Disclaimer: I do not own The Labyrinth in anyways what so ever, All rights to the goblins, and borrowed Characters lay with Jim Henson and Company. I am just borrowing them. However any other Characters not mentions in the Movie are mine alone, as is the added plot and the bunnies that are bound to appear.
Authors Note: This is my first fanfiction so I would appreciate any comments anyone would like to add, and apologize for any grammatical errors. Please rate and review (constructive criticism please no flaming just because you don't like the plot.). Hope you enjoy reading this and I look forward to hearing from you! :D
Chapter One: The Wished Away
Andy, or Andrea as her mother like to call her, perched off balanced on the stone bridge, hands intertwined behind her head as she watched her friend practice. The clouds were gathering overhead and the designated curfew had come and gone but still Sarah pranced around in her stage costume rehearsing her lines. The tattered red playbook in the girl's hand plagued Andy since the fateful day when Sarah had found it amongst a box in the attic. It had been popular once upon a time, but now Andy couldn't help but wonder if maybe it should have remained buried in her mom's old box of junk. Ever since that day when Sarah William had visited her house and stumbled upon The Labyrinth playbook it had been glued to her hand. In a matter of days Sarah had memorized the book, and by the end of the first week the drama teacher had decided it was the perfect fit for the end of the school year production, for which Sarah was cast as the lead. Andy found her friend dramatic and dreamy before this, but now that the play was within her grasp, the teenage drama was a continuous plague that berated her. She sighed as thunder rolled overhead knowing that the storm was close approaching she could feel the negative charged energy fill the air, and Merlin, Sarah's faithful sheepdog was cowering at her feet.
"I know boy, she's almost done, don't worry we'll be home soon." Andy reassured, descending from her perch to lead the dog closer to his master. 'At least I hope we will, we've been out here for three hours.' She added in her thoughts, as she watched Sarah stumble on the words, knowing full well which line it was even though the roar of thunder drowned out the brunettes words. It was the one line Sarah kept forgetting.
" Damn...Oh I can never remember that line." Sarah shouted in annoyance oblivious to the brewing storm and Merlin's whimpers. She flipped open the page she was on and read out the lines. "You have no power over me..."
Sarah glanced over at Andy and Merlin, giving a soft patronizing smile to the cowering dog. "Oh Merlin..." she sighed as the clock tower chimed seven o'clock. "Oh my god Andy, I don't believe it, it's seven o'clock." Her eyes went wide with panic.
"Yep, I told you it was six early but you were rehearsing." Andy replied , nudging the dog to get up off the stone bench he had claimed. "You run ahead to your place while I go back to mine and see if my mom minded me crashing at your place so we can work on that history project"
"Yes okay, I'll see you at eight?" Sarah said absently beckoning Merlin to her side before she cantered off through the torrent of rain that began to pour down. "Come on, Merlin, come."
Andy shook her head with a smile, letting the rain soak through her tight jeans and ripped t-shirt. She didn't mind getting wet, and she certainly didn't feel the need to rush like Sarah. Of course, if she were over an hour late getting home she might have been worried but her mother was busy with the small boutique flower shop and wouldn't be missing Andy's presence for some time. Taking her time, she walked across the wet grass, humming an old melody in under her breath. "It's only forever not long at all, the lost and lonely..."
The river that flowed through the central park of the city looked beautiful with its old statues, stone benches, and picturesque swan visitors that glided gently over top the rippling water. Of course, it would have to look so pretty, after all Andy's mother designed the garden, and it was to Andy the perfect place to relax. As she strolled up the stone bridge her fingers trailing along the rough surface she paused, turning to look at a bizarre out of place item. An owl. Almost blurred out by the heavy rainfall, Andy missed it completely on its high perch; it's white, black, and golden coloured wings flustering as the heavy rain droplets disturbed the smooth feathers. It almost looked like...But it couldn't, Andy realized with a shake of her head. It was just an early riser out to hunt, or at least that's what she told herself as she quickened her pace along the trails heading back toward civilization. Trying will all her might not to turn back and stare at the bird.
She passed the array of shops and small apartment houses, the glass store fronts darkened at the still early hours of the evening. That was one thing Andy hated about small towns, the lack of nighttime entertainment for the youth, not that she could convince Sarah to join her if there were any. Her friend's head was in the clouds, but Andy understood.
She knew that Sarah's mother's abandonment had been harsh; the girl had only been ten at the time when her mother walked out the door never to come back; Not to mention her father's hasty marriage to Karen soon after. It was a lot to take in, Andy knew that if it were her she wouldn't be handling it well either. However, Karen wasn't the evil stepmother Sarah ranted on about, the woman did have a right to be upset some days, and while she didn't exactly strive to understand Sarah, she wasn't neglectful either. The problem with Sarah was the drama. Andy got that she wanted to be an actress but that didn't mean Sarah should blow everything out of proportion either.
Pushing the negative thoughts from her head, she turned into one of the alleys between shops. She opened the latch on the back gate, pushing the heavy wooden door in to reveal a beautiful oasis of flowers and plants just beginning to bloom. Her mother was there, hands covered in mud, ignoring the rain as she finished planting a small peach tree in one of the ceramic pots. Her glittery blue, orange, and pink wings hung down like a cloak behind her the thin papery looking membrane weighed down by the rain. Her skin was a light white-green, though to most eyes, it looked pasty rather than green, and the mess of white blonde curls held back from her face. She was wearing a white cotton sundress with a single rose vine decorating the bottom, which hung just a little longer than the shop green shop apron. Andy couldn't help but be marvelled by her mother's delicate frame and the way the plants seemed to lean towards her, thriving more so by her mere presence. That was her mother's only talent, but it was one that made her happy.
"I wonder how the gardens back home are doing without you," Andy smiled when her mother looked up, as a clash of lightening flickered above.
"Hello dear, they should be fine, if your father didn't try and touch them, though I do miss tending something bigger than this and others gardens." Miranda smiled wistfully, standing up. "Let's go inside before the storm gets any worse. I hear it might knock out some power lines once the wind picks up."
"I'm not staying long, I'm spending the night at Sarah's. We have that history project on World War two to finish up for Monday, and if I don't go over it will never get done." Andy replied holding open the back screen door allowing her mother to pass before stepping. "I'll eat here and pack my bag before running over. You don't mind do you? Her parents are gone to a charity event and she babysitting so it's easy for her if I go there."
She knew her mother wouldn't handle the news well, the older blonde woman wasn't Sarah's biggest fan, especially when they realized that she had the sight, not that Sarah herself realized it, but the thought unnerved Miranda. The first time Miranda had met the dark haired girl, Sarah had been delighted to see the wings and vines that climbed the woman's arms in slender rope like tendrils. She had already taken note of Andy's oddly shaped eyes, untameable short blonde hair, that no matter how much Andy tried, never seemed to look anything other than a static mess, but she hadn't said anything. The fact that Sarah had noticed this even with Andy's and her mother's heavy glamour was enough to make Miranda concerned and Andy delightful that when behind closed door the need for glamour was nonexistent in Sarah's presence. Sarah herself just thought it was costume makeup and dress up, and that Andy's almost translucent shimmery skin was natural flawlessness combined with the glitter and paints she continually used. She didn't know what they were, and for that Andy was grateful, there were many families of Irish descent like Sarah's that would immediately know what they were and would either be in awe or fearful. Neither one an optimal choice in Andy's mind.
"You know I don't like you going there Andrea, what if she realize it?" Miranda said shaking her head as she untied her apron hanging it up of the hook by the stairs. They were in the back room of her mother's successful flower shop, in a narrow room that had once served as a kitchen before the shop had opened. "It worries me, our kind isn't so well liked, or we become too liked that it borders on obsession. We were never meant to live in the same space..." Her voice trails off, but Andy knew what she meant.
"I'll be fine. Besides do you want me to fail history class?" Andy smirked; her slightly pointed teeth making her look more wild and exotic.
Meanwhile at the William residence...
It was a typical Saturday evening at the William`s house. Her father and stepmother were gone to another charity event and Sarah was again delegated to babysitting Toby, who was in a particularly bad mood. He hadn`t stopped crying since Sarah`s father had put him to bed, not that Sarah really cared, beside the fact that the noise was beginning to give her a headache fuelling her anger. She didn't understand how her father could just remarry when it was so clear that he belonged with her mother. It made no sense to her. And Toby, the apple of her father eye, had now stolen what little sense of security she had had after her mother`s dramatic exit. Lying on her bed, she listened to the screams of the child on the floor below and the growling thunder wondering why she was cursed with such a miserable life. A logical part of her told her that her life wasn`t such a hardship, but she pushed it aside as she scanned her room with all its fairytale and childish paraphernalia. Andy would be coming over soon, and Sarah wanted to make sure nothing was missing from her prized collection before then. She could still remember the last time when she had realized Karen had placed one of her stuffed bears in with her HALF-Brother`s room, and Andy had been present. It had been something that sparked their first fight and Sarah had little friends to begin with so she tried to stay on good terms with the blonde. Sure enough, her favourite bear Lancelot, a caramel brown teddy bear with scruffy fur and a tattered red ribbon tied around his neck, was missing from her trophy case like shelving of cherished toys.
"Someone has been in room again." She shouted throwing herself of the bed in a fit of fury. "I hate that! I hate it." She stormed down the stair, slamming open the baby's bedroom door with a loud crash before flicking on the bedroom light, causing Toby's cries to raise in volume.
The teddy bear was on the floor and Sarah grabbed it glaring at the baby as she clutched the stuffed bear to her chest. "I hate you. I HATE YOU!" She screeched at the sobbing baby, her eyes watering with tears. "Oh someone save me, someone take me away from this awful place!" Thunder and lightning reined outside as the torrent of heavy rainfall continued to hail down.
Sarah looked over the French door at the blackened sky, and brilliant flicker of golden lightening as she continued to hold her teddy close to her body. Her father didn't care about her, her stepmother hated her and all Sarah could think was that she was imposing on their perfect happy family. Oh how she wished someone would really take her away, that life was like a fairy tale. However, it wasn't, so frustrated she turned towards the crib.
Toby was red faced from crying, his orange and white stripped outfit wet with tears and snot that cascaded down his small face, he wanted to be picked up but Sarah ignored her maternal instincts.
"What you want a story huh? Okay." She sat down heavily on the large double bed, away from Toby's grabby hands. "Once upon a time there was a beautiful girl, whose step mother always made her stay home with the baby, and the baby was spoiled child who wanted everything for himself and the young girl was practically a slave." She paused for a moment tweaking the story line in her head to suit her own need. "But what no one knew was that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl and he had granted her certain powers."
Sarah was caught up in her tale, the thunder adding dramatic effect that made her more enthralled that she didn't hear the downstairs down open nor Andy as she called hello. Instead, she paced the room, imagining the story as a play or a movie scene in her head.
"So one night when the baby had been particularly cruel to her she called on the goblins for help. Say your right words the goblins said and we'll take the baby to the goblin city and you will be free. .."
Andy could hear Sarah's embellishment was she made her way up the stairs, wondering what Toby had done to annoy Sarah this time, or rather, if it was the year old babe or Sarah's stepmother. Andy took the time to remove her shoes, and wasn't really worried for Sarah or the young child safety. She knew Sarah wouldn't do much, and besides the words in the playbook didn't work. Andy knew that first hand having witnessed many children be wished away, and her mother assured her that while close, the wording in the book wasn't what was needed to call upon the Goblin king. Of course, her mother hadn't told her what the actual words were, she hadn't wanted to invoke Jareth, she wasn't a fool, but Andy couldn't help but wish that Sarah would stumble upon the words, whatever they were, that Sarah would have to run the Labyrinth. She really cared about her friend, but Sarah's drama was grating on her nerves.
She had made it to the first landing when Sarah reached the climax of her tale. "I can bear it no longer, goblin king, goblin king wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me." The words were echoed by thunder and eerily enough Andy thought she heard grumbling complaints in small squeaky voices, but she laughed it off. Those weren't the words and Sarah was fine she assured herself resuming the climb of the stairs.
"Sarah, I have the stuff for our project, are you ready to work on it?" Andy called, doubting that she had been heard over Toby's bellowing cries and the peals of thunder, and she peaked into the nursery and saw that Sarah was placing the child in the crib. "I'll meet you in your room okay?"
Sarah didn't reply but Andy didn't wait, she crossed the hall walked through the arch and entered Sarah's room carefully shutting the door behind her as she got to work taking out the poster board, markers, books, glitter, paint, and paper from her overfilled bags. She heard Toby's cry die out, and smiled thinking that Sarah must have finally decided to cuddle the child to ease him back to sleep little did she know what was actually occurring in the room.
Inside Toby's room, Sarah was terrified. Her brother was missing, there were creature all throughout his bedroom snickering and mocking her and the goblin King stood before her in all his glory. There were sparkles everywhere the air full of the glitter and for one vague second Sarah couldn't help but contemplate how she was going to clean the mess up before her family arrived.
"You're him aren't you..."she said her voice quavering slightly "You're the goblin king.... I want my brother back please if it's all the same."
The king smirked in response his slightly pointed teeth gleaming in the light while some of his subjects snickered from various locations throughout the room. "What's said is said."
"But-But I didn't mean it." Sarah said desperately her voice bordering on pleading, every ounce of her being wished she could take back her words as she stared at the imposing figure before her.
"Oh didn't?" He replied, his mix-matched eyes gleaming in the darkness, while his regal cape whipped back in the wind, but Sarah paid no heed to his wardrobe what so ever.
"Please, where is he?" She asked but she already knew the answer even before the goblin king advanced forward.
"You know very well where he is." The man replied examining his hands in a bored fashion while Sarah looked on with pleading eyes. Sarah couldn't help but beg but the man in armour before her didn't appear moved, instead he looked at her and in a condescending tone continued. "Sarah, go back to your room, play with your toys and your costumes forget about the baby."
He had advanced more stepping closer so he was only a mere foot away from her. "I can't, don't you know that I can't" Sarah breathed, trying to fight back the overwhelming need to cry.
"I have a gift for you." The king said as though to persuade her, "but this is not a gift for an ordinary girl who takes care of a screaming baby. If you want it then forget the baby."
"I-I can't!" Sarah said with a bit more force, the situation finally sinking into her mind. "He must be so scared, I want my brother back."
Though the king betrayed nothing more than amusement, the crystal he had conjured in his hand turned into a small snake that coiled around its master hands. "Sarah, don't defy me."He said as he through the snake at her, his voice no angrier than it had been a few moments before.
Sarah's cry of alarm as the snake hit her neck before transforming into a silk scarf was what caught Andy's attention as she lounged one Sarah's bedroom floor. She had detected a note of magic in the air, heard the scrapping and thumping occurring but she had attributed it all to the violent storm brewing outside. But now Sarah's scream, along with the nagging feeling at the back of her mind could no longer be ignored. She pushed open Sarah's bedroom door noticing that the scent of magic was heavy in the air, and began her cautious descent down the stairs. Something wasn't right. When she reached the hallway where Toby's room laid she couldn't help but notice the glitter that travelled on the breeze nor the damp cold wind that she had initially attributed to a draft. Panicking she raced towards Toby's bedroom only to suddenly find herself in the humid lush land of the underground.
Okay this is the first chapter. I know that Sarah isn`t quite as angst ridden as the one I'm portraying in my story, nor am I following the trail through the labyrinth exactly as it happened, as well as the dialogue because really we all know the dialogue and while it is necessary to repeat some of it not all needs to be said. Sarah won't always be so dramatic she will be better as the story goes on.