Jareth glared out the tower window, his goblin subjects terrified of the raw fury that glowed red-hot deep within his eyes. Whispering nervously to one another, they fidgeted and squirmed on the opposing side of the throne room. No one knew when their king would speak, but they knew better than to disturb him and risk being thrown into the Bog of Eternal Stench, or worse…

Lately, he had grown more solemn and reserved to his servants, responding only with corporal and brutal punishment. His judgments were harsh and unfair to the goblins, but they refused to strike back or stand up to him. No, not today.

It had been three years since Sarah had defeated him, this day being the third anniversary and the reason he had taken his perch on the sill of the window overlooking the Goblin City. Heaving a frustrated sigh, he rested his head against the stone window frame as he closed his eyes. There was no denying it; the Goblin King was heartbroken. With every thought came a new emotion, but no change to the ache he felt in his chest. He had given her all she asked for, everything within his power, but she had denied him without a second thought.

Never before had he been so infatuated with one female, let alone a mortal! Being one of the most handsome rulers in the dimension he resided in, women came easily and quickly when he offered his arm or bed, though every encounter with previous princesses, faeries, nymphs and succubi now seemed obsolete and paled in comparison to the raw passion he held for the young girl he had only recently met.

He recalled the first time he laid eyes on the young girl, curious and eager to believe in something, anything after the death of her mother. She recited line after line with such a passion that the Goblin King himself heard it from across time and space, though most mortals found her obsession with the "fictitious" book rather disturbing and unnatural. He remembered how she was laying on her bed, hugging her teddy bear as she recited the lines, (hardly glancing at the booklet beside her), and dreamily describing how a scene would take place to the stuffed companion in her arms.

That's when the Goblin King realized she wasn't just obsessed with the book itself, but with the one villainous character she wanted so badly to meet. He began watching her through his crystals, though it was difficult for him to focus for too long on such a distant place. When the stress of focusing on the far off dimension began to thoroughly agitate him, he thought of another way to keep an eye on the girl. He began transforming into an owl and following her in her own plane. Though she believed he was a fictitious character, Sarah ached to meet and love him, and he was falling for her.

He then remembered how frightened and distraught she was the night he came to take her brother away. It was not the first time a mortal called upon him to relieve them of a child, but it she was the first one in many, many years. He could not help but taunt her slightly as she begged for her brother's safe return. Though later he regretted having given her the chance to go after her brother, he felt she deserved a chance, (though he secretly just wanted to see her beg for mercy before him and eventually give in to him).

Opening his eyes, Jareth's lips curled and eyebrows furrowed with anger.

'How dare she deny my offer? I gave her everything she every asked for!' He thought, but his sneer fell quickly to a frown as his deeper fears came to mind. 'Could she have someone else? She dreamt only of me for years, I give her the chance… and she rejects it. It must be someone else…'

Jealousy and hurt swelled within him, just as it did when she had kissed his lowly servant, Hogbrain. Oh, how he ached for that simple gesture of affection from her! Even now, as he watched her through his crystals she would call out in her dreams to him, or the glitter of excitement would twinkle in those beautiful green eyes as she read from the book.

Jareth rubbed his pale temple with a finger hidden beneath a pair of leather riding gloves, trying to figure out just what he could do to convince her to return. He knew simply watching her did no good on his part. He had even stopped following her in shape of an owl, (he decided it hurt much less to watch her through the crystals).He had to get back into her mind, make her think of him.

A smile began to spread across his lips, his fangs causing all the goblin guards to shiver.

'I know what to do…' He thought sinisterly, summoning a crystal ball to his palm. The Goblin King's mismatched eyes danced and reflected off the image of his sleeping Sarah appeared within its depths.

'Sleep well, love… I'll be seeing you again, soon,' he thought gently to his beloved, kissing the glass ball as it burst like a bubble beneath his soft lips.