Jenny: Thanks, and since you asked nicely, here it is.

Starbrat: Thank you.

Redaura: Not the HD's…please, anything but that!!! *whimpers* (^_^) hope you enjoy this chapter, but I'm warning you now I have two exams in the same day (which I should be studying for now, since its tomorrow) and then right after I'm going to London (for no particular reason…I just want to) so it'll be Monday at least before I update again. Please don't kill me.

Disclaimer: Don't own Jareth, don't own Sarah, don't own Labyrinth. In short I don't own anything that's worth having.

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A week had passed and lunchtime found Kara sitting in the palace conservatory facing an older human woman and feeling a lot like banging her head against the wall, or better yet banging the other woman's head against the wall. Oblivious to Kara's rising temper the woman continued.

"Let me see…ah yes, Maya. She's the daughter of Lord and Lady Lakeside."

Kara sighed. "Lady Lakeside doesn't like me."

"Doesn't like you?" the woman asked looking blank in only the way a servant can ever manage. Hiding all her own thoughts and opinions behind a mask.

"Last time we met she said, and I quote, 'that girl has a rather high opinion of herself given she is after all a mere human. She isn't even fit to give her blood to the Prince never mind her hand in marriage'."

The older woman fought a smile at Kara's near perfect imitation of Lady Lakeside, right down to the derisive sniff. She said and did nothing fully aware that as a servant she had no place to even offer a glimmer of opinion on the matter, even something as small as a smile, but Kara kept taking her by surprise by speaking so frankly. She always spoke to the servant as though she was their equal and not betrothed of the Prince of the realm. So far Millie was the only one who had gotten used to it.

Kara sighed again. "I don't know any of these girls!" she protested. "Wouldn't it be simpler if you were to just pick five for me?"

The woman looked scandalised, like Kara had just suggested she go skinny-dipping. "With all due respect my lady that would not be appropriate."

"Fine, let me see that list," Kara demanded, holding out her hand. The woman pressed the thick piece of parchment into Kara's hand. "Quill," she said and that followed too. Kara balanced the sheet on her knee and began randomly scoring off names till she had only five left.

"Here," she said handing the list back, "those five will do nicely."

"B…but…"

"I don't want to hear it!" Kara snapped, cutting the woman off. "Those are the five I want. End of story!" she put a hand to her temple, massaging the headache she could already feel coming. She was glad a wedding was something that technically you only ever had to plan once. She wasn't sure how anyone ever managed to put themselves through it more than that.

The woman stood hurriedly. "As you wish my lady," she said before dropping a brief curtsy and scurrying out of the conservatory. It had been Kara's idea to come here today because she was getting sick of sitting in the great hall. She slouched in her chair, crossing her arms and glaring at a spray of vanilla orchids as though it was their fault.

Hunter came in a moment later and grinned at her. "How are you coping?" he asked. Kara returned his smile with a smaller one of his own.

"I'm not sure I can take much more of this," she said with a little sigh. Hunter came and knelt before her and, taking her hands in his, brushed his lips against her knuckles.

"Sure you can. I just saw one of the servants scurrying out of here looking like she expected something to follow. What did you do to her?"

"Told her my decision was final."

"Ah…they hate that," he rested his head against her leg and she ran her fingers through the long dark locks of his hair.

"Want to come riding with me?" he asked her.

Kara sighed for the third time. "There's still so much to do," she said waving her hand vaguely.

"It can wait," Hunter said seriously.

"Well…"

"Come on, it'll be fun and it'll get us out for a while."

That was enough to make up Kara's mind, "Sure." Both got up and Kara brushed down her skirts. A mischievous smile lit her face and she called out, "race ya!" to Hunter and took off before he had a change to register what she'd said.

***

Later that night Kara walked slowly into her room. Her limbs were a little sore from spending the afternoon on a horse, something that wasn't helped by how little she had ridden before coming here. 

She dropped on to the bed and lay still for a moment or two before groaning as she realised she wanted to talk to Sarah again tonight because for the past week she had let wedding preparations and dress fittings get on top of her. She rolled over and pulled her unwilling body into an upright position. As though anticipating her mistresses whims there was a small knock at the door and Millie entered.

"I've run a bath for you miss," she told Kara. "I thought you might enjoy one after your ride this afternoon.

"Thank you," Kara said, truly grateful as she got off the bed and walked into a smaller room that was adjoining to her bedroom, where a huge sunken marble bath was the only feature. She marvelled at how Hunter's kingdom could be so medieval in some respects and yet so modern in others. One second she was writing with a quill, the next she had indoor pluming. She still hadn't figured out why the still kept the medieval edge at all.

Millie helped Kara out of her dress and under things and Kara stepped into the hot, scented water. It was just hot enough to turn her skin pink and force her aching muscles to relax. She sunk under the water with a little sigh, and then plunged her whole body under, emerging a second or two later and tilting her head back to rest against the edge. She closed her eyes letting her body relax.

She heard Millie leave and gave her self over to the soothing scents that rose from the water, making her feel utterly calm and more than a little sleepy and she began to drift off almost immediately.

That is until someone began splashing water on her face.

Her eyes flew opened and her hands flew to cover herself. She looked wildly around and found Hunter grinning mischievously at her from the side of the bath.

"Don't you know falling asleep in the bath can be dangerous?" he asked with mock innocence. For a moment Kara wanted to strangle him for startling her like that.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," she muttered.

"What? Save you from possibly drowning in the bath?"

"No! That thing where you sneak up on me!" she retorted. Hunter grinned at her and she could already feel herself melting. It was just impossible to stay mad at him. Especially when he was looking at her like that.

"You know, I could always join you, just in case you were to fall asleep again and slip under the water."

Kara grinned at him, tilting her head to one side and pretending to think.

Hunter's smile just grew. "I'll say you were drowning and I had to jump in to save you," he prompted.

Kara giggled, "Do you think that Millie will believe that?"

The look in Hunter's eyes deepened to smouldering as he grabbed her wrist, soaking his shirt sleeve in the process and pulled her towards him. Her body moved through the water without resistance until the only thing between them was the edge of the bath. "Millie will believe whatever I tell her," he all but growled before leaning forward, still holding her wrist and kissing her almost possessively. Kara melted into the kiss, forgetting that her maid might return at any second. Right then she wanted nothing more than that Hunter should join her in the bath.

He was the first to break the kiss. "She's coming back," he said sounding wistful.

"Who?" Kara said. Her mind was having trouble functioning at the present moment.

Hunter chuckled. "Your maid," he said in a conspiratorial whisper.

"Oh."

"Goodnight."

Kara smiled softly at him, "goodnight."

He left and Kara settled back in the bath. It wasn't long before Millie returned carrying a thick white towel.

Kara pulled herself out of the bath and Millie wrapped the towel around her, surrounding her in the thick, fresh softness.

"I've put what you need on the bed. Is there anything else?"

"No, you should just go to bed," Kara told her maid, "and thank you Millie. Really." Millie smiled and left the room quietly.

Kara dried herself off and braided her still wet hair quickly before pulling on her clothes. As before she ran to the room with the enchanted mirror and began casting her spell. Soon Sarah's room was revealed to her and she stepped through. The room was empty so she pushed the door opened softly and listened for voices, afraid Sarah might have company. From the top of the stairs she could see Sarah talking to someone at the door.

"Kirk, the flowers are sweet and all but, please I don't want to go out tonight," Kara heard Sarah say.

"Sarah, you shut yourself away far too much. Come out with me tonight and let the world see that beautiful smile," a man's voice insisted.

"Please, I'm flattered and all but I'm really not up to it. Maybe some other time?"

The man didn't respond but Kara watched as Sarah's body jerked forward.

"Come on, just one little step through the door and you'll soon be having the time of you're life," The man said playfully, Kara could only guess at his expression but she had the distinct feeling that this could get real ugly real fast.

"Kirk! Let go of me!" Sarah protested as she tried to free her wrist.

Kara took a deep breath and hoped Sarah wouldn't hate her for this. She ran to the bottom of the stairs. "Sarah!" she called in greeting. Sarah turned to meet her at the door, Kirk having let go just eyed her with plain hostility. Sarah turned back to him and as she did so the look melted off his face and he smiled charmingly. Sarah began to stutter an explanation but Kara cut in.

"Sorry to drop by, your back door was opened so I just let myself in," she began, hoping Sarah had a back door or that if she didn't that Kirk didn't know that. "Hi, I'm Sarah's cousin, Kara," she introduced herself to Kirk. Sarah turned back giving her a warm welcome smile. "I know I should have called first, but hey if you had plans, I don't mind."

"But you'll have driven all the way down here," Sarah began, "and it'll take you most of the night to get back." She turned to Kirk, "I'm sorry but I really should see to my cousin, I don't see her very often."

"Oh, where are you from?" Kirk asked conversationally but Kara had spent too much time lately with nobility. She could feel the veiled anger and suspicion all directed at her.

"Ohio," she said promptly.

"Really, I didn't hear you're car pull up."

Kara came to stand beside Sarah so she could glance casually at the street. "Parked round the corner so you probably didn't notice," she said after noting Sarah's house was on the corner. She shoved her hands in her pockets.

"Well, it was nice to see you Sarah, perhaps we could do this another night?"

"Uh…sure," Sarah said. Kirk handed her the bunch of flowers he had brought and began walking down the path. He paused to unlock his car, Sarah turned her back to place the flowers on the hall table and as she did so Kirk looked up, flashing a look of pure venomous hatred at Kara before climbing in the car and driving away. Kara nudged the door closed with her foot.

"I'd watch that one if I were you," Kara said quietly.

"Thank you, I'm not sure I'd have gotten rid of him if you hadn't shown up," Sarah said with a smile.

"Yeah, I noticed. Persistent isn't he?"

"Uh huh, and I haven't done a single thing to encourage him."

"Some men are just like that," Kara responded.

"Like what?" Sarah asked.

"Assholes."

Sarah laughed, "Come in to the sitting room."

Kara followed her in and sat when Sarah gestured towards the sofa.

"I'll go make some tea," Sarah said. In the hall she paused for the flowers and threw them in the bin the second she entered the kitchen.

A moment later she returned to the sitting room with a tray loaded with two cups, a sugar bowl and a milk bowl. Kara accepted her cup gratefully and added some milk and two sugars. She cradled her cup in her hands, enjoying its warmth. Sarah sat with her own cup, letting her long hair shield her face.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come back," she said in a whisper.

"Really?" Kara responded with interest. Sarah just nodded her head and sipped her tea. "Well the things I won't do, for a friend," she continued. "How are you anyway? You seem a little pale."

"I haven't been sleeping too well lately," Sarah admitted.

"What's on your mind?" Kara asked with genuine concern.

"Well…"

"You can tell me," Kara said. "It's ok and it's between you and me. My word of honour this will be repeated to no one."

Sarah looked up and smiled, feeling genuine affection for the slightly smaller girl curled up on the couch across from her. "Well you and Jar…Him and my life. I was thinking…thinking maybe…you were right. About what happened."

"Now was that really so hard to say?"

"But…but now I'm not so sure he'd…I mean why would he have me back after all I did to him?" She hung her head again and the first tears began to fall from her face. Kara put her cup down and went to Sarah. She tugged Sarah's cup from her unresisting fingers and sat beside her, wrapping her arms around her and rocking her as a mother would a child.

"It's ok," she whispered soothingly.

"R…really?" Sarah asked with a small sniffle.

"Yes. I have a plan."