"You have no power over me!" she exclaimed in a mocking voice. "NO!" he yelled. "Oh, yes!" she insisted. "I win, you lose. Poor king, foolish king..." "NO!" Jareth screamed again, waking up and sitting bolt upright on his bed. He blinked and looked around. After realizing where he was, he leaned back on the headboard and shook his head. Again, he had had that disgusting dream about his defeat. Even awake he could still hear Sarah's laughter! Annoyed to no end, the Goblin King created a crystal sphere and threw it violently to the wall. He smiled slightly at the sound the crystal made when it crushed against the cold stone. However, his grin soon faded and he sank again into despair. For how long would he be having these stupid nightmares? "You will pay for this, Sarah! You will regret the day we met!" he shouted, pulling the covers over his head. The next morning, Jareth woke up with a decidedly awful mood. In fact, he was so annoyed, that he didn't waste time in taking a shower and dressing himself. Instead, he just used his magic. In a second, he was clean, shaven and dressed in his regular outfit: gray tights, white pirate shirt and black boots. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and, with a satisfied smirk, he strode out, slamming the heavy door behind him. A few minutes later, he entered the dining room, where his breakfast was already served on the huge table. He took his usual seat at the head of the table, and eyed, disgusted, the food placed before him. The toast was burnt and the eggs overdone. He also knew the cake would be hard as a rock, the butter frozen, the coffee cold and the orange juice warm. To put it in one word, it was inedible. With a tired sigh, he waved a hand and a delicate crystal sphere appeared floating over the table. The magical object exploded and a sparkling mist covered the meal, changing it into a banquet. He distractedly took a piece of cake, but did not eat it. Instead, he returned it to the dish and leaned back on his chair. He tiredly ran a hand through his silky blond hair. Every day it was the same. Every day the goblins would serve him some uneatable food and he would have to change it. Jareth angrily hit the table with his fist. He was the King, not the cook! Losing his appetite, he rose and shook his head at the sight of the mark he had left on the dusty seat. He rolled his eyes, he had forgotten to clean the chair before sitting down. Why did his subjects have to be so messy? He snapped his fingers and the dust vanished. It seemed that he served as the maid as well! Jareth was so focused on his depressing thoughts, that he had not noticed the small, colorful, goblin that had entered the room a couple of minutes ago. The frightened creature smoothed his bright yellow shirt and cleared his throat, as if gathering enough courage to speak. "You... your... Highness," he managed to say. "What?" Jareth barked, annoyed by the interruption. The goblin went a couple of steps back. "Well, Pete?" the King prompted arrogantly, suppressing a smile at Pete's obvious fear. The creature shuddered under the King's icy stare. "It's the bog... your Majesty," said Pete. "What about the bog?" he asked, trying hard to control his temper. "It's losing it's content. The Bog of Eternal Stench has a filtration, sire," Pete explained in an intelligent manner - for a goblin, of course. "What!" Jareth exclaimed, taking a hand to his temples, feeling the beginning of a wonderful headache. The dwarf gave him a curious glance and cleared his throat again. "The Bog of Eternal--" "Shut up, you idiot!" Jareth interrupted him. "I will take care of it. Now leave me... and do something with your shirt. It offends my eyes!" Pete bowed and quickly left his king, happy to still being in one piece... and briefly wondering what could be wrong with his shirt. Jareth followed the little thing with an amused gaze, but soon became serious. He had a "nice date" with the Bog of Eternal Stench. He sighed deeply. This was proving to be one of those days... And it was all Sarah's fault! From Jareth's point of view, everything bad, disgusting or annoying that happened in his kingdom, was Sarah's fault. In spite of all the time - and lovers - that he had gone through – twenty-two years worth - he was still very mad at her. At first, he had comforted his beaten ego by telling himself that Sarah would be lost and miserable without him. However, as time went by, Sarah demonstrated to him how wrong he had been in his assumption. To his dismay, she had become a successful actress -and also a very talented one, although he would never admit it. And, as if that were not enough, she seemed to have completely forgotten him! Ten years after his labyrinth, she had dared to marry one of the wealthiest men of her country. At the same time she was saying "I do", the Underground was suffering one of the most violent storms its inhabitants had ever seen. Jareth shook his head and balled his gloved hands into fists in an attempt to quiet his thoughts. He smiled evilly; soon he would think of the prefect revenge... but now, there was a kingdom to take care off. In a blink of an eye, the Goblin King changed into a white owl and flew away through the open window. Maybe the soothing wind against his body would clear his mind.    The pregnant woman stood by the window of her room, looking outside. Hearing footsteps behind, she turned. A smile lit up her face when she saw who it was. "Hey, I was trying to surprise you," her husband chided in a gentle tone. She tilted her head. "You did surprise me, Michael," she replied sweetly. "I thought you would go to work today. Your meetings--" She could not continue as Michael placed a finger over her lips. "My whole empire can live without me for a day, but I cannot live without you both. I love you, Sarah," he whispered, and pulling her closer, he kissed her.    A couple of hours later, after having fixed the bog problem, Jareth returned to his castle and immediately headed to the throne room. As always, the place was a mess, dirty and filled with goblins. Fighting the impulse to simply vaporize them, he just shot them a murderous glare. Without losing time, they hurried out of the chamber, leaving their master alone with his dark mood. That is much better, Jareth thought, walking to his throne. He was about to sit down, when he noticed the thick layer of dust that covered his royal throne. Rolling his eyes, he produced a handkerchief out of nowhere and cleaned it. Once finished, he just threw the cloth over his shoulder. It disappeared before reaching the floor. He sat down and tried to relax. Then, with a wave of his hand, a crystal materialized before him. After a moment of concentration, the image of a beautiful pregnant woman appeared in the magical device...    "Are you ready, honey?" Michael asked his wife. "The limo is waiting outside." "Sure," Sarah said, emerging from the bathroom, wearing a simple blue dress. Michael just looked at his beloved wife with wide opened eyes. "You... you are stunning!" he whispered in awe. Sarah blushed. "Oh, come on, this is only an old dress," she replied seriously, but deeply pleased. She approached him and embraced him, leaning her head on his chest. "I am so happy Lili has agreed to spend her holidays here. Since she entered the Med. School, she has been so focussed on her studies that sometimes I believe she doesn't know how to have fun. All that she wants is to be a doctor and help people, but she forgets about herself. Hey, she’s only twenty-one years old!" Sarah paused for a moment and then continued. "Well, she will have fun... even if I have to make her! Oh! I just can't wait to see my baby sister, Michael. Thank you so much for inviting her!" He stroked her raven hair and chuckled. "Are you kidding?" Lili is like my sister too and I totally agree with you. That girl needs to shake herself up and we’ll see to that. Lili will enjoy her time here. I already told Lucy to prepare Lili's favorite room," he said softly. Sarah raised her head and met his tender gaze. "Thank you," she repeated with shining eyes. "You know how much I love my sister. I got to practice my maternal instincts on her," she added with a grin, placing both hands on her round stomach. "Yes, Sarah. I know you love her... but... do you know how much I love you?" he asked, placing his hands over hers. She smiled mischievously. "Mmm, now that you ask so..." He raised a bemused eyebrow. "Well, Mrs. Byron, let me show you," he said in a seductive voice, holding her chin and kissing her. "Wait," Sarah began to protest, gently pulling him back. "The plane..." "We still have plenty of time," he insisted, kissing her again.    "NO!" Jareth shouted at the scene, throwing the sphere he had been holding to the floor. How did Sara dare to be so happy and beautiful when he was so... miserable? He sighed. Yes, she was beautiful. She had barely aged, she had not a single wrinkle around her eyes and not a single white hair... and if that were not enough, she was pregnant! HE, who could not produce a single heir and she dared to be pregnant! He shook his head. It did not matter though, now that he knew what to do. Sarah's conversation with her... husband, had been very enlightening. An evil grin spread on his face. "Well, dear Sarah, it seems that your sister will have to pay for all what you did to me," he whispered darkly. "And by making her suffer, you will be hurt. You will remember me! Such a pity." True, he could take that Michael away or wait a couple of months for the birth and then take the infant away, but that would not be as... amusing. Yes. Lili Williams was the perfect target... and if she turned out to be like Sarah... well, that would add an extra bonus. Unable to stop himself and deeply excited by his plan, he burst into cruel laughter.    "There she is, Michael!" Sarah exclaimed, "Lili!" Sarah waved her arms frantically as she spotted her sister. They were at the airport and the plane had arrived twenty minutes ago. Thanks to Michael's influences, Lili had been the first one to disembark. "Lili!" Sarah called her sister again. Hearing her name, a slender young woman with chin-length red hair, dressed in jeans and a loose T-shirt, turned where Sarah and Michael stood. The redhead smiled. "Sarah! Michael!" Lili yelled, running toward her sister. "I am so happy you are here, little one," Sarah said with misty eyes, tenderly embracing her ‘little’ sister. "I am happy to be here," Lili said and then took her hand to Sarah's round belly. "I can't believe I am going to be an aunt," she added in awe. "And a very beautiful one, may I add," Michael said sincerely, though with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. Lili blushed and rolled her eyes. "Hi, Michael," she greeted him, giving him a bear hug. "Welcome, carrot head," he said kindly, stroking her hair. "My dear ladies," he added then, "I suggest that we leave," he finished, indicating the people who had begun to gather around them. "Wow! I have forgotten how famous you are, Sarah," Lili said, impressed. The admiration she felt for her sister was clearly visible in her amber eyes. "Indeed," Michael agreed, giving his wife a loving look. Sarah chuckled and grabbed their arms. "Yeah, let's go." "So tell me, Michael, how is life being married to a star?" Lili asked him while they were walking toward the limo. "It’s like being in heaven," Michael answered without hesitation, earning a tender glance from a blushing Sarah. "Oh my God! Where did you find this man, girl?" Lili teased her, imitating her mother's tone. Sarah stopped and looked intently at her. "He is one of a kind, Lili, but I assure you that you will meet your soul mate some day." Lili blinked and shrugged, as if saying "yeah, sure". Sarah smiled and continued walking, pulling Lili and Michael along with her.    Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the beautiful mansion. As they entered, Lili watched everything wide opened eyes. "Wow! Everything is just like I remember it." "You haven’t seen anything yet," Sarah told her. "Come on, let me show you your room," she added happily, taking Lili's hand. "The one with the roses?" Lili asked in an almost childish fashion. Sarah nodded and then turned to Michael. "Would excuse us, honey?" He made a little bow and sighed dramatically. "I know, I know. It's girls talk time. I will be waiting for you in the garden." "Thank you," Sarah said, "and this is much better. This is sister talk," she finished with a mischievous wink. Sarah led Lili to her room; it was located in the second floor. When they entered, the young woman smiled in delight. The chamber was amazing. The wallpaper was of a soft shade of green that matched the curtains and the carpeting. It was furnished with a bed, a comfortable armchair, a desk, a night table and a hand carved wardrobe. Lili took off her shoes to feel the soft carpet under her feet. Without saying a word, she went to the balcony and stepped out. To her delight, the balustrades were covered with climbing white roses. That was why this room was her favorite. "Do you like it?" Sarah asked, standing by her side. "Are you kidding? I love it!" Lili exclaimed. With a grin, Sarah held her sister's hand and guided her inside. "You must tell me everything, little one. How are Karen, dad and Toby?" the brunette asked, sitting on the bed. Lili giggled and sat next to her older sister. "Please, don't call me little one," she begged and then continued. "They are okay and they send you their love. Did you know that Toby has a new girlfriend?" "Again!" Sarah exclaimed, laughing. "Yes," Lili replied, laughing too. Their brother was a true ladies man. "That’s why he didn’t come with me. He is too... busy right now," she added with a wink. "And what about you, little... I mean Lili?" Sarah asked, looking intently at her. Lili ran a hand through her short hair and shrugged. "My classes are going fine, I really like them. Three of my professors asked me to help them to teach the lower courses and I agreed," she said, even though she knew that was not precisely what Sarah wanted to know. Sarah raised and eyebrow and took a hand to her chin. "I know that, Lili. A very proud Karen wrote me telling me you had gained a full ride scholarship; not that it surprised me. You have always been brilliant. I am proud and happy for you, little one, but that was not what I asked." Lili became serious and lowered her head. "You already know me, Sarah," the redhead said in a low voice. "I am not like you or Toby. I just can't..." She just finished with a helpless shrug. Sarah embraced her tenderly. "Intelligence had always scared men, but don't worry, little one. You’ll find one, I promise." Lili smiled. "You are still such a dreamer, sis," Lili said, shaking her head. "Besides, being a doctor ... just doesn’t leave much time for a personal life," Lili added, always practical. "How convenient," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "And now you will tell me you brought some books with you." Lili smiled innocently. "Well, now that you mention it, ‘Human Anatomy’ is the best--" "Lili!" Sarah exclaimed in mocking horror. "I didn't invite you to study! I want you to have fun. In fact I know one or two candidates that would be more than pleased to meet you and--" "Sarah!" Lili interrupted her, flushing and, very embarrassed, she just lay her head in Sarah's shoulder. "Okay, I promise I will not open my books, but please! Tell me you’re joking. Remember what happened the last time you tried to set me up!" Sarah chuckled. "He seemed normal to me. How was I supposed to know he had that peculiar... relation with his car?" "Sarah! The man was in love with his car! He talked about cars the whole time!" The pregnant woman tilted her head and her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Oh, but I do know a couple of handsome young men..." "No," Lili said softly. "I don't want to meet them. I want to spend my time with you and Michael." "Okay, okay," Sarah said kindly, smiling. "See? You are still my little one... and that will never change." Lili raised her head and smiled. "I know," she admitted and then took a hand to her neck. "Do you remember this?" she asked, showing Sarah a delicate necklace with a medal, the image of the Mother and the Child on it. "You gave me this when I was born, twenty-one years ago. Sarah nodded and a tender grin played on her face. That was the only piece of jewelry Lili ever wore. "Of course I do. I spent all my money on that gift. I wanted to give you something extra-special," she answered dreamily. "So I made them write an inscription on the back." "Be happy, Little One," Lili quoted. Sarah's grin widened. "At that time, I didn't know if I would have a sister or a brother," she explained, "and then you came, such a cute, little, redheaded baby," she added, rubbing Lili's cheek. "It's okay," Lili said between giggles. "Just don't call me that in public." "As you wish... Little One," the brunette replied mischievously. Lili rolled her eyes and was about to add something else, when someone knocked the door.  "Come in," Sarah said. The door opened, and a young woman about Lili's age, entered. She carried her purse in one hand and a dish with cookies in the other. Sarah smiled kindly. "Come in, Lucy." "Mrs. Byron," Lucy began to say, walking toward them, "before leaving I thought you would like some coo--" Her sentence broke off as she stumbled over Lili's shoes and dropped the tray of cookies. "I'm so sorry," a troubled Lucy apologized. "I--" "No, please. It was my fault," Lili interrupted her, kneeling down and crawling under the bed to pick up the fallen cookies...    After having eating his noonday meal -which he had obviously made with magic- and taking a nap, Jareth returned to the throne room. Once comfortably seated, he smiled sinisterly and materialized a crystal sphere in his hand. Time to meet Lili Williams, he thought, already savoring his revenge. In a second, the sphere showed him the image of two women standing in a bedroom. One of them was Sarah and the younger one -he assumed- was Lili. He focussed his attention on her. She was slender, with shoulder-length brown hair. After a moment, he shook his head, disappointed. Even though the girl was pleasing, she completely lacked Sarah's startling beauty and personality. Such a pity, he thought, throwing the sphere to the floor. "Well, you just cannot have everything," he muttered shrugging. Then, he rose from his throne and an evil grin spread on his face. I have a comfortable oubliette waiting for you, dear Lili... among other things... he thought darkly as he disappeared in the middle of a sparkling mist.    "Oh, I'm so sorry," Lucy apologized again. "It's okay, Lucy," Sarah soothed her maid, patting her arm. "I will clean--" "Of course not!" Lili interrupted her, crawling out under the bed. "It was my fault. I’ll clean up this mess." "Yes," Sarah agreed. "Go out Lucy. This is your day off and I’ll bet you have a handsome boyfriend waiting for you," the pregnant woman teased her. Lili chuckled. Not even Lucy had escaped from Sarah's matchmaking mode.  Lucy blushed and, after saying good-bye, she left the room. Sarah followed her with an amused gaze and then looked down at Lili, who was still knelt picking up the cookies. "See, Little One? That’s what happens when you leave your shoes lying around," she said in her best older sister tone, but with a hint of mischief. Lili raised her head, rolled her eyes and then continued with her job. "Do you mind if I join Michael in the garden?" the brunette asked. Lili looked at her again and smiled. "Of course not. I will be ready in a couple of minutes... unless you prefer I take a little longer..." she said with a wink. Sarah laughed. "Just hurry up," she said and, after patting her sister's head, she left. Five minutes later, Lili had picked up all the cookies and put them over on the desk. Curious and a little bit hungry, she decided to try one of the few cookies that had not fallen to the floor. She took a bite... and immediately ran to the bathroom. They tasted like soap!    Surrounded by the ever-present glitter, the Goblin King appeared in all his glory in the same room that the crystal had showed him earlier. He glanced around and sighed impatiently. Where was that stupid girl? As if answering his unspoken question, he heard the flush of a toilet. He blinked in surprise, then smiled wickedly. Running a hand through his blond hair, he prepared himself to meet Sarah's sister, assuming his best seductive mode. The poor girl had not a chance... The door of the bathroom opened... and his smile faded as he saw an unknown, redheaded young woman holding a glass of water.