Chapter 4
Sarah had been asleep for days. When she finally woke with Jareth stroking her hair, she was immediately worried. "Where am I?"
"You are at your brother's house."
"Toby? But –?"
"Don't worry I'll explain it all later."
"Jareth, how long have I been asleep?"
"For three days."
"What about you? Are you alright? You know you can't be away from the Labyrinth that long!"
"It's alright. I went back. Just to the outskirts for awhile."
"Jareth, what are we going to do? We can't stay here forever."
"I've been thinking about this for some time. Sireth doesn't know about any other world other than the Underground, or about humans, but now he must know –"
"What? Why?"
"Because he needs them, one of them. The way I needed you."
"What are you saying?"
"What I'm saying is Sireth must and will find out about your world. He will come here, find a human girl, and she will have the power to change him like you changed me."
"Jareth, it's not the same. Sireth is purely evil. He could really hurt someone. You almost . . ." Sarah grew quiet now. She didn't want to bring it up, but she had to. "You almost did. If you could barely resist your darkness what do you think Sireth will do? Some girl, maybe only 16 could be his victim."
"There's no other way." Jareth's eyes flashed. For a moment he was angry but then he calmed down. "We just have to wait. It's out of our hands. I'm sure Sireth has already found the one and a way to get to her." He wrapped his arms around her and held her lovingly while he sang.
"Don't let me hear you say,
Life's taking you nowhere, angel
Come get up my baby
Look at that sky, life's begun
Nights are warm and the days are young
Come get up my baby
There's my baby, lost that's all
Once I'm begging you, save her little soul
Golden years, gold
Come get up my baby
Last night they loved you,
Opening doors and pulling some strings, angel
Come get up my baby
In walked luck and you looked in time
Never look back, walk tall, act fine
Come get up my baby
I'll stick with you baby for a thousand years
Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years, gold
Golden years, gold
Come get up my baby
Some of these days and it won't be long
Gonna drive back down where you once belonged
In the back of a dream car twenty foot long
Don't cry my sweet, don't break my heart
Doing all right, but you gotta get smart
Wish upon, wish upon, day upon day
I believe, oh Lord, I believe all the way
Come get up my baby
Run for the shadows, run for the shadows,
Run for the shadows in these golden years
There's my baby, lost that's all
Once I'm begging you save her little soul
Golden years, gold
Come get up my baby
Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere, angel
Come get up my baby
Run for the shadows, run for the shadows
Run for the shadows in these golden years
I'll stick with you baby for a thousand years
Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years, gold
Golden years, gold
Golden years, gold."
L~L~L~L~L~L~L~L~L~L~L~L~L~L
Sireth read some more of the books in Jareth's crystal room. He read about the glorious masquerade balls Jareth use to hold long before he married Sarah. Jareth stopped using the ballroom after some time and Sarah's ballroom experience was just an imaginary, dream induced spell inside a bubble.
I should have one of those balls and why not right now. He went to the ballroom, but the doors were locked. He went back to his father's room and got the keys. Sireth opened the doors to the enormous ballroom. He stepped forward and looked over the railing down upon the room.
Large mirrors hung everywhere. As well as chandlers with hundreds of candles, their melting waxes frozen in time. Long tables held platters of food that had not gone rotten, and chalices filled with a sweet wine. Everything was preserved as if a ball had been held not more than ten minutes ago. The only thing that gave away the time that had past was the cobwebs that covered the still ripe fruit on the tables and hung from the chandlers like lace.
With a wave of his hand all the candles lit around the room. Sireth took a crystal and threw it down to the floor below. As it dropped the room seemed to be restored. When it shattered on the ground a crowd of dancers appeared.
Sireth took one of the two glass staircases that lead down to the floor. Couples were dancing, eating the now freshly uncovered food, and drinking the wine. They were laughing and carrying on as if the party had already been going on for hours.
When Sireth passed through the crowd, women gravitated to him. They fawned over him and whispered enticements in his ear. He danced with one then another and another, passing women upon women through his arms. What fun his father had had. How could he have ever wanted anything more.
Sireth grew tired of just dancing. He went over to one of tables. He noticed a bowl of peaches. I wonder if these are the drugged ones my father liked to use. He picked one up and fed it to a girl next to him. She ate it out of his hand eagerly. If there was any change in her at all, it only made her more aggressive. The other girls got jealous and each tried to take a bite of the peach. Sireth grabbed more and fed them to them. Their hands were all over him, but he couldn't really feel them. They weren't real. They were just characters from his imagination. Now he understood why Jareth needed more.
"It hasn't stopped storming since you came here," Toby stated. "What is going on?" First it was thunder storms then hail, even snow and it was summertime!
Jareth came into the living room first to talk with Toby while Sarah was freshening up in the bathroom that adjoined the bedroom. "We broke a rule of the Labyrinth. I'm guessing that has something to do with all the storms," Jareth replied.
"What are you talking about?"
"To make a long story short, it turns out it is forbidden for a Goblin King to have more than one child. The weather seems to be one of the consequences."
"That would explain why the Kings have been taking babies. They only have one chance and if they messed it up, they would have to steal their heirs. But what are the other consequences?"
"I'm not sure, but you have other things to worry about. We might need you to help us fight Sireth."
"How can I help you fight?"
"I didn't give you up so easily when Sarah wished you away, because you had the potential to become my heir. You have a power. Your sister has it too. Also, you were very close to having the full power once before. I can teach you how to unlock this potential and use it to help us fight if the occasion arises. That is of course if you choose to take that risk."
Before Toby could answer Sarah walked into the living room. Jareth stood up and kissed her. "I'll make some breakfast and give you a chance to catch up with your brother."
Sarah sat down on the couch and gave her brother a hug. "I've missed you."
"What happened to you Sarah?" Toby whispered, but it didn't matter. Jareth could still hear him with his superior hearing. "Has Jareth told me the truth? He hasn't got you under a spell has he? When he brought you here you looked terrible, you were all covered with blood." He had to be sure of the truth.
"First of all, I know everything Jareth told you was the truth, and there's no power that can control my feelings, especially here. He can't make me love him. And that must have been Jareth's blood on me, because I wasn't hurt. It's just that Sireth, my son, had really drained me."
"And when he failed to raise his first heir did he force you to have another child?"
"No, of course not. In fact both times I had to talk him into it. Jareth truly loves me and I love him. Can you believe that now?"
Toby sighed with relief. "I do." He hugged her tight. "I'm so glad you're okay."
"Now, tell me what you've been doing? I'm sorry to admit it, but I've missed your whole life."
"Well, my life hasn't been as exciting as yours, or as dangerous. I went to school, graduated, moved out into this apartment, and got a job. I write stories for children, fantasies would you believe, about far off lands and handsome Kings. I have a feeling I was influenced by something." Jareth smiled from the kitchen. "Of course that doesn't pay all the bills, so I also work as a computer technician."
"Any love interest?" Sarah asked.
"No, I've had a few girlfriends but they seem to be more interested in my looks than me.
"Breakfast is ready," Jareth interrupted.
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Days had passed but Jennifer couldn't stop thinking about Sireth. He was so mysterious but she felt a sense of darkness all around him. She was afraid . . . afraid that she needed him. She often wondered if he had ever been there at all, but the bruises on her wrists told her that it had been real. She should hate him for what he did to her. His kiss had been cold and hard. There was no warmth, no passion – only anger . . . torture . . . Still she had to go back to the park, right this minute. She couldn't live like this.
She got dressed, slid open the window and climbed down the tree that was near it. She had done this many times before.
Once at the park she began to think this was silly. When she turned to go there was Sireth, leaning against a pedestal. His eyes seemed to be glowing in its shadow. He was dressed in black again.
He came to her. "Jennifer," Sireth said in his mesmerizing voice. "How would you like to escape this world? Come away with me, away from this place. There is only pain and suffering for you here. You could be free. Let me save you."
"Is it real? Show me another world and I'll take it. Anyplace must be better than this."
"If you promise me you will stay there with me, I will take you there, away from this awful place"
She realized that he was serious. Surely only suffering lay ahead with a man who didn't know how to love. But how could she refuse she was already suffering enough as it was. "Alright, I'll go."
Sireth decided the best way to get Jennifer on his side would be to do what his father had done and take her to the ball. They entered together and danced around for a while. Jennifer was in awe as she twirled around in Sireth's arms wearing a blue dress that was cut low in the front. Sireth soon tired of this game and led her out of the ballroom. "Where are we going?" Jennifer asked dazed.
"You'll see," he replied.
When they reached the end of the corridor he pushed open a large door and she gasped when she saw that behind it was a bedroom. She looked up at Sireth and saw the cruel smile on his lips. Then without warning he attacked her. His mouth was on hers hard and cruel as he started stripping her clothes. She knew she wasn't ready for this. She tried to push him away but couldn't. She knew she didn't have the strength to stop him, so she did the only thing she could do. She brought her knee up and hit him between the legs. He doubled over, cursing at her. Then in a flash she was back in the park in her own clothes. She was shaken, but sighed with relief that she had escaped. But she didn't think that he would let her off the hook that easily . . . and he wouldn't. He would have his revenge.
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Sireth sat upon Jareth's throne. The goblins all around him were shaking with fear. He wasn't like Jareth at all. They always obeyed Jareth orders for he didn't tolerate disobedience and they knew his wrath. But the rest of the time they had fun. Since Jareth married Sarah some complained that he wasn't like his old self. They missed the cruel things they use to do to others, because it was in the goblin's nature to be cruel and mischievous. But all in all they were treated much better. Around Sireth the word fun did not exist. They quietly went about their business because if they did anything wrong, they wouldn't have long to regret it.
Sireth had just finished yelling at them, ordering them around. He seemed insane and one thing they knew for sure was that Jareth defiantly was not. One goblin mentioned that he wanted the old Goblin King back. Sireth then screamed that Jareth's name was never to be mentioned again before he made the poor goblin who said it disappear. Several other goblins suffered the same fate when they did something wrong, though they didn't even have time to figure out what it was, before they too vanished. There was no question they all secretly wanted Jareth back.
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Toby had gone to work. He had stayed home for a few days with his sister and Jareth, telling his boss he was sick. "Jareth," Sarah said. "I've been thinking that maybe Toby should come back with us to the Labyrinth. He already knows about it and I have a feeling he doesn't really belong here."
"I know. I feel it too. He does have a sort of power that makes him one of us."
"One of us?"
"Yes, you have it too. That's the only way you were able to withstand my power and use the necklace to save me. It should have killed you, you know. And you created your own magic to save me from that knife wound. Don't worry, we can ask him if he wants to come back with us when all this is over."
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Jennifer hadn't gone back to the park for days. She was so shook by what had happened. She cried herself to sleep at night and sat miserably in school, but she wasn't so sure that her tears and misery came from what had almost happened. She felt as if she had lost a piece of her. She was afraid of Sireth but at the same time she felt that she had to go back there. She couldn't go on like this.
Once at the park she became more afraid of what might happen to her. The sky grew darker and lightning flashed. In the shadows under a tree she thought she saw something move. She squinted, but if there had been anything there it was gone now. She began to think that coming here was a bad idea. She spun around and started to walk quickly away when a hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her hard.
"Hello, so you've come back have you. It doesn't matter. I would have got you either way."
"What do you want?" She tried to free her hand from his grip but it only tightened. She cried out as his sharp nails dug into her skin.
"You know what I want and because of you childishness you will pay dearly for it." The next thing she knew she was back in the bedroom. "I was caught off guard before, but not this time. This time you won't fight me –" Sireth felt a sting across his face. He brought his hand up to his lip and saw the blood that came from it. She had hit him in defense to what she knew was about to happen. "You aren't very smart, are you?" He knocked her onto the bed then attacked her.
She tried to fight him but he was too strong for her, effectively pinning her hands above her head. Jennifer had a deep unexplainable feeling that she was meant to be with Sireth. That should could somehow save him from the demons she saw burning in the depths his eyes. "Please don't!" she cried. "Not now! Not like this!" It was the indifference that hurt her the most. She could see the anger towards her burning in his eyes . . . or maybe the anger stemmed from something else. His touch burned her skin but at the same time it was icy cold. He tore off her clothes.
Strangely a tear burned in his eye and fell upon her skin. Everything in him screamed that this wasn't right, but he didn't understand why. He suddenly became aware of the darkness inside him, staining his soul, not sure where it came from. For a brief moment he wanted desperately to get rid of it. To break free of some invisible chains. He struggled against it and a ragged cry tore from his throat, just before the darkness consumed him once again. He finished with her quickly. Then he left her, a shaking mess at the base of a tree in the park where he had taken her from.
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Sarah felt Jareth tense beside her in bed. "What's the matter?"
"Go back to sleep." He put his hand on her forehead to calm and relax her, willing her to sleep. Then he slipped out of bed, but when he stood he faltered as another sharp stab of pain stuck him. He was dressed in an instant. Then left Sarah sleeping peacefully.
Jennifer saw a dark figure coming towards her and cried out in fear, afraid that it was Sireth coming back to finish her off. But as he got closer she noticed his long blond mane. She felt more than she saw that he was older than Sireth. He came to her and put his cloak over her naked body.
"Shhhh . . ." He held her for some time until she finally stopped shaking.
"Who are you?" she asked.
He did not answer for a moment. "I'm very sorry about what happened. I didn't think it would come to this. Sireth needs help. He needs someone to love him. You may not believe me, but you are the only one who can save him. You need him just as much as he needs you. You can change him, bring out the good that is so deeply buried beneath the anger and hate. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you tonight, but in the future I will try to."
"I don't understand. What can I do? And what makes you think that I need him anyway?"
"You can not deny that you need him no matter what you try to do. Why did you go to the Labyrinth with him when you knew the inevitable outcome then?"
"What makes you think I went willingly?"
"Because a human cannot travel to the Underground without wishing to somewhere in their heart."
Jareth could see that she was in discomfort. He rested his hand on her belly and he knew without doubt that she was carrying Sireth's son. Pain stuck him as he realized that this could have been Sarah, only he never would have been quite so cruel, but then wasn't that more than enough? His voice was now dark as he spoke. "Also, you are carrying his son –"
Shock shook through her body. "How do you know?" she cried fearfully.
"Listen! The child will grow rapidly, but he must not be born here. You have to work on Sireth quickly. I'll watch over you. I'm going to take you home now."
"No! I can't go home. If my mother finds out –" she broke off crying.
Jareth's voice was now gentle. "You can not stay with me or Sireth will find me. If he does many more lives may be at stake. Our time for meeting is not yet. Do not tell Sireth of your encounter with me. I can use some magic to hide the child, but remember he mustn't be born here."
"Why not?"
He didn't answer for a moment, but when he finally did in a voice that was barely audible it was the last thing she wanted to hear. "Both you and the child will die." She gasped. He picked her up in surprisingly strong arms for his appearance.
Jennifer and Jareth appeared in her bedroom. He gently placed her in the bed. She was still wrapped in his cloak, but he got a pair of pajamas from her drawer and magically switched them. He tucked her into bed, but could see that she was worrying which wasn't good for her or the baby. He began to sing to her.
"Psychodelicate girl come out to play
Little metal faced boy don't stay away
He's so war torn and resigned
She can't take anymore
What are they trying to prove?
What would they like to find?
It's love back to front and no sides
Like I say, these pieces are broken
Like I say, these pieces are broken
Hope I'm wrong but I know,
Because you're young,
You'll meet a stranger some night
Because you're young,
What could be nicer for you?
And it makes me sad,
So I'll dance my life away
A million dreams, a million scars
He punishes hard
Was loving her such a crime?
She took back everything she said
Left him nearly out of his mind
They're people I know, people I love
They seem so unhappy, dead or alive
It's love back to front and no sides
Like I say, these pieces are broken
Like I say, these pieces are broken
Hope I'm wrong but I know,
Because you're young,
You'll meet a stranger some night
Because you're young,
What could be nicer for you?
And it'll make me sad,
So I'll dance my life away
A million dreams, a million scars,
A million, a million scars,
A million, a million dreams,
A million . . ."
Soon she was fast asleep. He was afraid that she might wake tomorrow and think that it had all been a very bad dream, but she must not forget . . .