The abduction...

Sarah walked casually beside Jareth through the crowded streets of the Goblin City. Her daughter walked on her other side followed by Megmora who was telling Ary some of the different sights they saw. Sarah could only marvel at how the City had changed. The broken down houses must have been rebuilt. There was a marketplace, restaurants, shops. She didn't remember these things when she walked through 20 years prior.

The Goblin King walked regally beside her as if he owned the place and she had to remember that he did. This was his Kingdom after all. Most of the goblins steered clear of the King who seemed to be enjoying the fresh air and showing his guests the sights. Sarah noticed an arrogance in his walk as well as his usual icy stare which kept many of the goblins from approaching him. She let her eyes roam over him as he walked beside her. He had chosen to wear a black, open front poet shirt, his cape with the high leather collar, his black tights and knee high boots. His blond hair bounced softly against his shoulders and chest as he walked. He looked incredibly handsome today.

He was well aware of her observing gaze of his form and he felt his ego swell slightly. He let her enjoy the view for a short while before he turned his head to look at her. A slight grin tugged at his lips. Sarah noticed that he looked proud, as if he were parading his family through the streets of his kingdom. With a grin of her own, she acknowledged that was exactly what he was doing.

Ary was chatting non stop and Megmora was patiently telling the little girl what each and every sight was. Both Sarah and her daughter were pleasantly surprised to see that not only Goblins lived in the city. There were dwarves, gnomes, fairies, horses, cows, chickens and the most fascinating were people that appeared to be human.

Jareth noticed her interest in the peasants that resembled humans and leaned closer to her. "Are they human?" Sarah asked gazing into his mismatched eyes.

Jareth shook his head, his blond mane scattering around his pale face. "They are creatures of magic just as I. Of course their magic is not nearly as powerful as my own. Those born into royalty are born with wonderful powers. The people you see on the streets can do small 'tricks'. One may be more talented at shoeing a horse, then others because he can communicate with them. Another may have the power of transportation, enabling them to journey to the next camp or settlement without the use of animals for transportation." He leaned closer to her, his lips inches from her ear. "They are mortal, just as you are, but they are not human. If you look closely you will see."

Sarah felt cold suddenly as Jareth pulled away slightly and as she saw what he was talking about. From a distance they appeared to be human, but upon closer observation one could see that they were not. Some of them had strange colored eyes, or abnormally large ears, some had small horns, others had three fingers, or hooved feet.

And one male that they passed, attracted Sarah's stare and she gazed at him intently. He stood leaning against the wooden pole of a porch that belonged to a shop, taking a bite of a piece of fruit every so often. He was dressed much like Jareth but his clothes were older, more worn. The clothes noting the state of his place in society. He was not a peasant, but not royalty either. A white poet's shirt, a long dark brown cape, tan pants and well used riding boots made up his outfit. He had long dark hair, pulled carelessly back with a raw hide tie, dark brown eyes, nearly black and eyebrows that slanted up like Jareth's. But he was not handsome like Jareth was. A long thin scar trailed from his forehead across one eye and ended halfway down his cheek.

The way he stared at Sarah made her shiver and she noticed that Jareth suddenly seemed close to her again. The man was staring at Ary and Sarah protectively took her hand into her own. His gaze fell upon Sarah again and he allowed his eyes to roam up and down her slender form. Jareth's arm was suddenly around Sarah's shoulder and Sarah knew from the tension in his touch, it was not an affectionate gesture, but one of protection, of possessiveness. Jareth's gaze on the man was deadly, so incredibly icy.

The man didn't seem fazed in the least and leaned back against the pole, crossing one booted foot over the other. He reached into his cape and pulled forth a small pouch. He took something from the pouch, stuck it in his mouth and lit it up, smoking it casually. He blew a smoke ring from his mouth and Sarah felt Ary move beside her. She knew her daughter quite well, and she knew Ary would comment that the man had made a smoke ring like Megmora could. She squeezed Ary's shoulder, causing the girl to glance at her mother. Sarah mouthed the word "no" to her.

The man took another smoke of his cigarette, blew the smoke from his mouth and then spoke. "I'd heard the Goblin King found himself a mortal whore. I thought he was smarter then that to take a used one." He spit , his dark eyes falling upon Ary's small form.

Jareth stopped dead in his tracks, his grip on Sarah, tighter then it was before. "You'd better silence your tongue, or I'll silence it for you." He threatened and then he turned to Megmora, saying something to her in a language Sarah didn't understand. The dragon nodded and gently steered Ary and Sarah away.

"Come Lady Sssarah, this could get ugly." Sarah nodded and followed even though everything within her seemed to tell her she should protest. Megmora escorted her and her daughter a short distance away.

"Meg, do you know who that man is?" Sarah asked her. Her hazel eyes were wide as she peered around the corner of a wooden building, watching Jareth and the man exchange words. Whatever they were saying it was causing anyone in the area to rush away from them.

"Unfortunately I do, Lady Sssarah. He iss a fowl man named Gorgin. The King hasss assked that I take you both back to the casstle."

"What about Jareth?"

Megmora smiled, her forked tongue flicking from her mouth. "His Majessty can take care of himsself."

Sarah was going to reply but instead a scream came forth from her mouth. Strong arms gripped her and pulled her onto the back of a horse that had not been there seconds before. She struggled, kicking and fighting with all of her strength, but she was no match for the creature that held her. He was big, strong, ugly and smelled like he had not bathed in a few years. His brown hide was covered in warts and scars. His face was inhuman, uncaring. As she thrashed wildly in his grasp she saw that Meg had fallen back onto the ground and she was protecting Ary from two other creatures that tried to advance at them. She let loose a stream of fire that sent the creatures running. The one who held Sarah captive kicked his horse to get away from the dragon and fled with Sarah, a trail of dust billowing behind them.

"JARETH!!!"

Jareth's head whipped around at the cry of his name from Sarah's lips, his heart suddenly pounding fiercely in his chest.

The man on the porch laughed and it was not a nice sound. "Lost something, dear Goblin King?"

"What have you done?" Jareth spun at him, his eyes filled with anger.

Megmora came rushing forth, Ary in one arm. The child was crying. "He took my mommy!" she was sobbing over and over again. A look of anguish and of helplessness on Meg's face, confirmed the little girl's sobs and Jareth felt his heart sink in his chest.

"Ooh has the Goblin King lost something? Poor King." The man taunted.

Jareth lunged at the man who calmly held up a hand to him. "You even think about hurting me and she's dead." Jareth stopped and held his ground. "Let's see if the rumors are true." The man smiled.

"What do you want from me?" Jareth growled, yet he kept his composure, didn't give into his anger and retained his cool demeanor.

"You know very well what I want from you." The man smiled cruely. "Let's see if the rumors are true shall we? Does the Goblin King love the girl enough to save her from certain death? Or will he leave her to die in a dingy, damp dungeon where with time her spirits would wither and she would beg someone to kill her and take her away from that awful place." He took a puff of his cigarette and then dropped it to the ground where he stepped on it with the toe of his boot. He then bowed mockingly before the Goblin King. "I shall be in touch with you very soon....You always were a fool Jareth..."

Jareth growled as he watched Grogin disappear from his view. Jareth pulled forth a crystal and transported himself, Ary and Megmora to his throne room before anything else could happen.

Away from the prying eyes of his subjects the Goblin King took to pacing back and forth in front of his throne. "I should have realized the moment that I saw him that he would try something! I should have brought us back to the castle."

"You could not have known your majesssty. He hass been misssing for many yearss." Megmora told him.

"I should have known! His motives have not changed! And now because of my foolishness he has Sarah!" Megmora watched him rake a desperate hand through his blond hair. He stopped his pacing when Ary's soft sobs penetrated the anger that touched every fiber of his being. The child was sobbing as she stood beside Megmora. He dropped to his knees before the child and pulled her into his arms. She sobbed loudly and it took all his resolve to stop himself from crying along with her. "I'll get her back, Ary....I promise you." To watch her mother be abducted must have been hard for her. She wasn't used to this kind of lifestyle.

The child pulled back, nodding and Jareth wiped the tears from her cheeks. He brushed her long dark hair away from her face.

"Why don't you go to your playroom and play tea while I figure out a plan, ok?" Ary nodded slowly and Megmora escorted the child to her room. The little girl was braver and more mature then half of the people he had met in his lifetime.

"I'll be right back child..." Megmora told the little girl once in her playroom. The dragon returned to the throne room.

The King was lying in his throne, one leg dangling over the side, the other bent in front of him. He was shielding his eyes from her, his head leaning heavily against his hand. He felt Megmora's presence more then heard her approach and he slowly lifted his head, moving his hand away from his face.

The look on her face and years of knowing the dragon, made Jareth realize that there was something else. Something was wrong. "What is it Meg?"

The dragon swallowed nervously. "You must sssave Lady Sssarah as sssoon ass possssible."

"Don't you think that I know that!" he cried out standing. Oh how he wished there was a goblin in front of him right now so he could kick it.

"I realize your feelingsss for her, how difficult thiss iss on you and the child, but you must think of Ssarah. There isss ssomething that needss to be known. Ssshe will not ssurvive long in her condition."

"Her condition? She's perfectly healthy. Perhaps slightly underweight, but in the prime of her life. She has no condition."

Megmora lowered her scaled head. "My lord...sshe hass a condition. One that will not allow her to lasst long in a dark dungeon with improper nourishment." Megmora took a deep breath and let what she had sensed that morning be known. "Ssshe iss with child."

Jareth paled. "What??" He had heard that wrong hadn't he?

"Ssshe iss with child. And hass only been carrying it for a few dayss."

"That's impossible! How?" He had taken every precaution to protect her from becoming pregnant.

"You would know that better then I my lord....but I am certain the child sshe carriess iss yourss."

Jareth raked one gloved hand through his hair. This was a nightmare. Sarah was taken prisoner and by the worst person possible imaginable and she was pregnant with his child! A pregnancy he had tried so hard to protect her from until Ary made her decision! One at this moment Sarah didn't even know about.

Megmora sensed his turmoil and his desire to be alone with this new information and silently left the throne room to attend to the child.

Jareth collapsed into his throne. How could she have become pregnant? He had been so cautious. And then it hit him, like a kick in the guts. The night on the cliffs by the ocean. He had forgotten to place the spell over her because he was so preoccupied with making sure she really did love him. With an anguished sob, his face fell into the soft leather of his gloved hands.

And as quickly as his pity, his sorrow took him, he sent it packing. He needed to plan, to concentrate his magic on finding Sarah. Sitting in his throne and feeling sorry for his situation would not find Sarah. And finding her and saving her was only part of the problem. What was to be done with Gorgin? How to break the news to Sarah that she was pregnant...that he had failed her? He pulled forth three crystals, rotating them in one hand and he chose one, gazing into it.

"Show me Sarah."