A/N: I didn't want to leave you with a cliffhanger so here is the next bit. I'm closing in on the ending, but I'm not quite there.
Disclaimer: Personally, there are about a hundred different people I would have cast instead of the guy who plays Jareth, so obviously I don't own Labyrinth.
April felt her will being sucked out of her and into the crack in the crystal. It was a horrific experience for the young woman, for though it took only a few seconds it seemed like her ability to do what she wanted was being stubborn and clinging to her – being ripped away slowly and painfully. She wanted to scream, but her wish was denied as her cries of protest were quickly sucked into the crystal.
April saw only in blurred images moving around her, she knew one of them was Henry and that he was trying to stop Jareth, but she couldn't tell which shape was which.
When the crystal had finished its task it sealed the crack and flew into Jareth's waiting hand. When her vision cleared up April could see that Henry was unconscious on the ground. She didn't get a good look at him because Jareth snapped his fingers and she looked up at him, like a puppet being pulled by an invisible string. He looked sympathetically at her as she struggled to control her breathing.
"I am dreadfully sorry my dear. I know it must have been awful, but it was crucial to my– our happiness." The Goblin King smiled kindly.
April found that she believed every word he said. Especially the awful part. She thought sarcastically. Her eyes widened. Was that a rebellious thought? No, I was just being humorous. Part of her said logically. Another part of her screamed for her to explore this rebellious feeling, but her logical part forbid it, telling her that if she did then it would hurt Jareth. The thought of hurting his feelings made April sick inside. I could never do that!
"Are you doing better now?" Jareth asked worriedly, seeing April so pale made him question his decision.
April nodded. "Yes, thanks for asking."
Jareth's eyes sparkled happily. To see him happy made April feel a little giddy herself. Jareth took her hand in his. She did not flinch like she normally would have at his touch. He looked her in the eye and she looked back at him, not glaring as she had previously.
"My dear," Jareth purred.
"Yes?" April smiled.
"We have roughly forty minutes before the wedding. You shall return to your dressing room and prepare. You will be done in time to greet your parents and then continue on with the wedding procession."
April nodded and Jareth dropped a crystal on her, transporting her to the dressing room. The last thing she saw before she went was Henry waking up and trying to stop her from disappearing. He faded into Mrs. Worm.
"Henry!" April called and then clamped a hand over her mouth angrily. Don't be foolish! He means nothing to me!
Mrs. Worm gave her an odd look. "Come on girly! We haven't got all day for you to be standing there gaping and calling me 'Henry'!"
"Sorry, just a reaction from being transported. I think my dress got a little grass stained." April said, picking up the hem of her dress and inspecting it.
Mrs. Worm looked at the hem closely and clucked disapprovingly. "You'll have to take it off so I can fix it. The king wanted me to alter the design a little too."
April took off the dress and put on her dressing gown. She wandered over to the balcony and leaned on the railing. She looked out over the Underground: the labyrinth, the junkyard, the city filled with activity, and the castle lawn that was covered in goblins and other creatures she couldn't identify. She spotted some goblin guards dragging Henry to his seat and then throwing him into it. April saw her mother rush over to him and feel for a pulse. April looked away from the scene and gazed at the labyrinth, it looked so different from here than inside it.
Mrs. Worm came out onto the balcony followed by Sasha. "This little one wanted to talk to you, something about true love."
Sasha held her older cousin's hand and looked out at the labyrinth. "Was it hard?"
"It was silly." April said quietly.
"Were there monsters?"
April smiled at her cousin. "A few, but I made friends with a troll so they didn't bug me."
Sasha beamed. "Wow! You hardly ever make friends!"
April ruffled her cousin's hair fondly. "That's because I already have friends, you and…" She couldn't finish her sentence; the name seemed to get stuck in her throat. She found that she didn't even want to say the name. She didn't want to do anything but make Jareth happy.
Soon the dress was ready to wear again. The way Mrs. Worm had altered it was by removing the gray silk from the bodice and replacing it with white. April had no emotion regarding the changes. She had no emotion when Mrs. Worm took her combat boots away and replaced them with white slippers. She thought of nothing but Jareth.
Sasha began doing April's hair, using hair pins that had diamonds on the ends. April was expressionless as all the pins went in – all but the last. April's hand flew up and stopped the elegant pin from being placed in her hair.
"Wait! Use this one instead." She handed the little girl a bunny hair clip. Sasha looked at it and nodded, clipping it into her cousin's hair.
When she was ready April was led outside by Ernest and nine other goblins. Sasha followed slowly. The group arrived in the great hall of the castle where Peter and Sarah Stormynight waited for April.
Sarah felt tears spring to her eyes as she saw her daughter in a long, white dress. She covered her mouth to keep herself from yelping when she saw the vacant expression on April's face. Sarah and Peter rushed up to their little girl and hugged her tightly.
"I never expected your wedding to be like this…" Sarah sobbed.
Peter tried to cheer his wife up by joking. "I know, I always thought you'd ride a motorcycle down the aisle and all of the bridesmaids would be wearing matching leather!"
April gave a weak smile. "If you say so. Mom, I didn't realize that you had met my fiancé before."
Sarah glanced at her husband and turned back to April. "What did the Goblin King do to you? You aren't going to marry him!"
April ignored her mother, walking over to the door and opening it. "The ceremony is about to start; you two should find your seats."
Sarah whimpered. "April, what happened to the plan? It was going to work!"
April didn't answer, but instead stood stiffly. Jareth appeared at her side and smiled at Sarah.
"Goblin King, what have you done to my daughter?!" Sarah growled through gritted teeth.
"Sarah, you look lovely as usual, but not nearly festive enough for this celebration!" He snapped his fingers and Sarah was wearing a long, golden dress. Her hair had been done up much like April's and she was wearing very fine jewelry. "Much better!"
"This isn't a celebration! Besides, you have no power over me!" With those harsh words the golden dress changed back into the black one she had arrived in.
"I may not have power over you," Jareth hissed, "But April is a different story entirely."
Peter jerked forward with his fists raised. "Leave my little girl alone!"
Jareth rolled his eyes. "You are very irritating. Here in my castle you can do nothing to harm me." He snapped his fingers and Peter was gone. "Before you say anything, my dear Sarah, I only sent him to his seat outside. The wedding is about to start, this being the last time you see your daughter I assume you'll want to watch every moment of it."
Sarah backed out the door slowly, watching Jareth. When she was gone a man who resembled an older version of the Goblin King appeared. He seemed to glide over to April and Jareth.
"Son."
"Father."
The older man glanced at April distastefully. "Is this the bride you have chosen?"
"Her name is April." Jareth announced.
"She does not seem to be very exciting."
"There were some necessary precautions that I took to ensure the wedding will go as planned. As soon as I crack this crystal she'll be back to her old self." Jareth twirled the crystal that held April's will in it. Inside it was chaos; a purple steam bounced around crazily and when the older man held his ear up to it he heard yelling.
"I see. This crystal is very tense, as if it may break at any moment. What did you take away from her? It must be plentiful."
Jareth smirked. "Her will. She is even more forceful than her mother; I just barely contained it all."
"Excellent. I wish you happiness." The old king tapped the crystal gently, "But don't keep her trapped forever." He disappeared to join his wife outside.
"Who was that?" April asked.
Jareth jumped. He'd forgotten she was in the room. "Just my father. He'll be conducting the marriage."
April nodded and looked away. The Goblin King's brow furrowed. Was that curiosity? She should not be able to be curious… He stroked the crystal that held part of April. By doing this he could hear her thoughts:
I'll be so happy after this wedding. – No! – Shut up! Jareth is perfect. He is handsome, kind, strong – Annoying, arrogant, evil. – Jareth is who I'm marrying; I'm not listening to you.
April seemed to settle on that, which relieved Jareth. He was worried that she could even think to deny what he said, but the ideas that he had replaced her will with seemed to be dominating. As long as we marry quickly, then I won't have to worry about it.
The Goblin King took her hand gently, she allowed him to, but she was tenser. He scowled, but led her outside confidently. A goblin musician struck up the wedding march of the labyrinth and the ceremony began.