A/N: Yeah, okay, the title's a joke.

A few days later the reports came in that King Jackson was launching a most vicious attack against the Gale-Goblin forces. Wyatt heard the news with a heavy heart: his time with the princess was at an end. He flat out refused to let Princess DG come closer to any more danger than she already had.

She would have to be sent home. Both of the princesses had to be sent home.

No matter how much it pained him to see her go, it was better than having to fear for her safety at every possible moment because of an enemy that wanted to kill her.

"Mr. Cain?" a voice asked from behind him, "It's time for lunch, are you coming?"

He looked up at the worried teen standing in the tent. Quickly he folded the papers he was looking at, tucking them under his arm for further research, "Yes. Just give me a moment."

"No problem. Something wrong?" she asked as they began to walk out of the tent.

Wyatt sighed, knowing he'd have to tell her sooner or later and sooner was a whole helluva lot better than later. "I've received some reports that King Jackson is planning on taking out both you and Princess Azkadellia within the week."

DG smiled at that, "He certainly can try, but he's not magickally inclined and it'd take a lot more than an army to kill Az or me. Nothing can hurt us if we're together."

He stopped walking and made her turn to look at him. His eyes were serious and hard as he said, "The patrols report that he's sent for a Dark Land-Bonded Sorceress." His voice and eyes implored her as he added, "You aren't the only powerful witch in the world, DG. Even if you are, she has experience behind her - at least ten years on your own."

"What would you have me do?" she asked, her eyes wide as she tried to understand, "Run and hide with my tail between my legs? Leave Az vulnerable while Le Monté gathers his forces at the gate, ready to raze the farm land to the ground?"

She turned to leave, but his firm grip on her arms stopped her. "Take Azkadellia with you," he whispered urgently, "Go and wait in the Labyrinth." DG turned to look back up at him and saw a very real fear in his eyes. "Please," his strangled voice implored again.

DG reached up and let her hand run over his cheek, turning her face up to his. She stood up a little taller and moved to brush her lips against his, but he turned his head at the last second so she kissed his cheek instead. She took a step back, dropping her hand as he dropped his grip on her arms.

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she said, "When next we meet, you owe me a proper kiss, Colonel."

He stood there, frozen in place as his mind registered what had just happened, as she walked away to find her sister and their personal guards. They would have to leave immediately. When. She had said when. Not if, but when.

--

Sarah was going over the menu for the wedding when DG and Az appeared, their guards shortly following. The soon-to-be bride smiled at her soon-to-be niece and friend, "DG! And you must be Azkadellia. I'm Sarah, Jareth's … bonded, I believe was the term he used."

Az smiled right back from her place in the wheelchair DG, Zero, and Lylo had all insisted upon. She seemed nice enough. The princess waved off her guard who had stepped forward to help her stand. Sarah might as well get used to Az's real temperament as soon as possible, and DG didn't look up for making introductions at the moment. Actually, DG had been acting out of sorts for a few hours - ever since Colonel Cain had told her they'd both have to leave. "Yes, I'm Az, and bonded is the correct term. Are you working on things for the ceremony?"

"Oh yes," Sarah replied, motioning back toward her work table that was covered in all sorts of wedding bits and pieces. "But I won't bore you with that just now. You both look famished. Come on," she ordered a servant to fetch some food with a queen's commanding air.

The goblin princess smiled slightly, glad to be home despite the whole in her chest where her heart had been mere hours before. "Is my uncle around?" she asked softly, afraid that if she spoke any louder the tears would start flowing.

Sarah nodded, she saw the look of utter despair on DG's face and knew only Jareth could be of the slightest bit of help, "He's in his study."

DG gave Az a reassuring smile to calm her fears, "Why don't you and Sarah eat something and go over wedding plans while I go make sure some rooms are ready for you, okay?"

Az nodded, understanding DG's need to speak to their uncle, "Okay, little sister." Turning her attention to Sarah, Az asked, "So, what center pieces have you chosen for the tables?"

DG silently thanked her sister for her support as she made a hasty retreat.

--

Being a king involved an inane amount of paperwork. That was the conclusion Jareth had drawn when he had left Sarah after breakfast and found his desk overrun with triple the amount of paperwork it normally held because of the up coming ceremonies.

The pile on the desk was down to a reasonable size by the time Sarah came in with a tray of food for lunch. He smiled at her as they ate the noon meal, pleased she was acclimating to the life in the Labyrinth so wonderfully, and rapidly. After she left he returned to the paperwork, and started thinking of a way to word a ban on cutting down trees and making paper.

A knock on his door a short time later brought Jareth back to the present.

"Come," he ordered, looking up to see who was intruding into his sanctuary. When DG appeared, looking haggard but with all her pieces intact, he smiled, "DG, you're home." She only nodded, the water in her eyes making them appear overly bright. He frowned in concern, "My Starlight, what's wrong?"

DG sniffled at his use of her nickname, but approached him anyway, closing the door firmly behind her. Her uncle stood, motioning for her to give him a hug, which she did eagerly. Once she was encompassed in his reassuring, loving arms, DG found she couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

The sobs came in force, wracking her body and soaking his shirt with salty tears.

In the time it took for DG to quiet down, Jareth had the sinking suspicion that when she told him what happened he'd want to find Wyatt Cain and rearrange his face.

--

Six months, two weeks, and one day. That's how long it took before the 'situation' at the border was taken care of and Cain and his men could go home. It was a long, tedious process, but King Jackson was finally driven back and the current border held. Cain had heard word before they left the border that Princess Azkadellia was back home at Finaqua with her parents, while Princess DG was home in the Labyrinth with her uncle awaiting his upcoming marriage to the Other Sider, Sarah Williams.

Much to the Colonel's surprise when he arrived back at Finaqua and his son, there was an invitation to King Jareth's wedding sitting in his pile of mail to sort through.

"What's that?" Jeb asked when he walked into their quarters to find his father staring pensively at a piece of elaborately embroidered paper.

"It's an invitation to a wedding," Wyatt replied, glancing at his boy who had undergone a growth spurt during their time apart. Jeb was now a tall and lanky twelve year old with a mind of his own and a mouth not afraid to spout off at anything and everything.

"Whose wedding?" Jeb rolled his eyes at his father for not volunteering the information.

"King Jareth's wedding. I told you I met his heir, didn't I? Princess DG?"

"No, you didn't tell me. She must like you if you're invited to something like that."

"We're invited. It's addressed to both of us."

Jeb groaned, "Do I have to go?"

Wyatt chuckled, "I think you'd like it, son. The goblins in Goblin City can hold quite a party."

Now the boy was curious, "Have you ever been to one?"

"Once," his father confirmed, "When I was about eighteen and just out of the Academy. A group of us crossed the border to celebrate King Jareth's coronation. It was … something I don't want to hear about you ever doing when you're older, got it?"

Jeb snorted, "Sure Dad, you'll never hear about it. Did you have fun?"

"A blast." He furrowed his brow as he thought about it, "That was the night I met your mother, actually. Her father was the silver smith commissioned to make the commemorative gifts for the guests."

"Does that mean I'm part goblin?"

"I don't think so, Jeb. Sorry, but both her parents are human."

"Aw, man."

--

DG thought it was a little funny how often Sarah commented on how she was now 'sweet sixteen' and all grown up. Partially because in the Labyrinth a girl comes out at fifteen, not sixteen, and partially because DG didn't feel 'sweet' at all - and it didn't look like the year was going to be sweet in the slightest.

Her body had blossomed into what she remembered it being in the other life (as she had started refering to it in her thoughts and in conversations with her uncle). She was slim and had heard many in the castle refer to her as beautiful, but there was one person she wanted to hear say it who hadn't.

Wyatt.

She had started dreaming about him after he had sent her back to the Labyrinth, but it wasn't until her birthday that the dreams had started taking a more … mature turn. The dreams were getting more and more intense as time wore on and part of her wondered if it had something to do with the upcoming wedding in a month and half.

"Do you like the dress?" Sarah's voice caught DG off guard and she mechanically nodded, bringing her attention back to the seamstresses fitting her into the gown Sarah had helped design for the ceremony.

"You know you can tell me if you don't like," the bride replied dryly. "It's not going to hurt my feelings or anything like that."

DG took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm just not used to being able to breath this much in formal, court dress. It's going to take some getting used to."

"Well I refuse to be stuck in a corset for sixteen hours without any opportunity to loosen the strings."

"It's not that bad, and it's a bit different for me considering I've grown up with the practice of wearing corsets to formal gatherings. It's just the way things are."

"That doesn't mean that I have to follow that particular rule for my wedding," Sarah said firmly.

DG laughed at her soon to be aunt's reaction. "You're the perfect match for him. The Labyrinth couldn't have chosen any better."

The comment brought to mind something Sarah had been wondering about for months - ever since DG came back from the war zone. "Did the Labyrinth choose your bonded?" she asked softly.

DG's body went ridged at the mention of her absentee bonded. Sarah was unsure whether she would respond, and was almost positive that the younger woman wouldn't speak to her for a few days when DG nodded.

"The Labyrinth chose him when I was five," she whispered quietly. "The same day my mother wished me away and I came to live here."

Sarah didn't know what to say. As the seamstresses measured and made sure the hem was even, she reached out her hand and grasped DG's, giving her the silent support she needed. It wasn't enough - would never be enough - but it was all she had to give.

A/N: Again, slightly shorter, but that's because I spent the last week moving - again - and getting to know the new roommates. Classes start Monday so I'm not sure how regular updates will be after this - but I'll still aim for once a week.