Sage managed a silent departure from the festivities. The remaining crowd was fairly small, and those who would most likely stay a few more hours either had intentions of making an important acquaintance or of helping to replete the castle's alcohol supply. The elf routed his journey so that he might pass through the guest quarters and make sure that all of the members of royalty housed there were perfectly comfortable. With a chuckle, he noticed that the only one remaining at the downstairs festivities was Benedick, no doubt being one of those partygoers intent upon getting a healthy dose of the Queen's wine. Sage always kept a handful of Randwine berries on hand during any festivity involving alcohol, for they helped to lessen the effects of the next morning's sicknesses theat resulted from too much alcohol. The clever elf hung the entire bag on Benedick's doorknob, grinning madly as he continued in his journies down the hall. "You lose points, my friend, when you allow yourself to become lost in liquor. I, however, am quite aware of the battle I am fighting." His eyes sparkled in the lamplight as he clucked his tongue.

He discontinued his mirth when he saw Eberon approaching him from across the hall. Sage's smile turned into a frown, while his pace lost its river-quickness and thickened as honey. "Greetings, Your Majesty," he said with a composed face. "You are enjoying your stay in Sunset City, I expect?"

The younger elf king looked at Sage with a veiled contempt, grinning at him as if out of some greater wisdom. "Oh, yes, most definitely Sage. Thank you for your concern over my well-being."

Sage noted his behavior. The young elf has wicked thoughts on his mind, I would bet my right hand on it. From whence does he earn this disrespectful sarcasm? He has not changed, although he puts a different face on for Sarah and the other royalty. You would be wise to know, young fool, that I am not the old, helpless elf you have taken me for, now, or in the past. He discontinued his thoughts with a wry smile similar to Eberon's. "Why, I am constantly in curiosity over your health, young elf. Since your father's departure, I have made it my responsibility to keep an eye on your living. I should not consider myself a good man if I did not take concern over my close friend's son in his wake."

"Well, you need not worry about me, Sage for my living is not your responsibility, and I hope you do not burden yourself over undue concern," Eberon replied, his head cocked to the side in arrogance. "Speaking of well-being, you look very fit, good Sage. The Queen has taken splendid care of you."

"Friends take care of each other. That is truly the way of things."

"Well, thank the heavens that I have been put into the throne and can be a better man for having no one care for me." His eyes slanted shrewdly and he put his hands behind his back. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have some important matters to attend to."

With no more words said, he turned and walked toward his chambers. Sage watched silently a moment as the impertinent young elf walked away, his fine cape glittering beneath the glow of the candles lining the walls. It is truly no trouble, dearest Eberon. I will watch you as if my life depended upon it. Perhaps it shall, someday. Just as Sage had completed his musings, he turned and ran into a frustrated Hoggle, who was apparently returning from a visit to Sarah's chambers.

"Oh, sorry Sage, didn't see you coming," he grunted, continuing his hurried pace down the hall.

Sage grabbed the dwarf by the shoulders and turned him so that they were face to face. "Not so fast, my friend, what is the need for haste?"

Sage furrowed his brow and put his finger to his chin in thought. "That is very queer behavior for Sarah, indeed."

"I know that was Jareth, with every ounce of my bein'. The old rat's come to claim his kingdom, now that she's done come and fixed it up for him. I bet that was his game all along. Why that snake, I'd--"

"Now, now, let us not be quick to conclusions, Hoggle. However, if Sarah does think she saw Jareth, do you think it would be easy for her to admit it to herself that she had? I think that her fright over seeing him again is most likely the cause of her strange behavior. Trust me, she will be herself in the morning and apologize to you for her harsh words."

"Yeah, I suppose yer right. By the sky, I know I've been that difficult and more to her when she has tried to help me in the past. Maybe we can --"

"Am I allowed in this little convocation?" Leah asked as she descended the stairs, her arms crossed and a frown on her face.

"She got ya too?" Hoggle said.

"Oh no, she didn't get me and I didn't get her. She just evaded the whole issue, expertly and with the touch of an experienced politician. Apparently she had gotten the fire out of her blood by the time you left, Hoggle."

Sage rose his hands, palms outward, and said, "Now, I would advise that everyone calm down a bit, you have all made up your minds --"

"That Jareth is roaming around the castle, waiting any minute to strike? I sure as Hell believe it. You're not going to try to satiate me, as Sarah did, now are you, Sage?"

"No, but I am going to urge you to calm down and look at the whole issue logically. Let us assume, first, that this person is just a normal man, trying to woo a beautiful woman. He has not acted in any way out of character for a gentleman, and he has merely hidden his identity in the fashion typical of a masquerade ball, and has picked up rather dramatically on the whole mysterious atmosphere that the entire fortnight is to possess. Now, it truly should not matter to you who this man is. Would you expect me to take on a companion less than worthy of Sarah's company?"

"Yeah, that's right, I forgot," Hoggle said, the wrinkles in his face lessening as a result of a new thought. "Sage knows him. He's gotta be okay. Sage would never get hung up with the likes of Jareth."

"You are correct in one very important thing, Hoggle; I would never have a close friendship with anyone who behaved as Jareth did when I knew him four years ago."

"That means we don't have anything to worry about from this guy then, right?" Leah asked, her eyes still angled in suspicion.

"He would not harm a fly. Take my word. I will clear up the issue with Sarah."

"I'm glad to know it," Hoggle said, his shoulders relaxing noticeably. "If that's the case, I'll leave Sarah to you and go finish preparing for my trip on the morrow. I gotta get my folks and bring'em here."

"I almost forgot, in the confusion. When do you leave, Hoggle?" Sage asked.

"At the crack of dawn. I should be back in time for the opening of the Labyrinth. The Spangores have offered to take me."

"That is excellent. I hope that you have a safe journey."

"Good evenin', Sage. Good evenin', Missy."

Leah smiled wearily. "Good night, Hoggle."

"Yes, Good Night, good man." As Hoggle departed, Sage chuckled and said, "Well, now, we have had quite an exciting day."

Leah turned to give him a piercing gaze. "Sage, I have always trusted you, but, I still have suspicions. I still feel in my bones that the man we saw tonight was Jareth. If it is, if he so much as shows his face, I will do whatever is in my power to rid the kingdom of his presence. I do not trust him, and I would hate for Sarah to lose what precious things she has worked so hard for in the past few years. Especially her peace of mind. I saw how she had her hopes hung on his return four years ago, and I knew long before she finally figured it out that he wouldn't come back. I will not let him toy with her emotions as he once did. I used to think she'd be strong enough to encounter him again and get rid of him, but, after tonight, I am not so sure. A part of her is still in love with him - God knows why - and she has too much at stake to get lost in the confusion he is so talented in creating. I know you will do what's best for her, in your own mind, Sage, but you need to know my position."

"You do not trust me, then, or my judgement?" Sage observed softly.

"You never once denied that it was Jareth. I know you well enough to know that you would have said it outright if it hadn't been him."

"I cannot say anything, but you are very wise, wise beyond your years. Dear Leah, the only advice I can offer is for you to look beyond the surface. If you think I love Sarah and would not put her in harm's way, if you value me as a good and wise man, then you will see a contradiction between what you perceive me to be doing and what it is likely that I am doing. If you believe me to be a consistent and honest man, then be aware that my consistency will not falter in any situation." He held her hand gently between his own slender hands and smiled. "You are truly a good friend to our Queen. She is indeed a lucky woman to have friends such as you and Hoggle. If you value me or my friendship any, I beg you to keep silent about your thoughts until you perceive a danger."

"Very well, if you wish me to."

"Thank you most kindly." He released her hands from his grasp and his smile became a weary one. "Now, my dear, if you will escuse me, I must go speak with Sarah myself."

"Yes, I think you should."

"Good night, Leah. Have good rest."

"I will try. I hope you have a pleasant rest, too, Sage." She turned around and walked toward her quarters, her sneakers peeking from beneath her gown.

What a remarkable young woman... I have never seen anyone have such extreme bouts of anger and wit, balancing caution with consideration. Her love for her friend is also amazing. I knew a young man like that once, but his friendship is far away from me in time. I wonder what ever happened to him? Ah, well, tis no matter, now is the time to see how Sarah is doing.

*     *     *

Outside, in the courtyard, a small group of asundry creatures, mostly elves, had gathered to enjoy the wine and weather. Sir Didymus had found himself at the center of a small crowd, telling stories of his bravery, as had become the custom of late. His usually keen balance seemed a bit awry, and his speech was sometimes less than perfectly crisp, but he had not stopped his narrative for an instant. He was relating an adventure he had had with Sarah in which he, Sarah, and Ludo were attempting to enter the Goblin City nine years ago to recapture Toby; he thought it fitting for the occassion. His elf friend Anala was sitting beside him, her golden curls sparkling as brightly as her eyes.

"I do thay, the goblin chapth were thleeping at the doorth of the, the, ah, the Goblin Thity. What louthy fellowth, tho terrible a job of guarding if I dare thay tho."

"What did you do then, Didymus?" Anala asked, surely having heard the story a million times, but no doubt loving to urge him to continue with his favorite past-time -- bragging. It often proved humorous.

The elf sat silently a moment while Didymus stood in his place, seeming either to wait for a reaction or figure out what it was he had been saying only a moment ago. "Er, what wath I driving at?" he finally said, as he moved his jaw with embarrassment from side to side.

"Is that alcohol on your breath, Didymus?" the young elf said with simple curiosity.

Didymus stood up, gallantly thrust his staff before him, swayed a bit, and slurringly replied, "I hath... nether touched a drop of that stuff in my life, and I am inthulted that thou shoulsdth thuggest thuch a thing."

One elf broke out into riotous laughter, and Anala shouted, "Stop it, Gingha, you shouldn't mock him!"

"Oh, oh I can't help it! He is such a doof!" Gingha replied, holding his sides in his mirth.

"I do declare, Didymus," Anala said softly, attempting to keep from laughing herself, "you appear to be a bit snarzled."

"Tharnzled? Not I!" In his excitement he thrust his staff, which went flying from his ill-responsive hand and nearly hit the riotous Ginghis. Ginghis glanced a moment at his possible peril, then broke out into even more riotous laughter.

"Ginghis, you snaswharfed his drink, didn't you? I declare, you naughty elf, you know better than to snaswharf such a noble knight!"

"You, you thathwharfed my dwink?" Sir Didymus said in a confusion that was slowly evolving into angered understanding. "To arms, then, Thir! I demand a battle to mine honor!"

Anala went to him and held him by the shoulders, coaxing, "Now, now, my dear Didymus, you are fairly snarzled and Ginghis is a superb swordsman. I don't suggtest you make any such suggestion right now. Think about it a minute."

"Think! You thuggest I think about it?"

"Yes, wait. Be cautious."

"Be cauthious? Why never! I am a noble Knight! I fear no one! No one tarnithes mine armor and geth away with it! En garde!"

Ginghis pulled out his small elvin sword, laughing all the while. "If you wish it, noble Knight, but I will make a fool of you yet."

"No one makes of fool of me!!" the fox shouted, then lunged drunkenly at the young elf, who merely stepped aside to avoid the point of his blade. The fox landed with a thump on the tile floor.

"Stop while you're ahead, fox, I don't want to hurt you," Ginghis said with half sarcasm, half sincerity.

"Stop it, Ginghis, he doesn't know what he's doing. You've already done enough harm, now let him be," Anala begged.

Sir Didymus lifted his head with difficulty and said, "I know exathly what I'm doing."

Ginghis shrugged his shoulders and smiled wanly out of the corner of his mouth. "I'm telling you, the doof hasn't had enough. He's bent on skewering me."

"Oh, you impossible elfling boy!" Anala cried in frustration. She ran to help Didymus stand up. "Come on, Didymus, that's enough fighting for one night."

"Not unthil my honor ist requited!" Didymus shouted, whipping his sword before Ginghis' still figure. With a few deft motions of Ginghis hand, Didymus' trousers were on the floor. Didymus looked down, pulled his trousers up as quickly as he possibly could in his state, then turned around solemnly, head hung.

"Now see what you've done, you are a fine comedian! His feelings are injured! Who's the doof now?" Anala stood before him, her arms crossed and her brow furrowed.

"What can I say? I'm sorry for him. I didn't know his feelings would be hurt so by it." Ginghis sheathed his sword. "But, I tell you, it would have not nearly frustrated the chap so badly if he would learn more self-control."

"Like you, you prankster?"

"Ah, who needs my mother when I have you, Anala?" He chuckled good-naturedly and said, "I am truly sorry. I will apologize to him tomorrow, when he is less likely to kill me."

"Yes, maybe you will be less snarzled by tomorrow, yourself," she answered, lessening her severe expression only fractionally. She turned to see Didymus sitting on a bench, his head hung. She found him a hot, sobering drink from a nearby refreshment table, and brought it to him. "Here you go, Didymus, this drink will clear the haze a bit. But, be careful, it is hot."

The fox took the drink quietly, and lapped up a good portion of it. "Thank you, Anala, I feel much better."

There were a few moments of silence before Anala said, "Do not be too angry at Ginghis... He is used to playing his pranks among elves, who are much used to such foolishness. He didn't think of the consequences. He is truly sorry for upsetting you."

"If I hadst not been so quick to battle, I would not have been stripped of my honor or my... clothing." Didymus sighed heavily and finally said, "Anala, dost thou think I am brave?"

"Why, yes Didymus, why do you ask that?"

"I do not know... I feel very foolish presently, not much like a knight at all."

Anala sighed, then said, "How long have we known each other, Didymus?"

"Since I met you in the forest four years ago, when the others and I were reunited with Sarah on our last quest."

"That is four years, then," Anala observed. "In that time, I have noticed some very loveable, yet sometimes hurtful, patterns in your behavior."

"Please tell me then, fair maiden. I am much at a loss if I have not confronted the unknightly things in my own behavior."

Anala swept a golden lock from her hair, and held Didymus' paws between her hands. Nearby the group began to disperse, and creatures said their goodbyes. "I will relate to you a story that should help you to understand. As a matter of fact, it's the very story you started to tell tonight." From her tunic, Anala brandished a talisman that glowed and pulsated with light. The very air seemed to fog as the image of the events she was preparing to describe came before them. In the image, Didymus was beating on the helmet of the sleeping Goblin Guard. "Do you remember how you were so unafraid of who was up against you?" Anala said, her voice distant. Sir Didymus' image shouted, 'Open up, I say!' Sarah stood beside him, looking extremely distraught. 'Please,' she pleaded in hushed tones, trying to calm the excited Didymus and get him to be quiet.

"You remember how Sarah tried to quiet you, but you were adamant that you could face them all?" Anala asked.

'Let them all wake up!' Didymus' image cried as he continued his beating. 'I shall fight them all to the death!'

'Please! Please, Sir Didymus. For my sake, could you please try to make no noise?' Sarah begged.

Anala spoke in the background, "Now, Didymus, why barge in when it is safer to sneak? You do not wake the owner of the house you are trying to break into. Now, see what you said in reply to her pleading:"

'But of course,' Didymus assured her. 'For thee, anything. But I am not a coward?'

'Oh, no,' she replied adamantly.

'And my sense of smell is keen?'

'Oh, yes!'

'Then I shall fight anyone, anywhere, anytime!' Didymus shouted in a crescendo, to which Sarah responded by holding her hand over his mouth.

Anala put her hand on Didymus' shoulder and the image before them disappeared. Her voice lost its echo. "Do you remember what happened when you finally went through the gates?"

"I remember as I remember my own name," Didymus replied. "We were greeted by a large Goblin robot that attempted to remove our heads from our bodies."

"Yes, that is right. Have you ever wondered if perhaps your noise hadn't warned the goblins of your approach? Perhaps you could have avoided the robot and the battle within the goblin city, as well."

"But, I performed well in battle, as a knight must. A knight must have battles, mustn't he?"

Anala chuckled kindly. "Yes, but even a knight must choose his battles. The valor you display is what we elves like to call bandarat. It is a kind of courage that is foolhardy, without caution. You wouldn't have lost your pants if you had not prompted Ginghis to fight. You are truly a brave fox, Didymus, but you seek too often to prove your bravery. The best of knights use their bravery in battle only when absolutely necessary, and sometimes must use their bravery to avoid a fight. Do you understand what I am saying?"

"My ear is perked to thine explanation in great sadness, Lady. I understand all that you have said, and feel I must tend to it immediately. I see how little of a knight I hath been, and I must requite my foolish behavior. Thank you for your observations. I must go and tend to Ambrosius, now. It is his feeding time."

"Oh, wait, Didymus! You are taking this all wrong!" Anala exclaimed to his retreating figure. He did not stop at her calls, and continued to walk toward the stables, clutching the waistline of his pants and hanging his head in despair. "Oh, Didymus," Anala sighed quietly to herself as she sat down. "Sometimes you can be a doof. I just hope you don't hurt yourself by going the other extreme."

*     *     *

Sage eased open Sarah's door and walked in on softly-soled feet. Sarah looked up from where she was writing on a scroll, but quickly turned back to her work. "Now you've come to fret over me, I see."

"Well, you have made quite a scene this evening, I don't see why not. What is the matter, Sarah?" Sage closed the door behind himself and came to her side.

"Perhaps I don't wish to speak of it," Sarah replied. "I have a great many other things on my mind presently, without having to think of what happened earlier this evening. I will sort it out when I have time, on my own. It is truly no one else's concern."

"You are so very wrong, Sarah. It is the concern of all of your friends. It is our job to rush to your aid when you have a problem. You can only be so brave, Sarah. You need friends to lean on in times of great distress."

Sarah dropped her quill pen and turned about suddenly. "The only distress I have at the moment is the planning of several asundry events for the morrow, and that is enough, thank you very much. So, please, leave me be. I have enough to worry about." She seemed to pause to await Sage's reaction.

It took him a few moments to gather his speech, and he finally said, "You have never behaved so badly to any of your companions, Sarah. I do not appreciate your unwarranted mistreatment of me or Hoggle or Leah, for that matter. You have drowned out the shouting of your brain for a long time with your work, but it must stop at the point where it begins to hurt others. You cannot forget your love for Jareth by shouting over it with letters and numbers and speeches and festivals."

"What did you say?" Sarah cried in bewilderment.

"You know exactly what I have said, Sarah. And you know it is right. Regardless of whether or not the man you met is Jareth, you cannot hide from your feelings for him forever."

"I will have you know, Sage, that Jareth chose his destiny with me long ago, when he was too coward to show his face again." Sarah rose from her seat and stood before Sage with a bitter countenance. "Jareth has long been dead in my heart, my friend, and I have no desire to meet him again. The feeling I had tonight was uncontrollable anger. I believed indeed that it was Jareth standing before me, and it was my confusion and hatred that caused me to leave the festivities. However, if you truly wish to know what has been on my mind, I have decided that you would never be so treacherous as to put Jareth in your friendship, let alone inflict pain on me by so obviously putting him in my path again. Besides, that man acted nothing like Jareth, even if he did briefly sound like him. So, dear Sage, this matter is closed, and we shall not speak of Jareth again."

Sarah prepared to return to her seat at the desk, but Sage spoke before she could finish her journey. "On the contrary, my queen, you will sit down and hear all of that which I have to say."

Slowly Sarah swivelled about, astonished by the commandment in his tone. "If you wish, but I do not take kindly to you ordering me around in such a fashion."

"Well, dear Sarah, I do not appreciate how short you have been with me tonight, either. You may be a queen, but you forget that my wisdom is indeed greater than yours. So, please sit and hear all I have to say. You owe me that much as your friend."

Sarah sat down upon her bed, her face recovering from slight shock. "Very well, I have done as you have asked. Speak freely."

"You have grown strong and wise, Sarah, but seem to be a bit lacking in matters concerning yourself." Sage paced the room, his hands behind his back. "I know for a fact that you have not forgotten Jareth as easily as you like to pretend. I would understand if you had merely forgotten him, and moved on with your life, but you have not done so. You have longed greatly for him, and still do to this day, and you have tried to drown out your heart with anger. You could not bear your anger, however, so you tried to drown it out by working harder, Sarah. I believe you are an excellent queen, but you have taken your duty to the level of compulsion. I can no longer stand by while your frustration over your true unhappines is causing you to injure your caring friends. Now, please, let go of your anger, and admit your love for Jareth. It will cost you no dishonor."

Sarah looked at him with trance-like eyes, and answered with unshaking voice, "You are wrong. I bear no love for him. You are wrong."

Sage looked her in the eye, stopped his pacing, narrowed his eyes and said, "Is that so?" Carefully, he turned to face her desk, then back to face her. "We shall see."

"What are you going to do?" Sarah asked with slight confusion, but with a vague understanding that seemed to push her composed expression to one of anxiety.

Sage did not answer, but went to her desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out the crystal sphere that was housed there. He held it high above his head, almost as a dramatic gesture. Sarah rose suddenly from her seated position, but did not seem to have the strength to move any further. Her expression was one of unabaited fear. "Do not do it, Sage, put it down."

"Why not?" Sage asked, lowering the crystal in hopes of her honest reply.

"There is no reason, I just find it to be a pretty ornament to have about," she replied, her expression suggesting nothing of the triviality her words were declaring.

With one swift motion, Sage threw the crystal against the floor. It shattered in a tinkling cascade, its slivers melting quickly away to a watery form before they disappeared. Sarah's face seemed held in the motions of a scream, but no sound came from her mouth. Finally, she gasped, saying, "My, my crystal, you, you shattered it..." She then looked up at Sage, whose expression had softened into pity, and she fell to her knees, covering her eyes as she sobbed. "Oh, God, what a fool I have been!"

Sage walked to her side, and pressed her head against his shoulder. "There, there, it is all right, dear Sarah. Cry all you need. We have shattered a good deal more than this crystal tonight, I should think."

"Sage," she sobbed into his shoulder, "I am so hurt, still, to this day... Never have I found such a match, never have I loved someone so hopelessly... I do not believe I could ever forgive him, even if he were to be standing before my eyes tomorrow, this second! My heart has frozen, I cannot love him again the way I once wished."

Sage stroked her hair gently and answered, "You never know, Sarah. We sometimes have a way of growing beyond our own expectations. Do not wonder if you can love him again. Who knows? He may never show and you may grow beyond this pain. Yet, if he were to show up even this very morrow, you might see your heart thaw like winter snow in the summer sun. Do not make a decision now. Give yourself space. Many things can happen in the space of a few hours. Perhaps, even, you will fall in love again within the next twenty-four hours."

Sarah looked up at his grinning face, wiped her eyes, and responded to his joking with a weary smile. "I very seriously doubt that, my friend, but you can continue to hope. I still say you are trying to woo me yourself."

"Oh, she is on to me!" Sage declared, throwing his head back dramatically. "So much for making you fall in love with me without your own knowledge! I guess I am not as sly as I thought!"