"Your majesty?" came a small from his chamber door. He turned to see Stark a little goblin maiden that he fancied. She was the smartest of them all and he could confide in her his most secret thoughts.

"Yes, Stank, what is it?" He said trying to calm down and regain what little composure he had left.

"Are you alright, your majesty?"

He looked at her for the longest time. None of his subjects or any one else for that matter had every asked about him. Not once.

"I'm fine. A little shaken, but fine. What is it you wanted?"

"The council is waiting for you in the main hall. Will you go to them there or shall I send them into the throne room?"

"This is important and of upmost secrecy for they never come here, they never even leave their own kingdoms unless it is bad, we will need to be in a room with thick walls that are reinforced with magic. Send them to the council room I will meet with them there."

"Of course, you're Highness. Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Are you sure you're alright? I mean you're in a mood to deal with the council, aren't you? If you aren't I could tell the council to come later when his majesty is feeling better."

"No, it's fine. I'll be fine. No need to make them wait any longer." He said smiling down at her. She was so innocent in caring for him; none of his other subjects ever concerned themselves with his well being.

He enjoyed her company and liked having her by his side, but it troubled him that she wasn't like the others, that meant some thing was wrong. He remembered like it was yesterday the day he turned her into a goblin her sister hadn't even fought to keep her. That was after Sarah and perhaps that is why the sister had disgusted him so much she was nothing like Sarah and upon the thought of Sarah the images of what he had just seen in the seeing mirror and he shuddered.

Very little scared him, very little worried him, but what he saw in the mirror haunted him the rest of his life.

"Welcome to my humble kingdom, now, may I ask what you wish of me?"

He looked around the room to see that all of the kingdoms sat in front of him, all except the Fire Kingdom. Where were they if not here? What could be keeping them from this gathering?

"We have come here to tell you of a danger that we suspect comes from the Fire Kingdom." Said King Darren, the king of the waste land, ruler of the scavengers that lived there.



"What threat could the Fire Kingdom ever be to all of us and our numbers?" Jareth asked remaining as calm as possible.

"You know they have always been a threat to all our nations so don't stand there pretending to not know or that every thing is normal! This is serious, Jareth! You know how dangerous this could be…..!" Shouted Queen Sireen, queen of the sirens.

"Could be if the rumors were true!" Jareth countered.

"Then you know why we are all here." Said Queen Camera irritably.

Jareth sighed deeply before he continued he knew how important it is to keep them all civil it was also very hard and nerve raking on top of that.

"Yes, I have heard them, but their kingdom is right next to mine and I have never had a problem with them." He said at last.

"Yes, but they would start with one of the weaker kingdoms." Commented King Boren, he was king of fantasies.

Jareth closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This is not what he needed, not today, not ever. It was always the same they called these gatherings for some thing important and then argued and bickered and never let you finish a thing. His patience was wearing thin, he wasn't sure how much more he could take of this.

"If all of you wish to continue fighting then please don't let me stop you, but when you wish to take this seriously and discuss this as the mature patriarchs that we are then you are all welcomed, but as long as you wish to disagree and bicker like children then take it else where." With that Jareth turned and walked out leaving the other rulers in disorder and confusion the servants had to show them all the way back out. Jareth watched all this from a safe distance in his chamber room with the door shut and securely locked, but soon there was a knock at his chamber door.

"You may enter, Stank, I know it's you." Without looking at the door he used his magic to unbolt it.

She peeked shyly around the door. She was blushing, just as every time she came into the rooms were he was. He smiled down at her to let her know it was alright to enter.

"What was it this time, Your Highness? If I may?"

"They wished to bring to my attention the rumors about the Fire Kingdom."

"But they are only rumors. They would have attacked us by now if there was any truth to them at all."

"That is what I told them, but they are sure that if they were true they would attack a weaker kingdom first and build up their strength before attacking us, which is a good point, but there has been no attack."



"So they just wished to argue again?"

"Yes, I believe that is all they wanted."

"You're Highness, if I may speak my mind to you…."

"What is it, Stank?" He asked concern marking his handsome features.

"I'm not like the other goblins, am I?"

He had been afraid she would ask this and was even more afraid of telling her the truth. "No, Stank, you're not."

"I thought not. All the others are mean and rude, but I can't bring myself to be that way."

"That's why you are special and why I take such pleasure in your company." He said smiling at her. She blushed very noticeably, but he didn't mind. He merely reached down and put her on his lap. He hugged her close. He enjoyed having her in his arms.

"S-s-sir?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Just calming myself through the peace you have inside you."