Control:

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Elena turned in her bed, she could feel the warmth of the morning light heat her body but she was too tired to get up. She pulled her blanket close to her chest and whined softly as she heard the door to her room open. The moment the footsteps padded through her room she knew it was Grethe, she wondered if she would be in for another lecture from her about not making the king wait. She heard a soft clink of metal on her table and turned reluctantly opening her eyes.

"Oh M'Lady I'm sorry I had no intension of waking you. Please go back to sleep and your meal will be waiting here for you." Elena rubbed her eyes, what was she going on about?

"Grethe? Um I thought I was to be dinning with His Majesty." Grethe laughed and fixed up the covers on Elana's bed. Wait, her bed? She glanced down to where she was, she had fallen asleep on the window seat.

"That would be a little hard M'Lady as it is almost the noon hour. His Majesty said that you had a rough night and not to wake you at all. I was suppose to leave you food for when you finally awoke." Elena sat up fully and smoothed out her hair the best she could, not only had she fallen asleep at the window but in her dress with her hair still piled together. Finally being able to fully focus her eyes she thought over what her little goblin maid had said, His Majesty had ordered them not to wake her. She began to wonder just what the servants would be saying now that she had missed two meals, but more so what they would think of the phrasing "rough night" and the fact that he made it known to them that he knew she had it.

"Thank you Grethe, and don't worry you didn't wake me." She slipped her feet off the window seat and planted them firmly on the floor, just as the cold rushed into her legs she began to remember just why she had a rough night.

"Oh Lord!" Grethe furrowed her little brows as Elena shot up from the seat and ran to the wardrobe just across from her.

"Is something wrong M'Lady?" Elena searched through the various dresses till she found one she thought was not overly done.

"Oh yes……yes, everything is wrong! I have slept half the day, don't you see Grethe I have to give him my choice today?" The little goblin stood confused for a moment till recognition filled her beady eyes.

"Don't be so worried M'Lady, if you are at loss for what to choose, choose to stay. I don't understand why you would even have to think on this for two days. If I were a human I would have no qualms about my decision, who wants to live in that boring old human world? Mostly when they have the offer of living in the castle as the King's personal guest?" Stopping to take a bite of food she could not help but watch the goblin as she finished setting out her clothing.

"It's not that simple, I have a family there, a life. Plus I doubt staying here is such a big deal, how many mortals have been the King's "personal guest"?" Grethe clicked her tongue as she began to take Elena's hair down as she continued to eat.

"You don't know much about the Underworld do you? Poor girl, as long as I have served the King he has never invited a mortal to live here. And I have served for over three hundred years, almost as long as His Majesty has been ruling." Elena dropped the small bit of herbed bread back down in the saucer of salted oil.

"Did you say three hundred years? How old is His Majesty?" Grethe laughed as she finally managed to brush through her long curly hair.

"Don't seem so surprised M'Lady, the Faire Folk are not the same as mortals. His Majesty is well over six hundred and fifty Aboveground years, though I must say he still looks as though he is only in his four hundredth year. He takes after his Mother in that respect. I remember my Grandmother who had been his Father's nursemaid said that His Late Majesty already looked to be three hundred by the time he was only a century old." Elena ran a hand across her face, she knew that Jareth was older she just didn't realize how much older he really was.

"If you don't mind me asking M'Lady, how old are you?" Taking a drink of the sweet wine in front of her she tried to remove the shock.

"I'm only twenty, it's funny I must seem like a newborn baby compared to His Majesty." Grethe laughed and finished brushing out her unruly hair.

"True, you are very young. Still very green, but that will change M'Lady. You will find that your life in the Underground will pass quickly till you no longer realize time. I guess that is the reason why the Faire Folk are as they are, they don't bother about age or time as they are almost timeless. Well then, I guess we should get you presentable for His Majesty. This is a big day for you and the castle, it will be wonderful to have a real Lady living here again." Elena just sat there staring down at her food. Why was Grethe so sure she was staying? She had yet to even make up her mind, but everyone was so certain she was going to choose to stay. And it didn't even bother her.

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Jareth walked along the marble walls of the center garden, this particular one happened to be his father's favorite. It was less magical then the moonstone garden, but yet beautiful in its simplistic design. Dark green marble had been used to create the walls and walkways, the streaked stone held small veins of deep blue making the entire garden look intensely opulent. The flora was much different as well, here no iridescent butterflies disguised themselves as flowers. Just immense deep orange rose blossoms which stood like elegant ladies amongst their bushes.

There were no fountains in this garden, but just a small pond filled with bright fish the same hue as the roses. All in all the place was beautiful, and was a striking contrast to his Mother's favorite garden. He had always believed that the two places were perfect examples of his parents.

His mother like the dazzling moonstone garden, a bright and shining beacon for all who looked for her. The pride and joy of the Goblin Kingdom.

His father like the darker garden he now stood in, deep and sometimes misunderstood. A harsh adversary but a firm and honorable King.

He stopped by the pond and looked down at the dancing fish. He had found long ago, long before the death of either of his parents, that these two gardens eased him when troubled. No matter what it was he always would visit one of the two. And at that moment what Jareth needed more then anything was his Father's reasoning and wisdom. Somehow walking this place allowed him to feel that comfort, though at the moment it seemed not enough.

The source of his unease happened to be a particular guest of his. It would seem logical that it would have been one or both of the Sidhe twins, but no it had been Elena. Only once had a mortal caused so much anxiety in him, but this time it was different. Elena was not normal, she was not strange in the essence of the bizarre. No she was perfectly normal in that respect, it was her eyes. Her eyes and that damned mark of time. He knew that she was mortal, he felt it in her when he touched her. So why did she hold that mark? It couldn't be a fluke of nature, there was no way that a mortal could contain such a thing. Only those of the Faire Folk could hold it. True if she decided to stay over time it would begin to show in her, but she had not been there long enough. Three days was not long enough, and the fact he saw it only on the first! The shortest known time for it to appear in a mortal was three hundred years, and that was only because the mortal had had an ancestor from the Underground.

The sound behind him pulled him from his thoughts. He turned masking all worry and stood just gazing at who was approaching him.

Elena strolled down the dark stoned walkway, the skirts of her long dress swishing over the ground like butterfly wings. Jareth noted the deep color of her dress, hunter green with silver leaf embroidery. She fitted in perfectly with her surroundings, if it hadn't been for her Aboveground speech one would have thought she was one of the Faire Folk.

"I see you have finally graced the living with your presence. You look much better today My Child, I am pleased for it." He made a small bow and same as the night before he refused to remove his eyes from her. Elena copied her movements from the night before and curtsied, her hands set neatly together in her lap as she did so. Something told her the more flashy extending of the skirt was inappropriate here. Her knowledge of a few of the more intimate customs was still a bit unnerving. Mostly the fact that when she had left her chambers she had no direction to where the King might be, and within little time she had found this garden and the King with no help. But worse was the fact that she had known he would be there before she had even set out of the castle.

"Good Day Your Majesty, I am sorry that I have slept so late." Jareth waved her off and turned back towards the pond.

"Think nothing of it child. Come, I believe you will enjoy this." Nodding her head Elena glided her way to Jareth. She noted how his shoulders were slightly slumped and his head bowed. Once beside him she dropped her gaze to where his was.

"Koi! Oh Your Majesty I don't think I have ever seen Koi this color before." Jareth smiled at her amazement, but it quickly faded as their eyes met. That mark was haunting him.

Elena fought to keep herself from crouching down clutching her chest in pain. The pain this time was much stronger then it had been before and seemed to travel into her stomach and up into neck simultaneously.

"I'm glad you enjoy them, you should see them during mating season. Their scales fluctuate colors. I am sure you will spend your spare time here come next season." Elena shook her head and walked a bit from the king. Did everyone in the castle know her decision but her? Or was it that he was banking on her not being able to choose? Did he intend on making her stay?

"Please Your Majesty why do you presume I will stay?" Jareth laughed slightly and sat down casually on a nearby bench.

"I presume nothing My Child, I know. Come nightfall you will make your choice, and you will stay here freely." Elena took a deep breath and walked in the opposite direction of the king, it seemed the further away the less pain she was in.

"You presume to know to much Your Majesty. But please I don't wish to talk on this right now, I don't even want to think on it." She closed her eyes, why was this decision so hard? The pain that had began to spread searched its way up through the back of her neck and settled behind her eyes. She could hardly stay conscious as she felt two hands grip her shoulders. Jareth lowered his lips to her ear and pressed her back against his chest.

"But you must, that is unless you wish me to take control. And I have no problems with control, will you give me control child?" Her breathing was slight as his hands slipped down her arms to clasp her hands in his own. Elena forced her eyes open as he produced a crystal in her hands.

"I….I….." Jareth brought his lips even closer to her ear, his skin now brushing over hers.

"It is a simple question Child, will you give me control?" The pain in her head grew till she could hardly see. She leaned further back against Jareth trying desperately not to fall. She grew dizzy and the world around her seemed like a haze of light and sounds.

"N-n-no…..I…." The crystal in her hands turned milky and crumbled into dust. Jareth watched helplessly as the dust toppled to the ground. He felt her weight as she began to collapse in his arms. He snaked an arm around her waist and turned her around to face him.

Her eyes were cloudy, though even the pain he saw was not enough to mask that mark. It shone out like a star. With a blank stare she gazed at him, her lips moving slightly to let out the faintest of sounds.

"Not yet……."

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Jareth paced around the throne room purposely ignoring the twins as they played a game on the floor. The only thing on his mind was Elena, why had she collapsed? But more so how had she been able to destroy his crystal?

"I win again Sister!" Ailis picked up the die she had just tossed and handed it to Aithne. The two smirked knowingly to each other as they watched the King fret.

"It seems my dear Sister that the mortal child has upset our benevolent ruler. I wonder why he fusses over her so." Aithne laughed and rolled the die and huffed as it came up a two. Ailis' eyes glittered and snatched away the die before following her sister's example to toy with His Majesty.

"I do believe that he finds her pleasing. She is a pretty little thing, if not a babe I imagine he would consider his attentions towards her be more passionate." She smirked at him as she made her roll, her excitement growing as she rolled a six.

"But maybe that is what he has already attempted, maybe she refused." Aithne laughed and produced a few small jewels that she handed over to Ailis in payment of her win.

"What? Anyone refuse His Lordship? Don't be absurd!" This time it was Ailis' turn to laugh as her sister once again tossed the die.

"Oh I do believe you are right, what woman would be stupid enough to refuse him? I mean he has…."assets" that she surely can see." The die rolled a three and Aithne shook her head and waited for her sister to make her roll.

"Oh yes that is very clear, he has a great "talent". But why else but her refusal would be haunting him thusly?" Ailis cheered quietly as her roll turned out a four and waited for her sister to hand over another handful of jewels.

"I do believe that the child is blind then, maybe we should go have a visit with her. She must be informed of his aptitude, don't you think sister?" Aithne snatched the die away and made her roll only to groan inwardly at the roll of a one.

"Oh yes, I think maybe we should inform her of that night along the Neptune shore. Would not that be a perfect example?" Ailis once again cheered as she rolled a five.

"Oh yes, maybe we should take a little trip back. I'm sure she would delight in seeing his achievements in person. I mean I have never seen a man move in such a way, she would surely not refuse him after seeing how his attentions could be spent on her." Before Aithne could grasp the die Jareth produced a crystal and let it burst into a shower of dice over the two.

"Stop speaking as though I were not here, it bothered me back then and it bothers me now. I don't understand the Sidhe sometimes, your love for games almost outranks my race." He stopped and slipped into his throne, night was slowly drifting upon them and soon Elena would make her choice, or give him control. He looked down at the twins with a look of disgust.

"And at least if you are going to play a game in the middle of my throne room make it more challenging. I've seen mortal children play more demanding games."

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Elena paced her room, from her window she could see the sky begin to darken. It would not be long now, she was to met Jareth in the gardens after dark to give him her decision. But what decision? Stay or leave, so simple but yet so hard.

She had hoped that her afternoon would help her to reveal what it was she wanted. But it only seemed to confuse her. The pain had started to move its way from her chest and spread along her body, she collapsed on her bed just remembering the pain in her head.

"M'Lady are you feeling ok?" Grethe opened the door to her chambers and slipped in. Elena noted the large black bundle in her hands.

"Oh yes I'm fine, just still tired." The little goblin nodded and flipped out the budle in her hands revealing a large cloak.

"That is good, His Majesty awaits you in the gardens. Wear this, night in the Underground can get pretty chilly. We don't need you getting sicker then you already are, what a way to begin your new life." Elena kneeled and allowed Grethe to fasten the cloak. She turned to face the goblin with cold hard eyes.

"Why is it that everyone is so sure I will accept? I have…….have a……a……" A smirk appeared upon Grethe's face as she smoothed out the cloak.

"Um hm, well anyway you best be off. If you don't hurry you will forfeit your choice." Elena nodded as she exited the room. Her head swam as she walked through the halls and out to the Gardens, what was it she was trying to say? She had a what Aboveground?

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Jareth stood in the Moonstone garden, he gazed peacefully down into the fountain as soft footsteps padded behind him.

"I was beginning to wonder if you would come, for a brief moment I thought you had forfeit." Elena stood still, her black cloak pulled tightly around her with its elegantly decorated hood carefully concealing her face. Her eyes darted around the garden, the place seemed even more mystical at night then she thought possible. Jareth stood with his back to her. His stance was one she had yet to see from him, he always was relaxed or simply elegant. But now he was rigid and all business. She knew there would be no tricks or rhymes, it was time for straight and to the point. Her time had run out and she had to give him her decision.

"I have not forfeit. But before I give you my choice Your Majesty, I ask that you allow me to say a few things." Jareth turned and smirked at the girl, she was truly more like his race then anyone would admit. She thought with a political mind, few mortal girls who ever came to the Underground were so diplomatic in their opinions.

"As you wish, but remember that you do not have long. Once the clock strikes thirteen a decision must be made." Elena nodded taking a step closer, she tried to ignore the pain in her chest as it rose to crawl its way up her neck. She took in a deep breath and worked to steady herself, how could she be taken seriously if she was shaking like a leaf?

"I wish first to say that I have found my stay here first of all to be rather strange, I know that it is a goblin city after all, but I am human!" Jareth raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms across his chest.

"And this is suppose to be news to me? What is the point of this?" He watched as Elena shrugged her shoulders and took a few steps to her right.

"I just wanted to get that straight and made sure you understood, I guess I made my point there so on to the next thing." She tried to act like she knew what she was saying while in truth she was just wasting time. She knew she would have to choose soon, but she thought maybe as it came down to it she would know what it was she wanted.

"Ok well...um...its just...ah..." She watched as Jareth produced the clock from the throne room and shifted his weight waiting impatiently as she continued to stall time. She bit her lip and spouted off the first thing that came into her head.

"You know the Labyrinth is really confusing...and hot mind you!" Shifting his weight again he lifted both brows, maybe she wasn't what he thought.

"You should really like install some hidden air conditioners or something...I mean how can you stand all this heat mostly with the outfits you wear." A smirk appeared across his face, she was nervous. He had noticed mortals had a tendency to ramble on when nervous.

"I know a guy, if you'd like his number... Can you call people on those crystals? Long distance?" Shaking his head he stepped forward, if he didn't stop her she might start suggesting that he in fact tear down the Labyrinth all together.

"Child you are stalling, make you choice or I will make it for you." Elena stopped pacing and looked straight at Jareth, her body trembling.

"Your Majesty…..how can you expect me to make this decision?" Jareth walked calmly over to her and slid a hand under her hood causing it to topple down in a torrent of raven folds. Before she could move away he slid his other hand into her dark hair and gently grasped the back of her head. Slowly as though he were teasing he pulled her to him, their lips only a breath apart.

"If you do not wish to then give me control, that is all you have to do. Just hand over all control to me and you will no longer have need to worry." The pain in Elena's head began to grow, the contact of his body on her's was too much. She couldn't see and felt tears run off her cheeks. A pounding filled her ears and she spoke without realizing.

"No…….I can't……" Jareth groaned and pulled away from her. He straightened his gloves and turned back around to face the girl.

"Child listen to me, all your life you have dreamed of this. Your fantasy world, and now I offer it to you. Why refuse me for a petty thing like family?" Elena stammered back and rested herself on the edge of the fountain. She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to recall a memory, any memory.

"Family?……I have a…….." Jareth walked to stand in front of her, his height making him appear like a sculpture in the light of night.

"Child you have only two minutes left, choose or I shall choose for you." Elena again searched her mind, why couldn't she see them? She knew she had a family, or at least she thought she knew. But she could not see them, or anyone. Slowly her memories faded leaving her with only the images of the Labyrinth, it was if she had not existed before she came there. Looking up to Jareth and to the clock she sighed. She stood and set her eyes firmly on his.

"Then I shall make my decision. I choose to stay." The clock behind Jareth sounded with such an intensity that Elena had to cover her ears. Jareth smirked and ran his hand through her hair before cupping her cheek. His eyes burned into her and he leaned down almost pressing his lips to her's.

"Then it is done………Goodnight My Child." He pressed his lips only lightly to her's so that she could only just feel the warm flesh tickle her own. He pulled back and walked away without another word. Elena just stood there, she wasn't sure if what she had just was right or wrong. The fact was she wasn't sure of anything, not Jareth, not the Labyrinth, and certainly not herself.

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Ailis stood at the window as her sister tossed a few dice against the wall.

"So what did she choose my sister?" Aithne grinned as she watched the dice roll two sixes.

"She accepted him." Ailis walked from the window and set down on the bed, things were starting to work out right.

"Did she give him control?" Aithne stood from the floor and set the dice on the table.

"No she keeps refusing him, she is stubborn." She gave aheavy sigh and began to comb out her hair.

"Don't worry Sister, she will. Jareth will make sure of it. He had a taste of it once, he won't let up until he has control of her. It just may take some time." Aithne sat beside her sister and took the comb from her and began to finish the job.

"How much time do you think?" Ailis allowed her sister to pleat her hair into a braid and she turned to do the same for her.

"Hm…..some time, but if need be we shall just help things along. Remember my dear Sister, kingdoms can not be built alone. There are those who do the physical work and those who direct it."

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Author's Notes: ok loved writing this chapter and things will now start to really move along.

Thanks to Tari who in fact I stole that little rambling scene from, hehe it was from a convo we had, see I told you girl I was very Very gald you were having fun, I think it fits perfectly.

And of course thanks to Tari, Gebo and Nerds for putting up with my evilness, no one realizes what I put those three wonderful girls through. Its a wonder they haven't just shot me yet.