A/N so this is a little one-shot, I've left it open in case I decide to expand. Just needed something to get my muse going again, I will be working on my other story The Storyteller and a new chapter will be up soon. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this one. It's a little dark but nothing too drastic.
Jareth sat glaring darkly at the crystal he held in his hand. He watched a dark-haired beauty as she spoke with her friends, gushing excitedly over some matter that escaped his interest. He snarled and threw the crystal at the wall.
"Six years has passed and yet she remains far out of my reach!" He shouted causing the goblins to scatter.
"I had thought my duty as King to be a living nightmare, only now I see that it was a gift in comparison to this hell I am now trapped in." He said solemnly.
His temperament had slowly grown worse over the years, at first, he had fallen into a deep despair, he would stand as still as a statue in the Escher room muttering her name under his breath. While he watched her in his crystal a silent tear would fall onto the glass but he would remain still. After that came hope that she would someday see him as more than a villain and would realise that the words he spoke in their final confrontation were true.
Two years ago he lost all hope, he had sent Hoggle to give her a letter from him. Jareth watched in his crystal as she took one look at the letter and tore it up. The pieces fell to the bed and Jareth slowly crushed the crystal into dust, he felt his heart breaking all over again.
His anger began to take over him and he became increasingly dark, his subjects began to fear him more than they ever did. They learned not to stick around when he was in one of his moods.
There had been very few runners these past few years and of those only two had attempted the labyrinth. To say that they did not make it very far would be an understatement and instead of returning them home with no child and no memories they now sat in separate oubliettes. The goblins didn't know what had happened to those who took their dreams and for that they were grateful. Jareth had always despised those too selfish to see the crime they had committed when wishing a child away.
"I wish the Goblins would take you away right now!" A shrill voice rang out over the labyrinth.
"Ah excellent it has been a while, I could use a little fun." Jareth smiled menacingly his thin lips peeling back and revealing his slightly pointed teeth.
Jareth appeared in a small bedroom, the room was empty except for a single bed, a cot and a woman cowering as she looked it him her eyes wide with terror.
"You're him aren't you, you're... she stammered.
"Yes yes, I'm the Goblin King. Really can't you pathetic creatures think of something else to say other than stating the obvious!" Jareth spat.
"Bring me, my son, back! Please, I didn't mean it, he just wouldn't stop crying! I just wanted to go to sleep." The woman sobbed.
"Now we both know that you meant it, had you not I wouldn't be here. Do you really want your screaming child back? I could offer you so much more." Jareth purred enticingly. He conjured a crystal and began rolling it back and forth between his hands
"What is it?" The woman asked almost hypnotized by the crystal.
"It's a crystal but not any ordinary crystal for it contains your dreams. If you take it I can show you your dreams." Jareth continued moving the crystal between his fingers.
"My dreams?" The woman looked longingly at the crystal.
"Yes and so much more than you could ever want." Jareth held the crystal towards her.
The woman rushed forward and snatched the crystal from his hand, as soon as it left Jareth's hand it began to glow. The woman screamed as she was sucked into the crystal. Jareth picked up the crystal and watched as the woman's dreams began to play out as she was forced to watch a version of herself living the dream while she remained invisible and silent to those in her dream world.
"I said it could show you your dreams not that you could obtain them. Now you can watch day after day exactly what you gave your son up for." Jareth laughed and tucked the crystal away before transforming into his owl form.
Just as he landed in his throne room another voice rang throughout the labyrinth.
"I wish the Goblin King would come here right now!" A woman's voice called almost disbelieving.
"Two wishes in one night and this is to be a personal summons must be my lucky day." Jareth disappeared again though this time he went alone.
The woman gasped as he appeared before her, she quickly backed away from him.
"I can't believe it your actually real!" She shouted.
"Really you don't say, well thank you for clearing that up for me," Jareth replied sarcastically.
"I told you he was was real." Another woman walked out of the bathroom and into the dimly lit bedroom.
Jareth turned towards her as a flare of recognition flooded through him. He conjured a crystal and threw it at the ceiling, the light swept through the room chasing away the darkness. Jareth stood staring at the woman that stood before him, she was even more beautiful than his crystal could ever show. She had grown tall and willows her t-shirt and tight fitting jeans showed off her womanly curves. Her dark hair hung loosely down her back longer than before. But her eyes oh those cruel eyes that had haunted him night after night, remained the same.
"Hello Jareth, it's been a long time hasn't it" She could not hold back the small smile as she watched Jareth remain still and speechless.
"Sarah!" Jareth finally managed to whisper.