The sacrifice
The fairies huddled in a corner of the courtyard. Seeing the Goblin King without the shelter of the Fairy Queen's protection was terrifying. One, braver than her sisters, watched as Jareth stalked around the restored fountain, a crystal flashing between his fingers.
A faint rustle called his attention. The Goblin King stared into a sun-lit doorway. Feathers gave way to sunset-kissed white satin as Sarah emerged.
"Give me the child," she said, anger cooling her words.
"No, my queen, he is mine," Jareth said. "You know what must be done, but do you have the steel to do it?"
He bounced the crystal off his palm and it burst. Tobias appeared, bound to the fountain. Sarah started toward her brother, but Jareth drew between them, the dagger twirling in his hand.
"It will be more powerful if you do it," Jareth told her, drawing so close that she could feel the cold of the iron on her bare skin. So close that she could feel the iron's drain on the Goblin King's power, even through the leather of his gloves.
"There must be some other way," she said, looking desperately to Jareth, not letting herself look at Tobias.
"Perhaps there was, but no longer, Sarah," he said, backing her away from the fountain. "Now, blood is the only way."
She stared into his eyes. "We must restore our lands," she whispered.
Jareth pressed the dagger into her hand. She winced at the feel of the cold iron. But she could bear it, as a mortal.
Sarah felt the Goblin King's hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward the bound figure of her brother. His eyes were glazed and his figure slumped.
"He will know nothing," Jareth assured her. "He will feel nothing. He would want you to do this. I have schooled him well in responsibility."
"Responsibility," she echoed dully.
"Strike now," he urged. "For Faery."
Sarah raised the dagger. "For Faery," she cried and brought the blade down.
Jareth staggered back as Sarah fell against him, the blade in her breast. He grasped her and let her down to the ground slowly.
Sarah moaned. Jareth pulled the dagger from the wound, staring at the awful wound. Blood oozed down the white satin to pool on the ground. He tossed the knife away and clutched at her, tears rising in his eyes as they had not in eons. He lowered his face to hers to kiss her, feeling her already start to cool.
He had been kneeling for an eternity, it seemed, when the chittering of fairies caught his attention. He raised his head, a rebuke on his lips, when green met his eyes. Grasses grew across the courtyard, trees spread stately, fruit and flowers blossoming on their branches. Water now leapt from the fountain. He could smell blossoms on the cool breeze.
"Night is falling."
Jareth turned to see Tobias looking at the horizon.
"There has not been night in Faery since the time before," Tobias recited.
"She brought it," Jareth said, looking back to where Sarah lay. She was gone.
"Where did she go?" Tobias asked frantically, seeing the spot empty. "What did you do with her? Why was she dead?"
Jareth shook his head.
"She is not dead. She cannot be dead. She is the Fairy Queen."
"But the knife. You told me cold iron will kill a fairy," Tobias demanded.
"It will," Jareth said. "But she was no fairy. She was as mortal as you, though she had the blood of fairy in her."
"As Tobias did not," Sarah's voice carried into the courtyard.