Monday rolled round and and Sarah was excited about starting her job. Rose had packed her a lunch and seemed just as excited as Sarah.
When she left, King watched and followed Rose around the apartment keenly, he was waiting for her to settle so he could cast a deep sleep spell over her so he could return to the Labyrinth, it took a good hour or so before Rose settled in front of the TV before King could work his magic.
Within seconds, Rose drifted into a deep sweet sleep, and so he headed to Sarah's room to pass through the portal.
Shaking himself into his natural form once in the throne room. Jareth found Lucian in his study and informed him he would be visiting to meet with the Gnomes of the Forest Lands to ask for help. Gnomes held magical powers similar to Jareth's, not as powerful, but he knew they would be an asset if he could get them to help.
With a click of his fingers, Jareth found himself in a clearing of the Gnomes Forest, he walked through the clearing into the more dense forest to where tree's with hollows, which were homes to the Gnomes, lit up. It looked beautiful with all the little twinkly lights complimenting the trees.
The tree's stood great, seemed to go on as he looked up at them, like they would reach the heavens.
A small group of Gnomes saw Jareth walking towards them so bowed and welcomed him, one ran to alert the elder of their kind of King Jareth's arrival. When the Forest Lands guardian, Galeno, and his wife, Aiko, came to greet Jareth, they offered to go somewhere more quiet, Galeno had a feeling he knew what this visit was about.
He had received a letter from Jareth not long ago about the issues he was facing. Jareth entered Galeno and Aiko's home and had to duck down to fit in, sitting hunched over due to the low ceiling. Being Gnomes, they were much smaller and required much smaller living quarters. Sure Jareth could have shrunk himself down in size, but he liked to feel emperor, even to his allies.
"We know why you're here King Jareth" Galeno addressed, "I very much doubt we can help" he confirmed.
Jareth was the persuasive kind and wouldn't give up so easily, "I understand your reasons for not wanting to get involved, but I have always looked upon you kindly. We are in need of help" he informed.
"Then maybe Your Majesty should be taking his duties of responsibly more seriously and not be spending most of your time aboveground" Galeno was a little annoyed, and wasn't afraid to stand up to Jareth. He didn't feel he should help, however good their relations were towards one another, Galeno knew it could have all been avoided had Jareth never left for long periods at a time.
"I have issues aboveground which cannot be ignored Galeno, I'm sure you can understand it is my duty to resolve any issue which comes my way, wherever that may be" Jareth tried to explain, "it is an issue which must be dealt with, and will take time, it would not matter when I ventured above ground, it would be impossible for it to have remained secret due to the length of time required there, and this issue would always have arisen".
Galeno still wasn't convinced, "What is your business above ground King Jareth?", Jareth didn't want anyone knowing of his reasons for needed to venture above, because of it being of a personal nature. If he admitted this, he knew he was less likely to receive the help he desperately required, it would not be understood that his business above ground was actually a honourable and desperate necessity.
"I do not need to explain my reasoning Galeno, especially when peoples lives are at stake" he was right in what he was stating, it was important Sarah was not bought into this.
Galeno sat back in his chair and huffed, not feeling sated by Jareth's answers.
His wife Aiko rest her hand upon Galeno's laid on the arm rest, she had heard rumours, almost a legend, of there being a Champion of the Labyrinth from the above ground, and rumours had circulated that Jareth had fallen in love with whomever she was and that was his reasoning for being aboveground. Aiko was not a gossip though, and would not have uttered a word about what she had heard.
The Gnome people were a peaceful kind, however the cold reception he was receiving from Galeno this moment, they would not want to see harm come to Jareth or his domain, otherwise, in turn the harm would fall on them and their people.
Aiko knew this could cause issues if it was true.
"Galeno, you know if we were in need King Jareth would not think twice of coming to our aid" Aiko knew how to play to Galeno's good side, and what she spoke was right. Jareth would always help those in need, those who had proved themselves to be worthy, helpful and willing over the centuries.
Galeno huffed loudly at his wife's comment and looked at Jareth, "I would not ask unless I was in real need, friend" said Jareth.
Galeno sighed loudly and pursed his lips tightly before speaking. "Very well, we will help" he said begrudgingly. Jareth's tried not to show his relief, he didn't want to rub it in Galeno's face, "Thank you friend, when this is over, I will see to it you and your community are rewarded" Jareth reached forward his hand to shake Galeno's, who slowly accepted.
"I fear where this is headed King Jareth, and a loss of life is always senseless and unnecessary" Galeno stated, Jareth knew he was right, but there was no avoiding this.
He had to try to win Sarah, and as he stated, if he went now or in a few years time, this was always going to happen. With the success of having trusted allies on his side, Jareth's load seemed slightly lighter on his mind. The Gnomes were good fighters, and would help push the blockade back to where it started, if not further.
A few weeks went by, and Sarah had settled into her new job well. Maybe a little too well for King's liking, she would come home and gush about a guy at work, Tim, who she liked.
Tim had short cropped blonde hair and aqua blue eyes, he had asked her out on date, which had gone very well.
Rose was keen to meet Tim, so it had been arranged for Tim to come over for dinner one evening so they could meet. Sarah had remembered how King had been towards Brett when she was at school. She hoped King would be much more hospitable towards Tim.
No such luck! King acted the way he had towards Brett, trying to scare him off. Sarah was all his, and he refused to share her with anyone. Growling, snarling, whatever means to try and scare him off.
Tim had even tried bringing dog treats, which he had baked and come up with the idea for himself, but King would not be bribed. Sarah felt even more frustrated, so they had agreed that their relationship was probably better held away from Rose's apartment, away from King!
King couldn't stop this, and tried desperately not to think about it. Sarah would talk about him to Rose a lot, and King would leave the room, unhappy with the thoughts and visions being planted in his head.
He could see Sarah really liked this guy, and there wasn't much he could do, from what he saw, he had little vantage point. The only thing on King's side, was that he still heard Sarah call out his true name at night when by herself.
Sarah and Tim's relationship began to blossom, and there was nothing he could do. When he would return to the Labyrinth, he was constantly in a bad mood, kicking goblins in his path harder than usual, throwing things at them, he would even snap at Lucian.
Lucian was worried he was slipping back to old bad habits.
While the Gnomes were doing a good job at helping at the blockade, fending back the Reptilians, there were still lives being lost. Jareth was beginning to loose hope.
Months, years even, went by and still Sarah remained attached to Tim, he worried things were growing serious between them. She would stay over at his some nights, and King was powerless but to let it happen his mind became his worst enemy picturing them together.
If he left, Rose would notice and he could not falter his appearance, it could ruin all his reasons for being in the aboveground and then it would all be for nothing, and the lives lost in the underground would be for nothing, so he literally could do nothing.