Hey everyone, I know its been ages! I havnt forgotton i have just been very busy. Well enjoy, i'll try to get back into the writing of this story so hopefully you wont be waiting for too long for the next chappy!

xxx

Chapter 21

Jareth woke early the next morning, it was still dark outside. Sarah was asleep in his arms, she looked so peaceful, so he slipped out of bed carefully trying not to wake her. He dressed in silence, wincing slightly as his wounds were still tender. He gazed back over to Sarah who was still fast asleep before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. With that he quickly left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

ooo

Sarah woke several hours later and was a bit disappointed to find she was alone in the bed, but she was still grateful that she had gone to sleep in Jareth's arms even if she couldn't wake up in them.

She climbed out of bed and pulled on the green dress she had been wearing for part of yesterday and was pleased to find a hairbrush had been left on the dresser. She picked it up and sat in front of the mirror as she began to brush her hair slowly.

She glanced at the clock, it was nearly 8 o'clock. Sarah wondered if she should maybe head to the dining hall for breakfast but her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in." Sarah said loudly and was pleased to see Emarith enter the room.

"Sarah," he said smiling. "I have come to escort you to breakfast," he continued.

Sarah got up and walked towards the door and Emarith. "Thank you." She said as she smiled back at him. Sarah took Emarith's arm and they walked down to the dining hall together.

ooo

Sarah and Emarith walked into the dining room, there were three large tables set out instead of the usual one, each with about twenty people sitting at them. Sarah gasped, some of the people certainly did not look human, fae or even elvish. Emarith noticed her gasp and placed his hand lightly over hers, guiding her over to the table where Baelom and Darton were sitting. She took her seat next to Baelom and Emarith sat beside her. There was a buzz of chattering throughout the large dining hall.

"These are some of the most important people in the Underground." Emarith told Sarah. "They have answered Jareth's summons to fight beside him in this war, there is going to be a meeting about it in a couple of hours."

Sarah nodded, showing that she understood. She glanced around the room, trying to find Jareth.

"He's not here." Emarith said, noticing what Sarah was doing. "He was in the armory earlier, I'm not sure what he's doing now, probably setting up for the meeting."

"He should be resting." Sarah said. "At least for a short while."

"Too true." Emarith said nodding. "He's not a very trusting man is Jareth, he likes to see things for himself, doesn't like to hear about things from other people, especially when it comes to something as important as preparing for a war."

Sarah nodded and helped herself to some orange juice as Emarith put bacon, eggs and toast onto her plate. Sarah sniggered.

Emarith heard her. "I'm under strict orders from Jareth." He said, smirking. "You're to clear your plate or I'll be in trouble."

"Don't worry, I will." Sarah said and true to her word she ate every last bite.

ooo

The meeting started prompty at nine o'clock. Sarah sat silently in the gallery of the meeting hall, looking down at the happenings below. There were several other people up there with her, all just as silent as her. She had begged and begged Jareth to let her in on the meeting, eventually he had let her seeing that she was not going to take no for an answer.

Jareth and the other leaders were sitting at a huge table with maps and various other things strewn all over it. The meeting was mostly people calmly talking but sometimes an argument would break out, some so bad that people had actually left the room and not returned. Sarah wasn't entirely sure what was going one a lot off the time because sometimes the parcipitants talked in strange languages she didn't understand. But she still listened intently, hopeing to pick up some of what was being said.

ooo

After several hours, but what seemed like days to Sarah, the meeting took a break for lunch. Sarah got out of her seat slowly, her legs ached from being sat down for so long. She carefully climbed down the narrow, stone, spiral staircase and nearly walked straight into Jareth who was waiting for her at the bottom.

"Hi Jareth," Sarah said breathlessly.

Jareth smiled at her. "I was hoping you might like to join me for lunch Sarah." He said.

"Of course I will," Sarah said, finding it a slightly odd request seeing as she assumed they were just heading to the dining hall.

"A private lunch that is," Jarath added as he ran his gloved hand through his hair. "I've just spent the last four hours with all my visitors, I don't know if I can handle making small talk over lunch with them."

Sarah nodded "yes that's fine Jareth, I would like that very much." She said.

Jareth smiled and took Sarah by the arm, leading her to his private study for lunch.

ooo

After they had both eaten their fill, Jareth piled the plates in the middle of the table.

"Are you meeting again with everyone this afternoon?" Sarah enquired.

"Yes I'm afraid so," Jarath said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "And I would rather you were not present this time Sarah."

Sarah opened her mouth to protest but Jarath was too quick and spoke again before she could.

"I let you in this morning as a favour to you, I feel the meetings will be getting more heated from now on and I would rather you were not there." Jareth said, a slightly dangerous glint in his eyes.

Sarah frowned, she knew there was no point arguing with him.

Jareth noticed her frown, "I'm sure you'll find something to entertain yourself this afternoon." He said as he got up from his chair. "I will see you this evening." He continued as he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Sarah slumped in her seat, what was she going to do for the rest of the day? She thought for a moment then got up from the chair and left the room, heading towards the stables.