A.N.- First, I would like to apologize to any who might have tried to read this when I first put it up: I don't know what happened but when I took a look at it after I'd posted it, I saw the jumbled mess it had become and I was panicking, thinking that no one would want to read it again. I hope that those of you who did try to view this story in the brief moment it was live will forgive me and give this another chance. This is my first foray on this site and since this story kind of kept pouncing on me, I relented and have posted the first chapter. Shouldn't be too long of a story but I hope you will all enjoy it anyway. Reviews and constructive criticisms welcome. The Labyrinth and its characters belong to Jim Henson.
The Bargain
Sarah Williams looked on, her mind calculating, while the intruder stood threateningly in the living room. This being who stood in her family's house was no human, but her dad and Karen had no clue what they were dealing with. Sarah, on the other hand, had more than an idea, she knew without a doubt that a Fae was among them, but the real question was why? Had HE sent this creature here? Sarah's gut told her that no, the Goblin King was not responsible, for this woman (for lack of a better word) seemed to have much worse intentions than playing games. Then the Fae spoke. "You've requested me here, so I don't see why you're surprised." Suspicion shot through Sarah at that. She knew she had not made a wish, it would have been a foolish thing to do indeed, regardless of the fact that she had realized that Jareth was not the villain he'd seemed to be.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Robert asked, trying to sound tough. "I don't know who you are or why you're here, so you'd better leave before I call the police!"
Ravena, the Fae woman in question, eyed the mortal man, and saw that he was telling the truth. The woman beside him, however, was nervous and had a guilty expression on her face. So, this was the one who'd fallen for her trap. Ravena grinned. This wouldn't go like the pathetic woman had planned, not at all. "It was you," Ravena said, pointing to Karen. "You sent me the request to buy the girl off of you." At that, Ravena glanced towards Sarah, and their eyes met, Sarah's blazing in defiance. Ravena's mouth turned down in a frown as a feeling of dread crept through her, but she dismissed it as an ill air present in the mortal house.
Meanwhile, Robert was infuriated. "You've offered to SELL my daughter?! Now I understand why Sarah never warmed up to you all these years!" Sarah grimaced. It was true, but not for lack of trying. After the Labyrinth, she had tried to make amends by being the perfect daughter and never complained, but it wasn't enough for Karen to like her. Sarah had bigger problems on her hands at the moment though, for technically this Fae couldn't buy her. Sarah had long belonged to the Labyrinth and it's King, even if he didn't know it. She'd certainly never told her Underground friends about the "tattoo" which had shown up just above her left breast right after leaving the Goblin kingdom. It was just as well, for she hadn't wanted to cause any of her friends to go into a panic over the sight of the obvious image of a barn owl in flight etched into her skin, an owl that just also happened to have a small crown over its head. Sarah had never worn anything which would reveal the mark in public or when her friends came to visit.
Ravena merely inspected her nails as if bored but then decided she'd had enough of being in the mortal realm. She really couldn't stay much longer anyway, or she would attract the attention of the Council. "I'm afraid you didn't state specifically that you wanted your daughter taken."
"Step-daughter," Karen muttered, but then the words finally filtered into her brain. "What do you mean?"
"Well, the invoice here clearly states," the Fae said, pulling out a paper from thin air, "that one child from the home is to be sold at market value to myself." And here, Ravena glanced at Sarah again, elaborating, "This daughter of yours is clearly not a child." Sarah snorted at that. She had turned eighteen three months ago, of course she wasn't a child. Then the implications of what that meant hit Sarah fully.
"You can't take Toby," she said and Ravena could have sworn it sounded like a command.
Ravena put on her best fake smile as she said in a falsely sweet voice, "My dear, the contract was already signed a week ago, so I'm afraid there's nothing to be done."
At this, Karen sputtered, "But-but I didn't sign the contract with YOU, it was-."
"Mr. Raven? That was me, you just didn't realize it."
"You tricked me!" Karen accused, and immediately the air in the room thickened.
Sarah knew better than to provoke the wrath of a Fae, but her stepmother did not. "YOU are the one who was searching for a way to get rid of your daughter, I did not trick you into doing that. And I am certainly not responsible for your lack of reading the contract thoroughly. Do NOT test me, mortal woman, or you will regret it."
Robert had grabbed Toby up protectively and pleaded, "Please, isn't there anything I can do to keep him from being taken?" Sarah knew what she had to do and sighed, but was resigned to it none-the-less. She cared for her father and had gone through too much with her little brother already, only to lose him again.
"Yes," Sarah replied, "I can take Toby's place voluntarily." Sarah had had three years to do research on the Fae, and though she supposed a lot of it was rubbish and not even close to what the truth was, the theme of bargaining with the Fae and the rules of entering a contract with one never varied and could be therefore taken at face value.
"Sarah," Robert whispered, "you would do that?" Sarah's heart contracted a bit in hurt as she heard the hope in her father's voice. She had always known that Toby was the favorite, but to hear it voiced aloud stung her more than she thought it would. But she loved her brother, she had chosen to get him back rather than take her dreams which had been laid out on a Jareth-glittered platter. So, by way of answer, she faced the Fae woman and stated, "I offer myself in place of the child."
Ravena appraised the young woman in front of her. The girl was brave, Ravena would concede to that, and she would be far more useful than a toddler. "Very well, I accept. And after I have taken you away, no one under this roof, nor any who were close to you and knew you, save the one who procured my services, will remember you. Now, come with me, my new servant."
Sarah gave her father a sad smile, and blew Toby a goodbye kiss, but completely ignored Karen. The knowledge that her stepmother would in all likelihood go a bit crazy brought some sense of satisfaction to Sarah as the Fae woman transported them out of the mortal realm.
Sarah landed in front of a large mansion and Ravena spoke to her, saying, "You are to do menial tasks unless you end up being particularly skilled at something. You will follow orders. You will be glamoured to look like a local resident, and will not tell any other Fae visiting that you are human. You will sleep, eat, bathe, and dress with the other servants. You will call me Duchess, or Duchess Ravena at all times. And I will come up with a suitable sidhe name for you. Are we clear?"
"Yes Duchess Ravena."
"Good. As long as you obey orders and treat me with respect, you will come to no harm. I hope I don't have to show you what happens to those who don't follow my rules. In your case, should you ever decide to go against me, it will be your beloved family I'll pay a visit to."
"No, I understand that I volunteered myself and that if I displease you, the bargain we struck would be void and my brother would be taken."
Ravena was both surprised and impressed. This young woman was smart for a mortal. She would certainly have to keep an eye on her. "I'm glad you understand what's at stake here. Now that the unpleasantries are done, I'd like to welcome you to my home. Now, let me think of a name for you. The air speaks to me and gives each of my servants new names." Ravena closed her eyes for a minute and let the breeze whisper to her. Usually this took several minutes, but the wind had an answer for her right away, and Ravena's eyes popped open wide. Why should this girl have a name so noble? Again, doubt and dread crept into Ravena's mind. Had she made the wrong choice in accepting the girl's offer? But the Fae wasn't the brightest of her kind and she told herself that she'd been exposed to the mortal world for too long this time and had let it get to her. It wasn't as if the girl would know the meaning of the name anyway, so what did it matter what the air wanted to call her? Ravena opened her eyes and told Sarah, "The air has spoken to me. Your new name shall be Neala."
Sarah almost started in surprise, but checked herself and merely nodded to Ravena. But when the Fae turned, Sarah furrowed her brows in confusion. Why would the wind give her a name that meant "ruler" and why would Ravena be alright giving her that name? Of course, the Fae woman obviously had no idea that Sarah had studied Celtic names and legends extensively, so maybe the name wasn't as important as it seemed. It didn't matter at the moment anyway, for Sarah entered what was to be her new home for the rest of her life.
