Dartaynian was a perfect gentleman as he escorted both Lee and Sarah through Jareth's gardens. Lee thought that he was too much of a gentleman, but she didn't tell that to Sarah. Sarah seemed to enjoy Dart's company, as he liked to be called, and who was she to get in the way of Sarah's happiness? Arrogant and snobby or not, there was still a gorgeous, single Goblin King in the castle.

'Hey, why don't you two continue on without me, hmm?" Lee said, looking at Dart and then at Sarah. Sarah shot her a horrified look at the thought of being left alone with Dart.

"I have some things to do." Lee continued.

"I.I'll go with you." Sarah told her, releasing Dart's arm and moving to join her friend.

"Really Sar, stay with Dart. I think I need some time to regroup. Too much of this fairytale lifestyle for me, ya know? I'll see you later. At dinner?" Lee suggested. Sarah opened her mouth to respond, but Dartaynian intervened.

"I was hoping that perhaps you would dine with me, Lady Sarah. I have something that I should very much like to ask you." He smiled warmly.

Sarah glanced back at Lee. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She had not been alone with a man in years and she was a little nervous of the idea of being alone with one that she still did not know. Maybe she should throw caution to the wind. She hated herself for always being so uptight about things. She nodded to Lee and smiled as she looked at Dart. "All right. Dinner sounds lovely."

"Splendid! My chef is one of the best in the Underground. I can take you on a tour of my estate after that."

Sarah smiled at his enthusasium. "I'll see you later tonight, Lee."

'Have fun!" Lee watched Dart gently guide Sarah away. She shook her head. She had a Goblin King to find!

* * *

He hated eating alone. Absolutely hated it. Yet, he had eaten this way for years. Alone without many to talk to. Goblins weren't very good at intellectual conversations and the way they consumed their food made him sick to his stomach.

As if someone had heard his thoughts, the large door to the dining hall creaked open and he froze. His heart thundered in his chest. Could this be Sarah?

Lee stepped into the light and Jareth's face fell. He was foolish for believing that Sarah would ever come to him. She hated him and he hated himself for hoping for her affections.

Lee noticed his hopeful expression and how it disappeared, revealing his usual cool, insolent expression. "Expecting someone else?" She asked. He shook his head and stabbed his fork into the roast on his plate. "Your facial expression suggested otherwise." She told him as she walked across the room.

Jareth ignored her. He seemed angry and upset. Which meant that he was probably hiding something. Inwardly, Lee grinned. Two could play at that game.

"What's for dinner? Anything good?"

"Roast pig and vegetables." He said curtly.

"I might have to pass. I was never big on pork." Lee made herself at home and took a seat across the table from him.

Jareth nearly growled. He wanted company, but not hers.

"I think Sarah likes pork, but she won't be dining here tonight." She grinned as Jareth perked slightly. It was painfully obvious to her that he was pretending not to be interested, but she knew better. She had his attention. "Yeah, she's eating with Dart tonight. He said something about having a great chef and treating Sarah to dinner. They're eating at his castle."

Jareth focused his attention on his meal. Dartaynian had most likely asked her permission to court her and she must have agreed. He had probably charmed her as he did with so many others, and Sarah had fallen for it. "A pity." He said sharply.

He was jealous! Lee nearly clapped her hands together with glee. Despite the physical attraction she felt toward Jareth, he wasn't really her type, but he was definitely Sarah's. Maybe a little game of matchmaker was in order.

"Yeah, it's too bad. I don't know what she sees in him. I can see right through him, all that charm and shit. Blah..disgusting if you ask me." Jareth regarded her curiously. He had the distinct feeling that he was being baited.

"That is quite amusing coming from someone like yourself." He told her.

Lee let the insult slide. "Whatever.You're an idiot for letting a girl like Sarah slip through your fingers, ya know that?. She's exactly what you need and maybe you're what she needs."

"I need no one." Came his clipped reply. How dare she suggest such. He sipped at his wine and tried to ignore her.

"Everyone needs someone. That's the beauty of it. You know it. I know it. You need Sarah and you probably want her too. Did you know that she's a virgin?"

Jareth choked on his wine, and after managing to get some air into his lungs, he stood. "I don't believe that your friend would approve of such talk. Good night." He turned and was gone from the room in seconds, leaving a half eaten plate of food.

Lee laughed when she was alone. "I can't believe that I was right for once! Mr. Cool and Confident, 'I need no one' has a thing for Sarah! He even pretended not to be interested in Sar's personal life." She giggled. "This is priceless! Oh this is going to be such a fun vacation!" She reached across the table and snatched a piece of uneaten bread. Munching, she wondered how she could get rid of Dartaynian.

* * *

Dart gently released Sarah's hand as they stopped in front of the back entrance to Jareth's castle.

"Thank you for such a wonderful evening." Sarah told him.

"You are quite welcome, my lady. I thank thee for your fine company. It is rare that I have the honor of dining with one so beautiful, so fair." Sarah blushed deeply. Dart lowered his head, but kept his eyes focused on Sarah's. "There is something I should like to ask you." Sarah nodded and Dart smiled. "I wish to ask your permission to court you."

Sarah's eyes widened in surprise and she trembled.

"I know you do not know me that well, and truth be told, I do not know you all that well either. I only know what stories I have heard through the land. Courting would allow us to get to know each other a little better."

"Can't we do that just by being friends?" She stepped away from him suddenly, his proximity to her, alarming.

'Of course, but think if we were to court. Think of all the lovely time we could spend together."

Sarah stepped back slightly. "We could spend time together as friends."

"As friends I am bound to hospitality laws, proper introductions every time a visitor comes, etc etc."

"Jareth doesn't introduce us to all of his guests. We met you by sheer luck."

"That is because Jareth forgets his manners. He lives on the edge of Fae law. If you need time to decide, my lady, I shall give it to thee." He smiled innocently at her.

"I have to tell you, I'm not looking to settle down. I'm here on vacation, Dart. I'm not here to stay." Sarah was uneasy about where this conversation was headed. She had just been hurt by David and his secrets. She didn't want to put herself in a position to be hurt again.

"Than we shall court as friends. If it makes you feel more comfortable."

"It would."

"Very well then. It's settled. " Dart tried to smile warmly. She was a difficult one to convince. Not like the women who on occasion threw themselves at his feet. This determination to keep her wits about her and to remain in control, intrigued and attracted him to her. "Thank you for joining me for dinner."

Sarah nodded and forced herself to relax. She was probably over reacting about this as she did with everything else in her life. Dart was only interested in getting to know her better. "Thank you for inviting me."

"You're most welcome. Shall I escort you to your room?"

'No thanks. I'll be all set."

"May I call tomorrow, my lady?"

Sarah stared at him for a moment. The phrase caught her off guard, but then she remembered that he sometimes spoke in old English. He wanted to see her again and in reality, she wanted to see him again too. She nodded. "I'd like that. Good night." He bowed before her, kissing her hand and he left her on her own.

She hummed as she made her way up the stairs to her room. She was getting good at figuring out her way around the castle. Like the Labyrinth, it was a maze, however unlike the Labyrinth, it did not change. She made her way down the hall and then stopped dead in her tracks. A figure loomed in the hallway and she almost got the feeling that her father was standing in the hall to reprimand her on where she had been and why she was late. Any trace of the feeling vanished however, as the figure stepped into the light.

The Goblin King hazed back at her. His stance one of arrogance. He regarded her curiously as she froze in place and let her eyes settle on him.

'I thought we would not cross paths again. Yet here you are." She told him bitterly. He didn't answer her, only let his eyes fall upon the beautiful dress that she had changed into. It was pale blue and enhanced her hourglass figure. Her hair had been pulled up and curled. He felt jealousy course his veins as he realized she had changed at Dartaynian's castle. She had made herself more presentable for the scoundrel, and no doubt had unwillingly let herself become a meal for Dart's hungry eyes. He pulled his eyes away from her and forced the jealousy away into the deepest reaches of his soul. He couldn't afford to feel such emotions. He knew what they could do to him.

"Perhaps you were spying on me?" She suggested. She didn't like the way he had glanced over her almost seductively, and how he had pulled his eyes away when her eyes met his. It made her feel uneasy.

"I was doing nothing of the sort."

"Than why are you in my hallway?"

His brows rose over his eyes. "Oh, your hallway? You forget that this my castle, and in being such, I will do as I wish within it. You also forget that this hallway, that you claim as your own, is the only way to reach the lower section of the castle. My castle, where my subjects reside. I have better things to do then spy on a silly girl." He spit the words and continued on his way, without a backward glance.

Sarah watched him go, glaring daggers at his back as he went. Spending time away from the castle and with Dartaynian was looking better and better by the minute.