Authoress: I shall please the people with another chapter because I've got nothing else to do!
Zoe: (hold up sign) (Sign reads: She's Lying)
Authoress: I am only here to please the people!
Zoe: (another sign) (Sign reads: Another lie!)
Authoress: For I must devote my time to them and I will appease them!
Zoe: (another sign) (Sign: BIG LIE!)
Authoress: AHH! (tackles Zoe)
Zoe: (another sign) (Sign reads: Ow)

Disclaimer: I only own a few things…. Like some of the characters, but that's pretty much it.

Foreshawdow-ness- You guys don't think I'd end the story after she chooses do you? (evil grin) No, this will be one of my greatest works. You must read to find out.

Chapter 16
Choices, Choices… We all Hate 'em!

You ever hear the expression "Eat, drink and be merry?" Well it seems goblins tend to take that to the extreme and in the end the 'Merry' part doesn't turn out so merry. They weren't even really invited to the party and they still managed to get a hold of the some ale and had a gay-old time in the throne room. Jareth was not a very happy monarch.

"You're leaving?" Sarah asked, holding his arm.

"I must take care of the shambles that is now my throne room and calm the goblins or we will have drunken goblins all over the place," he told her, giving an apologetic look.

"Oh, alright," Sarah nodded and took Sallina's arm as she let go of Jareth's. He bowed and walked off. Sallina looked to Sarah's somewhat crestfallen face.

"You are pouting and you haven't even had cake yet!" Sallina said.

"Wha-?" Sarah started but was pulled off by the eager fire-fae.

"Cake, we need cake for the birthday girl!" Sallina said eagerly, leading her to the table. Kera was flittering about happily when she was caught by Sallina.

"Kera, Sarah needs to eat cake," she said. Kera smiled and nodded, sitting on the Princess's shoulder. The magic invaded her senses and she ate the Underground made cake.

"Wow, this is so sweet!" she exclaimed.

"Underground sugar is dream sugar, it's the sweetest," Sallina said. Sarah heard a giggle and took another bite. Sallina looked to her flushed cheeks and grinned. "Something tells me it's really sweet."

"It's like my fondest dreams will come true and everything in the world is wonderful," Sarah said with a bright expression.

"Yup, that's dream sugar," the fire-fae laughed. Sarah shook her head.

"Whoa, did I just say that?" she asked her best friend in confusion. Sallina let out a laugh and patted the smaller girl on the head.

Later the entertainment was provided, by none other than the gypsies. An organ was placed on the stage and a small woman with half-moon spectacles took the seat. Next to the organ stood a thin boy with a fiddle placed on his shoulder.

They sang songs of dragons, treasure, princes, and princesses. A few gypsies danced on light feet. Sarah was asked to dance many times by the others and she agreed to everyone. One thing puzzled her, the dragon king was not present.

"Wait, where's Sallina?" Sarah asked.

"Milord, is there something you wish to speak with me about?" the red-head said quietly as she walked into a secluded rose garden in the large garden. "I really should be with my princess," she explained.

"My explanation will be brief, my lady," Halem said, unable to take his eyes off her. Sallina nodded and listen contently. The Dragon King, who was known for being the most calm fae next to his father, was actually at a loss for words. "I, uh, I am. I'm, um," he stuttered, but coherent words seemed not in his vocabulary at the moment.

"Are you alright, milor-?" she asked him, but was cut off. That seemed to get him out of stuttering and he walked straight up to her and grasped her hands in his own.

"Please, my name is Halem, call me by my first name," Halem said, looking into the woman's eyes with truth. After the library talk she had gone back to calling him by a title in public. Habit forming.

Sallina's eyes had widened considerably as he grasped her hands. A pink hue had appeared on her cheeks and she nodded slowly. A smile lit up his own features. He gave her hands a light squeeze.

"Thank you, Lady Geminia," he said softly. She almost winced. That was not her name and it pained her for some reason when he called her by the wrong name all together. "I called asked you here, because I need to ask you a request," he approached the subject slowly and carefully.

"Halem, you know I'm not going to talk to Sarah for-" she was caught off by a chuckle. He was laughing at her. She glared.

"I'm sorry, but the thought is now very foreign. I asked you to come so I could request permission to court you," he said. His blunt statement surprising both of them. There was a large silence that followed, making both seem very shy.

"I-" she began, but was again beaten to it.

"Oh please say you will, Lady Geminia," Halem said hopefully. It was her turn to chuckle. She placed a finger on his lips.

"Let me finish Halem," she said with a smile. She took her finger away and he nodded. "I would love if you courted me," she answered. The sudden embrace he gave her made her yelp and she was twirled around.

"You have made me very happy, thank you!" he said, and repeated that same phrase many different ways, each being answered by a form of 'Your welcome', before Sallina laughed and told him to stop.

"So?" she heard Kera ask in her ear as she sat in her head seat, where the birthday girl should be. Sarah suddenly became very uncomfortable in her seat.

"So what?" Sarah asked, making sure the guests were still eating and carrying on with the merry-making. Kera gave a sigh.

"Have you made a decision?"

"What decision?"

"You know which one!"

"I do?"

"Yes, you are dodging the question!"

"I didn't realize."

"Liar!"

"This music is really good. I wonder if I could get it on CD."

"Question dodger! And what's a see-dee?"

Sarah let out a giggle and then grew quiet as she ate more cake. Her thoughts then drifted back to the real world. Well, the world she came from. A sigh escaped her lips, a little saddened, though she was eating sugar made from wonderful dreams.

"I wish to go back," she said quietly, and somehow the small whisper was heard above the din of the guests. It grew silent for a moment. The message was carried with the wind to the window of the throne room. Not only the goblins heard the wish, but so did their king.

"She wishes to return, sire!"

"I knew she didn't like it here!"

"NO! She is just homesick! She will return!"

"You're too optimistic! She will leave us and never return!"

"You can't even spell optimistic!"

"SO!"

"Quiet all of you!" Jareth yelled and they cowered, shutting their mouths. Jareth sat in his throne, the room as clean as it had ever been. The Goblin King sat and thought about the wish that had just been uttered. It seemed all to sincere.

Sarah wanted to return home. Forever? Not even he knew that.

Authoress: You have permission to beat me, but I have lots of school crap to do and it takes up a lot of time. Please Review!
Zoe: (Tied to chair) In other news, we'd like to send out a shout to all the New Orleans Hurricane Katrina survivors! WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU!