With a start, Jareth came to his senses and stumbled to his feet, shaking his head; he had spent his energies and his reserves on the effort of the spell, but he didn't think it would make him black out. He had no idea how long he'd been out, but that didn't really matter right now. He checked the girl's life signs; she was breathing and her heart beat steadily. He let a sigh of relief escape that he hadn't known he was holding. The spell worked; she would sleep for hours while the body – her body now, he added mentally – accepted the changes of the magic and allowed it to work its course. Jareth ran one hand through the long blonde hair, already seeing a few strands beginning to turn a dark chocolate color at the roots. He smiled through his exhaustion and stepped quietly back from the sleeping girl who shortly before had been dead. He settled himself in a large armchair and suppressed a yawn. His eyes were set on the sleeping figure, unmoving. It was only when he could no longer keep his own eyes open that he succumbed to his fatigue and feel asleep.

As the king slept, his magic continued its work on the girl. Over a course of hours, the girl's flowing blonde hair turned a deep chocolate color, beginning at the roots and spreading out to the ends of every hair. The girl's face, already stained with the weight of troubles she should not have had to bear at her age, relaxed and smoothed out. The lips filled out, the skin lost its weighted look and became soft and silky. The eyes, beneath their closed lids, swirled into a rich brown color. Every feature of the girl changed, every mark and distinction disappeared, replaced by those of a girl, a girl loved by a King who tried to save her soul from herself...