Chapter 7 - In Which Conversations Occur

A deep chuckle filled Sarah's mind. "I would love to grant that particular wish Sarah mine. I too wish to return to that marvelous dance, you in my arms once again."

Sarah glared out into the space in front of her. "Why would you want that Jareth? I'm a human, an extraordinary one at that." She shivered as she felt fingers ghost over her neck. "You are a fey and immortal to boot. We are complete opposites." Fingers trailed over her neck again and his breath hit behind her ear.

"What you are forgetting dear heart is that I am the Goblin King, the King of Dreams and Wishes. If something can be imagined then I can make it happen." Sarah felt a presence behind her. "Turning you into a fey would be no stretch for me, then your argument against us would be invalid."

The human girl sighed. "You still haven't answered my question."

"If I told you then it would ruin the surprise that I have planned for you. We wouldn't want that would we?" Sarah turned around at his admission, only to find that he was not there. "Tsk tsk, I am already pressing my bounds by speaking to you in your mind. If you even caught a glimpse of me then the jig would be up. Now I don't know how you feel about it, but I am thoroughly enjoying our game." His voice held a mocking tone that grated on Sarah's nerves. The Goblin King knew something that she didn't and it was beginning to drive her batty. "Now go back to your friends before they notice anything is amiss. I will see you soon my peach." Jareth's presence faded from Sarah's senses, though she suspected that he was still watching her through one of his crystals.

The brunet realized her friends were speaking once again. "When I was here last this tree was only a sapling. Another several years would have been needed for it to produce fruit much less be this size." Hoggle was scratching his head in puzzlement.

Didymus shrugged his shoulders. "What the Labyrinth does is a puzzle to all of us and we had best no try decipher its reason."

The dwarf still did not look satisfied. "I get that Didymus, but making a tree grow to the size that it would be in twenty years is not like the Labyrinth." Hoggle put his hands on his hips and looked at the fox.

Before they could start going in a circle, as they would with this type of argument, Sarah interrupted them. "Did any of you here something out of the ordinary?"

Three heads turned toward her and their responses were almost instantaneous. "No." Came Ludo's deep rumble.

"Of course not my Lady." The knight spoke up.

"Jareth was here wasn't he?" Hoggle was apparently the most observant.

Sarah looked down at her sneaker clad feet. "Yes." Her voice came out in a whisper, almost as if she was embarrassed about what had occurred between her and the Goblin King. If she had to wager a guess at this point then it would be that the fey had frozen time while he had been speaking to her.

Her friends looked at her in alarm. "If he threatened you...?" Hoggle trailed off. The human girl shook her head and her companions let out a relieved breath.

Didymus leaned in his saddle toward Hoggle, trying to whisper but failing miserably. "But isn't the King supposed to stay away from her while she is in the Labyrinth? If he doesn't then he forfeits the claiming."

The knight and the grounds keeper were trying to keep something from their friend. Unfortunately for them, "Mind telling us what you are talking about." The two conspirators turned quickly to see Sarah leaning with her arms crossed, against Ludo under the peach tree. Her expression was that of a displeased queen. The look was emphasized by her countenance, which had become completely fey at this point.

Hoggle and Didymus gulped, knowing that they would either gain the wrath of Sarah or of the Goblin King in one fell swoop.

Please Review!