Fine Fellow

Jareth was having a fine time in his tower, finding great entertainment from the bauble that gave him access to Sarah. He lay sideways on his bed, letting the dying sun glisten on his ball. Initially concerned by her cries that both he and Hobble had heard, he conjured forth her image to find that it was only the Fire Gang that tormented her. They were a nearly-harmless bunch of fire demons, but they knew not to betray his orders—no harm was to come to Sarah in his Labyrinth. What kind of harm he hadn't specified, but as they chased her through a section of forest he couldn't help but laugh. A scared, frightened Sarah was a treat, and he couldn't pass it up.

Sooner than Jareth had wanted, however, his mirth was swallowed up by rage. Hodgepot had come to her rescue, and no sooner had he helped her to safety that he saw—No! Sarah had leaned in to the dwarf, and despite his attempts to dissuade her she had kissed him appreciatively on the cheek.

"Fall, damn you! Fall!" He thundered throughout the castle, loud enough to rattle the bricks holding up the walls.

He saw the stone below their feet fall at his command, shooting them towards the Bog of Eternal Stench. Livid, Jareth stood up and threw the crystal ball onto his bed, attempting to remove himself from the event.

"She kissed him!" He shouted, to no one in particular. "She kissed him! That knobbly, warty, greasy, good-for-nothing meatsack!"

Noticing that most of his goblins had run away (fearing punishment), Jareth paced furiously in his room.

"She has me," he said to himself. "She has me. How could she think to kiss—that thing—when she has me!"

Jareth looked up to see his reflection in his full-body mirror. Slim, elegant, handsome: these were but some of the few compliments he'd received in Esitrea. He hadn't aged, not physically, since that time. The women there fancied him well enough, and he recalled that not a day had passed then that he didn't receive an invitation to a formal ball or dinner from a high-class lady.

"I don't understand," he muttered. Then he stopped himself, recognizing something. Something weak and human-like: emotion. He knew he had emotion (anger being the most prominent), but he recognized these particular emotions as Envy and Humiliation. The foremost was even more humiliating than knowing he felt Humiliation.

He—The Goblin King—was envious of a dwarf. A fat, foul-smelling, pea-brained dwarf. And he wasn't happy about it. Feeling rage up to his ears, Jareth called for Toby.

"Y-your majesty," A goblin entered through his bedroom doorway, presenting Toby to him.

"Get out," Jareth spat, kicking the goblin for fun. He felt the need to inflict pain.

Toby calmed him, remarkably. He knew that he was just a stupid child now, but he could grow to be great—and he could follow in Jareth's fine footprints.

"If only Sarah would allow that," Jareth caught himself. "No, that's exactly how things will be. Sarah will be mine, Toby. You and your sister will love it here."

Jareth smiled wickedly to the baby, who seemed not to notice. Curious now and slightly more calm, Jareth picked up his bauble and peered through its misty image.

Surprisingly, they hadn't fallen into the Bog of Eternal Stench. He didn't know how, but he didn't much care, either. Though Jareth could easily whip up a spell to rid Sarah of the stench, he'd have preferred not to. The dwarf, on the other hand, would surely be drowned in the bog by the time the ordeal with Sarah was all over. Jareth was true to his word.

Looking closer, he saw two other figures with them. He recognized one as Sir Didymus, a knight-fox. He let a foul smile creep onto his lips.

"Another fool under my control."Jareth laughed to Toby, who was tugging at his long blond hair. "I don't even think he'd remember why I told him to guard there. Not that it matters, it was just something to keep him busy and out of my way…" Jareth saw as Sir Didymus led the way across the bridge.

"Would've been helpful if he had actually guarded it." He muttered bitterly.

The fourth figure was a large, hairy, horned demon. Wracking his brain, Jareth couldn't remember the slightest thing about the creature.

"Must've been in the Underground even before I came," he said aloud to Toby.

Then something caught Jareth's eye. The dwarf was nearing the edge of the bog, cradling something in his oversized hand. Realizing the dwarf's intent, Jareth took his crystal ball and whispered into it, ominously: "I wouldn't do that if I were you…" he warned.

Tiddle had obviously heard him, as he whimpered in reply: "Oh, please… I can't give it to her…"

Jareth didn't need to warn him a second time. The dwarf, stupid as he was, knew that Jareth wasn't kidding around.

A short while passed, and through the crystal ball Jareth watched the group traversed through the forest. He knew that the time for his plot to unfold was drawing near, as Sarah would be famished by now.

Now in his throne room, surrounded by his minions, Jareth held Toby close to the bauble. Jareth's blue and brown eyes gleamed in the twilight as he spoke softly to the child, but also to Sarah:

"Look Sarah, is this what you're trying to find?"

Toby clapped his hands pointlessly.

"So much trouble over such a little thing—but not for long. She'll soon forget all about you, my fine fellow. Just as soon as Hoggle gives her my present. Then she'll forget everything." He bounced the baby affectionately on his lap.

Memories weren't important. What was important was that Jareth would finally have hold of Sarah, and he knew he wouldn't have to wait very long.

A/N:

A shorter chapter… but you all know what's coming next!