A/N: Here's another chapter for your pleasure. Enjoy!

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Chapter Twenty-Five

Jareth woke up when the sunlight touched his face with its warm kiss. He yawned slightly and glanced over at the vacant side of his bed. This did not surprise him. Mai was very stubborn when it came to staying in his bed or him in hers. She was worried someone would barge in and their plans would go down the drain.

"I won," Jareth reminded himself as he got out of bed, clothes instantly appearing on him. "So, she needs to be up and ready for the challenge."

He opened the door to the bathroom and cut across it, opening the door leading to Mai's room. Mai was not lying in her bed, but Spot was. Mai was not in her room, but Rorek and Ares were and they looked pissed. Frankly, Jareth was starting to get a little irritated too.

"Where is she Jareth?" Rorek demanded, glaring at him. "Where did you put Mai?"

"I have put Mai nowhere and therefore, I do not know where she is," Jareth said. "But she is obviously not here in this room or you would have never made it through her barriers and we wouldn't be having this conversation." No, we would b e having one of my choosing, Jareth thought.

"Jareth, we have searched the entire castle and city for her," Ares said, crossing his bare arms. "And she has not been found."

"Did you check the Oubliettes or the Bog of Eternal Stench for her?" Jareth questioned with the hint of a smirk.

"Yes! Mai was not there nor is she anywhere we can and can't think of here!" Rorek snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Jareth. "You must have hidden her away in your Labyrinth!"

"I have no control over the Labyrinth or not as much as you believe. I have limited power over it because its spirit coexists with my power. If the spirit has hidden her, no one will find her without consent from the spirit or unless Mai makes some mistake and reveals herself."

"Like we'd believe that story," Ares said, rolling his eyes. "Labyrinths don't have spirits."

"Yes they do and if you would have paid attention in school, you would know that."

Ares pulled a face at Jareth and looked away. Rorek did not seem so equally done with ranting.

"If you go down to your stupid maze and demand that the spirit hands over my granddaughter, it'll have to give her over."

"It's not that simple."

"Nothing ever is," Tara said, standing in the doorway. "But then again, things always seem simpler when you are under someone's blankets, in their arms…Right Jareth?"

Jareth chose not to reply to the blonde. He crossed over to a window and looked out at the Labyrinth as if expecting to see some sign of Mai.

"You never approved of the marriage arrangement," Tara continued, smirking. "I'm sure people have wondered why."

"You slept with my granddaughter on the night of the party, didn't you?" Rorek questioned in a deadly tone of voice.

Jareth gave a small nod, but refused to look at the Elves.

"Did you have her convinced that you loved her so you could sleep with her since then?" Rorek demanded.

"No…I didn't deceive her into thinking that I loved her," Jareth replied. "She knew…"

"That you were using her?" Ares asked.

"That I loved her."

Rorek snorted. "You could never love her Jareth. She is not her mother and never will be. I will see to it that she is removed from your care the instant she is found, so you may not taint her anymore. You will not use her like you used Rebecca so many years ago."

"I did not use Rebecca and I will not use Mai!" Jareth snapped. "I will find her myself and when I do, I may hide her away from you until I can make her my Queen."

"That will not do!" Rorek declared, upsetting the table with the sketchbook on it. "I will see the High King and if he does nothing, we will march into your land and overturn every stone until our princess is safely found and returned to her people!"

Rorek stormed out of the room with Ares. Tara smirked beautifully at the infuriated Goblin King.

"And when she is home, she will be married to Ares," she said. "And bear his children, losing her looks with each one."

Jareth glared at her. "It was not her looks that attracted me to her, Tara, but her intelligence and spirit. Neither of which you could ever possess."

Tara did not seem to be fazed by his words. "Just remember whose bed she will be warming once the King has his granddaughter again. It'll be Rebecca's golden years with you all over again."

Jareth growled. "Get out of my castle witch or I will personally dunk your head into the Bog of Eternal Stench!"

Tara turned and left the room, looking smug. Jareth walked over to the table and fixed it. He looked down at the sketchbook lying open at his feet. Two glowing white eyes stared up at him from the pages.

"So, you have met the Spirit," he whispered "But is she the one harboring you?"

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The Elves and their servants left the Goblin City the same day. The wedding was put on hold as was the procedure because Mai, the bride, was nowhere to be found. The High King would do nothing about Mai's disappearance because he viewed the Trolls as a greater threat to more people under his rule. Both Elf Country and the Goblin City declared war two days later against the invading Trolls and each other.

Jareth could feel the Spirit of the Labyrinth start to tense through their bond. As much as he hated knowing that his war could cause her pain, he was ready to do what he had to in order to protect his kingdom and all of his subjects. He just had his family to worry about first.

"You two better take the twins and get back to your castle," Jareth said to Gabriella and Tobias, linking his hands behind his back. "Especially because you are expecting, Gabriella. You don't need to be around when the Elves or Trolls get here. Neither do Eve and Ariana. I would also prefer it if Edward would go with you, but the boys is too stubborn to listen to me."

Edward smirked smugly from his perch on the windowsill. "I learned from the best."

"And why do I have to go?" Eve asked, looking at her older brother. "I don't want to be forced back into the same castle as Lumeria and Jovas just because of some pointy eared freaks and giant drooling freaks! I can fight as well as you and Michael."

Michael snorted in amusement. "We're not trying to seduce them Eve. We're going to kill them or imprison them and then execute them."
Eve growled and raised a pair of scissors threateningly. "Don't make me use these Michael!"

"I don't need a haircut."

"That's not the only thing I can cut off," Eve said, snipping the air.

Edward and Tobias winced. Jareth bit his bottom lip. Michael looked nervous and turned away from his sister.

"You wouldn't really do that, would you?"

Eve smirked. "I might."

"Fine, fine," Jareth said, waving a dismissive hand. "Eve you can stay. Ariana -"

"I want to stay and fight," Ariana stated, looking at him calmly despite the knowledge she was withholding from him. "I have never been one to stay around and be a nursemaid. I can fly overhead and report your enemy's location…"

"Very well. Tobias, see your wife and daughters off before the sun sets," Jareth ordered, turning his back on all of them. "We have much to do in so little time."

"I can see myself off Jareth," Gabriella said, standing up. "Just promise me one thing before I go."

Jareth turned his head slightly.

"Promise me that when you find her, you'll do what's right from the kingdom and her," Gabriella whispered.

Jareth gave a stiff nod and heard her leave with the rest of the family. Ariana lingered behind.

"What is it Ariana?" he asked.

"Mai…she'll be safe where she is sire," Ariana declared quietly. "With her power…she'll be fine until you can find her."

Jareth turned to face the Greater Fairy. "Do you know where she is?"

"No. She told me nothing." Ariana lied. "I am simply a Fairy she does not acknowledge half the time…"

Jareth sighed. "Go. Dinner is about to be served."

"You're not coming?" Ariana asked.

"I'm not hungry."

Ariana sighed and walked out of the room. Jareth moved over to a covered painting he had ordered to be brought to the library and pulled the gray sheet off of it.

His face stared back at him in perfect detail as its body sat in his usual reclined position on his throne. A white barn owl was perched lightly on the back of the throne. Sitting on a small red velvet footstool next to the throne was a faceless woman. She wore a dress he had never seen on Mai, Sarah, or Rebecca but her hair was equally as dark as all three.

"Mai…you know very well who she is, but you are afraid to tell the world. Afraid to tell yourself…" Jareth whispered. "So, who is my future bride?"

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Sarah looked up when something fell through her mirror. Toby, now on his way to four years old, laughed and pointed at Mai as she straightened.

"Note to self: working on landing," Mai muttered, dusting herself off. She smiled at Sarah and Toby on the floor. "Hi guys."

"How'd you do that?" Sarah asked, pointing at the mirror.

"Long story short…I have magic and have learned how to use some of it," Mai explained, plopping herself down on the floor next to Sarah. "I came through a reflecting pool in the Labyrinth."

"Labyrinth?" Sarah cocked an eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be in the castle?"

Mai chewed on the inside of her cheek. "That's…uh….I ran away from the castle…"

"What? Why?"

"Jareth…"

"What did he do?" Sarah asked, crossing her arms. "Did he try to curse you or something?"

"Sarah, he loved me," Mai whispered, looking at one of Toby's toy trucks. "He loved me when he knew I had to marry someone else."

Sarah looked surprised. "Wow…"

"And that's not the worst part…I loved him too and kind of…slept…with him."

"WHAT?!?"

"Sarah?" Irene, Sarah's stepmother, called from downstairs. "Is everything all right up there?"

"Yes Irene!" Sarah called back.

"Good because your father and I are just about to go," Irene announced.

Sarah looked at Mai. "How could you do that? He's over a thousand years old! You're 17! Too young for him and this kind of thing! And…God! I knew something like this would happen!"

"Sarah, he wants me to be Queen."

"Congratulations."

"That was before I ran away," Mai announced.

"But why did you run away? You two obviously love each other…You said so yourself."

"My mother's murderer killed someone because they found out about me and Jareth. I don't want another death on my hands nor could I marry Ares and break Jareth's heart." Mai sighed. "Running away gave me time to learn magic and read up on Elven history and law."

"But what about a war between the Elves and Goblins? Isn't that a possibility now that you're AWOL?" Sarah asked.

"As of this morning the Elven army has separated into two bodies," Mai muttered, staring at a wall. "One is going to battle off the advancing Trolls. The other is heading for the Labyrinth to battle the Goblins. The Goblins have sent their own forces to battle the Trolls and still more are preparing to defend their homes. The Labyrinth is preparing herself for the oncoming troops."

"But won't that lead to more deaths? It is war."

Mai nodded solemnly. "That's why I'm trying to find a way out of my arranged marriage that my grandfather can't worm his way around. I want to solve this problem before too much blood is spilled in the Underground because of me and the ageless battle over my mother."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Can you ask Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ludo to keep an eye on Jareth for me? I would do it myself, but they'd go running to Jareth and tell him that I contacted them."

"I guess I can do that."

Mai sighed and got ready to get up. "I should go now. Viper and the Spirit will be missing me…"

Sarah reached over and hugged Mai. "You better be careful down there Mai," she whispered. "Or I'll beat the hell out of you."

Mai nodded and stood up. She walked over to the mirror and vanished into it.

Toby waved. "Bub-bye Mai."

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Jareth sulked off to his room, moody after seeing his sister and nieces off. He had lain on his bed for hours, not really feeling sleepy. Then he blinked.

He was walking around a green pasture, looking around for something. Everything seemed so peaceful.

The wind blew his name in his direction and urged him forward as it caressed him. Mai was spinning in a field of flowers with a childish smile on her face. She stopped when she saw him.

"Hello Jareth," she greeting, smiling at him. "Welcome to my happy place. Or one of them. This one should be somewhat familiar."

"It's the park that we escaped the paparazzi at," Jareth said, watching her. "Where are you?"

"Safe. And keeping your family safe by remaining hidden," Mai stated, adjusting the skirt she wore. "But I don't plan on staying that way for much longer. I'm very close to my objective."

"Mai, you need to come back to me now," Jareth said, crossing over to her. "I can hide you for as long as you need…No one needs to know you have come back."

Mai shook her head sadly. "I'm not coming back until I am ready to…Not even to see you or to make you happy Goblin King."

"Mai, we're going to war for you and I will win."

"There will always be a war over me like there was for my mother. Neither side will give in or give up. Neither side will grow up or allow us to make our own decisions."

Mai walked away and the scenery rippled and changed. She sat on a rock and dangled her bare feet in the lake.

"Jareth, how old was my mother when you fell in love with her?" Mai asked, keeping her back to him.

"She was two hundred fifteen and I was…considerably older," Jareth informed her.

Mai sighed. "I'm younger than her and older than Sarah when it comes to love from you, but I'm wiser. I know more about the wrong things and the right when it comes to love…"

"Mai…"

"Jareth, I am the first girl to return your love and I promise to do what is expected after this ordeal is done with. Not a minute sooner."

Jareth sighed and sat on the rock behind her. "Do I have your word?"

"Yes. As well as my heart."

"Very well."
Mai leaned back against him and let him breathe in her scent. He held onto her tightly, knowing very well that she would disappear all too soon. Mai let her magic dance in the air peacefully.

All too suddenly, Mai turned in his arms and gave him a wan smile.

"I love you," was all she said before giving him a light kiss.

Wake up…

Jareth's eyes snapped open and he found himself staring at the opened doors of the balcony.

"Damn you Mai!" he snapped.

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A/N: Hmm…There's a lot of damning people in my story. Ah well…Please read and review my story because I really do care what you think. Be random if you want to, just review me.