Chapter 11.

Woodbine removed a framed portrait from his vest pocket, "My wife," he said handing the frame to his Sovereign.

Oberon looked at the picture and instantly understood his friend's attraction. "She's lovely," he observed.

"In face, mind and soul…" Ridge placed the portrait back in his pocket over his heart. "She has the best heart."

"And you told her," Oberon pursued the subject somewhat amused, somewhat astonished.

Ridge chuckled softly, "I wanted no secrets betwixt us."

Oberon laughed softly, "Astounding," he managed to say.

"She's unique," Ridge praised his spouse. "A truly sweet and honest woman, unlike~" his voice trailed off.

Oberon nodded, "I'm happy for you."

"Thank you, Sire."

--

Jefferson didn't deny the accusation, instead he laughed at the caged boy. It was utterly true; he did see Sarah Williams as eye candy. Her exotic beauty, her fairly intelligent mind, and her way of charming one and all made her an asset. "Your sister is eye candy," he gloated, "She's a fashion plate with a bit of a brain… it's what makes her worth anything to me. I could have had any number of pretty girls… some even more beautiful than you sister… but few have her way of charming all who meet her. Yes, she's eye candy…" he scoffed harshly; "But a Warrior? Don't fool yourself; she's just an ordinary girl."

--

Porkuspie looked at Hoggle, "OH he does not know the Sarah!"

Hoggle smiled, knowing they did.

--

The burst of anger dissipated, Toby released the bars in his hands, pursed his lips and began to hum that madding tune again. He turned his back to his perspective in law and found he had to dance; he could not keep his feet from moving. Each movement seemed to bolster his mood, and soon he was grinning fiendishly. The cage didn't afford a great deal of movement and yet he seemed to feel as free as a bird on the wing.

Jefferson glared at the child in the cage, "Foolish child," he turned his back on the vision of the cavorting youth. "Sarah will be far better off with me; you've made her practically a slave to you."

Cockily the boy now facing the backside of his captor smiled, "You have no understanding of devotion." His stance was now of the one in power, and he crossed his arms triumphantly over his chest. "Sarah and I share something you'll never have with her…"

Jefferson looked over his shoulder at the child with a hateful expression, "And what would that be? Your history?"

Toby's reaction was one of pity, "Oh there's that to be sure… and a bloodline, but we share something else," he smiled.

Turing, the man moved closer, "Such as?"

"We've both been to the castle at the center of the Goblin City… at the same time," winking at the man in formal dress he chuckled. "And we are both under the protection of the Goblin King…"

"Protection," scoffed the groom. "It does not seem to have helped you! Or has it escaped your notice you're in a cage?"

Toby lazily leaned forward on the bars, "Perhaps that's because I wish to be."

Jefferson wondered if there was a history of mental illness in the Williams family that he had not been aware of. He frowned, making a note to have Sarah evaluated as soon as he had her under his thumb.

--

Sarah looked out the window, wondering where in the Labyrinth her brother could be. She rested her chin on her hands as she leaned on the sill. Jareth was discussing something with a goblin and she didn't want to seem like she was eavesdropping. The Goblin King was nodding and looked over her direction, as if he knew by instinct that she was watching. He said something to the goblin that laughed, slapped the king's boot happily and ran off. Sarah felt the warmth of color flood her checks and turned to look away but not before she observed the king moving toward her.

"A penny," he said charmingly.

"A penny," she repeated quizzically.

Stormy eyes gazed into hers with an intense hunger, "For your thoughts," his arm went gracefully to the sill and he leaned casually.

"Oh," she replied before turning to look out the window once more.

"Tell me about this wedding that didn't take place," he coaxed.

Sarah looked at him with a confused expression, "Why would you want to know about that?"

A wicked grin spread, "To be sure I don't make the same mistakes of my predecessor," he teased.

Sarah giggle and blushed, "Jareth, don't be silly, Jefferson is not your predecessor."

"I'm serious," he cupped her face with one hand. "You said you didn't pick that monstrosity of a dress.. Or the groom…" He brushed her lips with his. "Tell me about it."

"You're distracting me," she murmured. "Why?"

The Goblin King smiled softly, "We have a few moments before we'll be getting company." He said gently. "I want to know what would please you… since this wedding didn't."

"How could it please me," she whispered painfully. "None of it was right… and only Karen seemed to see that…"

Knowing her history with her stepmother the King sighed, "So again you learn that not everything is as it seems?"

Sarah sighed, "Something like that," she looked out the window once more. "It's funny, some girls would have been thrilled with the wedding, no make that most girls would… but it left me feeling cold and isolated."

"I will make sure ours does not," Jareth promised gently. "I want our marriage to be just that… a marriage… a true partnership from the beginning." He kissed her hair, and breathed in the sweet scent. "Tell me what kind of wedding would have pleased you."

"Something more~ intimate," she mused. "A nice small at home wedding, just family and closest friends… no political statement…" her eyes saddened, "You're a king, that's even more political than a man wanting to be senator."

Jareth nodded slowly, "True," he agreed. "However I think I can arrange a private marriage ceremony with just family, and a state ceremony later, would that please you?"

Sarah looked at him, "Very much," she nodded, "But Jareth part of my family is on the other side… in the Above. How do you intend to bring them to the Underground?"

"I don't," he answered honestly.

Sarah blinked, "But you just said…"

Long fingers clad in leather silenced her trembling lips. "Trust to me Sarah, can you do that?" She looked at his hand, then into his eyes, and nodded. Jareth's hand moved from her lips to the back of her neck in a natural motion. "I will make sure you don't feel left out, or isolated." He promised with eyes full of hunger. "I promise."

Sarah blushed and smiled, "Thank you." She turned her gaze again to the Labyrinth, "So whom are we expecting, Sire?"

His hand at her neck, he too looked out the window, contented with his lot in life. "Any moment now the High King and the father of your… groom." He said quietly, when the girl stiffened slightly his thumb brushed against her throat soothingly. "You're home now Sarah and I will never again allow you to be parted from me." He crooned to her in a tone that was more than possessive, it was almost erotic.

Sarah looked sideways at the man at her side, "Home?"

His eyes narrowed, down to tapered slits revealing only the dark centers of his stormy eyes. "Home," he murmured dark and suggestively. Jareth had waited a long time for moments like this, several human lifetimes in fact. He had waited not always patiently for the arrival of his Queen. However at this moment, his hand on her throat, feeling her pulse race at his suggestive manner of speaking to her, he knew it had been worth the wait. Sarah Williams was no ordinary girl, no ordinary woman; she was something few on either side of the mists could claim. She was in all ways his equal, and soon she would be his crowned queen and his wife. "Pale jewels," he murmured, "So cruel…" his lips curled at the thought of what passion was hidden within this woman. Forgetting for a moment that he was expecting the arrival of the High King, he leaned toward her, intent on capturing her trembling lips beneath his. A throat clearing on the other side of the chamber halted his progress and sighing he turned his head toward the unannounced guests, "Hello… father." He said keeping his hand possessively at the throat of his companion.

Oberon observed the stance his son had taken with amusement, "Jareth," he nodded at the boy, ignoring his hand on the woman's throat. "This is Lord Ridge Woodbine, father of the man who has captured your little heir."

"Lord Woodbine, welcome to the Goblin Kingdom," the young King said graciously.

"I thank you," Ridge bowed deeply, respectfully to the younger man, and then looked at Sarah with gentle consideration. "Hello Sarah," he said softly.

"Mr. Woodbine," she said softly in reply.

"Lord Woodbine," Jareth corrected quite amused, before turning his attentions to the two Fae approaching. "What can we do for you gentlemen?"

Oberon tapped Jareth's hand and it released the girl, the High King placed fingers under Sarah's chin and looked at her face with scrutiny. "Yes, you are an unusual creature," he said after a moment. "I suppose you understand that you are the subject of some discussion."

"Indeed," Jareth's brow rose up into the hair on his forehead. "What discussion would that be Father?"

Sarah smiled at his possessiveness, finding it far more pleasing this time than when she'd been fifteen.

Oberon also smiled over at his son, "What I don't understand is why you didn't speak of this enchanting creature sooner…"

Reaching out his gloved hand, Jareth gently extracted his father's fingers from Sarah's chin, "Oh I'll just let you draw your own conclusions." More possessively he slipped his hand to the waist of the enchanting young woman who blushed slightly. Jareth placed his head on hers and smiled at his father and the other man.

Ridge pointed to the couple and retorted to his long time friend, "Your son has far more sense of just what a treasure she is… unlike that dolt I raised."

Sarah felt a sudden pang of guilt, "Mr. Woodbine," she whispered.

"Lord Woodbine," Jareth corrected again, this time he sounded impatient.

Sarah felt her jaw tighten but accepted the correction, "Lord Woodbine," she said after a moment of thought, "I will understand if you hold a grudge against me."

"I won't," Jareth said in a tone of disdain.

Ridge shook his head, "I told the boy when he began planning on making you his wife that you were not for him. I hold no grudge."

Jareth felt the woman relax, "May I offer you gents refreshment?" he asked as if it were perfectly normal for such guests to arrive.

"No," Oberon said firmly. "We've come to ask how you intend to gain back the personage of your heir and to see if we can intercede on the behalf of the …"

"I don't intend to do anything," Jareth said calmly, "I think Toby can handle Jefferson on his own." When both the High King and Lord Woodbine stared at him, the Goblin King chuckled. "Trust me, if the boy needs help it is in place."

"Which boy," Ridge asked thinking of his son with deep regrets.

"My boy," Jareth said possessively, "MY boy, my woman."

Ridge took a deep breath, "No mercy?"

On the verge of saying 'none', Jareth looked down at Sarah who was asking quietly with soft eyes for him to be temperate. "I'm not without mercy," Jareth conceded. "Should your son see the error of his way, and release the boy and forget this idea of picking up where he left off with Sarah…"

"That won't happen," Ridge said with pain. "Jefferson has never been… rejected before. It will not sit well with him."

"My condolences," Jareth said coldly.

"Jareth," Sarah whispered.

"Hush," he said gently to her, "Lord Woodbine, I can offer you little, but I will offer you hope."

"Hope, Goblin King?"

Jareth nodded, "I will not allow things to progress to where I need to extract a blood debt," he said firmly.

"I thank you for that," he looked once more at Sarah, seeing her peace he smiled. "I offer you my congratulations on your upcoming nuptials." He bent forward, took Sarah's hand into his and kissed the back of it. "Bless you my dear."

Oberon observed, and then said, "You will make a very good Queen," his voice was low in the back of his throat. "You've already shown yourself to be a good influence over my son."

"Thank you…" the young woman said quietly, "To both of you." She watched them leave. "That's it," she asked when she and Jareth were along once more.

"More or less," Jareth stated, "They will not interfere, this is my kingdom, and few Fae wish to have contact with the Goblins."

"Is Toby safe?" Sarah asked once more.

"Safer than Jefferson, I fear." Jareth looked toward the window, "The Labyrinth does not like being used as a tool against her heir…She grows restless…"

Sarah looked toward the window, "One could almost pity Jefferson."

"Almost," Jareth admitted before pulling her closer, "Time is almost up, my beloved."

Sarah looked to the hands of the clock in the King's throne room chamber, the great sword like hands had been moving and were now nearly at the thirteenth hour. "In twenty nine minutes…"

"You'll be mine," he gloated.

Sarah looked at him, dark lashes veiling her eyes, "I've always been yours."

"Precious thing," he breathed as he bent to kiss her. The moment their lips touched he felt the depths of the need they both shared. "Forever," he said as she allowed him to deepen the kiss.