A/N: Gosh, it's been a while since I've written something on here. My older stories were sort of mediocre, so I took a hiatus to improve. Now I'm back and eager to write again. This is a chronicle of short stories, not one single story. Each chapter focuses on a certain part from the film, and is titled by the scene taking place. I'll deviate slightly from the plot, just to keep it interesting. Lastly, Labyrinth belongs to Jim Henson.
The Grass, Wind, and Peach.
The sun had begun to sink into the horizon, casting long shadows in the forest. Her feet ached from the trek across the bog. They had made good progress, Sarah thought. Surely a break wouldn't hurt? Just then, she remembered his words.
You've thirteen hours with which to solve the Labyrinth...
Sarah gave a shudder. His words served as an ominous reminder of the little time he had allotted her. She reasoned, however, that little distance would be covered if they continued on as tired as they were. It would do them well to rest up.
She announced this to her companions, who happily agreed on her choice.
Ludo and Sir Didymus seated themselves on the grass, and they let out contented sighs.
"I could fall asleep, I could," Sir Didymus mumbled, and stretched out his arms.
Ludo gave a grumbling agreement.
"It does look comfortable," Sarah said. She lay down on the grass and extended her legs. Sarah expected the grass to itch, but it felt wonderfully cool and soft. A sudden breeze came about, and blew the grass. The strands tickled her nose and swayed gently.
"It almost seems alive," she wondered aloud, and then dismissed the thought. She was being silly.
What Sarah didn't know was that the grass was very much alive. It hummed with magic. One had to have a keen ear to hear it, for the sound was faint. Sarah heard nothing.
The grass took delight in taunting the girl. How naive she was! The tufts caressed her face, enveloped her in a sea of green. It made her sneeze, and she laughed.
And the grass, working in harmony with the wind, carried the bubbling sound of Sarah's laughter to the Goblin City.
Presently, Jareth was staring at the clock. The crooked hands read 5 o' clock. He glanced from the clock to the babe he held in his arms.
"In nine hours and twenty three minutes," he remarked, "you'll be mine."
Toby gurgled in reply. Jareth rocked him. Babies were once wished away frequently. Now, he received only the occasional babe. Belief in magic had dwindled, making his summonings to Aboveground less frequent. It vexed the Goblin King. All of Underground relied on magic, and it could only be provided by those who believed in it. Toby's capture had rejuvenated the Labyrinth, provided it with fresh magic. Jareth intended on keeping things that way.
Then, without warning, a brisk wind blew in from the outdoors.
"What message do you bring?" he asked the wind.
In reply, the wind surged forward, whispering bits of a twinkling laugh. The sound was like bells, and it was unmistakably hers. Jareth closed his eyes and took it in. He had forgotten the sound of sweet, pure laughter—not the cackling of goblins or the shrieking of Firey's. It reverberated off the walls and hummed in his ears. For a moment, the Goblin King focused on nothing else.
Suddenly Sarah's laugh withdrew from him. Jareth snapped out of his reverie and growled in annoyance. The wind was wayward like that. To hell with the wind, he thought. He would track her progress himself. He readjusted Toby on his lap, and with his free hand conjured a crystal.
Toby immediately reached for it.
Jareth suppressed a smile. "Do you want to see your sister, Toby?"
"Arghlah," Toby got out.
"Very well," Jareth said. He peered into the crystal's contents and plucked an image of Sarah. He held it close to the babe.
"There she is," he murmured.
Sarah and her companions were walking through the forest. By now the sun had fully disappeared. Between the five of them, one stomach grumbled quite loudly. Sir Didymus gave his steed a glance, and asked, "Was that my stomach or yours, Ambrosius?"
Ambrosius gave a snort, and continued trotting along.
"Hungry," Ludo groaned.
Sarah chewed on her lip. "Well, we can't stop now. Maybe we can find some berries or something…"
The crystal then focused on Hoggle, who cleared his throat and said, "Uh, Sarah…"
"Yeah?"
"Here," Hoggle croaked, and produced a peach. He held it out to her, and she quickly snatched it with glee.
"Oh Hoggle, you're a lifesaver!" she cried.
The Goblin King could not move a muscle, could not even draw a breath. Poor Toby fussed, but he paid no attention. He watched as Sarah's hand, gripping the peach, drew close to her mouth.
Yes, Jareth thought fiercely. Bite into it. Taste it.
And Sarah, as if on cue, did exactly that.
A/N: Future chapters will be longer, I promise. This one's short because I wanted to preview the story. Feedback is greatly appreciated!