Chapter 13

A loophole for Jareth

It had taken Sarah a couple of weeks to get back to the swing of things in the Labyrinth Kingdom. Her honeymoon with Jareth across Europe had been wonderful and she was still reminiscing about it on a daily basis.

It was hard for Jareth to concentrate on his daily tasks as well. He kept thinking about the roman bathtub, and he decided to demolish the one he had in the bathroom and replace it with an exact replica of the one him and Sarah had at the hotel in Rome.

"Fate come i romani", he kept mumbling with a mischievous smirk.

"What on Earth are you doing Jareth?" Sarah had asked him when she saw all the goblin workers in the main bathroom.

"You'll see", was his short answer as he kept tearing out stone blocks from the old bathtub. Sarah shrug her shoulders and went on with her day.

She had other things on her mind, like Jareth' upcoming birthday. Three hundred and thirty three seemed like an important number to her. Jackpot in a casino, three threes in a row was her thinking. She wanted to make sure to get something very special for Jareth, and she had an idea she had been floating to Faron for months.

"Well, did you find a loophole yet?" She asked him again. "There has got to be one. Everything has a loophole, that's how rules work."

Faron only smiled and shook his head.

"I'll keep trying", he promised.

"Did you locate any of the, you know what, in case we find a loophole?" She kept asking nervously. Again, Faron shook his head. Sarah made a grimace. Not what she had wanted to hear. She was running out of time. Only ten days to Jareth' birthday and so far nothing, on either end.

Sarah was getting more and more frustrated by the day. She even went to the Goblin City library and started researching ancient scrolls. She looked all over Jareth' library, which was quite extensive, and when Jareth found her one day hanging from one of the top shelves he was wondering what she was looking for.

"A...cookbook, hun, just a...cookbook." She gave him her best smile.

"Wrong section, babe, those are over there", he replied dryly, pointed to the other side of the room and left. Apparently he was deep in thoughts over his own project.

Finally she found something she could use in one of the dusty old scrolls in the basement of the Goblin library.

"Aha, here it is. That's exactly what I need", she grabbed the scroll, rolled it up and took it to Faron.

"What do you think? Think it'll convince them?" She anxiously looked at Faron who kept studying the script.

"It just may", he answered slowly.

"Jareth was dead for exactly two seconds, we proved that, so technically that makes him a new Jareth with a new life-force, and therefore, all rules and regulations pertaining to the life-force of a fae would be reinstated with the new life." She was quite proud of herself.

Faron looked at her with confusion. "Could you repeat that one more time?"

Sarah sighed and rolled her eyes. "Come on Faron, let's take this to the Elder Council. We are running out of time, and this is the best argument we have, right here, in this scroll."

Faron smiled at her enthusiasm and rolled up the scroll before they went on their way. He still held on to Sarah's hand, as her long distance teleporting skills were still lacking accuracy. He didn't want to have to fish her out of the city pond again. For some reason she seemed attracted to water.

The Elder Council was not in session today and the secretary told them to come back tomorrow. Sarah was quite aggravated about this.

"We have to go by Kelan's today. I can't wait until tomorrow. We're down to one week."

"Sarah", Faron tried to calm her down, "even if we get this approved before June 27th, we still have to find a 'you know what'. So, let's wait until tomorrow first thing in the morning. Meet me here at six."

Sarah took a deep breath and then nodded in agreement. She gave Faron the scroll, as she didn't want Jareth to accidentally come across it.

"What is he up to?" Faron asked in passing before he left.

"He is demolishing my bathtub for some insane reason. I'm not even going to ask. You know how he is when he has his mind set on something. He's going to get it." Sarah huffed.

"Oh don't we know how he is about that?" He winked at Sarah with a mischievous smirk. Sarah couldn't help but to chuckle. That's how Jareth managed to get her, he was stubborn enough to try for five years, and he won her.

"At least he's doing it in the summer when I'm not using it. He better be done by the time the cold weather comes around." She nodded her head to emphasize her statement.

"I see you tomorrow at six", Faron said and dematerialized.

Sarah teleported right back into the fountain. It was summer, it was full of water, and she was wet.

"I swear", she grumbled as she swam to the side, spitting water. When she looked up, Jareth and Hoggle stood there, with smirks on their faces they were trying to hide.

"Not one word out of either one of you", she pointed her finger menacingly at them, crawled out of the fountain, and walked down the pathway towards the castle. She heard Jareth and Hoggle bust out laughing as soon as she turned the corner, but she didn't care anymore at that point.

Sarah was no quite herself during dinner as her mind was preoccupied. Luckily so was Jareth', and neither one of them tried to find out about the other, or even noticed.

Jareth played his piano after dinner and kept winking at her. Sarah tried to ignore him. She was busy thinking about how to state her case tomorrow in front of the Elder Council.

"Volare, oh, oh, e cantare, oh oh oh oh", Jareth sang on top of his lungs as he played along on his piano. Sarah looked up bewildered.

"What on Earth are you singing? Dean Martin?" She looked at him as if he had lost his mind and shook her head.

"Nel blu, dipinto di blu, felice di stare lassu", he kept going without paying her any attention. Sarah chuckled. It actually sounded pretty good. After he was finished he looked at her with a happy face.

"That one was a bitch to learn, babe. All that Italian." He came walking over to her and crouched in front of her.

"Why don't we turn in a little earlier tonight?"

The way he had asked, Sarah knew he wasn't talking about going to sleep. She was contemplating over whether to play ignorant or go with it. She decided to go with it.

"Fais moi l'amour", she whispered with a seductive smirk and looked deep into his eyes. Jareth didn't need to be told twice. He knew what she said and teleported her up to the bedroom.

The next morning, Sarah got up extra careful and quiet, so as not to wake Jareth. She left him a short note on his nightstand:

"Had an early class with Faron. Sorry about breakfast, hun. I'll make it up to you tonight. Love. Sarah"

Faron was already waiting on her when she arrived. She had miss-teleported twice, but at least she didn't end up in any bodies of water. Mara laughed when they arrived and wanted to tell Faron, but Sarah shushed her.

"You'll get the hang of it. One of these centuries", Faron laughed and patted her on the shoulder. "Let's go in."

Sarah had only been here a couple of times to discuss the treatment of goblins and how to improve their standards in the kingdom. The place made her feel uncomfortable. It was too ancient looking, like a druid's place. She expected an altar for sacrifices around every turn. Faron led the way.

They finally arrived at a huge solid oak door with big hinges and handles. Faron knocked and the doors opened. A goblin guard checked them out before letting them pass.

"Your highness", the goblin guard said and bowed as Sarah passed. Sarah smiled quickly at him and then focused on the big round stone table in front of her. The entire Elder Council was assembled. There were thirteen, as thirteen was considered a sacred number in the Underground. There were also thirteen hours on the clock, one full cycle around.

In the Underground the length of the nights and days never changed. It was always thirteen hours light and thirteen hours dark. Sarah wondered if the Underground was located at the equator. At least this way it would have made some sense.

Kelan was sitting at the head of the round table facing the door. He waved them both to come closer.

"Good morning my dear", he called to Sarah. Kelan was the only non-family member who called her dear. I guess his status allowed for this and she was not going to challenge him on it.

"I see you brought the scroll. Faron has already filled me in on most of it, so this should go rather quickly."

Faron laid the scroll on the table and the rest of the Elder Council took a look at the section Sarah had pointed out. After a few minutes they all looked up and stared at Sarah in silence. They passed the scroll back to Kelan who took it and rolled it back up.

"Why do you insist for Jareth to receive this gift?" Kelan asked.

Sarah had expected that question, and she had pondered and ciphered over her answer for weeks. She knew the answer she had to give, the only answer that would make sense and would be considered valid by the council.

"Your king needs a protector. He is the most important person in the entire Underground. It is of utmost importance, and in the interest of the entire Underground population, that he should be protected by all means necessary. Nothing is more powerful for protection. If the king falls, so does the kingdom."

Sarah had sounded assertive and confident. She had never taken her gaze off Kelan and the other elders. Her voice had never failed her or cracked. She kept staring at the council without blinking, her eyes shimmering in the dark, dim light with a renewed intensity.

For several minutes there was silence as no one spoke. Finally Kelan raised his staff and stood up.

"We will reconvene in an hour as we're going to discuss this. You may wait outside." Faron bowed and Sarah curtsied and lowered her gaze. They turned and left the chamber as the council started its debate about Sarah's request.

"I think that went quite well", Faron said as they sat down in the waiting hall. "You did exceptionally well. I am proud of you", he patted her on the knee. Sarah wished she could be as sure and confident as Faron seemed to be.

The wait seemed like hours to Sarah, and she kept staring at the thirteen hour wall clock. Finally the huge oak doors opened and the goblin guard called them back in.

The Elder Council sat with everyone facing Faron and Sarah this time. A decision had been made. Kelan stood up and raised his staff.

"Your request has been discussed and your argument has been taken into account. After thorough investigation, the council has decided to grant you your request. You are correct in your interpretation of the scroll.

King Jareth had been given a new life when your life-force brought him back. It does not matter if one is dead for an hour, a day, a year, or only one second. Therefore, permission will be granted to you to find him his gift. In matter of fact you will be assisted in your search. We have already send searchers out into every corner of the Underground."

Kelan and the entire Elder Council bowed to Sarah, and Sarah curtsied.

"My dear, you will make an outstanding member of the Elder Council when you reach the right age, in another four thousand years. We'll be waiting for you", Kelan added and nodded to her with soft eyes and a grin.

Sarah smiled and walked out of the room as dignified as possible, while internally she wanted to do cartwheels. Faron patted her happily on the arm as they walked out.

"Excellent Sarah, that was excellent. I wish Jareth could've heard you. He would have been so proud of you." Faron was grinning from ear to ear. "Let's go and have some breakfast, what do you say? Chayrone is going to make some omelets for us. I'm sure she is waiting."

Sarah never had omelets as good as the ones Chayrone had made. She downed two of them and was looking for a third. Chayrone only laughed and made her another one.

"I am so happy that you are feeling well again, and laughing and having fun. We had been very worried about you for a couple of weeks after you had lost the baby. Jareth had a wonderful idea of going on this honeymoon with you. Looks like it helped a lot with the healing". Chayrone put the third omelet on Sarah's plate.

"Yes it helped tremendously. I am so lucky to have him. Without him I would be so lost. I don't know what I would be doing right now if I wouldn't know him, if I had never met him. Probably working at a stuffy little library for the rest of my life, never finding my soul mate, always waiting for the right guy to come along, but who never would."

Chayrone tapped Sarah on her shoulder and sighed in agreement. Faron poured himself a cup of coffee and sat back down next to Sarah.

"Now you are drinking coffee too?" Sarah exclaimed with surprise. Faron laughed.

"All your fault", he said jokingly.

After breakfast, Sarah got up and decided it was time to head back to the castle. Hopefully Jareth wasn't too worried about her being gone and hadn't noticed yet. She didn't want to risk letting him on about her plan.

"Notify me as soon as you find one, please", she asked Faron, kissed Chayrone good bye and teleported back to the castle. This time she ended up inside the kitchen instead of the fountain and cheered up.

"Now this is getting much better. I would even call that a success."

She crawled out of the sink, brushed herself off, and marched out as the kitchen personnel stared at her in utter silence and disbelief.

It had only been nine o'clock and there was a chance Jareth was still up in the bedroom sending messages. He wasn't, but he was still at his desk going over some plans. When she came in he quickly put the plans away and smiled at her.

"How was your class?" He got up and gave her a quick kiss.

"Class? Oh class. It was...productive", Sarah replied. She had totally forgotten about the note she had left him.

"How is your bathroom project coming along? Can I have the bathroom back soon?" Sarah looked at him with squinted eyes. "Why don't you just use your magic and make it happen. Poof, there done."

Jareth laughed out loud tilting back his head.

"Now where would be the fun in that? It's almost done, babe. Getting really close. Use the small one in the meantime." He put his arms around her waist and pulled her in to him.

"I missed you this morning on the window sill. It's no fun sending messages without you. Not anymore". He tried to look sad. Sarah smiled and gave him a long kiss.

"Did that make up for it?" she asked folding her hands behind his neck.

"Almost", he replied with a grin. "Wish I could stick around and have you make me feel even better, but I got to run. I have a shipment coming."

He hurried towards the hallway.

"A shipment of what?" Sarah yelled after him, but he had already gone. "I really don't wanna know anyway", she mumbled to herself.

Sarah tried to keep herself as busy as possible to make time go by quicker while she waited on word about the search. At least Marjorie took her attention for a few minutes when she called with an update on their moving.

"We should be able to start moving down there in a couple of weeks. I'm afraid we'll miss Jareth' birthday, but nothing says we can't party a couple of weeks later, right?" Marjorie was stoked about the move. Sarah laughed.

"I don't think Jareth is going to mind too much. He hadn't had a birthday for three hundred and twenty nine years, a couple of weeks is not going to make one difference. Plus I'm planning on getting him something very special, I just hope I'll find it in time." Sarah heaved a deep sigh.

"Do I want to know what it is?" Marjorie asked with justified suspicion.

"Probably not", Sarah laughed out loud. "It may require you to climb the fifty foot tree in the garden again.

"Oh hell, not another one", Marjorie moaned and Sarah thought she may pass out right there on the phone. "Where is this one from?" Marjorie was brave enough to ask.

"Haven't found it yet, that's the problem. Faron and his hunters are looking everywhere. And the Elder Council only granted me permission today. We have one day left", Sarah moaned as she said it.

"What are you going to do if they don't find one?" Marjorie inquired.

"I guess, if I have to, I just give him sex. Always works." Marjorie busted out laughing.

"Girlfriend, you are learning. I am so proud of you", she exclaimed and Sarah laughed out loud. "Ok, I got to go, the movers are here", with that Marjorie hung up and Sarah was back to counting the minutes.

It was nearly dark when a crystal ball came floating up to Sarah. She had barely enough time to snatch it out of the air and put it in her pocket before Jareth looked up from his piano.

"Hey, babe, don't plan too much for my birthday. I may have plans myself." He started playing again but kept his gaze on Sarah. She looked up from her book she pretended to read, 'Cooking for Dummies in the Underground'.

She didn't quite know what to make of the title, and pondered whether it was a book for dummies to learn how to cook, or how to learn to cook for actual dummies.

"What plans do you have?" She asked curiously.

"Oh you'll see, just letting you know, keep your calendar open." He grinned and kept playing the 'Entertainer'.

"What song is that you're playing? It's a new one, haven't heard that one yet. I like it", Sarah interrupted the subject.

"The Entertainer. It's a piano rag written by Scott Joplin in 1902. Groovy isn't it". Jareth was quite animated as he played it and kept bee bopping around on the piano bench.

Sarah laughed.

"Groovy? Ok, Mr. Groovy, I won't make any plans and will keep my calendar open for you. How's that?" She gave him a wink.

"Perfect, babe", Jareth replied and went straight from the 'Entertainer' to 'Beat me Daddy eight to the bar', without missing a single bar.

Sarah didn't risk reading the crystal ball until she was in the small bathroom getting ready for bed. Jareth had made the main bathroom off limits and had even placed yellow goblin police tape across the door.

Sarah knew the message was from Faron, and if Faron send her a crystal ball that only meant one thing. She checked one more time to make sure Jareth was nowhere near by as she sat down on the toilet seat. Sarah listened to the message, constantly keeping an ear out for Jareth as well. She couldn't risk him finding out. Not now, they were too close.

"Found wolf, brother of Ares, 300 years old, very strong powers but wild, has to be persuaded to come. It will take all your strength and magic. Meet me at my house tomorrow morning at six. Tell Jareth you have another class, I'll vouch for it."

Sarah had no clue what that middle part meant. How do you persuade a wolf? And six o'clock again? Why did everyone get up so freaking early in the Underground? It didn't even get light until seven.

Sarah was excited, and when Jareth came to the bedroom she told him, with fingers crossed behind her back, that she had to go to another class with Faron at six in the morning.

"Are you guys preparing for a war I don't know about? Babe, you're going to miss the window sill hour again." Jareth genuinely sounded sad.

They had really come to enjoy that hour in the morning sitting together on the sill, sending crystal balls out with the morning messages. Sarah felt bad for having to white lie to Jareth, but she had no choice.

"Oh hun", she put her arms around his neck and started kissing him very gentle, "what if I make it up to you right now?" She moved her body very close to his and started to untie his shirt and jacket.

"Well, I may feel a little better", Jareth replied fumbling with the buttons on her blouse. Sarah kissed him again and started moving him backwards towards the bed. Jareth stumbled and fell onto the bed with Sarah sitting on top. She put his hands over his head and held them down as she bend over and kissed him again.

"Babe, what's gotten into you?" Jareth asked surprised. He kind of liked her aggressive demeanor.

"You have", she replied and moved with her kisses down to his chest and stomach. She finally let go of his hands which immediately proceeded to undress her.

"Let me take the lead tonight", Sarah whispered and pulled her blouse off.

"Ok, babe, I'm all yours", Jareth sighed with content as his arms fell to his side.

Sarah did not like getting up this early, but she had no choice. Faron wanted to take her to the place where they tracked the wolf to. If she wanted to get it for Jareth' birthday it had to be done now, because tomorrow was June 27th.

Faron teleported them to the outskirts of the northern forest. Sarah recognized the place. It was where they had hunted fae stags last winter for the WSF, the winter solstice festival.

"Here?" Sarah asked bewildered. Faron nodded and pointed to a small group of trees on a hill.

"He's waiting. He knows why we are here. You have to go and talk to him via telepathy. Be careful Sarah, this is a wild and extremely powerful wolf. If you cannot persuade him to come with you, he could hurt you. Use all your powers you have, and I mean all of them."

He really emphasized the 'all' part and Mara whimpered as she laid down, never averting her eyes from Sarah.

"Ok", Sarah heaved a big sigh and started walking up the hill towards the little grove. It took her some time as the grass was thick and tall. She kept looking back at Faron for support, and he kept waving at her to go on.

When she arrived at the little grove she saw him standing there, a huge pepper and salt wolf with yellow eyes that glowed in the dark. Sarah took a deep breath, swallowed hard and then addressed him.

"I am here to take you to your king to be his protector for life. You will come with me, as I am your ruler and your queen."

For a few moments there was silence and no movement. Then the wolf turned around.