A/N: I still own nothing about Labryinthapart from my DVD.....and quite possibly the pictures I've gathered off the net.....but I probably don't own those, either. Oh well....
2- 'What are you thinking?'
Hoggle had just left, and Jareth was sitting in silence, adrift in thought as Sarah blocked his bishop with her knight. Chess, the ultimate game of intellectual skill, and Sarah was the only one Jareth had ever played with who didn't let him win. Just because he was King, he could never lose at anything. Being the ultimate magician that he was and the cowering he inspired within his subjects, Jareth had never realized just how empty his time was until Sarah had come to rescue her Toby. She had been fifteen when she defeated his Labyrinth and won his heart, and now, less than a year later, she consumed his every action--shewas his emotion.
A bargain struck is a deal done, and an oath sworn by a goblin king is upheld forever, echoing in eternity. Jareth's bargain was that if Sarah could defeat his Labyrinth, she could have her brother back. He was generous- he'd given her eleven hours to solve his puzzle, and when the clock stuck eleven, she'd won his heart.
He hadn't won hers though- she returned triumphantly to her world, and had left him broken to rule in solidarity. His fervor had abated somewhat from the initial shock of her denial, but his wound had never fully-healed, and now he was trying his best to understand the complexity of Sarah. He'd learned a lot in the short time they'd spent together after her desperate cry for him that fateful night when she could not sleep because her nightmares were too great.
Ever since her return to normalcy, Sarah had felt detached- she'd barely been able to convince those at her seventeenth birthday that she was having fun. It was as if a part of her was left with the Goblin King the night she had won her brother, Toby back. He'd put her through Hell and back, and at first, the mere thought of His Goblin ness, Jareth, Sarah's rage would rule her thoughts and blind her in a fit that would last quite a few hours. At present, Jareth's image conjured up a memory of a ball and a dance so many lifetimes ago, though it was only a year hence. When she closed her eyes at night, Sarah dreamed of that ball, and continued dancing with Jareth, as he held her close and said nothing, though she heard his thoughts as clearly as if he were speaking aloud.
'I love you, Sarah', was all that ever echoed in his mind. As Jareth lead her 'round the ballroom in a waltz. Sarah was always silent when she caught this thought, so confused was she at her own emotions. She had mixed feelings when it came to Jareth- she felt a peace with him she'd never known before- as if Jareth's very presence guarded her from the evil of the world around her. He confused her as well- his eyes revealed closeness to her but he was always distant. It seemed to Sarah that he remained distant because he was either confused as to how he was feeling about her, or, he knew- and chose not to let her in.
Truth was, Jareth loved Sarah so much it hurt if he thought about her too much. Underneath her apprehension, Sarah truly loved Jareth back, and was frightened at the prospect of how a relationship between the two of them would ever work out. He was a King, she was a Mortal...but she would leap at the chance to be with him forever- even if that meant she too would become immortal. She had no fear about leaving everything behind, and could even imagine herself as Jareth's Queen...but that was total nonsense....Jareth was unattainable- just like all her fantasies.
Jareth sat, pondering his next move, and seizing his knight, put Sarah's king in check. He sat back and smirked, pleased with the trap he'd set for her pieces on the board--flawless. Sarah, noticing Jareth's smug persona, studied the board, and smiled. With a sweep of her rook, she blocked the bishop, and like she had done in her defeat of his Labyrinth, put Jareth in a situation of his own making. 'Checkmate'. Jareth stared in disbelief--she'd beaten him again!
A sly smile played across Jareth's features as he tried to hide his joy- she'd won once again...and wasn't afraid to admit it, nor had she let him win to pacify him. She was a tricky girl - and a stubborn one at that- Jareth had found that out the hard way, and getting to know her was no small feat--but Jareth seemed to be succeeding- thus far, anyways.