Toby was watching Sarah as she carefully placed the crown on her head … but he was also aware of Thiel standing just to his left, and beyond him, Della. As a matter of fact, he was exquisitely aware of Della, whenever she was in the same room with him, which had been most of the day. The way she moved and spoke and smiled was rapidly becoming ingrained in his artist's memory.

So he saw Sarah freeze, saw her eyes turn gold, but he also noticed Della tip her head back and take a sudden deep breath at the exact same instant. Doing so did really amazing things, with her dress' neckline cut like that, and he couldn't help turning his head to look.

Della's eyes – blue streaked with gray – had turned white-golden, and her expression looked stunned. The same look was on the face of the guy standing just past her, someone called the Duke of Summer, who in Toby's opinion talked too much. Thiel noticed it too, but he only glanced at them before looking past Toby at the rest of the crowd.

About half the people in the audience had … not quite gasped, but there was a noticeable inhale. And all of the ones who did were looking wide-eyed. Toby worried that something might be wrong, and looked to the dais where Sarah stood.

Jareth was moving toward her, without haste, but his royal mantle trailed iridescent sparks as he covered the space between them. Then he held out his hand, waiting, and of all of them, he was the only one who didn't look surprised.

Toby still wasn't sure, and was mentally preparing himself to jump up and grab Sarah's hand and run for it if anything was going wrong, and then he heard Della chuckle softly. "Umardelin is as impatient as Etaron," she murmured, and Thiel chuckled too.

Both of them plainly liked Sarah, and Thiel was as honest as a fae could be, so Toby finally relaxed, just watching to see what Sarah would do.

It all crashed into her at once, knowledge and power pouring into her as unstoppable as an avalanche. Umardelin, the Labyrinth, all of it. Stone maze and hedge maze, forest and bog, tunnels and city and castle. Sarah tried to catch her breath, blinded by her own kingdom. She knew, instantly, every square inch of her land as if it were mapped into her skin. No matter how the maze might change, she could never be lost now. She knew how the trees in the forest strove for the sun, and how the foulness of the bog served its own purpose, to purify the rest of the realm. She knew every room and stair in the castle as if she'd lived there all her life. She knew the goblins and the fireys and the trolls and the fairies and all the rest, felt them all living their lives in more or less harmony, knew that in general they were healthy and prospering.

She knew the hundreds of guests, could almost taste them standing in her throne room, gathering in respect and dawning interest. They were not of this realm, but they were allowed for this little while, and Umardelin tolerated them. For now.

Most of all, she felt Umardelin's fierce joy, wrapped around her and all but audibly singing Mine mine mine, my Queen, my Champion, my chosen. It nearly brought her to tears, to feel that love, and she returned it with all her might.

But that left her still blind and deaf, standing on a dais in front of an audience, and she was afraid for a moment she might stumble. Her vision began to clear, still tinged with golden power, and the first thing she saw was Jareth standing before her, offering his hand. "Be not afraid, Sarai," he murmured softly.

"Never," she replied, and took his hand.

Again the power welled up, this time circling around them both, gold and opal twining together. They were two voices soaring above the choir of Umardelin, and the three of them together – King, Queen, and kingdom – made a glorious harmony.

Jareth smiled. "To your throne, my Queen," he said, and Sarah walked with her hand in his for the few steps it took. She swept the mantle aside to sit down, and Jareth took his place beside her. Their audience had clearly noticed something happening when Umardelin claimed her, and most of the gathered royalty were looking at Sarah with more curiosity. She glanced toward Toby, who discretely offered her a thumb's-up, and at Thiel and Della who beamed at her. She smiled back at all of them. Last night's nervousness was gone; this was her true home, her true self, bearing this crown and seated upon this throne, with this king at her side and her kingdom surrounding her.

Now was the time for the various officials to present themselves and offer her their fealty. Sarah already knew most of them, accepting their bows and oaths with warmth and sincerity. Umardelin was not a large kingdom, despite its power, and there were no titled lords of outlying lands to contend with. The few such positions were more ceremonial than anything else.

At last, Jareth called out, "Stand forth, Sir Didymus." When the fox knight came to ringing attention before the throne, forty goblins arrived behind it, their armor gleaming. Jareth nodded to Sir Didymus, and proclaimed, "As of this day, we name you Captain of the Queensguard, with all duties and rights said position entails." As he spoke, a pair of flower fairies arriving bearing new epaulets for the knight that proclaimed his rank, and another feather for his cap.

"Most gracious, your majesties," Didymus replied, making a sweeping bow. Sarah grinned at him as he called his guards to attention and marched them out.

Jareth looked ready to dismiss them all for the feast, but Sarah had other ideas. "I have an appointment to make, as well, my king," she told him, and Jareth arched his brows at her curiously. "Prince Hoggle, stand forth."

At that name, Jareth's eyes narrowed a little, and the dwarf himself stumped forward scowling at the title. Sarah only smirked. "My oldest and dearest friend, it is my fault that you were saddled with the burden of your title – and my will that you be relieved of it. No longer will you be Prince of the Bog. From this day forth, I return you to your post of Royal Gardener, and name you Lord of the Queen's Garden." She looked over at Jareth then, making her point clear; Hoggle answered to her now.

He inclined his head slightly, acknowledging her, and Hoggle gave an embarrassed bow before escaping all the attention. "If my lady queen has no further surprises in store," Jareth said with a little smile, "we may all proceed to the royal ballroom. Refreshment is available for all, and there will be music to accompany our dancing in celebration of our queen."

General assent greeted that, and Jareth rose with Sarah at his side. The pair of them needed a moment to divest themselves of their regalia, the gorgeous mantles and crowns not being conducive to dancing. Neither was her coronation gown, grand as it was, and as she placed her crown reverently on the velvet pillow, she asked Jareth, "So what's your big secret plan for the second dress?"

He'd been even more cagey about that than the coronation gown, insisting that Sarah leave it up to him, and she finally thrown up her hands and let him have his way. Even now, as he smoothed his hair after removing his crown, he only smirked at her. "What second dress?"

"Jareth, gorgeous as this is, I can't get close enough to you to dance it. We talking about this and you were impossible about it, remember?" she replied, rolling her eyes. She placed a much lighter and simpler silver tiara set with opals atop her impeccably-dressed hair; the royal crown was only for very formal occasions.

"This is Umardelin, precious. Nothing here is what it seems. Only have patience, and trust in me." With that, Jareth drew her close and kissed her. "I love you, Sarah Williams. Even when you steal my gardener out from beneath my very nose."

Sarah had to grin; he had to have known she had been planning that since the first of the coronation plans had been in place. To be able to do it thus, with no way for him to gainsay his new queen was icing on the cake. With a little chuckle, she nipped at his chin for that. "You made him Prince of the Land of Stench, you ass. I had to fix it."

Jareth kissed her brow. "Technically, Sarai, you made him a prince by kissing him. I did warn him, and as fae, I must break my word."

Ah, so he finally would admit it, though on a technicality. "You really could be a grand-standing, jealous bastard," she sighed, standing within the circle of his arms a moment longer. Her expression was gently chiding. "Admit it, you were just mad I liked him and not you. Not that you had been giving me good reasons to, at that point."

"Of course I was," he replied. "Who could see you and not desire you, Sarah? Even more so, once I came to know you. And at last my plans have borne fruit, you've accepted my kingdom and your crown to rule at my side."

The man did have a point, though he had steadfastly not pointed out that it had been her own choice to do all of that. Some things never changed. In the end, she let him have his victory. It wasn't like they came easily for him these days, she thought with an impish grin. "Yeah, you're lucky and you know it," Sarah teased, running her thumb gently up his cheekbone.

To her surprise, there was no sarcastic reply, only an embrace and another kiss. "Come. You've fascinated most of the fae realms today. You must face your public now."