I own nothing in the Labyrinth. Read and Enjoy and Review if you like.
I got bored with my other one – and inspiration struck – enjoy & I will update soon.
Chapter 1
13
'Happy 27th Sarah' the voice on the other end of the phone was too cheery. Sarah sighed and stared out the window of her Soho apartment. It was a gray, cold October afternoon and the rain pelted at the window in slow, dizzying drops. The voice at the other end of her cell demanded attention "Are you there, Kitten? Hello?"
"Yeah, Karen, I'm here. Thanks. And thanks for the card, I got it this morning." Sarah hadn't felt like answering the phone this afternoon, but when she had seen the Pennsylvania area code, she knew that her father and step-mother would keep calling until she answered, and if she didn't answer, they would be on the next flight to New York knocking down her door. Such was state of affairs at the moment for the Williams.
"You know, honey, you really should consider coming home for the weekend. Your father and I can get a ticket for you and see you as soon as tomorrow night. Maggie would love to see you, and it would be good for you, it really would." Karen's voice was almost pleading with her now, Sarah sighed, she just wanted to be alone, and the last thing she wanted to see was a young child, even if it was her half sister. She loved Maggie, but there wasn't the bond there that there had been with Toby. Maybe it was because Maggie was so much younger, maybe because she had never traversed dangers untold to be reunited with her, maybe there was just no room left in her heart.
"Thanks Karen, but really, I have so much to finish up here that it would be better if, if I just stayed here for awhile." Sarah leaned her forehead against the small window, letting the cold glass clear her mind. Tears started to build again and fall into her sweater. She was always cold these days, she had lost so much weight she was nearly a ghost. The size four jeans she wore were baggy to the point where they sat well below her hips, and if one could have seen through her thin grey sweater, they could have easily counted her ribs.
"We are so worried about you, Sarah. Please at least promise me you will think about it. We haven't seen you in seven months, since the...."
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, just been really busy." Sarah's clipped response told Karen it was time to stop mothering her step daughter. The two had grown so close over the years, Sarah thought of her as a mother, more so than her biological mother whom she never saw and had faded from her life. There was a time when Sarah had collected articles, posters, and any mention of her mother – but she had long since stopped. She had a family, and it was centered around her baby brother and, through it all, Karen had come to love her as a daughter. But now, Sarah couldn't bring herself to even look at her family. She felt so responsible, she should have been able to protect him – she always had, she was his guardian, his hero. It wasn't right now, it wasn't fair. "I should get going, I have a layout to finish for the magazine. Deadline tomorrow and all." Sarah's monotone voice, brought a sigh from the other end of the phone.
"Alright, well your father and sister say they love you, and wish you a happy birthday."
"Yeah, you too." And with that Sarah hung up the phone, not even waiting for a response, and let it fall from her hand, and sunk into the pillowed bench beside the window and stared out into nothingness, letting sleep claim her, letting the rain drift her away into the supposed bliss of sleep.
"Are you kidding! I wouldn't have missed it for the world! Toby I am so proud of you!" Sarah exclaimed, squeezing her brother in a bear hug. It was his first play, he was 13 and he was Tybalt in the junior high production of Romeo and Juliet – abridged of course.
"But I'm the villain, Sarah. I wanted to be the hero, like you always were in the plays and stuff. You're not disappointed are you?" His mismatched eyes stared up at her, as if her answer would decide whether or not his world would fall down. His hand clutched his wooden sword that their father had made for him for the play. He clutched it so hard that his knuckles were nearly white.
"I'll tell you a secret." Sarah said, a small half smile creeping onto her lips. As the words formed in her lips, a faraway sad look played across her pale face. "The greatest loves are sprung from the deepest hates, to paraphrase your play."
"Ewwwwww – Sarah you are so gross." Toby remarked scrunching up his nose.
"Huh, oh sorry, what I meant was the best parts to play are the villains – you get to have all the fun in the world and you don't have to follow the rules – you get to make 'em! Whatever they are. In truth, little guy, they are my most favorite roles."
"Really? You aren't just saying that are you?"
"Never. In fact, I was in a kind of play once, with this, ah, villain, and I wished that" Sarah shook her head, smiling to herself "....nevermind, kiddo."
"No tell me!" Toby practically demanded, staring into her face with all the seriousness that a 13 year old could muster. For an eighth grader, he seemed to exude the maturity of a lifetime.
"Let's just say I would give anything to have rewritten the play, so that the heroine could have lived forever with the villain. Things aren't always what they same, kiddo. I learned that the hard way. I mean, in your play, Tybalt is just looking out for Juliet, right? So he is a villain, but his intentions aren't what they seem. I'm just saying, you need to look deeper, sometimes a villain isn't always a villain. And I wish I could rewrite that play."
"But Sarah, that's not how its supposed to work. The hero is supposed to crush the villain! And then rescue the maiden and live happily ever after with her. It's just how things work. Happily ever after, forever, and nothing bad ever happens to them again." He looked up at his sister, a sad smile somehow marring the angelic face, "And nothing bad ever happens after that." His simple logic tore at her heart. Sarah turned away and threw on her denim jacket, heading around the corner, wiping her misting eyes. He was so sweet, so innocent. She grabbed her purse and walked down the hall to the front door, calling back over her shoulder.
"That, my dear little brother, is neither here nor there. Now, we have to get to the school, you are on in an hour! Dad and Karen and Maggie will meet us there. Get your coat, it may be spring, but it is still cold out." Sarah stopped at the door, calling again to Toby as she didn't here his footsteps. "C'mon ya little monster – hurry up!"
Only silence answered her, an eerie silence that cut through her stomach like a serrated knife. Standing at the door, Sarah was assailed with the feeling that something wasn't right. Her breath began to pound in her lungs in short wounding breaths. Something was wrong – it screamed in her mind that something was wrong. In fact something was very wrong, Toby should have been right behind her, but only silence greeted her. "Toby, c'mon." She called, panic beginning to rise in her chest. She started walking back down the entry hallway, back to the room they had been standing in seconds before. "Toby? This isn't funny kiddo. Please?" Sarah called, fear on the edge of her voice.
She rounded the corner, somehow knowing what she was going to see but still unprepared for the scene before her. Sarah gasped, shock threatening to cloud her thoughts. There he was, he baby brother, sprawled on the floor, a tiny line of blood running from his nose. He looked so small, his wooden sword lay still at his side. Sarah ran to him and fell to her knees beside him, roughly shaking him, calling his name. "Toby! Toby please, c'mon baby, c'mon!"
She didn't remember calling 911, didn't remember the ambulance coming, didn't remember her father wrapping his arms around her, Karen sobbing into her shoulder. The only thing she remembered was the paramedics saying he was gone, saying that it was an aneurism, that these things just sometimes happen, and then she knelt beside his small cold body, pulling the small oxygen mask off of his face, and cradled his head, singing quietly to his still form, letting her tears fall to his face to mix with his blood stained cheeks. "I saw my baby, trying hard as babe could try, what could I do? C'mon Toby, you remember? My baby's love had gone, and left my baby blue, no body knew. Please wake up little brother. Please. I'll do anything...anything...I promise. What kind of magic spell to use...........Please Toby..........please..." Her father had gently lifted her from the child's form, and the world moved in slow motion. Her ears hear nothing as she screamed and tried with all of her strength to pull away from him, to stop the paramedics from taking her brother away, she pulled with all her strength, screaming and kicking against father, she scratched and fought, but in the end, she could only run to the driveway and watch with numbed eyes as the lights of the ambulance pulled away from view, and the cold rain began to fall mixing with her tears. Her sobs echoed into the night unheard.
Sarah didn't jolt awake, didn't gasp in horror at reliving the events of seven months ago, she just slowly opened her eyes and stared out into the darkness and sighed – every night the same dream. Her whole body was tense, it was the first time in her dream she had remembered singing to her baby brother, singing the song that had once made his smile as a baby, and laugh as she tried desperately to 'rescue' him. Something she had not been able to do all those months past. She remembered the song wafting through the Labyrinth as she had tried to mark her way, remembered Toby's laughter mixing with the cackling goblins, remembered the sweet voice that sang to the child. She closed her eyes to try and block out the memories, but the smiling face of a sweet 13-year old only greeted her when her lids fell. Unwanted and unbidden tears fell again. She figured she shouldn't have any left given the number she had cried. She opened her eyes and stared out into the blackness again, letting the sound of the cold rain warm her. She had no idea how long she had slept, or what time it was. She stared up at the stars, wondering if they knew how much time had passed. Time. If only she could have gone back in time, could have stopped time.
I have reordered time......I have done it all for you......
The thought sent a chill through her very being. She had thought once before of asking him, but had dismissed the idea – he wouldn't come to her, she had beaten him, humiliated him. He hated her. Her romantic mind had once conjured the idea that he had fallen in love with her, but quite the contrary, she had fallen in love with him. Ever since that moment when he had stood there, offering her the world, she wished she could have rewritten the story. She had fallen in love with him, with the villain, and she knew it now, far too late. She could have offered a trade, could have asked him to......god, she didn't know. But instead, she had thrown it back in his face, humiliated him, defeated him. At the same time, she had defeated herself. And for what? Toby was gone, and no trial by Labyrinth would bring him back to her. Nothing now. Would he even come?
But the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl......
The thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance and the rain continued its careless assault. Defeated, torn and broken, she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, and on that breath whispered his name "Jareth". The thunder rolled relentlessly in the distance as she closed her tired eyes once more, leaning against the frigid pane, whispering once more into the darkness "Jareth, please."
She didn't turn, didn't gasp in fear, didn't move from where she sat with her legs pulled to her chest when the lights began to flicker and a window in another room burst open and a snow white owl flew into the room she sat in, still staring out the window. She didn't react when before her stood the King of the Goblins, dressed head to toe in black, his very presence enough to make any other mortal fall to their knees and beg forgiveness.
His cold countenance stared at the girl sitting beside the widow, looking frail. Could this image of wretchedness before him be his Sarah? He stood impassive, staring at the frail creature clutching her knees in the darkness, looking more like a child than when he had left her 13 years ago.
Still staring out the window, in a voice barely audible, she spoke "Would he have lived had I lost?"
Jareth sat in his private study going over papers for tomorrows affairs. His grey tunic open and slightly disheveled, reaching unchecked about a quarter of the way down his black breeches. He sat running his fingers through his unnaturally erratic hair while weary mismatched eyes scanned the documents sprawled out before him.
The room was large and richly decorated with mahogany book shelves lining every wall, stuffed with parchment and tomes of literature, and rich furniture in deep reds and golds. On one wall a large purple fire quietly radiated heat and light in the room. Besides Jareth's large desk, covered in papers, and his large black chair, there were two other plush chairs that sat opposite the table and two large lounges in front of the fire. Upon one such chaise, lounged another Fae, his light brown and reddish hair tied back, a loose black tunic and breeches adorned his body, as well as leather boots. He looked as though he could have been Jareth's brother, if it weren't for the impish glint in his eye. A rougish smile played about his lips as he got up and walked to his friend, bringing him a glass of amber liquor.
"Why do you torture yourself over such matters, Jareth?" Ronin let out an overly dramatic exasperated sigh, dropping into a chair opposite an amused looking King. "If you weren't my cousin I would seriously think about smacking some sense into you. Of course I would only serve to have myself dipped into the bog, but that would only be if you could catch me!" Ronin winked at his friend, who seemed to be desperately trying to ignore him. Placing a hand on the scolling paper Jareth was in the midst of reading in an attempt to gain his attention, Ronin continued, "Who honestly cares about this ridiculous petty border dispute? Besides, the elfin ball is in two weeks. Elana will be there as will Clarinese and Joylisce, and of course Reaina. Mmmmmmm, she is a fine one, I know you two used to be, er, close. That is far more interesting than the gnomes arguing that their border is three inches inward from where it should be given underground tectonic plate movement over the past seven thousand years. Honestly Jareth, please stop worrying about such things. It is so boring. So why do you torture yourself, and me for that matter?"
"You know the answer to that my friend, because if such matters are not tended to then..."
"Then the whole of the underground will fall into chaos." Ronin finished, in an overly dramtic fashion, trying to imitate the melodic voice of the King, waving his arms about as if to elaborate on the sheer ridiculousness of the statement. "Right, right, right. That is the story you can tell everyone else my friend. But what is the truth." Jareth looked back down at the papers he had been studying, the smile slipping from his face. "Jareth, how long have we known one another?"
"I am beginning to think too long." Jareth sighed, he knew where this conversation was going, but time passed differently here. Thirteen years may as well have been thirteen hours. He knew that, for an immortal, time held so little consequence, but for anyone else, it was real, tangible, and it meant forgetting. "Please, Ronin, not tonight. Not again."
"For thirteen years, Jareth, for thirteen years you have waited for her. She is not coming back. She was a child."
His voice low, Jareth slowly raised his head locking his cold mismatched eyes with his friend's warm brown ones. He knew that Ronin was right, but until the day that she died, he would hold out hope. And on the day she died was the day that he would vow never to love again. "Enough Ronin. You may be a prince, but I am King and you are a guest in my Kingdom. Do not think to assume you know what is best for me and do not presume to know my heart."
"Do not presume? Damnit Jareth! You have a mural of her behind your desk!" With that, Ronin motioned to the painting behind Jareth's desk, of a young woman in a field, a look of love and quiet happiness upon her perfect features, her long dark hair reaching to her waist, her soft eyes staring down upon the desk with a look of sheer love refected. Ronin sighed, a heavy sigh, one that echoed the worry and pain of thirteen years of watching his friend without the hope of love. When she had defeated him, he had refused to believe that she couldn't have seen the love in his eyes, insisted that she needed time, and time he had given her, knowing in his heart that she would one day call to him. But she hadn't, and in time, he stopped looking in on her, the pain being too real, the thought of her with other men was one that he could not bear. The proud Goblin King would not go to her, not until she called. He would not offer himself twice. And so Ronin watched his friend, who once had every woman in the Seelie Court vying for even a glance from his mismatched eyes, turn away from any prospect of love, merely taking lovers as he saw fit, his kingdom became the center of his attentions.
"I am King, Ronin, and when you become King of the Fae you will understand that matters of the land you rule come before carnal pleasures and the frivolity of love." The sternness in his voice caused Ronin, to look away. He had never heard Jareth give up so entirely on love. But Jareth did not relent his angry gaze. He was irate that his friend had brought it up yet again.
Looking back up, Ronin changed the subject, a broad smile again on his handsome face. "So will you be attending the elfin ball? Myra will be so disappointed if you don't show. There will be a big grand announcement and all. And you know how she can be when she doesn't get her way. Remember last year?"
Jareth let out a half chuckle at the thought of the delicate little elfin princess pouting, then reasoning, and in the end and throwing a veritable temper tantrum that he did not show. She was also a dear friend to the King, and had worried on his state of affairs for years. She was also the betrothed of Ronin, and, to Jareth's account, more than roguish prince could handle.
"I will attend, on one condition."
"And what is that?" Although Ronin knew the condition. Jareth had made the same request several times before, but Ronin always had found a loophole.
"Please my friend, no more talk of love. No more talk of her." Jareth's tone was cold, and Ronin knew that he meant it this time. Thirteen years, Jareth had given her thirteen years, and he was not a patient man, but Ronin knew that for her he would have done anything and Ronin knew that he had given up.
"At your request, Jareth, I will never mention her name again." Ronin finished the last of his drink and set his glass down. A silence passed between the two, and Jareth offered his friend a curt nod of his head. "I will be off now, but I will see you in the morning for a ride, alright?"
Jareth nodded, and rose to clasp his friend's hand. Ronin was gone then, shimmering dust left in his wake. Picking up his drink Jareth moved to the chaise in front of the fire. He downed the burning liquid and set the empty glass upon the table. His thoughts turned to her as they did every night. It had been thirteen years, there was nothing left, not even hope.
He leaned back staring into the fire, visions of the dance they had shared once so long ago playing once more through his mind. He was alone, but that is truly how he preferred it now. He had tried to move on, but nothing had ever compared to her, and he realized too late, that he had given his heart to a mortal who would be released from life in a few short decades, while he would bear the scars for eternity. He had been angry at first and had thought of taking her from the Above, in time she would have grown to love him, he was sure. But always, always there was the thought of choice. If she did not choose to be by his side, choose to love him, to fear him, then she would never truly be his. Ahhhh, he thought to himself, there was the rub.
"I was then, as I am now your slave, my Sarah. It is my fate."
Closing his eyes, he prepared to sink into sleep when he heard his name whispered. He sat bolt up, knowing it couldn't be her, knowing it was just his mind playing tricks once more, the alcohol conjuring voices in his mind. But she called again with a sadness, and urgency, and he knew it was her from the energy that radiated through his being. In an instant he was gone, crossing the plane to her world, to her call, taking the form of his bestial self. His white owl flew into her room, and the sight before him nearly stole his breath. His beautiful angel looked as though she had withered, as if some part of her soul had been shattered. She sat alone, too pale and thin to be real, clutching her knees in the dark. He had no idea why she had called him after all of these years, but he dared not question fate, she had called – one way or another he would have his closure. He stood before her, as he had once thirteen years ago, decked fully in black, his hair wild, his face a mask of stone. Neither of them moved, she did turn, didn't look up at him. He saw the tear stains on her face, but dared not make a move, though so desperately did he want to take her in his arms and heal what had hurt her. Her small voice shattered the silence, "Would he have lived had I lost?"
"Sarah?" Jareth questioned, a look of confusion breaking through the stone mask.
She turned to look at him full on, meeting his eyes, she drew in her breath sharply, forgetting how perfect, how impossibly beautiful he was. She licked her dry lips and stood, shakily walking towards him. "Please, Jareth, I know you must hate me, and I am so so so sorry," her voice began to falter, she breathed deep to regain her strength, and with renewed focus, she continued, her eyes meeting his once more, "but I need to know, would he have lived if I had lost to you?"
"Sarah I do not know why you called me here if only to ask me questions I do not understand. If you have no use for me other than this, I shall take my leave." Jareth's voice was cold, impassive, but Sarah continued forward until she was only a few inches from his face. Jareth's heart pounded against his chest at her very nearness, but he would not move, his eyes searching hers, he knew that if he dropped his façade that there would be no going back, that he would take her back to the Underground, and damn the thought of choice. She was in pain, but he had to know why she had called him. She was so close that he could feel her breath against the skin of his chest, and he madly wanted to wrap his arms around her and never release her.
"Please," she pleaded, her voice stronger, "Don't go." She bit her lip, looking down at the floor, "It's Toby. He.......he....." shutting her eyes tightly, she rushed the words from her mouth without thought, "He died, seven months ago, I couldn't save him. I know you have every reason to hate me, to never want to see me, and why you came I don't even know, but tell me, you have to tell me, would he still be alive if he had stayed with you?"
Jareth took a step back, so many thoughts ran through his head, Toby was dead? Did Sarah think he had done this some how? She was sorry? Why would he hate her? "Sarah," he began his voice stern and warning, "Do you think that I somehow...." A horrified look appeared on Sarah's face as she stared up at him, "What? No, no, no, I know you would never, you were so, I just, if he had stayed with you, could he have been happy, would he have lived?" There was so much pain in her voice that Jareth could barely keep his countenance. He was shocked, she didn't think he was a monster. She kept apologizing, what did she think?
"Sarah, he would have lived, yes. But that is no longer an issue if he has passed."
"So it is my fault. I hurt you, and I killed him, all because I was a selfish little girl, who never understood...." Sarah's knees gave out, and she fell to the floor at Jareth's feet, sobbing. Kneeling in front of her, Jareth gathered her into his arms, and let her sob against his chest. She felt so small, she was so tired. At that, he knew there was nothing he could deny her.
"Sarah. Sarah, you need to look at me, now." Her red swollen eyes looked into his, begging for something, forgiveness? "There is a way I can help you, but the cost is great, and not one I am sure you will want to pay." His voice was quiet, calm, soothing.
"Anything. I will pay any price, please." Her body shook in his arms and he knew at that moment he would never let her go. She put her hand on his smooth chest, and he shivered at her touch.
"I can reorder time, I can take time back by seven months, but he will still die, unless..." he stopped seeing the look in her eyes, the look of hope, and he already knew her answer. "Unless a willing mortal life's energy can be taken to replace his, here Above. Yours."
Without a second thought, Sarah answered, "I will, I will give you my life, Jareth, just please, save him. Please?" She pleaded with him, there was no question, no second thought for her, and Jareth fell in love with her a thousand times in that moment.
"All memory of you here will be gone, no one will ever know you existed, Sarah, your life Above for his Above, you can never return here, do you understand?"
"Yes, please, will you do this for me? Take my life for his?"
"I would do anything for you, Sarah. I thought you knew that." His mismatched eyes locked with hers. They sat there on cold floor, just looking into one another's eyes, Sarah inched closer, shaking, she reached up letting her hand touch the soft skin of his cheek, running her fingers down his cheek, letting them rest at the curve of his mouth. She cupped his chin, and moved closer, letting her lips gently brush against his, she closed her eyes and whispered, "Thank you for this. Jareth, I, I never meant to hurt you. I know it might mean nothing now that my life is over, but I have always loved you, Jareth." Without waiting for his reply, knowing her life was forfeit, but still afraid of what he might say, she pushed her lips deeper against his, wrapping her arms around his neck. Jareth returned the kiss in full, his hands weaving into her hair. His only thought was that she loved him, he loved her, his life was complete. As their kiss deepened, the clocks in the room began to roll backwards, the weaving of his magic intertwined with their kiss. Unable to stop himself, his tongue claimed her mouth in passionate sweeping strokes, meeting the velvet of her own. She was his, in this moment, and as the final workings of his magic took effect, she lost consciousness, and lay prone against his chest.
The two, still entangled in one another, were no longer in her apartment Above, but now Underground. She lay sleeping in his arms, on the chaise in his study. His powers nearly spent, his kissed his love's forehead, and laid down beside her, too tired to sleep, and afraid if he looked away even for a moment, that she would be gone. Thirteen long years, and his prayers had been answered.
Jareth wasn't sure if she had understood that her life Above was over, her mortal energy would be gone, given to the boy. Not sure if she understood that she was now his, tied to him, bound to his own immortality. He hadn't been given time to explain, she had kissed him so deeply that all reason had fled his thought. He could never have let her die, it wasn't even an option. In their kiss, he had brought them both back here, Underground. And as he had kissed her, he had infused her with his own magic, tying her to him, bonding their immortality. She would live forever beside him. It had taken so much of his strength, but there had been no other choice. Jareth smiled to himself, feeling her at peace. If he had told her, would she have admitted all she had to him? No, he thought, probably not. But that, would be discussed tomorrow.
I got bored with my other one – and inspiration struck – enjoy & I will update soon.
Chapter 1
13
'Happy 27th Sarah' the voice on the other end of the phone was too cheery. Sarah sighed and stared out the window of her Soho apartment. It was a gray, cold October afternoon and the rain pelted at the window in slow, dizzying drops. The voice at the other end of her cell demanded attention "Are you there, Kitten? Hello?"
"Yeah, Karen, I'm here. Thanks. And thanks for the card, I got it this morning." Sarah hadn't felt like answering the phone this afternoon, but when she had seen the Pennsylvania area code, she knew that her father and step-mother would keep calling until she answered, and if she didn't answer, they would be on the next flight to New York knocking down her door. Such was state of affairs at the moment for the Williams.
"You know, honey, you really should consider coming home for the weekend. Your father and I can get a ticket for you and see you as soon as tomorrow night. Maggie would love to see you, and it would be good for you, it really would." Karen's voice was almost pleading with her now, Sarah sighed, she just wanted to be alone, and the last thing she wanted to see was a young child, even if it was her half sister. She loved Maggie, but there wasn't the bond there that there had been with Toby. Maybe it was because Maggie was so much younger, maybe because she had never traversed dangers untold to be reunited with her, maybe there was just no room left in her heart.
"Thanks Karen, but really, I have so much to finish up here that it would be better if, if I just stayed here for awhile." Sarah leaned her forehead against the small window, letting the cold glass clear her mind. Tears started to build again and fall into her sweater. She was always cold these days, she had lost so much weight she was nearly a ghost. The size four jeans she wore were baggy to the point where they sat well below her hips, and if one could have seen through her thin grey sweater, they could have easily counted her ribs.
"We are so worried about you, Sarah. Please at least promise me you will think about it. We haven't seen you in seven months, since the...."
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, just been really busy." Sarah's clipped response told Karen it was time to stop mothering her step daughter. The two had grown so close over the years, Sarah thought of her as a mother, more so than her biological mother whom she never saw and had faded from her life. There was a time when Sarah had collected articles, posters, and any mention of her mother – but she had long since stopped. She had a family, and it was centered around her baby brother and, through it all, Karen had come to love her as a daughter. But now, Sarah couldn't bring herself to even look at her family. She felt so responsible, she should have been able to protect him – she always had, she was his guardian, his hero. It wasn't right now, it wasn't fair. "I should get going, I have a layout to finish for the magazine. Deadline tomorrow and all." Sarah's monotone voice, brought a sigh from the other end of the phone.
"Alright, well your father and sister say they love you, and wish you a happy birthday."
"Yeah, you too." And with that Sarah hung up the phone, not even waiting for a response, and let it fall from her hand, and sunk into the pillowed bench beside the window and stared out into nothingness, letting sleep claim her, letting the rain drift her away into the supposed bliss of sleep.
"Are you kidding! I wouldn't have missed it for the world! Toby I am so proud of you!" Sarah exclaimed, squeezing her brother in a bear hug. It was his first play, he was 13 and he was Tybalt in the junior high production of Romeo and Juliet – abridged of course.
"But I'm the villain, Sarah. I wanted to be the hero, like you always were in the plays and stuff. You're not disappointed are you?" His mismatched eyes stared up at her, as if her answer would decide whether or not his world would fall down. His hand clutched his wooden sword that their father had made for him for the play. He clutched it so hard that his knuckles were nearly white.
"I'll tell you a secret." Sarah said, a small half smile creeping onto her lips. As the words formed in her lips, a faraway sad look played across her pale face. "The greatest loves are sprung from the deepest hates, to paraphrase your play."
"Ewwwwww – Sarah you are so gross." Toby remarked scrunching up his nose.
"Huh, oh sorry, what I meant was the best parts to play are the villains – you get to have all the fun in the world and you don't have to follow the rules – you get to make 'em! Whatever they are. In truth, little guy, they are my most favorite roles."
"Really? You aren't just saying that are you?"
"Never. In fact, I was in a kind of play once, with this, ah, villain, and I wished that" Sarah shook her head, smiling to herself "....nevermind, kiddo."
"No tell me!" Toby practically demanded, staring into her face with all the seriousness that a 13 year old could muster. For an eighth grader, he seemed to exude the maturity of a lifetime.
"Let's just say I would give anything to have rewritten the play, so that the heroine could have lived forever with the villain. Things aren't always what they same, kiddo. I learned that the hard way. I mean, in your play, Tybalt is just looking out for Juliet, right? So he is a villain, but his intentions aren't what they seem. I'm just saying, you need to look deeper, sometimes a villain isn't always a villain. And I wish I could rewrite that play."
"But Sarah, that's not how its supposed to work. The hero is supposed to crush the villain! And then rescue the maiden and live happily ever after with her. It's just how things work. Happily ever after, forever, and nothing bad ever happens to them again." He looked up at his sister, a sad smile somehow marring the angelic face, "And nothing bad ever happens after that." His simple logic tore at her heart. Sarah turned away and threw on her denim jacket, heading around the corner, wiping her misting eyes. He was so sweet, so innocent. She grabbed her purse and walked down the hall to the front door, calling back over her shoulder.
"That, my dear little brother, is neither here nor there. Now, we have to get to the school, you are on in an hour! Dad and Karen and Maggie will meet us there. Get your coat, it may be spring, but it is still cold out." Sarah stopped at the door, calling again to Toby as she didn't here his footsteps. "C'mon ya little monster – hurry up!"
Only silence answered her, an eerie silence that cut through her stomach like a serrated knife. Standing at the door, Sarah was assailed with the feeling that something wasn't right. Her breath began to pound in her lungs in short wounding breaths. Something was wrong – it screamed in her mind that something was wrong. In fact something was very wrong, Toby should have been right behind her, but only silence greeted her. "Toby, c'mon." She called, panic beginning to rise in her chest. She started walking back down the entry hallway, back to the room they had been standing in seconds before. "Toby? This isn't funny kiddo. Please?" Sarah called, fear on the edge of her voice.
She rounded the corner, somehow knowing what she was going to see but still unprepared for the scene before her. Sarah gasped, shock threatening to cloud her thoughts. There he was, he baby brother, sprawled on the floor, a tiny line of blood running from his nose. He looked so small, his wooden sword lay still at his side. Sarah ran to him and fell to her knees beside him, roughly shaking him, calling his name. "Toby! Toby please, c'mon baby, c'mon!"
She didn't remember calling 911, didn't remember the ambulance coming, didn't remember her father wrapping his arms around her, Karen sobbing into her shoulder. The only thing she remembered was the paramedics saying he was gone, saying that it was an aneurism, that these things just sometimes happen, and then she knelt beside his small cold body, pulling the small oxygen mask off of his face, and cradled his head, singing quietly to his still form, letting her tears fall to his face to mix with his blood stained cheeks. "I saw my baby, trying hard as babe could try, what could I do? C'mon Toby, you remember? My baby's love had gone, and left my baby blue, no body knew. Please wake up little brother. Please. I'll do anything...anything...I promise. What kind of magic spell to use...........Please Toby..........please..." Her father had gently lifted her from the child's form, and the world moved in slow motion. Her ears hear nothing as she screamed and tried with all of her strength to pull away from him, to stop the paramedics from taking her brother away, she pulled with all her strength, screaming and kicking against father, she scratched and fought, but in the end, she could only run to the driveway and watch with numbed eyes as the lights of the ambulance pulled away from view, and the cold rain began to fall mixing with her tears. Her sobs echoed into the night unheard.
Sarah didn't jolt awake, didn't gasp in horror at reliving the events of seven months ago, she just slowly opened her eyes and stared out into the darkness and sighed – every night the same dream. Her whole body was tense, it was the first time in her dream she had remembered singing to her baby brother, singing the song that had once made his smile as a baby, and laugh as she tried desperately to 'rescue' him. Something she had not been able to do all those months past. She remembered the song wafting through the Labyrinth as she had tried to mark her way, remembered Toby's laughter mixing with the cackling goblins, remembered the sweet voice that sang to the child. She closed her eyes to try and block out the memories, but the smiling face of a sweet 13-year old only greeted her when her lids fell. Unwanted and unbidden tears fell again. She figured she shouldn't have any left given the number she had cried. She opened her eyes and stared out into the blackness again, letting the sound of the cold rain warm her. She had no idea how long she had slept, or what time it was. She stared up at the stars, wondering if they knew how much time had passed. Time. If only she could have gone back in time, could have stopped time.
I have reordered time......I have done it all for you......
The thought sent a chill through her very being. She had thought once before of asking him, but had dismissed the idea – he wouldn't come to her, she had beaten him, humiliated him. He hated her. Her romantic mind had once conjured the idea that he had fallen in love with her, but quite the contrary, she had fallen in love with him. Ever since that moment when he had stood there, offering her the world, she wished she could have rewritten the story. She had fallen in love with him, with the villain, and she knew it now, far too late. She could have offered a trade, could have asked him to......god, she didn't know. But instead, she had thrown it back in his face, humiliated him, defeated him. At the same time, she had defeated herself. And for what? Toby was gone, and no trial by Labyrinth would bring him back to her. Nothing now. Would he even come?
But the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl......
The thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance and the rain continued its careless assault. Defeated, torn and broken, she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, and on that breath whispered his name "Jareth". The thunder rolled relentlessly in the distance as she closed her tired eyes once more, leaning against the frigid pane, whispering once more into the darkness "Jareth, please."
She didn't turn, didn't gasp in fear, didn't move from where she sat with her legs pulled to her chest when the lights began to flicker and a window in another room burst open and a snow white owl flew into the room she sat in, still staring out the window. She didn't react when before her stood the King of the Goblins, dressed head to toe in black, his very presence enough to make any other mortal fall to their knees and beg forgiveness.
His cold countenance stared at the girl sitting beside the widow, looking frail. Could this image of wretchedness before him be his Sarah? He stood impassive, staring at the frail creature clutching her knees in the darkness, looking more like a child than when he had left her 13 years ago.
Still staring out the window, in a voice barely audible, she spoke "Would he have lived had I lost?"
Jareth sat in his private study going over papers for tomorrows affairs. His grey tunic open and slightly disheveled, reaching unchecked about a quarter of the way down his black breeches. He sat running his fingers through his unnaturally erratic hair while weary mismatched eyes scanned the documents sprawled out before him.
The room was large and richly decorated with mahogany book shelves lining every wall, stuffed with parchment and tomes of literature, and rich furniture in deep reds and golds. On one wall a large purple fire quietly radiated heat and light in the room. Besides Jareth's large desk, covered in papers, and his large black chair, there were two other plush chairs that sat opposite the table and two large lounges in front of the fire. Upon one such chaise, lounged another Fae, his light brown and reddish hair tied back, a loose black tunic and breeches adorned his body, as well as leather boots. He looked as though he could have been Jareth's brother, if it weren't for the impish glint in his eye. A rougish smile played about his lips as he got up and walked to his friend, bringing him a glass of amber liquor.
"Why do you torture yourself over such matters, Jareth?" Ronin let out an overly dramatic exasperated sigh, dropping into a chair opposite an amused looking King. "If you weren't my cousin I would seriously think about smacking some sense into you. Of course I would only serve to have myself dipped into the bog, but that would only be if you could catch me!" Ronin winked at his friend, who seemed to be desperately trying to ignore him. Placing a hand on the scolling paper Jareth was in the midst of reading in an attempt to gain his attention, Ronin continued, "Who honestly cares about this ridiculous petty border dispute? Besides, the elfin ball is in two weeks. Elana will be there as will Clarinese and Joylisce, and of course Reaina. Mmmmmmm, she is a fine one, I know you two used to be, er, close. That is far more interesting than the gnomes arguing that their border is three inches inward from where it should be given underground tectonic plate movement over the past seven thousand years. Honestly Jareth, please stop worrying about such things. It is so boring. So why do you torture yourself, and me for that matter?"
"You know the answer to that my friend, because if such matters are not tended to then..."
"Then the whole of the underground will fall into chaos." Ronin finished, in an overly dramtic fashion, trying to imitate the melodic voice of the King, waving his arms about as if to elaborate on the sheer ridiculousness of the statement. "Right, right, right. That is the story you can tell everyone else my friend. But what is the truth." Jareth looked back down at the papers he had been studying, the smile slipping from his face. "Jareth, how long have we known one another?"
"I am beginning to think too long." Jareth sighed, he knew where this conversation was going, but time passed differently here. Thirteen years may as well have been thirteen hours. He knew that, for an immortal, time held so little consequence, but for anyone else, it was real, tangible, and it meant forgetting. "Please, Ronin, not tonight. Not again."
"For thirteen years, Jareth, for thirteen years you have waited for her. She is not coming back. She was a child."
His voice low, Jareth slowly raised his head locking his cold mismatched eyes with his friend's warm brown ones. He knew that Ronin was right, but until the day that she died, he would hold out hope. And on the day she died was the day that he would vow never to love again. "Enough Ronin. You may be a prince, but I am King and you are a guest in my Kingdom. Do not think to assume you know what is best for me and do not presume to know my heart."
"Do not presume? Damnit Jareth! You have a mural of her behind your desk!" With that, Ronin motioned to the painting behind Jareth's desk, of a young woman in a field, a look of love and quiet happiness upon her perfect features, her long dark hair reaching to her waist, her soft eyes staring down upon the desk with a look of sheer love refected. Ronin sighed, a heavy sigh, one that echoed the worry and pain of thirteen years of watching his friend without the hope of love. When she had defeated him, he had refused to believe that she couldn't have seen the love in his eyes, insisted that she needed time, and time he had given her, knowing in his heart that she would one day call to him. But she hadn't, and in time, he stopped looking in on her, the pain being too real, the thought of her with other men was one that he could not bear. The proud Goblin King would not go to her, not until she called. He would not offer himself twice. And so Ronin watched his friend, who once had every woman in the Seelie Court vying for even a glance from his mismatched eyes, turn away from any prospect of love, merely taking lovers as he saw fit, his kingdom became the center of his attentions.
"I am King, Ronin, and when you become King of the Fae you will understand that matters of the land you rule come before carnal pleasures and the frivolity of love." The sternness in his voice caused Ronin, to look away. He had never heard Jareth give up so entirely on love. But Jareth did not relent his angry gaze. He was irate that his friend had brought it up yet again.
Looking back up, Ronin changed the subject, a broad smile again on his handsome face. "So will you be attending the elfin ball? Myra will be so disappointed if you don't show. There will be a big grand announcement and all. And you know how she can be when she doesn't get her way. Remember last year?"
Jareth let out a half chuckle at the thought of the delicate little elfin princess pouting, then reasoning, and in the end and throwing a veritable temper tantrum that he did not show. She was also a dear friend to the King, and had worried on his state of affairs for years. She was also the betrothed of Ronin, and, to Jareth's account, more than roguish prince could handle.
"I will attend, on one condition."
"And what is that?" Although Ronin knew the condition. Jareth had made the same request several times before, but Ronin always had found a loophole.
"Please my friend, no more talk of love. No more talk of her." Jareth's tone was cold, and Ronin knew that he meant it this time. Thirteen years, Jareth had given her thirteen years, and he was not a patient man, but Ronin knew that for her he would have done anything and Ronin knew that he had given up.
"At your request, Jareth, I will never mention her name again." Ronin finished the last of his drink and set his glass down. A silence passed between the two, and Jareth offered his friend a curt nod of his head. "I will be off now, but I will see you in the morning for a ride, alright?"
Jareth nodded, and rose to clasp his friend's hand. Ronin was gone then, shimmering dust left in his wake. Picking up his drink Jareth moved to the chaise in front of the fire. He downed the burning liquid and set the empty glass upon the table. His thoughts turned to her as they did every night. It had been thirteen years, there was nothing left, not even hope.
He leaned back staring into the fire, visions of the dance they had shared once so long ago playing once more through his mind. He was alone, but that is truly how he preferred it now. He had tried to move on, but nothing had ever compared to her, and he realized too late, that he had given his heart to a mortal who would be released from life in a few short decades, while he would bear the scars for eternity. He had been angry at first and had thought of taking her from the Above, in time she would have grown to love him, he was sure. But always, always there was the thought of choice. If she did not choose to be by his side, choose to love him, to fear him, then she would never truly be his. Ahhhh, he thought to himself, there was the rub.
"I was then, as I am now your slave, my Sarah. It is my fate."
Closing his eyes, he prepared to sink into sleep when he heard his name whispered. He sat bolt up, knowing it couldn't be her, knowing it was just his mind playing tricks once more, the alcohol conjuring voices in his mind. But she called again with a sadness, and urgency, and he knew it was her from the energy that radiated through his being. In an instant he was gone, crossing the plane to her world, to her call, taking the form of his bestial self. His white owl flew into her room, and the sight before him nearly stole his breath. His beautiful angel looked as though she had withered, as if some part of her soul had been shattered. She sat alone, too pale and thin to be real, clutching her knees in the dark. He had no idea why she had called him after all of these years, but he dared not question fate, she had called – one way or another he would have his closure. He stood before her, as he had once thirteen years ago, decked fully in black, his hair wild, his face a mask of stone. Neither of them moved, she did turn, didn't look up at him. He saw the tear stains on her face, but dared not make a move, though so desperately did he want to take her in his arms and heal what had hurt her. Her small voice shattered the silence, "Would he have lived had I lost?"
"Sarah?" Jareth questioned, a look of confusion breaking through the stone mask.
She turned to look at him full on, meeting his eyes, she drew in her breath sharply, forgetting how perfect, how impossibly beautiful he was. She licked her dry lips and stood, shakily walking towards him. "Please, Jareth, I know you must hate me, and I am so so so sorry," her voice began to falter, she breathed deep to regain her strength, and with renewed focus, she continued, her eyes meeting his once more, "but I need to know, would he have lived if I had lost to you?"
"Sarah I do not know why you called me here if only to ask me questions I do not understand. If you have no use for me other than this, I shall take my leave." Jareth's voice was cold, impassive, but Sarah continued forward until she was only a few inches from his face. Jareth's heart pounded against his chest at her very nearness, but he would not move, his eyes searching hers, he knew that if he dropped his façade that there would be no going back, that he would take her back to the Underground, and damn the thought of choice. She was in pain, but he had to know why she had called him. She was so close that he could feel her breath against the skin of his chest, and he madly wanted to wrap his arms around her and never release her.
"Please," she pleaded, her voice stronger, "Don't go." She bit her lip, looking down at the floor, "It's Toby. He.......he....." shutting her eyes tightly, she rushed the words from her mouth without thought, "He died, seven months ago, I couldn't save him. I know you have every reason to hate me, to never want to see me, and why you came I don't even know, but tell me, you have to tell me, would he still be alive if he had stayed with you?"
Jareth took a step back, so many thoughts ran through his head, Toby was dead? Did Sarah think he had done this some how? She was sorry? Why would he hate her? "Sarah," he began his voice stern and warning, "Do you think that I somehow...." A horrified look appeared on Sarah's face as she stared up at him, "What? No, no, no, I know you would never, you were so, I just, if he had stayed with you, could he have been happy, would he have lived?" There was so much pain in her voice that Jareth could barely keep his countenance. He was shocked, she didn't think he was a monster. She kept apologizing, what did she think?
"Sarah, he would have lived, yes. But that is no longer an issue if he has passed."
"So it is my fault. I hurt you, and I killed him, all because I was a selfish little girl, who never understood...." Sarah's knees gave out, and she fell to the floor at Jareth's feet, sobbing. Kneeling in front of her, Jareth gathered her into his arms, and let her sob against his chest. She felt so small, she was so tired. At that, he knew there was nothing he could deny her.
"Sarah. Sarah, you need to look at me, now." Her red swollen eyes looked into his, begging for something, forgiveness? "There is a way I can help you, but the cost is great, and not one I am sure you will want to pay." His voice was quiet, calm, soothing.
"Anything. I will pay any price, please." Her body shook in his arms and he knew at that moment he would never let her go. She put her hand on his smooth chest, and he shivered at her touch.
"I can reorder time, I can take time back by seven months, but he will still die, unless..." he stopped seeing the look in her eyes, the look of hope, and he already knew her answer. "Unless a willing mortal life's energy can be taken to replace his, here Above. Yours."
Without a second thought, Sarah answered, "I will, I will give you my life, Jareth, just please, save him. Please?" She pleaded with him, there was no question, no second thought for her, and Jareth fell in love with her a thousand times in that moment.
"All memory of you here will be gone, no one will ever know you existed, Sarah, your life Above for his Above, you can never return here, do you understand?"
"Yes, please, will you do this for me? Take my life for his?"
"I would do anything for you, Sarah. I thought you knew that." His mismatched eyes locked with hers. They sat there on cold floor, just looking into one another's eyes, Sarah inched closer, shaking, she reached up letting her hand touch the soft skin of his cheek, running her fingers down his cheek, letting them rest at the curve of his mouth. She cupped his chin, and moved closer, letting her lips gently brush against his, she closed her eyes and whispered, "Thank you for this. Jareth, I, I never meant to hurt you. I know it might mean nothing now that my life is over, but I have always loved you, Jareth." Without waiting for his reply, knowing her life was forfeit, but still afraid of what he might say, she pushed her lips deeper against his, wrapping her arms around his neck. Jareth returned the kiss in full, his hands weaving into her hair. His only thought was that she loved him, he loved her, his life was complete. As their kiss deepened, the clocks in the room began to roll backwards, the weaving of his magic intertwined with their kiss. Unable to stop himself, his tongue claimed her mouth in passionate sweeping strokes, meeting the velvet of her own. She was his, in this moment, and as the final workings of his magic took effect, she lost consciousness, and lay prone against his chest.
The two, still entangled in one another, were no longer in her apartment Above, but now Underground. She lay sleeping in his arms, on the chaise in his study. His powers nearly spent, his kissed his love's forehead, and laid down beside her, too tired to sleep, and afraid if he looked away even for a moment, that she would be gone. Thirteen long years, and his prayers had been answered.
Jareth wasn't sure if she had understood that her life Above was over, her mortal energy would be gone, given to the boy. Not sure if she understood that she was now his, tied to him, bound to his own immortality. He hadn't been given time to explain, she had kissed him so deeply that all reason had fled his thought. He could never have let her die, it wasn't even an option. In their kiss, he had brought them both back here, Underground. And as he had kissed her, he had infused her with his own magic, tying her to him, bonding their immortality. She would live forever beside him. It had taken so much of his strength, but there had been no other choice. Jareth smiled to himself, feeling her at peace. If he had told her, would she have admitted all she had to him? No, he thought, probably not. But that, would be discussed tomorrow.