Chapter 42:

Sarah watched as Banter turned around to look the other way.

            "Sarah I have some bad news."

            "Well what is it?"

            "I will discuss it with you later. But right now I have to talk with Banter."

            "Why can't you discuss this with me here? You can save your breath that way." Sarah said searching Jareth's eyes for any answer. Jareth then turned his attention to Banter.  He was looking at Sarah unaware that Jareth could see this. Jareth cleared his throat to get his attention. And then Banter turned back around.

            "If I can trust Banter to behave himself, then you can stay."

            "Well then can you trust him?"

            "I don't know, can I?" He stated looking again at Banter.

            "Yes, My Lord." Banter answered still looking at the wall. When he said this Sarah looked to Jareth, glaring at him to see his reaction.

            "Well?" She inquired. Jareth sighed and looked down at Sarah.

            "Okay then."

            "Good." Sarah began walking over to her seat, with the cloth still wrapped around her.

            "Sarah." Jareth called.

            "Yeah?"

            "I want you to sit with me." He ordered taking her arm and pulling her close to him. He walked them over to his throne and he sat down. Sarah sat down on his lap. He wrapped his right arm around her and held his riding crop in his left hand, tapping it on the arm of the seat. Banter asked permission to turn around. And he was granted that. But Jareth told him that he was to keep his eyes on him and nowhere else. And that he was to stay on that side of the room. Banter nodded his head in agreement and leaned against the wall, with his arms folded over his chest. He felt uncomfortable looking at Jareth. He was giving him an evil look which made him feel weird.

            "So Jareth what is the bad news that you wanted to talk about?"

            "Well Sarah, Banter has come to tell me that."

            "You mean that you don't know?"

            "That is right but I will in a minute." Jareth said, rubbing his fingers on Sarah's side. Jareth looked at Banter. Which in suit Sarah did the same. Banter blinked continuously as though waiting for the Goblin King to say something.

            "Well Banter we are waiting."

            "Oh right. Sorry. Your Majesties, I have received word that your father has escaped the oubliette and is returning here as we speak."

            "What!?" Jareth cried gently sliding out from underneath Sarah, and walking up to Banter.

            "Is what you say true?" Sarah asked.

            "Yes my Lady."

            "Well what is so bad about this?" She questioned. Jareth turned around, and looked to Sarah.

            "Because Sarah if he is out of the oubliette he can come back here and reclaim the Kingdom."

            "But how can that be?"

            "Because he used to be King."

            "But he used to be King, Jareth. Now you are the king and does that not mean that you have the powers and not him." She said getting up to walk over to him, but he put out his hand to tell her to stop moving. Not to come any closer. He did not want her close to Banter. So she did stop and just waited for him to answer. He was now looking to Banter again.

            "Yes this is true."

            "What do you plan to do Your Highness?"

            "That I am not sure of. But I will think of something."

            "Well you can't just have him wait outside the castle gates if he does show up." Sarah added.

            "Yes I suppose you are right again."

            "Well then I will go and prepare a room for him to sleep in." Sarah said turning around and walking to the door. She turned around and bowed to Banter and then to Jareth. Jareth bowed back and looked to Banter, nodding his head giving him permission to bow to her as well. Then she shut the door and left them alone.

Walking down the hall she stopped in front of a door. Unlocking it she walked inside. She lit a candle that was on the corner of the room. It was a room the she had visited only once before. It was one of the many bed chambers. Inside there was a simple bed and a vanity in the corner. There was a wash chamber connected to the bed chamber. She looked at the sheets and they were dusty so she drew them from the bed and threw them into a heap on the floor. Then she left the room to go to a closet and retrieve some new sheets. She carried them into the bed room and remade the bed. Then leaving the bed chamber she went back to the throne room to find Banter gone. Jareth was pacing the room.

            "Jareth are you alright?" He stopped and look to Sarah.

            "I don't know what I am going to do when he gets here. I hope that he does not try and take the throne again. He can't!" He cried tossing a crystal across the room. Sarah jumped back in fright. He looked to her noticing that he had startled her.

            "Oh I am sorry Sarah. I did not mean to frighten you." He walked over to her and embraced her. Wrapping his arms around her tightly.

            "It's okay. I know that you are upset. Though I am not sure why." He began stroking her back. "Well the bed is all made so when ever he comes it will be ready for him."

            "Thank you for doing that. I could have had one of the servants do it."

            "It was no trouble."

Jareth and Sarah waited patiently for any sign of his father, but there was none. They waited until it was about 11:00 pm and then decided to retire for the day. They strolled back to their bed chamber. Jareth opened the door and allowed Sarah to enter first, then closed the door behind him. Sarah walked into the wash chamber where she cleaned herself up. Jareth was undressing when she walked back in. She walked to the vanity and grabbed the hair brush and began brushing her hair.

            "So is this really what is bothering you right now? Or are you just saying that it is?"
            "You know Sarah I am not really sure why this upset's me so much. So I really can't give you an answer as much as I would like to." He said watching her brush her hair. She got up from the stool and walked over to the bed, and climbed in. Jareth followed after her. They slid over to be next to each other and laid wrapped in each other's arms.