Author's Note: This is my first time writing a Labyrinth story.
I've never attempted writing one, but after reading the stories by other writers, I was inspired to try my hand at my own. . .

Summary: Jareth os an enigma; to himself, to all the other Fae, and especially to Sarah. However, when he is unable to keep his Labyrinth from falling to ruin,he seeks out the help of a girl who still dreams. . .a girl who can save his Labyrinth, and one he will have to learn to forgive for crushing his heart with her heel.

And These Are The Days of Grace

Prologue:

The once beautiful pearl that blessed the Underground's sky with its splendor and its grace now shone a garnet red, like a drop of blood suspended in the midst of a black night. Weak dots of grey light seemed to cling like lint to the inky, velvet colored sky. Below such a nightmare, the land was washed grey, like a whitewash that had mixed with clay. The once proud outer walls of the Labyrinth were covered in blackened ivy. A plant that still lived, but had evolved to survive the harsh land that the Labyrinth had become. Beneath the plant, the walls were covered in thick slime, oozing an odd form of algae that seemed to flow like poison.

The hedge mazes had grown wild, spitting forth carnivorous forms of plant life, littering their blackened floors with the skeletons of unfortunate creatures who had happened to wander unsuspectingly into the maze. The once white fountains that spewed waters of crystal, now glamed a hideous obsidian, and spit forth the darkest blood. The forests became as dark as night, and only the most foolish ventured in to never return. Gleaming eyes of mutated creatures peered forth, and the goblin city was quiet. As quiet as a ghost town.

Clothes were rotting on the lines on which they had been left to dry. During the day, corpses littered the streets, giving forth a foul odor to the city, its stench almost unbearable, and at night they lived a life of the living dead, moving forth like shadows in the night. Houses that had once been falling down, had finally petrified to pure stone, grey and lifeless. No life was in the city, only fear and decay.

The once proud castle that had boasted of a sturdy frame and lovely grey stone was now beginning to slowly fall to bits and pieces. All windows were boarded up, all doors shut and latched, keeping out unwanted creatures and things. Those who lived within were few, and the last truly living inhabitants of the once glorious Labyrinth.

Within lived a dwarf, whose face was pinched with worry and despair. His clothes ripped and torn, his jewels long since lost and scattered in an effort to flee the nightmare that his world had become. His had tattered as it hung humbly upon his head. The dwarf stayed within the presence of those whom he had befriended.

The large, hairy beast, whose wild fur was now matted, the once-brave fox, who now wore but tatters for garments, and the little dog, whose fur had been cut to create thread to patch things back together: namely shoes, pants, and shirts.

Sighing, Hoggle looked to his last, and newest ally and perhaps friend that he had come to respect and trust. The man was sitting on the sill of the only open window, staring down at the once beautiful Labyrinth. His face was devoid of any emotion, as his hair splayed to hand wildly about him. His own clothes were almost those of a peasants. . .a simple white shirt, tan breeches, simple brown boots and brown riding gloves that covered his scarred hands. His eyes held the deepest fountain of sorrow that Hoggle had ever seen in one such as the Fae, and for the first time, a single tear of clearest crystal slid down the pale face of the broken King.

And somewhere in the night, the Labyrinth cried. . .

"Stupid, stupid dog!" came the angry voice of the rather firey-tempered woman. Grabbing her slipper, she yanked hard to get it away from the small, playful Beagle puppy who had decided that chewed slipper tasted rather good. Doe green eyes blazed angrily, and she swatted the dog on the bum with one hand, while the other kept a good hold on the slipper.

"Let go Brunswick!" She said sternly. "That's my slipper. Bad boy!"

At her stern tone, the puppy let go, and with head tucked and tail between its legs it inched out of her sight. Sarah flipped her black hair over her shoulder and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, quit it Brunswick, you know better than that."

At the dog's sad stare, Sarah's heart softened and she knelt down, patting one jean-covered leg.
"All right, I forgive you."

At her soft tone, the puppy lept up and licked at her face happily, paws resting on her knee. She laughed, and ruffling his fur with a hand, she stood.

"Good boy. Now, I have to go to work. . .be a good boy today, and I'll be back in a little while. Emmy will be by to take you on your walk."

Grabbing her purse, and keys, Sarah marched out of her apartment, stopping only briefly to make sure her black sweater didn't clash with her jeans. Upon reaching her car, she moved to unlock the door, staring absently into the window while fiddling with the rather fickle lock. As she stared the window seemed to fog, and something began to write within the fog, in and unstable print the words-

Help me.

Startled, she jumped back, blinking rapidly. When she looked again, it was gone. Chalking it up to a lack of sleep, Sarah managed to get the door open and jumped in. A few minutes later an anguished cry was heard.

"Not again! Start!!"