One thing I want to make quite clear: This wasn't supposed to happen

One thing I want to make quite clear: This wasn't supposed to happen! I had something quite different planned for this part, but three things got in my way. Sarah's innate, but well-hidden, bitchyness, the Goblin King's sadistic desire to keep this story going, and my own warped sense of humor. One or all of these is at work. Take your pick. Anywho, a question: Would y'all like it if I put the themes on my website? I know most of them are hard to find. Today's is Mambo Parisienne from the movie Charade. (Good movie.) Now round up the disclaimers & brand 'em. Have fun!

Ladymage ;)

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To the Victor Go the Spoils

Part 14 ~ One Way or Another

Sarah woke slowly, preferring the shadowy existance where you know your dreams and can savor them. She stretched lazily, enjoying the feeling of the sheets and the perfect warmth under them. It felt good; she hadn't slept this well in ages. Blinking, she poked her head out from the covers. It was just dawn, far too early to be waking up. So why was she up? She frowned as she worked on piecing together the last few days.

Her frowned deepened as she recalled the previous afternoon. If she didn't know better, she would say she trusted that sneaky SOB! She had told him her family history, allowed him to order her around, and boy did his hands feel good! Sarah stopped that thought before it could take over and stuffed it in a dark corner of her mind. The corner that held several other 'interesting' thoughts that hadn't been there before Jareth came calling. The important issue was that she was supposed to be giving the orders here, not him! True, he did tell her about her magic and she knew enough to respect his experience. After all, despite his claims, what did she know about real magic?

However, she told herself, today she was going to play and he was going to dance to her tune. The girl launched herself out of bed, mind already beginning to plot what she wanted to do and what she wanted him to do.

Once she finished her devious plans and was dressed, Sarah took time out to wonder where on Earth Jareth was. The days he had been on earth, he had been in her room before she awoke. Well, she shrugged, he had obviously found someplace else he wanted to be and she, for one, wasn't going to argue. Not until breakfast was over, anyway. The more time she had to prepare, the better.

He returned, in fact, right after breakfast, and was waiting for her when she pounded back up to her room to get her books. She saw his mouth begin to move and held up her hand.

"Stop!" she told him and, surprised, he remained silent. "Good. Okay, I know you're all on fire to go meet my grandmother and dissect my power like some screwed up bio lab but guess what? You're not. Not today, anyway. I have school, and since I'm the one who's giving the orders around here, it's too bad if you want to do something else. You know why? Because you're coming with me." She smiled beatifically.

Jareth, for once, was absolutely speechless. Not at the fact that she was taking control. No, that was exactly in her character. But school? She hated that place and nearly everyone in it. And he had figured she wouldn't want them to know he existed. But, he shrugged mentally, she was the one calling the shots. "Anything else, Your Majesty?" he asked. Sarah wasn't sure if that tone was sarcasm or laughter.

"Well, I think it would be best if you did the same disguise you put on for my parents. I don't need the hassle of trying to explain why I'm being followed by an overage punk rocker."

"Overage is one way of putting it." It was definitely laughter now, but he did as she asked and soon the long-limbed boy in jeans had returned. He chose a pair of knee-high, soft-soled leather boots and, for reasons known only to himself (he's certainly not giving me any hints), a white t-shirt reading "I can curse you in five seconds." on the front and "Do you feel lucky?" on the back. Sarah took one look at the shirt and started giggling.

"I'll have to remember that," she told him. "Shall we go?"

"We shall, my Queen," he replied grandly, taking her arm. He was so wrapped up in his own performance that he didn't notice her slight start at the title and the possibilities it presented to her.

Thanks to Jareth's sudden decision that he was tired of walking, the pair found themselves at school fifteen minutes before the bell was supposed to ring. Sarah, who wasn't used to having anyone pay any particular attention to her was acutely aware of all the eyes, mostly feminine, sizing up her companion. She was rather embarassed and fought the urge to glare at all of them.

They were just in time to catch the end of the weekly cheer session. Nobody except the cheerleaders understood why or how they let off all that pep that early in the morning. Most students didn't arrive until just before the bell anyway. The cheerleaders kept doing it though, to the intense annoyance of those who had to be there early for honors classes.

It wasn't long after that the head cheerleader's radar went off. The group briefly conferred before walking as one in Sarah and Jareth's direction.

"Hi, Susan!" piped the head cheerleader.

"Sarah," she muttered, to be answered only by a brief shrug.

"Who's your friend?" the girl continued, rolling her eyes to look up at the handsome stranger.

"This is Jareth," Sarah answered politely. She would have given Jareth the girl's name, but she honestly didn't remember and what's more, she didn't particularly care.

"Ladies," Jareth said, and bowed his head briefly in greeting. He shot a puzzled look in Sarah's direction, missing the hearts that appeared in all of the girls' eyes.

"Nice to meet you," the girl gushed. "My name's Kathy. This is Erin, Emily, Macy, Laura, Lacey, Natalie, and Kara." Most of the girls were blonde, though Emily was brunette and Kara a red-head. They were the cheerleaders' nod to affirmative action. "You sound like you aren't from around here," Kathy continued.

"No," Jareth answered cautiously. "I'm from...out of town," he finished.

"Well, isn't that just fascinating! Why don't you come with us and we'll tell you all about our school and you can tell us where you're from!" As effectively as a military maneuver, the girls moved to surround Jareth and move him away from Sarah. Jareth gave her a questioning look, but Sarah simply smiled and waved before making her own way to her usual corner of the quad, which, conveniently enough, still gave her an unobstructed view of Jareth.

She had just pulled a book out of her bag when a voice called out "Hey, Sarah!"

She turned. "Hey, Matt! How're you doing?"

"Pretty good. I just finished setting up the new fantasy scene in the basement last night. Magicians, dragons, fairies, the works! You should come see it sometime."

"I'd love to," Sarah replied, the mention of fairies distracting her slightly. She glanced back over to where Jareth was being fawned over. Somehow, they'd backed him up against the wall.

Matt took a look at what Sarah was interested in. "Ah, fresh meat for our local brainless bunch. I wonder where they found him; he doesn't look like a frosh."

"Actually, he isn't. He's an acquaintance of mine. I brought him to school for the day."

"And you abandoned him to the mercies of the blondes? You are heartless!" the boy replied jokingly, but still curious.

"Oh, he's got a few things to answer for," Sarah replied absentmindedly, grinning. The look on Jareth's face was one of fascinated horror as the girls clustered around him.

Matt's eyebrows lifted. "Surely no crime deserves that much punishment! What'd he do?"

Sarah surveyed him closely. Matt was a good friend of hers, the head of the school's sci-fi/fantasy club. He shared her love of The Labyrinth, but didn't have the personality to act it. He, along with a few of the school's other "geeks," was the only person who might believe her. Still. . .

"Well, it's kinda personal. But if Jareth doesn't mind you knowing, then I'll tell you later."

If Matt's eyebrows went any further, they'd join his hairline. But just then, the bell decided to ring. "I guess it'll have to be later," he commented. "But you have definitely piqued my interest." He stood, grabbing his bag. "See ya at lunch, Sarah."

"See ya," she replied, waving, before standing up herself. She found herself face to chest with the ex-Goblin King. He was frowning down at her. She gulped.

"That," he told her, "was not a very nice thing to do." She gazed up at him.

He broke into a fierce grin. "That's my girl!"

She grinned back. Oh, he had no idea. . .