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Chapter 3


    Delilah felt the hair lift off her shoulders as a cold wind blew in from the window she knew she had left closed. She shut her eyes and counted to ten knowing it would do no good to tick of his high and mighty gobliness this early in the game. First of all she had to find out whether or not she could catch him at his own game. She had long ago given up her documents for lost. The entire day had been spent scavenging scrap pieces of paper and searching for anything that could help her reassemble her destroyed library. Forcing a smile upon her lips that she knew looked vaguely
threatening she turned and tried her best not to glare at the cocky man before her.
"The air tastes of snow, my dear. I'm predicting a snow fall in the next day or so." Jareth said conversationally.
"Oh, so taking up forecasting are we? Whatever will the goblins think?" Delilah snapped.
Jareth turned to her and grinned. "I notice that you aren't attached to your computer anymore. Perhaps you have decided to take a vacation? Perhaps somewhere warmer?"
Delilah gritted her teeth in frustration. So he wasn't going to come out and admit he had destroyed her files, huh? Two could play that game.
"Yes, an unfortunate accident but one that can be easily rectified." She lied.
Jareth raise one eyebrow in answer. "So then I take it you won't be writing for awhile. What ever will you do?"
"Oh, putt around the house. You know, clean the den, take care of the cat!" Delilah smiled as she saw Jareth wince. She had fully explored the world of cats and Jareth's hair with quite destructive results in her fiction. Too bad it wasn't real.
"But I'm sure you could find a more enjoyable past time." Jareth said off -handedly.
Delilah's eyes narrowed. "What are you hinting at Jareth?"
The Goblin King walked about her trying to appear nonchalant. "Have you ever considered seeing my Labyrinth first hand? It would allow you to write from experience."
Warning bells were sounding but Delilah ignored them. "And why would I want to go there?"
Jareth's smile told her she had just fallen into his trap. "Why to keep me company! The castle gets so boring at times."
"I can't stand you, Jareth. Why would I want to spend time with you?" Delilah demanded.
Jareth somehow managed to look hurt. "My dear! You wound me! I, however, am willing to ignore your less then respectful remarks and propose a deal."
Delilah started back out towards the hall prepared to make a break for it. "No way! Do I look stupid?!"
"Well there is an awful lot of blonde hair on your head. . ." Jareth
smirked.
That caused her to stop. "Listen here, frizzy! Just because I'm blonde doesn't mean I'm stupid. Now there is no way in hell I'm making a deal with you so you can just take your crystal balls and . . ." She was forced to stop when she noticed Jareth was holding something up in front of her. It was a stack of disks.
"Not even for these? I thought something like this may happen so I took the liberty of preparing you for it. On these disks are all the files you have lost. I'm willing to give them to you, all I ask is a little bit of your time. Isn't that generous?" He smiled and got that I'm-the-most-innocent-boy-in-the-world-look. Delilah hung her head and glared at him. There was nothing she could do. Muttering under her breath she stepped within his reach and shuddered as he grabbed her elbow. As the wind died down the cat that had just wandered in managed to catch Delilah's fading words.
"Generous my as. . ."

********


"You have got to be kidding me!" Delilah gaped at the room before her. It was huge! The bed took up more room then her Dinning room. Well, maybe not, but it was close. She opened drawers making sure there was nothing suspicious in them and taking tally of what she had. Never trust a man to stock a room. Too her surprise nothing was missing. She opened the closet and gaped at the clothes inside. Reaching out she began sifting through the pile. When she got to the end, however, she had found a complaint.
"Jareth, dear." She called, making sure her voice grated out the dear. She wasn't surprised when he appeared a swirl of glitter and gave her a self satisfied smile.
"Yes?" He asked.
"I'm going to be stuck here for a while, right?"
"You say that like it is a bad thing." He warned.
Delilah closed her eyes and counted. When she was sure she wouldn't kill him she replied. "I'm sure I'll just love it here, now the question?"
"It all depends on you. If you insist upon being difficult, then yes it will seem like eternity, but if you follow my lead, then it will seem a short time." He replied matter-of-factly.
Delilah snorted. So much for the veiled threat. "Well, if I'm going to be staying here I have to ask you one thing."
"And that is?" He asked leaning in towards her.
"Where can I get a pair of jeans?"

********


"I don't get it. Why do you want girls running around? I thought you didn't like women around here." Jareth glared at the goblin who had spoken. Why was he cursed with such stupid creatures?
"Because, these two refuse to treat me with respect that is due to me. I'm going to show them that no one can escape my powers." He replied for the third time.
"So whatcha gonna do with 'em now?" The goblin asked.
Jareth smiled. "That I have yet to decide. Ah! They are about to run into each other! Perfect, things go as I have planned."
From the back of the room he failed to hear the older goblin whisper to another, "Aww, he's just jealous that they won't fall head over heels for 'em."


********


    Dreamspinner sighed and swirled the bubbles around the tub once more, and decided it was time to get out. As she rose from the tub, she grabbed a towel from the chaise lounge by her side and wrapped the towel snugly around her dripping form. A small cough from the door alerted her to another presence. Dreamspinner clutched the towel to her and spun around, and sighed in relief when she saw it was only a lady standing there.
"M'lady, I am to be your handmaiden. My name is Genna," the tall elf maiden smiled shyly at her new mistress, her violet eyes demure and her startling lavender hair done up expertly in tiny little braids tied off with tiny silver bells that tinkled melodiously as she moved. Her silk gossamer dress was a few shades lighter than her glorious hair. She had lovely crystalline wings as well.
Dreamspinner smiled back, "Well, Genna, do you think we can find something suitable for me to wear?"
Genna went to the wardrobe and rifled through it, "Well, M'lady, what interests you?"
"Please call me Dreamspinner," she smiled at the maiden, "Oh- I hope there's something plain in there..."
"It looks as if His Majesty was planning more formal occasions from the look of these dresses, M'lady Dreamspinner."
"Can't call me just Dreamspinner?" she asked.
"It would not be fitting, M'lady." Genna said as she curtsied deeply. Dreamspinner decided not to push the issue as it would only upset the sylph.
"Here, M'lady, allow me to dry your hair. You'll catch a cold standing around with that sopping mass of locks you have!" Genna smiled as she deftly shook out a towel and indicated that Dreamspinner should sit on the plush stool at the vanity. Dreamspinner sat down and presently lost herself in the beautiful melody that Genna sang as she dried her abundant tresses. Genna produced a comb and gently untangled the snarls in Dreamspinner's hair.
"There!" Genna proclaimed. Dreamspinner looked into the mirror to see that her long strawberry blond and auburn shining locks had been tamed into some semblance of order, and she smiled sweetly at Genna, "Thank you."
"It is my honor to serve you, M'lady. Now, what is your wish for your
attire?"
Dreamspinner put on the robe that Genna handed her and walked over and looked in the wardrobe. She moaned when she realized that everything in it was a ball gown or something of that sort, "Hasn't he ever heard of plain clothing?" she pouted, "Oh- I feel strange.. wait a minute.."
Genna became alarmed as her Lady's coloring drained away. She grabbed her by the arm and lead her to the chaise lounge.
Dreamspinner looked into Genna's wide violet eyes and said softly, "Something is happening to me." She placed her hands on the edge of the lounge and with a burst of magic, found herself wearing black leggings, soft black leather boots, and a black silk tunic embroidered with silver crescent moons and diamond stars along the collar, sleeves, and hem. On her wrist was a white-gold bracelet of exquisite design, studded round with moonstones formed to chronicle the phases of the moon
with accenting diamond stars. Dreamspinner gazed at the bracelet in awe. It was just how she had dreamed it to be.
"Genna, *I* just did that!" Dreamspinner shakily mused.
"I know, M'lady, I know. Calm yourself. I was told to expect this."
"Jareth?"
"No, M'lady. Someone who knows you far better than he thinks he does sent me. He doesn't even know I exist." Genna's cupid's bow lips twisted in an ironic smile, "I am only here for you."
Dreamspinner shook the last of the dizziness from her mind and attempted to rise, only to flop back down, still too shaken to move.
"It shall pass," Genna waved her delicate hands in the air and a goblet of spiced tea appeared, "Here, drink this M'lady. It will help." Dreamspinner gratefully accepted the drink, and sipped it slowly as Genna sang a soothing song about the elder forests of Lyr.
"Genna- if I am becoming my dream-character... is Gwydion here too?" Dreamspinner's voice sounded so soft and small like a child who needed reassurance. Genna sat down next to her and put her arm around her shoulders, "Yes. All that and more. You will see. You are a wonder to my
kind- a maker-of-worlds. It has always been so."
"He should not have brought me here."
"No, never think that M'lady! All is right and as it should be. You will see, I promise."
"Thank you, Genna." Dreamspinner mustered a smile for her new friend, who returned it ten-fold. "I was talking to another of my kind- a lady named Delilah, before I came here. Do you know if she is here as well?"
Genna turned her attention inward, then slowly looked back at Dreamspinner, "Yes, M'lady. Your friend is here now."
"Well, I guess I should go and find her, shouldn't I?"

~~~~on to Chapter 4