Of Gypsies and Crystals: Chapter 1
The house was silent when Sarah got home from school. "Hello? Anyone home?" She called out into the silence of her parents Victorian home. No one answered. "Dad? Karen? Toby?" No response. She kicked off her tennis shoes and headed off to the kitchen to make herself a snack.
On the kitchen table was a note. Sarah read it as she scarfed down the last four oreos, and a glass of milk:
Sarah,
Your Father and I brought Toby with us to visit uncle Benny in the Hospital, over in Freeport. We'll be home rather late. There is dinner to reheat in the fridge.
Karen
Sarah sighed. No one even asked her if she wanted to visit with her uncle. No one cared if she had plans or wanted to tag along. It had been 3 years since she had won the Labyrinth. She'd grown up quite a bit. And yet, the damage that she had done at fifteen, still haunted her. Karen still failed to treat her as part of the family. Now that she was older and nearing graduation, Karen had even limited her need of Sarah to watch Toby. It was almost as if they were already preparing for her to go off to college and leave. And then what would happen? Would they forget about her entirely?
Sarah shrugged, 'Does it matter?' She asked herself. She'd been a loner before the Labyrinth, and now she was even more so. This world was no longer hers. But, such was the price she paid for returning Toby to her parents.
Pushing these depressing thoughts away, she headed off to the living room to zone out watching television. She flopped down on the couch and turned the TV on. Flipping the channel ever so often, muttering about how no matter how many channels one has, there is never really anything interesting to watch. Soon, her eyelids grew heavy and she dozed.
The sudden blaring "KSSSSSHHH" of the TV, startled Sarah out of her dreamless sleep. "What?" She looked around groggily and found she had dropped the remote on the floor. Picking it up she shut the television off and the absence of its light, plunged the house into momentary darkness. She stretched and padded over to the stairs to head up to her room. The hallway light was not on. Which was strange, as her parents always left it on so that Toby could see to use the bathroom if he got up. Sarah decided they had just been so tired when they got home, they forgot. She flicked on the light to the hall way as she neared the stairs and caught a look at the grandfather clock. Three A.M. She shook her head. She wondered why no one woke her when they got home.
When she neared the top of the stairs she noticed her parents door was open. Which, it would not have been, if they were sleeping. She peeked her head in and found there was no one in the bed. It was still made. Down the hall, she found Toby's bedroom to be the same. They hadn't come home yet after all. "That's strange." Sarah murmured. Perhaps they stayed over, maybe Uncle Benny had taken a turn for the worst suddenly. Perhaps it was not such an impromptu visit after all. Uncle Benny was her favorite uncle. Perhaps he was passing and they didn't want her there, it would have devastated her. She scowled. Would no one ever treat her as an adult?!
She decided that she would just go to bed. In three hours it would be Saturday morning and she could just lie in bed and not have to worry about getting up for her last week of High school until Sunday. She brushed her teeth and washed her face while she pondered on how strange it was to be graduating soon. When she looked in the mirror she realized that time had done away with the last of her baby fat. Her face had taken on a thinner more sculpted look, her eyes were greener and less carefree. She stuck her tongue out at herself through the bubbles of her toothpaste before spitting it into the sink and rinsing out her mouth.
"I don't want to grow up, I'm a toys r us kid." She sung to herself and giggled. Ah, but how she wished she were a kid again. Soon she would have to go to college. She still hadn't really decided what she wanted to do with herself. She opted for art classes, hoping that it might give her an outlet for her creativity while she decided. She already had a pretty good sketch book going. Her art teacher continuously praised her for her sketches of fairytale creatures. Of course, she had another sketchbook, filled with drawings of another creature. Ones that were far more personal to her than the others. Wouldn't he just about die laughing if he knew? She snorted, "Probably." she thought aloud.
The next morning found Sarah still alone in the house. There was no phone call from her parents on the answering machine and she was really starting to worry. She'd come downstairs in a pair of pj's and her fuzzy purple bunny slippers and thumbed through the phone book. She was just picking the phone up when there was a knock at the front door.
"Damn." She muttered. Putting the phone down she padded over to the door and looked out the side window to see who it was. It was a very tall police officer standing with a shorter more miserable looking man also in uniform.
Sarah opened the door, "Good morning officer, is there something I can do for you?" She felt a feeling of dread washing over her.
"Miss Williams, I'm Officer Daniels, this is Officer Eldritch." He reached out a hand and Sarah shook it and likewise she held out her hand to Officer Eldritch. Whom looked at it and sniffed stuffily. Sarah rolled her eyes and turned back to Daniels.
"Nice to make your acquaintance. You'll pardon me if I repeat my previous question. What can I do for you?"
Officer Daniels removed his hat, "Could we come in?" He asked.
Sarah moved out of the way and gestured for them to enter, "My Father isn't at home, Officer Daniels. I'm sure he would be the one you would rather speak with, if I'm in some sort of trouble."
Officer Daniels stepped passed her and waited for Sarah to shut the door. "I know that your father isn't here, Miss Williams. I have, very bad news." He cleared his throat. "Last night there was an accident and, well. I'm sorry, but, your parents were killed."
Sarah turned white and sat down hard on a chair in the foyer. "Toby?" She asked hopefully looking officer Daniels in the eyes.
Officer Daniels looked at her oddly. "Toby?" He asked.
"My baby brother was with them, when they went to visit my uncle yesterday. Wasn't he in the car when you found my parents?"
Officer Daniels looked at the other officer whom only shook his head in confusion. He turned back to Sarah, "I'm sorry ma'am. There wasn't a child in the car. And quite frankly, I'm confused. The only child per our records that your father and stepmother have custody of, is you."
"That's not true! Please, you have to find him!" She grabbed onto Officer Daniels' arm roughly, trying to make him see reason.
Officer Daniels gently took her hand off his arm and patted it in an infuriatingly fatherly way. "I'll have my men search the scene of the accident for signs of a little boy. I promise that we'll find him for you." He seemed to want to say something further. But only asked if she needed anything.
Sarah looked up at him and her face darkened, "Aside from finding Toby. No, I think you've done quite enough. When will the bodies be released?" She asked.
"As soon as you can arrange for a funeral home to come and collect them Miss Williams. We'll call you as soon as we have any word on your brother." Officer Daniels placed his hat back on his head.
Sarah, nodded numbly. "Thank you." She stood up and opened the door for them, indicating that they should leave.
"I'm very sorry." He said again.
"So you've said, Good day to you." She looked away from the both of them, and when they were both out on the front porch she shut the door slowly.
Outside on the porch, the door closed firmly, the sound of the locks clicking into place confirmed that she'd had enough of their visit.
Officer Eldritch looked up at his taller counterpart in puzzlement, "That was odd." He said simply.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we're back out here again soon." He headed for the patrol car.
"Why?" Asked the shorter officer following after him.
"Something in that girl has snapped. Which is understandable. But she's managed to imagine herself a little brother, how long do you think it will be before she imagines she can fly and throws herself off the roof?" He shook his head sadly and got into the patrol car. "Maybe I'll send out a Psychologist for an evaluation." He started the car.
A month after the funeral, Sarah graduated. Feeling obligated to keeping the family home she got a job at a cafe in town. It was a new shop, one of those that often held open Mic night for amateur poets or jazz bands. Sarah found that it was just a means to an end. Keeping the house. Her father's house. Six months later, Linda, Sarah's mother, had phoned her and offered for Sarah to come and stay with her in New York. She pressed Sarah about going to college.
Which, Sarah had staunchly refused. She didn't want to think about that right now, and was still not sure what she would take in any case. That, and if they heard anything on Toby she wanted to be there.
It didn't help that Sarah could find none of Toby's birth records, or that his room was suddenly bare of all but a twin sized bed and a dresser. All his books and toys and trappings of youth, were gone. Even the note Karen had left her, though mostly the same, was missing the part about taking Toby with them.
Likewise with family albums, the pictures of Toby seemed to have disappeared. Which only served to make her angrier and more confused. She started seeing a psychologist as Officer Daniels suggested.
The sessions were often long and drawn out. Often times not even centered on Toby but on her childhood. Once the psychologist even asked if her father had ever touched her inappropriately. Which caused Sarah to laugh so hard she had trouble breathing. Once she'd composed herself she suggested the psychologist change professions, he'd make a great comedian. The sessions ended after that.
Sarah still sketched at home. Although now, she sketched her family instead of fairytale creatures. She filled her room with images of Dad and Karen, but mostly Toby. Hoping beyond reason, that every sketch completed, would bring her closer to finding Toby and coming out of this torment. This gray veil of unfeeling. Where ever it was that her tears went. She desperately wanted them back. So that she could mourn her parents.
She was involved in one such sketch of Toby, in her room when she felt a familiar feeling. She spoke without turning to find the source of the disturbance. "Hey, Hoggle."
"Dammit! How did ya know it was me?" He huffed from her vanity mirror.
"I can smell fairy wine." She stated flatly, putting the finishing touches on the sketch. "Honestly Hoggle, its only gone past one in the afternoon!" She admonished as she set the sketchbook down and turned to eye him in a mothering sort of way.
"Its five o clock somewhere." He grumbled defensively.
"So, how are you?" She asked trying on a smile that felt all too fake.
Hoggle noticed the disingenuous cheerful smile, and narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, "I'm just fine. His majesty has been very reasonable lately."
Sarah laughed harshly, "That man, is anything but reasonable."
"He's king, he doesn't need to be. But, since you left, a lot of things are different. I can see, they are different with you too. So, what's your problem?" He asked.
"I-" She had thought about lying to him so that he would go away, but what good would that do? Hoggle was as comfortable with lying as he was with breathing. He would see right through her. She supposed, she needed to talk to someone. After all, Hoggle was her best friend.
"My parents, passed away over six months ago." She said at last. "Toby is missing."
Hoggle started guiltily. "Umm. Sarah?"
"Yes, Hoggle?" She asked absently.
"I have something to tell you." He fidgeted nervously. "But you ain't going to like it."
"What?" She eyed him suspiciously.
"I," He licked his lips. "I think that Jareth may have something to do with what happened to Toby."
"He what?!?" She shouted.
"Well, I never thought he wouldn't tell you."
" Tell me what? Stop being so blasted cryptic, and just tell me what's going on!" She was getting really irritated with him.
Hoggle flinched, "I think that it's best if he tell you. If I do, I'm automatically in the Bog." He said finally.
Sarah sighed, somehow knowing he would say that. All the sketches of her family hung on her walls, looking out at her. She stopped as her eyes came back to the one she had been working on of Toby.
She flushed with anger, "When I get my hands on that arrogant bastard!" She got up from the bed and stormed over to the vanity mirror. "How do I get in?"
"You gets in the same way you got in the last time." He said defensively, wishing for the first time in ages that he'd never set eyes on the girl. This was not going to be good.
"Figures." She crossed her arms angrily. She thought it might be better to work up a good rage by the time she found her way through the labyrinth. But it seemed there was only one way to get there.
"Well, look at it this way. What choice have ya got?" He leaned towards her and glared at her meaningfully.
Sarah sighed, "You're right."
"Course I am." He sniffed. "Before you call him though, let me get away from here. I ain't aimin to piss him off by being here."
"Coward." Sarah teased.
"Safer that way." He said and disappeared.
Sarah looked down at herself and realized that she was still in her waitress uniform. It wouldn't do to have the king see her in a short skirt. She snorted, "Not that he would care." She changed into a pair of Jeans, a red top and some tennis shoes. She straightened herself. Perusing herself in the mirror she wondered for perhaps the one hundredth time if she should have gotten her hair cut shorter. It was still long. Although it was now wavy. Getting the body wave in it gave it some bounce. She noticed that she was smiling. She stopped and quirked an eyebrow at her reflection.
"What the hell are you so happy about?" She asked herself. Well, perhaps if Jareth did have Toby, that meant that he was alive. And that she wasn't crazy, like the police had made her feel for insisting that Toby was real and that they needed to find him. A pang of sadness hit her, but not enough for tears. "No, he's real. And Jareth has him. I did it once, I can do it again." Satisfied with her appearance she left her room, and went to the original scene of the crime. Her parents room.
The crib was gone, but then, her parents had gotten rid of it when Toby started climbing out of it. She looked around. How many times had she been in here, stood out on the balcony. And wished for them all back? Too many. She decided. She turned to the balcony French doors. "Say your right words." She quoted.
But what right words? She had no baby to wish away. She shrugged. What the hell? Nothing to lose, not yet.
"I wish the Goblins would come and take me away, right now!"
Sarah sat down on the bed and waited. A few moments passed. And then, the wind blew open the doors and in he flew. She felt her anger and resolve renewed. Fortunately, she kept herself perfectly composed and waited to strike like a rattlesnake.
He rose in the window, the wind billowing his cape about him, whipping through his platinum blond spiky hair. Taking a few steps into the room she could see him take in his surroundings, the absence of the babe in question and seemed to know exactly what she was going to say, "I don't have Toby."
Sarah still puffed up and ready for a fight, felt herself deflate almost instantly. "Of course you do!" She got up and crossed the divide between them. She lifted her chin defiantly, "Where is my brother!!"
"Toby, is not real Sarah." He said sadly. "I'm sorry."
"What? Are you mad?" She tossed up her hands. "What do you mean? I have a little brother, his name is Tobias Lee Williams, he is three years old and you stole him from me!" She screamed at him.
Jareth turned away from her and looked out the window. "He was only ever a ruse to get to you. "
"The little boy I rocked to sleep and read stories to? That I ran the labyrinth for? The little boy whom I believed my brother for so long?" She pressed him. "Nothing but a ruse!?" Her face was flushed with anger.
"A changeling." He reached out and stroked her cheek. She was even more beautiful when she was angry.
She pulled away from his touch, "Why did you do, this? What on earth were you possibly thinking?"
"I love you." He said it as if it should have been obvious. "It was the only way I could see you."
"You're lying!" She accused him halfheartedly.
He bristled at her affront to his honor. "No." He advanced on her. "No, I may trick, I may tease, I may manipulate to my own ends. Yes, princess. These things I have done to you. You wanted the story to be real. It could not be without a younger sibling. It is not my fault that the changeling had to return to the underground, due to a drunkard's negligent driving. I grow tired of trying to live up to your expectations of me." His eyes darkened.
It was then that he realized that he had come within inches of pulling her into his arms and forcing her to kiss him. He backed away and more calmly continued, "What is more, I am not lying to you when I tell you that, I love you."
"Why didn't you tell me before, then? If you love me as you say?" She stared at him suspiciously, still not altogether sure how this conversation had suddenly gone so far out of her control.
"You loved him. How could I take him from you? And as long as you felt responsible for him, you would never trust me or let me get close to you." He refused to offer more of an apology than that or explain further..
Finally it seemed all too much for her. She'd been through so much. She didn't want to think about any of this now. It already appeared as though she had lost this round. Also, she had called him so it begged the question, "What happens now?"
"You act as if you have a choice. You wished yourself away, you belong to us." He replied smugly.
Sarah nodded, "Whats said is said." She murmured.
Jareth was suddenly close to her and wrapped her in his cloak. She did not protest. Jareth did not like this one bit. Sarah should at least be fighting back, refusing to go back with him. He wrapped his arms around her beneath the cloak and slipped his gloved hands low until they caressed lightly over her well formed buttocks. She stiffened but still did not fight back. Jareth frowned.
Soon they were back in the underground Sarah stood looking at the gates to the Labyrinth. She turned around to find Jareth looking at her pensively.
"Aren't we going to the castle?" She asked.
"I am, you will not be." He walked over to the labyrinth wall where the fairies were flitting about the climbing roses. He held out a hand and a fairy alighted in his palm, he stroked her back between the wings and smiled at the little creature fondly.
Sarah frowned, "Why ever not?" Things were clearly not working out in her favor.
"Because I just confessed my love for you, yet again. And you have not the courtesy to even tell me that you love me too. Or even like me. Or care for me not at all!" His voice was rising, he took a deep breath, "Something, anything Sarah. Just so that I know you are not completely heartless." He spoke the last harsh words in an odd gentle way that eased their sting.
"I just found out that I never had a little brother, and I lost my parents. Jareth, its just not fair to do this to me now!" She held up her hand when she saw the twinkle in his eye at the mention of her idea of fairness. "I just, don't know." She said finally.
"Precisely." He said enigmatically as he let the fairy fly off and turned to leave. Sarah's hand suddenly grasping his arm gave him pause.
"Where do I go?" She asked.
"You're a bright girl, I'm certain you'll think of something." He patronized her and shook his arm free of her grasp..
Sarah's eyes widened at the realization that he was really just going to leave her there.
Jareth laughed at her innocent expression and faded away.
Sarah sat down on a boulder and sighed. "You can come out now Hoggle." She called.
"Ohhh! How did you do that!? I was standing downwind!" He popped out from behind a bush that had concealed him quite well. Glaring at her furiously.
"I felt a disturbance in the force." She muttered.
"The what?" He asked.
"Nothing, never mind." She pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Look Hoggle, I've got nowhere to go. I can't go to the castle." She looked at him, hoping he'd have some idea.
"Well, don't look at me." He shook his finger at her.
"You're my friend!" She said petulantly, "Can't I stay with you?"
"And have that rat hanging about, trying to drag information about you out of me, more so than he's done the last three years? Nope! I ain't gonna to be in the middle of it. Count me out!" He stomped off.
"Hoggle!!" She was rewarded with only a grunt in response before he'd disappeared through the gates.
They slammed behind him, cutting her off from following him.
Sarah looked around. She had two choices, walk into the labyrinth and try to renew old friendships. Or, walk away from it. She scowled. "Since I'm haunted that way," she stuck her tongue out at the gates and then turned on her heel, trudging up the hill to the tree. She stopped to catch her breath, only to lose it again when she finally took in the lay of the land.
All around the labyrinth there lay a desert, beyond the desert, farmland. Then forests and finally large majestic mountains. And in the middle, a road. A clear way through to the mountain range. What lay beyond those mountains, she meant to find out. "Come on feet." She said lightly as she picked her way down the other side of the hill.
"Well, I didn't think she would do that!" Hoggle scratched his head in surprise.
Jareth stroked his chin as he gazed into the crystal, clearly perplexed. "I must confess, I had not thought she would either."
"Ya should have went to her sooner!" Hoggle scolded the King.
"Higgle, one does not ignore the summons of the high court. As you well know. May I remind you that this is mostly their doing." The King glared at Hoggle.
Hoggle cleared his throat and nodded. "I suppose so. I still don't have to like it."
"I like it perhaps even less than you. The whole thing has been one ordeal after another. Had I known what trials they would have put her through, when I'd petitioned the court for courting rights, I would have never bothered. However, its done now, isn't it?" He sighed as he watched Sarah walk along the road. "I wonder what they will think when I tell them that she chose the road less traveled?" He said more to himself than to Hoggle.
"They'll think you're a bloody idiot for choosing such a difficult bride, that's what. And me an idiot for befriending someone so stubborn. I tell you, she's not the same!" He said forlornly.
"I know. She hasn't shed a single tear for her parents or for the one she thought her brother. Perhaps a little adventure will put her to rights." Jareth said hopefully.
Sarah's quick pace soon ended as she realized that she wasn't going to make it all the way through the desert before nightfall which was fast approaching. She had no water, no food and no way to make a campfire. She looked back the way she had come. She could barely see the hill with the tree. She frowned and turned around slowly, looking for at least a boulder or something to lean her back against on the side of the road. There was nothing.
"If only I had and oasis or something." She huffed.
She turned to trudge on and was startled to see that farther down the road was what looked like and oasis. "No way." she scoffed.
She jogged towards it and some moments later found herself in an oasis. Palm trees, a little spring, the works. "How strange." She muttered. She went to the spring and dipped a cupped hand into its waters and drank. Finding it did not taste foul, she drank her fill and set about making a fire.
Once she had a comfortable fire made she gathered fallen palm leaves and made herself a bed of sorts.
But, it did not solve her food issue. She shrugged. Certain that she would find something edible, once she reached the forest. She laid down and stared up into the sky. "Funny how somewhere called "Underground" could have stars." She mused. She dozed fitfully in the firelight and was awakened shortly thereafter by the sound of horses and men. Sarah stood up quickly, ready to run if need be.
"Hallo the Oasis!" Came a call from the road.
Sarah squinted, and then a small smile pulled at the corner of her mouth, "Hallo the Caravan!" She shouted back.
The caravan pulled up and the driver of one of the caravan's wagons vaulted down gracefully, once in the firelight she realized that he was in fact a gypsy.
He bowed deeply to her, "Fair Lady, I am at your service. My name is Luca, I am Lord and Father to this band of miscreants." He gestured behind him to indicate the people with him. He was young, not as young as Sarah, but not old enough to be father to any of his band. They were all varying in age. Mostly men and a few women. One very curvaceous red haired girl smiled at her as if she were party to some inside joke, that only she and Sarah shared.
Sarah turned her attention back to Luca who was smiling at her broadly. He was dark haired and olive skinned. He was actually quite handsome in a roguish way. He had short hair and a goatee, a small golden hoop in his left ear gave him an edgy look. Not as beautiful as Jareth, but still very sexy. "I have nothing to offer you but to share my fire." She said sheepishly.
Luca nodded, "The only fire in miles, and we are thankful for your hospitality. We have food, if you would accept our humble company?"
Sarah smiled broadly, thankful for the offer of food and company. "Gladly!"
Sarah learned a few more names of the people in the gypsy caravan. She helped Mareeshka, the cook peel potatoes and prepare the evening meal, and then she conversed some with an older fellow called Glimwig, whom reminded her a little bit of the wise man in Jareth's labyrinth. With the absence of the annoying bird hat.
The stew was edible. She was about finished when Luca sat down on her right and the red haired girl from earlier plopped down on her left. They both looked as if they had something to discuss with her.
She was right, though it turned out to be many things.
"This is Anyanka, she is my sister." He introduced the girl to Sarah.
Sarah smiled politely and nodded. "I'm Sarah." She offered her hand and Anyanka shook it.
Luca spoke again, "What are you doing out here, Sarah? You've no supplies or a horse. Or weapons.
Certainly no money. We would have relieved you of all those things by now if you had. The sad lack of things to steal from you, says that we need to seriously discuss your direction in life." He grinned.
"Steal from me?" Sarah looked shocked.
Luca laughed heartily, "Oh dear girl. Where are you from? Have you no gypsies in your land!?"
Sarah shook her head and he stopped laughing. He looked at Anyanka in bewilderment.
Anyanka rolled her eyes at him, "Pay him no mind, Sarah. Our father left him in charge when he passed on and he thinks he knows everything. You're from aboveground, aren't you?" She brushed a strand of hair away from Sarah's face.
Sarah nodded. "Yes, I wished myself away."
Luca eyed her suspiciously, "To the Goblin King?"
She nodded once more and Luca's face hardened, "He sent you here?"
"No, he-" Sarah wasn't sure if she wanted to go into so much detail with them but continued none the less, "I came here by choice. I didn't have any feelings for him. So rather than letting me stay, he told me to fend for myself." It was as close to the truth as anything. "I didn't realize that the mountains were so far. I just started walking and found myself in the situation I am now." She shrugged.
Anyanka smiled and put her arm around Sarah's shoulder, "Ah, well then. His brutish behavior is our good fortune. Travel with us? I've always wanted to have a sister." She giggled.
Sarah looked to Luca who shook his head and gave her a disarming smile, "While I agree that you should travel with us darling girl, another sister I do not need. Shall we settle for friends?" He winked at her.
Anyanka picked her arm up off Sarah's shoulder and swatted Luca on the arm. "As if she'd be 'friends' with the likes of you, after having enjoyed the attentions of the Goblin King?" She snorted.
Sarah blushed. "I'm sitting right here, you know."
Anyanka giggled again, "What do you say, Sarah? We'll even give you a gypsy name."
Luca nodded and looked at Sarah beseechingly.
"Alright, I'll come a long." She agreed. They both hugged her fiercely and Sarah laughed. It was the first time in months that she had felt so wanted.
Luca stood up, "We leave in the morning. Good night Sarah. Anyanka." He strolled away to his tent.
Sarah stared after him.
"He'll only break your heart." Anyanka put her hand over Sarah's.
Sarah looked down at the hand on hers and back up at Anyanka. The red head was looking at her oddly again. Almost the same way Luca looked at her. Sarah swallowed. "Yes, I can see how he would."
Anyanka took her hand from Sarah's and got up. "He's done it all too many times. Good night Sarah. Tomorrow we shall find a new name for you."
Sarah shook her head as she watched Anyanka's form retreat into the darkness.
Jareth smirked at Sarah's reaction to the gypsy girls subtle advances. He'd been watching her and her new companions for hours as he lay in bed.
The Gypsy leaders perusal of Sarah while she was not looking had made him flare up with jealousy. The girl however, mildly amused him. Sarah was still in a lot of ways, so innocent. It would be interesting to see how this played out. He chuckled. "Why Sarah, my little Gypsy princess. My, my." He vanished the crystal and closed his eyes. He would check on her again tomorrow.
The Morning greeted her rudely when Sarah had a pile of clothes dumped on her face. "Time to get up my sister." Anyanka stood above her grinning.
Sarah squinted up at Anyanka and growled, "Whats this crap?" She shook the clothes at Anyanka.
"You can't wear what you are wearing. Honestly, you dress like a man." She crossed her arms and grinned at Sarah. "Not that any of us mind. But it would make going through towns easier."
Sarah sat up and winced. She must have slept on a rock. "Oh, fine. Have it your way." She mumbled and looked around for a place to change. Everyone had seemed to pack up their tents already. She looked up again at Anyanka.
Anyanka grinned, "Luca is not up yet. I'm sure you could kick him out of his tent and use it to change in. It will be nice for someone else to kick him out of bed for once."
Sarah got up and ran her fingers through her hair, "He's not even up yet?"
Anyanka frowned and shook her head. "He's stubborn. But I think you are even more so." She patted Sarah on the shoulder. "Could be you will be good for us."
Sarah seriously doubted that but shrugged. "Fine, I'll go wake the young Gypsy master. Just give me a jug of water." She grinned mischievously.
Anyanka's eyes widened and then she laughed out loud, "This I have got to see!"
Carrying a jug of water Sarah stormed up to Luca's tent. She stopped and looked behind her. Anyanka
a few paces back motioned for her to get on with it. Sarah grinned at her and slipped into the tent. Luca was sleeping on a makeshift cot with a fur coverlet pulled nearly to the crown of his head. Sarah
snickered. This would be fun.
She slipped over to him quietly and dumped the water over him.
"Ahhh!" Luca screamed and vaulted out bed, much to Sarah's eventual dismay. Luca slept in the nude.
"Oh my God!" Sarah turned around blushing furiously. "I'm so sorry!!!"
Luca recovered from the rude awakening and laughed heartily, "Quite, though you blush so prettily, I think that you are forgiven. Could you hand me my breeches then, if you are going to stand there while I get dressed?"
Sarah blushed even more and left the tent hurriedly.
Anyanka was waiting for her outside. One look at Sarah's face and she could guess what happened. "Ha! So he was sleeping naked again was he?" She laughed.
Sarah narrowed her eyes angrily and pointed at Anyanka, "You knew!!"
Anyanka did not stop laughing.
They were soon joined by a now clothed
and still amused Luca. "Whats all this now?" He said looking at
Anyanka and then Sarah. "So, not only have I been tormented this
morning, so have you."
He said happily.
Sarah blushed again, "I am really sorry, had I known I wouldn't have-"
"Please, do not apologize. Although the next time you wish me to show you my many attributes and talents, you need not bring a jug of water." He leered at her.
Sarah growled, "Can I use your tent to change?"
"Can I watch?" He asked.
"No!" She said angrily. Her face red with frustration and embarrassment.
Luca laughed again, "It was worth a try, go ahead."
Sarah ducked into the tent.
Luca turned to Anyanka, "That wasn't very sisterly of you. Sending her in to catch me unawares that way." He admonished.
Anyanka smiled knowingly and put her hands on her hips, "It seemed pleasant enough for you."
Luca shook his head and remembered the way Sarah's eyes had traveled over his body before she turned away from him.
Inside the tent, Sarah fumed. She looked at the clothes that Anyanka had given her. The peasant girl shirt and bodice were just fine. But the skirt. Sarah made a face. It was black, but so thin that you could almost see through it. She looked around. Finding a pair of breeches and a pair of boots of Luca's. He was a slender fellow, though well developed, Sarah was long legged and was only six inches shorter than Jareth. Luca was in fact her height. She tried on the breeches, finding they hugged her in all the right places. The boots were a little large, but not so much so that she needed to stuff them with anything. She looked down at herself when she was ready and laughed. "All I need is a riding crop."
Luca and Anayanka were waiting for her when she emerged with the skirt in hand. She giggled at the both of them staring at her with open mouths.
"I decided that I am not after all suited to wearing skirts." She tossed the skirt to Anyanka who caught it.
Luca looked her up and down shamelessly, "I should say not."
Anyanka glared at her brother and then shrugged, "The look does suit you, I must say."
Sarah smiled and shrugged, "Now, about my new name?"
"Bengchai." Luca pronounced it 'bing-shy-ee'.
Sarah's brows knitted together and looked at him quizzically, "what does it mean?"
"Devil woman." He winked at her.
Anyanka grinned, "That suits you as well, no?"
Jareth was eating breakfast when he again looked in on Sarah. She was riding a horse and conversing with the Gypsy leader driving the lead wagon.
"Most interesting." He chuckled as he took in her attire. She did take a fashion cue or two from him, he had no doubt. Could it be that she missed him?
Suddenly Sarah seemed to look right at him and she winked.
Jareth almost fell out of his chair and he vanished the crystal quickly. To say he was unnerved was an understatement, "How does she do that?" He asked.
Hoggle eyed him from the other side of the table and his own breakfast, then waggled his butter knife around indignantly. "That's what I'd like to know!"
Luca watched Sarah look out ahead of her and smile, then wink. "Bengchai, what are you looking at?" he looked out across the desert, seeing nothing.
"Jareth," She said simply.
"The Goblin King? I don't see him." He was getting a little confused.
"He's watching me through one of his crystals." She shrugged.
"How do you know that?"
"I always get a tingling feeling across my skin when he is watching." She blushed.
"Is it this way when ever someone is watching you?" He asked, intrigued.
"No!" She said hurriedly. "When my friend Hoggle watches me or tries to sneak up on me, it smells like wine and I feel older, somehow. My bones ache." She said.
"Does it always feel this way when you are with this Hoggle?"
"No, it goes away after while, but it drives him crazy that I can tell when he's around." She laughed.
"You may prove to be useful yet." Luca grinned. "Which pleases me, I was loathe to make you dance for coins like Anyanka."
Sarah made a face. "I dance for no one." She haughtily.
"No one?" Luca teased.
"Only one." She said sadly.
"When I see that Goblin King of yours, he'll wish he'd never laid eyes on you, Bengchai." Luca swore quietly.
"Its not like that, Luca." She smiled. "He trying to bait me into going to the Labyrinth, so that it would prove to us both that I did have feelings for him. But I just couldn't. I can't explain it." She patted her horse.
It huffed appreciatively.
Luca smiled, "Do you like my gift?" He said, changing the subject.
"Oh yes, she's beautiful."
"One beauty for another." Luca nodded.
Sarah blushed guiltily, she'd been thinking about Jareth. What would he do if he knew how actively Luca pursued her on a daily basis?