Act 1

His nose itched with the building pressure of an impending sneeze. This was bothersome, but he didn't have much time to consider it, as he took in a sharp breath and… "Hetschuhh…" another sharp breath- "Grrshhuh!" *sniff*.

The sneeze had shattered any semblance of unconsciousness he had been trying to achieve and he grumbled slightly, keeping his eyes shut while his mind started to open up to the sounds around him. It was the middle of the day, and Jareth was holed up in his chambers in the tall center tower of the castle beyond the goblin city. Outside his doors life went on as usual in the city and the surrounding labyrinth, although there was never anything 'usual' about it. And the ruckus caused by the motley crew of goblins was at an even more annoying pitch thanks to the rumors circulating about their king's prolonged seclusion of late. Quite frankly, Jareth didn't give a damn. The labyrinth, the goblin city, the castle itself, could all go to pieces around him and he wouldn't care (Hell, it almost had! There were still broken bits of staircases littering the ballroom after what Sarah had done).

Jareth opened his eyes reluctantly and sat up on the edge of the bed. He straightened his blowsy white shirt with the pointed collar and cleared his throat, which was beginning to feel like there was a lump forming in it. He reached for his tall leather boots and pulled them on over the ragged bottoms of his tight gray pants. Pausing, he brought a fist up as his nose tingled again. "Heh-RrrshHUH!" *sniff* "Ah, good," he said cynically in his low, sultry voice, "a rotten cold to match my rotten mood." He pulled on a pair of brown leather gloves and clenched his fists tightly.

Outside Jareth could hear Hoggle addressing a crowd of rowdy goblins in the throne room. The little terd was becoming quite the public speaker in his absence. He would have to remember later to give him a stay of execution on that whole 'bog of eternal stench thing'.

"Keep it down, damn you!" Hoggle growled at them all. "He ain't seein' no one, and he ain't been seein' no one! So shut up or we'll all be thrown in an oubliette!"

Jareth smiled to himself at the thought.

"You know how he gets, and he's in a foul mood!" Hoggle continued.

Jareth's smile faded. "Is that so, Hogwart?" He appeared directly behind the stumpy goblin out of thin air and a hush fell over the room.

Hoggle blanched and bowed several times. "Yes, Jareth!- I-I mean NO, Jareth…your majesty! I was just illustratin' to this lot how…how terrifying your wrath can be!"

"It's quite terrifying." Jareth yawned, and walked back towards his chambers. "Hog-breath?" He called without looking back.

"Hoggle." Hoggle corrected.

"Whatever. May I have a word?"

Hoggle stumbled after him quickly (as if he had a choice), and the huge stone doors opened for them of their own accord and closed dramatically behind them.

In the silence of the elaborate room Hoggle fidgeted nervously as he waited for Jareth to address him. The Goblin King paced back and forth, towering over the small goblin, and finally he said, "I've noticed you disappearing from time to time, Hogwart…Where do you go?"

Hoggle thought carefully, and then he stuttered, "I…I've been in all corners of the labyrinth, sire… Keepin' things in order for you."

Jareth ran a gloved finger under his nose as he considered this. His eyes narrowed with the beginnings of another sneeze, but he passed it off as a glare. "Do you imagine, even when I am not paying attention, that I do not know what is taking place in every corner of my labyrinth?"

Hoggle shook his head.

"Good. Then tell me where you really were."

Hoggle shuddered. "Arrghh…I was…*sigh* I was visitin'…Her." He knew better than to say Sarah's name in front of Jareth. She was the whole cause of his sulking. But Jareth crouched down in front of him so they were eye level.

"You were…"

"…visitin'-"

"You were visiting…?"

"…S-Sarah, your majesty."

Jareth said nothing, but stood up and walked to the dresser, grabbed one of his crystals, and threw it hard at the stone floor, where it exploded into a million pieces. Hoggle cringed. Jareth sniffed and walked back over to him, his heeled boots crunching on the broken crystal. "Why on earth would she want to see a little snot like you!?" He demanded.

"Well because we's friends, that's why!" Hoggle retorted, mustering what little courage he had.

Jareth rolled his eyes in disgust. "Ah yes, you're…you're friends…" he paused, mid-sentence, and his face contorted slightly. He made a small grunt of annoyance and brought his gloved hand up again to press one side of his nose shut in an attempt to quell the itch there, but it was no use. The pressure built and his nostrils flared sharply. "Hihh-TSHHhuh!" The force bent him at the waist slightly before he sniffled thickly and regained his composure. Hoggle just stared in surprise, too afraid to bless him and bring attention to the sneeze. But Jareth raised his eyebrows at him. "Well?" he demanded.

"Uh- Bless you, your highness," Hoggle fumbled.

Jareth just nodded and continued his speech. "You're friends, and I sit here alone in my castle! After all that I've done for her!" He sat back on his oversized bed and rubbed his forehead in thought. And also because he was getting a headache.

Hoggle waited for him to speak again, and when he didn't, said, "Well…you did take her brother from her."

"-By her own request!" Jareth interrupted. "He was a brat and a nuisance… would've made a wonderful goblin, though- and a decent heir, had I succeeded." Hoggle was silent now. Jareth hadn't spoken this long to anyone in days unless it had been to give a punishment. Yet how all he had been pondering over was being vented and confided to him. Why was he always so unlucky?

"…But I lost Toby, and Sarah refused to become my queen." He shook his head as if he still couldn't grasp the reason for his failure. There was a silence between them that was broken by another harsh sneeze from Jareth. "Ehh-TSCHhuh!" That one was wetter than the others and his nose was beginning to run. He sniffled, not wanting to wipe it on his gloves. Hoggle dug in his pockets quickly and produced a lacy handkerchief.

"Bless you again, sire…You don't sound so good."

Jareth took the handkerchief with a flourish and blew his nose quickly. "Yes, it's becoming quite obvious, I'm ill," he snapped.

Hoggle shrugged, glad for the change of subject. "Well you ain't been takin' much care o' yerself lately, 'ave you? Ain't even been down to torture the prisoners in days!"

Jareth lay back on his bed with a huff, then sat up again as if he'd gotten an idea. He went to a drawer and brought out a small silver pendant with a swirly design in the center that resembled a labyrinth. "How often do you see Sarah?"

Hoggle looked at him skeptically and shrugged. "Whenever she needs me I guess."

"And you both like jewels, don't you?" The Goblin King prodded. "Next time you see her, give her this." He held the necklace out to Hoggle. It dangled there, glittering in a menacing sort of way.

Hoggle shook his head and backed away. "Oh no- not this time. I ain't givin' her nothing!" And here he plucked up all of his nerve and said, "If you want to talk to her, go do it yourself!" And he ran off through the giant stone doors as fast as his stubby little legs would carry him.

Jareth made a face and shoved the necklace back into the drawer and slammed it shut. He grabbed another round crystal off of the dresser and took it back to the bed. "Show me Sarah," he whispered to it. Smoke formed, and then the face of a happy, dark haired girl appeared in the crystal. Jareth stared at it intently. "Go talk to her myself, eh?" He mumbled, and waved his hand over the crystal, making it go dark. "Maybe I will."