Sarah whirled around just as Jareth pushed himself away from the tree and stalked towards her, a predatory smile gracing his face.
"What?" Jareth asked, amusement lacing his voice. "Goblin's got your tongue?"
"I… it… it wasn't supposed to work!" Sarah spluttered, finally finding her voice. "You're not supposed to be here. You have no power over me!"
The smile slid off Jareth's face at her last six words and he took another step towards her, making her back up against the side of the house.
"Oh, but I do have power over you, Sarah," he began in a darkly menacing voice, leaning in towards her. "More power than you can begin to imagine."
Sarah squirmed under his intense scrutiny and tried to slip to the side of him and into the house knowing it wouldn't do any good to keep him out, but hoping he wouldn't be able to take her away if she were with someone else.
Jareth's arm came down and neatly trapped her between him and the wall. "Now, now… no running off, Sarah." Jareth's voice was dripping with sardonic amusement. "I'm supposed to bring you back to the Labyrinth, remember? Just. As. You. Wished."
Sarah paled and opened her mouth to scream for her father. Or Karen, or anyone who could hear her really, it didn't matter at the moment. The scream never came though. Her breath was knocked out of her as Jareth's magic transported them both into the castle beyond the Goblin City.
Sarah stood and looked around a place she'd thought she'd never see again. It was brighter with the afternoon sunshine coming through the south windows but just as dirty and overrun with goblins. As Jareth took her elbow and led her away, she stepped carefully around rotting fruit and milling goblins.
Jareth paid little mind to the goblins underfoot and kicked away those stupid enough to get in his way as he led Sarah out of the throne room.
"This is the area of the castle that the goblins are allowed in, the area that's reserved for the few people that actually do make it this far through the Labyrinth. Not that there's many." He turned to give Sarah a withering look; though under it all there was the slightest hint of pride. "Just so you know, of those that have gotten this far, you are the only one that has ever gotten back out."
"Aren't I special?" Sarah murmured sarcastically trying to tug her arm out of his grasp.
Jareth chose to ignore that and tightened his hold on her arm. "I'll show you to your room first. Someone will fetch you for dinner and then you can have the tour afterwards. Sometime during the evening I'll be expecting to hear just why it is you wished yourself away."
"I didn't wish myself away," Sarah started hotly. "I just wished myself here. And I didn't even really mean it! I wa-"
But Sarah didn't get to finish as Jareth cut in smoothly, his mocking tone cutting her off mid-word. "Tsk, tsk, Sarah. You do tend to say a lot of things you don't "really mean," don't you? Do you ever actually think before you open your mouth?"
Sarah snapped her mouth shut, making her teeth click together, and stuck her nose in the air, refusing to rise to his bait.
Jareth chuckled and turned them so he had her pressed against the door, his body putting just the slightest amount of pressure against hers. "Don't think for a moment that I'll let you ignore me so easily, Sarah."
Sarah opened her mouth to make a retort but didn't have time before Jareth lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. He kept it chaste but firm and pulled away quickly before she had time to react.
"I'll see you at dinner, Sarah," he said with a smirk, and was halfway down the hall before Sarah could think again.
Sarah blinked at Jareth's retreating back for a few moments before grasping blindly behind her for the doorknob and hurrying into what was to be her room. She rested her head against the closed door and looked around, not conscious of her hand going to her mouth.
"What on Earth was that supposed to be!" She cried out to the empty room, pushing herself off the door and storming across the room. "Why would he kiss me?"
Lost in her thoughts and confusion, Sarah missed the clock on the dresser that would have let her know dinner would be in an hour.
Jareth watched though a crystal as Sarah paced the room then dropped onto the bed lost in thought and continued to unconsciously touch her lips. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and as the crystal vanished he let out a gleeful laugh.
"This just may wind up being easier than I thought," he crowed merrily.
Sarah started from her thoughts as a sharp rapping cut through the room. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she stalked to the door and swung it open intent on telling Jareth off for kissing her.
"If you think you can just-" Sarah began angrily, but paused in confusion when she didn't see anyone at the door. "Well, that's strange… I could have sworn…"
From a spot near her knees Sarah heard a noise and looked down. A short, squat goblin was rocking back and forth on it's heels clearly expecting to be kicked by the irritated woman in front of him.
"I'm s'posed ta bring ya to dinner," it said gruffly, looking shiftily from Sarah to the hallway and back as if it were trying to plan the nearest escape route.
"Dinner?" Sarah squeaked, having forgotten all about the time. "You mean that's now?"
"Yeah, now," the goblin grunted. "Come on."
"But I'm not ready!" Sarah cried, panicked. I haven't even thought about what I should say to him to put him in his place. What if he tries to kiss me again? …What if he doesn't? No! Stop that. You don't want him to kiss you again, Sarah.
"Yer not actually thinkin' of makin' the King wait, are ya?" the goblin said, wide-eyed with fear. "S'not a good idea, lady."
Sarah glared down her nose at the tiny goblin at the door. "If I want to make Jareth wait, he'll wait," came the haughty reply.
At that the goblin took a look down the hall, squeaked and ran off in the opposite direction. Sarah leaned out and peered down the hallway after him and shook her head in exasperation.
"Stupid goblin," she muttered.
"Not as stupid as someone who continues to defy me."
Sarah jumped and spun around, shocked to see Jareth lounging against the doorframe.
"You haven't even changed for dinner, Sarah," Jareth began and leaned in towards her with a suggestive smile, taking a strand of hair and winding it around his finger. "Perhaps you were hoping I'd come help you…"
"Don't flatter yourself," Sarah snarled, pushing him away and walking out into the corridor. "There's no reason for me to change anyway, what I have on is perfectly fine."
"If you insist I suppose I can indulge you… this time." Jareth took her elbow and led her down the corridor towards the dining room, ignoring her when she tried to pull away. "Should I take this to mean you'd like me to escort you personally instead of sending a goblin to fetch you?"
"No," Sarah began through gritted teeth. "You can take it to mean that I want you to send me home. Now."
Jareth turned to step in front of her and continued walking backwards. "You want our visit to be over so soon?" He started, putting his hand over his heart as if he were in pain, his voice dripping with mock disbelief.
Sarah frowned and stopped walking, regarding him cautiously. "I don't know why you would actually care. I can't imagine you would actually want me here."
Jareth advanced again, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Would that matter to you, Sarah? Whether or not I wanted you here?"
"No," she said weakly. She felt pinned under his gaze, trapped.
Jareth smiled, closing in on her. "No?"
Sarah was sure he saw right through her lie and tried to muster up her defenses. "No," she said more firmly, holding herself proudly, hoping her body language would convey a feeling she didn't feel.
Jareth leaned in and Sarah felt her knees go weak. This was it, he was going to kiss her again. She tried to will herself to push him away but couldn't find the strength to lift her arms. She was disarmed and helpless when he looked at her like that, and she hated herself for it.
Just when Sarah was sure he was going to actually kiss her, Jareth turned his head and brushed his lips against her ear. "Such a pity," he whispered huskily and pulled away, turning and guiding them into the dining room.