CHAPTER 3

In his mind he felt the Labyrinth reaching out to him. He heard it say, "My king, you are troubled about my champion?"

Jareth said in his mind, "Yes, I want her by my side, but she never can be because she is human. She is angry about being taken from her world to be an inferior human in a world of fae. I have been attempting to try and have sex with her but she refuses. I need to enamor her and create a bond, but it will change her and she will resent me if I have to force her."

The Labyrinth said, "Your claim will not be valid and the fae bond will not be created anyway, my king. My champion's fealty belongs to only me and always has from thirteen years ago until she goes into the fade. When she won all allegiance became mine. If it still troubles you, then let her change on her own."

That puzzled Jareth and he asked curiously, "What do you mean 'on her own'?"

The Labyrinth said, "My champion is a titled lady. She was chosen to be your equal in will and strength. My champion will transform by herself in time, but not like the children you change for adoption to the fae. She has the means to do it all on her own without intervention into one of the most powerful beings in the Underground. Her exposure to magic will build with the help of queen fairy venom. She was chosen to be worthy by them, bitten before her run and will eventually be a member of the Underground as a magical being. She is becoming more than fae, on her own. My champion already possessed wish and labyrinthian magic."

Jareth asked, "What does 'more than fae' mean? How long until she does change?"

The Labyrinth said, "Patience, my king." The Labyrinth pulled back away from his mind. It was done communicating. Jareth sat mulling over what it said. It told him to wait until she changed on her own. It must have meant it would naturally change her on its own soon like the magic changed the wished away children to goblins or fae in his world. Sarah had fairy venom inside of her? How did he not know that happened? He wondered. He would have to wait and see what will happen to her from the change.

Jareth didn't want Sarah to know that in order to control her now and to have power over her would be through her ignorance of knowing she had magic. If she knew, she could use it against him.

Later on Jareth went back to his bedroom to have dinner with Sarah and heard voices coming from inside.

—--

Sarah was laying on the divan in front of the fireplace and mumbled, "I 'wish' someone could help me and keep me safe from Jareth hurting and molesting me."

A voice coming from behind her said, "I can protect you, my champion. I am Gaia, the Labyrinth. You have activated your wish magic and it has bonded to your being."

Sarah asked, sitting up startled, "You mean I have the power of making wishes now?"

The labyrinth said, "Yes, my champion, you do."

That's where Jareth walked up to the door. He pinched the bridge of his nose and realized now that the labyrinth had just taken away his ability to control Sarah. He opened the door and went inside, closing it behind himself.

Sarah looked at him glaring and asked the labyrinth, "Gaia, have I always had the power of wishes since my run?"

Gaia said, "Yes, my champion, but it had never been used since my king gave it to you."

Sarah said while glaring at Jareth, "Thank you, Gaia. I'm glad at least you're honest with me, even though he isn't. He put that book on the bench in the park back thirteen years ago didn't he?" Jareth snapped up his head and pouted at her.

Gaia said, "Yes, my champion. My king was smitten with you even back then." Sarah narrowed her eyes at him knowing that he manipulated her to be stuck here in the Underground.

Sarah asked, "Gaia, can you send me back?"

Gaia said, "No, I am sorry, my champion, you have been exposed to raw magic this time. The last time you were here, you were protected by runner laws."

Sarah asked, "Would I be able to be protected by you as long as I was in the Underground anywhere or do I have to remain here?" Jareth glared at her.

Gaia said, "You will be safe here with me until you change, my champion. I can protect you."

Sarah looked at the entity startled and asked, "What do you mean change? Into what?"

Gaia said, "My champion will change into a magical being on her own as soon as the magic has had enough time to build up. The fairy bite was given by a white haired queen who injected fairy venom into the blood. Combined with the wish magic from my king and the labyrinthian magic you received upon winning, it will initiate change at the appropriate time."

Sarah said angry, "He was about to rape me. I do not feel safe here." He growled at her.

Gaia said, "You will have to remain in the castle until you change to be completely safe. My king, where will you have my champion stay until then?"

Jareth snapped, "Right here in my bedroom."

Sarah shouted frowning, "No!" Jareth laughed sarcastically.

He said condescendingly and smirking, "Now, now, Sarah, it would be very pleasurable to sleep with me. I would make sure you enjoyed yourself."

Sarah growled and said, "Go take a cold shower, Goblin King. That's not going to happen."

He sighed and said, "I suppose you can stay in the adjoining room next to mine." He winked at her to tease her.

Sarah said, "I 'wish' that once I go through the adjoining bedroom door, the room will not be able to be opened or entered by any fae and no fae can watch or see me magically." Jareth looked surprised at her.

She said, "I knew you were invading my privacy from time to time. I felt it. I 'wish' for all of my belongings, from my home in the Aboveground to be in the adjoining room. Thank you, Gaia." Sarah marched over to the door she hadn't been able to open in the room. She looked back at him glaring and slammed the door closed behind her.

Jareth looked at the closed door and said to Gaia, "You just made everything harder on me trying to keep her under my control. She will be more acceptable to the royalty of the Underground as a magical being if I can get her to fall in love with me."

Gaia said, "Yes, but do you love her, my king? She will never accept a deception for long if you do not. She is highly intelligent and perceptive."

He sighed and said, "I guess we will see. How long do you think it will take for the onset of the metamorphosis?"

Gaia said, "Perhaps, days, to a week, to a month. It takes as long as it takes, my king. Now with my champion using her wish magic, it will speed up the process."

Jareth said, "Good. I will have to keep her inside the castle or she will be susceptible to other fae trying to capture her and force her to have sex to bond."

Gaia said, "Your assistance is needed in that endeavor, my king." The entity disappeared.

—--

Sarah was in her room with a mountain of belongings she was going through and organizing into the armoire and dresser. There were already a bunch of clothes in them in the style of the Underground. A table with her dinner appeared in front of the fireplace sitting area in her room. She sat down and ate.

Afterwards, she kept working and sorting things. She put a nightgown, underwear and robe with slippers by the head of the bed. She got the majority of her clothes put away when a wave of weariness came over her. She had no idea what time it was, only that it was dark outside on the balcony. Sarah dressed in her nightgown and went to bed. She was exhausted and fell asleep immediately.

—--

In the morning, Sarah found herself all alone in her big bed covered up. She got up and went to the bathroom. When she came back into the bedroom, she saw a table and tray by the fire appear with the smell of eggs, bacon and cinnamon. She went up to it to look and saw a cup of coffee steaming with a little tiny creamer pitcher next to it. She lifted the silver cover to a plate full of fruit, eggs, bacon and cinnamon rolls. Sarah sat down and ate every bite.

After she ate, she went through the armoire looking for warm clothes and boots to see if she could go outside of the castle on the grounds. Maybe she could go see that snow covered garden she saw at outside.

—--

Jareth was in the throne room listening to grievances. The line of course was long. All he could think about was Sarah's body. She was very stubborn, but he couldn't fault her there because she was so angry at him right now. Her body was so soft yet firm and completely comfortable holding her on his shoulder and against his body only for the times he was able to. It was like she was made for him.

A pair of goblins came in arguing about three chickens that wandered over into the other goblin's yard. All three have been laying eggs in the same spot under the bush by his front door. They argued about who owns the eggs by the one goblin's door. The one goblin had a basket full of eggs that were mostly rotten and stinking up the room. Jareth told the one goblin to pen up his chickens then there wouldn't be a problem. He shouted for a recess and told the goblins to get the hell out of his castle with rotten eggs. He said to never bring them back in his castle again or they will both be bogged. It was time for lunch with his lovely Sarah and all he wanted was to get the hell out of this room. He had his advisor open the windows and air it out. He left for her bedroom.

When he got to her bedroom door, he knocked but there was no answer. He got a goblin to go in and discovered she wasn't in the room at all. He had the goblin look in the bathroom and even inside the armoire. He was scared of another fae getting to her first because they could hurt and violate her. Jareth went into full panic mode and flew out of the castle to track her down.

—--

Sarah was walking around the castle grounds in the snow. She knew Jareth would be angry, but she wanted a breath of fresh air and a walk around the castle grounds. She was in a garden of some kind, but it was all covered deeply in snow. Sarah saw a bush of crystal roses that twinkled in the reflection of snowflakes on them. She was amazed at how pretty it looked.

A fae man came up behind her and said, "Well look here, at a pretty rose among the crystal roses. Come my pretty little one. Come away with me and let me show you my garden in my solarium. You will be mesmerized by the lush plants and flowers growing out of season?"

Sarah said, "No thank you. I am enjoying the outside at the moment."

The fae man was dark blonde, his hair styled much like Jareth's, but less poofy. His eyes were a piercing green. He was dressed in a fancy green waistcoat, cloak, and boots. It made his eyes more vivid. He asked her, "What is your name, pretty little flower? I am Jarell, cousin to the king. If you come away with me and be my pretty flower, I will treat you well and take good care of you? I'll give you pretty dresses, dance with you and give you anything you like. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Sarah turned around and looked at him warily. She started moving away from him towards the castle. He was following her. Sarah said, "Excuse me, but I need to get back in the castle."

Jarell said, lifting an eyebrow, "You are unclaimed, my pretty flower. You are free for the taking being not under the protection of the king. He advanced on her, and Sarah started to run through the snow and dodged behind trees to avoid the crystal spheres he was throwing at her.

Suddenly, Jareth appeared looking very angry. He shouted, "Jarell! Cease your pursuit or I will make you! She cannot be claimed and belongs to the labyrinth. She is a stubborn, unruly woman that thinks she can wander around freely. I'm just glad I stopped you in time." Jarell looked at him in surprise. Jareth walked over and grabbed Sarah by the wrist and put her over his shoulder again as she squeaked. He spanked her rump as she growled.

Jarell was grinning and said, "Cousin, did you not explain why she cannot roam around outside if she cannot be claimed?"

Jareth huffed and said, "I don't think she knew not to roam. She is a hard-headed minx who needs to be punished." He smacked her rump again. Sarah growled and hit him in his back as hard as she could. He spanked her again harder. She said, "Ow!" Jareth grinned. He waved goodbye to his cousin and disappeared in a swirl of glitter to reappear in his bedroom. Jareth plopped Sarah down on the bed as she sprawled out. She sat up immediately glaring at him scampering off the bed and away from him.

Jareth shouted, upset, "Do you know how close you were to my cousin trying to capture and have sex with you?! Do you?! Do you know what would have happened if he disappeared with you to his home?! I would have killed him to get you back! My own best friend and cousin! Stop causing me more problems if you do not want to be captured and taken right now! I'm trying to protect you from others! Can't you see that?!"

Sarah frowned thinking about what he was saying. Sarah said, "I can't stand to be cooped up, Jareth. I'll go crazy. Why would you kill your cousin over me? You don't even like me."

Jareth looked at her like she was crazy. He replied, "You must be the most oblivious person I've ever heard of. I came to have lunch with you and spend time talking. You then put me on a merry chase to find you and what do I see? My own cousin is throwing crystals trying to capture you in the snow as you hide behind trees evading him."

There was an incessant knocking at his bedroom door. He yanked open the door to his advisor, Darneth who said, "Your majesty, you have visitors. Your father, the High King, King Burgeon and Princess Yaralyn. I put them in the formal sitting room with refreshments." Jareth stood up and walked out of the room after making a table of food appear in front of his fireplace.

Jareth said, "Eat your lunch, Sarah and I will be back to talk after I take care of this." He left the room and closed the door and went to the formal sitting room.