Author note- Ok this is a short little one shot I (Scuzzle bug) wrote. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer- I, Scuzzle bug, do not own Labyrinth. I eat, sleep, clean, and live in the Labyrinth but I do not own it. Also the song Once Upon A Dream is from Jekyll & Hyde the musical with some slight editing on my part. Ok, so enough of this stupid discliamer. On with the story!
Jareth, Crown Prince of the Underground, Master of the Labyrinth, and King of the goblins, found himself sitting in the shattered remains of the crystal ballroom. He was dressed as he had been when he had held the infamous masquerade, for her. All for her. Everything he had done had been for Sarah, and yet she had rejected him. All he was left with was what remained of his broken heart.
He didn't understand what he had done wrong or why Sarah had refused him, but she had. She'd taken his gifts and thrown them right back into his face. The final offer had been his last attempt to make her stay with him. All he asked was for her to fear him, love him, and to do as he said and he would happily have been her slave. But no. She had to quote the damn book and proclaim he had no power over her. The crystal representation of his heart had been cast away and shattered.
He still felt the aching in his chest from where his heart had been metaphorically ripped out. Several times he had looked at his chest, expecting to see a gaping hole seeping with blood, but there was nothing there. Who could have known that the sweet, innocent Sarah could be more cruel than the villainous Goblin King?
Sighing, Jareth conjured a crystal, wincing as he did so, to gaze once more upon the beloved face of Sarah Williams. He replayed the scene of the masquerade several times but couldn't discern why she had run from him. Why she had left him standing alone like he had done to Alana?
Alana….Alana had been his best friend during his childhood and their friendship had developed into more as they grew older. She was the daughter of nobles from a neighboring kingdom that was known for it's high life society but unlike her family Alana was much more benign. When Jareth had become the Goblin King he had thought she would want nothing to do with him, considering goblins were one of the more lowly species, but to his surprise she had still graced him with her presence.
Over the years Alana spent more and more time in the Goblin Kingdom, getting to know the inhabitants, spending time with Jareth, and even braving the Labyrinth for fun. Eventually things between them became more serious and soon Jareth decided to propose marriage. Alana had accepted with tears of joy in her lovely silver eyes and they soon began planning the special day. As time went on however the couple started to drift apart and things between them became strained.
Jareth had never quite gotten over the fact that his parents had given him the Goblin Kingdom to rule over. It was remote and far away from his family. It caused him to feel slightly abandoned and having to deal with people wishing away their own young, it caused a great deal of unrest in the young Fae. Over time he grew bitter and cold, less and less of the kind and loving Jareth Alana had fallen in love with. They had many arguments leading up to their upcoming nuptials which only made Jareth angrier.
On the day of the wedding, Jareth had decided to fly to the Aboveground for a short while to clear his mind. It was there that he had come upon a young girl playing in the park. Sarah Williams captivated his attention and he ended up spending hours just watching her from a large obelisk. When he finally returned home he had missed his own wedding. His and the bride's family were furious with him. Alana was gone, forever. It was then that he sealed himself off from all other kingdoms and he became obsessed with the human girl named Sarah who was only eight at the time
Now, here he sat in the forgotten remains of the ballroom. The same place where his wedding would have taken place. Jareth laughed bitterly at the thought. He wondered if Sarah knew that she'd turned his world so upside down that he hadn't a chance of turning it right side up again. Destined to be alone in the mess he had created.
Suddenly, in the middle of his brooding, the Goblin King was interrupted from his thoughts by the sound of a strange melody drifting in the air. He knew he had not created it so that meant he was not alone. Some one was there with him, causing the hauntingly beautiful music, but he had no idea who.
Jareth knew he should feel angry but he couldn't find the strength. He just didn't care. So what if this person was watching him while he mused and pondered about his life's little tragedies. It didn't matter. Let them watch him in his agony over the loss of his heart. Hell, why not let them take his head too? The Goblin King hand never openly thought about suicide, but the longer he wallowed in this misery the more tempting the idea became. No one would miss me, he thought. Not his family, his kingdom, most definitely not Sarah. The only person who might have missed him was gone.
Once more Jareth lifted the crystal but it was not Sarah's image he conjured, no. It was the effigy of his long lost bride that he gazed upon. As he did he thought of all the wonderful things and moments they could have shared. Their wedding night, it would have been a night of delicious passion. The first child. Maybe two or three more little ones soon after. They would have ruled the Labyrinth and then the High Kingdom together. Birthdays, anniversaries, bedtime stories with the children, long talks by the fireplace. It was all too painful to think about and yet he did.
"Oh my precious Alana, we could have had it all," Jareth whispered softly, ignoring the music that swelled around him. "We would have been so happy, once upon a dream."
Suddenly a lovely voice filled the room and began singing softly.
When this all began
I knew there'd be a price to pay…
Once upon a dream
I was lost in love's embrace
There I found a perfect place
Once upon a dream
Once there was a time
Like no other time before
Hope was still an open door
Once upon a dream
Jareth looked around but the voice was not coming from one direction, it seemed to circle around him in all directions. He realized how hauntingly familiar the voice seemed and how easily it drew him in. He couldn't help himself and he closed his eyes, embracing the sweetly sung notes of the song.
And I was unafraid,
The dream was so exciting!
But now, I see it fade
And I am here alone.
The Goblin King felt a feather light touch skim across his shoulder. He tried to grab whatever it was but it moved away from him too quickly. The voice was clearer now, closer and much more familiar. The gentle alto was stirring something in Jareth's heart, something he thought had been dead not even a hour before this.
Once upon a dream
You were heaven sent to me
Was it never meant to be?
Was it just a dream?
Oh once there was a time
It was like no other time before
Hope was still and open door
Once upon a dream
Once more Jareth felt the thing brush his shoulder. Again he reached for it and this time his mysterious visitor did not slip away for his gloved hand met the flesh of a much smaller and delicate hand. The hand was warm and soft and the touch sent electricity into Jareth's veins. He felt his heart pounding against his chest and warmth spread though him.
Oh and I am so afraid
Though the dream is so exciting
I don't want to see it fade
I don't want to be alone
Once upon a dream
You were heaven sent to me
Is it meant to be?
Don't tell me it's just a dream
Still with his eyes closed and grasping the soft hand, he lead the person from behind him to stand in front of him. Their pulse was racing just as fast as his. Was she nervous? Scared of him? He prayed it wasn't so. That neither of them would run this time.
Could we begin again?
Once upon a dream…
Slowly, as though afraid this was a dream and he could awake at any moment, Jareth took a shaky breath and opened his eyes.
