DISCLAIMER: I own nothing….except a copy of the Labyrinth DVD and a very dog-eared copy of the original US edition book.

WARNING: Some steaminess. Some language. More UST. And some adult-type touching (whohoo!)

Author's Note: Okay…as promised here is the second part of this chapter. The last chapter should be up by Sunday night (expect the chapter to be on the longish side as there is A LOT left to cover).

As always…please feed the author – reviews are my fav snack. :)

Ch. 13: Right of Conquest (pt. 2)

"And this is why she is my Champion and Queen candidate by right of conquest," Jareth chuckled, smiling fondly at the brunette on the sofa.

Coughing wildly as she choked on her coffee, Sarah spun to look at Jareth, her voice squeaking as she spoke, "What?"

After that little bombshell, the rest of the day went by in something of a haze for Sarah.

No matter how many times Sarah asked and begged and pleaded and cajoled, Jareth staunchly refused to explain what he meant until after dinner. Each time she asked he merely gave her that supercilious smirk of his, kissed her and said – "Later, Precious." And so she went about the rest of the day, following him from one royal task to the next, only half-paying attention to anything going on around them as her mind mulled over his words – Queen candidate by right of conquest?

….What the hell is that supposed to mean?...Bloody infuriating male! Sneaky Fae bastard…..

When the morning reports were finished, having ended abruptly courtesy of his bombshell of an announcement (and Sarah's coughing fit that frightened Violante so badly she insisted upon calling the healer into the study) Jareth hustled Sarah off to listen to open court for the goblins. Upon reaching the informal throne room that she had cut through on her way to rescue her brother, Jareth led her toward the throne, chuckling when she meekly sat on the very edge of the great stone seat, at the far corner of the throne. With a great laugh, he scooped her up in his arms before settling himself sideways on the throne, his legs draping over the edge, and Sarah once more firmly ensconced on his lap.

"Really, Jareth. This can't be proper behavior," muttered Sarah, shaking her head, although wisely foregoing the squirming she had done earlier.

"Says who?" laughed Jareth, his mismatched eyes shining mischievously. "I am King, Sarah. The goblins will see you here and decide that since this is where the King wants you, this is where you belong. And it is where you I want you, therefore, it is where you belong."

She tried a different tactic as she attempted not to wriggle, all the while feeling quite silly sitting on his lap and knowing that at any second the throne room would be filled with goblins that wanted an audience with the King.

"I'm sure your mother would disagree."

"She tried to disagree about it once," replied Jareth, running his tongue along the front of his teeth as he looked at her with a distinctly wolfish grin.

"See. She has sense," nodded Sarah with a hopeful smile.

"Yes…." Jareth continued, his voice rumbling low in his chest as he spoke. "She disagreed when my father did the same to her after she beat the Labyrinth."

"He…She wha…? Oh…" mumbled Sarah, trying to figure out which part of that statement to question first. Feeling Jareth's thigh shift under her rear, pressing her against more 'solid' aspects of his anatomy, her attention was forced back to her current seating arrangement and her face fell when she realized that her attempted argument wasn't going to hold up.

"Mother's disagreement didn't last long though, once Father pointed out some of the perks to it," Jareth purred in her ear. "Like this one…." He chuckled, running his hand down the back of her neck, his gloved fingers lightly tracing down the ridge of her spine before sliding down to cup her ass. "And this…." He drawled with a slight thrust upward of his hips, reminding Sarah once again the 'penalty' for squirming.

Penalty nothing! Insisted her libido…. He is right. It is a perk. Now sit back and ENJOY it!

"Oh…." Gasped Sarah, vaguely annoyed by how breathy she sounded.

Clasping her lightly around the waist, Jareth settled himself against the back of the throne, with Sarah leaning against his chest, then motioned for the doors to the throne room to be opened.

"Jareth! Stop that!" Sarah hissed in exasperation as his fingers slid under her arm to lightly graze the side of her breast, his nose poking through the hair by her ear until his lips fastened around her earlobe.

"Relax, Sarah," he chuckled, his breath a heated puff against the sensitive skin of her neck. "The goblins won't notice a thing. They will be thrilled that you are here at all."

"But…" she insisted, squirming in spite of herself and then stilling at the low growl that emanated from his chest in response.

"Just consider this…. Foreplay, Precious."

And Sarah melted, feeling as if every nerve in her body was now concentrated between her thighs as she tried to ignore the occasional throb that pressed upward against her.

Court seemed to take forever as Jareth teased her mercilessly in ways the goblins couldn't see or didn't notice, from his fingers on her neck and caressing the side of her breasts, to the hand that cupped and teased her ass. Not to mention the random thrusting of his groin upward as he 'adjusted' them on his throne. No, the goblins didn't know what he was doing, but he made quite certain that Sarah did. She knew. Oh yes. She knew all right and wanted nothing more than for court to end so they could return to his chambers, having conveniently forgotten the questions his comments had raised.

Oi! Don't go getting too distracted…. Grumbled her inner-voice, desperately trying to hold on to the questions she wanted to ask Jareth.

Questions…what questions? The only question I have is how soon we can get him naked again…. Sighed her libido wistfully, as Sarah finally took the initiative and decided to fight dirty, giving a lascivious wiggle on Jareth's lap and earning herself another soft groan from the ever-so-kissable lips of the Goblin King, in addition to his low growl of "Tart!"

But of course, returning to his chambers and bed following open court would have been too easy and would deprive the Jareth of his fun – and he was having far too much fun teasing Sarah to let it end so soon.

After court concluded, he made a great production of deciding to lead her on a tour of the castle - one that only made her want him more, as he teased her with his both words and actions. In the portrait gallery, he kissed her until she was so breathless she thought she might faint. Upon reaching the library, he ran his hand over the firm and thick padding of the rounded armrests and whispered in her ear, "Or I could lean you over this and…." All while pressing closely against her back in a very obvious manner. Sarah got his message. Loud and clear. And it made her knees weak at the thought.

In the kitchen he offered her a banana with a knowing look and sleekly hinted at other ways in which food could be used – and not for nourishment in the traditional sense. Leading her into the formal throne room Jareth sat Sarah upon his throne, knelt in front of her and proceeded to kiss the ivory swell of her breasts, exposed as they were by the boning and tight lacing of her dress. Each pinch of his teeth and firm suck of her skin between his lips made her stomach quiver, sending lances of lust coursing through her to glide into sharp focus between her thighs.

….Gods…. this is soooo wrong…..I shouldn't be enjoying this….I know he wants me to beg but this….this is ridiculous…..

It is only wrong if the tour doesn't conclude back in his bed….suggested her inner-voice being far too rational for the hormonal deluge that was current storming through her veins.

So beg already! Demanded her libido, wanting nothing more than to bar the door to the throne room and sexually harass the King on his own throne – an image that both Sarah and her inner-voice found oddly compelling and more than a little arousing.

As he led her from the formal throne room Sarah glanced down and blushed crimson at the sight of the artful array of bite marks and growing love-bites that now decorated her flesh – on display to anyone who dared look, thanks to the boned construction of the dress.

Winding their way through the formal dining room, Jareth spun her, pressing her back until the edge of the heavy wooden tabletop pressed against the back of her thighs. With a gentle lift, he sat her on the table, his hips finding their way snuggly between her thighs as he once again ravished her mouth, teasing a needy moan from her lips as his tongue drove past hers, thrusting and taunting her relentlessly. Caught in his rapturous kiss, Sarah didn't register his weight pressing forward, laying her back on the table. Her mind registered nothing except the delicious sensations his kiss was eliciting in her body and the way her very being seemed to sing out in search of more of his touch – touch he was more than willing to give. Jareth's lips moved from hers, nibbling and biting at her neck, down over the swell of her breasts, making her arch upward against him, her back bowing upon the slickly polished wood of the table.

"I could take you here, Sarah. A flick of my wrist would lock the doors. Or would you rather I take you like you are, wantonly writhing on the table, the doors unlocked to where anyone could find us," he murmured, his teeth grasping the lace at the front of her dress and giving it a gentle tug.

Sarah heard a hoarse moan of desire and gasped, realizing it was her own. At the feel of the laces of the dress loosening slightly from the tug, she came to herself, eyes opening to see the Goblin King's pale eyes dancing impishly inches from hers.

"Maybe….next… time," she managed to pant, plucking the lace from his teeth as she sat up. Retying the front of her dress, Sarah double-knotted it for good measure, much to Jareth's amusement.

"As if a mere knot would stop me, Precious."

Taking her hand he pulled her once more to standing, swiftly guiding her toward a set of heavy double-doors. Pushing the doors open with a flourish, he led her into the ballroom, the elaborate parquet dance floor in the middle of the room surrounded by Grecian style columns that extended from floor to vaulted ceiling. Jareth sought her lips once more, this time in a slow, sensual kiss, his velvet tongue teasing the seam of her lips, inviting entry rather than demanding it. A soft sigh slipped past Sarah's lips as her arms wound around his shoulders, fingers losing themselves in the hair at the nape of his neck. Then it all changed, as she found herself pressed hard against one of the pillars that ringed the dance floor, the sweet sensuality of the kiss contrasting sharply with the firm, forceful caress of his hands over her thighs, sliding under the rustling satin of the dress, to glide over the velvet that encased her legs. Effortlessly, she found herself being lifted, until her legs wrapped around his hips.

The kiss deepened in intensity, but not force, Jareth's tongue slipping against hers like a silken caress, all the while his hands kneaded and caressed her, sliding over her back and legs. Losing herself in the kiss and the feel of his hands, Sarah found herself unabashedly moving against his body seeking the pressure-filled touch that would drive her over the edge, and encouraged onward by the gentle rumble of contentment that burst from Jareth's chest. Pinned between his hard body and the unyielding pillar, Sarah felt the quiet storm building in her body, gathering deep in the pit of her belly, like thunderheads colliding on a stormy summer's day. With each sultry pull of her tongue against his, the feeling grew.

A sudden cry was wrenched from her lips and swallowed by his hungry mouth, as Jareth's fingers found her heat, honing in upon the magical spot with the pressure she so desperately wanted. She tried to fight it - to fight the forbidden carnality of this. To question the way he pushed her outside of herself in ways she had never dreamed.

"No…" she gasped, panting as she tried to tear her lips from hers, but unable to escape his persistent mouth. "Can't. Do. This. Here…."she moaned against his lips, returning the kiss before remembering herself once more and trying again to protest. "Not. Right….."

Never ceasing his seductive caresses, Jareth nipped her bottom lip, sucking it sharply before replying. "You're over-thinking it, Sarah. Stop bloody thinking and just feel," he commanded, his voice dropping low in a way that made her whole body tremble violently against him.

The fight left her as she opened herself up to the sensations. Grinding against the fingers that danced over her, Sarah whimpered with abandon, as she clung to him.

"Feel," he whispered, his lips finding their way back to her neck.

Sarah groaned, arching sharply against him.

"Enjoy," Jareth murmured, the word vibrating under her skin.

She gasped, eyes flying wide as the thunderheads within her swirled fiercely, spinning deep inside her until she felt she would burst.

"Surrender," he breathed in her ear, so softly that she barely heard it, yet her body instantly reacted to the quiet demand that unleashed the storm within her.

Sarah screamed.

The sound echoed vibrantly throughout the ballroom as she shuddered her release, trapped between the unwavering, heated hardness of the Goblin King and the stout pillar behind her. Ears ringing with the intensity of the hormonal storm that rushed through her, Sarah collapsed against his chest, feeling as if her body had been battered by hurricane-driven waves, her heart thudding frantically in her chest.

Feeling Jareth tenderly set her back on her feet, arms still wrapped around her until she regained her balance, Sarah had to laugh.

"What is so funny, Pet?" he asked as he gently pressed his lips to her forehead.

"When you asked me to spend the day, then told me we weren't going to stay in your bed, I didn't expect anything like this," she replied, gesturing around the ballroom before straightening her dress.

Brushing a stray tendril over her shoulder, Jareth smirked at her. "Well, while we couldn't spend the day in my bed, as much as I would have liked to, that didn't mean I had no intention of making you writhe and scream my name a few more times before I send you home."

Her hands upon Jareth's hips, Sarah pointedly glanced down, her lips tugging into a sly grin as she leaned in and lightly kissed his lips.

"Hm… then thanks for the boon, Goblin King, although I didn't mean to give you a…hard time over it," Sarah said, her voice a sultry purr in the sudden quiet of the ballroom.

Chuckling, Jareth nipped her bottom lip. "Cheeky wench. Are you offering to help me with it?"

"Maybe later," Sarah giggled, her hand snaking between them to tease lightly across the bulge that he had taunted her with all through court.

Before Jareth could react, Gaelin appeared in the doorway. Sarah bit back a laugh as Jareth smoothly stepped to the side, hiding his current 'predicament' behind the fullness of Sarah's skirts.

Seeing the Champion's flushed face, and the self-satisfied smirk on his King's face, Gaelin chuckled inwardly, knowing that much more than a tour of the castle must have been going on – a suspicion he had had since he heard the King's name being screamed earlier.

"Please pardon my intrusion, Your Majesty. But your assistance is needed in the Nightmare Wood to deal with a small matter."

Sighing, Jareth nodded at Gaelin. "Take Sarah to my study and see that she has lunch brought to her. Send Violante to keep her company."

Softly kissing Sarah's forehead, Jareth smiled quietly at her. "I am sorry, Precious. But, you cannot accompany me on this task. It is far too dangerous, even for my Champion," he said with a small smirk.

Sarah watched as Jareth glided to the bank of balconies that lined one wall of the ballroom, and with a quick step, launched himself over the edge. His body gave a shudder as he transformed into a snow, white owl.

The shrill cry of the owl sent a shiver of desire through Sarah's body as Jareth flew off into the distance.

Sarah's afternoon passed faster than she expected it would, given the absence of the King. Violante and Sarah discussed the pitfalls and pressure related to keeping the castle running smoothly, and Violante regaled her with tales of goblin mayhem. Appearing in the room three hours later, Jareth was surprised to see Sarah curled up asleep on the sofa, with Violante curled up in a chair going over menus for the upcoming King's Council. Placing a finger to his lips warning Violante to keep silent, he crept up on Sarah and gently scooped her up, the two of them disappearing in a haze of silver glitter as Violante made a note to get a maid in to sweep up the mess.

When Sarah awoke some time later, she was pleasantly surprised to find herself tucked back in Jareth's bed, her head resting on his chest as she slept, while Jareth sat propped against the pillows reading. Blinking, she rubbed her eyes and looked up at him, smiling as he peered down at her, his eyes showing a gentleness she never expected from him. This was certainly not the villain of her childhood.

"Welcome back, Precious. I was wondering how long you planned to sleep," he chuckled, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

Stretching, Sarah sat up, pulling her knees to her chest and snuggling into the crook of his arm, "You could have woken me."

Jareth nodded, his book now laying forgotten upon the bedside table as he wrapped both arms around the woman beside him.

"I could have, but you were sleeping so nicely and after your interrupted sleep of last night, I thought it best to let you enjoy your nap."

Sarah purred inwardly in contentment as she basked in the warmth of his arms.

"So will you explain things now?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him and trying to look innocent – while failing utterly.

Laughing, Jareth rolled her out of his arms and off the bed. "No. And you can stop trying to sneak the question in, Precious. I am not going to fall for it. Dinner. First," he insisted firmly, his eyes flashing with amusement as she gawked at him. "Speaking of which, dinner should be served shortly. You have time for a quick shower beforehand."

At that Sarah grinned wickedly and with one sharp tug loosened the laces on the front of her dress. A quick shimmy later saw it draped across a chair, her boots tossed nearby as she ran toward the bathroom wearing only her tights, "Race you!"

For the next hour the royal wing of the castle echoed with laughter and the odd scream of delight from Sarah – after all, the King was never one to pass up a challenge, and Sarah was nothing if not challenging.

Dinner itself was a much more raucous affair than usually seen in the Goblin Castle. The goblins who served streamed through the room performing their tasks as per usual, all the while fascinated by the way their King and the Lady carried on. Outside the dining room doors and the doors leading to the serving area, throngs of curious goblins gathered, hoping for a peek at the King and the Lady as they ate, the sound of their laughter carrying throughout the lower levels of the castle – something the goblins were not used to from their king. By the time desert was served, the serving staff could barely reach the doors for the mass of goblin bodies pressed against them.

Oblivious to their curious audience, Sarah and Jareth ate and drank as they continued to engage in their battle of thinly veiled innuendo and snarkiness, interspersed with random moments of breathless snogging and not so innocent touching. As far as dinners went, Sarah was convinced this was both the oddest date in history and the most fun.

"Can I ask a question, Jareth?" Sarah smiled, lifting his hand from where it was teasing long her inner thigh and placing it back upon the table, a giggle escaping her at the little-boy pout he gave her. "Oh seriously, you've been doing that for the last 10 minutes. You can put your hand back later."

Raising an eyebrow at her, he gave her a darkly hungry grin, "Promise, Pet?"

"Yes."

"Then ask your question," Jareth murmured, returning to his soup with a 'slurping' sound that made Sarah's mind flash back to some of the slurping that had happened the previous night. Jareth merely chuckled knowingly as she shivered all over at the memory.

"Stop. Trying. To. Distract. Me." Sarah admonished, squirming in her seat under his gaze.

"I am doing nothing of the sort," he replied, his tongue flicking lazily over the now empty spoon as he looked at her, watching the way her eyes were glued to his mouth. "Can I help it if you are thinking naughty thoughts."

Gah…. whimpered her libido as her inner-voice temporarily went offline due to mental picture overload regarding Jareth and his yummy-talented-and-incredibly-looooong tongue.

"You should just be glad that I am not insisting upon you sitting in my lap again. I could make you sit here with me and feed you myself," he threatened with a smirk at the way she blushed.

Chuckling at the glazed expression in Sarah's eyes, Jareth slid his hand back against her thigh, grazing higher and higher until she jumped and squeaked like a startled rabbit, blinking rapidly and looking at him.

"Your question, Sarah?" he asked with a smug grin, his fingers lightly tapping against her thigh.

….Oh yes. Teasing her is far too much fun. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed dinner like this….. he thought with a sly smirk.

Breakfast would be better, mate…. Suggested his libido ….Might I suggest you have it in bed next time? Tomorrow would be good in fact.

….Indeed…. but not what I have in mind…..

"Um…yeah…my question…." Sarah stammered, finding it incredibly difficult to think and completely unable to remember what had seemed so important only a moment ago.

Sighing, Sarah swatted his hand away from her thigh and went back to her soup.

"Must not have been too…pressing if you can't remember, my Dear," Jareth chuckled, turning his eyes back to his own soup, while his hand crept back to her thigh.

And that is how dinner continued - Jareth teasing Sarah mercilessly, with Sarah attempting to concentrate on eating and failing miserably. On occasion she would get her own back. During the main course she managed to make Jareth choke by timing a light but firm graze of her manicured fingers along his inner thigh, to coincide with him taking a deep drought of the peach wine. As he spluttered in a wholy undignified manner, Sarah merely smiled sweetly, flicking her tongue over the sauce that clung to the tines of her fork – a visual that gave the Goblin King several other mental pictures of other things he would like to see that tongue do – preferably in the very near future.

"Now who is being a tease?" he asked, his voice rasping in the quiet of the room.

"What was it that you said to me this morning?" chirped Sarah with an impish smirk. "Oh yes….I remember now. Just consider this….foreplay."

Jareth groaned, as Sarah laughed merrily. The game was definitely on, it was merely a matter of seeing who would break first.

By the time dinner was over, it took every bit of self-control Jareth had not to transport them both back to his chambers to pick up where they left of in the morning. It was Sarah's coquettish smirk and sultry whisper of, "By right of conquest, eh?" that kept him from giving in to his baser instincts – much to the annoyance of his libido (and hers, truth be told). So, when Sarah had licked the last of the cream from her desert spoon (having drawn out the process to further torment Jareth, who could not seem to tear his eyes away from her lips and the spoon that she slid over her tongue while she sucked at the remainder of the whipped cream), Jareth plucked the spoon from her fingers and with her hand tucked into the crook of his arm, led her from the castle and into his private gardens.

Having settled himself upon the ground beneath the sacred tree, his back propped against the ancient trunk, Jareth tugged Sarah down, pulling her bodily into his lap. With his arms wrapped around her, he sighed deeply, enjoying the warmth that seeped from her, seeming to wind its way beneath his skin.

"Now then," he began as Sarah rested her head against his shoulder, her chest rising and falling softly as she breathed in the scent of the night jasmine that ringed the garden, tinged with the gentle floral notes of the peach blossoms that bloomed overhead. "I believe I promised you answers to two pressing questions – your peach craving and the issue of your Queen candidacy."

Nodding, Sarah arched her head back to look at him, blushing as his mismatched eyes met hers, a piercing look that made her heart race and her head swim.

Ask about the candidacy first! Ordered her inner-voice, while her libido nodded frantically in agreement.

….No. I don't want to seem….greedy….. she countered, frowning inwardly.

"Tell me about the peach first…..Please," she asked, her voice quiet amidst the evening sounds of the garden.

A soft chuckle rolled from his chest at her request, as Jareth shook his head before tucking hers under his chin. Sarah purred happily as he began speaking, losing herself in the soothing tenor and the way each word vibrated from his chest and into her skin.

"Actually, Love… the answer to both questions is so entwined, they cannot be explained separately. Just listen…."

This peach tree is sacred to the royal line of the Goblin Kingdom. It was planted by the first Goblin King, as a reminder of his Queen's home – you see, she was from Above. For years Althar the first Goblin King had searched for a bride. While Althar had no problem finding Fae women willing to be wooed by him, none wanted to be Queen of the Goblins, finding the goblins to be ugly, stupid creatures.

"But they aren't," cried Sarah indignantly. "Okay, so maybe they don't bathe regularly, and aren't the greatest conversationalists, but they are sweet in their own way.

Jareth couldn't help but smile as Sarah, without realizing it, proved once more why she deserved to be the Queen candidate.

"Hush, Precious….no interrupting," he chided, placing a gloved finger across her lips and biting back a groan when she worried it gently with her teeth.

Now, as King of the Goblins, Althar was charged with accepting those children who were wished away, just as I do now. As done now, he would take the children wished away and keep them here, to be adopted out to Underground families, if their wisher chose not to run or lost the game.

"Adopted? But you turn them into gob….."Sarah paused in mid-thought, realizing that yet again, she was taking things for granted. "The wished away children aren't turned into goblins, are they?" she asked sheepishly, nibbling nervously on her bottom lip.

"No, Love. They are adopted into homes that want them desperately and they grow up as citizens of my kingdom, until they are old enough to explore the other realms here. Now, are you going to keep quiet or must I gag you in order to finish the tale?" came the bemused reply.

"Hmm…kinky…." giggled Sarah, before snapping her lips shut and smiling sweetly at him.

"You have no idea, Pet," muttered Jareth with a dark chuckle and a wicked grin.

Anyway, one day, Althar answered a summons and went Above to take the child. When he got there he discovered that it was not a child who had been wished away, but a young woman who had wished herself away in an effort to escape an arranged marriage to a cruel man that she did not love.

"How horrible…." Interrupted Sarah impulsively, before slapping a hand over her mouth and smiling at Jareth.

"Sarah…." Jareth growled softly in warning, shaking his head with a laugh.

By the rules of the game, the young woman, Gabriella, was too old to be adopted out and Althar informed her of such. Yet, she was so distraught at the thought of staying Above to be sold into marriage, that she threw herself at his feet and begged him for sanctuary in the Goblin Kingdom. Now, by the very rules of the Labyrinthine kingdom, none from Above can enter the kingdom except those who are wished away and those who choose to challenge the Labyrinth to win them back. Being a smart woman, Gabriella offered Althar a deal – she would run the Labyrinth. Not for her freedom, but for the right to become a citizen of the kingdom, thus avoiding the arranged marriage.

After considering her offer, Althar chose to accept it, being intrigued by her willingness to risk the unknown. Over the course of her run, Althar kept watch over her, becoming increasingly impressed with the way she won over his loyal subjects, turned beasts into allies, and used her own wits and cunning to best the many riddles and tasks that were designed to test the determination of runners. When she reached the castle as required, Althar, true to his word, offered her sanctuary in the kingdom – with one caveat. She had to remain within the Goblin City. While she was allowed to travel outside the city, he wanted her nearby so that he could personally see to her well-being and adjustment as a citizen of his kingdom. Gabriella accepted the terms of the agreement and was moved into a small house at the edge of the city, under the care of an aging Gobliness healer.

Over the course of a year, Althar regularly visited her, the two of them becoming close friends. Discovering her love for peaches, whenever he returned from Above Althar would bring her a single peach. As time marched on, their friendship developed further, until Althar could no longer deny what he felt for the young woman. Unfortunately, as often happens thanks to the twisted humors of the Fates, just as Althar made up his mind to ask Gabriella to become his Queen, war broke out between neighboring kingdoms. Althar, along with the Goblin Army, left immediately to give assistance to their allies on the northern border.

Gabriella was distraught at his absence. Having long denied her feelings for him and finding him suddenly swept away from her upon a battlefield, she pined greatly, as she had not been able to tell him the truth before he was called away. The war raged for months, with no word from Althar or his troops. As the war continued, Gabriella began to waste away. Hanita, the healer who had taken her as an apprentice, did all within her power to keep Gabriella's health, but nothing worked. Day in and day out, all she craved was peaches – but none could be found.

Finally, word came from the battlefront – Althar had been taken prisoner and killed. Gabriella's health failed until she was a pale shell of the woman she had been. The woman who challenged the Goblin King to win her right to freedom, lost all will to live now that her love was gone.

Several weeks later the troops returned, with Althar, having escaped his captors. Upon arriving back in the kingdom, he went straight to Hanita's cottage to ask for Gabriella's hand, only to find his beloved at death's door. Kneeling beside her bed, his great hands cradling her tiny fingers, Althar begged her to eat. Pleading with her, to eat so that she could regain her health and become his Queen. But it was too late.

In desperation, Althar returned to the place he had found Gabriella when she had wished herself away, searching for something that would tempt his love and get her to eat once more. There he found a peach tree, growing upon a gnarled and bare hilltop – a single peach hanging from its branches. With nothing left to lose, he plucked the peach from the tree and returned to Hanita's cottage.

Being too weak to eat, Althar cut a slice of the peach and let the nectar drip past Gabriella's parched lips, hoping for a miracle, but nothing happened. Inconsolable, he lay his head upon the bed, still holding her hand, and wept, having lost the only woman he loved enough to make his Queen.

Lost in his own grief, Althar slept, the peach lying forgotten in his hand.

Meanwhile, Gabriella woke from her long sleep, having heard Althar's voice in her dreams for many months, she assumed that she had once more been dreaming and nothing more. Seeing his wizened and forlorn face laying on the bed next to her, she realized that she had not been dreaming, her love had returned to her. And next to him, still clutched in his hand was a peach – the peach she had been craving all this time.

When Althar awoke, he found his love cradling his head, raining tender, peach flavored kisses upon his face. As a wedding gift, Althar planted the peach pit in the royal gardens so his beloved could have her peaches whenever she wished. Now that tree blooms every week, offering a single ripe peach, all year 'round. The only time this changes is when the Goblin Queen is with child, when the tree blooms continually and is covered in peaches until the child is weaned.

Jareth paused, peering down as Sarah wiped tears from her eyes, a quiet sniff giving away her emotions. Briefly brushing his lips upon the top of her head, he continued the tale, hugging Sarah tighter to him.

Unlike the full Fae couples, Althar and Gabriella had children, numerous children for a royal couple. As is customary in royal families Underground, the eldest takes on the throne when the current King and Queen abdicate.

"Abdicate? Don't they have to die?" asked Sarah, her brow narrowed in confusion.

"No, Pet. We live far longer than humans. If I had to wait until my Father died to assume the throne, I would likely never be King. Now hush…I'm not through yet…."

Underground, the eldest child assumes the throne, regardless of their gender. However, the problem with the Goblin Kingdom persisted – there are no Fae royals in the other realms that would want their children to marry into the royal line of the Goblin Kingdom. And, there are no courtiers without royal titles that want to have anything to do with ruling over the goblins, still thinking them ill-mannered, ugly creatures, despite all of the good things they provide through trade to the rest of the Underground. Goblins, by and large, are misunderstood and under valued.

While Gabriella was still carrying their first child, she and Althar began to worry about how to secure a suitable partner for their heir, knowing the prejudice regarding goblins that was shared throughout the rest of the Underground. One day, while walking through the royal gardens, eating one of her peaches, she spoke to the Labyrinth and outlined a plan.

"The Labyrinth speaks?" Sarah gasped, trying to wrap her head around the idea of a maze speaking.

"Sarah…." Jareth sighed in that warning once more, an indulgent smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at the way Sarah slumped once more into his arms.

The solution it seemed, was obvious. Since those from the Underground refused to consider marrying into the royal line of the Goblin Kingdom, royal marriages should be made with those outside the realm. But the trick was finding someone who was suitable. Someone who was brave, courteous, smart, cunning and able to see the beauty of both the land and its people. What they needed was a test and being the Labyrinthine Kingdom, a test stood at the ready, it was only a matter of how to use the Labyrinth in the search for a suitable mate for the heir.

If the Labyrinth sensed the qualities needed of a royal consort in a runner who neared the Goblin City, there would be one final challenge – an enchanted peach.

"You mean, not everyone gets the peach dream?" Sarah asked, her green eyes peering intently at Jareth as he considered his answer.

"Yes and no, Love. Everyone who gets to that point is challenged with an enchanted dream as a diversionary tactic. Peaches are used as they are special within the kingdom. However, when your dream happened, I was, as yet, unaware that the Labyrinth had marked you as a potential consort candidate…..let me finish and you'll understand."

Once the Labyrinth marked a runner as a potential consort candidate, a peach from the sacred tree would be used to immerse them in an enchanted dream. Should they persevere, breaking free of the enchantment and arriving at the castle, thereby conquering the Labyrinth, they would be marked as the royal consort candidate – King or Queen candidate by right of conquest.

"So… that means I am…." whispered Sarah, her mind whirling as she tried to digest what she had just heard.

"Queen by right of conquest. All that is left, is for you to accept the proposal I offered once before," Jareth replied, his gloved fingers tipping her head back, allowing him to place a heartfelt kiss upon her lips.

"Wow…." Sarah sighed, smiling up at him. Pausing, she pursed her lips, "But that means what you said at the end was…."

"Sincere," finished Jareth. "Yes, Pet. When you reached the castle, I already knew you had won the right to be my consort. My Queen."

"Oh….I thought you were just trying to trick me," frowned Sarah, bowing her head as a cascade of brunette waves hid her face.

Tightening his arms around her, Jareth smiled, his voice quiet and reassuring as he continued, "I know, Precious."

Considering this, Sarah pulled from his arms and turned to look at him, her delicate fingers tracing along the sharp angles of his cheekbones. "But this doesn't explain the craving."

"It does actually. You see, there has only been one other consort by right of conquest – my mother. She wished away her baby sister to escape their abusive father. Upon beating the Labyrinth, she accepted my Father's proposal, in the process saving herself and her baby sister. Having accepted the proposal, she stayed here and the peach tree bloomed for her, a single peach ripening each week. Since you did not stay, although you were the consort by right, you did not have the benefit of the sacred tree or the magic of the Underground to sustain the magical link. I think that is why your craving grew so terribly," Jareth explained, his pale eyes tinged with sadness as he looked at her. "For that, I am truly sorry, Precious. It had never happened before. Had I known, I would have come for you earlier. Anything to save you that pain."

Leaning up, Sarah kissed him tenderly, her eyes soft with unspoken emotion as she breathed in the scent that was uniquely him, "I know you would have. Deep down, I've always known you would one day come for me."

With a happy sigh, Jareth wrapped her back in his arms, holding her close as they sat together beneath the sacred tree. They were silent for some time, each lost in their own thoughts.

….I could be Queen…. Jareth's wife….

Which means the Queen's Chambers are actually…. Gasped her inner-voice.

….Mine….. Fuck. Me…..

I think that is one of the perks of being Queen…. Snarked her libido, already imagining some of the more interesting scenarios Jareth had painted for her during his tour.

After some time, Sarah finally broke the silence, "So…um….what do we do about my craving?"

Nibbling Sarah's earlobe, Jareth chuckled, his breath hot against her skin. "Well, you could agree to be my Queen and just stay. That would solve the problem."

"Hah! As far as proposals go, that won't cut it Goblin King," Sarah giggled, digging him lightly in the ribs with her elbow.

"I already proposed once and you rejected me outright, woman. Do you honestly expect me to ask again?" came the somewhat cranky reply, his amusement belied by the dancing flash of his mismatched eyes.

"As a matter of fact….yes. I will need a proper proposal. Besides, I was too young to understand what you were asking last time. A girl needs a proposal worth remembering. And, I have to at least finish my degree. I can't waste all my years of study. So…back to the question. What do I do now?"

"Since you refuse to just move here, I suppose I could have Patty bring you the peach each week. However, given the level of magical exposure you would need to maintain as the Queen candidate, I don't think the peach alone would be sufficient for long. I think it would be best if you had the peach and stayed here in the castle for some time each week," suggested Jareth with a sly smile.

…. At least she will be spending more time here….

Give her time, and she'll be in your bed on a permanent basis…after all, she took the news rather well…. Drawled his libido, already picturing waking up to Sarah's sleeping face on a more regular basis.

…. She has rooms of her own, remember – the Queen's Chambers…..

You can't be serious, mate! Grumbled his libido indignantly.

This is Sarah. If she feels pressured she'll stubbornly refuse….it is best to let her make the next move… noted his inner-voice sagely, much to the aggravation of his libido who was pitching a fit that would make a goblin proud.

"Well," said Sarah, eyeing Jareth with a coquettish smile, her emerald eyes hooded as the tip of her tongue teased past her lips, to flick lightly over them. "I suppose I could spend part of the weekend here. Say…Friday nights and the occasional Saturday? Would that do it for you?"

With a deep growl, Jareth swept her tightly against him, his lips seeking hers in a furious kiss, relishing the surprised whimper that escaped her.

"No…that will not do 'it' for me, Precious. While it might appease your craving for peaches, the only thing that will appease my craving for you is having you in my bed. Every. Night," came the gruff reply, his voice hoarse as she squirmed against him once more. "However, if that is what you are willing to give, I am willing to accept it – for now," he continued darkly, before capturing her lips once more.

Bodies entwined, the passionate kiss continued, the lovers oblivious to the passing of time as they were lost in each other and future nights within the castle walls. It wasn't until the clock began to chime eleven that they broke from each other, lips swollen and bruised with the force of their kisses.

With a reluctant groan, Jareth relaxed his hold upon her, keenly aware of the time. Chuckling, he dropped a tender kiss upon her forehead as Sarah stifled a yawn.

"You need sleep, Pet. It is quite late for you and you have had a big day. Home you go," he said softly, flicking a clear crystal into the air above them and holding her tight as the gardens faded from view.

Sarah gasped as they reappeared in her (thankfully) empty room, Carrie having a late night study session with the pledges. With a tenderness she never would have suspected him capable of, Jareth deftly loosened the laces of her dress, drawing it from her body, his fingertips gliding over her bare flesh as if worshipping it. Then, just when she thought he would push his advantage, he slipped a shirt over her head. Catching the heady scent of sandlewood, pine and leather, Sarah smiled, her emerald eyes bright as she looked at him.

"Your shirt?" she asked breathlessly.

With a wicked grin, Jareth nodded, tucking her under the covers. "Yes, Love. As I told you this morning, I rather like knowing your naked flesh is being caressed by one of my shirts. If I can't have you in my bed tonight, at least give me something delicious to dream of," he purred in her ear, ghosting velvet kisses along her neck.

"Now…sleep, my Love. And remember….tomorrow is Friday. I'll make sure your rooms are prepared for you. However, given the way you entered the kingdom today, I suggest you call for me rather than wishing your way there," he teased, nipping her ear with his teeth and making her giggle sleepily.

"Okay…" she whispered, snuggling down in her bed, her hand still entwined in his. Eyes drifting shut as she basked in his touch, Sarah finally remembered what she had wanted to ask him earlier. "Oh… our Halloween party is tomorrow night. Will you be my date?" she said with a yawn.

Chuckling at the sleepy woman before him, who was barely awake as she tried to make sense, Jareth pressed a kiss upon her lips. "Gladly, Precious."

"Hmmm…..good," Sarah muttered, her voice barely a whisper as sleep quickly caught up with her. "Wear what you wore in the tunnels…."

"Why?"

"Always thought…." Sarah mumbled, "so damn sexy *mumble* stuff of dreams *mumble mumble* Love you…."

And it was Jareth's turn to stare in stunned disbelief.

Okay gang...we're in the home stretch. ONE CHAPTER left and it is a STEAMY one (lemony goodness abounds!). Leaving lots of reviews for this chapter will encourage me to write the last chapter faster! (yup...I'm shamelessly begging for reviews).