Chapter 1 : Of the Babe
The stones under her feet were slick with sludge and the traction of her leather boots failed more than once. The slippery alley was not the ideal road to travel but it was the only passage between the busy street and the Colburn House.
She eyed the building up ahead. Even the bricks looked tired, she thought absently, noting how they crumbled and broke off in chunks around the foundation. The gray and beige structure seemed to lean forward in exhaustion and Sarah sidestepped large rocks that blocked her path.
Before she could raise a hand to knock, the door swung open and tiny arms slipped around her waist. The informal greeting was followed by cheers and sticky fingers pulling at her hands.
Sarah laughed softly as she returned the hugs and patted tiny, dirty heads.
"Alright children, alright. You'll make me drop my basket." Sarah pulled her heavy wicker basket closer to her chest as she moved into the small foyer. All was as she remembered from the week before. Not a speck of dust had been disturbed in the tiny room. Sarah frowned slightly as she attempted to move down the hallway. If anything the filthy hovel seemed even dirtier.
Turning her gaze back to the children, Sarah asked in a mild tone, "Where is your Mistress?"
Thomas, the eldest of the four children present spoke boldly. "She's gone to fetch another baby, Miss."
Sarah bit her lip and looked over their heads, not quite hiding her irritation. The woman was relentless.
"Well then, we shall just have to start without her. Who's first?"
Sarah stopped within the parlor and sat down on the faded floral sofa. The children began to jump up and down and speak at once. Sarah smiled and pointed to Anna. The smallish girl stepped forward with a large grin on her freckled face.
"And how are you today, love?"
The girl held up her finger and pushed it toward Sarah's face. Blinking, Sarah pulled it closer and twisted it in the light. A tiny wooden splinter was wedged between the nail and the bed.
"Oh, poor darling. We'll have that out in an instant."
"And then the basket?" The girl asked, hopefully. Her pale eyebrows lifted as her eyes grow. Sarah smiled softly at Anna's hopeful expression.
"Then the basket." Agreed Sarah, reaching for the satchel that hung down at her hip and removing her tiny medical tweezers. The girl was as still as a statue but whimpered slightly as the wood was removed.
Sarah kissed Anna's hand when the small procedure was completed and nodded to the basket. The little girl screeched and ran for her treat. Anna dug through the objects within and pulled out a plump and juicy orange.
"I wanted that!" A boy named Jonathan whined, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Me too!" Came the chorus of voices behind him.
Sarah shook her head and held out her hand for his. "There are plenty more. Time for your examination, Jonathan. Do you have any injuries?"
The boy shook his head but at the same time pointed to a red gash on his knee. The cut was swollen and slightly scabbed.
"Oh, Jonathan." Sarah sighed and removed two bottles from her bag. "Looks like we'll have to amputate."
The boy shot her a shocked expression. Sarah laughed and ruffled his hair. "I'm teasing, darling. Hold still, this won't hurt at all."
First, she washed the wound, then she sterilized it. Finally, she placed a bandage around his knee cap and tied it tightly. "There, have your treat. But please, if you scrap your knee again, you must keep it clean."
The boy barely heard her words. His face was deep within the basket.
The other two children had similarly mild pains that were easily treated by the contents of her small medical bag and she breathed a sigh of relief as she put away the last of her supplies. Looking up from her efforts, she watched as Ingrid, a girl of seven, attempted to place a necklace of tiny pink beads around her throat. The reward shined against the girl's pale skin.
Sarah walked over and turned the child to face the long mirror that hung over the soot-covered fireplace. She placed the string around Ingrid's delicate throat and rested her chin on the top of the girl's head, gazing at her in the mirror.
"You look lovely, Ingrid."
The girl beamed up at her with big hopeful eyes. "Do you think I'll be as pretty as you, Miss Sarah?"
Sarah laughed gently and turned the girl to face her. "You can do better than that!"
"Ha! There's a laugh!" Came a deep, nasally voice from the doorway. Sarah turned a carefully controlled look to the woman standing behind her.
Mistress Colburn was bouncing a tiny toddler on her hip and seemed completely oblivious as to the effect of her words. Ingrid's eyes had dimmed and she scooted closer to Sarah.
"Children, I'm afraid I must speak with your Mistress alone now," Sarah spoke authoritatively and the little ones, hastened by her tone, scampered off with only the slightest of moans. She waited until the last child had rounded the corner before turning to the woman in front of her.
"Mistress Colburn," she began, only to be interrupted as the woman shoved the sniffling baby into her arms.
"Take a look at this, since you're here. Been dripping since I picked 'im up!"
Sarah stared down at the child. He was indeed dripping. He sniffled and rubbed a tiny hand against his nostrils and up into his pink veined eyelids. Sarah pulled his arm down and bent to retrieve a soft cotton handkerchief from her bag. She began to pat the baby's face gently and removed the thick, crusty buildup on the side of his right eye. The child reached for her hand and closed his little digits around her fingers. Sarah felt a tug at her heart and she smiled down at the sweet babe. She turned her eyes to the woman again and found her lounging on the couch.
"Mistress Colburn, "she began again, "this baby has an infection. He must be kept away from the other children, given plenty of warm liquids, and he must be kept clean." The last words were said with slow deliberation.
The woman stared back at her and shook her head. "Trouble 'elready! Shoulda just said no to takin 'im. But I needed the money." She stared hard at Sarah and added. "Someone's gotta take care of these kids!"
Sarah looked away in distaste and, still holding the child, bent to pick up her belongings. "I am overdue at the Glenn's."
"Oh ya? Heard they sick there too. Mind you don't go picking up no nasty bug. Easy ta get sick, nowadays."
Sarah stopped her work and turned back to the woman, seizing the opening to talk once again about the children's hygiene. If only she could find a way to reach the woman.
"Yes, you are so right, Mistress Colburn. You and I both know how important it is to battle sickness. If only others were as aware as we, about the importance of cleanliness."
The woman straightened and nodded, vainly smoothing out her skirt with a flick of her hand.
"I am truly shocked by the state of things at some of the houses I visit." Sarah continued. "To think, in this day and age, children go to bed without bathing or even washing their faces."
Mistress Colburn humphed and nodded, but turned her eyes away to the frayed fabric of the couch.
Sarah leaned in a little and spoke coldly in a firm whisper, "If you ask me, the state should take away their special licenses."
At this, the woman swung her head up swiftly and stared at Sarah. She let out a heavy breath and nodded slowly, moving to stand.
"Too true, Miss. Sarah. Too true." Then she reached for the baby and started heading to the door, silently demanding the girl to follow. Sarah took the hint and scooped up her belongings.
As she reached the hallway a throng of voices called out their goodbyes. She turned and waved at the children and stepped out the door, pausing to request a follow-up visit to check on the baby the next morning.
"Course, Miss." The woman responded and closed the door heavily.
Sarah sighed at the failure of her attempted intimidation. Then, faintly, she heard a voice through the door.
"Get you to the baths, dirt bunnies! I want to see those faces shine."
Sarah smiled brightly as she quickly descended down the steps. Her heart felt a little lighter at her tiny victory.
In a red room warmed by a waving fire and covered in comfortable darkness, The King smiled as well. He had been entertained by the little show behind the mirror.
Peculiar woman, he thought to himself as he crossed a leg over the arm of his ivory throne, his thoughts briefly going back to her gloriously intelligent blue eyes. Jareth's smile widened wickedly and he ran a finger over the curve of his upper lip. He almost felt sorry for the other female. Shaking his head, he placed his chin in his hands and turned his attention back to the child, not allowing his mind to wander again.
The babe would do. He would do very well.
A.N I do not own Labyrinth
Hello, readers! I am so glad you have returned for another chapter. So, now you have met our lovely Sarah. She definitely has her hands full. What are your thoughts about the changes to her character? Let me know and you might get a big juicy orange!
I hope you are enjoying the story so far! I would like to thank those of you who have reviewed. In particular, FreakinGodzilla, Honoria Granger, and bluebellwoods. I really appreciate you taking the time to give me your feedback, it helps so much! I also want to thank those of you who have messaged me privately. I love to hear from you! As always, thank you for reading, reviewing, following and/ or favoriting! – S.
* As you guys might have noticed, Sarah is not in modern times. I have left it ambiguous as to what country she is from though, adding a little from here and a little from there. So let your imaginations run free! I will explore more of how long it has been since the prologue for Jareth soon. Thank you Honoria Granger for the feedback!
