A/N: Let's keep moving... the end is in sight!

HAUNTED

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Sarah was getting sick being dragged through the twisted, gravity defying stairways of the castle. She couldn't imagine doing this even once more, let alone every day for the rest of her life. She could scarcely breathe in that ridiculous corset, and it didn't help that she kept finding herself upside down and sideways. Or was she always right side up, and just changing perspective? She was fighting the urge to throw up, when suddenly she found herself seeing straight again. She had just been led through an archway, and was now in a cavernous dining room.

The table in the center of it all was huge, and laiden with candles and silver trays. Swimp released her grip on her hand, and she stepped foreward. The Goblin King moved out of the shadows, and stood before her, looking smug as always. He was clad entirely in black, from his shiny high heeled boots, to his tight leather pants, to the black silk shirt, open at the chest. She looked away from him, focusing on the two place settings at the head of the table.

He frowned slightly, and reached for her cheek. She winced instinctively, but he brushed it gently. "Sarah, you look beautiful, love. The vision of innocence and beauty."

She said nothing, but turned to look for Swimp. The little goblin maid had vanished. She felt his gloved fingers take her chin, and turn her head to meet his. She gazed up at him, who was very blatantly looking her up and down. She hated his wandering eyes, it made her feel dirty. He was speaking to her again, "I have a gift for you sweet. Close your eyes, and hold out your left hand. Confused, she complied, and felt him slide something on her finger, her ring finger. Realization flooded her mind, and she opened her eyes. Sure enough, there was an elaborate diamond ring of her finger. He chuckled at the horrified look on her face, and leaned forward to place a kiss on her cheek. She tried to pull the ring off, but he slapped her hand down. "Naughty, naughty, little one," he said, grabbing hold of her sore hand, and pulling her to him. "You never did give me that kiss yesterday, Sarah." She sucked her lips in as he moved closer. He frowned, and led her to the table.

He pulled out a chair, and gently forced her to sit. He leaned very far over her as he pushed her in, and lingered there for a time before sitting himself down at the head of the table. He took her small hand in his again, and toyed with the ring he had given her.

"You aren't even going to ask me to marry you?" she said coldly. He smiled at her patiently.

"I see no need to ask, when I know full well what your answer would be. I've heard your rejections before Sarah, I don't want to hear it again."

"Why do you want to marry someone who doesn't want to marry you?" she asked, staring at him, eyes wide. He smiled and shook his head.

"You're fifteen, Sarah. You have yet to realize what you really want," he said, releasing her hand, and waving at the trays. The lids disappeared, and he started piling his plate with food. She looked at the dishes, not recognizing anything. He cast a glance at her, and seeing her confusion, he filled her plate for her. "Eat, Sarah."

She scowled, but lifted her fork and took a bite. Once she had swallowed, she gave in to her hunger and tucked in. He looked satisfied, and the two ate in silence for a bit. Once she slowed down a bit, Jareth set down his fork, and looked to her, his face serious.

"Now, about our wedding, darling. I've taken care of everything, so no need to fret your pretty little head about the details. The dressmaker will be here in a weeks time, and the wedding itself will take place on the eve of the equinox. A day that has very special meaning to you, sweet. It's also your sixteenth birthday."

The color left her face, and she whipped her head around to stare at her mad captor. "I have to spend the day I've been looking forward to for fifteen years getting... ball and chained to you? I don't think so!"

"Pretty, do you really think of our union that way? It isn't going to be so bad, I'm going to take very good care of you," he said, taking a sip of his wine. He frowned at her glass. "Sarah, you're not drinking."

"I'm fifteen, remember? I'm not allowed."

"You are now. Try it, you'll like it," he said. She stared at the red liquid in her glass, debating about whether or not to obey.

"Dear Sarah, I've said before, you belong to me, but I also belong to you. Anything you want, I'll be glad to give it to you, if it will only make you happy to be with me." She continued to stare at the fizzing liquid before her. He seized her hand once more, and looked at her, eyes pleading. "Take me Sarah. I'm yours to command."

She still refused to look at him, focusing on the wine glass. She had seen her parents drink the stuff before, but something about it seemed... off. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it kept her from taking a drink. Jareth saw where her attention was turned. He could practically hear the gears ticking away in that intelligent little head of hers. Desprate to draw her attention away, he decided to present her with and idea he had been debating the wiseness of.

"Sarah, I'd like to make you a deal. If you promise to do as your told for the next few months, and go along with all the wedding plans, I'll allow you to have a few guests. That dwarf, maybe. And Sir Didymus, and that... beast thing." He could see that he wasn't making any impression, and decided that the time had come for drastic measures. He had to draw her attention, before she began to suspect. "Or perhaps... your mother."

That got her attention. Her head shot up, her wide eyes staring at him. His smile was back, but she paid no attention. "My mother? But... how?"

"Oh, your mother and I are old friends, I'm sure that she would be only too happy to witness our union. Perhaps you remember me, five years ago, a music box... a rainy day, your mother driving away in a black limousine?" Her eyes got even bigger, and he saw comprehension dawn in her eyes.

She remembered only too well, but she remembered the red haired actor, Jeremy King, the man who had given her the music box she had once treasured so. Her mother's boyfriend, the man who had taken her away from a family who needed her... she remembered the last time she had seen her mother, the day she had climbed into Jeremy's car, the smirk and wink he had given her as he glanced up at the teary eyed little girl watching from the living room window...

"You... you're him! You're the one who took my mother away! You're the reason for all the misery in my life!"

"Oh, Sarah, no need to be so dramatic. I was thinking of you, love, only of you. I know you don't see it now, but all this time, I've only done what's best for you. I taught you the unpleasantness of human life at a young age, I saved your life on several occasions, and I taught you a much needed lesson in humility. I'll take care of you, Sarah. I always have, and I always will. Just trust in me, lovey, and the world will be yours."

She stared at him in disbelief. He had torn her family apart, and now had the nerve to say that he was only acting on her behalf? "When exactly have you saved my life?" she demanded, all the while cursing herself. All the terrible things she wanted to say, and that's what she went with?

"When you were eleven, and you fell out of that tree? You should have fallen to your death, but you didn't. You landed on your feet, light as a feather. When you were thirteen, and you very foolishly ran into that busy street. Didn't it strike you as odd that you moved just before that accident? You would have been killed if that car had hit you! I've done so much for you, Sarah, and I ask for very little in return. You should be kneeled at my feet, begging to be my servant! I'm being very generous marrying you, Sarah. Remember that." He raised his glass, and took a long swig of wine. She noticed something different about his glass: his wine wasn't fizzing. She felt sick. Would he try to poison her again? Or was she being too parinoid?

He glanced over at her, and misenterpreted her horrified look. "Sarah, please don't look at me like that. It's not so terrible," he said, patting her hand. She flinched, and pulled away. He met her stare, and saw that she was once again staring at her wine glass. "Sarah, you're not drinking!" he said with fake smile.

She hesitated, then lifted her glass slowly to her lips. She saw his eyes light up with an insane gleam, and a triumphant smile cross his lips. Her stomach felt like lead. She didn't think as she reacted, her hand simply moved of it's own accord. She threw the contents of her glass in his smug face. He coughed and sputtered as he tried to wipe it away. Sarah felt a twinge of fear, and ran. She didn't know exactly where she was running, but she knew that she had to get away.

She ran through a door, and found herself once again in their bedchambers. She ran into her room, and slammed the door shut. She wished she had some way to lock it. She looked over at her vanity, and decided to use it to barricade the door. She pushed and shoved the heavy piece of furniture towards the door, but to her horror, the door flew open.

The Goblin King was glaring at her, shaking with fury. She gasped and backed away from him. He advanced on her, unbuttoning his shirt. He had tried being nice, tried reasoning with her, but she had disrespected his authority yet again.

Now she would learn her place...

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A/N: Not far left to go. Four or five chapters I'd say.

WARNING! The next chapter and the second to the last chapter contain some pretty graphic material. I won't say exactly what, but let's just say that you are about to see a very dark side to every body's favorite Goblin King.