Jareth's eyes were mismatched like Sarah's were now. She was walking in front of him, but walking backwards, staring at his eyes. One of them was a very light green, not at all like the emerald-colored one of her own, and one of them... changed colors. Or that's what she had concluded. It was dark, for one thing, but it was constantly changing. Hazel, emerald, sapphire, ruby, black, and she even thought she saw it turn yellow once.

She had been walking backwards for only a few moments when Jareth said, "You'll twist your ankle that way. Nothing I can't heal, but it'll hurt in the meantime."

She took a few more seconds to examine his eyes as they flickered between violet and hazel and blue again before she sighed and took her place at his side, walking forward now. The path they were on was clear and headed straight to the gates of the Goblin City. "Your eyes change colors," Sarah stated, as they crested the second hill that eventually dumped into the castle.

"Yes, I know."

"Why's that?"

"Because my powers haven't completely manifested."

"My eyes aren't changing colors and I haven't picked up on any powers yet."

He chuckled, "Your powers have been chosen for you. That they haven't shown themselves yet is just a minor inconvenience. The goddess has not yet decided what else to give me, and so my eyes change. Or that's what Queen Titania has told me."

"Who's this Queen Titania?"

"Queen of Faerie. Or, otherwise, Queen of the Underground."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, "Really? Queen over you?"

"Of course."

Sarah for some reason couldn't imagine anyone 'ruling' Jareth the Goblin King. "Hm." She said softly.

They didn't speak for a long time. Long enough to reach the gates of the Goblin City. Jareth was calm, collected, or at least seemed that way. Inside he was screaming, running different scenarios. He wasn't worried about his own well-being, he knew he could best Dionysus in a duel but... even if he did... there was Sarah to think about.

The rules of blood-bond dueling was this; the winners of the duels shared whatever prize it was that was up for stake. This meant that if Muniya won the duel over Sarah, Jareth would be forced by oath to let her share his thrown. The thought turned his stomach. And, likewise, if it was the other way around... even though unlikely... Sarah wouldn't know what to do with a Labyrinth, and Dionysus... even the thought of him being in the same room with her boiled his blood. Dionysus would see Sarah as a pretty young thing to be seduced and, if not, just plain taken. She was in danger of more then her life. He hated to sound so post-modern but... her honor was at stake.

Sarah, too, looked calm, but her insides were squirming. A duel, a real duel. Sure she had seen them on T.V. and read a few novels that had fight scenes in them, but she had never actually, in person (save for the few and far between concert brawls) had seen a fight. It scared her. And magic scared her even more. From what Jareth had told her, Muniya had bested fae that were thousands of years old and well-trained in magic. She used her ruthlessness and cruelty as a tool, something that Fae wouldn't expect. Sarah hoped that she would be okay. She hoped more, though, that Jareth would be okay.

She hadn't yet seen Dionysus or Muniya for long amounts of time (hadn't seen Muniya at all), but from what Jareth had said, they had seen many goblin and Fae battles and had come back from it marked with the ideals and training of a veteran soldier. They were dangerous. Very dangerous. When Sarah asked him why he had even let such creatures exist in his kingdom he had shrugged, "If I was to destroy every creature unworthy to walk the earth, this kingdom would be much more deserted."

Sarah had nodded and concentrated on her practicing. She was amazed how familiar the hilt of a sword felt in her hand now. She has asked Jareth to conjure her a magic sword which now hung from a scabbard and belt slung low on her hips. The sword was long and as wide as her hand, but it was lighter then it let up. It had been sharpened to a suicidal point. When she had merely brushed a strand of her hair against the edge, it had sliced cleanly in half. She whistled appreciatively and thanked Jareth. They weren't sure if it would be taken away from her at the beginning of the duel, but it wasn't likely. It was, after all, a magic sword, and magic was the weapon of choice. As long as they didn't mention that it was Jareth's magic and not hers, they should be fine.

At the gates of the Goblin City, there were swarms of goblins. Little ones, big ones. Far away she spotted a great shaggy beast that she immediately recognized. Ludo was waving at her and tossing goblins out of the way. But she didn't get a chance to speak with him or see him up close before she was herded toward the center of the crowd, where a large arena had been set up. In it were two of the foulest and ugliest goblins she had seen thus far. One of them was distinctly female, her great breasts hanging bear and pitch black on her stomach. She wore a skirt of leather and a broadsword. Her hair was tied back, and she held herself with pride. Shoulders straight, head back, hands clasped behind her and her legs spread apart. The man beside her was Dionysus, much like Sarah remembered, in much the same stance, except he was grinning at the crowd.

Jareth was wearing a leather breastplate that at first looked like leather to Sarah, but glimmered in the setting sun like polished silver. When she had asked him what it was, he had remarked casually, "Dragon scales." He was likewise wearing the dragon scales over his black breaches and his bare arms. He had black boots of the same material. Other then the armor and the breaches, he was bare. Sarah wore the same leather outfit, but Jareth had made it thicker and easier to move in. He had also added armor to her arms and legs that he had conjured from one of his crystals. It looked like glass, but was bendable and strong. "Stronger then the dragon scales," he had remarked, "But it will disappear tomorrow. We should be done by then, however." Her hair was tied in a braid down her back and her face was clear and handsome. Her lips were colored and her cheeks flushed from their journey. At her insistence, Jareth had given her back her black Nikes. They didn't clash with the outfit much, except for the silver swoosh.

Jareth stopped ten paces from Dionysus and cross his arms over his chest, giving a small bow, then announced in a loud and clear voice that echoed over the quieting crowd; "I challenge you, Dionysus, Rebel Leader and current King of Goblins to a duel to the thrown of the Goblin City."

There were cheers from behind Jareth and Sarah. It was obviously Jareth's supporters.

Dionysus likewise crossed his arms over his chest and gave Jareth a small bow, saying in a gravely but thunderous voice; "Jareth, former Goblin King, son of Kabira of the Illusion line and Raghnall of the Shadow line, fourth in line to the thrown of the Unseelie of the Fae, welcome. I accept your challenge."

Cheers rose from in front of them, goblins stamping there feet and waving pieces of cloth in the air in support of Dionysus.

Jareth glanced at Sarah, and she stepped forward, bowing her head to Muniya and tapping her fist to her forehead just like he had instructed, reciting the words that he had taught her. "I, Sarah Williams of the Aboveground have been challenged by blood bond to duel Muniya of the Darkness clan as Jareth's equal."

A hush fell over the crowd that was still, as though the entire crowd had taken a breath and held it.

Muniya smiled coldly and bowed her head as well, taking her hands out from behind her and tapping her fist to her forehead. "I, Muniya of the Darkness clan, accept the challenge of Sarah Williams of the Aboveground on terms of blood bond as Dionysus's equal."

Cheers and hollers rose from in front of Jareth and Sarah. Sarah's eyes widened a tad, and Muniya's grin widened. She could almost smell the new Fae's fear. Soon cheers were rising from behind them, as the entire stadium was full of supporters of either side. Sarah spied Ludo and Hoggle and—gods, she hadn't thought she would encounter him yet—Sir Didymus clapping and bouncing up and down, waving a multi-colored flag that said, "Heil Sarah!" in gold letters. Sarah smiled, and Muniya's own grin faded.

And old and wizened wizard was coming towards them, hunchbacked with his hands clasped behind his back. He was shaking his head and muttering to himself. From what Sarah caught of it as he came near was, "Never in my life would I thinks to see something like this, oh no, not evers. To think, an abovegrounder challenging Muniya of the darkness clan... Jareth's equal... bah!" Sarah frowned at his back, annoyed. Jareth had already explained that Jeremiah, the man in question, was to signal the beginning of the battle. Jeremiah was apparently the advisor to the crown and the overseer of all games in the Labyrinth. Apparently a duel counted as a 'game'. Sarah didn't see how.

The wizened man stood in the middle of the four, so that he was at an equal distance from all of them. Then, with a voice Sarah hadn't thought he possessed (though it seemed everyone could shout put their mind to it) exclaimed, "The terms of the duel are this; magic is to be the only weapon. A weapon of non-magical quality immediately disqualifies the player and gives the winning title to thee challenger. This is a duel to the death. Players, show thy weapons."

Sarah unsheathed her sword at the same time Muniya did. Jareth conjured a crystal and Dionysus conjured a crystal that wasn't as round, or as large, or as clear as the one that Jareth held. By the slight widening around Jareth's eyes, however, she knew Dionysus hadn't been able to do that before.

Jeremiah peered at each of the weapons. Sarah could feel the wind of the old mans power beating against her and her sword like wings. The sword hummed and vibrated in her hands, but didn't break apart like Jareth said it would if it wasn't deemed worthy. Then, as the pressure was released, Jeremiah shook his head again and said clearly, "You may begin."

A/N: Um... yeah, I know... this still... isn't the duel... and, I have an excuse, really, I do. It was just that I wanted to keep the duel to one chapter without having to explain all the stuff I did in this chapter first. I'm getting around to it, though. I still have a half pot of coffee and two more hours of wakefulness in front of me. I might just put up the dueling chapter tonight—who knows? But please don't hurt me. It'll be good, I promise.

Thank you so much to those that have reviewed. You've helped more then you thought you could. I'm much obliged.

Crimsonsympathy