Garthan had moved Sarah's meeting with the Ambassador to the following day, citing the fact that Jareth would be back from Corzina and be available to participate. The Ambassador agreed with alacrity. This made her chuckle, he no doubt thought he'd do better negotiating with another male. He'd soon be disabused of that notion.

The meeting with the Fae parents was… eye-opening. They were ushered into a small reception room that Jareth had prepared for just such occasions. Sarah had steeled herself for arrogance, for disdain. Maybe even hostility. It wouldn't matter that she was providing a needed service to them, she was a Goblin. Or… well, she was married to one. Same thing.

What she found was completely different.

The male, Milo, was a little wary for the first few minutes, but after a bit of small talk while they awaited the child, he turned out to be a rather congenial sort. The wife was… kind. She seemed to have a gentle spirit. It confused her… it never occurred to her that the Fae could have such a variety of personality traits, given that she'd only seen their arrogance before. But then, these two weren't from Ardalon. Maybe the distance from the Fae capital contributed to the difference in attitude she detected.

When Melina brought the child in and placed it in the Fae woman's arms, it was as if the sun had come out on a rainy day. Both Fae were glowing with happiness as they beheld their new daughter, their smiles bright and happy. For her part, the baby was cooing and smiling up at them, perfectly content.

With tears in her eyes, the new mother looked at Sarah with joy. "Thank you. I can't tell you… oh, thank you."

Inwardly shocked that a Fae was actually expressing thanks, Sarah simply replied, "My reward is knowing that this child is in the hands of a family that will love her."

She returned to her solar. Thankfully, she didn't have to contend with Court, but if she had, Garthan would have moved it to tomorrow along with the meeting with the Ambassador. It was a common occurrence, as he told her. No one expected Jareth to hold court after a Runner, and no one expected it of her, either. For this, Sarah was grateful.

She sat on the settee nervously, knowing he was due to return from Corzina at any moment. She tried to keep her breathing even.

What the hell are you so scared of? You know he'd sooner cut off his own arm than ever harm you…

She wasn't afraid of physical harm. Certainly not from him. But she was afraid… afraid that she was going to hurt him with her objections, that he'd think she saw him as some sort of monster for what he'd been doing.

You weren't this scared when you told him about the Peach Incident. You practically accused him of setting you up for rape… and while he no doubt was hurt by that assessment, he didn't get angry, did he?

No… he took her viewpoint into consideration, and even came to agree with her.

And Hoggle… Hoggle had actually assaulted him. That right there would have earned him execution in any other Kingdom. And while that might have been Jareth's knee-jerk reaction too, he still allowed Hoggle's words to sink in and took them to heart, so much so that he ended up apologizing to the very subject that committed a capital offense against him.

So why would he react any differently this time?

Because this touched on the security of the Kingdom. Something he had been very clear was not under her purview. And she made a judgement call and took an action that stepped all over that boundary. Without discussion. Without permission.

But it's my Kingdom too, isn't it? He always says that it is. He tells me that I am autonomous. That I can make my own decisions. Well… I damn well made one.

Unable to stay seated, Sarah rose from the settee and began pacing around the room.

What's next? Going to wear your Dragon Queen costume and lead the Army in the next war?

Sarah snorted at that thought. She was not a general. She had no interest in actually leading the Army and she wouldn't be good at it if she did.

But what if you had to? For whatever reason? Just because it 'isn't done' doesn't mean it might not have to be someday. You sit in on tedious disputes that do not interest you because you are the Queen and it's your job. Isn't watching out for the Kingdom just as much a part of your job as the petitions? Isn't protecting the Kingdom itself just as much the Queen's job as it is the King's?

She had no argument for that. The main objection, besides her utter lack of military prowess, was that it would be a risk to her. And all it would take was a well-placed arrow and not only was she dead, but so was Jareth.

Okay, so under ordinary circumstances, you would not. That's just common sense. But… what about extraordinary circumstances? Do you just sit by helplessly because it's not in your purview? Or do you do whatever the hell you have to do to protect the Kingdom?

She couldn't imagine what kind of circumstances would force her to actually lead the Goblin Army instead of Jareth, but… if it never occurred to her that it was possible, wouldn't she be doing half the enemy's work for them? By just sitting there waiting for Garthan or Randel to swoop in to the rescue? And what if they couldn't?

Oh, this is more than I want to think about right now. I've already borrowed enough trouble for one day. Whether or not I ever have to ride at the head of the Army is tomorrow's problem.

She was saved from any further inner dialogue when she heard the 'popping' sound behind her. She turned to face Jareth, who was striding toward her, grinning from ear to ear. He swept her into an embrace, kissing her thoroughly and with a gratifying passion. She returned his kiss with interest, clutching him to her. She half expected him to carry her straight to the bed, but he didn't. Instead, he pulled back with a soft smile.

"Precious, are you well?"

"Oh, yes. Jacen and Toby are, too."

His smile got wider. It amused him that she'd predicted his next question. As he looked into her eyes, she could see his gaze then flicker over her, and his smile faded.

Dammit… my aura…

"What's wrong, Sarah?"

She took a step back, letting her hands drift down from his shoulders and entwining her fingers with his. "I… I have to tell you something."

His brow went up, "Well, as you're still nursing Jacen, I'm going to assume you're not about to tell me that you're pregnant again," he said, his voice light.

"No… not that." She took a deep breath, "We had a runner."

Jareth's surprise was almost palpable. "I wasn't summoned—"

"No, I was."

She might as well have told him she was pregnant; his gaping expression was the same. "You were? The Labyrinth summoned you?"

"Yes," she said, nodding. "I was getting ready to set up my Scrabble board with Sir Didymus when I got a tingle. Then… 'bam!' I was transported." She turned toward the settee, pulling him along with her. He sat down only a moment after she did. "Inside, I was panicked. I mean, I knew what was going on, but I didn't expect I would be ripped from Jacen and just thrown into someone's house."

His expression was still just as flummoxed as it had been when she first told him. "I got a flicker… a vision… showing me that Sir Didymus was watching Jacen and Toby. Still, you can imagine that I wasn't very happy about it." She chuckled a bit, "Apparently, the wisher pictured me as Daenerys Targaryen. I was wearing my Halloween costume. I… basically, I just imitated you. From my own Run." She frowned at him, "And we're going to have a discussion later about that snake trick you pulled. But… imagine my surprise when I could summon a crystal with the runner's dreams."

He stared at her in a combination of awe and wonder. "Sarah, I… I never thought the Labyrinth would summon you. I'm sorry. I should have prepared you…"

"No… you had no way of knowing it would happen. Why would you? You made that promise. For yourself and your heirs, right? You didn't mention promising for your wife." She shrugged, "Anyway, the runner was on her way, the baby safely in the Creche. The Labyrinth transported me to that little room. And… that's when it spoke to me."

His jaw dropped. "It… spoke to you?"

She laughed, "It didn't have a choice. I reminded it that I was under no personal obligation to cooperate in the Run if it didn't want to answer me. She did. Or it did. Whatever." She shook her head, "Anyway, it apologized for not giving me much warning. Apparently, you were right in the middle of some delicate negotiations with Erzebet and summoning you would have been a bad idea. So, it summoned me. And… wow, Jareth. I'm not sure what was worse… how selfish the wisher was or how boring and unimaginative she turned out to be. If that's what you have to put up with on every Run… no wonder you were a little irritated when I came along."

He laughed, "You didn't bore me. Not just because I had realized you were my heart-mate. You were… quite interesting in and of yourself."

"Well, this one wasn't. I suppose I should be grateful that I got one that was so inept for my first Runner." At his startled expression, she smiled, "Oh, I have a feeling it won't be the last time I fill in for you. The Labyrinth thought I had done well. It might even have been fun if I had been a werewolf." This made both of them laugh, as she remembered Jareth's recounting to her the circumstances of his most amusing Run. "When it was over, I dropped the runner back off at her home, then removed the memories Above… of the baby, I mean. At least… I removed them from everyone except the runner. She needed to remember."

Jareth nodded in understanding, "I find it to be a satisfying lesson for them, to recall the child. Especially when they return empty-handed. No dreams."

"Yeah, I have to admit to a certain glee at the thought. Anyway, the Labyrinth told me where you keep the files on the prospective parents and let me know which couple to notify. It also walked me through how to change the baby to Fae with Melina's help. I'm glad… I didn't know it could be painful if there's no Healer to painblock the process. At any rate, the new parents came earlier this afternoon. They were… actually nice. The woman… the new mother… she had tears in her eyes when the baby was placed in her arms. The father… he just couldn't keep the smile off his face. She… thanked me."

Jareth sat back, his face contemplative. "Interesting. I don't think I've ever received thanks from an adoptive couple… not Fae ones, anyway." He looked at her with a faint glow of pride. "You did well, Sarah. Given the lack of warning, and this your first time… you did better than I did, on my first wished-away."

She smiled at him shyly. He kept looking at her quizzically, his eyes scanning her aura. "There's something more. What is it?"

She took a deep breath, "I didn't wipe the memories from the baby… she was under a year old and hadn't suffered any trauma. And… she was perfectly happy with the Fae parents." She glanced at him quickly, seeing nothing untoward from his expression or his aura. Then she continued, "Jareth… I didn't implant the compulsion either."

He was silent for a moment. "I'm not sure you could have anyway…"

"Oh, yes I could. At least, that's what the Labyrinth said. I… chose not to."

His aura flared a bit… wariness and irritation. "May I ask why?"

"Because… I didn't think it was right." She could see his aura flaring higher. "I know… I know that I told you I agreed with it. And at the time, I did. But… the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me." She squeezed his hand almost desperately. "I'm not saying you don't have a reason for it. And I'm not saying that it didn't have some benefit. I guess what I'm saying is… the cost is too high."

Now his aura was spiking with different emotions. Hurt, yes. Anger, certainly. But also… dread?

"Jareth… I can't imagine what it was like. For you… for Garthan and Randel. For your mom and dad. I just can't fathom it. I know that. But… part of what made your captivity so terrible was the lack of agency. You had no control to make your own choices… good or bad. They tried to force you into a certain state of mind, right? A subservient one. You resisted it, so much so that you guys fought wars over it. Killed over it. Maybe… well, maybe if they'd tried to meet you halfway, it wouldn't have had to happen. Maybe if they hadn't tried so hard to force you…"

His face was thunderous. She could tell that he was holding on to his temper by his fingernails. He rose from the settee, walking slowly to the window and looked through it at the Labyrinth. She took a breath, then followed him, standing a foot behind him. "I know that I have no room to talk, here. Aside from my parents dying… the worst thing I dealt with was a selfish, uncaring mother. And I don't blame you for thinking that I should just shut the hell up and that I have no idea what I'm talking about. I'm just a girl from New York… and you have centuries on me when it comes to life experience. But it seems to me, that if we want to truly change someone's behavior… we can't do it with force. Force always backfires, one way or another."

He didn't turn, he kept gazing out the window. His aura was no less chaotic than it had been a few minutes ago. She started to place her hand on his back but stopped herself. "This Kingdom is strong… and it has the reputation of sheltering the lost… taking the unwanted and making them feel… like they matter. And it's a contradiction, that a people who do something so noble would also… consider mental and magical coercion as a viable strategy." She drew a ragged breath, "Again… I can't know what you went through. But I have to wonder… doesn't this seem like something the Fae would do… if they'd had the power?"

She could see the muscles in his back tense. He didn't like that at all. She could practically hear his molars grinding together. "I'm not saying you're like the Fae. What I'm saying is… well… there's a phrase that's common Above for a situation like this. 'The road to Hell is paved with good intentions'. And I don't doubt your intentions as being good, not at all. But sometimes… we can be so focused on trying to bring about a good end game, that we lose sight of what we're doing to get there."

At this, he turned to face her, his expression neutral, but his eyes and aura were practically blazing. "And you think I am… paving the way to Hell?"

She met his gaze squarely, "In a very real sense… yes. You want the Fae to stop hating the Goblins. That's absolutely admirable. But put the action up next to the end goal. Mental coercion… to stop hate. Look at those two statements. Do you see? It won't work, not in the long run. It can't."

"And how, exactly, are we supposed to get them to stop hating us?" he said tightly.

"I don't know. By example, maybe? Think about it… is there any other kingdom in the Underground that not only welcomes strangers but actually allows them to become full citizens? That's extraordinary in itself and puts the Goblins light years ahead of the Fae. The wars you've fought… they've always been defensive. You have never been aggressive for its own sake. They keep throwing their soldiers at you in futility, while you save your strength for when it's actually necessary. That also puts you ahead of them." She took another breath, then swallowed hard. "And… I guess I have to ask you. Will you always hate them? All of them? Even the ones who have done you no harm? You once told me that we shouldn't take anything for granted, especially in the Underground. But… aren't you doing exactly that?"

At his incredulous expression, she hurried to reassure him. "I'm not saying we should start trusting the Fae anytime soon. Not at all. But… it's all very well to want something to change, but we have to be open to seeing that change. Looking for it, even. Giving it a chance, and then actually nurturing it when we encounter it. When we're in Ardalon, yes… I feel the hostility. The hate. But… not from all of them. There are some who don't. And don't try to tell me that the ones who don't hate us are all wished-aways. I know that's not true."

She could see the muscles of his jaw twitch with that statement. "All I'm saying is… the best way to fight hate is not force. It's proving the other wrong… proving we're not what they think we are. That's how we make their hate look ridiculous… by being the opposite of what they accuse us of. And the more it looks ridiculous, the less people are willing to fall into it."

He turned back around to look out the window. She stayed silent, letting him think about what she'd said. After quite a long time, he turned to face her again.

"You have a point," he said quietly. "I don't know that I agree with it… but I acknowledge that your arguments are at least sound." He reached out and took her hand. "I can't promise that I will change anything… I need to give this more thought. And I will think on it most carefully."

He bent his head over her hand and kissed it, "But… I hear you."

Author's Notes:

If she seemed really hesitant in her conversation, it was purely because she didn't want to hurt him, not because she was afraid of him in any way. She was trying very hard to cause a minimum of pain with what she had to say.

And to Jareth's credit, he was willing to hear her out and really think about what she'd said. He's not perfect, and has some pretty serious character flaws, but this isn't one of them.