DISCLAIMER: I do not own Labyrinth or the characters associated with the film. They are the property of the Jim Henson Company.
Sarah tilted her head back, once more admiring her perfection before turning into the grand room. Her hair fell around her face in soft curls, tickling her back where the dress did not cover it. The dress she'd chosen, yes she'd chosen it with such perfect clarity, was black. It had a halter neckline, high and unrevealing in the front, low and all revealing in the back. The skirt swept down to the floor. Of course I'd choose such a dress, she thought, smiling seductively at her reflection. She looked at herself, she looked beyond herself. Her beautiful face fell into a confused frown. I chose this dress. She stated it to herself as though she needed to be convinced of the fact. Her thoughts were interrupted by a mournful cello humming out the first chords of Pachelbel's Canon. She turned and headed towards the room.
It was plainly decorated with strategically placed pots of tropical flowers and various young trees. Very classic. The architecture of the room was old, perhaps the renaissance era? Sarah was never one for architecture, but she could appreciate the beauty of a well put together room. The dance floor was wide and inviting. There were very few people in the room, and fewer who did not turn to look at her as she entered. She liked the way it felt to be admired, to be wanted. She revelled in it. Sarah glanced out the tall window to see the clear, full moon. She felt as though she were forgetting something very, very important. She moved closer to the window, and thought that she could hear rain falling.
A hand touched hers so lightly, causing her to turn and look. And there he stood. Black hair, muscular form, ice blue eyes. What was his name again? It was so odd that she couldn't recall it at the moment, and she was too embarrassed to ask again. There was something in his eyes that was a little…dangerous. Sarah had always liked danger. There was this one time when she was just fifteen… But, what had happened when she was fifteen? It must've been a dream. One of those dreams where the details are lost upon awakening. But it had been a dangerous dream.
She took the dark man's hand. He was dressed head to toe in black, and was the very picture of danger. She smiled impishly at him, and he said nothing. They danced to music that she had never heard before, never dreamed of. He stared at her as though looking away would cause her to disappear. He was what she was looking for, wasn't he? She must have felt the way she had earlier because she had forgotten his name. That must've been it. She gazed up at him, and as they spun, the moon caught her eye again. It was so perfect, like a crystal. A tiny frown formed on her delicate features.
A crystal? Her frown deepened.
"What is it?"
"A crystal. Nothing more. But, if you turn it this way, it'll show you your dreams."
She looked up at her partner, who smiled down at her, still staring at her intensely, as though she were a prey he could not afford to have escape.
"I just though of something," she whispered, leaning into his shoulder. "I can't for the life of me remember your name."
She pulled back to look him in the face, and smiled. "Ridiculous isn't it?"
Her partner smiled darkly. "Ridiculous," he echoed.
Sarah looked up at him expectantly.
"Sarah," his voice was clipped and hard. She imagined that he would not sing well. Sing well? Who cares about that?
"I have many names, and you will likely learn them all, in good time," he continued. He was not kind, and the danger that emanated from him warned her to break contact. His name was not what she was forgetting because she had never known it. She realized that now. She broke away from him, mustering all her acting skills not to look afraid. She smiled softly, sweetly.
"I need a drink," she whispered.
Sarah turned from the dangerous, dark man and stalked off towards the bar, only to notice her reflection in the window. The crystal moon shone back at her as she surveyed her appearance. Yes, she was beautiful, and yes the dress was very fitting for her figure, but she had not chosen it. None of this made sense to Sarah, which caused a familiar fear to rise up within her. When was the last time she was at a ball like this? She racked her brain. Never. Never ever, not like this. But there had been a ball.
Before she realized it, she was slowly approaching the window, fingers outstretched. If she just touched the window everything would be alright. If she could only get to the wall. She reached the window at the exact moment that her dark and dangerous partner's hand encircled her wrist roughly. But, it was too late.
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Jareth and Hoggle both watched in silence as Sarah smiled and danced in the rain, with no one. However, it was only moments until Jareth was able to see the glamour in full force. His assailant was allowing him to see what Sarah saw. He watched her walk into a grand ballroom wearing a black dress that was beautiful, but not to Sarah's usual taste. Jareth smirked inwardly. Sarah would not be trapped long in a glamour that was not perfectly designed for her specifically. In fact, he thought smiling at the irony, she was not even trapped by a glamour that was PERFECTLY designed for her.
That was mistake number one for this foe. Although he seemed to know the most intimate details of the labyrinth itself, although he knew what had transpired between Sarah and the Goblin King, he knew nothing of the glamour that Jareth had used on her. His foe knew nothing of Sarah's heart. In a small way, this made Jareth feel that at least part of Sarah was safe from this enemy. Although the comfort was very short-lived as Jareth laid eyes on his enemy in human form. He was tall, and that was where the similarities between Jareth and his foe ended. He was as dark as Jareth was light, he was as muscular as Jareth was lean, and he was a thousand times more sinister than Jareth had ever been. His eyes were like ice. He wore hatred like a mask. Jareth wondered if Sarah could read that in his face. But, the glamour was a strong spell, and it held her for a while. Jareth could see confusion in her features. She couldn't quite remember what she had been doing, where she had been going, what had been at stake. He knew this all from her face as he had seen it with her before. He had done this to her before.
"She's going to the wall!" Hoggle said hopefully. Hoggle was not able to see the glamour, he could still see only his friend fumbling in the rain.
"Yes," Jareth replied breathlessly, preparing to help her in any way possible. He had little left to give, but he would give her what little he had.
Again, Hoggle watched Jareth's pained expression. Could he help? Should he help? Would it help Sarah?
"Jar…," Hoggle started to say when Jareth closed his eyes sharply. Sarah had reached the wall, and been touched by his foe simultaneously. She sent through more information than he could've hoped for, and it terrified him. His opponent had immense power, but not more than Jareth possessed. His only hope of defeating Jareth was to drain him down to a level which was below his own. He bared a great sense of loss, loneliness, vengeance, and hatred for Jareth. Sarah was an acting medium. He hoped that his opponent could not feel his own thoughts through her. Sarah's confusion also rushed through, but on contact with him, her memories flooded back. Jareth gave her the only thing he could. It would help her bring this dangerous foe down a few notches. She would have to bring this creature to the castle, she would need to bring him to Jareth; there was no other way of handling the situation.
His words came to her, and he felt her accept his gift, accept this duty. She would bring him to the castle beyond the goblin city. She would deliver this opponent to him.
Jareth leaned back into his throne. Such a small gift had drained him so greatly. He could not hold up his defences for much longer, she would have to bring this dark, angry man to him before his magic ran out completely.
AN: Next chapter is where the T rating comes into play. I have been generous up until now…but I can be cruel.
