"And when I child is particularly bad," the old nurse went on, cracking a grin full of yellowing teeth, "then them goblins come and take them away forever, and no one knows what happens to them, or where's they go off to!"
Cassandra's face was glowing, and she smiled back at her old nurse, who was laughing uproariously at her young charge's enthusiasm for old wives tales.
"Having fun, are we?" asked an all-too-familiar voice from the doorway.
"Playing with your goblin friends, Cass?" asked Jareth coolly, as he idly strolled across the room toward his sister.
"Jareth, you insect," said Cassandra, flashing a grin glittering with hints of steel. "What are you doing here?"
"Father requires our highly coveted presence," said Jareth, his eyes glancing untrustingly at the nurse. Cassandra sighed; her princeling of an older brother had never liked her nurse.
"One of my favorite ribbons is missing, Jareth," she said, matching the frost in her brother's voice, "you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
"Come along," said Jareth, fire touching his voice, his eyes flashing. Then he turned on one booted heel and strode out the door.
"Now there's one for them goblins, and no mistake," said the old nurse, and she and Cassandra burst out laughing. "Well, best get a move on if you don't want your father after you! Go on!"
"Good-bye," said Cassandra, kissing the nurse's cheek before scurrying out the door.
She spotted Jareth half way down the hall already, and ran to catch up, balls of her skirt in her fists as her means of not tripping.
"Jareth," she said, smoothing her skirts and trying to act ladylike in the face of the fact that she'd just run half a hallway. "Jareth, where is my ribbon?"
Jareth turned to look at her. "Maybe your goblin friends have stolen it," he said, with a smirk.
"Jareth!" pouted Cassandra, actually stomping her foot, and lady-liked-ness be damned.
"Look, Cass," said Jareth, pulling out every bit of his nearly one-year-older advantage, "you need to start growing up. You're twelve years old! In a year or so, you'll marry, and I'm sure your future husband will not appreciate goblin stories. I've told your nurse to cease with that nonsense, but…" He finished here, with a self-suffering sigh.
"Jareth!" Cassandra said, even more forcefully. "You know perfectly well the goblins did not steal my ribbon! Or my little gold ring, or that other ribbon, that gold, satiny one…"
"Father will be furious if we don't show up soon," said Jareth obstinately. Then he set off again, and Cassandra was forced to swallow the insults that leapt to her tongue.
"Lord, Jareth," she grumbled as she caught up to him, "you're becoming worse than father. Why the hurry to be older, Jare?"
Jareth stopped, and turned to look at her. "Jare" was the pet name he's forgotten like some old toy stuffed away in a trunk somewhere. Typical of Cass to pull that out now. Yet somehow… he didn't mind.
Cassandra was sure of the expression on her brother's face. It was one she hadn't seen in a long time: uncertainty.
"I…" she said, suddenly feeling guilty for reasons she couldn't explain, "I merely…"
"No," said Jareth, his eyes contemplative suddenly, "no, you're right. I've been in such a hurry to be father. You are right. I'm…sorry."
They stared at each other for a moment, and then Jareth grinned and kissed her on the cheek.
"Don't worry, dearest sister," he said, still smiling, "I'll keep those goblins out of your room."
Grinning back, Cassandra took his hand, and together they continued to their father's chambers.