Chapter 4.
Sunday morning December 21, 1986
Sarah was gently shaken awake, "Sarah, Sarah," Anne's voice gently called. "We have to get up and get dressed."
"What," she answered sleepily.
"It's time to greet the day," Anne said firmly as she pulled the blanket away from the sleeping girl. "Come on, we have half an hour to get ready." Her voice was insistent.
Sarah sat up, rubbed her eyes and moaned, "It's still dark Anne."
The other was already turning on lights in the bedroom and moving about as if she'd been up for hours. "I know," she said as she moved to the large wardrobe that stood against one wall. "The idea is to be out there when the sun rises, sunrise ritual, remember?"
"Barbaric," moaned the green eyed girl as she tried to rouse herself. "What are you doing?"
Anne was rummaging in the wardrobe, "Getting our garments," she called back, "There are official robes," she pulled two white robes with red sashes out of the wooden closet. "I think this one will fit you," she said bringing a long white robe to Sarah. "Try it on."
"You're kidding," Sarah said blinking rapidly.
"No," Anne insisted, "I'm serious."
Sarah held up the robe, "I'll freeze," she protested.
"You put it on over your clothes and your coat," Anne said laughing at Sarah's look of discontent. "Come on, Toots, shake a leg."
Sarah dressed in the clothes she'd worn the day before, and carried her robe over her arm as the girls moved down to the front hall of the generously proportioned old house. "I hope you know what you're doing," she muttered as they put their coats on and then the robes over the winter garments.
"My mother is already out there getting the space prepared," Anne promised.
"If you say so," Sarah grumbled as they headed out into the cold gray before dawn.
Dr. Archy stood quietly as the girls approached; she turned and smiled at them in a way that was almost patronizing. "We are ready to begin," she announced and pointed to the spots where she wanted them to stand, in her hand she held a sprig of holly. "Take your places," she commanded as she handed items to each of them. "When I call for these you'll know what to do," she assured Sarah before she moved back to her place in what Sarah could now see was a bit of a pyramid drawn in the snow. She began to chant in a clear powerful voice. "From the darkness is born the light, from void, fulfillment emerges... The darkest night of the year's at the threshold. Open now the door, and honor the darkness."
Anne who'd taken part in this ritual opened the item she held, a ceramic coffer with a hinged lid. Within was a green pine scented candle that the girl lit, "Enter our circle, as dark gives 'way to light. Bring along with you the essence of pine trees; remind us of Springtime as we face Solstice light." Anne chanted gently.
Sarah watched and was so enchanted by the rhythm of this ritual she took no notice of the bird that winged over them and took refuge in the evergreens that circled them.
Dr. Archy took the coffer and held it toward the eastern sky that now had a faint glow at the horizon. "Powers of Fire, step forth from the darkness, Enter our circle, as dark gives 'way to light, Bring along with you the first glint of tomorrow, Remind us of Summer as we face Solstice light."
On the horizon the sun began to rise, and the first reddish gold light of the Solstice sun sent beams of light fanning out above it. Dr. Archy nodded to Sarah, and she chanted as she'd been told to. "Dark my surroundings, and cold be this night But Thy labor, Blessed Mother Has reborn the Sacred Light... The Child Divine, The most honored Sun shall return with the sunrise Again, Two will be One."
Dr. Archy nodded, and then placed the coffer on a pedestal that was in the center of the triangle. She took a handful of grain from a vessel on the table and motioned the girls to do likewise, "Carry sweet tidings, 'round the world and beyond, I charge thee as messengers. Let all rejoice loudly in the Sun King's return. Teach all that you meet, with the glad tidings you bear." She chanted as she began to spread the grain in an arc. She motioned the girls to do likewise. As they did the grain formed a circle just beyond the triangle. When the circle was complete and the girls back in their places Dr. Archy faced the house in the distance. "Blessings I ask for this house and our kin at daybreak, when all arise a special flame they will carry, within... And a gold candle upon this altar I'll light. Adding our will to the Sun King's intent to climb aloft in the vaulted skies and for strength back to us; three times, strength we've sent." The sun climbed into the sky bathing the space in golden beams and a shaft of golden light filled the place where the three stood. Dr. Archy moved to the altar and lit the golden candle that was beside the other items. It and the pine scented candle flickered in the gentle morning breeze. She then smiled at her daughter and at Sarah, "Blessed Solstice girls."
"Blessed Solstice," they said in unison.
The Dr. gathered her robe, lifting it from the snow, "I'm sure Mildred has some lovely hot tea for us, and some Solstice cakes, so let's do hurry."
The three moved off swiftly and didn't look back. If they had they would have seen a strangely dressed male figure knelling down and picking up the grain with a cryptic expression on his unearthly but handsome features.
--
Mildred was the cook that had been with the Archy family for years. She understood that both the Dr. Archy were not adept at living in the ordinary world, and she took care of them like a mother hen would take care of chicks. She doted on both mother and daughter, "I've nice hot apple tea and fresh solstice scones." The kitchen of the grand house was large and should have been coldly sterile, but it was not. It was warm and inviting.
Sarah sat at the wooden table that was surrounded by wooden benches with comfy cushions in colorful fabric. The walls were decorated with wood burnings and a collection of colorful plates that depicted many different scenes. "That smells wonderful," she commented as the cook brought a platter of fresh baked goods over.
"Thank ye miss," Mildred said with a winning smile, the kind she kept for family only.
Anne stuffed a golden scone into her mouth, "Mildred's scones are legendary!" she boasted.
Dr. Phinnaeus Archy wandered in and took a seat while he was going over some notes. "Morning," he said gently taking little notice of the three females already eating. He lifted the tea that Mildred placed at his place and sipped.
Mrs. Archy cleared her throat, "Phinny, do put down those notes." She pouted slightly.
"In a moment dear," he said with a perplexed expression coming to his face. "I didn't really write this, did I?"
Anne leaned back and snickered, "He's brilliant," she boasted to Sarah, "But not all there."
"Don't be sassy," Anne's mother scolded softly. "Phinny, say good morning."
"Good morning," he repeated but didn't take his eyes off his notes. "Oh really, I'm sure I didn't write this."
"No, daddy, the tooth fairy did," muttered Anne before her mother huffed at her.
Phinnaeus looked at her over the page as if just noticing he was not alone, "Anne," he greeted her warmly, "Good morning." Seeing Sarah he added her, "And to you Miss Williams."
Both teen girls giggled, but Mrs. Archy hushed them, "Phinny, do put that down."
He looked at her, "May dearest," he addressed his wife with long suffering tones. "I have a deadline." But he did as was requested, "How was the sunrise?" he asked reaching for a scone.
"Glorious," Mrs. Archy boasted. "And the girls were perfect."
"It was very interesting," Sarah interjected. "I really enjoyed taking part."
"Good," Anne said flippantly, "I'll drag ya into more, Toots."
"Anne, dear, don't be flippant," her mother warned softly. "Sarah will be welcome anytime she cares to join us." She rose from the table and took her tea cup with her. "Phinny I suggest you take your notes and a cup of tea to the study."
Anne watched as her parents toddled off to their own separate spaces and what work they had planned for the morning. "No rest for the wicked," she muttered. "I won't see them again until dinner is served."
"Must have been difficult when you were little," Sarah lamented.
Giving it a moment's thought the girl shrugged, "Not really, I guess I was just use to it by the time I could do something myself." She reached for another scone and split it with Sarah. "Now I spend time in my studio, painting, sculpting and creating… so it's nice that they don't… cling." She giggled, "I doubt they'd ever act like your parents."
Sarah agreed, "I think you're right."
Mildred stood off to the side listening but not intruding.
Anne swallowed down the last crumbs of her scone, "Come on, we can get changed and go for a swim."
"Swim," Sarah looked at the snow on the window ledge, "It's winter, remember?"
Anne's eyes lit up, "There's an indoor pool," she wiggled a finger, "Don't know all you think you did about this old barn eh?" She pulled Sarah down the hall and toward a wing that the girl had never been down. "Look," she said opening the door. "What do you think?" In the room was a tropical styled paradise, a large lap pool, with one end that had a doubled tiered hot tub that cascaded into a waterfall.
Sarah's mouth dropped, "Unbelievable!"
"Come on Toots, let's go for a swim!" Anne pulled her into the pool house.
"I don't have a suit," Sarah protested.
Anne shrugged, "Neither do I," she batted dark lashes over jeweled eyes, "Don't tell me you're modest." When Sarah didn't react she asked, "Haven't you ever gone skinny dippin'?"
"No," Sarah answered honestly.
The raven haired girl giggled, "Come on Toots, it's just us girls… the parental units will be stuck in their offices for hours… No one will see us; no one will even bother us. Live a little Toots." She grinned wickedly. "It's sinfully fun…" she teased.
Sarah stopped feeling embarrassed and started laughing at the gentle teasing. "Okay, pally you're on." She said as Anne pulled her toward the changing area, where the girls removed the clothes they were wearing and braided their hair and secured the braids with pins.
"I've never worn a bathing cape," Anne confided as they stood in their own cubical. "I can't stand confinements," she complained.
"You'll have to learn," Sarah lamented, "They only allow caps in the high school pool."
"Bummer," lamented the other peeking around the corner, "Hey, do they have open locker rooms and showers?"
Sarah looked over at her, "Yes, and I'm not a prude," she said aware that Anne was looking at her naked body with a critical eye. "Are you?"
Anne stepped into the open, "Hardy Toots," she was very comfortable in her pale skin. "I was just admiring how gorgeous your bod is." She giggled as Sarah blushed. "Hey did you ever consider posing?"
"I beg your pardon," Sarah blinked.
"You know for an Art Class, or for an artist," Anne motioned her to follow her to the pool where she sat on the edge and dipped her feet into the warm water that filled the lap pool. "I'd love to sketch you."
"Oh come on," Sarah said taking a seat beside her. "I'm nothing special."
Anne looked surprised, "There you're wrong Toots."
Sarah looked at her, "My mother, now she's gorgeous, me, I'm just run of the mill teenager."
"You mean that, don't you," Anne asked bewildered. "Okay, forget for a moment that we are friends, as an artist, I'll give your body a critic… you've got great skin, an extraordinary face, and eyes to die for… and the rest of you is elegantly proportioned." She slipped into the water and allowed it to swallow her. "And Toots, if you look this sinfully delightful now, you're going to be food for the gods when you're mature."
Sarah blushed slightly, "I think you're just being nice," she too slipped into the comfort of the water.
"No," Anne disagreed, "When it comes to the human form, I'm not nice…I'm very picky about who I sketch."
"Have you done nudes before," Sarah asked feeling a bit wicked in even thinking about it.
"Sure," Anne said casually. "I took lessons in Paris, drew female and male nudes."
"Male nudes," gasped Sarah, slightly scandalized.
"Sarah," Anne giggled wildly, "You are so small town for the daughter of an actress."
Embarrassed but in agreement Sarah asked, "What kind of sketches do you do?"
Anne's face took on a simpering smile, with her head bobbing above the water line she nearly looked like a mermaid, "Classical poses mostly." She moved closer, "Thinking it over Toots?"
"Maybe," Sarah simpered right back as she answered. "What would I have to do?"
Anne swam toward the cascade of water, "You'd have to let me teach you to pose, and let yourself trust me. You know get comfortable," she said as she climbed into the lower cauldron of hot water completely ignoring her naked state.
Sarah followed her and slipped into the bubbling hot water of the hot tub, "What kind of poses," she asked.
"Well," Anne looked at her thoughtfully, "I'd love to see you draped over that stone rim there," she pointed to part of the structure of the cascading water; "Kind of a water nymph."
"That sounds suggestive," Sarah glowered.
"Yeah," Anne crinkled her nose, "Don't it?"
Sarah giggled, "Anne Archy you are one wicked girl!"
Leaning forward the raven haired girl nodded, "Care to join me?"
Sarah bit her lower lip, "What would you do with the sketches?"
"Use them to create a painting of course," Anne stated. "I've got this idea brewing," she said suddenly very serious. "There's this competition, and I've never had anything really good enough to enter. But I'd love to do a waterfall goddess and enter it."
Sarah kept chewing at her lower lip, "And you're sure no one will come in here and… see me…"
"The pool guy comes only when I'm not here," Anne promised. "And no one ventures in here but me." She pointed up to the glass roof of the pool house. "Only the birds will see, and I don't think any of them are going to snitch, do you?"
Sarah saw the shadow of a bird move over the water, and didn't give it much thought, "Okay Anne," she agreed thoughtfully, "I'll pose for you."
Anne moved across the water and embraced her newly acquired best friend, "Thank you Sarah," she said caringly. "That's a very trusting move on your part and I appreciate it."
Sarah returned the embrace, "You tell anyone and I'll strangle you," she threatened pleasantly.
Anne snickered wickedly, "I might let you."
Above the pool watching the girls was an owl with a perplexed gaze. It watched as the girls plotted. Not until the pair retired to the showers did it leave its resting place.The white owl had been perched with his claws hooked, an effigy of watching and waiting. Now he swooped away over the park, on silent velvet wings, up toward the sun.
Into the halo glow of the sun he flew, and then out the other side. Below him was the Labyrinth, with its twisting walls, and lush forest. Mandala like intricacies, complex waterways, stone and hedge mazes and at its center the forbidding towers of the Goblin Castle beyond the Goblin City. On silent wings the great white barn owl soared loving the view of the vast magical wondrous residence, his home, his kingdom…his Labyrinth. It's beautiful and terrible and its home. The great white owl majestically turns in the air and heads for the open window of the highest room in the tallest tower. Once inside he transformed back into his humanoid Fae form, that of Jareth the Goblin King.
He took a seat on the throne and closing his stormy sea blue eyes; he conjured up the vision of the naked girl swimming and allowed himself to be tortured pleasantly by the apparition. He was not surprised at how~ stirred he was by the vision. Nor was he troubled by the renewed desire to reacquaint himself with her. Little rivers of fire coursed through his veins as he thought about the girl.
A solitary figure stood on a windswept hillside far from castle at the center of the Labyrinth in the Goblin City. It was approached by the gnomish little man hobbling up the hillside.
"Where is he," the cloaked figure demanded harshly. "Where is the Goblin King?"
"I don't know," Hoggle answered honestly.
Eyes flashed at his impertinence, "He was told I was coming," the voice growled. "His time is nearly up."
For the first time in hundreds of years Hoggle felt sorry for the wretched King of the goblins. "He knows that, but he's still king for now." He pointed a finger at the specter standing before him. "Don't you be counting him out," he warned.
The robed being shook with fury, "Tell him I will return and when I do he'd best be prepared to take his leave. Even he is not above the orders of the Seelie Court!"
Hoggle didn't stay to watch the apparition depart; he long ago had lost his awe of the higher Fae creatures. This one only gave the dwarf a feeling of wanting to kick sand at it. He stormed down to the gate, "Open!" he commanded, and the heavy wooden gate swung open. Quickly he shuffled in, not bothering with the long and winding maze that the Labyrinth was part of, he slipped into a portal that would deposit him in the heart of the Castle itself. "Where is he," he asked one of the goblins who were gathered in the circular chamber. "Where is Jareth?"
One looked toward the niche that held the stairs to the chamber of stairs that went everywhere and nowhere. "He's there," the goblin said sadly.
"How long has he been in there," Hoggle demanded.
Sir Didymus answered, "He's been in there for hours now."
Hoggle shook his head, "Well it's time he came out, we's got us a whole pack of trouble out here and only he can get us out of this mess." He stalked over to the niche and entered and moved up the stairs calling out. "Jareth, Jareth!"
"Go away hogsface," a voice from high in the chamber answered darkly. "Or be sent to the bog."
"We have us trouble," Hoggle said ignoring the order to leave and the threat of the bog that was a constant in his life.
"I don't care," the man in the chamber answered sounding strangely pleased about something.
"Well you better care," Hoggle shouted, "The Seelie Court has sent that… thing again."
"So what," the petulant reply came.
"They means business Sire," Hoggle groaned. "They mean to take you away from here."
"If they could, they already would," Jareth said from behind the dwarf.
Hoggle jumped and shivered. "I hates when you do that!"
Smirking unpleasantly Jareth nodded, "I know." He walked past the dwarf and looked at the reconstructed room, it had taken him the full six months to get it back together right, now he enjoyed admiring his handy work. It looked just as it had just before Sarah's leap of faith, "The Seelie Court for years has made threats, why are you so worried now?"
"This is different," Hoggle said looking at the Goblin King, "And that thing…" he shivered again. "It's… cold… like… death."
Jareth sighed sarcastically, "Well then I suppose I should do something about this mess." He looked at the dwarf, "However I doubt you're going to like my solution." His voice dropped an octave and sounded wickedly suggestive.
Hoggle looked at him wearily, "Do you care if I like or dislike your solution?"
"No," Jareth replied without feeling, "I don't."
"You're a right cold bastard, Jareth." Hoggle felt the chill run though him, the same chill he felt anytime he was in Jareth's presence since the night that Sarah had run the Labyrinth. It had changed the king, but Hoggle was never sure of how or why. "Don't you feel anything?"
"No," Jareth lied dully, before turning away from the Escher Room. "Come Hoggle," he commanded, "We've work to do."
"I don't like this," grumbled the little man. "I don't like this one bit."
"You should have thought of that before you helped Sarah," Jareth scolded, he recalled the last time Hoggle or the others from the Labyrinth had seen or spent time with the girl, and seethed once more. Jareth had stayed on the branch not that he couldn't enter the girl's room, but he felt unwelcomed. She had allowed everyone else from her journey in, everyone except him. It was unbearable, watching her celebrate with these insignificants. Outside the dark window, the white owl had perched with his claws hooked on a branch, an effigy of watching and waiting. Now he swooped away over the park, on silent velvet wings, up toward the full moon. Nobody saw him, white in the moonlight, black against the stars.
He had returned to the Labyrinth, to its welcoming embrace, and acceptance. He had paced at first slowly, then swifter, and swifter as his rage grew until he let his head fall back and the roar of rage and despair escaped him. So great was his wrath that the foundations of his castle and the Labyrinth itself shook. He collapsed to his knees, still letting the rage out. How long he had sat there in despair was anyone's guess. He went back to the last pace he'd been with the ungrateful wretch of a girl. The Escher room was a shambles of shapes and stairs hanging in midair. However when he left the chamber that was slowly pulling back together, he was a changed man.
Now he looked coldly at the gnomish little man, "Well Hogsbreath," he moved to his throne, "Tell me what the emissary said."
"He said you'd best be ready to leave when he returns," Hoggle imparted the message.
Jareth smirked, "But he couldn't get past the windswept hill, could he?"
"He didn't try," Hoggle answered.
"With good reason," Jareth assured him, "However there are others of that court who could," he tapped his fingers lightly. "I really must fortify our home." The goblins watched him with confused expressions on their faces. The dwarf shook his head when the King rose, "Unless you all want to be bog fodder," he bellowed, "I suggest you move!"
Little bodies scurried away.