Jareth paced his throne room, eyes bright. Only a week till the wedding and there was so much to do. He thought back on the presence he'd felt last night and smiled. She would need an invitation to the wedding, it was only fair after all.

Jareth was fair - fair and generous and very, very patient. But even someone as wonderful as he was could be cruel. She'd rejected him, made him beg. And for some unknown reason, the Labyrinth had chosen this moment to bring her back to him. If she continued her training, she'd have to claim him or let him go.

He knew what she wanted, what she wished for even if she didn't and it made him hard and ready. She would be his to command, his to please. But he would do it on his terms. So now, he would deny her and watch her beg for him. The thought made him smile.

He sent for Hoggle and waited. The little scab had known of her change and had not thought to tell his king. There would be consequences.

He walked briskly into his hidden office near the Escher room, smiling as he glanced at the puzzle room's door. So much fun he'd had with the girl, but she hadn't been ready for him. Such a pity. Well, she was all grown up now and apparently was ready to face him again. Why had she hidden herself from him when she had every right to command him? What was she after now that she was coming into her powers?

He glared at a spot on the wall, trying to comprehend. She'd turned him down, she'd left him. But now she'd returned if only to watch him silently then leave again. When exactly did she realize what she was becoming and who exactly had been helping her attain that goal?

All would be revealed at the wedding - he would know then what her intentions were and he would deal with the situation accordingly. If she had no desire to claim him as her king, he'd be damned if he allowed her to choose another. The risks were too great and he'd waited far too long for her.

He glanced out from his window to view a faint outline of a palace shimmering in the distance. It had not been there last night. Her kingdom was coming to life, waiting for its queen. Gardens and rivers were being created in the distance, to please her.

Pulling a piece of fine parchment from his desk, he decided a handwritten invitation was needed. Because she was to be a queen and deserved special consideration.

After writing it out, he placed it in an ivory envelope, taking great care to not tear or bend the invitation. He wrote her name on the envelope, smirking as he saw her name revealed to him, just as she would soon be revealed. Sealing the envelope with blood red wax, he pressed his signet ring to it and licked his lower lip, imagining her beneath him.

Let the games begin, he thought wickedly as he flicked his wrist and magically sent the invitation up into her world.

JSJSJS

Sarah waited patiently at the hotel bar for Doug. They'd never dated because they knew they weren't suited to each other. He was safe. After seeing Jareth with that - woman, she didn't want safe. She drank the third glass of wine she'd been given and sighed.

All day, she'd been longing for the touch of someone who could satisfy the ache in her body. She didn't want to admit who she had been fantasizing about, it was too cruel. She'd been thinking of Jareth since the moment she saw him in his throne room. Thinking of touching him, kissing him. Claiming him as her own slave for all of time.

She shook her head - the wine was getting to her. Had it been that long since she simply had sex for the fun of it? She thought about Doug. He was handsome and funny and not a bad kisser. Maybe he could help her out, as friends. It wasn't like she was going to marry the guy.

Thinking of marriage made her growl. Jareth was planning to wed that harlot with the pretty face and pouty lips. It was not to be tolerated. She shook her head again. Maybe wine wasn't such a great idea when her mind was in such a whirl. She'd think about Doug. Doug was safe. Safe was good. Sarah liked safe.

How should she approach the subject with him? Just a friendly one night stand to soothe her frayed nerves? She felt a flush of warmth submerge her rational side, pulling her into its spell.

She needed - no, not Jareth. She needed someone warm, anyone would do really to calm the hunger that she felt welling up inside of her like lava. She had no idea what was happening, but she needed to end it or fall into the flames like a moth playing too close to a volcano.

She smiled with a feral grin as Doug entered the bar. She was hungry and dinner had just arrived.