1Chapter 5

Jareth was awoken from slumber by a loud and persistent banging at his door.

"Jareth, wake up, damn you! Wake up!"

The Goblin King stared at the ceiling for a moment before stumbling rather ungracefully from his bed. He took a minute to orient himself while Sarah pounded away.

"What in the seven hells?" He muttered as he walked to the door. She'd probably woken the whole damn Underground by now. He opened the door and looked at her as if she hadn't just been screaming profanities at him.

"Why, Lady Sarah, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company at such an hour in my bed chamber?"

Not to be had by his charms, Sarah stormed in, forcing Jareth to march backwards. There was a nervous look on his face now.

"I want and explanation Jareth, tonight. I want to know about the stone garden and my statue! I want to know everything! I want to know why you do what you do!" Her face was close to his, cheeks flushed, eyes ablaze with gray fire.

Jareth crossed his arms and glared at her. "I told you not to go in there. That is a private place."

"Well I did. So now, spill it."

He looked at her, bewildered. "Spill what?"

She stamped her foot, growling in frustration. "It's an expression! Explain!"

"I think it is pretty obvious, Sarah, what that place is for. I have found a way to honor the visitors to my Kingdom. Foiled attempts or not. And since you were the only one to beat it, I found it only proper that you and your... accomplices get acknowledgment. Have I really done anything so wrong?" He glared down at her, daring her to argue.

Sarah suddenly lost her flame for the argument. "Well, no, not technically. It is just so damn... creepy. You made their pain so obvious."

"Pain that they only caused themselves. I did nothing that I was not asked to do. I have been generous in the past. And it is the past, Sarah. No one has called to me in a long time." He almost seemed sad about this. Sarah wondered if he ever got fed up ruling goblins all day.

"I am sorry this whole thing has upset you." He seemed sincere.

She gave him a rather sheepish smile. "Sorry I yelled at you."

"No apologies needed."

She felt awkward. Should she leave? Should she hug him? No, she supposed she shouldn't.

"Well good night then." She turned to go, cheeks aflame.

"Sarah, you could stay with me, if you wished." His voice was soft.

She turned to look at him, raising a brow.

"Not like that," he said rolling his eyes.

Sarah looked at her feet. She wanted to do two things: to run for the hills and never look back, and also to throw herself at him and rip off all his clothes. She did neither.

"I can't."

"Why?"

She smiled sadly. "Because, my King, I do not trust myself with you."

He was taken aback, staring at her, mouth agape. She turned away, bid him good night, and left.

Dim sunlight forced its way past the burgundy curtains, casting the bedroom in a blood red glow. Sarah awoke, staring at her ceiling. She stretched and climbed form the bed. She nearly jumped out of her skin when her bedroom door flew open. Jareth stood in the doorway, fully dressed from cape to boots, holding a tray with breakfast on it. Sarah hurriedly combed through her tangled hair with her fingers and smiled at him.

"Good morning, my lady."

He sauntered over and sat the tray next to her on the bed. Sarah inhaled the scent of sausage and admired the fresh fruit in all its edible perfection.

"Thanks. This is great." She began to eat.

He bowed and whisked to the curtain, whipping it open. Light blazed across them, and Sarah covered her eyes, hissing.

"That was entirely unnecessary." She glared at him as she popped a grape in her mouth.

"Toby insists on a picnic. I was thinking of a trip to the Nym Lake. It's beautiful, and he can swim safely there."

"Okay."

"We shall leave in an hour." He swung around, cape swirling about his body.

"Okay, you can stop. I know you look better than me right now, but to be fair, I just woke up." She rolled her eyes.

Jareth had the audacity to bat his lashes at her. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me, pretty boy. Give me a half hour and I will be the best damn thing you've ever seen." Well not quite, but dammit she'd try.

He perched on a chair, preening. "I don't doubt it."

"I should like to invite my friends along today, it that is alright. I haven't seen any body but Hoggle since I have been back." She looked at him hopefully.

"I don't see why not. I will send a guard to fetch Hoggle from the garden so he can alert them." Jareth lounged about in the arm chair, draping him self about it like a blanket.

"Thank you."

After she had finished eating, the king took the tray and disappeared to let her bathe and dress. Tired of her old clothes, she decided to rummage through her closet to see just what Jareth had in mind for her. She discovered a white frilled shirt much like those he wore, only more feminine. She pulled it on and added a pair of soft brown leather leggings. Next came knee high dark brown leather boots, and she strapped them on and went to see herself in the mirror.

"Not bad." She said to herself.

"I agree," a voice said from behind her.

Jumping, Sarah turned to see Jareth leaning in the doorway.

"How long have you been there?"

"Sadly, I arrived just after you were fully clothed. I came to tell you the horses and your friends are waiting."

"Thanks. I'm coming."

The two walked down the stairs and outside to where the horses stood waiting. Sarah was please to see she would be given the white mare again. Upon her inquiry, Sarah learned that her mare's name was Venus, Toby's was Ninde, and Jareth's temperamental stallion was called Orion. Sarah had no doubt in her mind that these were indeed horses of the fae realm and much smarter than what she was used to. The apploosa that a guard was helping Hoggle onto was called Sindreth, and Sarah was transfixed by the creatures glittering silver and black coat.

All the sudden, the ground began to shake, and there was a loud grumble that became a fantastic roar. Sarah looked up as Ludo, is all his big furry glory, sped for her like a comet towards earth. Sarah braced herself, and laughed like a little girl as the great beast scooped her up into his massive embrace.

"Sarah, friend!" He bellowed enthusiastically.

"Hi Ludo!" Sarah cried, hugging him back with all her might.

Ludo set her down gently as Sir Didymus and his faithful Ambrosias marched up. The good Knight bowed and took her hand, kissing it. Sarah giggled.

"Fair maiden."

"Good sir," she said, and then scooped him up into a firm embrace.

Didymus squawked. "Unhand me, young maiden."

Sarah did so, but noticed the smile hiding on his dog like face. Sarah ruffled his hair, and she and Ludo followed him to join the others. Toby waved excitedly from atop Ninde, bouncing. Soon, everyone was settled, and the troop followed Jareth into the woods, down a rather well worn path. Sarah smiled up at the warm sun peeking down through the trees. Hoggle began to sing a song about a drunk milkmaid, his voice gruff like gravel yet merry at the same time. Sir Didymus apparently knew the song as well, for he joined in. Sarah even thought for a brief moment, that she heard the King humming along. But the moment was lost when Didymus and Hoggle began to argue about what verse came next.

Sarah hid her smile as Didymus drew his sword, ad Hoggle threatened to throw his canteen. Ahead, Sarah saw the King's shoulders tense in annoyance.

"Boys! Boys, enough. Play nice." She looked over her shoulder at them. "You can both sing the song however you want."

She turned back to see Jareth glance over his shoulder, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. But he said nothing.

The lake was beautiful, with the sun glinting off the crisp clear water. No aalge rested on the water, and there was no mud, only a fine white sand. Sarah suspected the lake, like everything around her, was enchanted. As long as it was safe she didn't care. Toby leapt off his horse, already clad in swim trunks. He barreled into the water, hooping and hollering like a demon child. Ludo went after him, like a giant loyal dog, splashing into the water. He splashed with Toby and called rocks for the boy to jump off of.

Sarah stood on the shore and watched her friends, a wistful smile on her face. Hoggle sat on a patch work quilt and busied himself sorting through his bag of jewels. Sir Didymus was trying with all his might to coax his chicken of a dog into the water for a bath. Ambrosiuos would have none of it, however, no matter how many pretty names he called her and how he waved a bar of soap in the air.

And the King. Oh, did he look glorious just standing there, squinting, the light making his fine hair gleam. She watched as he circled the waters edge, then suddenly scaled a large rock at the shore. There, perched above them all, he sat and closed his eyes, lifting his pale face to the sky. He sat there, entranced, as if praying, perfectly still in the way only something so immortal could be. There was a surreal feeling all around, as if everything were building up, slowly and quietly, to something bigger than all of them.

Sarah wondered over and lay out her towel on a spot with a lot of warm sun. She sat, her mind drifting over the past day, and she wondered why she was really here. Sarah felt as if a game were being played around her where no one had told her the rules or the goal. Jareth had said he loved her, but did he really. War threatened the horizon, and he was caught up trying to win her.

Should she put a stop to the whole thing? Her mind drifted to the ball, and it occurred to her that something did not make since. She had seen no goblins, except for Hoggle, and even he had disappeared on her. Where had all those people come from? She glanced over at Hoggle and decided that if anyone would be honest with her, it would be him.

Sarah climbed to her feet and walked over to wear he sat, polishing his treasures.

"Can I sit?" she asked, not wanting to disturb him.

He looked up and smiled. "'Course you can." He cleared aside some of the jewels and patted the spot.

She sat. "Hoggle, I need to talk to you, and you have to promise that you'll be 100 percent honest with me, ok?"

He looked at her, puzzled, but nodded.

"The other night, at the ball, where did all the goblins go?"

Hoggle suddenly seemed very nervous. He glance over at Jareth, who still sat, sunning himself on that big rock, oblivious to anything else. Then Hoggle looked back at Sarah.

"I don't know whatcha even mean."

"Hoggle, you promised."

"Sarah, some things 're, wells, theys complicated. And we don't talk 'bout 'em." He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. With it came something that glinted blue-green in the sun.

Before Hoggle could recover the object, Sarah picked it up. Her mouth fell open as a chill seeped into her spine. In her hand she held the feather, her feather, the peacock feather that had fallen from her mask. Her eyes met Hoggle's, and in a instant, she knew why the young man at the ball had seemed so familiar. Hoggle's eyes were wide, a look of panic about his face.

"Hoggle..." she began, but was cut short as shouts arose and the loud thunder of great hooves pulled her attention away.

Looking up, she saw Parish galloping toward them on a great grey stallion rivaling Jareth's own. The horse reared, it's long mane falling back. It was clad in something Sarah could on think of as armor. War armor. A metal plate ran the length of its face and down it's cheeks.

Jareth leapt off the rock, fear so plain on his face that Sarah shuddered. Her own heart was seized with the same feeling, and it pounded to leave her chest. Sarah stood as Parish yanked his horse's reins, bringing the great beast to a halt before them.

"The border has been breached, sire!" Parish was leaping off the stallion as he spoke. He rushed to the King. "Queen Medea has sent word that she will call her troops off if you agree to meet her in the Valley of Lourdes." Parish dropped to his knees before the King and bowed his head.

"I should have known, that bloody witch! She would be the one behind such bloodshed." His brow knitted tight, his hands clenched tight in fists. He whirled to Sarah, and then back to Parish, lifting the trembling boy to his feet.

"Alright, tell her my men and I will meet her in the Valley in three days. We leave tomorrow. Amass the troops and send them ahead to set camp. Get Crusier and tell him he and a small mass shall accompany me."

Parish nodded but stood still. "Go!" The King bellowed.

Parish scrambled onto his horse and was riding to the castle before Sarah remembered to breathe. She looked at the King. He met her gaze, and his was hard and cold.

"Get your horses. You and your brother leave, tonight."