Note: This story is the sequel to The Understanding. If you have not read it, I suggest you do. If you have read it, or if you don't want to read it, there is a quick summary below:

When Sarah told a neighbour boy about the goblins, she found herself in a dilemma. Seeking aid from the fairy queen Nerissa, Sarah attempted to regain the children stolen by the goblins. It was not until returning to the Labyrinth that Sarah began to understand the trouble she was in. Forced to return above ground without the children, having been betrayed by the fairy queen, Sarah had no choice but to surrender herself to the goblin king. She allowed him to have power over her, binding herself to him in exchange for the opportunity to once again return to the Labyrinth.

When Jareth announced that he intended to make Sarah his queen, she finally understood his intentions in recovering her. The news was not altogether received well, a disgruntled goblin named Ant, who hated the "stupid-girl" agreed to help Sarah if Sarah promised not to be the help of the goblin, Sarah found the stolen children and returned them home.

Alas, Nerissa's vendetta against Sarah and Jareth had not ended and the fairy queen returned. Again she attempted to kill Sarah, but she, now under Jareth's power, was protected by a powerful enchantment. Sensing the attack against his precious future-queen, Jareth appeared to finally put an end to Nerissa. Before the battle was over, however, Jareth sent Sarah to the castle. The resourceful girl, found Jareth's library, and sent a message to Winston, the neighbour boy, informing him that Toby would be able to free her. Sarah returned to Jareth's throne room awaiting the result of the battle with the goblins.

When the king returned, he proclaimed the death of his sister, the fairy queen and then confronted Sarah about stealing his children. Thus begins episode two: The Taming.

The usual disclaimer... I don't own the characters, places, or words. I just arranged them.


"You stole my children," Jareth stated.

"Life's not fair," Sarah challenged. "And... You have no power over me."

Reflexively, Jareth braced himself for the shudder of pain and embarrassment, which, until recently, had always followed those spiteful words. Yet, at the sound of her words, his world did not shatter.

She was his now and he did have power over her.

A predatory smirk nestled in his features as he considered Sarah's posturing. She straightened herself, determined not to be daunted by the truth. Jareth may have power over her, but he still had not won her yet. There was still fun to be had.

Sarah gritted her teeth and pushed her chin forward, hoping to look regal and commanding, but as the goblin noises hushed at her startling words, she began to waver. She glared at the goblin king expecting him to respond. Long moments passed and his only response was an ever-widening grin that nestled an icy dread in Sarah's mind. Afraid she might betray her fear, she forced herself to continue the fearless charade. "So Goblin King, what next?" She taunted.

Jareth knew how Sarah expected him to respond. And he could have fulfilled her fantasy, allowing himself once more to don the charade of the aggressive villain. But that was no longer necessary. He had allowed himself to be transformed by Sarah's wishes, now it was his turn to shape her. Sarah would fight it to the end, but she would eventually become who he wanted her to be.

So, the goblin king did the exact opposite of what Sarah anticipated. The smirk disappeared from his face and was replaced by an expression of weariness. He let out a heavy sigh as he looked down to his torn, tattered, and spoiled garments that reeked of the blood of his own sister, the faerie queen who had tried to take Sarah from him. "Nothing happens next," He muttered.

"What!?" Sarah bravely took a step forward.

Jareth shrugged. "I'm tired. We can continue this exchange another time," She opened her mouth to chastise or challenge him, but he would not have it. "Leave," He interjected before she could speak.

"What!?" Sarah repeated.

"Leave the throne room," He commanded. "I want to rest."

"No. Now you see here. You are the one who wanted me here. You are the –"

Jareth waved his hand before she could continue and suddenly she was gone. The goblins chuckled at the girl's misfortune.


"One who brought me here!" Sarah finished. "Oh!" She growled as she realised Jareth's trick. He had sent her away with a mere hand gesture. Whatever rights she had had concerning her own movement the last times she had been in the labyrinth, obviously the rules had changed since she had come under his power.

Still absorbed in her frustration, Sarah had not actually been alert to her new surroundings. But as she shouted out "Goblin King," she felt a beat of sweat trickled down her forehead. She wiped it with her hand and then looked down at her palm in disbelief. The Labyrinth was warm, but not this warm.

Almost doubtfully, she let her gaze wander past her fingers and to her dismay, found herself on an island amidst a lake of fire. She spun around to confirm that it was, indeed an island. All around her burned crackling, unquenchable fire. She crept towards the edge of the island and looked down, trying to see the source of the conflagration, but could see nothing beyond the blazing flames. She caught the scent of burning hair and moved back from the edge of her island.

At the center of the island was a bed and beside the bed was a pillar with a basin. Sarah strode toward the basin, ignoring the bed as though it were a cruel joke. Jareth did not actually intend to keep her here did he?

To her relief, the basin was filled to the brim with water. She cupped a handful and brought it to her lips. The water was sweet. Almost as sweet as...

She let the water drain from her fingers.

The water tasted like a fairy spring. Nerissa, Jareth's conniving sister, had used her spring to get into Sarah's mind and attempt to get the girl to kill herself.

Why would Jareth have that water? Why would he give it to Sarah? Did he want her to die too?

No. It couldn't be. If he had wanted that, he could have pitched her into the fire instead of on this unusual island.

Sarah cupped another handful of water, trusting her instincts. The goblin king did not want her dead. He would not have gone through so much trouble to capture her if he wanted her dead.

She took a few more sips and then splashed water all over her face, attempting to cool down.

"Oh no," she muttered. "Maybe I should be rationing the water." She looked at the basin; water trickled down the side from when she had splashed it on her face. Yet, the level had not changed. It was still filled to the brim. "Magic," She decided. Though, not willing to test her theory, she wisely left the water undisturbed until she was thirsty again.

She walked over to the bed and placed a hand on it. This was not the bed she had been using in the Labyrinth. In fact, it had the distinctive scent of the goblin king.

Sarah crinkled her nose and decided to sit on the ground elsewhere.

"Where am I?" She wondered aloud. She could see the castle, it was probably fifty kilometers away, and a road stretched toward it. But she was far adrift from it. Elsewhere the lake of fire looked interminable. "This must be the far end of the castle. I can't see the labyrinth at all."

Sarah sighed. What was she supposed to do now?


For the first time in his life, Winston found himself unable to rest. He had always been able to fall into a self-content and smug sleep. Now he stared at the ceiling not sure whether to attempt to shut his mind off or not. It was whirling with the new responsibilities Sarah had bestowed upon him. She had been taken captive by the fearsome goblin king because of a mistake he had made and her only hope of rescue was her little brother. But Toby was a toddler, it would be years before he would be able to face the goblin king and demand back his sister.

Realising that his attempts to sleep were futile, Winston rose. He flicked on the lights and caught an image of himself in the mirror. He walked towards the reflection; his brow furrowed as he considered it. He pinched the chubby cheeks and pulled on his childish curls.

He had always been proud of his appearance and his mother had assured him it was intelligent and handsome. But looking at himself now, Winston saw the remnants of the spoiled brat who had summoned the goblin king to steal his sister.

"Not anymore," He told his reflection. He owed that to Sarah. He would do whatever he could to bring her back.


"Goblin King!" Sarah yelled. "Goblin King!" She had decided that, if nothing less, she could attempt to exacerbate Jareth. She assumed that, with her magical ties to him, he could hear her whining. At least, that is what she hoped. "Jareth!" She continued her chant. "Goblin King... Goblin King... Jareth..."


Jareth gazed intently into one of his seeing crystals. He had watched Sarah establish herself on the island. He was worried she might try something foolish, like when she had leapt off the bridge to nowhere, but apparently, she still had some sense for she leaned against the pillar holding the water fount. He was amused that she declined to use the bed, but that was to be expected of Sarah.

Then she started her little chant of his name. He felt it first, before hearing it. The tingling sensation in the back of his head that told him a human was using his name.

He felt a spike of adrenaline, his instincts telling him that there was prey to be caught. She said his name again, and he felt another jolt of excitement.

Jareth looked once more into the crystal, satisfied that Sarah was not going anywhere. The stubborn girl would likely continue her mantra until he appeared and he had no intention of doing so soon. She was to be his queen and he need to shape her as such.

With a flick of his wrist, the seeing crystal disappeared. The goblin king rose and left the throne room, stepping on goblins that were not hasty enough to flee his path.

He stretched out on his bed, glorifying in the day's victory and allowed Sarah's chanting to lull him into sleep. Tomorrow, the taming would begin.