Samhain with the Goblin King

(AN: I know, I know. I should be finishing Marked and not starting a new story but I wanted to do something to celebrate Samhain. And remember, Toby was two when Labyrinth was filmed, Sarah was fifteen-though Jennifer was actually fourteen at the time- and Jareth was just his wonderful self!
Sit back and enjoy my written desires)
*This fic has been edited to be a two-shot*

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Henson, Lucas and other respective owners. I do not financially benefit from this and most likely never will.
If only I owned Jareth!

Toby dropped his school bag to the ground and bolted to the stairs ignoring the shouts of his mother. He didn't have time to bother with trivial things like talking with his mother at the moment. What he needed to do was surprise Sarah with his costume. He had it laid out on his bed and would need to get the makeup done before donning it.

Toby was very proud of the little number having designed it himself, well the basic idea of it anyway, and orchestrated the making of the finished product. His mother had been kind enough to volunteer her time and effort to finish it. He wanted to know what Sarah's thoughts were. The two were close and any praise coming from Sarah was like receiving a Knighting from the Queen of England to the five year old.

Downstairs his mother was loudly complaining about little boys who didn't know when to respect their elders and learn to use their manors when Sarah walked through the door. Karen stopped her tirade long enough to greet Sarah with a wave before continuing her shouting up the stairs to the blond who had long entered his room. She turned back to Sarah when her throat decided it had had enough of the rough treatment.

"Hello, Sarah. How was your day?" Sarah shrugged indifferently with one shoulder.

"Not too bad. Had to study a few things in History about the origins of Jack-o-Lanterns but other than that it was relatively relaxing." Karen gave her a smile and walked away to the kitchen. Sarah followed and was blessed with a hot beverage.

"What will you two be doing then? I know Toby's been ecstatic about showing you his costume. His has such flare and imagination for his age and quite the good brain on him too."

"He's been dropping hints all week but I just can't think what it could be!" Sarah complained. Toby had been pestering her about the costume he had thought of, proudly announcing that he'd gotten the idea from her. But for the life of her she just couldn't think on what it could be. She drained the rest of her tea and put the cup on the sink. "I'm headed up stairs to make sure everything is ready."

"Ok, dear. Robert and I will be leaving in a couple of hours, bring Toby down so we can have dinner."

Sarah was dressed in willow's arm warmers, her black dress long and flowing at the legs while hugging her figure further up, was sleeveless. A corset of red supported it, black lacing of spider-webs stretched across it. Her hair was braided at each temple and left untied to flow with the remaining dark tresses. She wore no makeup other than the blood red rouge, a coating of clear gloss to give it a deadly shine and the mascara that lined her lashes. She was the picture of dark beauty.

Toby came down the stairs with a self-satisfied grin on his face. On his head perched a skull-cap of brown leather. His baggy pants were a muddy brown and the peasant's top black. On his hands he wore gardener gloves painted black with over-sized cuffs that ended halfway to the elbow. His face was painted an olive green with emphasized bags under the eyes and a reddish ting along the end of his nose. The sight took Sarah's breath away.

"Toby, you clever little goblin!" Toby beamed in his glorious feat and bowed to his sister.

"I thank yer, Lady o' Night an' Mother of Spiders." His voice was earthy and low. Sarah couldn't help but smile. He had certainly put a lot of thought into it.

"I guess this means I can't give you a kiss then, pity. Though it saves me from having to fix the lipstick. Have you any idea how hard it is to get it right? I thought girls were being dramatic when they talked about fighting their makeup," she laughed. Toby gave her a dry look. Five year old boys were not interested in lipstick. It was annoying and stuck for all to see when mothers kissed them.

Karen came bustling down the stairs fixing an earring and keeping balance in her heals. She wasn't dressed in a costume but she wasn't dressed in her usual pink either. Karen had opted to go with a simple black dress, the sleeves long and elegant and the hem ending at the knees. Her black coat was draped across the banister and her shoulder bag hung from the stair's ending rail. Sarah's father followed close behind, his suit more stylish than the usual. Black dress pants and tailcoat. His crisp white shirt was held snuggly by a deep red vest, to match his wife's red bag, and shining shoes to top the lot.

"Now remember, we'll be gone for most of the night at this function so we're trusting you to be home at a reasonable time. 10:30 and no later than that, it's a school night and I want the two of you out of bed without any complaints," Karen ordered.

"Yes, yes. Have fun at your little work function and make sure to bring back sweets. You can never have too many sweets."

"Sarah!"

"What? You can't blame me for trying." Karen sent her an annoyed look and eyed the pair thoroughly.

"No mischief from either of you. I remember what happened the last time you went Trick-or-Treating." Sarah waved her off dismissively.

"Yeah, yeah. No trouble from the innocent siblings. Gotcha, now go before you're late!" Robert kissed Sarah on the cheek and patted Toby's head before exiting the house, Karen hugged the two goodbye and followed her husband out.

As the door closed Sarah turned to her goblin and gave him a toothy grin. "Who shall we set off to terrorize first? The Lanester's have effectively banned us from their house as a result of last year's events and the Cordinel's have been warned, though there's always the option of spreading the love throughout the neighbourhood too." Toby's answer was a smile that split his green face with white. He rushed up the stairs to retrieve his satchel and a written list. The list consisted of names and addresses of all in the neighbourhood.

Sarah sighed wistfully, Toby gave her a questioning look. "Just thinking about how much better this would be if we got others involved," she explained. Toby nodded his understanding. Sometimes these things were better in larger groups.

"I sometimes wish we had someone who could help as," he sighed. Sarah gave him a small smile when she heard a knock at the door.

"Toby, I sometimes wish that too." She opened the door and promptly laughed. "I don't believe it!" She backed away and laughed again. Toby came to her side to look at the guest.

Standing in the doorframe was a tall man with wild blond hair. He was dressed in leathers of various types. His chest, covered in scaled plates, had a sickle emblem gleaming where his sternum came. A cape of bones and leather with a high collar framed his pale face. He smiled down at Toby and stepped into the house.

Sarah recovered from her laughter and took hold of Toby's shoulders to spin him around. Now facing him, she gave him a grin that he couldn't help but return. "Brilliant, not only do I have my own personal goblin but now I've got the Goblin King as well. Oh Toby, this is going to be one Halloween you'll never forget."

A band of goblins peered from the shrubbery. This next group of passers seemed easy enough. Though, there weren't any little brats that thought they weren't afraid of anything. Those were always the best to scare. What they saw was what appeared to be a young woman walking with her son. What they didn't see was the blond figure that was in tow. Had these goblins seen this particular being they would never have attempted what they were about to do.

Sarah walked down the street with Toby close by. His costume was definitely a success; so far they had managed to knock at six different houses with nothing but praise to his outfit. He of course, being the five year old he was, lapped up all the attention with a pleased grin.

She saw the slightest movement in the nearby bush and smiled knowingly. The goblins may not have gained the attention of any mortal without intent but Sarah could always tell when they were about. She looked down at Toby and gave him a sly smile. They winked at each other and continued on like nothing was amiss. Little didn't the goblins know.

Jareth saw the exchange and raised an eyebrow. What could the trouble making siblings possible be up to? So far there hadn't been any 'tricks' and he was beginning to tire of all the walking from house to house. What he didn't know was that they were circling back to the Victorian house the Williams family resided in. He really should have been paying more attention to his surroundings.

Sarah took Toby's satchel and her own. They always divided the loot between themselves. Giving Jareth an innocent look she simpered into the house to deposit the night's hard work and fill the satchel with all the glorious things they had planned. Toby grinned at her when she returned with the newly equipped bag.

The Goblins found it as a good distraction. Smiling people were often too self-involved to notice anything until it was too late. Acting on these instincts the goblins readied their advance. In total there were four within the bush. One goblin was a square-looking thing with his shoulders broad for his squat stature. Beside him his cousin, who unfortunately wasn't as smart as the average goblin, sat with his right hand engulfed in his mouth. The drool dripped from his arm to pool beneath him. His wild eyes were framed with bushing brows and his nose was a bulbous thing. Both were wrapped in skin of grey and both were dressed in their clanking armour. Among these two stood two others.

These goblins were far more cunning in their tricks against the mortals. They had the experience that only centuries of practice could bring. They felt it their duty to teach the new, younger of the goblin breeds to execute a prank well. You couldn't simply pull one on an unsuspecting mortal, no. That was unthinkable. You had to plan your attack, test the waters and find what would bring the best results to fruition. A prank wasn't simply just that. It was a testament of your imagination and ability.

These other two were known as Mop and Screw. Although their names were not incredible they had a reputation that was known even to their king. Mop and Screw had been raised in the same household and were as thick as thieves. You never saw one without the other. They were both under the average height of a goblin and both quite hairless, with the exception of their nostrils. Mop was a creature with a large hooked nose, his arm-span double the length of his body and his blue skin was covered with black clothing. Screw was smaller by far. His brown skin was riddled with various bumps and indentations. The helmet on his head was made of brass and lined with fur.

As a whole these goblins would frighten the bravest of men. But what these pore fools didn't realize was that they had decided to target the Labyrinth's Champion.

Sarah held her hand out to Toby and sent a playful smile Jareth's way. He needn't understand the message, only receive it. The two walked with deliberately calm steps in the direction of one occupied bush.

The goblins were practically humming with anticipation. The mortals were approaching and they had just the trick in mind. These mortals wouldn't want to celebrate the Day of the Dead for much longer. They all smiled with crooked teeth.

Sarah had just walked past the bush when movement took her attention. With speed the goblins didn't think possible for a mortal she had grabbed all four. Two goblins dangled from each hand and she smiled at them. That couldn't be good.

"Now boys," she drawled, "what would you be doing in a bush during Halloween?" The goblins stared back at her with wide eyes. Only now that they were this close did they see who they had tried to dupe. The Champion of the Labyrinth was suspending them and she was smiling. This was not what they had planned.

All at once they began to flail. They needed to get free before their king found out. Contact with this particular mortal was seen as very inappropriate. They froze, however, when they spotted their king. With all four being upside-down they all saw the king the wrong way. What the perceived as a deep frown was actually a humorous smirk. Panic coursed through them and they began to flail anew.

"I believe the Champion asked you four a question. Mop, Screw...I had expected far better from you two. Teaching the new members is quite honourable but surely you could have done so without being caught. And so early into the festivities," he tsked, mock disappointment setting his tone. Sarah lowered the four of them back to the ground. The two goblins in question had the decency to look ashamed. With heads bowed they stood before their king with solemn expressions. "Well?!"

They looked to each other and nodded. Mop and Screw turned to their apprentices, each of them extending themselves to their fall height with their hands behind their back and chests puffed out. Mop took the lead.

"We have failed to show you how to best ambush the humans," he said. He set an annoyed look up at Sarah, "However in this instance you cannot hold us to blame. This here is the Champion of the Labyrinth and far worse than any goblin on the night before Beltane." Sarah smiled and gave a mock bow. Screw held nothing but admiration for her.

"If you two had been here last year...oh, the fun! Every goblin worth his salt," all Fae creatures shivered, "would have been proud. So as expected we just couldn't stand by. We joined in the occasion!" Toby grinned down at the tiny goblin. He definitely knew what he was talking about.

"Very well, since I must acknowledge that it was Sarah who found you, I cannot hold you to fault. Any goblin in the vicinity would have been found," Jareth admitted with a sigh. He turned to Sarah. "You really know how to destroy the fun, my dear." Again Sarah sent him an innocent look.

"Come on, Toby. There are so many people to terrorize and so little time to do it in." With new enthusiasm the two siblings walked away from their home and back onto the street.

Jareth stared down at the four goblin that had decided to follow them. Mop and Screw had said that the only way to bring back their honour as goblins on this night would be to aid the Lady Sarah in her quests. The events of the previous year were still unknown to him. He hadn't had any contact with the Williams in three years and as such was unaware of events past. His interest was most certainly aroused. If the goblins praised such things from a mortal than it most have been spectacular.

On his left stood Bobble, who held a strange fixation on his hand, and his square looking cousin, Sput. Sarah stood to his right and Toby to hers. Mop and Screw, being far smaller, had taken residence on his shoulders, every once and awhile whispering to him with enticing pieces of information. So far he had been able to piece together that Sarah and Toby were not the only culprits in the events. The two had managed to ring in several others.

"Sarah?"

"Hmm?" she turned to him with raised eyebrows.

"What exactly happened last year? The goblins have been singing praise and telling of how they were involved but I have yet to know what you did." Sarah and Toby shared a look.

"Let me tell him, let me tell him!" Toby was practically jumping. She gave Jareth a side glance and a devilish smile. "Ok, so we went Trick-or-Treating last year. It was the first time without mum or dad with us and we were dressed up like vampires but without the teeth. Anyway, when we came to Gorge Lanister's house Sarah said we should give him a nice trick! So she went and got Mary and Brian and Lockland and Steve. They all knew what they wanted to do.

"So they take me to the house and tell me what to do. I don't think anyone else noticed the goblins listening in. It turned out a lot more crazy then they had planned! Sarah made the lawn bright blue! Mary and Brian had the job of setting as many Jack-o-Lanterns as they could get on their front porch. They were facing the door, so when someone walked out and they weren't paying attention they got a fright. Lockland had wrapped the back entrance in clingy stuff so no one could get off the back porch. Steve got the job of telling strangers there was a party goin' on.

"I got the job of ringing the doorbell when they had finished with the house. I told them that they had done a great job with the lawn, they were real surprised to see it. But that's not the best part. What no one knew was that Sarah had a secret on the house. She got the goblins to paint something on for her. The Lanister's didn't find out what it was until the next day, it was glow in the dark! And with all the goblins about you can imagine all the 'accidents' going about the house with so many people around," Toby gushed. His eyes were wild with excitement and his teeth gleamed in the lamplight.

"So, what was it you got the goblins to paint for you?" Sarah batted her eyelashes innocently.

"Nothing too bad. I had to direct the goblins themselves so there were a few misunderstandings when it was relayed to the others but the basic message was, 'Don't eat veggies until you're sixteen'. I really can't remember why I chose that but it still got a great reaction. Tobes and I are currently banned from stepping one foot on their property. But I still think it's the best first prank for a boy of Toby's age." Jareth looked at her intrigued, eyes narrowed.

"So what was it that these Lanister's had done to deserve such...treatment?"

"Oh nothing much, I just had to pay back their dear little boy for-" Sarah stopped midsentence when she spotted a red hooded figure walking past with a Jedi by her side.

Turning to Toby Sarah put a finger to her lips and turned back to slink behind the couple. Before Jareth could ask what she was up to, Sarah brought her arms around the girl's waist and pulled her back, a squeal escaped her lips as Sarah whirled her away.

"Help, Brian!"

"Mary!" Brian went to grab her but Sarah spun away with a laugh.

"Sarah! Let me go!" Sarah halted her movements. Mary struggled to free herself but found it useless. "Sarah, let me go. I was having a nice evening with Brian."

"Ah ah...you're coming with me, my little red," Sarah teased. Mary slumped against her and let out a defeated sigh.

"Brian, it's useless. She's found me."

"Oh no you don't, you're not giving up on me that easily." Brian went to grab her again but Sarah expertly spun her away. The two locked in a dancers' embrace with Sarah leading.

"I know you, I danced with you once upon a dream," Toby sang.

"Oh, you didn't."

"What?"

"Sleeping Beauty? Sarah, he's young and impressionable, why did you let him watch that?"

"Well, I kind of gave away that there was a dragon. And then there are the goblins too."

"You two are obsessed!" Mary tried prying herself away but ended up making both spin. While the girls had been talking Brian had resorted to negotiating with Toby.

"Ok, so what can I give you to let your nut of a sister release my girl?" Brian crouched down to be eye level with the blue eyed youth. Toby tilted his head to one side thinking on what he could possible gain from this. "How about candy? Kids like candy, right?"

"You're trading me for candy?!"

"Relax honey, I've got this all under control," Brian called back. "Toby, please I want Mary back. What do you want?"

"Why you askin' me? I'm not the one dancing with your girlfriend," Toby smiled. Brian sighed. It looked like he was going to have to pull out the big guns. He stood up and walked over to the dancing pair. From a side pocket he produced one clear sphere. Sarah stopped the dance to stare intently at it.

Jareth watched her reaction with amusement. Several emotions flitted across her expressive face. First came recognition, then confusion and finally understanding. Sarah moved to take the sphere but Brian lifted it from her grasp.

"My bird," he pointed at Mary, "for your ball," he stated. Sarah chewed the inside of her cheek. On the one hand she got her crystal back while on the other she would have to relinquish her hold on her rather reluctant friend. She scowled.

"Not fair," she stated hotly. Brian shrugged and handed her the crystal once he had secured his winded girlfriend. Mary immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close.

"It was terrible. We were dancing!" Brian patted her back sympathetically. Toby rolled his eyes and went back to walking. Sarah stuck her tongue out at the two. She turned her attention back to the object in her hands. The street lamps made it shine with a clear purity.

"I take it you had it the whole time?" She sent an accusing look at the couple. Mary blushed and adverted her gaze while Brian gave a sheepish grin.

"I knew it would come in handy, can't blame me for keeping a bonus up my sleeve. You, my friend, are a very hard woman to bargain with."

"But you knew I was looking for this. I spent days turning the house inside-out! Karen had finally gotten sick of all the rummaging and told me she wouldn't let me go Trick-or-Treating if I continued. You know how hard that was?" Sarah whined. Brian shrugged. Sarah looked back to the bauble and smiled. "I finally have dear Nyx back. Erebus will certainly be less lonely."

"You named them?!"

"What? I was bored...and I think the name suits them. The twins, born to the First Gods, Erebus and Nyx. Erebus the god of darkness and Nyx the goddess of night, the creator and goddess of Hellhounds. The son and daughter of Choas. How I love the Greek Gods of old," she recited dreamily. Mary eyed her with doubt as to just how sane she was.

"How is it I've never noticed how weird you are?" Mary shook her head. Sarah grinned at her playfully. Jareth stepped into the conversation to pluck the sphere from Sarah's hands. She gave an indignant yelp and went to retrieve it only to be side-stepped.

"Give it back Goblin King. I've been searching for her for weeks! And I don't plan on relinquishing her anytime soon." She reached for the crystal again and tripped into his chest. Regaining her balance she tried reaching for the crystal on the balls of her feet while using Jareth's shoulder for support. Mop and Screw were not helping her cause. Jareth looked down at her with an impish grin. This was most certainly in his favour. Sarah gave up. Pouting she turned back to her friends. An idea suddenly came to mind.

"Who wants to play a game?"

"Oh no you don't. You don't play games Sarah and whoever you involve in those little field trips of yours always ends up getting the brunt of the punishment."

"Oh, come on. It was only one time!"

"One time too many!"

"But you enjoyed last year, didn't you?" Sarah hugged her friend close, wrapping her arms at Mary's waist and pushing her back into her front. "Or would you rather be doing other things?" she purred. Brian's eyes widen along with Jareth's. Toby pulled the four goblins away to play Chase.

"Sarah," she scolded. "Stop torturing the poor widdle Jedi Knight, he has a hard enough time dealing with you as it is."

"So, not even a kiss?" Sarah pulled her closer.

"Nada, not a one." Sarah pouted again.

"You guys are no fun." With that, she released the bundle of red and took a step back. "No one wants a kiss. First it's Toby and now it's you. What is the world coming to if a girl can't get what she wants through a kiss?"

"Remind me, Sarah dear. When you get a boyfriend I have right to lay claim to all the torturous things I can put him through."

"But of course! Isn't that what they're for?" Brian quickly put himself between Mary and Sarah.

"Not another word. I don't want you giving her any ideas. Poor Toby has probably been mentally screwed over from living with you and I don't want my normal girlfriend contracting anything from you."

"All this because of a comment about a kiss," she tsked.

"You were cuddling her!"

"So? Brian dear, we've known each other far longer than you ever did. So, I can be intimate with my girl-"

"She's my girl," he grumbled.

"Of course she is." Sarah patted his arm and gave him a friendly smile. "But, I spotted her first...so." She darted around him and dragged Mary back to her side. Sarah wrapped her arms about her and placed her chin on her shoulder. "She's mine."

(AN: Part two coming soon. And I apologize to all my previous readers but I didn't like the layout with several separate chapters.
Until next time, your ever faithful personal devil awaits)