I took a bit of creative license in this chapter. A bit of my take on everyone's favorite goblin king. Hope everyone enjoys :)

Sarah just stared at Hoggle. She had expected gold, or jewels, a crown even. Anything common. But what Hoggle announced had her speechless. Even in the Labyrinth she couldn't imagine any physical item that would contain magic. She looked between Hoggle and the cabinet, at if the answer would be explained somewhere in those glances. Finally she managed to form words. "But, how?"

Hoggle snorted. "How? How? Is that all you know how to say? I'm not a wizard. How did we summon the Labyrinth? How did you wish Toby away?" Hoggle folded his arms, as much as his body would allow and all but glared at Sarah. "It's magic. It just works. I don't know how. And I don't know why. It just does."

Sarah nodded, not entirely thrilled with the explanation. But she resigned herself to the fact that it would be the only one she got. She tried to understand but the more she thought about everything the less it made any sense to her. She finally gave up trying to rationally explain how magic happened. Instead she looked at the cabinet again. She may not understand magic, but maybe inside was all the magic she needed to save Toby. Sarah had to know. She glanced at Hoggle, who was frowning, and smiled. She knew the little dwarf was watching her every move. And that he would do all he could to protect the cabinet with its mysterious contents, and the Labyrinth, from anything. Even her.

"I'm sorry Hoggle, but I have to have answers." Sarah held Hoggle's gaze while she reached toward the cabinet. Keeping the dwarf's attention off the cabinet Sarah grabbed the delicate handle of one of the doors as she spoke. She saw Hoggle look to the cabinet, as realization dawned on his features, but he was too late. Sarah had pulled the door open.

"What have you done?" The fear in Hoggle's eyes was unmistakeable.

Sarah turned. She hadn't known what to expect. But what she saw surprised even her. Inside the cabinet were several shelves, all blanketed in a rich soft velvet. And nestled in that velvet were countless crystals. Each one seemed to shimmer with a light of its own. Sarah gently reached inside and scooped up one of the crystals. It was tiny, no bigger than a small raindrop in her palm. Heedless of Hoggle's protests she pulled the crystal from the cabinet.

As Sarah extracted the crystal sphere from the cabinet it seemed to grow in her palm. It looked much the same as the crystals she had seen Jareth holding. It was light in her hand, almost as if she was holding a feather, but the cool feel of the almost glass like surface affirmed the fact that she was holding it. Even in the dim light of the throne room the crystal seemed to sparkle. The play of light over the smooth form intrigued Sarah. She peered closer, amazed at the flecks of pink and gold she saw. Vaguely she wondered if the crystal was an opal or diamond. Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized that Hoggle was speaking, but she was too entranced by the ball sitting in her palm to know what he was saying.

Sarah held the crystal up in front of her face, just inches from her nose. She studied the color, lost in the shimmers of light. As she watched she realized that a picture was forming in the sphere. Sarah gasped silently and gazed intently into the crystal. Inside, she saw a little boy in a large garden. The boy ran through the grass, blonde hair bouncing with his movements. She could see a woman, obviously fae, watching over the boy. The woman wore a regal gown, but seemed heedless of the worth of it as she chased the boy around the garden. Sarah thought that the boy had to be the woman's son. With a smile she watched the woman catch the child, both laughing as she tossed him gently into the air before holding him close.

"Didn't anyone teach you manners?"

Sarah nearly jumped at the harsh voice behind her. The crystal went dark in her hands and she closed her fingers around it as she raised her eyes to meet those of the man behind her. She knew from his voice that Jareth was angry. But she refused to be intimidated. Instead she forced a cool calm she didn't feel into her voice. "Didn't anyone teach you that it isn't polite to keep your company waiting?"

"I tried to stop her Your Majesty. But she wouldn't listen to me. She tricked-"

Jareth turned his attention to Hoggle briefly. "Shut up. I'll sink you in the Bog of Eternal Stench, Hogwart."

"It's Hoggle."

Jareth paid no heed to the dwarf. He had returned his attentions to Sarah. "What do you want Sarah?"

Sarah raised her chin. "As if you didn't know. I came to restore the magic of the Labyrinth and save my brother."

Jareth rolled his eyes. "How cliché. Didn't we have this conversation before? I would have thought you'd have learned then."

"Learned what?"

"It won't be so easy this time Sarah. You won't have my generosity to help you. This will be nothing like your last visit here."

Sarah glared at Jareth. She noticed that Hoggle had scurried off to hide somewhere and silently wished she had someone at her side to back her. Instead she sniffed. "Generosity? When were you ever generous to me? You tricked me, misled me, you did everything you could to stop me. How is that generous?"

"You still don't understand do you? You still can't see. And so the Labyrinth will fall at your hand."

Sarah opened her mouth to protest, but before she could utter a word Jareth stood over her, his hand grasping her wrist. She hadn't noticed his approach, and it took her by surprise. In one motion he pulled her to her feet. His grip was firm on her arm, turning her hand until she dropped the crystal she had been holding into his open palm. Once he held the crystal he released her as if her touch burned him. His face was twisted in an angry scowl, a look she could never remember seeing on his features. Sarah fought the urge to shrink away from him.

Jareth turned from Sarah, cradling the crystal in his palm. Gently, almost as if he held a treasure in his hands, he bent and replaced the crystal to the place Sarah had pulled it from. Sarah watched silently, wondering if she dared to mention what she saw. When Jareth turned his face was a mask of indifference. But Sarah thought she had glimpsed pain in his eyes. But what had caused it? Sarah couldn't imagine one of his crystals being so precious that he should be hurt by it.

"Go, Sarah, go back to your world. Go back to your world of innocent naivety. Go back to your life without magic, without the Labyrinth. Go back and forget about all you have seen here." Jareth walked away from Sarah. He had dismissed her as quickly as he had acknowledged her appearance.

Sarah bristled. "No."

Jareth stopped but didn't speak. He glanced back at Sarah, raising an eyebrow. Sarah swallowed, but she squared her shoulders, ready to face whatever he had to say. Jareth made no move to face her. His gaze was cold, unreadable, but still he didn't speak. Sarah held her ground as the silence stretched between them. She knew that she couldn't leave. Not without saving her brother.

"I can't." Sarah finally broke the silence. "I saved Toby once, and no matter what I face I will do it again. With or without your 'generosity'. It makes no difference to me."

Jareth's smile was more of a cruel smirk. It chilled Sarah to the bone. She thought of the time, when Toby had been a baby, that she had seen that smirk. And she recalled his words. He could be cruel, of that she had no doubt. But she also knew that there was more there. Sarah pushed her thoughts of the past out of her mind and met Jareth's gaze.

Jareth turned away. Sarah expected him to leave. But he stood there, still as any statue. Sarah waited. There was little else she could do. Frustration gnawed at her but she stomped it down as she watched Jareth. She had realized long ago that Jareth was a proud being, who would not be rushed. And she knew she could never force him to do what she wanted, no matter what he said. Finally he turned back to her, the practiced air of aloofness wavering slightly. "You can't save Toby, or the Labyrinth, until you save yourself."

"Save myself? What would I have to save myself from?"

"From yourself."

"You can't be serious."

Jareth sighed but didn't answer. Suddenly he seemed tired. Sarah looked at him, and for the first time noticed just how tired he was. His eyes, once so sharp and probing seemed dull and bleak. His skin seemed sallow, as if he was ill. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

Sarah bit her lip, regretting her last remark. "Tell me what I have to do."

Jareth searched Sarah's gaze. But Sarah refused to let her doubt show. "Very well then." Jareth rose without another word, leaving Sarah with no option but to follow him. She only hoped that she hadn't made a mistake.