Disclamer: I don't own the Labyrinth I do though own all unrecognizable characters so ask before using them please.

A/N ok i know i have kept most of you waiting for the answer to Jareth's riddle in the last chapter and anyway before i give you guys the answer i wanted to give recognition to several who answered the riddle correctly..... theInsaneArtist.....melonkitty........jedimaster547....sanna B.........VikingMaiden.....lunarbutterflies... They all got the answer correct and the answer was Cain

I would also like to thank my beta trampymctramp for all her hard work on this chapter and all my chapters Thanks so much!

Chapter 11 A King Dies

A few days later...

The whole family congregated to welcome Daryan's bride to the family, when suddenly the twins Hyacinth and Iris both fainted. Sarah was at her daughters' sides immediately.

"Girls! What's wrong?" Concern laced her voice as she tried to read their minds to find out why they had fainted, only to be blocked by both.

Neither of them could answer their mother because of their violent shaking. Sarah saw the pain in their eyes and wanted to know what was plaguing her daughters.

"Daryan? What's happening?" Elisabeth asked her husband softly.

He was about to convey that he didn't know when Hyacinth spoke.

"Mother, Father."

Jareth and Sarah came closer to the pair. "Yes, love?" their father asked softly, concerned about his daughters' welfare.

"It...It's...Grandfather" Iris managed as tears flowed down her pale face.

Sarah didn't need to be told any more, for now she knew what had caused her daughters' so much angst. She only wished she could go to Titania and comfort her, but something held her back, feeling that her children and husband needed her. Also, arriving unannounced in a this delicate situation may be considered rude.

Jareth also knew what had just happened, and felt his wife's need to comfort his mother. He knew she couldn't just pop in on the distraught Queen; she had to await her call.

"What happened to him?" Elisabeth asked. Daryan had planned for her to meet the High King and Queen in just a few days.

Before anyone could answer her, Sarah vanished.

"Where did she go?" Elisabeth inquired, feeling left out of the loop.

Jareth answered her, sadly, "My father...The High King...has died. Sarah has gone to comfort my mother."

Daryan watched as the whole weight of the Underground fell upon his Father's shoulders.

"Oh, Father!" Alyana cried out as she rushed to her father's side, followed by the rest of the family except Elisabeth.

Elisabeth, who had been told the history of the Underground in the few days she had been there, was the first to realize that she was now standing in the presence of the new High King and fell into a deep, graceful, curtsy. This is how the family found her. Her brothers and sisters-in-law looked at her, bewildered, until they realized she was showing her respect for the new High King. They, too, fell into deep bows.

Jareth knew court protocol enough to know that they were all showing their respect to his new position.

Hyacinth and Iris looked at each other and then grinned. Turning towards their father they both said, smiling brightly, "Father."

"Yes," he answered after seeing their smiles.

"It's about Mother," they said, mischief alighting their mismatched green eyes.

"What?" he said, taking note of their changed demeanor.

Both grinning from ear to ear said, "She's pregnant again."

Daryan saw the shock on his father's face. He knew what his father was thinking, for he himself was thinking the same thing. Yet he was rather surprised when his father turned and disappeared.

Titania sat by the High King's side. Even though she had known it would happen she still, couldn't believe he was actually gone. She sat mourning her beloved when she wished that Sarah was with her. She needed the younger Queen's healing touch. Instantly she felt arms embracing her. "Sarah?"

"It's me," she returned softly, all the while letting her healing powers flow through the distraught Queen.

"Thank you dear."

"You're welcome," she whispered as she continued to hold her mother-in-law.

"It hurts"

"I know. I know."

Titania remembered that with her husband's death, her son and his mate were now the new High King and Queen. She silently wondered if Sarah was aware of this fact yet.

Sarah had heard the final thought with surprise. Normally she couldn't read the Queen and now that she suddenly could she wondered why. She answered the Queen's question though it had not been spoken allowed.

Titania looked at her daughter-in-law surprised. How had she read her thought?

"Sarah? Did you ever tell Jareth about the discussion we had all those years ago?"

"Not completely," the younger Queen stated.

Titania was confused. Why had she not told her husband about it? She didn't recall having told her not to, so why did she refrain? She thought to herself.

Answering the Queen's thought, Sarah said quietly, "I don't know why. Perhaps I knew that one day Oberon would tell him and maybe I just didn't want to upset him unnecessarily. I know that he thought you two were Blood Bonded and I guess I didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise."

"Sarah dear, won't he think it strange when he finds that I am still living when his father is dead?" she asked perplexed.

"Perhaps not all that surprised," Jareth said, revealing himself to the two Queens.

Both Queens turned at the sound of his voice for neither of them had seen him appear in the room, and they had no idea that their conversation had been overheard.

"Jareth?!" both Queens exclaimed.

He decided to enlighten both of them, "Father told me during the war that he was going to be murdered shortly after the war ended. He had read Sarah's mind after she had returned to the throne room that day and knew everything that had been said. But you, mother, had also told him all these things as well," reminding her.

"So how did you know where I had gone?"

"Sarah I am more in tune to your feelings than you think. I felt your need to comfort my mother. Besides, Hyacinth and Iris confirmed it."

"They told you your father had died?" Titania asked surprised.

"Yes, but that is not all they told me," he said turning to Sarah, he continued, "They also told me my wife is with child again."

Titania had already known this fact, but smiled as she pictured a new baby in the family. She was interrupted from her thought when her son asked, "Mother? Is it even possible?"

"Of course it is dear. I told you before that she would bear you many children. However, she, unlike the rest of the female Fae population, can cloak her pregnancies from her mate. I assure you she has no control over this power." She then turned towards Sarah, "Do you remember me telling you that you would single-handedly bring the Fae back from the edge of extinction?"

Sarah could only nod.

Titania continued, "It will be through your children that this miracle will occur. For your children, like you, will have many children and this does include your sons' brides as well, not just your daughters. I must warn you both: many powerful lords, Kings and Princes will try to seek your daughters' out for their own personal gain. Fortunately, they will fail." She saw their concerned looks and said, smiling, "Remember, your children will only wed a winner of the Labyrinth and no one else. Like you, they only have one true love."

While the Queen was speaking, Sarah was wondering if they would have to take up the full mantle of the Underground now, or could Titania continue to rule in their stead. She knew that Daryan was not yet ready to take up the Goblin Throne and she could feel that her husband was not yet ready to give it up. "Titania?"

Hearing her name the former High Queen answered, "Yes?"

"Legally can you still rule without the High King?"

Titania knew where this going and sighed, "Yes, and No."

"What exactly does that mean?"

"It means that no, I can't legally continue on without the King because I was not the heir to the throne, but yes, if you were to allow me to continue on in your stead for the time being, then it would be legal for me to do so. Why?"

Smiling Sarah answered, "Because, I know that Jareth is not yet ready to take on the mantle of High King and Daryan is not ready to head the Goblin kingdom either."

Titania knew she was right. Neither of the men was ready to take on so much responsibility at this time. "Sarah dear, you're right. It would be wrong to force them into something that neither is ready for, so I will do as you ask. The title of High King and Queen, however, is still yours."

"Mother, we would love it if you stayed on in your current position."

Looking at her son, she felt why he really wasn't ready to take on the High Throne yet. "Jareth, you just want to make sure that no one takes advantage of your daughters."

"Can you blame me, Mother?"

"Not really. I would do the same thing in your position." Then as an afterthought she added, "Oh, by the way, Sarah knows when any Fae Mate Bonds."

He was taken aback but now he knew that when she had a strange reaction the other night, it was because she felt her son Mate Bond with his new bride.

"Jareth every Fae female knows when their child Mate Bonds, but Sarah knows when every Fae living Aboveground or Underground Mates. It's one of her powers. I even knew the moment you mated with Sarah."

Okay that was a bit embarrassing he thought to himself. Then looked at his precious wife who he found had a faraway look in her eyes.

"Darling are you okay?" he whispered.

"Yes, she said coming out of her trance, "I was just remembering when Toby had returned to the Underground. That's all."

"Yes, about that. How did he return anyway and when?"

She told him about her brother's wish. And how he had rephrased it, and had met her again. She told him how she had brought him back, how he had come to become a Lord, and about his bonding to one of the court ladies.

He wasn't surprised that she had allowed the girl a chance to solve the Labyrinth even if she had not completed it. He was happy knowing her brother was happy.

"My dear, I think I would like to pay a visit to young Tobias."