Jareth had left her in the room that had been his growing up and now he rounded the familiar corners and corridors that he knew well to find his way back there. It was strange to think of Sarah being here in the setting of his childhood. And it was just as strange to think how long ago that was and how much had happened since he had been a boy, growing up in his father's palace.

He stopped outside his door and pushed it open. A beam of light cast through the already dark room, the only glow inside coming from the flickering of the dim fire. He could see from where he was that Sarah was asleep- asleep in his bed. And Jareth couldn't help but love that sight.

She looked so peaceful that way that he didn't want to wake her, so when he entered the room, he was sure to be quiet. Closing the door behind him, Jareth approached the bed soundlessly. He magicked away his clothes with a wave of his hand and they were replaced only by a pair of soft pyjama bottoms. Jareth didn't have the energy to do anything else.

He sat on the bed beside Sarah and looked down at his arm in the vague light. The pain from the wound was getting a lot worse, and he knew that sleep would be the best thing for him right then. Jareth was about to lie down when he noticed Sarah shift.

She squirmed around in her sleep and her unconscious expression formed into a frown. He watched as she moved; and as she started moaning. But what surprised him was that she then began moaning his name. He smiled, then tucked a wayward strand of her hair behind her ear, pulling a groan from her at the touch. She woke with a start seconds after, his name forming on her lips. And as her eyes opened, it took only the tiniest moment for them to settle on him.

"Jareth?"

His smile grew, pain momentarily forgotten.

"I didn't think you'd be back tonight..."

He shrugged. It was a bad mistake. The cuts on his arm stabbed pain through him and Jareth could barely fight back a wince.

"Jareth? Are you okay?"

He stared at her. She actually sounded worried about him.

"It's nothing."

"Jareth."

"Sarah," he replied, his tone mimicking hers.

"What happened?" she asked.

He said nothing for a moment.

"Was there someone in the castle?"

"Yes."

"Who? Tebras?"

"Sarah, I'm tired and in pain. I will explain tomorrow. For now I want to relax."

She stared.

"So you are in pain?"

He sighed, clearly exasperated.

"Yes."

"So does that mean you got hurt at the castle?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

He sighed again. Would she never give up?

"My arm. It will be fine," he replied after a moment's pause.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay..."

After a small silence, Jareth couldn't resist continuing their conversation. He was too curious about one thing.

"Are you actually concerned for me, Sarah?" Jareth asked, enquiring after her constant questions.

She frowned a little.

"Maybe," she replied quietly.

She herself didn't even know. Was it concern that she was feeling? Perhaps. At that point in time, all she knew was Jareth. Without him, where would she be? Lost and alone in the Underground. And what would their bond do to her if he was gone? It was driving her insane just being away for him for a couple of days- what would being without him for the rest of her life do?

She didn't want to think about it. And strangely, the thought of Jareth being hurt or... worse, actually bothered her. She couldn't figure out why that was though, so she turned her attention away from those thoughts.

"I don't know," she said aloud.

Jareth raised a brow. At least that wasn't another repetition of 'I hate you!' Deciding not to push his luck though, he changed the subject.

"You survived dinner with my family then, I see?"

Sarah blinked. She had almost forgotten about the previous evening.

"Yes... Barely... You know, your other sisters-"

"Were there, yes."

She blinked.

"You knew? You knew and you didn't say anything?"

She seemed outraged.

"Sarah, enough," he said, before she could continue under the wrong impression.

"I met Nyx on my way down here. I didn't know the twins were here until then."

After a second, she realised that she'd got it wrong and her expression softened.

"Oh..."

"Yes, oh. You must not always jump to such conclusions, Sarah."

"You can't blame me," she put in grudgingly.

"Here is thing, Sarah. I can," he answered.

He raised a hand to point a finger in order to continue chastising her, but he instantly regretted it. He grimaced. Jareth's arm pained him again and he actually groaned. Sarah frowned immediately and her hand went out to steady him. He didn't look up for a moment and his hair fell forward to cover his face.

"Jareth?"

"I'm fine."

"You're not," Sarah answered.

"You should lay down."

"I said I'm-"

"You need to lay down. Every time you move, you get hurt, so just lay down."

He raised his eyebrows at her commanding tone but did as she said. After all, he was hardly going to question what looked like one of the only caring gestures she had given him. Sarah looked down at him and gasped as she finally saw the wound on his arm.

"What happened?" she asked again.

"I will tell you in the morning."

She scowled at him.

"Why haven't you bandaged your arm?"

"Because, Sarah."

She stared insistently.

"Just drop it. We will talk in the morning."

Begrudgingly, she acquiesced, "Okay."

"Go to sleep, Sarah."

She carefully lay down beside him. She didn't want to sleep; she wanted to talk to him. In fact, she wanted to touch him too. But she couldn't do either of those things. Sarah settled with sliding her hand over the sheets so that her fingers slid into Jareth's hand, where she could hold it.

She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep so that she wouldn't have to see his reaction. Of course, he knew that she was awake, but he said nothing. He merely turned his head to look at her attempt at a blank expression. Jareth could barely believe it. She was holding his hand of her own volition. Maybe Nyx was right, he thought. Maybe Sarah didn't hate him like they both thought.

Jareth rested late into the morning, long after Sarah had woken up. And she found herself watching him as he slept. He looked like he was in so much pain even whilst he was sleeping. The cuts on his arm looked far more inflamed and much nastier now than they had when she'd first seen them.

Sarah let him sleep even though she desperately wanted to know what had happened. She was... concerned. She couldn't believe that that was actually something that she feeling towards Jareth, but she was. The fact that he had pointed it out to her the night before had made the thought linger in her mind and she found it hard to shrug off. It was probably just an effect of the bond. Or the fact that she was in this foreign castle and Jareth was the only one that she could depend on. Yes, that had to be it.

When Jareth woke up, he found Sarah staring at him, and immediately she asked, "How do you feel?"

"Good morning to you too."

She frowned at him.

"How do you feel?" she enquired again.

"I'm fine."

But the way he winced as he sat up betrayed him.

"You're not. You were groaning in your sleep and those cuts look worse."

"Why Sarah, that is genuine concern, isn't it?"

She rolled her eyes at him to keep her expression from revealing her.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

He sighed.

"Can I not just have a moment to wake up?"

Her frown deepened. Sarah allowed Jareth his moment though; in fact she remained silent until he insisted they bathe together. Even when Jareth sat her in his lap, with her back pressed to his chest, Sarah didn't question him about what happened the previous night. It was only when Jareth wrapped his arms around her that eventually, after a long while of silence, he decided it was time to inform her of what had occurred in their home.

"The Shade was searching for you as far as I could tell. I found it in your old room."

She swallowed.

"It caught me with its claws just before I could destroy it."

"It hurts doesn't it?" Sarah asked after a short pause.

"Yes," he replied, finally giving her a truthful answer.

"How badly?" she whispered.

"It doesn't matter. It's just going to get worse over time."

She sucked in a tiny breath.

"What do you mean?"

Jareth's voice wasn't the slightest bit unnerved as he replied, "Darkland injuries are as nasty as the creatures that live there; they get worse the longer one is exposed to them."

It seemed to Sarah as if the fact that he'd just admitted that he would be in an increasing amount of pain didn't really bother him. But he veered away from discussing his pain before Sarah could reply and asked her to help him clean the cut.

She turned in his lap, so that her legs now straddled his. It took an awful lot of concentration to distract her from the proximity of his body. She hadn't been with him intimately for what felt like an age and, as much as she hated to admit it, she missed it. Sarah tried to ignore the thought by focussing on helping Jareth, using a small facecloth to carefully clean the wound.

"Shouldn't you get this seen to or something?"

"When we return home," he answered dismissively. "Here it must remain uncovered."

She looked at him questioningly.

"Another of my father's stipulations. In his opinion, to bandage anything less than nearly-fatal shows weakness."

"That's ridiculous."

Sarah was disliking Kenrick even more with everything that she learnt about him. How could he act in such a way towards his own son- even if his son was Jareth?

"Yes. But, in this instance, his insisting may prove useful."

"How?"

"Well, an injury on the arm of the heir to the High King's throne will certainly raise questions; and, since all of the nobles have spies in this castle, word will get around and enquiries will be made."

"And that's a good thing?"

"If a war is brewing, sides must be taken; and my being seen in such a position with my father certainly puts us at an advantage. After all, who would have the nerve to stand against the High King?"

"But I thought he wouldn't-"

"No. You're right, he won't help. What is important is that the other nobles think that he will."

"Oh."

They lapsed into silence. She looked down- careful not to look too far though, because she was well aware that they were both naked.

"Jareth?"

"Yes?"

"I thought you said that a war as what Tebras wanted, and that you weren't going to give him that?"

Jareth sighed. He pushed a wet strand of her hair over her shoulder, brushing over her shoulder lightly.

"He is pushing me too far. It is either he takes you or we end this with a war. And I have no intention of letting you fall into his hands."

She leant into him, pressing her cheek to his chest as she rested her head against him. He looked down and noticed a tear slip down her face.

"What is it?" he asked.

"You're going to start a war over me. I'm not worth that."

"Firstly, yes, you are; and secondly, this war has been brewing for a long time. You are just its catalyst."

"But still..."

He tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"I have allowed him commit and get away with so many atrocities, crimes of an unforgivable nature, all for the sake of peace. It is clear to me now that Tebras must be dealt with or he will never stop. War is the only way."

She looked down. She hated the situation. She hated Tebras. And she hated that she didn't hate Jareth so much anymore.

"I wish that wasn't true..." Sarah whispered.

"If I could grant that wish then I would, love."

Sarah sat on the bed, wrapped in a towel. She felt a little vulnerable like that, but still, she was not in as bad a position as Jareth was. She could see pain etched into his features, even though it seemed that the soothing water made him feel slightly better. She couldn't tell that he was in more pain than he was letting on however, as he covered it mostly by pacing up and down the room.

"Why didn't you tell me about Conn?"

Jareth looked up. The question seemed a little out of the blue.

"Why would I?" he answered, bemused.

She shrugged and replied, "I kind of freaked out a little when I first met him because I had no idea if he was telling the truth or not; and by that I mean I had no way of knowing that he wasn't a friend of Tebras'."

He frowned. Her reasoning did make sense. Perhaps it was an oversight on his part- though he had thought that he had more time to explain before Conn returned.

"If I am honest, Conn was the furthest thing from my mind with everything that is going on with you and Tebras. I didn't think about it. Besides, he wasn't supposed to return for a while," he reasoned.

"I had hoped to give you an appropriate introduction."

Sarah frowned to herself.

"From what he told me, I think he already knows quite a lot about me."

Jareth tilted his head to the side.

"But you don't know much about him."

Sarah faltered and said, "He told me about his past... with Tebras..."

"Ah, but that was who he was; how much did he tell you about who he is now?"

She paused.

"He said he was like an aide... and a friend."

Jareth raised a brow.

"Did he now?"

She nodded.

"That was understatement on his part. Conn probably knows more about me than anyone else in the Underground."

Sarah said nothing.

"He is my most cherished friend."

Sarah found it odd to hear Jareth speak about Conn this way. It was hard to think about Jareth having friends- particularly any close ones. But he seemed to genuinely be serious about Conn. Friends... Sarah just couldn't get her head around it.

"I had sent Conn on a delicate embassy when I brought you here, acting as an ambassador for my Kingdom, so that is why I didn't think to tell you about him."

Sarah looked at him quizzically.

"He was visiting another fae kingdom that I believe will aid us against Tebras, regardless of my father's help."

An embassy to other kingdoms? How many are there? she wondered, reminding herself once again that she desperately need to get her hands on a map of the Underground.

"Another fae kingdom? You think there's someone that will help us?"

"The Underground is bigger than you know, Sarah, and Tebras has been an irritation to many kingdoms. The Summer fae particularly despise him."

"Summer fae?"

Jareth nodded. This is just getting even more confusing... Sarah thought.

"They are the opposite to those who dwell in the Darklands. They thrive in the light; and to be allied with them would put us at a great advantage."

"Because nothing fights the dark like the light, right?" she said quietly.

"Exactly," he agreed.

"And with their help, we stand a far better chance against Tebras."

Sarah pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them there. The two of them remained silent for a while, and Jareth continued his slow pacing.

"I wish you would tell me things, Jareth," she murmured quietly.

He stared. As far as he was aware, he was telling her things.

"I feel like I don't know anything here- like a child that you're keeping things from."

He blinked and considered her point. There was so much that he hadn't told her; but he had been telling her things as they came up. Jareth had only told her what he thought she would need to know when she needed to know it, otherwise there would be far too much to tell her. As reluctant as he might be to admit it though, she had a point. His lips formed into a thin line.

"Is there anything in particular that's bothering you?"

"Where do I start?" she muttered.

"You didn't tell me about Tebras at first, you won't tell me where my friends are, you didn't tell me about Conn or your sisters or your father-"

"Now Sarah, you cannot blame me for that. I will not reveal your friends' location for the sake of their safety and your feelings. As for the other instances you have mentioned, I have already explained my lack of forthcoming information."

He moved to sit down beside her on the bed and took her hand. She didn't resist him.

"The reason that I deny you information is that I don't want to overwhelm you, or worse, frighten you."

She turned her head to look at him.

"I feel lost, Jareth," she said flatly.

"I understand what you're saying, but I need to know more than you're telling me. Whenever you're not around, what do I know? Only what I can scrounge off others."

He sighed. She truly did look lost- and it didn't suit her.

"I will try to be more accommodating from now on if you feel it necessary."

"I do feel that," Sarah said sadly.

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, watching as her expression remained unchanged.

"Sarah?" he asked after she remained silent for some time, apparently wrapped up in her thoughts.

She blinked and said, "Hm?"

Jareth just looked at her questioningly, wondering on the thoughts she was absorbed in.

She looked a little reluctant as she started to reply, "I was wondering, since said you'd said you'd tell me more things..."

She swallowed, bracing herself for something she'd wanted to ask for a long while.

"Well... can you tell me about fae weddings?"

He paused. What did she just say?

"You want to know about fae weddings?" he asked, seeking confirmation that he'd heard her correctly.

She nodded.

"I had thought that you wouldn't want to speak of weddings since you were so reluctant to accept ours."

Sarah frowned. She had hoped that he wouldn't say something like that. It bothered her enough that she was having to ask about their own wedding.

"I need to know what to expect, Jareth. I don't like surprises anymore."

He stared for a moment. He still couldn't believe that she wanted to talk about their wedding. He had thought it would be a forbidden subject- one that would only cause them pain. But Jareth was determined not to waste the opportunity that Sarah had presented him with.

"Well... Our wedding will be small compared to what you are used to-"

"Five to twelve people right?"

He opened his mouth to reply but paused. How did she know that? Jareth narrowed his eyes at her, making her look down for a second.

"It was in a book that I found in the library," she whispered in explanation.

"Hm... Indeed. Well, you are correct-"

"Right, so who will be at our wedding?"

She had been waiting to ask that question for some time; but she didn't understand why he proceeded to scowl as soon as she'd uttered it.

"Sarah, do not interrupt me again," he said.

Sarah froze. His tone was suddenly so harsh; so commanding. It was such a difference to how he had just been speaking to her that it reminded her of when he'd rebuked her, when he'd been cruel to her; and when he'd raped her.

"Why do you do that?" she whispered.

"Do what?" he said, some irritation lingering in his tone.

"One minute, you can be so nice and almost... sweet; and then you'll just yell at me or something because of the tiniest, ridiculous thing."

Jareth stared.

"That was almost a compliment," he replied, his voice flat.

She bit her bottom lip anxiously.

"However, how I act doesn't concern you, Sarah."

"Yes it does," she frowned.

"When you're yelling at me for nothing-"

"I never yell at you over nothing."

She looked outraged and slipped her hand out of his.

"Oh, sure."

"Watch your tone, Sarah."

She rolled her eyes and said, "No Jareth, it's important that you know that how you speak to me actually matters."

He looked at her with harsh eyes.

"It is important that you realise that you must treat me with respect. I am a king, Sarah."

"But-"

"No buts. You will be my wife. My Queen. You cannot remain silent forever; you must learn to speak properly- and you cannot speak to your superiors thusly."

She frowned.

"You must learn respect."

The way he was speaking made her half expect that he was going to hit her. In fact, he might have if could have. Sarah said nothing. She was almost afraid to.

"Silence is a start; better than your always answering back anyway," Jareth growled.

"When we are married, Conn will teach you the manners you must learn before I lose my temper."

Sarah paled. Conn will teach you. What was that supposed to mean? The way he said that was as if Conn was going to beat some 'manners' into her. But he wouldn't do that... would he?

"So, what? Because you can't hurt me, he will?"

Jareth blinked.

"What are you talking about?"

"Threatening me about Conn 'teaching' me manners. I know what that means," she snapped defensively.

Jareth's expression softened as he replied, "You misunderstand me, Sarah.

I'm not sure that I do."

His eyes flashed.

"Then you understand completely that by 'teach', I mean that Conn will instruct you formally of the ways in which you are expected to act?"

Sarah stayed silent. That wasn't what she'd thought, at all. Jareth sighed.

"I knew talking about our wedding would bring about an argument. We will discuss this later."

He moved to get up, but Sarah caught his uninjured arm. He looked back at her expectantly, waiting for an explanation.

"Wait, please, can we just talk about it? I need to know."

He raised a brow.

"Do you promise to behave?"

She nodded.

"Very well."

And Jareth sat down again, readying himself to continue.

Author's Note: After reading a third of Wuthering Heights yesterday morning, I felt like doing a bit of writing. Guess I got a bit carried away, but hey, it resulted in another chapter, so there's an upside. :) Hope you guys like it and will let me know what you think! :)

Kit xx