Part Two

Chapter One

For the next week Sarah felt more bliss then she had ever known encased in her stone prison. Waking with the sunlight streaming into the room, bathing in the heat of the sun under the comfortable weight of thick luscious blankets and nice clean sheets is not something Sarah would ever take for granted again. Every morning she would wake to the sound of the birds and the serenity of a large open space and revelled in it. She would go to the balcony each morning, throw the doors open wide and spend several minutes out in the open air. She would then move to the bathroom and bathe for hours in water that never lost an ounce of heat. Once clean, she moved to her closet and happily pondered the dilemma of which dress to wear for the day. By the time she was dressed and her hair was done her breakfast would be ready for her on the large four seater table. She still had fruit, but now she also had the option of pastries and even things such as bacon and eggs. She had over-indulged slightly for the first few days, eating more than her fill and getting slight stomach cramps for it later, but she easily dismissed the small pain; it was worth the cost to pay. She even had tea in the mornings, and gods how she had missed the benefit of caffeine. She happily drank at least three cups of tea before the clock even struck ten, and always out on the balcony, which overlooked the enormity of the labyrinth.

There was a beauty in it; she had to concede, seeing it from such a height, in all its glory. She could not believe she had travelled so far in only thirteen hours. Less than that, considering Jareth had stolen two hours from her when she was in the oubliette.

Of course, something's were still the same; for example, she still lived behind a locked door. The bedroom she was in now could only be accessed by Jareth, and a few goblins that came in every morning to clean and potter around the room. Another thing that was the same was the chain. She was still sanctioned by the silver cuff and its leash, which held her captive to the room via the heavy metal shackle on the bed, but Sarah took little notice of it. As long as she stayed away from the bedroom door, she hardly noticed the chain was there, and it really was just a precaution Jareth had put in place just in case she got any ideas when the goblins came to unlock the door and run around the room changing sheets and replacing odds and ends.

Sarah didn't take the chain to mean he didn't trust her not to run away again, it was, after all, just a precaution.

He still came every night, only now they mostly spent their time in her bed then in his. Sometimes he would materialise them to his room, but she hadn't had the room long enough to distinguish any kind of routine to his actions. His 'lovemaking' was still the same, and Sarah was as compliant and submissive as ever, giving him anything and everything he asked for.

It was even a little easier for Sarah now, knowing she wasn't going to have to wait hours and hours for nothing but him. Now with the luxury of books, she spent hours comfortably submersed in the thoughts and feeling of others.

It made her happier than words could describe that she no longer sat in silence with nothing but her misery for company. Now she could leave her mind for hours at a time and explore the recesses of others minds.

Today would make it seven days since Sarah had been given her new room, and another routine she had impressed upon herself was keeping track of the days. Every morning after the goblins left, she would retrieve a pencil from her desk, roll under the bed with a small lit candle and carve a single straight line into the wood. This line accompanied other small lines and one group with a line going diagonally through it signalling the pass of five days. She thought it was important to know how much time was passing now. Even if it was slightly pointless, since she knew she could never leave, she felt like it was simply the thing to do. Why she felt the urge to keep it concealed, she didn't know, she just... did.

Today Sarah was diving into the world of astronomers. Learning about the stars of the Underground and their meanings. The book was heavy with words and complicated diagrams that probably would have bored the crap out of her in an old life. But now her eyes scanned hungrily over the pages, lapping up their knowledge like a starved kitten for milk. She missed school. She missed learning. Thinking and allowing herself to think of anything but her own life.

When she heard the door open she was quite surprised. Her eyes darted to the door to note that it was indeed Jareth walking through, though why was the question. He never came this early. Her eyes immediately darted to the clock on the wall above the door; it read six-thirty eight. He was early. She immediately stood from her favourite seat near the window. She would have read outside on the balcony but it was far too cold for that today. Winter was coming, she knew. The days were shorter and darker and colder, but nothing could take the pleasure of fresh, clean air away from Sarah's mind.

Jareth immediately moved to the centre of the room, and Sarah watched him tentatively as he smiled at her.

"Sarah," he said, the slightest of edges to his casual tone. "I realise that my visit is perhaps something of a surprise, but I still expect to be formally greeted, rather than simply gaped at."

Sarah let out a small gasp at her forgetfulness. Quickly she rushed to stand before him, before sinking to her knees. Flustered she said, "I'm sorry. Forgive me Your Majesty; this is just such a... pleasant surprise."

A light chuckle and soft, gloved hands found her chin, raising her gaze from the floor to his smiling face.

"It's quite all right Sarah. Though, in future, I would much prefer to be greeted with a kiss then a bow."

Using his grip on her chin he delicately pulled her up, and now standing moved in to place his lips firmly upon her own. She opened up for him, and even raised her arms around his neck expressing the desire to deepen the kiss, so relieved that he wasn't angered by her lack of manners.

Really? She thought as she continued to kiss him with fake passion; lack of manners not to bow before your captor and rapist? How... proper.

She pushed the little voice away again. That voice, it was getting louder, and honestly she didn't know what to do with it. It definitely sounded like her old self. The old Sarah; stubborn, defiant, fearless. She couldn't be any of those things now, but that voice was still there, uselessly prattling on.

When the kiss broke it took Sarah several seconds to regain composer. Jareth was still smiling, only broader now, which was good, it meant that battling with that intrusive little voice hadn't dampened her performance none.

Figuring she might as well sell it for all it was worth, she let out a little giggle, and reclaimed his lips quickly, giving him only seconds to react before pulling away again, keeping a playful little smile on her face.

He chuckled. A sound of true amusement and happiness.

"My my, we are in a mischievous mood aren't we? And here I was scolding myself for visiting so early instead of seeing to my work. But I see now that I am more intelligent then I give myself credit for." He gushed charmingly, and pulled her into an embrace. She let out another little giggle, and rose amused eyes up into the face of the man she despised, "I do hope you aren't neglecting anything to important to come see me, but... I have to agree on that last part. So intelligent." She praised, stroking his ego with another teasing kiss on his lips.

He let out a low humming purr; she knew he was pleased.

"To enticing for your own good pet. To enticing." He repeated, smelling her hair deeply. He took her left hand in his and waved his right through the air, dismissing the chain around her silver cuff.

"Care to take a walk with me precious?" He asked; though the slight tinge in his voice let her know that saying 'no' would do nothing good.

"I would love to." She replied, with sickly sweet sincerity. She was getting better at faking that.

After insisting she put a coat on over her dress, since the day was chilly, the pair left her room in favour of walking through the halls of the castle. Neither said anything, though Sarah was curious as to where they were walking to she never the less allowed Jareth to pull her through the endless maze of hallways in silence. When at last they reached a set of large, grand double doors, Sarah had to take several deep calming steadying breaths. These doors were exactly like the ones she had rushed through on the night of her failed escape. These doors must lead outside.

Unless she counted the night of her escape - which she did not, because she hardly had time to bask in the open air when she was running for her life - she had not had the pleasure of the outside world for a whole year.

The double doors opened automatically, as though sensing the approach of their king, and Jareth pulled Sarah out into the blinding sunshine of the autumn afternoon.

With her usual effort to push the memory of said night out of the way, she was in somewhat of a dazed state as Jareth led her down the steps and through paths lined with high shrubbery. As caught up in her own mind as she was, she couldn't help feel relief and some excitement that she was outside. Feet on the gravel, wind gently caressing her hair, the smell of grass and flowers and earth permeating the air, which she inhaled with a sleepy kind of bliss.

Jareth of course noted all this behaviour in his most prized possession. She had missed the outside, he knew. It had been necessary to keep her indoors at all times when she first arrived; at least until she learned obedience. But he was confident that she now saw his generosity in the recent freedoms he had given her, and knew she knew them to be a privilege, not a right.

When Jareth reached his intended destination, he stopped. They stood before a large wooden gate surrounded by high shrubs on both sides, Sarah looked at the gate curiously, and then at Jareth, who smiled, and explained.

"These are my favourite gardens; I thought you would like to see them. As I recall, you have quite a fondness for flowers." He said as he opened the gate.

Sarah silently wondered how he would know such a thing, but seconds later those thoughts were wiped clean as she saw what stood behind the wooden gate.

It was glorious. An intricate pebble path dipped and curved around the greenest grass and brightly coloured flowers Sarah had ever seen. A large round fountain stood in the centre of the wide open space, which held trees of which blossoms and rich brown tinted leaves still hung. The fountain depicted a little cupid shooting water from its bow, which splayed in all different directions into the blue water. Sarah moved around the garden in awe, drinking in the scents and sounds and sights like a wet sponge. Jareth watched her fondly as she brushed her fingers delicately over rose petals and bent to inhale deeply. As she skimmed her finger into the slightly ice tinted water, ignoring the shudder of cold in favour of the bliss of temporary freedom. She even bent to gently caress the cute little stepping stones which seemed to have elegant writing engraved in them of languages Sarah did not speak.

Never content to not be holding her for long, Jareth found himself behind her and slid his arms around her waist, bringing her into him. He whispered lightly in her ear, "Do you like it?"

Sarah hummed in approval, "It's beautiful." She sighed, leaning into his embrace, allowing the garden to relax her.

"Yes. It is." He replied and kissed her ear. Sadly though, he could not stay, he did have work to do, lots of it, and only came to her on a whim as he looked out on the garden through his office window. He would leave her here, he resolved, giving her a chance to bask in the rewards of her good behaviour. Placing both hands on her shoulders he turned her to face him and kissed her gently, tasting cinnamon and honey on her tongue as he did.

He reluctantly pulled away with a sigh. He could always return to her later.

"I have work too attend to precious. I trust you can entertain yourself here for a time until I return." He said, not quite a question. Sarah nodded frantically, eager for the chance to be outside alone. Though it was getting easier being around him, her nerves were still on spikes whenever he was near.

He drew her into a hug, before whispering in her ear, "Don't disappoint me."

Sarah hardened in a second, and took in a sharp breath. It was clearly a warning, and the sinister implication it held nearly stopped her heart, but she would never run again.

She only nodded, fighting to keep a pleasant smile on her face to hide the stab of fear she just felt.

He kissed her again, lightly, before stepping back and vanishing in a cloud of glitter. Sarah let out a breath of relief the second he was gone, and turned back to appraise the garden.

Hours past, and soon the sun began to set. It got colder, but Sarah didn't mind; this place was beautiful and she was finally outside. If it wasn't so cold, she would have loved the opportunity to take off her stockings and shoes and run bare foot through the grass, but as it was, she had to content herself running her fingers over the dew soaked tips, almost feeling the vibrations of the earth shoot through her arm.

She was seated on a bench by the time the sky was lighting up with orange and vibrant pink as the sun began to set.

"Beautiful." Sarah sighed contentedly; gazing out at the garden with peaceful abandon.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you." Said a strange voice from behind her, and Sarah jumped up and spun, confronted with a stranger looking right at her.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Jordan was the son of a very wealthy duke in the Marshland kingdoms. His father worked directly for another Unseelie king, one of the closest kings to Jareth. He had told his father he had wanted to witness court proceedings and get to know the kingdom closest to the one in which they resided, and now he could not have been happier that his father had bought that excuse.

He was actually here on a secret mission, but had now been quite thoroughly distracted. Ever since he had seen the dark haired beauty dance, he had been able to think of little else. He had wondered aimlessly through the Goblin King's castle day after day, just hoping to catch a glimpse of her, but it appeared as though the Goblin King bringing her forward in the company of himself and his father's other dignitaries, was not an everyday occurrence.

The guard had called her a slave. So Jareth must be keeping her somewhere where he could have her all to himself. Jordan wasn't stupid enough to attempt to follow the Goblin King around in his own kingdom, so he had no idea where. Jordan knew he shouldn't be thinking of the girl so much, he had a job to do, and couldn't do so while mooning over a girl he didn't even know. He knew he was a fool to let himself be so consumed with thoughts of her, but he just could not get the image of her face out of his mind's eye.

He couldn't help but wonder if he would ever see her again, and then it appeared that luck was on his side. He had gotten into something of a routine of walking through the castles gardens every evening before retiring to his quarters, and was just heading back to the castle when he saw her.

She was even more beautiful then he remembered; her face was turned to the left slightly, her eyes closed, turned upwards towards the light. The colours of the setting sun bathed her face in a radiant glow no artist could have ever captured. Her lips, though slightly paled from the cold, held a smile of blissful relaxation making him want to smile in return. When she opened her eyes, though she was still turned away from him, he could see the sharp green of her eyes. Such brilliant shining jewels that set a perfect contrast with her dark brown hair.

He took in a sharp breath as she spoke, "Beautiful." She sighed, looking appraisingly over the gardens bathed in an autumn sunset.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you." He responded, not sure what prompted him into revealing himself, only that he just simply burned with the desire for her to look at him.

He almost regretted it as she spun to face him, shock and disbelief quickly turning into fear. Jordan was a little shocked at how scared she actually appeared. Her stance was directed away as though she was about to run, her eyes widened and twitched and then widened again. She gaped, and then froze, as though completely immobilised, and Jordan had no idea how to react.

Sarah felt like a deer caught in headlights. She stood frozen, her eyes seeking frantically for an escape. In truth, the man before her didn't look the least bit threatening. He looked young, though that would be no indication on the true age of a fae, he nevertheless looked younger then Jareth. He had simple light brown hair cropped close to his head, pale features and light blue eyes. Despite his calm demeanour, Sarah wanted nothing more than to run. She hadn't interacted with anyone aside from Jareth, for a whole year. And it wasn't as though she wasn't thirsty for someone, anyone else in her life; she simply knew that Jareth would never allow it. That was why she made no effort to interact with the female goblins that cleaned her room and helped her dress every day, simply because it would probably only end in trouble. When you're owned by a crazy psychopath, you don't get friends.

So Sarah's first instinct was that of a startled animal; freeze, then run. But she couldn't. She knew she couldn't. Jareth had practically told her not to leave, and she knew that no matter the excuse, such a blatant act of disobedience would lead to severe punishment, of that she was certain.

The fear was intense. Fear of the unknown man. Fear of Jareth. Fear of the future and the consequences of even being there.

So she didn't do anything. She didn't move, she didn't talk, she just stood there and slowly allowed her stance to relax under the man's gaze.

She was still scared, but she knew she couldn't run, so she didn't do anything, simply returned his stare.

After watching her slowly calm from her eerily fear, Jordan finally felt confident enough to speak. "I didn't mean to startle you. I apologise." He said, watching as her eyes grew wider in confused shock.

Did someone just... apologise to her? As though she was an equal? To anyone else, an apology may not have seemed so momentous, but to Sarah, who had been beaten and threatened into submission, a genuine apology was worth the world. Her eyes almost smarted with tears before she shook herself out of her daze.

"It truly is a lovely evening isn't it?" The man said, almost... nervously. Sarah just continued to stare in dumb shock, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"Are you all right?" He asked, sounding genuinely concerned for her well being. She shouldn't be talking to this man, she knew it, it might make Jareth angry, something she simply couldn't afford. But still, as worried as she was – and she noted that her reaction went from scared to worried – she found she almost didn't want to turn away. The man's small abashed smile held a genuine tenderness she hadn't seen in... Well, a year. She realised how completely starved she was for contact. Contact with anyone who wasn't the violent king who would hold her chains in his vice like grip for all eternity.

Despite her need to reach out to someone, anyone, she tried to think of an easy way to end this one sided conversation and have the man leave her be. Finally she supposed she should say something, at least to avoid being chided for being rude.

"I apologise sir, but I am not permitted to speak to others without permission from his highness, so if you'll please excuse me." Sarah said, sounding every bit as much as a brainwashed servant.

The man looked at her strangely; he looked almost... worried for her. The thought that a complete stranger would be concerned for her was so outstanding that Sarah did not immediately register the shift in the air, signalling Jareth's return.

"I understand, but might I trouble you for one thing?"

"Yes?" Sarah replied warily.

"What is your name?"

"That is none of your concern." Said the cold voice of the king materialising behind Sarah. Sarah froze, and Jordan saw very clearly the fear in her face. He may have just made a big mistake.

Jareth stood still, looking between Sarah and the duke's son with narrowed eyes. He walked towards the pair slowly, and though they stood almost twenty feet apart, Jareth still felt the urge to put himself between them. When he stood before them both, he turned to address the duke's son. Though he burned with rage and jealous anger, his tone was calm as he said, "It's getting rather late, why don't you go inside and get warm."

Though it sounded like a suggestion, there was no question in neither Sarah nor Jordan's mind about the order that hung in the air. Jordan bowed respectfully to the king, and replied, "Of course Sire. Enjoy your evening." Before turning and walking away, his face immediately twisting into worry for the fate of the girl he was forced to leave alone with the king.

Jareth waited until the duke's son passed through the gate before waving his hand through the air, effectively locking it, and turning back to Sarah.

Sarah could feel his anger, though his face was perfectly placid and calm, she had spent a year learning everything about him, him being the only thing with which she could learn; and she could tell how mad he was.

Jareth took one long appraising look at Sarah, though it was getting darker by the second, his sight was impeccable, and he could clearly see the fear in her eyes. Good, he thought.

"It appears, in my absence, you've been making friends." He said coldly, slowly stalking towards her.

Every instinct Sarah had told her to back away, but the year with him had not taught her nothing. She knew if she tried to run, he would catch her, and she would pay dearly for it. Something told her she was about to pay dearly for something right now.

"I wasn't..." Sarah started, in an attempt to defend herself, but the Goblin King interrupted her with a swift, "Be silent."

Sarah reluctantly stopped speaking as Jareth stepped closer, and began to circle the girl. Despite the darkness around them, Sarah could plainly see the anger radiating like fire in his eyes. She shivered involuntarily.

Jareth noted her reaction, and a cruel little smirk graced his features. "Cold out here isn't it?" He inquired lightly. Sarah blinked in surprise. He was asking about the weather? She could still feel his anger, and still felt a desperate need to tell him it wasn't her fault if he would listen, so why was he asking about the weather?

"Yes Your Majesty." Sarah responded quickly, after noting that he did in fact ask a question that required an answer.

"Hmm." The king hummed, still circling the girl, who stood absolutely still, only turning her head from left to right in an attempt to keep him in sight.

"It appears I may have been to gracious with you. Allowing you time outside on your own was meant to be a reward I now find you undeserving of. So, how ever can I rectify this situation?" He asked sardonically, a rhetorical question this time; Sarah stayed silent.

Jareth's smirk grew wider as he noted the increase in the girl's tremors. His burning anger at her disobedience blinding him of any logic or reasoning.

"Tell me Sarah; did you enjoy your time in my garden?" He inquired again, and Sarah sized up the question at lightning speed before replying with her monotone, "Yes Your Majesty."

"Good." Jareth purred, bringing his finger to his lips in sarcastic contemplation. "Then I take it you wouldn't mind spending a little more time out here." He said with a wicked grin and Sarah's unease grew to the point where fear was slowly creeping in, up and through the wall she kept most of her emotions behind.

Jareth stopped before her, dragged his gaze leisurely up the thick fur coat and gown she was wearing, and then barked, with sinisterly amused authority, "Remove your clothing."

Sarah took in a sharp intake of breath at his command. Not just the words but his tone. She heard a malicious glee to his words that she had never noted before, and was so busy shaking at the implication of his order, that Jareth became very impatient.

"Do as you're told." He growled, allowing his face to show his anger for the first time. Sarah cringed away from the weight of his gaze, and hastily began to follow his direction. As each item of clothing fell to her feet, Sarah could feel the cold of the air stabbing at her body in painful successions.

She hesitated when it came to her undergarments, it being that of a chemise with a built in bra and a pair of pale pink underwear.

Jareth looked her over with both anger and lust, but fought for control. This was meant as a punishment. He could not give her pleasure tonight.

"All of it!" He barked harshly as he saw Sarah's hesitation, and Sarah quickly and silently removed both her chemise and her underwear, leaving her standing in a pool of clothing completely bare, cringing and shivering violently against the cold.

Jareth looked over the freezing girl pleased. He had never punished her in this way before, and when he saw her bring her arms up to hug her chest in a desperate attempt to keep warm, he smiled cruelly. Closing the space before them, he pried her hands away from her chest and held them out wide.

Sarah shook violently against the bitter cold in the air, it seemed that with every second the temperature was dropping another ten degrees and the light in the sky growing ever dimmer, so that she could barely see his face as she felt the frozen air stab at every exposed part of herself: particularly her fingers, breasts, and toes.

Jareth noticed the hardness of both her nipples and smirked, running his gloved thumbs over each, causing her to jerk and shiver.

Jareth would have enjoyed pleasuring her right then and there, but again, he resigned that he could not. This was a punishment; not a reward.

He stepped away from her abruptly, coldness coming back into his stare as he watched Sarah shake and fight the urge to wrap her arms back around her chest, as they still hung spread out in the air.

At least the girl has learned some obedience, he thought coldly, his anger turning to jealously again as he thought of her conversing with the boy.

"Tell me girl, do you remember me giving you permission to speak to any member of the visiting dignitaries?" He asked harshly and Sarah stammered shivering, "N...n...no Yo...Your...M...Maj...Majesty."

"That is because I did not. I did not say you could speak to anyone, and yet I find you speaking with the duke's son as though you are his equal. As though I gave you leave to converse with anyone other than myself. This is an offence that will not go unpunished Sarah."

"B...but I..." Sarah tried again and again was interrupted.

"I said silence!" He almost yelled and Sarah cringed again, though now she was shaking so hard she feared she might have frost bite on her toes, she hardly thought Jareth would notice.

"It seems my generosity has made you wilful. To knowingly disobey me after I am gracious enough to place trust in you? Tut tut Sarah. Tut tut." And with that he moved forward again, grabbed her arm and pulled her towards one of the tress in the garden, Sarah stumbled after him, the gravel harsh on her now bare feet.

When Jareth reached a high winding tree he pushed Sarah up against it, the bark cutting roughly into her bare back. With a wave of his hand Sarah's chain shot out of her ankle collar and spun around the tree, returning from the opposite direction to connect itself back into the cuff.

Sarah rose scared and pain filled eyes at the Goblin King. Though she was no stranger to pain at his hand, forcing her to remain outside, naked in the freezing cold was just a whole new level of cruel. Even for him.

Jareth gave Sarah another long appraising look before stepping away again.

"Since you seemed to enjoy my garden so much, you can remain here for the rest of the night. I can control everything that happens here, so no one will enter besides me, and no one will see my prize. You can use this time to have a nice long think about how you will be making your indiscretion up to me." He said, his cruel smirk growing wider with every word. And with that, he vanished, leaving a shivering Sarah in his wake. And just when Sarah thought it couldn't get any worse; it began to rain.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sarah huddled as tightly as she could into the tree, holding her limbs firmly together in an attempt to stifle the cold. She couldn't help the tears flowing, even as they simply made her face colder, they flowed freely, more freely then they had in months.

The rain pelted down hard and fast, and though she managed to take some cover under the tress thick branches, the harshness of the rain still found every part of exposed skin drenched in frozen water, each drop landing like a bullet on her almost blue skin. She knew she couldn't sleep, even if she tried she knew that sleeping when your this cold is a bad idea. So Sarah simply cried for hours and shook viciously against the harsh frozen weather, some of it being Jareth's doing, she just knew it. He had said he could control what happened here, so she had no doubt he had made it rain on purpose; just another display of his precious dominance and power.

Fuck. She hated his guts.

Sarah was a little surprised at the dark turn with which her thoughts had taken but allowed them all to flow, the anger fuelling a pit of warmth in her stomach. Warmth she was relieved for.

What she wouldn't give for the power to punish him for all he had done. Sarah honestly believed that if she had the ability to kill him, she would. If she had any way to hurt him, then she would. He deserved a long, painful excruciating death and she could only hope that one day, whether she was alive for it or not, someone would give him what he deserved.

Eventually the bitterness of her thoughts ebbed, quelled by exhaustion. She watched the sun rise in the distance with quiet contempt. Apparently the rain was sanctioned to this area alone, leaving her in no doubt that Jareth had made it rain on purpose, just to torture her.

The sun slowly rose and Sarah watched its progress dimly until she noticed the rain beginning to subside; signalling, she guessed, Jareth's awakening.

She had no way of knowing how long she had been sitting in her torment before Jareth re-appeared in the garden. Sarah didn't have the strength to move or even react. She was exhausted and in pain; her skin frozen, her bones tight, her fingers and toes curled against the cold air.

Jareth moved right up to her, waved the chain away from her ankle and lifted her into his arms. She automatically huddled into the warmth of his chest, no longer caring for anything. Her nerves were so shattered she only dimly noticed when Jareth materialised them into her room, set her down in her bed and pulled the blanket over her. The sudden warmth of her surroundings slowly unlocked all of her cramped joints. Her shivering eventually subsided and she succumbed to exhaustion.

She woke a full day later, having slept for over twenty hours, her body re-generating. She felt Jareth slide in silently beside her, but was still too tired to react as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in tightly to his chest.

"I'm so sorry I was so cruel to you precious. I know you didn't do anything to deserve it. I just got so jealous when I saw you talking to him. I realise how foolish of me that was now. He told me you only spoke to him to tell him you were not permitted to speak without my consent. You were only being respectful and I realise I was unfair to you. Can you forgive me?"

Sarah merely nodded into his chest. Anything to appease him and never go through a night like that again. He pulled her closer, reverently kissing her forehead, and Sarah silently wondered how sincere his apology was. She knew there was no point in denying it, though she would have loved nothing more, it wouldn't do her any good.

She fell asleep in his arms again, and when she woke, it was dark and she was alone. She sat up and threw the covers back, relieved and a little surprised to find that she still had all ten of her toes, and they all looked in perfect condition, her skin returned to its usual pale pink.

She got up to take a bath, having been sitting in wet grass completely naked all night, she knew she was in dire need of one, and as the hot, clean, soap soaked water washed over her tired limbs, she knew a hot bath was another thing she would never take for granted again.