Talon stared down at Magda, watching her gasp for breath. They were in the small yard outside her home and she fought to stay awake. Talon was filled with a kind of curiosity about death, it fascinated him to watch someone so near to it. She beckoned him to her and grabbed his sleeve. Looking down into her eyes, he grinned.

"What does it feel like, Magda - can you feel the life ebb from your soul?"

"You must save me, I cannot die so near my goal - I shall make you a bargain, young Talon - listen well." Her labored breaths made speech difficult and he leaned closer to hear her words. His mind was filling with possibilities even as she tried to sit up and look at him.

"I will give you my remaining powers and you will use them to destroy the royal weddings. In return, you will lead my army when we welcome Carman back into our world once the royals are defeated. You will get Sarah and I will live to watch them all die."

"Very well, I accept," he said, watching her eyes roll slightly back into her head. She muttered ancient words, she raised withered hands and when lightning flashed across the sky Talon watched eagerly as a swirl of black magic and demon skulls surrounded them. Talon closed his eyes and absorbed Magda's power. He could hear the voices of every innocent Magda had killed over the years, felt the power of Carman flow from the old witch into his body. Finally with a shriek that tore through the room, Magda fell back into his arms.

"It is done," she gasped. Talon flicked a wrist and destroyed Magda's home, blasting it into oblivion. He laughed, an evil, powerful laugh and Magda frowned up at him.

"You destroyed my home," she said warily. He looked down at her, with a mocking smile and she knew fear.

"Did I? Well, you won't be needing it now, say hello to Aed for me," he said, raising his hand again.

Magda's scream echoed into the still morning air, startling the nearby birds to take flight from the trees and flood the sky with a black sea of squawking feathers. Talon looked at the pile of ash that had been a powerful witch and smiled. Felecia's plans had failed, Magda's plans had failed. Women and their foolishness, he thought bitterly. They had thought him a pawn in their game, but now he would be king. He went back home to dress appropriately - he had a queen to claim and a Goblin King to destroy.

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Robert Williams was familiar with the Fae, he'd been married to one of their royals and he'd met the Goblin King. Still, the thought of going to the Fae Cathedral where his little girl was going to be married filled him with a nervousness he could not disguise. He could not believe that he hadn't found the time to tell Karen what was happening. But she'd been surprised to learn Sarah was getting married to a man she barely knew and at such a young age. It had taken some time for her to warm to the idea and Robert had found himself in the position of easing the idea into his wife's mind. Which meant he could not admit he was a little disturbed at Sarah marrying so young.

But what really worried him was knowing that his Sarah was one of them now. Would she still need him, would she even want to spend time with her human family? He knew logically that Sarah loved them, knew that she was always going to be his daughter. But he also had to allow for the fact that she was Lena's daughter too, and so much more than a normal girl. And now he had to let his wife know what Sarah was, and all he'd hidden from Karen all this time.

Karen was brushing her hair and looking critically at her reflection in the mirror. Eight months pregnant, she secretly had wished the wedding had waited until after she'd given birth and had a chance to slim down again. What would the pictures look like? And Sarah had just finished high school. True, it had been a year early, but Sarah had always been smart. And a chance to marry Jareth Lutin, famous French rock star - well that was an achievement. How Sarah had lucked out in meeting him still confounded Karen but all of her friends had been so jealous. And that made Karen pretty happy.

"Penny for your thoughts," Roberts said, coming up behind her to give a quick hug. She smiled and kissed his cheek, all selfish thoughts fleeing from her mind as she felt his arms around her.

"Just wondering how pretty Sarah's mother in law will be - I'm a whale," she joked. He smirked and spun her around into his arms and she gasped in delighted surprise. He could be incredibly romantic at times.

"You are the most beautiful wife I could wish for," he said sincerely. "But we do need to talk. I haven't been completely honest with you about Jareth's family."

"What do you mean - I know they are all eccentric artistic types, but that's to be expected. They are artists, after all."

"Well, they are that - but they are, well - different. I guess the only way to explain is to show you." He led her into Sarah's room and sat her on the bed.

"What's going on?" Karen asked.

"Remember when you had that dream where you almost ran over Sarah - right when you found out you were pregnant?" At her hesitant nod, he waved at the mirror.

"All right Sarah," he said. Karen gave the mirror a strange look and froze. Sarah was staring back at her, smiling. She was different, Karen noted. She looked older and her eyebrows slanted up in a slightly exotic look. The most startling thing though were her eyes. They shone with a maturity and ancient knowledge no normal seventeen year old should have. But Sarah had never been normal, had she?

"What's going on, Robert?" Karen asked, stunned. But she was beginning to understand. Part of her had always known that she hadn't been dreaming when she'd seen Sarah that day. Part of her had felt very loved that Sarah had been there, protecting her and her children. She put a hand on her stomach and waited.

"Karen, you always said Sarah didn't seem to belong to our world. Well, that is because, she doesn't - not entirely."

"I'm not sure I understand," Karen said, trying to keep calm. Sarah saw this and rushed into an explanation.

"Karen, I really wanted to tell you months ago, but things were complicated," Sarah said through the mirror. "My mother was Fae, and well, now I am too. I'm not going to age, and I'm married to the King of the Goblins. Um, you know him as Jareth Lutin. It's a lot to take in on such short notice, but you know me - I've never been good at organizing time." A very male laugh just out of the mirror's view startled Karen and Sarah glared in the direction the laughter had come from - but Karen could see a great deal of love in Sarah's eyes as she tried to look annoyed.

"Sorry, that's Jareth, he thinks he is amusing." The man in question appeared next to Sarah and bowed. Karen vaguely thought that he and Sarah looked like royalty.

"Madam, I hope that you are well and that you know you are always welcome in our world."

Karen sat there, looking at her step daughter and didn't say anything. After a few moments, she glared at Robert.

"My daughter's mother in law is going to look like that," she said, pointing at Sarah, "and I looked like I've swallowed a giant balloon?"

Sarah and Karen caught each other's eye and started giggling uncontrollably. After a few moments, Robert sat down and shook his head. He would never understand women, he thought, bemused by the whole situation. And watching the two most important women in his life, he decided that it wasn't such a bad thing.

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Hoggle, Sir Didymus and Ludo were not happy. The wood nymphs had descended on the 'Queen's bodyguards' and decided to make them fit for a royal wedding. Several of them were brushing Ludo's fur and placing hair bows all over his fur. Others were trying to convince Hoggle to wear a silver colored formal suit with matching short pants that 'brought out the color of his eyes' in a most engaging manner. His hat was nowhere to be found and a nymph was busy brushing back his hair, much to the dwarf's annoyance. Sir Didymus was being hugged and fawned over by the nymphs who thought he was just adorable.

Aberdon wandered into the friends' room and stopped short, watching the spectacle. He stared for a moment then excused himself, waiting until he was just outside the room to erupt into a fit of hysterical laughter. Coming back inside, he bowed to the nymphs and smiled at the three very annoyed friends.

"I see you are all being readied for the weddings. I was looking for Antoinette, have you seen her?"

Hoggle grimaced as a bright eyed nymph struggled to put him in a shiny silver jacket. He shooed her away and glared at Aberdon.

"I ain't seen your queen as I've been fightin' off these maniacs. Tell em I'm dressed fine as I is and I'm not changing."

"Now, now Hoggle, you want to look your best for Sarah - do you not? She'll be pleased to see you all looking so - um, dashing."

"Dashing," Ludo said, striking a pose. Aberdon bit back a laugh.

"Well, I'll leave you all to your tasks. I'm going to find my wife." He made a hasty retreat out of the room and the three could hear the king's laughter ringing down the hallway. Turning a corner, he ran into Antoinette who was carrying a large basket.

"Oh, Aberdon, your mother was looking for you," she said breathlessly. He took the basket from her and grinned.

"Really, I was looking for you, my Queen - you look tired. Perhaps we could retire to our room and rest for a bit?" His silver eyes stared down at her and she swallowed, lost in his gaze.

"Um, that would be lovely - later, but right now I have to get that basket to Sarah's room. There are a few things Alyssa wants her to have before the ceremony."

"Then I shall go with you to deliver them. Come, little one, let me escort you."

Taking his arm, she smiled up at him and let him lead her toward Sarah's room.