Hey! Thanks for the reviews. I have finals coming up this week so I may not update as quickly until I'm on break. Also I'm in the process of also writing a Christmas one-shot for Jareth and Sarah. It will be something that is like this where it's based off a story, and the Christmas story I'm basing it off is "The Nutcracker." I hope I finish it in time for Christmas, anyway enjoy this update.

Chapter 5

The days that passed as the King's guests visited were merry ones, however at night when Sarah was alone her depression plagued her. It confused Sarah that she felt this way. During the day she felt merry herself as she observed the activities with Adele. She enjoyed the events as much as Adele did, so why was it that she only felt depressed at night?

After her brief encounter with the Goblin King Sarah worried about how she would feel when she saw him again. She first thought it would be torture to be in his presence; however she was surprised to find it was the opposite. Although certain guests made her feel unwelcomed his presence out blocked theirs. He did not acknowledge her when with his guests expect to give orders in regards to Adele, but she still felt safe when she was near him.

Sarah realized from this how far gone her heart was now. She would never be able to reclaim it now. Her heart's loyalty belonged entirely to the King now, and only her rational mind could resist knowing love between them was impossible.

No, Sarah realized it was not impossible for them to love, but it was impossible for them to be together. She was after all a lowly human, and a fae such as Blanche would be more suitable for him. However, as she watched their courtship take place before her eyes she could only feel frustration with Blanche. The woman only ever complimented Jareth and praised all his thoughts and showed very little of her own. If Sarah had been in Blanche's position she would lure his heart out as he had done with hers, and make it so hard for him to ever leave her side. She would tease him as revenge for his behavior towards her, but alas she was in no position of wealth or beauty to compete. Blanche would win without even trying, and the Goblin King would gain his bride, but Sarah knew he would never love Blanche. Their second conversation confirmed that for her. If love to him was meant to complete what the other lacked then Blanche gave nothing to him. She was nothing but a mirror to remind him of his superiority.

Sarah had known Jareth for such a short time, and already she knew his flaws. Now that she loved her master she was becoming lenient about his faults. She could forgive his impatience, his stubbornness, and his vanity; however she did not think she could forgive his behavior towards her. Sarah loved him, and he had toyed with her heart purposefully to create those feelings within her. Feelings he may return, but ones he could not return because of their social standing.

On the third night Sarah pondered all that was occurring within her heart. She loved him, and she hated him too for his cruelty. If he married Blanche, Sarah knew she would have to leave the castle. His new wife would demand it, and Sarah would willingly flee so she would not witness their loveless marriage. Their likely betrothal angered her deeply, she hated that he would marry someone he did not love, someone who did not suit him at all. Blanche did not even like the goblins, and she only paid attention to Adele whenever Jareth was in the room with them. Sarah's heart loved everything that belonged to Jareth, the goblins, Adele, and his kingdom. She loved it all, and soon she would be banished by someone who did not appreciate anything of his. The time she spent with him made her feel secure in her position, and only when she was alone was when she realized the hard truth of her future here.

The next day Jareth departed from the party saying he would return quickly after settling sudden business Aboveground. Sarah was to look after Adele and make sure the goblins kept up with their work to keep the guests accommodated. The role of housekeeper was not too much of a stretch for her since she was often the one who kept up with the management of her former home. Karen did not convey her orders well with subordinates, so Sarah was often there to translate in a more gentle tone. Sarah now had the same situation, but now it involved her conveying the orders of the Ingram's to the goblins.

Lady Ingram and Blanche took his absence as an opportunity to adjust to the running of this castle. They often called on Sarah and the goblins giving orders that were becoming increasingly tedious. They ordered Sarah to a tray of sandwiches, but after bringing them they ordered a group of goblins to try each one to make sure they were not poisoned. After no goblin had collapsed they explained to Sarah that they had to do this because she was a corruptible human. Sarah wished to say to them that the temptation to poison would increase the more they treated her like a beast. However, that would place in her trouble, so she held her tongue and agreed absently to their precautions.

They even ordered her to leave Adele in their care, which worried Sarah, but her excuses were all dismissed as they sent her off on another task. When she came back to check on them Adele would not make eye contact with her, and she seemed distressed. Sarah was very worried by this, but she could not intervene yet to find out what was wrong. She left again to oversee the preparation of the evening meal, and by the time she returned Sarah could see that Adele was on the verge of crying. Sarah wished to take her away immediately, but Lady Ingram and Blanche kept Adele close and would not allow her to leave. Adele even asked quietly to go off with Sarah to change dresses, but they refused to let her go. They kept her close throughout dinner, and it was not until they were having after dinner cocktails that they allowed Adele to sit by the window and keep watch for Jareth.

Sarah sat in a nearby corner, and although she wished to speak to Adele the little elf kept all her attention away from Sarah. Lady Ingram and Blanche must have said or done something to make her act this way. She knew she would have to wait until Adele was alone to find out what they said about her behind her back.

Sarah watched Adele closely as the group talked and drank their fill of the King's wine. Adele suddenly perked up and cried out "I see Master!"

Blanche immediately went over to look out the window. She was smiling at first, but it faded quickly as she looked outside.

"That is not your master you imp!" Blanche snapped returning over to her seat angrily. "Another thing to go…" Sarah detected Blanche saying that as she walked back.

Sarah wanted to slap that woman. She had no right to remove Adele from this castle even if she did marry the Goblin King. Adele belonged here and nowhere else.

Sarah stood and looked out the window too to see who was there. It was a man holding his horse by the reigns as he spoke with some of the goblin guards. Sarah decided to go greet this man and inquire as to who he was and why he was here.

The goblins were interrogating the man who was fearful of them and their weapons. Sarah was glad she came down to settle the situation before it became violent. The man was pressed against his horse staying as far as possible from the points of the goblins spears.

"At ease!" Sarah commanded like a general. The goblins retracted their weapons at her command. She stepped into the center of the circle of goblin that surrounded the poor man. "Forgive the goblins…eager welcome." Sarah smiled at the man comfortingly. "Who are you sir?"

The man had short, spiky hair that matched the shade of a walnut's shell. He wore dark clothes, like a pilgrim or a mortician perhaps. His pale skin looked sickly. He was most definitely fae, but he was a dreary looking thing. Not as vibrant as the other guests. His eyes were dark brown, edging close to black, and they relaxed more as the goblins allowed Sarah to handle the situation.

"Forgive my…unexpected arrival." He stammered. "I am Mason, and I am a…old friend of the King's."

"The King is not here at the moment." Sarah informed him. She wondered if she should invite him in. "Is you business with the King urgent? He has guests over at the moment."

Mason was staring at Sarah closely. "I do not wish to disturb his party." He stepped closer looking over Sarah more closely. Sarah felt uncomfortable suddenly "Are you human, miss?" Sarah nodded slowly. He grinned revealing pointed teeth like all fae had. "What lovely flesh you have…You must be a favorite of the King's." He was reaching a hand out toward her face. Sarah recoiled from him and the goblins immediately thrust their weapons forward again forcing him to back off.

"Forgive me." Mason said quickly, looking down shamefully. "I am scholar of humans…it has been quite a while since I have seen a live one."

Sarah did not trust this man, but she would have the King to decide to send him away or not. "There is a stable." Sarah told him. "The goblins may take you there, and you can wait there for the King. If you would like food or water just ask one of them goblins, but please stay there until the King returns." She did not trust this man inside the castle.

The man nodded understanding. "Thank you Miss….?"

"Sarah." She told him unwillingly.

He smiled at her again, but with more confidence than before. "Sarah." He sounded like he tasted her name. "Lovely." He said before following the group of goblins away.

Sarah shuddered and told one remaining goblin to keep an eye on the visitor. The goblin nodded eagerly and chased after the group. Sarah watched until they were gone from sight, then she returned inside.

An old friend? Sarah thought about that as traveled up the stairwell to reach the study. She was not certain the man was, Mason seemed too eerie to be a friend of the King's, however she did not know Jareth's past so she could not know for certain. He frightened her though, saying she had lovely flesh and trying to touch her. Her shudder returned before she rejoined the party.

Adele looked over questioningly at Sarah, and Sarah shook her head slightly at her to let her know not to ask about the stranger outside. Adele looked away and kept her attention on the view outside the window. Sarah relaxed relieved that Adele's inquiring mind would be silent on the subject, but she was also glad that Adele had finally looked at her. She returned to her position in the corner and became the fly on the wall of this party. Unwanted, but she was there nonetheless.

The guests played games to pass time. Adele did not join in; Sarah suspected the child was too depressed to have fun. The guests all enjoyed their merrymaking, playing charades and other such thing, until a goblin entered and announced that an old fortune teller was outside the castle.

"A fortune teller?" Lady Ingram sounded disgusted. "Tell the wretch to be on her way!"

"Oh no!" Ella and Emma said together. "It would be so entertaining to have our fortunes told!" Ella suggested. "Indeed!" Emma agreed. "I wish to know our future!"

Lady Ingram rolled her eyes. "I can tell you your future. You will live a long life and never die. Now give me my silver for telling your future."

"Oh Mother it is only harmless fun!" Blanche persuaded. "I will go along with Ella and Emma, and we may each take our turns having our fortunes read." The three left and the Percy and Edward went along to make sure no harm befell the ladies. Lady Ingram followed too wishing to observe from a distance. When she left Adele watched the door apprehensively for a moment before looking at Sarah.

"Miss Sarah?" Adele said quietly.

"Yes?" Sarah stood and approached the small girl. "What's wrong Adele?"

Adele seemed scared to say. "The ladies said…" She was reluctant to speak.

"Did they say mean things about me Adele?"

Adele nodded tears forming in her eyes.

"Do you believe what they say about me?" Sarah said quietly scared of Adele's answer.

"No!" Adele said forcefully tears spilling over. She jumped up and hugged Sarah around her skirts. "Don't let Master marry that mean lady! She wants to send you away!"

Sarah picked her up and held her close. "That's entirely up to your master Adele." Sarah told her glumly. "I will always love you Adele, no matter what they say about me, and no matter where I am you will always be in my thoughts."

Adele kept crying and Sarah stroked her back gently.

"Do you want to go to bed?" Adele nodded eagerly to Sarah's question. Sarah carried her up to bed and stayed with her until she fell asleep. Sarah left her, but not before wishing for Adele to grow up free of Blanche's influence. She returned downstairs to check on the guests. They were all back in the study, and when Lady Ingram saw her she immediately chastised her.

"There you are you lazy thing!" Lady Ingram began saying. "The gypsy wants food in return for her services. Bring it to her at once!" Sarah nodded and bowed before exiting the room to prepare a small knapsack of food for the gypsy woman. She wondered if the old woman would tell Sarah her fortune too. Most likely if she wanted Sarah to owe her extra she would tell her something.

Sarah left the kitchens and ventured outside in search of the fortune teller. She saw a small fire in the clearing of the King's garden. She approached and found the old goblin woman wrapped in rags stoking the fire with a long stick. Wisps of curly white hair popped out from under her rag covered head. Her long nose was adorned with a gold ring, and had a greenish growth on the tip too. There was an eye patch over her left eye, and her right eye was as blue as the King's own eye.

"Good evening Ma'am." Sarah knelt down across from her. "I believe we owe you a meal." She offered her the small knapsack, but the old woman would not take it from Sarah.

The old crone was smoking a long pipe in her other hand. She stared at Sarah for a long moment before saying "What meal? I have not finished my services."

"Pardon?"

"I have not yet read your fortune young lady." The gypsy said. "I must finish my service before I honestly accept a meal."

Sarah smiled. "Is that so?" Sarah had never seen a gypsy like this in the Aboveground.

"Aye." The woman said. "You may be use to being cheated by gypsies in your human realm, but I hold standards to my craft!" She cackled proudly.

"Do you point out that I am human to prove your ability?" Sarah placed the knapsack by her side on the ground and listened to the old woman.

"No!" The old woman said haughtily smoking on her pipe furiously. "I could smell that on you before the divines told me." She paused in her smoking and looked up at Sarah. "From your face the divines tell me much more."

"What do they say?" Sarah said playing along.

She blew smoke rings toward Sarah that passed through Sarah's face. Sarah stopped herself from coughing and waited for the woman to speak for half a minute.

"You came here through wishing." The woman began saying. "A wish made in a desperate moment." She said dramatically, a little too dramatically Sarah thought.

"That is true." Sarah confirmed for her. "However do the divines not see my future?"

"Patience child!" The old crone snapped smacking Sarah on the head with the stick. "The past predicts the future!"

Sarah rubbed her stinging head.

"See!" The old woman continued. "I hit you, and now your head stings. Past makes the future!" She declared.

"Alright alright." Sarah said. She stopped rubbing her head as the sting wore off. "Tell me my past then."

The woman puffed out smoke for a moment before she spoke again. Her right eye closed as she concentrated.

"A sister you are, blessed with a tender heart that fought off all temptations, apart from one." The woman chuckled amused by Sarah's small rebellion. "Oh to be young!" The woman cried nostalgically before she continued on.

"A separation from your dear little brother is what spurred your temptation to flee. Flee to a place where you would be free of your brother's cruel mother. Your step-mother! A woman as wicked as all the fairy tales would say of her unfortunate breed."

"But what does this say about my future?"

"Aged in a time of misery gives you a tender heart, a heart that looks after the Goblin King's ward, and a heart that even loves his unruly subjects. However, the past does not tell me what love you hold for your new master."

Sarah stiffened, and the old crone cackled when she saw this change.

"Ah, but the present can tell me!" She said gleefully. "The past may say you care more for him than you would your former master, but the present says that you are unsure of your own feelings in regards to your master. For this is a new plain you have yet to experience."

"I am young." Sarah responded. "So there is little I have experienced in life, and much that I should be wary of."

"Wary?" The woman picked on that word. "Experience only comes to the unwary that learn from their mistakes. The cautious will never know what would come from their guarded desires."

"I would be miserable." Sarah told her. "I can't give in, and I never will."

"Are you so sure?" The old crone questioned. "I see determination in your face, but your opponent is formidable as well."

"The Goblin King?" Sarah asked.

"Aye." The woman answered. "He is formidable, with a will that will not surrender."

"What is the point of it?" Sarah questioned irritably. "He will marry Blanche Ingram, and then I will be sent away."

"Are you also a seer child?"

"No, but I can see plainly what direction their relationship is going."

"Why would you have to go away?" The woman smirked leaning her head back to blow smoke rings up into the air.

"Because his bride would demand it, and I would wish it for it as well!"

The woman looked back down immediately. She seemed surprised by Sarah's answer. "What do you mean child?"

"You are the seer." Sarah pointed out. "You tell me."

The old woman furrowed her brow at Sarah. "You are a cruel Sarah!" The woman said accusingly. "Give me my meal and be off with you!" She ordered.

Sarah picked up the small parcel and handed it over to the woman, and as the woman took it from her Sarah noticed something that stopped her from storming off. There was a medallion around the woman's neck, a horned medallion that Sarah had seen before. She stared at the eye patch then wondering if she removed it would she find a brown eye beneath it as she suspected. Sarah also wondered how the old woman knew her name when she had not introduced herself.

"Why do you linger still child? Be off!" The woman ordered again as she unwrapped the knapsack.

Sarah ignored her and reached for the eye patch pulling it off finding a brown eye beneath the black patch.

The woman stared at Sarah, surprised at first, but then amused. "You know me then?" The old crone said smirking.

Sarah smiled, although she was vexed with the King for his trickery. "Only if you remove that disguise your Majesty."

The King as the old woman removed her cloak and out popped the Goblin King.

"What a cruel trick to play on your guests!" Sarah chastised the King.

"Yes, but what a lovely opportunity to steal your thoughts without you knowing."

Sarah scowled at him and he changed his expression from amused to feigned innocence.

"Forgive me Sarah, of all people having you cross with me provides me the least bit of pleasure." He told her. "I would plead for days until you forgave me." He added.

"I'll think about it sir." She told him. "You've been nothing but a scoundrel since you came back, so it may take some time."

"Well, while you decide if I am forgivable tell me how have my guests been as I have been gone?"

"They remained entertained." She answered, and then she remembered the arrival of Mason. "And another man came today to see you." Sarah told him.

"Who?" Jareth was surprised by this bit of information.

"He's name Mason. I didn't invite him into the castle, forgive me if you wished me too, but he seemed strange…sir?!" Sarah was alarmed by the King's reaction. He was bent over, as though he had received a blow to his stomach. "Sir what's wrong?!"

"Sarah?" He sat down by the fire again. "Sit by my side Sarah." He requested.

Sarah did not hesitate. She sat down next to him and stared attentively at him.

Jareth kept his downs, away from hers, and he absently picked up one of her hands from her lap and held it gently.

"Where is he Sarah?" He asked as he began to stroke her hand. She felt like he petted her to comfort himself, like she used to do when she had a pet dog as a child.

"He's in the stables. I told him to wait there with some goblins keeping an eye on him."

"He met no one from the party?"

"No, sir." She assured him.

"But you saw him." Jareth realized. "You spoke with him. What did he say?"

"He said he was an old friend of yours." Sarah answered. "Is he? He seemed strange."

"What did he say exactly Sarah?" There sounded like a current of anger was forming beneath his quiet tone.

"He…he noticed I was human. He said I had…lovely flesh and he tried to touch me." She said quickly. "The goblins stopped him though and I sent him to the stables."

His grip on her hand tightened possessively. "I'll kill that man for coming back."

"Who is he?" Sarah wondered.

"I don't wish for you to know Sarah." He told her sternly. "I want to keep you away from such horrible things." He sighed and looked into her eyes at last.

"I wish we were away from here." He said hopefully. "I wish were on an island in the middle of a black sea. With only this fire and a thousand stars above us in the sky; reflecting back on themselves in the dark water. Just you and I trapped between two parallel worlds."

Sarah felt like she was there with the King, she wished she was there with him.

"Would you go with me Sarah, if I asked you to?"

"I would do anything to help you, as long as it was right." She answered honestly. "My loyalty belongs entirely to you."

"But only if its right." He said morosely releasing her hand and burying his face into his palms. "What if it was wrong Sarah? What would you do?"

Sarah was silent, and that gave him his answer.

"Of course, even I would not want anything to corrupt your purity Sarah."

Sarah wished to comfort him, to pet him like he pet her. She reached out toward him unthinkingly, and then she noticed she could not reach him. There was something pulling her back farther and farther away from him. The wind around her was increasing and she felt like a rug was pulling her along the ground.

"Jareth!" She screamed and he looked up instantly, alarm covering his face.

"Sarah!" He shouted reaching out, but unable to reach her as she felt back down to Earth.