Disclaimer: All the characters of the Labyrinth belong to Jim Henson
Productions. However the character of Jade is mine but should not be
confused with me. This was my first fanfiction, written long before I was
on the net.
LABYRINTH THE RETURN PT 1
He watched her quietly through the window. Her slight breathing
captured his attention and held it. He could see a small red book in
her hands, unopened. He waited patiently for the time to come to make
his move.
Thunder cracked as lightening lit up the sky. His identity was
unmasked for a split second, until darkness once again regained
control of the night. Shrouded in darkness, he continued to watch her
every move, a wicked smile crossing his face. Tonight was the night
that their paths would cross again. Her destiny awaited, and she had
no idea what it was or who.
Quietly, he left his concealed place and disappeared from sight.
Inside, the young girl got up from the sofa and went to the kitchen.
Thunder shook the house, unnerving her. She disliked storms severely
and didn't quite know why. Calm fell over the house and lingered.
The silence was broken by another crack of thunder, louder this time,
almost causing her to jump out of her skin.
All alone, with her brother at the neighbors, she calmed her nerves
by turning on the stereo. The music gave her little comfort as the
thunder boomed around her house.
She found herself a comfortable spot to sit and read for awhile. She
had a book in her hands that she had not read in years. Lightening
flashing through the windows caught her attention for just a moment.
For that brief moment, she thought she saw a man standing there.
Lightening flashed again. Nothing was there at all.
Shaking the doubt from her mind and the dread from her senses, she
opened the book and started to read. What she read was so familiar as
though it were a dream. Skipping through it to the end, one paragraph
caught her eye. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, "
she began when the lights went out suddenly. Her heart skipped a
beat. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see the outline
of something that she hadn't noticed was there before. Straining her
eyes to see, she realized it was round. She crossed the room slowly
in the darkness, coming closer to the unknown object. Crouching down
to get closer, she knew what it was. Beside it sat a perfectly
delicious peach.
She backed away from them quickly, wondering who had put them there.
Somebody had gotten into the house without her knowledge. Perhaps
they were still in here, she thought. That frightened her.
A knock came from the door, startling her. With lightening flashing
through the windows and thunder booming all around, she couldn't
possibly know who was waiting for her at the door. The dark figure
outlined briefly by flashes of light who has been with her all
evening.
Another knock, louder this time, echoed through the room. Her dog
barked fiercely from the garage. She walked slowly towards the door
unsure what she should do.
Lightening flashed again lighting up the entire room. The eerie glow
disappeared as quickly as it came, with a snap of thunder following
that shook the house. She stopped quickly and looked towards the
door. There was no one there and yet she felt herself drawn to it.
Standing in front of the door, she tried to see what or who was
outside but to no avail. It was pitch black and no lightening to help
her see. Thunder cracked as she reached for the doorknob. The metal
was cool to the touch as she turned it and slowly pulled the door open.
The storm ceased.
Standing on the other side was a man. He was tall, thin and had
blonde hair. He seemed familiar to her and yet he invoked fear.
Smiling at her, he entered the door and closed it behind him.
"Who are you? What do you want?" she asked, terrified.
"Come now, you have not forgotten about me completely, have you?" he
asked, wearing a smug grin across his face.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'd like you to leave my
house." she answered, confidently.
"I will not leave without you." he replied coolly.
"Do I have to call the police?" she asked, stalling to think of
something better.
"That will not be necessary Sarah." he answered.
Sarah was taken aback. How could he know her name? She doesn't
really know him, or does she? She doesn't remember him. What was she
to do now?
"Are you afraid of me Sarah?" he asked politely, still smiling.
"Should I be?" she replied, trying to hide her fear.
"No. I know, however, that you are." he answered coolly, staring at
her.
"And what if I am?" she responded.
The man didn't answer. He just smiled at her.
"What do you want from me? Did you intend to rob the place or
something?" she asked sarcastically, still fearful of the stranger,
but becoming angered.
"Or something." he retorted, watching her closely then continued.
"I came for you Sarah. I am surprised and slightly amused that you
can not remember me."
The man walked over and picked up the peach. He could feel Sarah's
eyes on his back and smiled smugly to himself once again. Oh, how he
was enjoying this. He turned to face her. "Are you hungry Sarah? We
could share this peach. Just you and I, together." he commented,
with a wicked tone in his voice. He held it out to her, eager to see
her reaction.
"No. I want you to leave."
He walked towards her slowly like a predator stalking its prey. He
watched her carefully to see what she would do. He saw her backing
away and that made it more of a game to him. He backed her right up
against the wall. Exactly what he wanted. She couldn't get away now.
He had her trapped.
He stopped within inches of her, looking into her eyes. He felt as
though he could drown in her eyes. "Just one bite Sarah and you could
leave this place."
"And go where?" she asked curiously.
"Why, with me of course." he remarked.
"Why?" she inquired.
"Because I want you to." he declared.
"That isn't a good answer. I don't believe you. Try again." she
said, her fear leaving for a brief moment.
"What would you like?" he teased, menacingly.
"What's your name? Why me?" she asked.
"I am Jareth. I want you Sarah and I want you with me forever." he
replied.
She shook her head and closed her eyes. It was not what she expected
at all. Faintly, she could hear a haunting melody humming through the
air, almost hypnotic. She could scarcely think right.
"No! This isn't happening!" she screamed, as the memory came
flooding back. "This is just a dream! This can't be real!"
"This is not a dream Sarah. You and I are two of a kind Sarah. We
belong together." Jareth said, ready to grab her if she tried to run.
"No!" she shrieked in horror.
"There is no reason to resist me this time Sarah. There is no child
for you to save." he said coolly. He raised a gloved hand and
touched her cheek.
Sarah jerked away, frightened of him once again. Her memory flashed
through her mind. She remembered how cruel he was to her and her
friends. She had beaten him once before. Possibly, she might be able
to do it again.
Jareth noticed her strong concentration and smirked. He knew what
she was doing.
"Don't you realize Sarah, that you cannot escape me? You cannot stop
me as you once did. There is nothing you can do but come with me."
he uttered, holding out his hand to her. "Don't you want to be free
from all of this? Come with me and I shall free you from all of this.
I know you do not like it here. I know everything about you. Come
with me."
"I can't." she stated, as the music filled the air around her.
"And why not?" he inquired.
"Because."
"That is not an answer. You will come with me, one way or another."
he remarked, cruelly.
"No!" she screamed as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. She
felt his tight grip and tried to fight against it.
Holding her tightly to him, he whispered softly to her. "You can
either do it the easy way or the hard way. It is your choice, but you
are coming with me. No doubt about that."
She struggled against his firm hold with no use. She knew what would
happen next. She shuddered at the thought.
"It does no good for you to fight me Sarah. I lost you once before,
but not this time" he said, close to her ear.
"What are you going to do to me?" she asked timidly.
"That depends on you Sarah."
"What do you mean?"
"I will let you decide the course our relationship will take. You
will be queen of my kingdom and rule by my side." he said arrogantly.
"What if I refuse?"
"You can't refuse me Sarah." he whispered, wickedly.
"What makes you think so?"
"I know that in time you will get use to the idea sooner or later."
"Don't count on it!" she yelled. She bit his arm hard enough to
cause him to let go. She ran to the other side of the room towards
the front door.
"Sarah! You are not leaving me this time!" he yelled with anger.
She reached the door. Looking back at him one last time, she turned
back to see a large figure in front of her, filling the doorway.
Screaming in fright, she backed away from the door and directly into
Jareth's grasp once more. She felt his arms tighten around her. She
could feel his hot breath on her neck. She knew there was no escape
from this nightmare. There was no escaping him.
"I told you that you could not leave me, didn't I? Now we shall
leave this world of yours together. Are you ready?" he asked, once
again whispering in ear.
"I don't want to go." she pleaded.
"You are coming with me regardless of what you want. It is good to
want things Sarah, but you don't necessarily get them." he said,
loosening his grasp.
"When do we go?" she asked, aware of the inevitable.
"Very soon." Jareth answered, bringing the peach before her once
again.
"What's that for?"
"To give you strength to make the journey." he said, smiling. "Take
a bite Sarah, I know you want it." he said, trying to entice her.
"Don't you mean to make me forget?"
"Your memory is very good, I see. No matter, take a bite. It will
not harm you."
"I don't want to forget. I don't want your peach and I certainly
don't want you. I don't even like you. I need my memories. They are
a part of who I am."
Sarah said, trying to make sense of this nonsense.
Jareth thought about it, then smiled. "I see your point."
"Thanks." she said, glad to keep her thoughts intact.
"There is nothing to thank me for." he replied.
She looked at him and realized that he wasn't the same as before.
Now, he seemed more tolerant and open to ideas, almost as though he
was nicer. No, she thought. How could anyone change that much. He
was still cruel. He was abducting her and she had no escape. She
looked at him in the hopes of making him realize how wrong this was.
Jareth caught her gaze and held it. This one girl had affected him
like no other ever had. He couldn't understand why or how one person
could change the way, he of all people, thought.
"What?" he asked, gazing into her eyes. "What do you see?"
"See?" she questioned.
"Yes. You must see something you like to keep looking. What is it?"
he asked intently.
Sarah diverted her gaze to the mantle above the fireplace. Jareth
smiled widely.
"Can I take a photograph?"
"You can take anything you like, later. I'll send someone back for
them." he said. They were wasting precious time now.
"Please?" she implored.
Jareth looked at her. No one had ever asked him for anything before.
At least not nicely. He could tell how much this meant for her to
have it.
"Alright." he said, realizing that now he must get use to
compromising if he wanted her to stay with him happily. He had to try
to please her best he could.
Sarah picked up the picture and looked at it. It was a photo of her,
her father, and Toby. She knew what she was going to lose when she
left with Jareth. The only family she knows is right here. She
wished her mother was in the photograph. She missed her mother more
than she realized. She was afraid of what would happen in her life
now. She never planned on this. She would never have guessed that
Jareth would come back into her life, especially the way he did. She
would have expected him to take something else of hers, but to come
and take her was the furthest from her mind.
"Sarah, are you alright?" he asked, seeing the troubled expression
on her face.
"Yes."
"Come, let us go now." Jareth said.
Sarah's fear showed in her eyes. She feared him and for her life.
"Don't be afraid." he said, soothingly. "Nothing or nobody will
ever harm you. I give you my word." Jareth proclaimed, as he held
out his hand to her. He looked at her and smiled a warm, inviting
smile.
Sarah's fear leaving, she took his hand freely. "Alright, I'm
ready." she whispered, clutching the photograph to her.
Jareth put his arm around her waist. "Close your eyes."
"Why?"
"Do you question everything?"
"Well, I guess so." she answered. She never thought about it before.
"No questions. Close your eyes."
Sarah closed her eyes. She could feel her hair blowing around her
face. All of a sudden, it just stopped. She felt Jareth's gloved
hand touch her face.
"You can look now."
Sarah opened her eyes. She was in Jareth's castle once again. It
was familiar, but somehow strange. Around them were all of Jareth's
goblins. Wall to wall goblins. There was not a vacant space anywhere. The sight
overwhelmed her. She didn't realize that there were so many of them.
"This is your home now Sarah. They will do as you ask. I'll show
you to your room so that you can get settled in." Jareth said.
Sarah couldn't believe that she agreed to come with him. What else
could she have done? He said that she could never get away. What
kind of life would this be? Who would have thought that she would be
here for the rest of her life?
"Sarah, did you hear me?" he asked.
"What?" she replied, as though coming out of a deep trance.
"Did you hear me?" he asked again, amused.
"Oh, yes. That's fine." she answered, preoccupied with her thoughts.
"Alright then, this way." he said, putting his arm around her.
Sarah felt uncomfortable. She didn't want to be this close to him.
She was confused about what to do, say, and feel. She was angry. She
shrugged him away.
"What is it?" he questioned. He smiled at her knowing what was
wrong. He would never give up on her, ever. If it was the last thing
he did, he would make her love him somehow. "Very well, follow me."
he said in a bored voice.
Sarah followed slowly. She tried to remember how she was taken so
that she might be able to find her way back. She kept waiting for him
to check and see if she was still there, but he never did. She
wondered why, especially since he wanted her there so much.
Jareth stopped and opened a door. The room was dark inside and
quickly flooded with light when he turned on the switch. "Here you
are. I'll send someone for you for dinner."
"Don't bother. I'm not hungry." she said angrily. So far he
vaguely acknowledged her being there. She wasn't about to sit at a
table with him and be sociable.
Jareth stared at her with an icy glare. He recognized the hatred in
her voice. She wouldn't hate him for the rest of her life, would she?
Apart from being quite rude at times, she still enchanted him so much
that it clouded his thinking.
Sarah walked into the room spitefully. She would not give him the
satisfaction of knowing how much she detested him right now. Sarah
looked around the room. All of her things were here. This was her
room. Just like the one back home. Everything she held dear to her
was here. It was as though awakening from a dream. Apparently Jareth
wanted to make her feel more at home here. Why else would he have
gone to all the trouble of bringing her things? This was her home now
and she had to get use to the idea. She would have to come to terms
with Jareth as well, since he was the only other human here. She
turned around to see that the door was closed and Jareth had
disappeared.
She walked to the door. It was locked. Why would he lock her in?
Was he afraid of her getting away? Was he so obsessed with her that
he wouldn't trust her? She would have to gain his trust somehow. She
couldn't stand to be locked in here forever.
She flung herself angrily on her bed. She felt like crying but held
back the tears. Already, she hated it here. There was nothing to do
alone in her room. Her room that she loved so much was now her
prison. There was no escaping.
With her life now in disarray, she rested her head on her pillow and
drifted off to sleep. Even in her dreams, Jareth was there. Was
there no escaping him? Would she ever be free to live her life as she
wished or would she be doomed to a life of whatever Jareth sees fit?
A knock on her door startled her back to the agonizing reality.
Another knock, louder this time, echoed through her room. She heard
the quiet click of the lock. Sarah stood in front of the door ready
to see one of Jareth's goblins. Perhaps she can subdue the small one
and escape after all.
The doorknob turned ever so slightly and the door swung open.
Sarah's jaw dropped open at the sight. It was Jareth.
"Surprised, I see. Perhaps you expected someone else? Someone
smaller? Hm?" he said smugly.
Sarah regained her composure. "Maybe, maybe not. Why would I want
to tell you anything anyway?" she snapped back.
Jareth smiled coolly and his smugness filled the air. Her anger only
intrigued him more, as did her beauty. Never before had he seen a
more beautiful woman. Jareth took a step into the room.
"There is no need for you to be so rude, Sarah." he commented,
staring at her.
"What do you want?" she asked, hostility still in her voice.
"What I want and why I came are two different things. I came to take
you to the dining hall for dinner."
"I'm not hungry." she said nastily.
"Are you sure?" he asked coyly.
"Yes. Now will you please leave? I have things to do." she said,
turning her back to him.
"In a locked room? How interesting. Perhaps you could enlighten
me." he said, taking a step closer. He was close enough to her now
that he could make out the fragrance of perfume. It engulfed his
senses.
"I don't think so." she replied in a snotty tone. Why was he doing
this to her? Sarah turned around and found herself face to face with
Jareth. She was speechless.
"Sarah," he began, resting his hand lightly on her shoulder, "what
are you afraid of?" he whispered.
"I'm not afraid of anything." she replied softly, barely a whisper.
"Then why do you tremble beneath my touch? Is it I that you fear?"
he asked, staring deep into her eyes.
"I- I'm not trembling. I'm just cold and I'm not hungry and least of
all I'm not afraid of you." she replied confidently.
"Oh really?" he asked, raising a stern brow.
"Yes really. Now let go of me." she said, shrugging his hand from
her shoulder.
Jareth laughed. Sarah moved back. "What's so funny?" she asked
defiantly.
"You are."
"Is that all I am to you? A joke?" Sarah replied, anger rising in
her voice. "You ruined my life by bringing me to this awful place,
locking me in my room, and then laughing at me. What more do you
want? Do you want to kill me as well?" she asked angrily.
Jareth's face lost it's humor. "Those are serious accusations."
"Well?"
"I don't intend to harm you. It never even crossed my mind. All you
see Sarah, are the things you remember. Why can't you, of all people,
see beyond that? Why must you try to linger in the past?" he asked
seriously.
Sarah didn't reply. What did he mean? It was a riddle she didn't
know the answer to. Sarah thought about it and tried to understand.
It was so difficult to understand anything he said. He usually talked
in circles.
Jareth turned and placed his hand on the doorknob. "Well then, I
shall leave you to those things you spoke of." he said, disappointedly.
"Wait." she called out.
Jareth didn't move. He stood with his back to her. He didn't want
to show his pain. He couldn't allow anyone to know his vulnerable
spot was Sarah. "What do you want?"
"I am a little hungry. Please don't leave me locked up in here."
she replied.
"Then you will join me for dinner?" he asked.
"Yes." she answered. The riddle had become clear to her. People
learn from the past and must go on with their life. Some might even
change from their own mistakes. She learned how much Toby meant to
her and that changed her for good. She had been nicer ever since she
went through Jareth's labyrinth. She learned that nothing ever comes
easy.
Jareth turned and held out his hand to her. "Come then."
Sarah hesitated briefly before she took his hand. Was she sure she
could trust him? She had to trust him sooner or later. She knew he
wouldn't hurt her, he had already said so. She reached out and took
his gloved hand. It was cool to the touch. Sarah wondered if he
always wore gloves.
Jareth held Sarah's hand within his own, and led her down the
hallway. There was not much light to see by, but that made no
difference to him. He knew every inch of his castle. They emerged
into a brightly lit room. A large table was placed in the middle of
the floor with smaller ones around it.
"Come, this way." he beckoned.
Sarah crossed the room and sat down beside him. It felt so strange
to be here with him like this. Nobody was there but she and Jareth.
What now?
A bell rang throughout the empty room. The ringing echoed off each
of the walls. Within seconds, the room was filled with Jareth's
goblins. One rather small goblin sat next to Sarah. Every chair was
filled, leaving no vacant seats. The noise was incredible and forced
Sarah to cover her ears.
"Quiet! " Jareth yelled over them. He knocked three times loudly on
the table. Silence. Not one of them moved an inch.
Sarah slowly removed her hands and was amazed at how well they obeyed
Jareth. She wondered if he would expect her to obey him like that as
well. She looked around and saw the goblins staring wide eyed back at
her.
"Sarah." Jareth said.
"What?" she replied, in a whisper.
"Since you are here with us," he said indicating them all, "we
decided to cater to your taste in foods. Before, we had never eaten
anything like you are use to. Now, whatever you want you shall have."
he said as though making a speech.
"Thanks." she replied, amazed at what lengths Jareth would go to for
her.
"Tonight, we shall feast on pizza." he said, as trays of food were
rolled into the room.
The aroma of pizza filled the air. It was a welcomed scent that made
Sarah feel more at home. She had expected something strange, but
Jareth had changed this small detail just for her. Somehow that
pleased her.
Jareth served her the first piece, then the goblins dove in hungrily.
They ate and laughed merrily. They amazed Sarah with how happy they
were. She always thought that they would always be mean. Her anger
faded and she felt comfortable in her surroundings.
Various goblins would do a funny dance and amuse her. She never had
so much fun or laughed so hard. Her favorite goblin was the one they
called Crack. He shook like a bowl of jello and made a face, making
Sarah laugh more and more.
When the food was gone, the goblins dispersed leaving Sarah alone
with Jareth again. This time she wasn't afraid of him like before.
Jareth gazed at her beauty. Everything about her enchanted him.
There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her. He watched her as she
stood and looked around the room.
"What?" she asked, catching his gaze.
Jareth smiled. "I was admiring you, if you must know." he said
coolly.
Sarah dropped her gaze and walked toward the window. She looked out
across the Labyrinth. It extended as far as she could see. It amazed
her at how intriguing it appeared to be. Before, she was terrified of
it, but now she admired it.
"Enchanting, isn't it?" he said, standing behind her. He wanted to
take her into his arms but knew better. He would do nothing to upset
her now that she was at least speaking to him.
"Yes, it is." she answered, realizing how close he was to her. It
didn't seem to matter to her. She felt as though she had been there
forever. She felt as though she had always belonged there.
"What would you like to do now?" he asked, placing his right hand on
her shoulder.
"I don't know. I don't want to be locked in my room. What else is
there?" she asked, not turning around to face him.
"You could explore the castle if you wish. You could familiarize
yourself with it." he answered.
"That sounds alright. Anything would be better than going back to my
room." she said, then turned to face him. "What are you going to do
now?" She needed to spend time with him to figure out just how much she
meant to him. Sarah didn't know why she was intrigued with him. She
just was. He was the first man that had shown any interest in her
whatsoever. She needed to know if it would last. She also needed to
know if she liked him or if it was just the idea of being liked.
"Why Sarah?" he answered coolly.
"I thought that maybe you could show me around your castle." she
said, not wanting to be left alone.
"You want me to?" he asked, surprised. "I could send one of my
goblins."
"No. I asked you. What's the matter? You're not afraid to be alone
with me, are you?" she asked.
"Of course not. The question is, would you be uncomfortable alone
with me? If you want me to, I shall." he said, staring into her eyes.
Sarah felt an incredible warmth at knowing how much of a hold she had
over him. She was sure, he would do anything she wanted. "When?"
she asked.
"Whenever you wish to go shall be fine." he answered.
"How about now?" she asked.
Jareth hesitated. He had waited for her to become comfortable with
him so he could be alone with her. Now that the time had come, he was
unsure about her. Why had she seemed to want to spend time with him
so soon? When he knew that she despised him just hours before.
"Jareth, is something wrong?"
"No. Shall we go?" he asked, extending his hand to her. He
expected hesitation from her, but instead she offered her hand freely.
Jareth smiled as she took his hand. Walking out the door, he began
the tour of his castle. Yes, his castle soon to be hers as well. The
thought of sharing anything with Sarah pleased him. He would do
anything for her. He would stop at nothing to bring her happiness.
Their tour of the castle lasted longer than Sarah would have thought.
Jareth would explain every room and its contents in detail. He would
glance over at Sarah occasionally to take in her beauty only to meet
her gaze.
Sarah felt more at home here every minute that passed. She took in
everything Jareth said about the castle. She felt drawn to him in a
way that both scared and excited her. Never had she felt this way
before. She never in a million years thought that she would fall for
someone like Jareth. She was enjoying his company more and more it
seemed. How long had she been there?
Productions. However the character of Jade is mine but should not be
confused with me. This was my first fanfiction, written long before I was
on the net.
LABYRINTH THE RETURN PT 1
He watched her quietly through the window. Her slight breathing
captured his attention and held it. He could see a small red book in
her hands, unopened. He waited patiently for the time to come to make
his move.
Thunder cracked as lightening lit up the sky. His identity was
unmasked for a split second, until darkness once again regained
control of the night. Shrouded in darkness, he continued to watch her
every move, a wicked smile crossing his face. Tonight was the night
that their paths would cross again. Her destiny awaited, and she had
no idea what it was or who.
Quietly, he left his concealed place and disappeared from sight.
Inside, the young girl got up from the sofa and went to the kitchen.
Thunder shook the house, unnerving her. She disliked storms severely
and didn't quite know why. Calm fell over the house and lingered.
The silence was broken by another crack of thunder, louder this time,
almost causing her to jump out of her skin.
All alone, with her brother at the neighbors, she calmed her nerves
by turning on the stereo. The music gave her little comfort as the
thunder boomed around her house.
She found herself a comfortable spot to sit and read for awhile. She
had a book in her hands that she had not read in years. Lightening
flashing through the windows caught her attention for just a moment.
For that brief moment, she thought she saw a man standing there.
Lightening flashed again. Nothing was there at all.
Shaking the doubt from her mind and the dread from her senses, she
opened the book and started to read. What she read was so familiar as
though it were a dream. Skipping through it to the end, one paragraph
caught her eye. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, "
she began when the lights went out suddenly. Her heart skipped a
beat. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see the outline
of something that she hadn't noticed was there before. Straining her
eyes to see, she realized it was round. She crossed the room slowly
in the darkness, coming closer to the unknown object. Crouching down
to get closer, she knew what it was. Beside it sat a perfectly
delicious peach.
She backed away from them quickly, wondering who had put them there.
Somebody had gotten into the house without her knowledge. Perhaps
they were still in here, she thought. That frightened her.
A knock came from the door, startling her. With lightening flashing
through the windows and thunder booming all around, she couldn't
possibly know who was waiting for her at the door. The dark figure
outlined briefly by flashes of light who has been with her all
evening.
Another knock, louder this time, echoed through the room. Her dog
barked fiercely from the garage. She walked slowly towards the door
unsure what she should do.
Lightening flashed again lighting up the entire room. The eerie glow
disappeared as quickly as it came, with a snap of thunder following
that shook the house. She stopped quickly and looked towards the
door. There was no one there and yet she felt herself drawn to it.
Standing in front of the door, she tried to see what or who was
outside but to no avail. It was pitch black and no lightening to help
her see. Thunder cracked as she reached for the doorknob. The metal
was cool to the touch as she turned it and slowly pulled the door open.
The storm ceased.
Standing on the other side was a man. He was tall, thin and had
blonde hair. He seemed familiar to her and yet he invoked fear.
Smiling at her, he entered the door and closed it behind him.
"Who are you? What do you want?" she asked, terrified.
"Come now, you have not forgotten about me completely, have you?" he
asked, wearing a smug grin across his face.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'd like you to leave my
house." she answered, confidently.
"I will not leave without you." he replied coolly.
"Do I have to call the police?" she asked, stalling to think of
something better.
"That will not be necessary Sarah." he answered.
Sarah was taken aback. How could he know her name? She doesn't
really know him, or does she? She doesn't remember him. What was she
to do now?
"Are you afraid of me Sarah?" he asked politely, still smiling.
"Should I be?" she replied, trying to hide her fear.
"No. I know, however, that you are." he answered coolly, staring at
her.
"And what if I am?" she responded.
The man didn't answer. He just smiled at her.
"What do you want from me? Did you intend to rob the place or
something?" she asked sarcastically, still fearful of the stranger,
but becoming angered.
"Or something." he retorted, watching her closely then continued.
"I came for you Sarah. I am surprised and slightly amused that you
can not remember me."
The man walked over and picked up the peach. He could feel Sarah's
eyes on his back and smiled smugly to himself once again. Oh, how he
was enjoying this. He turned to face her. "Are you hungry Sarah? We
could share this peach. Just you and I, together." he commented,
with a wicked tone in his voice. He held it out to her, eager to see
her reaction.
"No. I want you to leave."
He walked towards her slowly like a predator stalking its prey. He
watched her carefully to see what she would do. He saw her backing
away and that made it more of a game to him. He backed her right up
against the wall. Exactly what he wanted. She couldn't get away now.
He had her trapped.
He stopped within inches of her, looking into her eyes. He felt as
though he could drown in her eyes. "Just one bite Sarah and you could
leave this place."
"And go where?" she asked curiously.
"Why, with me of course." he remarked.
"Why?" she inquired.
"Because I want you to." he declared.
"That isn't a good answer. I don't believe you. Try again." she
said, her fear leaving for a brief moment.
"What would you like?" he teased, menacingly.
"What's your name? Why me?" she asked.
"I am Jareth. I want you Sarah and I want you with me forever." he
replied.
She shook her head and closed her eyes. It was not what she expected
at all. Faintly, she could hear a haunting melody humming through the
air, almost hypnotic. She could scarcely think right.
"No! This isn't happening!" she screamed, as the memory came
flooding back. "This is just a dream! This can't be real!"
"This is not a dream Sarah. You and I are two of a kind Sarah. We
belong together." Jareth said, ready to grab her if she tried to run.
"No!" she shrieked in horror.
"There is no reason to resist me this time Sarah. There is no child
for you to save." he said coolly. He raised a gloved hand and
touched her cheek.
Sarah jerked away, frightened of him once again. Her memory flashed
through her mind. She remembered how cruel he was to her and her
friends. She had beaten him once before. Possibly, she might be able
to do it again.
Jareth noticed her strong concentration and smirked. He knew what
she was doing.
"Don't you realize Sarah, that you cannot escape me? You cannot stop
me as you once did. There is nothing you can do but come with me."
he uttered, holding out his hand to her. "Don't you want to be free
from all of this? Come with me and I shall free you from all of this.
I know you do not like it here. I know everything about you. Come
with me."
"I can't." she stated, as the music filled the air around her.
"And why not?" he inquired.
"Because."
"That is not an answer. You will come with me, one way or another."
he remarked, cruelly.
"No!" she screamed as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. She
felt his tight grip and tried to fight against it.
Holding her tightly to him, he whispered softly to her. "You can
either do it the easy way or the hard way. It is your choice, but you
are coming with me. No doubt about that."
She struggled against his firm hold with no use. She knew what would
happen next. She shuddered at the thought.
"It does no good for you to fight me Sarah. I lost you once before,
but not this time" he said, close to her ear.
"What are you going to do to me?" she asked timidly.
"That depends on you Sarah."
"What do you mean?"
"I will let you decide the course our relationship will take. You
will be queen of my kingdom and rule by my side." he said arrogantly.
"What if I refuse?"
"You can't refuse me Sarah." he whispered, wickedly.
"What makes you think so?"
"I know that in time you will get use to the idea sooner or later."
"Don't count on it!" she yelled. She bit his arm hard enough to
cause him to let go. She ran to the other side of the room towards
the front door.
"Sarah! You are not leaving me this time!" he yelled with anger.
She reached the door. Looking back at him one last time, she turned
back to see a large figure in front of her, filling the doorway.
Screaming in fright, she backed away from the door and directly into
Jareth's grasp once more. She felt his arms tighten around her. She
could feel his hot breath on her neck. She knew there was no escape
from this nightmare. There was no escaping him.
"I told you that you could not leave me, didn't I? Now we shall
leave this world of yours together. Are you ready?" he asked, once
again whispering in ear.
"I don't want to go." she pleaded.
"You are coming with me regardless of what you want. It is good to
want things Sarah, but you don't necessarily get them." he said,
loosening his grasp.
"When do we go?" she asked, aware of the inevitable.
"Very soon." Jareth answered, bringing the peach before her once
again.
"What's that for?"
"To give you strength to make the journey." he said, smiling. "Take
a bite Sarah, I know you want it." he said, trying to entice her.
"Don't you mean to make me forget?"
"Your memory is very good, I see. No matter, take a bite. It will
not harm you."
"I don't want to forget. I don't want your peach and I certainly
don't want you. I don't even like you. I need my memories. They are
a part of who I am."
Sarah said, trying to make sense of this nonsense.
Jareth thought about it, then smiled. "I see your point."
"Thanks." she said, glad to keep her thoughts intact.
"There is nothing to thank me for." he replied.
She looked at him and realized that he wasn't the same as before.
Now, he seemed more tolerant and open to ideas, almost as though he
was nicer. No, she thought. How could anyone change that much. He
was still cruel. He was abducting her and she had no escape. She
looked at him in the hopes of making him realize how wrong this was.
Jareth caught her gaze and held it. This one girl had affected him
like no other ever had. He couldn't understand why or how one person
could change the way, he of all people, thought.
"What?" he asked, gazing into her eyes. "What do you see?"
"See?" she questioned.
"Yes. You must see something you like to keep looking. What is it?"
he asked intently.
Sarah diverted her gaze to the mantle above the fireplace. Jareth
smiled widely.
"Can I take a photograph?"
"You can take anything you like, later. I'll send someone back for
them." he said. They were wasting precious time now.
"Please?" she implored.
Jareth looked at her. No one had ever asked him for anything before.
At least not nicely. He could tell how much this meant for her to
have it.
"Alright." he said, realizing that now he must get use to
compromising if he wanted her to stay with him happily. He had to try
to please her best he could.
Sarah picked up the picture and looked at it. It was a photo of her,
her father, and Toby. She knew what she was going to lose when she
left with Jareth. The only family she knows is right here. She
wished her mother was in the photograph. She missed her mother more
than she realized. She was afraid of what would happen in her life
now. She never planned on this. She would never have guessed that
Jareth would come back into her life, especially the way he did. She
would have expected him to take something else of hers, but to come
and take her was the furthest from her mind.
"Sarah, are you alright?" he asked, seeing the troubled expression
on her face.
"Yes."
"Come, let us go now." Jareth said.
Sarah's fear showed in her eyes. She feared him and for her life.
"Don't be afraid." he said, soothingly. "Nothing or nobody will
ever harm you. I give you my word." Jareth proclaimed, as he held
out his hand to her. He looked at her and smiled a warm, inviting
smile.
Sarah's fear leaving, she took his hand freely. "Alright, I'm
ready." she whispered, clutching the photograph to her.
Jareth put his arm around her waist. "Close your eyes."
"Why?"
"Do you question everything?"
"Well, I guess so." she answered. She never thought about it before.
"No questions. Close your eyes."
Sarah closed her eyes. She could feel her hair blowing around her
face. All of a sudden, it just stopped. She felt Jareth's gloved
hand touch her face.
"You can look now."
Sarah opened her eyes. She was in Jareth's castle once again. It
was familiar, but somehow strange. Around them were all of Jareth's
goblins. Wall to wall goblins. There was not a vacant space anywhere. The sight
overwhelmed her. She didn't realize that there were so many of them.
"This is your home now Sarah. They will do as you ask. I'll show
you to your room so that you can get settled in." Jareth said.
Sarah couldn't believe that she agreed to come with him. What else
could she have done? He said that she could never get away. What
kind of life would this be? Who would have thought that she would be
here for the rest of her life?
"Sarah, did you hear me?" he asked.
"What?" she replied, as though coming out of a deep trance.
"Did you hear me?" he asked again, amused.
"Oh, yes. That's fine." she answered, preoccupied with her thoughts.
"Alright then, this way." he said, putting his arm around her.
Sarah felt uncomfortable. She didn't want to be this close to him.
She was confused about what to do, say, and feel. She was angry. She
shrugged him away.
"What is it?" he questioned. He smiled at her knowing what was
wrong. He would never give up on her, ever. If it was the last thing
he did, he would make her love him somehow. "Very well, follow me."
he said in a bored voice.
Sarah followed slowly. She tried to remember how she was taken so
that she might be able to find her way back. She kept waiting for him
to check and see if she was still there, but he never did. She
wondered why, especially since he wanted her there so much.
Jareth stopped and opened a door. The room was dark inside and
quickly flooded with light when he turned on the switch. "Here you
are. I'll send someone for you for dinner."
"Don't bother. I'm not hungry." she said angrily. So far he
vaguely acknowledged her being there. She wasn't about to sit at a
table with him and be sociable.
Jareth stared at her with an icy glare. He recognized the hatred in
her voice. She wouldn't hate him for the rest of her life, would she?
Apart from being quite rude at times, she still enchanted him so much
that it clouded his thinking.
Sarah walked into the room spitefully. She would not give him the
satisfaction of knowing how much she detested him right now. Sarah
looked around the room. All of her things were here. This was her
room. Just like the one back home. Everything she held dear to her
was here. It was as though awakening from a dream. Apparently Jareth
wanted to make her feel more at home here. Why else would he have
gone to all the trouble of bringing her things? This was her home now
and she had to get use to the idea. She would have to come to terms
with Jareth as well, since he was the only other human here. She
turned around to see that the door was closed and Jareth had
disappeared.
She walked to the door. It was locked. Why would he lock her in?
Was he afraid of her getting away? Was he so obsessed with her that
he wouldn't trust her? She would have to gain his trust somehow. She
couldn't stand to be locked in here forever.
She flung herself angrily on her bed. She felt like crying but held
back the tears. Already, she hated it here. There was nothing to do
alone in her room. Her room that she loved so much was now her
prison. There was no escaping.
With her life now in disarray, she rested her head on her pillow and
drifted off to sleep. Even in her dreams, Jareth was there. Was
there no escaping him? Would she ever be free to live her life as she
wished or would she be doomed to a life of whatever Jareth sees fit?
A knock on her door startled her back to the agonizing reality.
Another knock, louder this time, echoed through her room. She heard
the quiet click of the lock. Sarah stood in front of the door ready
to see one of Jareth's goblins. Perhaps she can subdue the small one
and escape after all.
The doorknob turned ever so slightly and the door swung open.
Sarah's jaw dropped open at the sight. It was Jareth.
"Surprised, I see. Perhaps you expected someone else? Someone
smaller? Hm?" he said smugly.
Sarah regained her composure. "Maybe, maybe not. Why would I want
to tell you anything anyway?" she snapped back.
Jareth smiled coolly and his smugness filled the air. Her anger only
intrigued him more, as did her beauty. Never before had he seen a
more beautiful woman. Jareth took a step into the room.
"There is no need for you to be so rude, Sarah." he commented,
staring at her.
"What do you want?" she asked, hostility still in her voice.
"What I want and why I came are two different things. I came to take
you to the dining hall for dinner."
"I'm not hungry." she said nastily.
"Are you sure?" he asked coyly.
"Yes. Now will you please leave? I have things to do." she said,
turning her back to him.
"In a locked room? How interesting. Perhaps you could enlighten
me." he said, taking a step closer. He was close enough to her now
that he could make out the fragrance of perfume. It engulfed his
senses.
"I don't think so." she replied in a snotty tone. Why was he doing
this to her? Sarah turned around and found herself face to face with
Jareth. She was speechless.
"Sarah," he began, resting his hand lightly on her shoulder, "what
are you afraid of?" he whispered.
"I'm not afraid of anything." she replied softly, barely a whisper.
"Then why do you tremble beneath my touch? Is it I that you fear?"
he asked, staring deep into her eyes.
"I- I'm not trembling. I'm just cold and I'm not hungry and least of
all I'm not afraid of you." she replied confidently.
"Oh really?" he asked, raising a stern brow.
"Yes really. Now let go of me." she said, shrugging his hand from
her shoulder.
Jareth laughed. Sarah moved back. "What's so funny?" she asked
defiantly.
"You are."
"Is that all I am to you? A joke?" Sarah replied, anger rising in
her voice. "You ruined my life by bringing me to this awful place,
locking me in my room, and then laughing at me. What more do you
want? Do you want to kill me as well?" she asked angrily.
Jareth's face lost it's humor. "Those are serious accusations."
"Well?"
"I don't intend to harm you. It never even crossed my mind. All you
see Sarah, are the things you remember. Why can't you, of all people,
see beyond that? Why must you try to linger in the past?" he asked
seriously.
Sarah didn't reply. What did he mean? It was a riddle she didn't
know the answer to. Sarah thought about it and tried to understand.
It was so difficult to understand anything he said. He usually talked
in circles.
Jareth turned and placed his hand on the doorknob. "Well then, I
shall leave you to those things you spoke of." he said, disappointedly.
"Wait." she called out.
Jareth didn't move. He stood with his back to her. He didn't want
to show his pain. He couldn't allow anyone to know his vulnerable
spot was Sarah. "What do you want?"
"I am a little hungry. Please don't leave me locked up in here."
she replied.
"Then you will join me for dinner?" he asked.
"Yes." she answered. The riddle had become clear to her. People
learn from the past and must go on with their life. Some might even
change from their own mistakes. She learned how much Toby meant to
her and that changed her for good. She had been nicer ever since she
went through Jareth's labyrinth. She learned that nothing ever comes
easy.
Jareth turned and held out his hand to her. "Come then."
Sarah hesitated briefly before she took his hand. Was she sure she
could trust him? She had to trust him sooner or later. She knew he
wouldn't hurt her, he had already said so. She reached out and took
his gloved hand. It was cool to the touch. Sarah wondered if he
always wore gloves.
Jareth held Sarah's hand within his own, and led her down the
hallway. There was not much light to see by, but that made no
difference to him. He knew every inch of his castle. They emerged
into a brightly lit room. A large table was placed in the middle of
the floor with smaller ones around it.
"Come, this way." he beckoned.
Sarah crossed the room and sat down beside him. It felt so strange
to be here with him like this. Nobody was there but she and Jareth.
What now?
A bell rang throughout the empty room. The ringing echoed off each
of the walls. Within seconds, the room was filled with Jareth's
goblins. One rather small goblin sat next to Sarah. Every chair was
filled, leaving no vacant seats. The noise was incredible and forced
Sarah to cover her ears.
"Quiet! " Jareth yelled over them. He knocked three times loudly on
the table. Silence. Not one of them moved an inch.
Sarah slowly removed her hands and was amazed at how well they obeyed
Jareth. She wondered if he would expect her to obey him like that as
well. She looked around and saw the goblins staring wide eyed back at
her.
"Sarah." Jareth said.
"What?" she replied, in a whisper.
"Since you are here with us," he said indicating them all, "we
decided to cater to your taste in foods. Before, we had never eaten
anything like you are use to. Now, whatever you want you shall have."
he said as though making a speech.
"Thanks." she replied, amazed at what lengths Jareth would go to for
her.
"Tonight, we shall feast on pizza." he said, as trays of food were
rolled into the room.
The aroma of pizza filled the air. It was a welcomed scent that made
Sarah feel more at home. She had expected something strange, but
Jareth had changed this small detail just for her. Somehow that
pleased her.
Jareth served her the first piece, then the goblins dove in hungrily.
They ate and laughed merrily. They amazed Sarah with how happy they
were. She always thought that they would always be mean. Her anger
faded and she felt comfortable in her surroundings.
Various goblins would do a funny dance and amuse her. She never had
so much fun or laughed so hard. Her favorite goblin was the one they
called Crack. He shook like a bowl of jello and made a face, making
Sarah laugh more and more.
When the food was gone, the goblins dispersed leaving Sarah alone
with Jareth again. This time she wasn't afraid of him like before.
Jareth gazed at her beauty. Everything about her enchanted him.
There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her. He watched her as she
stood and looked around the room.
"What?" she asked, catching his gaze.
Jareth smiled. "I was admiring you, if you must know." he said
coolly.
Sarah dropped her gaze and walked toward the window. She looked out
across the Labyrinth. It extended as far as she could see. It amazed
her at how intriguing it appeared to be. Before, she was terrified of
it, but now she admired it.
"Enchanting, isn't it?" he said, standing behind her. He wanted to
take her into his arms but knew better. He would do nothing to upset
her now that she was at least speaking to him.
"Yes, it is." she answered, realizing how close he was to her. It
didn't seem to matter to her. She felt as though she had been there
forever. She felt as though she had always belonged there.
"What would you like to do now?" he asked, placing his right hand on
her shoulder.
"I don't know. I don't want to be locked in my room. What else is
there?" she asked, not turning around to face him.
"You could explore the castle if you wish. You could familiarize
yourself with it." he answered.
"That sounds alright. Anything would be better than going back to my
room." she said, then turned to face him. "What are you going to do
now?" She needed to spend time with him to figure out just how much she
meant to him. Sarah didn't know why she was intrigued with him. She
just was. He was the first man that had shown any interest in her
whatsoever. She needed to know if it would last. She also needed to
know if she liked him or if it was just the idea of being liked.
"Why Sarah?" he answered coolly.
"I thought that maybe you could show me around your castle." she
said, not wanting to be left alone.
"You want me to?" he asked, surprised. "I could send one of my
goblins."
"No. I asked you. What's the matter? You're not afraid to be alone
with me, are you?" she asked.
"Of course not. The question is, would you be uncomfortable alone
with me? If you want me to, I shall." he said, staring into her eyes.
Sarah felt an incredible warmth at knowing how much of a hold she had
over him. She was sure, he would do anything she wanted. "When?"
she asked.
"Whenever you wish to go shall be fine." he answered.
"How about now?" she asked.
Jareth hesitated. He had waited for her to become comfortable with
him so he could be alone with her. Now that the time had come, he was
unsure about her. Why had she seemed to want to spend time with him
so soon? When he knew that she despised him just hours before.
"Jareth, is something wrong?"
"No. Shall we go?" he asked, extending his hand to her. He
expected hesitation from her, but instead she offered her hand freely.
Jareth smiled as she took his hand. Walking out the door, he began
the tour of his castle. Yes, his castle soon to be hers as well. The
thought of sharing anything with Sarah pleased him. He would do
anything for her. He would stop at nothing to bring her happiness.
Their tour of the castle lasted longer than Sarah would have thought.
Jareth would explain every room and its contents in detail. He would
glance over at Sarah occasionally to take in her beauty only to meet
her gaze.
Sarah felt more at home here every minute that passed. She took in
everything Jareth said about the castle. She felt drawn to him in a
way that both scared and excited her. Never had she felt this way
before. She never in a million years thought that she would fall for
someone like Jareth. She was enjoying his company more and more it
seemed. How long had she been there?