The soft night wafted around the flushing glow of the busy castle. The lower floors where usually packed with creatures, who went about affairs at all hours of the day and night. The castle was many, many floors, a maze itself, and the top floors belonged to the king alone, and these where much more elegant, and the noises downstairs rarely permeated up into them. Ziv landed on a large balcony near the very top of the castle. Sarah could see that slightly above, there was a recess in the building, resembling a cross between a small cave and a stall, where it appeared that the creature might sleep.

"Are you tired?" Jareth asked as he helped her slide off of Zivs back.

Sarah smiled and shook her head. "Ive always been a night owl."

Jareth game her an amused look. "As am I, although literally, as well as figuratively, as Im sure you recall."

"Yes...If you dont mind, I'd like to know why you choose the form of an owl?" She inquired.

"We Fae do not choose our animal forms. They are selected for us at birth-or, in the few instances where human become fae, sometime during their transition. Usually it is one of the earliest manifestations of their magical abilities. We can appear to be other things, but that is only caused by a magical illusion. We get only one alternative physical form."

"Only one huh?" Sarah said, shaking her head and feigning scorn.

"Does that disappoint you?" Jareth frowned.

"That depends..." Sarah replied. "...on what other things I would have to look forward to, if I where to stay here."

"Oh Sarah, there is not going to be enough time in this day for me to show you all that." Lifting her hand delicately to his lips, he kissed it ever so softly, surveying her intently all the while. Her wide emerald eyes looked as they did when she looked at him three years ago, only now they said much different things to him than they did then. They spoke to him of openness, and desire. He was in love with her eyes...unable to stop himself, he softly sang to her...

There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes.
A kind of pale jewel
Open and closed
Within your eyes.
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes...

To his surprise, Sarah returned a song:

Every now and then
I get a little bit tired
Of listening to the sound of my tears …

Every now and then I get a little bit terrified
And then I see the look in your eyes …

"Well now." Jareth praised, leaning back a bit in surprise at the discovery of this new facet of Sarah. "I didnt know that you sang."

Sarah blushed softly. "Ive often sung to myself. Its supposed to improve a persons mood."

"It improves mine, more often than not. And hearing you sing to me..."

Her voice was beautiful...clear and feminine, but rich, and full of feeling. Their little duet had excited him more than he cared for. He was thankful for the fact that they where immersed in darkness, for his tight pants where sure to give him away in a manner that he was not sure that they where ready for. He was certainly eager to act upon his urges, but even so, at this moment, he knew she should clean off the dust Ziv had sprayed her with first, at the very least. While he had no qualms about taking her lovely body right there on the roof, their first time together needed to be free of any distractions, and timed correctly.

"Well then." His voice came out much more garbling than he wanted, "I know you are eager to clean up. Lets go in, shall we?"

Sarah paused, sensing and sharing his mood: a thick, warm, still yet moving feeling that swam in all of the crevices between them. Still holding hands, she managed to find her feet and they went inside.

"Here." He stopped at a massive door and opened it, the large room illuminating itself as they stepped inside. Sarah gasped at the splendor of it. There was a dresser, a massive, canopied bed, an adjoining bathroom, a wardrobe, and a glass case containing a splended assortment of exquisitely designed crystalline objects, some of which glowed faintly with various hues of light. Everything in the room was elegant, highly detailed and antique. All of the fabrics from the rug to the curtains to the sheets where hues of burgundy, crimson, black and gold.

"The bath is over there." He motioned to it. "You'll find an assortment of clean clothes in the wardrobe, as well as anything else that you should need. I must run downstairs to check on something for a moment, so take your time, and if you need anything, Ill be sending a servant up to you shortly. When you are finished, just say my name, and I will come for you."

"Thank you." Jareth leaned towards her, as if to kiss her, but then smiled mischievously and turned off, leaving her. She heard a loud banging on a door and Jareth shouting, "Dumbrain! I have a guest. Get out here." Rapid shuffling came in response, and a raspy, feminine voice piqued, "Yes, yes, coming Your Highness. Here I am, My Lord."

Sarah heard Jareth say a few things to his subject, but couldnt make out what they where. The way he talked to the servant riled her. She made note to voice her displeasure about it to him later. Meanwhile, she went to the wardrobe, marveling at the large and ornate selection. There where many dresses, but also pants and shirts, all with the faire type style that seemed to prevail in this world. Since the evening was warm, she selected a beautiful dark emerald dress that was light and simple but still elegant. The fabric of it clung to her skin and its cool, soft feel was marvelous. She was about to head into the bathroom when the servant Jareth had sent came into the room, bowing.

"Ive been sent te wait on ya, missy." She said. "The names Duzzle."

"Nice to meet you." Sarah smiled. "I dont think I need anything right now though, thank you."

The goblin, about the height of Hoggle and crowned with wild, orangish hair, nodded.

"If you decide you do, you just say my name. Im right down the hall."

"All right Dizzle. Thanks again."

The Goblin muttered crossly to herself as she left, shutting the door behind her. Sarah, preoccupied, headed into the bath, which was just as elaborate as everything else in the suite. The tub was huge, and she thought it a pity that she would have to use as much water as she was going to have to in order to fill it. There where a variety of things available to add to the bath, and she selected one with a pleasant but not overwhelming fragrance and settled in.