Time May Change Me…
"Labyrinth" FanFiction
Happy Birthday David Bowie
Sarah lay in her bed holding Toby by her side, the loud music a DJ was playing down in the streets kept him from sleep all alone so she had allowed him to climb into her bed. To make sure he would have fallen asleep she read him a page or two of the historical introduction to '1984' by Orwell and what she was waiting for happened –her little one year old brother limp against her, mouth opened in exhaustion (and boredom), an arm over her belly.
She was still wide awake and not because of the lot-of-soul music in the street: she closed the boring book and tossed it on the floor, searched under her pillow and took the little red book in her hands tracing lovingly the gold written title with the tip of her fingers, enjoying the feel of the gentle engraving in the leather.
A year later she could still remember everything starting from her mental note which forbid her to start a phrase with 'I wish', than her grumpy friend Hoggle and the bracelet she had given him, Will he ever understand that plastic isn't as precious as real jewels?, the Worm who was just a worm And who gave wrong directions!, the apparently fearful and naïve Ludo who could actually make stone roll if he was in the mood of, Mick Jagger would have liked him! And Sir Didymus the Brave along with his faithful steed Ambrosius Always at the King's service.
The King. Oh, he was glued in her memories like resin on a tree in all his regal attitude. Must have been his eyes, Sarah always felt like he could scan through her mind and body with a simple glance, maybe that was why he used to smirk so often: that though send shivers along her body and a moan of disgust escaped her lips. But, she admitted to herself, he wasn't that bad: high cheekbones and thin lips, towering over her like an owl upon its prey. Stop it.
Something wasn't right. Just then she noticed that the music seemed to have faded and a strange light entered through her window along with peculiar glitters, they looked like little pieces of stars: she titled her head on one side to see farther out of the window without moving little Toby too much. She recognized a familiar shadow projecting on the floor, an high collar of a long cloak was as evident as an unusual haircut. He took a pair of steps forward, the shadow lengthened then stopped and he leaned against the window frame: it was a beautiful image, like a starman waiting in a night sky afraid to scare someone by landing on Earth too suddenly.
"J-Jareth?" Sarah called in a whisper.
The shadow straightened up and moved away.
"Jareth!" she carefully moved Toby aside adjusting a pillow beside him as a substitute to herself, she quickly reached the window and looked out.
The Goblin King sat on the ground of the balcony with his back leaned against the railing, he was rolling four crystals at time in his hand, three on his palm and one on top of them, and stared at every movement they made when sliding on his other hand. He seemed to notice her only when the window's door opened with a screech, he spoke with a smirk: "Hello precious"
"H-hi…" she breathed, white smoke was blown out from her mouth and just then she felt how cold the weather was and wrapped her arms around herself for warmth. "Why are you here?"
Jareth pressed his free hand upon the crystals and they magically disappeared in a puff of glitters. As he rose to his feet Sarah noticed that even though he was heavily dressed he shivered: "For the same reason you are still awake, I presume" he folded his arms over his chest and raised his chin waiting for her response.
He's… nostalgic? Sarah pushed that thought aside thinking it might have been out of his character and mimicked his posture: "Does the loud music bother you too?"
He titled his head a bit and his mismatched eyes glowed: "Don't tell me you keep the Labyrinth under your pillow just to make it higher, Sarah"
She was on the verge of replying but a blow of cold wind shushed her. She turned and reminded herself of Toby's presence in her room then she referred to the King again: "If I don't close that window Toby will catch a terrible cold. I think… you can… come inside. It's freezing after all".
For a moment he seemed surprised of her offer and looked down.
Sarah inspired, a bit disappointed: "Alright" and she walked inside.
"Wait!" he had taken a step forward and when she turned he composed himself again wrapping his cloak tighter around him. "I wouldn't mind coming in a little while".
She cocked her head towards the room and he came in, relieved by the warmth there was indoors.
Sarah sat on her bed and tucked her brother further under the blanket stroking his head protectively and without noticing she confessed not caring if he was listening or not: "I miss the Labyrinth. I miss Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus and… yes, even those troublesome Goblins" her voice grew weaker and forced through a tight throat. She was very surprised to find Jareth very near when she looked back at him. She collected her courage: "And I missed you too. Because I've never got to understand what you told me before I pronounced the words to come back, I only have suspects, you know in the book the Goblin King had fallen for the girl but… it doesn't feel-"
"Right?" he concluded for her.
"…Right"
For a moment she could have sworn his eyes were shining. He knelt in front of her touching her hands as a permission to hold them: "Of all the people I know for this occasion I picked up on you: I was supposed to and I did fall for the girl, Sarah…."
"And?"
He shook his head in defeat: "You are… I can't have you… it isn't right, or doesn't feel so, right now"
Sarah was agitated: "That would mean?"
He looked deep into her eyes: "Means that what I told you was an offer Sarah: give up everything you had up here to stay and rule by my side as my Goblin Queen. And I came back to see if a year later you would have changed you mind" despite the seriousness of his speech he ended it with an arrogant smirk.
Her first thought was that he had counted time too. As for the rest…: "Would feeling an attraction to you be wrong from me?"
Jareth knitted his eyebrows lightly.
"When will you change Goblin King?" she smiled.
"Well, I believe that only time can change me, no matter how much I reorder it. But, you know, I can't just run after it and beg him to!" he laughed bitterly. He winced when she placed her lips on his cheekbone.
"I… I accept your offer Jareth" she said.
"You do?" his mismatched eyes widened.
"But not now. I want to, but I don't feel ready. Maybe in a few years. Is that fine?"
The Goblin King was speechless for the first time. He had prepared a series of sarcastic phrases to prepare himself to answer her insults back. He really didn't expect a reaction like this, not that he was upset about it though: "Fine. Fine. More than fine"
Sarah laughed silently: "Did I catch you off guard?"
He stood and smiled at her: "I hope to see you again soon, Sarah mine" he leaned to kiss her forehead, she closed her eyes and sighed, "Just say the words and I will be your slave if you'll fear me, love me and do as I say".
His voice sounded more and more like an echo as his sentence finished. In a moment he had faded, a few glitters floated in the space he had occupied before. She could still sense the warmth of his gloved hands upon hers and his lips on her forehead. Sarah smiled, finally serene, she climbed under the blanket and fell in a peaceful sleep.
All the songs that inspired this fanfic were written by our beloved David: '1984', 'Starman', 'Changes'.
