Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by The Labyrinth, which is copyrighted, and not by me!


Chapter Four

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl whose step mother always made her stay home with the baby.

She could hear the music and laughter in the air. She could smell the sweet scent of magic, spinning itself around her. Sarah stood there in the middle of a familiar ballroom scene, dressed in none other than the gown she had worn in this same dream when she was only fifteen. Only now, the young girl had been transformed into a woman.

The baby was a spoiled child and he wanted everything for himself, and the girl was practically a slave.

She moved around the masked people as they taunted her. They taunted and laughed at her for reasons she was even unknown to. As she moved, her eyes glanced over every face, every smile. She was looking for him. She was trying to find Jareth. But he was nowhere to be found among the crowds. No matter how many directions she looked or where she wandered, he was not there.

But what no one knew…

A gloved hand rested on her shoulder and she spun around. There he was! She smiled the biggest smile she could ever muster and he took her in his arms and held her close. He leaned into her and finally, after so very long, they shared a kiss. As his lips touched hers, she could feel a wave of excitement go through her. The world around them seemed to slow to a stop. The guests could no longer be heard or seen. It was just them, just the two- sharing their first kiss…

was that the Goblin King fell in love with the girl, and gave her certain powers…

Sarah's eyes fluttered open to an elaborate painted ceiling. She lay there for a moment, examining her memories of how she had ended up in a bed surrounded by oil masterpieces. Her fingers went to her lips and then away again.

She had been dreaming.

Her heart began to race. She had had a dream! It had been ten years since she had dreamed of more than a black abyss of nothing. She sat up quickly but when she realized where she was, her mood swiftly died in her chest.

Yes. She had dreamed- a sign that her imagination had not been completely gone. However, she was in the Underground. Her dreams had not returned to her, it was only magic that had caused such a miracle to take place. It was only magic.

She sighed and looked around the large room. She knew she must have been in the castle, judging by the details around the room. The sheets on the large bed were silken and felt good against her bare skin. The only light in the room illuminated from the open gothic window at the other end of the room. She could see it was morning in the Underground. Had she really been sleeping that long?

The door opened, and Sarah's head bolted in that direction to see the infamous Goblin King standing in the doorway. Her thoughts went to her dream. Had he induced such thoughts? Was it he that planted such a picture in her head, as he had done when she ate the poison peach? She immediately became angry. How could he do such a thing, knowing that her dreams were forever gone?

"Why would you do that?" She asked. It was more of a demand than a question. Jareth was taken aback by her outburst. The look on her face shifted to an irritated expression. His brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Why did you plant that dream in my head? You knew I hadn't dreamt in years, why would do that to me?"

Jareth smiled and entered the room completely, shutting the door behind him. "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah," he mused, walking closer to her. "I did no such thing."

"Oh really?" She scoffed.

His eyebrows rose. "What was it about?"

Sarah blushed. She was wrong. She thought quickly. "My husband…"

The Goblin King took in a breath. He had missed much since the day he decided to stop his spying on the girl. Even after she had left the Labyrinth, he continued to watch her until he told himself to stop. His obsession with her would only lead him to his demise. So he stopped. Often did he think about picking up his crystal and just checking up on her but he was afraid of what he'd see. He didn't want to watch her become such an ordinary soul. It was painful to think that Sarah, the one and only human to ever beat him and the Labyrinth, would become so…normal.

But he soon regretted not listening to his obsession. He had missed too much. He knew nothing of this woman in front of him.

"If you were happy with this man, you would have had no reason to wish yourself away." His voice sounded harsh, a little too rough than he had intended. He was…jealous.

She was silent for a moment. Sarah looked down at the red silken sheets and closed her eyes. "Take me home."

"You are home. For now, at least."

She sighed and shook her head. "Don't you understand," her eyes opened as she looked up at him. "I can't stay here. I don't belong here. I have a family in the Aboveground."

It pained him to hear such words. Had she had children with this husband of hers? Was Sarah really a mother and a wife? Such thoughts stabbed at him. He felt threatened. And the Goblin King did not like feeling threatened.

He took a few steps forward and conjured a crystal. Twisting it, the image of this so called husband appeared. He was dining with another woman, caressing her legs, kissing her cheek, whispering secrets into her ear… Sarah stared at the picture, pain evident in her eyes.

"It looks like this husband of yours is nothing more than a scoundrel."

"Turn it off. Make it stop." She whined, her eyes still glued to it. Why wouldn't she look away?

But Jareth had no intentions of abiding. A wicked smile painted his face. "He looks like he enjoys this woman, Sarah. Did you know that his heart lies with her?"

James poured champagne into two glasses and they toasted together as he raised the divorce papers from under the table. He was acting like it was a surprise for her. She felt broken, imagining him being so very happy that the divorce papers were only days from being signed.

"Stop." She whispered, water stinging her dry eyes as tears threatened to fall. "It's none of your business. It's none of anyone's damned business!" She stood, snatching the crystal from Jareth's hands. He did nothing to stop her as she swung the glass ball into the wall, shattering the image into a thousand pieces of glitter and dust. He only watched, like a cat, eyes piercing into the young woman with devious curiosity.

"Temper, temper, Sarah." He said, mocking her, taunting her. Like the people in her dream. Sarah looked him in the eyes, face fuming, tears running down her cheeks. But these tears were not tears of sadness, no; they were tears of anger and frustration.

How much anger had this enticing creature called Sarah have bottled up within her petite form? Jareth did not know, but intended on finding out how much more criticism and humiliation she could withstand. He would have his revenge on her. She would pay somehow- for beating him, for embarrassing him, for standing up to him….and for denying him.

"You have no idea of the pain I've been put through Jareth. You have no right to keep me here; in a place where pain is the only way out! I will not torture myself again, losing everything to your silly games!" She yelled, her hands balled up into fists at her side, her tears never ceasing.

But that was something the king would not stand for. Jareth came at Sarah, slamming her back into the wall, pinning her arms against the stone. Her eyes were wide, surprised. However, Jareth kept his composure as he leaned in, his nose inches away from her own. "Come to your senses, Sarah. Look where you are. This is my domain, not yours. You have no power here, stop acting like you do." He whispered, his lips bushing over hers.

He wanted to kiss her, to contradict her and prove that he was the more powerful creature. But Jareth knew better. He backed away from her slightly and continued his threat. "Believe me, little girl, the so called pain you've endured is nothing compared to what's left for you here. You say you lost everything when you beat the Labyrinth, as if you hadn't won at all. But Sarah, it's you that has no idea of what your victory did to me. Rule number one, while you stay in this house, under my command, you are indebted to me- you are mine and I will not allow you to throw your fits and tantrums like I allowed you to on your last visit. The Underground has changed, Sarah and if you don't change with it, you will do more than wish yourself to a better place- you will wish for your untimely demise. Do I make myself clear?" He warned his tone calm and sinister.

Sarah said nothing and just continued to stare, the tears in her eyes seemingly starting all over again. She felt helpless, vulnerable, and alone; but worst of all, she felt just like a child. He made her feel like a damned little kid, lost and defenseless.

"Sarah? Do you understand?"

She nodded slowly, closing her eyes and taking a breath as he let her go. "Rule number two," He began, backing away from her towards the door. "Never mention the Aboveground ever again. Not to me and certainly not to anyone else. If I even hear the word come out of your mouth, I will sew your lips shut."

Sarah held in a cry, nodding her head again, keeping her eyes shut tight as she slid down the stone wall.

"Oh, and, Sarah… I'm expecting company very soon. Do behave while they're here, hm?" And then he was gone, shutting the door behind him. Sarah waited for the sound of his footsteps to disappear before moving. She had never been so frightened of him ever before, even when he had taken Toby. Now, Jareth seemed even more cold and intimidating. Had he really just threatened to sew her mouth shut? This was insane. Everything was unbelievable. She was going crazy.

Sarah stood and wiped the tears from her face, quickly trying to regain her composure. Was she really just going to sit there and take all of that? Of course not. That was not an option for her. It never was.

However, before she could start devising a plan for her escape, the door opened once more to let in a little goblin. She waddled in, an annoyed expression playing her ugly features. "The master demands that ye prepare for the arrival of the council." She squeaked as she made her way to a white oak dresser on the other side of the room. "Ye' are to dress appropriately and be on yer best behavior." She knocked on the large wardrobe in several different places. Sarah watched with curiosity as she unlocked the center case and opened it to reveal a different array of colored gowns and apparel. "Pick one but don't take too long lookin'. I'm not gonna wait for ye all day."

"Who are you?"

"You are my ward, miss. My name is Ursula."

She expected her to leave, but she didn't. The little goblin lady just sat there, waiting. Sarah didn't have time for these games. She pulled a random dress from the wardrobe and quickly changed into it. However, to her agitated surprise, the dress she happened to pull out was a plain looking faded blue rag of a thing. She looked through the clothes. They were all that way. The goblin chuckled. "Humans like ye don't wear pretty things in this kingdom, lady."

"Am I a slave or something?"

"Of course not! Yer a servant of Lord Jareth. They only do the slave thing up north, where that wicked little witch lives." She shook her wobbly head, grabbing Sarah's hand and pulling her down to her own level. "But ye sure look like a slave with that mess of hair on top of yer head there." She hit Sarah on the top of her head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"I'm fixin' ye."

Sarah stepped away from the abusive goblin, wanting desperately to kick it. But when she glanced at herself in a vanity that mysteriously took the place of the wardrobe, she noticed that her mess of hair had become brushed and curled in a wavy fashion. She shook her head. "Magic is so confusing in its workings."

Ursula pulled on her dress and started for the door. "Now, remember to behave. And only speak when you're spoken to. And don't be sarcastic with the King and his guests. And don't-"

Sarah kicked the creature away, so hard that she rolled into a wall. "I don't plan on staying here that long." With Ursula struggling, Sarah bolted down the hall, looking every which way for a way out. The only problem was that she was unconscious when she was brought there. Where was the door?

She came across staircases that lead both up and down. As she began heading downward, she stopped. Things are not always what they seem here. With that thought in mind, she turned her heel and went upward. It lead her onto another floor, practically identical to the one below. Her bare feet made little noise on the stone floor as she ran down the hall. There was another staircase. It lead down.

"Why does this castle have to be exactly like the Labyrinth that surrounds it?" She complained, going down the stairs. But in her rush, she bumped into someone, and fell down the rest of the stairs, landing on her side. She cursed her clumsiness noticing that her knee was bleeding from the impact of stone.

The person she bumped into, however, was everything but comforting. The man said nothing to her, only stared her down, agitated. Sarah looked up at him and immediately felt threatened. He was lean and masculine under his strange gothic attire, his skin pale and his eyes the color of roses. His hair was long and black, pulled back. This man's presence made her feel like prey and that's how he looked at her, like fresh meat.

"No apologies, servant?" He sounded disgusted at her manners.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm lost and-"

"You're bleeding." His eyes drifted to her exposed knee. He bent to her level to examine it. "I was unaware Jareth had human servants. He was one to always act against such things…." He touched her knee, the blood coming off on his fingers. "Unless of course, he intends to give you as a gift." His eyes met hers. Sarah decided then and there that this man, whoever he was, was not someone she liked.

He put his finger to his mouth and licked the blood away. Sarah's heart began to race. Was this a joke? The Underground also housed vampires? Things were getting ridiculous. "No. I'm sorry, you're completely mistaken. I'm not a servant nor am I a toy." She stood quickly, backing away from him. She winced when she took a step back, her knee frickin' hurt.

"Oh really?" He smiled a toothy grin. He had fangs. This feat made her panic. "Really." She said, taking a deep breath.

"Where did ya go ye little wench!" They heard Ursula yelling as she came down the stairs. She had finally caught up. The little creature stopped when she saw the vampire. Her little eyes darted between him and Sarah before she started stammering, "Oh, Lord Jareth will not be pleased with ye, girl. Harassin' the guests is a big no no in this castle." She waddled to Sarah, keeping her distance from the dangerous creature in front of them. "Mi lord!" She cried. "Mi lord, I found her!"

Before things could go any further, Jareth appeared out of nowhere. "Orin."

The Vampyre stood, his eyes never leaving Sarah. "Jareth, you never told me you housed a human servant."

Jareth looked at Sarah with annoyance. "It is of no importance to you."

Orin laughed, "No. Of course not. But mind you, if she ever gets out of hand, you know where to send her. She seems like an ample commodity."

Sarah went pale. Jareth shook his head, a cruel smile playing his lips. "Such a threat might just make her listen for once. Now come, we must discuss the events that have taken place in the Northern Kingdom with the council."

Orin nodded, glancing once more at Sarah before walking down the hall toward the Great Hall. Ursula waddled to Jareth and looked up at him, shaking her head. "That one's a nasty creature, highness. I don't understand why ye ever let them people step foot in this kingdom."

"Take Sarah to her room. Don't let her out of your sight."

"Yes sire."

"Oh and don't hesitate to punish her for her disrespect once she is returned to your watch."

Ursula smiled an ugly goblin grin. "Oh yes sire." Then she began to waddle back up the stairs cackling to herself.

Sarah looked at Jareth. "Punish me? What kind of punishment?"

"The punishment deemed worthy enough for one who tries to escape." He motioned for her to follow the goblin.

"Jareth, please-"

"Rule number three," he pointed a finger in her face, "Don't call me by my name. You are a servant in this household. You are to address me as the goblins do. If you do not, my guests will think it crucial to dispose of such a disrespectful creature, and I will have no choice but to hand you over to someone like Orin."

Sarah swallowed a lump in her throat. "Sorry."

"Go."

Sarah sighed and followed the goblin. "I'm still going to escape this place, you know. No matter what you may think, this servant thing is only temporary." Then she left, off to find her way back to wherever the hell she came from.

He opened the twin doors to reveal a much decorated room with thrones lined on every wall. It was a meeting room for the nobles of each kingdom. In the left corner, Orin sat with a man and a woman, representing the Northern Kingdom of the Vampyre. In the right corner, two females sat together representing the Eastern Kingdom of the Elves. On the left, the Faerie were represented by a man and two women, human in size but with large, glittering wings folded behind their backs. And to the right wall, the Fae were represented by three men, identical to Jareth in the glittering sense. And there, in the back of the room, in the center, was an empty throne for him, ruler of the Labyrinth, the Central Kingdom of Goblins.

All bickering that had taken place before his entrance stopped instantly as he walked to his seat.

"As you all know, we are here to discuss the happenings that took place in the Northern Kingdom last night, involving Queen Morrigan and the mass murder of at least five hundred human slaves." He stated, looking around the room. "I open this hall for discussion and the overall conclusion for a possible solution to this problem."

"What Morrigan did was murder, ladies and gentlemen. Mass murder." The Queen of Elves stood, "There is only one simple solution to such a crime and that is termination."

"Termination is out of the question, Xenia." Orin stood. "You must remember that in the Northern Kingdom, humans are property. They have no rights. Unlike in your precious wood-land, humans are murdered for disobedience and disrespect every day. That is no crime where Morrigan resides."

"He is right. Morrigan is Queen of her territory. Her laws are what she wills it. However, reason for such a massacre cannot possibly be punishment. These humans were guests at a ball she was hosting." Adriel, King of the Fae, spoke up.

"Well, if you would have allowed her to come, she could tell you herself why such an execution took place…" Orin complained. "Perhaps then, we wouldn't be wasting time with all this bickering."

"The fact that she killed five hundred in one night must strike as odd, Orin, even to one such as you. This could be the first move to become a superpower. The day we've all feared may come to pass in a matter of months." The Queen of the Faerie, Dafna, spoke. "Your race is the only one that can reproduce itself without giving birth to generations. If Morrigan wants to start a war, she very well could. How many of the humans took the Mark of Blood?"

Orin sighed. "It is unknown at this point. We have yet to visit with Morrigan to know for certain. But I'm sure she would not dare start a war. She has no need to!"

"You have too much faith in your queen, senator." Xenia said, laughing at his denial. "But you must face the truth. Morrigan is a difficult creature. She has never been a fan of the system that has held up in the Underground for thousands of years. She thinks of herself as a maverick. She wants things to change. And not only that, but she is jealous of the lands we hold. Your race rules the icy territories of the North. The resources there are scarce. She has had her eye on the rest of us since she became Queen."

"Now don't get ahead of yourself. War? In the Underground? That's preposterous! We've lived in peace for hundreds of years. Morrigan would be foolish to start a war now. The economic structure of our Kingdoms is at a record high. We would squish any resistance to our system within days." Adriel said.

Jareth listened to each faction argue. He could not help but feel guilty for his silence. Morrigan was going to start a war, and although they thought they would be able to take her down if she did, they were not prepared for such a massive attack that she would surely bring. Even the Faerie, with the largest army out of all of them, would stand no chance against thousands of thirsty monsters, starved by months of detention and out for blood.

The voices of the council soon drifted away as Jareth heard her calling for him. Yes, it was her, calling his name like he was her errand boy.

"Jareth."

He ignored her and tried to focus on the meeting.

"Jareth, come here, pet. I need you."

"What about you, Jareth? What do you think?" Dafna asked, eyeing the king. "Do you think a war is coming?"

Jareth shifted in his seat. "I believe…there is not enough evidence to support such a theory. However, the moment we get an estimate of how many of the humans took the mark of her clan, we will know what she's planning. But first, we must find out."

"If a mass number of them did, we know she is building an army." Adriel stated, shaking his head. "Orin, you must find out as soon as possible. Any information leading to the assumption that we are on the brink of war might prevent such a thing from happening."

Orin scowled at his audience. "Such thoughts would have you killed in our kingdom. The Queen is no tyrant. I will prove this to you."

"Lucky for us we don't live in your damned kingdom then." Xenia spat. "If it weren't for the treaty, peace between our two kingdoms would be a complete joke."

Orin glared at the Elven Queen. "Believe me, it is a complete joke."

Jareth stood, putting his hands up to stop the arguing. "All in favor of waiting for more evidence before prosecuting Morrigan please say so."

They all agreed.

"We will meet once again to discuss the fate of the Vampyre queen in five days. Until then, please, contemplate all possibilities."

And with that, everyone stood and left the room. Jareth stayed behind.

"Jareth…come to me."

Jareth got up and closed the Great Hall doors. "What have I gotten myself into?" And then, he took the form of the white owl, and vanished from his castle to greet his only other oppressor.


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