A/N: This is going to be much darker than my usual stories, so be warned. I'm not sure how dark this will get. I'm branching out and trying new things. This is slightly inspired by the VVitch, but will by no means be the same story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Jareth, Labyrinth, The VVitch, or any characters or ideas from their worlds. I'm simply borrowing them for a little while for my own entertainment and stress relief.

Chapter 1

As Sarah Williams sat on the back of the family's wagon with her brother, Tobias, and the twins, Grace and Michael, she thought back on all that had happened to her. Things hadn't been easy for her family. Her mother had died when Sarah was only 5. A few years later her father remarried and when Sarah was 8, Tobias was born.

Sarah loved her baby brother, but the first year of his life she despised him. Her stepmother always accused her of things she didn't do. If anything was missing Sarah must have taken it. If something broke, Sarah must have done something to it. She seemed to be in trouble daily. Once Tobias was born, things got worse. Sarah was supposed to do all her chores and look after the baby.

Sarah's only joy was when she slipped away and went to see the blind beggar near the church. He had stopped her father after church one day and asked if he had any money or food to spare. Sarah had felt bad for the poor man. So the next day she snuck out and took some bread she had saved from her dinner the night before. The beggar was overjoyed by the girl's kindness.

"Such a sweet and generous child thou are." He told her with a grin. "Thy mother and father must be very proud of thee."

"My mother passed many years ago," Sarah told him sadly.

"My mistake. Forgive an old blind man. I heard a woman with thee after services. I presumed it was thy mother."

"My father married another after my mother's death. She has no love for me though." Sarah didn't know why she spoke so openly to a stranger, especially one that was a poor beggar living on the streets, but for some reason, she felt she could confide in the old man.

"Tell me your name child."

"Sarah, sir. My name is Sarah Williams."

The old man nodded and rubbed his hands together to warm them. "A lovely name for such a lovely girl."

"I thought thee blind?"

"Tis true. But I don't need eyes to know thy beauty. For thy has a beautiful soul."

"And what be your name?"

"They call me Phillip." He patted the ground beside him inviting her to sit. "Won't you sit a while and talk with a lonely old man?"

She stared at him nervously for several moments. "I should get back before I'm missed," Sarah said as she turned to leave.

"Wait a moment, Sarah." He called after her.

"Yes?"

"I haven't anything to give thee to repay your kindness. But perhaps you'd like trade some stories." The beggar offered.

"Stories?" Sarah questioned. "What kind of stories?"

"Tales of magical beings, a far-off kingdom, and a beautiful Princess." He reached inside the pocket of his tattered jacket and pulled out a small red book. "This was always my favorite as a lad," he said as he held the book out to her.

"I… I can not read."

"Such a pity." He shook his head. "Perhaps then you'll visit me now and then and allow me to tell thee the stories myself?"

"I would like that, very much," Sarah told him before she hurried home.

Over the next several months, Sarah snuck away whenever she could. Phillip told her various stories of magical creatures called the Fae and the many Kingdoms they ruled over. At first, Sarah didn't want to believe them, for they sounded like the evil witches the church warned against. She knew her parents would certainly not approve of her hearing such things, especially from the blind beggar.

Sarah didn't truly believe the stories might be true. At least, not at first. That all changed after she made a very special wish one night.

Shaking her head, Sarah tried not to think of that night. Instead, she reached over and hugged Tobias. She nearly lost him that night and realized how important he truly was to her. Nothing was more important to her than Tobias.

Her father, Robert Williams, did all he could to provide for them and keep them safe. That included moving them all to America in order to be free to follow the word of God the way they believed was right, not the way the Church wanted to force them to do it.

Robert wasn't the only one to move his family to the colonies to escape the church. In fact, whole congregations left and formed they own communities in various parts of the new world. Robert was a God-fearing man and taught his children to repent their sins. They recited verses daily, prayed before every meal and before bed. They even blessed their livestock and thanked God for what he provided them before slaughtering it. Everything seemed to be going well for their family once they settled in Carolina.

Sarah's stepmother, Irene, was still hard on her and made her do most of the chores, but Sarah had grown used to it. Tobias made it all bearable. He often helped her with the chores and even teased her for not being ladylike by always being covered in dirt and sweat. Her time with Tobias was the best part of her day. He even helped her deal with their bratty twin siblings.

Grace and Michael, who were 3 when the Williams made the long trip to America, didn't remember England. They only knew the happy lives they had in America and now their lives were being turned upside down, just as Sarah's life had been when her father announced that they were moving to America.

"I don't want to leave the village," Grace whined.

"Hush now, Grace," Sarah warned.

"But why can't we stay?" Michael asked.

"We're leaving because Father said so," Tobias answered. "That's all you need to know."

"I don't like it," Michael grumbled.

"Mind thy tongue," Irene called over her shoulder. "Things will be better, you'll see."

"Your mother is right," Robert stated. "We'll find a nice place to build a house and we'll have all the land we need to make a farm. Perhaps we'll even find some nice apple trees."

"What about the others in the village?" Grace asked.

"They'll answer to God in the end," Robert replied. "We shall give thanks to the Lord for all he provides us."

They rode the rest of the day and just before dusk, Robert stopped the wagon. "Asketh, and you shall receiveth," Robert said as he climbed off the wagon.

"You mean you want to build a house here?" Irene questioned.

"Yes. This will be a fine farm." Robert started unloading the wagon and they made camp for the night.

Later that night, after they had their meal and said their prayers, Sarah laid awake staring at the stars. They had stopped at a clearing before a thickly forested area. There was a stream nearby and plenty of good-looking trees that could be cut down and used to build a fine home. Her father was excited and positive this would be a good place for them, but she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she got when she looked at the woods.

It was an oddly familiar feeling. She had felt it the night she made that wish. The night he appeared. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about it. She could still hear his voice and see the gleam in his eyes as he taunted her. "I've brought you a gift." his voice echoed in her head.

Sitting up, she wrapped her blanket around her and rubbed her arms. No matter how much time passed or even how far away they traveled, Sarah just couldn't escape the memory of that night, the memory of him.

"Sarah?" Tobias called out to her quietly. When she looked over at him, he sat up. "Is something wrong?" he whispered.

"Just a bad dream. I'll be alright." She assured him. "Lay back down and get some sleep." She brushed his sandy blonde hair from his face and he yawned as he laid back down.

Sarah laid back and closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be a better day. She prayed the Lord would watch over them and guide them. Surely her father wasn't wrong about leaving the village.