21

Years at college move in strange ways. There's the tedium of day to day classes, the panic and stress of finals and then the sweet freedom of breaks. A cycle forms so one doesn't feel the effects of time when you're inside the circle.

This was very true for Sarah. Her first years in college blurred past. In between her Gen Ed classes she managed to go on dates, even forming a few serious relationships that seemed to relieve her parents if she brought them home. They thought it was a sign she was no longer in contact with the mysterious Jareth. They were partially right.

Though the goblins continued to visit her, their king had not physically appeared again since their dance in the park. The absence was keenly felt by Sarah, and yet, she felt she understood too. By the occasional present he gave her, she knew Jareth hadn't forgotten her. On the nightstand next to her dorm bed was one such present; a book that Sarah cherished even more than her portrait hiding behind her mirror. It was a leather-bound book, handwritten in a now familiar cursive, detailing Jareth's experiences when he fostered as a youth. The book was incredibly personal, filled with notes about his schooling, but also his insights and thinking. Though not physically present in her life, Jareth was far from absent. It was more a respectful distance, giving her space.

Sarah appreciated that space. Even in his youth, Jareth had a maturity and way of seeing the world that made Sarah feel inferior and inadequate. She wanted to, no, she needed to feel like she was on equal standing with him. So she studied and learned. Even if that meant being alone in her dorm when all her friends left town.

Her friends had gone to a family cabin; it was a favorite way for all of them to have some downtime. Sarah had gone several times, only hesitating this time because Brian was going with them. Sarah had been seeing Brian on and off for a few months. Even though they'd been intimate, Sarah wouldn't commit to the relationship; a frustration for Brian, a conundrum for Sarah. Sarah didn't mind dating, she really didn't mind sleeping with them, but the idea of settling into a serious relationship was out of the question, even if she couldn't (or wouldn't) explain to them or herself quite why.

Sarah was regretting the offer to the cabin as she just listened to her thoughts. The dorms were quiet and no goblins had come to visit her. What harm would it be to stay a night? Sarah changed her mind, gathered a few things in a bag, and got her keys.

The roads were plowed in winter, banks of white snow piled high on the sides of the rural freeway. Sarah was a bit mad at herself. She thought she remembered the way to the cabin, but the snow hid all her landmarks and the sun set quickly in winter. When her car made a clanging sound in the engine she started to worry. When the sun was far on the horizon and her car shuddered and the engine stopped, she was in a straight panic. The car was still rolling, barely, and she managed to pull to the side of the road.

Night had fallen properly, Sarah's car headlight beams the only source of brightness. It had been hours since Sarah last saw another car and she hit the steering wheel in frustration. She was alone in the middle of nowhere. No one knew where she was and she had no idea how far she'd have to go for help. Either way, she hadn't grabbed her warmest coat, not planning to be outside for any duration of time.

Getting out of the car, Sarah realized it was beginning to snow. Wisps of little flakes were coming down and Sarah shivered, her t-shirt, jeans and sneakers offering little protection from the cold. Struggling internally, Sarah made a decision. "Jareth," her teeth were chattering. "I need you." Then she waited, bouncing up and down to keep warm, hoping Jareth didn't have more pressing matters than a broken down car and a stranded girl.

The cold and snow was quickly penetrating Sarah's body. As Sarah turned around to go back to her car, an opening appeared. The portal was like a hole in the world, cut out and replaced with a different image in the middle. Inside there was a large roaring fire and two comfortable chairs.

Jareth stepped through, visibly flinching. He looked at her car in contempt. "Having problems?" Sarah nodded, too cold to answer properly. Jareth gestured to the portal, impatient. "Well, let's go. I'm not fond of snow."

Sarah rushed through the portal, not needing to be told twice. Her first priority was the fire, rubbing her hands together, trying to bring feeling back to them.

"Here." Jareth handed her a leather jacket that she graciously put on.

"Thank you." Jareth waved away her thanks, sitting in one of the large chairs in front of the fire. As Sarah warmed up she let her eyes roam around the room. They were in a study, or an office. In front of the fire were the two overstuffed leather chairs. In the middle of the room was a massive desk cluttered with scrolls, books, parchments, and quills. An entire wall was full of books of all different colors and sizes. The walls, floors and ceiling were made of brownish, greyish stone and there was one curved window behind the desk. More comfortable, Sarah sat down, finally getting a good look at Jareth. He was pouring her a cup of tea, hands and feet bare, poet's blouse untucked, and his vest unbuttoned. His hair was pulled back by a single ribbon. It was the most relaxed she'd ever seen him and it was a bit shocking. He looked almost human. Mismatched eyes met hers.

"What's wrong with your vehicle?" Jareth asked as he handed Sarah the cup on a saucer.

"I don't know." On the table between them were little triangle sandwiches, the crust cut off. Jareth offered her one and she took it absentmindedly. "I could have it towed somewhere if I knew where I was." She balanced the cup on her lap, inspected the little sandwich curiously before taking a bite.

"Does it have petrol?"

Sarah scowled and swallowed quickly. "Yes! I filled up before leaving." Thankful she had filled it up, and thankful she recognized the British term for gasoline. Jareth just shrugged, taking a bite out of his own sandwich, looking back at the fire. Sarah frowned, but it wasn't because she was upset, she was just curious. "How do you know about cars, and petrol," a random memory came to her, "and plastic?"

"I keep apprised of the Above."

Sarah hummed. "Ok…why?" Jareth tapped the armrest with an index finger, a gesture Sarah was recognizing as either impatience or consideration. Sometimes it was hard to tell.

"Your world," Jareth met her gaze, "it fascinates me. Everything moves so fast. How humans have adapted without magic is…intriguing."

Sarah nodded, finishing a few bites of her sandwich. That made sense in a way. In his writings, Jareth as a youth was curious about innovations and progress. It was strange he never implemented any of the technology. "Why haven't you modernized, then? You're knowledgeable."

Jareth went very still, thinking and considering deeply before answering. "Your modernity requires iron and steel. Iron is deadly to those born in the Underground. It's alloyed cousin, steel, less so, but still a threat."

Sarah digested this information, realizing Jareth was showing a great deal of trust in her by sharing such a fatal weakness. But just the other day a few of her goblins were playing in her dorm bedroom. There had to be steel and iron in there, right? "The goblins aren't affected?"

With a sigh, Jareth leaned back and crossed a leg over a knee. "The goblins were made of humanity, a few of their quirks have stayed with them."

Sarah's heart did a weird flip, feeling as if it was dropping in her stomach. They had avoided talking about children being taken and somehow Sarah had opened the door to a conversation she wasn't sure she wanted. "So you do turn them into goblins." It was a statement, not a question.

Jareth considered not answering, but it seemed cowardly. He had a duty, there were no choices for him. Still, there was a lot Sarah did not understand. "If a child is wished away, then I am obligated to take them."

Sarah couldn't look directly at him, instead answering out of the corner of her eye. "Even if they didn't mean it?"

"Sarah, most children are not wished away in a fit of teenage petulance. The wishers mean it, wholeheartedly."

Frowning, Sarah turned to face Jareth, appalled. "They do it on purpose."

"Yes."

"Do you give them the same options? The Labyrinth or their dreams?" She saw Jareth hesitate and she covered her mouth. "They take their dreams."

"Except for you, they all do."

Sarah worked the words in her head, trying to make sense of Jareth's actions. "Doesn't that make you mad? How can you stand it and grant their wish?"

"You're still taking too many things for granted." Jareth stood, pacing a few times before sitting back down. "Do you know what they wish?" Sarah shook her head, so he continued. "They wish for one less mouth to feed; a roof over their head, food to last the next season. It's difficult to begrudge their desperation."

Sarah hadn't thought of that. She hadn't realized there was a humanitarian aspect to the Goblin King at all. Which brought forth the next question. "Why turn them into goblins?"

Jareth detected no judgement from Sarah, just a quiet desire to understand. "If the child is healthy, I do my best to find a family for it, and they will live as a citizen of the Underground. More often than not, the children are damaged, either physically or mentally. The kindest thing to do is take their memory and change them. The ugliness they experience so early in their lives leaves a mark though, transforming them into goblins."

Sarah reached for her drink, sipping her tea. Everything he said conflicted with her vision of a cruel Goblin King. The Goblin King was intimidating, frightening. Jareth sat barefoot and sans gloves by the fire. It was two different and distinct images, yet together it made a whole, like two sides of a coin. By the way he was watching her he was expecting some sort of reaction. Sarah had none to give, except. "Thank you." One an impulse she extended a hand to him, an olive branch of sorts.

Jareth had been sitting still, waiting for the accusation, the cries of 'It's not fair!'. A sincere 'Thank you' disarmed him. Sarah's gratitude resonated with Jareth on many levels. Thank you for telling her the truth, thank you for answering her call, thank you for giving her a chance to correct her mistake. He took her hand, enjoying the warmth and softness he could feel without his gloves, kissing the back before letting it go.

They sat in a comfortable silence after that, finishing the sandwiches and tea, Jareth once adding a few logs to the fire to keep the warmth in the stony room. The crackling and popping was the only sound until a mantle clock struck the hour, two soft chimes.

Sarah hadn't noticed the small black clock with its odd thirteen hours until it went off. "Two? In the morning!?" Jareth nodded and Sarah made a face. "I'm sorry! I didn't realize it was so late here."

Jareth stood with a small shrug. "We keep odd hours." Sarah heard the Royal 'We'. He was talking about being a king. "It's much easier to work while the goblins are asleep."

A little laugh escaped Sarah. "I'm familiar with the dilemma." Plenty of times she had been trying to complete school work when the goblins decided to visit. Like overexcited children, they got into trouble if not entertained and supervised.

Jareth paused, realizing Sarah did in fact know what it was like living with goblins. She never complained about them, she wasn't even complaining now, unlike some previous acquaintances of his that saw the goblins as more trouble than they were worth. Sarah genuinely seemed to enjoy the goblins. He smiled at her. "Yes, well, I do have a few things to finish here. I'll show you to some rooms."

"No!" Sarah protested. "Let me stay." She pointed to the fire. "It's warm here, and I'll be quiet." She bit her lip, nervous about her next suggestion. "I can keep you company."

Jareth considered. He did work alone an awful lot, and Sarah's presence was a sort of comfort. It was an easy request. "Very well. And in the morning we'll deal with your car." Sarah flashed him a smile and then kicked off her shoes, tucking her feet under legs as she snuggled deeper into the chair. Shaking his head, Jareth returned to his desk. When Sarah had called him, he had been taking a break, but there were some pressing matters to finish. In no time he was absorbed in his work, reading missives from neighboring kingdoms, petitions, proposals; a never ending stream of paper work. Sarah stayed quiet, moving for comfort periodically, otherwise still. The clock chimed three times when Jareth realized Sarah hadn't moved in a while. He lowered his quill and moved closer, a strange warmth in his chest as he realized Sarah had fallen asleep. She was curled in a ball, his leather jacket wrapped around her legs. Without thinking he lifted her, cradling her close to him. He could put her in a guest room, it was the logical thing to do, but had logic ever sided with him when Sarah was involved? He headed into his adjoining bedroom. It was pitch black, the moon long since risen and fallen, unseen through the large stone window, but Jareth's vision was keen. He made his way to his bed, already pulled down by the servants, and gently placed Sarah there, covering her with his blankets.

For a moment, Jareth watched her sleeping, admiring her beauty and reflecting on their conversation this evening. He'd missed her, he realized with a bit of shock. Oh, he had kept up with her life due to the goblins and an occasional crystal, but seeing her in the flesh was different. Jareth brushed his knuckles over her cheek, stilling as Sarah sleepily moved into his touch. With one more glance, Jareth prepared to leave, pausing as a groggy voice called to him.

"Goodnight, Jareth."

Jareth smiled into the darkness. "Sleep well, Sarah." Then he returned to his work, feeling more at peace than he had in a very long time.

Several strange sensations told Sarah she was not in her dorm room as she woke up. One was the natural light sneaking in through her eyelids. Her dorm had no windows. Another sensation was the soft mattress and bedding. Her dorm bed had springs and her sheets were the most basic. Then there was the smell all around her, a smell of wind through trees, of magic; a distinctly masculine smell that Sarah instantly recognized and associated with Jareth. The strongest sensation, however, was that of being watched.

Sarah opened her eyes, finding herself in a massive four poster bed with a black wood frame. It was hard to make out any other features of the room when it was full of staring goblins. They had managed to fill every space, all different goblins too, not just her regular troop, though they were there as well.

She blinked once and then chaos erupted as the goblins excitedly started talking to her at once, jumping on the bed, kicking and biting each other, fighting over who would get to her first. Sarah's surprised cry got lost in the cacophony of sounds. A tiny bit of fear crept into her. It wasn't as if the goblins were trying to hurt her, but they were on the bed now, jumping on her, tugging her, laughing as they continued to fight and vie for prime positions.

All the commotion froze with two words. "Get. Out." Jareth stood just inside the doorway, a bundle in one hand, pointing away from Sarah with the other. One look at their angry king and the goblins scurried out of the room, some daring to say goodbye to Sarah as they fled from Jareth's wrath. They all knew the rules. No goblins in the King's Chamber. Shaking his head, Jareth fully entered the room. He was dressed in brown leggings and a forest green shirt, his ever present pendant showing in the neckline. He set the bundle on the foot of the bed. "I've got some clothes for you, and there is some tea and fruit to break your fast." He gazed at the mess the goblins had left in his room. "Or, there had been."

Sarah got out of the bed, hoping she didn't look like a ridiculous mess. "Thanks. Is there a bathroom?"

Jareth pointed to a door on the other side of the room. "I'll be in the Throne Room when you're ready. Just concentrate and the castle will take you there." He waited for a confused nod from Sarah before walking away.

Sarah visited the bathroom, combed her hair with a brush she found and put on the clothes Jareth had brought her. The leggings were soft doeskin lined with fur on the inside. The blouse was a soft rose hue with flowing sleeves and a corset that tied in the front. There were supple leather boots and gloves, and a fur lined leather jacket that finished the ensemble. Though a pleasant temperature in the castle, the clothes were meant for winter back in the Above. Sarah smiled at the thoughtfulness.

Jareth was right about the castle. As Sarah held a destination in her head the halls and stairs shifted, guiding her to a long hall that ended in two very large wooden doors. By the noise, the goblins were awake. Sarah pushed open the door, only to be immediately surrounded by excited goblins again. There was a crack, almost like the sound of a whip, and the goblins gave her some space. Jareth was coming towards her, kicking laughing goblins out of his way. "Leave her alone." He reached for Sarah, taking them both to the location of her car in the Above.

The sun was just beginning to rise, everything glistened white with new snow. "Wow," Sarah said as she turned a circle. "It's beautiful." Jareth was putting a jacket on, flipping the collar up around his neck, eyeing the surroundings with barely concealed disgust that made Sarah laugh. "You really don't like the snow, do you?"

"No." He wasn't sure he liked being teased either, even by Sarah. He formed a crystal, turning it once before handing it to Sarah. "This will take you and your car wherever you need to go."

"Thank you," she said as she accepted the crystal. "For everything," she added.

Jareth gave a small bow, preparing to leave when Sarah called out to him.

"Jareth?"

He titled his head, listening.

"Can we do this again? I enjoyed myself last night." Sarah did her best not to blush, knowing she didn't succeed.

The request surprised Jareth. Surprised and pleased him. "It would be my pleasure." Sarah's smile stayed with him as he returned to the castle.