AN: A reminder that I do not own Labyrinth. Nor do I own the song in this chapter.
Chapter Ten
A new Melody
"I love the part in fairytales
That's very near the end
When all the kingdom cheers for their new queen
And all is well, and all is good
And everyone belongs
And happily they're ever after-ing
But when I enter the kingdom of dreams
And face the promise of all I can be
Will they see me as a heroine?
Tell me, will they let me in?
Won't someone let me in?"
Song lyrics 'Let me In' by Michael McLean
Sarah sat on her knee's outside the cottage singing, as she dug her hands into the soft soil. Her hair was tied into a loose bun atop her head, her sleeves rolled up, dirt smudges on her elbows and cheek. She'd been working on preparing the soil around the cottage for some flower beds, after informing Midge that the farm needed some flowers to cheer the place up.
"You really do have a beautiful voice." his voice was rich and resonant. Sarah started in alarm, she'd been so careful not to let anyone hear her sing after all that fuss when they had first arrived. She had forgotten herself as she daydreamed over the little garden she was planting. Blushing, she tried to cover it up by glaring up at Gavin.
"You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that!" she scolded. Gavin only laughed playfully at her.
"Really though, there's a singing competition coming to our villiage after the new moon. You should sign up!" Gavin was still smiling at her playfully but his voice told her that he was absolutly serious.
Standing, Sarah waved her hand dismissivly. "I'm not all that good, Gavin. I am sure I would pale in comparison to the natives of this world." she argued.
Gavin caught Sarah's hand and twirled her around and playfully picked her up and swung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Let me down this instant Gavin!" Sarah tried to sound angry.
"Not..." he paused for dramatic effect. "until you promise me you will sign up for the competition." he was most serious.
"You're not serious are you?" Sarah asked incredulously.
"I couldn't be more serious Sarah dear." he smiled. "and I can't hold onto you forever. I'm quite strong you know." he bragged.
"Oh you!" Sarah pounded relentlessly upon his back.
"Just a simple promise and I'll put you down." he taunted her.
"But that's not fa..." Sarah cut herself short, she could hardly believe what she almost uttered. "alright fine, I promise." she relented.
"Great! Now let's head to the villiage and get you those bulbs." he said, gently putting her down. Sarah felt dizzy as the blood rushed out of her face.
"Brat!" she spat and hit Gavin's shoulder.
"Ouch!" he cried, rubbing his shoulder and giving her a sad look with his deep brown eyes. Sarah simply rolled her eyes and pushed him out of her way.
"I'm going to clean up!" she called as she dashed off to the little bath house.
Gavin watched Sarah disapear into the bath house before walking into the Cottage. The truth was, unknown to Sarah, that the entire household had heard Sarah singing and enjoyed it very much. Sarah's father had told Midge and Gavin that he'd never heard his daughter sing as lovely back home, while Toby compared her to an angel. They all wished that she would sing openly in front of them, they all wanted her to take part in the competition and felt Gavin would be the best to talk her into it.
"So did she agree?" Lily asked her older brother doubtful of his ability to convince Sarah. The rest of the family looked hopeful.
"Sarah has promised me she shall enter the competition." Gavin declared smugly. "I shall see to it that she signs up when we go to the villiage today."
"Well once she starts, she may never stop.Once her competitive side takes over...there's no stoping Sarah." Robert laughed.
Just then Sarah barged into the cottage and the room fell silent. Sarah looked at her little family suspiciously. "Ah I see, you were all in on it were you?" she accused before walking to her room to change into a clean dress. Sarah checked herself in the little mirror that Hoggle had given her the night before. If she held it at arms length she could see her whole face, it was a good thing she had perfect vision. She had been scared at first to look at herself in the mirror, but she had found that the past six months had been kind, very kind infact she seemed to glow. After repinning a few loose strands of hair, Sarah walked out of her room grabbing Gavin's tunic and dragging him towards the door while grumbling. "I'm ready now."
At the Castle...
Jareth sat in his private study reading, as he often did when not busy with the tasks of being 'Goblin King.' His countenance was serious and pained as he drank in the words of the book. He looked rather exhausted and much older than he should have in the few years that had passed. He was disgusted with himself, he had been such a fool and it had cost him greatly. Now he was reduced to caring for orphanes and being beat by mere mortals. "No." he thought. "It only happened once, and never again. She wasn't a mere anything...she was special." he sighed. His circumstances were bad off as it was, and then she had to come. The girl had won and humilitated him, stolen his heart and then vanished out of his life for ever. "I was so close." he thought miserably. His reverie was broke by a quick knock on his door. "Enter." he commanded, pulling himself up and pulling his mask of indifference into place. The door opened and Priya waltzed in, causing Jareth to relax again. "What is it my darling girl?" he asked trying to sound somewhat happy for her sake.
"I go to visit the towns today, to collect news..." she reminded her King. She had spied title of the volumn Jareth was reading before he tucked it out of sight. 'Curses and Loopholes.' number eight out of twelve volumns. All which the King had read numerous times already. "When will he give into the fact that there are no loopholes?" the thought frightened her.
"Oh yes. I don't know why you bother...I could really careless." Jareth drawled and tossed Priya a crystal, which she caught gracefully.
"Well I care." Priya argued. "Besides, I could use some fresh and positive air."
"Doubtful you'll find anything positive out there." Jareth waved a hand lazily.
"Well I certainly haven't found any around here lately." Priya pouted.
"What a pity." Jareth mocked. "Off with you now." he dismissed her. Priya twirled the crystal in her deft slender fingers and vanished.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Remember what I told you!" Midge called as the two left the cottage. Gavin just waved in response, pulling free from Sarah's grasp.
"Gee, someone sure is cranky today." Gavin teased Sarah.
"Well, someone had to ruin a perfectly wonderful day." Sarah glared.
"I really don't know what you're talking about Christine." Gavin feigned innocence. Sarah rolled her eyes, but couldn't help being in high spirits despite Gavin's trickery. Today was the first day she would go by the name Christine, for there had been no outside visitors to the farm and she had not yet traveled into the village even though it was a mere fifteen minute walk away. Sarah carried with her a basket, Midge had asked them to pick up a few items for her at the market. Midge had also given Sarah some coins to buy bulbs and seeds with, which Sarah was very grateful for. Gavin sliped Sarah's arm in his and they walked arm in arm to the villiage. The villiage was small and there was nothing memerable about the place, but to Sarah it was quaint and marvelous. Appropriatly there was farmer's market that included a few booths for the occasional traveling merchant. There was the villiage school house,the blacksmith, a tiny jail attached to a justice house, and a house of medicine, as they called it in the Underground. As well as a few houses, clumped together towards the end of the villiage.
As they walked down the dirt streets of the farmer's market, Sarah could not help but notice that she was getting strange looks and stares from the locals. Some were even whispering and pointing at her, making Sarah feel very self conscious but as always she held her head high. "If I can hold my head high before the King of Goblins then I can hold my head high among mortals such as myself." her mind encouraged her. Sarah watched as two boys, who looked to be her and Gavin's age approached them, Sarah stiffened and held onto Gavin's arm a little more snuggly. "Boys are never up to any good." she thought.
The two young men nodded there heads respectfully at Sarah. They were both tall and scrappy, with thin shoulder length brown hair. It was obvious that these two were brothers, maybe even twins. The taller of the two was the first to speak. "Why Hullo Gavin!" the boy greeting him with a slap on the shoulder. "We heard rumors your mum took in strangers, but we didn't think the Lady would be so lovely." the boy flashed Sarah a toothy grin, trying to be charming. Sarah didnt know if she should be flattered or repulsed. Gavin seemed to be annoyed which made Sarah giggle.
"This is Christine." Gavin said to the boys, then looking to Sarah. "Christine, this is Leif" nodding to the one who had spoke just a moment ago. "and his brother Ethan. These two pass as the villiage jesters." he teased, which caused a bout a rife of laughter from Leif and Ethan.
"Pleasure to meet you both." Sarah said as politely as she knew how, nodding her head towards them in respect.
"Ah well she's definitely not from around here." Ethan spoke up.
"Yes, that's a strange accent, never heard that one before." agreed Leif. "So where are you from?" the boys questioned in unison.
"I like to live a private life, so I am afraid I will have to leave you curious." Sarah replied.
"Ah mysterious! I like that." Leif grinned at her again and Sarah smiled back politely.
"Well we've got errands to run. See you around." Gavin said and pulled Sarah hastily away from Leif and Ethan's greedy eyes. Sarah and Gavin were able to carry out there errands with no other interuptions or prying questions. Sarah paid a woman for a handful of seeds and a bundle of bulbs and then waited for Gavin to return with grain. "It's not much but it will be a start." she thought looking down at the small amount of seeds and bulbs she had been able to buy. Soon she saw Gavin walking towards her, and met him halfway. "All set then?" he asked her.
"Yes, let's go home." she said and started heading towards the street that would lead out of the villiage.
"Stop right there miss Christine, I believe you are forgetting your promise." he called to her, wagging his finger.
"Damn." Sarah muttered under her breath. "Alright, alright." she said turning back towards him. "Where do I sign up?"
"Follow me." Gavin smirked and stalked off towards the school house. Outside the school house was a small table, headed by a small and scholarly looking man. "Hullo there, my Lady would like to sign up for the local singing competition." Gavin explained to the man.
"I am not your Lady." Sarah hissed at Gavin before turning a pleasant smile upon the little man. "Hello, my name is Christine." she greeted the man.
"I'm Professor Lugh. It will be great having someone new enter the competition this year. It's always the same people every year." Professor Lugh stated excitedly and handed Christine the feather pen out of the inkwell. "Just sign your name here." he pointed to the bottom of a scroll, that looked very much like a contract of sorts.
"What's all this about?" Christine waved the feathered end of the pen along the writting, not wanting to read it all.
"Oh this contract states your responsiblities, should you win the competition." Professor Lugh explained vaguely.
"Oh, well that's not going to happen." Christine stated assuredly and signed her name upon the contract. After handing the quill back to Professor Lugh, he rolled up her contract and stuffed it in a bag, then pulled out a tied scroll to hand to Christine. "What this?" she questioned.
"Rules and guidelines my dear. It also has the date of the competition recorded and the place in which you shall sing." the professor explained.
"Thank you." Christine nodded and then walked away from the table with Gavin.
"See that was painless." Gavin teased.
"If you don't shut your mouth, you're not going to be feeling painless!" Sarah threatened.
"I find your treats to be empy my lady." Gavin goaded her more. "But don't you think you should have read that contract before signing it?" he questioned a bit more seriously.
Sarah simply shrugged. "I'm not going to win, so it really doesn't matter."
Moments after Gavin and Sarah left Professor Lugh, a beautiful little elf shimmered into existance giving the poor Professor quite the start. "My Lady Priya!" he exclaimed. "What can I do for you?"
Priya smiled at the little man. "Oh nothing. Just can by to see how your little singing competition is going?" she smiled sweetly at the Professor.
"Well I am excited to say that we've had a newcomer sign up." he seemed glad to share this news with the little elf. "So perhaps this year wont be a disapointment after all."
"Have you heard her sing?" Priya questioned curiously.
"Uh why, no. I have not, I did not know of her until she signed up." he confessed. "but she was very lovely on the eyes, I can say that much."
"I see...and what was her name?" Priya asked.
"Uhh..Christine. That was the ladies name." it had taken him a moment to remember. Priya only shrugged, the name meant nothing to her. Without a word, she vanished as quickly as she had appeared.
AN: I believe this is my longest chapter yet, and it took forever to get done. phew, glad thats done. Now I must get some sleep.