A/n new chapter yay finally got the muse working. Hope you like it, huge thank you to the amazing glasshibou who has edited this chapter for me. Hope you all like it and as always please leave a contribution in the little box.
Disclaimer: don't own don't own don't own!
Sarah sat quietly processing what she had just been told, wary of the man who had introduced himself as August.
"So let me see if I've got this right," Sarah began. "Everyone in this town is a fairy tale character, but they don't remember and this woman… this Emma person is going to save everyone."
"Well, it's not just that they can't remember; they've been put under a dark curse. A curse which has ripped them from our homeland and placed false memories of a life here, forcing everyone to forget who they really are and where they come from," August replied agitatedly.
Sarah rolled her eyes at his dramatic speech. "Right, yes, as I was saying, you've said that this woman Emma is supposed to save everyone, but you haven't said how she's going to do that. You've also failed to mention how you're involved in this and how it is you know about the curse. I did, however, notice your slip up when you said our homeland, so the real question is who are you?" Sarah asked calmly.
August smiled solemnly at her. "You don't miss much do you, Sarah?" He asked rhetorically as he walked over to his bedside picking up a hat and a piece of paper.
"Wait a minute, I never told you my name. How do you know my name?" Sarah demanded.
August handed her the piece of paper. "Read it."
Upon opening the letter, Sarah immediately recognized the writing. "James. He knew about this place already didn't he, the curse and everything. So why did he really send me here?" Sarah scrunched the letter up as she rose from the chair.
"Look, Sarah, read the letter. You'll soon see I'm not here to hurt you; I'm here to help you." August said quickly trying to calm her down.
"It's time for me to send her. She's going to need your help; I've done all I can to keep her belief in magic alive, but I can see it slowly dwindling with every failed attempt at finding him. I've made so many mistakes. I'm hoping that helping Sarah will alleviate some of the guilt. James." Sarah finished reading the letter aloud. Her mind was racing. She stared blindly at August; her eyes glazed over with confusion.
"Sarah," August called softly making her jump. "I know you have lots of questions about me and James and the curse. I also know your feeling guilty for not wanting to ask them because you're focusing on the possibility of finding Jareth. Everything else can wait, Sarah; I think you've waited long enough."
"Whe- where is he?" She asked her voice cracking with the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.
"You can usually find him down at The Rabbit Hole around this time," August replied, barely able to finish speaking before Sarah rushed past him and out the door.
Sarah ran blindly down the street only to realize that she had no idea where The Rabbit Hole was. She quickly skidded to a stop, noticing out of the corner of her eye that she had just run past a dimly lit sign for The Rabbit Hole. Sarah bent over slightly trying to catch her breath, suddenly nervous to see Jareth after all these years looking for a way back to him. Hearing a door open, Sarah stood straight and began to turn around.
"Give me a break guys, I'll be back in a few minutes," the voice shouted before closing the door behind him.
Sarah stared at the man who stood by the door with his back to her. She would recognize that voice anywhere, not to mention the out of place hair and clothes.
"Jareth," Sarah gasped as she shook off her nerves and ran at him.
Jareth turned around at the sound of his name just in time to catch the unknown woman as she threw her arms around him and kissed him. Startled by the passion of the kiss he automatically began to respond. Coming back to his senses he pulled away from her and set her back on the ground.
"Woah there, easy now love, as nice a greeting as that was the kissing usually comes after a drink or at least a name." Jareth flirted his thin lips curving into a cocky half smirk as he looked her over.
Sarah blinked rapidly confused by what he was saying, still dazed from the kiss. "Jareth it- it's me Sarah."
"Sorry love, name doesn't ring a bell." Jareth told her.
"Oi, Jareth, you're needed back on mate," called Eric from the door.
He turned towards Eric, walking away from the now silent woman who stood awkwardly as if waiting for something to happen.
"Who's that?" Eric asked him.
"Hell if I know, mate." Jareth laughed as he moved past him giving her a quick wink over his shoulder before Eric closed the door, joining in Jareth's laughter.
Sarah stood, humiliated by them laughing at her. Holding back the tears she staggered back towards Granny's. Robotically, she walked back to her room before throwing herself onto the bed and giving into the tears.
Disoriented, Sarah slowly turned in a full circle taking in her surroundings before realizing that she must have fallen asleep and was pulled to the underground again. Except this time, she appeared to be in the labyrinth. She placed her hands against the wall, exhausted from her emotional outburst. Sarah quickly jumped back away from the wall as she noticed the almost black substance that seemed to be seeping out of the walls. Her hands began shaking in fear as she turned them over to look at the unknown liquid that was now coating her palms.
Sarah screamed in absolute terror as she realized that it was blood. She flung herself down the path sprinting in blind fear. Completely oblivious to the dark overcast that seemed to be clinging to the labyrinth. So absorbed in her fear Sarah didn't notice the shield that lay haphazardly in the middle of the path waiting to trip her over. Sarah got up from her fall breathing heavy from running. Palms stinging, she tried to wipe of the grit that had embedded into her hands. She started to move forward before realizing she had come to a dead end, she turned around just in time to see the walls move. Sarah stood frozen as she stared at the horror that the dead end had been hiding.
In front of her two doors had been ripped off their hinges, leaving gaping black holes that left her shuddering at the ominous feeling that swept over her. Just to the side of the door lay the four guards, their eyes wide in fear, legs bent at unnatural angles and their blood surrounding them. Sarah moved as far away from the gore as she could before she dropped to the floor and violently started retching.
"Who would do this?" She screamed not expecting an answer.
"You really need to learn the difference between dreams and reality little Sarah!" The Goblin queen said looking down at Sarah in disgust.
"I don't understand, how isn't this real?" Sarah asked looking over to where the Queen stood.
The Goblin queen waved her hand dismissively, transporting them both to the throne room. Sarah looked around the unusually clean throne room as The Queen sat elegantly on the uncomfortable looking throne, watching Sarah with a vague interest.
"Why did you bring me here?" Sarah sighed.
"Your emotional outburst earlier caused your mind to become rather vulnerable to seeing things that aren't necessarily true. I brought you here to clear your mind, now, isn't that generous," the Goblin queen replied snidely.
"Ha generous, what is it with you goblin monarchs that think everything you do to a person is generous? I didn't ask you to bring me here and I especially didn't ask you to lie to me by telling me that Jareth was dead." Sarah spat her eyes flashing with anger.
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, dear, I never told you he was dead. My exact words, if I recall, were 'Jareth is gone.' It's hardly my fault that you interpreted that as being dead, wishful thinking my little Sarah. Not that I can blame you after all; thanks to his fae mark you will never have a true romantic relationship with anyone but Jareth." The Goblin queen spoke so matter of fact that she could of been discussing the weather.
"What on earth are you talking about fae mark?" Sarah demanded.
"Well it's simple enough dear, even you should be able to understand. When the fae wish to claim a mortal they will dance with them, entice them with a pretty song and give them an enchanted piece of food or perhaps a drink. Not necessarily in that order; that mark isn't visible to the claimed nor to any other mortal being. The fae and other underground species will see it and know exactly whose mark it is, whereas mortals will just be overcome with a sense of foreboding if they were to show any inclination of romantic or sexual intentions toward you," the Queen explained.
"Claimed! As if I'm some sort of possession that could be claimed, how dare you. If Jareth did mark me it's not some archaic ownership, it's because he loves me." Sarah could feel her blood boiling in fury.
"Oh, you poor naive little girl, you actually believed his pretty words. He did as he was bound by his duty to do. You wished the baby away. He was bound by our laws to take the child. You regretted your wish so he had to give you a chance to save him, but he couldn't just let you have him back. You needed to be tested to see if you truly regretted your spiteful wish. You needed to grow up and learn a few harsh truths, he provided the right tests for you to do so. Where exactly does love come in to this? Could it be when he was testing you to see if you could be swayed by the illusion of being a princess?" The Queen laughed bitterly as she strutted back and forth in front of the throne.
Sarah stood battling with her emotions. Part of her was screaming at her to rip the smirk right of the Goblin queens face, while the other half of her wanted to fall to the floor curl, up in a ball, and sob her heart out.
"Oh, don't look so distraught. You're not the first to fall prey to the fae, and you definitely won't be the last. Now leave me; I tire of your mortal whining." A swift flick of her hand and Sarah was back above ground in a dream less sleep.
Queen Cordelia made sure Sarah was where she was meant to be before collapsing to the floor barely conscious. Upon hearing the loud crash Sir Didymus came rushing into the throne room.
"Your majesty, your majesty—are you alright? Should I fetch the healer? What happened, your highness?" Sir Didymus asked frantically.
Slowly sitting up Queen Cordelia used what little magic she had left to transport them both to her private sitting room.
"What I'm about to tell you goes no further, do you understand Didymus?" Cordelia looked at him intensely as he nodded his reply.
"Very well, Sarah has obtained a lot more of the undergrounds power than we first thought," Cordelia began.
"In what manner are they manifesting your majesty?" Sir Didymus interrupted.
"Foresight, possible outcomes to each choice a person makes, were she to learn how to control the gift. I felt her within the labyrinth and went to her finding her staring in horror at something that only she could see. I had to break through her defenses to gain access to what she thought she could see and was pulled into the vision. It took a lot of my powers to get her and myself out of the vision before it drove her mad. I didn't have the chance to even blink before her expectations of me overrode my depleting magic. When she left my body gave out from the strain." She left out the details of the vision, not wanting to panic sir Didymus any further.
"What are we to do your majesty? Sir Didymus asked quietly.
"I do not know sir Didymus. For once I truly do not know," Cordelia replied, sounding as defeated as she felt.