Chapter 11: Thirteen O'Clock

Jareth knew without looking in to a crystal ball that she had made it past his army and into his castle. He could hear her voice coming in from the throne room. He stood, leaning against a wall for a moment. They would face each other alone. That was how it was meant to be, but that didn't mean that he wanted to face her. Sarah had been his wife and queen and he hoped that now that she had come back to him, she would be again. It would seem that his dream was not to be. Perhaps he was being a fool, blinded by his love, but he would not give up, even if he was pulling on a thread that threatened to break at any moment.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the baby that she had wished away crawling. In another life time Toby had been his brother-in-law. It was true that his view had been warped at first about the boy because of Sarah. The baby had become a source of pain for his wife, inflicted upon her by her over protective step mother. While Lady Irene had done some good for her step daughter, hoping and letting her find true love, she had also abused Sarah, using the young woman as a babysitting service for her pride and joy instead of putting her faith in the servants.

Jareth had on multiple occasions offered his help to Sarah. He could have turned Toby into a goblin so that his beloved could be free, but Sarah had refused him, wishing to work through her problems herself. Of course, that didn't mean she didn't coming running into his arms. She had loved him and was grateful for his support. She didn't want him to turn her baby half brother into a goblin. She only wanted Jareth's love, which he happily gave to her.

He heard footsteps, which broke him from his thoughts. He let out a breath to calm himself. It was up to him to keep her occupied, to keep her here with him. Only a few more minutes to go and then his dreams could finally come true after so many years.

Jareth felt her grip on his hand tightened. Sarah was afraid to let him go, not wishing to fall. The Goblin King smiled and pulled his newly wed wife close to him.

"It's alright. I got you, now and forever, love." He told her before pressing his lips to hers.

Sarah felt a calming sensation press through her. She closed her eyes and returned Jareth's kiss. It was a good distraction, something to help her get over the fact that they were standing upside down in the Escher room. While Jareth had the ability to walk upside down and she had seen it in practice before, Sarah was new to it. Walking upside down, much less sharing a kiss while dangling with the ground beneath her was not exactly a common experience in the Aboveground. Then again, she would have this along with many new experiences in the Underground now that she had married Jareth.

The kiss broke after a minute.

"Just keep holding my hand and don't look down. You'll become a natural soon enough." He told her. He took a step away from her, still holding her hand. He began to walk, backwards, keeping his eyes on her.

She let out a breath and began to walk, taking one step at a time. When they reached the end of the upside down walk way, Sarah took a daring step forward toward her husband. Jareth let go of her hand so that he could catch her in his arms. He held her close.

"See? A natural." Jareth said, smiling at her. She smiled back at him before reaching for a second upside down kiss.

"I can live within you.,."

Sarah didn't care about Jareth. It was hard for him, watching her chase after the baby, instead of remembering him and what they had shared long ago. Even if the minutes ran out and he won, what good would it do? Would she truly remember him in time or was she content to live her new life without him? No. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let her leave him. There were spells that could be used, potions he could have her devour to recall their past. He could not fail.

The girl took a leap and fell down to his broken castle. This was it, then. The final battle and the end of the story he had written from the tales told by the idiots in the Aboveground, who had wished to tarnish their love out of fear.

The Goblin King came before her from under an archway, wearing an outfit of white and gray. His cape seemed to mimic his avian form. He must have made an impression on her for he could see for a fleeting bit of fear in the teenager's eyes. He could have appeared more menacing as he had in the story, carrying a grand weapon. But their reality was very different from the fairy tale.

"Give me the child." Sarah said to him, echoing the scene from the story. The fear was gone from her eyes. Indeed, she seemed to stand taller than when he had first appeared before her in Toby's nursery. His queen's spirit was deep and strong.

There was only a few more minutes until the clock stroke thirteen and then this game would be over and she would be his, along with the baby.

He came towards her, circling her like a hawk. He had been good to her, for while he had the power to be cruel towards her, he hadn't been. Not to her. Anyone else, he would have thrown into the Bog of Eternal Stench or have them endure great horrors. Sarah needed to realize how generous he was being, how he was not her villain, but could be someone else. Someone important to her.

She would not listen, continuing to stand her ground, trying to remember how the scene was supposed to play out, even if it had been tweaked.

He tried to stop her, offering her her dreams, her desires. It was very little he asked for. Was it too much to want her back, for her to be by his side now and forever? However, she was not wrong. Her will was as strong as his. It always had been. They had been equals and they could be again if only…

"Kingdom as great. Damn! I can never remember that line." Sarah said, angry at herself.

That line, that tricky line. It was the words he had written for her. The very key to unlocking the certain power that he had given her without knowing, the power that she and only she could defeat him.

"Just fear me. Love me. Do as I say and I will be your slave." It was a beg, a plea deep down. He could not lose her. Not after everything.

It took her a moment before she looked at him. The seconds were ticking down. It was tense for both of them and Jareth's heart was pounding.

"You have no power over me!" The words hit him hard and he felt an intense pain.

The clock struck thirteen. Sarah Williams had defeated the Goblin King.

Notes: It's not over yet. More to come, so keep watching!