Ollo! (Sorry… I love Megamind) I've been dying to finish up this chapter for the longest time! You would think, it being summer and all, that I'd have tons of time. But life has a nasty habit of getting in the way, doesn't it? Anyways here it is! I told myself I would finish it today and after some shouting (mainly with myself), I have done it! Enjoy

I open my eyes and I see is ash falling from the sky like snow. There is nothing left. They are all gone, lost in the fire forever. The trees, extending outwards to the sky, cry in agony. The fire, leaving scorch marks on their bodies, is punishment enough but they cry not for the pain, they cry for the deaths they have seen. Perhaps that is their punishment, to be born with a good heart, but to stand witness for generations never being able to help the ones they love. The town is nothing but an empty shell of what once was. There will no longer be goblin children running through the streets, laughing. No life, no breath, no light. Wait. No it can't be. There is a child! She sits in the corner of a burnt shop; the sign blackened to the point of illegibility. I run to her. She covers her face with her long dark hair. The scared child holds her legs close to herself and rocks back and forth. I touch her hand and ask her if she is injured. She says nothing. She begins to cry softly. I tell her that she is safe, that nothing will ever harm her again. The girl looks up at me. He face is dirty and there is mud in her hair, but she is beautiful. Tears roll down her cheek. She whispers something. I lean closer to hear her. Her eyes sparkle with sadness. They are dark green, the color of life. She reaches up and strokes my face. Her hands are soft against my skin. She looks up at me with such anger and sadness and hate and love and asks, "Why didn't you stop this?" She begins to disappear. I beg her not to go. I promise her that I'll keep her safe and that no one will hurt her ever again, that I will protect her. But she fades and leaves only her sorrowful voice asking again and again: Why didn't you? I cover my ears to shut her out but I still hear her, that beautiful voice of hers. I cry for her. "I'm sorry!" I shout, "I'm so sorry! Come back! Sarah! Please come back."

The overwhelming smell of ash was what woke the Goblin King from his dream. He could not will his eyes to open but he was now conscious of his surroundings. The air is the room was humid and damp. He could feel steam on his face, which most likely originated from a barrel of linens submerged in scalding water. There was also a creak, a loose board perhaps? No… it was a rocking chair, he was sure of it. Someone was in the room, watching him, observing him. The thought made Jareth shiver. He forced his eyes to open but all he could see was a muted white. A bandage, or a blindfold, was covering his eyes. He tried to take it off but he experienced the most excruciating pain when he moved his left arm. So, using his other hand, he tried to pull the thing off his eyes, but a steady hand gripped his arm before he could go any further. "Now, now, Jareth. There is no need for alarm," said the voice. Jareth didn't recognize it.

"Where am I?" he asked, trying to release himself from the strangers grip. The stranger let go.

"You are out of harm's way. That's all you need to know for the time being." responded the voice calmly.

"All I need to know?" said Jareth incredulously," Do you know who I am? I demand you to tell me where I am!"

"All in good time." said the voice.

Jareth could hear steps retreating from him and once again, the repetitious creak of the rocking chair resumed.

"I will not be treated as a prisoner! I am the Goblin King!"

"There is no need to shout," said the voice quietly, "Impatience gets the best of you, your majesty. I know who you are and I do not intend to keep you as my prisoner. My intentions are far from that actually. By now, you've probably noticed the bandage on your arm."

"…and the blindfold." said Jareth cutting off the questionable stranger.

"A precaution."

"Precaution?" Jareth scoffed, "Where am I?"

"You tell me?" said the voice, raising a challenge.

Jareth reviewed his surroundings. Even though he could not see, his other senses where well enough to paint him a picture of where he might possibly be. "Let's see," though the Goblin King, "I am on a bed in a room with a stranger on a rocking chair. It smells strongly of ash but also of spices and herbs. A kitchen? No. The sounds weren't right. It's too quiet to be a kitchen. Perhaps a medicinal or remedy shop. Also it was cold, very cold, freezing in fact. Possibly….wait." The Goblin King took in a deep breath. "That is definitely the smell of legumes. A common medicine shop couldn't possibly have accesses to legumes."

"Any ideas?" prodded the voice.

"I believe I am in a medicinal shop of some sort, perhaps a magician's potion room somewhere near the Glaciem Peaks. You live alone, and you are currently washing some clothes. Ah, what is this? Cooking some mugyark broth? Oh, but that is the food of peasants." Jareth laughed, "Oh, this is precious. Me, the great and mighty Goblin King, being detained by a mere peasant." Jareth couldn't stop laughing.

The rocking chair ceased to creak.

Instantly, Jareth regained his memories prior to his awakening. Spying on the Siren and the Monster's secret arrangement, that blasted tree, falling, the child with hair like snow. May. That was her name. Where could she be? Suddenly, the Goblin King was frightened for the child.

"Where is she? The little girl?" demanded Jareth.

"A child?" asked the voice, "I found you alone on the forest floor, half-clothed and injured. There was no child."

"Don't you dare lie to me!" shouted Jareth, "If you know who I am, you must know what I am capable of!"

"Oh yes. I know you, maybe more than you would expect. But you do not know me or what I am capable of. Now I suggest that you manage to stay silent for a moment, if you can, so you may permit me to speak. That is if it's not too much to ask."

"There was no child?" asked Jareth cautiously, a lack of trust obvious in his voice.

"I can assure you there was not."

Jareth was silent. It would be wise to hold his tongue until he regained his power and sorted out the tedious predicament. The nerve of this creature! Jareth made mental arrangements to dunk them into the bog and send the cleaners after them in the eternal dungeon. Ah yes, glorious revenge. But first….

"Please excuse me for my former behavior. It's just that I'm not accustomed to waking up in strange places, blindfolded mind you, with strange unknown people; especially with the whereabouts of my friend being ever so cryptic," apologized Jareth, seeing that the best way to get out of this mess was to get on his capturer's good side.

"I understand" responded the voice compassionately.

"Now, would you be so kind as to tell me where I am and how I came to be here?"

"I found you in the center of Forest of Embers. You were completely alone and most of your clothes had been stolen. At first I thought you were some poor soul that the Mystics entranced. I tried to wake you but the trance was too strong. Then I noticed your broken arm. I carried you to my home, clothed you, cleaned you, bandaged you arm, and attempted healing several other scrapes and bruises. We are now in my home. And yes, I live alone and I am washing clothes. Your powers of observation serve you well. And if you were wondering, yes that is mugyark broth cooking. And don't act so high and mighty. Word is it's one of your guilty pleasures." The stranger laughed softly.

Jareth was surprised at the tone of the stranger. It was so….informal and familiar…as if he had known this person his whole life.

"How did you recognize me?" questioned Jareth.

"Oh please. That was the easiest part. Although you didn't have much of it on, your clothes gave it away. Denique serico, rare cloth reserved for the nobles. Ha! That would be the day, a noble visiting these parts. And with your kingdom in an uproar over you disappearance! It was fairly easy to connect the dots, your highness" replied the voice warmly.

"Disappearance? I've been gone for less than a day!"

"Oh no, your highness. You've been gone for much longer than that."

"Really?"

"About three to four weeks I'm guessing."

"Four weeks!"

"I'm guessing!" the voice chuckled, "It's a prayer that you didn't get eaten. There are many things that prowl in the darkness."

Jareth, wondering how he was still alive, was suddenly plagued with an abundance of question. The welfare of his kingdom, the balance of the labyrinth, and what had been done about his disappearance? Hopefully they hadn't assigned Principe Aurea. The greedy little fool! Taking advantage of everyone's misfortunes to claw his way into the monarchy! And his subjects! What had become of them? All of Jareth's inquires came out fast, a jumbled mess of words, hardly comprehendible.

"For the life of me, I could not understand a word you said. Perhaps a bit slower this time." said the voice.

"Oh gods," though Jareth, "This was going to take a while."

"Mother I did just like you told me," said the young Siren, "I held my ground and told them that if they didn't deliver the shipments, we wouldn't be giving them any more barrels. No negotiations."

"And how do the swine respond?" asked her Queen.

"He ran off into his pathetic hole, begging for mercy. He said that the shipments would be ready in a few days."

"Such insolence! We shouldn't even have to look at those filthy creatures, much less bargain with them. Nevertheless, desperate times lead to desperate measures. Did you take his horn?"

"No mother. I beg for your pardon."

The Queen sighed, disappointed. "I do like a bit of ivory. And a spear would do you well, child."

"If it pleases you mother, I will cut off both his horns the next time I venture out. And I will fashion them into spears for you, as a gift."

"You spoil me child," the Queen laughed coldly holding her excessively jeweled hand to her chest, "You have done well. You will be one of my finest daughters! Now, enough delay. Your sisters await."

The siren walked obediently into the pool laced with gold and precious jewels, such a beautiful place for such horrible things. The young siren held out arms. As her sisters approached, knife in hand, the siren felt a tremble of fear.

"Mother, is it necessary?" asked the siren, secretly wishing that her session of inmutato would be delayed.

"You question me, child?" asked the Queen of the Siren angrily, her voice as sharp as razors.

The siren hung her head in shame. This was her duty. Of course it was necessary. All of it. Even the pain. Pain made her stronger. It made all of them stronger. No time for tears.

"I apologize, mother. I am ready." The siren placed her pale arms in the wet hands of her sisters. The Queen gave her approval with a single nod and turned away as her children cut the arms of their young sister, making the water red as wine.

"It's necessary. All of it. No time for tears. No time for tears," though the young siren and she bit her tongue and watched the crimson color leaving her body. The water would restore life. The water would make her pure. She would finally become one of them, all in short time. The siren smiled and laughed bitterly.

"Mother?"

"Yes my daughter?" responded the Queen looking away, not being able to face her child.

"A storm is coming, mother," the young siren smiled at her great Queen, "A storm is coming."

I hope you all enjoyed yet another chapter of my little project! And don't worry, more is sure to come. And please oh please comment! Every single one of them makes my heart dance. Oh! A special thanks to AuliyaSevgisi who has commented on every single one of my chapters! Thank you all so much for your encouragement and kind words. Although you may never see it(hopefully) I happy dance like a complete idiot every time one of you guys comment. Promises of more chapters to come! :D