title, become the Goblin Queen. But she did not say when. She wants to remain here, live her life, and only when she decides she is ready is she going to return with me to rule.”Arthur broke into a wide smile and pulled Jareth into a hug, clapping him hard on the back. Gone was the overly concerned father of a teenaged girl. The Goblin King’s friend had finally returned. Jareth knew the man wanted to search the depth of his feelings for Sarah. It was obvious Arthur felt resigned to his daughter’s fate, obviously relieved Jareth was the one she had at her side in all this. Arthur then pulled away, both hands on Jareth’s shoulders. “That’s my girl. She’s been contentious since birth. She always finds a way to get what she wants, no matter what. You are going to have to play the long game this time. My daughter will fight you every step of the way. But it could be worse, she could be interested in one of the boys at her school. Those mortals are positively atrocious. I think chivalry has well and truly died.” Arthur lamented. Jareth dropped his smile at the mention of mortal boys. ‘None of them are going to lay a finger on her.’ He thought, angrily. Arthur noticed the sudden change of demeanor in his friend and could not resist the opportunity to tease him. “I wouldn’t worry about the teenagers in this town, Jareth. Sarah refused you. Do you honestly think any mortal boy could draw her eye?”“It’s not her eyes I’m concerned about.”“Well, between you, Gawain, and Owain, I think my poor daughter is going to find that any boy in this town is terrified of her.”“Yes, especially if goblins are tormenting them.” Jareth smiled wickedly.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I have my own life and I am stronger

Than you know

But I carry this feeling

When you walked into my house

That you won’t be walking out the door

Still I carry this feeling

n you walked into my house

That you won’t be walking out the door

Leather and Lace—Stevie Nicks & Don Henley

The farther I fall, I’m beside you

As lost as I get, I will find you

The deeper the wound, I’m inside you

Forever and ever I’m a part of

You and me

We’re in this tog

None of them can stop us now

We will make it through somehow

You and me

If the world should break in two

Until the very end of me

Until the very end of you

We’re in this together now—Nine Inch Nails
 The first few weeks after Sarah’s protection ended were tense. Her trip to the Underground revealed her existence. As the un-bonded and unwed Queen-elect of the Labyrinth, who was also in line to the Faerie throne and heir to Camelot, she could tip power in the court towards one family or another. There was nothing to stop someone kidnapping her, then invading the Goblin Kingdom on the premise of claiming her title as its queen or using her against the Seelie court. The Unseelie were a different matter entirely. Returning Above after her victory over Jareth, she triggered an old protection. A year and a day, free from Immortal interference in her life, though the rule bent because of her family. The All Souls Day visit from Morrigan and Jareth as her protection ended was allowed as Jareth had the right to seek out his new co-ruler.For the month before school ended for winter break, her cousins and aunt took turns shuttling her back and forth to watch over her. No denizen of the Underground worth its salt would do anything in full view of mortals. Goblins roamed the shadows of the hallways with her playing tricks on the teachers and students. Increasingly annoyed with their antics, Sarah’s final straw was when Matthew Powers, son of her father’s former boss and her first cousin, “accidentally” bumped into Sarah in the hallway between periods. Sarah’s friend Melissa grabbed her arm and kept her from falling. When Matthew turned to see who he ran into, he sneered at her and called her “Ice Princess.” Sarah ignored him, as usual, and dragged Melissa into their Algebra class. By the end of the period, everyone stood in the hallways watching as paramedics rolled Matthew away on a gurney. He was strapped down, his clothes ripped and his hair wild, screaming about shadows attacking him. When Sarah went home that afternoon, she grabbed firmly onto her owl charm. She instantly found herself standing in an unfamiliar room. Confused, she looked around and realized she was in a bedroom. She blushed furiously and began looking for a door only to fling the first one open and find a shirtless Goblin King lounging in a chair before a fireplace. He looked up, confused and then grinned maliciously when he found Sarah, pink-cheeked, standing in his sitting room. He stood and stalked towards her like a predator. “I see you used the charm. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” His voice came out as a caress. The color in her cheeks grew darker. Sarah stepped backward from him and remembered why she was there. “The goblins attacked a boy at my school today. They sent him to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation.”Jareth’s grin turned into a full blown smile. “I’m aware. I was told he nearly knocked you down and then insulted you. I have done as you asked and ordered them not to seriously hurt anyone, but if they determine you are threatened, I cannot be responsible for them. They are following you around without my permission as it is. Goblins are tenacious little creatures and you are their queen.”“Then how do I convince them not to attack every bully who calls me a nasty name?” She griped, exasperated by the stress of constant surveillance and the threat of violence from magical creatures that used to be in her imagination.Jareth gently pushed past her into his bedroom and pulled a shirt from a wardrobe on the far wall. He drew it over his head and sat on the edge of his bed to slide his boots on. Sarah watched him, confused. Then he walked back into the sitting room and picked up his riding crop. He drew on a pair of gloves and reached for her hand. “Come, precious, let us go fix your problem.”Wary, she took his hand, gasping when he pulled her close to him. She blinked and found herself standing in the throne room. The room was filthy, coated in several centuries’ worth of grime and, she honestly didn’t want to know what some of the residue was. Goblins stumbled around drunkenly, occasionally hitting one another when they strayed too close. Jareth let her go and flopped into his throne, legs draped over the armrest. “Alright, Sarah mine, show them their queen is unhappy. Make them obey you.” He absentmindedly tapped the riding crop against his boots. She furrowed her brow, “How am I supposed to do that?” “Get their attention.”Sarah turned away from him and looked around the room. Her presence surprised most of the goblins and they were calmly staring up at her. She recognized one of them, Tee, and gave him a big smile. The little goblin looked like a gremlin, and she wondered, again, if he ever paid a visit to the movie’s production department. He marched over to her and bowed low. “Lady Sarah, whats you doing here?”“I need to have a talk with the goblins who’ve been following me, Tee.” The goblin nodded solemnly and turned to face his brethren. He let out an ear piercing screech and suddenly every goblin, brownie, and sprite in the room had their attention fully on the young woman standing in front of their king. Jareth’s face scrunched up in annoyance. “Was that entirely necessary, Tee.” He growled, rubbing his temples. The little goblin dropped his head, “Sorry king.”Sarah pat him on the head, “Don’t listen to him. You did a good job, just warn us next time.” The little goblin grinned and puffed up his chest. Sarah giggled at him and then cleared her throat to address the goblins. ‘What would Jareth do?’ She thought. “Alright listen here you little cretins. I want you to spread the word. Anyone of you that has decided to be part of my protection squad cannot mess with any of the humans in my life without asking my permission first. You can’t attack every person who tries to bully me. If I even suspect you’ve tied someone’s shoelaces together or stolen a piece of chalk, I will personally bog every single one of you.”Jareth grinned at her imperious tone and impressive glare. The goblins all looked at him, then back to Sarah, and again back to him. He stood and placed himself behind Sarah, a hand on her shoulder. “Any of you she cannot catch, I will. I rather like the idea of bogging all of you and then banishing you to the mountains until you stop stinking.”He tapped the side of his nose, a feral smile on his lips. Sarah glanced up at him and a similar look of malicious glee entered her eyes. The goblins looked especially terrified and every single one of them bowed. Feeling drunk on the power, Sarah took a step away from Jareth and placed her hands on her hips. “And I want you all to scrub this room top to bottom. When I come back this room had better shine!” Throwing an evil grin over her shoulder to Jareth, whose eyes were narrowed at her, she grasped the crystal charm and firmly planted the image of her parents’ kitchen in her mind. She disappeared. The next two weeks passed easily. Sarah endured a week at school and then a week of break with Morgan and Morrigan both pushing her hard, making her train from dawn until well past midnight. They finally relented when she fell asleep with her head perilously close to an open flame during a magic lesson. Gawain carried her across the street and then helped Karen tuck her into her bed. As he moved to exit the room, he noticed movement outside her window. He walked over and saw a barn owl in the tree outside. He rolled his eyes and opened the window, beckoning the Goblin King inside. The bird flapped forward and a man appeared in its place. Jareth raised his eyebrows at Gawain who shrugged. “She told me you let her boss the goblins around, came back humming and dancing around. Haven’t seen her that happy in months. She’s been miserable the last couple weeks. I wanted you to see so you can talk your sister into letting her have a few days off. Even if that means taking a trip Underground with you.” Jareth studied the younger man. Gawain had been through much in his nine centuries of life. But it was obvious he still placed his family before all other obligations and grudges. If Sarah needed time off and Jareth could secure it, then Gawain would make nice with the Goblin King. “Hmm. What about the Solstice and Christmas?”“The Solstice is four days away, Jareth. I will come with her and make sure she comes home in time for the holiday.”Sarah mumbled and rolled over in her sleep and both men watched her carefully. Gawain caught the words “peach” and “dancing.” Jareth chuckled, realizing what she was dreaming about and pulled a crystal from the air. He placed it on the nightstand next to her with a note. “Let us go downstairs and convince your aunt and uncle to let her come for a few days. Your mother knows the importance of taking a break and Morrigan won’t argue with me. Besides, our dear Sarah made some threats against my subjects. I’m rather excited so see her carry out their punishments.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 17, 1987
Sarah woke up to sunlight streaming in her window. Groaning, she sat up, realizing she still wore her clothes from the day before. She made to grab her glass of water, knowing her stepmother would have left it on the nightstand for her, and found a crystal. She picked it up and turned it, surprised to see the image of the mirrored ballroom inside. She looked closer and found it frozen on the moment Jareth took her in his arms to dance. She smiled and then noticed the piece of paper.
Sarah,

Gawain informs me my sister and your aunt have driven you to exhaustion. This is unacceptable, you are supposed to be enjoying your winter break from that tedious mortal school. I have taken the liberty of speaking to your parents and, perhaps, shouting at my sister to remind them of this fact. You are a young woman and, no matter what your vulnerabilities may be, you chose to enjoy your life before claiming your throne.

I offer you a brief respite from your training and invite you to spend a few days in the Goblin Kingdom with me. Gawain will accompany you, and you can admire the goblins’ handiwork. They have indeed cleaned my throne room, and were so eager to please you that they turned their attention on the rest of the castle and the Goblin City. The Labyrinth has even joined in and redone itself in gleaming marble and sandstone. If you accept my invitation, I will return you in time for the Solstice.

Yours, forever,

J
Sarah laid back on her bed and reread the letter again while twirling the crystal in her left hand, watching different scenes from the ballroom dream play out. A knock on her door broke her reverie and she sat up, shoving the letter under her pillow and placing the crystal on her nightstand. “Come in.” Karen burst into the room with an empty suitcase. Toby trailed behind his mother carrying Lancelot the teddy bear, hand in hand with a tiny goblin. “Sarah, I’m glad you’re finally awake. I’ve told Morrigan for weeks that they were pushing you too hard. Magic takes time. Then Gawain marches Jareth into the kitchen last night and says they have a plan to give you a break. Your father tried to argue, but I put my foot down. You need a break. He can’t say no, Gawain is going with you and your friends will be there. I think Didymus would castrate Jareth if he did anything to you.”Blushing at the mention of castration, Sarah hid her face by picking up Toby and the little goblin and setting them next to her on her bed. Karen flung open her closet and began packing clothes while her stepdaughter entertained her brother. “Hey ya, Tobes. Who’s this?”The toddler placed a hand on his companion’s head. “Looootin.”The goblin arched like a cat while Toby petted him, snuggling closer to the boy. Sarah smiled and stuck her hand out. The little goblin climbed into her hand and bowed. “Lutin, huh? Are you here to protect me?”“No. Here for boy. He plays like goblins. King like boy. Tell goblins to keep boy happy. We come and boy plays with us. We protect him.”“Well, thank you for taking care of my brother, Lutin. You’re as brave as any knight. I think I’ll speak to Jareth about making you Sir Lutin, knight of the…” She trailed off then her eyes caught sight of Lancelot. “Knight of the Order of the Bear.”The little goblin puffed out his chest and bowed to Sarah. She set him down on the bed and dropped into a curtsy. Lutin walked across the bed back to Toby who began puppeting the teddy bear into a mock fight with the goblin. Sarah stood and looked at the clothes her stepmother packed into her suitcase. She picked up one of the shirts and grimaced. “Karen, this is all of my nice clothing. I don’t want to ruin any of this while I’m there. My jeans barely made it through the last trip. I’m not sure any of this will survive.”The dryad stood back and looked at the clothing, she began taking out most of the items and pulling different ones from Sarah’s dresser. “Hmm. You’re right. Well, let’s pack that blue chiffon dress your mother sent you from Paris. And at least four pair of jeans. Oh, I have no idea what that prancing fairy fop has planned so I don’t know what to send with you.”Sarah chuckled and noticed someone leaning against the door jamb. Jareth had his eyes on Toby, making faces at the boy, who began laughing hysterically. Karen noticed him a second later and watched the Goblin King tease her son. ‘He really is good with children. He’ll make a wonderful father.’ She mused. Sarah noticed the look on her stepmother’s face and similar thoughts crossed her mind. She shook her head when an image of herself, heavily pregnant, popped into her head. She pushed that image far, far away and signaled for the Goblin King’s attention. “Jareth, I need to know what to pack.”The Goblin King didn’t break eye contact with the toddler on Sarah’s bed. He pulled a ridiculous face before acknowledging she asked him a question. “Bring a few things you are comfortable in. Anything else can be provided for you. The seamstresses in the Goblin City have been harassing me for weeks asking what your favorite colors are and what you normally wear up here.”“I’m only going to be there four days. How fast can they sew?”“Most of them are elves, precious. They love making clothing, and toys for that matter. When one of my councilors got married last year, they created a wedding dress overnight for the bride.”“Okay. Karen, I don’t think I’m going to need the suitcase. I’ll just grab my big duffle from downstairs. I promised Hoggle I’d bring him some things.”Jareth moved as the women left the room, Karen carrying the suitcase towards her bedroom and Sarah skipping down the stairs. He turned his attention on the toddler, who curled up on Sarah’s bed. Lutin snuggled up next to his belly and both of them began softly snoring. Jareth picked up Lancelot and placed him on the other side of the goblin. He noticed the crystal he gave Sarah was gone and then saw the corner of his letter peeking out from under her pillow. Sarah waltzed back into the room carrying a duffle bag and began filling it with clothing. Careful not to wake the sleeping goblin and toddler, Jareth sat on the edge of her bed. “You seem excited, Sarah. Are you truly so eager to spend time with me?”She paused and turned to look at him, then resumed packing. “I am actually. I’m excited to see my friends. And you said the goblins went on a cleaning spree, which means it will be even more beautiful. Plus, I figure you’re going to give me a tour, and I really want to see the rest of the kingdom. Hoggle told me it’s bigger than just the Labyrinth. And who better to see it with than the king?”The less chivalrous part of Jareth smiled wickedly at the chance to ditch Gawain and spend time alone with the teenager. The rest of him smiled proudly at Sarah’s appreciation of her new kingdom. Her excitement was palpable. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Three days later, Sarah sat in the castle library stuffing books into her duffle bag. Jareth showed her the room on her first day and she nearly swooned. Jareth and Gawain had to bribe her to leave the room on more than one occasion with promises of glorious sights and adventures around the kingdom. She stuffed a tome on goblin history in and caught movement in her peripheral vision. She turned to find Jareth watching her, amusement written all over his face. “Stealing books from me, precious?”“No. Borrowing. I have a feeling I’m going to need several trips like this before your sister and my aunt are through with me. I fully intend to return them.” He crossed the room from the doorway and perused the pile she was still packing away. “Most of these are in Goblyn, Sarah. Can you read them?” “Yes,” She admitted. “I noticed that last year. Works with other languages too. I think it was a gift the Labyrinth gave me. I went from a C to an A in French class. Madame Remy thought I cheated. I lied and told her my dad took pity on me and started helping me. I didn’t know then that he actually is fluent, but she bought it anyway.”“Languages are a bit of a fae talent, among other things.” He winked at her, earning a truly dramatic eye roll in return. “The fae part of you woke up when you ran the Labyrinth. Most mixed blood humans do not discover their latent talents until well into their third decade, all the iron in your world interferes with their magical development. But, precious, since you are filling your bag with books, where do you plan on putting your clothes?”Sarah blushed a little and looked up at him. “I’m leaving them here. Like I said, I’m probably going to visit pretty regularly and it just makes sense to leave some things here.” “I am glad you plan on seeing me more often.” He graced her with a genuine smile. His eyes softened and leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead. She surprised him by wrapping her arms around him in a hug. “I said I would come here and be the queen, Jareth. I hope we can build a friendship before that.”He gently pulled away from her and made to leave the room. “I hope so too, precious. But I think we can never be just friends.” He let his meaning sink in and smirked when she blushed. “Dinner is ready downstairs.”And with that, he walked away.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

This night ain’t for the faint of heart
For the faint of heart, for the faint of heart
This night ain’t for the faint of heart
Cause the faint of heart gonna fall apart
Wicked Ones—Dorothy

Prove yourself and
Rise, Rise
Make ‘em remember you;
Rise
Push through hell and
Rise, Rise
They will remember you;
Rise
Rise—League of Legends, The Glitch Mob, and Mako

After her first trip to the Goblin Kingdom, time flew by for Sarah. Within weeks, she received dozens of brochures from colleges all over the world. Arthur promised she could go to any school she wanted to. He only practiced as a lawyer as a hobby, not out of necessity. As Sarah put it when she found out exactly how much Robert Williams was really worth, he was loaded.

She spent all of her Spring Break Underground, learning to ride the stallion Jareth gave her as a Solstice present. She named him Artax and went gallivanting around the Labyrinth with Ludo, Didymus, Hoggle, and several dozen goblins. She returned to school rejuvenated and ignorant of the strange looks her classmates gave her. She was a bit confused when her friend Melissa invited her to a party one night, but agreed to go. Accompanied by goblins, hiding in the shadows, Sarah danced the night away and reconnected with people she’d not spoken to since junior high.

Several boys asked her to go to the junior prom and she politely refused them all over the next few weeks. She alternated her days between martial arts and magic after school and her weekends in between spending time with her human friends and those in the Goblin Kingdom. Summer threatened to destroy the equilibrium she managed, but she found it easy to balance her life between the two realms.

She celebrated her seventeenth birthday twice. Once with friends in the back room of her favorite restaurant in town and a second time in one of the ballrooms in Jareth’s castle. Jareth invited the entire kingdom. All of the various tribes and families gave her gifts and she made a point of writing down who gave her what so she could properly thank them.

Jareth gave her a bracelet shaped like a sword which became a full length dragonsteel blade when she brushed a finger over one of the emeralds embedded in the hilt. Later in the evening she pulled him out of the ballroom when her cousins weren’t looking and kissed him in the corridor. Then before her embarrassment could catch up with her, she ran back into the ballroom and allowed one of Jareth’s generals, a hobgoblin named Alvar, to lead her in a waltz. She didn’t notice the Goblin King return with a dazed look and a stupid grin on his face.

The rest of the summer passed in an endless cycle of training and few visits to the Goblin Kingdom as she spent most of her free time with her group of friends, the vivacious Melissa pushing her against her social boundaries.

Sarah’s senior year began and she found herself excited to start again, unlike her friends who were already suffering from “senioritis.” She became a fixture at parties on the weekends with her friends, but remained committed to the schedule she worked out the previous year. Every other weekend she visited her kingdom.

She kept wondering when the supposed threats she faced would materialize, but as the second semester of her senior year approached without incident, it seemed the Underground was happy to ignore her for the time being. In the spring, she received acceptance letters from most of the colleges she applied to and agonized over where to go.

Morrigan told her this was another choice on her path. Finally, she settled on Columbia University in New York City. She was tired of the small town she grew up in and felt that the hustle and bustle of the city would push her limits. Morfydd offered to let her use the house she had on Central Park West, which was only a ten-minute subway ride away or Sarah could use the elven driver/ caretaker, Devon. Sarah, who never grew up with the ostentatious amount of wealth her father and his family had access to, reeled at the thought of living in a house in New York City with a driver. It all made her feel uncomfortable. She eventually agreed, if only to assuage her father’s fears of his daughter living alone in the dorms.

As the weeks crept by, Sarah calmly approached the last days of her high school career with a little sadness. She would miss the small town and her friends, but the prospect of school in New York City was exhilarating. And as senior prom drew closer, Sarah found her male friends were acting funny around her. They began offering to walk her to class and made sure she never walked alone in the hallways. The week before the dance she discovered why.

Sarah entered study hall after lunch for fifth period to find Matthew Powers and Thomas Winston waiting for her. Her friend David, who followed her from the cafeteria, immediately stepped between her and the two boys.

Matthew and Thomas spent the entirety of Sarah’s time in high school bullying and spreading rumors about her. Since the goblins put Matthew in the hospital, they backed off a little. Especially since she now had more friends amongst the student body who quashed rumors and interceded on her behalf. They never stopped though, and a new story about Sarah would spread every couple weeks.

Thomas now approached Sarah and David, his face the epitome of teenaged heartthrob. “David, I’d like to speak to Sarah please.”

The junior glanced over his shoulder at Sarah, who nodded, and he stepped back, taking a place on her right side. She felt like she was directing a bodyguard rather than her friend. Thomas gave Sarah a winning smile which, he noticed, did not make her melt. Instead she raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips.

“Sarah, I wondered if you’d like to go to prom with me.”

She glanced around the room. Her classmates ranged from jealousy, indifference, to reverence. Then her eyes caught sight of Matthew and her blood ran cold. He looked inhuman, his face drawn into a contemptuous smirk. Sarah brushed a finger over the dragonsteel bracelet on her arm, careful to avoid the emeralds, and returned her attention to Thomas.

She knew if she agreed, something horrible would happen to her. And she was also quite sure Matthew wasn’t entirely human. She hadn’t seen much of him since his trip to the hospital the previous year, but she was certain he had a glamour on him. She smiled sweetly at the boy in front of her.

“Sorry Thomas, but my boyfriend is coming up to take me.”

The boy looked incredulous. “Your boyfriend? You have a boyfriend?”

“I do. I mean everyone knows I go out of town every other weekend. Where did you think I was going?”

She knew the gossipmongers in the room would have the news out to the rest of the school before the end of the next period. She silently wished that Melissa would support the rumors. Sarah relied on her ability to navigate social awkwardness. Thomas on the other hand looked pissed.

“Your parents let you spend weekends, alone¸ with your boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

She let her answer hang in the air. The myth of Sarah Williams, the Ice Princess, shattered instantly. And she hadn’t exactly lied. She and Jareth were practically engaged. Why couldn’t she fib about their relationship a little bit?

“Why haven’t we ever seen him?”

“Because he’s older and I didn’t think he’d want to hang out with a bunch of teenagers.”

Matthew stepped forward suddenly, and the hairs on Sarah’s neck stood up. She began twisting the gold ring on her right thumb. It was code for the goblins to prepare to help her. The boy sneered her. “I think you’re lying, Ice Princess.”

“Well then I’ll make sure to introduce you to him at prom.”

She quickly turned her back on the boys and took her seat as the bell rang. David sat down next to her and she made a point of helping him through his Spanish homework, ignoring the stares and whispers echoing around the room. Matthew and Thomas huddled in a corner, passing notes back and forth and glaring at her. Mrs. Smith, the study hall teacher remained oblivious to it all, as per her usual behavior.

When the bell rang dismissing class, Sarah grabbed David’s hand and bolted from the room. The two teens navigated the hallways, quickly heading towards the math hallway where Melissa would be leaving her geometry class. Sarah caught sight of her best friend’s dark, curly hair and told David to go to class, she’d be fine.

“Melissa!”

The girl turned, surprised to see Sarah, but she pushed her way through the other students to get to her. Once she got close, Sarah grabbed her hand and pulled her into an alcove behind some lockers. The two girls kicked out the sophomore couple making out in the space.

“Jeez, what’s up with you? You look totally freaked. You need to chill, girl.”

“Mel, Matthew and Thomas are up to something. Thomas cornered David and me at the beginning of study hall and he asked me to prom. Matthew stood behind him the whole time with this evil grin on his face.”

“Man, that’s totally freaky. I mean, if it were anyone else I’d be excited for you. But those two have had it out for you since junior high. Thomas asking you to prom is just suspicious, I’m sensing a Carrie in the works. What did you say?”

“I told him my boyfriend was taking me.”

Melissa’s eyes popped out of her head. Sarah didn’t date, she didn’t even look twice at the cute boys in school. Not even Melissa’s cousin Dante, a young man who turned the heads of every woman unrelated to him, made Sarah blush with his open flirting.

“Boyfriend? Girl, you’ve been holding out on me.” The much shorter girl practically squealed. Melissa lived for a challenge and finding out that her biggest one, getting ‘Ice Princess Sarah’ a boyfriend, was already accomplished made her giddy with excitement. It had to be someone incredible to hook Sarah.

“Sort of. Remember when I told you that I visited friends every other weekend?”

Melissa nod her head enthusiastically. “Yeah, so I take it one of these friends is more than a friend?”

“It’s beyond complicated. He’s older. He basically proposed to me two years ago, but I told him I needed time to, you know, grow up and be of legal age and all that. Also, I’m way too young for marriage.” She grimaced.

“Whoa. Fuckin-A, Sarah. Believe me when I tell you that you will be telling me this story, in excruciating detail. So you told Thomas that your boyfriend was your date to prom and you need me to back you up. No problem. Why bring it up at all? You could have just said you weren’t going; I mean you weren’t planning on it.”

“Matthew. I got the feeling that if I said I wasn’t going, they’d find a way to get me out of the house and something worse would happen. Whatever they’re up to isn’t good. I mean you did notice all our guy friends have been on guard duty for the last month right? Guys talk worse than girls. David jumped in between us when Thomas walked up. He knew what was coming. Whole thing gave me the heebie jeebies.”

“Knowing them, it’s probably something really nasty. Remember what happened to Rachel Allen?”
“Yeah.” Both girls winced remembering the stories from the senior prom when they were freshmen. Rachel ended up on a psych hold at the hospital when Matthew’s older brother was through with her. Simon Powers spent three months in juvenile hall instead of graduating high school. It would’ve been a longer sentence, but the weight of his father’s law firm got him off with a slap on the wrist. Sarah’s father eventually represented Rachel’s family in a civil lawsuit that drained quite a bit of money from the Powers’ coffers, earning Matthew’s eternal hatred of Sarah.

Melissa punched Sarah’s shoulder. “So,” she waggled her eyebrows, “Boyfriend, fiancé, friend, whatever he is. I want to meet him. Like tomorrow. You’re totally making this happen.”

I’m going to call him tonight. I need to convince him going to prom with me is a better idea than a weekend at his house.”

The bell rang, sending Sarah and Melissa both scrambling into the hallway. They shared sixth period English and as they skittered into class, Mr. Larson glared at them.

“You ladies are late.”

Sarah walked up to his desk as Melissa took her seat and stared dejectedly at her books. “Mr. Larson, Mel just, um, started,” She raised her eyebrows significantly at her teacher until he realized what she meant. “And I had to run out to her car to get her supplies. I’m sorry we’re late.”

The man looked down at Sarah’s hunched shoulders, and then over at Melissa who appeared appropriately in pain. “Alright, I won’t count you tardy, it is the last month of school after all. Take your seat Ms. Williams.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah barely made it through the last hour of school. When the final bell signaled the end of sixth period, she bolted from her spot and flew towards the pick-up lot. Gawain waited at the curb in his mustang, the typical gaggle of girls eyeing him and his flashy car. Sarah wrenched the door open and threw her stuff in the back seat.

“Whoa! where’s the fire, kid?”

“Did a stupid thing at school today. Need to talk to Jareth.”

Gawain pulled out onto the road and turned towards the Williams house. “Can you not talk to me?”

“Nope. Only Jareth. And you have to promise that you won’t be mad at me.”

“I could never be mad at you, kid.”

“I might test your limits today.”

Gawain looked at her questioningly, but the look on her face made him rethink saying anything. He let her stew in silence as they drove home. The second the tires of the mustang hit the driveway, Sarah was out of the car, her bags abandoned in the back seat. She ran inside and grabbed onto the owl charm, something she hadn’t done since the last time Matthew Powers bothered her.

She appeared in the library. Looking around, she spotted Jareth lounging in a window seat across the room. He looked up from his book and frowned. Sarah never made unexpected visits anymore.

"I need to talk to you.”

She looked concerned. He set his book down and quickly made his way to her.

“I think there’s a fae at my school disguised as that boy, Matthew, my cousin. You know the one the goblins put in the hospital last year. I got a good look at him today and I could sense the glamour. He and this other boy are planning to do something to me on prom night. The other boy, Thomas, asked me to the dance and once I realized Matthew was glamoured I decided not to tell them I wasn’t going. I felt like they were expecting that answer, or for me to say yes. So I kind of lied and told them my boyfriend was taking me to the dance.”

Sarah spoke so fast Jareth barely kept up. But at the word boyfriend, he frowned. ‘What boy is taking her to the dance?’ He didn’t notice that she stopped speaking, but she noticed his angry face.

“Jareth?”

He stared down at her. “What boyfriend?”

She looked at him, incredulous. The idiot thought she was talking about someone else. She punched his shoulder, hard. He would bruise. She went to hit him again and he grabbed her wrist, wrenching her into his chest. Then he twisted them and pinned her to the wall. Sarah glared up at him.

“I meant you, stupid, idiot, fairy.” She pulled her wrist free of his hand and poked him hard in the chest. He glared at her. “You are the boyfriend in this story.”

Jareth’s eyes widened and the familiar Cheshire cat grin crossed his face. He bent his head to hers and looked her straight in the eye. “Oh I am, am I? Why Sarah, I didn’t know you cared.”

He gently pressed his lips to hers, a chaste kiss. As he pulled away he saw her eyes popped wide open, a blush creeping up her neck. He stepped away from her and tapped the side of his nose. “So, I suppose I must take you to this mortal dance.”

Still trying to make her brain comprehend the kiss, Sarah barely registered that he even spoken to her. She shook her head violently and pulled away from the wall.

“Sarah, were you listening to me?”

“No. I was recovering from an unwanted invasion of my privacy.”

But I’m your boyfriend, Sarah. Am I not allowed to kiss you?”

“Not my boyfriend and definitely not until I say so.” He smirked at her choice of words. He did love a loophole. “Whatever we have Jareth, I don’t want to push the boundaries yet. I’m only seventeen.”

“I am aware, but when you storm my castle and tempt me, it is a bit difficult to remember. Now, as I was saying, I suppose I you expect me to take you to this dance. Can’t have you running around waiting to fall into a trap without help.”

“No. And I’m positive there is a trap. I had to tell you first. Gawain would have hauled me off to Morgan’s basement and locked me in. This way, we can spring it and see who’s after me. I won’t hide from these people.”

I actually pity the poor fool. You can be so cruel, Sarah. It will be a pleasure to watch you destroy this creature.”

She smiled wickedly. “Come on, we need to fill everyone in on our dastardly plot.”

Jareth took her hand and transported them to her parent’s living room. Gawain waited on the sofa, failing to distract himself with the television. He looked up at his cousin and the Goblin King.

“Well that didn’t take long.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Where’s Aunt Morgan?”

“In the kitchen with your parents.”

“Good. Come on Gawain.”

The two men followed her into the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day Melissa rode home with Sarah in Owain’s BMW. The teenagers entered the house arguing over where to get Sarah a dress last minute. The sound of someone clearing their throat made the girls stop talking. Sarah grinned seeing Jareth leaning up against the banister.

He was cloaked in a glamour that made him appear to be in his early twenties and decidedly more human. The black leather pants he wore were positively sinful, combined with a blue t-shirt, and his ever-present pendant. His hair was tamed down into a long ponytail. Altogether, he looked every inch a rock star.

Melissa’s jaw dropped and stayed that way when the man reached for Sarah’s hand and pulled her close to him. He pulled her hand up and kissed her knuckles. “Hello, precious.”

“Jareth.” She breathed his name out, the casual way he slipped into his role as her boyfriend catching her off guard. She cleared her throat and smiled at him, a warning in her eyes. She turned back to her friend.

"Melissa, this is Jareth. Jareth this is Melissa.”

Jareth stepped away from the banister and smiled at the flustered young woman. “Pleased to meet you Melissa.”

“Y-You too.” She grabbed Sarah and pulled her close to hiss in her ear. “You didn’t tell me he was British. And hot. Where have you been hiding him, Sarah? And does he have a brother?”

Jareth smirked at the two young women. “Alas Melissa, I do have a brother. Several, in fact, but they are all much older than myself and much less handsome, I assure you. My twin sister and I are the youngest of my rather extended family. Speaking of, Morrigan is in the kitchen Sarah and she would like to have a chat with you.”

Sarah stalked off towards the kitchen leaving Melissa with Jareth. She entered to find Morrigan, dressed more like a Stepford wife in a teal skirt suit and her hair in a long braid than a dangerous warrior goddess, sitting at the head of the kitchen table. The woman levelled her heir with a withering stare, which Sarah did not react to, at least externally. Nearly two years of her aunt and ersatz mentor’s glaring and dangerous reprisals taught Sarah a poker face to rival that of the Goblin King.

“You are playing a dangerous game, habibi.”

“I know. But you told me I had to make choices, that I would be in danger. Well, I made a choice to fight back, to make them see I will not be a pawn. That is why you’ve been training me isn’t it?”

I was not speaking of this glamoured teenage boy. I mean my brother. You toy with him. He is in love with you and you cruelly use him as a pawn.” Sarah opened her mouth to retort and Morrigan raised her hand to stop her.

“I am not criticizing, just providing the outside perspective. He can be just as cruel as yourself, and probably will be. But I wanted to warn you not to push the limits. The two of you would burn both our worlds to the ground if you decided to destroy one another. Only your youth and the Labyrinth which kept you from completely decimating the Goblin City two years ago as it is, my sweet.”

Sarah slumped in the chair next to Morrigan, frowning at the goddess. “I’m only seventeen years old. I am not old enough to be cruel. Not old enough to have a 2200-year-old fae king in love with me. Or have my entire life upended because of some plot you and a sentient maze hatched a thousand years ago. I don’t know how to deal with this except to use time to my advantage. I don’t want the whole Underground believing I’m only a silly girl who got lucky. Even if the family is doing its best to keep that image alive so no one sees me as a threat for as long as possible.

“I need time to grow up and adapt. Jareth is the same as he was two years ago. He won’t change, but I will. I think it’s time I showed them that.” She sighed a little. “And I’m certainly not sweet.”

Morrigan smiled at her. “Yes, you will change, sweetling. You are still growing up, and now are torn between two worlds figuring out your place in both. It is my task to remind you of your choices, especially since you have so many to make, princess. I love my brother and you. I may be a servant of fate, but I would not see either of you hurt if I could counsel you.”

A loud giggle from the foyer stopped their conversation, reminding Sarah that she needed to go rescue Melissa and get ready to go shopping. Morrigan waved her away with a quick kiss to the cheek and a squeezed hand.

Sarah found her friend in the foyer still, doubled over laughing while Jareth smiled indulgently. Melissa stood up straight and poked Jareth in the chest, fighting her laughter to speak.

“She did not. My Sarah did not climb the side of a building to swan dive into a pool. I can’t even get her to drink at a party. You cannot tell me that she shimmied up the side of a building on a dare.”

Jareth saw Sarah and shrugged. Melissa whipped around, disbelief painted all over her face. Sarah rolled her eyes. “I did it. He dared me and called me a coward. You know how I get when I’m provoked, Mel.”

“Sarah, I need to see you spend time with this guy. It sounds like you’re a completely different person.”

It was Sarah’s turn to shrug. Jareth gave her a knowing look and then turned his attention back to Melissa.

“She’s not so different. I just know what buttons to push.” He leered, his innuendo clear.

Sarah huffed and rolled her eyes again, but ignored him. Melissa gaped at him and then her best friend. Sarah never let any guy talk about her like that. The last guy who even hinted at something inappropriate around her sported a black eye for a week last summer. Sarah reached over and shut her friend’s mouth.

“Jareth quit teasing her. She seems to think I’m incapable of having fun. And we need to get to the mall to find me a prom dress. Are you staying the night?” She directed her question at the smirking Goblin King.

“Gawain insisted I take the spare bedroom at your Aunt’s house. He still seems to think I can’t be trusted around you. And no need to go shopping. I bought you a dress. That’s why I’m here. It’s hanging in your room.”

“The last dress you gave me was a bit ostentatious.”

“Well, it wasn’t my dream dress Sarah. It was yours.”

Melissa watched them as they bickered back and forth over the “dream” dress and then the breaking of a mirror and damage to ballrooms and something called an “Escher Room.” She’d never seen Sarah so alive while she sparred with Jareth. Melissa decided, no matter what, her friend would stay with this guy. However, considering the designer quality of Jareth’s clothes, and her own insatiable interest in fashion, Melissa quickly got fidgety waiting for Sarah to take her upstairs.

“Um, guys. Are you done? Cause I really want to see this dress.”
Sarah and Jareth abruptly stopped arguing and turned to glare at Melissa who threw her hands up, suddenly remembering her friend’s temper and tendency to channel the Queen of Hearts. Sarah huffed and began stalking up the stairs towards her room, Melissa eagerly on her heels, all reminders of Sarah’s resemblance to literary despots forgotten.

Jareth followed behind the two girls, showing no emotion, genuinely concerned Sarah would hate the dress. He’d been reliably informed by Morfydd and Odras that Sarah and her best friend gushed over this particular designer’s work all the time. The whims of young girls, though, were not something he’d been privy to since he and his sister were children. Stepping inside her room, Sarah gaped, this was definitely nothing like the white monstrosity of the crystal ballroom. Melissa followed her in and practically screamed.

“Oh, Sarah this is a Bill Blass!”

Sarah lightly touched the dress. The top half was bright red with one long sleeve. The bottom was black and had a thigh slit so high that it wouldn’t leave much to the imagination when Sarah walked. This dress would make her look like a woman, not a fairytale princess. Most of her body would be covered, only one bare arm and, well, a lot of leg showing, but she knew nothing would be left to the imagination. Melissa practically drooled over the dress and Sarah allowed herself to smile in appreciation along with her friend.

“I take it you like the dress after all.” Jareth whispered in her ear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday, May 13, 1989

Morfydd pushed Sarah into the bathroom in her parents’ room. She and Karen spent most of the afternoon finding ways to conceal weapons in the form-fitting dress Jareth bought her. Sarah had two knives and a dagger concealed inside her sleeve, charmed like her bracelet to remain small until she activated them. Morfydd planned on pinning part of her hair back with yet another spelled blade, this one dipped in a particularly powerful potion which would paralyze anyone wounded by it. With her bracelet around her bare wrist, she would be the most dangerous teenager at the prom. Now it was time for hair and makeup. Morfydd piled her hair up until it resembled Jareth’s normal style, the promised blade pinning her hair back. Catching her cousin’s eye, she smiled.

“Men always underestimate women, despite the equality of the Underground. Even those who love us. We wear our clothing, jewelry, and makeup as armor. We hide our strength. Tonight, you face the first challenge of many, eurchwaer. Whoever this boy is, he thinks you are weak. A plaything. The women in our family are not wilting flowers, Sarah. You will crush this threat. Make the entire Underground think twice about confronting you.”

Sarah gulped and nod her head, suddenly wondering how dangerous Morfydd was behind her façade of devoted daughter, sister, and hearth keeper.

Morfydd finished Sarah’s hair and applied a little makeup to her face, mindful of her cousin’s preferences. Pronouncing her work done, she left her cousin to put on her shoes and went downstairs. Sarah followed her a moment later, smirking as Jareth’s eyes went wide and he pursed his lips. He wore black leather pants, just a smidge too tight instead of painted on, and a red pinstriped, black button-down shirt, a jacket slung over his shoulder. He met her at the bottom of the stairs.

“Remember when I said I had trouble remembering that you are too young?” He asked once she made it to the bottom of the stairs. She nodded. “I should have refused your little plan. I will be reminding myself all night that you are much too young to keep.”

She scowled at him. “You will remember or I will be ruling the Goblin Kingdom alone.”

Jareth scoffed. “Come my dear,” He offered her his arm. “Let us go see who wants you dead.” Before Arthur and Odras could take a single Polaroid of them together, the two disappeared.

They arrived at the hotel and drew stares. No one in the junior or senior class had ever seen Sarah Williams look twice at a guy. Now they all knew why. Despite the rumors, the “Ice Princess” persona disappeared the more people caught a glimpse of the man leading Sarah towards the ballroom. Melissa spotted them and dragged her date, David, through the crowd.

“Sarah! J-man! You made it, I was beginning to wonder. Dude, you should wear leather pants, like all the time.” She raked her eyes over her best friend, questioning her attraction to men for a moment, despite Jareth’s presence.

“Damn, girl, that dress looks hot on you.” She went to hug her friend and whispered in her ear. “I don’t know what you’re up to, but Thomas and Matthew have been hiding in the ballroom for an hour now, totally ignoring their dates. They’re acting super squirrelly. Please be careful.”

“I will,” Sarah whispered back, squeezing her friend tight.

The two girls broke apart chattering about how the sapphire blue of Melissa’s dress complemented her dark skin and people watching. David sized Jareth up, appreciating the leather pants and British accent himself for a moment before declaring him worthy of Sarah. Jareth, preening under the scrutiny of the mortals, especially since they were Sarah’s friends, shook the boy’s hand. He started in on David’s favorite things, chess and David Bowie. This surprised Sarah since she was convinced Jareth didn’t pay attention to her when she talked about her friends, while subtly scanning the crowd for any non-human or magical influences.

The teenage boy, once he was sure Sarah and Mel were occupied in mocking the cheerleaders’ choices of dresses and dates, pointed out Matthew and Thomas to Jareth and filled him in on all the locker room talk he and Sarah’s other male friends overheard. Jareth became increasingly incensed and gratefully accepted the distraction of Sarah’s other friends making appearances, all of the young men proving to be respectful and concerned for his paramour’s safety. The girls gushed over him, Sarah’s dress, him, and all of the things he supposed were considered normal to mortal teens these days.

Eventually, the group split up, convinced that Sarah was well protected by Jareth, and he found himself surprised that he welcomed the approval of mortal teenagers as Sarah dragged Jareth further into the ballroom and Melissa pulled David towards the group of chaperones to dance and retrieve help quickly if necessary.

The prom committee created a fairy tale forest of the massive room. Sarah and Jareth looked at each other as they studied the fairies and goblins strewn around the room and laughed, especially as real goblins cavorted around the shadows. Jareth spun Sarah into him and led her to the dance floor. The slow dance allowed them to stand close together and sweep the room without appearing obvious to any suspicious Immortals, or anyone else. Jareth was surprised at Sarah’s height. She stood even with him, only wearing short heels, when two years ago she barely reached his shoulder. Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck and began to sway with the music.

“See anything?” She whispered against his cheek.

“No, but this place is drenched in magic. I suggest we stick together.” To make his point he backed her into a column at the edge of dance floor, pressing his body tightly against hers. She laughed and kissed his cheek.

“Keep your mind out of the gutter, fairy boy. We’re here looking for someone who might want me dead. I don’t care if the chance of death is an aphrodisiac, you are going to keep your hands,” He began kissing along her jaw, surreptitiously eyeing the room. “And your lips, to yourself tonight.”

She gently pushed him away, unable to keep from grinning. “Remember, here you could get arrested and thrown behind iron bars for getting too close to me.”

He frowned at her, which only made her grin wider. “You are a tease, Sarah Williams, and I will never forgive you for it.”

She started to snap at him but noticed two figures in the shadows and bent her head in their direction to alert Jareth. Thomas and Matthew appeared, dressed in black suits and ties. Thomas’ eyes raked over Jareth, who turned to face them, and then over Sarah.

“So, I guess this is the boyfriend, Sarah.”

“Yes he is Thomas.” Her eyes flicked to Matthew, watching his face intently. “This is Jareth.”

Thomas made to shake Jareth’s hand as Matthew’s eyes popped out of his head. Jareth pulled the boy close enough to whisper in his ear, while Matthew pretended to go talk to a group of girls.

“Whatever that boy has planned for my girl is not going to end well for you. I suggest you go find a willing female and leave.”

Thomas gulped and whispered back, “He’s been acting really strange. I thought we were just going to prank her, but the way he’s talking I’m not sure what he’s going to do.”

The teenager pulled back from the older man. As Jareth and Sarah walked away, he took his chance. Matthew was completely engrossed in watching them, so Thomas slipped away and found a junior he slept with earlier in the school year. The two teenagers left the dance and Thomas didn’t spare a single thought for his friend.

Jareth and Sarah walked towards the back of the hotel ballroom, luring Matthew away from the crowds. Behind the wall decorations was a set of doors which led to a terrace. Sarah used her magic, something she was finally learning to control, and unlocked the door. She made a point of looking over her shoulder at Matthew and grinning before Jareth pulled her outside. The warm May night felt good on her skin.

Jareth pulled her away from the door and the two waited. Matthew emerged a few moments later looking around for them. Not seeing them, the boy dropped his glamour and growled. Gone was the teenager Sarah had known since diapers, when his mother and hers would have them over for playdates. In his place was a blue skinned demon.

“Asura. A Hindu demon. Unseelie. Shiva usually has them under a tight thumb” Jareth whispered.

The Asura sniffed the air and turned towards where the two were hiding. “Come out, little girl. I can smell you, and your pitiful mortal. Does the Goblin King know you masquerade a human in his place?”

Sarah stepped forward from the shadows, Jareth emerged too and stayed slightly behind her. “Where is Matthew Powers, demon?” She spat out.

“The boy? He is in a hospital, raving about goblins.”

Sarah let out a shaky breath. Her cousin was a bully, but she was glad he hadn’t been killed because of her.
“And what does Enlil want you to do with me, Asura?” Sarah spoke calmly but a promise of violence echoed in her tone and eyes.

“Don’t know. I was told to hurt you, to make you run. And now I’m going to do just that.”

The demon lunged for her and Sarah lashed out, blasting him back with an arc of bright red magic. She reached inside her right sleeve and pulled out the dagger hidden inside. The demon recovered quickly and dove at her, she deftly avoided his attack and sliced across his abdomen.

Jareth stepped in and drove a short sword into his thigh. The Asura twisted in agony, clutching its side, screaming as it fell backwards to the ground. The demon swung its arms wildly, claws attempting to find purchase on skin and clothing. Sarah stood out of its reach, an evil grin on her face.

“Poor little creature. Enlil doesn’t know who he is dealing with. I beat him,” She gestured at Jareth who shed his human glamour, “At fifteen with no magic and no training. That was two years ago and a lot of painful training in between. You were sent here to test me, nothing else. It really is pathetic you agreed to a suicide mission. I could almost pity you. Almost.”

Sarah gently tugged on the blade concealed in her hair, pulling it out slowly. The Asura, bleeding profusely from its wounds, seethed as she knelt next to him and plunged the blade into his shoulder. The potion took effect immediately, paralyzing the demon. She concentrated and pulled a crystal from the air. Jareth smiled appreciatively. It was her first successful attempt. Trust a little bloodlust to pull the best out of his girl.

“Now I know Enlil will send bigger and badder Unseelie after me. But since you’re my first, I want to make this special.” Sarah twirled the crystal on her fingertips, mimicking Jareth’s own tricks. He felt glad he taught her some of his more theatrical moves over the last year. He’d argued for weeks with Morgan before she allowed Sarah to accept Jareth’s lessons. Sarah placed the crystal against the knife wound in the demon’s side and pressed. The orb absorbed itself into the gash.

The Asura’s skin began fading to a lighter shade of blue. It tried to scream again, but blood gurgled in its throat. The color continued to leach out of its skin and the demon stopped bleeding. Sarah reached over and wrenched Jareth’s short sword, which she thought looked suspiciously like a Roman gladius, out of the demon’s leg. The creature continued to fade until it looked like the husk of a long-dead insect. Sarah stood up and passed Jareth’s sword back to him, then she kicked the remnants of the creature before her and it disintegrated into a pile of dust.

Well done, precious. I’m glad to see you learned to use the crystals. They really are quite useful.” Jareth eyed his future queen with a mixture of pride and lust. She may have been much too young, but the woman she was fast becoming would make anyone think twice about crossing her. He gleefully looked forward to directing her fire towards his enemies and watching them burn.

“Thank you. Morgan told me not to try that trick until she said I was ready. She really didn’t like you teaching me any of that stuff.” She looked up at him, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“You handled this well. I daresay you didn’t need my help at all.” He grinned.

The sound of someone opening the door made them melt into the shadows, Jareth pulled Sarah flush with his body. The person stepped out and looked around.

“Sarah? Jareth? You guys out here?”

Melissa turned to go back inside and saw the couple pressed up against each other and smirked, happy to see her friend entwined with the older man.

“Oh! Sorry, Sarah. Didn’t mean to interrupt. I thought I saw Matthew follow you guys out and I was worried.” Melissa felt bad for interrupting them, but she really was worried. She saw Thomas bail a while before and wanted to make sure there was no possibility of pig’s blood and telekinetic powers in her immediate future. ‘Because if anyone would have magic powers,’ Melissa thought, ‘it would be Sarah.’

Sarah pulled away from Jareth and walked over to her friend, twining their arms together. “It’s okay. He tried to get handsy while Jareth went to the car. But I made him rethink his decisions.” Jareth shook his head and followed them back inside to the dance as Sarah happily chattered to her friend.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

And I have been waiting, But you need a signThat all of this could be yoursBe yours tonightI have been patientBut you’ve got to tryThen all of this could be yoursBe yours tonightAll This Could Be Yours—Cold War Kids
Red eyes, tell me twice

Should I put my hopes on ice

Fair skin, empty face

Help me keep my nerve in place

Read my lips, time slips

Slowly from your fingertips

Make my night, hold tight

Thrill me ‘til my teeth go white

Be my myth, I’ll be your sin

Save me at your own expense

The Next Time We Wed—The Fratellis
 After her senior prom, Sarah endured attacks from Unseelie and Seelie creatures several times a month. Most tried to kidnap her, others outright kill her, and none revealed who they worked for, even under what Sarah called “Extreme Duress.” She graduated high school while Morgan beheaded a Japanese Dodomeki under the bleachers. She spent her eighteenth birthday in the Goblin Kingdom as Oberon sent word that a group of mountain trolls were spotted moving east from Canada by a coven of Seelie witches in Niagra Falls. Gawain, Owain, and several dozen hobgoblins dispatched them while Sarah showed the now five-year-old Toby around the Labyrinth. July, a month before she would start college, she moved into Morfydd’s house in New York City, on Central Park West, and spent the whole week clearing the block of an infestation of Adze with her cousins and the caretaker, Devon.She started school at Columbia and spent her first month avoiding two wendigos who turned out to work for Baba Yaga. They came looking for her since they were stranded above and she was their only direct connection to either Jareth or Morrigan. Baba Yaga told them to go to the twins in case of her disappearance. Taking pity on them, Sarah moved the brothers into the basement of Morfydd’s house and glamoured them to appear as human bodyguards. She named called them the Tweedles because the brothers argued like the characters from Alice in Wonderland. Sarah excelled in most of her classes, except Geology 101, and made a few new friends, human and non-human alike. Melissa was attending Parsons School of Design and the girls spent every other weekend together exploring the city and having fun. Sarah finally revealed the truth to her friend one night at the end of their freshman year. Three Rusalki attacked the girls while they were out clubbing to celebrate the end of Finals week. Sarah acted quickly and killed them all, but Melissa was scratched and the venom from the mermaid’s talons made her deathly ill. Morgan and Karen came down to treat her. She ran a high fever and bordered on consciousness for nearly a week. The Tweedles hovered over the girl protectively. They’d come to love her as much as they loved Sarah. When Melissa woke up, Sarah told her the whole story. For someone who had no interest in fairy tales as a child, she took it very well, and only asked for a couple days to think. Sarah came home from shopping on Monday, the next week, and found Melissa sitting on her stoop. She’d written out a list of close to a hundred questions. Sarah ordered pizza and called Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus through the mirror in the foyer. The four of them spent the next six hours answering Melissa’s questions. She took it all in stride, an attack by Russian mermaids worked remarkably well in proving the existence of fairies and goblins. Having a dwarf, a fox terrier knight, and a giant orange rock monster made everything real, especially when the Tweedles waltzed in, sans glamour. By the end, Melissa thoroughly charmed Sarah’s three friends and decided she wanted Sarah to take her on her next visit to the Goblin Kingdom. Sarah promised to ask Jareth. The next night, Sarah sat on the bench in the backyard and called for him. He appeared next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Evening, precious. What is so important you could not wait three days to speak to me?”She frowned and looked away from him, studying the May sky through the New York smog.“You know Melissa was attacked when the Rusalki came after me last week. I couldn’t lie to her, so I told her about everything. She took it really well. But now she wants to come with me this weekend to visit. I told her I’d ask you.”Jareth pulled his arm away from her shoulders and stood from the bench. Sarah bristled at the loss of contact between them and looked up to study his face. The familiar mask of indifference, which she’d come to recognize as his “King” face, firmly planted on his features. He returned her gaze, watching the muscles twitch in her forehead and cheeks as she tried to remain calm. He spent the last three years memorizing her facial expressions and the one she held now was a mask much like his own. But her emerald green eyes pleaded with him. ‘Those cruel eyes will be the death of me.’ He mused. “How you turn my world, precious. You will exhaust me and my patience.” Jareth sighed and shook his head, the city lights catching his hair and making it shine in the darkness. “Jareth, she is as much my family as Gawain or Morfydd. She stuck by me through all the problems I had in junior high and high school. Hell, when the Rusalki attacked us she picked up a rock in the alley and threw it at them. That’s the whole reason she got hurt.” Sarah let the desperation bleed into her voice. Only Jareth ever saw the spoiled little brat who conquered his Labyrinth anymore. Once she flipped the switch and made an effort to actively change her personality, Sarah decided it was weakness on her part to be anything like the unholy terror she was before she wished Toby away. The desperation Jareth heard from her now sounded distinctly like a whining child and not the woman he knew now. He thought he never wanted to hear her act like a brat again, but the sound elicited an entirely different reaction from him nowadays.“Mortals are not supposed to travel Underground for a vacation, precious.” He finally ground out, trying desperately to hide the lustful growl. “Most are lured in for a permanent stay. My kingdom is the only one where mortals come and go with any regularity. For Melissa to come and go with you, as a guest, is impossible. You would have to claim her as a citizen of the kingdom. She would need to swear oaths of fealty to the crown. It would mean she could travel with you whenever she wished, and if she wanted to, she could live there permanently.” He watched joy light Sarah’s face at the prospect of her best friend living Underground. The sight made him smile slightly, but underneath was jealousy. She never seemed to smile like that for him. “We could, if she agrees to it of course, bind her at some point. She could become fae, an Immortal. If not, she could live her life here, as a mortal woman, an emissary of the crown. But I warn you, precious, if she agrees to this then, she will be bound to this life. If you or I call upon her she will be unable to refuse us.”Sarah beamed, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears in the dark. “Oh, Jareth, you’re wonderful!” She exclaimed. And without a second thought, she jumped up from the bench and kissed him, using his startled gasp as an opportunity to deepen the kiss. Jareth, astonished by her excitement, took a moment to react. Then he slid his arms around her waist and slipped one of his hands under her shirt where his fingers drew lazy circles along her spine. He expected her to shove him away, but instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and fought him for control. They remained entwined for what seemed to be an eternity, until the sound of one of the Tweedles clearing his throat forced them to break apart. Sarah looked up at Dee her face slightly flushed and lips bruised. Jareth made to step away but she grabbed his wrist, shooting him a warning glance. “What is it, Dee?”“Lady Sarah, you have a visitor.” The wendigo’s voice, normally gruff, now held an added tone of severe annoyance. “That boy from your study group is here. He says he knows you’re home and won’t leave until he speaks to you.”Sarah groaned, and not in the way Jareth would prefer to hear. “Let him in, Dee. Then you and Dum make sure he doesn’t leave the living room. Tell him I’ll be there in a minute.”“Yes, my Lady.” He tapped the pendant on hanging from his neck and the blue skinned, wiry-haired, horned creature became a musclebound, bald, black man wearing a black suit. He looked incredibly intimidating, especially with the annoyed sneer painted on his face. He took a long look at Jareth, and the placement of the Goblin King’s hands on his mistress’ waist, before bowing slightly and returning to the house. Jareth chuckled. “I will never understand how you make friends so easily Sarah. Wendigo are incredibly vicious Unseelie creatures who are known to eviscerate people for looking at them wrong. And here you are with two of them living in your house and you had the nerve to name them Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum.”Sarah frowned and, using the wrist she still held, pulled him close to her again. “They had nowhere to go, Jareth. Baba Yaga is still missing and she raised them. I couldn’t let them wander around homeless with no way back to the Underground. All I did was offer them a place to stay. They’re the ones who insisted on swearing oaths to protect me. And besides, I couldn’t pronounce their names. Now shut up and kiss me again.”He obliged, but kept the kiss chaste this time. He pulled away from her to find her glaring at him. “You have a guest Sarah. Can’t keep the boy waiting. I rather like watching you demolish the hopes of young mortals.” His eyes glazed over as he reminisced about the young men and women Sarah eviscerated over the last three years. She spent many happy hours exploring her needs in their company rather than his, but she always left them wanting more, returning to him whenever they bored her. He certainly didn’t like sharing her affections, but he could live with it. She’d be his eventually. They had forever. Sarah groaned in abject consternation and entered the house. She marched towards the living room, Jareth trailing behind her, a bemused look on his face. She checked her reflection in the massive antique gilt mirror in the foyer her father gave her for her birthday and decided not to fix her tousled hair and disheveled clothes. She hoped her appearance, coupled with Jareth’s presence, would make her point. She walked into the room and stood before the boy on sitting on her couch with her arms crossed. “Joseph, what are you doing here at,” she checked the thirteen-hour clock on the wall, “10:30 at night on a Wednesday? Classes are over, we have nothing to discuss.”The handsome young man, with black hair and deep chocolate brown eyes, hopped up from the couch and made to walk towards Sarah, but stopped in his tracks at the appearance of a man behind her. He looked to be some ten years older than Sarah, wearing tight leather trousers and a grey t-shirt. Joseph noted that his hair was half-pulled out of a ponytail and he looked less than pleased to see him there. He cleared his throat and looked back to Sarah. Her own hair was tangled and her face flushed. “Um, well, I, uh, came to talk to you. Who is that?” He gestured to the man calmly leaning against the doorway. “That is my boyfriend, Jareth.” She glanced behind her, smirking at the Goblin King’s own disheveled appearance. "Jareth, this is Joseph, one of my classmates.”“Can’t say I’m pleased to meet you, Joseph. You interrupted us.”Joseph’s eyes went wide and he glanced at Sarah to find her rolling her eyes, but blushing furiously. “Keep it in your pants, Jareth. What did you want to talk about Joseph?”“Well I was going to ask you to go to Peter Thurmond’s party tomorrow night.” He looked away from her, suddenly very interested in the décor of the room. “Joseph, I told you before I wasn’t interested. And now you show up out of the blue, uninvited, to pester me again. I was trying to be nice to you, but as you can see, I have a boyfriend. So I want you to leave. Don’t try to get in touch with me this summer. If you can get over this silly crush by the time classes start, I’ll consider being your friend again. But right now, I don’t want you anywhere near me. Go home.”The boy gave her a long hard look and then left the room. Sarah sighed when she heard the front door close down the hall. The sound of one of the Tweedles throwing the deadbolt and repositioning some of the magical wards comforted her a bit. She didn’t like uninvited guests, small dangerous creatures tended to hitch rides on unsuspecting mortals and attack her. Jareth dropped his glamour and took her in his arms, her back pressed against his chest. “So cruel Sarah. How many boys is that now?” He grinned against her cheek. “Too many. I never had this problem before I met you.” She turned and poked him in the chest, hard. “I mean the bullies in high school called me the ‘Ice Princess’ for Danu’s sake. Granted, one of them turned out to be a glamoured demon masquerading as my cousin that I killed at my Senior Prom, but the point still stands.”“Ah, but you changed in the Labyrinth, precious. You grew up and became a woman practically overnight. And a very enticing woman at that.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, making her laugh. “Yeah, but unfortunately I only have eyes for you, great big stupid fairy. Now, I need to go call Melissa and tell her what she has to do to come with me this weekend. Which means that you are either going to be stuck listening to me chat with my gal pal half the night, or you can go home and see me in a couple days.”She left the room and walked toward the kitchen to call Melissa. Morfydd installed only one telephone in the house, replacing them every couple decades as the technology advanced. Mortal technology didn’t always agree with magic. She opened the fridge for the jug of peach cider Hoggle made for her, poured herself a glass, and then picked up the phone to dial Melissa. As she listened to the phone ring, she took a slow drink. Movement caught her eye and she turned to see Jareth entering the kitchen and Dum mouthing ‘goodnight’ to her. She smiled at her friend and turned her attention on the Goblin King. He walked over to the island and took a seat on one of the stools, fiddling with the bowl of fruit on the countertop. Jareth listened to the two girls talk, happy to simply watch Sarah. In the nearly four years since her victory, he endeavored to prove to her that all he wanted was her trust and friendship. But something about living in New York City and some separation from her family made Sarah suddenly take their friendship and turn it on its head. He smiled remembering the night shortly after she started school, when the two of them finally confronted the Tweedles over their stalking. That night Sarah thanked him, not with her customary hug and witty banter, but by jumping into his arms and kissing him soundly. Since then she surprised him at least once during each of her trips to the Underground and his trips Above with a good snog. She also never complained anymore when she caught him watching her in a crystal, so long as she wasn’t naked, or invading her home at odd hours to escape the goblins. Sarah still took mortal lovers, mostly other students, but they were always sent packing the moment they showed any inclination of feelings. The only man, or woman, she allowed to press a claim on her was himself. Those lovers were becoming fewer and farther between as of late. She’d shown more interest in him. He wondered, as she obsessively paced around the kitchen twisting the phone cord around her fingers, when he should ask her to marry him. ‘No more of this fear me, love me, nonsense,’ he thought, frowning. ‘Now that I know her, all I want is her, and I’m already most certainly her slave.’Two hours of heated conversation later, which included copious amounts of squealing and a lot of thank yous from Melissa, Sarah managed to hang up the phone. Jareth still sat at the island, watching her every move. She gulped down the last of her cider and stared back at him. “You’re still here.” She finally said. “Yes I am. You only gave me two options earlier. Stay or leave. I chose the former.”“Why?” Sarah asked with no emotion in her voice. She knew why, but she wanted to hear him say it. The change in their relationship was because of her, but she never quite knew exactly what he felt about her.“Because I despise this arrangement, Sarah. I have watched you grow up these past few years. I stood by and let you fight off monsters when you could be safe in our kingdom. You tease me, letting me kiss you and hold you, but never anything more as you traipse around with human lovers. But then allow me to sneak into this house at all hours just to spend a few hours in your presence. I am not a patient man, Sarah. I will reach my limit at some point and demand that you leave with me, rather than one of us leaving the other alone after some stolen kisses.”She just kept staring at him, unable to say anything that wouldn’t sound like the dozens of apologies and rejections she’d given him over the years. Sarah knew she cared for him. ‘How could I not,’ she thought and not for the first time. Still she was not ready to leave the mundane, human, world to live in the scheming, violent world of the Underground. Jareth sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he stood up from the stool. He walked around the island to where she stood and kissed her, pushing her until she opened her mouth and allowed him to slip his tongue inside. Her hands snaked into his hair and pulled his head closer. He let his hands wander over her chest and stomach, teasing her with the tips of his fingers. Then he abruptly pulled away and took several steps back, trying to make her understand what her reticence felt like to him. Sarah blinked, hard. She felt dazed and more than a little peeved from his abandonment. Then she saw the pained look on his face and sighed. “I don’t know what to tell you, Jareth. I still feel like it’s not the right time to leave. There’s a reason I was born here, raised here. Fate wants me tied to this world as much as the Underground, and I refuse to leave until I know why. I also know that I’m not in love with you. I’m attracted to you, sure. And you’re my fucking best friend, Melissa doesn’t understand any of this. I like you, but anything more will take time.”He took a step towards her and took her hand in his. “All I ask is you remember I won’t wait forever. At some point I’m going to lose my patience and drag you back to the castle kicking and screaming if I must.”She squeezed his hand and smiled. “Well then, Hades, I’ll remind you that even Persephone was able to leave the underworld for a time.” She dropped the smile. “But seriously, Jareth. I will think about it.”“Thank you.” He planted a kiss on her forehead and pulled away again. “Good night, precious.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 27, 1990
The next three days passed in a whirlwind. Sarah originally planned her vacation Underground for three weeks since classes were over and with Melissa coming, she had to help her friend prepare for the strange journey ahead. Sarah had Melissa stay the night Friday so they could leave early on Saturday morning. The Tweedles woke the girls up well before dawn, breakfast and coffee already waiting in the kitchen. Sarah kissed them both on the cheek, glad they were such good cooks and housemates. Devon puttered around the foyer, collecting bags and trinkets that would travel with the girls and wendigos. Melissa was less enthused about the pre-dawn awakening and grumbled at Sarah until well into her fifth cup of coffee. Sarah finally pulled her friend into the foyer to stand in front of the massive gilt mirror. She tapped the glass, her magic arcing over it in spidery red filaments, until it showed her the throne room in the castle. Melissa gaped to see the scenes that flashed in the mirror, various creatures and magical locales appearing before her. The Tweedles grabbed the girls’ bags and stepped through the mirror, appearing in the room on the other side. Sarah looked at Melissa to find her mouth still hanging open. “I feel like Alice, about to go through the looking glass.” Melissa whispered. “I felt the same way the first time I did this. Dad had the mirror made for my birthday last summer. It’s easier to travel this way when you’re bringing stuff or people with you. Takes less power to cross the Mists. And since it’s bewitched to only respond to my magic, no one else can use it.”“Sarah, this is ridiculous. Only you could make travelling by mirror to the Goblin Kingdom seem like the most normal thing in the world.”The girls grinned at each other and Sarah pulled Melissa through the mirror. Their tennis shoes connected with stone floors and Sarah took a deep breath, savoring the faintly spicy scent of the Labyrinth. Melissa looked around at the circular chamber, in awe. She let go of Sarah’s hand and began running around touching the banners, tapestries, and even the throne. Sarah watched her best friend with a smile, letting her explore and introduce herself to the various goblins wandering in and out of the room. The familiar sound of boots on the stone floors drew her attention to the doorway. Jareth strode in, wearing his usual white shirt and dove-gray breeches, which clung to him like a second skin. Unusually, he wore one of his frock coats, this one a deep emerald green. He walked to Sarah’s side, content to watch the mortal girl explore his throne room for a few moments. They stood in a comfortable silence until Melissa noticed they were both watching her. “Hey Jareth, er, I mean, your majesty.” She dipped into a deep curtsey. Sarah spent a whole day going over court protocol with her in case any unexpected visitors showed up. Even though Melissa had, essentially, known Jareth for three years, appearances must be upheld in public.“Hello, Miss Gedde. I trust you did not experience any difficulties with your travel?”“Oh no, except for being forced to wake before dawn, it was great. Surreal, but great.” She beamed. “Unfortunately, it is easier to travel between the realms during the hours before dawn and at dusk. If you plan on making any return visits I am sorry to say that waking up at such an hour will become normal. But time flows differently here. It is already close to midday. Sarah, did you have any specific plans?”“I hoped to give her a tour of the castle. Tee and Lutin said they had a surprise waiting for me in the library.” Sarah smiled. “I thought you learned your lesson with surprises from the goblins, precious.” Jareth stated, a bemused smirk on his face.“I have, but this is Tee and Lutin. They are different. What are your plans today? You’re dressed as though you’re expecting visitors.”He grimaced. “I am. My mother and Titania are coming. They complain I purposefully keep them away when you are here and demanded they be allowed to see you this time.”Sarah’s eyes widened and she broke into a smile. “Well it’s about time, Jareth! I’ve heard so many things about them. You know I’ve wanted to meet them for, for, forever.” She gushed in excitement. Then, remembering she wore only a t-shirt and jeans, she balked. “Oh, shit. Jareth, did the seamstresses have time to finish some clothes for Mel?” He nodded his head. “Good, Mel, come on we’ve got to change clothes. I am not meeting his mother and the Faerie Queen dressed like this. Delly can bring us some food while we get ready.” Jareth watched with a grin as the two young women bolted from the throne room and towards the adjacent tower where the royal apartments were. Then he cringed thinking about the spectacle Titania and Ishtar would make in meeting Sarah, before heading towards the kitchens to warn the staff that their queen was back. The girls entered Sarah’s rooms and Melissa gasped. Years ago, Jareth placed Sarah in the queen’s chambers for her first overnight visit to the kingdom. She spent an entire week long trip the year before redecorating until they suited her needs. The sitting room was now paneled in dark mahogany, with bright tapestries and banners of vibrant emerald green covering the walls. The fireplace remained the same peach colored quartzite of the castle and above the mantle Sarah’s standard, a peach tree, laden with fruit and crossed with two swords, was stitched onto a banner of the same emerald green. The room held a half-dozen heavily laden bookshelves and eight comfortable chairs and three sofas upholstered in a wide array of bright fabrics. Sarah pulled Melissa through a door and the girl gasped again. Sarah’s bedroom held a massive four poster canopy bed made of carved ebony. Little faces of goblins and fairies and other creatures wound their way around the bed. Heavy velvet, blue-green curtains shielded the bed from view. The walls were covered in more bookshelves, the only gaps made for the doors, wardrobe, and fireplace. Plush wool rugs dyed in several shades of purple and green covered the stone floor. Melissa looked up and saw the ceiling painted to look like the Labyrinth and she sucked in a breath when she realized that the walls on the painted maze were moving. The wardrobe took up a quarter of the far wall. Engraved filigree, inlaid with gold and silver, wound its way across the teak. Sarah led Melissa through another door and the mortal was happy to find a modern bathroom. “Jareth installed modern plumbing. Said it was the best thing mortals invented since the printing press.” Sarah explained. “All I did was add a shower and make the bathtub bigger. I would take you to your rooms, but I’m not sure if Delly has them ready yet. Do you want to freshen up a bit while I go hunt down your clothes?”Melissa nodded her head, unable to use her voice as she gaped at the luxury around her. ‘I could totally live like this’ she thought as Sarah left her in the bathroom. She sat down at Sarah’s vanity and quickly put on a little bit of mascara and checked her hair. She returned to the sitting room and started studying the books on the shelves around the room, amused that Sarah’s bookish proclivities seemed amplified in the Underground, something she didn’t think possible. Sarah returned a few minutes later, a trail of six elven women following her with dresses slung over their arms. “Mel, I want you to meet the Tallin sisters.” She gestured to the waifish women gathered behind her. They all shared the same lavender grey hair and deep blue eyes. “This is Rina, Thalia, Samara, Flora, Kara, and Britta. They are the only people I trust to dress me now, even if they do throw a fit every time I wear denim.” She grinned. The eldest sister, Rina, stepped towards Melissa. “Lady Melissa, Sarah sent us your measurements yesterday and we have made you several dresses for you to wear during your stay here.” Her silky smooth voice rolled over Melissa who happily stepped forward and shook the elf’s hand. She always appreciated anyone who loved fashion as much as she did. “Thank you Rina. I appreciate it.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jareth paced the throne room, unsure of how his mother and Titania would treat his guests. Ishtar did not have the best record with humans and with Melissa around he was concerned for the mortal girl. Sarah, he knew, would put both the Empress and the Faerie Queen in their places if challenged. He grinned slyly as thoughts of Sarah eviscerating his mother and stepmother floated through his head. Footsteps in the corridor between the towers drew his attention and he barely concealed a gasp as Sarah and Melissa returned to the throne room, flanked by the Tweedles. Sarah wore a resplendent, off the shoulder, emerald gown, reminiscent of the medieval gowns her grandmother and aunt once wore. He silently thanked Morgan for her fondness of this style of gown as Sarah walked towards him. Melissa wore a similar gown in deep ruby red which complemented the shorter girl’s voluminous curls and dark-bronze skin. Both of them left their hair alone and, though Melissa applied a light touch of makeup, Sarah wore none. The magic of the Labyrinth changed her appearance in subtle ways, heightening the natural allure of her half-fae features. Sarah practically glided towards Jareth and stopped just before him to twirl around. “What do you think?” She grinned.“I think the Tallin sisters need to be rewarded. The both of you are truly beautiful.” He failed to hide the feral grin which told Sarah exactly what he was thinking. Before she could scold him for his gutter-brain, representatives from the tribes of the Goblin Kingdom began pouring into the room. Jareth took Melissa and Sarah’s arms and led them to the dais where his throne sat. He placed the mortal girl behind the throne on the left and, before she could argue with him, planted Sarah on the throne as he stood next to her on the right. Tee ran into the room a moment later, his chest puffed up and the sigil for the Knights of the Bear pinned to his chest. Sarah grinned madly at the sight of the forty or so goblins, brownies, and hobgoblins in the room sporting the sigil. These were Toby’s honor guard, the creatures who would fight to the death for her little brother and, coincidentally, those same creatures featured most frequently in the toddler’s romps around the Williams’ house. Tee stood before her and she bid him to speak. “Lady Sarah, King Jareth, I presents High Queen Titania of the Seelie Court and the Goddess Ishtar, Empress of the Unseelie Court.” The little goblin bowed low, his ears drooping to touch the floor as the two women swept into the throne room. Titania raised an eyebrow at the sight of the girl on the throne. She carefully supported a beautiful but obviously weakened woman on her arm. Ishtar retained all of her inhuman beauty and ferocity, but magic no longer crackled along her skin and her eyes no longer flashed with barely concealed fury. Jareth smiled openly at the women, but remained silent. Sarah was in charge of the situation today; he would act as a referee only. Sarah, too, openly smiled, a little in awe of the two women and carefully surveyed them. Tee took his place at her feet and turned to face the High Queen and the goddess. Tension suddenly filled the air as the two women stopped a few feet away. Sarah let it hang in the air, wondering if either of the women, whose higher status meant they could demand her respect, would speak first. When both of the women remained silent, she schooled her face into a wonderful imitation of Jareth’s “King” face, down to the insolent smirk, and spoke evenly. “Welcome High Queen Titania and Empress Ishtar. We are overjoyed by your presence here. I understand the king has been avoiding your visits in an attempt to hide me away from you. I was unaware of this,” she turned her head slightly, levelling a bemused glare on the impassive Jareth, “and you have my assurance he will suffer for his insolence.”The goblins began quietly chattering at Sarah’s words. The last time Jareth did something she didn’t like, she managed to lock him in an oubliette for a whole day with a dozen goblins still stinking of the bog, refusing to let him out until he apologized. Once he did, she promptly returned Above and refused to speak to him for a month, warding her property to zap him with magic every time he touched the property. He managed to get back into her good graces by sending the Swarm Queen to plead his case. Jareth then spent her next eight trips to the kingdom showering her with gifts and spending every waking moment with her. Titania and Ishtar both broke into wide smiles when they realized the wicked intent behind the girl’s words. They glanced at each other, mutually agreeing she was perfect for Jareth, and then sent wry grins towards the Goblin King. Jareth, suddenly uncomfortable in his own throne room, struggled to remain still as the urge to run overtook him. He grimaced slightly, letting his impassive mask fall for just a moment in the face of his mothers’ glee and Sarah’s ire. “Well, Lady Sarah, I must say, when Morrigan told us of you we were not entirely sure what to think. However, since you have my darling step-son ready to run away at the prospect of your anger, I must say I approve of you wholeheartedly. You will make an excellent queen.” The High Queen’s voice remained calm but her face revealed how humorous she found the situation. Ishtar cleared her throat slightly and bestowed a withering stare on Sarah. The girl on the throne felt wildly unnerved and incredibly annoyed by the goddess’ actions, she turned her own hardened glare and a smirk on Jareth’s mother. The two women held their stance for several moments pushing each other with subtle magic, while Jareth tried not to intervene, until Ishtar broke into a heartbreaking smile and stood up to her full height. She moved carefully away from Titania and towards the throne. “Lady Sarah, I too approve of you. There is not one creature in the Underground who would openly challenge me, as you have done, even in my weakened state. I believe you will become a fierce queen and I offer a gift to you.” The goddess’ skin began crackling with magic, a black aura building around her. Ishtar grimaced slightly but allowed the magic to coalesce into a pendant. It resembled a caduceus but instead of snakes wound around a staff, the serpents twisted around reeds. “I once presented my children with pendants like these as a symbol of my love and protection. I offer you the same love and protection as is your right as my daughter’s heir and my son’s co-ruler. I should have done the same with my daughter’s husband, but Fate would not allow me. With this, I stake my claim on your future, declaring your status to all Unseelie who would challenge or ally themselves with me.”Ishtar took another step towards the dais and gingerly placed the long chain around Sarah’s neck. The charm necklace Jareth gave her began twisting itself around the other chain until they became one, the larger reed staff hanging in the middle between the other charms. The goddess placed a kiss on the girl’s head and stepped back. Titania quickly took ahold of the goddess as she stumbled slightly, the exertion of power making her weak. A quick nod from Jareth towards the goblins found the throne room empty. Exposing the goddess’ weakness to the public, even to goblins, was dangerous. Sarah stood and stepped from the throne. She grasped the new chain and charm and then flung her arms around the goddess in a desperate hug. Something about the goddess and the Faerie Queen made her feel immediately loved and accepted. “Thank you, Ishtar. I hope I can make you proud.” She whispered into the woman’s ear. Ishtar returned the hug as Titania pat the shoulders of the two women. Ishtar grinned against the girl’s cheek and whispered back. “I have no doubt you will bring my son, and the Underground to its knees before your power Sarah Pendragon. If I fade away, I do so knowing my children are well supported and protected in your hands. I fear for any being, Immortal or otherwise, who dares to challenge you.”Melissa stood behind the throne, silent tears flowing down her cheeks. Sarah clung to Ishtar and then Titania like she used to do with Linda. She watched the scene, remembering the hugs Sarah gave her mother and how broken she was after she abandoned her. Her tears continued to fall for the girl her friend used to be. She remembered the day three years ago when Sarah finally hugged Karen the same way, how surprised the two of them both were. The mortal girl cried for her friend and the new mothers she found. Sarah deserved a mother. It seemed she found more than one on her strange journey. Jareth watched the whole scene in shock. This was not the spectacle he expected from any of the women before him. His face remained blank, but inside he reeled. He was thoroughly uncomfortable with the open displays of emotion in the throne room. The Underground was a dangerous place to admit feelings. He lightly cleared his throat and reached around the throne to take Melissa’s arm. “You need to control your reactions here, Miss Gedde.” He gently projected his voice into her mind. “Weakness of any kind is cruelly punished. If any of the creatures outside my court saw you crying now, they would happily use the cause against you. You swore oaths to Sarah in service to her responsibilities as Champion of the Labyrinth and Queen-elect of the Goblin Kingdom. I suggest you spend your time here learning how to remain unnoticed and impassive. She is a target and your presence and mortality could be used against her.”The mortal girl quickly dried her tears and plastered a cold, impassive mask on her features. The sudden switch impressed Jareth and he granted her a half smile of approval. Melissa smirked back at him. “My parents are both from old families, your majesty. They may look like an easygoing middle-class couple, but they taught me how to lie, cheat, and conceal with the best of them. My grandparents, both sets, are evil and conniving, my parents had to teach me to hide everything from them. If you say I need to change my behavior, consider it changed.” The deadly serious tone in her voice, combined with the cold stare she gave him caused Jareth to chuckle. “I seem to have a bad habit of underestimating mortal women, Miss Gedde.”He turned his attention back on the three women in front of them. Sarah still hugged his mother, while Titania whispered in both their ears. “Ladies, you are making a scene. I have lunch prepared for you in the dining room if you would care to join us.”Jareth led Melissa out of the throne room, glancing back once to see that Sarah took Titania’s role of support for Ishtar as the women followed. Tee and several other goblins trailed behind, all sporting the sigil of the Bear Knights, and deadly serious about protecting the Pendragon siblings from harm. ‘This is going to be an interesting three weeks,’ Jareth mused, a slight grin gracing his features. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sarah and Melissa spent two weeks exploring the Goblin Kingdom with Ishtar and Titania. Jareth remained annoyed the entire time. He thought growing up with Amazons, Morrigan, his other sisters, and Igraine prepared him for the pressures of dealing with a group of females. He was wrong. Letting Sarah and Melissa meet his mother and stepmother was, quite possibly, one of his more impressive mistakes. The four of them spent hours gallivanting around the kingdom with the goblins and the Terrible Trio as Jareth began referring to Sarah’s friends in his head. Didymus kept him mostly informed of their movements, but he remained ignorant to most of their activities. The four women hardly ever invited him along and so he sat in the castle for two weeks in a foul mood, not used to being ignored by the fairer sex.When Ishtar and Titania finally decided to leave, they spent the whole day away from the castle in the far reaches of the kingdom. The Labyrinth refused to tell Jareth where they were, demanding he remain patient. Instead, he seethed and took his frustrations out on the goblins. He planned this visit to convince Sarah to stay Underground. But she barely spoke to him and spent the whole trip out of his sight. He would never admit it, but he felt useless. The four women returned at daybreak on day fifteen laughing, arm in arm. Jareth watched them from his rooms in the tower and refused to go down and meet them. He could hear their laughter echo through the castle for hours until dusk when he realized the High Queen and the Goddess must have finally left. Still roiling with anger, he remained in his sitting room reading correspondence and signing petitions from his councilors. He barely noticed when the housekeeper, Delly, brought him his dinner. A knock, near midnight, on the connecting doors between his and Sarah’s chambers, finally broke through the angry haze surrounding his brain. He stood from his desk and opened the door to find Sarah, wearing a silk nightgown and heavy grey robe, on the other side. Still angry, he growled at her. “What do you want?”“I wanted to talk to you.” She said calmly. “Why now? You’ve been avoiding me for two weeks. What could you possibly have to say now?” The anger dripped from his voice like venom, but Sarah still didn’t react. “Let me in, I’m not having this conversation in the hallway.”He grudgingly stepped aside and let her into his rooms. She happily pranced towards the fireplace, pulling a bottle of wine from the pockets of her robe. She set the bottle down on the table and plopped into one of his wingback chairs. Jareth followed her and, after conjuring two glasses, sat down in front of the fire in the chair opposite her. He poured each of them a glass and downed his in one gulp before pouring another. She sipped hers, watching him carefully. “Jareth, I’ve spent the last two weeks ignoring you,” He scoffed in his annoyance. “Every time I’ve been here, you make every effort to ensure I fall in love with the Underground, fall in love with you.”He stared at her, studying the way her mouth moved over her words and her eyes as they turned from him to watch the fire. The light danced across her face and cast shadows in her high cheekbones, she was beautiful and he found it hard to remain angry at her. “And what is wrong with that, precious?” He said blandly, with none of the usual emotion or innuendo behind his words. “It’s overwhelming. Three years ago, I told you that I would become queen. I made that decision with only a brief thought of you. I said yes to make sure my family and friends would be safe. I couldn’t stand not knowing what would happen, I had to know the Labyrinth would be safe. I fell in love with it when I was here. My first friends in a long while made me love this place, hell I even love the goblins. Whatever happened between us didn’t matter, I needed save the people I loved.”“Am I supposed to be surprised at your hero complex, Sarah?” He bit out the words, the alcohol making his rage resurface. “Or would you rather I grovel at your feet, content to worship you as a martyr?”“No. But I spent the last two weeks away from you asking myself some serious questions. Because, even though I rejected you, I knew what no one knew, Jareth. I knew you were in love with me and you understood my choice to become queen as an agreement to marry you. I’ve spent the better part of three years convincing myself I couldn’t possibly marry you. That I didn’t even like you. And well you know how that turned out.” She gestured flippantly and then gulped down her wine. Jareth flashed to every heated snogging they shared in the last few years and how coldly Sarah rejected him every time.“I told you before I came here that I would think about staying here for good.” She spoke again, her lips glistening with alcohol. “That’s what I’ve been doing. I avoided you to see if I could live here without you, Jareth. And don’t give me that look. You know that your uncle and half the courts are planning to kill one or both of us. I had to see if this place was the same without you.” She took a big swallow of wine, finishing her second glass. She quickly poured another and swallowed half of it before she spoke again. “I decided that it isn’t and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t possibly return to the Underground, for any length of time if you weren’t here. I want to stay here, but I want to finish my degree. Meet that milestone of mortal life and then leave it behind.”“What does that mean?” He asked her, leaning forward slightly.“It means I will do everything within my power to finish school quickly, if you start coming to see me Above. I told you that I could love you. But I don’t really know what I’m feeling. I mean it’s not like I don’t find you attractive already. I’ve seriously considered just sleeping with you to see if it’s only a physical attraction on more than one occasion. But we’ve never really been on a date” She started to babble, losing all the confidence and coherence she entered with. Jareth stared at her for a long moment, letting her continue to lose control of her thoughts. She never let her guard down in front of him and he was glad to see that a bit of alcohol had done what three and a half years of temptation had not. Then, deciding he heard enough, he cleared his throat and took her glass away from her. “Sarah, precious, you’re getting drunk.” He chuckled as she muttered, “so what,” under her breath. “I want you to stay coherent for a little bit longer. I want to understand your proposition.”She curled up in the chair, tucking her feet under the edges of her robe and nightgown. “Okay, then talk.”He grinned before finishing his fourth glass of wine. “You ignored me for two weeks, driving me mad, just to decide whether or not you can live without me. And what you’ve decided is you can’t. You want me to let you live as a human girl a while longer. And, what’s more, you want me to date you as if I was a ‘normal’ mortal man.”“That’s it. See I’m not that drunk if you understood all that.” She slurred her words as she slid over and put her chin in her hand to stare at him. Her eyelids fluttered and a lazy grin crossed her face. “Of course, precious. When would I be allowed to start courting you?”“Hmm. I don’t know. Not immediately. I want this to be natural, like we don’t already know everything there is to know about each other. I don’t really know too much about dating. After all, I’ve had you lurking around making it impossible to find anyone else remotely attractive since I was fifteen.” She grinned mischievously at him. He frowned at her teasing. She found more than a few men and women attractive enough over the last few years. None of them made her feel the way Jareth did. He studied her for a moment before downing another glass of the wine. He wasn’t angry anymore, just peeved. She realized she wanted something different from their relationship and instead of speaking with him, she ran off with his mother and stepmother for two weeks. Jareth didn’t realize he’d gotten so used to her presence, that he craved their verbal sparring and the easy way they sat in silence together. He missed her for two whole weeks, knowing she really wasn’t far away from him and it drove him into a rage. He was addicted to her. “Sarah,” he paused, not ready to admit to himself what he needed to tell her. “Whatever my sister or Fate have decreed about us, I want you to know I am prepared to do anything for you. I was half in love with you when you ran the Labyrinth and the last three years have only confirmed those feelings, despite all my efforts to, as you say, seduce you and get you out of my system.” She glowered at him, her liberal consumption of wine making its effect decidedly less intimidating. “I would like to say that you are right and I will let you go, again. But I don’t think I can. The only way I will agree to this proposition is if you spend the rest of your week here convincing me you will, eventually, come back to me.”His recalcitrant Champion stood up from her chair and leaned over him. She reached up and stroked his cheek, letting her thumb pause to touch his lips. He groaned and pulled her down to sit in his lap. She continued gently stroking his face, content to watch him. His eyes fluttered and he leaned into her touch. The angry, lonely king became, once again, the young man he was when his life changed. The centuries melted away under her touch. When he opened his eyes again, he found her fast asleep. Jareth rolled his eyes and carefully picked her up, cradling her against his chest. He was suddenly all too aware of the thin nightgown under the robe. He carried her down the hall to her rooms and lay her down in her bed. He gently pulled the robe off of her and tucked her into the bed. As he made to walk away, she grabbed his hand. “Stay,” she murmured. “Please.”He sat down and took off his boots and shirt, then lay down next to her. She turned to curl against his chest and quickly fell asleep again. He wrapped his arms around her and watched her sleep until he too closed his eyes.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

No man loved like I love you
Wouldn’t you like to love me too
In the heat of the morning
In the Heat of the Morning—David Bowie

I’m with you my love,
The light’s shining through on you
Yes, I’m with you my love
It’s the morning and just we two
I’ll stay with you darling now,
I’ll stay with you til my seas are dried up
I’ve been waiting so long
To be where I’m going
In the sunshine of your love
The Sunshine of Your Love—Cream
Melissa woke up to the sound of someone moving in her room. She sat up quickly and her eyes darted around the room until a figure appeared, silhouetted against the windows, across from her bed. The hobgoblin turned to look at her. “Good morning Lady Melissa, my name is Aradella Arcanus, I am the head housekeeper for the castle. Most everyone calls me Delly. I have your breakfast.” A cup of coffee appeared in Melissa’s hands with a snap of the woman’s fingers. “The Lady Sarah told me yesterday that she wanted you to act as her lady’s maid, and Chatelaine, although with some adjustments to your duties. Our future queen is quite the independent young woman.” Melissa sat still in her bed as the hobgoblin bustled around her, adjusting things around the rooms and chattering away. “I’ve brought you a set of keys, which you must never let out of your sight, whether you are in the kingdom or not. They unlock some private places in the castle. And you will have this,” she pulled a box down from the wardrobe and pulled out a very long gold chain, “as an indication of your station. You may wear it however you like. Gwyn ap Nudd’s grandmother, the last Chatelaine, was never queen, but she was still the keeper of secrets. She wore this chain in her hair or wrapped around her wrist. It is charmed to protect the wearer from harmful magic and to prevent that person from divulging the secrets of the throne. Lady Sarah trusts you with these secrets and since it is my current duty to hold them, I am going to spend the day with you teaching you your duties.”“What? What am I supposed to be doing? What’s a keeper of secrets?” Melissa crawled from the bed and Delly laughed at her as she shuffled around getting ready. The mortal girl pulled on a t-shirt and jeans, bread and cheese dangling from her mouth as she found the breakfast tray while searching for her scrunchy. She pulled her hair away from her face and bounded over to stand next to the goblin. She realized Delly was slightly taller than her own five-foot-two frame. She had tawny skin, rich, mahogany colored hair, green eyes and, despite her pointed ears and slightly elongated canines, she appeared human. “I know what you’re thinking, Lady Melissa. And I was human. My mother wished me away when the Portuguese invaded my village. The sailors were raping and pillaging their way through Benin. She wished me away to save me from a horrible death. I was very sick and so I retained more of my human features during my transition to a hobgoblin. The king let me stay in the castle and soon I was running the household. Let me tell you it was impossible to keep this place clean until Sarah showed up and threatened those bog-feeding little cretins.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 12, 1990
Sarah woke up to the sun drifting through her open curtains. Though it was spring in the Underground, just like Above, the nights and mornings were still quite chilly. But Sarah wasn’t cold, in fact, she was very warm and cozy. She attempted to roll over and found someone’s arms were wrapped around her waist. She turned her head and realized a shirtless, sleeping Jareth lay in her bed. She groaned and quickly tried to remember last night’s events. Sarah remembered wine and conversation and an invitation to stay the night, a quick glance down to reveal pants on Jareth confirmed her memories and she exhaled in relief. Jareth stirred next to her, pulling her tighter against him and resting his chin on top of her head. “Morning, precious. I trust you aren’t terribly hungover from your wine consumption last night?” He whispered in her ear.She rolled over and snuggled closer to him. “I have a headache and talking isn’t helping. I drank most of a bottle before I came to talk to you last night.”He chuckled, the rumbling of his chest echoed along with his steady heartbeat against her cheek. “Well that explains the babbling. I must say I’m impressed, precious. You drank elf-wine. It’s nearly as potent as your moonshine above and you barely slurred your words and remained mostly lucid during our conversation.”“Well I’d like to never drink again, though waking up like this is nice.” She purred happily and closed her eyes again. Jareth began tracing circles on her back and massaging her neck, eliciting little moans of relief from the girl in his arms. He dipped his head slightly and placed a kiss on her forehead. “Precious, you need to get up. We cannot lay in bed all day.”Her brow furrowed and she pulled her head away from his neck to glare at him. “We made a deal last night. I am going to spend all week proving to you I will come back here permanently if you agree to take me on some proper mortal dates. I think staying here in bed all day with me is a pretty strong indicator don’t you?”He smirked at her. “You are going to stay here in bed with me all day and do what exactly? I have some suggestions,” his hands suddenly left her back and slipped down to her thighs before pulling her tight against him. Sarah gasped at the feeling of being pressed so closely to him and the obvious effect she had on him. She dipped her head and began peppering little kisses along his neck and shoulder until he relaxed, then promptly shoved him off the bed. “You are fucking incorrigible. I plan on making you wait for that particular perk for some time yet.”Chuckling from his ungainly heap on the floor, Jareth reached up and grabbed an ankle. “Such language, precious. Fine then. But if you are hungover, then I must insist you get out of the bed and into a bath. I will have breakfast waiting for you.” He abruptly yanked on her ankle, pulling her off the bed and into his lap. She squealed and made to hit him. Her hands never connected as he stood up and dumped her back on the bed. She flopped onto her stomach, losing sight of him as he opened her curtains the whole way and let the sun pour into the room. Sarah groaned and pulled the sheet over her head. Jareth quietly walked back to the bed and, before she could react, grabbed her and swung her over his shoulder. “Ah! Jareth! What are you doing! Let me down, now!” She kicked and swung her arms, trying to dislodge herself from the fireman carry Jareth had her in. He ignored her and carried her into the bathroom where he unceremoniously flipped her over his shoulder and planted her feet on the marble floor. “Precious, you smell like a distillery. Go bathe.” He shoved her towards the bathtub and exited the bathroom. Sarah sat down in the chair at her vanity and smiled to herself. “He cares.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sarah decided after her bath that she would spend the next three days with Jareth, proving to him she would hold her end of their bargain. Her hormones ran wild through her head trying to convince her to jump his bones as he waited in the next room, still shirtless, but she managed to scold them into submission and get dressed in an old t-shirt and comfortable breeches. She returned to her room to find Jareth curled up in her bed with a book. They stayed in her rooms chatting and reading for the rest of the day. Sarah listened to stories from his youth, learning any story involving the long-dead Gwyn ap Nudd was certain to send him into a bout of silence afterwards. She also quickly learned he appreciated her filling that silence with anecdotes about her own childhood or with something funny she and Toby got up to during their school breaks. He told her exactly what his responsibilities were as Goblin King and explained the delicate balance which existed between the various tribes of goblins, trolls, brownies, fairies, and elves in the kingdom. She questioned him on some of the history she read about the kingdom, grilling him for the nasty details of particular wars and the involvement of Gwyn’s father in the war between Seelie and Unseelie. As the day wore on, they realized that they barely left her bed and Jareth found himself surprised he enjoyed every minute of it. Dusk crept up on them as they dozed in each other’s arms in the late afternoon and they woke to find Delly bringing them dinner. “What time is it?” Sarah grumbled and sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Just after sunset, Lady Sarah. You two have been holed up in here all day. I did as you asked and spent the day with the Lady Melissa, teaching her everything she will need to know. She’d make a fine goblin that one. Positively devious when she wants to be.” The hobgoblin grinned wickedly. “Four of my brothers have broken bones because of her. My mother wept with joy, she wants to keep her.”Jareth let out a barely concealed laugh and sat up. Delly, realizing he lay in Sarah’s bed, only half clothed, ran to Sarah’s wardrobe and dug out a shirt, before tossing it to her king. “Your grace! I don’t care what you do with those tarts outside the kingdom, but here you will remain fully clothed around the Lady Sarah. You know the consequences if anyone knows about this. If I find you here in five minutes, rest assured that I will be informing my mother.” The hobgoblin huffed and left the room, grumbling about idiot fae. “Precious, thank you for providing me with a lazy day. But Delly’s mother will crucify me if she finds out I was in your bed with only trousers on. She is a frightful specimen and I fear for my life every time I incur her wrath.” Jareth threw on the shirt, one Sarah stole from him several months ago, and began hunting for his boots. “Who is Delly’s mother? I’ve met most of the hobgoblins, or I thought I did.” Sarah recalled the various meetings she had over the years. A slim majority of the hobgoblins in the kingdom were born human and turned into goblins after being wished away. She tried to think of any female hobgoblins who seemed remotely frightening. “Khova Arcanus. She’s the witch you met last fall. She offered you a cup of tea.” Sarah recalled the meeting, remembering a sweet, elderly hobgoblin woman with greying black hair and distinctive green eyes, hobgoblins born in the kingdom typically had brown or black eyes unless they were changelings or had fae ancestry. Nothing about her at the time even hinted at a personality that would frighten Jareth. “I remember her, she seemed like a sweet old grandmother.” Sarah furrowed her brow, searching her memory for anything that would explain Jareth’s now frantic behavior. “Well, believe me, precious, when I tell you that she was the daughter of a cunning sorceress in my mother’s employ. The woman wished her away to Gwyn’s father when Khova was a young woman. She became a terrifying witch in her own right and wrought enough havoc on her own mother in revenge that the Unseelie court had to formally request Gwyn’s interference. This was nearly two millennia ago.”He hopped around, pulling his right boot on, still trying to talk. “Since then she’s been challenging Baba Yaga for the title of most feared witch in the Underground. She threatened to hex me within an inch of my life when I tried to bring a paramour to the castle three centuries ago. If she had an inkling I’d even spent the night in the next room without my shirt on, she’d be in here pinning me to the ceiling.” Jareth spoke so fast Sarah barely understood him as he franticly searched for his left boot. Once he retrieved it from underneath her bed and sat down on the edge of the bed to put it on, he stopped for a moment and looked at her, his eyes unreadable. Then he suddenly leaned over and drew her into a passionate kiss before he pulled away, groaned, and bolted from the room. Sarah flopped back on the bed and sighed. She stood and pulled a particularly boring volume on magic from one of the bookshelves behind her bed and crawled back in the bed, determined to bore herself into slumber. She fell asleep several hours later with the book draped across her chest. She didn’t notice when Melissa came into her room and found Jareth curled up under the sheets.Melissa smiled at the tangled forms of her best friend and the Goblin King. The mortal girl felt exceedingly happy Sarah pulled her into this world of magic, a world that made her best friend happy. She cheerfully filed away the current sleeping situation of the two under the folder of “Secrets” in her mind. None of the Underground could be allowed to know the depth of feeling between the two. Love got the last Goblin King killed and put the current one on the throne. The bond between Sarah and Jareth should not be revealed until it was a deadly necessity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The next day Sarah woke up, surprised to find herself in Jareth’s arms again. She gently nudged him, eliciting nothing more than annoyed grunts from the sleeping Fae in her bed. “Jareth,” she whispered. “What happened to being scared of a goblin witch?”“Couldn’t sleep. Needed you. Witch be damned.” He mumbled into her shoulder, sharp canines nipping her. She grinned and pushed him away, getting out of the bed and heading towards the bathroom. “Jareth, you need to get up. I made a promise to you. And if you stay in bed all day today then I will be forced to take Alfsige and Alvar with me instead of you. Did you know both of them offered to marry me?” She called over her shoulder as she stepped into the bathroom and swiftly closed the door.He roared from the bed and headed towards the closed door. “You will not spend any time with either of them.” He growled through the door. Sarah popped the door open a crack and smiled up at him. “I knew that would get you out of bed. You are much too jealous for your own good. Now, go to your own room and get dressed. We’re going to have an adventure today.” She quickly slammed the door closed and listened for him to grumble and then exit her rooms. An hour later, Sarah found her way to the dining room to find Melissa eating breakfast with Alfsige. She grinned to herself when she noticed the pukwudgie flirting mercilessly with her best friend. Despite being half-troll and sporting incredibly pale blue skin, the goblin was handsome. He stood nearly a foot shorter than Sarah’s six-foot-three frame and had wiry blue-black hair which fell halfway down his back in a thick braid. He had a strong chin and piercing grey eyes. The only indications that he was not a full-blooded pukwudgie were his abnormally long, pointed ears and his brawny build. Most pukwudgies were thin and muscular, their lack of height translating into compact, agile fighters. Alfsige, whose mother was a forest troll, took after his father. But the thickly corded muscles of his arms and his ears spoke to his mother’s blood. Forest trolls were typically green-skinned and remarkably more civilized than their mountain and bridge-dwelling cousins, organizing themselves into tribal structures rather than roaming individual territories, preying on anything edible. Jareth told Sarah, after her first encounter with both groups, that Alfsige’s mother and father were betrothed by Gwyn ap Nudd’s father in an attempt to keep the pukwudgies and trolls from starting a civil war in the Goblin Kingdom after a series of insults were traded back and forth between the two tribes. Alfsige was the younger of the couple’s two children. His sister, Alfsigr, served as the Goblin Kingdom’s Coin Mistress. ‘It seems to be a pattern to buy peace through children,’ she thought to herself as she watched her friend and the warrior begin trading insults with each other, wicked smiles plastered on their faces. Sarah sensed a presence next to her, and the feel of Jareth’s particular brand of magic told her who stood in the doorway with her. “This is an unexpected development.” He whispered, watching the pair in the dining room. “Not at all. Mel has a thing for putting the fear of god into dangerous men.” Sarah said. “Her last boyfriend was the son of a Mafioso. She scared him so bad his father sent him on an extended trip to Sicily. The poor old man still has his goons driving her to classes every day. She had to do an interview with the FBI and explain why she had two of the most dangerous men in New York City eating out of her hands.”Sarah chuckled, remembering Melissa’s reaction when she came out of the FBI building and waved back at the agent who interviewed her before climbing into the car with her ever-present mafia enforcers. “I think Alfsige might be perfect for her. He became the commander of his unit after he challenged every single other pukwudgie warrior to combat during his training, including his own father. Gwyn had to put the whole garrison on leave to allow them recovery time afterwards.” Jareth grinned as the pukwudgie made Melissa laugh. “But every single one of them returned and demanded Alfsige lead them. His father even retired and moved in with his in-laws to force Gwyn’s hand.”“Hmm. Perhaps we should force them to spend the whole day together. I’ve been thinking Melissa should begin her own training, now that she’s oathbound to me and the Chatelaine. I don’t want her throwing rocks at Rusalki anymore, I’d rather her throw knives.” She mused, a wry grin on her face. “It’s decided then. She’ll spend the rest of her time here training with him and I’ll arrange time for him to come Above and continue training her there.”Sarah reached down and grasped Jareth’s hand, leaning against him. “Agreed.”He squeezed her hand and led her into the dining room. Alfsige rose from his seat and bowed to them as Jareth placed Sarah in a chair next to her friend. Jareth took the seat at the head of the table and looked between Alfsige and Melissa with a grin before piling food on his plate. The four ate in comfortable silence, until Sarah finished her final cup of tea.“Melissa, I’m glad you’ve met Alfsige. I hoped to introduce you two before we left. Jareth and I were discussing things yesterday.” She trailed off as Melissa gave an unladylike snort and muttered something under her breath, which earned her a hard stare from both Jareth and Sarah. “And we decided that if you are going to spend time around me, then you need to be capable of more than chucking rocks at mermaids.”Melissa smiled, remembering the look on the Rusalka’s face when the short mortal girl beaned her in the head with a piece of concrete. “You can’t say I didn’t have good aim.”Sarah, too, smiled at the memory. “No, you got me enough of a distraction to kill them. But you were hurt. I’d rather you be able to defend yourself. And,” She looked over her friend’s shoulder towards the pukwudgie, whose eyes narrowed. “I think that Alfsige would be the perfect teacher. He’s the deadliest warrior in the Goblin Army and since Gawain and Owain are still in Nyack with my parents and Aunt Morgan, he’s the best option we have. What do you say Alfsige? Up for training a mortal how to fight Immortals?”The pukwudgie quickly glanced at his king to find the man smirking, his eyes glinting mischievously. He looked at his future queen, a woman he knew to be more dangerous than himself when pushed, and then gave the mortal girl between them another once-over. ‘She can be taught,’ he thought. ‘She is stronger than she appears and moves as though she’s had training before.’ Looking back to Sarah, he gave a half-smile, knowing that Melissa now watched him. “I don’t suppose I have any choice in the matter, do I, Sarah?” He spoke evenly, only the wink he gave her an indication of the playfulness hiding behind his mask of indifference. “That is Lady Sarah to you, Commander Alfsige.” Jareth growled from across the table, Sarah’s taunts from earlier still lurking in his head. “Apologies, your grace. But my remark still stands, Lady Sarah. You don’t plan on giving me a choice do you?”“Of course not, Alfsige. And please, just call me Sarah.” She said, with a pointed look across the table to Jareth’s annoyance. “You and Melissa can spend the next few days training and then you’ll make regular trips to my house Above to continue the sessions after we leave. I’d much rather have my cousins stay in Nyack with Toby. The Tweedles are good sparring partners, but not great teachers. Besides, I have a feeling you and Melissa will be great friends.” Melissa scoffed at Sarah, but realized, from the look on her friend’s face that there would be no arguments about her teacher. She huffed and then turned to fully face the pukwudgie on her right. She gave him a withering stare and evil smirk, looking him over with disdain. “Let’s get some things straight, Alfie.” She poked him hard in the chest. “I don’t take orders; you will not bark at me like some pea-brained soldier while you’re teaching me. I also don’t take crap from anyone, so you will not treat me like some simpering fool. And,” she glanced over her shoulder at Sarah, “I only make friends with people who deserve it. And so far, you don’t deserve it.” She tossed her napkin down and with a quick bob of her head to Sarah and Jareth she marched towards the door. “Come on goblin boy, I’m already dressed for fighting, might as well get started now!” She called over her shoulder, venom dripping from her voice. Melissa did not like being told what to do, even if she agreed to be Sarah’s subject. Alfsige stood and bowed to Sarah and Jareth. “I don’t know what you two are up to, but I like her. This will be highly entertaining.” He cracked his knuckles and began jogging to catch up with Melissa. Sarah laughed out loud and clapped her hands together once Alfsige was well out of earshot. “I just love being devious.” She cooed. Jareth shook his head and returned to sipping his tea and looking over reports from border patrols and spies. With Baba Yaga missing and Enlil gathering forces and inciting rebellion amongst the Unseelie, he felt it wise to surreptitiously increase the kingdom’s security. The citizens of his kingdom, apart from the goblins, were largely here because of the largesse of himself and previous goblin kings. The title of “Keeper of the Unwanted” did not weigh lightly on Jareth’s shoulders. He knew he had the loyalty of his citizens because he welcomed them with open arms, unlike the rest of the Underground. Seelie and Unseelie alike were welcome within his borders, as long as they became oathbound to serve the kingdom to their deaths. These oaths were passed through blood magic to their children and, as a result, the citizens of the Goblin Kingdom were fiercely loyal to their king and to the land. ‘Not that anyone in the High Court or the Unseelie court has any idea about how deep the ties go,’ Jareth thought as he read a report from one of his spies. “Jareth, I would like you to join me and Sir Didymus today. We were working on a project together, and I’d like you to see it.”He lifted his head to look at her. She appeared to be completely absorbed in her cup of tea. She wore one of his stolen shirts and a pair of leather breeches, he noticed before they sat down, and the shirt gaped open a bit to reveal a good look at her chest. She let her hair down and the thick waves framed her face. She smiled cheekily realizing he was staring at her. He narrowed his eyes at her, acknowledging her attempts to seduce him, but smirked. “I have correspondence from our border patrols and spies to go over. I’m sure whatever this project is, can’t be as important as the kingdom’s safety.”“It is directly tied to the kingdom’s safety.” She said, proudly. Jareth huffed, petulant child that he was, and quirked an eyebrow. Sarah frowned. “Fine, what if I told you this project involved quite a bit of magic and the relocation of the bog?” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jareth was impressed. Sarah transported the both of them out of the dining room without standing or laying a hand on him. He looked around, surprised to find himself standing next to the bog, though it was considerably smaller. And the smell was masked by the presence of copious amounts of a strange white flower. Then he noticed a large channel, full of bog water, connected to a large sluice gate in one of the Labyrinth walls. Sir Didymus stood proudly upon his reconstructed bridge, grinning madly at his beloved Lady Sarah and his king. “Sarah, what have you done to my bog?” “I’ve made it bigger, and much more threatening.” She stated simply. “No. You shrunk it and planted bloody flowers.” He spoke evenly, but his tone betrayed more than a hint of annoyance. He secretly loved the foul smelling fixture of the kingdom, as it was his favorite way to punish the goblins. They were the only creatures to whom the adjective “Eternal” did not apply when it came to the bog’s infamous stench.“Not everything is as it seems in the Labyrinth.” She chided. “This gate here leads to a dry lake bed. You know the one that surrounds the eastern gate into the Labyrinth. Still well within our borders, but if anyone manages to make it that far, then they’re going to encounter the new and improved bog.” She happily informed him. He glanced at her skeptically. “Why do this?” He gestured at the smaller bog and the ridiculous flowers. “Because this is where I plan to dangle anyone who disobeys me. And if they annoy me any further, then I drop them in and watch as they float downstream. Sir Didymus told me such behavior did not become a Lady.”Jareth grinned at the knight now standing at Sarah’s feet, wondering how much scolding Sarah endured during this project. “But why the flowers, precious?”“These particular flowers seem to thrive on the nastiness. When we finally connected the channel to the bog and it drained a bit, they started popping up everywhere. There’s a trail of them all the way to lake.”“Do I get to see the rest of your handiwork?”She grinned and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the sluice gate, pausing only to let the wall open up before her. Sarah chatted happily, explaining how she and Didymus rerouted the bog, as they followed the flowers and the channel of disgusting bog water through the Labyrinth. The knight in question followed behind them, head on a swivel looking for danger and, strangely for him, silent. Jareth happily noted the walls rearranging themselves, leading her on a direct route, the Labyrinth really did love her. He finally noticed Didymus’ strange behavior and resolved to question the little knight. They traversed nearly two miles, the channel becoming deeper and wider as they neared the edge of the Labyrinth. Once they stepped out of the eastern gate, Jareth barely suppressed a gag. The dry lake bed was now a thirty-foot-deep reservoir for the bog. Sarah made a face at the smell, but she was obviously happy with herself. “Well, consider this a new layer of defense for the gate. The lake extends a half mile in each direction and the only way across is to take a boat or follow that,” She pointed to a causeway in the middle of the lake. “Incredibly narrow bridge. Something about the new location won’t let people magic their way across. If any invading troops can bear the smell long enough to walk a half-mile, then I think they deserve to invade.” Jareth surveyed the lake and realized the repulsive flowers bloomed everywhere, reaching up to three feet tall in places, creating a meadow he was sure disguised the lake’s depth and size from the other side. He turned to look at Sarah. The smell still repulsed her, but the accomplishment excited her.“When did you finish this?” He asked, reaching out to put an arm around her shoulders.“Ishtar and Titania helped me finish the magic that would keep the channel flowing into the lake. The bog originates in the maze and we didn’t want it backing up. The Labyrinth made it very clear to me that if the bog began flooding, it would personally redirect it into the castle dungeons to make me pay.”Jareth smiled. “The creature is incredibly devious. I do hope the magic you used will prove enough to keep my castle from stinking.” She placed a hand on the arm circled around her shoulders and turned to look at his face. “The Labyrinth assured me if I check the wards and spells every decade or so then that will be plenty. Although It was quick to remind me that if anyone but me, or someone related to me by blood, interfered with the magic then the whole system would collapse and our best case scenario would be two bogs of eternal stench and no way to control either.”He nodded and set a smirk on his face. “I must say, precious, I would never have thought of this. It is a brilliant plan. And all the bloody flowers do a wonderful job disguising the bog as a threat. The goblins may know the ways to remove the stench from their skin, but anyone who has not earned their trust will truly stink for the rest of eternity.” She graced him with one of her rare, dazzling smiles and leaned her head against his shoulder. “My precious Sarah you have truly proved to be as conniving as the Labyrinth itself.”Jareth bid Didymus a good day, requesting the little knight come to him after his supper that evening. He closed his eyes and pulled Sarah with him back into the Labyrinth, dropping them deep in the Firey Forest. Sarah took a quick look around for the Fireys themselves, still on bad terms with the creatures as they tried to remove her head every time she encountered them. Jareth dropped his arm from her shoulder to encircle her waist and led her towards a large tree. She recognized it and stopped to look at him. “This is where Hoggle gave me the peach. I fell asleep right here.” She pointed at the tree. Jareth pulled a crystal from the air and it became a peach when he dropped it into her hands. She held it as though it were poisoned and glared at him. He gave a half-shrug and pulled away from her to sit on a fallen log. “You were never supposed to escape the ballroom. I was prepared to keep you the moment you escaped the cleaners. No other runner made it so far and continued to refuse their dreams. I thought the ballroom would make you realize you didn’t really want to leave them behind.” He said, the barest hint of emotion in his voice. Still holding onto the peach, Sarah took a seat next to him. She leaned against him and began rolling the peach back and forth between her hands. “I was only fifteen, Jareth. All I knew about this place came from a silly book. I was desperate to save Toby. My dreams meant nothing if my little brother was gone.”“That was readily apparent in the Escher room. Did you know Escher was a hobgoblin? He loved art and mortals. I couldn’t bear to keep him down here when all he wanted was to be Above. He designed the stair room for me before he left.”“Really?” She frowned. “You’re distracting yourself from telling me about your feelings on purpose. I know you fae love to use emotions against each other down here, but this half-mortal would much prefer to know what’s going on in your head. Keep talking, fairy boy.” She gently poked him in the chest.“As you were running the stairs, I knew I couldn’t keep you. I tried anyway. Everything about you beguiled me. I could see the bewitching and devious woman you’ve become even then. ‘Fear me, love me, and I will be your slave.’ Did you know I proposed to you?”“Not at first,” she admitted, sitting up and focusing on the peach in her hands. “But when Morgan talked to me a few months later, I realized exactly what you meant. Love, honor, and obey. Marriage vows. I hated you for it. I couldn’t understand, even after I knew who my family was, why you would want the ‘Ice Princess.’ I was the weird girl, more interested in dress up and fairy stories than real life. Then I met you and my life became a fairy story. Everything was so confusing. I wanted to return that night, you know, when you and Morrigan came for me. But I knew I needed to live as a mortal for as long as I could.”The peach nearly flew out of her hands as she started gesturing wildly. Jareth grabbed for it and waited for her to take the fruit back. She did and stared down at it in her lap. “If I didn’t, then I would never be able to prove to myself I really belonged here. I’ve pretended to be normal for almost four years, which is incredibly difficult with you and the damned Underground constantly reminding me exactly how not normal I really am. But I meant what I said the other night. I’m ready to be here, but I love school and the life I’ve built in the city. I want to spend a little more time as Sarah Williams, before I come here and become Sarah Pendragon, Goblin Queen.” Jareth watched, a bit shocked, as she took a big bite of the peach. A little juice dripped down her chin and he reached up to wipe it away. He let his fingers linger on her face. “You continue to turn my world, precious.” He whispered. “You are twenty in a matter of days Sarah. I will give you until your twenty-first birthday to return permanently. Two years. Can you let go of your mortal life in that time?”She continued eating the peach, obviously thinking hard, for a few moments. “If you promise to spend the whole time sweeping me off my feet then two years will feel like forever, I’m sure.”“Not long at all, precious.”Sarah smirked and took another large bite, the symbolism of the action not lost on her. She trusted him and the peach was a promise. They sat in the forest for hours until the sun finally dipped below the horizon, signaling their return to the castle. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The following day, Sarah woke up in a strange bed. She quickly recognized Jareth’s room and turned her head to find his arms snaked around her waist as he snored quietly next to her. In the same instant, she realized she only wore one of his shirts and her underwear. She groaned quietly and vowed she had to stop sleeping in the same bed with him before her barely controlled hormones took over her body. She carefully extricated herself from his arms and padded towards the bathroom as quietly as possible. When she emerged a few minutes later, she found he still snored. A quick peak out of his windows revealed dawn swiftly creeping up over the horizon. She smiled at how peaceful he looked in sleep, watching him for a few moments until he frowned and reached across the bed. He jumped up and looked around for her. “Why aren’t you in bed?” He frowned at her. “I had to pee.” She said. “Come back to bed.”She grinned wickedly. “Make me.”Jareth launched out of the bed and grabbed her around her thighs. He swept her up and cradled her to his chest before turning back to the bed. Sarah flopped in his arms, becoming one hundred and seventy-five pounds of muscular dead weight in his arms. He faltered and nearly dropped her but quickly recovered to pull her closer to his bare chest. She began to squirm and he threw her onto the bed before crawling over the top of her, bracing himself on his arms. Sarah stared up at him, daring him to move. Jareth just watched her for a moment before dipping his head to plant a feather-light kiss on the tip of her nose. She groaned and glared at him before lifting her head and pulling him down to kiss her properly. They lay on the bed snogging for several minutes, Sarah pinned beneath Jareth. She finally pushed him away and rolled over to curl into his side. She traced lazy circles on his stomach and chest as he pulled her close to him. “Here I was promising myself I’d stay out of bed with you until I was ready to have sex and instead I goad you into throwing me into the bed to make out.” Sarah chuckled. “I am having plenty of issues reminding myself not to taunt you into forgetting your inhibitions as is, precious, please do not press your luck this morning.” He leered at her, pulling her up for another kiss. A knock on the door broke them apart and Jareth growled before getting up to see who it was. Alfsige stormed into the room, sporting a black eye and a serious gash across the left side of his neck. “You and your bloody woman are insane. There is no way that girl is human. She put down three of my lieutenants yesterday, Jareth. Three!” Alfsige flopped down into one of Jareth’s wingback leather chairs in the sitting room and suddenly noticed Sarah standing in the doorway from the bedroom. He flushed slightly, his pale skin turning pink at the sight of his future queen standing in Jareth’s chambers wearing nothing but a borrowed shirt with kiss-bruised lips. Sarah laughed at him, stole one of Jareth’s robes and walked over to join the pukwudgie by the fireplace. “Melissa doesn’t scare easy and she is vicious. She’s been my friend since I was seven. I can’t tell you the number of times she nearly got expelled from school for beating the crap out of people who bullied anyone in our group of friends. It took me all three years of junior high to convince her not to physically hurt people. She has a lot of pent up rage itching to get out. I’m honestly surprised you can walk today.”Sarah leaned over and planted a quick kiss on his forehead, which earned a growl from Jareth, before she languidly stood to stretch before waltzing out of the room. Jareth ran his hands over his face and then through his hair in frustration. “She will be the death of me, Alfsige. As long as I’ve lived, no woman, including my sisters, has even come close to driving me as mad as she does.”“Well, her little friend is going to kill me. Why did you let her volunteer me to teach the chit? From what Melissa says, she’s been training in human martial arts since she turned five. And I’m honestly not sure if I want her armed in my presence.” Alfsige admitted, exhaustion and a bit of fear echoing in his tone. “Alfsige, you are the leader of my most dangerous warriors and you are honestly telling me that you are scared of an eighteen-year-old human girl?” Jareth teased. “Yes. Yes, I am. She frightens me.” He admitted readily, visions of the mortal’s dark bronze skin, which he now knew to be very soft, and her face, twisted into a sneer, danced through his head.“What if I told you Delly spoke with her about becoming fae or a goblin if she decides to live here permanently?”“I’d say that I would seriously consider resigning my post and placing her in charge of my men.” “Good. Sarah has this insane idea you two will end up married with a dozen rancorous little children. Now that I’ve heard your concerns, I must say I agree with her. You have not met a woman yet who truly challenged you, Alfsige. Who better than my wife’s best friend and new protector?”“I will not marry her, Jareth. She would kill me in the blink of an eye. I mean it when I say I am frightened of her.”“I mean it when I tell you that you should challenge her. And you are attracted to her.” Jareth teased. Alfsige blanched and frowned at his king. “I have had the pleasure of knowing Melissa for almost two years now and I can tell you all she wants from a man is a challenge. You were flirting with her yesterday, certainly the idea that she will be a less willing conquest appeals to you?”“What if I want a quiet, biddable wife?” Alfsige spat out. “Then you are lying to yourself, Alfsige. Besides, I have ordered you to train the girl and you will train her. And to make the process easier, you should plan on leaving with the ladies at the end of the week. I believe Melissa is planning on moving into Sarah’s home and you will do so as well. The attacks on Sarah have become more dangerous recently and I would much rather have you in the house than her cousins. Gawain is not very fond of me spending time alone with Sarah.”Alfsige grumbled. “Yes, your grace. I suppose the Lady Sarah will be providing me with a glamour while I am Above?”“She will. I suggest you refrain from complaining about her best friend before she casts it.” Jareth waved a hand and dismissed him, a smirk still firmly planted on his face. Alfsige bowed, a scowl painted on his face, and left the room. Jareth left his rooms moments later, choosing to walk to his private study at the top of the tower. When he arrived, he was pleased to see Sir Didymus already waiting inside. The little fox whipped his head around at the arrival of his king and Ambrosius leapt up from the floor to receive a fond head rub from the Goblin King. “Sire, you wished to speak with me in private?”“I did, Didymus, but I believe we must include others in our discussion today.”He turned to face the large mirror affixed to the back of the door and tapped it until the rock caller appeared before him. He reached through and pulled Ludo into the room then did the same until he found Hoggle, who grumbled and muttered as his king brought him through from his kitchen.Jareth conjured a tray of refreshments and took his place in the tower’s window seat while the Terrible Trio picked at the tray. The final guest drifted up from the floor, once again wearing the visage of the dark haired woman. “Goblin King, you wished to speak with me?” The Labyrinth stated in a slightly annoyed tone. The woman-creature’s resemblance to Sarah was uncanny and, not for the first time, Jareth wondered at the Labyrinth’s abilities. This face the creature wore entranced him since he first saw it. Then he found Sarah and knew the young girl would one day wear the same face. The Labyrinth and his sister both spent centuries pushing him towards the half-mortal princess and he grumbled internally at their manipulations. Still sitting on the window seat, Jareth turned to look out over his kingdom. “I did. I have brought the four of you here to discuss Sarah.”“Sarah fwend.” Ludo intoned, still chewing on a large chunk of rock cake. “Indeed, my brother. I believe our Lady’s powers are growing much faster than anticipated. The bog project should have taken years, but our Lady completed it in a matter of days.” Said Didymus, concern bleeding through. “She had help. The Labyrinth an’ them queens both ‘elped her.” Hoggle interjected. “Ah, but I helped very little, caretaker. Titania and Ishtar provided advice and a little stabilizing magic nothing more. Sarah relocated the bog with minimal help. The new floral additions to my lands are a product of her work as well. Those flowers are not native to either the Above or Underground. They exist only to conceal the bog and entice intruders to stumble in unawares.”“Rocks no know new flowers. Rocks like new pretties. Smell good. Keep nasty away.” Ludo grumbled.“My concern is for Sarah’s safety. Her powers are, indeed, growing and I fear Seelie and Unseelie alike will begin to put more dangerous plans in place. Fortunately, Sarah provided us with a solution to keep the Underground unaware of her power. She wants to return Above and finish her schooling. And she proposed I begin courting her Above.”“Still don’t know why she wants you.” Hoggle grumbled, only loud enough for the Labyrinth to hear, which earned him a snort from the creature. “She also arranged for the Lady Melissa to begin training and so I have decided to send Alfsige Above. We now have several trustworthy agents watching over the ladies, and with my frequent visits, I believe she should be safe. However, I will be spending time away from the kingdom. I wish to enlist you three in extra protection for our borders.”“Sire, we three shall of course protect the kingdom.” Didymus exclaimed. Ludo and Hoggle both nodded, gravely, in agreement. The woman-creature smiled grimly at them and shared a look with her king. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sarah found Alfsige in his home at the end of the day. She breezed in, accompanied by several dozen fairies. The Swarm Queen decided the contingent of fairies that lived in the Labyrinth were to live in the castle rather than at the gates to protect them from the increasing Unseelie threat. The fairies’ leader, a particularly vicious creature named Grymma, was the same fairy who bit Sarah on her first visit and the two became fast friends on the girl’s return. She granted Sarah an honor guard for her trips into the city. Hoggle was inordinately happy to have the fairies gone as they had a habit of destroying his flowers, though he was less than happy as they now hovered around Sarah. Alfsige felt distinctly annoyed with nearly a hundred fairies flitting around his kitchen, but the Champion of the Labyrinth wouldn’t hear a negative thing about them. “My Lady, I understand your reasoning, but I promise you I will not be romancing your best friend any time soon.”“Of course not Alfsige. Melissa is a nightmare. I merely made an observation to Jareth about how suitable you two could be, and he inferred from there. I do think you are the best possible teacher for her and bodyguard for me, though. Your temper is only rivaled by hers and Gawain would be entirely too overprotective with me. Besides, he upsets the Tweedles. Now, no more arguing, let’s work on this glamour. I don’t want to make you look like a pimply teenager, you’re a thousand years old.”Three hours and quite a bit of cheerful teasing later, Sarah crafted a long chain with a sword pendant for him to wear when he needed to appear human. They spent a long time talking about how to behave in public. New York had changed a lot since his last trip Above. Sarah returned to the castle at dusk and had Delly send up a tray of food to her rooms. She climbed in her bed, exhausted, and passed out.Jareth, mindful of the goblins working in his household and their tendency to spy for Delly, snuck into Sarah’s rooms well after midnight. He found her splayed out across the bed, still dressed in her jeans and his shirt. He smiled and magically removed the clothes to replace them with one of her silk nightgowns. He gently rolled her over and pulled her blankets over her, before placing a kiss on her forehead and making to return to his rooms. Sarah instinctively reached for his wrist and pulled him back, hard, toppling him into the bed next to her. She woke up from the movement, smiled, and wrapped herself and the blankets around him to keep him from leaving. “You are staying. Delly’s mom doesn’t scare me.” She muttered before dropping back into sleep. Jareth listened to her breathing until he too fell asleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Till the day my dream cascades around me
I’m content to let you pass me by
Till that day, you’ll run to many other men
But let them know it’s just for now

d tell them you’re the starring role
Tell them I’m a dreaming kind of guy
And I’m gonna make my dream
Tell them I will live my dream
Tell them they can laugh at me
But don’t forget your date with me
When I live my dream
When I Live My Dream—David Bowie

Lock away your childhood and throw away the key
For now the streets and city sounds will burn your eyes as coals
We shall drink the oldest wine and velvet skies will linger
Child, you’re a woman now, your heart and soul are free
I will boldly light that lamp and we shall walk together
Let Me Sleep Beside You—David Bowie

June 17th, 1990
The last few days in the Underground passed without major incident. Melissa and Alfsige developed a training regimen to work on when they returned to Sarah’s house in between shouting matches and all out brawls as the rest of the pukwudgies started taking sides between the two. Jareth and Sarah spent most of their days within an arm’s length of each other, planting devious traps for any possible invading armies at the edges of the kingdom. The castle’s inhabitants barely saw them as they spent most of the days split between Jareth’s study, the library, the maze, and their respective chambers. Delly chastised them every morning when she found them tangled up in each other’s limbs in either her bed or his. The hobgoblin even made her mother come up to the castle and sit with Sarah the night before she left to lecture the Champion of the Labyrinth on proper decorum. When the hobgoblin witch entered the library, Sarah’s head shot up, sensing the magic rolling off the woman. Jareth took one look at the new arrivals and promptly disappeared from the room in a shower of glitter. Sarah’s fairy honor guard flew into the shelves, hiding amongst the books. Only Grymma remained firmly ensconced on her Lady’s shoulder. Delly led her mother in and introduced her to Sarah before she too made a hasty exit. “Good evening, Lady Sarah. I am Khova Arcanus, Delly’s mother.”“I know who you are, Lady Arcanus. What I’d like to know is why you’re here?” Sarah quipped.The hobgoblin smiled openly at her. “Why, Lady Sarah, you are not frightened of me?”Sarah gave the hobgoblin a once over, and gestured for her to take the chair opposite the desk she sat at. “No, Lady Arcanus. I don’t scare easily anymore. And besides, you are one of my subjects, if I’m afraid of my people then I won’t make a very good ruler.”“Wisely spoken. You may call me Khova, and may I ask to call you Sarah? Titles are not necessary between us, I think. Especially since your Aunt Morgan and I are practically sisters. Morrigan spent three hundred years training us during her early years as a goddess. I was also part of the retinue who carried your father to Avalon after his battle with Mordred.”“I didn’t know that. I’m still learning so much about my family’s history, it seems I will always be at a loss. But you’re right, Khova, titles are meaningless between us. Feel free to call me Sarah, and make sure you ignore Jareth if he tries to tell you otherwise.” Sarah smiled at the woman, but remained wary. “Well then, Sarah, my daughter tells me you and Jareth have been sharing a bed these last several days.”“Delly is too nosy for her own good. But she’s right.”“You two are unmarried. Even though you are betrothed, it is improper for you to share a bed.”Sarah glared at the goblin, her magic beginning to spark in the air as her anger rose. She kept it at a dull crack of red that tingled against her skin but could not resist snapping at the hobgoblin witch. “To be perfectly honest, Khova, I could give a rat’s ass about propriety when half the Underground wants me dead, raped, or kidnapped. The safest place for me to sleep when I am here, is with him. I am eighteen years old. That makes me an adult Aboveground you know. Not that I feel much like an adult most of the time, but if I even hinted I was ready to marry, Jareth wouldn’t hesitate to keep me here and perform the ceremony tonight. Your only issue is the idea that we are screwing around, leaving ourselves open to attack, which we are not. So, I suggest you get over it and move on.”A shadow of dark purple magic suddenly enveloped the hobgoblin woman and lashed out in barbs against Sarah, whose own magic reacted instantly creating an aura of red around her. The colors of the women’s magic changed the lighting in the room as they tested each other. Finally, after several tense moments and some scorch marks on the furniture, both of them retreated. Khova smiled openly at the girl sitting across the desk from her. “I will never let go of my instinct for propriety Sarah. I grew up amongst the Unseelie court where any hint of true feelings between a couple could be used against them. Finding them sleeping in the same bed, without the obvious signs of sex, is tantamount to signing death sentences for both parties. The propriety I adhere to protects us all from the inherent scheming and devious nature of our kind. All creatures of the Underground conspire and even your friends will be among them. We cannot help it, our power demands we create alliances to protect ourselves, always at the cost of others. Sarah nodded along. Her family insisted she stay distant from Jareth, especially Underground, but no one really took the time to explain why. Khova wasn’t a prude, couldn’t care less if Sarah and Jareth were defiling every inch of the castle. Sarah was of age and Jareth was besotted. No, Khova was here to make sure that Sarah understood the danger of love in this world. “Although, I agree with you. Your unmarried state makes you vulnerable and sleeping in such close proximity to the king will alleviate some of the danger and most of the rumors about your relationship. In fact, I will make a point of planting some new rumors in the ears of the Unseelie court myself. Everyone needs to believe that you two are having sex, but do not care about each other beyond it.”“Why?” Sarah questioned. “Did you not listen to me girl?” She chastised. “Sentimentality is weakness, only those powerful enough to withstand attack openly admit their feelings. We must make everyone believe that you are nothing more than bed partners to one another. Jareth’s reputation for debauchery will certainly help. But make no mistake, if your father hears of your sleeping arrangements, then there will be hell to pay. Delly and I take offense because of our friendship with Odras and Morgan. You are right, though, in your world you are an adult. If any of your male relations comes complaining, rest assured I will plead your case and assure them no real lines were crossed between yourself and my king.”“Thank you Khova. I will make a point to come see you my next trip here. We should spend more time with each other.” Sarah stated calmly. She remained unafraid of the witch in front of her, the experiences of the last three years doing much to steady her nerves around powerful creatures. Learning to control her emotional attachment to Jareth and others would be difficult, but she’d manage. “Of course, Sarah. I look forward to your visit.” Khova stood and bobbed her head towards Sarah before exiting the library. Sarah returned to her work and waited for Jareth to return. When he did, he looked around surprised to find nothing on fire and an unharmed Sarah. “If I hadn’t seen her enter here myself, I would scarcely believe Khova ever set foot in this room.” He stated with a little bit of awe. Sarah noticed he regularly dropped his mask around her the last few days. He was becoming more open, actively expressing every emotion with her. “She’s not so scary. I think the Cherufe that attacked me at Halloween last year was much worse. Lava monster trumps hobgoblin witch every time.” She said simply. “You worry me sometimes with your lack of fear for clearly dangerous people.”“And you worry me whenever you smile. It’s disconcerting. Especially when you turn it on people who have no idea what’s coming with it.”He grinned at her and sat down in his chair next to her to trace patterns on her back. “Precious, neither of us is particularly prone to cautious behavior. Though since you managed to escape a meeting with Khova with only a few scorch marks on the furniture, then I will admit to being proud of you. She is not an easy woman to please.”Grymma landed with three of her sisters in front of the pair and began repairing a nasty scorch on the desk with their magic. Sarah smiled at her fairies and reached into one of the drawers to pull out a few cookies for them all to share. She sighed and looked at Jareth. “Khova and I came to an understanding. And just so you’re aware, she’s going to let slip that you are thoroughly corrupting my nonexistent virtue. I would keep an eye out for my father and cousins in the next few weeks.”Jareth grimaced. “I might come hide in your house. Morfydd officially signed it over to you at Christmas, yes?”“She did.” She said, tone full of questions.“Then I should be safe there. You have rights of hospitality to any guest and if I hide from your father there, then he cannot touch me without your permission.”“Now I see why you suggested she do it.” Sarah said, suddenly exhausted by the use of her brain and magic. “Precious, you need to sleep before you travel back in the morning.” Jareth said as he moved to pry her away from her desk. “We haven’t finished the plan to use Iara and her people on the coast.” Sarah complained. “The damned mermaid can wait. Iara is still recovering from Carnival, goddess or not. I will finish it tomorrow. You will be transporting five people across the Mists tomorrow. You need to rest.” She dropped her head to the desk, stubbornly refusing to move. Jareth tugged on her sleeve for a moment and then used magic to push her chair away from the desk. Catching her before she could fall to the floor, he scooped her into his arms and carried her off towards the tower. She fell asleep against his chest before they reached his room.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Melissa woke up to Dum nudging her as the sun crept over the horizon, a very large mug of coffee in his hands. She smiled at him and accepted the mug, happy to see he remembered how she liked it. “Thanks Dum. Where have you been this whole time? I haven’t seen you or Dee since I’ve been here.”The wendigo sat on the edge of her bed and scratched his horns. “We were speaking with some of the new Unseelie arrivals for news of Baba Yaga.” He admitted, a little forlorn. “She raised you guys didn’t she? I hope she’s okay.”“Yes she did. And I do too.”Melissa scooted to sit next to him and wrapped a protective arm around his shoulders. “Well I’m sure she’s giving people hell and waiting to see you.”“Yes, it’s just worrying we haven’t heard anything from her in years.”“I’m sure you’ll hear from her soon. And you and Dee should really stop wearing your glamours around me. I think I like the horns.” She gave him a quick, one-armed hug and got up from the bed. Dum smiled grimly at her attempt to cheer him up, still upset. “Are you sure? We are creatures meant to give people nightmares.”Melissa chuckled as she downed the rest of her coffee. “I think with all the creatures I’ve seen the last three weeks I might have a hard time having nightmares about the things that go bump in the night. Especially since I know most of them are brownies who are terrified of me. Besides, you and Dee are cuddly teddy bears underneath both of your scary faces.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sarah woke up in Jareth’s bedroom, again. This time to Dum, already wearing his human glamour which made him appear to be a very large, ginger man sporting a beard and wearing a black suit. He looked like a terrifying Scot who would rather toss cabers than hold a conversation. The wendigo held out a cup of coffee for her and placed a finger to his lips and motioned towards the still sleeping Jareth. She nodded and slowly extracted herself from Jareth’s arms and legs. She got out of the bed, stretched, hugged Dum who looked a bit upset and then accepted the mug of coffee. “Is Melissa awake?”Dum nodded. “I went to her first. She will be properly caffeinated by the time you’re ready.”The future Goblin Queen chuckled lowly. Melissa was not a morning person.“Where is your bag?” He whispered. The Goblin King snored softly and Dum did not want to wake him. “On my bed. Not bringing much back with me this time.” She replied, pulling him towards the sitting room as she donned a robe and balanced her coffee. Once the bedroom door closed, she pointed at the chairs in front of the fireplace and told him to sit. “Did you hear anything?”“Nothing new. There are some Djinn, who do not agree with Enlil’s warmongering, living in the mountains. They confirmed the rumors that she was last seen in Poland. But that was almost forty years ago. There hasn’t been a peep since.”“Hmm. I am sure she is fine.” She touched his hand. “Now, make sure you go get some breakfast. I will not have you and Dee traveling on empty stomachs.”He got up from the chair and gave her a small smile and a mock salute before leaving the room. Sarah finished her mug of coffee and sighed. Then she too got up and returned to the bedroom. She crept up on the bed and kissed the sleeping Goblin King over and over until he woke. He grabbed her and rolled underneath him on the bed. “While this is a lovely way to wake up in the morning, it is also very disappointing considering you are leaving me in a very short amount of time.” He whispered against her neck as he peppered kisses along her pulse point and collar bone. “Mmm,” she groaned. “I’m sorry. It’s only four days until you come to see me. You’ve spent the last three years going weeks at a time to see me, surely you can survive a few days?”“This is true, but you have also spent the last seven nights sleeping next to me and I am afraid I have become spoiled. It is also your birthday. I feel it would be more appropriate to celebrate here.” He resumed his ministrations, this time adding teasing touches along her sides and stomach. “This behavior is why I have to leave. You must earn your way back into bed with me with more than a promise of a crown and birthday cake.” She teased. “I thought it was your lifelong dream to be a queen?” He pouted. “If you remember, I gave up that dream to save my brother from your dastardly clutches. I have new dreams.” She muttered, trying to ignore the effect his touch had on her. “Do you plan on telling me these new dreams?”“That’s a conversation meant for a second or third date, fairy boy. Now get off me, I need to put clothes on and eat something before I pull five people through the Mists.”She made to wriggle out from under him, but he dropped all of his weight on her and pinned her down. Sarah let him think he won for several moments before she used magic and lifted him three feet off the bed. She slid out from underneath his prone, floating form, and bolted for the door before she dropped him back down. She heard him growl as she ran down the hall to her room, but she ducked in and magically warded the rooms to keep him out before he could follow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sarah shuffled the group into the throne room two hours later and tapped the wall which connected to her mirror at home, her magic flaring against the stone in red bursts. She waited for the wall to reflect the foyer of her house and then ushered the Tweedles through, followed closely by Alfsige. She grinned at Melissa, who whispered ‘wicked’ under her breath before she too stepped through the mirror surface. Jareth cleared his throat behind her and she let the wall turn to stone again before turning to face him. “We have come a long way this week, precious.” “Yes, we have. See you on Wednesday, Jareth.” She resisted the urge to jump into his arms and snog him senseless, turning to the wall again instead. “I will meet you at three sharp.” He stepped close to her as her foyer came into focus once more and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I will miss you.” He whispered. Then he gently pushed her through the wall. She turned quickly on the other side to see him smiling at her before the mirror returned to reflecting her house. Devon, the caretaker, waited for them all. An elf Morfydd rescued from a particularly nasty member of the Seelie court in the late nineteenth-century, he chose to live Above in service to her rather than return Underground. His pale hair, waifish build, and uncharacteristic dark brown eyes gave him an otherworldly air when he didn’t wear his glamour. He and the Tweedles shared the basement, as it was split into two suites. Devon took to the two wendigos immediately after they arrived in Sarah’s home, treating them like brothers. When he met Melissa, the elf found a kindred spirit and the two often sat up late chatting about fashion and men when she visited Sarah’s house. “Welcome back, Sarah. You and Melissa look like the Underground did you a lot of good. Dee, Dum, I took the opportunity to bring in some fresh willow trees for your room. And this must be Commander Alfsige, it is a pleasure to meet you, sir.” The elf chattered cheerfully and made to shake the pukwudgie’s hand. Alfsige, wearing a stony mask as he didn’t trust the new face, accepted and allowed him to take one of his bags. “Is the second floor suite cleaned up, Dev?” Sarah asked as she sealed the mirror. “Yes, it is. I managed to clean out the last of the damned pixies while you were gone. Lady Morfydd and Lady Morgan both came over to help me relocate them. I understand they are now nesting in your father’s attic.” Devon eyed the pukwudgie appreciatively and shared a smile with Melissa and his mistress. Sarah grinned. “Good. I despised the pixies. I much prefer the fairies. They can at least speak. Put Alfsige in the suite, Devon. And if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate your help setting up the small pantry in kitchen for some fairies. The Swarm Queen is insisting Grymma and some of her group come Above and stay with me. Speaking of that, Mel are you still planning on moving in here?”Devon’s eyes lit up and he looked expectantly at the mortal girl he called friend. She winked at him. “I am. But first, a nap, then I’ll call mom and dad this afternoon. Can I still have the fourth floor all to myself?”Sarah smirked. “As if it ever belonged to anyone else. Go, take a nap. I’ll wake you up around noon.” Melissa followed Devon and Alfsige as they climbed the stairs. The Tweedles had already disappeared into the basement to see the new trees in their room. Sarah took a look at the grandfather clock next to the mirror and sighed. It read an atrocious five in the morning, but Sarah was wide awake, magic and coffee buzzing in her veins. She pulled a crystal from the air and then let it float away with a message to her parents letting them know she made it home and that Alfsige and Melissa were staying in the house. “Come on feet,” she muttered, “let’s go check on the wards.” She shuffled off towards the attic. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Devon allowed Sarah her usual period of insatiable energy until eight. Then he promptly appeared in the backyard as she checked the last of the wards on the house. Once she was done, he pushed her into the kitchen and forced her to tell him everything that happened while she was away. Sarah appreciated the elf’s routine. She always returned to the house melancholy, brimming with energy, and wondering if she shouldn’t just leave everything behind to run back. Devon always waited there to remind her of her decision to live between both worlds, at least for now.Once she finished venting, the two worked together emptying the small pantry next to the back door in the kitchen. Inside they left materials for Grymma and the fairies to set up little houses and sleeping corners. Sarah even used her magic to create a small door inside the pantry door just big enough for the fairies to fly through. Then they wheeled in a small television and VCR plugging in the appliances in the corner. Sarah looked forward to introducing the fairies to Disney and horror movies. Satisfied the room would make a proper refuge for the Swarm, Sarah went into the foyer and used the mirror to call Grymma. Almost four hundred fairies came through the mirror and accosted Sarah. They flew around her, poking, prodding, and chattering as though most of them had not seen her only that morning. Finally, after Grymma landed on Sarah’s shoulder and gave her a reassuring pat on the cheek, Sarah had enough of the little monsters. “Oh, shut up, all of you!” She shouted. “Follow me, you little demons.” Some of the fairies perched themselves on Sarah’s shoulders and head, the rest flew around her into the kitchen. Once they reached the pantry door, she showed them how to open the little door and let them loose inside. Grymma remained on her shoulder, watching her sisters and their children flit around. The little fairy tapped Sarah on the cheek and pointed away from the pantry. Sarah walked across the kitchen and took a seat at the island. ‘Apologies, Sarah. I did not anticipate so many.’ Grymma’s voice echoed through Sarah’s head. ‘The Queen is frightened. Dozens of my sisters have gone missing. She appealed to Titania and then split the Swarm between here and Avalon. I was required to bring the youngest of us, they are not capable of protecting themselves yet. No one will look in the mortal world.’“I was a little surprised to see so many, but there is plenty of room here for you. And we finally got rid of the pixies upstairs in the attic, so you guys will have pretty much free reign.” Sarah sighed and looked at her pantry. The fairies were already using their limited magic to carve symbols into the door and the walls. She grinned at them. “But I will insist you only enter bedrooms if given permission and keep them out of the sugar.”‘Of course, Sarah. I am charged with the young ones because they are terrified of me. They will not go anywhere or do anything you forbid.’ Grymma chuckled evilly in Sarah’s head. The fairy kissed Sarah’s cheek and then flew off to break up a fight between some of her charges. Sarah shook her head and, after making a cup of coffee, she left the kitchen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 24th, 1990
Melissa’s chest heaved as she recovered from Alfsige flipping her onto her back on the mats in the training room on the ground floor of Sarah’s house. She would never admit it, but the landing knocked the wind out of her. “Do you need a moment, Lady Melissa? I think I may have tossed you harder than intended.” Alfsige calmly spoke as he loomed over the prone mortal girl. “I’ll be fine. It’s just been a long time since I trained this hard. And I trained with humans, not,” she waved her hand in his direction, “whatever you are.”“Pukwudgie.”“Bless you.”He laughed at her. “No, I am a pukwudgie. Well, half-pukwudgie. My mother is a forest troll.”Melissa gawped at him. “Trolls are real? And what the hell is a pukwudgie?”“The first peoples who settled this area created pukwudgies from their best warriors to terrorize and fight other clans. The elders used the souls of dead warriors to bind us. It is how most goblins were originally created, we are bound to the earth like fae, but also to a specific human purpose like the gods. The human sacrifice and the magic perpetually bind us to exist between. Goblins, of any species, are incapable of existing for a single purpose.”Melissa rolled over to her knees, stretching out her leg muscles and distracting Alfsige. When he didn’t continue, she glanced over her shoulder at him. He cleared his throat and kept explaining his ancestry. His King and Queen were right; the girl was exactly his type. “The humans who made us ensured every species of goblin is gifted with a variety of talents and functions. For example, pukwudgies can turn into porcupines and conjure fire and we are especially dangerous archers. My kind are skilled warriors and hold dominion over nightmares, but also healers and poets. We fled to the Underground when the Seelie and Unseelie went to war, as the negative energy turned our human creators against us. We sought refuge with other goblins and lent our services to the Goblin King.” “You can turn into a porcupine?” She said, breathlessly, trying to process the information. Alfsige groaned, not surprised at all that his ability to shapeshift was the only salient point she picked up on. “Yes. And no, I will not show you.” He quirked an eyebrow at her and smirked, making his point clear. “What about the forest trolls, you said your mom was one?”“My mother’s people are landvaettir, land wights. They are like dryads or nymphs, but they are not fae. They were demigods bound to specific pieces of land in northern Europe as punishment for misbehaving. The land made them less human and changed their appearance so the legends of the trolls were born. My mother’s people are bound to the Pokaini forest in Latvia. They left as the Christians moved northward and now live in the northern forest of the Goblin Kingdom. Forest trolls are more civilized than their cousins. They don’t eat people, turn to stone in sunlight, or run away from bells. The demigods who became forest trolls did not have fully corrupted souls.”He bent down and hauled her up to face him. He noticed a serious bruise forming on her shoulder where he whacked her with the side of his sword earlier. Gently prodding it, he earned a slap and a wince from her. “That hurts.” She snapped.“Just making sure nothing is broken, my lady.” He snapped back.“I am not a lady, just call me Melissa or Mel.” She managed to pull away from him and shoved him to the ground. He laughed and swept her legs out from under her. Before she could scramble away, he pinned her to the mats, looming over her. “That much is obvious. No lady would pry into a stranger’s family history and then push him to the ground as he tried to help her.”“We’re training, Alfie,” she spat, knowing he hated her nickname for him. “I can’t accept help from an opponent in real life, so I shouldn’t accept it now.”He glared at her before standing up and grabbed her uninjured side to swing her over his shoulder. “You’re right. But training is over now, so let’s go find Sarah. There is no need to alarm hapless mortals with your injuries and I am much more capable at delivering bruises than healing them.”She squirmed, trying to break his hold as he climbed the stairs to the first floor. Finally giving up when she realized he was too strong and she was too tired. They found Sarah in her office muttering and cursing over some papers. The look on her face reminded them both of the Goblin King’s own expression as he attempted to manage the kingdom. Alfsige placed Melissa on her feet and steered her towards a chair. Sarah looked up as they entered and frowned when she saw the blossoming bruises on Melissa’s shoulder, despite the girl’s dark skin. “Alfsige, you’re supposed to be training her, not beating her up.” She scolded.“It’s not my fault she fights like a starving banshee.” He complained. “I am completely human, unlike you. Which means I am woefully outmatched by anything that will be coming at us. I figure if I stand a chance I have to go full throttle in training and learn my limits.” Melissa said, more than a little exasperated. Sarah at least had the advantage of being half-fae. “I know, Mel, but I don’t find it appealing to heal my best friend’s broken body every day. You’ve been training for a week solid now. I’m going to heal you and then you will take the night off. Take this one,” she pointed at Alfsige, “to see a movie. Back to the Future III came out last week.” Melissa laughed, the mental picture of Alfsige watching Marty McFly on a screen while he ate popcorn and sipped on a soda was hilarious. “I suppose it will be highly entertaining to see a pukwudgie in a movie theater.”Sarah got up from the desk and reached out to Melissa, gentle ruby waves pouring off her hands. She lightly touched her fingers to her friend’s skin and let the magic seek out any injuries. A few moments later, the bruises on Melissa’s shoulder were gone and her muscles relaxed. Sarah stepped away and checked her watch. “Damn it’s two. I’ve got an hour before fairy boy arrives.” She pointed at the pukwudgie and her friend. “You go, have fun. No training for three days Mel. Take a break, show this one the mortal world. He hasn’t been here in three hundred years.” Sarah’s tone demanded obedience, and both the human and pukwudgie were instantly reminded she was their queen. “What are you wearing on your date?” Melissa called out to Sarah as she made to climb the stairs to the fourth floor. “Jareth told me to wear something comfortable.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jareth appeared in Sarah’s backyard at precisely three o’clock to find a few hundred young fairies flitting around, using magic to grow the half-dead rosebushes. Grymma landed on his shoulder and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then flew away to break up a fight in the corner of the garden. Movement in the doorway caught his eye and he turned his head to find Sarah waiting for him. Jareth wore his human glamour. It changed the little things about him which made him look non-human. His hair was pulled into a long ponytail and he wore a black button down shirt and another pair of black leather trousers. She found them just as sinful as the breeches he favored Underground. He gave Sarah a once over and decided she should always wear this color Her brilliant crimson silk top and dark jeans made her look much older than twenty and set off her green eyes.“You look wonderful, precious. You should always wear red.”“You said that about the color green last year.” She smiled. “So I did.” He smiled softly at her. “Come, we are going to use magic to travel this evening. I want to see how your skills have improved outside of the kingdom.”He led her further into the backyard and wrapped his hand around hers. “You need to focus. We are going to a little trattoria in Rome. I want you to picture the Pantheon in your mind. Feel the cobblestones of the piazza under your feet. See the fountain and the obelisk in front of the church. Do you have it?”Sarah’s eyes were glued shut, poring over every detail her mind could remember from pictures and textbooks. “I think I do.”“Then go there, and pull me with you.”Sarah let her magic flow and then pushed. She opened her eyes to find herself standing next to the fountain in front of the Pantheon. She squealed in delight. Jareth smiled down at her, but internally catalogued this development of her powers. Especially since the Labyrinth agreed to stop channeling power directly into the girl so the creature and king could properly test Sarah’s strengths.“I did it! Haha! We’re in Rome!”Jareth laughed and drew her to his side, draping an arm loosely across her shoulders. “You’re getting much better, precious. Now, follow me we are going to see a dear friend of mine.”He led her down an alley to the right of the church and into the dark streets of Rome. After a few minutes of twisting and turning, they came upon a tiny little trattoria. Sarah looked around and realized that the few people walking along the street seemed to ignore the place, their eyes sliding past it as if they couldn’t see it.“Jareth, no one can see this place can they?”“No, precious. Only those who know how to see magic can see it.” He pushed her towards the entrance and shouted, “Matton!”A portly, middle aged man, dressed in an apron and covered in flour, emerged from the back of the room. He took a look at his guests and broke into a wide smile. “Jareth! It has been too long. What brings you here this evening?”“Sarah wanted me to bring her to dinner for her birthday.” He stated simply, betraying none of the emotion he held for the girl at his side. The man took a good look at the woman next to Jareth and beamed. “You are Sarah Pendragon, Champion of the Labyrinth! Aha! Jareth, your Uncle Enlil will drive himself into a state when I tell him you came to see me.” Matton chuckled. Sarah glared at the god standing in front of her. Jareth rolled his eyes and sat her down at a table before he scolded the god. “I will not have you ruin this evening with your inability to keep your mouth shut, Matton. This is the Goblin Queen-elect and you will treat her with the respect she is due. Now, go bring us dinner.” The god bustled back into the kitchen, laughing heartily, as Jareth sat down. “He will tell Enlil about our visit. But he is a god of the feast and he strives for neutrality. In this temple, as it were, he is just as powerful as my uncle. He acts as a mediator between my mother and Enlil. You may consider this trattoria the equivalent of Unseelie Switzerland. Although, since Matton is a Greek god in Rome, the food is much better.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By the time Matton brought out tiramisu and baklava for dessert, Sarah knew she was going to waddle home. The god made them a twelve course dinner and even though they were small courses, Sarah felt like unbuttoning her jeans. She and Jareth told stories to each other the whole meal. Sarah filled him in on her childhood during the dissolution of her parent’s marriage and Jareth told her how much he mucked up being a king in his first two and a half centuries until Morrigan appeared out of the blue and beat him into shape. Staring at the dessert in front of her Sarah groaned. “You’re going to have to take us back if I take even one bite of those, Jareth. I’m stuffed.”“I should have warned you about Matton’s cooking. But you will certainly regret it if you do not eat dessert, I promise.” He dug a spoon into the tiramisu and took a bite. Sarah followed suit and nearly melted. “This is delicious.” She gushed. “I am not sharing this; you eat the baklava.” She pulled the plate of tiramisu towards her side of the table and slapped Jareth’s spoon away whenever he reached for another bite reminding him that she was the birthday girl and entitled to whatever dessert she chose. By the time they finished the espresso Matton brought out for them, Jareth felt happier than he’d been in years. He pulled Sarah out of the trattoria with a quick goodbye to the god, who gave him knowing looks the whole evening, determined to take a nighttime stroll through Rome. They walked peacefully, hand in hand, through the dark streets, not speaking until they stumbled on the Colonna di Marco Aurelio. They stood beneath it for a few moments, Sarah trying to see the relief in the dark. “I was here when they built this you know.” Jareth whispered. “Marcus Aurelius died without it finished. Commodus, his son, took the throne and spent so much of his reign fending off assassinations, the monument to his father’s greatness wasn’t finished until the year after he was killed. They almost tore it down the same year because of the turmoil. Morrigan and I were quite good friends with Marcus and Commodus. We kept Commodus alive as long as possible until he could not stand the stress any longer. He removed all of our protective charms and allowed Pertinax to assassinate him. I made sure the column survived.”“Sometimes I forget how old you are. How could I possibly measure up to two thousand years of life?” She lamented, showing an uncharacteristic lack of self-confidence. “You have no need to measure up, precious. I spent nearly all of those two thousand years searching for someone like you. It was not until Morrigan and Gwyn finally owned up to their feelings for each other, I realized I wanted someone like that in my life. Losing them both and becoming king nearly destroyed me and I lost hope of ever finding happiness. Then my damnable sister and the Labyrinth finished their long game with Fate and dropped you in front of me.” “Still doesn’t feel real most of the time. My father is goddamned King Arthur and my stepmother is a dryad. My aunt is Morgan le Fay and my cousins are Knights of the Round Table. Toby and I are royalty. I’m half-Fae and my little brother isn’t even human.” Sarah said, exasperated. “My best friend got dragged into all this because of Russian mermaids of all things. And to top it off I’m practically engaged to the Goblin King at nineteen years old. My life reads like a bad fantasy movie.” Before she could stop him, Jareth pulled her in for a gentle kiss. They stood between the column and a fountain for several minutes all of their problems forgotten. When they broke apart, it was to the applause of some tourists on the other side of the fountain. Sarah blushed while Jareth smirked. He leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. “I’m glad to know I will be able to shut you up with a proper kiss in the future, precious.”Sarah smacked him across the back of the head. “I will not be silenced with kisses, Jareth.”“Of course not.” He kissed her again as the church bells rang one in the morning across the city. When they pulled apart, Jareth returned them to Sarah’s backyard, her clock chiming seven in the foyer. Sarah leaned her forehead down against his shoulder and let her chest heave for a moment as she caught her breath. “It’s only seven o’clock, Jareth, what did you have planned for the rest of the night?”“Nothing. It was a first date, precious. I meant to have you home at a respectable time and then wait several days to invite you to a second date. Besides, it is Solstice, I believe your family will want you around for at least part of the evening to celebrate your birthday.”She laughed at him. “Well I’m home at a respectable hour, but I don’t want you to leave yet.”“Hmm,” he let her go and stepped away to tap the side of his nose. “I would say you could invite me in for a drink, but I have a sneaking suspicion your family would disapprove.” He glanced over her shoulder. Sarah turned to see her stepmother and Toby at the far end of the backyard. Toby happily chatted with the dozen fairies dancing around his head, while Karen watched the two of them. She raised her eyebrows, grinning evilly at the two. Jareth reached down and pulled her hand to his lips, disappearing faster than the ghost of a kiss he pressed to her fingers.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

You know my life was so confused,
Living in a state of depression,
Something saved me from my obsession,
My strength was put to test,
My weakness put to rest,
Looking back now I see,
Somebody was watching over me,
(Somebody was a-watching)
(Somebody was a-watching)
Somebody was watching,
Somebody was watching over me
Somebody Was Watching—Pops Staples

I met a woman
She had a mouth like yours, she knew your life
She knew your devils and your deeds and she said
“Go to him
Stay with him if you can
But be prepared to bleed”
Case of You—Joni Mitchell
Sarah spent the next few days with Karen and Toby, welcome for the distraction from the increasing threats on her person and her conflicted feelings for the Goblin King. They took her brother to the Central Park Zoo one day and the Museum of Natural History the next. The siblings spent the third day holed up in Sarah’s room underneath a magic-supported blanket and pillow fort, watching movies and talking about Toby’s friends. Lutin followed Toby around the whole time, the sigil of the Bear Knights pinned to his chest. Devon spoiled the siblings with their favorite foods for dinner every night and Toby spent the last day of his trip with Alfsige and Melissa who took him to Central Park and let him run for hours, a pack of goblins and fairies on his tail. Karen insisted on taking Sarah shopping, while Toby was off their hands, and Devon drove them to Fifth Avenue. After a few hours, they made it into Bergdorf’s and Karen had enough. “Sarah, princess, what happened on your trip?” She gently prodded, pretending to focus on a rack of clothes.“Huh,” Sarah snapped out of a daze. “Oh, I met Ishtar and Titania and then Jareth and I spent some quality time together. Melissa had a great time. I made her Chatelaine.”“And Jareth was at your house the other night because...” The dryad purposefully trailed off trying to goad Sarah into a reaction. “He took me to Rome on a date.” Sarah said warily, recognizing that Karen was prying. “A date. And what I saw in your garden was, what, a goodnight kiss?”“More or less.” Sarah said, a bit too guiltily, as she looked away from her stepmother. “I think it was definitely more than that. In almost four years I’ve seen you kiss him maybe three or four times. What I saw was something more. You finally acknowledged your feelings for him, haven’t you?”“I was always well aware of my feelings for him, Mom. I just finally figured out that it might be more than a physical attraction for me. I made him agree to date me here while I finished school. I figured I needed to see him away from everything I loved about the kingdom to make sure I loved him. Making him date me seemed like the logical plan.” Karen tried not to notice that Sarah called her mom, something she only did when she was stressed out or upset. Those were the times she needed a mother and the dryad’s heart ached whenever Sarah said it. She knew it meant the girl trusted her, loved her. “Did you sleep with him while you were away?” The dryad prodded gently. “We slept in the same bed every night. Nothing else happened. And I will love you forever if you refrain from telling Dad or the boys about it.” Sarah pleaded. Karen gave her stepdaughter a hard look. “You’re telling me the truth right? Your father would blow a gasket if he found this out. And no one in the Underground should be privy to this information, there are plenty who would use it against you.” “Yes, Karen, I am. I wouldn’t lie to you. Besides Khova Arcanus gave me a very strict talking to when she found out.” “Just checking, my dear. I’m glad Khova heard it first. She will spread all the right rumors and spin your relationship to keep most of the Underground off your scent for a while. I also won’t tell your father, but if there are dates with a king in your future, I think we need to do more than a little birthday shopping. What do you say, princess?” She teased. Sarah brightened up instantly and the two women cleaned out Bergdorf’s, Saks, and several of the designer boutiques down Fifth Avenue. Devon followed behind them, helping carry bags and happily providing advice when the two couldn’t agree on outfits. Sarah was happy that every elf she met seemed to have impeccable style. The nineties were starting off with an eclectic mix of fashions, and Sarah was not entirely pleased with most of the new trends. The three returned to the house well past sunset to find Toby stabbing Alfsige with a foam sword. The Tweedles were already splayed out on the floor in the foyer, pretending to be dead. Karen and Sarah stood in the doorway with their shopping bags and watched the six-year-old wax philosophic on why the evil Alfsige had to die. Melissa was curled up on the stairs, laughing hysterically. Toby realized his mother and sister were behind him and turned to bow. The women set their bags down and curtsied. The little boy dropped his sword and attacked his sister. “Mom, Sarah! Alfie and the Tweedles have been teaching me how to fight. Melissa tried helping but she started laughing and had to sit down.”Melissa laughed harder, slipping down a few steps.“She’s weird.” The boy said seriously.“Yes she is, Tobes. Mel is very weird.” Sarah giggled. Her friend threw her shoe at her, managing to hit Alfsige instead as he got up. Grymma and the fairies were ranged around the room with Lutin and several goblins and, at the pukwudgie’s exclamations of pain, they too burst into laughter. Soon everyone was having trouble breathing as they giggled. The doorbell broke the reverie and Sarah opened the door to find Jareth. She was still sputtering and stepped aside to let him in. The Goblin King surveyed the scene in the foyer and was surprised to find himself attacked by a blond hellion. “Hello Toby, my boy. I take it you are responsible for this madness?”The child, who looked a little less human with each birthday, looked up at him and grinned. “Of course I am. But Melly threw a shoe at Sarah and it hit Alfie in the head and everybody started laughing.” Jareth cocked an eyebrow at the pukwudgie, who was still shooting evil looks at Melissa. “Alfie?” He asked. Alfsige rolled his eyes. “It’s a nickname the mortal gave me. She seems to find it inordinately funny to irritate me.”“You make it so easy, Alfie.” Melissa cooed, now helping Dum off the floor. Sarah drew Jareth in for a kiss, releasing him from her brother’s grip. “I missed you.” She whispered into his ear as Toby ran off into the house with goblins and fairies in tow.Karen picked up all the shopping bags and made for the stairs, content to let her stepdaughter have a bit of time alone with the Goblin King. The Tweedles stopped her at the stairs and the three had a staring match before the dryad reluctantly let them carry some of the bags for her. Jareth and Sarah remained in the foyer as the madness of Sarah’s friends and family left them alone in the quiet. Suddenly, Jareth pulled Sarah towards the back door. “Come precious, it is time for our second date.”The moment they stepped through the house's increasingly heavy warding, Sarah felt the familiar pull of magic and looked around to find herself standing in a field of high grass. She was suddenly glad she dressed comfortably to go shopping. Jareth was nowhere in sight. Movement in the grass to her left made Sarah snap to attention. She lowered herself until the grass was even with her shoulders. A patch moved against the breeze once again. Sarah felt along her back for the familiar pressure of her dagger and shook her wrist to confirm her bracelet still hung there. When nothing fell to brush against her hand, Sarah frantically glanced down. The bracelet, her sword, was gone as was her dagger. “Fuck,” she breathed quietly. More movement caught her attention and she drew the dagger from its hiding place under her shirt. Before she could bolt, or charge, a large reptile pounced on her. As the collision with the ground knocked her out, Sarah noted the ruby red scales and the distinctive shape. ‘This must be Y Draig Goch.’ She thought, losing consciousness fast. Sarah felt heat on her face as if Merlin were breathing on her. She carefully opened her eyes to see an incredibly bright red dragon perched over her, watching her breathe. When it realized she was awake, it chortled and then let out a burst of flame over its shoulder. The bright green eyes turned back on her and the dragon touched its nose to her head. ‘Lady Sarah, my deepest apologies for hurting you. I only meant to knock you down. I did not realize there was a rock beneath you. Mother says I am too reckless for my age.’ A grumbling, but obviously young, male voice filled her head. Sarah cleared her throat and sat up, using the dragon’s neck for support. She looked around to find herself in a cave rather than the meadow Jareth left her in. “Where am I?”‘You are in my mother’s cave. I brought you here. Jareth is speaking with my father. The Goblin King was his greatest student.’Sarah eyed the dragon, still very confused. “And who are you little one? You look like the Welsh Dragon, Y Draig Goch. My father told me stories about her.”The small dragon, and he was obviously small if the claw marks on the walls were anything to go by, chortled again, smoke escaping his nostrils. He lay down next to her on the ground and mimed for her to put a hand on his head again. Sarah tentatively placed her hands between the dragon’s eyes. ‘I am her son, Cymru. You are Sarah Pendragon. My mother fought the Saxons with your father when she still lived in Wales. She left when the king, Henry Tudor, won at Bosworth Field. She said a drop of Welsh blood on the throne meant her presence was unnecessary. So she came here, to meet with her king and they liked each other. I am their son.’Sarah pulled her hand away, her eyes darting around the room. She had been learning the history of Wales since she was told who her father was. She took two courses each on Welsh and English history and mythology during her first year at Columbia, soaking up the legends that were her family’s truth. And while she knew, because of the stories she read and heard over the last few years, dragons were real, she never considered finding herself anywhere near one. Now she sat in the cave of the Y Draig Goch speaking with her son, Cymru. Sarah clutched her head in her hands closed her eyes. ‘My life is ridiculous and weird and insane. I am communicating telepathically, with a dragon.’‘Are you scared of me, Lady Sarah?’ Cymru’s grumbling voice echoed in her head. She hadn’t noticed he touched a claw to her shoulder to facilitate their conversation, forgetting dragons, like the Swarm, were telepathic and required direct contact to communicate outside their species. Sarah turned her head and looked deep into the jade eyes of the dragon next to her.“No, Cymru. I am not afraid of you. I am just reconciling my mortal upbringing with reality.” Her voice was even and calm, none of her nerves betraying the intense feelings of anxiety rolling through her body. “Where is Jareth?”‘He is outside. Mother and father do not share a cave. They have been fighting since my sister, Glo, was killed. She was from my parent’s first clutch. She took care of me. I miss her. Mother says Enlil had her killed since father will not support him in a new war. Father is loyal to Ishtar. He hates Enlil.’ The anger suddenly rolled off the dragon in waves and Sarah brought up a shield with her magic as fire poured out of the young dragon. He realized he almost burned her and his eyes went wide and he plopped his head down in her lap and curled his bulk around her. ‘I’m sorry, Lady Sarah. I just miss my sister.’Before she could answer, another dragon lumbered into the cave. Where Cymru was the size of a couple city buses, this dragon was at least five times as big. Y Draig Goch certainly made an impression. She was battle scarred and her vermilion hide glittered in the faint light of the cave. The massive dragon nuzzled her son and then levelled a hard stare from amethyst eyes on the half-fae woman beneath her. The dragon reached out a claw, a chain and pendant dangled from the sharpened point. Sarah took the gift. The pendant was a single, violet dragon scale. She put the chain over her head, and much like Ishtar’s gift, she felt Jareth’s chain accept the new addition. “You can hear us without touch now my dear.” The resounding sound of a very old female voice echoed in the cave. “I trust my son apologized for his childish behavior? He should know better at four hundred years old.” She sent a sharp glare towards her son who hid his head in Sarah’s lap again. “Are you well enough to stand? Jareth is waiting for you outside. He’s been pacing like a caged lion since he realized you were hurt.”“I think I am doing much better, thank you. Cymru has been dutifully apologetic,” she patted the dragon on his head and turned an annoyed stare on the larger dragon. “And if Jareth is concerned, then perhaps he shouldn’t have dumped me in an empty field with a dragon.”Y Draig Goch laughed, the rumbling sound echoed around the cave and shook the ground. “I like your spirit, little queen! My king’s pet chose his mate well.” She dipped her head to level on eye with Sarah’s face. “You may call me Modryb, little queen. The Goblin King also calls me by that title.”Sarah, awed by the violet and orchid veining of the dragon’s eye, took a moment to realize she’d been spoken to. “Mordryb, that means ‘Aunt’ doesn’t it?”“It does, little queen. I blessed your father the day of his conquest of Anglesey and named him my kindred by blood and oath, the rightful king of my beloved Wales. Young Arthur is the only Seelie creature to boast such an honor from any dragon. As his daughter, you share his blessings.”Sarah smiled openly at the massive dragon. She made to stand, using Cymru’s offered shoulder to steady herself, then bowed low. Y Draig Goch touched her nose to the girl’s forehead and, with a deep series of growls, blessed her kindred’s daughter. “Little queen, I sense your fire and strength. You share these qualities with your father. He led his people to glory and peace. You have the ability to do the same.”“Thank you Mordryb. I will do my best to earn your blessings.” Sarah managed to sound calm even though the weight of the dragon’s benedictions coursed with a strange magic through her veins. She simultaneously felt as though she could singlehandedly level a city or that she would collapse under the weight of the power. The latter feeling won out and Sarah collapsed against Cymru’s neck. The young dragon nudged her up onto his back and made towards the mouth of the cave. His mother followed, impressed that the girl had not passed out like her father did. Dragon blessings were dangerous, even for Immortals. The infamous George went mad and turned against his former protectors under the weight of their magic. Sarah covered her eyes in the bright sunlight, still reeling from the magic surging through her. Cymru carried her out into the meadow towards a hill. The farther they walked, the more the young dragon chattered about where they were, who his friends were, why Enlil was evil, and how Sarah would be his best friend. She shook her head, wondering how she managed to turn the loyalties of every creature she spent time with. First Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus, then the fairies and goblins became her friends. And, most times, it felt like half the creatures attacking her ended up pledging their loyalties to her instead. ‘And now dragons,’ she groaned internally.Movement ahead of them caught her eye and she gasped. The hill in front of them stirred. A massive black dragon, who reminded Sarah immediately of Maleficent from the Disney movie, shifted its weight and stretched its wings. The sunlight glinted off its hide, reflecting deep silver scars and patches of violet scales. The dragon raised its head from the ground and turned to face Cymru and Sarah. Its saffron yellow eyes narrowed to study the oncoming pair. “Welcome Lady Sarah Pendragon, Champion of the Labyrinth, to my home.” The voice was a rumbled whisper that enveloped Sarah in a feeling of primordial power. “I am Zmaj.” Cymru, dwarfed by his ancient father, continued through the tall grass. Sarah bent her head in respect towards Zmaj and caught sight of Jareth standing next to a massive front leg. Cymru ambled up to the Goblin King who helped Sarah slide off the dragon’s back. She turned to face Zmaj and bent in a low bow. “My Lord Zmaj, it is a great honor to meet you.”The powerful whisper growled around her once more. “Such a polite child. I see my mate bestowed her blessings on you without explanation or cause. She is a capricious, callow creature to bequeath such power on the untrained and unproven. Your Welsh blood and family have earned you a great gift this day, child.”Feeling properly insulted on behalf of the dragon who called her kin, Sarah reared up and levelled a withering glare on the black dragon. “How dare you insult my kindred in such a manner, Lord Zmaj. It is true, I am deplorably unworthy of such gifts, but Y Draig Goch is wise and loyal, and your mate. You may hold dominion over your kind Lord Zmaj, but you would do well to remember your manners, or are you so ancient you’ve forgotten how to show respect?” Jareth recognized her tone as one of barely contained rage. The polite language did nothing to conceal the insult she lobbed at Zmaj. “Ah, there is your passion. You have the soul of a fire drake, child.” Zmaj turned an eye on Jareth. “I fear for your uncle and his allies, moj sin. She is a dangerous creature. The power flowing through her is driven by blood and fate.” Jareth nod his head in agreement, his eyes trained on Sarah. “She is that, moj yjak.”Zmaj tilted his head to study Sarah again. “Child, you are a creature of the light, but the darkness within you holds equal sway. You have never tasted defeat in battle and you inspire loyalty in the most unlikely of creatures. You are blessed by Seelie and Unseelie alike, and have laid claim to the most influential kingdom in the Underground. I pity the Immortals who stand against you little one. They think you a simple half-blood princess with a healthy dose of good fortune. But I warn you girl, this good fortune will not last. You must protect what is yours. Enlil and his accursed allies would see your family and kingdom decimated in the pursuit of power.”“Paltry Gods and Fae leading an army of monsters do not frighten me, Lord Zmaj. I fight for what is mine.” Sarah growled. Zmaj curled a lip to reveal fangs taller than Jareth, the sound that escaped his chest sounded and felt like an earthquake. But Sarah recognized it as a throaty chuckle. “I have no doubt of this, child.” A single golden eye focused on the young red dragon at her side. “Cymru, you will go to the Goblin Kingdom. I expect you to act as my envoy. It is time for our kind to pledge new loyalties, we will no longer serve the Unseelie court. You will serve the Lady Sarah and the Goblin King as you would me. Is this understood?”“Yes father.” Cymru growled out, obviously nervous and excited. Zmaj lifted his girth off the ground, revealing the full extent of his size. Sarah looked over at Cymru, he was tiny in comparison. At four hundred, the little red dragon had thousands of years to grow. But at his current size and power, his dispatch to the Goblin Kingdom was clearly his father’s attempt to protect his son. Seelie and Unseelie alike would gladly see Zmaj’s youngest child dead. Jareth caught Sarah’s eye, his mask firmly ensconced. She understood why he brought her all the way to the Carpathians on a “date.” He wanted to impress her, of course, but more than that, he wanted her to collect allies. She asked him to date her like any mortal man, but he could not. He would happily court her, but they would be on his terms and he would show her everything in their two worlds she needed to fight for. As the two gazed upon each other, Zmaj grumbled a dismissal. Jareth stepped forward and placed a hand on Cymru. The three disappeared as a breeze blew across the meadow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Several hours later, Cymru settled in a hidden section of the castle gardens. Sarah and Jareth, satisfied the young dragon was well cared for by Ludo and a pair of young Seelie Naga, left the dragon and retired to the castle. Delly brought them a tray of fruit and cheese in Jareth’s private study, noticing the two were not speaking to each other. Sarah collapsed in the window seat by the fireplace. She still felt the raging power of dragon fire in her body. Coupled with the emotional drain of dealing with said dragons, the sensations roiling under her skin left Sarah feeling desperately unsatisfied and edgy. She couldn’t even look at Jareth, truly afraid of herself. She told a lie every day when she claimed to have no fear. Sarah feared herself deeply. She knew the extent of her own powers and knew the weaknesses she bore in youth, training, and emotion meant inevitable conflict. She was afraid of making the wrong choice and losing her family, her friends, and her kingdom. ‘And of losing Jareth,’ she silently admitted to herself. The Labyrinth, sensing her fear, reached out with a comforting exertion of power which wrapped around her like the blankets Karen knitted. Sarah’s fear lessened and she sighed in relief. Jareth, who watched her in total silence, noticed the exchange and pursed his lips. His Sarah never showed such fear, except when she thought no one was looking. He too sighed, almost imperceptibly, and pulled a grape from the tray next to him. “Sarah, precious, why are you afraid?”Sarah jolted in her seat, she almost forgot he was there. “I am not afraid.”“That, precious, is a lie.”“I’m only half-fae, Jareth. I think I should be able to tell half-truths.”He smirked, trust his Sarah to find a loophole. “You refuse to trust me, even now.”Sarah winced and turned to face him. Four years of fighting off monsters together changed her mind about her ersatz enemy. “I trust you.” She lied, the days of her implicit trust in the Goblin King were buried under the weight of three years of war and death. She glanced up at him, watched his face shut down when he realized she lied, then dropped her head to face the floor. “But I don’t trust myself.” Jareth barely caught her last words. Once they registered, he stood from his chair and stalked over to her. He silently bid the Labyrinth to withdraw any power leant to the girl and readied himself. He wrenched her up and shoved her against the mantle of the fireplace, making sure the stone carvings dug into her back. “Ow!” She shouted, using her fists and magic in an attempt to free herself. “Let go!”“No.” He wrapped his long gloved fingers around her biceps, pressing hard enough to leave bruises. He wanted her to remember this. “Jareth—” She grunted. “Let. Me. Go.” A bright blast of scarlet lit the study. Jareth flew across the room, landing in an inelegant heap of limbs and glitter. Sarah opened her eyes, unaware she closed them, her chest heaving. She saw Jareth lying prone on the floor and gasped. “Oh no.”She shuddered, convinced she killed him, and then slowly inched towards him. She watched intently, looking for signs he was breathing. ‘All the times I joked about killing him and ruling alone, and I might have actually done it.’ She thought, grimly. Jareth remained impossibly still, hoping his motionless form scared Sarah. The shield he cast over himself deflected most of her attack, but he was loath to admit that she truly overpowered him. Once she got close, he let out a slow breath. He heard her choke out a sigh of relief and collapse next to him. He made a great show of fluttering his eyelids and twitching his limbs. Sarah grasped onto his hand, pleading in a low whisper for him to wake up. Finally, he opened his eyes and stretched his limbs. He barely managed to conceal a wicked smile as he moved to sit up. She hurt him, badly, but now he had more evidence of her growing powers. Seeing the smile ghost across his face, Sarah scowled. “You! You! You, asshole!” She shouted, pushing him back to the floor again. “I thought I killed you!”Jareth nod his head and sat up again. “That was the point, precious.” He painfully stood up and helped her to her feet. “You needed to hurt someone you care about. Better myself than your family.”Still incensed, Sarah glowered at him. “I could have killed you.”“Yes. But you didn’t. You were stressed, filled with foreign magic, emotionally unstable, and in a fit of anger you lashed out. However, you retained enough control to keep from seriously injuring me. Which you could have easily done, precious. I did not shield myself adequately from your attack. You have enough control, enough strength, to keep us safe, even from yourself. There is nothing to be afraid of, Sarah.”He reached up and cupped her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. She kept glaring at him, still angry and afraid. His words slowly sunk in as he too glared at her, willing her to understand that he was not terribly hurt, that she was not an ordinary girl who hated her stepmother and cared for screaming children. She was a queen, a powerful warrior, capable of great things if she could only move past her mortal upbringing. Finally, she turned her head and pulled away from him. She kept moving until she could collapse in a chair. He followed her and sat down in his own chair. They sat in silence for several minutes. Sarah absentmindedly picked at the food on the tray and stared into the cold fireplace. “All this time, I’ve played a part. I still think of myself as that scared, frustrated girl who wished away her brother. Everyone demands things of me I don’t think I’m ready for. My family needed me to be strong, to accept everything, so I did. It’s four years since I ran the Labyrinth and I know I changed, but I still feel like the angry lost girl whose mother abandoned her.”Jareth sighed, ‘Finally,’ he thought. “Your mother is an idiot. She did more damage in abandoning you than any of the scars you’ve earned since. Do you remember the first time you called to me, precious?”“When I wished Toby away?”“No, the night your mother left. Linda snuck Jeremy into the house while you were at school and began packing.” Sarah blanched at the memory. She came home to find her suitcase packed at the top of the stairs, her mother’s luggage in the foyer. She panicked and ran to the kitchen to call her father, then snuck out of the house before her mother saw her and hid in the big oak tree in the back yard. “Arthur came home early and found them. You hid in the tree outside and listened to them argue for hours. You made a wish, asked for someone to help you, the goblins listened. I am the Keeper of the Unwanted, precious, and that night, your mother did not want you, not really. She wanted to hurt your father. Your wish inspired some of my subjects to whisper the right words in her ears as your father and Jeremy argued. Linda almost said the words. She got as far as ‘I wish the goblins,’ before your father stopped her.”The look on her made him pause for a moment. Magic and the Immortals were so much a part of her life, and she spent much of her life completely unaware of it. He leaned forward and brushed his hand over her knee. It relaxed her enough that she waved for him to continue. “It was enough to draw me to you. I held a partial claim on you after that night. Your mother’s unfinished wish and your father’s intense need to keep you meant I left you Above. But I was captivated by you, this small girl who reminded me so much of myself. I meant what I said when you wished young Toby away, Sarah. You are no ordinary girl. You had a mastery over yourself as a child few others possess in their adult years. Your mother denied you the chance to learn the power you had in yourself. She abandoned you, made you feel unworthy. There is nothing to fear in those feelings, Sarah.”“That’s easy for you to say.” She muttered. “Is it? Do you forget that my mother abandoned me as well? Do you think in all my long years I have not felt unworthy of my power, my titles, simply because my mother didn’t want me?”“But Ishtar came back, she fixed things. You have a relationship with her. She listens to you and protects you.” Sarah wailed. “No. Morrigan and I allowed her back into our lives. We have not forgiven her. I have never forgiven her. How could I? For nine centuries she treated us as political pawns rather than her children. She denied us her guidance, her affection, for most of our youth. She kept us away from our siblings, at least those that obey her, and in doing so created the impetus for Enlil to begin plotting against the peace.”Sarah’s anger disappeared at the sight of pain on Jareth’s face. “We really are perfect for each other aren’t we?” She said, trying to sound lighthearted. “Damaged in all the same ways.”“Indeed, we are precious.” “How do you do it? Control the fear?”“I do not try. It is ever present. Experience taught me reliance on the judgment of the rest of my family, my friends, my kingdom, and most importantly myself, for the truth. I resolved long ago that only I would dictate my life. No power could challenge my will. I think you have done the same, precious. Your will is as strong as my own, after all.” The corners of his mouth twitched into the barest hint of a grin. Sarah too, tried to smile, but failed. The two sat in silence for hours. The moon rose, casting shadows into the room. Sarah fell into a fitful sleep in her chair. She called for her mother and father, begging them to help her, then the whisper of his name made Jareth reach over and gently wake her. “I am here precious. It is but a dream.” She whispered his name and curled into his touch. He gently lifted her into his arms and transported them to her house. Karen felt the wards shift to allow them in. She pulled on a robe and stole silently down the stairs, not waking any of the goblins or fairies who slept in the halls. The sight of Jareth carrying her stepdaughter into the house made her pause. Pain rolled off the girl, worrying the dryad. “She is not physically hurt, Odras. We had a very long day. I will put her to bed.” The Goblin King gently passed her and began carrying Sarah up the stairs. Karen followed. Some of the goblins living in the house woke in the presence of their king and whispered greetings before falling back to sleep.The dryad opened her stepdaughter’s bedroom door and then stood by as Jareth smoothly tucked the girl into bed, not waking her. She motioned for him to follow her and led him down to the kitchen. A quick flick of her wrist put a teapot on the stove and two mugs on the island. Karen pushed Jareth down onto a stool and pushed the plate of sugar cookies she made earlier towards him. “Eat.” He obediently picked up a cookie and nibbled on its edges. Karen bustled around the kitchen, cleaning up after the fairies who raided the cabinets for a midnight snack. The teapot whistled and she filled the mugs, the smell of Sarah’s peach tea, a gift from Agnes the Junk Lady, wafted through the kitchen. “Speak.” Karen commanded in a gentle tone, her Irish accent slipping through. “Zmaj asked to see Sarah. I thought he wanted to meet her to approve of my choice to marry her. Dragons are like us fae in that they rarely truly feel love for any but their own kin. I thought Zmaj wanted to see the woman who managed to capture my affections.” Jareth took a calming drink of the tea. “He tested her. He separated us, disarmed her, and then set an enchantment on the valley to hurt her. She broke the spell when his youngest son stumbled upon her. Cymru was not supposed to be in the valley and he tried to play with her. He knocked her unconscious. Y Draig Goch healed Sarah and then blessed her as she did your husband. Zmaj wanted to see how she handled dragon magic and when she didn’t die he decided to rile her up. It was a damned disaster. I now have a dragon-child in my kingdom to care for. And the accursed ghost of Linda Williams haunts Sarah even in her dreams.”Odras winced at the mention of Arthur’s ex-wife. The pain caused by the mortal woman still plagued her husband and stepdaughter in memory and deed, sending letters and calling at every holiday, birthday, and anniversary. She lived to remind her former husband and child of the glamorous life she led as an actress. “If it would not break every oath I’ve sworn in my long life, I would happily curse Linda Williams. Sarah is weakened by her even now. And it’s been a damned decade! Every time I think she has moved on, her mother does something to open those wounds again.” Odras spat. She cursed colorfully in her native Gaelic for a moment before Jareth interrupted her. “I baited Sarah into attacking me, the stress of all this finally got to her. She has a strong will, but I fear for her. I fear for the survival of my kingdom if she does not hold herself together. She will need you, I think, before the end.” “She doesn’t need me. Not really. Have you not learned to stop underestimating her?” Odras chided. “She is much stronger than you think. Her mother’s abandonment may haunt her, but she forgets she is not the same girl who wished my son away. She is a queen in the making.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Sarah smiles like Sarah doesn’t care,
She lives in her world so unaware.
Does she know that my destiny lies with her?
Sarah Smiles—Panic! At the Disco

Communication breakdown
It’s always the same
I’m having a nervous breakdown
Drive me insane!
Communication Breakdown—Led Zeppelin

Who else is going to love someone like you, that’s marked for death?
Who else is going to be with you when you breathe your last
Who else is going to take my place and hold you and keep you safe/sane
Who else is going to stay?
Marked for Death—Emma Ruth Rundle

December 1990
Sarah did not return Underground, except to visit her friends on the anniversary of her run through the Labyrinth, until the day before the winter solstice. She told herself her reluctance to return was because of the increasing flow of Seelie and Unseelie refugees seeking her out. Melissa’s training and the month-long visit of her cousins further distracted her. She let herself be distracted, still reeling from her encounter with the dragons. And then, suddenly, the summer was over and her promise to Jareth to finish school quickly became a reality. Under the weight of three extra classes, Sarah found herself holed up in her house during every free moment working on homework or administrative tasks for the kingdom. Jareth attempted to visit every few days, taking her on dates to the various magical places Aboveground, but as the number of Immortals seeking shelter in his borders grew, he too was confined to his home. As the semester ended, Sarah realized she and Jareth had not seen or spoken to one another for nearly three months. She worked frantically for a week solid as winter break began, ensuring her correspondence to Melissa and Alfsige and that every single refugee was oathbound and given passage to the kingdom. She pretended to ignore her best friend’s attraction to the pukwudgie. She spent a few days hinting around at Mel’s favorite things whenever Alfsige was in the room, strongly implying he should suggest a trip to the Met’s Costume Institute or to take her shopping for fabric. Satisfied her Chatelaine would be fully occupied by her duties and the increasingly smitten Alfsige for the holidays, Sarah went home to Nyack. She spent two days chasing Toby around the yard and park, helping Karen bake for the Solstice and reading with her father. The cousins and her Aunt Morgan filtered in and out, all of them ready with tidbits of gossip and news or a gift, and Sarah felt herself relax around her family. Then before dawn on the twenty-first of December, with a final hug from Karen, she grasped the owl charm on her necklace and stepped into the throne room. The sight which greeted her was disappointing to say the least. Weeks of her absence, coupled with Jareth’s own workload, allowed the lower goblins to run amok. There were chickens, including the current racing champion Rosalinda, nesting everywhere. A foul smell and even fouler substances clung to the room as several dozen creatures slept in a drunken stupor. Resolving to bog the room’s inhabitants later, Sarah strode from the throne room towards her chambers. She changed quickly from her jeans and floppy orange sweater into breeches and a long, purple velvet coat. Her days of dressing like a college student in the castle were long over. Then she walked over to a tapestry, which depicted merlin, hidden among the branches of a blackthorn tree, and a golden white barn owl in the top of a chestnut tree. Behind the fabric, a door, carved with an elaborate Celtic knot and ingrained with text in Arabic, Sanskrit, Old Russian, and Gaelic, stood partially opened into a dark corridor. Sarah stepped through and closed the door behind her, making sure to lock it. The second the latch clicked, the corridor began to glow, creating a soft golden light. At the other end stood the mirror image of the door behind her. Sarah walked as quietly as possible down the stone corridor and unlocked the door. The sound of gentle snoring greeted her as she silently entered. She shed her coat, draping it over the back of a chair. Her black shirt and slate grey breeches helped hide her amongst the shadows. Sarah crept to the side of the four poster bed and climbed in, snuggling into the chest of the bed’s occupant. Pale blond hair tickled her face and she brushed it away, waking its owner in the process. “Good morning.” She drawled. “I am dreaming. There is no possibility Sarah Williams Pendragon is in my bed, not when I have not seen or spoken to her since August. No, I must be dreaming because my beloved Sarah forgot me and chose to live as a mortal.” Jareth whispered icily, though the faint grin on his face betrayed his mood. Sarah decided to have a bit of fun. “Since I’m so obviously a dream and you’re so obviously happy to see me.” She ground against his hips, eliciting a moan. Then, inching closer to whisper in his ear, she dropped her hands low under the sheets and pulled his hips tight against her. “That must mean you get to have your wicked way with me.” In the next instant, Jareth pulled her underneath him and forced a bruising kiss on her mouth. She groaned, realizing how badly starved for contact she was, and deepened their kiss. Sarah returned her hands to his hips, repeating her previous action. The resulting hardness pressed against her leg and the appreciative moan that escaped Jareth’s lips drove her to kiss him harder. He slipped his hands under her shirt, the bare skin tingling with magic. His fingers danced around her waist, purposefully avoiding her chest and the edge of her breeches. Frustrated by months of separation and letting her hormones do the thinking, Sarah let a dangerous thought cross her mind. “Hmm, Sarah, love,” Jareth growled. “While I do enjoy waking up to you in my bed ready to ply me with kisses, I am not sure our current state of undress is what you intended this morning.”Sarah wrenched her eyes open and whimpered. She should know better than to make wishes, even silent ones, when the Labyrinth was involved. She flicked her fingers, redressing herself, and climbed out from under a peeved Jareth, who remained stubbornly naked. Averting her eyes, Sarah grabbed her coat and pulled it back on. Jareth raised himself off the bed, propping himself up on bent elbows.“I repeat previous assessments, my love. You. Are. Cruel.” He said in a pained, derisive whisper. “That sounds like a personal problem, my love. Get dressed. We are going on vacation.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~An hour later, Jareth strode into the dining hall muttering under his breath as Sarah munched on cheese and sausage while finishing his correspondence. She distinctly heard the words, ‘not fair,’ at one point. Sarah pointedly ignored him as he flopped, gracefully of course, into his normal seat. She told him to dress for slightly warmer climes than the Labyrinth in winter, and she was happy to see he obliged her. “Eat. We have a lot to do today.” She said before returning to read a particularly annoying letter from a Lady Sylvia of the Summerlands. “Vacations are intended to be relaxing. Thus far your presence has been entirely the opposite, precious. Especially as you are now reading my letters.” He made to snatch the Lady Sylvia’s letter from her hands but found all of his papers disappeared before he could take them. The resulting look on his face was known to make blood literally curdle. Sarah, however, smiled sweetly at him and sipped on her tea. “I am sorry. Things got out of hand earlier. I, of all people, should know better than to make wishes in the heat of the moment. Even if they are silent.” She continued to smile at him, knowing how incapable of anger her smiles rendered him. “And as for reading your letters, I simply wanted to help lessen the pile. I know mine grows exponentially each day, and since I plan on dragging you out of this castle within the hour, it only seemed fair for me to help out a bit.”The mention of the word ‘fair,’ caused Jareth to pause as he realized she heard a bit more of his grumblings than anticipated. Before he could respond, though, some forty goblins sprang into the dining room singing “Part of Your World.” Sarah winced, regretting her decision to let the goblins follow her to the theater last year to see the Little Mermaid. Their off-key singing, and half-remembered lyrics, instantly darkened Jareth’s already foul mood. He truly blamed her for introducing his subjects to television and movies, especially anything Disney related or to do with Gremlins. Jareth levelled a tense Sarah with another withering gaze and promptly bogged every single goblin within earshot of the singing. Sarah silently hoped they didn’t drown as some were small enough to slip through the sluice gates and end up in the newly christened Lake of Eternal Stench. She sent a silent request to the Labyrinth and it responded with a hearty chuckle and reassurances none of her subjects would come to serious harm. “Jareth. You are not allowed to be angry with me today. I have spent a long time preparing to surprise you for the Solstice.”He perked up at her words. Sarah kept her victorious cheers internal and her face schooled into a sweetly smiling picture of excitement. Jareth, as a fae, loved games and tricks. Sarah’s surprises always involved a game or a trick. These days, they were largely focused on making him participate in whatever bit of politics she was engaged in without his knowledge. “I hope my surprise was not your unexpected appearance in my bed this morning, precious. You left me quite unsatisfied, and I would remind you that I too can be cruel. The next time you find yourself underneath me, I will not stop.” He leered at her, setting every frayed nerve in her body to buzzing. She barely contained her own responses to the morning’s ‘activities’ and his words were nothing if not a promise. Clearing her throat, in what she hoped appeared to be a sign of disdain rather than unbridled lust, Sarah managed to glare at him. “I said we were going on vacation, did I not? That generally implies leaving your place of residence. However, if you would like to continue making promises you can’t keep, I will happily return home and you will not see me again until Spring Break.”Jareth glared at her, wondering why he ever fell in love with such an insufferable swot. Reading his carefully controlled face like a book, Sarah reached across the table and grabbed for one of his hands. Tracing light circles on his palm with her thumb, she lulled him away from anger and towards suspicion. Sarah could easily deal with a suspicious Goblin King, a truly angry one was another story entirely. Her last attempt at cowing his anger, when she set the goblins on a group of visiting nobles, forced the Labyrinth to lock them in separate oubliettes for two days as it repaired a large section of its hedge maze. “That’s better. Now, would you like to know what your surprise is?”He glowered at her, but the tension she felt in his hand revealed exactly how excited he was. “Do you plan on teasing me any further?”“We are going to Uruk.”Jareth scowled at his future queen. “We are not going to Uruk. Neither you nor I are exactly welcome in the Unseelie court.”“Exactly.” She smirked, evil intent dancing in her eyes. “I am the unbonded, unmarried Champion of the Labyrinth. I have made no allegiances to Seelie or Unseelie, despite my family’s insistence. And since I haven’t been introduced to either court after four years, I think it’s high time I made these creatures come to heel or revise their plans to kill me at the very least.” “And waltzing into the lion’s den with me on your arm will accomplish this?” He snapped. “No, marching in will make my point. Representatives of every single Unseelie tribe which has pledged itself to the Goblin Kingdom are coming with us. And you know very well how loyal they are. Zilya even pledged a blood oath to me. They would all die to protect me.”“While I admire your certainty, love, you cannot expect me to let you walk into a pit of vipers with only other vipers to protect you.”“I don’t. I expect you to follow me into the pit, into this battle. Make no mistake, this will be a battle. I have to prove to every single one of them that the lines are drawn. We will go to Uruk to have fun and prove to everyone that war is not our goal, but make damn sure they understand we are ready for it nonetheless. Besides, Gilgamesh contacted me over the summer and recommended we make use of his hospitality if we needed a break.”
Jareth remained silent for a few moments, obviously controlling a healthy dose of rage. Sarah tried to remain impassive but, if Jareth took a moment to study her, he would have seen fear. In all their confrontations over the previous four years, the two often came to blows. The equality of strength between the sexes in the Underground meant men and women often fought as much with fists as with words. Sarah learned that lesson painfully when she and her cousins beat each other into a bloody pulp one weekend during her senior year of high school. Owain still had a small scar on his chin from one of Sarah’s rings and Gawain outright stopped training her to wrestle.

The last time Jareth and Sarah truly fought each other, she managed to cut his chest just before he dislocated her left shoulder. The Labyrinth refused to heal either of them, forcing them to go to Alim, for their idiocy. Two years on, he still bore a tender scar and her shoulder ached when it rained.

“You want to go on vacation into the center of a brewing civil war, love?” The acid dripped from his clipped tone.

“Yes.” Sarah forced her tone to remain even.

Jareth scarcely managed to keep from smiling. Truthfully, he thought her idea for a vacation amongst their enemies a stroke of genius. A show of force to his Unseelie siblings and the court would effectively split the loyalties of everyone in attendance. Gilgamesh, without the ailing Ishtar in residence, barely held the court together as it was.

Every day he lost support to Enlil and so he sent the most vulnerable to the Goblin Kingdom in search of sanctuary, further depleting his numbers, but vastly increasing the Goblin armies. Gilgamesh, ever the general, knew his half-brother could win a war only if he had enough of the nastiest of Unseelie creatures at his side. Visiting him with some of the defected ranks would certainly rankle Enlil.

However, the inevitability of violence on this vacation left Jareth livid. He seriously contemplated tying Sarah to his bed. The impulsive tendencies wrought by her human mother and her upbringing Above turned Sarah into a whirlwind of action. However, like her fae kindred, she was fascinated by games and schemes. She never stopped strategizing, weighing every single choice in her day, especially if Morrigan happened to show up for an unannounced visit to witness said choice. Jareth wondered if the impetuous young woman would ever resolve the two halves of herself, resigned to spend eternity alongside her as she figured it out. For now, he found himself angered by her ability to choose the correct course of action and then barge in without a plan.

“And tell me how this is supposed to be relaxing for us?”

“Gilgamesh promised us a week of ‘revels and escape.’ I hope that means good food, lots of relaxation, and pissing off some Immortals.”

“My brother’s idea of fun does include two of those things, love. But his conception of ‘revels’ usually involves quite a bit of drunken debauchery and an orgy or two.” A smirk finally overrode the anger on Jareth’s face as he tried to control his humor.

Sarah grimaced at the thought of drunken depraved Immortals, and their grabby hands, but did not ignore Jareth’s change of mood. She always knew when he agreed with her. But she also could not allow a chance to needle the Goblin King pass by. Planting her own well-practiced smirk on her face she looked Jareth straight in the eye.

“Well I did just start my second year of college in New York City of all places. Besides with all the men inviting me out to dinner and how easy it is to get liquor, I think I can handle a little drunken debauchery.”

Jareth immediately forgot about his brother and Sarah’s insane vacation plans. “What men?” He seethed.

“Oh. Well let’s see. There was Joseph, he took me out the first week of classes. He interrupted us a while back. Then there was Peter Thurmond. He’s practically a king with all the money his parents have. He took me to his house in the Hamptons before the weather turned. And then there was this guy Ali, his dad is a Saudi prince. He proposed to me after dinner and drinks one night. But the ring he gave me was this horrid pink diamond and I just had to say no to only being a princess. Oh and last week there was this French guy, Pierre. He had the softest lips—”

She broke off to let the information sink into Jareth’s brain as she pretended to wistfully remember Pierre’s lips. Never mind that she didn’t go out with any of the men she listed alone. Melissa or one of the Tweedles went with her to every party or meeting she was invited to. And the only reason she knew Pierre had soft lips was because he caught her off guard after class one day proclaiming his undying love for her. She’d never tell Jareth the names of the people she did go out with, it was tantamount to signing their death warrants. He knew about her ‘explorations,’ as he called them, but they both actively let the matter slide.

Sarah decided her subterfuge was worth the effort as Jareth, for once, flushed a deep red. Anger rolled off of him, dangerous bolts of cobalt crackling in the air. “Do you hold nothing sacred, Sarah? I thought we chose not to speak of this.”

“What exactly am I supposed to hold sacred, Jareth? You have no power over me.”

“You let others take you out, kiss you, propose marriage and you leave me here like some pathetic puppy.”

“You would make a cute puppy.” Sarah giggled. “But let’s make something very clear, Jareth. You’ve told me you were in love with me since I was fifteen. You gave me a half-hearted proposal,” Jareth scoffed. Sarah glared at him, serious now.

“A half-hearted proposal of marriage after I won the right to be queen by beating the Labyrinth. You keep attempting to make me fall in love with you. And you know what makes me mad enough to spend any time with other people? You’ve just decided my physical attraction to you means that I will just happily decide you’re the love of my life.”

Sarah let her little tirade sink in for a moment before she continued.

“Everyone in my life expects me to just roll over and accept that being queen means a marriage to you. Even Toby asked me when I was going to marry you and he’s six, he shouldn’t even know what it means. And he not only asked when we were getting married, but when I would have a baby. My little brother asked me when I was getting pregnant, Jareth. I just turned nineteen six months ago. No one should be asking me these question, princess or not. I know the promise I made you over the summer, but I still am not sure. Those people, the ones before I agreed to let this thing between us grow, they were good for me, to me. I had fun.”

She stopped speaking as Jareth muttered under his breath. He managed to control his magic and only the faintest hint of blue shimmered across his skin. Realizing she stopped speaking he bore into her with his eyes. “You had fun.”

“I did. But here I am.” She reached across the table and picked up one of his clenched fists. “I see some of those people every day, but these months away from you has been boring. All I do is work on school, train, fight, and play ambassador to anyone seeking refuge in our kingdom. And I’ve been bored out of my mind by the mortal world, I felt lost. The only time I felt remotely like I belonged was when I dealt with the refugees and my houseguests. I wanted to leave and wander the world, never settling down anywhere. You wanna know the first stop I thought of making? Here, to get you, so we could go together. So I’ll repeat myself Jareth, here I am.”

Sarah stood up from the table and planted a kiss on Jareth’s cheek before walking out of the dining hall. She headed out into the Goblin City to round some of her new Unseelie residents. She and Jareth needed a retinue that would piss Gilgamesh’s court off and make his enemies think twice.

Jareth stayed in his chair, absently picking at his breakfast for a long time after she left. He realized, in that moment, all of his efforts would mean nothing if he didn’t change his behavior towards Sarah.

‘She’s still too young for all of this,’ he thought dryly. ‘We’ve all been pushing her too hard. I’ve been pushing her… Maybe I should just trust her on this trip and have fun. It has been a long time since I saw my brother.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah tested the crystal in her hand, playing with it to make sure the spell she wove wouldn’t fail. Around her, an entourage stood waiting for Jareth to arrive. The Rusalka queen and her eldest daughter, the Tweedles, three female Kitsune, four fully armored Spriggans, and two Kumiho women all waited patiently for her. Sarah felt quite proud of herself for convincing these particular Immortals to return to the Unseelie court with her.

The Tweedles’ attendance was a given as Sarah’s personal guard, but the Kumiho and Kitsune women, two clans of fox fae, were incredibly secretive creatures and that they agreed was testament to the strength of their loyalty to Sarah. She literally swooped in and saved them from a group of Seelie trying to kill them in Chinatown over the summer and, despite their reputations for malicious behavior, all five immediately took to their new mistress and became her envoys between the Goblin Kingdom and the Immortals of New York City.

The Spriggans were Jareth’s contribution. The entire species once fell under Titania’s purview as Faerie Queen until the last war when they switched sides. When peace broke out, the Spriggans reconnected with their former queen and, as a sign of good faith, sent a contingent of their best warriors to protect Jareth and Morrigan. This particular group formally separated from their chief and swore oaths to Jareth when he became the Goblin King. The Labyrinthine Spriggans were decidedly more vicious than their Seelie cousins, a product of too much time spent protecting the recalcitrant Goblin King and the Labyrinth’s influence.

As Sarah worked the spell which would drop the group in the center of Gilgamesh’s great hall, Hye-Ja and Hye-Jin, the Kumiho sisters, surreptitiously began weaving a spell of their own. The Kitsune triplets, Keiko, Seiko, and Leiko, sharing the same vulpine origins as the Korean women, felt the magic and they too silently contributed to the spell. The spell would protect Sarah from any unwanted attention in the Unseelie court. The Labyrinth, feeling the magic weave around its queen, contributed power to the five women. It too wanted to keep its queen safe.

The Spriggans and Rusalki, old enemies, eyed each other from their spots in the courtyard of Jareth’s castle. Arthek, Breok, Hedrek, and Cadok were the sons of Casworon, one of the original Spriggans who followed Jareth and Morrigan to the Goblin Kingdom. They held their father’s contempt for the Russian water spirits across from them.

Rani, the queen, and her daughter, Zilya, pledged allegiance to Sarah soon after Enlil persuaded some of their sisters to attack Sarah. Most of the Rusalki clan now lived alongside the goddess Iara and her people along the Goblin Kingdom’s coast. The separate clans of mermaids got along famously as both Rani and Iara’s people functioned as water sprites. The only disagreements came in their treatment of humans Aboveground as Iara’s clan was Seelie and the Rusalki Unseelie. And both groups of mer-people agreed that Spriggans were the most hated group of Immortals in the Underground.

Jareth joined the group as the sun dipped below the horizon. Sarah passed him her crystal for inspection and stood back to wait for his approval. A single flicker of blue magic passed into the crystal, strengthening the spell and Jareth smiled. He handed the crystal back to her. Sarah did not return his smile. Her emotions were too raw after their fight this morning.

Foolishly, he followed her into the city and attempted to assuage her fears and tell her everything was her choice, but instead managed to start a row that left a thirty-foot section of the city wall destroyed when Sarah tossed him through it. Now he was trying to apologize without losing face and she would have none of it.

Frowning, the Goblin King gave the group a once over. “You all are returning to the Unseelie court of your own volition. I ask three things of you during our stay. First, do not go anywhere alone. We do not know who is loyal to my brother. Second, you will all reconnect with your friends in the court and glean as much information as possible from them. We need to know what plans Enlil has for Sarah. Finally, at least two of you will remain with Sarah whenever I am not with her, no exceptions. Remember the oaths you swore.”

He nodded quickly to Sarah who tossed the crystal into the air above the group. The Labyrinth, wearing the guise of a tall, lithe blond man, watched from the shadows of the courtyard. The man-creature reached across the Mists and poured magic into the wards on his queen-elect’s home and the home of her parents. Sensing the presence of one of its inhabitants the man turned around.

“Hoggle.”

“Labyrinth.” The dwarf grumbled.

“They will return.”

“I ain’t got no doubt ‘bout that. But I ain’ts happy about them going. That rat Jareth should have talked her out of it.”

The man grinned down at the dwarf and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Hoggle, you know very well it is impossible for anyone to talk Sarah out of anything.”

“I know. Don’t make me feel no better.”

“I too am concerned. I knew she would be the next queen, the only woman capable of leading the Goblin Kingdom into war successfully and yet I too am surprised by her on a daily basis. This plan of hers is daring and will move things along. We cannot continue to hover on the edge of war. Walking into the Unseelie court will force Enlil’s hand, if only because Enkidu will not be able to resist doing something stupid.”

“Yer jokin! That slimy reptile will try to kill her, or worse!” Hoggle looked horrified and glared sternly at the creature before him.

“Do you believe the girl who resisted our king for four years would fall to that befouled serpent so easily? Or that the king would allow such a thing?” The creature’s voice betrayed the anger it felt for the caretaker. The face revealed nothing.

Hoggle had the sense to look guilty. “No. No, I don’t. But Sarah’s just a girl and with the rest of Ishtar’s brood and their cousin around, well, I just worry bouts her is all.”

“As you should. She is a worrying girl. She is also our queen, crown or not, and we will trust her, the both of us.”

“Aye. I trust her.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah’s portal planted the group directly outside the doors of Gilgamesh’s grand hall. As she looked around, Sarah noted the blend of Babylonian, Assyrian, Phoenician, and Akkadian designs on the mud-brick walls. She remembered Jareth said the Unseelie court was the original city of Uruk, but she honestly never believed how beautiful it could be. She silently thanked Professor Albion from her Art History elective over the summer for drumming an appreciation of ancient art into her. Lost in her revelry, she barely registered that Jareth and Rani were speaking to her. Only the appearance of Rani’s hand waving in her face broke Sarah’s rapture.

“Oh, sorry. What were you saying?”

The Rusalka pursed her lips and huffed. “Lady Sarah, you need to change. This attire will not suit the court.” Her thick Russian accent tinged with annoyance. Jareth nodded his agreement.

Sarah looked herself over in a large polished bronze mirror next to one of the doors. Still dressed in her purple velvet coat, black shirt, and grey breeches from earlier, Sarah raised an eyebrow at Rani. Gesturing towards Jareth, who wore the same outfit, in complementary colors.

“He’s wearing the same thing. Why do I have to change?”

Rani huffed again, exasperation written all over her beautiful face. “It is not right for a woman of the court to appear clothed as a man in times of peace.”

Sarah laughed. As she did, subtle changes made their way across her clothing. The velvet was replaced with violet dragon-hide, the shirt slowly changed into a dwarf-made piece of inky, feather light chain mail, and her soft breeches substituted for thick grey leather. A sword appeared at her hip and two daggers glinted in the firelight, strapped to her thighs. Sarah lifted her hair and adjusted the chain around her neck, making sure it stood out prominently against the black chainmail. Levelling an icy stare on the Rusalka queen, Sarah spoke evenly, but maliciously.

“I suppose this is better?”

Rani ground her teeth and glared at the girl before her.

“You do not know the Unseelie court like I do, girl. I may have sworn fealty to you and your king, but I will not cower before your crown when I have one of my own. These clothes will enrage the court, turn them from you. Women can dress as men in the Seelie court, they find it alluring. But here, women are more powerful than men. To dress as Jareth does lowers your station. As queen by right of conquest, you outrank your king here. I know your stepmother, girl, she would tell you the same. Now, if you would allow me.”

Sarah absorbed Rani’s words and at her request, she glanced at Jareth who gave her an imperceptible nod. She levelled her gaze on the mermaid again and raised her eyebrows.

“Nothing like what you’re wearing, please, Rani.” Sarah said, noting the gauzy layers Rani wore.

The mermaid queen smirked and turned Sarah away from the mirror. A dark-skinned man appeared to announce them before the court and Jareth raised a hand to silence him. Rani kneeled before Sarah and ran a single finger on each hand up Sarah’s legs, abdomen, chest, and then down her arms. Sarah’s skin tingled as the fingers travelled and she felt the strange magic pull against her own, drawing her aura into a subtle glow in the torch-lit hall. Rani placed her hands on either side of Sarah’s face and the magic pulled her hair up and rested something heavy in her curls.

“There,” Rani turned Sarah to face the mirror again, “Now you are perfect. Dressed for battle.”

Sarah caught the eyes of both Jareth and the majordomo as she turned, noting the heated stares she received. She glanced over her shoulder at the other men in her party and saw they too were staring at her. Finally looking at the mirror, she managed to tamp down a snort of disbelief. The dress Rani provided was something Sarah would never choose for herself.

She was entirely covered from the neck down in slate grey silk which clung to her body, an embroidered pattern of the charms on her necklace snaked its way across the supple fabric. The collared dress cut out at the shoulders and sleeves of white leather encased her arms. Reaching to her throat, Sarah discovered Rani entwined the magical necklace into her hair, forming a thin circlet that allowed the charms to rest gently against her hairline. The image she presented was one of power and desire. She barely showed any skin, but the cut of the dress and the fabrics, combined with her radiating aura of magic, made the half-human girl appear to be much older than her nineteen years and much more dangerous.

Sarah quirked an eyebrow and turned her head to look at the diaphanous dresses of Rani and her daughter and the floor-length, leather sheaths the Kumiho and Kitsune sisters wore. “Well it’s certainly nothing like what you ladies are wearing.”

Leiko grinned at Sarah. “Of course not. You are here to impress. We must look the part of loyal subject, while you prove yourself a powerful queen and champion.”

She gave the majordomo and the Spriggans a withering glare which made them all avert their gazes. The Tweedles, entirely unaffected by their mistress’ dress, continued to glare menacingly at the occasional passing servant. Jareth ignored their escorts, silently wishing he kept her in his bed this morning. Feeling the women’s magic wrapped around her though, he found himself unable to act on his desires and was incredibly grateful for their abilities. If they could turn someone as powerful as himself away, then Sarah would not be accosted by the entirety of the Unseelie court.

Jareth tapped the majordomo on the shoulder and gestured towards the large bronze doors before him. The fae sputtered a bit, readjusted the breastplate of his Spartan armor and the lethally sharp sword on his hip. Then he rapped once on the doors which opened, dramatically, inwards. The majordomo took ten steps into the great hall, a cacophony of confused whispers dropping into silence as he entered. He dropped a quick bow to the dais across the room and then turned to introduce the group still in the hall.

“My lord Gilgamesh, I present to you the sons of Casworon. Arthek, Breok, Hedrek, and Cadok.” The four Spriggan warriors stalked threateningly into the great hall, torchlight reflecting off of their highly polished dragonsteel armor. Once the four brothers bowed before the dais and stood off to the left side of the throne, the majordomo continued.

“My lord Gilgamesh, I present to you Hye-Ja and Hye-Jin, guardians of Sobaek-san, and Keiko, Seiko, and Leiko, daughters of Koan.” The five women shared a quick round of resolute looks with each other and their mistress before marching shoulder-to-shoulder into the great hall. They bowed, as one, before the dais, the shadowed figure in the large throne leaning forward to converse with them quickly and near-silently before they moved off to stand with the Spriggans.

“My lord Gilgamesh, I present to you Queen Rani and Princess Zilya of the Rusalki.”

Sarah gave the quivering Zilya, a frightened mess after the quick departure from their home following the attack on Sarah, a quick squeeze across her shoulders. Rani gave Sarah a small smile and then the two women were sweeping into the hall, their faces the picture of cool indifference. Gilgamesh stood from his throne as they approached and made his way down the dais to greet the two women, hugging Zilya and whispering in her ear before gently pulling her up on the dais with him. Rani walked towards the rest of the group as Zilya stood next to the left side of the throne. Angry whispers broke out amongst the assembled court. The majordomo conjured a large staff and tapped it twice on the floor, forcing the crowd into silence once more.

“My lord Gilgamesh, I present to you Jareth, Goblin King, Lord of the Labyrinth, Keeper of the Unwanted, Lord of the Night, Master of the Swarm, Lord of the Mountain Halls, Lord of the Summerlands and Sarah Pendragon, Goblin Queen-elect, Champion of the Labyrinth, Princess of Camelot, Blessed of Y Draig Goch, Keeper of Wishes, Mistress of the Swarm, and their honor guard.”

Sarah glanced over her shoulders to ensure the Tweedles were appropriately menacing and then allowed a sneering Jareth to lead her into the hall. The hall let out a collective gasp at the sight of them, though more so at the sight of the wendigos leading them in, an even rarer appearance. Then all eyes focused on Sarah whose own were focused on the shadowy figure in the throne across the room. The closer Jareth escorted her, the more power she felt radiating from the throne. Finally, Sarah realized a shield spell separated the dais from the rest of the great hall. This close, the shadows fell away and Sarah nearly gaped at the man before her.

Gilgamesh was every inch the ancient king of legend. Though his beard no longer resembled the styles favored by the Akkadians, his hair remained shoulder-length and a rich ebony. His face reminded Sarah greatly of Ishtar, and now she could see the heavy resemblance between Jareth and his brother in the sweep of the eyebrows and the thinness of the lips each man shared with their mother. Beyond that, the two were like night and day, and not solely because of their skin-tones. Where Jareth was lithe, sinewy strength, Gilgamesh stood nearly seven feet tall and brawny. He dressed much like the figures on Greek pottery in a floor-length toga.

Sarah found herself questioning the myths of Hercules and Ajax in the presence of this man. The Akkadian stood from his throne and practically bounded down the steps to clap a great hug around his brother’s shoulders. Jareth stood little more than half a foot shorter than his brother and returned the hug with equal fervor until Gilgamesh lifted him from the floor and swung him away from Sarah. Before she could react, he deposited Jareth on the floor and whirled to face her, tilting his head down to stand eye-to-eye with Sarah.

“So you are the snippet who beat my brother’s infernal maze? A beauty for sure, and obviously powerful. I believe I would enjoy stealing you from him and becoming your consort.”

Sarah scoffed at the suggestion and quirked an eyebrow at the giant man before her. Sneering, she poked a finger into his chest, forcing him back a step as Jareth barely contained a grin behind his brother.

“I am no snippet and the Labyrinth is not an infernal maze. And you dare claim Jareth owns me? I am no one’s property.” She spat. “You will do well to remember that I am the Goblin Queen and you are nothing but an ancient, tired excuse of a king for a dead civilization.”

Jareth broke into a rare fit of snorting chuckles and turned completely away from Sarah and his brother. Gilgamesh glared over his shoulder at the Goblin King, waiting for him to stop laughing, before returning his attention to the woman before him. He studied her carefully, noting her lack of fear under his withering gaze. Creatures more powerful than her had wilted before him and yet this girl looked at him as though he were a bug.

“You dare insult me in my own court, Sarah Pendragon?”

“I dared to insult your brother in his, and I beat him at his own game, and I turned down a marriage proposal from him not once but twice. I’ve spent the last few years fighting my way through every murderous Immortal in the Northern Hemisphere, killing most and earning the loyalty of the rest. What makes you,” Sarah poked him in the chest again, “think that you are the big bad in my life?”

“I am the King Regent of the Unseelie Court, insolent little chit. I have laid waste to mortals and Immortals alike. You have no right to challenge me. I should lock you in my dungeons for the brazen disrespect you have shown me. Perhaps a few months in the dark will teach that pretty little mouth to remain shut.”

The shield spell, which hid Gilgamesh from view and kept their conversation to a dull drone, crumbled under the onslaught of Sarah’s magic. The aura around her leeched the light from the room, breaking down all enchantments it encountered, much to the outrage of those wearing glamours. The only light came from Sarah herself, as deep red sparks danced across her skin, singing the floor and walls around her.

Not a single Immortal spoke, even as Jareth and the escorts they brought with them joined the Tweedles to flank Sarah. Gilgamesh’s own magic turned against Sarah’s fighting for dominance as the two stared each other down. The black aura which encompassed the Akkadian felt much like his mother’s magic as Sarah calmly and silently displayed her dominance to the court.

As the very air began to crackle with electricity and heat, Sarah abruptly withdrew her power. Gilgamesh returned the hall to its normal state, and withheld a chuckle as he realized the lack of glamour charms in the room. Taking a quick glance at the united front standing behind his brother and Sarah, he stood straight once more and addressed the distressed crowd.

“It would seem, Lady Sarah, you have made your point.” Turning his face on the whispering court once again. “Let it be known that the Goblin King and Queen-elect are welcome here at the Unseelie Court in perpetuity. Welcome brother and Lady Sarah.”

The crowd dipped into a collective bow before Sarah and Jareth. The Goblin King dared to breathe a sigh of relief. Sarah reached for his hand as they granted the crowd a brief nod and she subtly reconstructed Gilgamesh’s shield as the court broke into small groups. Some shot Sarah smiles and encouraging glances, others outright hatred. The majority of the court remained impassive, revealing nothing. Gilgamesh reached out for Zilya and then ushered the entire group towards an antechamber.

Once out of sight, Gilgamesh wrapped Zilya into his arms and kissed her. The princess jumped into his arms. Rani watched her daughter with open disdain, while Sarah and Jareth exchanged wicked smiles with the rest of their group. Leiko subtly collected coins and trinkets, Jareth included, and split the haul with Sarah. Everyone placed bets on whether Zilya’s reluctance to fully integrate in the Goblin Kingdom was due to stress over the attack on Sarah and Melissa which lost her three friends or over losing a man. Sarah and Leiko high-fived and earned glares from Rani. The Rusalka cleared her throat several times before the still kissing couple broke apart. Zilya instantly became a different person, glaring right back at her mother as Gilgamesh managed to look slightly sheepish.

“Exactly how long has this been going on Zilya?” Rani ground out.

“Four hundred years.” Zilya smirked. Sarah was impressed at her friend’s total change in personality. Gone was the nervous princess who cowered before her mother and watched everyone with a heavy dose of trepidation. In her place stood the reigning princess of the vicious Rusalki clan, a powerful woman who exuded the confidence of surviving amongst humans for fifteen hundred years.

“When did you intend to tell me?” Rani spat, now exhibiting her own power, and more than a few of her five thousand years as her one remaining glamour broke in her rage.

Gilgamesh wisely chose to take a half-step away from Zilya, but kept a comfortable grasp on her hip. Zilya glanced at him, judging his movement away from her, before answering her mother. “You separated us after Enlil’s visit, and then the attack on Sarah forced us to leave the court for good. We did not think we would see each other again, except on a battlefield. Why would I tell you?”

Rani winced a bit at the honesty from her daughter. She knew well the dangers of falling for someone when their world was on the verge of war. Zilya’s mortal father perished in one of Attila’s campaigns against the Sassanids. However, to carry on with the de facto King of the Unseelie Court for four hundred years without a word to her mother was inexcusable behavior in Rani’s opinion. “I told my mother of your father.”

“Only because the human left you pregnant with me. It was lucky he died in Persia. Alia would have forced you to kill him and me if you had not left. That decision is why I survived and was raised here. You only became queen after Alia’s death because of Ishtar’s support. Without her interference your sisters would have eviscerated you."

“I know my own history!” Rani snapped at her daughter. The queen narrowed her eyes as Gilgamesh’s hand tightened around her daughter’s hip again. “You have made yourself a target, daughter.” Rani’s abrupt change of tone revealed fear, an emotion few ever saw from the self-assured queen. Zilya, startled, blinked furiously.

“Enlil hates us, girl. Blames me for the death of his beloved Ninlil. It is why he used our weaker sisters to further his revenge on Ishtar. It is why this relationship will kill you. Believe me daughter, I am happy for you. Gilgamesh is a perfect match for you, but Enlil will kill you personally if he knows of this."

Gilgamesh interjected before Zilya could lose her temper with her mother. “Enlil already knows Rani. He attempted to kill Zilya once before. I rescued her and kept it quiet. When Zilya learned of the attempt on Sarah and warned you, it was because of me. Enlil revealed the information, knowing we were listening to him. He knew you would run to Jareth for protection and separate us. I asked Sarah to bring you with her so we could tell you everything. Zilya and I are betrothed.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

You can take me to paradise

And then again you can be as cold ice

I’m over my head

Oh but it sure feels nice

You can take me anytime you like

I’ll be around if you think you might love me baby

And hold me tight

Over My Head—Fleetwood Mac

I know it’s warmer where you are

And it’s safer by your side

But right now I can’t be what you want

Just give it time

And if you and I

Can make it through the night

And if you and I

Can keep our love alive, we’ll fight

You and I—PVRIS

December 23rd, 1990
Jareth watched his brother carefully over breakfast. Three days of fighting between Gilgamesh and Rani finally came to a head the night before during a welcoming ball in his and Sarah’s honor. As Sarah effortlessly charmed dozens of Unseelie into defecting to the Goblin Kingdom, Gilgamesh and Rani came to blows in the hallway. Gilgamesh refused to allow the healers to tend to him afterwards, only letting his brother into his chambers as they discussed how best to placate the Rusalka. Zilya retreated to Sarah’s side, so the queen could act as a barrier between the two women. The rest of their group disappeared at dawn to various corners of Uruk, hunting down allies and information, leaving Jareth and Sarah to pacify the feud. Not a standard vacation by any means, but it gave Jareth an excuse to spend every waking moment with Sarah and his brother. Now, watching Gilgamesh eat carefully to avoid aggravating his bruised jaw, Jareth schemed to get Rani out of the palace for the day. Sarah too was scheming to find a valid excuse for Zilya and Gilgamesh to disappear for a few hours. Rani’s ire could only be curbed by direct orders from either Jareth or Sarah, but if she believed either of them were complicit with her daughter’s relationship, life would become very difficult in the Goblin Kingdom. “Rani, have you seen Afa since you arrived?” Jareth coolly asked. “No. The Adaro are not in Uruk any longer. Afa took them into hiding when I told him of my plans to leave the court.” Rani’s response betrayed her suspicions. “Hmm. What about the Ahuizotl?”“They have joined your father in Avalon.”“And the Vodyanoy?”“Rusalki and Vodyanoy do not speak to each other.”“Perhaps they should.”“You would order me to speak to those who slaughter my sisters?”“I would order you to unsettle a potential enemy by confronting them directly.”Rani looked at Gilgamesh, noting his silence, before returning her gaze to Jareth. “You wish for me to scare them. The female water kindred have all aligned against Enlil. Now the men must choose. The most powerful have aligned against him or have disappeared to remain neutral. The Vodyanoy are Enlil’s and you think I will scare those, those ublyudki?” “Do you doubt your skills, Rani? Sergei is terrified of you. He practically begged Morrigan to save him after you sent Stalin after him.”Rani grinned. “Sergei is not the problem. Vasili is. The two of them have fought for decades over which of them should be Korol. Rasputin should never have gone to the Romanovs. The slaboumnyy got himself killed and only my intervention with Josef stopped their little war from interfering with the humans further.” “Then it’s settled. You will interfere once again. I want to know if Sergei is amenable to my uncle’s cause or if it is only Vasili. Take Cadok and Arthek with you. I expect your return tomorrow.”Rani made to complain, but Sarah placed a hand on her arm and shot the older woman a glare. “Rani, go. Zilya will show me the sights while Jareth and Gilgamesh are off making nuisances of themselves.”Jareth admired Sarah’s ability to twist the truth. Fae, by nature, were incapable of telling outright lies, but Sarah’s human blood allowed her to push the limits. Zilya would, indeed, escort Sarah into the city. It just so happened that she planned to take her to Ishtar’s temple, where Gilgamesh and Jareth would pay respects to their mother’s adherents. Where the group broke from there was anyone’s guess. Mischief was certainly a requirement and the brothers planned on causing quite a bit of it with their women as willing participants. Rani watched the four of them, wondering if Sarah and Jareth approved of her daughter’s relationship. It didn’t appear that way. Jareth stormed out of the great hall the night before and hauled Gilgamesh off to his room, raving about keeping the healers away from his brother’s face. It seemed her new king approved of her handiwork. She admired the bruising on the giant Akkadian’s face before turning appraising eyes on her queen. Sarah proved herself a powerful ally over the last few years as her family and growing number of supplicants deftly dispatched Enlil’s agents across the world. She suffered no fools and her youthful features belied a deep understanding of the world. She schemed and manipulated better than Immortals thousands of years her senior. Her skills as a warrior were hard won, despite her growing talent for magic. Scars, Rani knew, crisscrossed most of her body and a particularly vicious attack left one jagged line down the edge of her jaw. A Fomorian used a blade of pure iron to attack Sarah only a month ago, the scar would never heal. Watching Sarah now, Rani believed the girl hated her former king. The hostility she exhibited during their official introductions continued unabated. Even now she glared at him across the table as he watched Zilya, raptly. “I will go,” Rani finally agreed. “But know this Gilgamesh. I have contacted your mother. She will certainly have something to say about this.”The Rusalka queen disappeared from the table with an angry crack of magic that launched a serving bowl at Gilgamesh’s head. He caught it and sighed. Sarah exhaled slowly. ‘So much for a vacation,’ She thought. Jareth smirked at her across the table, reading her like a book. She quirked an eyebrow at him and then smiled evilly. Their plans were starting to come together. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Several hours and a dozen adventurous turns through the city later, Sarah and Jareth sat together on the edge of the city walls, gazing at the orange and purple sunset. Passerby recognized them occasionally and dipped their heads in deference as the two dangled their feet above them. A group of Lamassu flew across the city, patrolling the streets and surrounding lands from above. “Uruk is wonderful. Did you spend much time here growing up?” Sarah asked softly, leaning her head to rest on Jareth’s shoulder.“Not much, precious. I tended to avoid my mother most of the time. Coming here, seeing how she loves her people, my siblings,” He paused. “It has always been a bit much. Morrigan and I made our peace with Ishtar long ago, but since my sister was separated from me, coming here is not easy.” She turned her head to press a gentle kiss against his jaw. “I’m sorry I made you come.” “Don’t be. I think it is a beautiful place. Besides, Gilgamesh has always taken his role as elder brother quite seriously. Between him and Nuada, Morri and I knew that our family loved us. No matter what Oberon or Ishtar did. I’m glad you made me come. My sisters will be here tomorrow. You’ll love them.” He wrapped an arm around her and shifted until she leaned against him completely. “I’m excited to meet them,” Sarah admitted. “I should warn you, precious. They will show you no mercy. Gwyn nearly called off the wedding to Morrigan when they were through with him. My mother had to make them leave the Labyrinth for a week before he calmed down enough to see reason.” “How many siblings do you have, exactly?” Sarah prodded, trying to pull more information out of the stoic Goblin King by subtly changing the subject. Jareth despised talking about his family, especially his mother’s side. In all the years Sarah knew him, tonight was the first time he ever spoke so openly about them. “My father has three living children. My brother, Finvarra, is the only one who did not fade or die in one conflict or another. Titania has three as well, Nuada, Janet, and Idun. Nuada spends most of his time in Avalon. Idun lives with her wife, Xinwangmu, they guard the orchards. And Janet is my mother’s seneschal.”“What about Ishtar?” Sarah prodded. “My mother has six children, all living, three sons and three daughters.” Jareth’s eyes tracked a Lamassu as it spun in winding circles over the central ziggurat. “Gilgamesh is the eldest, son of Enmerkar, the first King of Uruk. Agasaya and Dumuzid were next. She is the elder of the two. Their father was Shamash, the sun-god. He doted on them. Ninsun is next. The humans always think she’s Gilgamesh’s mother instead of his sister. She and Aggie put me to shame, even on my best day. Never let them corner you.” Sarah hummed in acknowledgement. “Then there’s you and Morrigan.”“Yes, Morrigan and I are the youngest of all the High Royals. We have plenty of nieces, nephews, and cousins, but there hasn’t been another child born as an heir to either court since us.”A Lamassu called out a greeting as it landed on the wall a few feet away. It padded silently over to the couple and allowed Sarah pet its wings before bidding them good night. Sarah watched wistfully as it leapt off the wall to return to its rounds. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to all this. Heroes, gods, monsters, it’s all still so unreal. I feel like I’m living two lives. Mel might be the only reason I haven’t completely lost my mind. She keeps me grounded. It’s nice to have another human around for all of this,” She sighed. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if she freaked out on me.” Jareth swiftly scooped Sarah into his lap, startling her. “I suppose you still think yourself a normal girl with typical teenage problems and an absent mother?”He didn’t give her a chance to respond, placing a solitary finger over her lips. “You are no longer Sarah Williams, Princess of the Park. You have forever to get used to it, my love.”“Not long at all,” She quipped.Growling low in his throat, Jareth nuzzled his face into her long hair. Sarah hardly wore it down anymore, but today her hair flowed free from its normal braids and he spent the most of the day playing with it. “That is not fair, precious.” He snarled against her neck. “Using the things I said in the Labyrinth against me. You wouldn’t quote Hogsbrain back to himself, would you?”He chuckled as she snapped back at him with an automatic, “Hoggle!”“You know his name, Jareth. Why must you tease him?” Sarah admonished, smacking her hand against the back of Jareth’s head. Her little victory was short lived as he smashed his lips against hers, forcing her into an angry kiss. The hand which hit his head suddenly fisted into his hair and Jareth returned the gesture, pulling hard on Sarah’s long waves. They lost themselves for several moments until Jareth pulled back abruptly. He gently combed his fingers through her hair, enjoying the softness on his fingers. Sarah watched him, more than a little confused. Finally, he locked eyes with her and gave a tight-lipped grin. “I love your hair like this.” “Really?” Sarah questioned, leaning back to glare down at her long tresses. “Because I was thinking of cutting it. I barely wear it down anymore and it gets in the way when I’m fighting. A sprite got her nasty little hands around my ponytail a while back and nearly scalped me.”Jareth glared at her, fisting his hands in her hair again. “You will not cut your hair. I forbid it. As for fighting nasty fae creatures, you are amassing your own army in Manhattan, can they not fight for you?”Sarah matched his glare. “I will do what I want with my hair, Jareth. Or do I need to remind you that yours is stuck somewhere in 1983? And on the note of my army. I’ll have you know that just because the Immortals of Manhattan have collectively allied themselves with me, it does not mean they are an army. Most of them are simply tired of dealing with Margery and Timothy. New York is supposed to be neutral territory.”“You’ve gathered too many Immortals under your banner, precious. You’re one step away from open war.”The smug look on Sarah’s face spoke volumes. “Yes, well, they aren’t ready for that final step yet. Besides I could have flown under the radar if Margery hadn’t sold out my location to Enlil.”“She is a jealous harpy. No, I take that back, I am very fond of harpies.” Jareth smiled. “Well, if you hadn’t slept with every available noble and royal in the Underground, we wouldn’t have this problem. Margery is a good queen. She’s just pissed off with you. I will march on Boston if she doesn’t stop trying to act like some fae mafia don of Manhattan. The island is mine.”“I think you and Melissa have spent too much time with the news about that ‘Teflon Don’ fellow, Sarah. Margery is behaving entirely within her rights. You are a queen accepting pledges of loyalty from Immortals on neutral ground. She rightly perceives you as a threat. Timothy is of greater concern. He sees you as his ticket to legitimacy Underground. His Seelie allegiance is shaky at best. And he’s a despicable creature.”“Well, at this rate the two of them will force me into declaring Manhattan a scion of the Goblin Kingdom. The Labyrinth even told me it’s perfectly capable of incorporating the whole damn island into its borders.”“Taking any Aboveground territory while we still do not know the breadth of Enlil’s influence would be a mistake. Besides, the Labyrinth has not claimed any new territory since Gwyn was king.” Jareth said, running a hand down Sarah’s side. She frowned. “Well, maybe it’s time things changed.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Zilya stood on the palace balcony overlooking Uruk. The ziggurat, situated at the center of the city, loomed over every other building. Gilgamesh’s quarters were, of course, at the very top. Surveying her former home, Zilya noticed the unmistakable glint of the setting sun on white-blond hair at the city walls. ‘Ah, so that is where they went, then.’ She smiled at the thought. “Habibi, where have you gone?” Gilgamesh called from the bed. “I am watching the sun set.”Strong arms wrapped themselves around the princess, pulling her close. “Will you leave with my brother and his intended? Or will you finally agree to marry me?”Zilya turned around, immediately realizing Gilgamesh was naked. She narrowed her eyes at him. He knew how distracting he could be. She gently pushed him away and pulled the tie of her robe into a tighter knot. “Why is it you insist on having serious conversations while naked?”He grinned and chuckled. “Because it is only when you are, hmm, thoroughly distracted,” He leaned down to nibble on her collar bone. “That you reveal the whole truth, treacherous woman.”“I would say it isn’t fair,” She chuckled, reaching down to grab his hips. “But I would be lying.” They stood in the orange glow of the sunset for a moment, simply enjoying the other’s presence until Zilya spoke again. Heavy emotion made her Russian accent heavier. “My mother and I have pledged ourselves to the Goblin Kingdom. If I stay here, I am a target for Enlil.”“I could keep you safe.” Gilgamesh interrupted. Zilya sighed. “I know, but I am loyal to Sarah. She made it her mission to become my friend these past months. Without her guidance, or that of her Chatelaine, the human girl, Melissa, I would have lost myself to grief. Three of my sisters are dead because of Enlil. We left everything we knew and loved to escape him.” Gilgamesh pulled her through the gauzy curtains that separated his bedroom from the balcony. He didn’t want her to stop speaking, but having this conversation in the open was not wise. Zilya let him lead her to a divan and she sat down heavily. “Sarah accepted me without hesitation. She is much like a sister to me now. The only request she made when mother and I brought the entire tribe to her gates was our loyalty. She gave us territory, made us feel welcome. If I leave her and come to you, I feel she will be vulnerable. I know Enlil and his methods. I know how he corrupted my sisters. I do not blame Sarah for their deaths, but I will not see it happen again. I love you, Gilgamesh. But I will not leave my family or my queen until Enlil is dead.”The Akkadian’s mouth quirked into a tight-lipped grin. “That settles it then. I will kill Enlil and you will return here to become my queen.” “You cannot be the one to kill him, my love,” Zilya reached up to put a hand on his face. “This war will only end when Sarah ends Enlil’s life, or he ends hers. There is a prophecy. The balance is broken and the Goblin Kingdom, the Underground itself, will rise or fall with Sarah Pendragon. You can only choose which outcome you prefer and aid the cause.”“Does my brother know this?” “Morrigan has forbid it until the right time. His choices can only end in suffering.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Tweedles sat quietly in the shadowy corner of the alehouse near Uruk’s western gate. Here they quietly listened for news of Baba Yaga. Sarah traveled with them over the summer to the witch’s home. No amount of magic, either her own or her Aunt Morgan’s, could find the Immortal. She simply vanished. ‘That gnome at the end of the bar smells of Seelie magic.’ Dee communicated telepathically with his brother. Dum leaned back in his chair, signaling the bartender for another round, and surreptitiously glanced at the foul creature sitting with its back to the brothers. None of the patrons realized the two were wendigos. Sarah, with Morgan and Ishtar’s help, created a series of powerful glamours for the brothers. Wendigos were rare enough creatures, created only through specific and violent magic. The brothers were well-known comrades of the Labyrinth’s Champion. To see them away from her would be incredibly suspicious. The presence of two dark-haired fae warriors, though, was entirely normal. The bartender acknowledged Dum’s signal and sent a serving wench, an attractive sprite, their way. The gnome turned to watch her pass with a leering smile. He caught the brothers’ eye and raised his tankard, incorrectly assuming they were watching the buxom woman rather than him. Two pints of dark ale appeared on the table, as the sprite happily chirped at the two men. “Another round, gents! Anything else ya need?”Dee flashed a brilliant smile at her, something that would surely frighten the girl away if he wore his true face. “You could stay here with my brother and I, miss…?”The sprite flushed slightly and smiled at the handsome fae. “Talia, my name is Talia. And you are?”“Deos, and this is my twin brother, Deom.” He leaned in closer to the girl. “We’re passing through Uruk on our way to Shambala.” “I’ve always wanted to go to Shambala,” Talia said wistfully before collapsing onto the bench next to Dee. Dum smirked at his brother, amazed women still fell for his act even after three centuries since their transformation. “Have you been to Uruk before?” The sprite continued.“This is our first visit.” Dee leaned in conspiratorially, “We’re searching for the Russian witch. Our lord is very keen on learning her whereabouts. We had a tip she was last seen here with some Seelie fae. It was all a bust. Ishtar hasn’t let any Seelie in enter the city in years.”Dee exuded charm and sighed dramatically at their imaginary plight, fully winning the sprite’s attention. Dum mentally calculated how long it would take for his brother to have the girl bent over a barrel in the back room, pumping her for information. He chuckled at his own joke, earning a quizzical stare from young Talia.“My brother should keep his tongue, my lady,” Dum smiled, putting her at ease. “The Goblin King and his wretched half-mortal champion are in Uruk. Our master would not appreciate,” He shot his brother a dramatic glare and feigned a worried glance at the other patrons. “His inquiries becoming public knowledge.”Talia glanced fearfully around the room, guessing the two fae worked for one of the many Unseelie kings who allied themselves with Enlil. Her own father, the alehouse’s owner, fed the banished god information he gleaned from his customers and she was happy to help any of Enlil’s agents. She leaned in close to Dee’s ear and grasped his thigh. Anyone who cared to look would think she was propositioning the handsome fae. “Wait a few moments, then follow me to the back. I have some information about the gnome at the bar that could help you.”Dee smiled, happy to see his ability to charm women into agreeable puddles was not lost to his monstrous transformation. ‘Thank you for the assist, brother,” He thought, earning a wicked grin from his twin. The sprite stood from the bench and walked away, flashing a smirk over her shoulder at the brothers. The gnome, who saw the whole exchange, frowned slightly then shrugged and returned to his drink. The twin wendigos waited, sharing stray thoughts about the bar’s patrons with each other. Then Dee stood and made his way towards the back room, purposefully catching the gnome’s eye as he did. The creature narrowed his eyes, but smiled and raised his glass nonetheless in a silent cheer to the man. Entering the back room, Dee found the sprite standing in a shaft of moonlight amongst the barrels of alcohol. He shut the door firmly behind him and followed the girl into the shadows. She pushed him against several barrels and angled for a kiss. Dee denied her, running a hand down the front of her dress and playing with the ties on her bodice. “Dear Talia,” He whispered into her ear, making her shiver. “What would your father say if he were to find us back here?”The sprite chuckled darkly. “He would likely turn around and pretend he saw nothing.”Dee reached out and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “And if he found you bent over a barrel,” He snaked his hand down and fisted it in her skirts. “Your skirts by your ears?”Talia shivered as his hands began teasing strokes along her newly exposed thighs. “He might question my choice of venue, but he would still turn and leave the room.”“Good.” Dee growled. He shifted further into the shadows, pulling the girl with him, until his back hit the far wall. He dipped to kiss her and began unlacing the bodice of her dress, eliciting a groan from the sprite. “Now, my dear,” He growled against her neck, purple bruises now blooming along the tops of her breasts. “Kneel.” Talia’s eyes widened, but she smiled at the man before her. Dragging her hands down his chest, she knelt before him, nuzzling his waistband and legs. She reached for his hands and placed them in her hair before pulling his breeches down and gripping the hardness she found. Dee hissed, but Talia ignored him, breathing deeply and sucking him down to the hilt. ~~~~~~~~~~~Jareth and Sarah returned to the palace just as the sun dipped below the horizon. A very smug Dee and bemused Dum awaited them in the common area between their joined quarters. Sarah rolled her eyes at them, used to their antics by now, and gestured to a table near the windows. “Sit, you two.”The wendigos, now sans glamour, obeyed their mistress and took their seats. Jareth joined them as Sarah paced the room, a habit she started shortly after she moved to Manhattan. Regular attacks on her person and her often contentious relationship with Jareth and their kingdom revealed a great many nervous tics in the Champion of the Labyrinth. As she paced, she conjured a large magical whiteboard to hover in the center of the room. Written on it was a master list of allies, enemies, and neutral parties. Jareth leaned back, propping his boots on the table, and began making changes to Sarah’s board. While he did, she conjured two maps, one of the Underground, and one of the Immortal Kingdoms Aboveground. Lights of varying colors indicated where outright attacks occurred between Seelie and Unseelie, as well as those directed against Sarah or her family. She gestured at the shadows lurking in the room and her ever-present goblin guards emerged armed to the teeth. The goblins flitted around her, adding new lights to the two maps, and filling her in on the goings on in the Goblin Kingdom. Jareth and the Tweedles, now supplied with refreshments pilfered from the palace kitchens by the goblins, discussed the lists on the board. They moved names around, deploying their allies to assist one another. Once the goblins finished their reports and melded into the shadows, Sarah too sat down. “Alright boys, what did you find out on your pub crawl?”Dee remained silent, smug grin back on his face. Dum rolled his eyes and addressed his friend and queen.“We found out my brother is still as much of a sleazy womanizer as when we were still human. We went to a bar near the western gate. Dee ingratiated himself with the serving staff. However, while he was, ahem, pumping the bar-wench for information, I was able to follow a Seelie gnome outside the city gates. He met with what appeared to be his clan and they traveled up to the mountains. There was a man there who cloaked himself in some sort of silvery shadow. They spoke to a long time, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying so I returned to the bar to wait for Dee.”Sarah added “Silver Shadow Guy” to her list of potential enemies. Jareth remained silent. She looked to Dee, who finally managed to look serious. He cleared his throat. “Well, I seduced the bar wench, a sprite named Talia. Her father owns the alehouse and is a supporter of Enlil. He and his daughter send any information they overhear from their customers to Enlil’s people. I now have her convinced I can supplement that information. She thinks Dum and I are mercenaries who will happily supply information on our employers if we’re compensated,” Dee finished with an evil grin.Dee’s triumphant tone left Sarah thoroughly unimpressed and she rolled her eyes. “Well, we’ll have to supply them with information now and again. Good work.”“Oh, I barely did any work, My Lady, but it was certainly good.” Dee winked. Jareth snapped a tendril of magic towards the wendigo, leaving a burn across his forehead. “Take care how you speak to your queen, wendigo.”Sarah smacked Jareth’s legs off the table and placed a healing hand over Dee’s burn. She turned her ire on the fae king. “You take care how you treat my people, Jareth. He is mine to reward or punish as I see fit, not yours.”The Goblin King leapt to his feet and wrenched Sarah from her chair before disappearing. The Tweedles both looked at each other and beat a hasty retreat to their own quarters down the hall. As they scampered away, the wendigos ran into two of the Spriggan brothers and dragged them away, eager to escape whatever fight their king and queen were about to have.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Let the games commence

Every cost is my expense

There’s a fine line between rage and romance

The rules still stand

Supply equals demand

There’s a fine line between rage and romance

Rage and Romance—Bressie

Lover, hunter, friend and enemy
You will always be every one of these
Lover, hunter, friend and enemy
You will always be every one of these
Nothing’s fair in love and war
Love and War—Fleurie

Paralyzed by my own emotion
Out of my mind, looking for a way out of here, out of here
Terrified and my feet are frozen
Something inside me got me wondering is this real?
Is this real?
Monsters--Seafret
As soon as they appeared in Jareth’s bedroom, Sarah wrenched away from him and drew a dagger from her thigh sheath. He made to grab her and she sliced his left hand open, her aura crackling scarlet in the air. Jareth pulled away, his hand dripping blood onto the carpet, and stared her down. “When will we settle this Jareth!” Sarah shouted. “You are not my king, my husband, or even my boyfriend. You have no power over me. Which means you have no power over those directly in my service.”She threw the dagger at his head, satisfied that he froze its progression a foot away from his face, before continuing her tirade. “You may not punish my friends for any offense you manufacture. Get it through your thick fae skull. I will never bow down to you or your will. You cannot manhandle me or treat me like the simpering whores you dealt with in the past. I will be your equal, nothing less.”Jareth plucked her dagger from the air and tossed it up, repeatedly catching the blade as he glared at Sarah. Finally, still playing with the blade, he stepped towards the young woman and tenderly pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. The blood leaking from his hand smeared across her face as he fisted his hand into her hair. “Let us be entirely clear, precious.” He hissed, tapping the tip of the dagger against the side of her throat. “You are correct. I have no power over you. I do, however, have power. I am not your king, but I am a king. I am not your husband or lover, but I am yours, precious Sarah. And you will recognize my authority in any matter which involves you.”He pressed the tip of the dagger against her cheek, gently, earning a slight gasp from Sarah. She jerked away, causing the blade to drag and pull blood. Jareth reached up, his left hand still bleeding, and let magic spark on her skin as he swiped her blood away. The cut healed instantly. “I am the Goblin King, precious.” Jareth snarled, walking Sarah backwards towards the wall. He licked the mixture of their blood from his fingers. “You are my co-ruler by right of conquest, and as such I hold authority over you and yours. You are my equal, in everything, dear Sarah. But that is reciprocal. I am your equal as well. If our relationship has proved anything these past years, the imbalance of power lies, not with you, but with myself. I fear you, Sarah. I am a slave to your every whim.”Jareth pinned her against the wall, caging her in his arms, the dagger still gripped in his right hand. He bent and nuzzled Sarah’s neck, nipping slightly at her pulse point. The woman remained stock still, prepared to fight, but she relaxed slightly into his touch.“I love you, Sarah. And you do little to accept my feelings. You impose mortal limits on our relationship. You deny me any opportunity to share your burdens. You refuse my authority as your equal, your co-ruler. My words from your childhood remain true, Sarah.” “Everything I do,” He pressed his lips to her neck and whispered against her skin. “I do for you.”Sarah shuddered as his breath tickled her throat, viscerally aware of both his and the dagger’s proximity. She still wasn’t sure what his plans for the blade were. It wouldn’t be the first time they cut one another during a fight, or even this fight. But as he remained silent, his forehead pressed into her neck, she began to truly process his words.Of all her arguments with him, this was the first where both of them spoke their minds without laying a beating on each other first. A cut on the hand and face was nothing compared to what they usually did to one another. Still reeling, Sarah suppressed her rage and tried to process the rest of her feelings. “Jareth,” She finally whispered into his hair. “Get off me.” The Goblin King reluctantly pulled away, resuming his dagger twirling. Sarah took a half-step away from the wall. Wary of the blade and her conflicting emotions, she watched him for a long moment, unsure where to begin.“You love me,” She finally stated. Jareth quirked an eyebrow at her before turning to bury the dagger in a nearby table. “When did you decide that?”“I have always loved you.”Sarah glared at him. He growled low in his throat and clenched his jaw. “Would like me to be more specific? I loved the girl you were. But I fell in love with you the day you ran to me for help with the Asura masquerading as your mortal cousin.”“And how was I supposed to know that?” She looked away from him, towards the blade, and realized how deeply he buried it into the wood. His face betrayed none of the anger which drove him to do it.“You said I hold all the power here. That everything you said to me when I was in the Labyrinth was true. I need you to explain.”Jareth studied her face. She stubbornly refused to look at him and he barely controlled a sigh. Sometimes he truly forgot how young she was and the burden on her shoulders. But his earlier words remained true. She held all the power in their relationship. He was, however, by no means powerless.“Have your family or my sister told you much about my life before you ran the Labyrinth?”“Enough for me to know you were a slut who slept his way through a good portion of the Immortals Above and Underground.” Sarah tensed, she felt wildly uncomfortable thinking about his previous partners, many of whom were now taking shelter in the Goblin Kingdom. Jareth noticed her reaction and offered her a brief smile. “Precisely. I was a cad long before I became the Goblin King, precious. My ascent to the throne did not help matters any. I was subjected to a parade of eligible, and willing, partners who wanted a piece of me or the kingdom. I only cared for a handful of them. You’ve met every single one. They all approve of you, by the way.”The smile she gave him as she collapsed into a nearby chair did nothing to alleviate the tension between them. He could admit it was probably not the correct thing to say. “I distracted myself from my loneliness for centuries, not knowing that you were in my future. Morrigan and the Labyrinth saw you coming, knew you would be important to me. They encouraged my conquests. Let me run wild. The Labyrinth prepared me for you though. It’s been wearing your face for centuries.”Sarah snorted and slipped out of the chair to sit before the fire pit at the center of the bedroom. The ziggurat stood high above the city and in the dark the cold seeped in through the wide windows. She began absently poking at the embers. “That fucking creature is the most unnerving and difficult thing I’ve ever encountered in my life, and my mother is Linda Williams. It doesn’t surprise me one bit.”“According to Gwyn, it started wearing your face after Morrigan and I visited for the first time. In the centuries since, yours is the face I have seen it wear most often. Knowing the Labyrinth chooses its avatars from its citizens when it manifests in corporeal form, I thought it took the form of someone it loved. The damnable thing does love, otherwise I would have died a hundred times over by now. It showed me the face of the woman I would love one day. Someone no other partner ever compared to.”“Then why—” Sarah started. She stopped and stared into the fire. Jareth sat down next to her and gently twined a lock of her hair between his fingers. “Why, what, precious?”“You said I didn’t trust you anymore. I do trust you, but not blindly. Not the way I did before.”“What do you mean?”“It means you’re the only person in all this who’s never asked anything of me. You told me you loved me for the girl I was.” She paused, turning to look at him. “Explain, Jareth. And I’ll do my best to do the same.”He tilted his head to study her, reminiscent of his owl form. “The Labyrinth tempted me with your face for a millennium. Then, one day, you were nearly wished away. Suddenly there was a girl, a child, who I knew would grow into everything I wanted. When you wished Toby away I foolishly thought you’d never return if I let you go. You were too young to keep and I reacted badly. I tried to tempt you to stay despite your age. When you won, when you left, it broke me. Everything I ever wanted in a partner was delivered to me on a platter. I demanded too much of you. Because of your youth and my ego, well, to say I ruined things is an understatement.”Sarah turned her head away. “A year and a day later, Morrigan dragged you back into my life. My own sister gave me a second chance with you. The day you came to me for help, before anyone else, you gained total power over me. I couldn’t tell you, such feelings are dangerous Underground. My brother in law was killed because of his feelings for my sister. She nearly died because she loved him, loved me.”Jareth pushed Sarah’s hair off her shoulders and wrapped his hand around the back of her neck. Sarah glanced back at him, a blank look on her face. “I didn’t want to lose you. Every decision I made from that day forth was for you. And you, precious, you let me into your life. You relied on me. We have danced around each other as friends for years now. You gave me enough crumbs to let my feelings grow, but you stopped trusting me. My actions with the Tweedles were not meant to undermine your authority over them. I only meant to remind them that loyalty to you means they must accept my authority as well. You agreed to become my queen, accepted my courtship. By Goblin Law, this gives me certain rights and powers concerning you and yours.”Sarah made to comment on that last bit of information, but Jareth stopped her with a short, blistering kiss. Taking advantage of her open mouth to occupy her tongue for a different sort of lashing. He kept her distracted long enough to wring a low moan out of her and then abruptly pulled away from her.“As I was saying, Sarah. All of our laws, in both courts and the Goblin Kingdom, grant me power over you. However, you were never one to follow such paltry things as rules. The imbalance between us still rests with me. I am entirely beholden to you because I refuse to accept this power until you freely give it to me. What happened earlier was a test, a misguided one I now see. Sarah, you no longer trust me. I want to know why.”The Labyrinth’s Champion gulped, suddenly wishing this was one of their usual knock-down-drag-out fights rather than an exploration of feelings. She averted her gaze again, looking everywhere but at the fae king still holding her in his arms. Realizing he was waiting her to speak, she took a short breath and closed her eyes. “I trust you, Jareth.”Sarah ducked her head for a quick, chaste kiss. Instead it became heated with all the things Sarah refused to acknowledge within herself. She grasped Jareth’s slim hips and pulled him atop her in the cushions surrounding the fire pit. He happily complied, pinning her down and kissing her senseless. After several minutes, Jareth managed to pull Sarah’s skirts to her hips and slip his hands underneath. He let his hands roam, teasing her, eliciting moans and gasps from Sarah until she shoved him away. Standing suddenly, she pulled Jareth to his feet and nearly tackled him onto the bed. She climbed on top of him, straddling his waist. He grinned wickedly and eagerly returned his hands to their teasing. “As I said, precious, a slave to your every whim.”She gasped when his fingers dipped into her underwear. After a few moments of torture, she grabbed his hands and leaned over him to pin them by his head. “Let’s get some things straight, Jareth. I’ve never seen myself as the one with the power. I know I am powerful, but I will forever feel like that lost girl reciting a play in the park.”Jareth dragged his hands slowly up her thighs, resting them on her hips where he traced lazy circles on her hipbones. Sarah stared down at him, waiting for a reaction.“What is going on in that head of yours, precious?”Sarah sank down, pillowing her face on his chest. Jareth wrapped her in his arms and ran his hands soothingly along her back. “This world, Jareth, my life,” She sighed into his neck. “It’s wonderful and exciting, but it’s deadly. I’m nineteen years old and people I’ve never met want me dead. I demand an equal footing with you, Jareth, because I know you’ll give it to me. The Labyrinth has spent the last few years convincing me you’re my best chance of surviving, but it also spent all that time teaching me to rely on myself above everyone else.”“So, my insolent maze has spent years sending you mixed signals on who to trust?”“Something like that,” Sarah admitted. “Both of our worlds turned upside down when I set foot Underground. Neither of us has had a chance to properly deal with everything happening between us. Especially since it seems like everyone in your world is trying to kill me or my family.” She leaned in to kiss his jaw. “I told you what I needed from you this summer and you’ve given it without question. You never told me what you needed from me.”She ground her hips down against the insistent hardness still pressing against her hip, pulling a desperate sound from the fae below her. Sarah sat up to kiss him hard before pulling away again and magically pinning his hands to the bed. She crossed her arms and looked down at him. “So, Jareth, what do you need from me?”Jareth tugged uselessly at the magic holding him down as he studied Sarah’s face. She had the same resolute look as when she invaded his castle four years ago, but her pupils were blown with desire and she breathed heavily. He finally collapsed into the bed and let a wry grin cross his features.“There are many things I want from you in this particular moment, precious. However, what I need from you is one simple thing, power.” Sarah glared at him. “I need you to grant me a little power over you. It can be as little or as much as you wish, but I need you to trust me.”“I do trust you.” Sarah murmured. “But not completely precious. You do not trust me to keep your heart safe because you do not trust your feelings. I am asking you to trust me, to give me power over you. I need this from you because I would never ask this of anyone else. No one, in all my long years, has made me feel the way you do.” Sarah blinked furiously, digesting this information. Of all the things she thought Jareth would say, this was the last she expected. She knew he would try to propose a deal, ask her to give him something uncomfortable. She was right. This was the most dangerous thing he could ask her for: her heart. He waited patiently for her, as he always did. She released the magic holding him down. He sat up immediately and pulled her into his lap. Sarah knew she made up her mind the moment he asked. “What do you need, Sarah?” He asked softly as his hands caressed and teased her. She dropped her head to his neck and sighed. “I need this, us. The only thing that makes sense—unh,” She groaned as he found a particularly sensitive spot behind her knee. “The only thing that makes sense in all of this is us. We fight and hurt each other, but we always come back. You’re the one person who never lies to me. You’ve been my rock. I trust you.” She stopped speaking the moment he stopped touching her. “Do you, precious?” He asked, none of the usual mischief in his voice. His pupils were blown wide, the barest hint of blue peeking through as he stared deeply into her eyes. Sarah couldn’t form the words to fit what she felt. She allowed the corners of her mouth to twitch up into the ghost of a smile. She lost all ability to think clearly as she licked her lips. Jareth shifted his laser focus to her mouth, making her gasp. She realized what he intended to take from her if she said yes and gave him the sliver of power he asked for. Breathing heavily, she closed her eyes, feeling the seconds tick by slowly.Finally, she reconciled her mind and body enough to understand she made her choice three years ago. The night Morrigan and Jareth appeared for dinner in her house, when Morrigan told her about her fate. She knew what she wanted, what she was willing to sacrifice for a chance at happiness. Bright, tingling red sparks erupted all over her skin and every door in Jareth’s chambers slammed shut and locked. The heavy curtains leading out to the balcony snapped closed and the fire pit burst up from embers into a roaring flame once more, bathing the room in crackling light. Jareth, startled by the display, pulled away slightly to look for an intruder. He missed Sarah’s sudden shift to pin him beneath her again, moaning when she latched her lips to his, snaking her tongue into his mouth. Her hands gripped his shirt tight enough to rip the silk and she tore it off him, tossing the pieces into the shadows. Fully cognizant of what was happening, Jareth pulled hard at the already loosened laces of Sarah’s bodice and helped her pull the long-sleeved dress over her head tossing it to join his ruined shirt. Now clad in only her underwear, Jareth took a moment to truly appreciate the woman Sarah grew into. Still fueled by her own raging lust, Sarah remained ignorant of Jareth’s perusal and ran her hands appreciatively over the corded muscles of his chest and abdomen. He dressed like an eighteenth century fop mixed with an eighties glam rocker, but he was built like an Olympic tri-athlete, defined muscle and strength hiding in his lithe frame. She gently raked her nails over his chest, earning a grunt when she grazed over his nipple. Quirking an eyebrow at him as he narrowed his own eyes, she pushed him back onto the bed and, staring at him through her eyelashes, bent to lick the obviously sensitive spot. “Sarah, how is it you always know how to find my every weakness?” Jareth ground out. His head pressed into the pillows as he caressed every bit of her skin he could reach. Hearing his words, she sat up and he very nearly whimpered at the loss of contact.“Isn’t it rude to ask a lady to kiss and tell, Jareth? I certainly won’t be asking you how you learned what to do to me.” She smirked, malicious glee glinting in her eyes.Jareth’s own smirk faltered and he growled at her, hitching an ankle around her legs and flipping them so she was now beneath him, hands restrained by her head. Sarah’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, she hadn’t expected that. He smiled down at her, wide enough to make the Cheshire Cat jealous, and then leaned down to flick his tongue over the shell of her ear.“My beloved, precious, Sarah. What ever shall I do with you?”Still feeling mischievous, Sarah grinned. “I think the question, Goblin King, is more what do we plan to do to each other? Would you like to see the tricks those mortals taught me these last few years?”She trailed off, satisfied to hear Jareth growl again, his eyes darkened by rage as well as lust. The look he gave her went straight between her legs and she barely suppressed a moan. “I will be saying this for centuries, Sarah. You are cruel. Since you have expressed your appreciation for my honesty,” He paused to magic away her undergarments, eyes never leaving hers. “I will reward you for your honesty now. How many dared to touch what is mine?”Sarah cowered a bit at the fury in his voice, the tone made her drip with anticipation. She bit her lip, now unsure if he would believe her answers and the action zeroed his focus onto her mouth once more.“What makes you think I’ll tell you?” She finally managed to croak out, none of the bravado she hoped for in her voice. The look on his face said everything. He had her at his mercy, wet and waiting for him. She only needed to give him the power to act on their mutual need. “Dear sweet, precious, Sarah, I believe you should tell me the truth.” She whimpered as he pulled her wrists above her head to hold them in his left hand, the cut from earlier still sluggishly bleeding. His right dipped lower and began kneading teasing circles into the flesh of her abdomen. “I cannot reward you until you tell me everything.”He dipped his head and teased one breast, then the other, with his lips and teeth, wrenching strangled moans from Sarah. “Now, who instructed you in the ways of the flesh, little one?”Sarah whimpered, his hand teased lower and lower, but not where she desperately wanted it. She tried pleading, but couldn’t manage anything more than breathy moans. Jareth smiled widely. “Come now, Sarah, surely you have been teased before, brought to the edge? Where is that fiery will you so love to challenge me with? Hmm…”His fingers finally dipped low and brushed across her folds, earning Jareth a string of muttered curses and promises. She glared at him, panting hard and worming around to get a hand free. “So help me, Jareth,” She threatened. “Tsk. Tsk. Precious. If you answer the question, I will reward you.” He resumed teasing her with his fingers, rubbing gently over her clit, tongue and teeth occupied with her neck and breasts. Sarah squirmed under him, seeking the friction she desperately craved. This game was ruining her carefully constructed control. “Unh—I’m not telling you.” She managed to grunt out as his fingers pumped shallowly in and out of her.Jareth smiled and waved away his trousers. Sarah’s eyes widened at the sight before her, wondering exactly why she hadn’t done this before. He took advantage of her distraction to drive his fingers deep inside her, curling them. The unexpected movement made Sarah scream as her hips matched the thrusts of Jareth’s hand. She dug her fingernails into his palm, her magic reaching out to heal the cut there. Surprised, Jareth let go to study her handiwork. Sarah wasn’t particularly adept at healing magic, it required her singular focus to work properly. He would have a scar across his palm forever now thanks to his beloved’s enchanted blade. Sarah, lost to her pleasure, grabbed his hand and entwined it with one of her own. Her free hand snaked its way into Jareth’s hair and pulled him down for a kiss. He never stopped moving his long fingers, bringing her higher and higher, until she fell. He swallowed her scream with a kiss then immediately slid down her body, an arm across her hips. Sarah looked down at him, at the patient look in his eyes. Jareth breathed gently across her folds, waiting for permission. Every step they took was a concession of her power. “Oh, God,” Sarah breathed out. Jareth chuckled. “I am not a god, Sarah.”She knocked her knee against his head, making him laugh harder. The sight of him between her legs was doing a lot to build her up to another spectacular orgasm. Still he waited, nuzzling her thigh, for her to grant him another sliver of power over her. She shut her eyes and let her nerves catch up with her. “Are you scared?” Jareth asked. “Terrified.” He didn’t answer immediately, nipping his way down from her knee to the crease of her hip. When he did, Sarah barely heard the whisper against her skin. “So am I, my love.” Sarah melted. His long ago words echoed viciously in her head. ‘Fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave.’ Round and round his words went, reminding her again why she hadn’t jumped his bones the second she turned eighteen. “Why me?”His head shot up and his blue eyes locked onto hers. “What?”“Why me,” She said. “After I beat you, fate or prophecy be damned. You could’ve kept me on as a friend, a partner. I’m not the same girl who ran the Labyrinth. I’m not the child you loved. So why me?”Jareth surged up her body again, drawing her into his arms. “Because the child I loved was a headstrong, free-spirited, broken-hearted girl who still sacrificed her every dream to fix a silly mistake. The girl in the park reminded me of myself, a lost soul. She grounded me, made me feel again. Gave me hope.” Sarah nuzzled into his neck. “I’m not her anymore.”“No,” He agreed. “You are not. You are so much more. The potential I saw in you has come to fruition. I thought I lost you to the human world, a fleeting life beholden to mundanity. Instead, you are a princess in your own right. Your lineage, the responsibility entailed, the weight on your shoulders, would break most others, precious. But not you. Fate decreed your future long ago, but you’ve thrown it back and bent it to your will. You are strong, my love. Stronger than myself, than anyone who dares stand against you.”“I don’t feel strong.”He pushed her gently away. The look on her face revealed all the vulnerabilities of her youth. “Then let me give you my strength. Grant me every weak part of your soul. Let me fortify you as I protect you.”They gazed at each other for several long moments. Only the sounds of their breathing and the fire breaking the silence. Sarah ran a gentle hand up Jareth’s flank until she cupped his face. He leaned into the touch, letting his forehead rest against hers. “Fear me, love me, do as I say,” She whispered against his lips. His eyes widened slightly at the words. The last time they spoke of his botched proposal she agreed to his courtship. Now, he could only dare to hope. “You terrify me, Jareth. Always have. I,” Sarah paused to open her eyes. “I do love you. You ask me to give you the weak pieces of my soul. You tell me you will protect them, protect me. But I don’t want a slave, nor do I want to be one.”She stopped and so did his heart. “What then?”“I want a partner, a friend. I want you to be my equal.”“Then equals we will be.”“Can you promise me that, really?”“I swear it.”“Then I swear too.”Sarah’s smile blinded him as she pulled him over her and reached down to grab at his cock. She stroked him once, twice, before he reached down to push her up the bed and bury his head between her thighs. He licked a long stripe, savoring the taste of her, then went to work. Her thighs closed around his head and her hands pulled at his hair, but he didn’t care. All he wanted was for her to fall apart, for her to forget every lover before him. His tongue dove deep within her and he let his magic send tingling sparks along her sensitive nerves. One arm held her hips down as she tried to fuck his face and he used his free hand to plunge fingers into her over and over, never settling on a particular rhythm. He gave her enough friction to elicit delicious moans and pleas, but not enough to send her over the edge. “Jareth, please!” She finally begged. He pushed a fourth finger into her and let a jolt of magic pass through his hand to send her rocketing over the edge. He kept at it, pulling a third and fourth orgasm from her. Once he drew away he was surprised to see her pulling him up for a kiss. Sarah tasted herself on his lips and found she didn’t care. All she wanted was him. He kissed her slowly, tenderly until every nerve in her body was poised for another release, his hands fueling the fire. She rolled them so she could sit astride his hips, ready to make him as incoherent as he did her. “What are you trying to prove?” She asked breathlessly. Jareth smirked and bucked his hips against her core. “I have nothing to prove, precious.”“Liar.”“There is nothing to prove. My only wish is to make you forget anyone but me. You are mine now, forever.”“Forever, huh?” She slid her hand down to run teasing circles over his chest. “Forever.” He promised. Sarah smiled down at him, the last of her nerves melting away under the heat in his eyes. Her attention drifted south again, as he brought her attention back to his cock. His skin tight trousers did nothing to hide the generous girth underneath, but she was pleased to find that she still underestimated his size. He ground his hips against her, his cock sliding between her thighs easily, until she gripped him tightly and sank down in one smooth motion. Her previous partners meant little to her, all of them a means to release. And they’d all, to a one, been human, part of her attempts to act like a regular girl. There were many of them, male and female, but she didn’t love any of them. She knew all her girlish fantasies and a certain king’s behavior cemented her affections in one place. This was inevitable, and maybe a bit sooner than was healthy for their relationship. But as Jareth filled her, sitting up to pull her flush against his chest, she knew he really had ruined her for anyone else. Immortals didn’t necessarily ascribe to monogamy. She knew they would likely take lovers in the future. The look on Jareth’s face, though, he meant it when he asked to love her. Every thrust of their hips broke her heart into pieces and every breathless kiss he gave her put it back together. Nothing mattered except the movement of their bodies as they ground against each other lazily. Sarah felt another orgasm build and wash over her, a surprise that pulled Jareth along with her. He held her in his lap, kissing her gently and rocking slowly within her. “Again,” He whispered, before ducking his head to latch on to her breast. Sarah flung an arm out to steady herself from the new onslaught of pleasure. Jareth hardened inside her slowly, though he never stopped moving his hips. His entire focus was on her breasts and neck, sucking bruising kisses along her collar bones and the tender flesh. Suddenly, he flipped them, bearing her down against the sheets. “Jare—,” Sarah said. The first rough thrust of his hips surprised her, stopping her question. Jareth thrust furiously into her, forcing her incredibly sensitive nerves towards another orgasm. Realizing she was close again, and feeling himself teeter on the edge, he slowed down. Sarah’s flushed face below him was all he wanted to focus on, his own pleasure was secondary. His hips pushed in shallow and erratic, not enough steady friction to give either of them release. Jareth dropped down to his elbows, Sarah’s legs flung over his hips, and peppered her face with gentle kisses. “Ah,” Sarah panted into his mouth. “Please. Take whatever you need. I’m giving it to you. Whatever you want. Please. Take it all.” Too far gone to deny her, no matter what she was saying, or the consequences, Jareth picked up his speed again. He couldn’t distinguish his moans from hers as he forced them higher and higher. One, then two final thrusts buried him to the hilt and he roared his release. Sarah whimpered out a desperate moan, her whole body lit up with the combined force of their pleasure and the sporadic magic pouring between them. Jareth pulled away gently, careful to run a soothing hand over her, magically cleaning and relieving their much abused flesh. Red and blue sparks danced between them, the faint scent of peaches, sex, and the spiciness of the Labyrinth hung in the room. Jareth caught one of the errant sparks and carefully shaped it, along with one of Sarah’s, into a simple silver bracelet. The metal caught the light and Sarah saw the imprint of hers and Jareth’s sigils entwined around the piece. He raised her hand and slipped it over her left wrist. Sarah held it up, studying the beautiful engraving, and then rolled over to face a content Jareth. “I love it.”“Good.” “Is this meant to mark me as yours?” Sarah asked. Jareth reached out to hold her hand, playing with the bangle. “Perhaps.”Sarah hummed. “It could be more permanent. I can take this off.”Surprised, Jareth said nothing. Sarah twisted the bracelet several times before a crimson glow erupted from her right hand. She grabbed the bangle and, at the first touch of her magic, it disappeared. Jareth frowned until he realized that the jewelry’s pattern was now tattooed onto Sarah’s skin. As he watched, the peach tree of her sigil grew to encompass her entire forearm, incorporating her scars into the branches. Instead of peaches, though, the tree bore perfect crystals as fruit. An owl sat proudly amongst the branches, a bright white against the green of the tree. Crossed swords covered the tree and a Labyrinth wrapped around the empty spaces. Still holding her hand, Jareth found color bleeding into his own skin. Sarah’s red right hand wrapped around his wrist, stopping the flow of her magic. “Do you like it?”He kissed her breathless. “You are mine. I am yours.” With that he peeled her hand away and let her magic take form on his skin. A large crystal formed with a peach tree in the center. The Labyrinth grew around the crystal and a merlin spread its wings to wrap around his forearm, crossed swords hanging from its talons. “Forever,” Sarah whispered. “Not long at all.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I was born and raised

With a dozen other countries

You were better raised

By the morals of the tensions

You’re living just to please

Dying to offend

But, however, much the time

We’re our brothers and sisters in the end

Brothers and Sisters—Band of Skulls

December 24, 1990
Jareth woke to the sound of an unearthly shriek. Sarah groaned in his arms and flung out an arm. He saw a figure, silhouetted against the dawn, throw up a hand to block the magic and realized his sisters were in his room. He blinked once, twice, and again before his sleep-thick mind caught up with his eyes. “My dear brother,” Aggie practically shouted, earning her epithet well. “My father has pulled the sun over the horizon! It is well past time for you to rise. Your lovely companion must rise as well. Gilgamesh requests her presence.”Ninsun clapped a hand over her sister’s mouth. Jareth, now sitting up and glaring at his sisters, scrubbed his hands over his face. Trust his family to ruin a perfectly good opportunity for morning sex. Sarah shifted next to him and he glanced over to find a murderous expression directed at the two women still watching them from the foot of the bed. The last time he saw this particular look on Sarah’s face she was facing off against the Fomorian who scarred her face. That creature died a slow death. Neither Ninsun or Agasaya knew the danger they now faced. “My apologies for Aggie’s rudeness, Jareth, Sarah,” Ninsun began. A tray of food appeared, floating above the bed. Jareth smelled Sarah’s favorite tea as it steamed out of a carafe. “Jareth, mother sent Ziddy with a message for you. He’s waiting downstairs. Sarah, Gilgamesh has a question for you. He’s at our mother’s temple whenever you’re ready. We’ll leave you two alone.” The two women disappeared quietly, the breakfast tray now neatly deposited at the foot of the bed. “Cachu,” Sarah cursed quietly. “You weren’t kidding.”Jareth sighed and pulled Sarah down as he sank back into the bed. He twitched a finger and the tray appeared on a table across the room. The dagger from his and Sarah’s fight was still embedded deeply in the wood. Sarah snuggled into his chest and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “That is not how I wanted to wake up this morning.”“Nor me, precious.”They lay in silence for several moments, Jareth stroking Sarah’s back and hair. Eventually she shifted and realized that Jareth was enjoying her company quite a bit. They were both still naked from the night before and Sarah took full advantage. She snaked her hands under the sheet and wrapped a hand around his cock. Hissing, Jareth rolled over to stare down at Sarah. She smirked up at him, daring him to continue their game. As he leaned down to kiss her, one hand already between her legs, the sound of someone rustling around interrupted them. “Magairlean!” Jareth shouted. Sarah’s face was back to its murderous scowl. He looked over his shoulder to find Zilya smiling at him from the table. She popped a grape in her mouth and Jareth snarled out her. “Oh, don’t mind me,” the Rusalka teased. “I love a good show.”Sarah pushed Jareth off. He flopped onto his back and groaned. The irate Champion of the Labyrinth, jumped off the bed, still naked, and caught her friend and supposedly loyal subject by the hair. The two disappeared and Jareth heard shouting through the wall in Sarah’s chambers a second later. He took himself in hand and stroked himself mercilessly until he reached an entirely unsatisfactory completion. Standing from the bed he magicked away his mess and strode over to the table. He pulled Sarah’s dagger free from the wood and used it to spear a maamoul from the tray. The pastry was still warm and melted in his mouth, the dates obviously fresh. His brother knew this was one of his favorite foods. In fact, the whole tray was filled with his and Sarah’s favorites. Gilgamesh wanted something. Jareth rolled his eyes at the obvious ploy. A quick thought had him dressed and ready to meet his other brother. Instead of walking the streets of Uruk with Sarah, Jareth magicked himself into the bowels of his mother’s palace. Only Ishtar’s children knew what “downstairs” meant. When Ishtar and Enlil first pooled their magic to pull Uruk through the Mists, they only brought through the city’s impressive walls and some of the major temples. Ishtar left the original ziggurat, and all its magical protections, to the humans. They’d been loyal and the structure was their reward. The massive space it left in the center of the city was replaced, brick by brick, under Ishtar’s careful eyes. She sent Enlil out to secure the new Unseelie court’s position Underground from his own city of Nippur, letting him and Enkidu fight their wars while she built her new fortress. Underneath the ziggurat was a network of tunnels and portals that connected the palace to every major Immortal territory both Above and Underground. Enlil certainly knew of their existence but, over the centuries, Ishtar and her children had magically warded and booby-trapped every entrance until only they knew how to enter. Even if he were to capture the ziggurat, only Ishtar or one of her children could undo the defenses and since he wanted them all dead…Jareth, standing before an innocent mud-brick wall, glanced over his shoulders. He cast out with all of his considerable senses to ensure his solitude before stepping through the wall. He carefully picked his way through the labyrinth of traps that led to his mother’s secret war room. Hidden directly beneath the center of the ziggurat, the war room had advanced through the years. Ishtar embraced as much mortal technology that could withstand the Underground’s magical interference. Radios more at home in Churchill’s bunkers and a magically enhanced Enigma machine lay next to ten-thousand-year-old maps of Babylon. In the center of the room, playing with the figurines representing the Amazons, stood Dumuzid. The ancient god looked much like their brother, though Gilgamesh stood nearly a foot taller than them both, but it was easy to see why the Greeks turned him into their Adonis. Jareth watched his brother fidget with their mother’s battle table for a moment longer, worried by the faint wrinkles on Dumuzid’s face.“Was it necessary to send Aggie and Ninsun?” He finally said, startling Dumuzid from his thoughts. “Sarah and I were having a lovely morning.” Dumuzid broke into a wide smile, he and Jareth were quite close but rarely saw each other anymore. The eternally youthful god practically leaped across the table to pull his younger brother into a tight hug. Jareth returned it with a wide smile. “I’m sorry, ahu! You know how they are. It was all I could do to delay them. We arrived in the night.” Jareth pulled back and let Dumuzid lead him down the hall to their mother’s secret armory. Once inside, Dumuzid sat his brother in a chair and threw up an extra layer of magical wards. “Why are we here, Zid?” Jareth asked at the worried look on his brother’s face. “Mother has heard rumors. Enlil is searching out a prophecy.”“A prophecy?”“Yes, one that involves Sarah. No one is quite sure who holds it, and Mother thinks there may be more than one. But all of our sources are certain he wants it.”“Enlil,” Jareth snarled. “Knows how strong she is. Whatever these prophecies may say, they won’t help him if he dares to march on our kingdom.” “I know this, brother, but Mother wanted to warn you. Fate churns around your Queen. Enlil wants any advantage he can take. The whole of the Underground knows her strength. Half-mortals, no matter what their parentage, barely withstand what she has and survive. They usually do not come out whole either.” Jareth smirked. Sarah was a formidable opponent and he delighted in her every victory. Dumuzid’s slight frown broke his cheerful recollections. He sighed, “She has not survived without scars. She is not stronger than every opponent, but she survives nonetheless.” “Her strength and her ability to survive are not the issue, ahu. It is her weaknesses that concern our Mother.” “What weakness does Mother imagine Sarah has?” Dumuzid sighed. His brother wore his blank-faced, kingly mask. “Sarah is young and, for all that has happened to her since she beat you, naïve. She relies too much on her friends, on you. The threats she has faced, the attacks she has withstood, are nothing more than Enlil’s attempts to unsettle her. She is not prepared for a full-scale war, no matter how many Immortals she collects.”The Goblin King stood up slowly and paced the edge of the room, trailing a hand across the spears and swords. He came to a stop in front of a glass case. Inside was a bronze spear inlaid with bright silver lightning bolts. Zeus gave it to his mother as tribute when he first bent the knee to the Unseelie Empress. Jareth smiled, remembering when his Uncle Z first took him flying in a thunderstorm, their eagle and owl forms circling lazily between bolts of lightning. “I’ll keep all this in mind. Thank you, Zid,” Jareth finally whispered, his brother nodding sagely. Above them, the city rumbled. Jareth’s words died in his throat as he felt the tattoo on his arm tingle with Sarah’s expulsion of magic. The entire palace shook again as Jareth and Dumuzid made for the exit. Several of their carefully constructed traps tripped and they had to shield themselves quickly. “What is that?” Dumuzid asked, eyes turned upward. “That is your future sister-in-law throwing a temper tantrum.” Jareth couldn’t help but smirk at the disbelief on his brother’s face. He couldn’t wait for the rest of his siblings to meet Sarah at her worst. Morrigan a frequent visitor to the Labyrinth, was familiar with her unique solution to anger management. Gilgamesh knew Sarah’s penchant for harsh words as he regularly communicated with her. Ninsun and Aggie would love her for it. Dumuzid would, if he weren’t fully committed to his lovers, worship her. Finvarra was an unknown quantity. Jareth never knew where his brother stood on most things. Once free of the magical warding, Jareth and Dumuzid followed the magical residue permeating the air to their mother’s temple. A crowd circled the building and the sound of raised voices was clear from several streets away. The brothers magicked and pushed their way through until they found their sisters at the doors. The four stepped inside and pushed the doors closed firmly behind them. Jareth, once he was sure no one would make it past the wards, turned to take in the scene before him. Aggie stepped up beside him, wide-eyed and smiling. “She’s magnificent.” If he wasn’t certain of his sister’s complete devotion to her wife, Jareth might have been worried by her tone. “She is,” He agreed. Dumuzid joined them, twisting the rings on his left hand. “Jareth, ahu¸ she must meet Persephone.”“Not on your life, brother.” Jareth snapped. He didn’t need his brother’s infernal lovers trying to collect Sarah. Hades and Persephone delighted in adding to their collection of demigods and half-fae, especially those with power. It was how they found Dumuzid in the first place. Though, he could admit, they loved his brother. He would never understand their little triumvirate, he wasn’t inclined to share his lovers, but he respected his brother’s happiness. The sound of Gilgamesh roaring stole the siblings’ attention. Zilya stood over her mother. Rani was bound and gagged on the floor and doing her best to get free. Her daughter was angrily glaring down at her, speaking low enough that none of them could hear her. Whatever she was saying, it was obvious her mother disagreed. Gilgamesh growled again and Jareth’s eyes snapped forward to see Sarah using her dagger and short sword to parry his brother’s blade. The sickle sword was made of tungsten pulled from an ancient meteorite and forged with heat only magic could produce. The result was a blade that spent the last ten-thousand years cleaving flesh and bone and Gilgamesh had the nerve to turn it against Sarah. Jareth very nearly interfered as his lover and brother fought. Whatever magic Sarah expelled to make the city shake, she didn’t call on it now. Nor did Gilgamesh summon his own considerable power. Their fight was a test of strength and will alone. “What kind of sword is Sarah carrying?” Agasaya asked after Sarah threw her dagger, grazing Gilgamesh’s abdomen as he leapt away from the blade. His sister was right to question the weapon’s design. A gift from Hippolyta, the blade was unusually shaped and the hilt abnormally long. Gilgamesh finally cornered Sarah, his blade swinging to a stop mere inches from her neck. Before he could crow his victory, Sarah twisted the hilt of her sword just right and a telescoping handle slid free. Gilgamesh jerked back sharply to escape Sarah, now armed with a spear instead of a sword. Aggie gasped and wrapped an arm around her youngest brother’s shoulders. “I like her. You have my permission to marry her, bond, hand-fast, whatever it takes to keep her.” Sarah caught the curve of Gilgamesh’s sickle sword and spun it away from him. Jareth’s face rested somewhere between a proud smirk and a snarl. Seeing her fight never failed to arouse him. “I’m so glad you approve,” He finally responded, dryly. Ninsun chuckled. “She’s quite good. Who trained her?”Before he could respond, he noticed Sarah make a mistake. She’d pushed Gilgamesh across the floor of the temple and he was now well within reach of her discarded dagger. He nearly called out to her when he noticed his brother grasp the blade’s handle, but he caught sight of her eyes. Those cruel green orbs flicked up to meet his and he caught the smile hidden in them. She was going to let Gilgamesh win. In seconds, her spear was knocked away and Gilgamesh wrapped his giant hand around her throat, dagger pressed between her ribs. Sarah caught the eyes of her audience and smirked. Jareth made a show of frowning when Gilgamesh failed to let go of her immediately. His brother was breathing hard, obviously unprepared for such a brutal fight. Clapping broke the heavy silence in the temple as Ninsun stepped forward. A wave of her hand released an irate Rani and the Rusalka marched to her queen and pointed a talon in her face. Gilgamesh now stood behind the Goblin Queen, unsure if he should protect her or use her as a shield. “I never agreed to this challenge. His victory means nothing.” The ground trembled and Jareth suddenly understood what triggered Sarah’s power. She detested such behavior. “Zilya is my subject. She swore her own oaths to me when you sought sanctuary within my kingdom, Rani. You have no power to usurp my authority. She petitioned for release from my service so she could marry Gilgamesh. He did the same. You are the one who broke protocol and challenged him. I had every right as your queen to take your place and dictate terms. He won. Get the fuck over it.” Rani seriously considered striking her queen, no matter that Sarah was normally as close to her as her own daughter. The Rusalka Queen turned her eyes on Gilgamesh who only cowered slightly before Zilya steadied him with a possessive hand on his hip. Her daughter’s face was a stony mask that matched the young half-mortal standing between them. Sighing, Rani allowed her claws to retract and her thick scales to retreat beneath her skin. “My apologies, your grace. I accept your decision, no matter how unhappy it makes me. This oaf obviously cares deeply for my daughter and I will not begrudge her happiness.” She turned to Gilgamesh. “But know this, if you hurt my daughter, in any way, I will end your life slowly. And painfully.”Sarah released a careful breath as Gilgamesh nodded solemnly. She stepped away from Rani, with a quick squeeze to the woman’s shoulder, and walked slowly towards the rest of Ishtar’s children. A small cut bled sluggishly on her arm and Jareth reached out to heal it immediately. “You fought well, precious.” He purred in her ear as she drew him close. She traced a finger over the exposed skin of his forearm where his tattoo blazed bright against his pale skin. “I saw what you did.” She twitched and frowned. “You saw nothing.” Dumuzid stepped up to them, beaming. “You mean that you let my brother win,” He whispered. “Don’t worry, he won’t notice. He’s too happy to have Zilya again. Gilly was a broken mess without her.” “What my dear Dumuzid is trying to say, is none of us will say a word.” Ninsun interrupted. “No, we won’t,” Aggie agreed. “Where did you get that spear?” With that, Jareth lost Sarah’s attention as his siblings pulled her away. He turned his eyes on the little family drama happening behind them all instead. Rani had her hands wrapped protectively around her daughter’s face, whispering quietly in Polish. Jareth walked over to his brother, turning the giant Akkadian’s cheek to look at the cut Sarah left. “A challenge to single combat, Gil?” He teased. “You’re lucky.” “Of course I am, brother.” Gilgamesh turned his eyes on Zilya with a soft smile. “Though I’m concerned for you, Sarah is formidable.” “Your point?”“I worry she will hurt you.” Jareth frowned at his brother. “She is young and powerful. Her family and teachers are some of the most feared creatures Underground. I worry it is going to her head, that she will set you aside if you disappoint her.” Jareth looked back to where their siblings were making Sarah giggle. It was always a pleasure to see her smile. She did it so rarely in public these days. As if sensing his gaze, she turned her head to catch his eyes. The smile didn’t fade as she tilted her head in question. Jareth shook his head, a soft grin on his own face. “I don’t plan on disappointing her.” Gilgamesh huffed, “No one is perfect, Jareth. We all let down the ones we love. You know that better than most.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Heaven is smiling down, heaven’s girl in a wedding gown

I’m gonna be so good, just like a good boy should

I’m gonna change my ways

Angel for life

Of all the saints alive

Don’t I feel like a saint alive

She’s not mine for eternity

Though I’ll never fly so high

I’m smiling

I believe in magic

Angel for life

The Wedding Song—David Bowie

Star eyes, flashing eyes in which my hopes rise

Let me show you where my heart lies

Let me prove that it adores

That lovingness of yours

All my life I felt content

To stargaze at the skies

Now I only want to melt

The stardust in your eyes

Star Eyes—Sarah Vaughan

December 29, 1990
Dawn rose over the walls of Uruk and filtered in through the heavy curtains in Sarah’s bedroom. She was already awake, Jareth’s head buried between her thighs, her hands buried in his hair. “Ah! Jar—Jareth! There! Gods! Fuck!” The Goblin King grinned against her and redoubled his efforts, fingers sliding into her and twisting to press against the most sensitive parts of her. Sarah panted and cursed, moaning as he pushed her higher and higher. Sensing she was about to crash over the edge, he pulled back. His fingers pumped in shallowly and he licked broad stripes across her, delighting in her disappointed moans. Suddenly, he found himself on his back and his cock gripped painfully by an irate Sarah. “What the fuck!” She hissed. “Why did you stop?”“So I could do this,” He replied smugly. A quick turn of their bodies dislodged Sarah, and her hand. He used her distraction as an opportunity to bury himself inside her, pulling her leg up over his hip. Laying on their sides, Jareth set up a languid pace. No one would interrupt them this morning, not for hours yet. He could devour Sarah, mind, body, and soul. The look of bliss on her face made him kiss her, pulling the very breath from her lungs. For five days, as Gilgamesh and Zilya planned a hasty wedding, the Goblin King and his Queen-elect had sequestered themselves in their quarters. Only those they trusted implicitly crossed the threshold. Their retinue reported the intelligence they gathered every day at lunch, the Tweedles leading the meetings. Jareth’s siblings left him and Sarah out of the wedding planning, only stopping in to take measurements and color preferences. Gilgamesh and Zilya each escaped Rani’s clutches for a few hours sporadically, always bringing alcohol and food with them. The rest of the time belonged to Sarah and Jareth. As he pumped lazily into her body, Jareth could finally admit that her idea of a vacation had merit. Her soft, but indignant, sigh against his lips told him that he spoke that particular thought aloud. Sarah shook her head and reached up to pull him closer, tightening her leg around his hips.“Quit thinking so hard,” She chastised. “Apologies, precious. I’m not used to your undivided attention.” She snaked a hand back to grab his ass, urging his pace. “You’re, unh, forgiven.” -------------When they finally emerged from their quarters that evening, they bore no sign of the previous five days’ activities. Their reputation Underground was one of cool solidarity, but they encouraged speculation on the nature of their relationship. Jareth’s long list of bed partners and the distinct absence of a wedding or hand-fasting between them spoke volumes. Their new magical tattoos effectively served as a brand, marking them as partners, equals. Tonight was about so much more than a wedding, it was a declaration that Sarah was officially off-limits and the Goblin Kingdom would be ruled by a united King and Queen. Clad in an ankle-length glittering charcoal kaunakes, her right shoulder and arm bare in Sumerian style, Sarah wore subtle signs of her station and her subjects’ loyalty all over her person. The dress was a gift from the Swarm, made of fairy-silk and interwoven with powerful protection spells. Her necklace, now heavy with charms, hung deeply between her breasts. Every tribe and clan in the Labyrinth added to her collection and the various tokens caught the light with their diverse shapes and colors. At the center of it all, the original talismans Jareth gifted her, and the pendant from Ishtar, dangled tantalizingly. Her hair hung in loose waves down her back, a red-enameled circlet perched on top. Dotted with small emeralds and sapphires in a labyrinthine pattern, the crown was understated. Its bright colors picked up the colors of her tattoo, visible through a slit in her long, left sleeve, and offset the dark color of her hair and the dress. Jareth stared at her, in awe. Suddenly he didn’t begrudge his mother’s insistence that the wedding acknowledge the ancient Sumerian rites. Sarah drew the eyes of everyone she passed as they mingled with the various Unseelie notables.He too, was drawing looks. His chest was bare, the kaunakes wrapped around his waist was black. The gold of his torc matched the circlet on his head, his hair pulled back. The only thing missing was a beard, or he would match the ancient carvings of Uruk’s kings on the walls. The tattoo on his arm garnered the most attention, rather than his dress. When curious eyes realized he wore Sarah’s standard, and she his, their eyes would widen and suddenly even the most taciturn of creatures found someone to gossip with. Jareth ignored them all, happy to lead Sarah around the room, introducing her to his brother’s backstabbing court. Ishtar, appearing healthier than she had in centuries, cornered Jareth and Sarah shortly after sunset and dragged them to an antechamber off the main hall. Inside, Rani and Zilya waited with a man Sarah didn’t recognize. Jareth did and a wide grin erupted on his face. “Grandfather!” The man looked barely out of his thirties, so Sarah excused her confusion. The raven-haired man pulled Jareth into a strong hug, practically glowing with joy. The two men conversed quietly while Sarah helped Rani adjust Zilya’s dress. Ishtar stood to the side, ordering servants to complete simple tasks and dictating to her other children. “Are you going to introduce me to her?” Sarah heard Jareth’s grandfather practically shout. “I think I deserve to meet the woman who’s turned your world upside down!” She turned to find both men headed her way and prepared herself. Jareth’s grandfather had sepia-toned skin that shone in the light. His ebony hair and beard were woven with small tokens Sarah recognized as starbursts and the Sumerian symbol for his name. “I am Anu,” He said. His hand reached out in greeting and Sarah obliged, letting him press a perfunctory kiss to her knuckles. “My grandson has kept you hidden these last few years. I am glad to see you here.” The ancient sun god, one of many dreamed into being by mortals, smiled at Sarah. Jareth’s family, at least on his mother’s side impressed her. Despite the fact he looked more like his father, he was his mother’s son to his core, able to charm and threaten everyone in his path. Morrigan, who appeared suddenly on her grandfather’s right, looked equally out of place with her dark red hair. The twins’ pale skin shone in the firelight, a stark contrast to the rest of their family, and forever a sign that they did not wholly belong to their mother. “I’m glad to be here,” Sarah admitted. Jareth swept his sister into an embrace, resting his forehead against hers, as the rest of the siblings filtered in. “Good. Perhaps you would allow me to escort you this evening? I think my daughter plans to steal my grandson from you.” As he spoke, Ishtar ushered Dumuzid and Jareth out of the room. Horns sounded and the sound of a crowd settling echoed. Zilya gasped in a fit of nerves. Sarah and Rani both darted over, with Aggie and Ninsun on their heels to comfort her. The majordomo appeared and escorted them into the hall. Rani was wearing a soft smile to match the nervous one on her daughter’s face. Anu offered Sarah his arm. She scoffed at the look on his face. “I don’t think so.” “Oh?” He questioned. “Why not?”“I’ve spent years cultivating an image Underground. I’m respectful to my elders and the other monarchs,” She smirked at him. He returned the expression with a nod to continue. “But I do not show deference. Not in public. I am the Goblin Queen-elect, Champion of the Labyrinth. If I enter on your arm, I acknowledge your superiority.” “I see.” The god studied her carefully. “You are wise for someone so young. Strong, too. I can see why my grandson is so smitten.” Sarah fought down a blush. The weight of Anu’s stare carried every one of his twelve thousand years. None of the other Immortals she met thus far made her feel as small and insignificant as he did. The burden disappeared as he cracked another smile. He bowed to her slightly and put a few inches between them as the doors opened. “Let us show them your worth, little one.” The majordomo glanced their way as they stepped up to the doors. There was no need to announce anyone this evening, but he still had a duty to clear everyone who set foot across the threshold. His eyes widened as Anu and Sarah strode in, side-by-side, as equals. At the far end of the room, waiting on the dais as he had only a few days prior, Gilgamesh watched their approach with a wide smile. The whole of the great hall whispered furiously. Stopping before Uruk’s King, Sarah inclined her head in greeting before turning to Anu. The god, a mischievous look on his face, bowed low before her, twitching his head when she made to do the same. She stopped, allowing him to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, a blessing. The dull hiss of whispers in the hall got louder. Anu effectively recognized her as his equal, branding her with benediction. Jareth appeared to help her step up onto the dais, bowing to his grandfather. Anu squeezed her hand and bowed slightly himself, before leading Sarah to stand on Gilgamesh’s right hand. He took up a position on his brother’s left. Agasaya appeared before them, dressed in her ceremonial armor and armed to the teeth. Gilgamesh welcomed his sister with a kiss to each of her cheeks and she made to stand with Jareth. Ninsun followed, ceremonial robes fluttering as she marched across the hall. After greeting her brother, she climbed the short steps to take up residence on the left of Ishtar’s throne. Dumuzid already stood on his mother’s right and Anu loomed behind them, silently supporting his daughter’s power, where he’d stood for millennia. Morrigan stood on the stairs, off to the side, the silent judge, overseeing the ceremony. Rani and Zilya appeared on the threshold, quieting the hall’s furious whispering at the show of power happening on the dais. They made quite the entrance themselves wearing the scales that constituted their armor. Rusalki scales were not like fish, more like a snake, smooth. The faint iridescence and the shimmering fabric they wore made them glow. Ishtar stood as her son happily received Zilya from her mother. Once Rani took her place with Sarah, the Empress signaled the room to silence. Gilgamesh reluctantly looked away from his bride to acknowledge his mother with a bow. “Who comes before this court today?” Ishtar called out. Gilgamesh and Zilya both knelt before her. “I, Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, Champion of Men, Son of Ishtar and Enmerkar.” “I, Zilya, Princess of the Rusalki, Duchess of Kitezh, Seneschal to Queen Sarah of the Labyrinth, Daughter of Rani.”The Empress gestured for both of them to rise and turned her eyes on the others. “Who brings this man forth in marriage?”“I,” Aggie stepped forward. “Agasaya, the Shrieker, Wife of Athena, Heri-tep a’a to Isis and Osiris, stand with my brother, Gilgamesh.”Jareth stepped forward, “And I, Jareth, Lord of the Labyrinth, Keeper of the Unwanted, Lord of the Night, Master of the Swarm, Lord of the Mountain Halls, Lord of the Summerlands, stand with my brother, Gilgamesh.” “Do you uphold the marriage contract between Gilgamesh and Zilya?” Ishtar asked. “We do,” The siblings responded. Ishtar nodded and turned her eyes on the two women standing beside Zilya. “Who brings this woman forth in marriage?”Rani stepped forward, the smile on her face revealing her fangs. “I, Rani, Queen of the Rusalki, Arch Duchess of Kitezh, Knight Marshal to Queen Sarah of the Labyrinth, Mother of Zilya, stand with my daughter.” “And I,” Sarah spoke loudly, “Sarah Pendragon, Goblin Queen-elect, Champion of the Labyrinth, Crown Princess of Camelot, Blessed of Y Draig Goch, Keeper of Wishes, Mistress of the Swarm, Daughter of Arthur, stand with my blood-sworn sister, Zilya.”Ishtar quirked an eyebrow, she wasn’t aware of the blood oath binding the two women marrying her sons. She approved of the subtlety. Most in the gathered crowd wouldn’t catch the significance of Sarah’s words, what they would mean if the Underground went to war. “Do you uphold the marriage contract between Gilgamesh and Zilya?” “We do,” Both women answered. Ishtar nodded, and turned her eyes back to her first born. “The marriage contract is recognized and accepted.”Gilgamesh turned to Zilya, the rest of the group stepping away to face the crowd once more. He gently pulled the veil up and over her face, “With the blessings of Ishtar, you are my wife.” Zilya smiled widely beneath the gauzy fabric of her veil as a cheer erupted in the hall. Gilgamesh returned it and rested his forehead against hers. They stood there, enjoying the moment, until Ninsun banged her staff against the floor, quieting the room. Ishtar wasn’t done. “For the last five thousand years I have ruled over the Unseelie Court as your Empress. Vishnu and Shiva, Odin and Frigg,” The four Immortals appeared at the base of the dais. All were fully dressed in armor. “Placed the crown on my head after the treachery of Shangdi, the Jade Emperor, broke the High Court and his Accords. In all this time I tried to rule well. Not always justly, fairly, or evenly, but well. Now treachery threatens us again, this time from one I once loved and trusted above all others.” She let her words hang in the air. “My brother Enlil, banished to his fortress at Nippur, has fostered treason in this court for millennia. He never wanted the wars between this court and the Seelie to end, never wanted peace and safety for our people. In his misguided vision, he has tried to assassinate my children, my loyal subjects, and myself.” Anu stepped forward to grasp his daughter’s elbow as she wavered slightly. His son’s actions nearly broke her, but he would always stand by her side. Enlil was a fool, though he still cared for the boy, and he hated to choose between his children. His son left him no choice. Ishtar rallied her strength and continued. “I have grown weary of the constant fighting, the betrayals. My brother rejects every offer of reconciliation. He attacks his own people, sends others on suicide missions to attack our allies,” She gestured at Sarah. “He wants nothing but war and destruction for us. The world he would rebuild in his wake is one of ash and dust. We must protect the peace and I have no more energy to do so.” Gilgamesh and Jareth glanced at each other, then the stoic Dumuzid and Ninsun, confused. Ishtar registered their silent questions and smiled wanly. It was time. “I, Ishtar, Empress of the Unseelie Court, hereby abdicate my throne. In my place, Gilgamesh and Zilya will rule as the new Imperial Sovereigns. Come forward, Son and Daughter, accept your throne.” Neither Zilya nor Gilgamesh moved for a long moment. Then, as the shock wore off slightly, Zilya stepped forward, Gilgamesh pulled in her wake, to climb the stairs. When they both stood equal with Ishtar, the goddess accepted thick, black enameled circlets from Dumuzid and Ninsun. She gently placed the crowns on the bowed heads of her son and new daughter and bid them both to rise. Ishtar, with Anu and her children, took a step down as Zilya and Gilgamesh stood before the throne. She bowed to them, the rest of the crowd following her example, and turned to address the room. “All hail, Empress Zilya and Emperor Gilgamesh, rulers of the Unseelie Court!” The room erupted into cheers.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

She says, mortal one you’ve been chosen

You’re beautiful, but you’re broken

So hold on to this moment

And fight until you’re hopeless

There’s secrets and riddles that live in these walls

There’s ghosts of past heroes and I hear them call my name

We won’t be tamed

Medusa—Kailee Morgue

There’s nothing here for free

Lost who I want to be

My serpent blood can strike so cold

On any given day

I’ll take it all away

Another thought I can’t control

This means war

This means war

This means war

This means war

This means war

This Means War—Avenged Sevenfold
Gilgamesh and Zilya were seated in matching thrones up on the dais, the receiving line full of nobles waiting to curry favor with the new leaders. The party was well underway around them, alcohol flowing freely and the newlyweds looked shocked, but happy. Jareth and Sarah milled about, accepting drinks and well wishes. His siblings and grandfather were also the subject of much attention. Ishtar sat on the low end of the dais, behind her stood Tam Lin and Janet, her ever-present honor guard, with her own receiving line there to bid farewell to the goddess. Suddenly, the warning cries of Uruk’s Lamassu guardians filtered into the great hall. Every warrior in the hall snapped to attention. Gauzy gowns and fine fabrics melted away to reveal fangs, scales, armor, and lethal auras as the Unseelie prepared for battle. The majordomo stood before the hall’s open doors, now joined by several dozen soldiers. Sounds of fighting echoed in the hallway outside. The majordomo and his soldiers stepped forward, barricading the doors as the fight got closer. Silence reigned for several long moments. Ishtar, pushed her way forward. Jareth and Sarah joined Tam Lin and Janet, flanking the goddess. Two more joined them and Jareth quietly greeted his aunt and uncle. His mother noticed her new honor guard and rolled her eyes. “How did you get in, Ereshkigal?” “You know how, sister.” The goddess teased. Her husband shifted next to her. “This is not our brother’s doing. Nergal confirmed his is still in Nippur.” A great roar shook the palace. Ishtar snarled and Gilgamesh let out an unholy growl, crossing the room to stand at his mother’s side. “It's him.” “Yes,” Ishtar agreed. “Someone has unleashed the Bull. Father?”“I will alert our allies, daughter. Good luck.” The god pressed a quick kiss to the crown of his daughters heads and pressed his forehead to Gilgamesh’s, wrapping a hand around his grandson’s neck. “Resist the urge to do anything stupid, my boy. He nearly killed you last time.” Gilgamesh nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Anu called for all those unable to fight to come with him and, with a blaze of bright light, he took them all away. “Mother,” Morrigan called from the far end of the room. Her loyal ravens, Orev and Branwen, sat stoically perched on her shoulders. “These two,” She gestured at the birds, “Tell me there is an army at the city gates.” “Wonderful, just wonderful.” Dumuzid snorted. He marched over and grabbed Nergal by the arm, signaling to a group of heavily armed Immortals a few feet away. “I’ll be back.” With a blink, they were gone. Ninsun chuckled at the exasperation in her brother’s tone. “Mother, Gilgamesh, we will hold the walls. Good luck!” She disappeared, along with most of the women in the room. Battle horns echoed across the city a moment later. The doors shook again and Ishtar tugged on Gilgamesh’s arm until he turned to face the remaining warriors in the great hall. “My friends,” He said loudly over an ominous roar outside. “This city has withstood for ten thousand years. It has never fallen and, so long as we live, it never will. Do you stand with me?” The remaining warriors in the room let out a fierce shout as the doors rattled in their frames. The Immortals dispersed, archers took up positions on the dais. Those with spears and pikes took position in front, shields ready. Jareth pulled Sarah away from the front rows of warriors and towards the middle where Agasaya and Zilya stood conjuring magical grenades. The doors heaved and creaked before toppling inward. A man strode through, the majordomo held before him as a shield and Sarah’s eyes widened. “Enkidu,” Ishtar hissed from her position on Gilgamesh’s right hand. Ereshkigal stood on his left and snarled at her other nephew. “How did you get in?”“Your people are not as loyal as you believe, Aunt.” His eyes roved over the assembled soldiers and he smiled. “You truly think this is enough to stop me? To stop him? What a pity.” His taunt fell flat as Sarah let out a snort. She leaned into Jareth, whispering, “He’s stealing your lines.”Jareth’s responding sneer made his cousin clench his jaw and his eyes zeroed in on Sarah. He took a step forward, gripping the majordomo’s throat tightly as Gilgamesh matched his movement. “I don’t know you, little one. Come closer so I can see you better.” Sarah, now wearing her dragonsteel armor and enough leather to make Elvira jealous, untwined her fingers from Jareth’s and strode through the ranks. She stopped even with Gilgamesh, Jareth hot on her heels, and stared down the invading Immortal. “Ah,” Enkidu smirked. “I see now. You’re my cousin’s little plaything. The one who’s caused my father so much trouble.”Not rising to the bait, despite Jareth’s low growl behind her, Sarah grinned. “And you’re Enkidu. I’ve heard quite a bit about you. Shamhat was quite talkative when she left Nippur to join us last year.” Enkidu’s face flushed purple and his grip tightened even further on the poor majordomo’s neck. “She is a lying whore.” “I think you need a new line,” Sarah taunted. “Didn’t you say that a few thousand years ago?”Using Sarah’s distraction, Gilgamesh quietly signaled his sister to take aim at their cousin. The second he shifted his free arm to threaten Sarah with his sword, Aggie buried two arrows in his shoulder. Ereshkigal darted forward and pulled the injured majordomo from Enkidu’s arms. They disappeared before the irate demigod could blink. “You,” He pointed at Ishtar. “Are a poor excuse for an Empress. Treating with mortals and half-breeds. Seeking peace with our enemies. You have doomed us to a weak, pathetic existence. My father, not this, this brute is the rightful ruler of the Unseelie court! He would never allow a glittering half-breed to sit on a throne where gods belong.”Zilya snarled at the insult and only the quick intervention of her mother and Agasaya stopped her from charging through to kill him. “Enkidu,” Gilgamesh took a half-step forward, pleading. “Let this go. You know your father is nothing more than a warmongering fool who wants us all under his thumb. You knew this when we were children. Why can you not see it now?”The demigod snarled. “I see nothing wrong with my father’s plans, cousin. He, unlike you, has never abandoned me. Never left me to die at the hands of a monster, only to find myself reborn in your miserable shadow. You forsook me long ago, Gilgamesh. My father never has.” Dozens of armored Immortals swarmed in the open doors from the shadowed hall as Enkidu let out a fearsome roar and attacked Gilgamesh. Sarah darted back between the pikes and spears, lobbing a fireball over their heads to cause a little chaos. Jareth immediately leapt to his brother’s defense. Ereshkigal suddenly appeared in the middle of the fight, snatched Ishtar out of the fray, and retreated behind the advancing pike men. Agasaya and Sarah were already coordinating alternating blasts of magic and arrow volleys. Ishtar hurried to the back of the room and separated the archers into separate groups, targeting the trolls now lumbering through the broken doorway. As Jareth and Gilgamesh pushed Enkidu and his men back, the sounds of horns and the ominous roaring outside became more pronounced. One, then two, of the trolls fell, blocking Enkidu from pushing forward into the great hall and he had to dart away to dodge the falling body of a third.Sarah pushed through the heavy-breathing pike men and, astonishing everyone in the room with her strength, waved an arm to remove the barrier. The wave of fresh warriors that followed her into the hallway let out a massive cheer as they chased Enkidu’s men out of the palace. Once free of the palace wards, the demigod and his men blinked out of existence, a volley of arrows and curses passing through the air where they once stood. Jareth rushed to Sarah’s side, inspecting her for injury before pulling her close for a kiss. Ishtar cleared her throat, pointedly, to break them up. “Son, do you think that could wait? An army is attacking my home.” The goddess said, dryly. Jareth rolled his eyes at his mother. Gilgamesh burst through the palace doors a moment later, “Where is Zilya?”“She went to join Ninsun. All of my people did, they’re on the walls.” Sarah answered, pointing up. Thousands of the city’s inhabitants, all dressed for war, stood along the parapets. Some were running back and forth, shoring up the wards to keep any further incursions out. Others were coordinating volleys of projectiles and magic into whatever troops waited below. The roaring they heard inside the palace echoed through the city, rattling window frames and knocking loose objects to the ground. Signaling half their group, Gilgamesh took off into a run towards the gates where the thundering of weapons and the creature originated. “What is that?” Sarah asked Jareth. “That, precious,” He paused as the creature obviously reacted to the sight of Gilgamesh on the walls above the gates. “Is the Bull of Heaven.” Sarah frowned and racked her brain. She knew that name. Her World History course from the summer semester slammed forward at the same time something massive shook the gates. “Humbaba.”“Yes. He is supposed to be chained in the deepest pits of my sister’s kingdom.” Ishtar snarled, Ereshkigal now supporting her. “He was until this morning,” Ereshkigal shrugged. “Enkidu stole Hades’ Helm and Sigurd’s Tarnkappe.”“Oh,” Sarah breathed. All of her mythology courses over the last couple years had taught her quite a bit. Her family filled in the gaps of legend and myth her professors couldn’t know. “He was invisible. That’s how he got in the city too.”“I think you’re right, precious.” Jareth agreed. “The question, besides the obvious, is why now? What is his goal?”Aggie snorted. “Chaos,” She said. Tam Lin traded a hefty golden spear with her, taking her shield. Janet stood to the side, clad in thick leather armor and idly playing with a pair of daggers. The three seemed entirely unconcerned with the day’s events thus far. “Listen to them. He’s not directing this army with any sort of precision. Enkidu is an idiot, but he isn’t stupid. This is a distraction, a trap. One designed specifically to ensnare Gilgamesh. Otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered with Humbaba.” Ishtar nodded in agreement. Sarah turned her eyes toward the gates as they shook again. She glanced around at the bustling city, at all the Immortals running to and from the palace. Most were civilians, creatures unwilling or unable to fight, seeking shelter in the ziggurat’s walls. “Jareth,” She said slowly. “How much trouble would it cause for us to help? Would this mean war?”He considered her words carefully. Morrigan appeared next to them. The ravens and crows of the Underground already appearing on the horizon, drawn by the prospect of death. Fate reared its ugly head as he thought. “Jareth?” The Goblin King sighed and looked to his twin. She beckoned him to look around, “It is your choice, and hers. You could still leave and stay out of this until the kingdom is stronger. Or you could both gamble on your current strength and help our brother spring this trap. Sarah, Jareth, this is your choice.” Sarah nodded solemnly, obviously thinking hard. She reached out to Jareth and wrapped her arm through his. They stood still in the chaos, observing Ishtar as she gathered troops and organized the civilians. Watched Agasaya as she pulled more weapons from the ether, secreting them away on her person, readying herself for close quarters fighting. They saw Tam Lin and Janet silently guarding their Empress, their eyes and heads moving constantly, searching for threats. Humbaba’s continued bellowing drew their eyes to the walls. There they saw their subjects at work defending the city. The Spriggans, no longer wearing their human guises, grew to stand even with the walls. Soldiers and mages piled stones at their feet, cursing them to destroy the army outside the walls. The Kumiho and Kitsune sisters, silhouettes bleeding into their fearsome vulpine forms, stood strategically placed along the walls. As Jareth and Sarah watched, a massive dome of magical energy grew from their raised hands, encasing the city. The rattling of the gates stopped and Humbaba’s roars dulled to snarls. Rani and Zilya, their scales resplendent in the moonlight, directed troops this way and that supporting the magic users and preparing for a full-scale attack. Gilgamesh stood with them, dictating to the generals as they mustered the city’s armies. Jareth and Sarah watched it all, absorbed it all, before looking to each other. “Come,” Sarah whispered. She reached for Morrigan’s hand and transported all three of them to the gates. “Emperor Gilgamesh,” She said loudly. “My people already stand on your walls ready to defend your city. They were once yours and this was once their home, so their actions are independent of the Goblin Kingdom.” The giant demigod turned to eye his brother’s co-ruler. “Aye, Champion of the Labyrinth, that argument could be made. What of it?”“Do you formally request the assistance of the Goblin Kingdom in your defense of the city, until such time as Anu returns with the rest of your armies?”Gilgamesh eyed his brother, then Morrigan. The goddess clenched her jaw, Orev whispering in her ear, and suddenly he understood. Sarah confided the truth of her bargain with his sister and Fate. Every choice she made set her further down the path towards war. Enkidu’s actions today were not sanctioned by his father. Enlil would never use Humbaba so openly to draw Gilgamesh out. Nor would he ever be so obvious to attack on his wedding day, when most of the Court’s most powerful warriors and allies would be in attendance, ready to defend the city. This was merely the act of an impulsive man trying to unsettle his enemies, for what purpose he wasn’t sure. Rani appeared on his left, looking meaner than he’d ever seen her. His wife, and oh he would never, ever tire of saying that, even to himself, stepped in between him and Sarah. The armor she wore matched the scales of her skin, iridescent in the moonlight and brightly colored to remind everyone of the danger she posed. “My Lady Sarah, as Empress of the Unseelie Court, and your blood sister,” Zilya paused to look at Gilgamesh. He smiled, finally realizing what was happening. Morrigan and her accursed birds stood to the side poised to fight. This was one of those moments Sarah told him about, where Fate surged forth to offer her a choice. She made it, obviously, but she and Jareth could do nothing to help them, not until he and Zilya agreed. So, grasping his wife’s hand, he gave a nod. Fate be damned, he feared for any creature that stood against the will of Sarah Pendragon. He was proof enough, not acting soon enough to bring Zilya back, and she made him pay for it. First by bringing Rani along on her impromptu trip, then grinding him under her heel with her constant shows of power. Their little fight in the temple, he realized was the final blow to his ego. She let him win, he could see it now. He didn’t care. He made his choice. Zilya smiled at him, turning back to her queen. Her loyalty would always be split. Gilgamesh knew, one day, she would choose Sarah over him. He hoped, when it happened, it would be worth it. “I formally request the assistance of the Goblin Kingdom in defense of this city.”Orev and Branwen cawed loudly as their winged brethren, drawn to the fight, swarmed over the city. Sarah ignored them smiling slowly. Jareth had already disappeared. Clouds covered the moon and the shadows grew voices all around the city as goblins filled every free space. They poured in from the tunnels below the ziggurat, armed for battle. Humbaba roared at the sky as darkness descended fully over the city. Only the glow of the city’s shield, which Sarah’s vulpine subjects continued to strengthen, provided any light. Jareth appeared again, escorted by Alvar and a half dozen lower goblins. “Ready when you are, precious.” He whispered in Sarah’s ear. She bared her teeth and turned to finally lay eyes on Enkidu’s forces. Behind them all, now standing at the ziggurat’s peak, Morrigan raised a hand to pet Branwen’s head. The first volleys of magic to pass through the shield lit the sky like a mortal firework show. The sounds of death that followed echoed hauntingly. “And so it begins,” Morrigan whispered into Orev’s wing.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

You’re on your own now,
We won’t save you
Your rescue squad
Is too exhausted
And if you complain once more
You’ll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You’ll meet an army of me
Army of Me—Bjork
The siege of Uruk lasted nearly four days. Midnight, December 30th, Sarah and Jareth unleashed the fury of the goblins on Enkidu and his army. The lower goblins, led by General Alvar and his hobgoblin troops, proved to everyone present that they were more than simply a nuisance to the Labyrinth’s runners. The city’s defenders followed the goblins into battle happily picking off the strays that managed to escape their blades. Enkidu retreated to the hills outside the city, cloaking his troops in heavy wards and protection spells. Humbaba, the Bull of Heaven, lumbered after them, turning one of his baleful eyes to the city gates where Gilgamesh still stood. With a reprieve, the city prepared for a siege. The shield, hastily erected by the Kumiho and Kitsune sisters, was strengthened and supplemented by the city’s magic users. The Spriggans, now joined by a bevy of soldiers, helped strategically deploy artillery around the city walls, shrinking from their gigantic forms when necessary. The first night passed in organized chaos. When dawn broke, the city waited with bated breath. Nothing happened for hours, until well into the afternoon, when the city walls shook and the shield crackled with the force of the attack. Fire and brimstone rained down through the night, disguising the advance of Enkidu’s army. When the last fireball landed on the walls, a new attack of stones and spells was launched. Humbaba and a company of trolls, aided by a dozen magicians set to work probing the strength of the walls. The pounding set ears ringing around the city as the creatures roared their displeasure. Ishtar and her children retreated to her war room under the castle, leaving Zilya, Ereshkigal, and Sarah in charge of the walls’ defense. Inside they organized their troops and dispatched secret correspondence with their allies across the Underground. The former Empress even sent her brother a livid message, chastising him for letting his son fight his battles. Outside, the women sent out raiding parties of goblins, protected by archers and magic, to cause chaos amongst Enkidu’s ranks. Ereshkigal stood upon the walls as an entire platoon fell victim to the goblins’ bloodthirst. The hobgoblin general joined her. “It has been a long time, your grace.” Alvar greeted. “I find myself unsurprised to meet you in the midst of battle.”“Nor I, Alvar.” The goddess agreed. “We are creatures of death, you and I.” “Where is your husband? I passed him on my arrival, but I have not seen him since.”Ereshkigal laughed heartily. “Oh he and the Lamassu are preparing an aerial defense. I expect we’ll see them soon, at least we will if Morrigan’s carrion birds clear the air.” The two took a moment to truly appreciate the horrific sight a murder of crows made. Thousands of the creatures gathered in the sparse trees and high points around the city. All of them served as Morrigan’s eyes and ears. Alvar lamented their silence. Morrigan disappeared as he arrived. His former queen was bound by Fate and could not actively participate in battle any longer. She stood, a silent observer, on the highest hill outside the city, her red hair and dark robes a stark contrast to the environment. The hobgoblin sent a silent prayer her way, asking her protection in the coming fight, as he had for centuries. A single bird broke from the massive flock and winged across the fields to pass directly in front of him. Orev cawed at him, and twirled in the air, before returning to his mistress. “She cannot fight, but she still offers her people protection.” Ereshkigal commented, feeling the subtle magic as it darted across her companion’s skin. “Morrigan is a good girl. I am glad she and your king have reconnected. She spent entirely too much time with Nergal and I these past centuries. Too much time with all of us who hold death under our power.” Alvar smiled wanly. “My Queen is a noble woman. Fate took much from her, but she has never abandoned her people. Not really. She and her brother needed the separation. Losing their bond,” He paused for a moment. “It nearly killed them both in the beginning.”Nergal appeared with a small crack of magic and a feral smile on his lips. “There you are, beloved. Alvar! It is good to see you, old friend. I am sorry Margaret isn’t here for this.”The hobgoblin dragged the god in for a strong hug as his thoughts dragged to his dead wife. The human woman who caught his eye three hundred years earlier bore him two daughters. One, Elizabeth, chose to remain Above and live a human life. The other, Diana, returned below with her mother and both were made changelings. His dear wife loved a good battle, dragging him across the Mists into England more than once over the years to see her former countrymen fight. “Diana is here,” Alvar gestured down the wall where his daughter stood resplendent in her armor. Humbaba suddenly loomed before them, wailing on the wall with his troll horde and distracting the group from their conversation. Sarah and Zilya appeared, escorted by the Tweedles and several dozen troops, to repel the giant minotaur. The creature snarled and spit against the shield he could not penetrate with brute force alone. Two trolls died under the onslaught of magic, arrows, and spears that rained down on the attackers. When the minotaur finally roared off, Alvar had loosed enough arrows to make his shoulders ache. His daughter’s hands were glowing with the remnants of her conjured fireballs a few feet away. His friends, the rulers of Kur, were luminescent with power. Dawn broke a moment later and Enkidu’s forces were finally illuminated in their entirety. Thousands of Immortals, of all kinds, camped on the plains. “By Danu,” Alvar hissed out. “This is nothing.” Nergal casually waved his hand and a swarm of stinging flies spread out over the plains, attacking the army. “Shangdi emptied the Golden Palace to destroy us. He failed with scores of Immortals. The boy will not succeed with so few.” Ereshkigal grinned at her husband as the insects swarmed over screaming victims, “Well done my love.” Sarah ran up to them. “We’ve seen them. I’ve sent messages to the war room. Ereshkigal, would you mind making things a bit darker? Zilya and I have a plan.” “Of course, Lady Sarah.” The goddess spread her arms. “Alvar, ready your troops, we’re going on a walk.” “My lady,” Alvar tipped his head and disappeared. Every hobgoblin and Labryinthian citizen within a hundred yards followed his example. The wall suddenly looked sparsely defended and the King and Queen of Kur shared a look, wondering what the Labyrinth’s Champion planned. Shadows grew out of every corner as Ereshkigal worked her magic. Soon, the sun itself was shrouded in a thick haze of darkness, barely filtering through to make the gloom worse. Once the whole city and its surroundings were covered, Ereshkigal sagged against her husband a bit. Nergal issued wave after wave of plague insects and birds, listening to the screams. The Lamassu took flight, along with every winged citizen of Uruk, and used the darkness and plagues to drop rocks, magic, and other substances onto the heads of the army below. -----Enkidu stared into the darkness, orbs of magic and hastily relit fires lighting his camp. Three days passed in this infernal darkness, his raids on the city growing more infrequent. His officers assured him they were hard at work chipping away at the spell his aunt wove. The sun shone brightly, but only appeared as a distant golden dot in the sky above him. He was glad she no longer had the power to force an eclipse. His uncle’s plagues ravaged his troops and he could already hear the grumblings. They were all volunteers. Every one of them followed him on this mission, to strike unexpectedly, when Ishtar was weak and his cousin distracted. Learning Jareth and Sarah were in the city was an unexpected bonus. This siege was an opportunity to capture the girl, to take control of the Goblin Kingdom. Enkidu knew his cousin hadn’t bonded with the girl, hadn’t laid permanent claim, she was ripe for the picking. “Sir,” One of his generals appeared at the edge of the fire. “Humbaba and the trolls are missing.”“Missing?”Nefertiti glared down at her prince. “Yes, they were last sighted on the western wall. I’ve sent Menhit and Neith to find them.”Before Enkidu could work himself into a rage, a plaintive cry echoed at the edge of the camp. Nefertiti snapped to attention, blade drawn. The shadows danced around them as the sound got louder. Menhit and Neith suddenly ran full tilt towards their queen. The two goddesses panted hard as they pointed towards the incoming sound. “What is it?” Enkidu demanded. “Humbaba, something is wrong with him.” Menhit breathed out heavily. “He chased us all the way here.” Nefertiti sprang into action, barking orders into the dark, marshaling the troops. Humbaba’s hulking form broke through the gloom, lumbering towards the camp, dragging his massive axe. Enkidu grabbed his sword and spear, running towards the minotaur. He worked too hard to sneak the beast out of Kur for him to fall now. ------------Cloaked in shadow behind Humbaba, Zilya and Sarah signaled to the warriors behind them. The group stopped and the two women ran silently back to the main group of soldiers. “He has reached the camp. Nefertiti is there with Menhit and Neith.” Zilya whispered. “Siktir,” Gilgamesh answered. “I didn’t know they were with Enlil.”“Nefertiti hates us, brother.” Dumuzid chided. “You know that.”The new Emperor grumbled and kept his eyes on the fifty-foot tall minotaur stumbling towards the enemy camp. “Sarah, this is your plan. What’s next?”Jareth looked to his Champion as she conjured a map of the camp. Battle looked good on her, he was quite proud. “The goblins are already in the camp, hiding. Alvar will take his troops to the left. Dumuzid, you and Aggie will follow, I want this camp surrounded. Zilya, you and Rani will cover our escape if we need it. If we don’t, I want your archers ready to pick off any runners.”“And where does that leave us, precious?” Jareth asked. “We will follow Humbaba right into the camp.”“We,” Gilgamesh said dryly. “I understand Jareth coming with me, he’s fought Nefertiti before. Though the last time he ended up in her bed,” Jareth scowled at his brother. “You would be better served here, directing the attack. You’re a fine general, Sarah.” The Champion of the Labryinth stood to loom over Gilgamesh’s crouched form. “Enkidu ruined my friend’s wedding day. He insulted her. Your wife. He is owed a beating for his insolence.” Zilya stood as well to glare down at her husband. “I know my own strengths, if it came to a fight between us, Enkidu would win. So, Sarah will avenge my honor and you will deal with it husband.”Jareth fought down a grin as his brother turned sheepish. He thought their mother taught Gilgamesh better than to question the motives of irate women. “My apologies, ladies.” Gilgamesh pleaded. “I simply worry for your safety.”Both of them rolled their eyes and the little council broke apart to follow Sarah’s plans. Gilgamesh reached out for Zilya, pulling her close to rest his forehead against hers. Jareth pulled Sarah away to give them a moment alone. Satisfied his brother could say what he needed to his bride in peace, Jareth turned to face the camp. Humbaba’s stumbling gait made the ground tremble slightly. “You’re worried about me too,” Sarah whispered. Jareth grasped her hand tightly, lacing their fingers. “Always, precious. But not for the reasons you think.” “No worries I’ll get hurt.” “None.”“Then what?”“You’ve hidden your power from me, precious.” He said, eyes firmly forward. “We’ve been fighting for three days. I’ve not seen you do more than nap standing up in that time. And you’ve been eating enough to rival Gilgamesh. Yet you do not appear exhausted nor has your power lessened from use.” Sarah grit her teeth, squeezing his hand. “The longer the fighting goes on the stronger I feel. Though, the feeling is fading today. I don’t know what it is.”“I think I might, but I will need to do some research when we return home.” He said softly, sensing her unease. The birds tattooed on their arms twitched their wings as he drew her close. Tracing her hand over the design, Sarah sighed. “I’m worried too.” “About what?”“You.”“I have fought many a battle, precious.”“But never with me at your side. I’m worried we’ll distract each other.” He considered her words, kissing her temple. “Perhaps there is something we can do about that.” “What?” He looked down at the tattoos, they were a sign of their claim on each other. What he had in mind wasn’t so much a stretch. Not now. “A bond, between us, we would share emotions, a few thoughts. It would be a way to keep an eye on each other.”Sarah stared down at their arms, the magic they’d already wrought on each other’s skin. She traced his chest where she knew she’d already left a scar. His own hand trailed up to cup her chin. She looked up to find him watching her softly. “A bond.”“Yes.” “That’s practically a marriage down here.”He didn’t say anything. She turned her head to see Humbaba finally succumbing to the poisoned peaches she left for him and the trolls. Their magical escort was easy enough to dispatch once the lumbering creatures were hallucinating. “Do you miss it?” She asked. “What?”“Your bond with Morrigan? Is that why you’re suggesting this?”“No. Yes.” He sighed and grit his teeth. “Yes, I miss it. We were ripped apart and there is a hole in me that will never close because of her absence. No, I am not replacing her presence with yours. She is my twin, my mirror image, the other half of my soul. You, precious, are my heart.”“Always with the poetry,” Sarah frowned. “This will be forever.”“Not long at all. It is your choice. We have moved very quickly these past months. If this is too much, I will not be angry or disappointed.”Sarah nodded, thinking. “But things are only going to move faster from now on. What Enkidu started here, it’s the first battle in our war. We may not have time later to consider this. I wish—” The shadows around them seethed with goblins as they sensed their mistress’ plight. Sarah stopped talking, stopped thinking. She was the Keeper of Wishes now. She couldn’t make them lightly. “We have forever to enjoy or regret this, Jareth.” He made to question her, but stopped as her hand wrapped around his elbow. He wrapped his own long fingers around her tattooed arm and locked eyes with her. Red magic turned her eyes to molten pools and her veins to fiery spider webs along her skin. His own magic responded in kind, the blue of his eyes deepening. “Jareth,” Sarah whispered as the magic took hold. He captured her lips, pinning their clasped arms between them as he used his free hand to pull her close. The magic flared to life, pouring his emotions into her. As she fought him for dominance in the kiss, her own emotions slammed into him, linking the far corners of their minds together. All of their pain, fear, worry, and love surged between them. A clearing throat finally separated them as Gilgamesh watched them awkwardly. They didn’t take their eyes off each other, panting as the magic settled. Jareth tested its strength, sending Sarah an image of them in bed together. The glare and resulting image he got in return made him laugh. “I take it you two are official now?” Gilgamesh inquired. “Yes.” Jareth answered, eyes still on Sarah.“Good, good. Can we go kill our cousin now?” Sarah smiled evilly, her excitement bleeding across the bond, and darted off into the darkness. Gilgamesh clapped a hand on Jareth’s shoulder and followed her. ------------------------Humbaba’s head hurt. He regretting eating the fruit from the peach tree. The poison made him weak. His prison was lonely and undeserved, but at least Ereshkigal and Nergal made his long existence tolerable. He stumbled over a tent at the edge of the camp and dropped to his knees. Nefertiti climbed his arms to stand on his shoulder. “Rest now, my friend.” He appreciated the queen’s words. She was the one to lead him out of his prison, his first friend in five thousand years. They spent the last few days in each other’s company, Humbaba listening to her tell him stories of the world. She listened to him in turn. “Poison.” He rumbled. “I know,” She patted his cheek, her hand small but no less comforting. “I’ll make it better.” She leapt down and gestured for him to lay his head on the ground. He complied as the sounds of fighting erupted all around him. He died once before, Gilgamesh’s blade run through his eye, only to return at the will of Anu. Dying again wouldn’t be so bad. Nefertiti would come for him this time. Perhaps the gods of the dead would let him be free. He closed his eyes and slept. The legendary Egyptian queen watched her friend fall asleep and wept. She ran her fingers under her eyes, correcting the smudged kohl. Hatshepsut would have her head if she went into battle with her makeup in disarray. A quick check to ensure her crown would not shift in the coming fight, and she set off into the night to find Sarah Pendragon. Poison was a woman’s tool, an eternal weapon in the armory of every queen and goddess. Men feared it and never suspected it, using it inelegantly and inefficiently. The Champion of the Labyrinth would give her the antidote to save her friend, or she would die, Enlil’s plans be damned. ----------------------------------Sarah signaled the goblins and joined the freshly arrived Tee and Lutin as they stormed the camp. Behind her, Jareth and Gilgamesh ran in screaming, drawing attention to themselves as she led the goblins to flank the surprised troops. She caught sight of Menhit and Neith and ran the other direction, unwilling to test her strength against the two goddesses this early. Tee and Lutin led her on a circuit of the camp, killing every Immortal crossing their path. The lower goblins swarmed the unfortunate creatures, reminding Sarah of her first encounter with them. She felt Jareth’s bloodlust surge at her memory. The goblins hadn’t unleashed their full deadly potential on her as she was still a child, but to see it in action now made her smile. Jareth’s attention wandered as she felt him behead an Aesir warrior, the brief image of a golden helm falling to the ground. The bond kept them aware of each other, its novelty the only distraction. They shared images of fleeing troops and glimpses of Enkidu when they saw him. Sarah took down several warriors, laughing as Jareth sent her an image of Gilgamesh leaping over a fire to swing his axe into a group of soldiers. Nefertiti suddenly appeared in front of her and she skidded to a halt. “Sarah Lady, you want us to kill her?” Tee snarled, the little goblin’s bloodlust raging. “No,” Sarah answered. “You and Lutin go, I’ll be fine.”“Alone?” Lutin questioned. He did not like leaving his queen. “It’s how these things are done.” She kept her eyes on Nefertiti. “Go, finish the job, help your king.”The goblins bowed low and led their brethren into the shadows, slaughtering their enemies as they went. Nefertiti studied the woman before her. Clad in inky black and violet, Sarah Pendragon was resplendent in her armor. Her long hair hung in a braid, woven with a chain and charms, a thick red-enameled circlet sat upon her head. “Sarah Pendragon, I am Nefertiti.”“A pleasure to meet you,” Sarah answered the queen’s gruff tone in kind. “You poisoned my friend,” The queen gestured to Humbaba’s hulking form, barely visible in the darkness. “I would like the antidote.”“And I will happily provide it, if you surrender to me.” Nefertiti glared at the cheeky tone. “I surrender to no one. In all my long life, none have made me capitulate. What makes you think you are worthy?”“Because I’d never demand you kneel, never demand more than you were willing to give.”“Is this how you win the loyalty of your people?” Nefertiti asked, drawing her curved sword. “Unusual for one of your kind. You are a noble woman.”Sarah adjusted her grip on the spear Ishtar gave her. The bronze weapon sparked in response. “Thank you.” The two women circled each other slowly for a moment, the sounds of battle and anguished screams echoing around them. Nefertiti waited, looking for an opening to avoid the spear’s reach. When she saw one, her dagger flew from her hand immediately. Sarah batted the blade away only to barely dodge the queen’s swinging sword. The blade glanced off her shoulder. They traded blows for several long minutes until the sound of a man roaring drew Nefertiti’s attention. Sarah took advantage and used the butt of her spear to knock the queen to the ground. She pointed the blade into her face, hesitating to deliver an incapacitating blow. “Do it,” Nefertiti taunted. “I am your enemy.”Sarah breathed heavily. “Are you? Because I see a woman who fights for her friends. Why did you join Enlil? Why agree to this suicide mission?”“Because Ishtar allowed Ra to kill my husband, to subjugate my son and daughter. He killed their children as punishment. Took my grandchildren before they even left the womb. Then he killed my children when they tried to throw off the rule of his priests. Ishtar allowed all of this to happen, despite my pleas for help, for mercy. I will never forgive her or hers.” “Enlil wants the same fate for anyone who opposes him.” Nefertiti went silent. Thousands of years of her rage flared at the nerve of this child. Sarah watched her seethe on the ground and abruptly pulled back her spear. She conjured a crystal and tossed it to the queen. As it flew, it changed into a peach. “That one isn’t poisoned. I swear on my baby brother’s life. Get Humbaba to eat it and he’ll be fine. I suggest you take him somewhere and hide him. Ereshkigal is a bit upset you broke him out. You would be welcome in the Labyrinth, should it become necessary.” She turned to walk away, but a body barreled into her, knocking her to the ground. Enkidu knocked her spear away, pinning her to the ground with his knees and hands. He leaned over Sarah’s face, snarling. “You,” He spat. “Are entirely too much trouble for a half-breed. I wonder how my cousin would react if I killed you. He’s never been in love before and it would break him to lose you, wouldn’t it?”A dagger appeared in his hand and he held it to her throat, drawing the blade across her collarbones. Sarah hissed as blood welled in its wake. He dug the point into her shoulder, making her growl. “You’d best kill me now, while you have the chance. Because if I get out of this, you will die at my hand.”“Is that a threat, little one?” He sneered. Sarah spat in his face. “It’s a promise.” “I suggest you let her go before my brother arrives.” A voice said above them. Sarah and Enkidu both looked up to see Gilgamesh, haloed by the raging fires set by the goblins, looking down at them. Enkidu rolled to his feet, dragging Sarah up with him and back to where Nefertiti stood, holding the peach and her sword. “I’ll kill her.” Gilgamesh smiled slowly. “You’ll try. She’s much more dangerous than she looks. Nefertiti, it’s been a long time.” “That it has,” The queen said, surprised Gilgamesh acknowledged her. “Congratulations on your wedding, Zilya is a strong girl. I imaging Rani was upset to learn of your relationship.” He smiled and made to answer but was interrupted by Enkidu. “Both of you shut up.” Nefertiti shot her prince a foul look, but did as he asked. Her eyes landed on Sarah’s spear, laying close to her now. As Enkidu began taunting his cousin, she slowly bent to pick it up. She held it before her, astounded, not believing Ishtar parted with it. She could barely believe this child wielded it without succumbing to its power. Suddenly, an inhuman sound echoed around her and she turned the spear forward to where Gilgamesh held his brother back. Jareth spat invectives at his cousin, promising death and torture for daring to lay hands on his queen. Sarah’s eyes locked with her lover’s and Nefertiti nearly gasped, they were bonded. The connection was nearly palpable between them, staining the air with its intensity. She needed to tell Isis and Osiris of this development. It would change things. Enkidu never had a chance to reply with his own taunts. Gilgamesh let Jareth loose, pulling his sword free, as Sarah’s body burst into angry red flames. She tumbled loose from Enkidu’s grasp and into Jareth’s arms. Gilgamesh rained down heavy blows on the singed demigod as his brother carried Sarah to safety. The ancient queen heard the girl ordering Jareth to help his brother, to leave her in the care of two goblins and was surprised to see him obey. The boy she knew would never abandon a loved one to continue a fight, he proved that when Agasaya lay dying in Stalingrad. He swept in and carried his sister to safety and allowed his uncle to continue defending the city in his place. Jareth never reentered the field, not until his sister was healed. The fight happening before her eyes was brutal. Enkidu, fueled by rage, pushed the brothers back over and over again. Gilgamesh and Jareth swapped weapons and magic fluidly, reacting in perfect synchronicity to Enkidu’s attacks. It was a dance, a bloody one, and it was heartrending. Sarah gasped, drawing Nefertiti’s attention. Going to investigate, she found the young woman struggling to breathe as her two goblin companions soothed a stab wound. Nefertiti never saw Enkidu’s blade move, but it was his doing. She knew it. She could also see the blade’s poison working, weakening her. Nefertiti regretted giving her prince the weapon. The girl’s eyes lit upon the approaching queen and she waved the goblins away from her defense. “You need to give him that peach. He doesn’t have much time left.” “Nor do you, it appears.” She wheezed out a laugh, her eyes drawn to the fight. “I’ll live. Healing this will fucking suck, but I’ll be alright. Go, before Jareth and Gilgamesh realize you’re still here.” “You are a good woman, Sarah Pendragon. An honorable enemy.” Nefertiti dropped the spear at her side. “You should keep better care of that. It’s called the Titan Slayer for a reason.” The girl nodded and passed out, obviously in pain, as her goblin guardians deftly staunched the bleeding. Nefertiti stepped away, glanced to where her prince was still fighting well, and left him. Menhit and Neith stood guard over Humbaba. They helped her open his mouth and shove the peach down his throat. As he began to stir, the three women pooled their magic and gasped at the wondrous sight they left behind. All around the city, the darkness retreated. Odin and Frigg, leading an army of Valkyrie and Berserkers, crested the hill. To their left, Anu led the Unseelie armies. Riding through the sky in dozens of chariots, escorting the hoplites on the ground, the Olympians fell upon the fleeing army like ants. As the scene faded before her, Nefertiti saw Vishnu and Shiva appear, ready to stop her. “My queen,” Menhit gasped as they arrived safely. “What have we done?”“We’ve brought war to the Underground.” She lamented. ------------The sound of his army dying all around him drove Enkidu into a full blood rage. He redoubled his attacks on Jareth and Gilgamesh as five armies slaughtered what remained of his troops. His cousins never faltered, meeting him blow for blow. “Surrender!” Gilgamesh roared into Enkidu’s face as he threw him off. “End this!” “Gladly!” Enkidu shouted back. Jareth swept in parrying a swing aimed for his brother’s head and buried a dagger in Enkidu’s gut. He staggered back, breathing heavily. “That, is for Sarah.” The demigod’s eyes snapped to the girl’s prone form and smiled. “She is ripe as a peach, cousin. Tell me does she suck cock as well as I think she does?” Snarling, Jareth didn’t rise to the bait, instead Gilgamesh roared and tackled Enkidu to the ground. They wrestled around until Enkidu buried Jareth’s dagger in Gilgamesh’s shoulder. Enkidu pushed away and stumbled to his feet, barely dodging Jareth’s attack. He managed to kick him back, hearing a satisfying crunch in his cousin’s chest as he landed. Gilgamesh hauled his brother up and they shared a look. It was past time to end this. They gripped their swords tightly and launched themselves at Enkidu, their auras solidifying around them. Black bolts danced across Gilgamesh’s skin, burning his cousin’s skin and clothes. The blue flames dripping from Jareth set the ground on fire around them, leaving Enkidu trapped. He staggered away from his cousins and summoned every last bit of his strength to disappear. A half-second later, Gilgamesh’s axe buried itself in the ground. Both men roared their dissatisfaction into the bright afternoon sun. ------------Sarah woke to the sight of Ninsun and Frigg leaning over her. She finally felt the soreness of battle catching up with her, as well as the bone deep ache of using too much magic for too long. She groaned and closed her eyes, only to reopen them as Jareth’s elation poured across their bond. She turned her head to find him watching her from across the room, practically vibrating with the urge to run to her. She smiled at him and then snarled as Ninsun laid a hand on her stomach. The stab wound was deep and tender. “Ow! Fuck!” “Shut up.” The goddess chided. Frigg poured something cold into the wound and Sarah shrieked. Ninsun clapped a hand over her mouth. “I mean it. We must cleanse the wound. It was poisoned. Pass out again, it will make my job easier.” Jareth silently sent her increasingly naughty images, distracting her from the women healing her wounds. Once they were done he crossed the room in three giant strides and kissed her soundly, happy to see her alive and fighting. Ninsun rolled her eyes as Frigg smiled fondly at them. “No acrobatics for a little while, Jareth. She needs to heal properly. If I find her stitches torn, I’ll take it out on your ass.” The goddesses swept out of the room as Jareth lay down next to Sarah in their bed. The Tweedles, nursing their own injuries outside their mistress’ door, waved at the women on their way out. “I suppose I can’t argue that this was an interesting vacation, precious. Though we made need another one to properly relax.” She shuffled carefully to tuck her head into his shoulder. “Well, I guess that means you’ll just have to come Above and play nursemaid.” “Would you like me to wear one of the little hats and tights, precious?” He teased. Sarah laughed at the image, considering it briefly, until her abdomen protested and she groaned. Jareth frowned, feeling her pain across the bond. They lay quietly for a while, enjoying each other’s presence and exploring the depth of the bond. Eventually, they dozed off, exhaustion catching up with them. When Morrigan burst in, she found them curled into one another. Jareth jumped up with a start, Sarah following more slowly. “Morri? What is it?”His twin’s eyes were wild. “We must leave, now.” “What, why?” Sarah asked, getting gingerly to her feet. “Your parents.” The goddess responded, reaching out to grab Sarah’s arm. Her armor reappeared at the goddess’ touch, tightening over the bandages on her abdomen. “They’re under attack.”

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Sarah stumbled as Morrigan deposited her in her parents’ front yard. Jareth’s arms immediately snapped out to steady her. She sighed and used her spear to steady her gait as she jogged slowly after Morrigan. The three rounded the corner of the house to find the Bear Knights surrounding Karen and Toby as Arthur fought Enkidu. Arthur cried out as Enkidu swung out to punch him. Jareth looked hard at his sister, he took off across the yard to assist the tiring king. Enkidu burned with his loss, unwilling to let the day end without causing more pain. As Jareth ran to help, he caught sight of Morfydd bent over her unconscious mother, Owain and Gawain lay next to her. Both men were unconscious as well, but breathing.Toby caught sight of his sister and broke free of his mother’s arms to run to her, shouting as he went. “Sarah! Sarah!” She bent down to scoop him up, ignoring the pain in her abdomen and cradled the boy close. The Bear Knights moved quickly to surround their king and queen. Sarah never felt more glad that she charged these goblins with her brother’s safety. Tee and Lutin stood at Karen’s side, still bloody from the battle at Uruk, but ready to defend Sarah’s family with their lives. “Sarah,” Karen appeared. “How badly are you hurt? You shouldn’t be here. Take Toby and go, we’ll handle this.” “I’m fine! I’m not leaving my family to this monster. He’ll kill you.” The dryad’s glamour melted away and she frowned at her stepdaughter. “I’ve fought before, Sarah. You have a responsibility to your brother.”“I have a responsibility to my whole family. I’m not losing my parents today. Tee, Lutin, take Toby inside. Keep him there. If Enkidu makes it past us, take him straight to the castle.”The little goblins snapped to attention and coaxed a reluctant Toby inside and upstairs. Sarah turned her eyes on her stepmother and clutched her stomach, hoping she had the strength to stand, let alone fight the enraged demigod. Karen reached out to stroke Sarah’s hair. She could feel Fate swirling close around them, but she kept her tongue. It wouldn’t due to frighten her daughter any further. The Goblin King fluidly stepped in to join the fray. Arthur caught sight of his mentor and adjusted accordingly. Both were exhausted, but they managed to push the furious demigod back. They held him off for several long minutes until Arthur tripped and Jareth stepped in, taking a heavy blow to his head. He crumpled, falling to his knees and watched through heavy lidded eyes as Arthur turned a killing strike. Enkidu followed it with a vicious uppercut that felled the warrior. Stumbling to his feet, Jareth tried to rejoin the fight but Enkidu kicked him back. Just as his sword swung down, dark brown hair and fiery green eyes danced in front of him. Sarah roared and lit into Enkidu with strength she shouldn’t have. Odras joined a moment later, all glamours gone, her blue skin and forest green armor shining in the early morning sun. Dee and Dum, managing to follow them from Uruk, dragged Jareth and Arthur away from the fight. Morrigan still stood at the side of the house, underneath the oak tree, watching. Jareth suddenly hated his sister. Morfydd fussed over him, conjuring bandages as Dee and Dum turned to assist their mistress. Jareth pushed her away to see the fight. Enkidu felled the wendigos like saplings, both crumbling under his onslaught. Dee reached out and buried a knife into the demigod’s knee, earning a kick to the head for his troubles. Odras was prone on the ground, not moving. Enkidu turned back to Sarah and knocked the injured woman to the ground. Jareth watched, paralyzed, as the demigod’s blade screamed towards Sarah’s neck. He felt her fear rip through him, his own rising in kind. He managed to make it to his knees, screaming when everything stopped. Odras darted in between her stepdaughter and the blade, pulling the girl close to shield her. The sword sliced down her back, dropping the dryad to the ground, Sarah underneath her. Jareth answered Sarah’s anguished cry with one of his own and felt the ground shake with her rage.The discarded spear, Ishtar’s gift to Sarah, a tool to help her defend the city, flew back into her hands. The carvings along the shaft glowed first black then red then white as Sarah let the Titan Slayer’s power loose. Zeus and his brothers used the spear millennia ago to slay their father, Kronos. Ishtar took the spear as a sign of fealty from them when she welcomed them to the Unseelie court and held it in safe keeping. Jareth knew the stories of its power, of the danger it posed. The reality blinded him. The heavens cracked open. Bolts of lightning lit the sky and screamed towards the spear. Sarah rose like Athena herself and buried the spear into Enkidu’s chest. The lightning followed the spear’s path, flowing through Sarah and the shaft and into the unlucky demigod’s body. The resulting light left spots dancing in Jareth’s eyes and he crawled towards Sarah. She lay on her stomach, dragging herself towards her stepmother. The reverberation of her pain made him falter as he pushed himself towards her. Toby’s terrified screams echoed through the deathly silence. Sarah’s whole body went rigid at the sound of her brother’s voice, forcing Jareth to stop too. He reached out for the boy as he ran past, tried to keep him away, but he failed. The boy’s legs carried him to where his sister and mother lay and he collapsed on top of them, sobbing. Jareth stopped breathing as Sarah’s heart broke. He stumbled to his feet and finally made it across the yard to where she lay. He knelt to the ground and pulled Toby into his arms, bearing the brunt of the little boy’s fists as he wailed. Sarah cradled Karen’s head in her lap, blood seeping from her wounds into the ground around her, mingling with the dryad’s own. He looked up from the woman’s face, so peaceful in comparison to the bloody scene, and locked eyes with Sarah. The look on her face made him grip Toby tighter, resisting the urge to take him and run. The woman he loved was gone. In her place was rage incarnate.    ----------
You’ll free yourself

You shall find a way

You shall find a way

Memories of Mother—Bear McCreary & Eivor (rough translation)

And all your dreams have vanished

And you don’t know what’s up the bend

Just remember that death is not the end

Not the end, not the end

Just remember that death is not the end

When the storm clouds gather round you

And heavy rains descend

Just remember that death is not the end

Death Is Not the End—Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

One Week Later: January 9, 1991
Jareth stood on the back porch. Sarah stood over the scorched earth in her parents’ backyard, staring hard at the depression in the ground. The Titan Slayer completely obliterated Enkidu where he stood, all of the power recoiling onto Sarah. She only regained her ability to walk two days later. He saw her head tilt to look at the frozen ground a few feet away and resisted the urge to go to her. She felt it anyway across the bond and silently reached a gloved hand back towards him. He obliged and tangled his fingers with hers as she walked to where her stepmother died. They stood in silence, letting their emotions flow through the bond in place of speaking. Words weren’t enough for the depth of Sarah’s anguish. Karen’s death took the very heart out of Sarah, she was lost. The frigid winds seeped into their bones, making the cold of their hearts match the weather outside. “It’s a beautiful day.” Sarah finally whispered. “Why isn’t it storming? Doesn’t it usually rain for funerals?”Tucking her under his arm, Jareth drew her close. “Only in fiction, precious. We want nature to match the sadness we feel and it very rarely obliges us.” “Maybe it’s raining Underground.” “Maybe it is,” He agreed. The creaky screen door opened behind them and Jareth glanced over his shoulder to see Morgan waiting on them. He nodded at her and she retreated back into the house. It was time.

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Book Two has begun. If you're subscribed to this story and not following me on Tumblr or chatting with me on Discord, make sure you pop over and subscribe to the new installment!I'm so excited guys, you don't even know! Thanks for all the support my loverlies, it is much appreciated. You guys are the fucking best.I'm Farisyatriedtowritefiction.tumblr.com and Yodalmighty#6113 on Discord btw, don't judge me, I made that gamer tag when I was THIRTEEN and I've carried it proudly for the last sixteen years okay?