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(A/N) this is just a short one to tide you over…thanks for all the reviews, (I got home, checked my e-mail and WABAM! I had like ten!-okay, so it sounds a lot less impressive when I'm typing it out, but it still made my day… : P )

DISCLAIMER: I do, I do, I do own it all!!! I sell my stories and make stacks of money off them! I do, I do, and I love every second of it. I invented the Labyrinth and all the characters and they're mine! Mine! Do you hear me?! MINE!!!!!!

( DISCLAIMER TO THE ABOVE DISCLAIMER: I am lying… )

CHAPTER IV - King of Bad Timing

Sarah glanced at her watch again, for what seemed like the twentieth time in as many minutes. For all intensive purposes it seemed to be working, the second hand still ticked off the moments in a timely fashion, the minute and hour hands still made their rounds, and thought she had a feeling that if she continued to use it to mark time she would loose a few days somewhere, it was still far past dinner time.

Her stomach growled irritably. Sarah was not-by nature- someone who kept a multitude of rigid habits. She enjoyed being spontaneous, but the few she did have she kept to with a passion. Dinner was served every night between seven and seven thirty, no earlier and no later.

She glanced at her watch again, and watched as the readout changed from 9:46 to 9:47.

One would think that when one has invited someone to dinner, one would at least try to be on time…

In the time since Brindle had left her to explore her room, Sarah had already gone through The Wizard of Oz and the Celestine Prophesy, she was well into the Onion Girl, and the King of Bad Timing was working on her last nerve…

The only interruption had come from a small black crow that had perched on her window several hours earlier. The thing had spent twenty minutes pecking and cawing and cackling at her before she'd told it to hush up and leave. Sarah had been about to open the window to throw something at it, when-to her great surprise-it did just that.

God-! For someone who kept a magical clock so close to hand, Jareth had the absolute worst timing of anyone she'd ever met.

Sarah snorted.

She was usually the one who late for everything, running on "Williams' Time" that was what Kathy had…called…it.

No. Her mind shied away from that. The hurt was too fresh, if she let herself dwell on it…No, she wouldn't think about it. She wouldn't let it go that far.

"Where the hell is he?!" she growled to no one in particular.

"Pardon me." The words were so faint that Sarah wasn't sure whether she'd only imagined it. She turned a full circle, eyes scanning the room. The door was still closed. She was, for all appearances, still alone in the room.

"Hello?" Sarah leaned over the edge of the bed to glance behind the dressing screen. "Is someone there?"

"Yes. Pardon, milady." The voice was stronger this time, though she couldn't be sure if it was male or female. It seemed to be coming from the center of the room near ceiling level. Sarah looked upward but all she could see was the tiling on the ceiling. Certainly nothing that should be talking to her.

"Who said that? Who are you?"

The voice was calm and monotonous, "I am the Hob."

"The Hob?" this was a little strange, even for the Labyrinth. "Wh-where exactly are you?"

"I am in the castle." the Hob sounded a bit taken aback to be interrogated, but continued on, "I over see the maintenance of this place. I am everywhere inside the castle. Your pardon, milady, his Majesty sends a message for you…"

Sarah waited expectantly, but the voice was silent.

"Uhh…Hob?"

'Yes." still calm and clear.

"What is it?"

"Pardon?"

"The message?" Perhaps it wasn't so strange.

"The message from his Majesty?"

Sarah suppressed a groan. "Yes, that message. What is it?"

"You wish to hear it?"

No matter who or what you were talking to here, some things never changed… "YES! Yes, that's the one! I want to hear the message from Jareth."

Sarah could almost see the bemused grin the thing would no doubt be wearing. "Of course milady. His Majesty wishes me to inform you that he regretfully will be unable to join you in your evening meal. He would also like me to inform you that you should report to the kitchens to acquire your sustenance."

"Oh…" she said lamely. How nice of him to 'inform' me this at ten o'clock at night. "Is that all?"

"No. He would like you to be made aware of his deep regret for the situation, and for me to also inform you that you will begin your duties at the stable yard tomorrow under Madame Chasely. Until that time you are free to move about the castle as you see fit, you may not however, enter the lower levels of the Great Library. I am to make that last especially clear in your mind."

Sarah nodded, then, unsure of whether or not the Hob could actually see her, replied, "Thanks…er…Hob."

"Certainly." was the cool response, "Should you wish to convey a reply to His Majesty you may dictate it to me at this time. I will see that he receives it."

She was about to decline, but her grumbling stomach and her jangled nerves got the better of her, "Actually I would. You can tell 'His Majesty' that when someone is invited to dinner, and that dinner is canceled, it's considered rude to wait to inform them of this seven hours later. You can make that especially clear to him." she growled.

"Are you certain that is the message you wish to send?" asked the Hob.

"Uh, yes. Quite certain."

"Pardon, milady, but I feel it important to inform you that you were notified earlier as well."

"Excuse me?" this was news to her. Sarah was fairly certain that she would have remembered being told that dinner was ready when she was before now.

The Hob was silent for a moment before responding in a somewhat rueful tone, "You sent the messenger away, milady. I believe you said, 'Oh, hush up and leave!'"

"Oh…"

"Yes. Oh."

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