Decided to update on two chapters today because of how sad chapter 9 was. And after all, it is thanksgiving day (in America anyway) so I thought you guys could use a treat! Please leave a review and tell me how you're liking it!


"You're joking right?" Jareth threw some paperwork down. "What happened to the trades from that village? We gave them our precious metal and now they can't pay us back all of a sudden?"

The lady in front of him sighed. "Sire, I am told that it's because their biggest merchant has passed away."

Jareth wanted to smash his head against the desk. Days away from the ball, and he had to worry about a trading issue with Estella. This did not bode well before a ball where he would have to host for BOTH kingdoms. "I understand that, and while I am sympathetic for him and his family, what about the rest of the merchants? He didn't work alone I bet. And he's been dead for nearly two years from what you've told me."

"He tried though, apparently he was stuck on some debt. He wanted to take up some more shifts for his family." The human said.

"Lady Anna, why would a smart merchant be in such debt?" Jareth was so close to asking for some strong, goblin ale.

"His wife, Sire. Wife and two stepdaughters from what I am told. They're daughters of a count and he had another daughter and a son to feed. That's a lot of people."

Jareth's pointy ears perked up. "Wait, did you say he had two stepdaughters?"

"I - Yes I did, sire." Anna inclined her head. "Why?"

Jareth sat up. "Do you know his name?"

Anna shifted through some records. "Robert Williams, Sire."

Oh no.

"When did he die?" Jareth's mouth went dry.

Anna gave him another strange glance but she didn't question him. Everyone learned not to. She told him she would find the obituary for him if he wanted.

"See that you do." Jareth dismissed her. "As for the trade, tell them that we will stop sending our own supplies unless they pick up the slack. We are such good allies to each other and they need to work harder unless they have a reasonable explanation."

"Yes sire."

Jareth had a last fitting for his attire for the ball. He specifically requested for the exact same uniform that he had worn for Sarah in her peach dream. He wanted her to remember him. Maybe she would understand why he hadn't searched for her and understand his prideful nature.

After the fitting was done, Lady Anna came back to his study.

"I was able to retrieve a copy of the obituary, Sire, as I worked with merchants."

"Many thanks." He took it from her.

It is with great sadness that the family of Robert Edward Williams announces his passing after a brief illness from where he bravely saved a fellow merchant, on Saturday, April 8, the 3792th year of the Noble Dynasty.

That date matched closely to the last time he saw Sarah at the markets.

Robert is survived by his wife Irene, daughter Sarah, son Toby, and stepdaughters, Anastasia and Drizella. He was predeceased by his first wife, Linda.

There was more information concerning his funeral but Jareth just stood there, dumbstruck. Robert had been a good and kind man to him. He didn't deserve any of this to happen to him.

And Sarah.

Oh heavens, no.

Jareth let out a frustrated yell. "I AM SUCH A FOOL!"

She didn't see him at the market because she was grieving. As the book said in its prophecy, she was being treated like a slave by her stepmother. And she probably wished Toby away-

"-because she was probably sick of all the babysitting she had to do and finally broke." Jareth covered his mouth. "What have I done?"

And then he had just been cruel to her, making her shrink before him and being demanding to her. His own pride didn't seek her out when she needed him most.

He had told her he was always on her side. Then in the labyrinth, she wasn't.

He shook his head from these thoughts. She HAD to be there at the ball. He needed to see her, to make things right. This wasn't just about his heart but about her safety and security.

And if she wasn't going to be there, he would track her down like a hound to make sure she was alright. He turned his world upside down for her once and he would do it again.


Sarah hummed while putting away some fabric from Anastasia's tossed dress for her dress. "You don't need this, do you?"

"What? That old thing? No way." She scoffed at Sarah. "Besides, I'm going to be dressed for the ball! Who cares about old dresses?"

Sarah shrugged. "Suit yourself."

She decided to make her dress in secret. She wasn't about to show everyone what she was doing for fear that they would just give her more and more assignments to keep her too busy to go. She had asked Irene again and Irene said that if she did absolutely everything then yes, she could go.

The same day as the invitation was sent to their home, another one came unexpectedly, but for her. Sarah curiously opened it to see almost the exact style of the invitation given to her family.

Except, this was directed to her personally.

It is of the highest honor, that His Majesty, King Jareth of Goblins, do invite Miss Sarah to the ball.

It had some glitter in it too.

Sarah thought this was a mistake. At first she thought it would belong to some noblewoman but it was addressed as Miss Sarah, not Lady or Countess or whatever all these titles were. Why would the king personally invite her?

She did know that sometimes, it wasn't the king himself but just an extended invitation. Still, it was more than what her stepmother and stepsisters had.

And then the glitter. She thought of Jareth. Could he have been close enough to the king to ask him to send her a personal invitation?

She hoped so. But why not just send one himself? And how did this find her? She didn't understand magic enough to understand the technicalities of these things.

"How do I look Sarah?" Toby showed her his clothes.

"You look so handsome." Sarah adjusted his shirt collar. "I bet you'll have fun with the goblins there."

"Nonsense about goblins again?" Irene barked at her.

Sarah willed herself to not roll her eyes. Irene just couldn't help it, could she?

"And what's wrong with goblins? They are part of the goblin kingdom after all." Sarah retorted.

Irene narrowed her eyes. "They are beneath us."

Sarah decided to not answer that. It would only rile her up.

After being dismissed for the night, Sarah measured and sewed the fabric onto her mother's. It would be simple and elegant, just the way she liked it. She hoped that Jareth would be able to see her. She needed to know how he was. To say sorry for not seeing him. To let him know that no matter what, he meant so, so much to her.

And that she missed him dearly.


Yay Jareth realized what a butt he was, and yay for Sarah for becoming better too with caring about Toby. None of us are perfect, we all make mistakes and it's a sign of maturity to own up to them just like these two did. I think having them be a little older is nice too, Sarah is now 18 so I think that's good too because she's able to mature a lot more. And again, Toby is able to talk and stuff which will be important in later chapters. Lots of love and more reviews please!