A Ball of Memories
Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth. All rights go to the creators.
AN: This is a one shot. I am not very likely to write a sequel but with some reviewer encouragement I might.
"Sarah It's Halloween. For Goodness sakes, you love playing dress up," Irene insisted.
"Oh alright. I'll be right down. Just let me get dressed," Sarah rolled her eyes.
She dug her old dress from her closet and put it on. She had memorized the style that went with it and a mask wasn't too hard to find. Finally she went down stairs. The masked faces blurred together and she couldn't recognize one from the other. She put on her best fake smile and laughed at the jokes guests told her that she didn't really find funny.
It was an hour later when she saw him. He was watching her, his face hidden by a dark red mask with horns adorning the forehead on a claw shaped stick. De ja vu pulsed through her as she tried to place it but it didn't click. Abruptly she was aware that he was moving towards her through the crowd, his eyes seeming to ask if she knew him. Or were they asking if she remembered him? She couldn't tell. Right now she didn't care. She was lost in his mismatched eyes.
"Enjoying the ball my lady," he bowed low, taking her hand and lowering the mask just long enough to kiss her knuckles.
She blushed and shook her head, "Not really. I'm actually only down here to get my step-Mother off my case."
"Really," she couldn't see him but he sounded amused, "Poor little princess. Wicked step-Mothers can be terrible. I'm surprised she doesn't have you carrying a dessert tray."
She let out a genuine laugh for the first time that night, "I wish. Anything's better than faking a smile and laughing at her friends terrible jokes."
"I see," he sounded understanding, "They find it funny but these just aren't your kind of jokes. You get more amusement from fairytale based humor."
"I trust you have an example to back your theory," she rolled her eyes with a grin.
He reached to a passing tray and grabbed an apple. When he offered it to her she automatically accepted it and took a bite. While she chewed he gave his example, "Just don't choke on that Snow White. It may be difficult to find the right prince to kiss you awake.
She giggled and nearly did choke, "Well so far you're the only prince I see in this room full of vampires and devils. I'm sure your kiss would do just nicely."
"Only vampires and devils in here is it? I feared I'd have to slay a dragon to keep you safe Fiona," he made a mock gesture of preparing to fight the other guests, pulling her protectively behind him.
She gave another laugh, "I'm sure you'd do a fine job of that Shrek but I think the dragon is on a date with Donkey elsewhere."
They continued like that, joking back and forth about fairytales, for a few hours. They were dancing when he noticed the time, "Well Cinderella, are you going to grace me with your real name or am I going to have to run around town with the shoe you'll drop in your haste to get to your carriage before it turns back into four mice and a pumpkin?"
"It's Sarah," she replied with a smile.
"Jareth," he gave his name as the clock tolled midnight.
She turned and ran as memory flooded in at the name. It wasn't a dream. It was real. The Labyrinth was real. The goblin king was real. She didn't even notice when her shoe slipped off her foot.
He watched her pull from their dance and run from his arms, breaking his heart again. He picked up the flat-soled white shoe she had lost on the staircase. Pocketing the precious slipper he went outside, became an owl, and took flight. By magic he returned to the underground and flew straight through his bedroom window, transforming back on the massive bed.
An hour later he was still crying softly and holding her shoe. He wasn't usually one to cry but he was beginning to wonder if he would ever get a grip on his heart and stop giving her the power to hurt him or if it would become an unhealthy obsession that would drive him closer to suicide each time he presented himself to her and was rejected.
Some time later he summoned a crystal hoping to watch her sleep as he usually did when he couldn't get to sleep on his own. Instead he saw her awake pacing in her room. He quickly took flight to the aboveground and landed on the branch by her window. He returned to his human form, thankful that he like all fae was light as a feather in any form. She turned in shock as he knocked lightly on her window.
"Please Rapunzel, may I come in? I swear if you still deem me unworthy of your love by morning I will leave you alone forever," he wanted just one last chance.
Looking irritated she opened the window to let him in. He was aware as he entered her room that he was not really welcome here. As she closed the window he kneeled on the floor and pulled out her shoe, offering it back. She narrowed her eyes at this and held out her foot allowing him to gently slip it on her.
"So now what Prince Charming? Are you going to steal me away and keep me prisoner in your kingdom," she placed her hands on her hips daring him to try it.
"I can't unless you permit it or if someone says the words to wish you away Lady Sarah," he hung his head, not wanting to see the hate in her eyes, "and even if I could I wouldn't."
"Then what do you want from me," she demanded.
"A chance to earn your love. I know I was a bit too forward when you were thirteen but I never meant to hurt you," he was about ready to start crying again but then her voice softened up.
"You didn't hurt me," she sighed, "You scared the hell out of me a few times but you didn't hurt me. Although I'm sure the cleaners would have killed me if I hadn't gotten out of the way."
"I know and I am very sorry about that. I was frustrated with you and I overreacted," he kept his head bowed respectful of her authority in her kingdom.
"What will you do if I reject you again," she sat down on the bed, watching his submission with glee.
"As I suffer so does my kingdom," he let the tears fall as he summoned a crystal and it became a knife with an acicular blade in his hand, "A new king would be named by the council of elders and I in flesh and spirit would cease to exist."
She shook her head and sighed, "That's the cowards way out Jareth. Is that how you want me to remember you?"
He knew she would see it that way, "No, but I am already bound for life to my kingdom. Leaving it is not as simple as stepping down. I was selfish to fall in love with you Sarah and I may deserve to suffer for it but not at the cost of my subjects having to suffer with me."
"Are you always bound to your word," she perked up getting an idea.
"Yes, the fae cannot break a vow once they have made it," he replied staring at the knife.
"In that case there are a few promises I want you to make in exchange for my agreeing to be with you," she got up to stand before him.
"What is your wish Lady Sarah," he inquired shifting his gaze to her feet.
"First give me the knife and promise never to threaten to take your own life again," she held her hand out.
He lifted his head slightly and placed the hilt of the knife reluctantly in the palm of her hand, "You will belong to me unconditionally. I'll stay out of your business as king but in your spare time you are mine," her voice alone proved that in the past five years she had used her free time to learn how to handle a 'slave' as he had called himself.
He groaned throatily and kissed her palm, "Yes my Lady, I am your slave to do as you wish with."
"Good boy," she drew his face to her abdomen which he kissed tenderly and eagerly wanting more. She laughed teasingly at his submissive behavior, "As for your offer five years ago I don't want to fear you so swear to me that I have no reason to."
He looked up at her silently begging her not to ask this of him. He needed to be feared by those in his kingdom. He felt he'd go insane if he wasn't but her eyes were unyielding as she met his gaze, waiting for him to say the words. Finally, for the sake of his subjects, he hung his head and sighed, "You have nothing to fear from me my Lady. I swear," his back heaved with a sob as he gave her the one promise he'd believed he would never make.
Seeing this she knelt beside him and held him, "I know it doesn't seem fair but remember that you taught me that it's just the way life is," he continued sobbing quietly burying his face in her neck, "If you think it isn't hard for me too you're wrong," he pulled back to give her a confused look, "I am giving up everything for you. My family, my friends, my career, everything I have worked my whole life for is being given up for you."
Part of him was horrified that he was the reason for her giving up her life but another more selfish part was too tired of being in pain to care. He went with the selfish part and forced himself to calm down. It took a few minutes but it worked, "What else do you wish of me my Lady?"
"We do this at my pace. I'm ready to love you but I am not ready to marry you. I am not ready to have sex with you and I most certainly am not ready to be your queen," she stood up leaving him kneeling before her again.
"Yes, my Lady. I swear you may go at your own pace," he understood her need to take it slow. After all she would have all eternity to make those jumps anyway.
"You may set rules on where I may go and I will learn to deal my time around your usual schedule if you happen to have one," this was not a request. She was making a promise to him.
He nodded acknowledging her promise and leaned his head against her abdomen with a content sigh. She ran her hands through his soft hair drawing a soft moan from him as her hands massaged his scalp.
"One more promise," she whispered.
"Anything my Lady," he closed his eyes happily. He was almost there. One more vow and she would be his.
"No cheating. I don't care how deprived you feel waiting on my virginity. If you feel neglected just tell me and I'll do what I can," to her this was the most important promise she could ask him to make.
He looked up at her, eyes shining with delight, "I swear to that too Lady Sarah."
"And I make the same promise to you," she leaned over and granted him a gentle kiss, "Now take me home to your castle my king."
"Gladly," he stood up and held her close, teleporting to his throne room, "Sarah?"
"Yeah," she nuzzled her face against his neck.
"Why did you get so angry and me at the ball," he asked stroking her back.
"After I got home there was a party in my room with everyone I had met here. You didn't show up. That bummed me out a bit," she confessed.
"Oh," he took that in and realized she was only celebrating her birthday and not his defeat, "I'm sorry."
"Doesn't matter anymore," she sighed tiredly, "We're here now."
She was right they were finally together as they should be. They shouldn't be dwelling on the past. After all, it was only forever. Not long at all.