Navigating the remaining part of her journey was not difficult, she soon came upon the Goblin City. Last time, it had been dusty and run down, but now it was nothing more than a deserted wasteland. The castle a hollow skeleton of what had once been quite grand. She picked her way among the rubble until she came to a sort of room, a stone throne dominated the area. A sudden presence caused her to whirl around. The moment had finally come.
"So, here you are. What fresh torment do you have for me now?"
"I never set out to torment you."
"It doesn't matter if you did. Your last minutes are ticking away." He said nodding at a golden clock that had not been there seconds before. Sarah could see that, but her tongue felt frozen and now that she was here, everything she had planned to say sounded foolish.
"Where is everyone?" She stalled, asking a question she already knew the answer to.
"What do you mean?" He said staring at her.
"All of your subjects, the goblins, the creatures? Hoggle…"
"Silly little girl." He scoffed. "They've been here the whole time. The only obstacle is your own narrow-mindedness. Although that little Toady of yours has been in hiding ever since the last war broke out. Rest assured, when I catch him, he will regret it." Sarah's eyes moved over the ramshackle room and turned back to the bitter king.
"Has time been that cruel to you?" She asked softly.
"Not time, but you, you wicked heartless girl. To offer everything and receive nothing in return." He lashed.
"But isn't that sometimes the cost of giving? I know it may not mean much to you now, but I will own my part. I took without thinking and I am sorry that I did." She said trying to inject the right amount of remorse without sounding desperate. When he did not answer she added quietly. "Do you think I don't regret how much I ruined for the both of us.."
"Do you?" He turned away from her, clutching his hair dramatically. "What could you possibly be lacking? You received everything you wanted. I took the child, I gave you more time than is possible in one day. I gave you everything. And in the end you took the child back, refused me and left the place in ruins."
"I always thought I learned not to take things for granted, but I was wrong. At the time I was too young to realize what it was you were offering and what was really at stake. That is why I returned and why I wanted to see you."
"And so you've done once again what you want. Were you going to explain what it is you want?"
"Yes. I came to offer back something that I stole away, if you want it." She said, her heart hammering as they neared the reason.
"There is nothing you can possibly have taken from me that I would want back." He said coldly.
"Then I can only make my offer and you will reject it if you must."
"What, pray, could that possibly be?" Try as he might, Sarah did see a glimmer of interest in those hollow eyes.
"My virginity." The shocked silence stretched as his quickened heartbeat joined hers. His eyes seemed to swallow her in a thousand questions and possibilities, but before he had time to say anything, she knew it must be now or never. She closed the distance between them and only inches away she whispered as she looked up into his stunning face. "Whether you give me the chance to fear you, love you and do as you say is entirely at your mercy. I have no need of a slave."
"Indeed." He murmured and at long last she reached up to plant the kiss that was long overdue.