Disclaimer: Labyrinth is owned by The Jim Henson Company. I do not own Jareth or Sarah, but all the other characters in this story are mine.
Sarah swallowed hard as she gazed down at the man she'd married only a few short hours ago.
How was it possible she could feel such overwhelming happiness and such terrible grief in the same day?
When she'd married Jareth at 11 am this morning she hadn't been expecting to sit by his bedside with tears streaming down her cheeks and her heart breaking in her chest on the night of their joining.
This was one of the most important nights of her life – of their life together. This was the night where she and Jareth were meant to finally become one in body, mind, and soul.
It was unfair – no, it was damn cruel that this night of all nights and possibly her future with this man was taken from her.
Sarah studied the paleness of his skin and watched as a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his sculptured cheek. In the last hour, Sarah had witnessed him suffer terribly. He'd vomited several times, which was actually a good thing since it meant he was bringing up the poison he'd consumed, but it was still distressing to see Jareth suffer so much when he was normally so strong.
His body had trembled uncontrollably for hours and he'd sweated so much that the sheets in their bed had dampened. Sarah had watched him slip in and out of consciousness between it all. His Fae body was doing its best at fighting off the poison, but as the hours passed, things only got worse.
When investigating the King's chambers to try to find out what had happened, one of the servants found a tiny empty vile under the bed, containing traces of iron in the poison that had been sneakily slipped into his drink.
Whoever it was that had slipped poison with iron into her husband's nightly drink were the cruelest, evil being in all of the Underground!
And they were going to pay for it.
Yes, that's right. Sarah had already sworn an oath to herself. An oath that no matter what happened on this dreadful night, she was going to discover the person who'd taken her wedding night, and possibly her future away from her forever.
Sarah gently took Jareth's limp hand in her own. He was burning up hotter by the second. His beautiful hands were clammy; something she'd never noticed him have an issue with before and was obviously another side effect from the poison.
Glancing away from her husband's contorted face; Sarah turned her attention toward the three healers standing at the foot of their bed, their eyes closed in deep concentration.
Syrovel was the healer standing to the left. He had long silver hair with lilac undertones that framed his face, complementing his pale skin and long structured face.
He wore stunning robes that were embroidered beautifully with lilac swirls and vines across the chest, the colours perfectly matching the silver in his hair. And around his neck hung a necklace of pure amethyst crystal.
Amethyst was well known for its ability to alleviate sadness and grief, dissolving negativity. It activated spiritual awareness and opened intuition and enhancing psychic abilities.
Sarah highly doubted that Syrovel needed any more help on that front, but again, what did she know? She was just a human, after all.
Tholan, who shared both Fae and Elven blood, enhancing his abilities in healing, stood in the middle of the other men. He was the tallest of the three and had long black hair that was so glossy it made Sarah jealous. He wore a robe similar to Syrovel; only his own robes were deep blue in colour, with silver embroidery details, and around his neck hung blue quartz crystal.
Blue quartz amplified healing, intuition, empathy, and clarity, and enhanced clear and open communication.
Gelvalorn was the Fae standing to the right of Tholan.
He was not only a very gifted healer but actually a rather important member of the royal family.
Yes, Gelvalorn was Jareth's younger brother.
He had never had an interest in the throne and had spent most of his life studying and learning how to heal with magic.
Much like Jareth, Gelvalorn had blonde hair very similar to his brothers, only far less messy and quite a bit sorter. He shared similar features to Jareth as well, but of course, had his own uniqueness.
The robes he wore were black with gold detailing and around his neck, he wore black obsidian crystal.
In many ways, this was the most important crystal in use.
Black obsidian blocked psychic attacks offered energy protection and dispelled negativity.
Gelvalorn had been the first to help Jareth with his healing abilities and with the help of the power from the crystal he wore; he'd been able to detect that Jareth was being psychically attacked as well as poisoned.
It was the psychic attack that had magnified the effects of the poison he'd consumed and it had almost killed her him. If Gelvalorn had not discovered this when he had, Jareth may not have been alive right now.
Sarah felt another tear trickle down her cheek at the thought of losing the love of her life. She would be forever thankful to Gelvalorn for blocking those attacks. She just really hoped that the three of them together would be enough to save her husband.
A few more minutes passed in silence until Jareth's body began to convulse in the bed.
Sarah felt panic rushing through her. She was so scared she felt nauseous. "What's happening?" She sobbed, trying to soothe the man who writhed in agony in their bed.
Tholan slowly opened his eyes and took a deep breath, whispering to Gelvalorn and Syrovel to continue in their healing and protection spells while he took a closer look at Jareth.
He moved to stand beside the bed, leaning down he pressed his palm against Jareth's forehead. "He is still fighting off the effects of the poison and the psychic attack. I've worked hard and searched his brain for injuries. You'll be pleased to know his brain and mind remains intact, thanks to Gelvalorn." He said his voice calm and collected.
Sarah wished she possessed the ability to remain as calm as he, but she just didn't. She was a mess. All she wanted to do was scream out the pain and anguish she felt in her heart.
"Why would they do this? Why would they try to attack his mind?" She whispered, her voice a broken whisper.
"Information," He told her, sighing. "They are trying to find the information, the secrets, and the weaknesses of the Kingdom. We've known for some time now, that the fairies are not on our side."
Sarah had always wondered why fairies used to hang out around the outside of the Labyrinth's walls and why Jareth always had Hoggle killing them off.
Well, it turned out that they were spies from Avalon. Avalon and The Goblin Kingdom weren't the best of friends, to put it lightly.
A few thousand years ago, an alliance between the previous Goblin King and the Fairy Queen of Avalon had been broken. The late Goblin King had been meant to marry the Fairy Queen, but he'd broken their alliance to marry Jareth's mother, a peasant Fae woman who worked on a farm.
The fairy Queen had been so outraged that she - the most beautiful creature in all the Kingdoms - was denied her birthright. She took no time in calling war between Avalon and The Goblin Kingdom.
Battles had commenced for decades after, sometimes The Goblin Kingdom won and sometimes Avalon won. But no matter what the outcome was, there was always another battle following the next.
Eventually, the Fairy Queen did what she set out to do. She killed the Goblin King and held his head by his hair in her thin bony hands, showing it off to all in the battlefield as she cried out, "Victory! We have your King's head! We have won!"
Shock had rippled through the Goblin Kingdom after the day. The Goblin Queen was heartbroken and never the same after losing her husband. She lost her mind to grief and called war upon Avalon. She would not rest until she avenged her husband's legacy.
Jareth and Gelvalorn were only very young when their mother defeated the Fairy Queen in the first battle to take place without the King. She'd killed her with her bare hands, just as the Fairy Queen had done to her husband.
It had been said to be a very gory event and many had spoken of how the Goblin Queen had cut off the Fairy Queens wings and then cut off her head in one blow using her late husband's sword while the Fairy Queen sank to her knees, crying out in anguish and pain over the loss of her wings. Some still spoke of it now, hundreds of years after it happened.
After her victory in battle, The Goblin Queen became very distant. She'd done what she set out to do. She'd avenged her husband and killed the Fairy Queen, but now she felt as if she had no purpose.
She became very depressed, spending most of her time in her chambers with all the memories of her husband surrounding her.
She wasn't there for her sons as they grew up, though it wasn't really her fault. She'd lost her mind the moment her husband had been taken from her, after all.
Jareth had never been close with her, but he did his best to try and be understanding toward her.
She'd only died ten years ago, and despite their strained relationship, Jareth had still grieved her loss when she passed.
"Why do they continue this? Isn't it enough that they killed his father?" She asked, tears still streaming her cheeks as she watched Jareth struggle in the bed.
"They continue because their Queen was taken from them, just as this Kingdom sought revenge for the loss of their King. Unfortunately, it continues like this. This is why revenge is not always the answer."
Tholan gently placed his hand across Jareth's forehead, muttering a spell in a language Sarah recognized to be elvish. The moment he removed his hand, Jareth's head dropped to the side, his body seeming to relax somewhat.
Still, Sarah felt panic rising within her. "What did you do?" she asked her voice croaky from crying.
"I've put a sleeping spell on him. If his body continues to react like that, he'll die. If he rests, he has more of a chance..."
Sarah reluctantly let go of her husband's hand and rose to her feet. "Tholan, please...I need to know. I deserve to know what's likely to happen..."
Tholan swallowed hard as he studied his Queen's expression. Her beautiful wedding gown hugged her petite figure and he felt grieved for her that she was still wearing it.
The tiny bit of makeup she'd been wearing was all over her face and her curled hair was now a tangled mess. For a few moments, he wondered if it would be better for her if he just put a sleeping spell on her as well, but he decided against it. Sarah had a right to know the truth, even if it broke her heart.
"I will do all I can, I can promise you that. But Sarah... you must prepare yourself for the worst."
Sarah lowered her head, tears racing down her cheeks. "There must be something I can do... I know that I don't possess magic, but Tholan, please tell me if there is something I can get that'll cure these effects."
Tholan shook his head. "I'm afraid not...if there were-"
"Wait!"
Sarah and Tholan looked toward Syrovel in surprise.
"Excuse me for eavesdropping, but I couldn't ignore what I heard. Tholan, you know there is something that could very well save our King's life."
Tholan's expression darkened in annoyance. "Syrovel, I cannot believe you are suggesting this! You know it is too dangerous - too much of a risk to take and near impossible."
"What is? Syrovel, please continue." Sarah pleaded her eyes large and full of hope.
Syrovel shifted uncomfortably. He didn't wish to anger Tholan; he also knew he had to tell Sarah the truth, no matter how dangerous it was. "Your Majesty, there is a flower - It is said that the flower holds the most incredible healing abilities and has been known to cure even the most life-threatening curses and illnesses."
Sarah's eyes lit up and she glanced between Tholan and Syrovel. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? This could be our only chance at saving Jareth!"
Tholan placed a hand on her shoulder, gently turning her to look at him. "Your Majesty, there is a reason for my not mentioning it to you. The flower of which Syrovel speaks only grows deep within the Labyrinth. As you know, not just anybody can enter the Maze; otherwise, I would have sent men in to look in the hopes of finding it, no matter the danger."
Sarah looked at Tholan for a few moments and then allowed her eyes to drift to the deadly white figure lying in their bed. She knew what she had to do and she wouldn't think twice about her safety. She wouldn't want to go on in life without Jareth, anyway. Not because she wasn't capable without him, but because he was the air she breathed, her soul, her heartbeat. And who wanted to live and love without their heartbeat?
"Tholan, are you forgetting that I have the ability to enter the Labyrinth? I have beaten it once, I can do so again and I shall. So don't even try to stop me from doing this. I will go into the Labyrinth and come out in one piece, with the flower we need to save Jareth."
Tholan knew there was no way he could sway her from this. She'd made up her mind, he knew this. Still, he found himself worrying about her safety.
"Don't worry," She whispered, gently touching his arm as if to comfort him. "I won't allow it to defeat me. You just concentrate on Jareth for me while I'm gone. I know it's a lot to ask, but don't give up on him... even if you think there's nothing more you can do... don't give up on him."
Tholan nodded, as did Syrovel. "We won't rest until you return. Be safe..."
"Long live the Queen," Syrovel whispered.
"Tholan, Syrovel, I need you both to continue in the healing process. He is fighting another wave of psychic attack and I can't block it and try to heal him at the same time." Gelvalorn interrupted, his facial expression strained as if he were struggling to fight off the next wave.
Tholan and Syrovel quickly took their places back at the bottom of the bed and got back to work immediately.
Sarah let out a heavy sigh and approached the bed where Jareth lay. Leaning down over his unmoving body, she traced her fingers across his damp cheek.
"I will save you..." She whispered, and then pressed a soft kiss to his lips, lingering for a few moments before she straightened again. "I love you..."
No more than a few minutes later, Sarah was standing at the entrance of the Labyrinth. One of the Fae knights had transported her here with magic.
She'd not bothered to change from her gown. Perhaps that was something she'd later regret but right now she didn't care to take it off.
For some reason wearing her wedding gown while she set out on this mission just seemed right. Besides, getting into a fresh outfit would have taken up more valuable time that she did not have.
However, she had taken a minute to pack a few things in a bag she had over her shoulder. Inside was a knife, a picture of the flower she was looking for, some water, and a crystal conjured by Tholan to bring her home once she had the flower.
Standing before the Labyrinth after so long made her feel incredibly nostalgic, but now wasn't the time to reminisce over the past.
Stepping forward, she knocked on the large wooden doors three times, then stood back and marveled as they opened, creaking loudly with the wind that swept around her.
"Come on, feet." She whispered, a tear prickling in her eye. "For Jareth..."
Sarah had walked for about an hour or two now and already her feet felt sore and tired. She'd spent the whole day dancing and celebrating her wedding, after all.
But she wouldn't rest.
So far she'd walked through a few hidden doors, dumped into a few creatures that had tried to get her to turn back, but she'd managed to pass them eventually. They'd soon found out the hard way that she was not in the mood for games, she was a woman on a mission and would not be tricked into 'turning back before it's too late'
In almost no time she'd made it to the place where she'd first met Ludo, and as she wandered around trying to find the doors from last time, she tripped over a large tree root sticking out through the ground, resulting in her falling onto the damp muddy ground, staining her beautiful dress and grazing her knee quite badly.
Sarah hadn't let it slow her down though; she'd certainly suffered worse injuries.
However, frustration soon began to take over her when she still couldn't find the doors from last time. She'd run her hands across the stone, feeling for them, searching for them. After all, not everything was as it seemed in this place.
But when she found nothing, she felt panic rise within her.
"Oh, come on! It's not like I have loads of time! My husband is dying and I HAVE to get to that flower as soon as possible!" She cried, not bothering to hide her frustrations. She wasn't even sure whom she was speaking to, but whoever, or whatever it was, seemed to listen because only seconds later, Sarah heard voices.
Sarah followed the sound of the voices, turning a corner and starring in disbelief when she saw the same two doors she'd passed through five years ago; in the exact place she'd checked only minutes ago.
"What did she say?" Said one door knocker to the other.
"Mhfhfkq!" Mumbled the other, his speech muffled as he tried to speak with the large ring in his mouth.
"What?!" The other continued, frustrated, and fed up with not being able to hear what was going on.
Sarah approached the two doors, listening to them argue until she stood before them. "Hello again..." she said, watching as the knockers eyed her up and down.
"Well, well! tis' the human girl." Mumbled the knocker with the large ring through his ears.
"It is your new Goblin Queen, actually... and I need to ask you both a very serious question. It's a matter of your King's life... do you know where I can find this flower?" She asked, reaching into her bag and taking out the picture of the flower, showing it to them both.
"Fmajdkpw-" Mumbled the other knocker.
Sarah sighed and moved towards it, pulling out the ring from its mouth. "What did you say?" she asked it, trying to block out the sound of the other door knocker asking her what she just said.
"Young Queen," He greeted. "To tell you where this flower lies, would be going against the rules of this place."
Sarah groaned.
Of course, nothing was ever simple.
"What? But why?"
"Because that's the way it is here." He told her, simply. "You see, you must discover the location yourself. You must become the champion you once were and fight for what you're looking for."
"While that is good advice, I don't exactly have much time to find it. Jareth is dying. If I don't find it soon, I'm scared I'll be too late." She said, trying not to cry. "But I guess... since I used your door last time, I should try the other. I don't exactly fancy the Firey Gang trying to take my head off again."
She carefully slipped the ring back into the door knockers' mouth, grateful that he didn't make a fuss about it like he did the last time.
"Thanks for your words." She said, and then turned towards the other door. "So... I'm guessing you can't tell me where it is either, huh?"
"Huh? What?" He grumbled, frustrated that he couldn't hear her.
"Never mind." She smiled. Taking a deep breath, she knocked three times on the door. She swallowed hard as it opened.
Behind that door was a similar forest to the one she'd passed through last time, only this one was full of brightly coloured trees and flowers. The night air was filled with all sorts of animal cries and the gentle chatter of bugs. Above the bright pink grassy path, a pale blue mist lingered.
Sarah marveled at this incredible place, her eyes focusing on all the unusual large brightly coloured fruits hanging in the trees above. She felt tempted to reach out and pick one and briefly wondered what it would be like to sink her teeth into it and feel the sweet juices drip down her chin...
Sarah shook her head. Nope! Absolutely not! The last thing she needed was to get drugged by some sort of weird fruit in the forest. She was on a mission to find this flower to save her husband and then return to the castle.
She walked through the path of purple trees and pink grass, the blue mist hanging around her didn't make it easy to see where she was going, but she continued.
It was only when she heard an odd noise from behind her that she stopped walking.
Had... had that been someone laughing?
A rustle in the bushes behind her made her jump and she quickly turned around but saw nothing.
"What's going on? Who's there?" She asked, more annoyed than fearful.
Another giggle echoed in the trees and Sarah slowly glanced up, screaming when she stopped a creature similar to that of a Firey. This one's feathers were in bright shades of neon pink, green, blue, and yellow. Its nose/beak was longer and its eyes were bigger.
It laughed at her again and then suddenly disappeared into the purple leaves in the trees.
Sarah gathered her skirts and walked briskly down the path. She wasn't going to hang around and see what the fuck was going on. She wasn't afraid exactly, but she also didn't want to risk them trying to pull her head off.
The laughter grew louder the faster she ran and soon Sarah was covering her ears to block out the sounds of the creatures who screeched in such a high pitch it was sure to make anyone deaf.
Just as Sarah thought she'd made it past the creatures, they all jumped down from the trees in front of her, claws barred and teeth sharp.
The screeching had stopped, at least. Sarah lowered her hands from her ears and backed away from the creatures that simply stood there, staring at her.
"I am your new Goblin Queen and I ask that you left me pass now." Sarah hated the way her voice quivered, but honestly, these creatures seemed much less 'friendly' than the firey gang and that was saying something since the Firey Gang weren't friendly at all!
One of the creatures tilted its head and it rolled off its shoulders, landing on the floor with a hard thud.
All the others watched, then turned back to Sarah and grinned. "Supper!" they whispered, then they all jumped on her, tearing at her dress and screeching so loudly, that Sarah's ears started bleeding. No doubt she would need some medical attention herself when she got back.
If she got back...
"Stop!" Sarah screamed, trying to delve into her bag to retrieve the knife she'd brought along with her, but the creatures kept pulling at her arms, at her hair, at her dress. One of them jumped down from the tree above and landed on her shoulders. She fell to the ground, squashing one under her weight, but her position only allowed the others better access to jump and trample her.
It was only when she felt fingers wrap around her neck, long sharp nails sinking into her skin that she suddenly realized the fucking thing was trying to break her neck.
Just as she felt the hands tighten around her neck, she managed to grab her knife. Twisting in a way she wasn't even sure was possible, she managed to stab the creature's arm. She covered her ears as it cried out in pain, its shrieks echoing in her ears.
The other creatures seemed so shocked by what she'd done, they loosened their grip on her body, not of their own accord, but the shock of their friend's scream had stunned them somewhat.
Sarah coughed and sobbed, rising to her feet on shaky legs before she ran as fast as she could through the forest. For some unknown reason, the creatures weren't chasing her, but she continued to run all the same.
When Sarah started to feel like her lungs were on fire, she stopped running. Pressing her back against one of the large twisted trees, she stood there, hand on her heart as she sobbed, fighting to catch her breath.
She hadn't expected this to happen. She'd known for a long time that the Labyrinth wasn't safe but she'd never realized just how dangerous it actually was until right now. It hadn't been this bad the first time around, had it?
Maybe it had been safer last time because Jareth had been watching over her, somewhat. Or maybe it was just fate that made things harder for her this second time around. Perhaps fate was trying to take Jareth from her.
Well, she wasn't going to let that happen no matter what life threw at her next.
Something rough began twirling itself around her ankles, around her arms, and around her waist. Sarah gasped, glancing down in shock to see the tree's roots tangling around her, holding her in place.
"No," she whispered, her voice rose in panic as she tried to wriggle herself out of its restraints.
The sound of laughter met her ears again and Sarah's blood ran cold when she caught sight of the creatures rushing towards her, their yellow eyes glowing in the dark.
"No!" She screamed, fighting even harder against the sharp roots, but to no avail.
The creatures were soon right in front of her, sharp teeth and claws bared and ready to devourer her. She felt a cold chill run down her spine when she realized this was it. They were either going to eat her or have a great time trying too. And there was nothing she could do because this fucking tree was holding her firmly in place and would not let her go.
She understood now.
She understood why Tholan had been so worried about her coming here.
She watched in fear as one of the creatures slowly approached her, then just when it was so close that she could feel the warmth of its breath on her face, it reached up, plucking one of the large glowing fruits from the branches above her. Sarah swallowed hard as she watched the thick juices dripping from the overly ripe fruit, her eyes following the droplet as it trickled down the creature's feathered fingers, almost like blood.
She shuddered at the thought and found herself once again fighting against the tree branches' grip even as the creature offered her the fruit.
Sarah closed her eyes, keeping her mouth tightly shut. There was no way in hell she was going to eat that fruit.
The creature seemed to understand this and he looked to his brothers and sisters, nodding to them. A signal, Sarah guessed when they all surrounded her.
Her heartbeat picked up speed when she felt one of them grip her jaw, trying to prize open her mouth. Others tangled their fingers into her hair, roughly yanking on it, trying to get her to scream. Anything to get her to open her mouth.
Tears burned in Sarah's eyes. She wanted to cry, to scream, but she couldn't. She knew that the moment her lips parted, they would shove that thing into her mouth and force her to eat it, and god only knew what would happen to her if she did that.
The creatures began to laugh maniacally as they watched their leader hold the ripe glowing fruit to Sarah's face. The sweet smell alone would work its magic on her, making her mouth water with the desire to bite into it.
They noticed the look on her face and pressed the fruit closer to her lips, large grins contorted their faces when her body seemed to sway, her pupils dilating as the sweet nectar brushed against her lips.
Sarah's legs felt weak. Everything in her senses was telling her to keep her mouth firmly shut but the desire was taking over. The smell and the feeling of the soft fruit against her lips were overwhelming her and soon she could take it no longer. Even as her hair was yanked and her jaw was prized open, she felt herself lose control and ran her tongue over the sweet glowing fruit.
She almost moaned at the taste. It tasted much like a peach, only sweeter and stronger. It's consistency similar to honey.
Sarah barely registered the maniacal laughter as she bit into it, but the moment she finished chewing, realization of what she'd done seemed to hit her again.
"No!" she cried, angry tears piercing her eyes. "No!" she sobbed again, trying to reach out and claw at the creatures who continued to laugh at her. The tree roots kept her firmly in place and Sarah was forced to watch the creatures run off into the forest without so much as a glance back at her.
She was slightly surprised that they hadn't tried to kill her again. But then again, who knew what that fruit was capable of.
It seemed like she wouldn't have to wait much longer to find out. She felt dizzy suddenly; her eyes becoming heavy and her throat going dry.
Her fingers began to tingle and eerie music seemed to pound in her ears. She wasn't sure if the music was actually surrounding her or if it was just some sort of weird side effect to the fruit she'd eaten.
Sarah had no idea what was happening. She could barely even remember her name, right now. All she knew was the music, the taste, the feeling of pleasure as it rippled through her body.
When her eyes became too heavy to keep open, she allowed them to close. The moment she did, she found herself somewhere completely different.
She was in the crystal ballroom. The room where she'd first danced with Jareth and where she had married him only a few hours ago.
Confused, Sarah glanced around the room, noticing how all the beautiful decorations that had been carefully put up for their special day were all old and ruined. Ripped curtains blew with a wild wind that crept in through the open window. Tables and chairs seemed to have been knocked over and even a few of the crystal chandeliers had fallen down and shattered on the floor.
The tables that hadn't been knocked over were covered in glittering cobwebs. It was almost as if nothing had been touched for centuries.
Another gust of wind blew in and Sarah looked down at her feet, watching as dried rose petals blew across the aisle. The same aisle she'd walked down a few hours ago...
There was an eerie feeling to this room – an eerie feeling of doom and of times gone by.
Turning around to take in more of her surroundings, Sarah gasped when she caught sight of the glass coffin positioned at the top of the long aisle by the window. The light of the moon shone its silver rays on the lifeless body within.
"No..." She whispered, her voice choked, and tears stinging in her eyes as she found herself approaching the coffin.
When she was standing right beside it, Sarah saw the pale yet still beautiful face of her husband lying lifeless behind the glass. She fell to her knees beside the coffin, sobbing, and choking out the pain she felt in her heart.
He was dead.
"Jareth..." she whispered, tracing her fingers over the cool glass. She wanted so desperately to break the glass and touch his face just one last time.
"I'm so sorry..." She sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks and landing like drops of water onto the top of the coffin.
Just then, the body within the coffin jerked to life. Deadly white lips parted and pale blue eyes opened.
A cold chill ran down Sarah's spine but she didn't scream, even though a part of her wanted to.
Jareth's lips moved slowly. It was as though he was trying to get used to moving them again and as he did, the dust seemed to fall from the corners of his mouth.
Sarah watched with a tremor of fear as his eyes found hers.
"Jareth?" she whispered, locking eyes with the man she loved with all her heart.
For a few seconds, he just stared at her, his entire body unmoving.
Then suddenly, Jareth pressed his hand flat against the glass above him, his eyes widening as if he were suddenly aware of where he was.
She watched his lips move and vaguely heard the sound of his voice, but his words were muffled and unclear through the thickness of the glass.
"I-I can't hear you..." she cried and then smashed her fists against the glass coffin, trying to crack it open.
She wasn't sure what was happening, all she knew was that the man she loved was here and whether he was dead or alive, he was trying to speak to her and she would do anything she could to hear what it was he had to say to her.
She continued to smash her fists against the glass, but it didn't even crack. Frustration began to overtake her and she screamed out. "I can't do it! It's not fair!"
Jareth didn't seem to be able to hear what she was saying either, his freakishly pale eyes met hers again and Sarah swallowed hard before she placed her hand just above his, the thick layer of glass between them was the only thing stopping them from making contact.
Sarah sobbed softly, her shoulders hitching. "I know you can't hear me... but I love you so much and I always will."
Jareth's pale lips turned up into the smallest of smiles. It was almost as if he had heard her, but Sarah knew that he hadn't. But perhaps he'd felt her love for him touch him through the veil of death.
Only seconds after he'd smiled his eyes fell closed once more and his hand fell limp beside his body again. Sarah knew he'd gone now and she sobbed out the anguish she felt within her.
Sarah wasn't sure how long she'd been crying, but the sound of squeaky laughter echoed around her, bringing her back to reality somewhat.
Lifting her head up from the coffin, she gazed around at the destroyed room. She could barely see through her tears, so she wiped her eyes on the sleeves of her wedding dress and tried to push down the all-consuming feelings of grief, just for a moment, at least.
Something about all this seemed very odd and unreal somehow. Why was she here? How had she gotten here? What was she doing before she was here?
Sarah squeezed her eyes shut when she felt a heavy headache begin to pound in her temples. She felt disoriented and uncomfortable suddenly and she wasn't even sure why.
Once again, the sound of high-pitched laughter filled her ears and Sarah spun on her heel, trying to find the sauce of the laughter.
What Sarah found when she turned around wasn't what she had been expecting.
Lurking in the shadows stood the white transparent ghost of the late fairy Queen. Her wings were huge and breathtakingly pretty. Even as a ghost, her transparent wings sparkled in the light of the moon filtering through the window.
Sarah took a moment to admire her delicate features. She had a thin nose and large eyes that were sure to make any man (or woman) fall in love with her. Her face was long and chiseled and her blonde hair was long, only stopping at the tops of her knees.
Her plump pouty lips formed a wicked grin as she gazed at Sarah, the newly widowed Goblin Queen.
"Well, well..." She whispered her ghostly voice bouncing off the walls as she talked. "It seems that the balance has been restored."
Sarah watched as the fairy Queen circled her, eyeing her up and down, admiring the look of her in her torn and destroyed wedding dress.
"What do you mean?" Sarah asked after a moment.
"I mean what I said. The balance has been restored. Don't you see? The Goblin King had to die at the hand of the fairies. He had to die for the sin his mother committed when she killed me on the battlefield!" As she said this, she reached up and grabbed a handful of her own hair and used it to pull off her head.
Sarah gasped and jumped away, her heart hammering in her chest even as the Fairy Queen laughed and placed her head back on her shoulders.
"Are you scared, little mortal?" She spat, her sharp teeth glowing in the silver light.
Sarah took a deep breath and straightened. "No, I'm not scared. I'm just disgusted by you."
The Fairy Queen's eyes narrowed and she took a step closer to Sarah.
Sarah held her ground and continued to speak. "You would allow your kind to kill an innocent man for the 'crimes' of his parents? And might I remind you, that it was YOU who started this evil between Avalon and the Goblin Kingdom. You were jealous that King Emeril broke the alliance to marry a common woman! Admit it, admit that you started this war and Jareth had no part in any of it because he was just a boy when you cut off his father's head."
The Fairy Queen's lips twisted into a sickly smile. She looked utterly entertained by Sarah and not at all threatened by what she was saying.
"King Emeril wasn't using his head properly, so I relieved it from his shoulders."
"Your right, he didn't use his head... he used his heart. You could have easily formed an alliance with another Kingdom but you didn't. You just wanted revenge because you knew nobody could ever love you like King Emeril loved the Goblin Queen."
Sarah knew she'd hit a nerve then, because the ghost of the Fairy Queen suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and screamed in her face, pushing her until her back hit the crystal wall, causing it to crack.
Sarah hissed in pain even as the Fairy Queen dug her long nails into her shoulders.
"You are a human child! You know nothing of love or of the world your stupid Goblin King brought you in! You deserve a death far greater than he and I shall be all too happy to give it to you."
"There's nothing you could do that will truly hurt me. You see, I died when you got your spies to poison my husband. I am nothing without him...so go on, do it. Kill me... nothing will hurt me because I am empty without him."
She meant it. Losing Jareth was the most painful thing she'd ever have to endure and no amount of physical pain would compare to it.
The fairy queen grabbed a handful of Sarah's hair and she roughly yanked it back, speaking through gritted teeth. "Is that so? Well then, I will enjoy seeing if you still believe that after I've finished torturing you."
Tholan, Syrovel, and Gelvalorn watched with wide eyes as Jareth's lips moved. He was unconscious, delirious, even, and the words slipping past his mouth were slurred and nonsensical.
Syrovel gently dabbed his forehead with a damp cloth. "He is burning up again." He said, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.
For awhile the sleep spell and the healing energy they'd been transferring into him had seemed to be helping, but then all of a sudden, Jareth had started mumbling and his body had begun to shake again.
It was strange and not something any of the three healers had witnessed happen to any of their other past patients.
"I am at a loss for words for what could have caused this sudden change in him..." Tholan said, frowning deeply as he watched Jareth tremble and murmur something in his unconscious state.
"I suppose none of us have ever witnessed a Fae poisoned with iron before, perhaps this is all just part of it?" Syrovel said as he dipped the cloth back into the bowl of water he had sat on his lap.
"Perhaps... but for some reason, I don't think so. Something seems off, somehow..."
Gelvalorn stood at the foot of the bed, watching as his brother suffered before him. He was still using magic to check for physic attacks, but what he'd noticed when searching his brain wasn't another physic attack from the Fairies, but a memory or a dream. Whatever it was was clearly causing him distress.
Gelvalorn just wasn't sure why it was causing him such obvious distress or what he could do to stop it.
He listened to Tholan and Syrovel for a few moments while he considered what to do. It wasn't like he could just shake Jareth awake. A sleep spell was a strong thing and only time would wear off its effects, so for now he was forced to simply watch Jareth suffer.
He was just about to suggest that Tholan and Syrovel begin the healing magic again when he noticed a ball of light glowing under the blankets.
Quick as a flash, Gelvalorn rushed to his side and threw the blankets off Jareth's body. He wasn't surprised to find that within Jareth's hand was a bright glowing crystal.
Tholan and Syrovel both blinked in surprise and rushed to stand beside him.
"How did he... form a crystal in his current state? And how on earth did he do it while unconscious?" Syrovel asked, unable to believe what he was seeing.
Tholan shook his head from side to side. "I... I don't know. Gelvalorn, when you searched for attacks in his brain, did you find anything else unusual?"
Gelvalorn nodded. "Yes... but I couldn't tell what it was exactly. It might be a dream, or a memory, or something along those lines-"
"Sarah..."
All three healers watched in surprise as Jareth's fingers flexed around the crystal as he whispered his wife's name again.
"I know what's happening..." Tholan whispered. "Sarah is in trouble and he's reaching out to her...he is saving her..."
Gelvalorn scrubbed his face in frustration and worry. "We have to do something! If he does this, he'll kill himself!"
Tholan shook his head. "No, Gel, we can't, you know we can't stop him from doing this. And the only way we can save Sarah is to bring her home and we can't do that until she calls upon me with the crystal I gave her. We all knew the risks before she left... this is why I was so worried about her going to begin with."
Syrovel placed his palm over Jareth's forehead. "All we can do is pass some of our energy into him in the hopes that it'll keep him alive longer... but truly, we need a miracle..."
"Sarah... it's not real..." Jareth whispered feverishly. "Wake up, Sarah... turn to the light..."
Sarah felt the Fairy Queen tearing at her dress, tearing at her skin. She could even feel the sharp tip of the knife as it entered her shoulder, the Fairy Queen laughing as she stabbed her.
Even with the evil squeaky laughter in her ears and the warm trickle of her own blood running down her arm, something inside of her was telling her none of this was really happening.
"Sarah... it's not real...turn to the light, Sarah..."
Hearing Jareth's voice brought tears to her eyes. She wanted to call out to him, tell him she loved him, but she couldn't. She couldn't speak; she couldn't even fight off the fairy that continued to cause harm to her body in every way she knew possible.
"Turn to the light!" she heard him say again, a little more forcefully this time. Sarah quickly turned her face towards the moonlight shining in the window and gasped when she saw Jareth standing there on top of the glass coffin she'd seen him laying in earlier. He stared at her for a second, his beautiful eyes meetings hers as he lifted his hand, showing her the glowing crystal.
"Jareth..." She whispered, gasping for breath as she felt the cold bony hands of the Fairy Queen tighten around her neck.
She choked and coughed, tears stinging her eyes but Jareth just shook his head firmly. "Not real." He said and then with all his effort, he threw his crystal at the crystal walls.
Sarah watched with wide eyes as all the walls around them cracked and smashed, shattering and collapsing around them.
Suddenly the ghost of the Fairy Queen began to melt. She screamed and clawed at Sarah, trying desperately to grab onto her in hopes of staying alive, but Sarah kicked her back onto the cracked glass floor.
"You have no power over me." She spat and then watched as the Fairy Queen screamed, melting into nothing. The moment the Fairy Queen was gone; the whole illusion of the room around her shattered and fell like a ton of bricks.
Sarah felt herself falling.
Falling
Falling
Falling...
Gelvalorn let out a sigh of relief when he watched the crystal disappear in his brother's hand. Almost immediately after, Jareth stopped mumbling and his body stopped jittering.
"It's over... he saved her." He whispered, clutching the black obsidian crystal around his neck. "I can't believe he saved her..."
Tholan let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Thank the gods!" He whispered, placing his hand on his chest over his heart. "But it's not over yet... Sarah is yet to return with the flower we need to save him and who knows what danger awaits her next."
"We can only hope and pray that she doesn't run into anything more," Gelvalorn said, then closed his eyes and continued to work on his healing.
Sarah slowly opened her eyes.
She could feel the cool air on her face and she welcomed it. Taking in a deep breath, she rubbed her tired eyes.
She looked around, taking in her surroundings. She was surprised to find herself on what appeared to be the top of a mountain. How she'd gotten here, she had no clue, but she was just glad to be out of that forest.
She was still very shaken up from what had just happened. Or rather, what hadn't happened...
Her heart was pounding in her chest and her face was wet with tears. She turned her head and looked at her shoulder, checking to see if her shoulder was still bleeding.
She let out a shaky sigh when she saw no traces of blood, but what she did see was a faded brown scar, almost like a birthmark. She wasn't sure exactly what it was but having a little scar was far better than having an open wound.
"So the last fruit I ate here it took me to a ball with a sexy Goblin King but the second fruit I ate here almost got me killed by a ghost?! Fuck that. I'm never eating fruit again." She thought.
Suddenly it dawned on her that Jareth had saved her. Had it not been for him, she'd probably be dead now, because there was no way she would have gotten out of that illusion/dream without his help because it had all felt so real...
So real...
Sarah jumped to her feet when a realization hit her.
If Jareth had come to her and saved her in her dream, did that mean he was alive?
Yes... yes, he must be. He must be alive!
Tears filled her eyes and she let out a sob. She was so relieved that he was still hanging onto life, even if it was by a very thin thread.
She knew that she couldn't waste any more time laying around thinking about what had just happened. She just needed to get up and continue looking for that flower. No doubt Jareth had weakened himself by saving her and that meant that she couldn't afford to waste any more time.
Grabbing her bag from off the floor, she rummaged inside and found the paper with the sketch of the flower on it. It looked like a weed, a dandelion, but instead of bright yellow petals, it had lilac petals.
She studied the image for a moment and then placed the piece of paper back in her bag. She was going to find that flower right now. Somehow she just knew she was.
Placing her bag over her shoulder, she began to climb up the rocky mountainside. As she climbed, she began to wish she had taken the time to change out of her dress after all. Every time she climbed up one rock, she would stand on the bottom of her dress and almost ended up falling.
She knew she wouldn't be able to make it up any further if she didn't take it off. So, as soon as she found a safer place, she began to untie the laces on the back of her dress.
When she finally stepped out of her dress she shivered. She was only wearing a chemise and stockings under that dress, so it wasn't surprising that she was feeling so cold. Still, it was better than tripping up and falling to her death in that wedding dress.
She took one last look at the dress that lay on the ground in front of her. Strangely enough, she didn't feel so sad about leaving it behind. Even though their actual wedding had been wonderful, the dress only seemed to remind her of all the terrible things that had happened after the ceremony and celebration. Besides, she could always get a new dress if she wanted one in the future.
Without glancing back, Sarah once again began to climb up the rocky mountainside. She wasn't sure where it was leading her, but she had a feeling she was on the right track.
Sarah climbed and climbed until her feet were sore and her hands were blistered. Her body was frozen and she was beyond exhausted when she made it to the top, but none of that mattered, because when she made it to the top, she spotted the weed-like lilac flower on the very top of the mountain. The first rays of the morning sun were shining on it, making it sparkle with the early morning due.
"I-I can't believe it-"She gasped, pulling the paper out of her bag and checking its likeness to that of the flower drawn on the parchment in her hands.
It looked exactly the same.
"Yes!" she cried, tears of relief sparkling in her eyes. She rushed to the flower, kneeling down to pick it when suddenly; a little squeaky voice seemed to come out of nowhere.
"Get her!" it screamed.
Sarah gasped when she suddenly spotted all the tiny fairies surrounding her, their wings sparkling in the early morning sun. Unlike the Fairy Queen, these fairies were quite small and very similar to the one that had bitten her when she'd first ran The Labyrinth.
They fluttered around her, holding their sharp weapons in their tiny hands and pointing them at her as if ready to attack her at any moment.
"Wait, please!" Sarah pleaded, raising her hands up in the air.
"Why?" asked one of the male fairies, raising an elegant brow.
"Because I'm not doing anything to harm any of you - I just came here for the flower."
Sarah squeaked in pain when she felt one of the fairies press one of their small sharp weapons into her arm. "Ouch! Stop it!"
The female fairy hovering in front of her shot her a deathly glare. "This flower is sacred and the last one to grow here in the Goblin Kingdom so we can't allow you to take it. You see, this flower is protected by us - the flower fairies. We guard it and protect it on orders from our Queen in Avalon."
Sarah rubbed her temples. Her headache was returning.
"Please...you don't understand...I have to pick this flower. I need it to save my husband, The Goblin King... he's dying." She whispered, blinking away tears. "He's been poisoned and this is the only thing that could save him."
All the fairies around her burst out into a fit of laughter.
"You think we do not know what has happened to the Goblin King? It was us who poisoned his drink!" One cackled, its child-like voice echoing in the air around them.
Sarah felt her blood boiling. These creatures were nothing like the ones she'd read about in her books as a child. They were cruel, nasty little pests.
"How could you?! The Goblin King is Fae which means he carries elements of fairy blood inside him, yet still, you treat him as an enemy? I know what happened between Avalon and The Goblin Kingdom, but that took place many thousands of years ago and what you're doing is wrong!" She argued, her eyes darkening.
One of the many female fairies scoffed. "Our kind is killed on his order everyday! So, you see, your precious king isn't as innocent as you claim him to be."
Sarah folded her arms. "The only reason for him putting out those orders is because you keep trying to get into the Labyrinth! Your kind is always trying to sneak into our Kingdom so that you can get revenge!"
"Do we not deserve revenge for what your Queen did to ours?!" One spoke up, its voice slightly deeper than the others.
Sarah rolled her eyes. "I think you've already gotten your revenge, don't you? You've poisoned the Goblin King and attacked his mind with dark magic! You've caused so much suffering and for what? What do you think this will actually accomplish?"
"The fall of the Goblin Kingdom." One replied, the others nodding in agreement.
Sarah glared at them all. "You would see the Kingdom closest to your own fall? The Goblin Kingdom was once so close with Avalon... Don't you recall the many times The Goblin Kingdom would send tropes to save your kind in wars when you had no others?"
"That was before the late Goblin King deceived our Queen." One replied, arms folded across her chest.
"The Goblin King never deceived your Queen; he only broke the alliance because he fell in love! And your Queen decided to take out her anger and her jealousy by calling war on The Goblin Kingdom. All of this could have been avoided if she had just formed a new alliance with another Kingdom. None of this bloodshed would have occurred if she'd made better decisions."
The fairies around her glared, their piercing eyes glowing with anger. "You dare to speak of our late Queen in such a way?"
Sarah looked at them, then nodded her head. "Yes, yes I do. What your Queen did was wrong. She overreacted. Surely you can see this too? Can't you see how messed up this whole situation is? Isn't it time we let the past be the past and move on with our lives? It's been thousands of years since your Queen was killed, just as it has been thousands of years since your late Queen killed the Goblin King..."
The flower fairies looked at one another then. It was almost as if they hadn't considered that it would even be possible to simply move past the things each kingdom had done to the other. Their whole lives, they'd been born and brought up as enemies to The Goblin Kingdom and they'd sworn an oath to their current Queen that they would one day get revenge for what had happened to the late Fairy Queen.
Would it really be possible to have a friendship with The Goblin Kingdom again?
"It could be great, you know... our Kingdoms joined in friendship again after so long. There would be no more need for bloodshed..." Sarah continued, gazing at all the fairies surrounding her. "I mean, don't get me wrong, a part of me would enjoy killing all of you for the pain and suffering you've caused my husband...but I know that if I did do that, then I'd be no better... and I want to be better. I want to be a good Queen..."
The fairies studied her closely, some of them lowered their weapons, blinking, surprised at what she was saying.
"Somebody I know told me today, that sometimes revenge just isn't always the right answer... and I truly believe in that statement. Revenge so far has brought both of our Kingdoms nothing but grief and suffering. Don't you think it's time we tried a different approach?" Sarah said, wrapping her arms around herself as the wind picked up around her.
She shivered and watched as all the flower fairies gathered together in a circle, whispering to each other in their native language.
She wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but at least she had done her best to try and fix things. Tholan had been right. Revenge was no longer the answer to any of this, even though a small part of her still desired to get revenge for what they'd done to Jareth, she knew it wouldn't lead to anything good. It would only give them more reason to try and bring him and the Kingdom down, and she couldn't live with the knowledge that it was her fault if that did happen.
Soon, all the flower fairies gathered around her once more, only this time all their weapons were lowered.
"Our Kingdoms have been at war for so long and we, the flower fairies, are tired of it, too. But we can't see our Queen going along with this, not unless she hears these words from The Goblin King himself."
Sarah sighed softly. "Then let me take the flower to him... and when he is healed, I can promise that your Queen will be hearing from Jareth..."
She bit the inside of her cheek, nervous about what would happen next.
But Sarah was pleasantly surprised when the fairies nodded their little heads. "Pick the flower, then, and heal The Goblin King. But beware, if we find out you tricked us on this, you will be sorry."
Sarah let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding in. She felt tears blur her vision, but she quickly wiped them away. She didn't want to appear weak.
"Thank you...Oh, and believe me, you'd all be dead right now if I wasn't being sincere."
Without another word, the fairies fluttered aside for her and Sarah rushed past them, kneeling on the rocky surface. She reached into her bag and pulled out the knife she'd used to defend herself with earlier, using it to cut the flower's stem.
The second she'd cut it, the fairies let out a heavy sigh from behind her.
Sarah turned to them, a weak smile turning up her lips. "Thank you again...I won't forget what you've allowed me to do today, or what you might have done to make a better life for yourselves and your children. So many lives can be saved..."
One of the fairies fluttered up to her again, speaking in her squeaky little voice. "You must make sure that the flower is used within two hours after it's been picked. If it's not used in that time, then the healing abilities it carries will weaken."
Sarah carefully wrapped the flower into the handkerchief Sir. Didymus had given her earlier today at her wedding ceremony. Carefully, she placed it into her bag. "Thank you for telling me...I suppose I had better get going, then... I hope that next time we meet, it'll be as friends and not as enemies."
Reaching back into her bag, Sarah pulled out the crystal ball Tholan had given her before she left. This crystal would send her home the moment she threw it on the ground, yet here she stood, holding onto the crystal tightly.
She swallowed hard when she realized just how nervous she was about returning back. She had no idea what she would find. Would Jareth be alive?
Sarah mentally slapped herself. He certainly wouldn't be alive if she didn't go back soon!
Without even a glance back, Sarah threw down the crystal ball...
"Sarah?"
Sarah's eyes fluttered open slowly. Through the blurry haze, Sarah could just make out Syrovel's face as he gently wiped her brow. "You're alright," he told her when she suddenly became aware of reality and tried to sit up in the bed she had been laying in. "You're safe but exhausted from the journey you took."
"The flower!- Jareth-"
Syrovel gently hushed her and passed her a little glass of brandy. "We found the flower in your bag and Tholan worked very hard at making a potion."
"And Jareth...?" She asked again, her eyes searching his. Syrovel pulled back and dipped the damp cloth back into the little bowl of water he had sat at her bedside. "He is alive and conscious... thanks to you."
Sarah let out a sob of relief and hid her face inside her hands; her shoulders hitching even as Syrovel gently stroked her hair. "You were so brave, Sarah. I'll never know how you managed it."
"Neither will I," she confessed, her voice cracking with emotion. "I almost didn't make it... but something happened, something that I'm almost certain had something to do with Jareth, guiding me even when death tried to rip him from me."
Syrovel smiled, his eyes sparkling with warmth. "Yes, I'm certain he did... If I know him as well as I think I do, then I already know that he'd never leave you alone to fend for yourself."
With Syrovel's help, Sarah sat up in bed. Her back, legs, and arms were aching beyond belief and a slight residue of a headache pounded in her head, but other than that, she felt alright.
"Can I go to him? I have to see him."
Syrovel nodded. "Of course... you've been under a sleep spell for the last two days now, so I'm sure you'll be fine to get up, now. Are you in pain?" he asked, checking her over gently.
"Just a little sore, but nothing serious. Thank you for what you've done for me, Syrovel." She leaned forward and gently pressed a kiss to his cheek.
Syrovel smiled and helped her out of bed. "It is my pleasure to help you, Your Majesty." He gently took her arm in his and led her slowly to Jareth's bed chambers.
When Sarah stood with Syrovel outside the bedroom she shared with her new husband, a mixture of feelings surrounded her. She felt both nervous and excited to see Jareth. After all, she had no idea what would be waiting for when she stepped into the room. But the moment the door was pushed open, Sarah found herself rushing in, her heart pounding in her chest when she turned the corner and saw the huge bed situated in the middle of the room. The fire was blazing in the hearth and right beside it, sat Gelvalorn.
He stood, his lips parting in surprise as he watched her run past him towards the bed where Jareth lay sleeping.
"Jareth!" She sobbed.
Gelvalorn glanced over at Syrovel who stood in the doorway with a smirk on his face. "I thought it was about time our King and Queen were reunited." He smiled.
Gelvalorn sighed but nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, well, why don't we leave them to it? Come have a drink with me in the study. Tholan is there doing some research, he could join us too?"
Syrovel nodded. "Wonderful. Oh, and Gelvalorn? Well done for what you did to save your brother... I'll make sure he knows how hard you worked to keep him alive."
Gelvalorn sighed, rising from his chair. "Yes, well, you better make sure he also knows my only reason for spending so much of my time and energy on him was so that I didn't have to take the throne if he died." He said convincingly, but a smirk turned up the corners of his lips, giving him away.
"Oh, of course!" He laughed, patting him on the back as they walked out of the room, leaving Sarah and Jareth to reunite without eyes on them.
Sarah approached the large bed, biting down on her lip as she watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest.
He was breathing...
He was alive...
Never in her life had she ever been so thankful to see somebody breathe. She blinked a tear from her eyes and took a seat at the chair positioned beside his bed.
She studied his face, noticing that he was still a little paler than he usually was and he had lost weight as well. Still, that was to be expected, and eventually, time and plenty of rest would bring him back to perfect health.
Sarah studied his face, appreciating how the light of the sun shone on his face, highlighting his structured cheekbones and his sharp jawline. His eyes were closed and his long blonde eyelashes rested against his soft skin. Those perfect thin lips of his were pouted in the most adorable way.
She felt the gentle sting of tears in her eyes again, only this time she didn't try to stop them from falling.
It was inevitable that she would cry. She'd half-expected never to see him again, after all. So to see him now, looking so beautiful in his sleep, it was enough to make anyone weep.
She leaned forward and gently traced her fingers against his cheek, enjoying the soft warmth that met her touch. "Everything I've done, I've done for you." She whispered, keeping her voice quiet and close to his ear.
His eyes fluttered a little and the corners of his mouth twitched.
Sarah felt her heart skip in her chest when his eyes opened slowly. Turning his head to the side, his breath caught in his throat when he saw Sarah gazing back at him with tears shining in her forest-coloured eyes.
"Hello, you..." She whispered, a watery smile turning up her lips.
Feeling the lump of emotion building in his throat, Jareth knew he couldn't speak, so instead, he pulled her to him with all his strength, not caring as her body came crashing almost painfully against his.
He gripped her tightly in his arms, his soft sobs muffled in the crook of her neck.
Sarah wrapped her arms tightly around him, her sobs following his own.
She decided right there and then, that she would never ever take him for granted. She would spend the rest of her life appreciating him and loving him. Little did she know, that Jareth was thinking the exact same thing about her.
Jareth pulled back just enough to cup her face in his hands and pull it to his, their lips meeting in a desperate kiss.
"I thought I'd lost you." Sarah choked out when their lips parted once more.
"You won't get rid of me that easily, My Precious Sarah..." He whispered as he pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, gently wiping the tears away from her face with his thumbs.
Sarah gently traced her fingers through a lock of his blonde hair. "Good... because that would have been a very uninventive way to leave your wife."
Jareth's lips turned up into a soft smile and he sighed contently. "Wife," he repeated the sound like soft velvet on his tongue. "My wife..."
He kissed her again, then. Pouring all of the love, he felt for her into it and even adjusting their position so that she was cradled in his arms.
"You saved my life..." He said, interlocking his fingers with hers.
"And you saved mine...in the dream illusion thingy; you saved me from The Fairy Queen's ghost, didn't you?"
Jareth said nothing, but the twinkle in his eyes and the smile on his face let her know that she was correct about her assumption.
She gently rested her head against his shoulder. "I knew you had... Jareth, it was careless of you to do that for me... you could have killed yourself."
Jareth gently hooked a finger under her chin, gazing into her eyes. "My life would be nothing without you in it... I knew you were suffering and I was willing to take the chance. I had to show you that none of what you were experiencing was real, if I hadn't; you might have lost your mind in that illusion."
Sarah realized that Jareth was right. The dream had seemed so real to her at the time and had Jareth not have shown up she would likely have lost herself to it, that was certain.
"Thank you." She whispered. Jareth pressed another kiss to her lips, his way of acknowledging her thanks.
"There is one thing I should tell you, though...I hope that you'll understand. In order for me to pick the flower to save you, I had to make a little promise to the fairies..."
Jareth chuckled softly. "You think I don't know about that, My Love? I heard your promise... and for what it's worth, I think you're right about all of this. It's time for the war between Avalon and The Goblin Kingdom to end. As soon as I am able, I will request a meeting with the Queen and try to make amends."
Sarah pressed a gentle kiss to her husband's neck, lingering there just for a few moments to reassure him of the love she felt for him. "I think they owe us an apology as well... they tried to kill you... by rights I should have killed them all in revenge for what they did to you but... when the fairies surrounded me, all I could hear was Tholan's voice in my head, telling me that revenge isn't always the best way to fix things."
Jareth hugged her a little closer just for that. "He is right... revenge has never worked for good. Revenge only brings more pain and more schemes... you did what was right, Sarah, and there will be other ways for you to let out your anger on what happened."
"I can't imagine any other way." She sighed. "It was actually really annoying to hear Tholan's words repeat themselves in my head when I actually wanted to kill those little fuckers so badly!"
Jareth threw his head back and laughed. "My God, Sarah, I forgot how wicked your tongue can be! I missed your spark, darling..." He gently rubbed his nose with hers, pushing some of her hair from her eyes at the same time. "But again, I'm glad you took Tholan's words to heart... if you had killed them, you'd have been no different to my Mother or the Fairy Queen. The way you handled them was so honorable and just as a Queen should be. It showed me just what a wonderful ruler you are going to be."
He cupped her face in his hands again, locking eyes with hers. "I love you with a love that is more than love..." He whispered, his lips hovering only inches from hers.
"Then kiss me again..." She whispered, tears sparkling in her eyes.
Jareth's lips turned up into a watery smile as he pulled her to him again, pressing his lips to hers in another passionate kiss.
Sarah wrapped her arms around him tightly, meeting his kiss with equal love and devotion.
Jareth kept to his word and as soon as he was able, he went to Avalon and spoke with the Fairy Queen. Sarah was quite annoyed that Jareth hadn't allowed her to come with him. He'd told her he would rather have the comfort of knowing she was safe at home if something had gone wrong, but luckily everything had turned out well and Avalon had agreed to try and make amends with The Goblin Kingdom.
The Fairy Queen even apologized for sending her spies into the castle to poison him on his wedding day. Jareth certainly hadn't forgiven them for that, but he accepted her apology regardless.
When Jareth arrived back at the castle exhausted but triumphant, Sarah hugged him tightly. "Let's just hope they keep to their word." She muttered, still clinging onto her husband tightly. Despite Jareth having many guards with him, she'd still be terrified that something awful was going to happen to him again, so to have him back safe in her arms again was such a relief, she never wanted to let him go again.
Jareth chuckled and stroked her hair gently. "I believe they will. I think they've had enough of the rift between our Kingdoms as well."
Sarah glanced up at him, arms still tightly locked around his thin waist. "They better... because if they don't, I won't be so forgiving next time. I'll get revenge. I'm still mad at them for stealing our wedding night from us, anyway."
Jareth smirked and leaned down, whispering seductively in her ear. "Yes, they stole our wedding night from us... so how about this, what if I make sure every single night from now on is our wedding night? What do you say to that, wife?" He traced his fingers gently down her spine as he said this, enjoying the shiver that he felt work its way through her body.
Sarah leaned up on tiptoes, gently pressing herself against him, delighting in the way his breath caught in his throat, his arms tightening on her waist. "I say," she leaned up close to his ear, whispering softly. "I do..."
AN: I really hope you all enjoyed this little short story! I wrote this for the competition in the LFA group on Facebook.
If I'd had more time I might have made this story a little longer, but as I only had till the 31st to get this finished I decided to keep it quite simple.
It's not my best work, but I've enjoyed writing something new and something I know I won't have to update constantly! Haha.
Oh, and I'm sure some of you realized this already, but the line "I love you with a love that is more than love" is by Edgar Allen Poe. I changed it slightly, but yeah, I can't take credit for that line even though I wish I could! xD
Anyway, I want to wish you all a very Happy Halloween! I hope you all manage to have a great day even though we won't be able to celebrate in the ways we usually do.
Please don't forget to review!
xoxo