Hey, guys!
I suddenly got this idea the other day out of completely nowhere.
I hope you all enjoy it! As always, I do not own the Labyrinth or its characters.
"Bog. Of. Eternal. Stench - I conquer!" The tiny fox-like creature yelled, raising his claws victoriously. A triumphant grin spread across his small snout.
Disapproving groans filled the room as scrabble pieces were thrown down in protest. A young woman with long, thick-chocolate hair studied the board game before her, rubbing her temple in frustration.
"I don't even know how you did that…" Sarah gaped, actually quite impressed underneath her obvious irritation.
"I's tells you how he did that, he's a dirty rotten cheat!" The grumpy dwarf next to her yelled, pointing a stubby finger at the knightly fox.
Sir Didymus gasped, affronted by the accusation. "Me, cheat? Brother Hoggle, could you be implying that I would do such a thing?" His beady eyes widened in offence.
"I's wouldn't be implying." Hoggle growled.
"Brother… Cheat…" The third companion joined in with a deep voice, a large but friendly beast.
"You too, brother Ludo?" Sir Didymus had a wounded expression on his face, feeling betrayed by his friends.
"Alright, alright." Sarah cut them off, "Sir Didymus is just really good at Scrabble, guys. Let's just play a different game." She began gathering all of the pieces, putting them back into the box.
The room fell completely silent, and after a minute Sarah looked up suspiciously. Her friends were staring hesitantly at her, looking like they wanted to say something but they could not bring themselves to say it.
"What's going on?" She asked, gazing curiously at their suddenly somber faces.
"We's can't stay long. Tomorrow is a busy day." The dwarf said, fiddling with the bracelet she had given him so many years ago. The others nodded in agreement
She could not help but wonder what they seemed to be holding back from her. It felt as if there was an elephant in the room that they were trying so hard not to reveal. "Why is tomorrow a busy day?" Sarah said casually, so not to alarm them, as she picked up the scrabble box and laid it on top of her vanity.
Her room had not changed much since she had first met them. It was a little more mature looking and the childish things had long since been put away, but the room still reflected the innocent, fantasy-loving girl she had always been.
"Ohs, you know, the usual. Spraying those pesky fairies, leading runners out of the labyrinth, trying nots ta get bogged, chasin' goblins out of the royal gardens, helping his majesty with his upcoming wedding," he quickly sped over the last bit of information and Sarah's head snapped up. "-Operating the cleaners, sweeping up glitter…"
He counted each on his fingers and he continued nervously. "Wait," Sarah interrupted him, "Did you say 'wedding'?"
Hoggle gulped.
Sarah waited and stared at her friends, a little shocked that they had not mentioned this before. The king was getting married? To whom? Why was she the last one to know about this? So many thoughts circulated through her mind. She could hardly imagine the Goblin King wanting to actually settle down with someone. It just seemed… so unlike him.
"My lady," Sir Didymus stepped closer to her, "His majesty is preparing to be wed to a wealthy princess. He has asked that we assist him in his preparations."
It was hard to register in her brain. Jareth, the King of the Goblins was getting married to a princess. She did not know why she felt as if this 'princess' had suddenly lit her house on fire.
"What's the princess like? Is she snobby?" Sarah inquired before she could stop herself. Dang, she thought, that came out more rude than she had wanted it to.
"She is a fair maiden, my lady. Very kind and beautiful. You do not have to worry for us." Sir Didymus tried to console her, but it only made her feel worse.
Great, so the princess had won over her friends as well? Jealousy flared inside the quiet woman.
Sarah shook her head. She should not be worrying about this. Never before had she cared if the king was going to marry someone, it had never come across her mind. In fact, she had sort of assumed that it was not something that would even happen, at least in her lifetime.
"Oh, well… I guess I'll let you guys head out now." Sarah said, slightly embarrassed at her conflicting feelings. Hopefully, none of her friends had noticed the inner-battle she had just fought.
After minutes of saying their goodbyes, Sarah was left with peaceful silence. She laid down upon her bed, spreading her arms out while sighing in exhaustion. For some unknown reason it really irked her that the Goblin King was getting married so unexpectedly.
Perhaps, it was not so unexpected, though.
What if he had been courting the same woman since before Sarah had laid eyes on him? This thought somehow bothered her even more. The last few years Sarah had believed that Jareth had been watching her, infatuated and pining after her. She had been slightly flattered at the thought that the all-powerful king had fallen desperately in love with her, at least enough to offer her everything, including her dreams. Although, this sudden turn of events certainly changed things.
She could have sworn that he had felt something for her, but now she wondered if he had ever really cared all along. Sarah had to reevaluate her thoughts on all the drama and worry of him almost banning her friends to visit her. At first she had believed it was jealousy, he was angry that she was allowed to have a relationship with her friends and had no care for him. She had felt powerful, convinced that his feelings over her had led him to some sort of relent, which was why he had allowed her friends to continue visiting her.
Now, Sarah realized that perhaps he had never felt anything for her other than indifference. Maybe that was why he allowed her friends from the labyrinth to frequently visit her world, he had never cared in the first place. It felt more disappointing than she would like to admit.
She would rather he hate her or love her than him feeling nothing.
"Ugh!" She grunted, sitting up in her bed with complete disgust at herself, "Why do I even care?" Sarah cried while flinging her fancy, round decorative pillow across the empty bedroom.
I don't care, she repeated in her head to no avail. Had she spent so much time these past years thinking of him being in love with her that she had allowed herself to return the feelings?
Most girls crush on boys in high school, but no, not Sarah. Sarah had possibly a slight crush on a king that she had recently discovered had never actually loved her at all. That must mean that everything he had said at the end of her run was all a trick. He must have really wanted the child after all.
It does not matter, Sarah realized, she had to talk to him before he went through with the wedding. If not to get an actual insight on his feelings of her, then to get total closure for herself. She did not need to talk to him about his marriage, she just needed to get some questions answered so she could move on with her life without 'what if's.
Taking a deep breath, she stood and braced herself. No time to think about the consequences, or she would never summon him.
"I wish…" She began in a hesitant whisper, then she steadied herself, building up her strength and began again. "I wish the Goblin King would come here…" Would he respond to such a demand, she wondered?
"Right now?" Sarah's statement sounded more like a question.
As soon as the words were spoken she shook her head, feeling almost like a complete moron. She had taken deep pride in his possible feelings for her, but now she had been so suddenly knocked off of her pedestal at the knowledge of his upcoming wedding. So why would he listen to her demands?
Sarah sat down and closed her eyes, fighting the sudden out of control feeling that was beginning to overwhelm her system. She needed to talk to him before his wedding, just one last time. For what exact reason, she did not know. Sarah only knew that it was important.
The air around her shimmered in a strange way. Though Sarah could not think of a better way to describe it other than it doing so in an invisible way. She could feel the air shimmer, feel the room release its breath at the answered wish and the presence of a familiar magical appearing.
"Ah, Sarah." His crisp, accented voice pleasantly broke the silence of the room. "I had wondered when our eventual meeting would occur."
Sarah opened her green eyes, not realizing they had still been closed, and defiantly - no, she corrected herself, she had called him here - professionally gazed upon the Goblin King. There was no time to argue or shout insults. It would be rude for her to call him here to just yell at him with mistrust, even if she had always thought of him as a cad…
He had not aged a day, and neither had his ego apparently. His strikingly handsome face was smirking down at her, with amusement that made it seem like he knew all of her secrets, and his piercing blue eyes held her own as an elegant eyebrow raised itself impatiently.
Sarah pretended not to notice the seductive tight pants, or the leather gloves and jacket he wore. Her eyes did not dare to lower themselves low enough to even glance at the low-cut shirt he wore, exposing his lean, muscular chest. Nope, she totally did not take notice of these things…
"Your majesty," the words felt completely horrid as they fell from her mouth, and as his thin lips raised even more in amusement, she felt even more annoyed at herself. Sarah did not imagine she would ever call him anything other than his title out loud, but she was here to talk business, not sound like a bratty teenager. "I figured it was time we discussed our past." She continued, taking precaution to not stumble on her words.
"I see…" Jareth began with interest, "I had thought you called me here on account of certain events your dear friends have just divulged to you." The Goblin King crossed his arms with a mocking air.
Sarah's eyes widened.
"Is that why you called me here, Sarah?" He leaned forward, enjoyment shining in his eyes at her obvious discomfort.
"I was just… wondering... if you getting married was the best thing for your subjects, is all." Sarah silently congratulated herself on her quick save. God, if he knew that she mostly called him here for any other reason than curiosity and protection of her friends, she would surely die from embarrassment. He was not the one that was supposed to have this affect on her. She was supposed to woo him with her innocence, being the heroine, and she was supposed to move on with her life because he was the villain. Not the other way around - never the other way around.
"You know, most of my friends are your subjects. I'm just - concerned." She shrugged.
"Of that I am quite aware." Jareth said. He took a step back and examined her room, ignoring her standing quietly in frustration.
When had he taken such a hold of her feelings? She had been flattered thinking he loved her, prideful even, but now that she realized he never did she felt rejected at the thought that there was no possible future for them. Sarah realized this whole time she had been waiting, and she had waited too long.
"You need not be so concerned for their well-being," he began, startling Sarah from her thoughts, "I have taken great care to make sure the new queen is perfect for her role."
"You've 'taken great care'?" Sarah raised a sarcastic eyebrow. What was this, some Wife and Queen auction?
"Oh, yes. She is fitting in quite nicely already. In fact, she has already been livening up the castle." Jareth said this with so much pride that Sarah began to feel worse. What if she could not stop him, convince him this was a bad idea? Why did she care?
Because it is not you, a voice said in her head. To heck with it, she decided. "But you can't marry her!" Sarah argued, trying not to sound like a complete brat, more of a persuading tone.
"And why not, Sarah?" He shot back just as quick.
She hesitated. Truthfully, she did not know this lady, did not know if she was nice or not. Sarah knew nothing to argue against. The young woman stayed silent, scowling at herself for her immaturity.
"Is this what you called me here for, Sarah?" he looked down at her like a disappointed school teacher, "To discuss my love affairs?"
"No - No." Sarah said sternly, shaking her head. She needed to gain control again before she made herself look like a complete moron. Pick your fights, she told herself. Searching, she tried to think of something, anything that could convince him she was right. "Do you even love her?" She asked quietly. It was just one more question she needed answered before she could move on from him.
"Does it matter? The duties of a king are not always about the matters of the heart." He shook his head in pity.
Sarah stepped forward, closer to him. "Wouldn't you want to marry someone you love, though? Someone that loves you in return?"
She did not know why she cared so much. All she knew was that she could not spend her whole life wondering what would have happened if she had not tried to convince him to not get married.
He could not get married, she decided. He was supposed to want her, he was supposed to fight for her.
"There is no one." For a second his face had shown a brief sorrow, but before Sarah could register or ponder this sudden emotion, it was gone. Replaced with a sudden indifference. For once, not even amusement made itself known on his face.
"You don't love anyone?" Sarah tried to coax some sort of answer out of him, but nothing but cold indifference answered back. Her heart dropped.
"No, I do not." He said with a bored tone, as if he was tired of the conversation.
"Oh." She frowned.
Oh.
Well, this is certainly a dilemma, she thought to herself. A feeling of complete disappointment welled up inside of her, filling her to the brim with despair. She really had gotten her hopes up. She had actually thought he felt something for her and would be busy plotting to woo her. Had she really wanted to be with him that badly?
Of course she did, why else would she feel jealous at the mention of him marrying another woman?
Sarah did not know where to go from here. He did not love anyone. What was she supposed to do? She innerly shrugged in response to her own question. Sarah could not force him to call off the wedding, nor could she force him to love her. That was not the way things went.
"Well, then…" She paused, giving him space. "I guess you do what you need to do." Sarah shrugged, confusion and hurt clearly evident on her face, though she did not see the Goblin King show concern at this. "Only," Sarah paused as she made her way to sit back down on her bed, "I would make sure to marry someone that loves my subjects as much as they love me." She nodded her head in polite dismissal, wanting to be alone.
"That is… good advice, Sarah. I thank you." Jareth bowed, shocking Sarah. Had a king just bowed to her? Then he vanished before her eyes.
Sarah sat alone on her bed for a few minutes, realizing that her feelings for him had gone deeper and stronger than she had ever known. This whole time she had been taking him for granted, sure that one day they would meet again and everything would be perfect…
That was when the sniffles came.
Then the tears began slowly leaking from her eyes, falling across her pale skin and landing with a soft patter on her bed sheets. "I'm never going to take anything for granted ever again…" Sarah's muffled voice said as she buried her face in her pillow. Her body began shaking in violent, yet silent sobs. She allowed herself to cry, because she was going to pick herself right up again in the morning.
Then the sobs and tears really broke through, and they were no longer quiet. As she continued crying she did not hear the sounds of soft footfalls near her, but she felt warmth creep upon her skin as soft, warm hands gently grabbed her.
She knew who it was instantly. No one else smelled like that, like spices, peaches and everything good. Sarah turned to him, rubbing away her tears and trying to pretend nothing had occurred since he had left.
"What are you doing here?" She said, scrubbing at her face with the back of her hand.
"I realized you were right." He said gently, pulling her close to him and hushing her, wiping away her tears. "I do want to marry someone I love." Jareth reassured her with soft touches, calming her, but she still looked at him slightly confused before the words registered in her mind.
Oh.
…
It was not hard for the Goblin King to break off an arranged marriage. Neither partner had really wanted it anyways. Instead their kingdoms had initiated a peace treaty, one that worked out quite well. A year later, after many arguments and compensations, Sarah and Jareth happily tied the knot. Literally, can someone say handfasting? Jareth took Sarah's advice on marrying a woman that loved his subjects as much as she loved him, and their kingdom was very prosperous because of this. They never took each others love for granted again.
The End.
So, this was meant to be a romantic comedy, but then it started raining outside.
I'm gonna go eat the leftover Halloween candy now.
Thank you for reading! Tell me what you think!