I
Alternatively Yours
This website has chapter limits. Who knew? So, I am removing the early chapters and replacing them with bulk chapters in chunks of 5. Hope this works.
***Warning: This story contains an underage Sarah. Not usually what I write, but it's crucial to the story, and the plot only works if this begins almost precisely where the movie ends. Therefore, I have taken as much leeway as I could manage, given the parameters of the movie, and made Sarah as close to the legal age of consent as possible; in my jurisdiction that's sixteen. Also, there are brief references to rape/non-consensual sex not involving a main character. There are semi-graphic references to child abuse and the death of a child not involving a main character. These are used solely to further the plot and are done as tastefully as I can manage. As the title suggests, this is an alternative ending/continuation of the story.
Rated M (just to be safe) for semi-graphic scenes of consensual sexual activity
Pairing: Jareth/Sarah
Status: Complete I will be posting a couple of chapters every three days or so, so that I don't totally overwhelm you all with a novella length fan fiction. Also, this gives me a bit of time to re-write or add to upcoming sections based on feedback and comments received.
Length: Novella size. Word Count 97,751
Please note that this is my first foray into Labyrinth fan fiction. Reviews and any encouragement you care to offer are very much appreciated. I do not own Labyrinth in any form or fashion. I write fan fiction strictly for entertainment purposes and reap no financial rewards for doing so.
Special thanks to my totally awesome beta reader, Jessica, for her outstanding suggestions, comments, and for holding my hand through this.
Chapter 1
Sarah pressed forward, forcing the ivory and feather clad Goblin King to back step as she advanced through the Escher room. In its disjointed and floating state it defied even more laws of physics than it had previously. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered…I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City. For my will is as strong as yours…and my king…"
"Stop," the Goblin King interrupted. "Wait. Look, Sarah. Look what I'm offering you. Your dreams." He held forth the champagne colored crystal and for a moment Sarah's eyes drifted towards it, but she was not to be deterred so easily. She had already rejected her dreams for Toby's sake and she would do so as many times as necessary to secure his safe return.
"And my kingdom as great." Sarah resumed, stumbling, trying desperately to remember her right words from the novel. Time was nearly up as somewhere a clock began slowly chiming its inexorable way to thirteen.
"I ask for so little. Just let me rule you…and you can have everything that you want." A hint of desperation crept into Jareth's voice, and he mentally berated himself for revealing any weakness to her, however slight it may be.
"Kingdom as great…Damn. I can never remember that line," Sarah cursed and turned away slightly to concentrate, needing to look away from the strangely pale and alluring beauty of the Goblin King.
"Just fear me, love me, do as I say…and I will be your slave," he entreated. Something about those words struck a chord deep in her memory, but she had stopped listening in order to search her memory.
"My kingdom as great…My kingdom as great…" And then in a rush the right words came as she finally faced him fully, "You have no power over me!"
And in that moment, the decision was made. He wanted her. She was the one, the right one…to rule at his side forever as the Goblin Queen.
Jareth sighed. This same scene had played out now three separate times. He had re-ordered time after each declaration that he had no power over her in an attempt to alter an outcome that seemed inevitable. The stubborn girl simply wasn't listening, wasn't comprehending the totality of what it was he offered. The energy expenditure of re-ordering time was draining him; in conjunction with the energy he had already expended in fulfilling all of Sarah's expectations, this was his last chance. He simply wouldn't have the energy reserves to do it again. He must stop her declaration, find a way to break her concentration, to make her want his offer-to want him. Once more, then, they would play this game out.
"You have no pow…". With a quickness rivaling his owl form on the hunt, Jareth strode forward, pressed his lips to Sarah's, and kissed her. She gasped, clearly not expecting this; this was not the way things go in the novel. In a flash of inspiration, Jareth realized that the closest he had come previously to diverting Sarah had been in the ballroom, when her barriers had lifted for a time and she had craved the physical intimacy of their dance. He would use that knowledge now; now when they floated on a slab of stone in what once had been the Escher room; now when she had nowhere to run from her desires.
At Sarah's gasp, Jareth deepened the kiss, capturing fully her plump lower lip and sucking it lightly, breaking slightly to stroke his tongue gently against her own as he held her firmly against his body, one hand tangled in the long hair at the nape of her neck, the other pressed firmly, fingers splayed, across her lower back and hip.
Sarah trembled. Her body and mind at war. "Oh God, help me," her mind cried out silently. Jareth's mouth slanted against hers again and again, weakening her resolve and creating a low, building heat that seemed to pool in her abdomen and spread a languorous, drugging warmth through her veins. She wanted this…..She had to stop this. The clock was still chiming. Moving to take a step back she discovered that she could not. Surprised she realized that she had wound her arms around the Goblin King's shoulders and her hands were twined in his silky, silvery hair. Shuddering, she slid her hands to his shoulders and shakily, weakly, pushed him away while she struggled to speak and was shocked to hear her own voice come out in a breathy moan. "Toby…I have to..to…save…Toby.". In response Jareth slid his mouth to her ear, softly kissing and nuzzling along her jaw as he did so.
"But Sarah, you already have," he whispered, making her shiver as his hot breath fanned along her sensitive ear.
"No," Sarah whispered, "I have to…defeat..you…have to win back Toby." Her hands now gripped Jareth's shoulders tightly, torn between pushing him away or pulling him closer, her nails digging into the soft material of his cream colored shirt. Briefly her mind wondered where his owl feather cloak had gone, but she pushed away all thoughts except for Toby; she had to remain focused.
"But I told you, Precious, you've already won." Releasing her waist but retaining the gentle hold in her tangled hair, he took a quarter step back and conjured a small crystal which spun in lazy circles upon the fingertips of his gloved right hand. "See for yourself." He extended the crystal toward her at eye level, and Sarah saw Toby, asleep in his crib in her parents' bedroom.
Sarah turned her confused eyes up to stare into Jareth's amused, mismatched eyes. "But, how…?"
"I told you Sarah; you won. If you recall, word for word, I challenged you to solve the labyrinth within thirteen hours, although, to be completely forthcoming, I did take three of those hours back. Once you emerged from the labyrinth you had fulfilled the challenge. You never had to enter the castle, leap off a stone ledge, confront me, or anything else. You took it for granted that you had to follow the book exactly, and so you did, regardless of what I told you when you began your quest."
He cocked a mocking eyebrow at her as Sarah replayed the events in her mind, realizing belatedly that he was right. All he had really challenged her to do was solve the labyrinth.
"You're one of the Fae, aren't you, one of the fair folk?" Sarah stammered. Jareth nodded slightly. "That means you can't lie, doesn't it?"
"Yes. I can evade, omit otherwise relevant information, or obfuscate, but I cannot lie. So, use your right words and craft your questions accordingly, Sarah." Jareth smirked, and the challenge was clear in his eyes.
"Is Toby really safe at home in my parents' bedroom, right now?"
"Yes."
"Is Toby safe from you and all of the creatures you control for the rest of his life…no retribution…no snatching him away again?"
"Yes."
Sarah breathed a sigh of relief but her lungs seized in the next moment.
"Unless," and the Goblin King smirked cruelly, "his rightful caretaker wishes him away. Then, I am bound by Fae law and my role as Goblin King to take him."
"Is there no way to keep him safe regardless?"
Jareth shook his head. "No, the best I can do is give you my word that neither I nor any of my subjects will do anything to instigate events that could lead to him being re-taken."
"Swear it, then." Sarah insisted.
Jareth smiled, pleased that she had noticed the difference; he had stated what he could do but had made no actual promises. "I swear." he replied solemnly and the crystal he was holding flared slightly and twinkled out of existence.
Sarah nodded slowly and was surprised as she felt a gentle tug on her hair. She looked up just as Jareth's lips descended to hers once again. It was as if there had been no interlude-heat flared between them once more and Sarah found herself once again pressed full length against the lean, muscular body of the Goblin King.
"Wait," Sarah rasped.
Jareth nibbled lightly along her jaw once more to whisper, "Now what, Precious?" into her ear. The erotic tickle of his breath made her breathing unsteady as a fine tingle of gooseflesh erupted along her skin.
"If I already…won," Sarah's raspy breathing was not helping her stammering problem, she noted faintly, "then what's this? You don't need to distract me now."
She felt the curve of Jareth's lips as he smiled against the tender flesh of her neck. "Let's call this a secondary transaction," he purred.
"No," Sarah recoiled, pushing him away. "All that fear me, obey me stuff…no….just no. I won't do it."
"Such a pity," Jareth replied sardonically. "It would have been so much easier on both of us if you had," Jareth whispered as he leaned in to kiss her once again.
"What is this, Goblin King? What do you want?" Sarah said before he could.
Jareth stopped, a scant few millimeters from her lips. "Why, Sarah, don't you know?" He grinned wickedly as he tightened his hold on her hair and skimmed his right hand upwards, trailing lazily up from her hip, slipping under the hem of her loose blouse to tickle along the sensitive skin of her abdomen to come to rest tracing small circles underneath her brassiere. "I want you, Sarah." Sarah shivered again and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could do so, Jareth kissed her again. No, Sarah thought dimly, not a kiss at all; he was trying to consume her.
Sarah burned. There was no other word for it. Her skin was on fire. The warm pool of heat in her abdomen exploded into hot lava, searing her from the inside out. She dimly heard a distant whimpering moan, and her pleasure numbed brain vaguely recognized it as her own voice. At not quite sixteen, Sarah knew the mechanics of sex, theoretically. She was completely unprepared for the reality. The reality of it overwhelmed her.
She had gotten the basics when she was thirteen from Health class, a brief if somewhat uncomfortable talk with her stepmother, Karen, and innuendo from various TV shows and movies. Sex wasn't something she thought about very often; it was scary and intriguing and not likely to happen to her for a long time. At school, she had a reputation for having her head in the clouds, living in a childish fantasy world she had never outgrown; aloof and friendless, many of the other kids called her "weird" and just plain avoided her. What Karen didn't understand, and Sarah didn't have the guts to admit to her stepmother, was that she didn't have dates because no one had ever asked her out. And, no one in high school was probably ever going to. She had been labeled "strange" and "undateable," and that was that.
Desire hammered at her senses along with the knowledge that no one else really wanted her, not the guys she knew, not her father and stepmother who were currently discussing sending her to boarding school, and certainly not her beautiful mother who had walked out on her husband and child to pursue her acting career. Her teenage hormones had brought these thoughts to her mind in sharp relief repeatedly of late as she adjusted to the depression, rebellion, and general angst that accompany the transition from girl to woman. Now, the most ethereally beautiful, dangerously alluring being she had ever seen wanted her. Part of her knew it was just for sex, that he didn't really want her in the sense that she longed for, but it was more than what she had, and she craved it. Fear, desire, physical need, rejection, curiosity, and confusion swirled in a convoluted, twisted mass through Sarah's thoughts. This was so wrong. And yet something, some intangible, unnamed something whispered that this was so very right.
Sarah squeezed the taut muscle joining the Goblin King's neck and shoulder hard enough to get his attention. He removed his lips from the side of her neck where he had been nibbling the deliciously sensitive skin to gaze at her with a dark, hooded gaze.
"No consequences," Sarah managed to gasp out.
"What do you mean?" inquired the Goblin King shrewdly.
"No pregnancy…no disease." Sarah clarified. "And you'll take me home, to stay, when I want to go."
"Agreed."
Sarah looked into his eyes and nodded. She reached for his neck, pulled his head down, initiated a slightly clumsy kiss and surrendered.
Chapter 2
Sarah stretched languorously and came awake very slowly, the darkness of her bedroom impeding her normal morning routine. As she became more fully conscious, she realized that she was neither in her own bed nor in her own bedroom. Sarah sat up slowly, leaning against the headboard of a truly massive bed-the Goblin King's bed, she realized belatedly. So it was real! She blushed a deep crimson at the thought of what she had done last night. A quick glance around the room revealed her to be entirely alone. Grateful for the privacy, she closed her eyes and allowed the rush of memories to play through her mind.
She recalled passionate kissing, and then the Goblin King had bent her back, almost as if they were dancing and he was dipping her low. Then came the sensation of falling only to land gently on a very soft bed. Sarah had been surprised and had let out a startled gasp. The Goblin King had chuckled softly and whispered seductively, "Surely you did not wish to continue this on a broken stone floor?"
Sarah had nodded slightly, and then her memory started to become hazy from there. There had been more of the Goblin King's drugging kisses, teasing touches, and then somehow clothing began to disappear as his lips followed a trail his hands had blazed only moments before, along her collarbone, over the swell of her breasts, and finally to her overly sensitized nipples that seemed to have some sort of direct connection to her clitoris. Sarah shivered as she recalled the sensation of his fingertips stroking through her damp curls, finally coming to rest at the little bundle of nerves hidden by the swell of her labia.
Sarah's blush spread down her neck and chest as she recalled how she had moaned and whimpered, arching her back while tacitly begging for more. And the Goblin King had given her what she wanted, chuckling softly, he had slipped one finger and then two deep inside her, curling them up to press against something that made Sarah incoherent with pleasure while his thumb continued to circle her inflamed clitoris. He continued, brushing his thumb over her sensitive nub, stroking her passion higher and higher until finally Sarah's world shattered and her world went white as she fell into an abyss of bright light. She cried out, inarticulate, hoarse sobs of joy as he teased every drop of pleasure he could from her tingling flesh. If she had thought that the Goblin King would allow her respite, she had another thing coming. His fingers continued their movements, becoming rougher and more demanding as her desire rose fiercely in her once again. Before a second orgasm could reach its crescendo inside her, he shifted their positions, gently removing his fingers in order to grasp her hips, dragging her smoothly down, and lifting her legs over his shoulders, as he settled between her smooth thighs. His tongue replaced his circling thumb and Sarah arched her back as the strange, tickling, teasing pressure of his tongue stoked her passions ever higher. His fingers returned, teasing her opening but not entering her. Sarah sobbed in a delightful mixture of desperate need and inarticulate pleasure until she couldn't bear it any longer. "Please…, "she sobbed…"oh god, please…"
"What do you want, Sarah?" he whispered, his breath teasing her moist, sensitive flesh.
Sarah shivered as his breath ghosted over her. "Please…," she whimpered.
"You have to tell me what you want, Precious," he laughed softly before he bent his head and began to swirl his tongue with renewed vigor around her inflamed pleasure nub.
"Please," she whispered brokenly, "just…just do it."
"Do what, Sarah?" He laughed softly again, enjoying her inability to think clearly. He dragged his tongue firmly across her clitoris as she started to reply.
Sarah's brain misfired, she was sure of it, as her reply turned into "uuunnnhhh….oooohhhh."
"You have to tell me what you want, Precious," he repeated, and he chuckled again before deliberately blowing gently across her moist flesh. He flicked his tongue out then, beginning a soft rhythm of gentle teasing flicks.
"You," Sarah cried. "I…want….you."
"You have me," he replied softly.
"In….me," she gasped.
In response the Goblin King slid one teasing finger back inside of her, gently massaging that spongy sensitive spot inside, the one that sent waves of pleasure ricocheting off of every nerve ending she possessed.
"No," Sarah shouted.
The Goblin King stilled his movements instantly, and he raised himself slightly to look at Sarah as he began to slowly back away, her legs falling to the bed and her flushed skin beginning to chill at the distance. As the stimulation ceased, some of Sarah's faculties and her ability to speak returned. "No," Sarah repeated softly, halting him, unconsciously bending and tightening her legs behind him, her heels digging into the taut muscles in his thighs in this new position. "Not your fingers, not…," she faltered. "I want…," she flushed and looked fully at the Goblin King, "you know."
"Yes, I think I do," he said gently, "but I need for you to say it, Sarah. There can be no misunderstandings here." He stared at her intently, all teasing gone now.
Sarah flushed a deep crimson. The Goblin King was right, she realized. She fought with her father and stepmother constantly. She wanted to be an adult, wanted to be treated as an adult…well, the activities in which she was currently engaged were certainly adult enough, but if she wanted more, she was going to have to own it.
The Goblin King had awoken something inside of her, a need, …a deep, aching need to be filled, to be consumed, wholly and completely. And Sarah wanted to give in to that need. The part of her that had stood toe-to-toe with the Goblin King, that had told him his labyrinth was a piece of cake, that had refused to accept her dreams in lieu of her baby brother…that defiant, reckless Sarah was in control right now, and she was so very tired of being a good girl.
Alright then, she would own it. "I want to…have…sex," Sarah stammered a bit, but the words were very clear, and she met his gaze unflinchingly.
Jareth slid forward, and Sarah was reminded forcefully of a predatory animal as another hot stab of arousal shuddered through her. Somehow she knew that he understood the effect he was having on her as he moved to stare intently into her eyes, his body now positioned between her spread thighs; she shivered as the full knowledge of what could now happen, what she wanted to happen, penetrated her lust fogged brain. He placed one hand on either side of Sarah's head, cupping her cheeks gently while gazing steadily into her eyes, forcing her to look directly at him as he silently impressed upon her just how very serious this had become. "Sarah," he began softly, "have you ever done this before?"
She pressed her lips together and sighed, shaking her head slightly, the action tangling her hair in the Goblin King's fingers.
"Are you sure, Sarah? Do you want this?" He paused slightly before slowly bending and whispering, "Do you want me?" against her lips as he kissed her tenderly. This kiss made her ache in a new place, one suspiciously close to her heart.
He seemed…Sarah wasn't sure. Could he be uncertain? His eyes were hooded and the dim candlelight cast the room in deep shadows. Sarah hesitated, knowing she should back out now. She licked her suddenly dry lips, all the while watching the Goblin King's hungry gaze. "Make love to me, Jareth," she said softly.
Chapter 3
The Goblin King sat in his study sorting through what seemed to be a mountain of never-ending paperwork. The pixie queen wanted to open negotiations regarding harvesting peach blossom nectar that would be beneficial to both the goblin and pixie kingdoms, but he had no mind for details this morning. Each time he tried to focus, his mind turned to thoughts of Sarah and what had transpired the night before.
Jareth groaned. It was his name on her lips that had broken him. "Make love to me, Jareth," she had whispered. And so, with a harsh release of breath, he had closed his eyes and surrendered.
He had intended to seduce her at first, but as their lovemaking progressed, he had changed his mind. She was so innocent, so unspoiled, so…young. He came to the unwelcome decision that he must be noble, to pleasure her, to let her reconsider and go home with her virginity intact. It was a decision that was at war with his hedonistic Fae nature. He had told himself that he could still let her go. It was a lie, and he had known it all along for the lie that it was. There were consequences to this act that she didn't understand, that she may never forgive. But, the loneliness of his near endless existence ate a little more of his soul every day. And so, he had made love to her with all of the gentleness and considerable skill he possessed.
He closed his eyes and remembered the gentle innocence in her eyes as he kissed and caressed her, arousing her senses once more to a fever pitch, until her passions matched his own…the confusion that clouded her lust-filled eyes as he whispered the spell that would ease the pain as he breached her maidenhead…the gentle rocking motion of his hips as her initiation began into this world that had heretofore been unknown to her…her surprise and shout of pleasure as he pulled her leg up around his hip, changing the angle of the thrust…her wild, abandoned cries of pleasure…and finally his undoing, the long, drawn out cry of his name as her final, intense orgasm had torn through her. Without thought, with no heed of the consequences, he had done what he had known he would do, what he had known he could not resist doing-he had whispered the ancient Fae words of claiming, taking Sarah as his mate for all time.
She was not going to react well to this little piece of information.
He stood and paced to the window, watching the sun rise over the labyrinth. Before he dealt with Sarah, there was the entity of the Labyrinth to deal with as well. He leaned forward slightly. Quicker than thought, the Goblin King was no more and an ivory barn owl glided effortlessly toward the center of the labyrinth.
Jareth hated this part of his duties. The labyrinth was old, older than any living Fae, older than any being in the Underground, older than recorded time. The beginning of its existence lost to the ages. At some point in its lifetime, through a combination of time, magic, and other unknown factors, it had become sentient, aware of itself and its surroundings. It was aware-and that was all. Without a body, it knew neither fear nor pain. It did not understand love or pity. It cared not for kindness or jealousy. It had learned concepts like justice, but was unable to temper such with mercy. It best understood self-preservation; it would willingly do whatever was in its own, long-term best interests. In many ways, it was still a small child. At some point in history, it had formed a symbiotic relationship with the Goblin Monarchy. It found the monarchs useful; they helped care for its physical needs and upkeep, admired its beauty and usefulness, and allowed it to spend its time learning about the universe in which it resided. In return, it allowed its magic to infuse the land, creating diversity in the flora and fauna of the Underground, easing the lives of the non-magic wielding creatures, like redcaps and trolls, in allowing them to access simple magic, and defending the goblin kingdom from invaders.
It was a system that worked well. But still, Jareth disliked interacting with the emotionless entity, an entity with magic that rivaled his own but lacked even a modicum of compassion. It was a dangerous combination.
He glided in for a landing, seamlessly transforming back into his Fae form as he landed. "Labyrinth," he called forcefully. "We need to speak."
Instantly a floating sphere of bluish white light appeared at the Goblin King's eye level.
"What news, Goblin King?" it asked in a low, almost mechanical voice, disjointed and without inflection.
"I wished to inform you that I have taken a mate," he replied.
"Who?" the sphere pulsed delicately.
"The runner, Sarah Williams."
"We see," replied the Labyrinth. "The runner who won yesterday. She is worthy. We are pleased."
"Why?" inquired Jareth smoothly. And when the orb remained silent, he clarified. "Why are you pleased?"
"Matings produce heirs," replied the Labyrinth. "An heir will ensure continuity of leadership and stability when you choose to fade to the Summerlands as your father did before you."
"He was not my father," Jareth spat forcefully. "See that you do not make that mistake again."
The orb pulsed, seeming to consider. "He took you in, an orphan, and called you 'son'. He made you Goblin King. We do not understand your anger."
"No, you clearly do not," Jareth agreed and then changed the subject. "Sarah is to come to no harm in the labyrinth or in the surrounding lands. You will use every resource at your disposal to prevent injury or any harm to her or to any heirs," he stated.
"Yes," Labyrinth agreed, "so long as such protection does not hinder our own existence."
Jareth nodded briefly and prepared to return to the castle.
"Wait, Goblin King."
Jareth turned once again to the orb he knew as Labyrinth.
"When may we meet your new queen?"
"When she calms down," Jareth replied as a small smile quirked his lips. "It may be a while."
The Labyrinth pondered as the ivory owl launched himself skyward to head back to the castle. Well, Labyrinth decided, if Sarah were Queen, she must bear the unmistakable markings of a queen. Labyrinth would make it so.
Chapter 4
Sarah stretched again and padded over to what she assumed was a window as pale light shone around the edges. Reaching forward and grasping the edge of a curtain, she pulled it forcefully back and winced as bright light filled the room. Blinking repeatedly helped to dispel the tearing in her eyes, and as the room came into focus, she saw what appeared to be a note on the nightstand; she would have missed it but for the rose colored crystal sitting on top. She laid the crystal on her pillow, to prevent it from rolling onto the floor and possibly breaking, as she picked up and read the note. Written in a bold, masculine script she saw:
Dear Sarah,
Sleep as long as you like and feel free to use the en suite at your leisure. Your parents believe you are on an extended camping trip for the weekend with a friend and her family and have no concerns for your well-being. A lady's maid has been provided for you. Her name is Marna, and you've only to open the door and call for her. She will provide you with anything you need. Please join me at your convenience; any of the goblins will gladly lead you to me.
J
Sarah gazed into the crystal. It was Saturday morning in the Williams household. Karen, her stepmother, was trying to feed baby Toby what appeared to be some orange concoction that contained strained carrots. Sarah was certain that there was more carrot smeared on Toby's face and bib than had gone into his mouth. As she watched, her father, Robert, strode into the kitchen wearing his lucky golf shirt, kissed his wife goodbye, and after taking a quick look at Toby, grinned and tousled his hair before leaving. Smiling to herself, Sarah went to find the en suite and see if there was a possibility of a long, hot bubble bath.
Sarah gasped as she entered the bathroom. It looked like something out of a billionaire's personal estate, as seen on the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Karen never missed an episode. The tile work was marble or granite maybe, smooth gray with tiny gold flecks. The bathtub could easily double as a pool, and massage jets lined its inside surface. There was even a freaking chandelier…in the bathroom, for god sakes. Sarah opened the cabinet next to the bath and found every conceivable bath product she could imagine in a myriad of scents. She finally closed her eyes and picked a bottle. She dumped half its contents into the bath, and after a bit of trial and error, figured out how to turn on the strangely shaped taps. Soon bubbles filled the bath and steam fogged the floor length mirrors.
Sarah grinned. It figured that the prissy Goblin King, who had a different outfit for every hour of the day, would have multiple floor length mirrors. She dipped a toe in the water and sighing in pleasure, slipped into the hot bath. She took her time, washing her hair and bathing as shampoo, extra towels and anything else she wanted seemed to magically appear. When the water began to cool, she exited the tub and turned down the water. She wrapped her hair in a towel, turban style, and then found a robe on the back of the door. She was uncertain if it was his or if it had been left for her use. Shrugging, she pulled it on anyway, until it snagged on her ring. Sarah paused. No, that couldn't be right. She'd taken her ring off and put it in the Wise Man's collection cup yesterday. She didn't have a ring, especially not on her left hand. She knew she didn't have a ring on a few minutes ago; it would have caught in her hair as she washed it. What the hell was going on? Clad in the soft, snowy white robe, she stepped out into the bedroom and walked over to the window to get a closer look.
There, on the fourth finger of her left hand, sat what unmistakably appeared to be a very expensive wedding ring. It was a beautiful ring: three large emerald cut diamonds, flawless, the largest in the middle flanked on either side by the slightly smaller stones-all three were surrounded by a halo of smaller, round diamonds and tiny diamonds wandered evenly down the shoulders of the thick band. It appeared shiny and new, but the style was vintage, antique even, and Sarah had the unshakeable feeling that it was very old. It felt heavy on her finger, like platinum, and when she turned her hand up to see the underside of the ring, she noted that the sigil of the Goblin King, the same one he wore around his neck, was etched deeply into the metal of the band. Nervous now but unable to articulate precisely why, Sarah grasped the ring firmly and tried to pull it off her finger. It wouldn't budge. She pulled harder. Finally, she went back into the bathroom and applied liberal amounts of soap and ice cold water. The ring refused to come off-and not because it was stuck. The skin around it was not swollen or red, nor was there any discomfort; there was no indication that the ring was simply too tight. Sarah reluctantly concluded that magic was in play.
Sarah took a deep breath and tried to calm down. This had to be the Goblin King's doing, but for what purpose? Did this mean something different in the Underground than in her world? She decided she needed information before she confronted him. She needed help. She needed….
"Marna," Sarah called softly down the hallway. Within moments a small, dwarf woman with tight, iron gray curls appeared. She made an awkward curtsy while asking, "What can I do for you, Milady?"
She sounded, Sarah thought to herself, remarkably like Aunt Clara in the old reruns of Bewitched that Sarah watched when there was nothing else on t.v. Come to think of it, Marna kind of looked like her too.
"What's this?" Sarah inquired, as she thrust her hand under the dwarf's slightly bulging nose.
"Tis a ring, Milady," Marna replied, looking confused.
"I know that…oh, never mind," Sarah reconsidered. "Is there a way I can talk to my friends, Hoggle, Sir Didymus, Ludo?"
"Oh yes, any mirror in the castle, Milady. Just says who you wants ta speak to, and a mirror near that person will connect you. Does you wants me to show you?"
"No, no…I'm sure I can figure it out," replied Sarah, hoping for a bit of privacy. "Could you come back in an hour, please?"
"Oh certainly, Milady." The little dwarf curtsied again and left, shutting the door softly behind her.
Sarah took a deep breath and sat down at a vanity mirror in the corner of the bedroom. It looked like it had been put there for her use, as it contained make-up in her preferred shades, perfumes she liked, and her favorite brands of moisturizers and skin wipes.
Leaning forward, Sarah whispered as loudly as she dared, "Hoggle…Hoggle, I need to talk to you."
Just as Sarah began to feel kind of silly talking to a piece of glass, Hoggle's image appeared in the vanity mirror. "Sarah," he exclaimed, a smile breaking out across his face. "We heard you won."
"I did," Sarah replied. "Toby's safe at home."
"I'm pleased to hear it My Lady," said Sir Didymus, who appeared over Hoggle's right shoulder, his nose twitching keenly.
Sarah must have looked surprised to see them together, for Hoggle hastened to explain. "Me and Didymus was just having some tea. We's waiting to hear whether Didymus is being reassigned now that there ain't no bridge to guard no more."
Sarah nodded. "Listen, I need your help. Can you tell me what this is?" Sarah asked as she held her hand out toward the mirror. "It just appeared on my hand, and it won't come off."
"Sarah," said Hoggle slowly, "is there mebbe som'n on the bottom o' that ring?"
Sarah turned her hand over so that the sigil of the Goblin King was clearly visible.
"My Lady." Sir Didymus said slowly and cautiously, "where are you?"
"At the castle…" Sarah replied, becoming conscious for the first time that she wore nothing but a towel and a robe.
Hoggle and Sir Didymus exchanged glances, and then their low, furious whispers carried across the mirror. "You cannot ask…." "…isn't honorable…" …"Jareth's a rat…" "she's a lady…"
"Guys," Sarah interrupted, "I need to know."
"Sarah," began Hoggle, and he paused to rub his hand tiredly across his eyes, "did you mebbe do som'n last night that ya' shouldna' done?"
"Like what?" Sarah bit her lip hard and tried not to blush.
"Som'n good girls don't do," hedged Hoggle, clearly uncomfortable with this entire conversation.
Sarah sighed. There was just no keeping this quiet. "Yes," she admitted, a deep flush creeping across her face. "I had sex with the Goblin King last night."
"Thought so," muttered Hoggle. "Why'd ya go and do a thing like that? I told ya he was a rat."
Sarah shrugged and her blush deepened.
Sir Didymus looked stricken. "Well," he said at last, "at least His Majesty did the honorable thing."
"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, fear creeping into her voice.
Sir Didymus looked slightly confused as he nodded toward Sarah's ring. "He claimed you, My Lady. You're married to the Goblin King."
Hoggle nodded in agreement as every bit of the blush drained from Sarah's face, leaving her white and shaken. "Oh God, no," Sarah whispered, "This can't be happening."
"I'm afraid, My Lady, that it already has." Sir Didymus looked forlornly at Sarah, and Hoggle simply nodded again.
After ascertaining that neither Hoggle nor Sir Didymus knew of any way to undo a Claiming, Sarah sat and stared at nothing until she heard a cautious knock. She ignored it, and continued to ignore it as her thoughts swirled through her head. There had to be some way to undo this…this…mess. After all, the Goblin King had promised to take her home. Could the Fae lie, after all? What if…
"Begging your pardon, Milady," began Marna, "I has come back several times, I has, but you didn't seem ready. Its nearly supper time, and I is ordered to dress you and bring you down for dinner."
Sarah nodded numbly. God, she was so tired and her thoughts wouldn't stop spinning. Sarah raised a curious eyebrow when Marna brought forth a dress that looked almost identical to her princess costume she used to enact the Labyrinth story in the park.
"His majesty knows you has a dress like this one and likes it a lot, so he ordered this for ya's," Marna prattled cheerfully. Sarah was surprised to see that she was still in the white robe with a towel wrapped around her head. She glanced out the window and noted that the sun had set, and it was nearing full dark. Bemused, she let Marna guide her into the new dress and undergarments and allowed the little dwarf to comb out her still damp hair and braid it loosely down her left shoulder, securing the end with a red ribbon. Marna then slipped a pair of what appeared to be ivory colored doe skin slippers on her feet right before she tugged Sarah to her feet and began leading her to supper.
Sarah found that she was still strangely numb, a creeping lassitude stealing over her as she was led, not to the dining hall, but to a smaller room that appeared to be a sun room of sorts, filled with exotic plants and fragrances. An intimate table for two was set near the center of the room; seated at the table was the Goblin King, immaculately dressed in a suit very like the one he had worn in the ballroom in her peach dream. Three of the room's walls and the ceiling were glass; starlight filled the sky and lanterns lit the pathways of a garden outside. It was beautiful beyond words. It was romantic. It was pissing Sarah off.
The creeping lassitude was fast disappearing, as Sarah rounded what looked like a lilac tree in full bloom and confronted the Goblin King. "Did you claim me?" she raged, brandishing her raised hand with the sparkling ring.
Jareth, who had risen at the sight of Sarah as propriety dictated, stood stock still; the only movement was the twitching of a muscle in his taut jaw. The Labyrinth, he fumed internally; it was the only entity aware of the claiming other than himself, and he certainly hadn't placed the ring of the Goblin Queen on Sarah's finger. He silently cursed it. This was not how he had intended to tell Sarah. In fact, he wasn't completely certain how he had intended to broach the matter with Sarah, but it certainly wouldn't have been, "Oh, by the way, when we had sex, I claimed you, and you're the Goblin Queen forever now." He silently pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, a gesture he frequently made when dealing with the antics of the palace goblins and regarded her carefully. Oh, she was working up a fine head of steam.
"Did you?" Sarah shouted. "How could you? I have a life, a family! Did you give any thought at all to me?" She was screeching now, and Jareth had gripped the edge of the table silently debating whether to stay and let her rage until she was calm enough to have a civil discussion or whether escape was the better part of valor in the face of Sarah's rage. Escape was winning out, hands down, when Sarah reached forward with a desperate motion to grab at the nearest chair.
She closed her eyes as her vision narrowed and white lights danced in front of her eyes. Her knees buckled, and she would have pitched forward if not for the swift action of the Goblin King. Cradling her gently, he eased her into a chair and knelt, looking into her face intently.
"Sarah, when did you eat last?" he inquired.
"Uhmmm…yesterday afternoon, a bite of that peach," Sarah replied distractedly.
The Goblin King cursed under his breath and conjured a crystal goblet containing something that looked like pink juice. He pressed it into Sarah's hand, noting the fine tremors in her fingers. "Drink this, all of it," he ordered.
Sarah's gave him a look that threatened mutiny, but she appeared to think better of it and drained the glass. Within moments of drinking the syrupy sweet concoction, she began to feel better. The Goblin King watched her closely, and nodded briefly as he noted some color coming back into her cheeks.
"Now, about this…this claiming…thing," Sarah began.
The Goblin King held up one gloved hand to stop the impending tirade. "I will answer your questions," he said in a cool voice, the inflection sharp and precise, "so long as you eat your meal. If you stop eating, I will stop answering. There will be no further incidents like this one, Sarah. You could have been seriously hurt."
"Oh don't be ridiculous…," Sarah snapped.
"What if you had vertigo at the top of the stairs?" countered the Goblin King smoothly.
Sarah pictured herself pitching headfirst down the huge marble staircase. With a sigh, she picked up her fork and muttered, "fine."
After she had taken a few bites, she turned to face the Goblin King. "Did you claim me last night?"
Jareth gazed at her thoughtfully for a moment. "Yes."
Sarah pondered that for a brief moment. "What, exactly, does that mean for me?"
Jareth sighed. "The full answer to that question would take days to explain. There are ramifications both political and magical. For your purposes, it means that you are my wife; you are the Goblin Queen."
Sarah let out a low groan at this. "Can it be undone?" Sarah cried out.
"No."
"There must be some sort of Fae divorce," Sarah stammered out. "Surely some sort of…of…annulment process."
"No, a Fae claiming is for life."
Sarah gasped. Hoggle and Sir Didymus had told her much the same thing, but to hear it confirmed so plainly was still shocking.
"No, no, no…" Sarah was very close to tears at this point, but she'd be damned before she'd allow a single tear to fall in front of the Goblin King. She stared at her plate, as she blinked back the tears. Finally, she raised her eyes to look at the King of the Goblins. "Why," whispered Sarah at last, "why did you do this?"
"I have my reasons," he replied calmly and promptly vanished in a shower of black and silver glitter.
Chapter 5
Oh, he was going to pay for that. But, he needed time, time to figure out a way to explain things to her. Such a convoluted mess. He paced distractedly as he used his crystals to gather additional information. He then contacted his spies for an update. A few minutes later, the full horror of the situation was beginning to sink in.
When all the cards were laid on the table, Sarah was going to hate someone, perhaps several someones, and he fervently hoped he would not be one of them. Damn the Labyrinth! It had forced his hand before he was ready. Not only had it marked Sarah as the Goblin Queen, it had taken the liberty of posting the claiming banns throughout the kingdom, announcing the match. He cursed loudly and fluently in guttural Goblin, the most vile language he knew.
He had loosely planned to return her to her parents' home, to court her slowly over the next year or so, to ease her into her role as Goblin Queen. Now his plans, such as they were, were all for naught. His spies had just informed him that the news of his claiming had reached the High Fae Court. He sighed loudly and rubbed one hand viciously across his eyes, attempting to assuage an oncoming headache. It was his own fault, he supposed. He hadn't instructed the Labyrinth to keep this a secret, and, very like the small child it was, if it hadn't expressly been told that it could not do something, it had assumed itself to have carte blanche.
The real question was why. The Labyrinth, in all his many years as Goblin King, had never interfered in the lives of the people. It simply couldn't be bothered with what it considered trivial minutiae like marriages, births, coronations…anything really having to do with flesh and blood creatures. It had simply never occurred to Jareth to forbid its interference because it had never before shown the slightest interest in him or anyone else.
"This," Jareth told himself savagely, "this, is what comes from not having a well-thought out advance plan where all possible contingencies and ramifications have been thoroughly considered." He had known the moment that he had first decided to claim her that there would be difficulties and unforeseen consequences, but this…everything that could possibly go wrong so far had done so, spectacularly. He needed time. Time to come up with a plan, to strategize.
There was no taking her to her parents' home now, he realized. With the reading of the claiming banns, there would be court introductions, a coronation ceremony, and all of the other ridiculous trappings of Fae society. If he returned her now, there would be whispers, gossip; it would cost him the respect of many of his subjects and the other Fae lords, weakening his position and possibly putting his kingdom at risk. He could not…would not…do that. The Labyrinth was right in that regard; the stability of the kingdom was paramount; his responsibilities to his people remained undiminished. His happiness and Sarah's as well might be the required sacrifice.
His thoughts were interrupted by an urgent knocking. "Go away!" Jareth shouted. The door hesitantly opened anyway.
"Please sire, don't bog Meep," cried the little goblin, shaking so that he could barely stand.
Jareth bit the inside of his lip until he tasted blood. "What is it Meep?"
"Begging your pardon, sire, we thought you should know that the Lady Sarah…"
"Queen Sarah," Jareth corrected automatically.
"Queen Sarah," Meep continued, "is on her way to your study and should be here…."
"Right about now," a slightly out of breath Sarah finished the sentence loudly, pushed Meep out the door forcefully with the toe of her slipper, and slammed the door as she turned and confronted the Goblin King. "Don't you dare glitter poof your way out of here, your majesty," she said with heated sarcasm. "You may not want to answer my questions or explain any of this, but you did give me your word that you would take me home to stay whenever I wanted to go. I want to go home, right now." Sarah crossed her arms and glared at the Goblin King. She was furious, no doubt about it.
Jareth stood with a sigh, knowing what he was about to do now was going to make the situation exponentially worse.
"Very well," he said as strode over to her and wrapped his arms around her.
"What the hell?" Sarah grumbled as she put both hands on his chest and pushed. He didn't budge.
"Sarah, I have to have a secure hold on your person in order to transport you safely." He tightened his hold. Sarah fumed silently at both him and her traitorous body, as the scent of him, moonbeams and magic, enveloped her, and she again felt the heat of his body. A part of her wanted this, wanted even more. But, she'd willingly damn herself to hell before telling him that.
"Are you ready?" he whispered, the ghost of his breath tickling her ear and neck, making her shiver in re-awakened arousal.
"Yes," she stammered as the world faded away.
They re-materialized in the Goblin King's bedroom.
"What…" Sarah trailed off, looking around her in shock. She stared open-mouthed at the Goblin King.
Jareth extended a gloved forefinger and placed it under her chin, gently closing her mouth. He smirked at her shock. Sarah couldn't believe this. She gestured around her. "You lied to me, you bastard! This isn't my home."
Jareth quirked an eyebrow and continued to smirk. "Oh but it is, Precious. Fae do not lie, regardless of your beliefs about my parentage. In case you'd forgotten, I claimed you last night," and saying that, he gave her a knowing, heated stare. "You're the Goblin Queen now. You are home. To stay." And in saying that, the bedroom door slammed shut and locked, and the Goblin King vanished in a shower of glitter.