A/N: Yay! Another chapter. I've had this one partially written for a very long time now, and actually ended up having to rewrite quite a bit of it to fit with the current plot.

Thanks so much to everyone who subscribed to, favorited and reviewed this story. Seriously, you guys. You are just so amazing. :)

xXx

Laying in the bed of a wagon, Sarah's eyes slowly fluttered open. She was riding somewhere, and the road was bumpy. She could just barely make out part of the Elven city as little more than a lump in the dark distance. When Sarah's mind finally swam back into complete consciousness and she became aware of her surroundings, she was fuming. Not only at Arden and his two goons, but also at herself. She thought she had heard something outside her door that evening, and was in the process of looking to see what the sound was when she was taken. If she hadn't taken so long to react to the intruders when she opened her door, she would have been had a much better chance of eluding the prince.

"So, you're saying that the slightly insane priestess at my father's court says that I have the power to defeat even death?" she asked, trying to wrap her mind around the concept. Jareth had just spent the last five minutes explaining to her about a vision and how it most likely linked to her.

"Exactly," he replied, "And that means that you would be desired by either side of the war to be used as the ultimate weapon."

Sarah frowned. "Then don't tell anyone," she said, still trying to keep her voice low, "It's as simple as that. Besides, we really don't know if this is true."

Shaking his head, Jareth made a face. "It seems rather true to me. I don't see how you can't see that. And it isn't that simple," he countered, "Menelaus is asking questions and growing suspicious. That's why I'm warning you now. Neither he nor Priam must be allowed to get their hands on you. Keep your ears and eyes open for anything that seems out of the ordinary and avoid interacting with very many people if possible. This is very important, because raising suspicio-"

"Wait," Sarah stopped him, "You suspect your own ally to be a threat?"

Jareth sighed. "Unfortunately yes," he replied grimly, "Menelaus has a way of undermining me and disregarding what I say as law. At this point in time, he is just as much a threat as Priam is to your safety. You must be on your guard. Don't attract too much attention to yourself and remain alert."

"I understand," Sarah assured him, "I'll do my best."

And now she had completely failed at doing her best. She stomped her feet against the bottom of the wagon in frustration. How could she have been so careless?

Suddenly, the wagon came to a halt, and Sarah tried to push her body up to see where they had stopped. Unfortunately, her tied up state kept her from getting very far, and she fell back against the floor of the wagon with a thump.

A strong hand grasped her by the back of her dress and hauled her to a standing position. Her vision swam, and she allowed herself to be picked up and swung down over the edge of the wagon. Once she was placed firmly on the sand, Sarah struggled to regain equilibrium.

After she managed to steady herself, Sarah looked ahead of the wagon, and let out a muffled noise of surprise. Right in front of the wagon, a line of two dozen Fae soldiers stood, with a figure that looked like a king standing in the front.

For a split second, Sarah hoped that the figure was Jareth, but then realized that the stranger was too short and not slim enough to be the Goblin King.

Sarah felt a push from behind, and Arden appeared to her left. "Come along then," he said, his voice sickeningly cheerful, "Let us go and meet the infamous King Menelaus."

Sarah had never been more shocked (and if she was completely honest, scared) in her entire life. Roughly, Prince Arden pushed her to the small line of Fae soldiers, and she stumbled on the loose sand. Catching herself before she hit the ground, Sarah furiously blinked back tears, wishing her hands weren't bound behind her back.

One of the Fae soldiers stepped forward and took Sarah by the arm, his grip the most gentle contact Sarah had experienced all night. However, his grip was firm and cold nonetheless. He reached around with one had and removed the gag, which made Sarah cough and flex her jaw in relief. The king, who Sarah knew now was Menelaus, stepped forward as well, and looked her in the eyes.

"What is your name?" he asked coldly, his hands clasped together behind his back. Sarah blinked, and Arden spoke up before she could say anything.

"This is the younger sister, Sarah," the Elf prince answered for her, "Do you doubt my word?"

King Menelaus let out a short, sarcastic bark of laughter. "Yes," he shot out, not breaking eye contact with Sarah, "I do indeed. Now, girl, tell me your name."

Sarah bristled at being referred to as 'girl', and she put on her haughtiest demeanor as she answered, "My name is Princess Sarah of Williams, daughter to King Robert the First."

Menelaus's face broke into a grin that set Sarah on edge. Had he finally figured out what the Goblin King had warned her about? "Excellent," he whispered, "How very excellent." He looked over to Arden for the first time that night, and said in a louder voice, "I accept your agreement. I'll take the girl, and we shall leave your land."

Sarah's jaw dropped, and she tried to turn around to see Arden's face. However, the soldier holding her arms did not allow her to do so, and she was forced to focus on what he was saying, rather than his expression.

"You have a month to pull out your troops," Arden stated tonelessly, "I give my word my soldiers will not attack." Sarah was frustrated that she could not make out what the Elf prince was feeling, and she shifted once more to try and gain a peek. No such luck.

The Fae king nodded in agreement. "Agreed," he curtly replied, "Now, move out." The Fae entourage turned about, and the soldier that had taken hold of Sarah spoke up for the first time that night.

"Come on then." he said gruffly, "Let's go before the elves change their minds." He turned her around swiftly to untie the ropes that held her hands together. Spinning her back around, the stranger tied her hands back together in the front and began to lead her away. It was then that all that had happened finally began to register in Sarah's mind. She was being taken by the Fae.

What was going to happen to her? Menelaus had obviously discovered enough to want her over her sister. Did he really mean to pull all the Fae troops? Did Jareth even know anything about this? Sarah doubted he did, otherwise he would have warned her, and possibly been there to take her from Arden.

The Fae soldier pulled her at such a fast pace that Sarah had to run to keep up with him. The trek was not a long one, but by the time they had reached the camps, the strange Fae was practically dragging Sarah, who was beyond exhausted.

Finally, she found herself standing in front of a small tent. The Fae untied her bonds and Sarah rubbed her sore wrists. She was sure to have bruising the next day, but that was the least of her worries at the moment.

Faintly, she could hear the other Fae that had been standing around King Menelaus make their way back to their tents. She could even hear a few of them grumbling about the "waste of a perfectly good night's sleep." Sarah shook her head, ignoring the rest of whatever the soldier may have been saying. Instead, she drew her attention to the small tent in front of her.

"I get my own tent?" she asked incredulously. That was a bit of a shock. She thought she was going to be treated as a prisoner, locked up somewhere where she couldn't escape or assigned half a dozen guards to keep her from leaving. Apparently these Fae were trusting her not to run away.

"I'll send for one of the sentinels to stand outside for the rest of the night," the stranger informed her abruptly, "So don't even think about trying to escape."

Or maybe they weren't so trusting after all.

"You should get some rest." the stranger continued, "You have an audience with King Menelaus in the afternoon, and you'll want to be alert." Sarah blanched, but nodded quietly, too tired to respond with her usual fire.

"I'll try," she mumbled, "Thank you." She looked at the ground, and then back up at the stranger, asking, "Can you help me?"

The Fae shifted from one foot to the other, and for a moment, Sarah thought he looked truly uncomfortable and nervous. Leaning in close, he whispered, "I'm not really supposed to grant you any favors, however I do not agree with the way you are being treated. What do you need?"

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. He was going to help her! "I need you to find someone here at this camp," she said quietly, "Or at least get a message to him. Do you know the Goblin King very well?"

Jaw dropping, the Fae groped for words for a moment. "King Jareth is my cousin," he finally replied, his voice cracking slightly, "What do you want with him?"

"I need to talk to him," Sarah whispered hastily, "If you are indeed his cousin, you will easily be able to speak with him, yes?" When the Fae nodded, she continued. "Please tell him where I am, and that I need to speak with him. Please. It is imperative that he gets to me before King Menelaus."

The Fae looked suspiciously at her. "Why do you need to speak with the Goblin King?" he asked skeptically, his shock at her knowing who he was wearing off, "What do you have planned?"

Sarah looked distressed as she absently rubbed her wrists. "I-I can't tell you," she said, "Just please, ask him to find me. The sooner the better. Please..."

"My name is Odysseus," the Fae answered for her, "King Odysseus. I will do what you ask of me, but do not expect special treatment because you know who my cousin is. Pleading a higher power's name will get you nowhere."

Nodding, Sarah closed her eyes. "Thank you, King Odysseus," she breathed, grateful to find help, "This means more than you know."

Odysseus gave her a strained smile. "Indeed," was his curt reply, "Goodnight, Princess Sarah." He turned on his heel and began to walk away. "Perhaps I can convince my cousin to divulge why this is so important." he added over his shoulder as he walked away. Sarah nodded again and waited till he was out of sight before turning around and entering her tent.

The tent's interior was sparse, but it was more than Sarah had expected. She had envisioned sleeping outside next to a fire with nothing but a blanket tossed on the dirt for protection from the elements. Instead she had been given a tent of her own, complete with a fully bedded cot. Stepping out of her shoes, she collapsed on the makeshift bed, asleep before her head even hit the pillow.

xXx

Meanwhile, Odysseus was in shock. The war was over, just like that. He could hardly believe that Menelaus had settled on the mortal's younger sister; there wasn't anything extraordinary about her as far as he could tell. But the King was satisfied with the treaty. Why right did Odysseus have to question peace, no matter how strange the cause?

But how did the princess know who his cousin was? What were her connections to him? And what was it that she couldn't tell him? It all sounded very suspicious to Odysseus. He shook his head as he walked. He was planning on telling Jareth what the princess told him, but he was not going to wake him. If his cousin was already awake, he would speak to him that evening.

However, as Odysseus neared his cousin's tent, he could see that it was dark inside. Jareth was most definitely sleeping; he had spent the entire day training with the Elite, and was bound to be exhausted. Besides, it was well past midnight, and far too late for any sane being to be awake. With a sigh, Odysseus left for his own tent farther down the line of tents. Jareth needed rest, and Odysseus wasn't going to deprive him of it. He could wait to relay the Princess's message in the morning, as long as he did so early. She wasn't meeting with Menelaus until the afternoon anyway.

xXx

The sun rose cheerily the next day, bright and warm, and once Sarah awoke and remembered where she was, she scowled. Why couldn't the weather match her situation and mood? She would rather have the sky be dark and the clouds pouring out rain.

Sitting up on her cot, she stretched her arms above her head and arched her back in an attempt to work out all the kinks that had formed during the night. She was far too used to her soft mattress back in the castle, and the cot barely offered a fraction of the support Sarah was accustomed to.

Throwing her legs over the side of the cot, Sarah slipped her feet into her shoes. It didn't hurt to be prepared to walk across the camp; she didn't know if she was going to be snatched from her tent in the blink of an eye or not. With a sigh, she stood up and stretched some more, slightly sore from the position she had slept in. What's going to happen to me now? she wondered, pacing the length of her tent.

Now that the war was "over", the Fae would undoubtably return to the Underground. But would Sarah be going with them? Would she return with Menelaus? Or perhaps with another Fae? She knew she needed to somehow find the Goblin King. As far as she knew, Menelaus still only suspected that she was more than a mortal, and if she could find King Jareth, he would be able to protect her. He was the High Heir, after all.

She hoped dearly that the King (who was not a soldier, like she had originally thought) named Odysseus had found the Goblin King. If she could find King Jareth, she could think more clearly and they could both figure out what exactly was going on.

Sarah kept pushing the thought of Toby out of her mind, even though it was maddening knowing he was there in the camp right in that moment. Getting distracted was not a risk she could afford to take, and spending time thinking about her younger brother was definitely a distraction until she reached the Goblin King.

She continued to pace as she pondered her future and the different scenarios that could happen. So lost in thought was she, that she didn't notice the figure watching her from the entrance to her tent. It wasn't until the figure spoke up that Sarah realized she wasn't alone.

"You keep that up and you'll have dug a trench in the middle of this tent," a gravelly voice said, causing Sarah to jump and stop pacing with a gasp. Whirling around, her eyes landed on a short, wrinkly, human-like creature.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, trying to slow her heartbeat to a more normal rate. When the stranger raised an eyebrow, she waved her hand and pressed it to her face. "You startled me."

"Wasn't my intention," the stranger replied, "I just came to get you so you can meet the king."

"Right now?" Sarah asked, hoping the answer was no. She hadn't heard from the Goblin King, or King Odysseus, and she wasn't supposed to meet King Menelaus until the afternoon. She needed more time!

The stranger, misinterpreting her distress, shook his head. "You gots five minutes to freshen up."

Soon she was walking through the camp, the stranger a half a step in front of her. "Forgive my curiosity," she spoke up at length, "But, what are you? Are you a dwarf?"

"Yeah, I'm a dwarf," he replied gruffly, "Name's Hoggle, and don't forget it! Though, you're likely to do that anyway; everyone does."

"Hoggle," Sarah tested the name, "I think I can remember that. Well, thank you for escorting me to King Menelaus, Hoggle." If she wanted to survive with little harm, it wouldn't do to be rude to anyone she encountered.

"Don't mention it," Hoggle grumbled, obviously embarrassed by her kindness, "S'not like I'm doing anything special." He shrugged and continued on his way, pointedly ignoring Sarah's attempts to make any further conversation.

xXx

Meanwhile, across the camp, Odysseus had found his cousin in the training ring, where he had been a boxing bag for an hour now. Sweat was dripping off his nose, and he had become so hot that he had discarded his shirt halfway through.

"Jareth, you have to listen to me!" he pleaded, catching hold of one of his cousin's shoulders before he could turn back to training, "What I have to say is important.

With an exaggerated sigh and a roll of his eyes, Jareth nodded. "Well let's have it then." he huffed, crossing his arms, obviously impatient to return to his previous activities.

"I have a message," began Odysseus, "Last night, when Menelaus sent some of us out to discuss peace with the Elf prince-"

At this, Jareth grew even more irritated. "Fantasies are far too foolish at this hour. I hardly find this behavior amusing, Odysseus," he interrupted, "Unless you have something of true importance to say, I suggest you leave. Immediately."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Odysseus pressed, shaking his head, "Let me finish! I don't understand why you think this unimportant. I have a message from the mortal princess."

"The mortal princess?"

Now it was Odysseus's turn to grow irritated. "Yes, the mortal princess," he snapped, "The one Prince Arden traded in exchange for us to leave."

Again Jareth interrupted his cousin. "I had no knowledge of this," he said abruptly, "Menelaus took the princess Karen?"

"Not Karen," Odysseus corrected, "He took her sister. We have been given a month to pull out of Elven country in return for her. You knew about this." He stopped talking, and frowned. "Didn't you?"

Her sister.

Menelaus had the princess Sarah. Jareth was suddenly filled with a mix of dread and rage. The king had found out about her certain powers. If she was with Menelaus, Jareth had no doubt Sarah would not be safe. Especially since the king had just proven himself to be an treasonous, underhanded liar capable of much harm.

"I just spoke with the king an hour ago," Jareth ground out, "He wanted to go over our battle plan for the attack in five days. He has no intention of leaving without the Princess Karen." Barely containing a growl, he conjured up a crystal and began twirling it in his hands in an attempt to keep his temper under control. "If what you say is indeed true, then he has much to reckon with."

Odysseus could hardly keep his jaw from dropping in shock. "I knew there was something strange about the whole bargain," he said at length, finding his voice, "The girl doesn't match the beauty of her sister and Menelaus isn't one to settle for less." He trailed off, glancing away, but then snapped his eyes back to his cousin.

"Jareth!" he exclaimed, shaking the Goblin King's shoulders, "The princess told me to find you. She said it was important that you found her before Menelaus. He's supposed to be talking with her this afternoon. If there is something special about this girl, you know that Menelaus will do all he can to extract that information from her."

"Out of my way." was all Odysseus heard before he was shoved aside. Jareth hurled the crystal to the ground where it shattered, forcing Odysseus to step further away to avoid the magic. The air around his cousin crackled and sparked, and Odysseus knew he was beyond furious. Using one hand, Jareth leaped over the fence forming the training ring and began his trek to Menelaus's tent, rage growing with each step he took.

Fae, humans and dwarves alike scrambled to get out of the Goblin King's path. The air grew thick around him and his eyes flashed as he drew nearer to his destination. He could hear nothing coming from the tent; perhaps the king was asleep. Jareth half hoped he was, as he would enjoy violently waking the treasonous worm up from his rest.

Finally reaching Menelaus's enormous tent, Jareth violently ripped the flap back and let out a loud roar of rage.

The tent was completely empty.

Furniture was tipped over, and the entire tent was in disarray. The ground was even completely disturbed, deep footprints marking each step the Fae king must have stomped. Papers were scattered across the ground as well, and there were obvious signs of a struggle. Menelaus had already gotten to the Princess. Now neither Menelaus nor the girl Sarah occupied the tent, and Jareth had no idea where they could be.

One thing was for certain, however. Whenever Jareth found Menelaus, there would be hell to pay.

xXx

A/N: Note to self. Never make Jareth angry. You won't like him when he's angry. But he's way fun to write when he's furious. Tell me what you thought of angry Jareth and everything else that happened in this chapter (Hoggle!) in a review!