~Sorry for the delay but tonight I am feeling generous. So you got two chappies instead of one. Disclaimer, it aint mine unless you never heard it before. It all belongs to labyrinth.~

Upon the arrival of the High King and Queen all were ordered to leave the study save Sarah and Garin.

"Would someone care to explain to me the letter I received? It states here that Garin intends to marry the lady Vale at our earliest convenience."

"That would be correct father, with your blessing of course, and mothers." He smiled at them both, noting that the Queens expression did not change; she merely looked ahead, no expression to give him any indication of her feelings. The King seemed to turn several shades of the rainbow before addressing Sarah.

"You have given your blessing on this?"

"I have Your Majesty."

"Explain Garin, before I lose my patience, why it is that you wish to marry this woman, when we were under the impression that you were courting Her Grace."

"Arranged marriages are not uncommon in the underground. I think that I will come to love her in time. I am your youngest son. I seek to inherit nothing at this time which I have always been happy to accept. I ask that you give me this one thing and allow me to marry the girl of my choosing. Should we ever have to step in and rule a ream of the underground I am sure that the people will have no problem having vale as Queen. They will accept her graciously, knowing the people as she does. She is kind and giving."

"And you Your Grace. What have you to say?"

"I say that people are always falling in love. There is no reason that they cannot be happy together. Vale does understand the people and they her. They have a great love and respect for her. She is truly amazing Sire. You will not find another like her."

"That does not make her a Princess of the realm."

"Fine. Then I invoke my right to ask Your Majesty a request for myself, as a token of your appreciation for the act I generously committed when I brought his royal Highness Prince Bastian into this world."

"Proceed." The King spoke though gritted teeth, already knowing what was coming.

"Your Majesties promised to grant me one request of my choosing should it be in your power to grant it to me. I ask that you allow Garin to take Vale as his wife and live in happiness, here, In Ivy."

The Queens eyebrows rose, the corner of her mouth twitching. The King continued to change colors, while Garin simply stared at her in shock. Of all the things she could have had, anything in the underground she wanted, she chose to grant her only request in favor of Vale.

"I will grant your request Your Grace, on one condition."

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Bring me your Lady."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Sarah paced the hall, Garin watching her. Vale had been closed up for nearly an hour with the King and Queen. "Will you stop that Sarah? I can't take it."

Sarah frowned at Garin, choosing a seat next to Jareth. Reaching out she clasped his hand tightly, he squeezing hers in return. When the doors finally opened Sarah jumped up from her place, only to see a beaming Vale coming in to the room. The High King and Queen followed behind her, smiling.

"Come Your Grace; let us away to the seamstress. We will need a dress fit for a Princess." Sarah followed the High Queen out the doors, practically dragging Vale and Sophie behind her. Jareth, Dorian, Garin, and Shaemus all stared at the High King waiting.

"Come; let us go over the marriage contract."

"You are not angry father?"

"I would have granted you your request in the end Garin. I am shocked, her status being what it is but you are right. You are a third son and I cannot refuse you this one happiness. I had thought you close to proposing to her Grace."

At Jareth's glare, the High King chuckled. "But I see now that it is better this way. Come; let us decide what it is you shall promise your lady."

"It does not bother you that she is not of the Elden?"

"Why Garin, you snob! Should it bother me?" The High King was once again changing colors.

"No father."

"Remember boy, your own mother was once half mortal as Sarah. This is not the Unseelie Court. We do not sit upon ceremony here as others. Rules there may be but I am not King if I cannot.. Bend them... as I see fit."

Laughing and shouting, the women entered the estate to find the men settled in the study, drinking and smoking cigars. Sarah grunted in disapproval, noting how the King lowered his behind the desk as if to hide it. It was quite comical. Laden down with boxes they passed them to the waiting attendants, little Alyssa following along bouncing with excitement. Garin stood and went to Vale, bowing over her hand to place a chaste kiss there. She smiled, turning a most becoming shade. "My Lady, might we go over your betrothal contract?"

"I have need of nothing save your Highness."

"It pleases me that you would say so but I would like to offer my lady and future wife all that would bring her honor."

"Thank you Your Highness."

"Garin my dear. No more formalities."

"Yes, Garin." Breathless she beamed at him as he drew her further in to the study. Jareth and the other men stood intent upon making themselves scarce. Practically dragging the other women out of the room Jareth chuckled as Sarah pouted at him.

"Let them have this moment precious. All will be as planned I assure you. Let her have this moment."

"He agreed to it!"

"Indeed."

With a squeal Sarah threw her arms around Jareth's neck and kissed him full on the mouth. There was much coughing as Rydin glared, The High Queen stood stock still, and Dorian attempted to remind them of where they were. Sarah drew back with a quiet "Oops," Jareth smirking at her.

Rydin turned on his heel and walked away, Shaemus skipping along happily after him. The High Queen moved forward, and taking Sarah's arm muttered, "Come my dear. Let us talk."

Jareth watched them go, chest puffed up with pride. Sophie and Dorian laughing at him. "Oh shut it." Grimacing he poofed himself away to his throne room to catch up on the Goblin Kingdom.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" Vale sat very still on the edge of her chair. Certain she had misunderstood what the High King was telling her.

"My lady, I will repeat. You will receive an annual income that will be decided upon marriage by Prince Garin. You may also choose an Estate that is without title and we shall create it in your image. Jewels and clothing will be provided of course as part of your marriage trousseau. It is also His Highnesses wish, should you agree to it, to adopt Young Atreus and raise him as your own. It is his wedding gift provided that you give him at least one child of your own house as well. Do you agree to these terms?"

"The baby. I get to keep Atreus?"

"Yes Vale. If you wish it." Garin spoke, softly. Having spoken with Sarah the day before he had decided that he could help Vale, and help himself at the same time, by deciding that it was time to take a wife. Vale was sweet and caring, entirely too proper, and the exact opposite of himself. He wanted someone who would make life interesting. The baby was a surprising twist but seeing as how he was ready to take a wife and Vale was in need of a way to keep the baby things sort of just fell in to place in his head. If their kiss earlier was anything to go by he had no doubt that they would get along famously.

He was nearly knocked from his chair, the King guffawing in laughter, as Vale threw herself in his lap, throwing her arms around him.

"Oh thank you! Thank you Your Highness!"

"Garin. You must call me Garin!" Laughing he hugged her back, placing a soft kiss against her neck, shifting a bit in his chair as she shivered against him. Yep, Famously.

"So, Garin came up with idea all his own?"

"Just so Your Majesty."

"Sarah, I think it is time that we moved past the formalities in private. Call me Aireya."

"Yes Aireya."

"Why is it Sarah that you have such difficulty calling the Royal family by their given names yet you wish for no one to address you by your title? It almost seems as if you wish to keep us at a distance."

"Forgive me. Perhaps I do it without thought."

"You lie, champion of the Labyrinth. Here I thought you were without fear."

"I am not afraid of the Royal Family Aireya."

"Only one of us….." Sitting back in her chair she watched the array of emotions flicker across the girls face.

"I…."

"..Would not wish to lie to me again. Why do you fear him? Has he not proved that he is not the monster you once thought him to be?"

Mouth opening and closing several times Sarah gave a whimper of dismay and stood, moving quickly to the terrace for some air, which should have given her some relief if not for the Goblin Castle rising above the trees. "Have you ever loved someone so much that you feared them? Feeling that with a single word they could shatter your still beating heart within your chest without flinching and walk away unscathed? Have you ever felt your breath catch in your throat, your heart race and beg for their touch no matter how much you wished they would away? Tell me Aireya, have you ever given up everything to save another only to watch your dreams fade before your very eyes?"

"My dear girl..." Hand against her heart the Queen moved to Sarah's side in shock. "Why, why haven't you told him?"

Meeting the Queen's glance, Aireya flinched back, the pain in Sarah's eyes of an age that someone so young should never have to bear. "I will never feel that way again."

"Surely Sarah, surely you must know he would do anything for you."

"Even let me go?" Gripping the railing she turned to glance back at the Goblin Castle wondering what he could be doing right now. She never noticed the Queen's departure, not the petals left scattered amongst the floor.

"Mother, it isn't often you journey somewhere this late. What is the matter?" Jareth sat up in his chair, concerned. He'd never seen her look so wilted before. Her sadness practically permeated the air.

"Jareth, you have to let her go."

"I cannot."

"You must."

"Why must I! She practically throws herself at me every chance she gets. She wants me as I want her. Even she can't deny it."

"She's afraid of you. More importantly, she is afraid of loving you."

Throwing himself down in his chair, the bridge of his nose pinched, he thought back to the night of Bastian's birth. Show me that you mean what you say….she was right. Horrified he turned to look at his mother who cheeks were smeared with tears. "I can fix this."

"Some things cannot be changed, even with the reorder of time. She may love you Jareth, but that doesn't mean she will have you. Think about what you do, my son. Your year is up. Should she refuse you, your father will choose another. Drag this out as long as you can. I pray that you do not fail."

"Our fates are intertwined mother. I'll find a way to fix this. I swear it on my Kingdom, I'll fix it."

The breeze stirred at Sarah's back who neither slept nor moved, thinking over the last few months since she had come to the underground. Tears streamed her cheeks, thinking of Toby, her Father, even Karen, and wondering if they missed her at all. Perhaps they didn't even know she had gone. Maybe the story of going abroad had indeed fooled them. Footsteps on the balcony had her rolling over in bed, only to see Jareth standing at the open doors.

"It is not safe to leave these open with Atreus in residence precious."

"He sleeps with Vale, Garin in the next room; I doubt he is going anywhere." Flopping back over she turned her back on him, hoping that was dismissal enough. Of course it wasn't.

"Forgive me. I was merely concerned. Would you like me to teach you the enchantment that keeps others from transporting in and out, for his safety?"

"Sure." She sounded bored, but he would not be deterred.

"What have I done?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What have I done, to deserve your hatred?" He settled himself down on the chaise at the end of her bed, his hands curling into fists in his lap to keep from reaching out for her.

"I do not hate you. What brought this on?" Sitting up Sarah lit the candle next to her bed, watching the light throw Jareth into contrast. He was truly magnificent, his eyes streaking up, blue tonight, like her mood. He dressed in all black, as if to hide himself in the night.

"Then what is it? What is this thing between us? I feel it, but you won't let me past it. You act with such kindness, with such love. You let me lay with you, you let me kiss you. Our bodies crave each other's touch, yet you would hide your soul from me. I beg of you to show me what it is I can do to bring you back to me Sarah."

"You never came for me. I was ill, and you never came for me. You left me..."

"You made your choice!"

"What choice did you give me?" Throwing back the covers, she faced him in all her fury, her ebony hair blowing in the breeze, tears streaming her cheeks. "I was a child! A child Jareth! I lived in a world where fairy tales are thought to be fake! My family abandoned me for years, leaving me to make my own way. I made my way to YOU. And what did you give me Jareth? More dreams. More promises. But never your heart! You asked me to love you, but you never gave me your love in return. I made the only choice I had and you abandoned me! If you ever truly loved me you would have sought me out, came to me. You left me, as they all have." Collapsing on to her knees she began to sob, pushing him away as he knelt and embraced her. He held her fast, refusing to let her go.

"You banished me. I couldn't come for you until you began dream weaving. Why did you not call to me these many years? I would have come to you. Don't you know that I would have come for you? Why can you not forgive us and let us begin again? I am in love with you."

"That doesn't mean you won't break me again. You are a King. Free to rule as you see fit. I won't be another of your subjects Jareth. I will never give another person the freedom to rule me again."

"You think loving your grandfather that he could not hurt you? You think that when Sophie and Vale leave to go off on adventures with their new husbands that you won't be left here alone?"

"For a time, but they will return. And Toby, I will have Toby."

"Can you not try?"

"You ask too much of me!" She hadn't meant to shout, but it spilled forth with more venom than she thought she possessed.

"I ask only that which I am prepared to give in return." He continued to hold her, letting her tears spill into his clothes, lettering her nails claw at his arm as her anger took her.

"I have nothing left to give." Going limp in his arms he lifted her, carrying her back to the bed.

"How very wrong you are precious." His eyebrow raised in question as her arm shot out to catch his.

"You're right."

"What?"

"You're right Jareth. I have one thing left I can give and it should only be yours." Sitting up she ran her hands up his chest, grabbing his collar to tug him forward.

"Sarah…what are you..."

"Shut up Jareth." With that her mouth closed over his, her hands pushing the jacket from his shoulders. He stood still, letting her have her way until she pulled the shirt from his shoulders as well, breaking the kiss only long enough to yank it over his head.

"No Sarah…" pushing her hands away he walked to the terrace doors, intent on fleeing.

"I ask only that which I am prepared to give in return."

"You cannot ask this of me!"

"Since when did you give a damn about the rules Jareth? How can someone love another so much only to turn away at the first hint of fear? Show me how to get past fear and maybe I will overcome mine."

"I cannot Sarah. I could not take such advantage. It would forever ruin you."

"I will have no one so who is there to ruin me for? Take me now or never have me that is your choice." Sinking back against the bed, she pulled the covers over herself, settling down with her back to him.

Snarling in fury he moved to the bed, throwing back the covers. "You would leave me no other choice?"

"Consider it a like kindness shown to me when I was but a girl. Perhaps you should have explained the rules better?"

"Have it your way." Snatching her up against him, he curled a fist in her hair, turning her head to bring their mouths together in a mixture of heat and fury.

***HAHAHAHA, is that another cliff hanger?****