Toby was an absolute terror. He was constantly running around the house, breaking items, stealing money, or causing havoc in one way or another. Today, it happened to be Sarah's luck he would choose her to single out.
She woke to ice water poured on her, the salt mixed for sugar which she realized after she put some in her coffee, and now her beloved and well behaved dog, Merlin, was covered with her make up as Toby have the helpless pet a makeover. The helpless sheepdog looked up at her with blue, purple and green fur from her eyeshadow, and a tail which was pink from her blush. She stopped her brother just in time before he started painting his nails with polish.
Breath, Sarah. Breath. He is just a little boy and boys will do things that you would consider wishing him away for, but you love him, and you KNOW you don't mean it, so keep those words to yourself and just help Merlin get cleaned up, followed by getting a safe to put your stuff in, and a new unpenetrable lock. . . .
Sarah rambled on and on about how much she loved this little boy, but at times it was more difficult to actually like him.
"Sar, what's this?!" Toby yelled from her bedroom.
"Heaven help me. Coming, Tobes," she called take two steps at a time hoping to get to her room as quickly as possible.
"What no one knew was the king had fallen in love with the girl. Ew, Sarah, this is stupid for a book. Did you actually read this and like it? I mean, gross. Why would a Goblin King think anyone would fall in love with a goblin?!" he asked still reading the story.
"Well, what no one knew is he wasn't a goblin, just a fae ruling over the goblin race. So it is possible, because fae are quite beautiful," she said stepping into her room and standing at the foot of her bed.
He rolled his eyes and dropped the book walking towards her. As he went passed by he bumped into her with his shoulder putting as much force into it.
"Ouch, can you be a bit more careful?" she said rubbing her arm which surprisingly was stinging slightly.
"You are so stupid. If you love the Goblin King so much then why don't you marry him?"
"I never said I loved him!" she answered back.
"Riiiight."
"I know we aren't going to Disneyland this year, but I was thinking, how about for Thanksgiving I get Dad to let us go, even if it's just you and me? I know money is tight right now with Grampa living with us, but I will have enough in savings by then so you and I can spend 3 or 4 days seeing all you want to."
"No," he growled. "You know why we aren't at Disneyland this year? It's because of you. You and your stupid school that you want to go to. Mom and Dad don't have enough money to take me and send you. So they chose to make you happy and send you to school. Which is so unfair. Why do they love you more than me?"
"That's not fair, Toby. They pay for your school, too. When you were born we didn't get to go on any vacations the first seven years of your life. I know how you feel because I said those same words all the time. Trust me, it doesn't seem fair now, but it's not that they love me more than you. It's what they feel they need to do."
"I don't believe you. I hate you, and all your stupid stories and lies and everything! I wish he was here right now so I could tell him to take you away so I don't have to deal with you any more."
Lighting and thunder started outside, and an eerie recurrance of that night those years ago flashed in her mind.
"You're him aren't you? You're the Goblin King?"
"Toby, let's go get some cookies and milk and talk -"
"NO! Just leave me alone. If Jareth wants you so bad, he can have you."
Sarah's heart froze for just a minute as she heard Toby use his name, not his title. His name is no where in the book, which means.
"Tell me, please tell me you didn't just way what you did. I beg you, tell me you don't know him."
"And what if I do? You can't do anything about it, can you?"
She shook her head, "No I can't, but you can't trust him. He's fae, and he's a trickster, just like Puck or Loki. For once, please trust me." When Toby didn't respond, Sarah added, "Please, let's just take some time to talk about this."
"I think he is past talking, aren't you, Toby?" a smooth voice said.
She could see Toby as he turned and he was looking at her with a smug grin. It appeared it was too late to have anything change. He may have already made deal with Jareth and there was nothing she could do.
Toby winked at the person standing behind her. He turned to leave saying, "I wish you, Sarah Williams, not to the goblins, but to Jareth, the Goblin King. I'll tell Mom and Dad you ran away or something."
Sarah fell to her knees in shock, disbelief evident in her eyes. Her mind was still processing what happened in her room, and behind her back.
"How dare you, Goblin King. How dare you go behind my back to my brother and corrupt him."
"Tsk, tsk. That is no way to speak to your king," Jareth said, kneeling to look her in the eye.
She held his gaze for a few moments, but she broke his stare. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her break. But, he had other plans. Grabbing her chin he forced her to look back into his eyes, and she swore she could hear him whisper "Mine" loud enough for just her to hear.
"Jareth, I'll take my dreams now," said Toby.
Jareth stretched forth his free hand and produced a crystal filled with images of a young boy and his parents traveling and playing throughout his life, never marrying and selfishly choosing his wants over others.
"No, Toby, you don't know what will happen if you do," she begged. "Trust me. You have already wished me away, you can't change that and I'm not going to ask you to run the Labyrinth for me. Just please, please - leave the crystal. You don't know what it will do and how your life will be ruined because of it."
Jareth chuckled darkly. "Ever the champion, even when your devotion is not wanted." Leaning in he whispered in her ear, "Perhaps overcompensating your guilt pushed him away."
The king stood and swiftly moved to the window dragging the fighting girl with him, and addressed the boy. "Toby, tell your sister what will happen when you take the crystal."
"I know Sarah will be gone and Mom and Dad will love me again. You," he said facing his sister, "you never took the crystal, stupid girl, but I am," a he stretched his arm taking the crystal and sealing his fate.
That act broke Sarah as she watched her brother go into a trance. The young woman tore free from the king's grasp and held her brother as the power coursed through his veins making his frame shake slightly. Holding him tight, she cried for him and for her family - they would never know Toby as he could have been because the fae behind her tainted him.
When the crystal and magic took it's effect on the young boy he went limp and fell helpless in her arms. She spoke words to soothe and hopefully provide him comfort if in his state he could hear her, then laid him on her bed with a kiss on his forehead.
"Just tell me he will be okay and I'll go without a fight," she said stroking her brother's cheek.
Silence.
"Will he be happy? Will my family be happy? Tell me you son of a bitch!" Sarah said feeling the fire and anger grow inside her.
"Hold your tongue!" Jareth roared. "I am now you're king, and you are at my mercy and whim. Should I choose to I could banish you to the Dead Lands or set the Firies after you until they can actually tear you limb from limb!"
"No, I don't think you will actually do anything like that. You, I think, we'll want a more hands on approach to getting your revenge and causing me pain for the rest of my life. In fact I am sure of it," she looked at him crestfallen. "Again, I repeat, will they be happy."
He stared at her, happy she'd broken but still defiant as he remembered. Thinking of the options before him, he decided to answer her without giving her s definitive response.
"It is up to them to decide what they will do with their life to make them happy. I do not meddle in the affairs of inconsequential mortals."
"No, just those who beat your labyrinth and you at your own game you cheated at. Some king you are. In sure you make your parents proud," she scoffed.
Instantly he was at her side and had forced her to stand in front of him, malice glaring at her from his eyes.
"Sarah. You will learn to respect me, one way or another. While I've taken your family from you I still have others you love. Do you wish them to also be taken or have their memory of you wiped from them?"
Her stubborness refused to answer him.
"Silence is a form of disobedience. Answer me or there will be consequences. Do you understand?"
"Yes, your majesty," she said through gritted teeth trying to break his grasp.
"Good, we leave as I have what I came for."
Sarah was surrounded with wind and glitter before she succumbed to the ever growing darkness as it consumed her.