Danae ran into Jareth's study, her long skirts billowing behind her and her red hair swept back in the wind. She closed the door behind her, and turned to Jareth, her mismatched eyes meeting his own, they gazed at each other, each unwilling to break eye contact. Until Danae suddenly looked away.

"What's going on Jareth?" She asked softly. "You've not been acting like yourself for days, first you recall me from my state visit to Mannat four days earlier than planned, which you know was rude and it was frankly embarrassing, then I wake up this morning to find the mortal that defeated you having breakfast in the palace. I demand to know what's going on." Jareth put down the piece of parchment he had been reading before her arrival.

"Queen Anna of Littenhan declared war on Mannat this morning, I got wind of her plans three days ago, hence my calling you home, the last thing I, or Orellum for that matter need is our only heir to become a hostage in a war situation." As Danae nodded her understanding Jareth continued, "And Sarah, for now is to be your companion, and my reasons for bringing her here are none of your business". Danae glared at Jareth after his last remark.

"Fine, keep your secrets, but speak to me with the respect that I deserve! I am not one of your goblins to command"

A soft knock on the study door heralded the arrival of Sarah and Aldous to the study "Enter" called Danae. Sarah and Aldous entered the study to the sight of Danae and Jareth Standing opposite each other, fists clenched and glaring angrily at each other.

"Don't defy me Danae, I'm in no mood for you"

"Well when everything goes pear-shaped, and it will, don't come crawling to me for help" Danae replied haughtily. Then, with one smooth, fluid motion of his wrist Jareth summoned up a crystal and threw it at Danae, who screamed angrily before disappearing.

"What did you do?" Cried Sarah, amazed at Jareth's cruel treatment of Danae, but before Jareth had time to answer Danae had reappeared behind him, she flexed open her fingers and a crystal orb appeared in her hand, which she then hurled at Jareth, who in turn, disappeared. Sarah waited and waited but when Jareth didn't reappear she started to become worried.

Aldous immediately started scolding Danae "I wish you and your brother could manage to get along for five minutes without a supervisor, and where is Jareth, he should be back by now"

"Jareth's fine" replied Danae, who still sounded angry, "Anyway, he deserves everything he gets, as he shouldn't have banished me to the dungeons. He knows that I don't like it down there!" and with that Danae turned on her heel and walked out the study with Aldous in hot pursuit.

Sarah, not knowing what was going on and not wanting to meet an angry Jareth alone in his study just followed the other two down the corridor, when she bumped into Camille, who seeing the worried look on Sarah's face immediately asked her what was going on, and Sarah told her the whole tale.

"Right then" Said Camille grimly "I'll deal with these two, come along then"

Sarah followed Camille into the throne room where Aldous was pleading with Danae to return Jareth, and Danae was perched on Jareth's throne ignoring him, judging by the red marks around her eyes she had been crying. Camille ran over to the distraught girl and put her arms around Danae, and stroked her hair and muttered comforting words to her. When Danae had calmed down, Camille turned to Danae and in a no nonsense tone of voice told her to return Jareth this instance.

"I cant" said Danae softly.

"What do you mean you can't return Jareth? You silly girl never cast a spell if you can't cast the counter spell, that's the first rule of magic I ever taught you!"

"I can cast the counter spell, but if I do Jareth will kill me", Sarah became worried as Danae sounded genuinely scared

"Danae my love" implored Camille gently "What did you do with Jareth?"

"I trapped him in an oubliette" whispered Danae guiltily, and then Aldous and Camille burst out laughing. No wonder Danae was hesitant to undo the spell, when Jareth got out of the oubliette he would be furious, and Danae knew better than to do anything to incur her brothers wrath.

"I'll deal with your brother, Danae. I promise. Now be a dear and return him to the throne room, before he gets himself out." Camille shot Danae a look that said I will not tolerate argument, and Danae meekly did as she was told.

Jareth reappeared before them, an angry look on his beautiful face, is it possible for a man to be beautiful wondered Sarah, because Jareth certainly was, she shook that thought out of her head, this was the man who stole Toby, who had whisked her away from her entire life. Said man was currently approaching Danae with a menacing look in his eyes. Camille stepped between him and Danae.

"Now Jareth that's enough!" she ordered. "Admittedly Danae should not have sent you to the Oubliette, but then you should not have sent her to the dungeons." She turned to Sarah and Danae, "Now why don't you to go and dress for dinner, Danae can lend you a dress for tonight and her ladies can dress you, as by the gods there's enough of them." Danae knew better than to argue with Camille when she was in this mood, so she held her hand out to Sarah and led her out of the throne room.

Camille turned back to Jareth, "that's to be the end of the matter now, do you hear me?" Jareth just nodded, the anger drained out of his face, he now simply looked concerned.

"How did she manage to do that Aldous, she's barely more than a child and yet she can stand up to me magically, and I certainly didn't expect her to retaliate."

"Danae is no child Jareth" replied Aldous "She's a young woman who is starting to come into her own, she's growing up", Aldous continued "What's to be done about the matter of the war?"

Jareth paused for a moment before answering, "We make for Threasedene."