Sarah awoke to find herself alone. She tried not to be disturbed, but she had a thousand questions, and the one person who could answer them was not there.

A rose and a letter sat on the bar that served as a kitchen table. We both have entirely too much to do to begin answering questions that would take entirely too long to answer.

As her faced moued in disappointment, a new line appeared. Seeing the advantages of forever now, eh?

"Smart Aleck," she grumbled, but his highness was right. It was a busy day ahead. She had a baby gift to buy, rehearsal, another performance to get through. life in general to live.

Yet, it was a life that seemed rather pale now, though it included what had been her dream.

Despite her disenchantment, Sarah was a professional, so her work did not suffer. If anything, she channelled it towards enhancing the poignant moments of the play.

Feigning a headache, she left at the first moment.

Her home was empty though.

"Jareth?" she called. "Your majesty?"

Silence answered her.

"I wish the goblins.."

"Now why would you wish for those creatures?"

"Because you were terribly absent and it's the only way I could think of to get you here- your highness," she shot back, turning to him. "Where were you?"

"Dealing with my life, running a kingdm, ordinary things like that. Would you like to visit it?"

"When?"

"Now is generally a good time."

"I have to pack.."

"You'll be home by morning," Jareth assured her, "Unless you've decided to make my home yours? Even then, we'd have to spend a bit of time tying up your affairs here. So, shall we?"

"I really need a shower...to change.."

"That can be seen to in my home. Anything you need can be found there.." He broke off, frowning. "What makes you shiver?"

"That old hag in the junkyard said something like that- if you eliminated that area and the fireys, I'd be thrilled."

"The junkyard was an after effect of your hallucination, a hangover. It's not real."

"Oh. And those over grown flamingos with a penchant for tossing their appendages around?"

"Quite real."

"Could you send a flock of them to visit Katherine?" Sarah asked hopefully.

"Why? They haven't done anything to me. Ready?"

"I guess so- how are we getting there?"

"We're here," Jareth informed her.

Amazed, Sarah looked around reflexively. Her apartment was not there anymore. They were in a light, airy room that did not match her memories of the Goblin Castle.

"You only saw the first level before, the level of testing, not the true castle," he answered her thoughts before she could voice them.

"I hate it when you read my mind," Sarah grumbled.

"I didn't- but what you must be thinking was simple to guess."

Suddenly, the young woman reached up and touched the king's cheek, asking him to be still with her touch. "Your eyes weren't always like this."

"The failed transfiguration left its marks, yes. Anymore questions - or shall I show you to a place where you can refresh yourself?"

"A thousand, but they can wait."

He lead her to a room's door. "Your chambers, m'lady. If there is some lack, call out and a fairy will attend you."

"A fairy?" Her hand still had a small scar from her last encounter with one. "I guess Hoggle didn't manage to kill them all."

"Hogward hasn't killed any- they are merely stunned. Once some sense is knocked into them, they are excellent servants."

"He got so excited over just stunning them?"

"Well, millions of people in your world get their jollies zapping things in video games with less result."

"Good point. I'll see you later?" Sarah had no idea how she'd find him again.

"One of the fairies will guide you when you are ready."

"Sure you aren't reading my mind?"

"Just using logic."

"Oh. "

Either Jareth's observational skills were excellent and the room was a product of the combination of those results with the desire to please her in mind, or the standard here was simply one she liked. In whichever case it was, Sarah found the room, not perfect, but closer to the ideal than any she'd ever been in before. She'd wondered if the clothes provided would be diaphanous, ethereal creations out of Lord of the Rings or perhaps some Ren Faire ballgown complete with obnoxious undergarments straight out of the Spanish Inquisition. There were, in fact, a few of the former, that looked rather comfortable, but there were also garments that reminded her of the Units clothing company, even lightweight slacks.

Opting for a poet shirt and coulottes, Sarah dressed then called out for a guide.

The woman who answered her summons was a good bittaller than she recalled fairies being.

"I'm only one eigth fairy, dear, and we don't talk about that much," the woman laughed in response to the questions in the girl's eyes. "Allow me to introduce myself- Moira, Queen Mother to his majesty, Jareth. "

Thanks to her theatrical training, Sarah knew how to courtsey, but as she moved to do so, a hand stopped her. "Don't be silly, child. I was looking forward to someone not running around in total awe of me- don't ruin that for me. Since you're ready, come along, so Jareth can present you to me."

It took a moment for Sarah to catch on, then she realized that Moira was playing a trick on her son, and she grinned.

The throne room was much cleaner than Sarah remembered, but Jareth had told her that the level of testing was different from reality. He was draped across the throne, looking as if he was trying to find a comfortable position in vain. A book floated a few inches out from his face, moving around with him. With his attention focused elsewhere, he didn't see them enter.

"Proposition, after enduring this blasted rock for over a century, a comfortable throne shall be commissioned. If anyone protests that such a thing lacks dignity, let him or her be tossed headfirst into the bog. No, let him or her have all the chairs in their home removed and be given this throne. "

Then, Sarah noticed a fairy drifting several feet away with a stylus and parchment, taking notes.

"Does that dictate extend to me? It does lack dignity, but not sense," Moira called out.

"Mother! I'm sure Sarah will be ready soon- and I'll bring her to your suite immediately.." Then, he saw Sarah standing beside his mother.

"I heard her call out- and wanted to meet her without the rigamarole. Now, does your order mean I'm going to find half my furniture tossed out to be replaced with that monstrosity?"

"Certainly not- but why did you never replace it if you disliked it?" By now, Jareth had righted himself and dismissed the fairies that were floating papers and books around for him.

"I was testing your sense vs false propriety. You passed, though it took long enough. C minus."

Jareth grimaced, but went on as if he hadn't been scolded. Turning to Sarah, he bowed. "Well, for what it's worth now, Sarah Williams, the impudent woman beside you is my mother, Moira. Mother, the charming mortal beside you is Sarah."

"Three quarters mortal," Moira corrected. "I did some research on her lineage- your brother exiled one of her father's mother and erased her memory."

"Why?" Sarah asked, startled.

"She was too important to kill- though that did not stop him from - " Moira bitterly began, then backed off, "in any case, her death would have sparked a war, exile was less likely to do so. I believe she refused to - well, I'm too much of a lady to say what she was too much of a lady to do. So, she was sent away, with no memory of her heritage. "

"Gran's memory always seemed rather dim, even before she was old enough or looked old enough to be senile," Sarah whispered, half to herself.

"Memory spells - any spell rendered by dark magic tend to be corrupted. The effects that would be beneficient if dispatched by one of our kind," her words took in both Jareth and herself with a look, "can only be harmful ultimately, even if they begin in such a way as to appear helpful."

Moira shook her head, shaking off the grim mood. "Now, this is not the time for that. " She looked over Sarah intently for the first time since they met. "Yes, I like her much better than her great great, however many grandmother. Christine. So, there's no need for you to be afraid of me, girl. I only bite people I dislike. "

"Literally- her alternate form is a wolf," Jareth added.

"What can I say?- There are times that suits my temperment better. Now, then, Sarah - would it bother you if I attended your next performance as Christine? I'd very much like to see it, but Jareth has refused- saying that I'd make you nervous."

"But I didn't know you until now- and "

"He meant it'd make him nervous, but that lacks machismo. " Moira slyly smiled as she made this tart declaration. "However, I have met you and didn't bite, so that should ease his fears."

"Mother- your aura does tend to alert sensitives when you are near- and could jar Sarah," his majesty protested.

"Stop having a cow, son. Sarah, are you afraid of me?"

"A little," she confessed. "I've never met a queen before."

"It's not that impressive when you get down to it. I'll show you around the grounds and you can answer my request before you return to your mother's world. Jareth, have you done anything about that young man in Eire yet?"

"He's not among our subjects, mother. I don't have the authority."

"Hmphf. We'll see about THAT. Well, take care of that behemoth of a chair. We will see you subsequently."

In a rush, Sarah was led away.

Once they were past Jareth's hearing, Moira asked, "Well, I'm sure you have a thousand questions- downloading- to put in modern terms- all that information into your head- it's a wonder your mind didn't short circuit."

"You know about computers?"

"Of course. Now, what would you like to know?"

"How did your other son- go- er why.."

"Why did he become the bad seed? Because his father did. They wanted more power, and darkness offered them the promise of that, though it could not deliver. Of course, my late husband learned that to his regret, when he died at his own child's hand. It was then that the boy turned his hand against his brother, and Jareth was forced to change when injured. Of course, now we know that was a good event, but it was troubling at the time. Still is, to think one of my own children could be so vile. I honestly can't tell you why-if you hoped that the Fey have some ancient wisdom that can comprehend the whys of good and evil, my dear, you are doomed to be disappointed. It is too deep for us."

"How did your husband get killed? I mean, I thought you are immortal?"

"Darkness drains its hosts. It sapped his life enough that the boy could end it, well, not truly end it. The son and the father are - united, neither having enough life really to sustain existence without the other. It's sick and sad. " Unsaid was the wish to speak of something else.

"You are sure that this land is - safe?" Sarah had to know.

"For the foreseeable time. Goblins are not considered to be much by such as he. Even though he could use them - they are too low to use, it would be a taint in his eyes. As if. Likewise, my son and I are tainted by our association with them. "

"And you - humans I mean- mortals.."

"You do have some Fey blood, but even if you didn't, I would think no less of you. Though it might make you a different person, one who would not believe so readilly? It will make transitioning you to this land easier...the latent genes within you will adapt your being to live here, and preserve your vitality... should you choose to follow destiny."

"That word kind of implies no choice in the matter, doesn't it?"

"There is a tension between destiny and free will that does not exclude either." Moira smiled as if appreciating a secret joke.

"Why can I understand your language?"

"Because- it's complex, but the simplest thing to say is we have an ability to make our meaning clear and to hear the real meaning of things, that goes beyond words, but that is how the meaning is heard."

"Lying is not really an option, huh?"

"Well, it is possible, but entirely too much trouble."

"Jareth mentioned a vision- of love- of me- does he love me just because he's supposed to?"

"Now that's one question that is hard to answer, does a fish need water to live because it wants to or because it is designed to do so? The desires of our hearts are given to us, and to know what those desires are is a gift the fortunate are granted. When two love, they become one, unless there is a severing that rends both to a degree." Sarah realized Moira spoke of herself then. "As a king has to think of more than himself, knowing who the rest of himself is to be is necessary. Mistakes could cost more than his heart."

She paused. "The love I had for his father was not a mistake though- without it, Jareth would not exist, and we would not be speaking to one another now, would we?"

The time passed, with more questions and answers passing between them, and each learning from what the other said, whether in query or response. Then, it was time for Sarah to return.

"Drink this, " Jareth asked. "It will restore you as if you had the sleep we made you miss.."

"Well, I do want to perform well- when your mother sees me," Sarah acknowledged, giving her permission to the earlier request.

"Thank you, child. "