I wanna tell you so

Before the sun goes dark

How to hold my heart

'Cause I don't wanna let go

Of you

-Sara Bareilles, Hold My Heart

Toby strode into the kitchen to find Sarah dancing, singing Christmas music. Which was odd, considering that she usually refused to listening to Christmas music until the first of December if at all possible. She only broke those rules for Ben, but listening to it on her own? Nah.

On the kitchen table were flowers in a vase. Toby saw a folded piece of paper. Opening it, he read the letter inside, with neat handwriting.

Dearest Sarah,

I hope that this finds you well, that you are feeling better. I am grateful for the kind words you said to me last night. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life.

Sincerely,

Jareth

"So…" Toby said, now that he dragged Sarah in the car away from Ben's ears. "What's going on with you and Jareth?"

Sarah's heartbeat rose to a quick pace. She pulled down the mirror from the car's visor, avoiding her brother's gaze. "What do you mean? Nothing's happening."

Toby raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "You're a shitty liar. Something happened between you two last night."

A blush splashed across her face, remembering how Jareth held her hand or blew the crystal towards her. "You clearly think you know what happened, so why ask?" was her cutting reply.

"Oh my god, you're impossible!" Toby plopped back into his seat, head bouncing on the headrest. "You guys totally like each other. Your incessant flirting goes unnoticed by absolutely no one."

"Incessant flirting? What-"

"You mean the time you guys talked about your Princess Leia bikini? Or when he had his hand on your dress zipper?"

"That was him helping me because you were in the bathroom!"

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Why not take that chance and try to date?"

"Why not?" The pitch of her voice rose, the visor's mirror no longer used to hide the turmoil inside. "Assuming that I actually like him-"

"You do." Toby made a face. "But go on."

"-he's a king. A king in the fucking underground. The implications of that isn't something to be taken lightly." She closed the mirror and visor rather violently. If her impeccable father knew, he'd probably lecture her even now as an adult for how she was treating her car. "And I'm a single mom, don't forget that. My decisions affect Ben."

"Oh my god," he placed his palm on the wheel. "You're going to hide behind Ben?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." He turned to her. "You're hiding behind Ben, using him as an excuse. As a crutch. All because you're scared!"

Sarah refused to even entertain the notion. "I'm not, but even if I was-"

"You are."

She was about to throw something at him for continuously interrupting her. "I'm trying to be aware of how this would affect my son and his happiness."

"Aren't you the one who told me to take risks sometimes? Especially for a chance at happiness?" He reasoned. "You want Ben to have happiness too, so why not actually set that example? Like, what do you expect to happen? If you don't trust Ben to be with Jareth, then you would have booted the guy out a long time ago."

Sarah groaned, resting her head on the dashboard. "It's not so easy, Tobes." She say up straight, pulling her knees to her chest. "I hate dating. Dating sucks. Dating means I have to put my heart out there and take a chance on someone who might ridicule it. When it fails, it's frustrating and a waste of time, at best. At worst, it leaves me even more depressed than I had been as of late."

Her voice broke, like cracks in in the ground as the earth starts to break. "Remember, I did date someone for a long time. And married him, despite thinking marriage didn't suit me in the past. Those were my happiest years." She closed her eyes, holding back the tears. "We promised to spend the rest of our lives together. And in the end, we did. Or at least, the rest of Ethan's life. I only recently stopped having nightmares-"

"Yeah thanks to Jareth!"

"-and finally dragged my ass to find a good therapist." She continued as if Toby hadn't spoken. "I feel more myself again and right as that happens, a guy from my past shows up. A magical, fairytale king at that. The thought of exposing myself again in an attempt to take a chance with someone is too much, especially someone who knew me when I was a bratty teenager. I'm really enjoying his company, and I don't want that to change. Not for the world."

They were quiet for a moment, letting her words sink in.

"You know," Toby slowly started to speak again. "He seems pretty understanding that you're not 16 anymore, but 36. That you've matured. I know about the one time he was an ass about it but he was pretty clear that he wouldn't ever do it again."

"Exactly," she mumbled. "I'm not some pretty young thing anymore where the world is my oyster."

"You're willfully missing the point," Toby rolled his eyes, seeing how she completely glossed over Jareth's compliments on her aging like fine wine. "I can tell you've been happier with him around. He likes you. You like him."

A heartbreaking realization hit her. "That's kind of the problem. If things go sour, I lose a friend."

Toby pinched the bridge of his nose. At least she wasn't denying it anymore. "Well, maybe think about it? Maybe you'll end up just bypassing that stupid, awkward stage and go straight to acting like a couple without realizing it. Didn't you tell me about taking risks and not living with regret?"

She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. He was right. After all, she often said that she'd rather make a mistake than regret trying. However, the depression and loneliness was still fresh. She didn't want to date Jareth at the whims of her emotions. Still, would it be so bad? Jareth clearly liked Ben, and he wasn't doing it to get into her pants or was putting on a facade.

She was more worried about herself than she was about Jareth's intentions. Which was surprising, considering how he had been a villain in her mind for so long. She worried that she was too broken for him to love. Worried that she wasn't enough to satisfy his needs, be it emotionally, physically, or even politically as a possible queen. She was a 36-year-old mother and music teacher. What could she offer The King of the Goblins?

Wait, why was she even doubting herself? She beat him when she was a teenager. She was more than his equal. She found her worth a long time ago, knowing that she was full of potential to do whatever she wanted. To change the world, even. She certainly changed the world for many of her students. Her worth didn't change just because she felt broken. A person's worth is infinite and unchanging.

Then again, just because she had her own inherent worth, it didn't mean that she was compatible with Jareth. And what would it all mean, to live in his world? Or him in hers? She had a place there, he said, but what of her family here? What exactly would she do? "I need to talk to my therapist," she mumbled.

Toby groaned. "For what? Permission?"

"Fuck off," she mumbled in defeat.

He nudged her. "You can do whatever you want. At least think about it. You like him, even if you keep pretending you don't."

Sarah got out of the car. "Sure, I'll think about it. Whatever."

Jareth held up a present with Santa prints on the wrapper. "I don't understand. How does St. Nicholas turn into a fat man in a red suit giving presents?"

Jareth was currently wearing a Santa hat while helping Sarah, Toby, and Ben decorate the tree. Ben had insisted, and he wasn't about to say no when everyone else was also wearing a Santa hat.

"I don't know what to tell you, Jareth," Sarah tied another string around a giant, sparkly snowflake. "Traditions are weird."

"Mister Jareth, did you meet Santa Claus yet?" Ben asked, putting up another ornament. "You can tell him what you want for Christmas! If you're on the good list, he will give you a present. If you're on the naughty list, he will give you something bad."

"There's only two lists?" Jareth asked. He loomed over Sarah, setting his arm on the back of her chair, giving her a roguish grin. "If I must pick, then I'm afraid I'm very, very naughty."

"With how tight your pants are, I'd be surprised if you weren't," Sarah said under her breath. But she couldn't hide her blush.

"So you have been looking?" Jareth crooned, his voice dripping with seduction, his lips almost right at her ear. "It seems like you're also on the naughty list."

Sarah looked at him, winking and matching his seductive tone. "Only because it's so hard to find."

"Ouch," he laughed, placing a hand over his heart. "You wound me, Sarah."

"Get a room you two," Toby said with disgust, lifting Ben to adjust the star up top.

"They are in a room," Ben said with innocent confusion. "A big room too!"

"Not big enough," Toby sighed.

"Do you have a lot of rooms in your house, Mister Jareth?" Ben asked with great interest. He climbed onto Jareth's lap, large eyes eagerly awaiting his answer.

"Oh yes," Jareth said proudly. "I have many, many rooms. I live in a castle."

"Wow!" Ben bounced up and down. "I forgot. Do you have a dragon?"

"No dragons, unfortunately." He bopped Ben's nose. "But I do have a lot of goblins and an armory. And a large place to practice sword fighting."

Ben's face lit up at the prospect of stabbing things with a sword. He talked with Jareth for a while about it until he took his midday nap.

Sarah hummed, baking sugar cookies. She had to admit that even though Christmas was incredibly commercialized, she loved the smell of baked goods and peppermint all over the house.

Jareth came to help her decorate. He glanced at her, looking a little apprehensive. "Sarah, I was wondering if you would like to visit the Underground for Yule. Ben and Toby are, of course, invited along with you, but I would advise against your parents unless you are willing to tell them about my world. You could visit your friends that you made as well."

Sarah hadn't realized how much she had been wanting him to ask her about it until now. While they got along quickly, there was also the matter of trust. She had set boundaries early on, like Jareth not being able to come to the house unless someone was there. He was true to his word and would ask before coming over or would at least knock on the front door.

"You have been kind enough to allow me and my goblins in my home, and for that, I'd like to invite you to mine," he continued, putting the frosting on the cookies. "Also, you are the Champion. You hold a special status there so it is your right to be able to go anyway. Yule would be next week and the main celebrations would last for three days, I know you'd like to be back by Christmas Eve to celebrate with your parents so I can make sure you're back by then."

Sarah looked up to see him with that ice mask of an expression on his face. Was he so nervous that he didn't want her to know that's what he was thinking? It was downright adorable, especially with the pink frosting on his cheek.

She got a napkin to wipe it off. "I think that would be wonderful, if it's not too much trouble for you."

The ice mask melted, revealing a glorious smile. "I am delighted. I could take you and Ben to the markets, we could ice-skate and other fun things. We can join in with the citizens in their festivities."

"But what about the people?" Sarah asked, the impending insecurity clouding her vision. "I mean, with cultural differences and all…"

"You'll probably get to know them better than me, since many of them are humans," he reassured her, a light bounce in his step.

"I'm excited to see your castle, to spend time with you," she beamed.

When Jareth got back to the castle, he was, once again, amazed at how messy it was where the goblins were.

He normally didn't care that much, for the west side of the castle, since the more "dignified" guests would gather on the eastern side. But since Sarah would be there, he wanted her to see as much as she wanted. He didn't want to hide things from her.

However, he did want it to look nice for her. He went into the Goblin Throne Room and clapped his hands three times. "Listen up, you hooligans!"

Goblins ran into each other, crashing as they were trying to get ready to listen to Jareth.

"Ow!"

"Your leg in my mouth!"

"If that's true, how can you talk?"

"My other mouth, ya doof!"

"Don't hurt chicky!"

"I want ale!"

"ALE!"

"Ale, ale, ale!"

And it went on and on until someone sang the "I Love Ale" song, which was just them singing "I love ale" over and over in different melodies that collided into a flurry of jumbles that was enough to make one go deaf.

Jareth rolled his eyes. He grabbed his scepter and banged it on the floor, making all of them feel the tremor. "That's better. Now, Lady Sarah-"

"Lady!"

"We loves Lady!"

"Lady very pretty."

"Lady scary. But less scary now."

"Lady give me marshmallow."

"I want a marshmallow!"

"ME TOO!"

"MARSHMALLOW!"

Jareth hit his scepter again before they could make a new song about marshmallows. "As I was saying, Lady Sarah is going to be here along with her brother Toby and her son, Benjamin. All of you must keep this place clean and not cause any disturbances, or I will make you guard the Bog. Are we clear?"

They nodded fearfully.

Jareth brought the family through a portal Aboveground, as that would use less magic and be a more comfortable trip for them. His chest puffed out in pride as the three looked around in awe. "Wow, I didn't get to really let it all sink in last time I was here," Sarah said.

"It sort of feels like I've been here in dreams," Toby said. His eyes narrowed at the wall. "Is that glitter in the grout?"

"It's so big!" Ben ran down the hall. He put his hands around his mouth and yelled. "Hello!"

His echo bounced back to him and he giggled. "Woah! I want to see everything!"

"Then let us commence on our tour," Jareth offered, gesturing down the hallway.

Ben reached up to hold his hand. "Okay!" He bounced up and down.

Jareth looked at their joined hands and broke into the biggest smile Sarah and Toby had ever seen on him.

"First stop, your rooms." He walked them up a grand staircase. He pushed a door open. "This is Toby's room."

Toby couldn't hold in an audible gasp. It was the nicest room he had ever seen, with a large bathroom as well. The view from the balcony was breathtaking. "Woah, you've outdone yourself, Jareth."

"You are my honored guests, and deserve the best of what I have to offer," he said seriously. "Across your room is Sarah's and Benjamin's."

He opened Sarah's room, which was bigger than Toby's. Though it was the nicest rooms they would ever stay in, Sarah noted how nothing was disgustingly ornate, but elegantly beautiful and functional.

Jareth went to open a curtain, where there was a sort of barrier. "Benjamin's room is that way. I inferred you wanted him to be near you, so you can keep this barrier up or down, depending on what you wanted to do."

It showed a receiving room that Sarah could use, but turned into another bedroom for Ben.

Sarah looked at him tenderly, grateful for how thoughtful he was and how much he cared about her. "Thank you for being so considerate."

Jareth smiled warmly at her. "Anything for you and your family."

Ben sat on top of his bed. "I love it!" He ran to the closet and opened it. "Wow! So many clothes!"

"You will find clothes your size for your duration in the Underground," Jareth said to them. "I have tried to approximate your sizes, so if any adjustments are needed, please let me know and I will be sure to have the tailors take care of it."

"Jareth, that's really kind of you, but it's too much," Sarah said to him, wanting him to understand that she really did appreciate him. "We'll pay you back somehow."

"Sarah, this is nothing compared to how you should be treated," he reassured her. "You are the Champion. The crown's treasury is for you as well."

Sarah pulled out one dress, a beautiful green with embroidered flowers that she might have worn at a renaissance faire. "I really do appreciate it, it's just… it's so much. You're so generous."

I have been generous up until now, but I can be true…

He had shown annoyance at times, but he hadn't ever truly been cruel. How much of their interactions from when she was one were because he meant it? How much was just a reflection of her desires and imagination? Would she ever see the darker side to him, as he had seen hers?

After all, sincerely wishing to take her baby brother and turn him into a goblin was pretty damn dark.

Jareth shook his head. "You don't understand, Sarah. You have ranking here. Providing basic needs is my duty to you while you are here. That includes protection, clothing, food, traveling, and other needs you may have. Please, accept this as I have accepted your kindness when my goblins and I have visited your home."

Sarah held up the dress again, looking into a mirror. "Okay," she settled, smiling appreciatively. "But you can't really compare the pumpkin pie you ate to a room like this."

"No, you can't," he said solemnly. "Because you do not have castle workers to help you. You have done much more for me. For being my friend."

Not for the first time, Sarah wanted to kiss him. She just felt so alive with Jareth by her side.

*knock knock knock*

All four turned to the door where two people stood, a man and a woman. Their hair were tied back to reveal pointy ears like Jareth's. The man bowed, the woman following with a curtsey. "Your Majesty."

"Ah, Samuel and Lorraine," Jareth greeted, beckoning them in. He gestured to Sarah. "I would like to introduce you to Lady Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth." He gestured to Toby and Ben. "Lord Toby, Her Grace's brother, and Young Master Benjamin, Her Grace's son. This is Samuel, my secretary and Lorraine the castle's head usher."

The two fae looked very calm and composed, until the mention of Sarah's title. Lorraine took Sarah's hand and curtsied. "My Lady, it is an honor to meet you." She curtsied to Toby and Ben as well. "As the brother and son of our Champion, it is quite an honor to know you."

"I hope you'll find yourselves very comfortable," Samuel said to them after bowing.

"Was there a reason you two came to find me?" Jareth cut in before they could go onto more faerie etiquette theatrics.

"Ah, just to tell you that the goblins are here for the grievances," Samuel said. "Lorraine and I just happened to bump into each other here."

"Tell them I will start soon," he waved at them, a look of dread on his face. "Since I must be there, could you please take our guests to the gardens in half an hour? There are some activities happening that could be enjoyable for them. I want to give them some time to get situated in their rooms."

"Yes Sire," they said, curtsying or bowing and walking out of the way.

Ben and Toby went to explore their rooms, leaving Sarah and Jareth alone.

Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose. "I really would rather not hear them out, if I'm perfectly honest."

Sarah looked at him sympathetically. "I know. Can I help?"

"They want to be seen by their ruler, so I must see them all individually." He made another face. A thought came to him, and his expression relaxed. "You could come and observe though, if you wish."

"Observe?" Sarah grinned, not realizing that it could be allowed. "If you're okay with it, sure!"

Jareth told Samuel to take Toby and Ben to the courtyard to have fun. He had Lorraine get a chair for Sarah to sit next to him.

Now wearing Underground clothing, Sarah sat next to Jareth. "Jareth, are you sure this is fine? I mean, I'm not exactly an official representative of the crown."

"You are the Champion, Sarah," he reminded her. "With that comes a certain level of respect and rights. You are of a higher ranking than any noble because you have earned it. Besides," he lowered his voice as more goblins ushered in. "Your presence may actually calm them."

Jareth wasn't kidding when he said it was difficult to settle their arguments. Or that it could get destructive.

When they were finally finished, Jareth looked ready to pass out. "Well, that went better than usual."

"Better?!" Sarah stared at him, incredulous. "They poured ale all over each other and drenched the throne room with it!"

Jareth shrugged. "At least nothing caught on fire. And I didn't have to turn back time. Sometimes I'd have to do that so I could speak with everyone."

Sarah made a face, unable to hide her displeasure. "Sarah? Something you'd like to share?"

She blushed a little, embarrassed at being so horrible at schooling her expression. "It's just, well, there has to be a better way to do it. For you and the goblins."

"What do you suggest then?" He asked, perplexed. "I've been here for a very long time and haven't really don't have the energy or time to think about making this more efficient. I'd rather do other things like sleep."

"I relate to that on a spiritual level," Sarah agreed, thinking about the time she took a nap instead of making a phone call. "I can help you, if you want?"

She knew that he had learned to not snap at her like the last time he did when she made a comment about the goblins, but she still wasn't totally sure how he would react with this suggestion.

"If you have suggestions to make my life easier, by all means, tell me." He offered his arm, relief and adoration for the man welling up in her. "Let's go find Toby and Benjamin."

Sarah placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. As they passed different castle workers, Sarah gave them all a little wave. Some waved back. Some curtsied to her. Some shyly tried to hide.

Jareth smiled knowingly. "They are unused to such friendliness from one with a ranking such as yours. Most are much more reserved."

"Should I not do that then?" She looked at him, worried that she did something wrong.

He shook his head, his hair seeming like soft threads of gold as the light hit it. "Quite the contrary, don't change a thing. I'm sure they will actually appreciate the warmth once the surprise wears down."

Sarah beamed as she walked through the gates, the cold air fresh against her breath. It was nice to be able to really take in the surroundings, to not be on a time limit like she had been last time. "I thought of a suggestion for the grievances."

He swept his arm forward, welcoming her words. "Enlighten me."

"I know you say that the goblins want to see you directly, right? But what if they tell a group of dedicated staff first who can maybe organize their grievances. Perhaps by how long or complicated, or by the type of concern. You can still see them and look over what they're complaining about. If it's something you've seen before, like another fight with a chicken, you can easily address it and it'll move along faster. I don't know how feasible it is with goblins but surely, that can help? That's what algorithms are for."

"I have tried a dedicated staff, which went horribly. But perhaps you're onto something with having the same type of issues pop up," he said thoughtfully. "As I'm sure you know, one day turns to two then a whole year or many years go by before I realize I haven't set up a system."

"Good thing you have me here then," she teased.

They reunited with Toby and Ben, the latter having run around burning his energy after a fun game of hide-and-seek with a version of tag. Which was good, since he was less antsy when Jareth took them on a tour of the castle, pretending his pinecone was a toy car.

"And, our last stop for now," Jareth put his hand on the door. "And a surprise for you."

He opened the door to reveal a dining hall and four creatures. Sarah gasped, full of pure joy.

"Oh my goodness!" Sarah ran to them. "Hoggle! Ludo! Sir Didymus! Ambrosias!"

They all hugged her back, Hoggle most wary of all with Jareth watching them. "Wow, you're all grown up, Sarah," he said wistfully, amazed at how different she looked. "We missed you that whole time."

"Sarah still friend?" Ludo asked sweetly in his low, gruff voice.

"My lady! You are just as lovely as I remember!" Sir Didymus exclaimed.

"I missed you guys so much," she said happily. "Of course we're still friends, if you'll have me. Wow, we do have a lot to catch up on."

It was still jarring for her to meet with these friends, knowing that she had actually dreamt them into being. That even though she dreamt them when she was only sixteen, they had been around for much longer in this plane of existence. So did the other many creatures she had encountered in the Labyrinth. And yet, these were sentient beings who had their own backstories and lives outside of her influence.

Hoggle carefully looked over her shoulder. "Who are they?"

Sarah beckoned Toby and Ben forward. "This is my brother Toby, the baby you guys helped me save."

"Hi," Toby waved.

"I'm not so sure if save is the right word, since he was always safe," Jareth commented, looking very disgruntled at the thought.

Sarah waved dismissively. "Whatever. And this is here, is Ben, my son." She put her hands on her son's shoulders. "Say hi, Benny."

Ben looked at them shyly, but also in awe. "Hi."

Ludo approached him first, bending down. "Ben friend?"

Like Sarah, Ben warmed up quickly to the gentle beast. "Yeah! I'm a friend!" He hugged Ludo, climbing into his arms and laughing at being carried.

"My Lady," Sir Didymus commented. "He has the strength and personality of a knight like myself!"

"You're a knight?" Ben asked him once Ludo put him down. "Cool!"

"And here is my noble steed!" He shoved Ambrosias forward. "Heel, Ambrosias!"

"Son?" Hoggle walked closer to Sarah. "Wow, ya really are grown up." He looked at her left hand, seeing her wedding ring. "Are ya married then?"

Sarah looked at her ring, smiling sadly. "My husband died a couple of years ago."

Hoggle's face fell, mortified. "Oh, I didn't realize-"

"You couldn't have, my friend," she said gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I tried calling for you, but I could only do that if I called for Jareth. It was my fault, not yours. I'm just glad that you're not mad at me."

"I could never be mad at ya, even then, not for that long." Hoggle patted the hand on her shoulder. "Yer my friend. Are ya all right?"

"I am, thank you." She hugged him once more. "I'm so glad to be back with you guys."

Jareth cleared his throat. "It's time to head to the villages. Shall we take a walk there?"

Sarah's infectious smile spread to the rest of them. Perhaps she had aged since the last time she was here, but her sense of wonder and excitement hadn't dimmed, even if she thought so. "Sure, let's go!"

Walking in front, Jareth was uncharacteristically quiet as Sarah chatted with her friends. Ben sat atop of Ludo's shoulders, babbling the whole time.

Toby came to stand next to Jareth. "You're awfully quiet."

"I just don't feel like talking," he said abruptly, hoping Toby would leave him be.

Toby's grin only grew. "You know, Sarah enjoys hanging out with you. It's really nice to reintroduce her to her old friends."

Jareth's gave a strained smile. Was he getting worse at holding his emotions in? "I admit, I am unused to sharing you three with anyone else."

"You don't need to worry about that, you know?" Toby put his hands in his pockets. "Just because we have more friends doesn't mean that the ones that were there before mean any less to us. I mean, look at Sarah. She hasn't been with these guys for so long and they still mean so much to her."

Before Toby could not-so-subtly tell Jareth that maybe a relationship with his sister wouldn't be so bad, they came across a small cottage. It was charming, with a moss-covered entryway right up to it, thriving in the snow. Much like the creatures of the kingdom itself, the plant life around it was a bit wild. There was also a greenhouse with a few plants in it, but mostly shelves with bottles of things. There was a pleasant sort of energy emitting from the whole place brightening everyone's mood significantly. Snow-covered vines covered the place, as if saying that the very cottage belonged to the earth and could be taken at any time.

Jareth paused there for a moment. Sarah caught up to him. "What's this?" She asked, still having that spring in her step.

"Oh, just contemplating whether we should stop and say hello," he said casually, standing a little taller when she came by. "The Sorceress of the Labyrinth lives here. It might be offensive to not introduce you, The Champion, to her."

"Sorceress?" Ben piped up, his gaze full of the same wonder that Sarah had.

"I dunno if she'd be offended," Hoggle shrugged. "She's very friendly. Might be nice though ta say hi."

Everyone more or less agreed with Hoggle. "Mara friend!" Ludo declared.

"I believe that Our Lady Sarah would be great friends with Sorceress Mara!" Sir Didymus declared. "Two valiant people I would be honored to fight alongside in battle!"

Jareth looked to Toby and Sarah. "This time is for you, what do you say?"

Sarah looked to the cottage, nodding. "You know, why not?"

Jareth knocked on the door. After a moment, a woman answered the door.

Far from the images of Merlin the wizard or Disney characters who were witches, this sorceress was something else entirely.

Sorceress Mara was a petite and very pretty, much shorter than she or Jareth. However, due to the way she carried herself and her tall boots, Sarah, could tell that she could kick her ass if she wanted to. Her hair was platinum blonde, lighter than Jareth's that reached far down her back. She wore what seemed to be Victorian style dress and a black corset, silver bracelets on her wrists and a similar silver chain on her neck with a colorful stone in the middle, the only thing of color that she was wearing. Despite the dark clothing, she actually looked to be a very cheery person, almost bubbly.

"Your Majesty." She curtsied. She turned to Sarah and curtsied to her too. "Champion Sarah, a pleasure to meet you! I am Mara."

Sarah looked at Jareth, raising a questioning eyebrow. Wasn't this a surprise visit? "Hi."

"The Labyrinth's magic is all over you, I can feel it," she smiled, answering Sarah's unasked question. Mara looked past them to the others. "Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, Ambrosias! So good to see all of you! Did you guys like the cookies I made last time? I made more."

"Oh yes please!" Hoggle pushed up to her excitedly at the mention of cookies. "Me cousin came over and ate them all."

Mara walked out to greet Toby and Ben. "And you must be the Wished-Away child! Not a child anymore, I see. There's magic all over you from the time you were here last."

Toby looked down his body, as if expecting to find something that would make him physically stand out. "You can tell?"

"Absolutely, and it's my job to," she said. She leaned down to Ben's height. "And you, you have a lot of magic too. Who might you be?"

"I'm Benjamin!" Ben announced. "Nice to meet you!"

"Such a lovely child," Mara said sincerely. "You look like you're new here."

"He's my son," Sarah said with pride. "You say he has a lot of magic?"

"Oh yes," Mara said, looking in his eyes. "It looks to be fueled by your influence." She walked back to the door. "Come in, let me get some tea for all of you."

The inside of the cottage reflected her personality. They passed by different rooms, with different contraptions and potions in sight, the walls black or a deep purple. Some skulls and other contraptions filled the walls. Sarah looked at each room in awe, wishing that she could ask questions about everything.

Ben started to touch things, unable to keep his curious, tiny hands away from all the interesting things.

Sarah pulled him aside. "Ben, you need to ask before you touch things, okay? Or wait for them to offer. You don't know what's in them either."

Mara approached them. "Oh dear, you definitely don't want to touch those, Benjamin. They might make your face orange."

"Awesome!" Ben said, wanting to grab it even more.

Mara looked at Sarah for permission. "Perhaps I could interest you in something else?"

Ben bounced up and down. "Yeah!"

"If it's not too much trouble for you," she said politely, but was jumping up and down inside as much as her son was.

"Yeah!" Mara agreed, matching Ben's enthusiastic energy. "Come see these plants here. This one closes its leaves when you touch it. She's very shy."

"Oops, sorry," Ben whispering loudly to the "shy" plant. "I don't want to scare you."

He ran to another room. "What's that for?" He pointed to the sharp instruments stuck to a wall.

"Those are for investigative work," Mara said, looking very happy share more of the passions of her job. "I sometimes dissect cadavers to find the cause of death or identification."

Ben stared at her blankly.

"She cuts up dead bodies," Sarah translated, eagerly watching his reaction.

Ben's eyes popped opened. "I want to cut up dead bodies too!"

While Ben, Sarah, and Mara were showing interest in plants, the rest took their places at the table. "I like her, she seems very nice," Toby said.

"She talks like one of ya Abovegrounders," Hoggle commented, snacking on the cookies. "She spends a lot of time with the Wished-Aways."

The kettle whistled. Mara told Ben where he could explore and invited Sarah to the table. The three friends didn't want tea but did accept some dog food for Ambrosias. They stayed nearby with Ben, Toby joining them too.

"How are you doing, Sorceress Mara?" Jareth asked politely.

Sorceress Mara clicked her tongue. "So formal, Sire."

"You call me Sire, and yet you have the audacity to call me formal?" Jareth smirked his signature roguish smile.

Mara rolled her eyes. She turned to Sarah, her eyes rolling far so back that only the whites were shown. "Isn't he just the worst?"

Sarah just grinned, not saying anything. Not that she needed to, her eyes said everything.

"Please have a seat," Mara gestured to the little table as she busied herself getting tea for them.

Jareth pulled out the chair for Sarah again, just as he often did back at home Above.

"You may call me Mara," Mara came to sit with them as the kettle was boiling. "I don't mind calling people by their titles, but that's too many syllables for my title. Sorceress or Professor. Too damn many." Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand when she remembered that Ben was there. "Oh no, I apologize. I'll watch my language from now on."

Sarah found she didn't mind one bit, feeling at home. "No worries about that. Then I have to insist that you call me Sarah," Her smile widened, holding out her hand.

"Sarah it is," Mara took her hand.

"Hmm," Jareth pursed his lips together in feigned irritation at Mara. Sarah looked at him questioningly.

"He's just bitter because a long time ago, he was acting all high and mighty." Mara lifted her arms up to exaggerated her point. "He told me to call him 'Your Majesty' instead of 'Your Royal Highness' when I made a blunder. You should have seen his face, Sarah. Well, I have made sure to never made that mistake again." She swung her legs over to stand up just as the kettle was whistling.

Jareth looked to the ceiling, giving a dramatic sigh. "I've told you since then, you can call me Jareth if you want."

"And I don't want, wouldn't want to get lectured again, Sire." She brought a tray with the tea and some teacups over. "Now, why are you here? You're always here when you need something." She poured tea for each of them.

Jareth rolled his eyes. "That's not true."

"Oh for Goblin's sake, Sire," Mara groaned. "I am an expert on the Labyrinth. You bring the Champion into my home, it was the next logical conclusion."

She turned to Sarah. "It just occurred to me, it's been," she lifted her fingers to count. "Twenty years. I'm pleased to see you here. You know, we've never had a Champion before."

"That's what Jareth tells me," Sarah said, drinking her tea. "What does it all mean though? He mentioned to me that there was more."

"Well, for starters, you are entitled to many rights here. There's a lot though, and some many important ones. Especially your place here. It's been something I have been researching." She went to grab a book filled with handwritten notes. "I'm sure you have been notified that you have a rank among nobles, yes?"

Jareth gave her a look that said "I told you so."

"Because of this, you would be considered a respectable match in a marriage for many nobles, including royalty. You could be queen."

"Oh." Sarah put her cup of tea down. "I didn't think of it that way."

It was so strange, to think that in her world, she was just an average single mother with a job. Here, in a world of dreams and magic, she could be a queen if she wanted.

"That's a good thing," Mara reassured her. "You can choose to visit here and live Above, or move here permanently and can still visit the Above. You command respect by title alone. You also are entitled to magic of your own right. Because you were in this realm on a trial, you and Toby have some innate magic. You more than he, since you declared yourself an equal of King Jareth."

"And Ben?"

"His magic isn't as strong as yours, strong for a human though with a connection to His Majesty from proximity I assume. He may gain more if he resides Underground for long periods of time. He can't quite use and control it, as he's a child. It's the same with fae children, they don't quite have magic that they can control. But his powers of belief must stem from you, and with that, he is entitled to protection from the King himself and many more. It is an innate part of who he is."

Sarah nodded, still processing things. Jareth took that as cue to gather everyone up. "We're heading to the celebrations, will you be coming, Mara?"

"Eventually," she said, understanding the need to let them go. "I need to finish up a few things before I go. Perhaps I will see you all there."

They bade her goodbye. Ben babbled about the dead bodies, Ludo looking terrified while Sir Didymus encouraged his antics.

Sarah was still reeling about the fact that she could be a queen. What did that mean then? "Jareth, am I expected to act or dress a certain way because of my status?"

Jareth put a gentle hand on her hand that was resting on his arm. "In so-called 'high society,' more or less. They won't truly expect it since you're human, but many will use it to exploit or push you down. Here, in my kingdom, everyone will see you curiously."

Sarah slowly grinned. "Well, I'll learn the manners and etiquette of course, but I'm going to be myself. My mom used to say 'be unapologetically you.' Of course, it's ironic coming from her, a glamorous actress who molds herself to whatever the latest fashions are, but I still like that saying."

"I like it," Jareth agreed, moving his hand to her back to guide her. His gentle touches made her feel more relaxed, more at home. "Be unapologetically myself."

"Well, maybe not you," she teased. "You're too much of a rascal."

"Me? Rascal?" He said with feigned offense, pushing her slightly. "Never!"

They reached the heart of the celebrations, in the middle of the the city. Creatures of all kind came to celebrate Yule. There were vendors selling food and other trinkets. Goblins, humans, fae, elves, dwarves, and more were mingling together.

They approached the first vendor who was selling the equivalent of a kebab, since Hoggle recommended it to them. "Weivo makes the best of them!"

Weivo clumsily bowed to Jareth, saying that he would give everything to them for free if they wanted. That it was such a great honor to have the king to buy something from them, something Hoggle not-so-discreetly snorted at.

Sir Didymus pushed them to a booth of tunics. "Every brave knight needs one! Sir Benjamin needs one as well!"

Sarah allowed Ben to get one, even though they already had clothes back at the castle and at home. Sir Didymus paid for it, insisting that this was his Yule gift for Ben.

The people looked at them curiously, many whispering, but it didn't feel malicious at least. Sarah had to admit that their gang of humans, a king, and her three friends made them a crowd all on their own. They were friendly when spoken to up close. Sarah would have a hard time leaving a stall as she asked the vendors what life was like as. Champion living Above. She learned that most of them had different jobs or other ways to make a living, their merchandise here was something they did for fun.

She learned a lot more on how Jareth's influence changed the world. How he might have continuously push off how to effectively fix the whole goblin grievances situation, but he did so much for these people. The Goblin Kingdom was still place of stigma, a reputation of rowdy creatures and a vision of inelegance. However, they were happy. They sang and danced, living their lives as best as they could. Even the poorest had a way to live comfortably. Observing them with closer, Sarah found that there were many who had visible disabilities, and she wagered there were many more who had conditions that she could not see. There was a place for them here, exploring what they can do and reach for their potential.

Here, even the unwanted could have a chance.

It wasn't perfect and there were still flaws, but overall, they were taken care of.

They joined in on a dance, holding hands and spinning around. Sarah would take Ben's hands and twirl him before she found another partner. She laughed and sang along with the off-key goblins, who were making a song in her honor.

The more Sarah mingled with the crowd, the less stares of curiosity she got and more stares of admiration. She didn't notice it, but Jareth did.

They seemed to have expected her to only stay by Jareth's side, doing whatever he did but she branched out and got to know people, touching them with her kindness and fun personality. Her warmth drew little children, her motherly instinct present with them as well. She did not act like most of the nobles among the faerie lands, but acted like one of them. She openly hugged a woman who said that she was widowed, understanding what that was like. She spoke with a young man about how he had been an orphan but was wished away. That it was the best thing that could have happened to him.

Jareth couldn't help but think on what Mara had said: Sarah could be a queen. She was acting like it already in the best ways possible.

After a long and wonderful day of celebration, they went back to the castle to rest. There were night celebrations, but Sarah felt that she should be with Ben, who was exhausted from the day's events. She told Jareth perhaps they could do it the next day and he agreed, since he needed to get some work done.

Taking time to recharge, Toby read a book he found in Jareth's library. Sarah decided to go on a walk, leaving Toby with Ben in case he woke up from his nap.

She let her hand glide against the stone walls, looking up at the full moon on the balcony. The beauty of it was so different from her world, where there was always some sort of noise or light pollution. Here, she almost forgot that she was a human being and not one with nature.

A few hours later, The Goblin King took advantage of this time to also recharge.

There were very few places where he could have a safe haven in this castle outside of his bed chamber. The music room served as a reminder for who he was, that he was someone beyond a king. He was King Jareth of the Goblins, a man who had dreams that burned as quietly but no less steadily as the flicker of a candle.

He sunk his fingers into the keys, his eyes closed as he played by touch. The effect was instant: his shoulders feeling lighter when he played. He could play many instruments, though piano was his pride and joy. For how long he played, he had no idea. He just kept on going, not tiring one bit.

Jareth's ears pricked as he felt her presence at the door but didn't turn. He could tell it was her watching him. Normally, he would yell at anyone who came in this room to leave, especially in the middle of his playing. Everyone knew that when the Goblin King was playing piano, he was not to be interrupted unless it was urgent.

Except Sarah.

He continued to play, letting the stress of his work fade. No matter what happened to him, he could always return to the comfort of his piano and find solace in the black and white keys. He didn't have to worry about criticism. Didn't have to worry about Wished-Aways. Not about politics or his goblins. This was his place to be himself, to be raw and real.

He almost forgot that Sarah was there when the last note faded away into the air. Her footsteps brought her closer to him until she was on the other side of the grand piano.

She ran her hands on the black surface. "You're an incredibly talented pianist. That was a difficult piece."

Of course she would know, she was practically a world-class pianist herself. "That must mean quite a lot, coming from you," he said without turning to her.

She smirked, half amused and half appreciative in his compliment. "Thanks."

He finally turned his head to make eye contact with her. Even though he spent a lot of time with her as of late, there were still many things he didn't know about Sarah. He was sure she could say the same about him. "Sarah, why did you choose music? What I mean is, why not something else? Why specifically music?"

Sarah had a look of contemplation on her face. She came closer to him and gestured to the piano bench. "May I?"

He moved over and she sat next to him. His eyes followed her the whole time, showing his clear interest in her words.

"As you know, as a teenager, I really idolized my mom. She's this beautiful actress, The Great Linda Williams. I just put her on this ridiculous pedestal. That was why I wanted to act when I was young. Acting was fun but it wasn't something that I really came to love when the starry-eyed feeling fell away." She looked at the piano, the surface so glossy that it reflected hers and Jareth's face. "My high school band teacher said that I really should consider pursuing music so I decided to audition when I went to college. I didn't get in on clarinet, but I did in piano. I guess it just spoke to me. Music has saved my times more than I can count."

She didn't even have to hear him say it, the look on his face told her that he felt the same way.

"I majored in piano performance. It's not an easy major or a cheap one, for that matter. I worked as a private piano teacher for kids like I told you, and the music shop during my college years and gap years. There was a lot of luck though. I met with teachers and auditioned to be in prestigious orchestras where I got noticed, which got me recognition for my own merit. I continued to teach, since I decided to get a double major in music performance and music education. I recently just started to perform again."

Jareth knew that she meant it was the first time she would have a performance after her husband's death.

"My mom told me that music is the language of souls. And I firmly believe that. When you can't speak the same language as someone else, you can absolutely share something in music." Sarah let her fingers glide along the keys, her eyes a bit distant.

Before she knew it, her fingers dipped into a random key, the note echoing a familiar piece she had learned a while back.

She teasingly played the first few notes of a simple melody, about to completely stop when she felt Jareth's gentle hand on her arm.

She looked back to his eyes, seeing a smile break on his face. Glancing briefly at the keys, he repeated the notes she played but with a bass accompaniment.

His smile was so wide that it made her anxiety fade away. Sarah played the piece again, but this time, she kept on going.

Jareth followed her and eased in his own accompaniment. They didn't say a word the whole time, just smiled as their duet continued.

She didn't think Jareth knew the piece until he took over her part in the bass. She switched from the soloist to the accompanist on the higher notes. She couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun with someone in a half duet, half improv session before. It didn't even feel real, the way that he could read her movements and change the way he played so quickly to match her. He was almost better than she was in that regard.

This was why she pursued music. In times like these, she could forget what was bothering her. Just for a moment. She could have that moment of peace and smiles even during one of the darkest times of her life.

If someone told her a year ago that her best musical experience would be with the Goblin King, she wouldn't have believed them.

Sometimes, their hands and arms would cross over and the wrong chords would be played. The usual perfectionist in her was gone as Sarah tried to not laugh, and she was able to hold it in until the third time it happened when they bumped heads.

It hurt quite a bit, but she found it so funny that she threw her head back in laughter and fell backwards off the piano from losing her equilibrium. Jareth was about to catch her when she reflexively grabbed his hand and pulled him down to the floor with her.

Sarah swore that she was going to ask him if he was all right, but at the sight of the usual poised Goblin King on the floor with his poofy hair fanning around him in an ungraceful manner, she went off again.

At her laugh, Jareth couldn't help but laugh too. It was ridiculous, the two of them on the floor with their feet still on the piano bench. Even if the fall hurt, Sarah couldn't help but laugh, stop laughing, and laughing all over again.

When they were finally able to calm down, Sarah's stomach growled.

Which set Jareth off once more and then to Sarah having hiccups when she joined him.

Jareth swung his legs off the bench and got into a sitting position. He offered her his hand and helped her to sit upright. "You are hungry, that won't do. We should eat."

"My stomach keeps betrays me at the worst times. I really wish it wouldn't do that!"

Sarah couldn't help but realize that this was the first time that they were holding hands for an extended amount of time. Sometimes he would offer her his hand or she to him to help each other up. Or for comfort. But never like this.

Jareth seemed to notice before she did. Holding her hand up between their faces, he their palms laid flat against each other. He inspected her hand curiously. "Your fingers are so small. How do you play such difficult pieces?"

"Mine aren't that small, they're just small compared to yours," she said back.

Indeed, his handspan was quite large. She was jealous of how much easier it must be for him to play, especially Rachmaninoff's pieces.

When he touched her hand gently, she felt something that she hadn't felt in a long time. It had been years since she had been able to laugh without feeling some sense of sadness or longing. While playing piano with Jareth and then falling on the floor, all she was focused on was the present. All her mind could think of was how happy she was with Jareth.

She didn't worry about the past. Didn't worry about the future. Didn't worry about her son. She just completely let go.

How was it that this person from a completely plane of existence was the only person who could make her feel this way?

"Sarah?"

Her name falling from his lips brought her back. Jareth had put her hand down to her knee respectfully. "Are you all right?"

His eyes were so incredibly gentle. Her heart beat faster, making her aware of the overwhelming urge to cry.

"Yeah… I'm all right." She averted from his eyes for a moment. "I didn't realize how much weight I was carrying until I let it out. I really needed that, needed this. Thank you."

"I'm glad I could help," he replied, eyes still on her. "Thank you for joining me, you are a worthy person to duet with." He grinned, attempting to lighten the mood.

Sarah's head shot up, a grin equal to his on her face. "It was, how should I say it? A piece of cake."

"If you wanted the cleaners to come after you, you could've just told me," He winked.

"Hey, you were the one who goaded me. If you can't handle the answer, don't ask the question." She dusted her dress off and tried to comb through her hair.

"Point taken." He stood and offered his hand again. "Let's get you fed before your stomach decides to growl again."

She rolled her eyes but took his hand. "Seriously though, thank you for letting me barge in. Music makes me feel calm after a long day. It was wonderful, but tiring all the same."

He looked at her with understanding. "If that's the case, then I want you to know that you are welcome in the music room whenever you want. If it helps for you to have something to do to take your mind off of things and calms you, then I am more than happy. Please, you are my guest. I aim for you to feel at home here." He made a sweeping motion with his hand. "All of my castle, it's yours to explore and to enjoy."

"Really?" She looked around the room with awe.

A sense of pride filled him. He had never, never opened up the room to anyone else to use. Ever. Not any of his lovers. Not his family. Not even the High King himself.

She was just so grateful, so understanding. So full of fire. He couldn't bring himself to give her any less than the best that he could offer.

"Really."

I hadn't realized how giant this chapter is until I finally finished it… lol. I hope this chapter was enjoyable for you all and Sarah's friends' comeback was nice to read!

Sorceress Mara's aesthetic is actually inspired by someone I follow on instagram! She's sparklingstar22, go check out her cool aesthetic! :) Thank you for reading and I hope you'll leave a review!