I spent the better part of the week avoiding the Goblin King. If he walked into a room, I walked out. I went to all my meals late to hide from him and ignored Cinns pleading with me to at least join them for dinner. She frequently came back from her meals to tell me how Jareth had asked how I was doing, if I was feeling well, if I needed anything.

I always shook my head and walked away. I found solitude in the little room at the top of the tower. I'm pretty sure he knew that was where I spent my time, but he never intruded. I watched the city below day and night. Over time I began to admire the little residents. They were so funny chasing around vermin and chickens and getting into little squabbles with each other.

I frequently took out the white dress and held it in my lap, daydreaming about the girl who might have owned it. In my mind she was young and beautiful and good natured. A dreamer maybe who desperately wanted to be somebodies princess. Had Jareth cared for her? He must have if he kept the dress and shoes. What had happened to her?

My thoughts took a turn for the dark side. Maybe he killed her and felt guilty about it. It would make sense to keep the outfit then. To remind him how much of a monster he was.

Today it was around high noon when I descended from my hiding place. As I got closer to the throne room I could hear the sound of a baby's shrill cries. Goblins were laughing and spitting and laughing some more. I entered to see a baby girl in purple pajamas being passed from goblin to goblin. Jareth was sitting in his throne with a leg thrown over an arm rest and his chin on his fist in deep thought. I ran up and plucked the baby from the goblins arms.

They protested but I kicked them away and stood in front of Jareth. "What is wrong with you," I demand. His eyes start at my feet and then slowly climb to my eyes. He removes his fist from his chin and sits up strait.

"Whatever do you mean?"

The baby sniffled and rested her little red head against my shoulder. Her little arm came up and wrapped around my neck. She was quiet now and looked like she would fall asleep any moment now, so I began to sway back and forth. "This poor child was terrified!"

"She'll be alright," he says absently.

"Where are her parents? She looks...human?"

"She doesn't have a father and her teenaged mother wont be coming for her. She's to stay here."

"And what? Be turned into a goblin?" My face must have portrayed exactly how horrified that made me. My jaw was slack and my eyes were wide.

"Its either that or she is given to a fae who may or may not eat her."

"Jareth, you cant!"

"Yes! I can!" He stood up abruptly. "It is my duty! No matter what I do with her the outcome is the same. She either dies or is alone! At least this way she will have friends just like her."

The baby jumped and whined a bit and I hastily patted her back to soothe her. I watched her blue eyes open and then blink back shut tiredly. "Cant you take her back to the human world?"

"I cannot. I can only bring myself between worlds."

"What's her name," I ask quietly.

"Cheyenne," he responds tiredly and sinks back into his chair. He looked older this way. Like he had the weight of worlds on his shoulders. His lips were turned down and he had a crease between his elaborate brows.

I whisper a thank you and turn on my heel and make my way to my chambers. Cheyenne stayed asleep in my arms, softly snoring. It made me smile. She was so cute! I couldn't believe she would be turned into such a hideous creature. Were all the goblins children at one point?

Was I to believe Jareth thought he was saving these unwanted kids? I set the baby down on my bed and set pillows up on either side of her so that she wouldn't roll off. How could anyone ever give up their baby like that?

I grit my teeth. How could a mother discard their child like dirty laundry? I didn't realize my fists were clenched and glowing until the glass in my vanity shattered.

I was still hurting for the baby hours later. Cinn had come by and taken Cheyenne when she needed to be fed. I watched her go with a sadness in my heart. I thought about the impossible anguish Jareth looked like he had been going through. Never before had I thought of him as having such emotions. He was always that sly, cunning, cruel dictator I hated so much.

My stomach growled, begging me for dinner. I had skipped lunch when I took Cheyenne and now I paid for it. I look at myself in the mirror, noticing how much thinner I had gotten in the two weeks I had been here. I wasn't skin and bones, but my cheeks were slimmer and more hollowed out. My neck seemed longer, and my legs seemed to go on forever. Even my chest looked like Id lost a cup.

My black hair was longer, flowing down to my elbows and curled in loose ringlets. I had a thin golden rope interwoven in my hair and around my forehead. My dress was maroon, with gold leaves embroidered on my sides. It had no sleeves and tied up around my neck with thin strings. It was backless and floor length, and I had dark red heels to match.

My lips were painted the color of blood, my eyes lined in coal, my eyelids dusted in shimmering gold. I felt pretty, and any thoughts I had had of joining Cinn and Jareth for dinner were squashed down. I remembered the way he looked at me back in his bedroom. I couldn't face him. I'm afraid to face him.

So I waited until I knew they were done eating. I practiced my magic, trying to lock the door and managed it just before I heard a knock. I stayed quiet, listening to Cinn give her nightly speech.

"I know you're in there. Open the door, please...I miss you, Nye." She sounded so defeated. Her voice wavered and I could picture the tears welling up in her blue eyes. "The past few days have felt like you're a ghost. It feels like...like you've died." There was a pause and then her fist hit the door hard. "Stop this! Stop it this instant! I'm so tired of your...your bullshit!"

"You don't know anything," I grit.

"You wont tell me! That's not my fault! None of this is my fault so stop shutting me out! I'm your best friend, Nyvera, but it feels like we are strangers! Open this fucking door!"

I tried to use my magic to blast it open, but of course it didn't work. So I got up and marched to the door. My fire died out by the time I quietly opened the door for her. Her face was a mask of rage and hurt. Her mane of bright hair was curled and accented her pale face. Her red painted lips were curled into a ferocious snarl. I bit my lip.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"I am too," she replied. "Nye...I'm going home."

I gaped at her and opened the door wider. "What? You're leaving?"

"I miss home. Jareth has had enough bad karma come and bite him. I'm not angry anymore. If you would just take the time to get to know him, you wouldn't be either!"

I was quiet. I felt my stomach drop and my eyes burned. Something behind me fell and shattered on the floor. A sweet smell assaulted my nose telling me I had broken my perfume bottle.

"You can't," I pleaded. My voice broke. "I need you."

"You'll be fine," Cinn stressed as she grabbed my hands. "But I cant stay here any longer. I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

"Please don't."

"This is goodbye for now. Ill see you again."

I watched Cinn turn around and enter her bedroom. I just stood there in the doorway of my room for a moment, trying to comprehend what just happened. She was leaving me? She was really going to abandon me.

I left the doorway and hurried to the throne room. Jareth was sitting in his chair still, or maybe again, but with the baby in his lap. He was bouncing her on his knee and she was laughing, clapping her chubby hands. I bit my lip when I noticed her skin had turned tanner than it was before. Her eyes were getting more rounded and her front teeth were larger and her little lips couldn't hide the front two anymore. I felt like I was going to throw up.

"You're letting Cinn leave?"

Jareth's face was unreadable when I asked. It had come out softer than I had meant it to.

"She is not happy here, so I've arranged for her departure."

"That's it? That's all she had to do was ask to leave?"

"Do you believe yourself a prisoner," Jareth asked. He truly looked perplexed as he stood up and passed Cheyenne off to a larger goblin. He approached me and I instinctively took a step back. He stopped and smiled. "You fear me," he said sounding satisfied.

"No," I protested. "I detest you."

"Maybe," he conceded and stepped toward me again. This time I kept my feet planted and my chin raised. "But hatred and love are such thin lines, don't you think?"

He suddenly reached out and grabbed me by my waist and by the hand. He started to dance with me right there in the throne room without music. "Nyvera, I am a man of pride. Apologies do not come easy for me. But I am unequivocally sorry for the night in my room."

"I don't care about that." Even as I said it a warmth filled the bottom of my belly. "I care about my people."

"I have done nothing to your people. They obey me and I leave them alone."

"We shouldn't have to obey you! We have a queen. One day when I take over and become queen I will not be so easily pushed over."

"You would make a beautiful queen," he agreed. My cheeks heated. What was he doing? He spun me and brought me back close to him. "Don't be so quick to condemn me, princess. It always starts with a dance."

"What does?" I looked him in his mismatched eyes, which was a mistake. He was looking at me so intensely a shiver ran up my spine. I was at a loss for words as he dipped me down close to the stone.

"That," he answered. My heart was swelling painfully. I noticed every sharp feature he had. His kissable lips. He pulled me back up with his strong arms. "You believe me to be a beast, but I think you'll find that I will not move the stars for anyone unworthy. So become worthy and the world could be yours."

His lips brushed my ear and I felt the overwhelming feeling of wanting to feel those lips. Was he using magic on me? I gulp and lick my lips, thinking of any kind of response.

"Why are you doing this," I finally asked.

"Because I'm tired of being alone."

His answer was so brutally honest I felt like he slapped me with it. I hadn't expected something so raw from him. So honest. The look on his face told me he was surprised himself, but he quickly hid it.

Could I forgive him so easily? Probably not...but every cell of me was screaming his name. Screaming at me to accept his unspoken offer. Jareth offered me his bare hand and I looked at it for a long time. My hand raised to take it, but I closed my hand into a fist at the last moment.

I didn't dare look at his face as I turned around and practically ran to my chambers.