Looking herself over again in her bedroom mirror, Sarah let out a dissatisfied and frustrated sigh as she walk back over to her closet to change again. Alright, how hard can iSarah, to find something that looks professional and grown up without looking like a forty seven year old business women? Maybe I should just go for the "otherworldly and slightly frightening look. I mean, this is Jareth, he seems to make it work.

Since her first visit Sarah had had many visitors to and from the Underground, but she had never had any like this one. She'd been to festivals, parties and just simple visits, but this was the first time she's ever agreed to a formal meeting with the King. It wouldn't be the first time she would see him, or even speek to him in the past ten years, but it would certainly be the first civil encounter with him. To say that she was shocked when one of the goblins approached her with a letter inviting her to dinner, would be an understatement, but for some reason she agreed to it. Now she was just trying to get ready without dwelling on all the things that could possibly go wrong. What if this just ends up as another peach incedent? What the hell is he even planning here? What shoes should I wear? Oh, god, stop worrying, you'll be no use to yourself if you're all stressed out.

Finally happy with how she looked, she redirect ed her attention to psyching herself up to see the goblin king. Maybe itwon't be that bad, like, who knows, he could just want to have dinner and talk. Maybe he might even want to apologize for that crap he put me through when I wished Toby away. Oh god, I'm gonna be late to meet Hoggle if I keep standing around like this. She went back over to her mirror, called for Hogge, and a minute later she had disappeared into the Underground.

~~o~~

Running from the alley behind the market stalls where he had just been, a little brown goblin made his way to the room where his friends were waiting for him in the palace. He burst into the room, closing the doors tightly behind him before waving his satchel over his head in an overexcited frenzy

"I GOTS ITS, I GOTS THE THINGY!"

His two friends, who like him were servents for the king (despite their dimwitted nature), both rushed over to him. One of them grabbed the bag and the other pulled the old brown glass bottle out, and opened it up the admire the deep red coloured liquid inside. The three of them let out a little squile of delight as the sweet, rosey scent filled the air around them.

"Oooo kingy will be be so happy with us's"

"Now all's we got to do it put this in lady's and kingy's drink"

"Yes, yes, we's gonna make such a happy kingy with this"

~~o~~

Hoggle didn't like the idea of this little meeting one bit. The second he found out about the letter that Jareth had sent Sarah he had been suspicious of the kings intentions. He knew that he had tried to seduce Sarah at least once before, and now being the age that she was, he wasn't so sure she would be so set on resisting him. He was just glad it didn't take much convincing with Sarah to allow him to be her "official escort" to this little dinner. Jareth had traked him down to discuss his new position with him, but he to agreed to let him join them, so long as he doesn't get in the way. During the conversation Jareth had assured him that he had to malicious intent with Sarah, and that he simply wished to talk to her. Even as he walked to the palace with her he didn't trust the rat.

They talked very little on the way and arrived after about ten minutes. They were let in with, at least what Sarah thought to be, a little too much ceremony for two dinner guests, and were ten taken to the kings private dining room. Though it was nowhere near as large as the formal dining room (thus the choice to use the smaller space for three people) the room was still quite grand. Solid wood furniture, with a dark stain finish and red velvet for the seat cushion, increbable paintings, and elaborate chandeliers and candelabras lighting the space where just the first fabulously luxurious accents that caught Sarah's eyes in the room. The next however was the goblin king himself, who entered the room in the only way he seemed to know how to, in a cloud of glitter, and dressed just as glamorously as the room was decorated.

"Ah, my presious girl, how incredibly honored I am for you to accept my little invitation. Might I just say how absolutely lovely you look this evening." After a small bow to Sarah he turned his head just enough to be reminded of the angry looking dwarf who was joining them that evening "Oh, yes, and hello to you as well Higgle. Well, shall we all take our seats now."

They all began to walk over to the small rectangular table, but when Hoggle tried to take one of the seats on the long end of the table, a small brown goblin pulled him away.

"That not yourspot!" The goblin said in a hushed, scolding tone "Yous sit theres." And he pointed to the head of the table.

"Well shouldn't the king sits there?"

"No no no! Kingy sits across from where lady sits, and lady sits there!" The goblin pointed to where Sarah was sitting, which was the place where Hoggle had tried to sit, and then to Jareth who sat across from her, just like he had said.

They too were being seated by small servant goblins, and from the look on Jareth's face, he hadden been expecting it either. When he realised he had been placed facing Sarah, he decided not to look a gift house in the mouth.

"Well before we eat I propose a toast, to Miss Sarah Williams, champion of the labyrinth, the most beautiful women to ever enter the Goblin Kingdom, and tonight, my treasured guest." Hoggle's mood seemed to sower a little more, not only from the overly corny toast, but from the fact Sarah had actually blushed at it.

They all lifted their goblets to take a drink, but Hoggle paused a moment when he noticed the brown goblin and his two friends giggling and pointing as Sarah and Jareth drank.

"So, goblin king" Sarah began as she placed her cup back on the table "what exactly have you ... Um ... Have you brought me here to ... Um ... Discuss." Her words became more spaced out and breathy as she talked,almost like she was in a trance. As terrified as the thoughts that were crossing Hoggle's mind were, his fear only increased when he heard Jareth reply in the same tone.

"Well Sarah ... You see ... I wanted to talk about your comings and goings ... Between here and the above ground that is ... I washoping that ... Well ... I could ... Well ... Make them easier for you ... And please .. Do call me Jareth"

"A-alright ... J-Jareth ..."

Hoggle was practically frozen there as he looked at the sparke in their eyes when they looked at one another. His trance was broken however, when he heard those same three goblins whisper and giggle some more. His attention was soon brought back to Sarah and Jareth when they both, almost simultaneously, jumped up from their chairs and ran to the end of the table, opposite to Hoggle, where they met one another in a tight embrace and an impassioned kiss. Hoggle's mind went from terrified to down right, completely stunned as he looked on at this horrific scene.

He had never witnessed a more passionate and loving kiss, and he wish with all his heart that he never had. Feeling as though he had control of his body once again, he began to stand up to protest, but as he did, they disappeared into a puff of glitter. Hoggle knew exactly where they had gone, but just the thought of Sarah in Jareth's bedchamber made him want to jump into the bog.

The goblin peanutgallery who had been there during this little even suddenly broke out into loud cheers, snapping Hoggle's mind out of that nauseating train of thought.

"Well what inHell's name are yous three celebrateing for?" Hoggle hissed at them

"IT WORKED! SUPRISE FOR KINGY WORKED!"

"Now kingy gonna like us and gives us lots of chickens and not kicks us or througss us into the bog!"

"Suprise? What suprise? What did yous little creeps do to Sarah?!"

"I boughts this" the little brown goblin said holding up the now half empty bottle.

"And then I slips it into Kingy and lady's drink all secret" said another, taking the bottle and holding it up like before.

Hoggle swiped the bottle out of their hands and turned it over to see the table. When he saw it his jaw practically hit the floor.

"LOVE POTION!"