Disclaimer: The Labyrinth and its characters do not belong to me, and I make no profit (other than my own entertainment) from this story.

A/N: Thank you for the lovely reviews on the last chapter! That truly made my day. I admit to being a bit self-concious, especially when I read such amazing stories by others. I know I write first for myself, but it is encouraging to hear others enjoy it too. This chapter brings the truth of what Jareth has been hinting at all along. Also, Sarah is forced to realize there may be more than meets the eye. Remember, this is a slow-burn story, but I hope that allows us to really feel what the characters are feeling, as well as develop the world of the Underground.

Chapter 6

The Divination of Character

Sarah's POV

"Lady Sarah, I presume?" A soft voice called from behind my shoulder. I turned warily – one could only hazard a guess as to who or what might be lurking around this place– and came face to face with the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. She was tall and willowy, like him, with hair the color of sun-kissed hay cascading in straight, shiny rivers well past her shoulders. Her eyes were orbs of drowning black rimmed slightly in a blue that made me think of the Caribbean, but despite their intensity, pure goodness radiated from them. Her features were fine and angular, and she had the same dusting of glitter across her lids as he did. Clearly, whatever he was, she was one too.

"I am Aetia. His Majesty told me to be on the lookout for you," she smiled tenderly. While it was very welcoming, and I instantly wanted to trust her, a sudden surge of jealousy flared through me so acutely that I had to force myself not to run into the throne room and...yeah, I was so not going to finish that thought. But, who exactly was she, and what exactly was her relationship to His Majesty?

"Did he?" I managed to speak in a rather clipped tone.

A hidden understanding seemed to dawn in her eyes. Her smile brightened, which certainly did not win her any points with me, before she spoke again; "Forgive me for not introducing myself properly. I am His Majesty's housekeeper. As he has no queen, yet, I manage the affairs of the castle."

Housekeeper. Oh.

I softened immediately, while mentally berating myself for my presumptions. Though, I supposed I should've been wondering about my own irrational reactions. I mean, what did I care if he did have a girlfriend or whatever? It shouldn't have mattered even if she had introduced herself as the Goblin Queen!

I did not want to dwell upon the fact that it did matter, and that I got a smug sense of satisfaction from the knowledge that Jareth was still flying solo.

She tilted her head to the side minutely and studied me carefully. I realized I had yet to really say anything, and was in fact still leaning quite breathlessly against the wall outside the throne room. Her eyes drifted past me to the open door, where the happy ruckus could still be heard, before she smiled again. "You must be exhausted. I'm sure His Majesty would want you to rest and replenish your spirit before your evening meal together. If you care to follow me, I can show you to your chamber?" She left it as a question. I realized I had two options: follow this obscenely beautiful, kind stranger, or go back and deal with a side of the Goblin King I didn't really want to recognize for the new heaps of confusion it brought.

I chose door number one. Wordlessly, she led me through several winding passages that seemed to go in circles before stopping in front of a plain, wooden door. From the appearance of it, I was expecting the room to be little more than a servant's quarters, but, as with everything I'd encountered in the Labyrinth, looks could be deceiving.

The chamber was, in short, decadent. Larger than two of my new studio apartments combined, it housed a king-sized canopy bed dressed in pale blue satin sheets, a cream upholstered seating arrangement in front of a large white marble hearth, and matching marble arches framing an open balcony. Gauzy curtains in a complimentary sea green billowed lightly from the breeze of the open space, carrying in the scent of jasmine I'd always attributed to Jareth, I mean, him. I felt as though I was standing on a cloud gazing out over an exotic sea.

I was quite literally speechless. My hands concealed my soft gasp of astonishment as I turned slowly in the room. "Do you like it, my lady?" Aetia's gentle voice broke my dazed spell.

"Like it? Oh, it's wonderful. Is this really meant for me?"

"It is the guest chamber. Though, it has not been re-decorated in some time. If you prefer a change in theme, perhaps more saturated tones, I am sure it can be arranged."

"It's quite lovely as it is," I spoke quickly. It was true I usually preferred deeper jewel tones, but there was something so tranquil and inviting about this space that I didn't want to change a thing. If I really was doomed to be a prisoner in the Labyrinth, then I would need this sanctuary.

"Is this the balcony you can see from the Goblin City?" I inquired as I walked closer to observe the view. I realized as she was talking that it couldn't be, for the city was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a grassy meadow with a gleaming pond expanded beyond the castle walls.

"No. That is His Majesty's chamber, across the hall. You have the northern balcony. It is quite lovely in the morning, as it offers a splendid view of the sunrise…"

I was dimly aware that she had continued speaking, but my mind had stopped listening at "across the hall." No way in hell was I sleeping a stone's throw from him.

Apparently my discomfort was not contained to my thoughts. Aetia crossed to me and took my hand between her own. It was an odd gesture for someone I considered a stranger to make, and yet I felt some of my anxiety ease away at the touch of her warm palms. Perhaps this was her brand of magic? "My lady, I know it is not my place to say so, but you look so ill at ease…I hope you will permit me this one transgression," she paused and searched my expression.

Her behavior was so different from anyone I knew. She spoke to me so formally and with such a state of consideration that I had no idea how to conduct myself. I was curious as to what she found so inappropriate that she had to ask my permission to even say it. I had no idea why she thought I was so special, or why someone as beautiful and charming as she was would ever be a servant. All I could do was nod for her continue.

She released a breath and her sweet smile reappeared. "You needn't worry about His Majesty. I do not believe he would ever take any liberties with your person. I imagine you've had little cause to see it yet, but he really is a true gentleman." Her voice was nearly affectionate when she mentioned the Goblin King making that uncomfortable feeling I'd been experiencing about him all day twist in my stomach again. Where Sir Didymus and Hoggle had certainly been respectful in his presence, they were not quite as praising behind his back as this friendly woman was. I suspected she had never uttered an unkind word in her life, and she seemed to have quite a positive opinion about her monarch. I realized I was faced with a golden opportunity to further explore the 'other' side of Jareth without having to directly involve him.

"You've known him for awhile, haven't you?" I began cautiously.

Her eyes softened and adapted a dream-like quality. The irrational jealousy shifted inside me again. "Dear Lord, she loves him! I knew it!" I swallowed roughly in my suddenly dry throat.

"Yes, a long while."

"And…and you like working for him?" I ignored the fact that my voice had become quiet and strained.

"Very much." She lifted one of her hands and patted my cheek. In that moment, I felt every bit as young as my twenty-two years allowed. Though she herself looked barely older than thirty, it was suddenly very obvious that I was speaking to someone not human, who was a lot older than I could probably even guess at. I'd had this feeling only one time before; twirling around a ballroom in the arms of an inhumanly beautiful man. "Just who, or what, are these people?" I wondered silently. I wasn't sure I really wanted to know.

"I'll draw you a bath, and then you can rest until the evening meal. You'll find fresh garments in the wardrobe. When you are ready, simply speak the words 'banquet hall' into this crystal and it will take you there." She pressed a familiar orb into my hand and I tried not to grimace. Crystals and I had yet to become comfortable acquaintances let alone friends. I held it with revulsion while watching her slide aside an ornamental screen to reveal a claw foot tub which would easily seat three or four people. She stood over the tub and simply said 'fill' before adding a scoop of some kind of fine, lilac colored powder.

"If you require any other assistance, just wish to see me, and I shall appear. It has been a pleasure to meet you, Your…my lady," her cheeks flushed as if she'd made some kind of blunder. She hastily began moving towards the door. "If you'll excuse me, I am to see to the babe."

The babe. Right. Somewhere below me in this castle was an innocent child. Sure, it certainly appeared like it was being treated alright for the moment, but what if it was all an act? Maybe he even knew that I was standing there.

"Aetia," I hesitated, trying to decide if I really wanted to know the truth or not. If he turned them into goblins, I was pretty sure nothing could ever change my opinion of him, and I doubted I'd be able to stomach staying in the castle for another second. But if he didn't, would I be forced to examine his character further? See him as something more than the cruel Goblin King? In a way, it was much safer to view him as the quintessential villain, because then he couldn't disappoint me, and he couldn't complicate my feelings anymore than he already did. Even as I viewed him now, my heart was already invested in him more than it should be. Would I be able to stand it if he wasn't as bad as I thought? But, I had to know. I was curious to a fault. I sighed before gathering my courage. "What does he do with the children?"

Her strange bout of nerves disappeared in an instant and her entire face beamed. She looked…proud? "They are given to loving families who cannot conceive on their own. You see, it is very difficult for our kind to bear children."

"Goblin families, right?" I clarified, though at this point I pretty much knew I was grasping at straws.

She laughed; a beautiful and musical sound. "No. None of the children are actually turned into goblins. That is just part of a story, my lady." She grinned softly before exiting through the chamber door.

Damn. Things were becoming much more complicated indeed.

Jareth's POV

I glanced at the clock above my desk for the fifth time in as many minutes and drummed my fingertips restlessly against the aged hardwood. The sharp staccato noise of the action perfectly represented my mood. She held me on an anxious edge and I didn't care for it one bit. I knew she was in the castle, just down the hall in point of fact, but I would not seek her out before our appointed time.

Aetia had graciously settled her in the adjoining suite to my own before returning to the throne room and taking charge of the babe's preparation for his new family. Even now I could imagine my lovely Sarah naked and wet in the enormous guest bath. It was all I could do not to accidentally walk in on her, though I knew that would go over as well as an accidental dunking in the Bog.

While I was glad she seemed to approve of her accommodations, I was disheartened that she would not be staying in the room I had so recently prepared for us to share. After six years of waiting for a promise to be fulfilled, I held very different expectations of what this first day and night of our reunion should've entailed, and I was not used to dealing with disappointment. It was nearly enough to entice me to use that irritating expression she used to be so fond of.

I thought back to our encounter in the woods. How stunning she had looked in her sleeveless blouse and short pants. Her inches of creamy skin glowed faintly in the filtered sunlight, and her cheeks were flushed with her righteous indignation. When she mocked me, I wanted nothing more than to push her against the nearest tree and show her just who was in charge in the Underground, and who she once upon a time willingly pledged herself to. Her continued defiance and derision was a knife to my heart. Could her feelings have changed so radically?

I leaned back in the chair and pushed my hands through my hair roughly. Words long ago spoken echoed sardonically in my memories:

"You wish to take a human bride?" His wizened brow arched contemptuously. "You do realize the sacrifice that would require?"

"Yes, yes. I will give up part of my magic to tie her to the Underground."

"She could never leave -"

"Or it will kill me. I remember the lesson, father."

He looked grave. "So you have not bonded yet?"

I was silent for a long pause, remembering the promises exchanged between my beloved and I. "No. She requested more time. In her world, she is yet considered a child."

The frown of the High King of the Underworld deepened. For all his dissatisfaction with my declaration, it troubled him to see my sadness. "She cannot remain without the bond. She is mortal, Jareth, and her memories will fade. What if you find her changed? This is a serious chance for you to take, my son. Is she worth it?"

I nodded solemnly, though in truth his concern was moot. Sarah had already been returned with her brother immediately after she accepted all I had to offer. I had to trust that the strength of our love would last beyond our time apart. Then, when she was ready, I would give her a piece of my soul, my magic, to anchor her back in her rightful home.

"You know why I came to you, father. I don't need your permission to wed, but I do need your approval of my choice for the next Goblin Queen. As you pointed out, Sarah is mortal -"

"Ah, now I understand. You wish for her to take the elixir?" He interrupted. A gloating smirk settled over his expression. "Quite right. No terminal monarch may be appointed. Oh, what a fine mess you have placed yourself in this time, Jareth."

I watched suspiciously as he pieced together my true intent and the wheels began turning in his ancient mind.

"Immortality is too large a gift simply to be given without gainful cause. Love is not motivation enough, even with a bond at stake. The law is the law. As your father, it pains me to place you in such a precarious position, but as your king, I am left with little choice," his dark eyes hardened, though a flicker of regret flashed across his face. "Bond with the girl if you must, but understand that she may not become queen until she is immortal. She must prove her worth to our race. Her price for the elixir shall be an heir. I do hope you don't live to regret this, my son. Think carefully before you give of yourself. Be sure, for there is no turning back."

I had not seen my father, or any of the court for that matter, since that day. At the time, I had been upset by his assumptions that my Sarah would not keep her word, and had stayed away out of pride. Now, however, though it greatly pained me to admit it, I feared he might have been right.

I had been so sure! Though her memories had faded, I still starred in her dreams. Surely I must still hold a place in her heart? Then there was the evidence that none other captivated her attention. Raelle had even commented that Sarah seemed to pine away for something she didn't believe she could have, as if deep down she knew all along that she had already promised herself to me.

She defeated my Labyrinth, but she did not defeat me. Not unless she refused to remember. Then I would fade away just as surely as she would.

I shoved away from my desk angrily and paced the confines of the study. Her presence called to me as strongly as a magnet. The hole within me cried out to be with her at every moment. Though I had read extensively about bonding, I had no way of knowing what it would actually feel like until I had done it. To my knowledge, none other of my kind had ever taken this endeavor without the immediate return of the bond, and I could understand why. To exist in this state of unrequited agony for even a mortal lifetime would be enough to push me to insanity.

A soft chiming sound alerted me to the message before I actually saw the crystal materialize on my desk. I regarded the red globe with guarded trepidation as it flattened instantaneously into an opaque sort of parchment. Familiar elegant lines of script floated over the surface in glowing tones of silver:

It has come to our attention that the Betrothed has at last returned to your side. As per our agreement, you may proceed with the coronation only after indications of an heir are apparent. A representative of the court will be visiting soon to report on your situation. The Betrothed has three months to prove her fertility or immortality will be denied her indelibly.

Best,

King Aereth and Queen Acacia.

The paper crumpled in my fist before disintegrating in a burst of red cinders. She had been in the Underground for less than a human day, and already the court was aware of her presence. Had it been my own errant thoughts which precipitated their immediate attention?

The most distressing part of the missive had been the reminder of the timeline. When I agreed to His Majesty's condition, I had believed Sarah and I would fall happily into each others' arms. Therefore, the limitation had not seemed to be a cause for concern. Humans were exponentially more fertile than our kind. As it was though, three months would be an impossibility unless I were to become the very blackest kind of villain and take from her what she may never be willing to give. Would it be worth it to keep her forever? Would she ever be able to forgive me?

I sunk back into my chair with a heavy heart. Every choice presented to us seemed riddled with conditions. I knew in the deepest part of my selfish soul that if need be, I would do whatever was necessary to keep her. I truly could not live without her. But perhaps it would not have to come to that. Regardless of her anger and brave display of apathy, she must still feel something for me otherwise my magic would not recognize her. I could feel it in her brief touches, and see it hiding behind the rage in her eyes. Now I just needed to figure out how to make her see it too.

"What will it take to tempt you again, my precious thing?" I mused aloud. Seduction? Intimidation? Flattery? A combination of all three?

My eyes strayed to the clock again and widened with a mix of excitement and apprehension as I realized my reminiscing and ruminating had withered away the better part of two hours. I quickly altered my clothing in favor of a loose fitting tunic and snug leather breeches before transporting myself to the banquet room.

To my delight, Sarah had already arrived and was gazing absent-mindedly out a small window beyond the table. She looked ravishing. In a flowing crimson gown with a black leather corset, it was all I could do not to rush to her side and take her in my arms.

"Good evening, precious. I trust you had a relaxing afternoon?" I concentrated to keep my usual arrogant tone, lest she become suspicious.

"Yes, the room is quite lovely, th-thank you." Her beautiful green eyes flickered nervously.

Her timidity was the absolute last thing I was expecting after our rather heated showdown in the Dark Forest. I wondered what had happened to cause such a change in her demeanor. "And your friends? Did you enjoy your reunion with them?" I stepped closer to her and smirked, despite the streak of jealousy pulsating through my entire being. The only reunion that should've been taking place that day was one between us!

"I find them much changed, actually,"

I stopped short, my head quirking to the side with genuine surprise. "Well, it has been a long time, and you were here for such a short while before…"

"Yes, I'm realizing a lot of things are different than I remembered…" she mumbled, likely unaware that I captured every word.

I offered her my arm, and to my confused but happy delight, she wrapped her delicate fingers around it and allowed me to escort her to the table.

"Where is everyone?" She asked quietly. I took note that although her posture was stiff and straight, a fine trembling radiated through her. I smiled to myself. Perhaps it would not be as difficult to win her back as I thought.

"None dine with the king."

"Oh," she replied softly. I could actually hear her swallow.

"Do I make you nervous, Sarah?" I whispered in her ear while assisting her with her chair. I let my hands brush carelessly against the nape of her exposed neck, before situating myself in the chair beside her.

"Don't be ridiculous," she replied sharply, though I watched with deep satisfaction as a tell-tale blush spread over her skin.

Deciding to be generous and offer her a reprieve from the suddenly tense atmosphere, I motioned to the food before us. "I do hope you will find something to your liking. I suppose it is quite different from the food you are used to."

Her expressive eyes refused to leave my face. Her quiet but intense scrutiny systematically began stripping me of my courage. I was not ready for her to know the depth of my feelings, not when she guarded her own so cruelly. On the pretense of hunger, I turned from her and began picking at the food Aetia had prepared for us. "Look upon me if you must, my Sarah, but judge me only with kind eyes."

Perhaps it would be honesty – the hardest game of all – that would win her in the end.

A/N: This is actually only half of the dining room scene. I'll post the rest very soon. Please let me know if you are enjoying this:)