A/N: Eight months later and I finally have an update for you. To explain, I did become engaged in December. I haven't had the time or inclination to write. However, I'm back! Special thanks to angel56335, anon, Avalon-Mist, CassandraM, CeliaEquus, dota16, fallenfaeangel, Grey Kindle, gunitatsuhiko, hachimanskitsune, i luv books94, I'Like'Cheetos, IWatchTVStaticAndThinkIt'sFun, Justin, Kactus Wrynn, Kaia Tristan, Kiruya, KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun, Lady Minuialwen, LadySoy, LittleMargarita, lunapeacock, missy, Operaphantomgrl, PreciousThing66, RachCar, sandy162, Satan'sSpawn121212, scifigeek10, SexyAvalonPriestess, tfstarlight, TheraSerenity, VampireMafiaQueen, xAngel-Of-The-Operax, and Zaidee for their awesome reviews since the last chapter. Remember – reviews make me happy and happy people update faster.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.
Sarah was sitting in her favorite spot in the library, reading one of the family books and drinking some tea. Taking a sip and cringing, she realized that her tea had gone from steaming hot to stone cold. The clock on the wall told her that she had been in there for hours. Good books had the habit of taking over her mind to the point that she forgot everything but what she was reading. Her rumbling stomach reminded her that she had skipped lunch and would certainly skip dinner if she didn't put the book down soon.
Standing, she stretched her arms up to the ceiling and heard her vertebrae snap and crackle. Her hands rubbed over her weary eyes. The silence of the room, once peaceful, made her long for the company of others. One specific person came to her mind and she smiled at the thought. In fact, she was a bit curious as to why Jareth hadn't already come looking for her. They had barely separated since confessing their love. Perhaps he needed some time alone just as she did. It was perfectly normal and natural. Sarah knew that in her logical mind, but it did nothing to dampen Sarah's disappointment.
"Hello, love of my heart," crooned a voice in her ear.
"Good evening, Your Majesty," Sarah replied. She was grinning like an idiot, but she couldn't seem to help it. Two strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her towards the hard plane of his chest.
"Mmmmm, I missed you," Jareth confessed. He inhaled deeply, wanting to savor the scent of his beloved. Now that she had become Fae, the power of her pheromones had increased exponentially.
"I missed you, too," replied Sarah. Her hands wandered up to lose themselves in the fine locks of his hair. Jareth closed his eyes at the sensation and willed himself to think of anything other than ravishing the young beauty in his arms. He consoled himself with the knowledge that, once she was solely his, he could unite with her over and over again.
"What've you been up to today?" Jareth asked, pulling away and holding out his hand. Without hesitation, she took it and allowed him to escort her out of the library.
"Not much," Sarah confessed. "Just some reading and relaxing. How about you?"
"I went to see my aunt and my father," Jareth explained. "Before you ask, they haven't seen or heard from Liam. I was there to find out what they intended to do with his disappearance. For one, he's my cousin. As much as he annoys the hell out of me, I would never want anything bad to happen to him. Second, if he is no longer acting as a suitor, his ties to you need to be severed."
"What did they say?" Sarah asked as they continued to traverse the hallway. Jareth's hand was a warm presence as their fingers remained linked.
"They want to begin a search for him," Jareth replied. "If he cannot be found in a week's time, his courting rights will be terminated. We will continue the search until he is found, regardless of his status as your suitor."
"Maybe we'll see him tomorrow?" Sarah suggested. "After all, he'll want to see his father."
"It's possible," Jareth hedged.
"But you don't think so," Sarah guessed.
Jareth sighed deeply and shook his head. "Quite frankly, no I don't."
"We still don't know why he left in the first place," Sarah groaned. "I hope he's alright."
"As do I," Jareth sighed.
"So, are you going to sit here and sulk or are you going to do something?" Seirian groused. She'd heard about his disappearance and was sure he was off pouting at the edge of their Kingdom.
"What am I going to do?" Liam asked. Now that his sister was near, he was again feeling the madness take hold. He had to have Sarah Williams at any cost.
"First of all, you need to clean yourself up," Seirian advised. "How in the hell do you think you're going to woo her looking like you haven't bathed in a month?"
Liam gave her a sour look. "Don't you think I know that?"
"Do you even have a plan to steal her away from Jareth?" Seirian continued as if he hadn't spoken. Liam remained silent, glaring out at the water. "Of course not. I guess I'm going to have to do the work for you."
"Why don't you piss off, little sister?" Liam snapped. "I can do this on my own."
"You're doing such a good job at it, too," Seirian said, a facetious tone creeping into her voice.
The duo remained silent for a moment.
"What did you have in mind?" Liam asked, begrudgingly.
Seirian quickly lowered herself to the rocks, seating herself next to her moody older brother. "It's about time you asked. You need to start thinking more like Jareth. He wouldn't be sitting her brooding about lost love. He'd be doing whatever it takes to win her. Remember father, Liam? He fought for mother and you see how that ended. Why, if he hadn't been called to the Underworld, they'd still be together."
Silence fell over them again as they stared out towards the crashing waves. The scent of salt water clung to the air. Liam breathed the salty air as he absorbed his sister's words. "You're right," Liam sighed.
"Of course I'm right," Seirian scoffed. Putting her finger to her top lip, she began to tap out a staccato rhythm. "Now, what to do?"
"I could…no, that wouldn't work," Liam said, shaking his head.
"You should…hmmm…not good enough," Seirian tried.
"Why don't we…nope…that's a terrible idea," Liam huffed.
"Ah ha!" Seirian cried. "I have it!"
Sarah stood in front of the mirror surrounded by a slew of dresses flung onto every available surface. Turning from her reflection, her eyes gazed at the sea of taffeta, silk, and satin. Her mouth pulled into a frown. Allison had long dressed and disappeared with Fagan to who knew where, leaving Sarah alone to figure out what to wear. What does one wear to meet their suitor's dead mother? Sarah picked up one of the discarded dresses and shook her head. None of these would do. They were either too flashy or too revealing or too…
A knock at the door broke through her inner fashion critic. Flinging the dress onto the top of a massive pile, she made her way to the door. Steadying herself, she opened it to a smiling Goblin King. His eyes quickly roamed over her robed body. Sarah rolled her own eyes and gestured him in with a smirk. Jareth walked into the room and suddenly stopped as he took in the chaos.
"Have you been consorting with Agnes?" Jareth quipped.
"Who?" Sarah asked, absently. She began going through the mountain of dresses on her bed for the fourth time.
"My trash heap guardian," Jareth replied. He picked up a rather fancy gown and raised an eyebrow. Sarah shook her head and he dropped it back onto the pile.
"I think I met her," Sarah said, frowning once more at the mess before her.
"Precious, why does it look like your room threw up a ladies boutique?" Jareth asked.
"I don't have anything to wear," Sarah whined. She winced at the tone in her voice and gave an apologetic smile.
"What's really the matter?" Jareth asked, taking Sarah into his embrace. His warmth and spicy scent did much to begin calming her tattered nerves. The slow and steady beat of his heart was almost hypnotic.
"I'm really nervous about meeting your mother," Sarah confessed. "What if she doesn't like me?"
"Oh, Precious," Jareth sighed, pulling her even closer in the shelter of his arms. "She's going to love you."
"How do you know?" Sarah asked.
"Because, I love you," Jareth replied, giving her cheek a chaste kiss. "How could she not love you when she sees how happy you've made me?"
"Oh, Jareth," Sarah sighed in content.
Sarah lifted her head to look into her suitor's eyes. Seeing the truth reflected in them, she touched her lips to his. Her eyes fluttered closed as he deepened the kiss. Though passionate, it was almost reverent in its devotion. Jareth worshiped her with his mouth, letting her know just how much he loved her. Their hearts beat in unison as they became swept up in sensations the other created in them. Their tongues swirled together in an enchanted dance. A feeling of warmth spread throughout the couple, making them feel as if they might burst into flame.
"Sarah, are you ready yet?" asked a familiar voice. "Oh! Oops! Sorry, um, I'll wait for you out in the hall."
The couple pulled away, their breathing harsh. Sarah turned to see her roommate getting ready to flee the room. "I'll be ready in a moment Allie."
"Wear this one," Jareth suggested, taking a dress from one of the stacks.
Sarah hesitated for a moment before sheading her robe. Jareth's quick inhale was not lost on her as she took the dress from his hand. She pulled it over her corseted figure and turned her back on the Goblin King. Without a word, he began to tie the intricate lacing. When he had reached the top, he placed a tender kiss upon the bare skin at the base of her neck. Sarah sighed and reluctantly moved away from her beloved. Jareth followed as she led them out of the room to the still giggling Allie waiting for them in the hall. Fagan lifted an eyebrow to the pair.
"Shall we?" Jareth asked.
"Let's go," replied Fagan. He created a crystal, transporting the quartet to the beyond.
"I'm telling you, brother dear, that this plan is fool proof," Seirian insisted.
"I don't know," Liam replied. "I don't want to hurt her. What if she is sent back Above?"
Seirian rolled her eyes and shook her head. They'd been over all of this and it was becoming more than a little annoying. "She won't be. Uncle Raghnall loves her. Besides, you don't think mother will allow your beloved to be sent away. She'd fight her own brother to keep her here."
"Yeah, for Jareth," replied Liam bitterly. He still wasn't over the fact that his own mother had taken Jareth's side in all of this.
"You don't think the council would allow him to continue courting her after something like this, do you?" Seirian argued. "Hell, no! They'd remove his rights and then you'd be the sole suitor. Then you can console your bride-to-be until she forgets all about our cousin."
Liam smiled at the image that came to his mind at her words. It wouldn't be long before Jareth was a distant memory. He'd be sure to make it up to her, not that the loss was that great. It was only Jareth, after all. She'd see soon enough after her spot was quickly replaced by the Goblin King's next conquest. With Liam, she'd be treated as the Goddess she became in his eyes. She'd never want for anything and would never be unhappy. Liam vowed as such. Her delicate flower needed nurturing, not to be plucked and placed in a bouquet with other flowers of lessor beauty.
"How could this go wrong?" Sierian urged, seeing her brother's wavering begin to cease. "They'll never suspect you."
"I suppose," Liam replied, still not entirely convinced. Out of the pair, he was the much more conservative. In that way, he was like their mother. Sierian took after their father in her mischievous and impetuous ways. He could only hope that this plan worked as she had insisted that it would.
"Take a risk, brother," Sierian sighed impatiently. "Don't you think father had everything going against him when he decided to court mother? He took a risk and look how that turned out. Life isn't worth living if you don't risk everything to be happy. Look at Fallon and me! His father had him matched with another before he found out about us. Fallon had to risk his father's disapproval and possible rescinding of the crown. It wasn't until he saw how much we were in love that he finally gave his blessing."
"That's true," Liam conceded.
"Of course, it's true," Sierian cooed softly. Her hand on his back gave soothing caresses as she could feel his resolve disappear.
"You're right, as always, baby sister," Liam sighed, standing on the hard rocks. He stretched, looking into the water as the waves began to calm. Taking a deep breath, he felt stronger than he'd felt since this whole courting debacle started. "When shall we put our plan into motion?"
"There's no time like the present," Sierian replied. She stood taking in the sight before her, a wicked smile upon her face at the prospect of the plan ahead. Without another word, she took his hand in hers and the siblings disappeared back into civilization. The water continued to lap the rocks as it had for millennia, a silent witness to a devious plan.
Sarah opened her eyes to an ethereal wonderland. The Underworld put every painting of Heaven to shame. Billowy clouds formed the floor, which seemed never ending. Golden pillars littered the room, breaking it up and drawing the eye. A soft light gave a soothing glow to everything and calming music played from an unknown source.
Jareth tugged at her hand and pointed to one of the far pillars. A figure standing next to it was instantly recognizable to Sarah. With dark hair piled upon her head and sparkling blue eyes, Queen Riona looked just like her picture. A radiant smile lit up her face as she spotted them. Sarah could feel her heart begin to race as they made their way towards the queen. How could she ever hope to measure up to a woman like Riona? From what she had read, Riona was all elegance and beauty. Sarah felt like a young gangly girl in comparison.
"Mother!" Jareth cried when they got closer. He embraced his mother, lifting her off of the ground. Her bell-like laugh pealed out as she clasped her arms around her eldest son.
"Jareth!" she replied with equal fervor.
"Hello mother," laughed Fagan, amused by the antics of his sibling.
"Fagan!" Riona squealed. "Oh, this is a wonderful day. Both of my sons coming to visit at the same time is definitely worth celebrating."
"Father said that he will be along later today," Fagan replied. "He's at a treaty hearing and hopes to get away soon."
Riona looked from her sons to the women on their arms. "And who are these two beauties?"
"May I present Lady Sarah, "Jareth announced, placing his hand on the small of her back as he nudged her forward.
Sarah curtsied for the queen. "Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty."
"Pish posh," Riona scoffed, gesturing her to rise. "Please call me Riona."
"Thank you, Riona," Sarah replied. She felt relieved to see the kind smile from Jareth's mother.
"Sarah, Sarah," Riona said, thinking. Her finger tapped her lips. In that gesture, Sarah could see her suitor. "That name sounds quite familiar to me."
"She is the Labyrinth's Champion," Jareth replied.
"Oh, that Sarah," Riona giggled. "I'm glad to finally meet the woman who stole my Jareth's heart. When is the wedding?"
"Mother, give me time to ask her," Jareth laughed.
"Well, hurry up already," Riona insisted with a wink to show it to be in jest. "And who is this enchanting creature?"
"This is Lady Allison," Fagan replied.
"Nice to meet you," Allie stated with a smile.
"My boys are all grown up," Riona lamented. "That just means that I finally get to be a grandmother."
The five of them talked for over two hours. Sharing courting stories and news about the happenings in their respective worlds. Halfway through their conversation, Raghnall made an appearance. Sarah could see how very much he still loved his queen. It was fun to watch them as they bantered, each of them as stubborn as the other. Sarah hoped that she and Jareth would become as close as they seemed. When it was apparent that the two parents wanted to be alone, the two couples bid their goodbyes. Fagan took Allie to meet an old friend of the family's, while Jareth decided it was time for Sarah to meet the previous Goblin King.
"Jareth, my boy, how are you?" Arthfael greeted them as they approached.
"Well, Uncle and yourself?" Jareth replied, giving the proffered hand a shake. "Uncle Arthfael, this is my beloved, the Lady Sarah."
"Your beloved?" Arthfael asked, his face lit with happy surprise. "My, my. Would you look at that? Picked yourself out quite a beauty, didn't you, nephew. Lovely to meet you, my sweet."
Sarah blushed and accepted the embrace of Jareth's uncle. "It's nice to meet you."
"Sarah is my champion," Jareth explained.
Arthfael chucked gaily. "Just like your uncle. Nice to see the old girl's still finding pretty women to run."
Jareth was about to answer when a new voice joined the exchange. "Hello father." All three of them turned to see Liam approaching. Jareth frowned, while Sarah gasped into her hand.
"Liam," Arthfael said, with a smile. "How are you, son?"
"I'm fine," Liam replied. "I see you've met my Sarah."
"Your Sarah?" Arthfael asked, his brow furling in confusion.
"Liam and I are courting rivals," Jareth clarified. "I'm just a bit confused, cousin. Where have you been for the last month? You didn't even find it necessary to attend Sarah's Fae ceremony."
"We were getting worried," Sarah added.
"What's this?" Arthfael wondered aloud.
"My apologies," Liam said, smiling. "I guess I didn't realize that I would be missed. I had some business to attend to and it took much longer than I anticipated. I am truly sorry."
"I'm sure you have much to talk about," Jareth said after an uncomfortable silence. "We need to head back. You remember how much chaos Goblins can create in a few short hours."
"That I do," Arthfael replied. "Take care of yourself, nephew. It was a pleasure to meet you, milady." He placed a kiss upon the back of her hand.
"Good bye," Sarah said, blushing. "I'll see you later, Liam."
"Until we meet again," Liam gushed, also kissing her hand. Sarah cleared her throat nervously as Jareth led her away.
"What should we do?" Sarah asked. "I don't want to pretend to be interested in Liam. It isn't fair."
"Let us find Fagan and Allie," Jareth suggested. "We can talk about this over dinner." Sarah nodded her approval. Jareth and Sarah quickly found Fagan and Allie. The two couples transported to the Goblin Kingdom for dinner, drink, and discussion.
Talking quickly dissolved into merrymaking as the alcohol flowed. The party lasted until the wee hours of the morning as both couples let their hair down. Stephanie spent the evening amused by their antics. She put up her hands in surrender when they began to sing Goblin drinking songs…loudly…and completely off-key. As she left them to their drunken stupor, she decided to take a quick walk in the gardens before retiring. She wanted to relax a little after laughing so hard when Jareth began dancing on the table.
Rounding a corner, she quickly noticed something that didn't belong. On the path ahead of her stood the same auburn haired man of a few weeks ago. An annoyed frown quickly attached itself to her features. She remembered their heated discussion and wondered why he was standing, alone, in his cousin's garden. Perhaps he still hadn't taken the hint that Sarah was not interested in him. It was up to her to find out what was going on.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, pointedly. Her hands were on her hips as he jumped and whipped around.
"Oh, it's you," he sighed, relieved.
"Just what in the hell do you mean by that?" came her snappish reply.
Liam frowned at her language before placing his hands on his hips, becoming a mirror image of her. "Why should I answer to you?"
"Because, if you don't, I'll tell Jareth I found you sneaking around his garden." She replied, smirking.
"You wouldn't dare," he growled. His temper flared as he took in the sight of this defiant woman. He had to admit, she was rather beautiful. Not quite as exotic as Sarah, but she was lovely in her own right. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders in waves. Liam wondered what it would be like to touch it. Would it be soft and smell of flowers? He closed his eyes against the sensations that threatened to stir within him.
"Wouldn't I?" Stephanie challenged, stepping closer to him. Her eyes gave him a quick once-over. He wasn't a bad looking specimen of the male persuasion. His lack of common sense surrounding her cousin notwithstanding, he was actually pretty handsome.
Liam took in a deep breath and counted to ten. He wouldn't allow this snip of a girl to push his buttons. "I'm sorry."
"Come again?" Stephanie asked, blinking in confusion. "Did you just apologize?"
"I do believe that I did," Liam said with a smirk. After a moment's thought, he held his arm out for Stephanie to take. After a moment's hesitation, she took it.
"Seriously, what are you doing here?" Stephanie asked. "Did you come to spy on my cousin?"
"Your cousin?" Liam asked.
"Yeah," Stephanie affirmed. "Sarah's my cousin. She's the reason I'm here. When we were kids, she told me all about the Underground. I've always wanted to cross over."
"Really?" Liam asked in amazement. "You two do look very similar."
"People use to think we're sisters," Stephanie replied.
The pair slowly made their way further into the garden. Floral fragrances mingled and floated over the path. Breathing deeply, Stephanie allowed the heady scents to relax her. A lazy smile found its way upon her visage. Liam looked down at the younger girl and swallowed. He could feel his heart beat faster as he tried to commit her youthful beauty to his memory. Clearing his throat, he felt like a schoolboy again.
"How did you end up in my cousin's kingdom?" Liam asked.
"I actually wished myself away," Stephanie replied. She laughed at his expression of incredulity. "Life Above really wasn't that fun. I always felt out of step with the rest of the world. Here, it's different. I finally feel as if I belong. Does that make sense?"
"In fact, it does," Liam stated. He looked out at the flowers lining the path. "I, too, have felt out of step with the world. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to always find resolution."
"I'm sorry," Stephanie said. "You'll find your way. My dad always said that there was a right place and a right someone for everyone."
"You think so?" Liam asked. A weight, that he didn't know existed, fled from his soul.
"Sure," Stephanie said with a shrug. "Just take Sarah, for instance. She never felt right in the Above. Now, she's finally happy. Why do you want to be with Sarah so badly? She's in love with Jareth. Can't you let her be happy?"
"What about me?" Liam snapped, taking his arm back and turning away from Stephanie.
"I'm telling you," Stephanie cried. "Leave Sarah alone. She and Jareth are meant to be. Go find someone else to make you happy. You two aren't a good match. When it's right, you'll feel it. No one will come between you."
Liam opened his mouth for a retort before it snapped closed with an audible click. His face drained from angry red to a sickly pale. With a dejected sigh, his shoulders slumped. Stephanie, seeing the changes in her garden companion, wandered over to him. She tentatively placed her small hand on his back. Her soft caresses did much to sooth Liam's broken heart. This girl was right. Even his mother had told him the same. Why did it have to hurt so badly?
"You've given me much to think about," he managed. Placing his hand upon the stem of a nearby rose, he plucked it from its resting place and handed it to Stephanie. "My thanks to you. Perhaps I'll see you again sometime."
"Perhaps," Stephanie agreed, her cheeks tingeing pink at the gesture.
With a nod, Liam disappeared to think about what she had said to him. He was glad it wasn't too late to call off his sister's plan. Maybe he was chasing a dream. Could reality not be as wonderful as he had thought? If Sarah loved Jareth, he needed to step down. He didn't want to become second in her heart to his cousin. That would be worse than giving her up now. He smiled, relieved by this moment of clarity. Liam owed it all to the defiant, beautiful girl he'd met at his cousin's Kingdom. It wasn't until he'd already changed and slipped into bed that he realized he didn't even know her name.
The morning sun sent a shard of light across the face of Sarah, coaxing her to wake. Cuddling into her pillow, she fought against the pull of day. She breathed in deeply and sighed. Her pillow smelled just like Jareth. With a smile, she opened her eyes only to shut them again in an instant. No, it couldn't be. It must just be a remnant of the dream she'd been having. There was no way she was in the Goblin King's bed. Slowly, Sarah lifted one eyelid and gasped. Her other eye sprang open to fully take in the sight.
This wasn't the Fairy Kingdom and this definitely wasn't her bed. Panic began to set in as Sarah attempted to figure out what was happening to her. She tried to sit up, only to be hindered by a strange weight. Sarah's eyes trailed to her waist to see a hand resting on her stomach. A low groan escaped from her lips as she tried hard to figure out what happened. At the sound, the hand around her middle tightened. She turned her head, getting her first glimpse of her accidental bed partner.
Sarah would have giggled were it not for the situation. Locks of blond hair were scattered about the pillow in a tangled mess. It reminded her of a bird's nest. Jareth looked really innocent when he slept, like a small child. It was just another reminder that things were seldom as they seemed in the Labyrinth. Even through her confusion, she was compelled to watch him. Mesmerized by his otherworldly good looks, she reached out to trace a finger over his face. At her touch, his eyes opened followed by a lazy smile as they focused on Sarah.
"Good morning," he managed, yawning widely and stretching. The morning haze seemed to lift as his eyebrows disappeared into his hair.
"Not sure if that's what I'd call it," Sarah groused, remembering her circumstances.
"What the hell happened?" Jareth asked. Sarah could quickly see the confusion setting into her suitor. If anything, it made her feel nauseous. If Jareth didn't know how they got here, they were in big trouble.
"I think we're in deep kaka," Sarah groaned.
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