A/N: Someone asked me how I manage to update so often and with more than one chapter at a time. "What was my secret?" she wanted to know. Well, it's simple. I already wrote the first 20 chapters of this story months ago, and then left it for a while. Now, in my push to get all my long stories finished up and put up here, I started posting the beginning chapters while I was still working on the middle and ending chapters. So, while I was posting chapter 25 and 26, I was busily writing chapters 42 and 43. That sort of thing. It gives me a good chance to go in and change things towards the beginning if I need to after writing the endings. So, you'll all be pleased to know that now while I'm uploading chapters 39 and 40, I'm industriously writing chapters 48 and 49 (or so). All the ones in between are just sitting on my hard drive waiting for me to polish them up before posting them.

This is also why I might not have taken some people's suggestions early on in the story -- because the majority of it was already written and I didn't think it would be a good idea to go in and re-write everything from the beginning. (I'd already planned for Sarah's backstory to come out during her first visit to the Underground, for example, which is why I didn't include that part in the earlier chapters).

Y'all will also be pleased to know that all of your reviews and encouragement are directly responsible for my even finishing this story at all. (And fret not, X-Men fans: "Rogue's Gallery" will be finished very soon after this one is). It's a case of "I couldn't have done it without you." And I mean that quite literally. I really appreciate every single review I've gotten on this one, even if I haven't had the time (or space!) to thank every one personally. So thank you all, and hang in there -- the end is in sight! I haven't written the very end yet, but all the chapters leading up to it are done and just waiting for some polish. Maybe even by the end of the weekend, who knows?

Chapter 39: Dwarves, Disco, and Dresses

Daxon's castle was all underground except for two tall towers that poked up through the top of the mountain. The castle was breathtaking, which was ironic in a way (Sarah thought) because she wouldn't have expected to breathe such fresh air so far underground. Magic was a handy tool.

The floors were made smooth, polished stone carved into intricate patterns. The walls were encrusted with huge chunks of polished mica, which made the torchlight look almost as bright as sunlight.

The throne room was even more exquisite, with gemstones lining the walls, and two (tiny) marble thrones covered in delicately etched symbols inlaid with gold. They sat upon a high dais at one end of the room.

"This is where the wedding will take place," Jareth explained. "Daxon commissioned the second throne when he ascended himself, about 60 or 70 years ago. It was just finished last year, when his negotiations with Claro were finalized."

"I can see why it took so long," Sarah said, marveling at the intricacy of the detailed etching.

Then Jareth brought her into an enormous ballroom. "This is where the festivities will be held."

The ceiling was high and arched, and hanging in the center was the last thing Sarah expected to see. It couldn't be, she thought. It had to be something else.

"Jareth, is that a… disco ball?" she asked.

Jareth looked pained. He nodded. "Daxon likes shiny things," was all he said, and he changed the subject quickly.

Sarah wondered with a private smile whether Jareth's pained look was due to its tackiness—or because he was jealous! He certainly had his share of shiny things lying around his own castle. Maybe he envied the dwarf-king his disco ball. She giggled to herself at the thought.

Jareth finally brought her to her own room. "This is where you'll be staying," he said.

The door swung open, and a tiny, wrinkle-faced dwarf woman came out and curtseyed. "Lorikar, at your service and that of your lady, Your Majesty," she introduced herself.

"Thank you, Lorikar," Jareth said formally. "My lady's name is Sarah. Have you been assigned to her service during our stay?"

"I have, Your Majesty."

Jareth turned to Sarah. "Then, Sarah, I leave you in Lorikar's capable hands… but first, I have a gift for you." He reached into his waistcoat pocket (how did he even have room for pockets? Sarah wondered. His vest was so tight!) and took out a small box and gave it to her. "Lorikar, I ask you to bear witness," he requested.

The little maid curtseyed, and Sarah opened the box. Inside was a pendant: a tiny crystal mounted in a gold filigreed setting, on a golden chain.

"Oh!" Sarah said. The piece was gorgeous. She took it out of the box to examine more closely. The crystal was about the size of a marble, and the filigree that housed it was so delicate it looked as if it was made of spun gold thread.

Jareth took it from her. "May I?" Sarah bent her head and he fastened the clasp behind her neck. Then he took her hand, kissed it, and explained, "This crystal acts as any one of my regular ones do. It also puts you inside my guard while we're here. Lorikar will bear witness that I have extended my protection to cover you."

"Yes, Lady Sarah," Lorikar said. She smiled up at Jareth, her leathery mouth wrinkling at the corners. "You needn't worry, Your Majesty; I shall take fine care of your lady. And if I may be so bold, King Jareth, I offer my congratulations to you."

Jareth gave a self-deprecating smirk. "Best save them for after the accepts me, Lorikar, but I appreciate the sentiment. Well, Sarah, I shall leave you to get ready. See you this evening." He stepped close to her and brushed the hair away from her temple before pressing his lips there. Then he was gone.

"There, now, Lady Sarah," the dwarf woman said comfortably. "King Jareth's wards will keep you safe; what a thoughtful thing for him to do! Now you come in with me now, and I'll show you the beautiful gown that he sent for you to wear this evening."

Beautiful gown? Sarah's attention was caught, and she was curious to see what sort of thing Jareth wanted her to wear to the wedding celebrations. It was burgundy, low-cut, and strapless. Sarah raised a skeptical eyebrow as Lorikar showed it to her. "That's what he wants me to wear?"

Lorikar nodded eagerly, and held the dress up for Sarah to step into. With a sigh, Sarah stripped down and put on the dress. She was a little self-conscious being naked in front of the dwarf woman, but Lorikar was so extremely professional (it was obvious she did this sort of thing all the time) that her unease soon faded.

Her sense of outrage grew, however, when she saw the gown in the mirror. The bodice was roughly heart-shaped, with the rounded top parts of the heart barely covering her nipples. It was backless as well, cut so low that the skirt barely covered her buttocks. "He's got to be kidding. How would it even stay up?" she muttered, turning this way and that to see herself from all angles. "What kind of girl does he think I am?" Shaking her head, she pushed the dress off down over her hips and covered herself with the dressing-gown that Lorikar handed her.

"I'm sorry, Lorikar. I'm afraid you'll have to tell King Jareth that the gown he sent is defective."

Lorikar frowned. "Defective, my lady?"

"Yes, defective," Sarah said pointedly. "Half of it seems to be missing!"

Lorikar let out a giggle before she caught herself. "I shall inform King Jareth, my lady. I assume you would prefer a gown that provides a little more… coverage?"

"Yes, definitely. A lot more, actually!" What on earth was Jareth trying to pull, she wondered as she watched the little dwarf maid hurry out with the bundle of burgundy satin. Probably just trying to see how much he could get away with, she thought fondly. Just like a little boy trying to push the limits, or something.

Lorikar returned. "His Majesty King Jareth," she announced, "sends his deepest apologies for having sent you a defective garment, and begs your indulgence in allowing him to try again with this one."

It looked like the same dress. Burgundy satin, with a similar skirt… Sarah waited skeptically until Lorikar had unfolded the whole dress. She shed the dressing-gown and stepped into it.

Oh, this was better! It had a choker collar, with criss-crossed straps holding the collar to the bodice—which was cut much higher, and tailored to fit her perfectly. The back only went about halfway down. Criss-crossed straps fastened across the back as well. The skirt was full, and swished alluringly as Sarah walked a few steps over to the mirror. She nodded with satisfaction. This was something she could wear while meeting all the heads of state, and would make her feel attractive but not naked. She wondered for a moment whether Jareth's first offering had actually been a joke.

Lorikar made her sit down while she did Sarah's hair for her—for a servant, Lorikar was fairly bossy, Sarah thought with amusement—and then Sarah was ready. She looked approvingly in the mirror. She looked a little nervous, but quite pretty, she thought. The necklace Jareth had given her sparkled at her throat, the crystal taking on a burgundy sheen to match the dress. She smiled at that: trust Jareth to make sure everything matched!

Jareth was at the door a moment later, breaking into a smile when he saw her. "Sarah, you look lovely." He offered his arm.

"Modest, too, no thanks to you," she scolded him.

His teasing grin showed no sign of repentance. "Ah, but as beautiful as you are, can you blame a man for wanting to see more?"

"Let's just say I'm glad I stuck that clothing clause into our agreement!"

His teasing look softened. "I wouldn't have offered you that other gown if you hadn't," he reassured. "Truly."

"Thank you," she told him, and meant it.

They arrived at the ballroom, and Jareth produced a gold-edged card from nowhere and handed it to the announcer.

"King Jareth of the Goblins, and Lady Sarah Williams from Above!" the announcer shouted.

Everyone stopped and turned toward the door. In unison, all the guests bowed or curtseyed to the couple. Sarah, remembering a last-minute lesson from her etiquette crystal, offered a shallow curtsey to the room at large to match Jareth's equally shallow bow. They entered the room, and everyone went back to their socializing.

They were almost the last ones to arrive—it was a mark of favor, as Jareth's position with the unicorns was so high—and the next (and last) personage to be announced was the dwarf-king himself.

The dwarf king was stocky and hairy; he looked not unlike Hoggle must have, when he was young. "His Majesty, King Daxon of the Dwarves," the announcer said as the short, leathery man walked in.

A/N: SnapeMoment, you have GOT to chill, babe! --grin-- Believe me when I say that I'm writing and posting as fast as I can be expected to, and still put out a decent product.I'm already updating every day, usually with two or three (or more) chapters--if that's not fast enough for you, I'm afraid you'll just have to wait. (I won't put up "crappy chappies," even for my most impatient readers :)

I do hope it ends up being worth the wait.