I came up with this Christmas-themed Labyrinth story while listening to December Will Be Magic Again by Kate Bush, hence the title. I ended up splitting it into two parts as it turned out to be longer than I originally anticipated. It's shamelessly fluffier than Santa's beard and I hope you all enjoy reading it.
I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year :-)
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Labyrinth.
December Will Be Magic Again
Part 1
Sarah came to a halt outside her brother's bedroom. She leaned against the door for a second and inhaled deeply, the whole house smelled of mulled wine thanks to her stepmother. Irene invariably went overboard with the cloves but the smell alone filled her up with festive cheer. Sarah always chose to spend Christmas at home with her father, stepmother and Toby, even though there had been no shortage of invitations to other exciting places over the years. Her mother and stepfather regularly tried to tempt her with the promise of decadent festivities in exotic locations. The previous year, some of her college friends decided not to spend Christmas with their families and have a big blow out instead, offering her the dubious delights of cheap booze, deep-fried Turkey, and endless partying to which no one under the age of eighteen or over twenty-five would be admitted. However, Sarah always ended up deciding there was no place like home.
Sharing Toby's enthusiasm for Christmas had helped to reignite her own. After her parents' acrimonious divorce and her father's hasty remarriage, Sarah decided she hated December. It became the season of the uneasy parental truce as they were forced to attend school Christmas plays and carol concerts together in support of her. Those events usually ended in tears and bitter recriminations. Sadly, things didn't improve when her parents were both remarried. Her mother, father, and their new spouses, competed to outdo each other and Sarah's needs often got forgotten in the middle of it all. Thankfully, those days were over. At the age of twenty-one, she was striking out on her own. She had been studying for a degree in fine arts, not with a view to following in her mother's footsteps as an actor, but as a director. Sarah found acting enjoyable enough in her younger years, it just didn't continue to spark her passion in the way she hoped it would. It took a while for her to find her niche and at one point she contemplated switching courses. Her talent, she eventually discovered, was bringing out the best in other performers.
Life was good and her future looked bright, the only dark cloud on the horizon being her brother's recent transformation from a happy-go-lucky seven-year-old into a quiet and withdrawn one.
Sarah put an end to her hesitancy and gently tapped on his bedroom door. "Hey, Tobes, it's only me, can I come in?" she inquired.
Her stepmother had been beside herself with worry regarding her son's behaviour. She couldn't get a peep out of him as to what was upsetting him. Irene was never going to be Sarah's favourite person in the world, but she loved her brother to the moon and back. If she could find out what had gone wrong and help fix it, she would, anything to make him smile again.
"Toby, come on, please let me in," she coaxed after getting no response to her first request.
After a moment, she heard movement from inside the room. Shortly afterward, her brother cracked the door open wide enough to peek out with a sullen glare.
"Hey, kiddo, I've been home from college almost two full days and I've barely seen anything of you, what's up?" Sarah attempted to keep her tone light and breezy despite her concern.
The boy remained a picture of glumness as he reluctantly opened the door so she could enter. He flopped down on his bed with a dejected sigh leaving his sister with the option of sitting on his bean bag chair. As she took a seat, she noticed a neatly stacked pile of books beside her on the floor. Glancing over the titles, she could see they were old favourites from her childhood. All of them were either fairy tales or stories that related to magic in some way. Most of them were books she had bought and read to Toby or gifted to him from her own collection over the years. Her old copy of The Labyrinth was not among them. She kept that locked safely away in her vanity drawer where its words could do no more harm.
"Oh, you used to love this one." Sarah reached over and plucked The Snowman by Raymond Briggs from the stack. Flicking through the pages, she held it open on a scene of the boy and his snowman friend flying through the air. Her brother heaved a wistful sigh and buried his face in his pillow.
"How about I dig out the video tape and we can watch it after dinner?" She tried to coax some kind of positive response out of him.
Toby turned to look at her, his eyes filled with sadness. "I'm gonna have a yard sale and sell it along with all those books," he insisted.
Sarah was glad he was at least talking but she hated to see him looking so upset. "Why would you get rid of stuff you love?" She frowned.
He shrugged wanting to tell but scared that saying the words aloud would make them true.
"Tobes, you can tell me anything. You know that, right?" He didn't reply so Sarah decided to change tack. "Are you gonna let me in on what's bugging you or do I have to tickle it out of you?" She got ready to pounce with a playful grin.
Her brother continued to brood glum-faced.
Maybe a bit of reverse psychology was needed, Sarah pondered. "Fine, alrighty then, I'll go make your favourite holiday sugar cookies and eat them while I watch The Snowman on my own." She headed for the door.
Toby took the bait and sprang up, "Wait," he called as she reached for the handle. "If you really wanna know, I'll tell you why I'm sad."
Sarah turned back and took a seat next to him on the bed. His unruly sandy blond hair was a mess of curls and his bright blue eyes were full of woe.
"There's this mean kid in school and he calls me names like fuzz-ball. The other day, he told me there's no such thing as Santa Claus and that only babies believe in him." His words came out in a rush as if he was relieved to be finally speaking them out loud.
Sarah threw her arms around him and gave him a big hug. Irene had mentioned something before about a boy in Toby's class called Jack, who was a bit of a bully. But she was under the impression the situation had been dealt with months ago.
"Is this the same kid as before? She inquired and he nodded in confirmation. "How about I go have a word with your principal in the morning?"
Toby shook his head. "I don't really care that he calls me fuzz-ball, I call him booger-face. It's because there's no Santa, that's why I'm upset. If what Jack said is true, there's no such thing as magic and that makes me feel sad," he pouted.
Sarah thought back to when she found out Santa Claus didn't exist. It was during the days when he parents were still together and she would have been around Toby's age at the time. The incident occurred on Christmas Eve when her dad came home drunk from the office party. He ended up having a huge fight with her mom and the shouting had awoken her. Excited about Santa's impending visit, Sarah couldn't get back to sleep and had gone downstairs to ask for a glass of hot milk. From the stairs, she saw her mom in the living room supervising as her dad emptied out a sack of presents and placed them under the tree. The cookies she'd left out for Santa were all gone, except for the one her father was munching on. She snuck back to bed and never told anyone about what she saw, keeping up the pretence of believing right up until her mother walked out on them.
"Just because Jack says there's no Santa, it doesn't make it so," Sarah argued. She didn't want to lie to her brother but after meeting the Goblin King, it seemed like anything was possible. Maybe the real Santa Claus was somewhere out there or he did exist, once upon a time.
Toby wasn't convinced. "The mall Santa is a different guy every year, and the last one looked a lot like old Mr. Finch who used to work at the bakery. Also, I found the letter I asked mom to send to the North Pole stuffed in dad's jacket pocket," he argued.
Sarah bit her bottom lip as she pondered before deciding it was time to make a confession. "Even if there is no Santa, it doesn't mean there isn't still magic in the world," she confided in hushed tones.
There were many times she wanted to tell her brother about The Labyrinth and how she once wished him away to the Goblin King, only to think better of it. Maybe now, the moment had arrived. What harm could it do, she mused. So long as neither of them said the right words to summon his royal-tight-pants-ness or his subjects, they should be okay. She often found herself daydreaming about the King and the other denizens of his strange kingdom, although she stopped calling on them long ago.
"Wait right here," Sarah commanded. "There's a secret I have to tell you, I just need to get something from my room first."
Leaving her brother with a quizzical look on his face, she went to retrieve her book from its place of safekeeping.
Toby's eyes were wide with shock after she returned and explained the whole story to him. "You wished me away to the Goblin King?" He held the small battered red leather-bound book in his hands as he gaped at her.
Sarah nodded, her cheeks burning with shame. "But I solved the Labyrinth and won you back," she argued in her defence.
Toby appeared downcast, but not for the reason she thought. "I just wish I could remember it all. The Goblin King sounds like a pretty cool guy," he lamented.
Alarmed by his wish-making, Sarah realised she was holding her breath. However, the expected flashes of lightning and thunderclaps never came. There was no trace of glitter in the air or uninvited cackling critters under the bed.
"How about we go bake those cookies, huh?" She smiled, hoping all was well between them.
"You owe me big time, sis," Toby grinned with mischief. "I think you should make me some chocolate brownies too."
"Don't push your luck," Sarah chuckled.
Together, they headed off to the kitchen singing Christmas songs.
Somewhere, in another world, a magical King watched and listened. He had waited a long time for an opportunity like this to present itself, and he planned on making the most of it. When Toby went to bed that night, his dreams were filled with glitter, goblins, and memories of a magic dance.
The holidays put Irene into drill-sergeant-mode planning the activities with military precision. Her son and stepdaughter were willing recruits, for the most part, as they enjoyed the fun stuff like decorating the house. There were only a few days to go until Christmas and the preparations were reaching fever pitch.
"Oh, Lord," Irene exclaimed as she wrestled with a tangled string of lights. "I completely forgot, I'm supposed to be taking Toby to his friend Kayleigh's birthday party this afternoon. I've gone and made a hair appointment for the same time and this is my last chance to get it done before the holidays. I don't suppose you would take him for me?" She threw an expectant glance in her stepdaughter's direction.
Sarah rolled her eyes; she had been planning on doing some last minute gift shopping. Reluctantly, she agreed to do it, hoping there would still be enough time to hit the shops. It turned out Irene had also forgotten to buy a birthday present for Kayleigh, and so they set off early to go to the mall before heading on to the party. The place was bustling with stressed looking shoppers as they pushed through the crowds on their way to the toy store. Parents with excited children were gathered outside waiting in line to see Santa. Toby sighed with dejection still feeling sad that he didn't believe anymore. He hadn't shared his dream about the Goblin King with Sarah because she'd warned against speaking his name for fear they might attract his attention. It was far too late for that as they were about to find out.
"Whoa, look at that." An awestruck young boy pointed excitedly in the direction of the front of the queue.
Sarah craned her neck to get a better view of what all the fuss was about, and her eyes immediately widened with shock. "Toby," she gasped, reaching to grab his hand, "we have to get out of here, right now."
Her brother evaded her grasp and was already running off towards the source of her alarm. For there he was, the Goblin King, in all his glory dressed in a Santa outfit with indecently tight red pants and shiny black high-heeled leather boots. His fake fluffy white beard could not conceal his identity from her; she would know those odd blue eyes anywhere. He stood ostentatiously twirling four crystal balls around in his right hand for the amusement of the crowd. Throwing one of the orbs into the air, he made his reluctant elf helper, who looked suspiciously like Hoggle, disappear. The audience erupted into gasps of wonderment, cheers, and applause.
"Who's been naughty and who's been nice?" He inquired of the assembled crowd as he met Sarah's worried gaze with a mischievous twinkle.
She tried to get to Toby but he was way ahead of her, and there were too many people blocking her path. All the boys and girls around her were shouting for attention about how good they'd been. Closer inspection of the makeshift grotto revealed a handwritten notice in a messy scrawl, advising parents that nice children would get a gift from Santa while naughty ones could be given to the Goblin King.
Sarah panicked and barged her way through to the front of the crowd. "This person is not Santa Claus," she declared, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "He is an imposter."
"Oh?" Jareth attempted to hide his amusement behind his fake beard. He took a step towards her and leaned in to whisper in her ear, tickling her cheek with his fuzzy facial hair. "Would you have me tell these little children the truth, precious?" He challenged her with a smug glare.
Sarah swallowed her fear and shook her head. Toby made his way to her side and she grabbed his hand firmly in hers. "We're done here, let's go." She attempted to drag her reluctant brother away from the danger.
Some of the audience started to drift away but a few curious spectators remained.
"Not so fast." The Goblin King's clipped tones rang out after them.
Sarah refused to slow down, even though her brother was determined to drag his heels.
"Toby," Jareth called to the boy, "I've brought you a gift. Do you want it?"
He did want it. Breaking free from his sister, he spun around to catch the crystal orb that was spinning through the air towards him.
"NO!" Sarah screamed, but it was too late.
The glass ball exploded into a colourful shower as it reached her brother. In a puff of rainbow glitter, he was gone.
"Bring him back, RIGHT NOW," she demanded, striding angrily in the direction of the jubilant Goblin King.
Jareth maintained his sharp smile as he silently taunted her. The remaining onlookers gasped in amazement as he made the two crystal balls in his hands levitate. "Naughty or nice?" He indicated towards the orbs, expecting her to choose one.
Incandescent with rage, Sarah lunged at him pulling the fluffy beard from his face. "I'm warning you, Goblin King, give me back my brother or you'll be sorry," she snarled, tossing his fake facial hair to the floor. "I didn't wish him away and you have no power over me."
"I may not have any power over you, but I can do as I please with everyone else," Jareth smugly declared.
His confident swagger made her want to kick him right in the baubles.
The remaining crowd was becoming a little too interested in his business with Sarah, and so, with a wave of his hand, he froze them in time.
She gasped in horror upon realising she was the only one, aside from the King, not stood like a statue. "This can't be happening," she muttered beginning to hyperventilate. Sarah grabbed a brown paper bag from a nearby frozen shopper to breathe into.
Jareth watched in bemusement. "You really are quite resourceful, my sweet," he mocked, although she did impress him. His eyes raked slowly over her body, appreciating her slender but curvaceous figure. "My, but how you've grown, Sarah dear," he drawled, "beauty, brains and..."
"Big pointy-heeled boots that are gonna kick your butt straight back to the Underground," she interrupted him with a threat.
Jareth let out a hearty laugh. The King of The Goblins was already madly in love with her, and now he was more determined than ever to make her his. "Do not fear, precious one, Toby is quite safe," he promised.
Sarah scowled at him; her instinct to keep threatening violence to his person until he returned what he'd stolen. However, she was forced to accept that his magic powers gave him the advantage and she would have to play his game to get her brother back. "You know what I want, what do you want, Goblin King?" She questioned.
He picked up his fake beard from the floor and stuffed it in his Santa jacket pocket. "Firstly, I must insist you call me Jareth."
Sarah huffed impatiently, waiting for him to get to the real rules of the game.
The two crystal orbs were still hanging in the air between them.
"Now you must choose." The Goblin King pointed from one to the other. "Naughty or nice?"
"Uh-uh," Sarah shook her head, "I need more to go on than that. Do I have to run the Labyrinth again to get Toby back?"
Jareth thought about how he would enjoy having her back in his kingdom, but not as a runner. "No, that will not be necessary. I shall return your brother to you in due course. First, you must choose a forfeit, something naughty or something nice?" He grinned.
Sarah glared at him with suspicion. "I don't know that I'd care for your definition of either," she frowned.
The Goblin King chuckled, she was an amusing creature and he felt sure they would have much fun together. "The sooner you choose, the sooner you get Toby back," he informed her with a hint of impatience.
"Oh, alright, Jareth," Sarah snapped.
He adored her fiery temper and the way she hissed his name when she was angry.
Sarah eeny-meenyed between the orbs, not trusting his idea of nice to be the same as hers, and then her choice was made. "Naughty," she announced with a worried look.
Jareth smirked practically rubbing his hands with glee. The unselected orb popped and vanished like a soap bubble. He floated the other one down until it came to rest in her hands. "Come, my dearest," he held out his hand in invitation, "and let me show you what awaits naughty girls."
"Return Toby to me right now and I'll take your forfeit." Sarah saw his desire for her in his eyes and if it was the only power she had over him, she intended to use it.
The Goblin King contemplatively tapped his lips with a black gloved finger. "Alright," he said, "I'll do as you ask."
He swiped the crystal ball from her hand and threw it into the air, where it exploded into a rainbow of light. The shoppers in the mall were unfrozen and carried on as if nothing had happened. None of them remembered the tight-panted Santa Claus, the blond-haired boy he made disappear, or the pretty woman who entranced him. By the time they regained their senses, all three were long gone.