Why do you hate me?

by Mithril

After twentytwo years, Jareth finally has the perfect opportunity to get his revenge and make Sarah suffer. He decides to kidnap her youngest sister, Lili. Unfortunately for him, things do not go as he has planned them...

1. Why 1

Disclaimer: Labyrinth Universe and Characters are from Jim Henson.

No copyright infringement is intended. The idea is mine.

Author: Mithril (perretta@entelchile.net) March 2001.

Note: A big thanks to Angeline, Maribel and Daisy for beta-reading my story J

Title: Why do you hate me?

Rating: PG-13

Summary: After twenty-two years, Jareth finally has the perfect opportunity to get his revenge and make Sarah suffer. He decides to kidnap her youngest sister, Lili. Unfortunately for him, things do not go as he has planned them...

Why do you hate me?

"You have no power over me!" she exclaimed in a mocking voice.

"NO!" he yelled.

"Oh, yes!" she insisted. "I win, you lose. Poor king, foolish king..."

"NO!" Jareth screamed again, waking up and sitting bolt upright on his bed. He blinked and looked around. After realizing where he was, he leaned back on the headboard and shook his head. Again, he had had that disgusting dream about his defeat. Even awake he could still hear Sarah's laughter!

Annoyed to no end, the Goblin King created a crystal sphere and threw it violently to the wall. He smiled slightly at the sound the crystal made when it crushed against the cold stone. However, his grin soon faded and he sank again into despair. For how long would he be having these stupid nightmares?

"You will pay for this, Sarah! You will regret the day we met!" he shouted, pulling the covers over his head.

The next morning, Jareth woke up with a decidedly awful mood. In fact, he was so annoyed, that he didn't waste time in taking a shower and dressing himself. Instead, he just used his magic. In a second, he was clean, shaven and dressed in his regular outfit: gray tights, white pirate shirt and black boots. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and, with a satisfied smirk, he strode out, slamming the heavy door behind him.

A few minutes later, he entered the dining room, where his breakfast was already served on the huge table. He took his usual seat at the head of the table, and eyed, disgusted, the food placed before him. The toast was burnt and the eggs overdone. He also knew the cake would be hard as a rock, the butter frozen, the coffee cold and the orange juice warm. To put it in one word, it was inedible. With a tired sigh, he waved a hand and a delicate crystal sphere appeared floating over the table. The magical object exploded and a sparkling mist covered the meal, changing it into a banquet.

He distractedly took a piece of cake, but did not eat it. Instead, he returned it to the dish and leaned back on his chair. He tiredly ran a hand through his silky blond hair. Every day it was the same. Every day the goblins would serve him some uneatable food and he would have to change it. Jareth angrily hit the table with his fist. He was the King, not the cook!

Losing his appetite, he rose and shook his head at the sight of the mark he had left on the dusty seat. He rolled his eyes, he had forgotten to clean the chair before sitting down. Why did his subjects have to be so messy? He snapped his fingers and the dust vanished. It seemed that he served as the maid as well!

Jareth was so focused on his depressing thoughts, that he had not noticed the small, colorful, goblin that had entered the room a couple of minutes ago. The frightened creature smoothed his bright yellow shirt and cleared his throat, as if gathering enough courage to speak.

"You... your... Highness," he managed to say.

"What?" Jareth barked, annoyed by the interruption. The goblin went a couple of steps back. "Well, Pete?" the King prompted arrogantly, suppressing a smile at Pete's obvious fear.

The creature shuddered under the King's icy stare. "It's the bog... your Majesty," said Pete.

"What about the bog?" he asked, trying hard to control his temper.

"It's losing it's content. The Bog of Eternal Stench has a filtration, sire," Pete explained in an intelligent manner -for a goblin, of course.

"What!" Jareth exclaimed, taking a hand to his temples, feeling the beginning of a wonderful headache.

The dwarf gave him a curious glance and cleared his throat again. "The Bog of Eternal--"

"Shut up, you idiot!" Jareth interrupted him. "I will take care of it. Now leave me... and do something with your shirt. It offends my eyes!"

Pete bowed and quickly left his king, happy to still being in one piece... and briefly wondering what could be wrong with his shirt.

Jareth followed the little thing with an amused gaze, but soon became serious. He had a "nice date" with the Bog of Eternal Stench. He sighed deeply. This was proving to be one of those days... And it was all Sarah's fault!

From Jareth's point of view, everything bad, disgusting or annoying that happened in his kingdom, was Sarah's fault. In spite of all the time -and lovers- that he had gone through –twenty-two years worth- he was still very mad at her. At first, he had comforted his beaten ego by telling himself that Sarah would be lost and miserable without him. However, as time went by, Sarah demonstrated to him how wrong he had been in his assumption. To his dismay, she had become a successful actress -and also a very talented one, although he would never admit it. And, as if that were not enough, she seemed to have completely forgotten him! Ten years after his labyrinth, she had dared to marry one of the wealthiest men of her country. At the same time she was saying "I do", the Underground was suffering one of the most violent storms its inhabitants had ever seen.

Jareth shook his head and balled his gloved hands into fists in an attempt to quiet his thoughts. He smiled evilly; soon he would think of the prefect revenge... but now, there was a kingdom to take care off.

In a blink of an eye, the Goblin King changed into a white owl and flew away through the open window. Maybe the soothing wind against his body would clear his mind.

******

The pregnant woman stood by the window of her room, looking outside. Hearing footsteps behind, she turned. A smile lit up her face when she saw who it was.

"Hey, I was trying to surprise you," her husband chided in a gentle tone.

She tilted her head. "You did surprise me, Michael," she replied sweetly. "I thought you would go to work today. Your meetings--"

She could not continue as Michael placed a finger over her lips. "My whole empire can live without me for a day, but I cannot live without you both. I love you, Sarah," he whispered, and pulling her closer, he kissed her.

******

A couple of hours later, after having fixed the bog problem, Jareth returned to his castle and immediately headed to the throne room. As always, the place was a mess, dirty and filled with goblins. Fighting the impulse to simply vaporize them, he just shot them a murderous glare. Without losing time, they hurried out of the chamber, leaving their master alone with his dark mood.

*That is much better,* Jareth thought, walking to his throne. He was about to sit down, when he noticed the thick layer of dust that covered his royal throne. Rolling his eyes, he produced a handkerchief out of nowhere and cleaned it. Once finished, he just threw the cloth over his shoulder. It disappeared before reaching the floor.

He sat down and tried to relax. Then, with a wave of his hand, a crystal materialized before him. After a moment of concentration, the image of a beautiful pregnant woman appeared in the magical device...

******

"Are you ready, honey?" Michael asked his wife. "The limo is waiting outside."

"Sure," Sarah said, emerging from the bathroom, wearing a simple blue dress.

Michael just looked at his beloved wife with wide opened eyes. "You... you are stunning!" he whispered in awe.

Sarah blushed. "Oh, come on, this is only an old dress," she replied seriously, but deeply pleased. She approached him and embraced him, leaning her head on his chest. "I am so happy Lili has agreed to spend her holidays here. Since she entered the Med. School, she has been so focussed on her studies that sometimes I believe she doesn't know how to have fun. All that she wants is to be a doctor and help people, but she forgets about herself. Hey, she's only twenty-one years old!" Sarah paused for a moment and then continued. "Well, she will have fun... even if I have to make her! Oh! I just can't wait to see my baby sister, Michael. Thank you so much for inviting her!"

He stroked her raven hair and chuckled. "Are you kidding?" Lili is like my sister too and I totally agree with you. That girl needs to shake herself up and we'll see to that. Lili will enjoy her time here. I already told Lucy to prepare Lili's favorite room," he said softly.

Sarah raised her head and met his tender gaze. "Thank you," she repeated with shining eyes. "You know how much I love my sister. I got to practice my maternal instincts on her," she added with a grin, placing both hands on her round stomach.

"Yes, Sarah. I know you love her... but... do you know how much I love you?" he asked, placing his hands over hers.

She smiled mischievously. "Mmm, now that you ask so..."

He raised a bemused eyebrow. "Well, Mrs. Byron, let me show you," he said in a seductive voice, holding her chin and kissing her.

"Wait," Sarah began to protest, gently pulling him back. "The plane..."

"We still have plenty of time," he insisted, kissing her again.

******

"NO!" Jareth shouted at the scene, throwing the sphere he had been holding to the floor.

How did Sara dare to be so happy and beautiful when he was so... miserable?

He sighed. Yes, she was beautiful. She had barely aged, she had not a single wrinkle around her eyes and not a single white hair... and if that were not enough, she was pregnant! HE, who could not produce a single heir and she dared to be pregnant!

He shook his head. It did not matter though, now that he knew what to do. Sarah's conversation with her... husband, had been very enlightening. An evil grin spread on his face.

"Well, dear Sarah, it seems that your sister will have to pay for all what you did to me," he whispered darkly. "And by making her suffer, you will be hurt. You will remember me! Such a pity."

True, he could take that Michael away or wait a couple of months for the birth and then take the infant away, but that would not be as... amusing. Yes. Lili Williams was the perfect target... and if she turned out to be like Sarah... well, that would add an extra bonus.

Unable to stop himself and deeply excited by his plan, he burst into cruel laughter.

******

"There she is, Michael!" Sarah exclaimed, "Lili!" Sarah waved her arms frantically as she spotted her sister.

They were at the airport and the plane had arrived twenty minutes ago. Thanks to Michael's influences, Lili had been the first one to disembark.

"Lili!" Sarah called her sister again.

Hearing her name, a slender young woman with chin-length red hair, dressed in jeans and a loose T-shirt, turned where Sarah and Michael stood. The redhead smiled. "Sarah! Michael!" Lili yelled, running toward her sister.

"I am so happy you are here, little one," Sarah said with misty eyes, tenderly embracing her 'little' sister.

"I am happy to be here," Lili said and then took her hand to Sarah's round belly. "I can't believe I am going to be an aunt," she added in awe.

"And a very beautiful one, may I add," Michael said sincerely, though with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Lili blushed and rolled her eyes. "Hi, Michael," she greeted him, giving him a bear hug.

"Welcome, carrot head," he said kindly, stroking her hair. "My dear ladies," he added then, "I suggest that we leave," he finished, indicating the people who had begun to gather around them.

"Wow! I have forgotten how famous you are, Sarah," Lili said, impressed. The admiration she felt for her sister was clearly visible in her amber eyes.

"Indeed," Michael agreed, giving his wife a loving look.

Sarah chuckled and grabbed their arms. "Yeah, let's go."

"So tell me, Michael, how is life being married to a star?" Lili asked him while they were walking toward the limo.

"It's like being in heaven," Michael answered without hesitation, earning a tender glance from a blushing Sarah.

"Oh my God! Where did you find this man, girl?" Lili teased her, imitating her mother's tone.

Sarah stopped and looked intently at her. "He is one of a kind, Lili, but I assure you that you will meet your soul mate some day."

Lili blinked and shrugged, as if saying "yeah, sure". Sarah smiled and continued walking, pulling Lili and Michael along with her.

******

Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the beautiful mansion. As they entered, Lili watched everything wide opened eyes. "Wow! Everything is just like I remember it."

"You haven't seen anything yet," Sarah told her. "Come on, let me show you your room," she added happily, taking Lili's hand.

"The one with the roses?" Lili asked in an almost childish fashion.

Sarah nodded and then turned to Michael. "Would excuse us, honey?"

He made a little bow and sighed dramatically. "I know, I know. It's girls talk time. I will be waiting for you in the garden."

"Thank you," Sarah said, "and this is much better. This is sister talk," she finished with a mischievous wink.

Sarah led Lili to her room; it was located in the second floor. When they entered, the young woman smiled in delight. The chamber was amazing. The wallpaper was of a soft shade of green that matched the curtains and the carpeting. It was furnished with a bed, a comfortable armchair, a desk, a night table and a hand carved wardrobe.

Lili took off her shoes to feel the soft carpet under her feet. Without saying a word, she went to the balcony and stepped out. To her delight, the balustrades were covered with climbing white roses. That was why this room was her favorite.

"Do you like it?" Sarah asked, standing by her side.

"Are you kidding? I love it!" Lili exclaimed.

With a grin, Sarah held her sister's hand and guided her inside. "You must tell me everything, little one. How are Karen, dad and Toby?" the brunette asked, sitting on the bed.

Lili giggled and sat next to her older sister. "Please, don't call me little one," she begged and then continued. "They are okay and they send you their love. Did you know that Toby has a new girlfriend?"

"Again!" Sarah exclaimed, laughing.

"Yes," Lili replied, laughing too. Their brother was a true ladies man. "That's why he didn't come with me. He is too... busy right now," she added with a wink.

"And what about you, little... I mean Lili?" Sarah asked, looking intently at her.

Lili ran a hand through her short hair and shrugged. "My classes are going fine, I really like them. Three of my professors asked me to help them to teach the lower courses and I agreed," she said, even though she knew that was not precisely what Sarah wanted to know.

Sarah raised and eyebrow and took a hand to her chin. "I know that, Lili. A very proud Karen wrote me telling me you had gained a full ride scholarship; not that it surprised me. You have always been brilliant. I am proud and happy for you, little one, but that was not what I asked."

Lili became serious and lowered her head. "You already know me, Sarah," the redhead said in a low voice. "I am not like you or Toby. I just can't..."

She just finished with a helpless shrug.

Sarah embraced her tenderly. "Intelligence had always scared men, but don't worry, little one. You'll find one, I promise."

Lili smiled. "You are still such a dreamer, sis," Lili said, shaking her head. "Besides, being a doctor ... just doesn't leave much time for a personal life," Lili added, always practical.

"How convenient," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "And now you will tell me you brought some books with you."

Lili smiled innocently. "Well, now that you mention it, 'Human Anatomy' is the best--"

"Lili!" Sarah exclaimed in mocking horror. "I didn't invite you to study! I want you to have fun. In fact I know one or two candidates that would be more than pleased to meet you and--"

"Sarah!" Lili interrupted her, flushing and, very embarrassed, she just lay her head in Sarah's shoulder. "Okay, I promise I will not open my books, but please! Tell me you're joking. Remember what happened the last time you tried to set me up!"

Sarah chuckled. "He seemed normal to me. How was I supposed to know he had that peculiar... relation with his car?"

"Sarah! The man was in love with his car! He talked about cars the whole time!"

The pregnant woman tilted her head and her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Oh, but I do know a couple of handsome young men..."

"No," Lili said softly. "I don't want to meet them. I want to spend my time with you and Michael."

"Okay, okay," Sarah said kindly, smiling. "See? You are still my little one... and that will never change."

Lili raised her head and smiled. "I know," she admitted and then took a hand to her neck. "Do you remember this?" she asked, showing Sarah a delicate necklace with a medal, the image of the Mother and the Child on it. "You gave me this when I was born, twenty-one years ago.

Sarah nodded and a tender grin played on her face. That was the only piece of jewelry Lili ever wore. "Of course I do. I spent all my money on that gift. I wanted to give you something extra-special," she answered dreamily. "So I made them write an inscription on the back."

"Be happy, Little One," Lili quoted.

Sarah's grin widened. "At that time, I didn't know if I would have a sister or a brother," she explained, "and then you came, such a cute, little, redheaded baby," she added, rubbing Lili's cheek.

"It's okay," Lili said between giggles. "Just don't call me that in public."

"As you wish... Little One," the brunette replied mischievously.

Lili rolled her eyes and was about to add something else, when someone knocked the door.

"Come in," Sarah said.

The door opened, and a young woman about Lili's age, entered. She carried her purse in one hand and a dish with cookies in the other. Sarah smiled kindly. "Come in, Lucy."

"Mrs. Byron," Lucy began to say, walking toward them, "before leaving I thought you would like some coo--"

Her sentence broke off as she stumbled over Lili's shoes and dropped the tray of cookies.

"I'm so sorry," a troubled Lucy apologized. "I--"

"No, please. It was my fault," Lili interrupted her, kneeling down and crawling under the bed to pick up the fallen cookies...

******

After having eating his noonday meal -which he had obviously made with magic- and taking a nap, Jareth returned to the throne room. Once comfortably seated, he smiled sinisterly and materialized a crystal sphere in his hand.

*Time to meet Lili Williams*, he thought, already savoring his revenge.

In a second, the sphere showed him the image of two women standing in a bedroom. One of them was Sarah and the younger one -he assumed- was Lili. He focussed his attention on her. She was slender, with shoulder-length brown hair. After a moment, he shook his head, disappointed. Even though the girl was pleasing, she completely lacked Sarah's startling beauty and personality.

*Such a pity*, he thought, throwing the sphere to the floor. "Well, you just cannot have everything," he muttered shrugging. Then, he rose from his throne and an evil grin spread on his face. *I have a comfortable oubliette waiting for you, dear Lili... among other things...* he thought darkly as he disappeared in the middle of a sparkling mist.

******

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Lucy apologized again.

"It's okay, Lucy," Sarah soothed her maid, patting her arm.

"I will clean--"

"Of course not!" Lili interrupted her, crawling out under the bed. "It was my fault. I'll clean up this mess."

"Yes," Sarah agreed. "Go out Lucy. This is your day off and I'll bet you have a handsome boyfriend waiting for you," the pregnant woman teased her.

Lili chuckled. Not even Lucy had escaped from Sarah's matchmaking mode.

Lucy blushed and, after saying good-bye, she left the room. Sarah followed her with an amused gaze and then looked down at Lili, who was still knelt picking up the cookies.

"See, Little One? That's what happens when you leave your shoes lying around," she said in her best older sister tone, but with a hint of mischief.

Lili raised her head, rolled her eyes and then continued with her job.

"Do you mind if I join Michael in the garden?" the brunette asked.

Lili looked at her again and smiled. "Of course not. I will be ready in a couple of minutes... unless you prefer I take a little longer..." she said with a wink.

Sarah laughed. "Just hurry up," she said and, after patting her sister's head, she left.

Five minutes later, Lili had picked up all the cookies and put them over on the desk. Curious and a little bit hungry, she decided to try one of the few cookies that had not fallen to the floor. She took a bite... and immediately ran to the bathroom. They tasted like soap!

******

Surrounded by the ever-present glitter, the Goblin King appeared in all his glory in the same room that the crystal had showed him earlier.

He glanced around and sighed impatiently. Where was that stupid girl? As if answering his unspoken question, he heard the flush of a toilet.

He blinked in surprise, then smiled wickedly. Running a hand through his blond hair, he prepared himself to meet Sarah's sister, assuming his best seductive mode. The poor girl had not a chance...

The door of the bathroom opened... and his smile faded as he saw an unknown, redheaded young woman holding a glass of water.

******

Feeling better again, Lili washed her face and teeth.

*Thank God Sarah doesn't like cookies*, Lili thought, shuddering. How in the world had Lucy confused soap with sugar?

She filled a glass with water, opened the door... and froze at the sight before her. Astonished, she let go the glass.

In the middle of her room stood a strangely dressed man -in tights!- with spiky blond hair. He was tall and slender and seemed to be just as surprised as she was.

Lili had the very upsetting feeling that he was not one of Sarah's or Michael's friends.

"Who... who... are... you?" she managed to ask.

Jareth forced himself to recover and smiled evilly again. "I am Jareth, the Goblin King and you, young woman, are in the wrong place in the wrong time," he said seriously. Then, his gaze darkened. "Now, where is she?" he asked.

Completely taken aback, Lili didn't see a handsome man; she only saw a dangerous stranger. She just watched him wide opened eyes, wondering if there was a mental institution near Sarah's house. She also wondered what a goblin was and who –'She'- was.

"Well?" he prompted icily, approaching her.

Lili went a step back, scared. "I... don't know whom are you... talking about," she answered and, at the murderous look he gave her, she cleared her throat and swallowed. "Perhaps if you tell me her name... I would be able to help you... your Majesty," she added in the most respectful tone that she could manage. If that insane, dangerous man believed himself to be a king, she would not contradict him.

Jareth stopped and looked intently at her, as if trying to tell if she was teasing him or not... and it seemed that she was being serious. "I am looking for Lili Williams," he answered at last.

Lili paled and a chill ran through her body. What could that man possibly want with her? She had never seen him before! "Why? What do you want with her?" she asked in a barely audible voice, unable to stop herself.

"That is not of your concern!" Jareth barked. "Where is she?" he repeated. He waved a hand and, to Lili's astonishment, a crystal sphere appeared floating before her.

"How... how did you do that?" she asked in awe, realizing that he might be what he had claimed to be... Not that the idea comforted her.

The Goblin King just shrugged. "Magic," he said matter-of-factly.

"Magic?" she repeated, looking at him in disbelief. Then, at his warning glare, she returned her attention to the crystal and blinked in surprise; there was the image... of Lucy!

"So, where is Lili Williams?" Jareth suddenly whispered in her ear.

Startled, Lili screamed and jumped away from him, but in doing so, she accidentally broke the crystal. "Sorry," she apologized, biting her lower lip.

Jareth sighed and created another sphere, although this time he held it. "I am starting to lose my patience, child," he said in a warning tone. "Where is she?" he asked again, raising his hand to her eye level. "And do not dare to lie to me. I shall know if you do so," he hissed.

Lili shuddered under his cold stare, still not believing such a thing was happening to her. What would she do now? For a reason beyond comprehension, that weird and dangerously powerful... king thought that Lucy was her... and she could clearly tell how much he hated Lili Williams... her. She simply could not tell him the truth... or could she?

She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "The woman that appears in the sphere is not here... your Majesty," she answered honestly enough.

"What!" Jareth exclaimed in frustration, throwing the sphere to the wall. "You are lying!" he stated and, in a quick movement he rudely grabbed her wrist.

"She is not here!" Lili exclaimed, desperately meeting his mismatched eyes.

Seeing the fear and pain in her eyes, he softened his gaze and finally released her. For an odd reason, he felt unexplainably... guilty. With a deep sigh, he sat on the bed, his head between his hands. "Just my luck," he muttered, all his previous excitement gone.

Once free, Lili rubbed her aching wrist and thought of running away, but then, she realized she could not leave that man alone in the house. What if Sarah saw him? In her present condition, it was better for her sister to avoid unpleasant situations... and besides... he looked so devastated...

"Are you all right, your Majesty?" she asked softly.

Jareth raised his head and gave her a surprised stare. Why did she treat him with such respect and kindness... after he had been so rude? He was used to stormy eyes and defiant words -and screams. Every time a girl had called him, he--

The king abruptly stopped that train of thought and opened his eyes wide. Of course! She had not summoned him. In fact, he realized she had never heard about him. She was not one of the dreamy girls who had fantasies about him.

He smiled as an idea occurred to him... Maybe the visit had not been in vain...

"What is it your name, child?" Jareth asked, rising form the bed.

Lili unconsciously went a step back. "I... Li... Lucy," she answered, hoping he had not noticed her hesitation.

"Can you cook?" he asked then, a strange twinkle in his eyes.

Puzzled, she just nodded.

"Good," he said, almost in a sinister way. He approached her until they were separate by a couple of centimeters. "As I told you before, you are in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"What do you mean?" she asked, not liking his tone... not to mention his nearness.

"I mean, Lucy, that Sarah will have to get herself another maid," he explained, amused. "You will come with me."

"What!" Lili almost yelled in disbelief. He thought she was Sarah's maid and ... he wanted... to take her with him! "You... you just can't go around kidnapping people!" she managed to say, even though she had the strong feeling he could do whatever he wanted to. "They will send the police after you!" To her astonishment and annoyance, he burst into laughter.

Jareth simply could not stop laughing. Indeed she had no clue of who he was. Suddenly, he became serious. She was right. He did not want to alert Sarah or her sister of his presence. Without a second thought, he conjured another sphere. This one, however, it was bigger and had a blue-golden glow. He sent it, floating, to her.

Lili watched the crystal approaching and tried to move away, but she was frozen.

"Do not worry, it will not hurt," Jareth said in a soothing tone that surprised him.

To Lili's despair and panic, the sphere suddenly entered her head. Feeling that she had cotton instead of brains and deeply afraid, she closed her eyes and a single tear slid down her cheek.

"Enough," Jareth commanded. As strange as it was, he did not enjoy her fear.

The crystal left her head and she could finally move. Lili opened her eyes and blinked; nothing seemed different with her. Unable to stop herself, she raised a hand to touch the glowing object.

"I would not do that if I were you," Jareth warned her. He extended his hand and the sphere went obediently to him. "If this crystal is broken, you will die."

"What have you done to me?" Lili asked seriously, taking a hand to her temples. "You had no right!" she stated, her fear momentarily forgotten.

Jareth raised a bemused eyebrow at her sudden anger. "You are wrong, Lucy. I can do what ever it pleases me," he said. Then he carefully held the sphere. "This crystal holds your life, your memories," he explained, causing it to vanish with a casual wave.

"But... I still remember," Lili whispered.

He shook his head. "You do not understand. I did not erase your memories. I just erased your existence from Earth. No one will ever remember you." Before she could say a word, he grabbed her wrist again, although not in such a rude way as before. "Well, time to leave, Lucy," he said. "I shall take care of Lili Williams later," he added evilly.

"Where?" Lili asked in a small voice.

"To my kingdom of course," he answered matter-of-factly.

Lili sighed, defeated. "Please wait," she begged, resigned by now. What could she possibly do against someone like him? "I need my shoes and the rest of my things," she said, indicating him her sneakers and her bag.

Jareth rolled his eyes. A second later, Lili had her shoes on her feet and the bag on her shoulder. "Enough of talking," he ordered as a warm, sparkling wind began to blow. "Say good bye to your world... forever."

Lili bit her lip and closed her eyes. *Sarah...* she whispered in her mind, just before disappearing...

******

When the wind stopped blowing and the floor felt solid again, Lili opened one eye and then the other. Her jaw fell open.

"Welcome to my castle," Jareth suddenly announced, proud and amused by the girl startled expression. "This is the throne room."

Overwhelmed by the recent events, Lili just nodded. She stood in the middle of a huge chamber; the floor and the walls were made of stone, furnished only with a throne. Yes, it was a huge... dusty chamber. Lili began to sneeze uncontrollably.

"Here," Jareth said, slightly annoyed, handing her a handkerchief.

"Thank you," Lili replied and was about to add something else, when she noticed strange creatures of all sizes and colors, running -and jumping- all around. "What are they?" she asked, her scientific mind momentarily putting her fear aside.

He seemed surprised by her question, but then shrugged. "They are goblins."

Lili blinked as a sudden realization hit her. "Now I see... they're your goblins, your subjects," she said, looking at him, unable to stop a grin drawing on her face.

Jareth just stared at her. A small part of him thought her pleasant smile was oddly familiar, but the biggest part of him was annoyed by her comment. He felt his cheeks flushing with anger. Was she laughing at him? Was she... suicidal?

At his angered expression, Lili became instantly serious. "Oh, but... but they are... kind of funny... your Majesty," she respectfully added.

"Funny!" he exclaimed, still angry, but not as much as before. "Funny?" he repeated in disbelief.

Lili nervously ran a hand through her short hair and bit her lower lip. "Yes... I didn't mean to... offend you, sire," she apologized. "I am sorry. I--"

Lili stopped when she suddenly heard a scream behind her. Sounding vaguely like a "Watch out!" She turned and saw something flying toward her. Realizing the danger, she quickly moved out of the way. The annoyed Goblin King however, did not see the unidentified flying object...

"They are not funny!" he barked. "They are stupid, ugly crea--"

The huge ball of mud -or something similar- that came to land on his face unceremoniously interrupted him. Immediately, the room went deadly -and unusually- quiet. All the goblins froze and looked at their master with wide, terrified eyes.

Beyond anger now, Jareth magically clean himself. He shot Lili a cold do-not-dare-to laugh stare and then turned to the frightened creatures. "And who is the responsible of this sacrilege?" he asked in an icy, calmed voice.

As one, the goblins went a step back, leaving two trembling dwarves to answer their king's questions.

"Well?" Jareth prompted.

The creatures exchanged scared glances and then began to discuss the matter between them, apparently forgetting their angry master.

"It was your fault!" one of them exclaimed.

"No!" You did it!" the other one replied.

"I did not!"

"Yes you did!"

"I did not!"

"Enough!" Jareth suddenly yelled, losing his patience.

The two goblins stiffened. "Your... Majesty... we--"

"Just shut up!" the king added, snapping his fingers. In the blink of an eye, the two unfortunate creatures disappeared. "Yes! Now I feel better," he said, turning to a speechless Lili, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"What... happened to them?" she managed to ask.

His smile widened, "I only send them to the Bog of Eternal Stench," he answered simply. "There is where I... send foolish goblins -or people- who do not obey my orders. Not a pretty place, believe me, Lucy," he added in a warning tone.

Lili quickly nodded, definitely not wanting to know more about it.

"Good," he said. Then, he grabbed her wrist again and, with a wave of a hand, they disappeared. A second later, they materialized in a huge chamber; Lili realized it was the dining room. A large, elegant table was located in the center and a beautiful chandelier made of sparkling crystal hung above it. The chairs had an emblem -an ethereal owl with a crystal on its forehead- embroidered on the back. Delicate tapestries of unicorns and dreamy landscapes covered the walls. Everything was covered with dust.

"The tapestries are amazing," Lili whispered in awe.

"They are just tapestries," Jareth said in a bored tone and then raised his hand to disappear again.

"No, please," Lili stopped him, grabbing his arm. "Can we just walk? I'm not feeling well."

"Walking is for mortals," he stated, looking at her slender hand on his arm with surprise.

Lili blinked and withdrew her hand. Then, it hit her. "Mortals?" she repeated, tilting her head questioningly.

He smiled, amused by her puzzled expression. "Yes. You are only a human, but I am one of the Fey, immortal and incredibly powerful," he explained solemnly, beaming with pride. "Magic is within me."

With that, he raised his hand for a second time, but Lili interrupted him again.

"I am a mortal," she stated, taking her hand to her stomach. "Please, " she begged and, feeling suddenly very dizzy, she dropped her bag and, in spite of herself, she had to lean against him.

Jareth seemed taken aback for a second, but then sighed and gently guided her to a chair. "Here," he said, materializing a glass of water in her hand.

"Thank... you." She took a small sip and left the glass over the table. "I don't know what happened to me," she added, embarrassed.

"It is the magic," Jareth explained, putting a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps the sphere spell I cast on you has unexpected side effects. Maybe this is all the magic your body can handle. How strange."

Without another word, he went to the door. Shaking her head, Lili rose from the seat, picked up her bag and followed him.

As they walked through the castle, Lili watching everything wide opened eyes. It was so big!

"This is the library," Jareth declared unnecessarily, as they entered a chamber filled with bookshelves.

Lili loved to read and at the sight of so many books, a smile lit up her face. There was a chandelier similar to the one she had seen before; comfortable armchairs were located near the fireplace and tapestries hung on the walls, with the owl emblem again. Unable to stop herself, she approached one of the shelves and extended her arm to pick up a book, when Jareth spoke.

"You will be able to read only after your duties," he said seriously. "That is if you have time... and energy," he added amusedly.

Frustrated, Lili sighed and lowered her hand. She turned to face him. "Of course, your Majesty," she said respectfully, although with a hint of annoyance. "Only after my duties."

Jareth looked intently at her and, just as it had happened before, he was surprised by her respectful attitude. Indeed she was different from other women he had known.

Lili blushed under the Goblin King stare and shyly lowered her gaze and smoothed her

T-shirt.

Jareth raised a bemused eyebrow at her obvious embarrassment and found himself strangely moved by her reaction. She appeared to be so naive and innocent, just like a child. Perhaps he should have not brought her with him and--

Jareth abruptly stopped that unusual train of thought and stiffened slightly. Now... where that had come from? He had done the right thing in bringing Lucy to his castle. He did need a maid! He shook himself and cleared his throat.

"Come with me," he said seriously, "there are still rooms I want to show you."

Lili nodded, but did not move. She just kept looking at him.

"What is it?" he asked, seeing her troubled expression.

"Will... I have to clean... the whole castle?" she asked in dismay.

Jareth blinked at her question and, amused, he shook his head. "No. It would take a complete army to clean the entire castle. I just want you to clean the rooms I have already showed you and all the ones I shall show you," he answered with a wicked grin.

Lili swallowed hard and nodded; not fully convinced. What kind of answer was that?

The "tour" continued and the next place Jareth showed her was his private study. Compared to the other chambers, this one was clean and not so big. Its walls were veneered in wood and decorated with tapestries. The study was furnished with a hand carved desk, a chair that matched, four leather armchairs, a side table and a shelf filled with books. The floor had thick carpeting and there was a marble fireplace.

Lili admired the room. It was so warm and comfortable that she had to fight the urge to take off her shoes and sit on a coach.

"This is my favorite place in the whole castle," Jareth said, interrupting her appreciation of the chamber. "That is why I want you to keep it extremely clean and tidy."

Lili nodded. "Yes, your Majesty," she answered, unconsciously in a military mode.

Jareth gave her a quick glance and then continued. "Good. The same applies to my private chamber," he added, walking across the study, toward a closed door -not the same one from which they had entered a couple of minutes ago. He opened it and stepped through the doorway.

Lili gave a last look at the beautiful place and then followed him... and gasped. His private room was... well... a king's chamber. It has an inviting balcony and it was big -as was everything in the castle- and solemnly elegant, with the most beautiful and fine piece of furniture she had ever seen. A hand carved desk was placed near the glass doors that led to the balcony together with a chair of the same style. There were two comfortable armchairs located by the fireplace and, over it, hung a painting of Jareth in all his glory. Lili rolled her eyes at the portrait, even in a picture he was surrounded by a powerful aura. Then, her gaze was drawn to the king size bed. The headboard was beautifully carved with delicate figures of flowers and trees, a black comforter lay over the bed and there was a matching night table on each side. She kept on looking and the next thing that caught her attention was a big mirror located at the other side of the room. Curious, she approached and realized it was decorated with small winged dragons, unicorns, castles and little people. She smiled in delight as she suddenly remembered the stories Sarah used to tell her when she was a child. Her grin quickly faded as she realized that, probably, she would never see her sister -or the rest of her family- again. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes to prevent a rebel tear from falling. She then returned her attention to the mirror... and froze.

"There's no reflection!" Lili exclaimed.

"Of course not. I was wondering when will you notice it," Jareth replied with a hint of amusement. He had been watching intently her inspection of his room, secretly enjoying her awed expression. In spite of his previous words, he too had been a little surprised by her lack of reflection. Maybe the spell he had cast on her had been too powerful. He mentally sighed. That meant he would not be able to use his crystals to check on her or cast any more spells upon her. It seems that his new maid would require some... indulgence from his part. He shook his head. Oh well, he could live with that. His image, however, did appear in the mirror and he fixed his blond hair. "This is a magic mirror and, since you have no magic, it does not recognize you." He paused for a moment and took a hand to his chin in a thoughtful mode. "It seems that magic itself does not recognize you. I wonder if it is so because of my spell or if you were just born like that."

Lili only nodded and continued starring at the mirror.

"Anyway, it does not matter," Jareth said, shrugging. Then he walked to the glass doors and opened them. "Come here, Lucy," he commanded, stepping into the balcony. "This is my kingdom."

Distracted by her lack of reflection and still not used to that name, Lili didn't obey him.

"I am waiting," he insisted, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Startled, Lili realized he had been talking to her. "Sorry, your Majesty," she apologized, walking toward him. "I--" She abruptly stopped and openly gaped at the incredible sight before her. An enormous maze extended beyond the horizon and she noted the castle was in the center! "A labyrinth!" she exclaimed in awe.

"Yes," Jareth said, unable to hide his pride. "This is my labyrinth, a dangerous and ever changing place where human will is tested," he explained, raising his arms as if he were embracing the maze.

"It is... amazing, Lili whispered and then looked up at him, puzzled. "Test the human will?"

He blinked in surprise at her question and chuckled, his mismatched eyes shone sinisterly. "Remember when I told you about my immortality?" he asked and, at her nod, he continued. "For thousands of years it has been my right to answer the summons and claim all the unwanted children to bring them here to my castle."

"What... do you do... with them?" Lili asked then, not completely sure she would like the answer.

"I turned them into goblins, of course," he said and, at her horrified expression, he rolled his eyes. "Do not look at me like that, child," he said, annoyed, her shocked eyes making him feel uncomfortably... guilty. "I am not a monster. It often happens the summoner has not... really meant it... and when I show up... she or he does not appreciate the effort. However, as generous as I am, I always offer the supplicant his or her dreams or the chance to recover the wished away child..." He paused for a while and a wicked grin spread on his face. " Especially if the summoner is a beautiful young woman... Ah, you would be surprised to know that most of the time they prefer to keep their dreams instead of the child... Oh, yes..." he added in a delighted far away voice, more to himself than her.

"What do they have to do?" Lili asked, looking at him with a raised eyebrow, even though she did have a vague idea. "Your Majesty?" she insisted, as he seemed to be lost in his –most likely wicked- thoughts.

Jareth shook himself, returning to reality and continued in a solemn tone that reminded Lili of her teachers. He spoke just if he were quoting some important lines. "Is that not obvious? In thirteen hours they have to go through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered and find the way here to my castle, beyond the Goblin City... and in the end, they have to deal... with me!"

Lili gasped. "But then they don't have a chance!" she exclaimed. "Your magic is too powerful!"

Deeply pleased by her words, Jareth could not help but smile. "Indeed," he agreed. "They cannot defeat me as I--"

He abruptly quieted as, unbidden, Sarah's image flashed in his mind. In spite of himself and all his power, he had been defeated only once--

Annoyed, he shook his head to vanish that unpleasant memory. "They cannot defeat me," he finished darkly, his eyes shining dangerously.

At his sudden dark mood, Lili unconsciously stepped back and bit her lip, not daring to ask any more questions. The last thing she wanted was to make him mad.

Jareth saw her troubled -and slightly frightened- expression and forced himself to calm down. What was the point on scaring the poor child, his maid, to death? Anyway, it was not her fault after all. Smoothing his shirt, he gave a last gaze to his beloved labyrinth and returned inside the room. "Come with me, Lucy," he said, his dark mood gone.

Lili relaxed and followed him.

After ten minutes of walking, as their destination seemed to be in the other side of the castle, Jareth stopped before a closed door. He gave her an amused glance and opened it. "This is the kitchen," he said solemnly.

Lili's jaw fell to the floor. The room was enormous and, strangely enough, equipped with all the standard electric appliances of a modern house, including a refrigerator, a stove, a microwave... and -thank God- a dishwasher... But, oh surprise, everything was incredibly dirty. There was a thick layer of grease everywhere and all the frying pans, pots and kettles were too filthy to be used.

"Oh my God," was all that Lili managed to say. Indeed he needed a maid... and that happened to be her!

Jareth had to suppress a chuckle at her comment. "This is the main reason you are here. You will cook for me, wash my clothes and clean up the mess the goblins make," he explained and, without entering, he indicated her a closed door that was near the refrigerator. Inside that closet, you will find all the cleaning stuff. Inside the refrigerator, you will find the proper ingredients to cook; you just have to speak aloud and they will materialize at your request."

Shocked, Lili could only nod.

Jareth smiled mischievously at her obvious distress. "Oh, it is not that bad, child. At least I did not ask you to clean the Bog of Eternal Stench." Then, he closed the door and opened the one who was located just in front of the kitchen. "And, finally, this is your room," he said, stepping inside.

Already tired, Lili swallowed, held her bag tightly and followed him. She looked around and mentally sighed. Just as Jareth's was a king's chamber, hers was... well... a maid's one. In comparison of what she had seen, her room was small and simple. It was furnished with a bed, a chair, a small table with a lamp and an old wooden wardrobe which had seen better days... a couple of centuries ago. There was a closed door near it, surely the bathroom. The floor and the walls were of cold stone, no carpets or tapestries. It reminded Lili of a cloister, except for a small fireplace that caught her attention.

"The castle is really cold in winter," Jareth said, noticing her interest in the fireplace. "And a frozen maid would not do her job, would she? Well, I am glad you like your new home," he finished, amused.

He snapped his fingers and a watch appeared in his hand. He gave it to her. Lili looked at it and, to her surprise, it had thirteen hours!

"Time moves different here," he explained at her startled expression. "Well?" he added expectantly.

Lili blinked and immediately put it around her slender wrist. "Thank you... your Majesty," she said politely.

Jareth nodded and found himself saying, "You are welcome." A little annoyed with himself for his stupid reaction, he cleared his throat and shook his head. "This is not a gift. Never take it off. My kingdom may hold some... dangers for you. Not lethal of course, but still, I would not like to... lose my only maid," he told her. "As magic does not recognize you, I will not be able to check directly on you, but I will be capable of seeing the watch. In that way, I will always know your location," he finished.

"Just like a beacon," Lili noted, examining her new watch. She smiled. It had a small goblin in the center, which indicated the hours and minutes with his short arms.

Jareth looked a t her for a moment and then turned to leave. "I want my food in five hours," he said from the doorway, not bothering to say please. "Do you remember the way to the dining room?" At her nod, he continued. "Good. Now I shall return to my duties... I have some... unfinished... business with Lili Williams," he added evilly.

His sinister tone sent chills to her spine and, forcing herself to control the fear, she took a deep breath and asked what she wanted to know. "Why... why do you hate... Lili Williams?"

He looked intently at her and blinked. "I do not hate her," he answered, shrugging. "She is just the meas to ensure my revenge."

"Revenge?" Lili asked, puzzled and unable to stop herself.

"Yes, revenge!" Jareth exclaimed, excited, balling his hands into fists. "Sarah must pay!" he added, completely forgetting he was not alone. "And her beloved sister will help me accomplish that!"

Lili's eyes widened in shock and she paled. He wanted to hurt Sarah! Why? Her sister was the gentlest -well, also the most stubborn- person she had ever known.

"Why?" she asked in a small voice, "What did she do to you? She would never harm you!" Lili added, completely forgetting she was supposed to treat him as a king. "She is kind and--"

"You are wrong!" he barked angrily, causing Lili to back up a couple of steps and unconsciously bring her bag in front of herself in a protective gesture.

"You are so wrong!" he repeated, walking menacingly toward her. "Sarah owes me one!" he yelled, raising his arm.

Completely convinced by now that he would hit her -and definitely not used to being yelled at- Lili closed her eyes and embraced her bag tightly. She was deeply ashamed. She knew Sarah would have fought back, but she ... just could not force her feet to move.

"Sarah must pay!" Jareth shouted again. "She--"

He suddenly stopped as he realized the girl was scared to death... and his raised arm did not help. He rolled his eyes and lowered his arm. Did the child actually believe that he would hit her? He sighed. True, he had lost his temper, but then, that always had happened when he though of Sarah.

He shook his head. "What happened between Sarah and me is not of your concern," he stated in a calmer tone. "Remember, I want to eat in five hours." Without another word, he vanished.

Lili opened her eyes and, once sure she was alone, she sighed deeply and dropped her bag. Shaking, she sat on her bed and braced her knees. As the truth of her incredible situation sunk in, she bowed her head, but did her best to stop the coming tears. "I will not cry," a miserable Lili whispered, biting her lip. "I shall not cry," she repeated, trembling even more, but to her despair and annoyance, the tears came anyway.

What a holiday...

******

Jareth materialized in his study and sat on his favorite armchair. As he pondered on what just had happened with his new maid, he let out a sigh. It had not been his intention to scare Lucy, but she had just touched too... sore a subject for him... Not to mention that she really did not seem to take shouts too well. He shrugged and took a hand to his chin. Oh, well, she would have to get used to his... kingly temper. Slowly, a satisfied smirk played on his face. Even though Sarah's sister had -momentarily- eluded him, his trip to the Mortal Realm had not been a completely waste of time after all, as he had gotten himself a maid. True, Lucy was not like the other girls he was used to dealing with and her taste in clothing was pretty bad, but she was respectful to him-- and that pleased him-- a lot. He titled his head. Perhaps it was more fear than respect, but that did not matter. After living for centuries surrounded by his stupid subjects, her soft voice and fair appearance were more than welcome... and he would finally get to eat a decent meal.

His grin widened as he remembered Lucy's memory sphere. He had not told her the whole truth about the crystal. Not only did erase the victim's existence in regards to other people, but also copied the true... essence of said victim, giving great advantage to the one who kept it. He waved a hand and the shining object appeared floating before him. He blinked in surprise at its glow, only few and special humans could produce such a beautiful crystal. Suddenly very curious, he took off his gloves and extended his palm. The sphere obediently went to him. As soon as the crystal touched his bare hand, an unexpected tenderness flowed through his body... Tenderness and absolute despair. He gasped at both emotions. Despair was familiar to him -and understood why she felt it- but tenderness was completely new to him...

Being the all mighty Goblin King, he was not used to those kind of feeling, not even from his former lovers. He could not help but smile in delight... and returned those feelings with his own...

******

Lili's quiet sobs were abruptly interrupted by an incredible soothing sensation... as if someone were embracing... her soul. Startled, she raised her head and stiffened, but soon she relaxed. She dried her eyes and felt her despair somehow lightening. With a small grin on her face, she leaned back on the bed. It was such a comforting feeling...

After a while, and feeling much better, she sat crossed legs on the bed and began to think on her current -unbelievable- situation. There was no room for self-pity. Her beloved sister was in danger. The truth was that, for a reason unknown to her, Jareth hated Sarah. According to him, her sister had hurt him somehow and now, he would do anything to gain his revenge... in other words, getting to Sarah by harming her.

Lili shuddered as she remembered the dark tone he had used before and how he had yelled at her when she had asked him about Sarah.

She cocked her head. She really didn't understand how Sarah could have met someone like Jareth or how he despise her so much... but then, she really didn't understand how a being like him -and his world- could even exist. She sighed. However, it didn't matter what she believed; she was here, stuck in this weird place, with a temperamental and all too powerful king... not to mention extremely dangerous. As strange as it was, he was convinced that Lucy -the real Lucy- was her... and so, he wanted to capture poor Lucy. Lili balled her hands into fists and bit her lip. Under no circumstance she would allow Lucy to be harmed, but she would play her game until the end. She would have to say good-bye to her dream of becoming a doctor... and just be Jareth's maid. "Clean and cook, perfect. The dream of every woman," she muttered sarcastically, picturing the huge -dusty- castle in her mind. She knew it was her only chance, keep him... happy, so to speak.

"For how long? Well until he finds out who I am," she added and shivered, not wanting to know what Jareth would do to her then. "Great."

Having made up her mind, she ran a hand through her hair and rose. "I will had better arranged my room first," she said to herself, but then she blinked and rolled her eyes, a bit annoyed. "Great, I have not been an hour here and I am already talking to myself. Just great."

She shook her head, picked up her bag and started to take out her few things... after all, she was only supposed to be spending a couple of weeks with Sarah and Michael.

She took out her books, the ones she had teased Sarah with, and placed them on the table. Then, she brought out a pair of jeans and a couple of T-shirts and walked to the wardrobe. She carefully opened it, almost expecting something nasty -like cockroaches-, to jump out at her, but thank God, nothing happened. It was just an ordinary wardrobe with a broken mirror in one of the doors. However, it was not empty; old dresses and aprons were hanging inside. Curious, Lili left her clothes on the chair and took out a dress. Even though it had seen better days -and parties- it was still beautiful. It was long, with a tight bodice and flowing skirt. The sleeves long and tight, except in the shoulders, which were puffy. Once a vivid blue, it was now almost gray and torn in several places.

To Sarah's and her mother's despair, she was not the dress type, but still, Lili could not resist holding the dress before her. She looked at her reflection and chuckled. With her chin length hair, her freckles and her favorite snickers, she was not the image of a princess or a Lady. "Just the maid," she said to herself, morbidly amused. She inspected the other dresses -one green and the other red- and then put her own clothes in the wardrobe, together with her bag.

Once finished, she realized her hands were covered with dust. Rolling her eyes, she went to the door she had seen before. When she opened it a relieved smile played on her face. She had been right in her assumption; it was a small, fully equipped bathroom. She washed her hands and, after drying them, she continued ordering her things.

"Well I think that's all," she said.

Then, realizing it was a little dark, she opened the curtains and, in spite of her sadness, a delighted smile lit up her face. The enormous maze greeted her eyes. It was simply... spectacular. She widened her eyes, mesmerized and wondered what it would be like to walk through the labyrinth... and what sort of creatures would live there.

She raised a hand to her chin. Well, she had already met the goblins and, in spite of their odd appearance, they had not intimidated her. In fact, she thought they were funny, even though Jareth--

Lili suddenly stiffened. Jareth! She had completely forgotten about his meal! She quickly put on the apron she had seen inside the wardrobe and left her room...

******

Jareth kept feeling the girl's crystal for a while, but then he suddenly remembered whom the owner of the precious object was. He blushed slightly and shook himself. It was his maid's crystal! It was not the one of his summoners, not one of the unnumbered ladies that were always chasing him. No. It was just his new maid's. What was wrong with him?

With the sphere still carefully held in his hand, he rose and approached the bookshelf. He touched a copy of Shakespeare's "A midsummer night's dream" and waited. A part of the wall slid to a side, revealing the hidden entrance to his secret lab. He stepped inside and, silently, the wall closed behind him. The place was the size of his study, without tapestries or carpeting. Here, Jareth kept his magic books and unnumbered bottles containing all sort of herbs and other odd ingredients for the most complicate spells. However, he never used them, as he really didn't need them, as his magic was just too powerful. At the other side of the room, there was a delicate -and magical- crystal compartment. He walked toward it and carefully placed the sphere inside. With that, he returned to his study; he had an important task to complete. With an evil grin, he sat in the ledge of the window and created a crystal ball. He raised it to his eye level and his smile widened in a sinister way.

"Show me Lili Williams," he commanded in a whisper. To his disappointment, nothing happened, the sphere remained unchanged. "Show me Lili Williams!" he insisted, this time in a louder voice. Again, nothing happened. He tried several more times and, in every occasion, the requested image was denied to him. Annoyed to no end, he finally gave up and violently threw the ball through the open window.

"This will not stay like this!" he barked, balling his hands into fists. "Sarah's sister will not escape from me! I will have my revenge!" He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Yes, he would have his revenge. He would seek Lili Williams out and seduce her, making her fall in love with him -an easy thing to do, considering that she would probably share her older sister's dreams and fantasies. Then, once he had obtained what he wanted, he would banish her to his darkest oubliette... He smiled, pleased with the idea.

And the best part would be that Sarah would witness Lili's misery again and again...

*Oh, yes, revenge will be mine!* he thought, a satisfied and cruel look in his mismatched eyes.

******

Lili stood quietly before the kitchen's closed door. She could hear strange noises coming from the other side. After a moment of hesitation, she opened it...

She dropped her jaw. When she had seen it with Jareth, it had been empty, but now, the room was filled with hyperactive -and rather hysteric- goblins. They were jumping, running, fighting, yelling, throwing things at each other -in fact Lili had to duck to avoid a dish- and even singing.

Lili swallowed and tried to call their attention, but the creatures ignored her. Suddenly, one small goblin distractedly ran toward her and, in a quick movement, Lili grabbed his arm, and carefully lifting him up, she closed the door.

"Hey, calm down," she soothed the nervous and kicking little thing. She could not help but smile. The creature was... well... cute, with his round face and round nose. He was a little bit fat for his size and was wearing purple pants, a bright yellow shirt -ripped in several parts- and a red funny hat with a furious green feather. In fact, the goblin was a startling piece of color.

"I will not hurt you," she added softly.

Not being used to gentle words and soft voices, the goblin finally stopped kicking and opened his eyes to see his captor.

To Lili's amusement, he flushed like a tomato. She placed him down. "I am Li... Lucy," she introduced herself, forcing herself to remember her "new" name. "What's your name?" she asked.

He cleared his throat and smoothed his shirt. "Pete," he said and then, tilted his head. "Are you one of the girls?" he asked with curiosity.

"Girls?" Lili repeated, puzzled.

He nodded. "Yes. Do you have to solve the labyrinth? Because you are in the wrong place," he explained.

Lili blinked and was about to ask what he meant with that, when suddenly she remembered Jareth's speech about "dangers untold and hardships unnumbered." She rolled her eyes and shook her red head. "Oh, no. I 'm not one of those... girls. I'm the new maid," she said, morbidly amused as how that sounded.

"You mean you didn't wish a child away?" Pete asked, wide opened eyes.

"Of course not!" Lili exclaimed, shocked, but then she shrugged. "Anyway, can you tell me what's going on inside?" she asked, indicating the closed door behind them.

Pete gave her an isn't-that-obvious look. "They're cooking."

Lili stared at him and began to understand Jareth's bad temper. "Okay," she muttered and, fixing her apron, she entered the kitchen...

The goblins were still hyperactive. Lili looked at them for a couple of seconds and, annoyed she noticed Pete's mischievous gaze fixed upon her, as if he were waiting her to go insane right there. However, she didn't lose it. Placing a rebel strand of hair behind her ear, she stood straight and took two fingers to her mouth... and whistled.

At the loud piercing sound, the goblins froze on their places and turned to the young woman, seeing her for the first time.

She cleared her throat and a satisfied smirk appeared on her face. "Good. Now that I have your attention, let me introduce myself. My name is Lucy," she said seriously, looking intently at them. "And no, I am not one of the girls," she quickly added, seeing their mischievous expressions. "I am the new maid."

"Our nanny?" one of the goblins asked hopefully.

"No. I am his Majesty's maid," she explained.

"Ah, his Majesty's... nanny," another dwarf said in a wicked tone.

Lili blinked and blushed. "NO!" she exclaimed, realizing what he must have been thinking. She cleared her throat again. "I--"

"But you said you were his maid," a blue-faced goblin interrupted her.

"Yes, but what I--"

"He's right, I heard you," a tall creature added.

To Lili's annoyance, all of them began to talk at the same time, except Pete, who stared intently at her, as if waiting for her reaction.

She rolled her eyes and took a hand to her forehead. Jareth didn't need a maid... he needed an army! Oh, but she would not be defeated by them! Lili took a deep breath and whistled as loud as she could. "ENOUGH!" she barked, and to her disbelief, it worked. They kept quiet and looked at her. She smiled sweetly. "That's better. As I told you before, I-am-the-maid-and-one-of-my-duties-is-to-cook," she said, speaking very slowly so they could understand her. "But I can't cook here, this place is a mess," she added and, suddenly, an idea occurred to her. Perhaps she could persuade them to help her, after all, they were... well, not so intelligent.

"We like it this way," a cat-like goblin said defiantly.

Lili just stared at her nails. "Well, I guess you don't want cookies, then," she replied shrugging and turning to leave.

"Cookies?" all the goblins repeated as one, suddenly very interested, their eyes shining.

Lili faced them again and had to suppress a chuckle at their expectant faces. She nodded. "Yes. I was thinking of delicious chocolate cookies... but If you prefer to have the kitchen like this..." she left the sentence unfinished and gestured with her hands, indicating the dirty place.

"If we clean... you will give us... cookies?" Pete asked suspiciously.

"Yes, Lili said solemnly.

As one, all the creatures hurried to the closet where all the cleaning implements were kept. Unfortunately, all of them tried to open the door at the same time...

*Why me?* Lili thought, as she whistled for the third time.

"Pete, can you open the door, please?" she told him, having already noticed he was one of the most intelligent goblins and, well, she liked him.

Beaming with pride for having being chosen -as no one had ever chose him before- Pete nodded and did as he was told.

"Thank you," she said, walking toward the closet.

She began to take aprons, brooms, soap and all sorts of cleaning supplies, until all the goblins were properly equipped for their task. Once finished, Lili divided them by size into two teams. The taller ones would take care of the walls and the smallest ones would clean the floor. For obvious reasons she would take care of dishes, glasses and every breakable item. She was about to start working, when suddenly realized they were staring puzzled at her.

"Well?" she prompted. "You may begin."

However, they didn't move. Annoyed, Lili looked questioningly at Pete, but he only shrugged. She blinked and, don't knowing what else to do, she whistled. Immediately, they moved. At first, they were terribly confused, but she patiently explained them how to do their job, until they finally got it. And so, for the first time in their life, the goblins began to... clean.

******

Exactly five hours later, the Goblin King left his chamber and headed to the dining room with long, annoyed strides. He had spent the whole afternoon thinking on his revenge and unsuccessfully trying to locate Lili Williams. He was angry... and hungry. Thinking on the delicious meal waiting for him and, with a roaring stomach, he entered the room. To his utter disappointment, there was nothing set over the table, not even a fork. He shook his head. What was wrong with that girl? Did she not hear him saying five hours? He blinked. Perhaps he had scared her too much... NO! He did give her enough time and he had not been that bad with her. She should have had his meal ready by now! Kicking a chair, he stormed out of the dining hall.

A second later, he materialized outside the kitchen and was about to open the door, when a sweet, delicious and familiar smell reached his nose. He inhaled deeply. What was it? He was sure he had smelled it before... Suddenly, it hit him.

"Chocolate!" he exclaimed in surprise. Then, he hard goblin's voices, but as strange as it was, they were not screaming. They seemed to be just talking and, to Jareth's disbelief, he could have sworn the words "Thank you," were spoken. The Goblin King immediately dismissed that insane idea. Curious, he opened the door... and froze at the sight that greeted his eyes. He blinked several times to assure himself he was not hallucinating. The goblins -his idiotic goblins! - stood in a row, but they did not make any mess, they simply... stood there. Each one carried a dish... and each one had a napkin tied around the neck!

Beyond amazement now, and wondering what was going on, Jareth followed the goblin row with his gaze and got his answer. He stiffened... Lucy -HIS maid- was giving them cookies... and each goblin patiently waited for his turn!

He previous anger returned. She had cooked for his stupid goblins... instead of him!

With a deadly serious expression on his face, he walked toward them and stood behind the last goblin, his eyes cold as steel, his arms folded across his chest. He cleared his throat.

"Oh what do you--" the goblin said as he turned, but he abruptly went quiet and, slowly raised his head. At his king's icy -and dangerous- stare, he decided the wise action would be to walk away.

Jareth smiled, satisfied, and repeated his action until he stood behind his maid. She was bent before the oven, taking out the cookies. Completely unaware of his royal presence, she continued with her task.

He cleared his throat.

"Just wait a second," Lili said softly. "Here you go," she added, turning, but instead of a fat goblin, she saw a pair of shining, black, boots! Lili looked up... and up, until she met his mismatched, annoyed eyes. Her own eyes widened in horror as she realized... the five hours were gone!

She rose and nervously bit her lip. "Your Majesty... I am sorry... I..."

At her terrified expression, Jareth's anger vanished, to be replaced by a hint of amusement. Was he that intimidating? Oh yes, he was! "Can you tell me what are you doing?" he asked seriously, not letting his amusement to show.

Lili sighed and briefly wondered how the Bog of Eternal Stench would be. "I... was giving the goblins cookies. They helped me to clean the kitchen and--"

"They did what?" he interrupted her, unable to stop himself. He gave a quick glance over his shoulder and only the realized the place was almost shining.

"They helped me to clean and I baked chocolate cookies for them in return. You never said I couldn't use their help," Lili explained, her gaze fixed on her bowl of cookies.

The king blinked and looked at her as if she were a phenomenon. Of course he never told her that! Goblins were... well... goblins. How could it be that a mere -magicless- mortal woman could have made his idiotic subjects to actually do something useful? Could it be that kindness... and cookies... were better than kicks and yells? Jareth thought about it for a couple of seconds, but then shook his head. Of course not! He was the Goblin King. He had a reputation to maintain! He just could not picture himself being... kind... with his minions. Definitely not!

He rolled his eyes.

"Lucy," Jareth began to say in his deep voice. "I shall forgive you this time, but never make me wait again. Understood?"

Lili raised her head. "Crystal clear... I mean, yes, your Majesty. It will never happen again. I promise," she replied, feeling like a grounded child.

He nodded. "Good. I want my meal in one hour."

"Of course," Lili said with a small grin. Then, realizing it would be rude not to offer cookies, she shyly raised her bowl. "Cookies?" she asked, blushing a bit.

Jareth's eyes widened in disbelief. How dared she to offer him -HIM!- the same food she had given... the goblins?

"Is it something wrong?" Lili asked, puzzled, tilting her red head and wondering what she had done to upset him now.

Annoyed, he opened his mouth to admonish her, but then, seeing her childish, innocent expression, something seemed to melt inside of him. He shook his head. "Nothing is wrong," he said, grabbing a cookie. He took a small bite and could not suppress a smile. It was delicious!

"I am glad you liked it," Lili noted, feeling unexplainably... happy.

Slightly annoyed for letting her know, Jareth quickly recovered his kingly mode and cleared his throat. "Remember, one hour." With that, he disappeared... together with the bowl of cookies.

Lili blinked in surprise and shook her head; perhaps Jareth was not that bad after all, but still... better not to make him wait. She quickly turned to the stove, but in doing so, she accidentally brushed the hot surface with her wrist.

"Shit!" she exclaimed at her burned skin.

******

Jareth materialized in his private room with the bowl of cookies in his hand. He took another one and, again, he smiled. It reminded him of his childhood... a really long time ago.

His grin widened as he remembered how mischievous he had been then, always annoying his maids... but in the end, they always had given him anything he had wanted... including chocolate cookies.

He laughed. It seemed that some things never change.

******

One hour later, Jareth returned to the dining room. When he entered, he was greeted with a delicious smell.

His maid stood there, giving the last details to the now set table.

"Everything is ready," Lili informed him.

He nodded and took his seat, however, when he saw the food, his face fell in disappointment. It was just a simple beefsteak, together with rice and tomato salad. It was just plain, home-cooking... definitely not the appropriate meal for a king. And if that were not enough, she had dared to accompany it with... orange juice! He looked at her as if saying are-you-insane?

"Do you really expect me to eat this?" he asked in disbelief.

Lili tilted her head, puzzled. "What is wrong with the food?" she asked, not seeing anything out of place.

"It is home cooking!" he exclaimed, annoyed. "I cannot eat this! Take it away!" he ordered.

Lili blinked. "Why--"

"Do as I say!" he barked.

Biting her lip for not to scream in annoyance and wondering how a grown up man could be so... spoiled, Lili hurried to comply.

"I am sorry," she whispered with a hint of annoyance, as she held the glass of juice with a shaking hand. "I am not a chef," she added, reaching for his dish.

"I can see that," he said dryly, her annoyed tone not lost to him. He was about to add something else, when he noticed her wrist was wrapped in a piece of cloth. "What happened to your wrist?" he asked, even though he had a good idea of the answer.

"Nothing," Lili said, quickly withdrawing her hand.

She looked at him with such and offended and hurt gaze, that, in spite of himself, Jareth felt like an Ogre. "Wait," he suddenly said. "You can leave it here."

Startled, Lili nodded and then a small grin played on her face. "I can cook, but I am not a chef, your Majesty," she explained, giving him her best it-was-not-my-fault-I-didn't-ask-to-come-here look.

Jareth rolled his eyes and held a fork and a knife. After a little hesitation, he took a small piece of meat... and then took another one... and another...

"It is not bad," he admitted, not bothering to tell her that it was delicious. "However," he continued, "you must always accompany my meals with a cup of good wine. In this occasion, I believe the better choice would be a Cabernet Sauvignon," he added and, snapping his fingers, a cup of wine replaced the glass with orange juice.

Lili gasped in surprise.

The Goblin King chuckled at her reaction. "Soon you will get used to it," he said, amused. "Remember that magic is present everywhere and in everyone here in my kingdom."

"Except in me," she noted with a shrug. Then, assuming that he would like to eat alone, she excused herself and turned to leave.

"Lucy," he suddenly called her.

"Yes?" she asked, facing him again.

He sighed. "Never leave my presence until I tell you so," he admonished her.

Lili blinked and, for a second, he reminded her of her teachers. Banishing the thought, she nodded and remained on her spot, her hands on the back.

At her grounded-child look, Jareth had to suppress his laugh. "You are dismissed," he said at last.

Lili mentally rolled her eyes, made a little bow and left.

"Not bad, really," Jareth repeated to himself, taking another piece of meat. He smiled. She may not be a chef, but she could cook.

Thirty minutes later, Lili came back with the dessert and after taking away the empty dish, she placed it before him.

"Lucy I--" Jareth began to say, but abruptly stopped when he saw what it was. His jaw fell in disbelief. She had given him... a peach!

"Is it something wrong?" Lili asked at his strange reaction. "If you don't like peaches, I can bring you something else... strawberries, perhaps?" she offered.

Jareth forced himself to recover and cleared his throat. "No. Peaches are fine," he answered. "You may retire."

Lili gave him a last puzzled glance and then left the dining room.

Jareth watched her leave and then returned her gaze to his unusual dessert. "Peaches," he repeated, amused. The last time a woman had offered him peaches, had been in a far less innocent... circumstances... Not to mention that he had always enjoyed giving enchanted peaches to his vic-- summoners.

"Indeed peaches are fine," he whispered, chuckling.

******

"Well, I think I have finished for today," Lili said, looking around her. After serving Jareth his diner, she had returned to the kitchen, only to find out that the goblins had mess up with everything... again. Fortunately for her, she had been able to convince them to clean... again.

"Not bad... for my first day," she added, with a morbid sense of humor. The truth was that she already missed her family, she was tired and her wrist hurt... a lot. Not to mention that she was talking to herself again...

Sighing and hoping that her new... boss didn't want anything else, she went to her room.

Once there, she took of her shoes and, jumping at the cold stone, she had to put on her panda sleepers. She grabbed her pajamas -with pandas also printed on it- and, stifling a yawn, headed to the bathroom in desperately need of a warm shower. She had walked a couple of steps, when someone knocked the door.

She blinked and after a little hesitation, she opened and was surprise to see Pete standing there. He was serious and seemed worried by something.

"Hi, Pete, please, come in," she invited him. "What's wrong? She asked, guiding him to the only chair.

He took off his red hat and looked intently at her. "I... I have... something to ask you," he said shyly.

"Yes?" Lili prompted gently.

"Can you teach me how to... whistle?" he almost begged, his eyes shining.

Lili blinked and smiled kindly. "Sure, but why?"

To her amusement, he blushed.

"I... there is someone... who... I mean... she is..."

Lili tilted her head and her grin widened. "I see," she said, giving him a knowing look.

"Will you teach me?" he insisted hopefully.

"Of course, but can you tell me her name?"

Pete smiled. "Chala," he answered.

"Beautiful name," Lili said kindly.

"Yes," Pete agreed, excited. "Now, please, teach me!" he begged again.

"Now?" a tired Lili asked, all that she wanted to do was tend her wrist and sleep, but seeing

his smiling face, she just could not deny. "Okay," she said and then, she began to explain him how to whistle.

Fifteen minutes later, Lili had to admit it was really difficult to teach a goblin how to whistle... and his short fingers didn't help.

"Perhaps you can do something else to impress her," she suggested then, seeing a now desperate Pete seated with his head bowed. Suddenly and idea occurred to her. "Maybe I can name you... my assistant!"

"Your... assistant?" he asked, raising his head, his eyes shining again.

"Yes. You can help me with the other goblins," Lili added, going to her wardrobe and taking out a purple ribbon. "With this, I name you my official assistant," she said, carefully tying the ribbon around his neck. "What do you think?" Lili asked, as he looked at himself in the mirror.

Pete put on his hat again and a proud smirk played on his round face. "Chala will love me."

******

In his private chamber, the Goblin king was seated on his favorite armchair, with a book in his hands. He started to read, but after twenty minutes, he got bored and put the book on a side table. Unbidden, a smile drew on his face as he thought of his unusual dessert. He did not know Lucy at all, but he could tell she was rather shy. If she ever knew what peaches meant to him, the poor child would have a heart attack.

His grin faded and, not for the first time, guilt began to rise within him. 'Poor child', indeed. She was an innocent victim of his revenge...

*No*, Jareth corrected himself. Lucy was not such a victim after all. True, he had rudely separated her from her family and from the -limited- world she had ever known... But what kind of life was that, anyway? She was just Sarah's maid... Well, now she was his, but at least, she would not age.

Yes. He had made that girl a favor and it would not take her long to realize it. Fortunately for her, she seemed to have already accepted her fate -not that she could have done anything to avoid it. She had obeyed him without complain and it appeared that she could control his goblins. That alone was amazing. The only problem with her was that she was too... sensitive. Jareth rubbed his chin as he realized he had not so much experience with people like her. He could still see the hurt look in his eyes when he had ordered her to take the food... and when he had noticed her injured wrist--

Jareth abruptly stiffened and shook his head. What in the Underground was he thinking? Was he... worried about her? Lucy was just his maid, a servant! She was--

He sighed and relaxed. Yes, she was his only maid, but he was not a monster -not an evil monster anyway- and he knew her burn needed to be taken care off. An injured maid would not do her job properly, would she?

Rolling his eyes at his sudden soft heart, he rose from his seat and headed to his secret lab. As he could not use healing magic in her -her body would not tolerate it- he would be forced to do it in the old, traditional way, with herbs and ointments.

******

Lili stood in the bathroom, brushing her hair. After Pete had gone, she had taken her shower and had put on her favorite pajamas. Suddenly, she stopped brushing her hair and had to release the brush. Her wrist was killing her!

"Great," she muttered, taking off the cloth and examining her wrist. She knew it would leave a nasty scar and probably it would get infected. She shook her head. If she were at home, she would use the proper medication, but what could she use here? She had already put it under cold water, but that was all.

"Great," she repeated, annoyed, and went to get another piece of cloth. She found an old, clean handkerchief among her things. "This will have to do," she said to herself. She sat on her bed and started to wrap her wrist, when someone knocked the door again. She smiled and rolled her eyes; surely Pete had forgotten something... or perhaps he wanted another... decoration. "Come in," she said, without raising her head, her gaze focused on her wrist.

She heard the door open and footsteps approaching.

"What do you need, Pete?"

"I am not Pete," a deep and slightly annoyed voice replied...

******

Jareth materialized before the closed door and was about to simply enter, when suddenly it occurred to him that he should knock first. He tilted his head. Never had he knocked a door in his castle before...

A small grin appeared on his face -but he quickly controlled it- as he realized this would have to be another of his... indulgences to his maid. He smiled again. In spite of what he had done to her, he had the odd feeling that Lucy considered him to be... a gentleman. Oh well... He knocked.

"Come in," a soft voice said.

He entered and, as he saw her trying to tend her wrist, he confirmed he had been right in his assumption; she needed help.

"What do you need, Pete?" she asked then, obviously without looking up at him.

At her question, Jareth blinked in disbelief. First, she had dared to cook for his goblins and now... she confused him with one of them!

"I am not Pete," he stated, don't knowing whether to be annoyed or amused.

He was rewarded with her surprised reaction. Truly startled, Lili jumped from her bed and stood before him wide opened eyes.

"Your Majesty!" she exclaimed, blushing furiously. "Is there anything that you need?" she asked, nervously smoothing her pajama.

Jareth denied with a shake of his head, but did not say a word. He had noticed her pajamas -and sleepers- and now could not help but staring at her. Definitely, she was so different from the other women he had known...

"Your Majesty?" Lili insisted, interrupting his thoughts. At his stare, she dropped her gaze to her feet. "I... I... like pandas," she explained, embarrassed, mentally kicking herself for not having put on a robe before telling her 'guest' to enter.

"So I see," he noted, but then, he shook himself. "No. I do not need anything, but you do," he stated. "Let me see your wrist," he added, at her puzzled look.

Lili blinked in surprise and only then she realized he was holding a small bowl. Not without suspicious, she extended her arm.

Jareth rolled his eyes at her expression. "As I told you before, I am not a monster, Lucy," he said, as he gently held her hand. "It looks bad. Now, sit down," he told her, indicating the bed.

She looked at him, not fully convinced, but still, she sat. He sat by her side and gave her the bowl. "Hold this."

"What is it?" Lili asked, as she eyed its content: a green paste and a little spatula.

"An ointment made with the proper herbs to heal your burn," he explained matter-of-factly.

Her eyes lit up. "Do you know of medicine plants?" she asked, truly interested.

Jareth looked at her with curiosity and then he shrugged. "Yes, but I rarely use that knowledge. I prefer to use magic to heal."

Lili's eyes widened. "Then you are a... healer," she noted seriously and then, a faraway grin played on her face. "That's my dream... to become a doctor... a healer..."

She paused for a second as she suddenly remembered her new identity and that she had to be careful with what she said. "It... it was not in my plans to be Mrs. Byron's maid forever, but now... I suppose... it doesn't... matter, after all... I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," she finished with a helpless shrug.

Jareth blinked at her words. No one had ever called him... healer... and no one had ever talked to him like that, so... openly. He stared intently at her, the sadness in her voice not lost to him. "Lucy, you understand your situation, do you not?" he asked. "You are my maid now."

"And that is how I will remain for a long time. I know," Lili said, also knowing that that situation was not the worst of her problems. "It was just a thought, that's all," she added with a small -sad- grin. "But you are a healer," she repeated.

He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a little... overwhelmed by her way of speaking to him... so... meaningful. "I am the Goblin King," he stated and then returned his attention to her burn. He held the spatula and took a little of paste. "This will hurt," he warned her.

Lili nodded and when the substance touched her injured skin, she had to bit her lip to keep from screaming though a couple of rebel tears slid down her cheeks.

"It will soon pass," Jareth soothed her and, just for a second, he was tempted to sweep her tears away, but he recovered his kingly mode immediately. She was just his servant! He materialized a bandage and carefully wrapped her wrist.

"Thank you," Lili whispered, drying her eyes.

"You are welcome," he replied, unable to stop himself at her grateful expression. He took the bowl from her hand and rose. "Tomorrow your wrist will be completely healed," he added, walking to the door.

"Thank you... your Majesty," Lili repeated with a shy smile.

He nodded and left the room.

Lili watched him leave and then looked at her wrist. She sighed, confused. Maybe he was not such a monster after all. In fact, he had been kind enough to come to her chamber only to help her. Then, why did he want to hurt Sarah -and her, Lili Williams- so badly?

She tilted her head in a thoughtful mode. Could it be that he had double personality or something like that? That he could be cruel and generous?

Lili shook her head and quickly dismissed that possibility. She leaned back on the bed and pulled up the covers, leaving only her eyes exposed. No, that was not it. Jareth just suffered an extreme case of bad temper... not that she could blame him, though... with all that hyperactive goblins running all around the castle.

At that thought, Lili chuckled. But they were not evil; extremely annoying, yes, and mischievous, but not evil. And now, she even had an assistant!

Lili suddenly became serious and shut of the lights. Jareth was not evil either; the only problem was that he hated the Williams sisters... to death.

With her last thought to Sarah -and to Jareth, in spite of herself- and tired by the incredible day, Lili fell sleep almost immediately.

******

As Jareth left the girl's room, he could not help but smile. Lucy was really strange, but she was not that bad... and he actually liked her... as his maid, of course. He vanished the bowl he still held in his hand, and decided to return walking to his own chamber. He distractedly made his way through the corridors, when suddenly a distracted goblin bumped into him.

"Pete," Jareth muttered, annoyed.

"So... sorry, your Majesty," a now scared Pete apologized. He had been visiting his friend, Chala -he had showed her his new decoration- and he really had not expected to find the king.

Jareth rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to tell Pete that he should look where he was going, when he noticed the perfect -purple- lace the small goblin had around his neck.

"What is it that you have around your neck?" Jareth asked looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

Pete blushed slightly and cleared his throat. "Lucy gave it to me," he explained. "She named me her assistant!" He added, beaming with pride.

Jareth's eyes widened. "Her assistant?" the king asked in disbelief, his bad temper menacing to explode. He balled his hands into fists. Was that child crazy? Did she not know HE was the only one who ruled here? Without a word and, to Pete's great relief, he vanished.

A second later, a serious Jareth materialized in Lili's room. However, all his annoyance melted away when he saw her sound asleep; she looked so... peaceful. It occurred to him that he had overreacted after all--

Jareth slightly stiffened at that thought. He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes... as he realized he had been tolerant again.

Giving her a last glance he silently disappeared.

******