The roar of the room was deafening. Patrons of the court were scattering towards the wooden entrance, some standing numb, believing that they had witnessed the highest atrocity of the court…the attempted assassination of the King.

The blade had sunk deep into the white oak, millimeters from his face. She had good aim. Only the Goblin King's eyes gave way to his smile, the barest light sparked from mismatched depths. He watched as she moved to prepare, to face his retribution.

The King's Guard flowed through the room, curved and jagged silver flashing throughout the circle of warriors to surround the King's Gift. She would not leave the room alive.

The King's Guard was composed of the most elite hunters and warriors in all of faerie; strong, proud, intelligent and fiercely loyal to their King. Their power was supreme except for that of the Goblin King – his power could defeat each individually, and much worse, only his power could override the combined strength of the group. Sarah had known they existed, and trained for the day they would meet; the day she would die.

But for what they had done to Toby, to her Grandfather, her family…….. they would bow to her blades before she was through.

He watched as his Sarah moved like liquid fire, to challenge his Guard. Slashing, twisting, dancing through the circle, oblivious to the chaos she had created to his court, her whole being concentrated upon the present threat of the incoming warriors.

Vengeance roared upon her mind, clouding her thinking, dulling the anguish for her family. Sweet Rage. Beautiful Rage. Sharp. Biting. Sarah reveled in the exquisite pain and sought revenge upon the warriors. One after the other, they fell to the slice of her blades. Crimson spattered the marble floor, some hers, most not. Few blades managed to taste her flesh – the owners of those lay on the floor, unmoving. The others were surrounding, closing. Weapons flashed, silver mixed with crimson as slowly, Sarah began to slow. Ruby lines appeared on her forearms the pain quietly shadowed the edges of her mind.

Laughter from one of the Guard was enough. Sarah gritted her teeth at his laughter. She would kill them all. Speed and skill – they were hers to command. The cry that parted her lips echoed around against the stained marble. An unholy smile graced Sarah's face as she obliterated the rest of the Guard, ensuring that one by one they joined those already broken upon the floor. Each tasted her blades – she made sure of it. Until one was left.

He was the Goblin King's second - the Captain of the King's Guard, the strongest, smartest, most loyal and most powerful of the entire unit. Of all of faerie, he could only be bested by his King, who fittingly called him Gabriel. His power was renown, his strength told in legend, his skill known only in myth. Once a god to the mortals of the Aboveground, his power had waned with the forgetfulness of man. He no longer maintained the strength of the ancients, like that of the Goblin King. Yet it would not be enough for Sarah. His skill, even without his once-known power, would overpower hers. His blades would find her, and her blood would pour from her wounds, he would drain all life from her body, all for the injustice she had done to his king.

One glance from across the room was all it took.

The space of a heartbeat…

He was too fast. Too fucking fast. Wounds opened upon her body. Red ran in streams down her chest and arms as she blocked his taunting shots. She could no longer keep pace. Forced to her knees, she deflected his blows. The crimson that stained the white marble was now hers, only hers. Sarah Williams would lose. "Gods…NO! Let me save my family, let me save them…" The prayer fell from her lips as she saw, from the corner of her eye, saw the Goblin King's Second ready himself saw him ready the killing blow and wallowed in anguish, knowing that she could not save her family.

"Gabriel."

One word. One fucking word. A mere breath of a whisper, and Gabriel stopped his assault, as commanded by his king. Jareth had heard her plea.

The room had all but cleared but for the broken Guard scattered upon the floor. There was Gabriel, holding her at bay with his knives – coated in her blood. Toby and her Grandfather remained with their attendants. Sarah was no longer afraid of death by Gabriel. Her attention instead, sharply narrowed upon the Goblin King. She felt, rather than saw him stalk towards her. His power raged at her broken, bleeding body. She lifted her head to face him, and tasted the power of the Goblin King. His magic was inside her body, inside her mind. Her scream echoed the chambers of the hall.

Sarah fought the Goblin King and raged against him in her mind, her body thrashing against the floor. Unknown shields formed within her, and forced the Goblin King out, startling Sarah into clarity. Her Grandfather…no! The Goblin King's face formed into a cruel smile as slowly he looked from her to her labored grandfather. He had given her his shields to shut out his power, if only momentarily.

He had been shut out. Yet she would be his. She would bow before him. But she would never grant him the keys to her soul. Mismatched eyes briefly settled upon Sarah's family. With one glance, the Goblin King knew that he had found her price.

Power raged across Sarah's vision. Screams clashed against the empty silence of the room.

Silence.

Blatantly he had attacked her family. Her bound, bleeding family. Watching him, she knew the next would be the final blow. Damn him to hell for the suffering of her family. Damn him for giving her no choice. Her voice was half cry, half sob.

"Wait."

He paused in his movements towards her grandfather, Toby. Black boots coming to rest in front of her achingly beautiful face, marked by the blood of the fighting.

"Why?"

Gods, so simple a question, one word, to fall from his mouth.

"I am willing to make a trade." She spat the words at his fucking boots.

His voice crashed upon her, saturated with the arrogance and regality of his position, all the strengths of his unbelievable power. "What could you possibly offer as trade?"

Sarah Williams began her prayer, a heap upon the feet of her enemy.

Gods, give me strength.

She slowly drew herself to her knees.

Gods, give me courage.

She prepared to speak to the king before her.

Gods, give me sanctuary from the despair to come.

Her voice rang across the room, pure – a semblance of bells in the echo.

"Me."