16

Jareth the Goblin King was bored. Boredom wasn't a new experience, he was often bored. Though it was rare for him to reflect on his boredom. The goblins were making the usual mess around his stone throne, so it wasn't peaceful or quiet. The commotion had long lost any effect on him, just tuned out drivel.

From his throne he glanced at the clock on the wall, absentmindedly tapping his right foot with a feathered riding crop. It was too early to retire to his private quarters. If he went to bed now he would be exchanging one boredom with another. He sat the riding crop on his lap and created a crystal. It held no dreams, no wishes; it was just a bauble, but Jareth enjoyed the accomplishment of juggling it, and rolling it on the stone armrest produced a novel sound that was at least different from the cacophony of goblins around him.

This passive pastime occupied his thoughts for a while until he heard a strange sound coming from down the hall. He stilled the crystal and listened through the din of the throne room goblins, hearing it again. Jareth stood, curious. He made his way through the goblins, exiting through the large wooden doors, pausing at the sight before him. A small group of goblins were trying to quietly drag a ball gown down the hall. 'Quietly' being a loose term, for a goblin trying to be quiet is very noisy.

Jareth observed them from the doorway, having not been noticed yet. He recognized this group. They frequently visited Sarah. The visits had irritated Jareth at first. He had even tried forbidding the crossing, but goblins, unlike most creatures in the Underground, were able to move between the realms at will. Much to his chagrin, he realized he had no power to stop his subjects from visiting the Above, not as long as she wished to continue to see them.

Thinking of Sarah was always bittersweet for Jareth. He had meant to keep the boy as an heir; he was so sure he'd win. Sarah had different plans. There had been a moment in the crystal dream when Jareth had a vision of Sarah staying with them, but the vision had been too brief and broken when Sarah shattered the crystal.

Jareth remembered that moment clearly, and he recognized the same dress being carted down the hall by the goblins. Before they got much further, Jareth stepped on the hem of the dress, wincing inwardly at the sound of ripping fabric. The goblins froze then slowly turned to face their king, tiny hands clutching white, gossamer fabric. "Hello," Jareth began, knowing his greeting sounded more like a threat. The goblins shivered, a few hiding behind the gown's fluffiness. "And where would you be going?" The goblins cringed, but remained silent. "Well?" Jareth disliked having to repeat himself. When none of the goblins were forthcoming Jareth lost his temper. The riding crop materialized in his hand and he cracked it against the castle's stone walls.

The goblins cried out and ducked under the dress. A small voice finally answered from under the quivering fabric. "Lady need dress for whirligig."

Jareth narrowed his eyes. The goblins' insistence on giving Sarah a title irked him, but he took a calming breath and leaned against the hallway. "Sarah needs a dress? This dress?" An unknown emotion surfaced as Jareth regarded the familiar gown.

Another goblin peaked out of the layers of gauze. "Er, guess no? Lady's parent said, 'No buy stupid dress.' Lady cry. We…um, we help?" It added hopefully.

Jareth was silent, thinking. The goblins slowly came out from hiding and watched their monarch expectantly. He wasn't yelling or threatening them with the Bog, so they waited for his response.

Finally, what seemed like a very long time to the goblins, Jareth made a decision. With a wave of his hand the familiar ball gown vanished. The goblins began to fret, quieting with a signal from Jareth's hand. "Pick a different gown," he said. The castle was full of unused ball gowns, always ready for an unexpected event or guest. The goblins waited a breath before rushing together down the hallways in search of a new gown. Jareth watched them with a mixture of exasperation and amusement. He also spared a quick thought to Sarah. Unintentionally she had provided a momentary cure for his boredom. He supposed he could be generous with a dress.

The incident with the goblins and the dress had left Jareth's thoughts until he was attending a ball in a neighboring kingdom a few days later. The dresses worn by the dancing women created a persistent, yet nagging thought: What was Sarah doing? It was an insidious little thought that refused to be quashed. Jareth enjoyed gatherings. He spent the evening trying various ways to silent the repetitive question, but eventually he bid his host a good evening.

Still in his finery, Jareth appeared next to a small hut where he hoped to gather some information. He knocked on a miniature sized door, entering before there was a reply. Down a darkened hall he heard a thud and whispered curses. "Hogward, get in here. I have some questions for you."

The mumblings down the hall increased as a limping figure came closer, a lit candle in his hand. The dwarf looked ridiculous in his nightcap and sleeping robe. He also looked angry for being woke up. "Eh, what's you want?" His voice was gruff from sleep and his usual disrespect.

Jareth ignored the tone. "The goblins said something about Sarah and a 'whirligig."

Hoggle huffed and edged closer to his king. "Ye, what's it to you?"

"Call it curiosity."

Hoggle weighed the consequences of disobeying Jareth and decided it wasn't worth it this time, not even for Sarah. After she had returned home Jareth had forced Hoggle to live in the Bog for three weeks. His sense of smell still hadn't recovered. Call it cowardly, but loyalty only went so far. "S'called a prom. A celebration for the end of the school year."

Jareth absorbed this information silently, gesturing for the dwarf to continue.

"That's all I knows."

"And why would my goblins be bringing her a dress?"

Hoggle's eyebrows rose. He hadn't heard anything about that, but Sarah had said something about her stepmother being difficult lately. "I's not sure," he answered honestly. A quick look passed over Jareth's face, fleetingly, but Hoggle saw it, even if he couldn't identify it. "What's you thinkin'?"

Jareth waved away Hoggle's inquiry. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with." His glare silenced any retort from the dwarf. "Go back to sleep, Hoggle."

Just like that, Hoggle was alone again. Jareth hadn't seemed angry, he realized, just curious. Hoggle hoped whatever his king had planned it wasn't going to hurt the lady none.

Sarah Williams was bored. The school had spared no expense at turning the dance hall into a fairy tale landscape. There were columns encircled with fake vines of roses. Arches were covered with all sorts of exotic plants, lighting that cast flitting dancing fairies on the walls. The lights were dimmed and with all the girls in beautiful ball gowns of all shapes and sizes and the boys in tuxedos, the dance almost felt like it was taking place in a different time. But Sarah knew better. For all the props and lighting, it was just an imitation. Sarah had been to a real ball, in a real fairy world. Even her dress tonight was proof that world existed.

After her victory in the Labyrinth a group of goblins consistently visited her. They called her 'Lady', much to her amusement. She had been beyond shocked when her little band of goblins had showed up with the dress. It was dark sapphire, almost black between the creases with a sweetheart neckline. Her stepmother had refused to help Sarah with costs for a dress, even though Sarah had saved fifty dollars. Karen had said no, and so her father had said no. When the dress appeared Sarah had made some lame excuse about borrowing it from the drama department to avoid Karen's suspicions.

For weeks Sarah had been excited for this prom. It coincided with her sixteenth birthday and she and her friends were all excited to dance with the boys. Now, though, Sarah's expectations failed to meet her reality. Despite lessons in PE for the past two weeks, the boys danced awkwardly, often stepping on her toes. Most of the girls were delighted to be dancing regardless of their partners' skill level, but Sarah eventually found an excuse to go outside. 'Outside' was just a small courtyard, part of the venue with a cheap waterfall that splashed into a pool of water surrounded by thick brick. It might have been a pathetic excuse for a luxury garden spot, but it was empty of people, serving Sarah's purpose.

She sat on the brick, rearranging a tiara that had "Sweet 16" on it. One of her friends had surprised her with the tiara as they entered the venue. It was pink and gaudy and didn't match her outfit at all, but Sarah still wore it with good humor. She sighed, leaning back, feeling the small spray from the waterfall on her hands. For all of her previous excitement, she was bored and disappointed in the night. An odd breeze stirred in the courtyard where none should be, dust and a foreign smell. It was a smell that Sarah first encountered two years ago. It was a smell she'd never forget.

The wind died down as soon as it started. Nothing seemed different, yet Sarah was no longer alone. Leaning against the wall between her and the dance hall was the Goblin King. He was dressed all in black, but it seemed more formal, not threatening as it had been in the face off in the Escher Room. He hadn't changed at all…except maybe his eyes. They stared at her in their mismatched oddness not with hate, fear, or contempt, but an open curiosity that Sarah found herself returning.

For his part, Jareth was busy reconciling this girl…no, this young woman, before him with the Sarah that had traversed his Labyrinth. He knew humans aged quickly, but for someone who equated years to minutes, he was surprised to see how much Sarah had grown. She was no longer a child. As he watched, Sarah stood in a fluid motion and gave a proper courtesy. "Your Majesty."

Jareth raised his eyebrows in amusement and bowed in return, "Lady Sarah," he spontaneously added the goblin's title for her. He saw Sarah blush as she straightened herself and her flowing skirt. "I see the goblins delivered your gown."

"Yes…Thank you?"

Jareth waved away her question. "The dress we approve of, but Sarah, honestly," Jareth moved closer and tapped a leather glove against the pink tiara, "Plastic? Still?"

It was with great effort that Sarah didn't shy away as Jareth approached, and now even in heels she had to look up at him. There was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and Sarah realized he was teasing her. "Hey, it was a present!"

Jareth read the bedazzled words. "Sweet 16? Is that of importance?"

Sarah had a feeling he was asking more than about her age, but she wasn't too sure on how to answer. She settled with, "It's fairly significant." Her response was a noncommittal hum and a gesture to hand him the tiara. Sarah obliged, detangling it from her curls. Once the tiara was in Jareth's hands he twirled it around his fingers and wrists with ease, just as easily as Sarah remembered him twirling crystals. In between one twist and another the pink plastic transformed into a shimmering petite diamond tiara that Jareth handed back to her with a flourish. At first Sarah shook her head, scared she'd break the dainty crown.

Jareth frowned, though good humor still shone in his eyes. "Come now, Sarah. Surely you're not afraid." He stepped closer to her. "Consider it a belated birthday present." As he placed the tiara on Sarah's head, her hazel eyes gazed up at him and once again Jareth had a vision. Sarah was standing near him, a genuine smile on her face as she reached out for him. Jareth blinked and the vision faded as Sarah whispered a quiet thank you, taking a step back. The vision of Sarah was slightly different than the Sarah before him. She had been taller and her face thinner. She held herself with an assuredness that Jareth was beginning to see in the Sarah before him, yet they were different. For one who played with Time, Jareth recognized a vision of the future when he saw it. Odd that he should have two visions of Sarah.

Sarah could tell Jareth was thinking. It was like his eyes unfocused, seeing something just out of her sight. Sarah laughed a little at herself. She was sure Jareth saw many things that she didn't. For the first time she wondered what he was really doing there. When he'd first arrived Sarah was relieved that something different was happening. Now, she wondered why the Goblin King bothered to visit at all. She was about to ask when music filled the courtyard, catching Jareth's attention. Inside, the teachers and chaperones were trying (with very little success) to organize a waltz.

Jareth grimaced as the pairs stumbled along the dance floor. "What are they doing?"

Sarah tried to keep a straight face at his insulted tone. "Dancing." Her smile widened, losing the battle, as he made a face.

"That is not dancing. That…that is a travesty."

Sarah finally laughed, despite herself, as she came to stand next to Jareth. "Well," she bit her bottom lip not believing what she was about to say, "we could show them how it's done properly."

Jareth's eyes snapped to her first, then his expressionless face followed. Sarah wasn't sure how he'd react to her suggestion, but she also wasn't going to go back on the offer.

A few heartbeats later and Jareth allowed a very small smile to cross his lips. "You continue to surprise me, Sarah. A rare accomplishment." He held out his hand, guiding Sarah into the middle of the dance floor.

They were instantly conspicuous. The awkward teenagers slowed their forced dance and eventually stopped dancing altogether, eyes on the figures dancing a waltz, a proper waltz, as if they had been dancing together for years. Whispers echoed behind Jareth and Sarah as they flowed across the dance floor. 'Is that Sarah?' some asked in confusion. It looked like their friend and classmate, and yet it didn't. She looked like a princess in a fairy tale. 'Who is that with her?' was another repeated question. No one had any ideas. The students who studied him too closely felt the hair on their necks stand up, as if instincts alone warned that this man was different. The adults watched with a different kind of alarm. This man was holding Sarah in a way that hinted at a familiarity that bothered them. No one could identify him, or his age, though they knew him to be older than the girl he was dancing with.

Jareth could see the alarm and consternation as the adults tried to move onto the dance floor. A subtle bit of magic kept them at bay for the moment as he continued dancing with Sarah. "I believe we have made a scene."

There was no contrition in his voice and Sarah shrugged slightly. "I have a feeling you enjoy causing scenes."

Jareth gave out a short, surprised laugh. He also gave an elegant shrug. The adults were squirming in earnest now, their anxiety rippling through the students. The music suddenly stopped and bright overhead lights caused everyone to blink in shock. Jareth recognized his exit. He bowed, kissing the top of Sarah's hand, releasing the magic that had isolated them. Her friends and fellow students and teachers were rushing on the dance floor, as if an invisible barrier they had been leaning against was removed. Jareth merely took a step back and vanished in the crowd, much to the confusion of the teachers and chaperones who swore they saw him move toward the exit.

Sarah was trying to fend off the blushes and the questions from her friends.

Mrs. White, Sarah's art teacher, approached her, her face drawn in worry. "Who was that Sarah?"

Sarah's lips quirked. "An old…acquaintance." She had almost said 'friend', but that felt vastly wrong.

Mrs. White crossed her arms. "Sarah…" There was a warning in her voice that angered Sarah. If anyone should know the dangers that the Goblin King could pose, it would be her. The teacher saw the rebellion in Sarah's eyes. "Sarah, you have to be careful. A man..." She trailed off, not quite knowing how to finish this conversation in the middle of a dance floor within earshot of nosy teenagers. Mrs. White herded Sarah away from the kids and into the courtyard. Someone had dimmed the lights and let the music start again. This time it was more modern and the students began to dance, realizing any questions they had would have to wait until after Sarah's interrogation with the teacher.

Sarah took pity on Mrs. White. She knew her teacher only meant well. "Look, it was just a dance, ok?"

Now it was Mrs. White's turn to look at Sarah with pity. "That wasn't…" She took a deep breath and tried a more direct route. "You're too young."

Sarah's cheeks burned, whether from embarrassment, anger, or agreement, she couldn't tell. "I know," she managed to get out through grit teeth.

"Does he?"

"Yes," Sarah all but hissed. Sarah realized there had been nothing overtly romantic between her and Jareth this evening. Her stomach dropped in slight disappointment that she pushed deep down and away, not wanting to explore those emotions at all. "It really isn't what you think," Sarah said defensively.

Mrs. White sighed and was about to say more when Sarah's tiara twinkled in the lights. Mrs. White had seen Sarah's friend give her the joke tiara; she had no doubts who gave her this remarkably authentic looking one. There was more going on, but since Sarah refused to name the man there wasn't much she could do. She dismissed Sarah back to the party and made a mental note to call Sarah's family later that evening.

However, between one second and the next, Mrs. White forgot all about Sarah and the mysterious man she had been dancing with. She shook her head, as if clearing away cobwebs from her mind. What had she been doing out here? Had she come for fresh air? Slightly confused she returned to the party, never noticing the crystal spinning in place where she had just been.