Chapter 2. Wild Places
When the day finally arrived that Jareth had been waiting for, Sarah was walking in the park, her imagination running wild in the beautiful surroundings, the forest on one side, wild and dark against the peaceful, quieter beauty of the park with its trimmed hedges and white marble arches. It was the perfect setting for her to learn the final section of the Labyrinth, she spoke the lines aloud as she ran around the corner, white dress flowing behind her. She imagined him in front of her, The Goblin King dark and mysterious, handsome and terrifying.
"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered", she began "I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city, to take back the child that you have stolen." Pausing to take a breath she relished the lines, losing herself in the world she had never seen but knew better than her own. "For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great"… she fumbled her mind drawing a blank, "Damn, I always forget that line. "For my will is as strong as yours…" Sarah moaned frustrated with herself, and yanked a small book out of her pocket- it was battered and well worn, on the faded red cover in black were the words, The Labyrinth. She flicked to the back, her eyes widening as they alighted on the right section. They flicked up, "You have no power over me."
The Goblin King had been watching her from the tree line, lounging along the branches of a great oak, enjoying the way she ran in the dress, how she held herself, high and proud-just like him. He wondered how long it would be, but had a sense it was soon, it was foreboding mixed in with electric excitement and anticipation. What was about to happen would change everything he knew. A human had never beaten the Labyrinth it just drew them into its black holes and forgot about them. He could hear her muttering the words from the book and smiled to himself knowing that the more she became obsessed the with Labyrinth, with its twists and turns and its magic, the more she would be drawn to him, until it was too late and she could never truly return to the world above.
She was still speaking though he couldn't make out the words, then the world went quiet and he heard her, clear and resonant, "for my will is as strong as yours…" his heart froze, realising his mistake. She knew the words, in giving her the book to bring her to him, had he given her the very keys to his undoing? "You have no power over me" the words rang out across the glades and the King felt a stab at his heart, the storm about him rose, so suddenly he was barely aware it was happening. Thunder rolled in the sky and lightening came crashing down around him. He crashed through the branches, barely landing on his feet and then sank on to the floor- eyes still on Sarah as she stood for a moment in the pouring rain, she had no idea what she had just said, the effect those few words had on him, and he hoped she would never say them again he didn't think he would survive it. Sarah was almost frozen in time, before hearing the bell toll the hour, her eyes widened and she snapped out of her reverie "Oh no, I don't believe it, its seven o clock, come on Merlin!" She gestured to her large fluffy sheep dog and they ran away together. Leaving the Goblin King behind.
"Jareth" someone was murmuring, "Jareth" It was that which roused him – no one would dare use his name to his face. He shot up abruptly- a few of his advisors stood warily around him, their ugly goblin faces wary and concerned. He had been behaving erratically lately even more so than usual and it was toying with the kingdom, not that he cared much about them right now, he had served for his entire life- it was all he knew but now he wanted something and he was damned if he wasn't going to get it. "What is this?" He yelled scorn etched upon his face, enjoyed the shock on their faces. Their heads bowed, "Apologies my Lord", Jareth snatched himself up off the ground, "I don't want your apologies," his voice dangerously low "I want you out of my sight- now" and with that, they vanished. The Goblin King himself didn't pause for long, only stared for a moment into rain before he was gone- in his place only a large barn owl it enormous sharp eyes thoughtfully watching the clouds of the storm follow the distant shape of a young girl, running home in the rain. Tonight was the night.