When Sarah passed through the door, she was amazed to find herself standing inside what seemed to be a castle.

Jareth's castle.

"Why on earth did you bring me here?" Sarah exclaimed, turning on the stranger.

"Hello, Sarah."

Sarah's scathing remarks caught in her throat, as a new voice found her.

She whirled away from the stranger to see the Goblin King himself standing before her. His blonde hair framed his face like a lion's mane, and his mismatched eyes danced with a sort of mischief that Sarah had grown accustomed to during her last trip through the Labyrinth.

"Send me home," Sarah demanded.

The king was not fazed. He simply lifted one eyebrow and took several steps, circling the young woman.

"No, I don't think I will."

Sarah's stony expression went to one of astonishment.

"You can't keep me here! It's against the rules! It's--"

"Thank you, Hogan," Jareth cut Sarah off and ignored her rants. "This bounty is much appreciated."

Sarah fell silent.

"Please," he continued, "make yourself comfortable. I shall return in a moment. I want to show my newest guest to her room."

The stranger, Hogan, nodded, and watched impassively as Jareth practically swept Sarah to her room. She didn't struggle at all, awestruck as she came to terms with her current situation.

I'm a prisoner...Jareth's bounty, brought to him by...

She turned her head a looked back at Hogan, no longer the stranger in her mind.

Sarah had never seen the man in her life; she couldn't have been in his presence for more than an hour. And yet, she felt betrayed. He had asked her if she wanted out of the oubliette.

It's place you put people to forget about them.

That's how Hoggle had described the oubliette when first fell into it.

Hoggle.

Sarah felt her eyes brimming with tears at the thought of her friend. She would have rather been left in the oubliette with Hoggle, letting the rest of the world forget about her, than to be stuck with Jareth leading her towards her doom.

"Here we are," Jareth announced.

When Sarah said nothing, he looked back to her, lip curling as he spotted the tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Stay here and compose yourself," Jareth ordered. He opened the door, pushed Sarah inside, and closed it promptly.

The sound of a locking door only made Sarah cry harder, and she threw herself down on the bed.

Everything had happened so fast. It wasn't...It wasn't...

"Oh, it's just not fair!" Sarah cried, pushing her face into a pillow to muffle her sobbing.

"Things here usually aren't," a voice from the corner replied.

Immediately Sarah's sobs halted, and she lifted her head up from the pillow. A very old, very...unique looking goblin stood in front of her, giving her a sympathetic look.

"Who are you?" Sarah inquired, wiping her cheeks.

"My name is Maglin. I'm one of King Jareth's handmaidens."

Sarah nodded in understanding, sniffling slightly.

"Who are you?"

"My name's Sarah."

Maglin's eyes grew wide.

"Sarah? As in Sarah who..." She dropped her voice down to a whisper, "...defeated the Labyrinth?"

"Yes."

The old goblin laughed and clapped her hands together. "Your majesty! It's so nice to finally meet you!"

Sarah felt her head go light. "Your majesty? What are you talking about?"

"Queen Sarah of the Goblins! It's all His Majesty has been talking about for the past few days! He said that he would be sending for her so he could present her."

"Present me?"

"Oh, yes!" Maglin replied. "You are to be married!"

Sarah's mouth fell open. "Married!"

"I suppose you should get ready."

The goblin nodded to herself and made her way to the chifferobe.

"Ready for what? He's not marrying me tonight, is he?"

"Oh, no, no," Maglin answered, and Sarah let out a sigh of relief. "He was throwing a ball tonight. I'm sure he'll want you to be present so he can introduce you to the rest of the Sidhe."

Sarah fell back on the bed, her head pounding like a bass drum.

"What do you think of this one?"

Sarah lifted her head to see Maglin lifting a dress...very much like the one she had worn in her dream during her first trip in the Labyrinth.

CHAPTER THREE