This is a slight AU that I made up after watching Labyrinth as a kid. When I rewatched it recently, I realized that the scene wasn't in the movie at all! I'd love reviews, and if I feel inspired I might continue the story post-Labyrinth. Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth, its characters etc. etc.
Sarah was frustrated. This labyrinth clearly led nowhere. The walled corridor she had been walking down was straight, and kept going straight, no matter how far she walked. Worse, when she looked back the view was quickly reduced to impenetrably heavy mist.
Some time back, she'd dug out one of her dresses from the backpack that had somehow come with her to the Labyrinth. The trouble was, the gown was a soft but heavy fabric, and the weight was beginning to become noticeable. However Sarah considered it a small price to pay when the rich red floor-length dress made her feel so much braver; when she was dressed like a princess, she was the hero of this story, and nothing could go too terribly wrong. Actually, come to think of it, this was an adventure like she always dreamed of having. Sarah resolutely kept walking.
It got increasingly difficult to pretend that everything was okay, the longer she walked. Maybe the Goblin King had just tricked her into walking forever. He seemed like the kind of person to play mean tricks and find them amusing. Unfortunately, that didn't negate the main issue; in a fit of foolishness she'd wished Toby away, and now she had to get him back. It wasn't fair! He was an annoying, crying baby, but she had to go get him because he was her brother, and that was what she was supposed to do. If she was honest with herself, responsibility was the only reason she was still trying.
Lost in her internal griping, Sarah almost didn't realize that she was approaching the thing she had been waiting for. A wall. Apparently her life didn't completely suck. And of course, a wall meant a corner! Sarah picked up her skirts and ran towards the end of the endless corridor. She eagerly ran into the wall with her hands, and rebounded around the corner. She was so busy being excited that she forgot to look where she was going, and this time, actually ran into a wall, because where the next corridor was supposed to be was another wall a few yards down.
Sarah could have handled another endless corridor. She could have dealt with a maze. What she could not handle was an endless corridor that ended in a dead end. Letting out a sob, she pounded her fist on the mossy brick wall in frustration. Even the word 'wall' was infuriating! It was so…solid, and perfectly dreadful! But this wasn't helping at all. So she pulled herself together, brushed herself off, and was just pondering whether to go back, when she heard a voice.
"Ai, whotcha bangen around for? Me 'n th'missus were jus havin a cuppa tea, before all that cryin and pounding around happened."
Sarah indignantly replied before she had the chance to figure out just who was talking, "I wasn't crying! I'm just frustrated is all, and you don't need to sound so righteous, I didn't know you were around, and I'm very sorry for disturbing you. Where are you, anyway?" She glanced around.
"Ai, I'm righ' here, to your left!"
When she peered to her left, Sarah blinked in astonishment. There was a very small blue worm perched in a notch in the bricks. "Oh hello there! I didn't see you."
"Obviously not." Remarked the worm.
"You see, I've been walking for ages, and I thought it just went on forever, and then I found the corner and I thought I was on to something, but it's only a dead end." Sarah finished with a sniff.
"Well ai can't help you, ai've never been ten feet from the hole."
Sarah groaned and leaned her back on the brick next to the worm. "It's hopeless. Why did I wish that stupid baby away in the first place?" she said, a hint of whine creeping into her tone. Karen always said she had a tendency towards the dramatic.
"Ai can say though, that not everything in this place is as it seems. All aim sayin." And with that, the blue worm crawled back into its hole.
Not everything was as it seemed. Hmm. Sarah studied the wall across from her. "Not everything…is as it…seems." She took a couple steps forward. "Not everything is as it seems." She took another, and reached her hand out in front of her. Nothing. She stepped forward again, and encountered more nothing. "Not everything is as it seems!" Sarah confidently strode forward. Suddenly she was through the illusion and in…another corridor. Great. Well, no help for it. She'd have to keep walking, but this time, she knew the secret. She'd just walk a little way down the new corridor, and at some point she'd start looking for doorways.
Several minutes later, when she began trailing her fingers on the wall she discovered that there were no doorways. Frustrated again, Sarah called out, "Mr. Blue worm? It's me again, could you help me?" She felt a bit silly, but if she was going to get through this, she would need help.
"Why do you need my help? Seemed like you were doin alright." Said a familiar voice. This time Sarah knew where to look, and quickly located the worm. He continued, "Ai mean, you're right in front of a door. Just go through! You know how to walk through a door, don't you?"
Sarah looked in surprise at the wall that she had just let go of. "But I was touching the wall, a minute ago, and there was nothing…" she trailed off as she pressed her hand against- or she would have if the wall had been there. She slowly walked through the brick.
At first, she thought she'd stepped into some sort of void. But as her eyes adjusted, Sarah realized that she was in a kind of cavern. Obviously the Labyrinth didn't follow any kind of logic, or she was certain she would have seen a mountain, such as this cave might be found in, on the other side of the wall. Of course nothing had made sense since the Goblin King had appeared in her parents' bedroom, so she shouldn't exactly be surprised. Still, it wasn't fair that she'd been given a task that was beginning to seem more and more impossible, especially since she hadn't really been serious with the wish in the first place. Or at least she told herself she hadn't been serious. She couldn't have known that her wish would be granted! She knew that even for her, wishing her brother away to goblins was going too far. Blinking owlishly in the darkness, Sarah stumbled towards a part of the cave where she could barely discern some rocks.
"And how are you liking my labyrinth, Sarah?" murmured a deep voice much too close to her ear.
Whirling around, Sarah strained her eyes to see him in the gloom, suddenly wishing she was still in the brick maze. "If this is you playing tricks on me again, stop it! I have a right to see who I'm talking to." She spoke loudly, with a confidence she didn't feel.
"And who am I to get in the way of what you're entitled to, precious," came that sinfully dark, smooth voice.
"Don't call me that!" snapped Sarah. She thought she could detect movement in the darkness.
The Goblin King stepped out from the shadows, light from an invisible source falling on his inhumanly pale and angled face and wispy gold-white hair. "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. It's only your dreams, Sarah." He produced a crystal, hypnotically rolling it back and forth. "Only everything you've ever wanted. What's a baby compared to what I'm offering you?" His mismatched eyes were staring at her intently.
The desire to take the crystal was overwhelming. Her dreams- acting on Broadway, being a star, dancing while thousands of people watched, spellbound. She could see it, and yes, it was what she wanted, desperately. She came closer to the Goblin King, close enough to stretch her arm forward, feeling like she was moving in molasses. He stopped moving the orb, holding it out to her on his gloved palm. She opened her fingers and made to grab it. Then stopped, her fingertips hovering millimeters away from the perfect surface of the crystal. "But what will happen to Toby?" she said abruptly, breathlessly.
The Goblin King studied her. "Do you care about the baby, Sarah?"
"He's my brother." She grumbled. "I have to care about him."
"But your dreams, Sarah. Leave the baby with me, and accept my offer." His voice changed somehow, acquired a musical quality. With a flick of his empty hand, the Goblin King was suddenly holding Toby in his arm. The infant was awake, but he didn't look around at the abrupt change of scenery, instead quietly looking up at the strange man carrying him. "Really, he'd be much happier here. And if he turns into a goblin-" he shrugged, "well, at least he'll fit in. Really, Sarah, there's nothing to worry about. Just leave him with me, and go home."
Sarah could feel herself becoming complacent, found herself nodding, agreeing to whatever the Goblin King was saying. She couldn't take her eyes off his. But what was he saying? There was something…what was she agreeing to? She struggled to remember. Something about- she saw- he was right there- Toby! A surge of adrenaline washed over her. "No!" she nearly shouted, lurching forwards, making to snatch Toby from his arms. But he was quicker than her, stepping back, and suddenly Toby was sitting at the opposite end of the cavern. She almost missed the flash of astonishment on his face at her bold actions before he swiftly moved to rage.
"Silly girl. You don't have much time left." He gestured to his side, where a thirteen hour clock suddenly existed, the minute hand moving indiscernibly. "Did you think you could reject my offer without consequences? You see fit to throw my offer away, to try to save your brother, not even knowing if you'll succeed. You just rejected your dreams, Sarah. And I have power over dreams." He spun the crystal faster and faster.
Sarah was transfixed. She couldn't draw her eyes away from the crystal. She had the feeling that something was about to go awfully, horribly, life-alteringly wrong. The Goblin King had a look on his face that said he was utterly out of control, was way past reasoning with, or trying to dance around.
He was terrifying, and although Sarah would never admit it, intensely alluring, his figure positively pulsating with magic. There was something magnetic about watching the Goblin King play with her fate. It felt a bit like she was watching a car crash. His eyes suddenly flashed, and he spoke. "Let's see how well you do without your dreams, shall we? I'll be watching, Sarah. I'll always be watching." The Goblin King suddenly hurled the crystal containing Sarah's dreams towards the ground. It crashed into a million pieces, and her vision went white for a second.
Or maybe it had been more than a second. When Sarah opened her eyes again, she was sitting on her knees, red dress crumpled around her, in front of a reflecting pool that certainly hadn't been there before. She peered down at it, and saw the same images that had previously been contained in the crystal. Well, she'd deal with whatever had just happened after she solved this damn labyrinth. A glance around the cave told her that the Goblin King and Toby were gone. She was shaken, but Sarah Williams Did Not Give Up. And she was definitely not going to let the Goblin King turn her baby brother into a goblin. No matter how irritating he was, she loved Toby. And she wanted him back. Straightening up with new resolve, Sarah spoke to the empty cavern, and anyone who was listening. "I'm coming, Toby. I'll find you. I promise."