A Halloween Underground
Sharp eyes watched the merry little scene that played itself out in the cozy bedroom. His subjects celebrated the girl and her triumphant victory. As though she could defeat him, it would take more than an insignificant mortal girl to lay the mighty Goblin King low.
It had never occurred to him to be bothered by losing until now. It was, after all, how it was supposed to happen, just like every other mortal who had wished away someone. So why did he feel different about it this time, about her?
This one was different, that was why. He did not know how, he just felt it. He would have to keep an eye on her, better safe than sorry, he thought. He told himself it was to make sure she had learned her lesson.
His eyes narrowed and he screeched before taking flight. The barn owl flew off into the stars and vanished.
~ Seven years later…
Sarah Williams threw the barest amount of essentials into a canvas backpack, along with the DVD's Ghost Busters, Beatlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands, all Toby appropriate.
She made sure she had a warm jacket, gloves and hat before leaving. While unlocking her car she noticed the fluttering of white wings above her. On the old lamppost was a barn owl; Sarah could have sworn it was staring at her.
"You're a bit early this year, my birthday is on Halloween, remember?"
No reply, as always. What did she expect, for the owl to answer her? She laughed and jumped in her old Ford Tempo. On the way to her parents she detoured to O'Riely's, her and her friends favorite pub. Going to a bar after she'd just left one but at least here she didn't have to bartend.
It was a busy night and she had to walk a ways to the bar. It was a cold October night and she snuggled into her jacket, thankful she'd changed out of the skirt from work. She searched the sky for the owl. Nothing.
When Sarah entered O'Riely's she was greeted by a ruckus of shouts by her friends. They welcomed her into their warm circle of stories, jokes and general merriment of holiday cheer.
"Nice face paint, Sarah!" Gene pulled Sarah to his side. "What were you, Frankenstein's Bride?"
"Oh! I forgot to wash my face." Sarah laughed. "No, I was a Zombie. I had a hat with a knife sticking out of it."
"Nice, classic Sarah!"
Sarah was passed a beer, the only one she was to have; she was driving after all. She sipped at the hoppy goodness and laughed at something her friend Marissa said. That was when she noticed a stranger staring at her from across the bar. He was sitting in the shadows. She could barely make out his features but was sure he was staring at her. She thought she saw a streak of blond hair and blue eyes before she was sidetracked when Gene asked her a question. When she looked back the stranger was gone.
"He's going to make a mess of it again! She's not the type to forgive and forget so easily, she's got to be forced into it." Slender fingers grasped a goblet of ice and threw it at a mirror. Instead of shattering the mirror absorbed the goblet.
"My Queen, you summoned me?" A large dark figure stepped up to the throne. The hood of his cape hid his face from view.
"Yes, My Lord, I did." The White Queen waved a hand in front of the mirror. The mirror wavered before the image of a beautiful girl, with chocolate hair and fair features, graced the surface. "I want you to kidnap her. Scare the life out of her if you have to. I think it will dredge up the right feelings."
The Dark Lord removed his hood to reveal a head of flame. The flame sputtered blue before dying down to a handsome chiseled face. His features were as dark as his clothing, black hair and eyes. His brow fierce, holding no signs of humor. "You want me to kidnap a mortal girl? Now, why would the High Queen of the Underground ask a fellow royal to such a menial task?"
The Queen smiled deviously. "Because, Damien, I need someone I can count on. You know I've always admired you for your brains as well as your brawn."
The Dark One looked to the heavens. "Alright, Tania, stop trying to puff me up. You know I'd never say no to you." He hesitated.
"What gives you pause?"
"It is All-Hallows'-Eve tomorrow, Tania. I am slightly overwhelmed with duties at the moment." He looked at the girl in the mirror. "However, she is a beautiful distraction. This could prove to be good holiday fun. Besides, you of all people know how much I irritate your son."
Tania laughed, "I know, it's one of the reasons I chose you. That and the fact that you will be strong enough on Halloween to actually snatch the girl from my son."
"You think I too weak on any other day?" Damien's gaze was as hot as lava.
"Dear, I don't think it, I know it." She laughed when the Dark Lord huffed out of the great hall.
It was an eerie drive home, a fog had settled on the road. The Tempo's headlights shot through the mist creating a spooky light that hit the autumn leaves. She was happy to finally pull into the driveway at her parents. When she got out and straightened from grabbing her bag she noticed the owl in the tree by her bedroom window.
"You travel fast. How'd you know where I was going?" She shook her head. "I'm going nuts." She locked the car and ran up the sidewalk to the house. She was tired, that was all; she needed a long sleep.
Sarah stretched and rolled over; she snuggled back into her quilt, nudging her pillow up over her head. Morning was rude, it shattered her dreams by showing it's shining face.
"Sarah!" Her bedroom door flung open and a towheaded little boy ran into the room, flinging himself on the lump in the bed.
Toby had knocked the wind out of her, but as soon as Sarah caught her breath she sat up from the bundle of quilts. "Tobes, dude, ease up. I'm not used to your tackles anymore."
"Tobias Edward Williams! I told you to let her sleep." Karen Williams could be heard stomping down the hall to Sarah's room as she yelled.
Sarah shot Toby a sympathetic grimace. "Under the bed, kid, quick." Toby quickly scrambled over and under the bed.
Karen came through the door and stopped dead. "Oh, sorry, dear. I thought I heard Toby run into your room. I told him to let you sleep in but he was being his usual impatient self." Karen wiped her hands on her apron. "You got in late last night. Was the drive okay?"
Sarah nodded. "Yeah, I had to pull over twice to rest. I was really glad to get here."
"Your father said he was up when you got here. Tell me he fell asleep, I need to win a bet." Karen smiled deviously as she stepped up to Sarah's bed.
Sarah laughed. "Yeah, you win. He was totally passed out on the couch when I came in."
Karen laughed in return. "I knew it." She smiled at Sarah warmly. "I'm glad you're here safe and sound. When you're ready there's breakfast in the oven keeping warm." She bent and gave Sarah a little squeeze.
As soon as Karen left, Toby plopped himself back on the bed. "C'mon, Sarah, you promised on the phone that you'd help me make my pumpkin army today. Dad and I found a bunch of sticks and made them into swords yesterday. Oh, and I found the perfect pumpkin to be my Pumpkin King head!"
Sarah rolled her eyes but was smiling. "I did promise, didn't I?" She ruffled Toby's hair. "But you know what?"
He shook his head.
"We've got all day to build scarecrows. Right now I'm going to hop in the shower and then eat some food. If I'm going to keep up with you all day I need all the sustenance I can get."
"I know! Dad says I'm a ball of energy like the Flash." He wrinkled his nose and hopped off the bed. "Sarah, who's the Flash?"
Sarah rubbed her face. It was too early for trivia. "Oh, I think he's referring to Flash Gordon. Really fast, lots of energy in that one, just like you."
"I am really fast!" Toby ran around Sarah's room. "See!" Before she could answer he ran out of her room, down the hall and down the stairs.
"What a goof." Sarah shook her head and laughed before rolling out of bed. It wasn't really what she wanted to do but she doubted she could fall back to sleep now. Besides, a hot shower sounded divine.
"Why do you keep looking up there?" Toby joined Sarah in looking up at the old maple tree by Sarah's bedroom window.
"Do you see that owl?" She saw it on her birthday every year. This year was proving to be no different, except that it was early.
"Uh huh, he's lookin' at us." Toby shrugged at Sarah's noncommittal to the pumpkin scarecrow army and went back to packing straw in the last one.
"Do you see a lot of owls in the day time around here, Tobes?"
Toby just shook his head.
"Yeah, didn't think so." Sarah never gave the owl much thought because she was afraid of what it meant. If the owl was the one she thought then Jareth had been keeping tabs on her all this time.
A shiver ran up her spine when she looked back up to the owl. She hadn't realized she'd gotten lost in thought until her dad's car horn shook her. "I'm freezing, Tobes. Mind if I bail on you?" She looked at the kid hopefully.
Toby shrugged. "Yeah, I just needed help with building the bodies and carving the faces. I can do all the finishing touches by myself."
"Are you sure? I feel bad, I did promise after all."
Toby brandished one of the swords and aimed it at her. "Be gone! Back to whence you came, Witch!"
Sarah laughed and threw up her hands. "Okay, okay."
Sarah met up with her father on the sidewalk on the way back to the house. Robert put a loving arm around her and hugged her to his side. "You okay, baby girl?" The expression on her face wasn't hard to miss.
Sarah stopped and wrapped both arms around her father. She snuggled her head into his shoulder. "Daddy, do you ever feel like there's something missing from your life?" She steered her father into another direction, away from what was really bothering her. He would never understand what she was talking about if she brought up the owl.
Robert wrapped his arms around his daughter and lightly rocked her back and forth. "Of course I feel like there's something missing, your mother. I love Karen and Toby more than anything but it wasn't the path I had chosen. I was supposed to grow old with your mother."
Sarah gasped and pulled back. Her father never talked about her mother. It was sort of Taboo between them after the Labyrinth, Sarah's way of keeping peace.
"Are you so shocked that I still love her? The heart never forgets or stops loving. Time just changes the love. I may love your mother but I'm not in love with her. She doesn't make my heart feel like it's going to burst with happiness."
"And Karen does?" The dopey grin on her father's face was answer enough.
Robert shook his head and grew serious again. "There is something about you, Sarah. I've never wanted to make you feel different but you are." He smoothed back the hair from her face. "You've got a touch of something," Robert lost his words and just shrugged. "I don't really know what I'm talking about, I just feel it, you know?"
Sarah just nodded. She knew all too well what her father was trying to say. She felt different, like she didn't belong in this world. Ever since her escapades through the Underground Sarah had felt like she was in a depression. Every time she was about to admit to herself that she wanted to return she stopped herself.
No, she didn't want to go back. What for? The answer to that was the reason she wouldn't allow herself to dwell on it, better she remember it as a dream. But no matter how hard she tried she knew it wasn't a dream.
Robert cleared his throat. "Geez, where'd this serious conversation come from?" He laughed and gave Sarah one last squeeze before pulling her along with him into the house. "Let's see what kind of Halloween treats Karen's been whippin' up. Bet we could snatch a few before she caught us."
When Sarah went to bed that night she saw the owl out her window. She remembered the movie Encounter of the Fourth Kind and prayed that's why the owl was out there. She'd rather aliens abduct her than be spied upon by the Goblin King.
Her dreams that night were vivid. First Hoggle was there, leading her deep into the Labyrinth. They then met up with Ludo and then Sir Didymus, just like it happened before. Only, this time she was too late. When she jumped to save Toby everything went black and she just kept falling until she jerked awake.
The owl was still at her window, it's eyes shone bright in the moonlight. She got up and closed the window blinds. It took Sarah a while to fall back to sleep but when she did she was back in the Labyrinth, this time alone. The feelings of intense loneliness and despair seeped out of the walls and into her, chilling her to the bone. She wandered aimlessly searching for the only one that could help her, she just couldn't remember who that was, his name just under the surface. She wandered deeper and deeper until everything fell away to deserted and lonely grassland. The ground was hard at first but as she walked it turned into a thick mud that pulled at her feet. It sucked her under and she woke again.
Sarah rolled and turned but was having difficulties falling asleep again. She turned her pillow to the cold side and settled back down, she calmed her breathing and managed to finally fall into Slumberland. In the next dream she was dancing with a faceless black figure. He laughed menacingly when she tried to pull away. When she attempted a scream his face came into focus, choking the sound from her. He had blazing eyes of fire and a jack-o-lantern's smile. The Pumpkin King's smile slowly changed to that of the Goblin King's and Sarah woke up.
Sarah got up and looked out her window but the owl was gone. Her mouth was dry; she needed some water. Stupid dreams, she thought on the way down the stairs. She'd carved one too many pumpkins with Toby. On the way to the kitchen she noticed a window open in the dining hall. She clicked on a light and looked around, nothing was out of place. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end when she noticed a strange sparkling mist hovering in the air. A light static charge accompanied the glittering oddity. It was a strangely familiar feeling that fell around her.
It was hard to spook Sarah, considering all she'd seen and done. She shrugged off the strange feeling and closed the window. Sarah padded to the kitchen and by moonlight poured herself a glass of water. She leaned against the counter and looked out the window. She closed her eyes and the one that came to mind shook her, her eyes snapping open in alarm.
She would have screamed at what she saw when she opened her eyes but she half expected it. The glass slipped from her hand but never made a sound, nor did any water spill. Sarah staggered back into the counter and held out a hand to ward off the apparition.
But it wasn't an apparition. It was the Goblin King in the flesh. His cruel mouth smiled mockingly. He was garbed in black but still seemed to shimmer in the moonlight. She wished he would speak because she couldn't; instead he just stood there staring her down with those strange penetrating eyes.
When she could finally speak all that came out was a whisper. "Jareth."
He didn't say anything but took one menacing step towards her.
Her voice came back to her. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean, Sarah?" He held up a crystal and moved it gracefully across his hand. "I always visit this time of year," the crystal briefly shifted shape to that of a small pumpkin, "but then, you knew that."
Sarah made to leave but in a flash the pumpkin was gone and he was baring her from fleeing with a hand resting on the counter. "Why so jumpy, Sarah?" Just then the wind outside picked up and slammed the shutters against the house. Lightning split the sky and thunder clapped. Sarah's eyes widened when she realized Jareth had vanished with the flash of light.
Her heartbeat was hard in her chest; she felt like she just ran a mile. Why did he show himself to her, after all this time?
There would be no going back to sleep now. She went and got a movie from her bag. She sat and watched Ghost Buster's on the kitchen TV until everyone else got up.
A stead as black as the night dug at the ground with its massive hoof. It was impatient to be racing through the night again. Its red eyes matched that of the rider, like fire seen through the hole of a mask. The rider's gaze never wavered from the girl sitting in the kitchen chair. Finally the stallion snorted and the dark rider gave it what it wanted. They raced through the night as though the fires of hell were licking at their heels.
"Mom, Sarah says she wont do it!" Toby ran into the kitchen where Karen and Sarah were frosting cookies. He was wearing a stunning suit of armor, his Halloween costume this year.
The costume was really elaborate but it was doubling for a school play; Karen always did the costumes for the school and town theater programs. Karen and Robert had originally met when Karen was working on costumes for Sarah's Mother's theater troupe. They had reconnected after Robert's divorce.
Sarah rolled her eyes. "I said I'd take you, Tobes, just not in costume."
Karen looked offended. "Why not? I spent a full two weeks making that gown. It's really lovely, did you even look at it?"
Sarah shook her head in defeat. She knew she'd have to play the Princess to Toby's Knight in Shining Armor.
"Come on, it's time to get into costume anyway." Karen put down the cookie she was working on and grabbed Sarah's hand. "The dress and this," she pulled out a jewelry box from her apron pocket,"are my birthday gifts to you."
"But you already gave me one, three actually." Sarah was feeling a bit spoiled now.
"No, the CD's were from your Dad."
Sarah opened the box to reveal a beautiful silver chain with a diamond star pendant. It was just the thing Sarah would have chosen for herself. "Karen, it's so beautiful! Thank you." She hugged her stepmother and pulled away, she was little choked up.
Karen was right; the gown was lovely. It was crushed white velvet that shone silver in the light. It was a form-fitting silhouette with long sleeves that hooked around the thumb. A silk sash tied off at the waist and hung loosely. Karen was kind enough to have made a matching cape in a slightly darker shade of velvet, Sarah was sure to be warm. She also chose dove grey suede healed boots; a warmer alternative to high heals.
When Toby and Sarah were dressed, Karen clapped with joy. "Oh, I've got to get the camera. Sarah, you look truly lovely! I tweaked the dress pattern to match the ones you used to wear when you played as a girl."
When Karen was gone Sarah looked at herself in the mirror. She had to admit that she looked good. Her hair was done up slightly, tendrils spilled down her long neck. Her makeup was done so that she resembled the fairy folk. Karen had been liberal with the silver glitter around her eyes, she even glue little fake diamonds and stars to Sarah's face. Her new necklace winked just above her cleavage. Sarah looked fit for a queen.
After pictures Toby and Sarah had a quick bite of stew and cornbread for dinner before they were shuffled out of the house. It was the same neighborhood that Sarah had trick or treated when she was a kid but it didn't feel the same. Sarah was detached from it all, her mind stuck on the night before. What had Jareth wanted?
Sarah wished Toby would tucker out but the kid was going strong. She just hoped no more guys asked her out tonight. There had been seven so far. However, two of them were tempting, she'd gotten their numbers. One had quickly given her a business card while Toby angrily pulled on her arm.
The credits of Beatlejuice played quietly, Toby was passed out on the couch. Sarah slowly got to her feet; she still wore her full costume, having been too lazy to change, it was comfortable and warm anyway. Robert and Karen had gone to bed not long after the movie started.
Sarah nudged Toby until he roused. "Go to bed, kid." She laughed when Toby flopped off the couch and crawled to a standing position. He hugged her sluggishly and teetered off to bed. "Too much sugar?" she asked. Toby grunted his answer over his shoulder.
Sarah turned the television off, made her way to the kitchen and started shutting off lights. She thought she'd turned all the lights off, but there was a strange glow coming from the living room. When she went to see what it was, it was gone. The lights wouldn't come on when she tried. Then she saw him step towards her.
"You again!" She gasped when Jareth's face could be seen clearer.
"You expected someone else?" His usual mocking smile was in place
"What are you doing here?" Sarah tried not to be intimidated by him
"Why, Sarah, I am saving you." He waved a hand before him. "I am taking you away from this awful place."
Sarah's brows knitted together in her confusion.
"Don't you remember; it's what you wanted?" His gazed slid down her frame and back up to her face. "And look, you're dressed for the occasion."
"I don't know what you mean." Before Sarah could say another word her world faded.
She felt like she was floating and when the darkness ebbed she was in a ballroom. "Not again," she moaned quietly to herself. But it was different this time; there were masks but they weren't the same, they were beautiful instead of scary. No one was laughing or jeering at her. In fact, the only glances she received were ones of curiosity, a few of the gentlemen even smiled at her. They were beautiful like Jareth, all glimmer and otherworldliness. They wore rich clothing in a style all their own, distinct to the Underground, lavishly ornate but in a crude sort of tatter. They were celebrating Halloween in grand style. Sarah was tempted to accept a gentleman's offer to dance but she needed to find Jareth. She waded through them, searching for their King. He had to be here, it was the same little games with him. Only, this time was different, she remembered everything. Why was that, she wondered?
She saw him. He had already spotted her and was slowly making his way towards her. Sarah hated herself for wanting him next to her; she didn't want to be alone here. This wasn't like before at all. Before was a dream, this felt real.
The crowd parted as their King approached. He made a slight bowing gesture before the girl and held his gloved hand out expecting her to give him hers.
Sarah shakily slipped her hand into his. Jareth lightly kissed her knuckles and lead her onto the dance floor. He twirled her around to an orchestrated version of a hauntingly familiar song. The music lulled her and she turned herself over to it, allowing Jareth to lead her about song after song. They didn't speak; she was too drunk with song.
When the music finally stopped a procession began, Jareth eyed it warily. A blond man dressed in gray and white held up a hand to Jareth and motioned for him to come. The man escorted a beautiful woman with shocking white hair; she was staring at Sarah in the strangest of ways. They must be other Royals? Sarah was very curious.
Jareth ignored the summons by taking Sarah's arm and leading her out to a balcony. "Why are we leaving?"
"I found it stuffy in there." Jareth pulled her to the railing and then gracefully spun her around to face him.
Sarah was tempted to pull her hands free when Jareth took them into his. It was strange being like this with him and she had to wonder what he was playing at?
"Would you stay here, Sarah?"
His expression was serious, containing not even the slightest amount of humor. Still, she had to ask. "You've got to be kidding?" She watched his brow knit together.
"On the contrary, I was being rather serious." His eyes had darkened with his mood.
He seemed to wait expectantly but she didn't know what to say. Did he mean stay here with him? How could she know, it wasn't as if he'd ever given her reason to believe he wanted her? "What do you mean stay here? What does that entail?"
Jareth smiled in a way she'd never seen before. His eyes seemed to sear her with heat as his gaze raked her body.
"Oh, Sarah," he pulled her slightly closer to him. "You know you would be my Qu…" The look on Sarah's face cut him off.
Sarah hadn't heard a word Jareth had said. Behind his shoulder, on the balcony with them, she saw the most horrifying thing. A dark, large figure stood staring at her. Only, instead of a face, it was a freakish jack-o-lantern lit with a blue flame. The head changed suddenly to a skeleton and then to just flame. It was the scariest thing she'd ever seen. The ghostly figure raised his arm and pointed at her, she wanted to faint.
"My princess, born to All-Hallows'-Eve, I have come at last to claim you."
"Oh, to the Bog you will!" Jareth stepped in front of Sarah and pointed a finger back at their tormentor. "You, suddenly out of nowhere, want to claim her for your bride?" Jareth spoke the next words hushed, through clenched teeth. "What are you playing at Damien? Which of my meddling parents has put you up to this?" Jareth held Sarah behind him so she couldn't hear. "My bet is on my mother."
"Step aside, Goblin King!"
"If you think I will you're out of your gourd, Pumpkin King!"
The Pumpkin King seethed. "Then you leave me no choice." He threw a small flaming pumpkin at Jareth.
Jareth turned to shield Sarah and was hit square in the back with the Pumpkin King's missile. Jareth went up in a blinding light.
Sarah screamed and made to help Jareth but the Pumpkin King had grabbed her by the arm, spinning her to face him. Sarah never saw the barn owl that flew out of the flame and into the night; blue flames streaked the sky, marking its passage.
"No! Let me go!" Sarah managed to jerk free but when she turned around there was no more blue flame, no more Jareth. She ran to the spot where he fell and knelt, with her palms to the ground. "Jareth," the ground was ice cold.
The Goblin King's name was barely audible to the Pumpkin King. "You didn't love that mouse eating feather-brain, did you?"
Sarah's anger rose. Of course she didn't love him, but that still didn't make it right. She rose to face the Pumpkin King but when she did, her bravado faded. His pumpkin head was still aflame and his face induced the right amount of fear to make her lose her words. Her voice was shaky instead of steel like she'd intended. "What have you done to him?"
"What happens to him is none of your concern."
By now the entire Royal Court had heard and seen the ruckus outside and had come to investigate. No one stopped the Pumpkin King when he threw a ball of light into the sky. When the ball of light came back down it hit Sarah and the Pumpkin King. They vanished in a flash of blue and orange.
Jareth, looking like he'd been mauled by a cat, came barging back into the Royal Hall. "MOTHER!"
Tania, barely affected by the icy call, slowly turned from conversation to face her son. "Jareth, dear, lower your voice. You forget that not everything revolves around you."
Jareth's icy blue gaze settled on his mother when he approached. "You've gone too far this time."
Altair, Jareth's father joined his wife and son. "You two have a knack for ruining lovely occasions."
"Your wife is sublime at it." Jareth pointed a finger at his father. "You better keep her under check before I permanently turn her into a hawk."
Tania bristled at that. "If you think you could…" She trailed off unable to finish her remark. She knew full well that her son could do as he liked. Sometimes Tania wished she and Altair had never reproduced. Jareth was far too powerful for his own good.
Tania took Altair by the arm and led him to an open window. "Come, my dear, let us leave where we aren't wanted."
"Just you, mother, are not wanted here, you officious little witch!"
Tania's eyes widened. "Watch your tongue, hatchling, you will regret being so angry when everything falls into place."
"Come dear," Altair turned Tania away from Jareth, "we should go now." He shot Jareth a sympathetic smile.
The crowd gathered once more, this time to see their King and Queen depart. King Altair took flight as the harpy eagle. He could be seen circling, waiting for his Queen. The Queen took one last look at her son, love evident in her eyes, before throwing herself out the window. A lovely gray hawk joined the great eagle. Together they flew into the night.
"Never!" Sarah refused to even look at the vile creature that held her captive. "I would rather die than marry you!"
Damien played the game to the best of his ability but it was hard. He was quickly falling for this mortal beauty. It vexed him that he couldn't show her his true face. His job was to scare her when all he wanted to do was woo her. Damn Tania and her tricks, he hated playing the pawn. "I can arrange death, would you like to join your lover there?"
Sarah finally faced him. "He's not dead!" She yelled it at him. Tears began to burn her eyes but she refused to let them fall. The Pumpkin King's cruel mocking smile was like a knife twisting her insides. She fell to her knees, her face cradled in her hands. "He's not dead, he's not." Heavy sobs racked her slender frame but she still refused to believe Jareth was gone. She could feel it in her heart that he was still alive.
Jareth watched Sarah give in to the idea that he was gone. Her sobs wrenched at his insides. His heart thundered in his chest, did she love him? What he saw next solidified his choice in Sarah. Here he thought he'd have to intervene, he laughed with pride and humor.
Damien couldn't take it anymore. He didn't want to hurt this gentle and innocent creature. His whole being wanted nothing more than to protect her, love her. Slowly the fire died around his face, his features twisted from pumpkin back to flesh. His black eyes filled with compassion as he rested a comforting hand on Sarah's shoulder.
Like lightning, Sarah turned and pulled the sword from the Pumpkin King's sheath. The tip of his own sword was pointed right against his neck. Only when his hands were up in defeat did she take note of his features. He was a man, with a handsome but brooding face. It didn't change anything. This monster had done something to Jareth, she would slay him for that.
"How do I find him?"
Damien shook his head. "You don't find him, Sarah. He is gone."
"Liar!" The tip of the sword drew blood but Damien didn't so much as wince.
"How do you know I lie, how can you be so sure? Do you feel something, Sarah?"
Sarah didn't rightly have an answer for this. Something deep within her just knew, just like she knew she could kill this man if she had to. She didn't wan to hurt the Pumpkin King if she didn't have to but what if he didn't tell her what she wanted?
She finally looked at him then, his dark features deathly calm. He wasn't in the least afraid. Her bravado started to slip as reason came back to her. She couldn't kill anyone, could she? To what purpose would it be done? Jareth was already gone; nothing mattered.
Slowly, Sarah lowered the sword but kept it at the ready. "Let me go. I'll kill myself before becoming your bride so there is no reason to keep me here, unless you want a prisoner for a wife?"
The Pumpkin King left his hands up. "You may go, Lady, I've done my duty here."
The King's words confused her but she didn't give long to ponder his meaning. She lifted her skirt with one hand, kept the sword raised with the other and ran out of the Pumpkin King's castle.
Jareth flew from his perch on the windowsill when he saw Sarah flee the castle. She was already out of the courtyard when he caught up to her.
Sarah gasped and stumbled to a halt when a white owl fluttered before her. She hadn't even had a chance to gather her thoughts before the owl transformed itself into the Goblin King.
Reason fled and feelings took over as Sarah flung herself at Jareth. "You're alright!" She clung to him, her fingers pulled at his clothing as she tried to get closer. She wanted to feel that he was really there. It was amazing, the things you could forgive when you think someone has been lost.
Jareth wrapped his arms around Sarah and held her for a few glorious moments. He knew all too well that soon words would be said. Words could be dangerous, he'd have to choose his wisely.
Sarah finally pulled away. "I, uh…" She nervously tucked a curl of hair behind her ear.
"Sarah, I am sorry for the actions of that cur." He pointed to the top of the Pumpkin King's castle. "He is a sorry example of my race." He reached for her hand and pulled her a little closer. "Did he hurt you?"
Sarah shook her head. "No, he never did anything to harm me. He just said things that…" Again she couldn't finish.
"Forget whatever he said."
"How did you survive that, whatever it was?" Her eyes searched his; they were lovingly staring back at her. Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.
"The Pumpkin King may have impressive capabilities but he could never outdo the Goblin King!" Jareth smiled wickedly and meant to pull Sarah into his arms and kiss her.
Sarah dodged Jareth and stepped back. He was playing at something, always playing. She held up a hand to ward him off. "Jareth, why did you show yourself to me yesterday, after all these years?"
He looked to the left, right, anywhere but at her. "I – I wanted to take you back with me but I found it hard to overcome my pride." He finally looked at her, to gauge her reaction. "That is why I came back tonight, why I brought you to the All-Hallows'-Eve masque."
Sarah's green eyes were searching Jareth's face for deceit and found none.
"Why you asked me if I would stay?" She asked the question already knowing the answer.
Jareth smiled and nodded. "Yes, Love. I want you to stay here with me."
Sarah hesitate, "There are too many unanswered questions."
"Ask me, I'll give you an answer."
"Why did you make me run the Labyrinth?"
"You wished your brother away. There had to be a lesson learned. Did you learn one?"
Sarah thought about what he was saying. It made sense; she had been the culprit. "You never would have kept Toby, would you have?"
Jareth just shook his head.
"Nothing would have actually happened to me?"
Again he shook his head.
Sarah groaned and rubbed her face. "I was so stupid."
"No," Jareth took her in his arms. "You acted as anyone would have."
Sarah allowed Jareth to soothe her tattered nerves. It felt good to be held by him. For the first time in a long time she felt like herself.
The following All-Hallows'-Eve…
"Sarah, dear, your parents have just arrived." Tania tapped on the bathroom door. "Your two mothers are getting impatient to see you. Remember, they think they've driven over four-hundred miles to be here." Tania heard Sarah giggle and grew suspicious. "You have been in there for quite a while, what are you doing?"
Sarah slapped Jareth's hand from her breast. "Stop it," she hissed. Despite her warning, she allowed him to begin kissing her neck again. "You know, if she catches you in here, you're bird droppings."
Jareth pulled away and laughed. "You think she would blame me for this?" He nipped at her bottom lip. "My mother knows full well that I cannot help myself. It is you that allowed me in here, it is you she'll be feasting on." Jareth nibbled again, "unless I devour you first."