Prologue

One Week After Sarah Left

"I'll see you at the wedding, then?", Sarah asked her littler brother.

"Duh. Like I'm gonna miss my own sister's wedding.", Toby replied, grinning. "Now, go! And tell Leanna Happy Belated Birthday from me."

"I will." Sarah grinned and touched the crystal.

Sarah was almost immediately transported to somewhere that was definitely not the Castle beyond the Goblin City, or the labyrinth, or even anywhere near the labyrinth, for that matter. The sky was pitch black with no stars or moon. The only thing that allowed her to see was the hundred of small fires scattered about for as far as she could see. The few trees she saw were black and gnarled, and the grass was dead. In the distant, she saw a huge silouette of a large, forbidding castle.

"Well, well.", said a voice behind her. "It's about time." the voice was smooth and silky, though not pleasantly so, like Jareth's. This voice reminded her of a snake, cold and filled with malice. She whirled around and saw a man who definitely matched his voice. He was tall, pale, dress all in black, and completely bald. He was very pale. His nose was nothing but two slits in the middle of his face, and his eyes were as well, which were slightly glowing red. Snake, indeed.

"What do you want?", she hissed at the man.

"Revenge.", he growled in reply, and Sarah's world went blank, and she knew no more.

One Year After Sarah Left

Jareth paced his study. Leanna and JJ were sitting there, watching, their heads moving from side to side in unison. Today was Leanna's seventeenth birthday, and Sarah wasn't here for it. Leanna tried not to show it, but Jareth knew she was sad and angry. Sarah had never missed one of her daughter's birthdays. Jareth knew just how she felt.

"Dad, it'll be okay.", Leanna said. "She'll come back soon."

Jareth just couldn't help but wonder how she could make that promise when she looked so worried herself...

Two Years After Sarah Left

Leanna glared into her crystal ball and shouted for the millionth time, "Show me my mother, Sarahy Williams!" Just like the other million time, the crystal didn't respond. She could feel her mother's fear, though, so Leanna knew Sarah was alive. It was so faint, though, that she could almost believe what everyone said about it being her imagination. But she knew better.

"Please come to bed, love.", JJ said. he was already in bed, watching her with something dangerously close to pity in his eyes.

"She's alive JJ. I know it.", Leanna whispered.

JJ came to sit beside her at the piano. "I believe you, love.", he whispered sincerely. "But you're going to kill yourself if you keep going like this."

Leanna sighed. He was right of course, but that didn't mean she like it. Not that she didn't like sleeping with him. His prescence was comfortable, and it drove away the darkness and the nightmares about creepy seventh grade gym teachers kidpnapping her mother. But she didn't want to give up on her mother, and she told JJ as much.

"I'll help you as much as you want tomorrow. But sleep now.", JJ told her.

Leann nodded reluctantly and took off the ring her dad had given her for her eighteenth birthday just a week ago. She poured as much energy and power into it that she could without killing herself. One of these days, the ring would probably save someone's life. JJ took off his own similar ring that he'd gotten from Jareth several years ago and did the same things. This had been their nightly ritual for the past week.

Before the finally went to bed, Leanna walked over to the window and looked out at the red tinted stars and whispered, "Goodnight, Mom. I love you."

Five Years After Sarah Left-Present Time

Leanna marched into Jareth's study with JJ in tow. Jareth looked up in surprise. "What?", he asked irritably. He'd been in the middle of a rather important letter.

Leanna hesitated. For the past four years, she had stopped herself from doing this. It was a touchy subject with her father. The whole point of bringing JJ along was for extra support. But he hadn't spoken about her all year. So, she took a deep breath and said, "Happy Anniversary, Dad."

Leanna realized it had been a very bad idea indeed when his eyes got sad and he went back to his letter, ignoring them completely. Leanna knew what would happen. He'd avoid the both of them for about two weeks, then he'd try to talk to her, and he'd get sad again, or sadder, actually. Then he'd disappear for another two weeks.

That was why Leanna was surprised when Jareth suddenly stood up and hugged his daughter so tight, she could barely breath. Instead of complaining, Leanna took as a good sign and hugged him back just as tight.

JJ conjured a glass of wine and handed it to Jareth. Jareth took a sip, then sat down on the couch with a sigh.

"Gods, I miss your mother so much.", he said.

"Me, too, Dad. But she's alive, I know it."

Jareth smiled sadly. "I know you do, love. I know." He turned his attention to his archmage. "Are you still sleeping with my daughter?"

Leanna choked on the wine she'd conjured for herself. "What kind of question is that?", she spluttered.

Jareth grinned, pleased and amused at her reaction. "Does this mean I can expect wedding bells and grandchildren soon?"

JJ fell off of Jareth's desk, where he'd been sitting, and Leanna dropped her glass.

Leanna glared at Jareth and growled, "You've still got Mom on the brain." She instantly regretted it because he took a sudden interest in his glass of wine. "Dad...", she sighed, then smiled a little painfully. "Well, while you contemplate the wonders of your wine, " there was a loud chime thoughout the castle, "and answer the door, me and JJ will... go to the library."

"More like we'll give you something to get that bloody alcohol out of your system.", JJ muttered.

"It wasn't even that much.", Leanna hissed back.

"What?", Jareth asked.

"Nothing.", they both answered in unison, and JJ ushered Leanna out of the door, closing it behind them.

Jareth sighed. Now he was hearing things. Perhaps he'd been imagining the doorbell, too. No, he supposed not, since Leanna had practically told him to get. He shouldn't get it because of that, but he left his study to do so.

Jareth braced himself against the huge doors and pushed. He could've opened them easily with a wave of his hand, but at the moment, he welcomed the physical labor. When he got the door open, no one was there. There was a large bundle wrapped in a dirty silk blanket. Jareth really hoped it wasn't more fiery body parts.

Jareth squatted down, pulled back part of the cloth, and caught his breath. He touched the bruised, cut face of the beautiful woman lying before him. He knew that face.

"Sarah.", he whispered, and he picked her up gently. "Leanna! JJ! Come here this instant!"

Jareth walked as quickly as he dared without jostling Sarah overmuch. If the rest of her was as bad as her face, she was in trouble.

"What have we done now?", Leanna asked as she met him at the door of his bedroom with JJ. Then her eyes fell on her mother and they widened. "Mom?", she whispered.

Jareth nodded. "Now open the door." Leanna did so without hesitation. Jareth laid Sarah gently on the bed and looked at the other two. "We've got to heal her."

"But we don't have that kind of strength.", JJ replied.

Leanna was silent for a few moments. "Yes, we do.", she said finally. She pulled out the ring. JJ grinned and pulled out his own.

Jareth sighed and took out one that was similar to theirs. "Seems you two pick up more than just my bad habits." He placed the ring on his right index finger, followed by the other two. They all sat beside the bed and began one of the most difficult and powerful spells of healing."

I'm ba-ack! Did you miss me? I know I missed all of you! This is a sort of preview for what's to come. Not sure when I'm going to get Chapter 1 up. Anyway, I want to thank you for all the wonderful reviews you all gave me for the first The Heir, and I hope you guys enjoy this one as well.

Jareth: Well, I'm not! This is a most dissatisfying beginning!

Lp: Why?

Jareth: Because I'm showing *shudders* emotion.

Lp: But you love Sarah and Leanna and JJ.

Jareth: Doesn't mean I have to show it!

Lp: Hey, Jareth, do you remember this? *pulls out tranquilizer gun* I owe this idea to Celestialdome.

Jareth: *runs away screaming like a girl*

Lp: *shakes head*