After finishing her story, Sarah paused, waiting for his reaction. Jareth took a moment, considering, before telling her, "Again, I believe you're rubbing off on me. There are still politics to consider, and a way of going about things, but I believe in this instance a direct approach would be much more beneficial."

"Oh thank God," she said, "this cloak-and-dagger business was wearing me out."

"I thought I was doing that," he said, cocking an eyebrow at her.

She grinned in response, "You know, I don't mind that expression so much when you're not trying to instill fear in me."

"Nonsense. I was just trying to warn you. It was terribly gentlemanly of me, I think."

"Uh-huh, so the whole 'Fear me,' part of our confrontation? That was just coincidence?" she asked.

His eyes took a far away look for a moment, "No, that was something else."

"On that note," she ventured, bringing his eyes back to her, "Hoggle mentioned something you should tell me. Apparently there are… things concerning my Champion status you haven't told me about. Don't look miffed," she said when his lips pursed at her, "he's more on your side than you give him credit. Now tell me."

"I had hoped to bring this up at a more appropriate time," he said.

"We're naked and you've just fucked me senseless. If you can't tell me now, what will it take? World War III?"

Jareth rolled his eyes, laughing a little, "Your crude description aside, I suppose you're right. I assume he told you your rights as Champion where the Labyrinth is concerned?" At her nod he continued, "There are larger rights as well, rights that extend beyond my kingdom…"

When he paused she let out a breath of frustration. "Just, bear with me," he asked, "You don't fully understand the politics of the Underground. There are rules in place, rules that have existed for millennia not just to protect it from your world, but to protect our world from ourselves. The Fae can be capricious and that can be dangerous."

Sarah wisely kept her comment to herself on that one.

"If one were to, say, fall in love with a mortal, and bring them here, that could have long-reaching affects. There are tests, councils would be brought in, it's a trying, ugly thing. And at the end, the couple may find themselves far less in love than they started. Or worse, the Fae half of the couple may well have moved on to someone else. Then you have a larger problem." Sarah nodded in understanding, curious where this was going.

"Being a Champion bypasses all that. It means you are my equal, one of us. It… allows me to make you my Queen without question." he stated.

Sarah gaped at him in shock. The pieces clicked together like a puzzle in her head. "So that…your offer… that wasn't a distraction. That was a proposal."

"You were too young to understand. I was naïve to hope, but you must realize, there had never been a Champion! It was as if the stars aligned and something I had so desperately wanted was suddenly a possibility. You can't blame me for trying."

Her shock gave away to inappropriate laughter. Sarah ran her hands through his hair, kissing his cheeks, mouth, trying to soothe him. "Jareth, I am not laughing at you or the tragedy of our misunderstanding," she felt him soften under her ministrations, "but one day I am going to make you watch '16 and Pregnant' so you can understand my reaction."

"I…don't think I even want to know," he shook his head.

"Look at it this way," she said, "you're getting a much better bargain than you would have 13 years ago."

"I have loved you no matter what," he told her.

"I believe you." Sarah said, equally serious, "but we will be better for me growing up first."

"How did you get to be so insightful, my dear?" Jareth asked, teasing.

"Believe it or not, I had an amazing encounter at 15 that taught me to look at the world in quite a different way," she grinned back.

"My, my, I must congratulate the person responsible for this remarkable influence." he said.

Sarah swatted him on the arm, "You're lucky I have a taste for conceited men."

"I wonder where that came from?" he continued, pulling her legs to straddle him.

"Gods, you are such an ass!" she sighed.

"Perhaps, but you love me nonetheless," he teased, trailing fingers up and down her spine. Sarah writhed against him in turn.

"Yes," she gasped, feeling his hardened member push against her, "I do."

oOoOoOoOoOo

Dinner was a much quieter affair that evening. Sarah convinced Jareth to let her arrive after him, and she entered to a room without Breanainn. The three remaining men stood at her entrance and waited until she was seated before the first course arrived. Before they began on the soup, Lord Kristoff raised his glass.

"Lady Sarah, let me humbly apologize on behalf of myself and the Western Plains for the gross discourtesy my son displayed. And please, Lord Jareth, do not hold the distemper of a young man against a kingdom that has so long held treaty with your own." It was the first time Sarah noticed a hint of real fear in the man's eyes.

Sarah remained silent, waiting for Jareth's response. It didn't take a master politician to recognize the advantage they were gaining.

Jareth, in turn, raised his glass, "I appreciate your due diligence in this matter, Lord Kristoff. The Labyrinth understands the follies of youth. However, you can appreciate the… delicate situation this places us in."

Sarah bit the inside of her cheek to avoid smiling. The use of the term "appreciate" rather than "forgive" did not go unnoticed. Now, she just had to make sure she did not give away their advantage to a faux pas.

Lord Kristoff turned his eyes to her, clearly hoping she would follow in Jareth's politically-correct footsteps.

"Let's be clear, Lord Kristoff," she began, her eyes never wavering from his, "what your son did was grossly unacceptable. However, I can tell just from our limited time together that it was not the result of poor upbringing." The gamble paid off as she saw the relief flood into his eyes.

"Rather, I'm afraid, it was the result of shock," Sarah continued, awaiting Kristoff's reaction. It was much more subtle this time, but she could tell she'd struck a nerve. "Let us speak plainly, for a moment. I challenged if he knew about his half-brother living in the province, and his response on the matter was very definite."

Lord Kristoff half rose from his seat, rage etched in every corner of his expression. "What gives you the right –" he hissed before Jareth cut him off.

"You will sit down when Lady Sarah is speaking to you," he spoke in a tone that brooked no argument. "She is my Champion; you will pay her respect or you will traverse the same challenge she did."

Kristoff sat back down without another word. Emboldened, Sarah continued, "I understand how someone as inexperienced as Breanainn could see that as a challenge. I wonder how his mother feels about the subject." At the mention of his wife, Kristoff looked as if she'd stabbed a knife in his gut.

"I thought as much," she continued. "What I would like very much to know is your thoughts on the subject."

At his shocked look, she smirked, "Clearly, you had some plan in mind. Now, I can continue my research to prove the province is properly in Jareth's possession, or you could cut to the chase and tell us what you want."

If she had smacked him across the mouth, Sarah was certain Lord Kristoff could not have looked more shocked. He looked briefly to Jareth, beseeching, but found no aid.

"Much like glamour, one never thinks of the honesty they must expend, am I right?" Jareth grinned before sipping his wine.