Okay I am at dance now and I've only got an hour but I thought you would appreciate a short chapter.

Disclaimer… uh, yeah... the usual…

Chapter 10 – Getting Ready

The morning of the ball Lucia was in a terrible mood. She yelled at the little goblin who tried to get her out of bed and then refused to eat breakfast with Jareth. She felt sour and didn't want to see any goblin kings or any suitors today.

"Lucia what is the meaning of your poor behaviour today?" Jareth came to ask her after he had been told by the startled little goblin he'd sent to bring her to breakfast.

Lucia was still in bed and Jareth had just popped into the middle of her room. When he saw her he was enraged. She was supposed to have been getting ready for the ball and she was still in her nighty.

"Up now! You will not play up today Lucia, you will be going to the ball no matter what you do so you might as well get on your pretty dress and get cleaned up. What is bothering you so much today?"

"I don't want to choose a suitor." She mumbled into her pillow.

"You don't have to. I just want you to meet some eligible gentlemen and socialise for a while. You're seventeen and haven't got any friends your own age. You need to socialise a little bit more my dear okay."

"Fine I'll go but don't expect me to 'socialise' with the men there."

He sighed and left he turned and said "leave your hair like that it's beautiful."

She turned to the mirror and saw it had been woven into an elegant bun with curls dripping down and circling her face. All through her hair were pearled hair jewels and she looked like sparkles had rained down on her. "Oh Jareth, thank you." She whispered

A large goblin woman came to her room and got her dress from the cupboard and passed it to Lucia to put on. She then proceeded to cover her face in cakey pink makeup. She felt like a human doll in her big poofey dress, hair her woven intricately and her face slathered in makeup. The woman told her to spin as she sprinkled sparkles down her and finished it off with some silver kitten heels.

"Now for the earings." The goblin woman said reaching for a little box on the dresser.

"Earings?"

"Yes we're going to pierce you ears miss."

She looked at the needle and wood block she pulled out of the box.

"It will just be a little prick nothing to worry about."

"Oh no, no, no, no way are you coming near me with that." She told her.

"But miss."

After some coaxing Lucia was laid on her bed with a pencil between her teeth waiting for the pain. The plump goblin had gotten another goblin to help her do it at the same time so that Lucia had both ears done and couldn't refuse the second after she'd pierced the first. The goblins line up the pin with the little dots she'd drawn on her ears and counted down from five. When they got to three the pushed to needles straight through and Lucia screamed.

"Not so bad miss?" asked the other pale green goblin. She glared at her trying to convey that it was terrible.

The other goblin left and the plump on changed the needles for some diamond tear drop earrings dripping from her ears. She completed the set with a matching necklace that hung just above her dress.

She looked in the mirror and saw a stranger. Her light purple dress had silver tear drops that matched her jewellery. It had a sweet hear neck line and trailed all the way to the floor and a puffy flare. The bodice was tied tightly with a corset that magically tied itself and stayed at the perfect width for her petite figure. The whole thing was covered in glitter and she felt like she belonged in a story book from the nursery.

Tears sprung in her eyes and the woman fussed over her makeup telling her not to ruin it. Lucia laughed and hugged her. She was very surprised but hugged her back telling her the boys wouldn't be able to keep their eyes off her.

That turned Lucia's mood sour again as she thought of the waiting suitors and Jareth in the hall. She looked at the clock and realised she'd spent the whole day dressing for a ball she didn't even want to attend. It all seemed kind of silly when she put it that way.

None the less she left her room with the little goblin to attend the dinner Jareth had prepared for all the important people before the ball.

When Lucia waled in Jareth smiled. He'd seen many beautiful girls before but she was the image of pure perfection and he planned to adopt her, this beautiful angel, as his own kin.

On the other hand Lucia did not smile as she walked into the room. Sat at the huge table was Jareth at the end and six boys her age. They were all looking at her like she was something to eat and it was making her uncomfortable. She sat in the only seat left which just so happened to be right in the middle of the boys.

She was civil and went to sit down but as she did the boy left of the seat got up and bowed. He then pulled out the seat and said, "Allow me gorgeous." He smiled at her showing his stunning white teeth. He was handsome. But so were all of the boys on the table including Jareth himself.

She glared at Jareth knowing he intended these boys to be her suitors. He just smiled and started convocation with them.

Everything was focused on her. Asking about her hobbies and how she loved games. They were complete gentlemen and were complete and utter grease-balls. All five of them. That was when she noticed the one on the end hadn't said a thing. He was opposite Jareth and he hadn't even flashed her a smile with his, no doubt, dazzling teeth.

He was blond with hazel eyes that shone brightly in the light. His suit was a plain black suit with a stripped blue tie on his light blue shirt. His eyes were wondrous pools she could stare into all night. Wait stare? She was stairing and her was glaring right back at her.

"What are you staring at?" He asked and everyone looked at him, Jeremy or was it Joseph stopped his talk about his riding lesson back home.

"Nothing. Sorry." She blushed.

He got up and said, "should we be going it must be time for the ball now? The sooner we get this over with the better." He left and the other boys followed.

"Taken a liking to Onyx now have you? He isn't very sociable and is in a situation similar to your one dear. I think he'll like you, well if you managed to start an actual convocation with him without him glaring at you." Jareth said chuckling as he left the room. Lucia soon followed after him dreading the ball.

Okay, hours up and I've got class. Hope you liked it.

Love yas 3