A/N Own Nothing that doesn't belong to me. Thanks to my reviewers and my beta. Enjoy!

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Chapter 10: Courtyard

"You know a lady like you shouldn't have to spend the day in the dirt," Jareth said as Kiara sat on the chair next to him. She squinted and strained her eyes as best as she could, but she couldn't see as far as Hoggle's house.

"How did you know what I was doing? I cleaned up before I came in here."

"I can see anything in the labyrinth, I am king after all."

"Oh, does that mean you are feeling better today?" Kiara looked at the king and began to worry that he was wrong about her even if he did happen to feel better that morning. His breathing was heavy and he looked exhausted.

"I was until a few hours after you left. It seems you idea was correct and you need to stay close." He sighed and rubbed his forehead. He had been stuck on the balcony all day and was beyond irritated at his goblins. They all assumed that she was his new assistant and therefore none of them needed to disturb him anymore.

"Oh, why do you stay in here? You would probably feel better if you went out and around the city a bit."

Jareth looked at the girl angrily before answering, "And how exactly would I do that? You have seen I can barely walk a few steps and I can only do that when you are around."

"Haven't you ever heard of a wheelchair?" Kiara rolled her eyes at the man and tried to be as understanding as possible, it couldn't be easy to be in his situation. She waited for an answer that never came, she turned to find that he was looking at her strangely and she almost laughed at him. "You really haven't? It's a chair with wheels for people that can't walk. We can get you one and I will take you out and around the labyrinth."

Jareth looked intrigued at the idea for a moment but then shook his head, "I do not wish to look weak to my subjects, only a select few have been allowed in my chambers since…" He looked away for a few seconds and then stared out towards the labyrinth. Kiara sighed thinking that if she finished the book then she might have a better idea of what was going on here.

"I think you look weaker hiding in your tower. They say you haven't even appeared to a runner in fifteen years; that doesn't make you seem weak?" Jareth shifted uncomfortably knowing that she was right, but he was a king and would not admit his mistakes. He didn't speak again for the rest of their time outside. Kiara offered to help him back to the bed and he went, still in silence. Before she fell asleep, Kiara felt the need to apologize. She just couldn't go to sleep feeling bad about hurting Jareth, even if it was the truth. "I'm sorry if I said something to upset you, your highness, I'll keep my thoughts to myself." She turned and quickly fell asleep snuggled into the most comfortable bed she had ever been in.

Jareth didn't get much sleep that night, for whatever reason he just wasn't comfortable in his bed. He almost woke the girl up a few times just so that he would have someone to talk to. It wasn't until then that he realized how lonely the past few years had been. Sure he had his goblins, but lately they avoided him and never stayed longer than they needed too. He missed when then they would dance and sing and they loved to be near him. With a sigh he tried once again to close his eyes, maybe he would one day get back to that old life.

Over the course of the night, small seedlings sprouted in all of the pots in Jareth's room. Kiara kept looking back from one to the next in amazement. They grew pretty fast in her opinion, but she didn't have any clue what they might be. When Jareth woke up she showed him one pot and he looked at it happily. "Can you tell what it is?"

"Well what did the goblins plant in the pots?"

Kiara shook her head, "You should have been more specific with your orders; you only told them to bring dirt, not to plant anything in them."

"Hmm, well we will have to wait and find out won't we." Despite having a rough night sleep, Jareth found himself in a fairly good mood again that morning. He was hoping that Kiara would spend the day with him, but he refused to ask her or even demand it and look needy. Kiara got herself dressed and told him that she would be back by dark.

"Do you need anything before I head out?" Kiara asked as she tied her hair up. Jareth shook his head and Kiara went out the door and began the short journey once again towards Hoggle's house. She wasn't sure what she wanted to see in the labyrinth, but she hoped that he would know of something she might be interested in.

Hoggle was in his garden again when she arrived and she sat down nearby and watched for awhile. She did want to go and have a look around, but decided not to interfere with his daily activities. Eventually he looked up at her, "So where do you want to go?" He continued to work while they decided where he would take her.

"I don't know; I haven't a clue what's in the labyrinth. I only read the first few chapters of the book and I can't remember anything that was on the map." Kiara tried to remember anything on the map that might have been interesting to see. Hoggle got up and gestured for her to follow. "Where are we going?"

"There is a nice garden, well it was a nice garden, towards the center of the labyrinth. It's got a fountain and some statues, you might like it." Kiara originally thought that the castle was in the center of the labyrinth, but now realized she was wrong. She probably could have figured that out earlier with one look from Jareth's balcony, but she didn't really think about it.

"That sounds great." It didn't take very long for them to get there and Hoggle even commented on how the labyrinth was actually behaving itself and helping them. "How can the labyrinth help us get there?"

"Well, usually it likes to rearrange itself so the runners get confused and get lost. Today and the last time you was here it was behaving itself, it might like you." Kiara laughed at the thought, it was just a maze right? It was just a pile of bricks and stone with some hedges in between, how could it like her?

Hoggle was right and Kiara did like the little courtyard. There were statues all around the outside of the past kings and queens of the labyrinth, each with a small inscription with the name and year of birth and death. At first Kiara was concerned that they were actually in a graveyard, but Hoggle shook his head and assured her that the royal tomb was miles away.

She inspected each one carefully and then sat by the fountain. She was sad that it wasn't working, but it was still beautiful to look at. It had several mermaids jumping out of where the water should be and one princess mermaid at the very top. Kiara smiled and looked at Hoggle, "Are there real mermaids in the labyrinth?"

"No, not in the labyrinth. There isn't enough water for them, but there are mermaids over in the next kingdom."

Kiara sat there for a long while enjoying the sights until it was obvious that Hoggle wanted to get back and continue gardening. She got up and thanked him for the mini-tour and walked with him back home. She was just thankful that he didn't decide to leave her there by herself or anything. She wondered how she would ever find her way if she truly did get lost.