By the time the horizon over the Labyrinth was the vaguest shade of pink, Sarah was up and creeping out of her room, pausing only to brush a grateful hand against the door after it let her out without a peep. Retracing her steps, however, was a bit of a challenge. The drafty corridors seemed endless. Stone after stone loomed over her path, building nearly-identical hallways. Sarah allowed herself to be a bit smug when she found the empty throne room, even if the ten minutes it took to do so was a bit more than she had expected. She was even tempted to say the three little words in her head aloud, piece-of-cake, but thought better of it before they slipped out. I really don't need any oubliettes right now, Sarah thought, hurrying down the stairs to the castle's imposing entrance. It took both of her shoulders to shove the huge doors open enough for her to slip through, only for her mouth to fall open.
From the castle's looming entrance she could see over the entire Goblin City, its wooden market stalls and small houses shining with the day's first light. Beyond the sleepy town, the Labyrinth twisted over hills and valleys on to the distant horizon. The sandy-colored maze gleamed in the sunrise, warm and welcoming and leading a path straight into the fresh sky.
Sarah stood in awe of the sight. Maybe I was in a bit of a rush last time, she mused. I didn't stop and look around at the world I was traipsing through. The Goblin Kingdom was, by all accounts, quite lovely. At least early in the morning. With the scent of rosemary drifting through the air rather than that of goblin ale. Her mouth twisted up at the corner at the thought. Yes, the kingdom seemed much more romantic without the putrid smell. Almost like the fantasy world she had imagined when she was a little girl about Toby's age...
Toby. She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, squinting to see the junkyards' heavy silhouettes in the distance.
"Come on, feet."
And she began.
**********
"Sire?" A voice squeaked from the door.
Jareth sat back in his throne, reclining with his legs carelessly thrown up and his head leaning backwards. One arm was thrown over his eyes, his infamous riding crop dangling from his fingertips, tap tap tapping against the tinny metal of the curved seat. Draped in black and vermilion silks, the king looked as fearsome as he always did when he was in a bad mood. It was unheard of for the goblins to disturb him when he had on his silks, and yet...
"Excuse me, highness, b-but…the lady's handmaiden, she is here for you."
Jareth cracked an eye open and carefully snapped the riding crop against the throne's back, making the steward, a short, stout goblin named Quilk, flinch at the ensuing whap. "And why would anyone be here for me," he drawled, arching a graceful eyebrow, "When I am clearly not to be disturbed today?"
His words fell, one at a time, cold as ice, and Quilk drew back. "I'm sorry, y-your majesty, b-but she-"
Poor Quilk couldn't get the words out before Gwenogg burst in, wailing quite loudly and closely followed by the throne room's other guard, Klunkit. "MAJESTY!" Gwenogg shrieked, running up to the throne to grasp at the king's trouser leg. He grimaced and gently shook her slimy hand off, mentally sighing and giving up on his low-maintenance day. "What?" He snapped, rather put out. "What could possibly be this urgent?"
Gwenogg, upon losing the support of Jareth's leg, had fallen to the floor and sat there bawling further.. "M-miss Sarahhhh!" she wept. "Gwenogg goes t' helps the lady getting dressed up nice and clean, and, and-" the goblin broke off to let out a howl of misery. "T-the lady is not in her room this morning! Not where she s'pposed t' stay for Gwenogg!" (Quilk and Klunkit were now unsuccessfully trying to drag Gwenogg out of the throne room by her large toes.)
Jareth was up and finished sulking at once, summoning a crystal faster than the goblins could bat their bulbous eyes. His mouth a thin line, he spun the crystal with a flick of his wrist until a foggy image appeared. The king's lips twisted upward as she came into focus. "Damn her," he whispered. "She's running." The king turned on his heel and transformed into a barn owl, soaring out of the castle window and towards the Labyrinth.
A/N: Hi everyone (or anyone). Remember this story? (Because I sure didn't.) I've kept my notes for it, though, and found half of this chapter on my laptop the other day, so I figured I'd finish it. And man, it felt good to write about Jareth and Sarah again! So good, I might keep it up! Thank you to my friend Isabel, who gave me Brian Froud's The Goblins of Labyrinth, which I cracked open this morning to familiarize myself with a few of our goblin friends. The names Quilk and Klunkit are not mine! (Gwenogg is, though. She's been mine for quite a little while now.) If you're interested, Quilk is a marriage officiant in his spare time, while Klunkit is a soldier in the goblin army. Hope you enjoyed and if you did, please review to let me know!