"Damn goblins," he spat as he cradled his wife to him. "Can't they do anything right?"

He muttered a spell and the top half of Sarah's claret gown pooled down around her lower back, giving him access to her corset and chemise. Another spell supported her weight, freeing his hands to let him loosen the stays at her back. Never one to pass up an opportunity, he gazed hungrily at her form, running one gloved hand across her flat stomach and up the curves of her breasts while the other hand undid the lacings at her back and started loosening them.

He could feel her start to breathe easier as his left hand traveled up her back, revealing skin as the corset became less restrictive. Bending his head, he nuzzled her neck, taking in her sweet scent. His right hand fitted itself into the space between Sarah's chemise and started palming and molding her breast- toying and tweaking it until her nipple grew hard. Even though they had been together for 2 ½ years, he found it nearly impossible to keep his hands off of her. Every part of her called to him, making the slightest amount of time apart pure agony.

"And I thought you were expecting me," a cool voice rang out.

Jareth's eyes snapped open and, raising his head, he focused on the figure darkening the entrance to his throne room. His hands didn't stir from Sarah's form. "I was, she wasn't." Glancing down at her, he moved his hand to her other breast to knead and toy, "this is the result."

Severus cocked a black eyebrow. "So you feel the need to molest your bride in front of me, brother?"

Jareth removed his hands and snapped his fingers, straightening Sarah's gown. Another snap propped her upright. Though she was breathing easier, she had yet to regain consciousness. With her head tilted to one side and long dark hair cascading down her back, she looked like a porcelain doll. He replied coolly, "No, just taking the opportunity to remind you of what's mine."

"I see." Severus stepped closer to Sarah. "May I?" He gestured towards her. Jareth nodded once. With that, he started circling Sarah, taking her in with his eyes. "I can see why you're so taken with her; she is a beauty." He reached out and ran his fingers down her neck and across her collarbone. "Is she the one who solved your maze?"

"Labyrinth." Jareth watched him with narrowed eyes. "And don't even think about it."

Severus leaned in and buried his nose into her hair. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes in pleasure. "She smells heavenly." He opened his eyes and continued circling. "Good lay? Does she writhe and moan? Claw your back and suck your prick?"

"Enough!" Jareth snapped, hauling Severus away from her. "She is my wife and the Goblin Queen and you shall speak of her with respect."

Severus snorted and straightened his frock coat. "She's not my queen. Besides, you started it- with that little show. Anybody would be aroused by that-"

"Jareth," Sarah moaned softly. He rushed over to her. "Darling, are you alright?"

"Yes, I just couldn't-" she trailed off, noticing Severus standing in front of them. "You!" She staggered forward, pointing a finger at him. "You. You're real."

Severus took Sarah's outstretched hand and, bowing over it, placed a kiss on the back. "I am, your majesty."

"But how could that be? In the books you died."

"Books can be misleading. After all, they were written for children, were they not?"

Sarah thought on that. He was right and one of the first lessons she learned was that not everything is as it seems, especially in the Labyrinth. "Your parents, though. I remember that your mom was a witch while your father was a Muggle. There was no mention of you being half Fae."

Before Severus could address that, Jareth chuckled to himself. "Sarah. If you're going to bombard our guest with endless questions, you might as well be hospitable about it."

She blushed. "Yes, forgive me. Would you like some tea?"

Sarah tried to act queenly, she really did, but it was just so hard when one of her favorite literary characters was sitting in front of her, calmly drinking tea of all things.

'Holy crap! I know how Snape likes his tea! Who would have thought, milk and sugar?'

Shaking her head in amusement she re-joined the conversation. "Does J.K. Rowling know you're real?"

Jareth lowered his teacup, smiling at her and taking her hand in his "No, Darling. She was inspired to write Harry Potter."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"The witches and wizards of the world removed themselves from the human, or "Muggle," world years ago. The Fae, however, did not. We inspire humans to be more creative here and there. However, we only take credit for the big things. Think of all the beautiful artwork, music, literature… those were not things just thought up by a mortal. No, they've been inspired by us for centuries." He sipped at his tea. "But when we do inspire, we don't give them everything. It'll be bits of a half remembered dream, an idea flashing across their consciousness. They need to feel as though they came up with it on their own."

Severus added in his own knowledge. "And the person influences the work. That's why Rowling changed my parentage. I guess it was easier for her to keep it as Muggle and witch or wizard. Adding Fae in would have added more complications to an already complicated plot line. However, she did get the Half-Blood Prince bit spot on. I am a Half-Blood Prince on my mother's line, the other half is just Fae instead of Muggle."

"So Tobias Snape never existed?"

"He did. He's my adoptive father and I, obviously, took his last name."

"Ah." Content for now, Sarah leaned back and nibbled on a biscuit. Observing the two of them together, one would never know they were related. Although their body types- both lean, of comparable height, and skin pallor- were similar, that was it. Jareth's wild blonde hair almost formed a crown of its own. Pieces flitted and fluttered around his face whenever a breeze caught them. While Severus was… well… dark. Dark, lanky shoulder-length hair, dark clothes, and a darker energy that was the opposite of her husband's.

Not that Jareth couldn't be dark and brooding. He brooded at least once a month when he reached his quota on boggings. But he didn't exude danger and mysteriousness like Severus did. A small smile quirked her lips. Not anymore, at least.

I wonder what he tastes like, Sarah found herself pondering. Whenever they kissed, Jareth tasted like a fresh blanket of snow or of the air when the first leaves began to fall- earthy. There was an overall maleness mixed with that, and the combination left a bit of a tangy, almost honey-like taste in her mouth. It was a flavor- his flavor- that she never tired of.

Turning towards Jareth, Severus asked, "Speaking of which, how is Father?"

"Him and Mother Borrowed last year."

"Really? Do you know to whom?"

"No, I didn't attend the festivities that year." He looked at Sarah and a smile graced his lips. "I was otherwise occupied."

Severus's eyes flicked between the two of them and a slow smile formed. "Haven't you told her?"

Jareth's eyes flashed a warning at his brother but his overall expression didn't change. "No, and I intend to be absent from the gathering this year as well," he bit out.

"What gathering? What are you not telling me?" Sarah asked.

"Samhain," Severus supplied.

That was not what she expected. "Okay. Well, Jareth's already told me about that. It's when the barriers between worlds thins, and things can pass through."

"That's part of it, yes, but there's more. His kind," he pointed at Jareth, "live for so long that having more than one spouse isn't unheard of. The same goes for the Wizarding World but it is celebrated less. The Fae live even longer than us. Near immortal.

"In addition to Samhain, they celebrate 'Offering', or 'Borrowing,' to word things simply. Any unmarried man can borrow or trade any bonded person's spouse, male or female, for one year. The spouse is expected to live with them and treat them as if they were bonded. During the next Samhain, they can choose to go back to their original spouse, stay with their current one, or if there's another Offer, pair off with a new one."

"Why can only males Offer? Why not females?"

"Females can and have Offered before but it is rare."

"They tend to enjoy being pursued," Jareth interjected.

Realization hit Sarah. "But I have no intention of being Borrowed from him. No matter who makes the Offer. Besides, don't the husbands have a say in things?"

Jareth sighed. "We have our opinions, but we cannot do anything to influence the choice. It is entirely up to the Borrowed. Just like the Offer- no amount of magic can be used. No spells or love potions. If it is found out, the Offerer is stripped of all magic and made to live in the most deplorable place on Earth: Wisconsin."

A light peal of laughter left Sarah's mouth. "This is absurd. If you want different bed partners, why not just sleep around? Have orgies?"

Jareth gave a wistful smile. "We're not above doing that. But for some being bonded means so much more than just a bed partner. It's a partner for life, and considering how long we live… it's quite a commitment."

"I see." Sarah looked at the two men, one light and one dark.

Quick as a striking snake, Severus reached forward to grasp Sarah's hands in between his own, knocking over the biscuit tray in the process. "I intend to Offer for you, Sarah, and I will do my best to persuade you to say yes."

Sarah tried to pry her hands free but he held her fast. Glancing over at Jareth, she saw that he had a resigned look on his face, except for his eyes. His eyes were cold with anger. Sensing how he wouldn't or couldn't do anything, she spoke. "Severus, please," nodding at their entwined hands.

He let her go and sat back. Sarah stood up quickly and picked up her cloak that had been tossed against the back of her chair in protest to the warm sun. "I'm going for a walk." Jareth tensed as if to protest. Looking at him, she addressed his unspoken concern: "I won't leave the Labyrinth. I just need to clear my head."

With that, she settled her cloak around her shoulders and took off towards the wooded area in the distance.

Reaching 'The Queen's Woods', as Jareth had named it, she felt herself relax slightly. He had given her this part of his land as a wedding present. It was also one of the first times that they had made love. Sarah remembered falling asleep in his arms, watching the moon rise and the stars appear one by one, so that the sky was embedded with thousands of twinkling diamonds. She had fallen asleep feeling loved and safe, and awoke in their bed to find a maple leaf resting on Jareth's pillow.

He had altered it so that it was always fall, which was her favorite season. The falling leaves and gently babbling brook had always calmed her nerves instantly. Not this time, however, as she was too incensed. To be traded around like a hunk of meat! The only consolation was that it was her choice. The only answer would be to refuse. Just flat out refuse and not be swayed by anything Severus said or did over the next six months.

Six months- that was a good chunk of time in human years. But what about Fae or Wizard? Probably no more than a bat of an eye. She remembered Jareth telling her early on in their courtship that forever wasn't long at all. Which is true for someone like him, and eventually for her as well. Settling down at the trunk of her favorite tree, Sarah looked at the palm of her left hand. There was a faint scar across it. Tracing her finger across the scar, she remembered how it came to be.

Fae marriages, or Bondings, as they were more commonly known, had different stages. There was a basic handfasting, which promised fidelity and love for all time. It mirrored the Aboveground weddings Sarah attended. Words mostly, nothing more.

Then there was the handfasting followed by the immediate consummation of vows. That one bonded the couple more closely, as sex magic was powerful. With that one, the couple could borrow one another's magic and could grow and nurture it into something wholly more powerful.

The third kind was the kind Sarah and Jareth performed. A handfasting followed by blood magic. Since Sarah was from the Above, she didn't have any magic of her own, and couldn't touch Jareth's. Blood magic was the only answer. It had been one of the few times she had seen him without gloves in the daytime. They were stripped from his hands at the beginning of the ceremony and each of their left hands were bound with a small crystal blade in between. After vows were said and promises made, the high king pulled the blade out, slicing both of their hands- letting their blood mix and mingle.

This handfasting allowed them to gain a little of each other. Over time the magic in Jareth's blood would make her almost like him- Fae, with the exception that she would age just a little more quickly than he did. She would also be able to develop her own powers and control over the Labyrinth.

In turn, Jareth gained a little of Sarah's humanity. He could feel human emotions a little stronger, love a little deeper, hurt a little harder than before. In their minds, it was a good gain for both. She could basically become his equal, and he understood why she cried at things he considered odd- like at the end of sad movies.

Magic. Electronics had no use in the Underground, so Sarah and Jareth worked together to create music crystals for her to use as a surrogate to Aboveground radios or her iPhone. Sarah lifted her hand, closed her eyes and concentrated like before. With little effort, a crystal formed. She blew on it and it bobbed gently in the wind around her. A lullaby emitted from the floating orb- something from a Broadway musical that she had always loved.

Suddenly, feeling tired from the events of the day, Sarah wrapped her cloak more tightly around herself and fell asleep, dreaming of darkness and light vying to possess her.

AN: I do not own any of these characters they are property of their respective owners. I also give many thanks to my wonderful friend, and beta, AnonyMiss J. Checkout her works, they're great!