Ah! The plot thickens! Things are going to get interesting...
But rest assured, this is a JS story. No worries!
Thanks for reviews/watches!
The sky began to change, and the stars started to fade. Sarah felt the dawn as an imminent passage of time, that she was running out of time, and had very little of it to return home.
And to enjoy the Labyrinth for the last time… she smiled bitterly, and persevered as another sharp pain shoot through her leg. Her teeth clenched in pain. She felt completely exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to rest in a warm bed, softness surrounding her.
Stop thinking about it, Sarah. She chastised herself, before she was able to flesh out the details of her small fantasy.
She made her way further through the maze, as the sun crept into the sky. She turned to look back once more, and could see the castle, appearing black, with the sun directly behind it. The silhouette seemed imposing, but too familiar to make her glad to be leaving. To her chagrin she wasn't sure whether that ever-present pit in her stomach was a result of fear or sadness. She turned her face away from the castle forcefully, and marched on.
Her progress came slowly and painfully – she began to wonder if she was unconsciously forcing herself to slow down, and felt guilty immediately. She knew she couldn't stay here. She loved the adventure of the Labyrinth, and so many of the creatures in it, but she had to return to her family. Toby needed to grow up with a big sister, right? She couldn't live here.
Finding further movement too painful, Sarah leaned against a wall, and sank to the floor carefully. She tried to soothe her damaged joint, and delicately unraveled the sweatshirt.
"Greetings Sarah..." Sarah lifted her head, and her eyes widened. Before her, a gryphon looked down, eyeing her in such a way that she really, really wish she wasn't injured.
"Hello…" Sarah said tentatively, and then she noticed that someone appeared before her, from behind the gryphon. With a gesture, he made the beast take a few steps back, and sit docilely. Sarah glanced once more at the animal's predatory expression, before directing attention to the man in front of her.
She rephrased that in her mind – this man was no more of a man than Jareth was. She saw similarities between the two immediately: both seemed to have an air of royalty about them, and both were incredibly attractive.
That was, however, where most of the similarities ended.
This one had long, black hair, flowing nearly to the waist, greenish-golden eyes, and wore an outfit that seemed to be entirely black. 'Feline' came to mind as she watched him.
He crouched to meet her eye-level. His emerald eyes ran over her trembling, tired body in a way uncomfortably similar to the gryphon's gaze.
"You are trying to escape the Labyrinth, so I hear."
Sarah nodded, unable to speak.
"I can help you…" his voice silkily suggested. Sarah bit her lip.
"But, Jareth –"
"Jareth doesn't have any control over me, Sarah." His voice was cold, and his eyes frightened her.
"Why help me?" she asked.
He looked away from her, brushing something off of his jacket, as if completely uninterested. "I don't care much for the Goblin King… so I get some satisfaction at seeing him fail."
"Oh…" her voice was so quiet she was surprised that he looked up, and had heard her speak.
"Alvar!" the gryphon stood at attention, and quickly rejoined its master. The man stood, and extended a gloved hand. "You want my help, or not?"
Reluctantly, she took his hand. He pulled her up with slightly more force than nessecary and lifted her onto the gryphon's back.
Dazed, Sarah managed to ask, "Who are you?"
He made a fake smile. "Jaegar."
