A/N: Oh, hey there. Yup, I'm still alive and stuff. Just craaaaazy busy. I meant to get this chapter up like two weeks ago. But alas, life had a few tricks it wanted to to try on me. Lame. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it despite the nasty wait, and the cliffhanger I left you all with in the last chapter.

Thanks again to all you fantabulous people who read, favorite, subscribe to, and especially review this story. It makes my day to see people enjoying my writing. :) But enough with this foolish chatter! I know you're just waiting to get to the story part. Soooooo, without further ado, I give to you, Chapter 13 in Batalla Dos Corazons!

xXx

Sarah's eyes widened and she nodded in understanding. As quickly as he had moved before, Jareth removed his hand from her mouth and pulled out of her personal space. Silently, they both sat without moving, hoping fervently that whatever had made the noise was not an enemy. Gripping the ladder tightly, Sarah nearly stopped breathing in an attempt to become even more quiet.

Jareth rolled his hand, a crystal forming at his fingertips. He held it loosely in his hand, prepared to throw it at the slightest sense of true danger. After a few moments passed, he slowly shifted, about to make his way up the ladder and look to see if anyone was there. However, Sarah's hand tugging on his shirt stopped him.

Sarah refused to let go, and instead, moved to mimic his earlier position, leaning to whisper in his ear. "Don't go up," she breathed, trying to stay as silent as possible, "If there are elves up there, you're nothing more than a sitting duck. If I get caught, the consequences are less extreme."

Allowing himself to slip back to his original position on the ladder, Jareth nodded in agreement. He held up the crystal in his hand, silently indicating that he had her covered, and Sarah smiled. She carefully climbed up the rest of the ladder and poked her head out of the top. Then, as soon as she stuck her head up, she ducked right back down.

"Damn!" she muttered, climbing back down to be on level with Jareth, "We're right outside the city. Literally. The only thing keeping us from being detected right away is the edge of the archers' tower looming over the opening. We are right next to the city wall. I think a patrolman made the noise we heard. It's a miracle we haven't been caught yet."

Lips pressed together in a tight line, Jareth furrowed his brow in thought. "This is bad," he finally whispered, "But we cannot simply sit here. Let's get off this ladder and attempt to figure a way out."

All Sarah could do was silently nod, too worried to argue, and she quickly descended the ladder, careful to keep her balance. Only once her boots were planted firmly one the ground did Jareth follow her path down.

Once he was off the ladder, the Goblin King almost immediately began to pace the small area of ground, one hand holding his chin, the other behind his back still clutching his crystal. His eyes were closed and Sarah dearly hoped he would be aware of where he was pacing. She could only imagine the horror and chaos that would ensue should Jareth take a misstep and tumble into the sewage rushing by right next to them.

"What to do, what to do," he mused, turning on his heel and taking three steps before turning again. Sarah glanced nervously up at the still-open hatch and absently bit her lip in contemplation. What could they do?

Certainly, Jareth could wait until his magic was fully recovered and transport himself back to the Fae camps, or he could wait for nightfall and fly back. Sarah however, had no way of entering the city without drawing attention to herself. And it would be foolish to even think of asking Jareth if he could transport them inside the city. He had been so exhausted from just moving them both several feet.

How on earth then would they get back? The situation was hopeless. Sarah took a deep breath and tried to sort out some sort of logical plan, but every single scenario ended with Jareth leaving and her stuck.

Oh gods. What if he left her right where she was? What if he just left for the camps, leaving her to fend for herself in the catacombs? He could do it; there was no reason for him not to. Sarah was just holding him back.

"Don't leave me!" she whispered abruptly, causing Jareth to halt his pacing and stare at her in surprise, "Please don't leave me here."

Jareth frowned. "You truly believe I would leave you on your own?" he asked quietly, the slightest hint of hurt lacing his tone, "That I would be as selfish, cruel, and callous to allow you to deal with this situation alone when it is my responsibility as well?"

Guilt flooded Sarah's conscience like a wave, and she immediately lowered her gaze, ashamed to have accused him of abandoning her. Where had her sense gone? "I-I'm sorry," she answered, covering her face with her hands, "Oh gods, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to accuse your honor. It's just... the only way I can see either one of us getting out is with you using your magic to get yourself out."

Suddenly, Jareth's eyes lit up. "That's it!" he exclaimed in a loud whisper, taking Sarah by the shoulders, "Sarah, you are a genius!"

Pulling her hands away from her face, Sarah's face clouded with confusion. "No I'm not," she replied slowly, "I just implied that you would leave me here in these catacombs. Right now I feel like the biggest fool in-"

She was cut off by Jareth clapping his hand over her mouth. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "Make a wish." he whispered, excitement practically radiating from his body.

Eyes widening in comprehension, Sarah reached up and pulled his hand away from her mouth. "That's right! The wishes!" she breathed, holding tightly to Jareth's hand, "Do you think that will work?"

"Of course it will!" Jareth shrugged, "It's worked the last two times, hasn't it?"

Sarah nodded in affirmation. "True," she admitted, "But what do I wish for? I need to be specific. I don't want to end up with you in another ridiculous disguise in an alleyway."

Jareth grinned and thought for a moment. He couldn't wait to see what happened after Sarah made her wish. "I suppose you ought to wish to be in the location that you think would be safest. But be sure to name it."

"I guess it can't get much safer than my rooms," Sarah thought out loud, looking down, "Though that would be a little hard to explain..."

Raising one eyebrow, Jareth scoffed. "Not really," he countered, "If you are not specific about how much time you spent in your rooms, that is."

With a sigh, Sarah raised her head. "All right," she conceded, "My rooms it is. I wish-"

"Wait!" Jareth interrupted, "Hand me the crystal I gave you."

Reluctantly, Sarah pulled the gift out of her pocket. "Why do you want it?" she asked, placing it in his outstretched hand, "Are you going to keep it?"

Jareth chuckled. "No, I'm not going to keep it," he informed her, "I told you it was a gift. I'm simply adding more to it." He leaned over the ball and whispered something; again, too quietly for Sarah to hear. Handing it back to her, he grinned. "Now you can let me know when you make it safely to the castle."

Sarah carefully took the crystal back, and studied it with squinted eyes. "How can I do that?" she asked, genuinely curious. Jareth smiled and held up the crystal he had formed earlier.

"Hold it close to your mouth and say the Fae word for speak, my name, and then the Fae word for king," Jareth replied, "Do you know how to say those words?"

"I don't know if I can say them properly," Sarah answered with a frown, "I can spell them for you though." She grinned wryly.

Jareth smiled back and then turned his attention to his crystal. "Listen to me then," he coached, "The word for speak is falar, which is pronounced fah-lar. You already know how to say my name," here he raised a questioning eyebrow, and Sarah rolled her eyes, "And the Fae word for king is rei, pronounced rehy. Your name to me is different, obviously. So if I wanted to contact you, I would do this."

Here he held up the crystal to his mouth and said clearly, "Falar Sarah princesa." Suddenly, the crystal in Sarah's hand grew warm, and glowed softly. Looking up, Sarah shook her head in confusion. "What do I do?"

"Simply say falar," Jareth instructed, "And that will activate the communication."

"Fah-lar," Sarah said slowly, stumbling through the word. The glow faded, and in it's place was an image of Jareth's face. Sarah gasped, and her eyes grew enormous. "I see you!" she exclaimed, though still managing to keep her voice low, "I see you!"

"Indeed," Jareth replied, amused at the princess's excitement. He cut off the connection, and turned his attention to her. "Now, I want you to initiate communication."

With a deep breath, Sarah leaned over her crystal and carefully said her right words. Immediately, Jareth's crystal began glow, and Sarah looked up triumphantly.

"I did it," she declared, her voice holding a small trace of smugness, "Do you see? I did it."

"Perfect," Jareth replied, vanishing his crystal with a small pop, "Now, are you ready to make that wish?"

Nodding, Sarah tucked her crystal back in her pocket. "Whenever you are," she said quietly, "As soon as I get my bearings, I'll contact you."

"I'll be waiting."

Closing her eyes, Sarah took a deep breath. Then suddenly, she impulsively moved forward, throwing her arms around the Goblin King. "Thank you," she said in a rush, "Thank you for all you've done for me." She squeezed him tightly, and Jareth, despite his surprise, couldn't help but be amused at the childish innocence her embrace held.

"You know, Princess," he replied softly, allowing his arms to wind themselves around her body, "I am partially to blame for bringing us down to the catacombs. You wouldn't be in this mess, or such a mess had I not-"

"You've been more than kind to me," Sarah interrupted, resting her head on his chest. The length and demands of the day were taking their toll on her, and she was becoming tired. "And you and I both know it was I who made the first wish." She closed her eyes drowsily, and loosened her hold slightly on the Goblin King.

"All right," Jareth conceded, "Now make the wish so you can get cleaned up. You smell like death, and your feet are covered in dung." Sarah sighed tiredly and pulled away, reluctant to open her eyes.

"Thank you again," she said, opening her eyes, "I hope you didn't find me to be a terrible bore." She grinned wryly.

Jareth just shook his head. "Not in the slightest," he replied warmly, "Enough talk though! Make your wish. I do not desire to stay in this hole for much longer."

With a small laugh, Sarah closed her eyes and pictured her quarters. "I wish," she declared, hoping the wish would work, "I wish I was in my rooms."

Jareth felt the magical energy flowing from him, but he did not feel a drain. He wondered, as Sarah faded from sight, whether or not it was really him providing the magic to fulfill her wishes, or if he was simply a channel for some other power. Since his energy was unchanged from before Sarah made her wish, Jareth quickly focused on transporting himself back to the camps.

This time he made it to his destination without any problem. Jareth found himself standing inside his tent, still covered in filth, but safe and sound. Also, he wasn't exhausted, and was able to remain standing and alert after the transportation. How relieving.

Stripping off his absolutely revolting shirt, Jareth tossed it outside his tent. The article was good for nothing more than charcloth after all the wear and filth it had encountered.

With a sigh of relief, the Goblin King sank down on his cot and slowly pulled off his boots, but not before taking out his crystal and setting it beside him. He didn't want to miss Sarah's confirmation that she had indeed made it back to the castle safely. As he yanked his stockings down his legs, he felt the drain of the day on his body. Not only had it been physically exhausting, but mentally and magically as well. Oh how he simply wanted to lay down and sleep for ten years!

Perhaps the several months without going to direct battle had made him soft. Right then, Jareth resolved to dedicate more time in each day to training. He couldn't risk being weak, especially in a time of war.

Resolution made, he leaned back until his head was rested on his pillow. Once Sarah had contacted him, he would head to the ocean to bathe, and then abuse his position as High Heir to take at least an hour to rest.

Why hadn't Sarah contacted him yet? She had made her wish fifteen minutes ago at the very least... was something wrong? Had she not made it through in one piece. Panic flashed through his mind as he pictured the princess arriving in her rooms missing a limb. Shooting up from his laying position, Jareth snatched up his crystal, intent on trying to reach her.

Then, as quickly as the dread washed over him, reason cleared his mind. Just wait a little longer, he thought, She is most likely simply recovering from the transportation. He laid back down and tried to relax. Just a few more minutes. She will be fine.

xXx

"Any word of my sister yet?" a distraught Karen inquired to one of the soldiers riding back into the castle's courtyard. The young elf shook his head and dismounted his horse.

"We have discovered no sign of her since we first found her horse, M'lady," he replied seriously, "But as soon as we learn anything, you shall be one of the first to know." Pulling off his helmet, the soldier turned to lead his horse into the stables.

Karen sighed and reluctantly returned to the castle doors. It had been almost three hours since she left Sarah in the marketplace, and she was growing concerned. Not only for Arden's plan, but more so for her sister. What if she had been kidnapped? What if she was being held for ransom? What if she had been killed?

She would never be able to forgive herself if something had happened to Sarah. Each unkind word Karen could remember saying to her sister came filtering through her mind, and she grew more and more upset. If she never saw Sarah again, Karen would never be able to make things right with her! Against her will, Karen's eyes filled with tears at the thought.

Running past the two guards at the castle doors, Karen fled down the halls, trying to get back to her rooms before anyone could see her cry. Hands over her eyes to try and stop her tears, she was hardly aware of her surroundings. It was no surprise then, that she ran right into Arden who was walking out of the hallway that led to the family quarters.

"Karen, what is the matter?" he asked, true concern in his voice as he enfolded her trembling body into his arms, "Are you hurt?" He rubbed small circles on her back and tried to comfort her. "Tell me, my love."

"Oh Arden," Karen whispered, not trusting herself to speak any louder, "What if she's been killed? I should never have let her out of my sight!" She was truly crying now, and she fumbled in her skirt pocket for a handkerchief to stop her tears from running down her face and dripping onto Arden's shirt.

Seeing her distress, Arden quickly pulled his own handkerchief out of his pocket and gently handed it to her. "You mean Sarah?" he clarified, "Karen, I am certain she is fine. She probably found something that distracted her, and now is so completely engrossed in it that she has lost track of everything else around her. You know how your sister is." He looked down and gave her a smile.

Karen sniffed and dabbed her eyes. "But what if she isn't?" she pressed tearfully, "My sister is practical and logical. Why would she be gone for this long? And why would she leave her horse? It doesn't make sense!" She gave out a small cry and buried her face in Arden's handkerchief. "I just know something's happened to her!" she sobbed, her voice muffled by the cloth.

"Karen," Arden comforted, giving his lover a squeeze, "Sarah will be all right. I have sent guards all over the city to look for her. It won't be much longer until she is found."

"We can't use her, Arden," Karen moaned, rocking against him, "I would never be able to forgive myself. Come up with a new plan. Please. This is maddening." Her breathing grew erratic as she tried to keep her sobs quiet, and her chest heaved with awkward gasps.

"All right, all right," Arden consoled, resting his cheek on her head, "We won't use Sarah. I can easily think of something else. Just calm down and breathe. All will be well."

He continued to whisper words of comfort and hold her close until she had calmed down. Once her tears had stopped, he pulled away and took both her hands in his. "Better?" he asked kindly. Karen nodded, eyes puffy and nose red. Arden smiled, and offered, "Why don't you wait in her room for her? Would that make you feel more comfortable?"

Karen closed her eyes and smiled softly. "It would," she replied, her voice shuddery from crying, "Thank you."

Wordlessly, the Elf prince swept the mortal princess up into his arms bridal-style. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he slowly carried her towards her sister's room. The approached the shut door, and Arden gently set Karen on her feet so he could open the door. However, when he reached to turn the knob, a sound shocked him as well as Karen.

Inside Princess Sarah's room came a loud thud, and then a muffled "oomph!" Arden turned and met Karen's wide eyed gaze with his own look of shock. Quickly, he turned the knob and burst into the room, Karen hot on his heels.

xXx

Because her eyes were closed, she missed the colors swirling around. She did not see her scenery changing. Sarah did, however, feel the shift in her balance, and felt the nausea that accompanied magical transportation. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in the middle of her room.

She did not stay standing for long, however. The after-effects of the transportation kicked in, and Sarah tumbled to the ground with an "oomph!" Just as she shook her head to try to get her bearings, her door was thrown open, and in rushed Prince Arden accompanied by Karen.

"Oh thank the gods you are all right!" Karen cried, throwing herself on the floor and pulling Sarah into a tight embrace. But as suddenly as she had grabbed on to her sister, Karen let her go.

"Why are you such a mess?"

xXx

A/N: Ha! I'll bet you weren't expecting that side of Arden. You know, the side that actually cares about something/one other than himself. Anyway, please make sure to leave me a review telling me what you thought of the chapter. Even if it's a "great chapter, I liked it" kind of review, I still love to hear from you lovely readers!