Chapter 5

Jareth walked down the hall, grinning to himself. Everything was running smoothly with Leanna, and Sarah seemed to understand the importance of what was going on. He was sure JJ had explained everything, or almost everything, to her. And even though Jareth still didn't think it was good idea to think about him, he thought it was good that she was at least willing to let him teach Leanna what she needed to be taught. He just hoped it wouldn't take as long as a few years.

Jareth was very proud of his daughter. She had learned in one week what had taken him and JJ months to learn. JJ wasn't born in to his magic, as he and Leanna had been; it had been a gift from a wizard. Jareth could understand that. But Jareth was born into his magic and he'd had a certified teacher. JJ wasn't certified yet, though when he finished his training in three years and became Jareth's archmage, he would be.

Jareth still didn't understand why he needed an archmage. He could do magic perfectly well on his own, better than JJ. But it seemed he was the only king in the Underground that didn't have an archmage. Apparently, he also needed a King's Champion, but that would have to wait a little longer. It was hard to find someone in his kingdom with that kind of ability, at least compared to other kingdoms' Champions, since they were all tall and strong and swift and good with almost any kind of weapon. Nearly all of Jareth's subject were under four feet tall and could barely handle anything bigger than a small axe or knife.

Jareth shook his head and continued down the hall to the doors of his castle; hopefully, some fresh air would clear his mind.

As soon as Jareth opened the doors, though, the clanging of metal met his ears. There in the courtyard was Leanna, a sword in her hand, surrounded by several young men. At first, he thought she was in trouble, and was going to run and help her. Then, he saw the crooked grin on her face, and her companions.

"All right, then. Who's next?", she asked a little arrogantly; she was picking up some of Jareth's bad habits, it seemed.

"I am.", said one of the men, stepping forward, a sword in his hand.

Leanna nodded still grinning, and the two began circling each other. The man suddenly lashed out, but Leanna knocked the sword away easily. She took a strike of her own, but instead of just lashing out wildly, she swiftly slashed at the man's stomach. The man went to block it, but Leanna changed course and went for his head. The man's eyes widened and he had just enough time to duck away. Leanna's grin just widened as she blocked a swipe to her stomach. She swung her sword at his chest with a lot of force behind the sword, but the man blocked it, confusion on his face. The two were now hilt-to-hilt. Jareth wondered what Leanna could possibly be up to.

Leanna grimaced as the man pushed against her sword, forcing her to bend backwards. Jareth was actually a little disappointed; it was hard to get out of a position like that.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Leanna dug the pommel into the man's groin, hoisted him up and over her head using the sword and herself as leverage, and slammed him to the ground. The sword flew out of his hand, and Leanna put the point of her sword against the man's throat.

"Dead.", she said, grinning.

"Damn, Princess. Where'd you learn that?", the man asked.

"Life in the Aboveground is hard as hell. You pick up a few things."

"Well done!", Jareth shouted suddenly, clapping, "Nasty little trick, but it got the job done, didn't it? I know very few women who could pull that off by themselves."

Leanna helped the man up, then turned around to face Jareth, grinning. "My mother did something like it once. Guy tried to snatch her purse. Took her umbrella and, WHAM!! Guy couldn't even walk afterwards." She laughed, and Jareth joined in.

"Did your mother teach you how to fight as well as she taught you those tricks?", Jareth asked.

"No.", Leanna answered. "My uncle is a champion fencer in the junior league, and so am I. Our team came in first place last year in the national tournament."

"Your uncle, you say. You mean Sarah's brother, Toby?"

"Well, it's not your brother, is it?"

"No, I suppose not." Jareth had a sudden thought. He looked at the sword Leanna had dropped on the ground and said, "Pick up your sword."

"What?" Leanna was looking at him like he was nuts.

"Pick up your sword." Jareth conjured a crystal and threw it up in the air. When he caught it again, it was a sword. "I want to duel with you, see what you really know."

Leanna shrugged. "Whatever."

"Oh, I hate that word!", Jareth muttered. Leanna just rolled her eyes and picked up her sword. While Jareth took a stance, bending his knees slightly, Leanna stood straight and still, her sword held loose in her right hand. Some of the men from before and a few goblins had gathered around. Even JJ was watching from the open doorway of the castle.

Jareth knew it was bad to be the first to strike, but Leanna obviously also knew that. Being as stubborn as she was, and being her mother's daughter, Jareth knew she wouldn't be the first one. She'd wait all day if need be. So Jareth sliced at her arm. Leanna looked slightly surprised by the mild move, but blocked it quite easily. In his head, Jareth chuckled. An opponent could be easily overcome even by a wound on one of the less vital areas of the body. Jareth knew this from years of experience; Leanna, obviously, did not.

Leanna blocked his next strike to her shoulder and answered with a thrust of her own, this time to his stomach. It was fast and swift for a thrust; thrusts were usually slower than swipes. But Jareth still knocked it away, carrying the momentum of his block and cutting her slightly on the top of her right hand. Leanna didn't even seem to acknowledge the cut. She swiped at his chest. Jareth almost lost, being a little slow to dodge, but he was able to jump away just in time. The sword swiped his clothes, nothing more.

Leanna made her vital mistake when she tried to make a fake. The wound on her hand had been bleeding and was making the sword slippery. When she went for his side, then switched directiones quickly and went for his head, the sword slipped out of her hand. Leanna stared at it in shock as it clattered to the ground, then stared at Jareth's sword as Jareth pointed it at her chest.

Then men and goblins around them clapped and cheered. JJ came running towards them, paying no attention to anyone but Leanna, whose injured hand he took in his own. He muttered a few words and the wound healed. Leanna smiled at him.

"Thanks, JJ. I haven't gotten to healing yet, so thanks.", she told him.

"Well, healing is one of the most complicated spells.", JJ told her, "In order to heal someone, you have to give them some of yourself, some of your energy. It's very dangerous for magicians who are just starting out to do that spell."

"Well, then it's a good thing I've got you around." Leanna grinned. So did JJ. Jareth saw the look that passed between them, although they themselves probably didn't notice it. Jareth smiled to himself.

This is turning out to be better than I planned, Jareth thought to himself, I'm just glad the boy is falling in love with my daughter. No qualms from him about teaching Leanna, powerful heirs, and, most important, two of the three people that I care about most in the worlds will be happy. Jareth sighed. He just hoped the other person that he cared about most was happy, even if it wasn't with Jareth.

Jareth put his grinning face back on. "You fight very well... for a girl."

"Oh, come on, that was pretty good for Rambo.", JJ said.

"JJ, Rambo didn't use swords very often.", Leanna told him, chuckling.

"Who's Rambo?", Jareth asked.

"Never mind.", JJ said, shaking his head.

"Anyway, Leanna. If you let me, I will teach you how to hone your skills, teach you to fight better, and not just with a sword."

"I'm pretty good with a bow and arrow.", Leanna told him, "My mom has a cousin who likes hunting the old fashion way, and he taught me. I'm not the best, but I'm not near as bad as Uncle Toby is. He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn five feet in front of him that had 'Hit me' painted on it."

"Anybody can hit that.", JJ told her.

"You've never seen my Uncle Toby try to use a bow and arrow."

"You've never seen my mother with a beater. Stuff goes all over the place-"

"JJ, what's a beater got to do with a bow and arrow?"

JJ was silent for a moment. "Maybe I didn't think that one through all of the way."

"Airhead-"

"Enough!", Jareth shouted, getting irritated, "Damn, you two bicker like an old married couple." Jareth heard the irony of his words and saw the two blush furiously, and he grinned. "Then again, who knows? One day, you might become an old married couple, and give me lots of grandchildren, eh?"

"Dad, you're disgusting.", Leanna said, wrinkling her nose, then gasped and put a hand over her mouth. Both Jareth and JJ looked at her in surprise.

"What-what did you call me?", Jareth asked, "Did- did you call me... Dad?"

"I-", Leanna started, then bolted back into the castle.

"Well...", JJ started, "I think she's getting used to you."

"Yeah, but I don't think she likes it.", Jareth answered.

"No, it's just she thinks you raped her mother and that's why she thinks it's wrong to call you 'Dad'."

"You're very shrewd, aren't you?"

JJ shrugged. "If that's what it takes to get you to tell your daughter and Sarah what actually happened... so be it."

"Sometimes I just want to strangle you."

JJ thought back to yesterday, when Leanna had said the exact same thing. "So I've been told.", he replied, and started walking back towards the castle.

Jareth picked up his sword, turned it back into a crystal, vanished the crystal, and started to follow his future archmage, grumbling, "Kids."

Tomorrow would make a week that Jareth had taken Leanna, and Sarah and Toby were already preparing a sack for Sarah of the things she may need when Toby wished her to the Underground.

"Sarah, you sure you wanna do this?", Toby asked.

"Yes. I'm afraid I have to. If just to check on Leanna and know that I can see her every once in a while to see how she's doing. I just... have to."

"Well, I could do all that."

"Yes, and try to kill Jareth in the process."

Toby shrugged. "Fair enough. But remember: If it turns out the bastard really does love you and you end up loving him back, you don't have to come back. Just come back long enough to let me know. And bring him and Leanna with you. I want to see 'em both before you go stay with them for the next few hundred years."

"Even though that isn't very likely, "Sarah started, knowing very well that it could happen, "I promise, if it does, I'll do all of that."

That night, Sarah had trouble sleeping. Toby was snoring, and she didn't worry about him... much. Suddenly, a crystal ball rolled itself into the sitting room and floated up to lay next to her face. As Sarah stared at it, she started feeling drowsy and her eyelids started drooping. Just as she started seeing things in the crystal, she finally fell asleep.

Okay, so it won't be the next chapter, but the next chapter after that one, there are some romantic... things. Sarah/Jareth, some Leanna/JJ. Tell me some of you didn't think those two were going to end up together. Anyway, next chapter, Father-Daughter moment, one that doesn't end sadly. I know because... Well, I've already wrote it, although it may not be 'till tomorrow that I get it up, since I have to write it over on the computer (I write my stuff on paper first).

Hey, I'm eating rock candy, listening to "As the World Falls Down" on Repeat, and writing fan fics... life just doesn't get much better than this.