Only in Dreams
By Lyris Mendax
Rating PG
Part 10 Lost and Found
I sat stunned as I looked that the number of people that had been looking at this story, the number that had taken time to read it. I could feel my eyes widen and I gets a rather unexpected hug from behind, and a chin upon my right shoulder. A soft very male voice murmuring in my ear. "Wow, did you ever think you would get so many readers?"
No answer what could I say. So few reviews, yet over a 1200 hits, either I was doing a really good job with this story, or simply people did not know what to say.
A hint of a kiss upon my cheek then that other moved away, all that I had been given a chance to look upon was a bit of red hair, before the other was gone. "Thanks." I managed at last, and felt it in my heart. I was very thankful for all that had taken time to read upon this story of mine, and that people where willing to live with my slow updates, and rewrites.
( "I want you though it won't be fulfilled." Lyric from Sad Tango by Rain )
Sarah moved looking at a new wall, as it twisted it's way along, at least she was in the middle of a slightly open place now, even if it was still very cold and she no longer had her blanket. She could feel her teeth chatter as she moved, she was doing her best to stay upon the stone paths because the ones made of dirt, had little rocks and prickles in it that tried to cut at her small feet. Suddenly she almost ran into some one that was huddled over picking up some unseen thing.
He was almost as tall as she was, just thicker in his build, almost like a barrel. He had on heavy pants, a thick shirt, leather vest with a tooled design upon it, and a cap that was hiding most of the top of his head. When he looked upon her she could only think that he had the bluest eyes that she had ever seen and so pale almost like crystal tears. What she could see of his hair was blond, almost as blond as Jareth's own hair maybe just a touch darker. His face was smooth, the nose large, skin was a ruff looking and tanned. The first sharp words out of his mouth when he was almost knocked over by the girl where sharp, almost bitter.
"Hey now!! Watch where your going!" He almost snarled at the child then paused as he saw her then let out a long sigh. "Oh it's you." Already word had spread from the castle about a missing child. At first the dwarf had brushed it off then suddenly he turned eyes wide jaw dropping open. He moved to take her by the shoulders, he knew that he would be well rewarded if he was the one to bring the child back to that royals in the castle, maybe if he kept her missing for a part of the day, his reward would be that much larger. "It's you!!"
Sarah gave a squeak of sound as she was suddenly taken old of after such a rude brush off. Her smaller hands tried to push away the ruff ones that had hold of her only to feel them tighten a touch."Oww." She started to say then suddenly the pain stopped as she was let go of. She watched as the gruff little man moved a pace back then made a nervous sound.
"Begging your pardon princess." The dwarf paused as if he was trying to pick just the right words. "It's just we have all been a looking for you." He moved a hand to scratch at that back of his rather large head and looked to the ground. "I'd not meant to scare you any." He was looking upon the girl again watching as she started to with cold. Then he took a larger step back as she started cry. At the first silvery drop he started to panic, how do you stop a crying princess, a little one at that.
With a sniffle Sarah tried to stop her tears, small hands moved to rub at her eyes as she took deep breaths reaching for that place of calm. She wanted to be back with her mother and father, she wanted to be back with her friends, Tibi, Anise, and mostly Jareth. "I want to go home!" She cried out doing her best to stop her many tears. Looking at this strange man like he would be the only one that could help her. Suddenly she took hold of his hand with both of her own and pulled as hard as she was able. "Please!! Take me home!"
He was at a loss for words would having a crying little brat really be worth any reward they might try to give him. He looked upon her tear stained face. Her large sweet eyes and made a rather frustrated sound one that said he was giving in to the child and showing just how much of a pushover he really was. "Oh .. alright I'll take you back to the others." A soft grumble of defeat. Finding it hard to believe he had been undone by a small child.
The dwarf could not hide his smile at the child's look of delight, it was only after she sneezed that he thought about how cold it really was and the fact that she was in nothing but a light night shirt. Looks like she might be spending a bit more time with him after all. He gently took his hand out of the hold of her own then bowed to her. "If you would be so kind as to come with me princess I will take ya to the misses well get you some hot food and into some warm clothing. Then I will take ya back home."
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Jareth was trying not to glare at his brother. Doing his best to remember that no mater how hard he might hit him they would not be able to get to Sarah with out his help. He looked to the girls keepers then and saw that he might not be the only one that was trying their best not to rip Rathlin to many little pieces.
The Firey that had been pulled from the maze was quick to point out that it had noting to do with the girl until after she had already been put into the labyrinth. It even pointed out that this the one that had pulled it out seemed to have a very good idea of what he had been looking for. After a few fumbling tries it finely pulled itself fully together and made a ran for the place that it knew and felt safe.
It did not take long for all kinds of hell to break lose, mostly in the form of the rather large body of the girls keeper, rushing at his brother. As much as he had hated doing so, he moved so that he was blocking the attacker. He flinched because of the smug look upon his brothers face. If any was going to hurt his brother it was going to be him. He had promised Sarah that she would see him again and meant it.
Jareth tried not to show any kind of feeling as he was lifted by the front of his shirt, and made to look into the blood filled eyes of the former goblin. He moved and hit him in the nose as hard as he was able and gave a look of shock when his hand tried to crack a bone or two. 'What was this thing made of?'
It was then, that the annoying little bug that came to his rescue. She fluttered in the face of Tibi and pulled on the hair of his eyebrows. Jareth had to give a wince of pain, as he saw the others face screw up with pain and saw two small bold patches appear."Now stop that you dunder head!" At any other time this would have seemed rather amusing, and Rathlin's chuckle seemed too loud.
"She is in the Labyrinth, the fact that my brother had that thing with him and her blanket also shows that he was the one that had put her in it. However if he had not been able to find her then you will need me. I know the place like the back of my own hands. I can find her!"
His words seem to reach the goblin on some level because slowly he was moved to the ground. A growl given, "If she is harmed in any way, if even a bit of her hair is gone I take it out on you, prince of the emerald hills." The title of his brothers was almost spat out at him, like a sour taste, the other was happy to be rid of, "and if you get in my way again, young prince, I will attack you." A hard tug on his shirt and he was set free.
Jareth backed a few steps and stopped when he felt a hand touch upon his shoulder. "She is safe, Jareth, I was just sent word by the groundsman. He had taken her to his home for some food and warmer clothing." Chaointe found herself studying her child and felt slightly puzzled by one fact. Why is it he seemed so changed. If it had been some other girl he would have let his older brother take all of her attention, what was it about this one that made it seem so different.
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Sarah was having the time of her young life with her new friend. Even if she had a hard time recalling his name, he had just become a father too. The happy mother let her play with the baby who had eyes like his father and light blond hair like his mothers. The baby seemed to love making grabs at her ring. "Huggle, you're so cute!" She cooed to the baby and hugged him, making the child give a yelp.
"Wing, likes wing," the baby tried to babble at her in its own way. "wants wing!" Small fingers tried to give a tug on the ring as it moved upon the chain on her neck, making the girl frown and almost slap lightly at the babies small hands.
"No no my ring you can no have." She liked her things and did not like giving them away if they where special, because this ring was from her new friend Jareth it was more than a little dear to her.
The young baby started to cry and his mother came over making soothing noises and distracting the baby with a sparking string of beads. That got his mind off of the ring that he had tried to lay claim to. Sarah had to giggle as she watched the baby start to chew on the beads almost like he was making sure that they where all real.
That was when the old dwarf came to her and placed a heavy hand upon her shoulder. "Well little princess, ready to leave now?" Sarah gave a quick nod making her long hair move in such a way that it almost hid her face fully. That is when his wife started to fuss and coo over her more.
"Now Darvin she does not have to leave now, I want to get a little more food into her and look at the state that she is in." She made a tutting sound with her tongue and shook her head hands sliding to rest upon her hips. "Why they will think we have no manners if we let her go home like this."
He had to give in, knowing well that his wife just wanted to have a chance to play with the girls long hair, and spoil her a little more. Simply because that misses had always wanted to have a sweet little girl. Even if he was a little greedy at times he could not overlook the wishes of his wife. She was his best of all treasures after all.
Already she was making herself busy with gathering food and putting together little treats for the little princess. Things that she knew most children would love to eat, little things that might tempt the girl to come back again. In the back of her mind she was making a few small plans of her own, the girl may not be a dwarf, but she was pretty and of the royals after all. Even if she was just a little older than Huggle, that would not stop a marriage, if they happened to fall in love.
The woman would have been happy with her little daydreams, if they had not been broken by the heavy sound of someone pounding upon the door. With a few grumbles her husband moved to open it. The person on the other side of the door seemed in a hurry and as soon as the door was cracked, a young man came barging into their small home. "Sarah." The young man started, well the woman would not have rude people in her house, and she would not have people pushing her family about.
She moved to stand before the young man, arms crossing and a look upon her face that all wise children learn to dread from any mother, the look that says 'I told you no already and I have caught you doing it anyway, so get ready for what is coming.' "Is busy so you'll have to wait." The girls giggle came from the other room and when the young man tried to move around the dwarf mother. She moved so that she was still in his way. "I will ask you to wait outside." Suddenly he was push upon by a force unseen, moved to the door, then locked out of the house.
"Frogs balls!" He shouted knowing that he would be heard by the people inside. After trying to push the door open again it dawned upon Jareth, a locked spell had been used and only the one to cast the spell would be able to break it. So now even though he had rushed over here he would have to wait a few hours for his mother and the others to arrive. "I hate, waiting." The young prince admitted at last.
Thanks for reading everyone!
Lyris
C&C is welcomed and I will always try to listen, even if I don't always understand. LFGv2.0 a! gf ml fl loc-Co LFW
Disclaimer: I don't own Jareth or Sarah, or the Labyrinth, I just like to write about them. I do know that they belong to Labyrinth Enterprises, Henson Associates inc., LucasFilm ltd. & maybe a few other companies I don't know about. All poems / songs used in this story do belong to me, if you would like to use any of them please ask first.