Love will find a way
After spending a year and a day trapped in owl form, Goblin King Jareth was happy he could assume his true form. He was stuck as an owl when Sarah, the pretty teenager from Earth, defied his authority with her magic words. Sarah had traveled through the Labyrinth to rescue her baby brother Toby, whom Jareth had kidnapped. Actually, it was Sarah's fault, for in a moment of frustration she had said, "I wish the goblins would come and take you away." So, the goblins did come, and they did take Toby away.
Jareth spent his exile as an owl in a tree in Sarah's backyard, outside her window. He watched as she went through the turmoil and changes of being a teenager. He saw her go out on her first date, and bring some friends over to spend the night. Sarah had become more outgoing in her social life after her harrowing adventure in the Labyrinth; she had friends now when she used to be alone.
Sometimes Sarah's friends from the Labyrinth world would visit her, and they'd have a good time enjoying the comforts of her room. Sara would read parts of her favorite fantasy books to them. They'd play with her stuffed animals, dolls, toys and costumes.
Jareth watched with fear and fascination as Sarah learned to drive after turning sixteen. It was difficult for her at first and when she wrecked her first old clunker, she was scared. But her father found a new car for her to drive, not as old as the first. Jareth followed Sarah if she went out at night, which she rarely did.
Tonight was Halloween, Jareth's first day of freedom in his true form, like that of a human. He wore all black clothes, a hooded black cloak, black gloves and a black mask. He knew there was a fall festival at Sarah's school, so that is where he went.
Sarah wore a pink medieval gown with long, wide sleeves trimmed in embroidered gold ribbons. She had a matching cone shaped princess hat, and her hair was braided.
She was currently bobbing for apples in the apple barrel. So far she had no luck getting an apple. Every time her mouth touched an apple, it would push it down into the water of the deep metal container. Finally she gave up, and rose, whipping the water from her face.
Jareth watched her take a glass of cider from a booth and drink it. A tall, slim, dark-haired boy dressed as a knight emerged from the gym where loud music was playing. There was dancing in the gym. The boy invited Sarah to go into the gym with him. Jareth felt the surge of jealousy rising up like bile in him. This boy, what was his name? Trevor, that was it, called himself her boyfriend. How dare he, they barely knew each other, they had only been out on a few dates. Well, it was time for this Backstreet boy to move over, the King was coming to claim his woman.
Jareth entered the gym. Couples in costumes danced together, teenagers and adults. The gym was decorated with orange and black streamers, posters of witches, ghosts and Frankenstein, and fake cobwebs, spiders and bats. Paper ghosts and a mechanical witch on a broomstick that cackled and soared up on her string when anyone entered the door also added a spooky charm to the place.
Jareth pushed his way through the crowd. He saw Sarah and Trevor dancing to the Monster Mash. His hands curled into fists at his side. Why did Sara do this to him? How could she have refused him, when she could have been his queen? What was it about the girl that drew him to her?
The Monster Mash ended and the DJ played a slow song, "Fields of gold." Jareth took the opportunity to tap Trevor on the shoulder and say, "I'm cutting in." Trevor turned around, angry at being interrupted. "Who do you think you are?" He stopped when he saw Jareth, the guy was big, twice his size. And he looked downright scary in all that black. Trevor had no desire to get his face punched in, so he backed off and sidled out of the way.
Sarah looked up at the big man in black. Who was this guy? He must be an adult, if so why is he dancing with an underage teenager? She was very nervous around him.
"Nice costume. Who are you suppose to be?" Sarah asked him.
"A warlock." Jareth replied, "Your princess costume is appealing to me. It's very well made. Where did you get it?"
"I made it. My real mom taught me how to sew before she died, and I have a sewing machine. I bought the hat at the Renaissance fair." She said.
"You made it? Your very talented, not many girls today no how to sew."
"Thanks. Where'd you get your costume by the way?"
"I bought it."
"So, who are you?" Sarah asked.
"My name is Jared and I'm a warlock. I will cast my spell over you and you will fall madly in love with me."
Jared? That sounds an awful lot like Jareth! But it's not possible; he's still an owl. I got rid of him. I thought he would never bother me again. Could this guy really be Jareth?
"I'm Sarah." She said, thinking if this was not Jareth than it was a stranger who did not know her name.
The song was ending. Sarah twisted in Jareth grasp. "Will you excuse me, I have to go to the restroom." Jareth let her go.
Sarah opened the door to the girl's locker room. No one was in here. She went to the bathroom and looked at her face in the mirror. She wore make up, rosy blush, shimmering rose lipstick, and sparkly silver eye shadow with mascara. She had some silver glitter on her cheeks. Sarah wondered what she should do if Jareth came back. Well, as long as she said the right words, he wouldn't be able to enter her house. The goblins could only work their magic as much as people allow, they only visit people who believe in them.
Sarah had not lied when she said she had to go to the bathroom. She used the bathroom, washed her hands and left. In the gym, she slipped through the crowd hopping to avoid Jared. She found Trevor over by the refreshment table, eating a cookie.
"What did that creepy guy in black want with you?"
"He just wanted to dance and to talk to me." She said.
"He seems like a pervert to me. Be careful around him."
"He's a pervert because he's interested in your girlfriend?" Sara argued.
"Look at the guy, he's probably like thirty. And you're sixteen."
"Don't worry, I'm not interested in him. I'm hungry." Sarah picked up a brownie and took a big bite. She finished her brownie while Trevor went on.
"He could be arrested if he tried something on you. I guess we guys are stupid like that. He can't be a teacher, I don't know who he is but I hope he leaves."
"Relax ok, as I said, I'm not interested in him." Sarah told him again.
"That's cool, because I am interested in you." Trevor put his arms around her and leaned in for a kiss. Sarah met his lips with hers. It was delightful.
Jareth angrily stalked away from the gym where he saw Trevor kissing Sarah. He stomped through the fair yard, and while walking so fast without noticing where he was going he knocked down a little boy dressed as Buzz Light-year. The boy began to cry, his bag of candy was spilled on the ground. His mother came over and began to yell at him, "Why don't you watch where you're going mister? There are children here you'd notice that if you cared about anyone but yourself."
Jareth stepped around them and kept going, ignoring the woman. He turned down the street that led to the park. He came across some teenagers partying in the park, one was dressed as the ghost from Scream, another as Freddy Kruger, and the last one as a skeleton with blood on its bones and a knife protruding from the back. They were listening to heavy metal music and were shouting, howling at the moon, and drinking beer and smoking cigarettes.
There was a full moon out tonight, and it cast it's light over the park, along with some streetlights. Jareth went into the wooded section. He found the special oak tree, a grand old tree with a very thick trunk and sturdy branches. Jareth said the magic words and touched the trunk of the tree. A glowing golden light appeared and took the shape of a doorway. Jareth entered that doorway.
He found himself back in the throne room of his castle. The goblins and creatures of his court were busy partying while the master was gone. They were singing and dancing, making a great ruckus, and drinking all the drink and eating all the food from the kitchen.
"Well, well, while the cat's away the mice will play." He said. I return to find this mess, that you have plundered are food supply and are deafening noble ears with the hideous noise you are making, not to mention you wrecked my throne room."
One wrinkled old goblin bowed down before him. "Don't be angry with us Master, you used to throw parties like this all the time. We'll clean up the mess. "
"You had better. I'm going off to find Hoggle."
Finding Hoggle proved to be more difficult than it sounds. Jareth finally found him in the courtyard with the old man who had a bird on his head.
"Jareth I thought you were trapped forever as an owl? How did you make it back here? Please don't hurt me!" Hoggle said.
"I'm not going to hurt you, fool. I need some questions answered." Jareth said.
"What sort of questions?" Hoggle asked.
"Questions about Sarah. Why won't she like me?"
"Oh I see. You still have a crush on her. Everybody loves Sarah."
"It seems that's true on Earth too. I found out about this new boyfriend of hers, Mr. baggy- pants- that- hang- down- and- show- his- pasty-ass. If I could lure him here, I could lock that boy up in my dungeon forever."
"That was your first mistake. You tried to possess Sarah, not love her. You claimed you loved her yet you were cruel to her. How is a girl supposed to respond to that?
"I was testing her. Now I know that she has courage, strength and wits, I want her even more." Jareth claimed.
"Whatever you do, don't throw her in the oubliette again. She'll just end up hating you." Hoggle said.
"So what can I do to make her love me? Help me to win Sarah's heart, or I'll dip you in the bog of never-ending stench for sure."
"Threatening innocent dwarves hardly helps your case." Hoggle replied.
"You, my friend, are hardly innocent. Give me some advice I can use, damn it!"
"All right, you should give her a present. Something nice, like flowers or candy or jewelry or a big soft teddy bear." Hoggle suggested.
"A teddy bear?" Jareth questioned.
"Well I always wanted one when I found out about them." Said Hoggle.
"So I will give her presents. I'll say they are from her secret admirer. I think the next holiday on Earth is called Thanksgiving, when they have a communal feast. I'll give her something then."
When Sarah went to school the day after Halloween, she found a red rose stuck through the handle on her locker with a note attached. The note read:
"I have loved you from afar,
To me you are a shining star,
You are the fairest princess in the land,
How I wish I could win your hand.
-Your Secret Admirer"
Sarah wondered who this secret admirer could be. Could Trevor be playing tricks on her? Or was it…Oh no please no it could not be Jareth! Or maybe it was another boy at her school? She would find out soon enough if her secret admirer kept up contact with her.
As she walked to her class, her friend Valerie found her in the halls.
"Hey Sarah, where'd you get the rose from?"
"I found it in the handle on my locker this morning. There was a note saying it was from my secret admirer."
"I thought you were going out with Trevor. Maybe another guy has a crush on you." Valerie said.
"That must be it." Replied Sarah.
"Who do you think it is?"
"I have no idea." The entered their homeroom class before the bell rang.
Sarah had no idea what to do if another boy loved her and tried to take her away from Trevor. Should she spurn the newcomer and stay loyal to Trevor? She decided not to tell her boyfriend about her secret admirer.
The weekend came and Sarah was at home reading a book. Her stepmother was on the phone making preparations for Thanksgiving.
"The whole family will be here for Thanksgiving. Your grandparents are coming, as well as Uncle Chuck and Aunt Lillian." She said to Sarah.
"Good. I haven't seen Grandma and Grandpa in a while. It will be good to see Uncle Chuck and Aunt Lillian."
Thanksgiving came sooner than they expected. On the Monday of the week of Thanksgiving, a delivery boy came to Sarah's house. He delivered a pot of purple asters to Sarah. Sarah read the tag, it said: "To my special princess, Sarah. From your secret admirer."
Sarah set the asters on the kitchen windowsill and watered them. She was growing more curious about who this secret admirer is.
On Wednesday, a large, fresh baked apple pie was delivered to her house. She asked the delivery boy who had sent it. He said he didn't know, he received the pie at work and had orders to bring it to this house. He never saw the one who sent it. The note with the pie said from your secret admirer, as always.
That Thanksgiving Trevor came over along with Sarah's relatives to eat Thanksgiving dinner with them. Sarah talked to her grandma and grandpa and all of the aunts, uncles and cousins she had not seen in along time. It turns out her stepmother is a good cook. Grandma made some of the food, and Sarah helped out in the kitchen.
When they were all gathered at the table and the turkey, gravy, ham, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, cornbread, dinner rolls, corn, spinach, beans, squash, and beets were all put on the table, Sarah's father said the blessing. Then they dug in and ate the delicious Thanksgiving meal. Trevor said he liked the food. When everyone had eaten the regular Thanksgiving food, the pies were brought out. There was the apple pie, and a pumpkin pie. Sarah had a small slice of each.
Later on they gathered in the living room to watch the football games and the Thanksgiving Day parade. Trevor kissed Sarah goodbye and went home. He still did not know about her secret admirer.
The weather grew colder, and it began to snow. Sarah put on warm clothes, a thick sweater over her turtleneck and jeans with a parka over them. She also wore a knitted scarf, a knitted hat over her ears and gloves. She met Trevor and her friends in the park and they built a snowman together. Sarah threw snowballs at Trevor, and he returned fire.
She laughed and had a good time playing in the snow, and forgot about Jareth and her secret admirer.
Meanwhile Jareth paced in his goblins' lair. He was growing impatient and wondered when he should reveal himself. That obnoxious kid Trevor was proving to be too much of a distraction for her. Perhaps he should do something to make Sara loose her affection for Trevor. Ah, yes. It was common that teenage lovers often broke up, and sometimes the cause was unfaithfulness. He could distract Trevor with another girl, and when he cheated on Sarah she would dump him. Who could he use to come between Sarah and Trevor? Perhaps the best friend, Valerie could be the one to tempt Trevor into cheating and break Sarah's heart. One of the talents the fey goblin folk in the Labyrinth world had was to influence mortals through their dreams.
Jareth decided to visit Valerie and give her a dream involving Trevor. A clownish fiend's thugs attacked Valerie in her dreams that night. It was the Joker, and she was in Gotham city in the batman universe. She screamed for help as the joker prepared to throw a bomb filled with his special "laughing gas" at her.
Batman swung down from the dark sky and kicked the Joker in the stomach, sending him flying. He finished the job with a swift punch to the face that rendered Joker unconscious. The Joker's minions fled. Then batman kindly helped Valerie to her feet and told her everything was all right now. Valerie said she wished she could see his face, and know who it was that rescued her. Batman did something he would never do in the show. He took off his mask. Valerie gasped. It was Trevor. Trevor took her in his arms and kissed her. Then he took Valerie back to his mansion. Valerie gasped at the display of wealth in the fine, elegantly decorated mansion. Alfred the butler brought her a cup of hot chocolate. Batman, or Trevor showed her to a room with a large safe. He opened the safe and took out a stunning diamond necklace. "This is for you." He said. He clasped the necklace around her neck. Then he opened a small black box to reveal a ring with a huge diamond. He slipped the ring on Valerie's finger and said he wanted to marry her.
Then Valerie woke up. She was ashamed that she had dreamt about Sarah's boyfriend. She went back to sleep and had another dream.
This time she was in a dark dungeon from some fantasy world. It was dark and creepy with a dirt floor with rats crawling all over it, mildew on the walls and chains rattling from the walls. Valerie wore a medieval costume; she looked like Maid Marian. She turned around and saw Sarah lying on the cot, looking sick. Sarah was also dressed in a medieval costume. They heard the sounds of a fight outside, and Valerie peered out of the barred window on the door. She saw Robin Hood and his band fighting the guards.
Soon the door swung open and Robin Hood stood there holding the keys, a dead guard slumped on the floor. It was Trevor in a Robin Hood costume. "Marian, my love, he said, "I've come to rescue you. Come with me quickly."
"I would go, but my friend who was imprisoned with me is gravely ill. She cannot move." Marian (Valerie) said. Robin Hood (Trevor) entered the cell to see about Sarah.
"Lady Eleanor, we must flee from this place quickly." He told Sarah.
Sarah coughed up blood. Her face was deathly pale. "Go without me," she said weakly, "I'm dying."
Robin Hood tried to pick her up and take her out of the cell, but she convulsed and coughed up more blood, her eyes rolled back in her head and then she lay still. She was dead. Robin Hood closed her eyes. "Poor Lady Eleanor, she who was my first love. I pray that Prince John will at least have the decency to give her a proper burial."
Then he turned to Marian. "Come, we must go before reinforcements arrive." He took her hand and they ran out of the castle and into the courtyard where a white horse waited for them. Robin put her on the horse and they galloped out of the gates and down the road to the forest.
When they were in the forest, Robin Hood said to her, "In truth, it is good that Lady Eleanor died. We were betrothed, but you are my true love. Now that she is gone, we are free to marry." Then he kissed her passionately. Valerie woke up, and it was morning. What did these strange dreams mean? Should she ignore them? She wondered what to do, as she got ready for school.
It turned out that Valerie was not the only one having strange dreams that night. Trevor dreamt the exact same thing she did, he was the hero and he had to rescue Valerie, the damsel in distress. Sara dreamt about the masquerade ball in Labyrinth. She wore the white dress with the lace and crystal beads, and a white feathered mask. The others at the ball all wore fine clothes and feathered masks.
She came to a man in a red cloak and red mask that made him resemble a cardinal. He bowed before her and asked her to dance with him. Sarah accepted, and soon she was whirling gracefully across the ballroom in the man in red's arms.
"You are the most beautiful woman here." The stranger said. Sarah blushed.
After dancing with him for a while, the time came for everybody to take off their masks and reveal who they were. Sarah was surprised when her dancing partner took off his mask. It was Jareth!
"Don't be alarmed, Sarah. I have changed much since I last met you. I still love you and desire you for my partner. I vow to you now that I will never try to hurt you again." Jareth said.
"But Jareth, I have a boyfriend now, Trevor…" Sarah began.
Jareth put a finger over her lips. "Such relationships rarely last. I promise you a love that will last."
"You were so mean to me during my adventure in the labyrinth. You said to me, 'Only love me and fear me and do everything I say, and I will be your slave.' Sounds more like you want me for a slave."
"I promise I will not treat you like that. You will be my equal. Don't you want more fun adventures in my magical world?"
"My last adventure was filled with danger. But I made many friends."
"I promise I can give you more friends from my subjects." Jareth said.
"It's hard to trust you." Sarah told him.
"To prove my goodwill I will give you a gift." Jareth said. "Take this glass dragon. It will bring you good luck, and will bring us together one day." Jareth pressed a small glass figurine of a dragon into her hand. Then Sarah woke up.
To her surprise, the glass dragon from her dreams stood on her nightstand. It was a beautifully crafted piece. She carefully placed it on a shelf. Then she got dressed to go to school.
At school, her friend Valerie and Trevor were acting weird. They did not say much to each other, it seemed they could not even look at each other. Sarah found a box of fine chocolates in her locker. The note with it said: 'Sweets for the sweet. You are the sweetest thing on earth.'
Sarah tried one of the chocolates. It was incredibly good. She shares some of her chocolates with Valerie, who felt guilty after the dreams she had involving her best friend's boyfriend.
Valerie grew bored in English class while the teacher was giving a lecture. She began to daydream. She saw herself and Trevor walking in a beautiful garden filled with roses.
"Trevor, I've been wanting to tell you how I feel. But I really did not want to hurt my best friend Sarah. But I must be honest. I like you, Trevor. I like you a lot. You might almost say I love you." Valerie said to him.
"I didn't want to say anything because I knew it would be wrong to cheat on Sarah." Trevor said. "I feel the same way about you that you do for me. I love you too. Somehow I'll have to break up with Sarah so we can be together."
Meanwhile, in art class, Sarah told her other friend Gwen about her secret admirer. Gwen let the secret slip, and soon word spread through the school and reached Trevor's ears. He was jealous and slightly angry.
He confronted her at lunch. "Sarah, why didn't you tell me about this secret admirer of yours? It's not me, I should know if another guy is going after my girl."
"I knew you'd be jealous." Sarah said. "So I hid it from you so you wouldn't be hurt. It's not my fault that some strange guy is attracted to me and is sending me all this stuff. I don't even know who he is."
"Well, I wish he'd stop. It's not fair, how can I compete with a rich guy? Why do girls always expect presents?"
"I don't expect guys to buy me things. I never asked for this. I wish you would stop acting like it's my fault." Sarah said.
"I never said it was your fault. It could be a creep who's doing this. Why doesn't he show himself?"
"I don't know Trevor, it's all very weird to me. Now I'd like to eat lunch."
Valerie sat down next to them. "So Trevor heard about the secret admirer huh? Well you can't blame him for being mad, I'd be jealous if I had a boyfriend and some other girl was coming after him." She said.
Sarah ate her hamburger without saying anything else to them. When she was done she got up and headed for the library.
She had some time before her next class started. She searched the fiction section. She found a book about the Labyrinth world. Curious and excited, she checked it out.
Sarah read the book when she got home from school that afternoon. It had the goblin king Jareth in it, and it said he was lovesick over a girl from earth, named Sarah. It sounded awfully familiar. Jareth wanted Sarah to be his queen and help him rule the strange, magical world of Labyrinth.
Sarah put the book down. She had to do her homework. After homework, she played with baby Toby for a while. She bounced Toby up and down in her lap and sang a silly song for him. Her dad and stepmother were glad that she was being friendly with Toby.
On Saturday her family went to mass where the beginning of the Advent season was celebrated. Sarah sang the hymns in the choir and went up for communion. She loved the beautiful old church with its gorgeous stain glass windows.
Everybody was getting ready for the Christmas season. Stores had festive decorations in every window, Salvation Army bell ringers stood on the street corners collecting charity. The streetlights had red ribbons and holly wreath decorating them. Sarah and her family put up their Christmas tree and her dad put Christmas lights up on the outside of the house. Sarah loved decorating for Christmas.
She received more gifts from her secret admirer. Due to the strange dream she had, she was certain her secret admirer was Jareth. She had another dream that she was ice-skating on a pond, and the man who held her hand as she skated was Jareth. He smiled at her. Then, Trevor skated up to her, arm in arm with Valerie. Trevor cruelly pushed Sara down, and she sprawled on the ice. Jareth helped her up, and took her away from Trevor and Valerie, who were shouting insults at her. He took her into the winter forest and showed her the evergreen trees covered in snow. The forest became more magical as they went. They soon came to a grove of trees with silver leaves and blue apples. Jareth picked and apple for her. Next the trees changed into trees with magenta leaves and golden pears. Jareth also picked a golden pear. The next grove had trees with golden leaves and bunches of pearly white grapes growing on them. Jareth picked a bunch of grapes. He gave her the fruit, and said,
"Eat this fruit, Sarah, and you will be forever young and immortal. You can stay with me in this magical place forever." Sara tried to take a bite of the apple, but she woke up before she could. She looked around in the darkness but could find no more signs of Jareth's presence. She went back to sleep.
Before long Christmas presents from Sarah's secret admirer began showing up at her door. The first was a basket of Christmas flowers, red and white roses, carnations, poinsettias, holly, sprigs of mistletoe, and pinecones.
Sarah did not know it, but Trevor and Valerie met in secret at the park while Sarah was shopping for Christmas presents. At first they said nothing, then they skated together and had hot chocolate together.
"Trevor, I've been having strange dreams. Dreams about you." Valerie told him.
"Really? The same thing happened to me. I've been dreaming about you too."
Valerie looked at her boots. "What happens in these dreams?"
"Well, usually I have to rescue you from something, and then, um…well, we fall in love." Trevor stuttered.
"That's what goes on in my dreams." Valerie looked him in the eyes. Slowly she stopped blinking and a tear formed from her eye. "I can't stand it any more! I really love you, and I want you, but I don't want to hurt Sarah!" She cried.
"Oh, god, I know exactly how you feel. I love you too, Valerie." He held her in his arms. Valerie buried her face in his chest.
She looked up at him, her face distraught. "We'll have to find some way to tell her, won't we?" She said.
"Yeah, We have to. After Christmas I'll tell her." Trevor declared.
Gwen had gone to the skating pond in the park that day too, and she saw Valerie and Trevor together. She knew she had to tell Sarah. Gwen called Sara that night and told her what she saw.
"Are you sure?" Sarah asked.
"Positive." Gwen said. "They were hugging each other, and it looked like they wanted to kiss. Valerie had her head on his chest."
"I want to make sure I know what's going on before I jump to any conclusions." Sarah said.
"We'll see what happens. Watch how Trevor and Valerie act, and see what they do. They looked like they were falling for each other to me. I'm so sorry, Sarah." Gwen said.
"I should have known I couldn't keep him for long." Sarah said. She hung up the phone.
Sarah lay down on her bed and thought about what to do. Her dreams involving Jareth had more influence on her than she knew. Perhaps he really has changed and is still in love with her and willing to treat her right. She had more fantasies about going back to Labyrinth and having more fun in that world. She felt like she didn't belong on Earth. She felt trapped, and did not know what to do. She began to cry. A part of her still loved Trevor, but she knew it would be over with him soon.
Her second Christmas gift from Jareth arrived the next day. It was a big white teddy bear with a red knitted hat and scarf. Attached to the teddy bear's scarf was a bag of cinnamon candy. Sarah squeezed the teddy bear's paw, and it played music, "We wish you a Merry Christmas."
She set the big teddy bear on the bed with her other stuffed animals.
Soon school would let out for Christmas. Sarah had all her shopping done, and she wrapped her gifts for her family in her room.
Her family went to church and followed all of the symbolic rituals and celebrations involving the Advent season.
More friends and relatives came over to the house. They discussed all of the gifts that had arrived for Sarah.
"She has a secret admirer." Her stepmother said. "We don't know who it is, but he must have some money put away to be able to afford all of these gifts. I'm afraid it might be a dirty old man."
"I hope Sarah finds out what kind of person is behind this soon." Her grandmother said. "I think Sarah has enough sense to stay out of trouble."
"My Sarah is a good girl. She won't let some creepy male take advantage of her, will you Sarah?"
"Dad!" Sarah groaned. She ran off to her room. She looked at the glass dragon Jareth had given her. She watched as the sunlight from her window reflected off of the dragon. Jareth said this dragon would lead her to him. Sarah wondered what that meant. She read her favorite book about Labyrinth before her dad called her downstairs for supper.
Sarah grew more excited as it came closer to Christmas. She baked gingerbread cookies and chocolate chip cookies with her stepmother. Trevor only came over once during the holiday season. Sarah knew sooner or later they would break it off. She saw him with Valerie, and knew that they were in love from the looks on their faces. Trevor had found someone new, and she was returning to her first love, Jareth the goblin king who had loved her since she was a small child.
Christmas day came. Sarah got out of bed early and went into the living room where the tree was. There were all kinds of gifts under the tree, and presents in her Christmas stocking. She waited until her dad and stepmother got up and got out the camera to take holiday pictures. Sarah gleefully opened her gifts. She received more books, a journal and fancy pen to go with it, a pink cashmere sweater, cubic zirconia earrings, a charm bracelet, some of her favorite music CDs, a sketchbook and colored pencils, a plaid skirt, a red sweater, ear muffs, and a bottle of rose-scented moisturizer lotion.
Sarah bought a bead bath kit for her stepmother, a tie for her father, and a Winnie the Pooh squeaky toy for Toby. As she reached into her stocking for gifts, she found a small box wrapped in gold paper. She opened it, and found a gold heart shaped locket with a rose engraved on it. There was no note telling who it was from. She opened the gold locket and discovered a picture of Jareth inside it. Her heart began to melt; she realized he really did love her.
That night she dreamt she was in the same forest with oddly colored trees with the strange fruit on them. Someone called her name, and she searched until she found Jareth standing under a gold pear tree. "Sarah, I have a surprise for you." Jareth whistled, and a beautiful unicorn trotted up to him. Sarah gasped in amazement.
"Would you care to go for a ride?" Jareth asked.
"I would love that." Sarah replied. He helped her mount the magnificent white unicorn. They took off through the woods together. They came to a place where and arch of red roses grew out of the snow.
"Are you ready to be with me at last, Sarah?" Jareth replied.
"Yes, Jareth. I am going to break up with Trevor."
"Good. On Valentine's Day take your glass dragon and go out into the woods till you come to a spot where this arch of rose grow. Then the dragon will become real and will take you to my world." He explained to her.
"I will do that, but why do I have to wait for Valentine's Day?" Sara asked.
"My power on Earth is limited. I am strongest on holidays for some reason. Then, I can more easily access the bridge between our worlds.
"OK, I will see you on Valentine's Day. I want to see Ludo, Hoggle and Sir Didymus again too.
Before New Year's Eve, Sarah invited Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus into her room for a party. She brought up some food and drinks an played her music for them. They danced together and had a pillow fight. Sarah sent them home at midnight and went to bed. Her parents would be having a New Year's Eve party.
New Year's Eve came and Sarah received a call from Trevor. He sounded very nervous. "Sarah, I hate to do this, but I don't want to be with you any more. Please don't be angry. I fell in love with Valerie. We haven't really done anything so far. I just don't want to continue in our relationship when I know it should be over."
"I wanted to break up with you, Trevor. Now you've done the hard part for me. The truth is there's another guy. It's that secret admirer that kept giving me things. I found out who he is, he's an old love from my past." Sara said.
"I'm glad you understand. I hope we can still be friends." Trevor said.
"I see no reason why we can't." Said Sarah. "I'll talk to you later. I have to go now. Bye." She hung up the phone.
The New Year's Eve party was fun. Sarah got to drink a little bit of champagne. She ate some cake to celebrate the New Year and stayed up past midnight.
It came time to go back to school. Sarah ignored the whispers that followed down the hall when she saw Valerie and Trevor walking along holding hands. She found a white rose in her locker, and a note that said:
"I will see you soon. Yours forever, Jareth."
Sarah couldn't wait for Valentine's Day. When the day came a dozen red roses were delivered to her door. Sarah put on a red plaid skirt with black tights and a red sweater. She wore her gold heart-shaped locket.
After school she followed Jareth's directions and went into the woods. The woods were covered in snow. She found the archway of red roses growing out of the snow. Sarah took the glass dragon out of her pocket and it transformed into a living crystal dragon.
"Ride upon my back, fair lady, and I will take you to Jareth." The dragon said. Sarah gasped in awe. Slowly she climbed onto the dragon's back and held onto its mane. The dragon walked through the archway, then spread its wings and flew up into the sky. Sarah could see the land of Labyrinth from a bird's eye point of view. The dragon landed at Jareth's castle. Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus came out. Jareth came out behind them. Sarah climbed off the dragon and ran forward to hug her friends. Then she turned to Jareth.
"My love, at last I can be with you." Jareth said. "I know you have a life and a family on Earth, but every once in a while you can come here and be with me. Sometimes I will visit you as the owl."
Sarah kissed Jareth. "I see that now you know how to love. As long as you are good to me, I will be yours."
Jareth pulled a red rose out of his pocket. "So now the fairytale ends happily. I will always be here to offer what your heart desires. Magic, enchantment, excitement, and adventure will always be yours when you are with me."
THE END