Disclaimer: I don't own the Labyrinth

I'm just a masochist aren't I? I plan on continuing MMO, rewrite this and "I didn't" and keep up with school. Aren't I a flippin genius?

Anyway here is ch. 12

It was four hours later that the king managed to get back to Sarah. She sat on the bed, back resting against the headboard, and reading.

"It was the Labyrinth's decision." He said when he appeared. His back was to her, he was gazing into the fire.

"What?"

"Your sleeping arrangements. They were the Labyrinth's decision. In my arrogance I believed that you would never refuse me, so I did not object to its decision. That is why you were in these rooms." He turned around and faced her. "You'll need to come to dinner tonight; he'll expect you to be there. It would also be wise to put on something less casual." He headed toward the silver door.

"I don't know."

"What?" He turned back.

"I honestly don't know how far I would have gone with my hand." I'm so confused, that wasn't necessary to play the part, I…I wanted to do that. He gave a nod and entered his own room. Sarah pulled out a crimson skirt that reached the floor, but had a slit reaching halfway up her thigh. A lighter red v-neck tank-top with two inch sleeves, and crimson stilettos the tied up her calf finished the outfit. Sarah turned to the tray that still lay on her vanity. "Is there anyway that I can get curling iron?"

"I'm afraid that I don't know what that is ma'am." Came the reply.

"That's alright." She looked into the mirror, then down at her hands. Now is as good a time as any. She took a deep breath and then, looking in the mirror, ran her hands through her hair. She created an image in her mind, of her hair done in large curls. As her hands passed through, the hair changed and took on the appearance that she had imagined. "Wow that worked surprisingly well." She took a step toward the silver door and nearly collapsed. I think that I overdid it a little. Once the room stopped spinning, Sarah moved to the closet and pulled on a pair of black satin gloves that reached to her elbows. She appraised how the gloves looked in the vanity mirror. Not bad, I could get used to them. The king chose that moment to enter the room.

"Sarah, are you ready?" He looked up and had to catch his breath, her hair looked so similar to how she had worn it in the dream. He composed himself and noticed the gloves. He gestured to them. "Nice touch."

"I thought so." She took the arm that he offered, and moved closer to him than necessary, pressing against his side. "But right now all I can think about is taking them off." She whispered into his ear.

"Th..There is no reason to start yet Sarah. He can't see us." He scolded, but the comment was whispered. They entered the hallway to encounter the ambassador and his companion; though he was married the woman that hung on his arm was not his wife. "Ambassador Clingham. What, may I ask, are you doing in this wing of the castle?"

"I thought that we might walk to the dinning room together. It has been so long since I've seen you your Majesty." The four began their trek through the halls. "Your Majesty, may I ask why you have taken on a younger form?" He gestured to Jareth's teenage appearance.

"Sarah prefers it." He made no move to continue conversation. Clingham took it upon himself to

"How fare the goblins?"

"Look around you, how do think that they fare?" Two young goblins were running down the hall at that precise moment. "Few children are wished away anymore, but their population still thrives." After his sharp reply there were no more attempts at conversation on the walk. Sarah took the opportunity to whisper in Jareth's ear.

"How long do we have to stay at the table?" A shiver ran down his spine at her tone. He knew that she wanted to know how long until she could drop the act, but it sounded as though she were waiting for other activities. He gave her a quiet 'shh', she pouted in return. Out of the corner of his eye, the king noticed the Clingham frown. Using a technique that his sister had taught him, the king reached carefully into the man's mind.

(I was assured that this would be simple, simply find his lover and I could have this kingdom. That bitch on his arm ruined it. Well, we'll see if she really is sleeping with the king. Even if she is I'm sure that with enough of a pay off she would testify at Court that she was a cover-up. Now to get her alone.) Jareth pulled out of the man's mind and sent a message to Sarah, another trick he had picked up from his sister.

"Sarah, if Clingham makes any move to speak to him in private do so. He is going to try to buy you, don't agree to anything, but don't reject his proposal." The only response she gave was a slight tightening of her grip on his arm.

Dinner was an uneventful exercise; Ake came out of her rooms for it and was the only one Jareth spoke to. He made it abundantly clear to Clingham that his presence was unwanted. After dinner Ake excused herself and Jareth, saying that she wished for some time alone with her brother. That left Sarah alone with Clingham and his mistress.

"So, Miss…" The ambassador began.

"Sarah." She replied looking bored without the king there.

"Miss Sarah." He finished. "How long have you been with the king?" He queried, his own mistress losing patience and kissing the ambassador. Sarah wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"What is it to you? I'm not going to join you and your floozy for nighttime activities if that's what you're asking." The mentioned floozy didn't even glance at Sarah, she simply moved to tonguing Clingham's ear.

"No, no. You misunderstand me ma'am. It is simply that as far as I was aware the king had no companion.

"Show's how much you know. How would you know? He doesn't go to Court, or even to Council." She replied. Sarah stood to leave, but the ambassador was suddenly before her, in the background she heard the mistress fall to the floor with a small shriek.

"Miss Sarah. How much are you receiving from the king?" She put on an air of offense.

"It is through mutual pleasure that we are together. Are you going to give me more offense, or are you finished?" She made a move to step around him.

"I meant no offense ma'am." He stepped in front of her. "I ask you to hear me out." She raised an eyebrow, but gave no vocal response. "I have three-hundred gold pieces that say you are going to testify that the Goblin King has a male lover and that you are naught, but his cover-up."

"Three-hundred?" He nodded, she burst out laughing. "You must take me for a fool. Even if I were to betray my king, it would take quite a bit more then that." She made no move to leave.

"One-thousand?" The ambassador offered.

"Perhaps, give me a few days to consider your proposal. Presently, I plan to steal my king from his dear sister. If you'll excuse me." The ambassador stepped aside and gave a bow.

Sarah made it down three hallways before she realized that she had no idea where she was going. "Jareth, I seem to be a little lost, care to give me a hand?" She blinked and found herself in her own room, Ake and the king awaited her there. "What a self-centered ass. I felt like punching him on several occasions during the meal."

"They did send the biggest jackass; he was probably the only one willing to go against Jareth publicly." Ake informed Sarah, from her place atop the bookcase.

"It will end up that I go against him for attempting to usurp me. The Council will not be rid of me as easily as they think." The king lay on Sarah's bed, looking up at the canopy.

"Is there any way that I could get a map or something? This place is really confusing." Sarah seated herself on the edge of the bed.

"It wouldn't help, the Castle, like the Labyrinth, changes constantly. Have you ever noticed that I don't walk? Ever? I know what room I need to be in, that's all I need." Ake, still upon the bookcase kicked her feet against it as she spoke. "Of course the some things don't change, the throne room is always in the same spot and these two rooms are always connected."

Sarah turned to Jareth. "How do you get around?"

"I have an innate sense of the castle; I always know where everything is. How do you think I find you at the most opportune moments?" He raised his body to his elbows and smirked at her; she threw a pillow at him. Ake watched from her perch an unreadable smile on her face.

"Ass." She was still leaning toward him from when she had thrown the pillow.

"I have one, and as I recall it was good enough to count twice." He leaned a little closer to Sarah, mischief playing in his eyes.

"If you two want to be alone I can arrange it no problem." Ake called down, the two were only inches apart and she startled them to opposite sides of the bed.

"Ake, I believe that I might have to kill you, you know that." Jareth's aggravation was clear in his voice; Sarah was blushing madly at what she had almost done.

"I merely thought that you might want some privacy, but who knows when you would have been done and Clingham wanted to see the Firey concert tonight." The teen jumped off of the bookcase and landed gracefully on the ground. "I trust you have an outfit suitable for sitting outside Sarah?" A nod was her answer. "You should probably get that on; the concert will be starting soon."