A/N: Hey guys! I haven't vanished into thin air or forgotten you or this story, I promise! Life happens, you know how it is. X(
Disclaimer: Really don't own Labyrinth or any of its characters.
Blind
Chapter Sixteen: "Seeing"
Sarah jerked away from the tiny voice in surprise. "Who-" The voice shushed her with a light chuckle.
"Not so loud, not so loud!" It rebuked mildly, and Sarah hesitantly returned her hands to the table. The voice continued. "This is a peaceful place-and my poor worm ears are very sensitive, you know. We have excellent hearing, you see." He said matter-of-factly.
"Sorry... I didn't know." Sarah apologized, bemused, before she realized what he'd said. "Wait-are you that little blue worm-the one I met at the start of the Labyrinth? The one that invited me to have tea with his..." She trailed off when the worm hummed positively in response, then a sound like a tiny teacup rattling on a saucer made Sarah raise her eyebrows. Was he having tea right now?
Howl lifted his head to nuzzle her hand to try to get her to pet him, as her dog Merlin often did back at home. Sarah smiled a little and let that hand follow his nose to the top of his head where she began running her hand over the fur there. He settled back down to rest his head on her lap, content.
"With my 'Missus'. Yes, Miss. Oh, excuse me, my name's Brian."
Sarah replied. "I'm Sarah Williams." His teacup rattled again.
"Pleased to meet you again, Miss Sarah. Would you like a cuppa tea? The Missus just made some. She's around here somewhere. Said something about raspberries." His voice grew quiet as he looked around. "Ah, wait! Here she is!" Sarah heard shuffling on the table nearby where Brian's voice was coming from, followed by a feminine sigh of relief. Sarah didn't know it, but Brian's Missus had just climbed up the table leg and come round on the tabletop. "I found some! Could only manage two, so we'll have to savor them." There was a little sound as she set the raspberries down. Then she noticed Sarah and spoke in surprise, "Oh! Hello, Miss!" Sarah's lips quirked up in amusement at their similar greetings.
Brian introduced his wife. "Miss Sarah, this is my Missus, Wendy. My Missus Wendy, this is Miss Sarah." Wendy giggled. "'My Missus'?" She questioned quietly, and it sounded like he leaned over to peck her on the cheek. "Yes, my Missus." He said warmly, then he turned back to Sarah. "Are you sure you don't want that cuppa tea, Miss Sarah?"
Sarah shook her head from side to side, "I'm sure. Thank you, though." She smiled.
"You're out here all alone, Miss Sarah?" Asked Wendy in concern.
Sarah hesitated then nodded. "Yes, I...decided to come to the garden to rest and clear my head." The worms exchanged a knowing silence.
"Well, don't you worry your head. I'm sure everything will work itself out fine in the end." Said Wendy cheerfully, and Sarah forced a smile.
'If only it was that simple.' She thought. All the while they had been speaking, Howl had been dozing with his head resting on Sarah's lap. But suddenly his ears rose, brushing against her wrist where she was running her hand through the fur on the top of his head. His head lifted out from under her hand and he turned his head away from Sarah. He barked excitedly, now turning fully away from her. His wooden tail rhythmically lashed one of the legs of her chair. The wolf did a sort of small hop with its forelegs in anticipation, the grass making muted thumping sounds because of it. Sarah wondered at all of the fuss, until Brian's Mrs. called out.
"Oh! Hello, Your Majesty! Come to join our tea today?"
Sarah's stomach sank and even as Wendy spoke, the wind shifted and carried the king's unmistakeable fragrance to her. It was similar to Aaron's-though now she detected the distinct scent of magic that had been absent on the man from the library. It was Aaron's scent, magnified and made somehow more soothing in its current form. Sarah shook herself out of her thoughts as Jareth's reply came. "No, I'm afraid not today, Mrs. Worm." Jareth said. He was only a little ways away, but coming closer. The grass swooshed beneath his leather boots, and Howl beside her settled down, save for his front paws which kept shifting in place. "I have things that need attending to. If you've no objection, might I sit with you a moment?" The worms agreed, and Jareth thanked them.
But before Jareth sat down, there was a brief, almost static electrical feeling that Sarah associated with magic, and she flinched away from him. Whatever Jareth had conjured made Howl go very still. Jareth's voice fell closer to the ground like he was crouched down in front of the animal, a smile in his voice. "You've done well protecting our guest, Guardian." Sarah's eyes widened slightly and she listened closer. The wolf made a quiet bark and uncertain whine and Jareth fell silent, thoughtful. "Ah. Howl, now, is it?" The wolf whined again, sounding uncertain. "Not at all. It's a very good name. Howl it shall be." Howl's tongue lolled out happily and his tail began lashing Sarah's chair leg once more. The wooden creature was well pleased with his king's acceptance of the name. Jareth continued. "Here's a treat for you. Go enjoy it, and I'll call you when you're needed again."
Howl slowly and respectfully set his teeth around whatever it was-to Sarah, it sounded like it might be a stick. Jareth's leather jacket creaked quietly, probably putting his arm back down, and he spoke to the magical animal. "Good boy. Go on, then." Howl gave a quiet bark around the object he held in his mouth, and slipped past Jareth. He trotted off, Sarah assumed, towards the castle.
Standing up, Jareth dusted off his hands. "On second thought, perhaps I'll leave you to your tea. I've come unexpectedly."
The worms issued words of understanding, saying, "Sire," and Jareth's voice was a little louder when he next turned to speak to Sarah.
"Lady Sarah, would you do me the honor of your company and take a walk with me in the garden?" He asked it so formally that it shocked Sarah. Even so, no, she didn't want to take a walk with Jareth. But with the worms right there, it made it hard to argue the point without it getting awkward.
"...Yes." She at last acquiesced. She could always ask to be left alone later. Sarah extended a hand grudgingly, fighting down the feeling of her heart fluttering and warming at the thought of his touch. Jareth took her hand delicately in his own, assisting her out of her chair.
Despite her anger towards him and his deception, there was a part of her that still felt safe when he took her hand. An attempt to reprimand the feeling failed, and Sarah gave up on it. She turned her head away from him instead, feeling considerably angry and depressed, her throat constricting around the threat of tears. Jareth lowered their joined hands to rest between them, and Sarah stiffened when he did. He squeezed her hand lightly to comfort her, then spoke softly, attempting to put her at ease-and despite herself, it worked a little. "The flowers here do remarkably well. The scents are unique even amongst their own kind."
Sarah didn't answer. Instead, almost subconsciously, she breathed a little deeper and discovered he was right. The flowers around them were beautiful in their different fragrances. Sarah wished very much that she could see them, and her heart ached. "I wish..." She whispered, but then stopped and swallowed the lump in her throat when the king faltered warily in his steps.
"Sarah..." Jareth began cautiously, and Sarah smiled wanly.
"I know. I suppose that if I could wish for something-I would wish that I could see them."
There was a thoughtful silence from Jareth following her words, and at last he replied. "I'm afraid I can't grant such a powerful wish. But, there is another way I can help you see." Despite her unhappiness towards him, Sarah listened with interest.
"How?" The woman's brow furrowed in confusion. Jareth's voice carried within its words a smile, and he gently laced her hand through his arm. "This way, and I'll show you." The goblin king led her down a narrow pathway that felt almost overrun with plants. Sarah could feel the leaves and blossoms of flowers brushing against her arm and hand all the way down to her toes on one side. Jareth stopped near the start of this path and turned so that he was facing Sarah.
"We'll start here, I think." Jareth said, looking around and causing his scent to caress her face. Sarah tried to ignore how comforting the fragrance was, and focused instead on asking questions. "Start? Start what?" Jareth didn't immediately answer, and stepped around in front of her, taking up both her hands in his. "To see." He replied simply. Jareth tipped over his hands so that his were cupping the backs of her own hands, holding them delicately. Guiding their hands to the side, Jareth helped Sarah to cradle a large flower blossom that offered up a familiar fragrance. Jareth stopped, and the very air around them seemed to go still. "I can help you to see the flowers, through touch instead of sight. Your hands will feel the flowers and relay to your mind what it is, and my magic will transform it, allowing you to see. The more you touch or feel something, the more your mind will remember it and be able to hold the image like a memory." Jareth came half a step closer, and Sarah was sure there was a healthy dose of amazement and eagerness in her expression from his words-for she certainly felt them. She didn't even notice that Jareth had come closer, until he began to speak once more.
"I will say the spell now. Tell me what you see, so I can adjust it if need be." Jareth finished, and she nodded. Sarah felt the magic gathering even before Jareth spoke. When he did speak, his voice was low and melodic, and sent a strange shiver from the tips of her toes, up her spine to the base of her skull. That same shiver pooled there, then continued over her shoulders, down her arms and wrists to the ends of Sarah's fingertips. The palms of her hands and fingers felt hypersensitive, and registered the cool touch of the dewy petals with such clarity, she really could see them.
Like snippets of photographs passing slowly in and out of the sun. It started first with color-that was what solidified in her mind the most-and then gradually the edges and details of the flower petals. Even the dew drops on the flower, like tiny stars, were visible to her. Several touched her skin and fled from the petals to her fingers, trailing sparkling water like stardust in its wake, before they dropped from her fingers, and instantly vanished. Sarah gave a quiet gasp of alarm, but wonder filled her soon after when they reappeared on Jareth's hands, which she could vaguely see where his own hands met with her own.
Jareth was speaking again, and the sound waves touched the flower and her hands, bringing minute details into focus until it was almost like seeing again. Tears sprung to Sarah's eyes when she saw the very lines in her hands, and she bit her lip. "Sarah?" He said once more-he'd said her name before, but she'd been too focused on 'seeing', that she hadn't registered it. "Do you see the flower?" Sarah bit her bottom lip and nodded jerkily, sniffing once to try and hold back her tears. She was seeing again! It wasn't seeing like she had hoped or expected-it was so much more. She could feel the peace the flower radiated. It had its own quiet consciousness, happy in the attention it was receiving.
"I see it." Sarah whispered, too overcome with emotion to speak any louder. "Do you know what flower it is?" He questioned. Sarah swallowed and replied. "It's a red peony." Jareth's voice responded with relief and happiness. "That's correct. You're doing very well, Sarah."
Sarah focused once more on the peony. "How does it work? The spell, I mean." Jareth took a half step closer and his scent swirled delicately around her. "My magic flows from my hands to yours. It travels between the part of your brain that tells your eyes what you're seeing, down your arms into your hands and back. But our hands must stay connected, or the spell will fade. We'll have to work together to maintain it. Shall we move on to another flower?" Sarah could not contain her excitement and nodded. "Yes-Please!"
The pair went from flower to flower, Jareth gently and slowly guiding Sarah by her hands. Jareth would take her to a flower and she would explore it with the delicate touch of her hands, until the plant showed itself fully in her mind. With each passing flower, Sarah felt herself gradually relaxing. Jareth had just led her to a rose, one which she was discovering had white petals. He was talking about the garden in general, when he suddenly fell silent. Sarah was about to ask what was wrong, when she felt a faint tug of magic, like something far away had shifted ever so slightly and was pulling at her.
"Ah… It appears your runner is near." Jareth's voice sounded distant and almost detached. "We should return to the throne room before he arrives." Jareth moved to guide her back onto the path fully, when Sarah had a thought and gripped his hands tightly, holding him there with hesitation.
"Before you break the spell, there's something I'd like to ask you." Her voice had turned almost shy, and Jareth questioned her softly. "Of course, Sarah. What is your request?" Sarah took a steadying breath and carefully stepped closer to Jareth. "I'd like to read your face-one last time. I… I might not get another opportunity…" She murmured, her cheeks flooding with warmth. When Jareth didn't immediately answer, Sarah's heart began to sink. Then, reluctantly, he agreed. "Very well." Still holding her hands, Jareth gently pulled her closer and placed each hand on either side of his face.
When Sarah's hands met with his skin, it was like looking at a dark canvas that her hands, as though covered in paint, began to create an image. His pale skin stood out in stark contrast to the empty black of the background, and slowly Sarah studied his face by touch-and now for the first time in years, and with the aid of magic-she would actually see him. Gradually Jareth's cheekbones and cheeks came into focus. His temples and forehead followed, and floating above them were his wispy blonde bangs. The skin above his eyebrows was wrinkled in a succession of dark horizons. Blonde eyebrows drawn together rested above closed, tired eyes. Sarah couldn't help but to linger on his eyes. There was something about the expression his closed eyes were trying to convey that immediately made her wish to comfort him. Her fingers stayed there a moment longer, then journeyed together and further south along his aquiline nose.
Soft as silk, Jareth's lips brushed against Sarah's fingertips when she drew her hands down toward his chin. The downward curve of his lips made her focus on them. Once she had reached his chin, Sarah returned her hands to his cheeks. Taking a mental step back, she studied the resulting image. What she saw was not what she had expected. It was Jareth, certainly. Unchanged in every aspect, save one. The one change that alarmed her so now. His forehead in wrinkles, his eyebrows drawn down over eyes closed tight against the world. His pursed lips that angled downward into a severe frown. Jareth's expression was tensed as though in pain, and appeared to Sarah so broken hearted, that it caused her own heart to jump and to ache wretchedly.
Sarah breathed shakily, her eyes stinging with the touch of tears. She bit her bottom lip, her heart twisting painfully the longer she studied his face. He was in so much pain. Sarah's thoughts stilled as something small and wet touched and gradually brushed down along her thumb and the side of her hand, before it vanished presumably down Jareth's face. 'Was that-?' Sarah thought, when Jareth cleared his throat and delicately removed her hands from his face, holding them instead before him.
As soon as Jareth pulled her hands away, his face disappeared from her magical sight. Even though it was gone, Sarah's heart still echoed with the pain she had seen in his face. Silence fell, and Jareth at last quietly broke it. "We should return to the castle. It's growing cold out, and you must rest before your departure." Sarah failed to respond, too distracted by the memory of his face and the tear she was sure she'd felt. She finally nodded, and she felt it when Jareth broke the spell by threading her hand through his arm, and began to lead her away.
A/N: I hope I haven't offended anyone who noticed the significance of the names of the worms-but I meant it as a tribute to Brian Froud and his wife Wendy Froud, since he was the one who created the worm and all of the other creatures of Labyrinth, and so deserves recognition for his briliant imagination. I hope I haven't offended him, his wife, or anyone else. The worm was just so charming, you know?