Disclaimer: Not mine, never mine. *cries in a corner*
Forgotten
Why had she picked down? Never pick down. Down landed one in dark, dusty places with nothing to do but wait out the clock. Despair rose in Sarah. If she couldn't get out, she'd never rescue Toby in time. Why, oh why, had she picked down?
"I don't even know where I am," she murmured, running her fingers through her hair. The sound of her own voice was a small comfort. Good thing she had never been afraid of the dark as she only had one flickering candle to hold back the gloom.
"You're in an oubliette," a deep voice interrupted her musings. "A place one puts people one wishes to forget about."
Sarah spun, looking towards the shadowed figure in the corner. She'd checked every inch of this prison when she'd fallen through the ceiling and knew, without a doubt, that she was alone.
The figure stepped forward, pushing back the hood obscuring his face.
"Jareth," she breathed.
"You were supposed to fall in here and be forgotten," he told her, prowling around the edges of the oubliette. "That is, after all, the purpose of these traps."
"I'm sure it'd be a simple matter for you to forget me," she snapped, lifting her chin as she prepared for battle.
The goblin king glanced at her with his mismatched eyes. "I wish it was."
She hesitated, unsure of what to say.
"Why is it," he asked, not looking at her. "That a spoiled, stubborn child like you should have such power over me?"
Sarah twisted her hands in her white shirt. "No one has power over you," she said with absolute certainty.
His smile was mocking. "Because I'm the dread Goblin King?"
Because of who he was, she thought, unwilling to voice her musings, not what he was. She watched him pace the confines of her cage like an animal waiting to be freed. Never would there be a person, let alone a woman, who would be able to claim any sort of hold on him.
"Everything you say is a trick," she said at last. "I've been here long enough to know that."
"Of course," he replied with a slash of his hand. "But you've also been here long enough to know things aren't always as they seem."
She scoffed at the words. "So you're not trying to steal my brother and torture me in the process?"
"No."
The word was said quietly. The king stopped pacing and instead watched her with eerie stillness.
Sarah blinked. "What are you talking about?"
"You asked a question, I answered."
Anger bubbled within her. This man had led her a merry chase, messing with her mind and turning her world upside down. He lied with every breath he took. This was just one more little cruelty as they danced through whatever game it was they were playing.
But now, trapped in a cell she might never escape, she'd had enough. It was too much. She would not stand for his mockery on top of everything else.
"You answer my questions now?" she taunted, striding towards him. "Then why won't you give my brother back? People make wishes all the time. Why are you only tormenting me?"
His hands shot out before she could leap back, wrapping themselves around her arms. "Why?" Jareth breathed, dragging her into the shadows with him. "Because it's you."
"You hate me that much?" she snarled.
His strange eyes narrowed at they watched her. "Hate," he murmured. "Not quite."
"Stop playing with me."
"But that is all we have. When the music ends, Sarah, you'll be gone and leave me with nothing but a memory."
She tried to twist free from his hold, wanting to get away from the intensity in his gaze. "After I leave, you won't give me a passing thought."
"I'll never be able to forget," he denied, a thread of anger in his voice.
"Why?" she demanded.
He closed his eyes then, a small respite. Sarah stood in his half embrace, staring at his beautiful, ageless face. She wanted to best him, needed to win, yet in this moment the world seemed very far away. The flickering candle flame shielded them from the outside and gave them a few moments peace. What would it be like, she wondered, her eyes moving over his face, not to be at war with this man? To give in, just for a second?
But she knew the price would be far too great. No matter what Jareth said, she could never trust him.
"You recited my story," he said at last. "Over and over in your costumes. You played in my reality and your words crossed the distance. Every time you said the lines, I was there, listening. Wondering why a human had found the story of the labyrinth. When you made your wish, finally I could have you. I could bring you to me, touch you with my own hands."
His fingers glided up her arms to brush gently along her jaw. "You raged at me, fought me, feared me. Every moment creating a memory to be savored."
"Lies," she whispered, unable to look away from the certainty in his eyes.
"Haven't you learned yet, Sarah? In the labyrinth, lies and truth look much the same."
She swallowed hard, demanding her body step back even though she knew it wouldn't obey. "I could never trust the man who stole my brother."
Jareth leaned closer, his mouth a hair away from her ear. "I'll give him back to you," he whispered.
Sarah shivered as the heat of his breath tickled her ear. "You won't," she denied, not allowing herself to hope.
"I will," he promised. "I'll do everything you ask of me. I'll give you your adventure. I'll be your villain."
"Why?"
He leaned his forehead against hers. "Because," he murmured, "I want to fulfill all your wishes."
"Jareth—"
"Shh." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulling her fully into his embrace. "My price," he said. "Before you break my heart."
She stiffened in his arms. "You'd never give me the power to do that."
He chuckled. "The great Goblin King, brought so low by a child playing at being a woman."
"I won't believe you care about me."
"I know." He released her and stepped back. "You're not ready to. You wanted an adventure, not me."
"I didn't want any of this."
The mocking smile was back, twisting his lips. "I know every wish, Sarah, every secret longing. I know what you wanted when you sent the child to me and I'm doing my best to give it to you. Aren't you enjoying yourself?"
"Who would enjoy this?" But even as she said the words she knew they were a lie. She did enjoy the magic, the fantasy. Racing against impossible odds to defeat a man who fascinated her. A man who made her heart race when he touched her.
"There," he whispered, watching her closely. "Yes."
"What?" she demanded, scowling.
A small smile curved his lips. "Hope," he replied. "Nothing more."
He confused her. She looked at him and didn't know what to believe. What was real, his words or his actions? Was he the man who whispered forbidden dreams in her ear or the one who sent goblins chasing after her?
"I don't understand you," she said. "But if I have to be in the oubliette then I'd rather be here alone. Go away, Jareth. I don't know what game you're playing but I want no part of it."
He inclined his head. "You are correct. I have been selfish, wanting more of you than I can have."
Before she could move, he darted forward. His lips pressed against hers, stealing a kiss she would never have given. But with his mouth on hers, she forgot her objections, forgot this was a man she feared. All she thought of was the fact that he touched her as if she was precious and he kissed her as if he cared. Her hands rose to touch his shoulders lightly. She didn't know whether to push him away or pull him closer and so her hands hovered on his jacket, as indecisive as the girl they belonged to.
Finally he drew back, his mismatched eyes meeting hers. "I'll break your world," he whispered to her, "or I'll mend it. But it has to be your choice. I'm yours, Sarah, if you'd only wish me to be."
"I—" she didn't know what to say, how to handle the words he spoke.
"I know," he said with a smile she'd never seen on his face before. One that mixed tenderness and exasperation. "You're not ready for any of this yet. Perhaps one day you will be. I hope a part of you remembers when that time comes."
"Remembers?" she said, a little breathlessly. "As if I could forget this conversation."
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "But you have to," he whispered. "Because you asked me to be your enemy. And for that to happen, for you wish to come true, you can never know any of this."
Panic lit within her. Forget the touch of his lips on hers? Go back to hating him as a cold, uncaring king? She didn't want to do it.
"I refuse to forget," she told him, lifting her chin.
"My darling girl," he replied. "You're in an oubliette. These walls can do more than cage you."
Her eyes widened in horror. "Jareth, don't."
He stepped away from her. "Make a different wish next time, Sarah. And mean it."
"Jareth!"
"I'll see you soon."
"Stop!" She lunged for him but touched nothing but cold stone. Frantically she searched the shadows but there was no king. As she looked, however, her hands gliding over the broken furniture and twisted walls, her thoughts grew hazy.
"What am I looking for?" she whispered, her questing hands slowing. There was something, something important that she needed to remember. Something that changed everything. But what?
Slowly she dropped to the ground, frowning to herself. Something, something, something.
A shuffling sound broke through the silence.
"Who's there?" she demanded, alarm colouring her voice despite the way her heart leapt in anticipation.
"Me," Hoggle replied, sliding into the light.
"Oh, it's you." As she looked at the funny little man, the last tantalizing grasp on the missing memory slipped away.
"I knew you were going to get into trouble as soon as I met you," he said, moving around the room. "I've come to give you a hand."
He kicked abandoned objects out of the way before lifting a thin wooden door from the floor. "Here we go," he said, pushing it against the wall. Hoggle pulled on the handle and where there was once stone, a door appeared.
"Come on then," he called.
Seeing her escape, hope flared to life within her. This was her chance. Maybe she really could win Toby back.
Sarah quickly pushed to her feet, eager to follow Hoggle.
But before she left the forgotten room she hesitated and glanced back. Instinctively, her fingers rose to her lips, tracing them for a brief second. Something, something, something.
"Sarah," Hoggle called.
"Coming," she replied, leaving the dark room behind. It was time to leave. After all, she had Toby to find and an arrogant Goblin King to defeat.
~.~
The End
~.~
~.~
~.~
A/N: In keeping with my tradition of publishing a fanfic to celebrate publishing a professional novella, here you are! If you like my writing, please check out my latest release, "A Pirate's Prisoner," from Liquid Silver Books. Or search my penname, Victoria Davies, on Amazon. Thanks for your support!