A/N: Hello readers, are you still with me? I hope so! I know, I've been a loser when it comes to updates, but I never want to just throw one up and hate it later. SO, for those of you still with me, thank you SO much for your loyal and continued support of this story. To you new readers, I hope you're enjoying! PLEASE, read and review and let me know what you think about this chapter. It means a lot to me and will help me better this tale.

MAY EVE

Raindrops are like fairy whispers.

~Author Unknown

Chapter 7: Laws, Rules And Regulations

Sarah and Toby had meals together, but other than that Sarah was left to her own devices. She had been sent to a tutor, named Elizar who was a tall knotty troll of a man with a wonderful disposition.

"Elizar, has Toby been given a tutor as well? I'd hate to think he isn't continuing his education because I had to go and get sick Aboveground." She asked one rainy afternoon. As a matter of fact, it had been raining for about a week, non-stop, and all of the Goblin City and the Labyrinth were up in arms about it. Puddles and flooding were not the most fun for goblins.

"As a matter of fact, my dear Sarah, Master Toby is being taught by my younger brother Alister. I understand he is doing splendidly with his studies." Elizar smiled but pointed Sarah back to the book she was originally studying.

She couldn't understand why she was forced to learn all of the laws, rules, and regulations of the Underground, it wasn't as if she was of any importance to the kingdom, and furthermore she would absolutely, under no circumstances do anything to break one of the many of them for fear of finding herself in another oubliette. They were dark and stinky.

"Oh, but this is becoming boring today, Elizar. Isn't there anything else I can be learning? I wouldn't mind coming back to this, but my mind just isn't registering this anymore." She sighed as she leaned back in her chair, pressing her hands into her eyes to rub out all of the strain.

"A Lady never complains about the studies she has been so graciously given access to. Unlike the Aboveground, women aren't always allowed to study and get an education, that's Man's work. I could send you down to the kitchens so that you can learn exactly where a young girl is supposed to be! The King has given you a great privilege, do not disappoint." Elizar sighed, rolling his eyes. "My word, I have never heard a female complain this much in my life, and young lady, I have been alive a very, very long time." He huffed.

"I do apologize Elizar, I truly appreciate you taking the time to help me with my studies. I wasn't meaning anything by it, simply that my mind can only take so much of one thing for so long before it needs a break. I'll study something else as equally as important for an hour or so and come right back to this." Sarah tried to explain she meant absolutely no harm in what she was saying moments ago. She didn't want to give Jareth any excuse to take away her tutor. Even though he had become friendlier, kinder to her she was still very wary of his reasons why and didn't want to upset him in the least.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry my dear. Forgive me, I forget you're a lady, and a human no less. It shall take you some time to get adjusted considering your unfortunate weaknesses." Elizar patted her hand and Sarah did everything in her power not to snap at the ignorant man. Just because she was a girl didn't mean that she was weak.

Pick your battles, Sarah, don't go off on every little thing. Life isn't always fair and that goes for the way some people think, she said to herself as she closed the enormous book she had been studying and took up another. This one was similar, but it was on the ways of the Royal Kingdom. Not just rules, but ways of living in a kingdom as something other than a servant. This make Sarah feel a tad anxious, but she shrugged it off, again picking her battles, and went on reading from the beginning.

~M*E~

"I don't know what's better, the history or the fighting lessons! Ugh, Sarah, Jareth won't let me near a real sword yet, but the heavy wooden one I've been training with is awesome! I've already knocked around like, eight goblins! And they laugh! At first I felt bad, you know because they're so little and stupid, but then when I wacked the first one they all fell over laughing. Man, this is way more fun than I thought it would be!" Toby was quite literally bouncing in place at his seat at the dining table where he joined Sarah and Jareth for dinner.

"You're learning to fight?" Sarah was flabbergasted. "Jareth, he's only eleven!"

"A young man living in the Underground should know how to defend himself, Sarah. Must you always fight with me? I wouldn't do something like this if I didn't have a good reason." Jareth replied. He was getting tired, very quickly, of Sarah always questioning his motivation. He was the king, he didn't have to answer to anyone, especially Sarah Williams. He was angry with himself that he couldn't shake the way he felt about this insufferable human girl - no woman - and to make matters worse she never made anything easy when it came to things he did.

"You know what?" Sarah set her fork down and looked the Goblin King straight in the face and smiled. "You're right, this is none of my business and I shouldn't be trying to make it my business. Forgive me, Your Majesty."

Jareth didn't flinch as he stared at her, but inside he was warring with himself. He wanted to admit that this was a big step for her, but he also didn't want to get his hopes up. Sarah was a volatile little creature and to think that she could be learning so quickly about her place in his society startled him, but he would remind himself that she was still childish in many aspects of her life.

"All is forgiven, this time, Sarah. Please remember who I am and the place you are in." He felt that, though she corrected herself quickly he still needed to reprimand her and show her that, indeed, he was King and she his subject. Oh, how difficult that was when she seemed to glow in her position in the castle. Not only had the Labyrinth accepted her as it's champion, but the castle itself seemed to accept her, bending to her whim when she needed it to. If he wasn't careful, if he didn't train her and teach her quickly and effectively enough the power he would eventually bestow upon her could make her an incredibly dangerous woman.

Even the goblins loved her, he thought and with that he dropped his gaze from her and decided he was no longer hungry. Just the thought of her being more popular by the court put a terrible taste in his mouth. Ah, but you chose her, you fool, now you must suffer the consequences.

"May I ask a question?" Sarah's meek voice broke him from his reverie and he looked up to her expectantly. "Why is it raining so much? I mean, I know this is probably a silly question, but don't you control the weather?"

"My dear, even though most everything in my kingdom obeys in fear that I'll send them to the Bog, the weather is still slightly out of my control. I apologize if it is not to your liking." He smirked and reveled in the fact that he had made her blush scarlet.

"Oh," She nodded and went back to picking at her meal.

"Oh, that would be so awesome if I could control the weather! Course, it would have been more useful if I was still Aboveground! Could you imagine the amount of snow days?" Toby giggled and Sarah couldn't help herself, she joined in agreeing that she had fun playing in it on days like he described when she was still in school. Jareth, on the other hand, was quite confused as to why the boy would want such an obnoxious thing like snow, so much so that he asked just that.

"Oh, no one really likes the amount of snow I'd pile drive down on our city, it just means that school would be out for the day! That's what I meant by 'snow day'." Toby explained and Jareth nodded.

"I see, well, that is why we are tutored here in the castle, so that nothing like snow would keep us from our studies, correct Master Toby?" Jareth winked and Toby groaned.

"Right, I forgot about that. Man! I guess there's no getting out of school now. Unless I get the flu or something." He replied. Jareth once again was confused.

"Toby, you've barely been sick a day in your life, I doubt here with all the magic floating around that you'd be in bed more than five minutes. I mean, I was basically dying and I was better in three days! Don't even waste your time, little brother." Sarah sneered and Jareth felt a tug in his chest. The malicious way she looked at her brother, although only in jest made his body tingle. He wondered idly if she'd be as vindictive as he, if she'd show such a seductive face to a subject when she was Queen, when she could act on it. He knew he was doomed, there would never be another woman for him no matter how long he lived, and that meant he'd have to wait for his precious to be ready. That could take forever, he thought with a sigh.

"Shall I walk you to your chambers, Sarah? It is getting late and you have so much more to learn tomorrow." Jareth offered Sarah his arm and she took it with a shy smile. She was beginning to enjoy the twinge of feeling she got in the pit of her stomach whenever she was able to touch him and she tried very hard to hide that from him. After all, she had seen him be cruel, and she wasn't sure he was safe for her. Although, she had to admit, late at night when all she had was her thoughts to keep her company she imagined him with someone else and she'd cry. She knew she wouldn't be able to stomach a life in this castle while he was off with another woman and she hated it.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He broke the silence that had fallen between them and she sighed.

"I'm just conflicted, I'm sure I'll figure out what I need to figure out soon." She replied. It wasn't a lie, but it really didn't tell him anything, either.

"If there's anything I can do to help. . ." Jareth offered as they stood outside of her chamber door. She smiled at him and patted his gloved hand. Before she could stop herself and before he moved away from her she hopped on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek.

"I know I haven't been the best at learning, but I'm trying, and I just wanted to thank you for your patience. I don't know if I really deserve it with how dense I've been." She blushed and went to pass him into her room when he grabbed her by the wrist.

"Sarah, you tempt me terribly and you know not what you do. I will do what I can to help you, but other than that you have to learn all of this on your own. I can't tell you how important it is for you to learn all of what Elizar is teaching you, and quickly." Jareth searched her depthless green eyes.

Sarah wasn't sure if she was taking what he was saying the right way. It seemed to her that he was infatuated with her and that simply made no sense. She was just a simple human girl, he an all powerful Fae with a kingdom to run. "Jareth, I. . ." She was transfixed by his miss-matched gaze and as he reached up and cupped the side of her face with a gloved hand she nuzzled into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed. Suddenly, soft like a feather, his lips brushed hers and he was gone.

Sarah, befuddled and, if she were honest with herself, a bit frustrated that he didn't kiss her more, flitted into her chambers and got ready for bed. As she lay there, looking out the window at the rain coming down it suddenly stopped, and she watched as the first few snowflakes began to fall and a white owl took to flight.