The Pub

Summery: Balthazar receives a visit from numerous goblins claiming their king is in a bad mood, and they fear being near him, so he decides to have go and have a chat with the wayward king.

Disclaimer: All Publicly Recognizable Characters, Settings, Ideas, etc. are the Property of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. The Original Characters and Plot are the Property of the Author. The Author is in no way Associated with the Owners, Creators, or Producers of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. No Copyright Infringement is intended.

Balthazar sighed at the sight of the thin blond man in the pub, he looked over at the bartender who he knew from previous visits and gestured for the man to bring him a drink.

He made his way over to the blond's table and pulled out a chair sitting opposite to his old friend. "What happened?"

Jareth didn't reply right away, just stared at his drink. "Aren't you supposed to be in New York?"

"Long range teleportation," answered Balthazar with a shrug. "Your goblins are worried. Fragle came to tell me you were in a mood, he and twenty of you bloody goblins came to my store seeking shelter. It took me an hour to get one of them to go back to the castle to make sure it was safe. Then he comes and tells me you're nowhere to be found. I figured you'd come here."

Balthazar hadn't bothered to keep his voice down. This pub was one of those places. It was located in a small hamlet where the old superstitions still held power. Jareth and a few other Tuatha Dé Danann came here for the occasional drink and to visit their old land. The residence of the town knew Balthazar wasn't one of their old gods but recognized him as a powerful force and maintained a 'you leave us alone we leave you alone' attitude. Though they would approach him when they needed help, they'd had a troll problem fifty years back.

"So what happened?"

"She rejected me."

Balthazar raised an eyebrow Jareth had dealt with rejection before, it was rare, usually the king was the one doing the rejecting. But Jareth had never been this upset over the matter.

"Whose the woman?" asked Balthazar taking a sip of his drink.

"Girl."

Balthazar raised an eyebrow girls did not catch the Goblin King's attention, women did. "Excuse me?"

"A girl, almost a women, fifteen years old."

"Little young don't you think?"

"It wasn't considered too young until recently." Balthazar sighed and Jareth continued. "She beat the Labyrinth, Balthazar."

The ancient sorcerer raised a brow, "You serious?"

Jareth nodded.

"Wow it's been what? Five hundred years since the last successful runner?"

Again the Goblin King nodded.

"So what happened exactly?"

Jareth began the tale finding it a bit a relief been able to talk to someone about what happened, someone other then unintelligent goblins or even a subject. Jareth had many intelligent subjects he could speak to but he was their sovereign Balthazar on the other hand was just a friend who would give Jareth an honest answer and some good advice.

"So let me get this straight you offered yourself to her, offered her everything you could give her. But she she was likely under the impression that she would have had to leave her friends, family, home everything she'd ever known, and loved and she likely thought that her brother would have to stay as well, add to that the fact that she may have thought it was a trick and you're surprised she rejected you? Oh and let's not forget the fact that she'd known you for all of ten hours, and that's she's way to young to properly grasp your offer. I mean seriously how can you expect a fifteen year old girl to interpret your so called 'proposal' as marry me and be my queen?"

Jareth looked up to see Balthazar giving him his patented 'You're an idiot' stare. Perhaps it would have been better if he had gone to speak to on of his more intelligent subjects.

"Considering how long it's been since you date..." Jareth froze as what he said hit him. "Balthazar I'm sorry."

But Balthazar wasn't looking a the Goblin Kind he was looking at the table his face hidden by his hair and hat. He held up a hand to silence the king and when he spoke again his voice was tight.

"You're more drunk then I thought Goblin King."

"Baltha-"

The master sorcerer waved the apology aside. "Drop it."

They sat in silence for a few moments Jareth silently cursing himself, could nothing go right today?

"Jareth…" began Balthazar. "Try starting slow, a friendship, she sounds like she loves fantasy and I doubt her trip would have changed that. Convince her you're not a threat to her and her brother and maybe you'll have a chance with her."

"How do you propose I do that? Those accursed words prevent me from going near her unless in owl form."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out, you always do."

Jareth let out a slight chuckle Balthazar was right, the words were merely an obstacle, and those were so fun to overcome.

"She got through the Labyrinth in ten hours?" asked Balthazar reaching into his pocket where the dragon ring rested.

Jareth's eyes snapped to his old friend at the wistful tone of voice. "Balthazar… I don't think she's the one, she has power but it's bardic, it could grow considerably with exposure to the underground but she is no sorcerer."

"Can't hurt to try," said Balthazar reaching into his pocket where the dragon figurine rested.

"Don't get your hopes up," sighed Jareth. He looked at his drink, he knew Sarah wasn't the one Balthazar sought, he hated seeing his friend's hopes crushed every time.

"Ten hours is a new record Jareth."

"Balthazar it isn't her, she is not a sorcerer."

"I have to try, where does she live?"

"Balthazar..."

"Her address Jareth, please."

Jareth sighed he might as well tell Balthazar wouldn't leave him alone otherwise.

Yes people that's it I supose one day I may want to follow up on this little story but... doesn't seem likely thhough interaction between Sarah and Balthazar might be interesting I guess. Anyway review please.