Title: Say The Words (Part Two)
Author: Amber
Distribution: Email me first (Arrilyn@hotmail.com), but other than that, all I ask is that my name and email addy be left attached!
Disclaimer: Same as last time! Labyrinth and all its characters belong to Jim Henson and Lucasfilm(s?).. I own nothing, and I'm not looking to get any profit from this story! Heh...like anyone would wanna pay to read this!
Summary: Another one of those 'alternate ending' type fics, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! More conflict between Jareth and Sarah...and this might not seem like it's going anywhere right now, LoL, but it will be!
A/N: If you didn't read Part One, I suggest you go do that RIGHT NOW before you read this part! I don't know if it would keep you from understanding this part, but what's the fun of skipping to the middle of a story?? Also, the part of the story where I describe the necklace was changed, but while I can see it perfectly in my mind, it was a little hard trying to describe it! Basically, think of it this way: Y'know how crescent moon shapes are sideways, rather than up and down the way Jareth's necklace was? The open end faces the side, that's all I can say, LoL! So in other words, it doesn't look a thing like Jareth's necklace, other than that it's crescent-shaped!
For the next several days, the entire palace was stepping lightly, for fear of bringing the wrath of the Goblin King upon them. None of them knew exactly why their king was in a foul temper; all they knew was that ever since Sarah had come to the castle, he hadn't been fit to be around. Not that he was exactly pleasant even at the best of times-he still found sadistic joy in kicking the goblins around-but lately, he'd been absolutely miserable. And because everyone blamed Sarah for Jareth's mood, they stayed away from her, too. That left Sarah completely on her own, because Jareth also steered clear of her. She spent most of her time in her room, staring sadly out the window or crying on her bed. The few times when she felt the stirrings of hunger begin, a tray of food would mysteriously appear on her bedside table, preventing her from even needing to leave the room.
As for Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus, she'd neither seen them nor heard from them since she'd left them to face Jareth alone. What had happened to them? Were they still alive? Did they even know what had happened to her? Or had Jareth found them all and killed them for treason against his kingdom? Her heart lurched at the thought of her dear friends suffering an ill fate all because they had helped her.
"What have you done with them, Jareth?" she murmured aloud, turning her gaze away from the window. Pushing herself off her bed, she walked over to her wardrobe and, for the first time in almost a week, opened the doors. She'd finally had enough of being cooped up inside her room. It was time to find her friends…the only friends she had in this place.
None of the dresses in the wardrobe were fit to be worn outside of the castle. Whether they were decorated with fine gold and silver thread, or embellished with filmy trains and scarves, each and every one of them gave her away as what she now was: a queen. Sarah sighed impatiently, tossing the garments one by one onto a nearby chair as she searched for something suitable. When she came to the last dress, which was also decorated lavishly, she stamped her foot in frustration.
"All I want is something simple!" she cried, pivoting on her heel and stalking toward the door. When she flung the door open, a small goblin was standing there, fist poised to knock. Its eyes widened in surprise as it looked up at her. Sarah gasped as she saw what the goblin was holding: her blouse and blue jeans. "How did you know I wanted those?"
The goblin looked confused. "You asked for 'em, didn't you?"
"No, I…" Sarah paused thoughtfully. "What's going on here? Whenever I'm hungry, food suddenly appears in my room, and now when I want my clothes back, you bring them to me! How is this happening?"
"That, Queen Sarah." The goblin pointed at her, and Sarah looked down to find a pendant dangling from her neck. It hadn't been there before. Frowning curiously, she lifted it from her chest and tried to study it better. The long, thin chain around her neck was looped through a link melded to the top of a delicate silver crescent. The crescent-shaped pendant was similar to the one she'd seen around Jareth's neck, but daintier, and actually somewhat resembled a crescent moon. An even frailer chain than the one around her neck dangled from the top point of the pendant, and a tiny, smoothly-polished crystal hung from it, balanced perfectly between the top and bottom points.
"This has been doing everything?" she asked in disbelief, turning back to the goblin. The small creature nodded.
"And that too, Queen Sarah," it said, again pointing a gnarled finger. This time, however, it pointed to something behind her. Sarah turned to see a new object on her bureau. It was a crystal-the same size as the ones Jareth always used-but it was placed within a golden base, held by delicate claws. Frowning, Sarah walked over to the crystal and peered into it, then gasped as she saw herself dancing in the Goblin King's arms.
"What is…this…" she said, trailing off as she turned to find the goblin gone. Her old clothes had been left on the floor. "Why do these goblins keep disappearing like that?" she demanded of no one in particular. Sighing again, she retrieved her blouse, vest, and jeans, and shut the door so she could change out of her dress.
So many things were going on that she just couldn't understand. How had that pendant come to be around her neck, and what was it for? And what was that crystal doing in her room? She had a faint idea; it was probably the very same crystal Jareth seemed bound and determined to give her, the crystal that would show her her dreams. But dancing in his arms certainly wasn't one of her dreams at the moment. Her dream was to get out of this place, and bring Toby-the human Toby-with her!
"Jareth," she murmured fiercely, "I refuse to let you bribe me with jewels and trinkets! I will defeat you!"
A small figure watched from the shadows as Sarah-who was now clothed in her jeans, blouse, and vest-searched through the various paths of the Labyrinth in search of something…or someone. On the creature's face was a look of distress, for it knew what Sarah was looking for, and could do nothing to help her. "I have to face him alone," she'd said, and until she called for the help of her friends, alone she would have to do it.
The fact that she was searching for her friends should have been enough to bring them out of hiding, but part of the magic of the Labyrinth was the binding of words. If a person said they would call if they needed help, then no aid would be forthcoming until the call was made. Still, the small-statured creature wished he didn't have to do this to Sarah. She was his friend, and he felt the overwhelming need to help her. If it wasn't for that magic…
But why wasn't she calling for her friends? She obviously wanted them…didn't she remember the words she'd spoken before leaving their company? She always took so many things for granted…maybe she doesn't think she has to call for us to be able to help her…
"Hoggle?" Sarah called out in a tiny voice, her eyes wide in a face drained of its once healthy glow. "Ludo? Sir Didymus? Where are you? Please, come out, wherever you are!"
The small creature inhaled sharply with anticipation, thinking she was about to say the words necessary to free them from their magic bindings. 'I need you' was all she needed to say. Just three simple words, and her friends would once again be at her side. Her lips moved as if to say something more, but after a moment she seemed to think better of the idea and moved on, her determined pace belying the quivering note of fear that had been in her voice. Sighing, the figure melted back into the shadows to wait once again.
"You are the cause of all this," Jareth growled, staring at the tiny goblin before him with a look of utter contempt. "Were it not for you, I would not be feeling like a prisoner in my own castle!"
The tiny goblin, which once had gone by the name of Toby, hissed at Jareth, bringing a sardonic smirk to the Goblin King's lips. Such a bold little creature…what it needed was a good kicking. But Jareth refrained from harming the goblin, if only to keep his new queen from throwing a tantrum. Sarah… His thoughts were laced with anger and confusion. You have asked so much from me, and every time I have done your bidding…so why do you deny me the only thing I've ever wanted from you?
Another goblin shambled into the room then, its eyes glowing an unnerving shade of gold. Jareth turned with a glare in his own delightfully mismatched eyes, but smiled slightly when he saw who it was. The small creature made a clumsy bow. "Yer majesty," it said respectfully.
"Does she have the pendant?" he asked simply. The goblin nodded. "And the crystal?" Again, another nod.
"Don't think she understands them though, King Jareth," it replied. Jareth chuckled.
"No, I don't suppose she does," he replied thoughtfully. "Our Queen has been living in a fairy tale world for so long that she doesn't know how to act now that her fantasies have become something real. But she will come to understand the power I have given her." I just hope she doesn't use it to destroy me…
"Yes, King Jareth," the goblin replied uncertainly, not sure what to say. Jareth waved his hand dismissively.
"You may go. See that Queen Sarah does not get herself into any trouble while wandering through the Labyrinth. I'd hate to see her fall into another oubliette because she was not watching where she was going." The goblin nodded and hastened out of the room, relieved that he hadn't been forcibly kicked out. Still inside the room, Jareth sighed in frustration and looked back at the human-turned-goblin.
"What do you think Sarah would go through to win you back?" he murmured softly, picking up the protesting baby. "Would she go so far as to break her promise to me? You've caused a great deal of trouble for us both, you know that, don't you?" When the goblin only hissed in reply, Jareth shook his head slowly and walked out of the room. The child really wasn't worth half the effort Sarah had gone through to save him, Jareth had decided, but he found her unselfish loyalty toward her brother to be strangely heartwarming. Was she this loyal to everyone she loved?
"Yer majesty!" A taller goblin with a canine-like face, long white mustaches, and thin horns snapped to attention and gave a quick salute. Jareth recognized the creature as the same one who'd come to warn him of Sarah's invasion into the Goblin City.
"Yes, what is it?" Jareth sighed, placing Toby on the floor.
"The others-the ones who helped Sarah-"
"Queen Sarah," Jareth corrected.
"Yes, sorry yer majesty. We haven't been able to find 'em yet. They must be hiding somewhere."
Of course they're hiding! Why was I cursed as the only smart being among idiots? Goblins are only good for the simplest of jobs. "Very well. Keep looking for them. And when you find them-and you will find them-bring them to me. Unharmed. Do you understand?" The goblin saluted again and hurried off.
Sarah had been forgiven for trying to defeat him, but her friends would not come out unscathed once Jareth had his hands on them. One by one, they would be tipped headfirst into the Bog of Stench, and once that was through, he'd have them cast into the lowermost regions of the castle permanently. The Bog was probably punishment enough, he knew, but he was finding himself maliciously pleased at the thought of punishing them further. Especially Hogwart (or was it Higgle?). Sarah had put her trust in that dwarf even after he betrayed her so many times, and that rankled Jareth to no good end.
But if you punish her friends, remarked the insidious little voice in the back of his mind, then what will Sarah think of you? She'll think of you as even more of a heartless villain than she already does.
"Then perhaps that's what I am," he said aloud, his voice cold. No mere mortal girl was going to worm her way into his affections! The Goblin King did not let such petty weaknesses as emotions get in his way.
Darkness was falling by the time Sarah came back to the castle at the center of the Labyrinth. She'd strayed far into the maze's depths, yet unlike before, where new puzzles and traps befell her at each turn, this time she always managed to find her way through. She knew who was behind it all, and the thought that the king of the goblins would be watching her as she searched absolutely infuriated her. He could stand in his castle and watch her with so cold a heart that he couldn't even deign to help her! What a cruel man he was!
Frowning from both anger and weariness, Sarah wandered past the two huge doors-which once had opened only by Ludo's brute strength, but now swung open on their own-and started for her room, for once ignoring the bleakness of the castle's interior. She could feel eyes on her back as she walked, but refused to acknowledge the owner of that piercing gaze. If he found amusement at her anger, then so be it, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of even talking to him!
Once in the relative haven of her new room, she moved toward her bureau and picked up the crystal in its golden stand. The base was decorated with several precious gems, all smoothly polished, and even the claws holding the crystal in place seemed to glitter with gemdust. Curious, Sarah took a seat on the edge of her bed and traced a finger along the gnarled claws, then touched the smooth surface of the crystal itself. "Just a crystal, nothing more," she recited to herself, as though reciting lines from a play. "But if you turn it this way, and look into it, it will show you your dreams…" As though the words were a command, she lifted the crystal from its base and held it delicately in front of her face. The light coalesced within its diamond depths, but she saw nothing else, nothing like the images she'd faced earlier that day. Did it really do what Jareth said? Or had it merely been her imagination earlier that day that caused her to see what she had?
"I have no dreams anymore," she murmured sadly, setting the crystal back in on its clawed stand and placing both on a bedside table. "He's taken them all from me." Her eyes began to ache with the effort of holding back tears, and she laid back on her bed, staring up at the diaphanous canopy. "Why did I ever wish Toby away? I didn't think the Goblin King really existed! I thought it was just a fairy tale! Oh, this isn't fair at all, and I don't care how much those words irritate him!" She sat up suddenly and began screaming the words. "IT'S NOT FAIR! Do you hear me, Jareth? It's NOT FAIR!"
The air seemed to vibrate with the power of her voice, until even the stone walls shook with it. Several floors below, the goblins stopped their activities and stared in wonderment at the ceiling, wondering what was causing the uproar. Jareth, who had been sprawled across his throne, looked up sluggishly, not quite realizing himself what was happening. When it finally got through to him that it was Sarah creating such a disturbance, he leaned his head against the hard-backed throne.
"Someone shut her up," he groaned wearily, scrubbing a hand down his face. One of the more impertinent goblins actually started to get up, intending on causing some mischief, but one quelling glance from Jareth was enough to make him sit down again. "I had better see what has my queen so irritated…"
He so nearly missed being hit by a flying pillow as he walked into her room that as he ducked, the missile glanced off his shoulder and fell to the ground. Sarah glared at him as he straightened, the unhappy expression only deepening when she saw his amused smile. "I'm glad you find this so funny," she muttered, crossing her arms. "What have you done with Hoggle? And Ludo, and Sir Didymus?"
Jareth feigned a look of surprise. "Me? I haven't done a thing with them. In fact, I've been looking for them as well. I was hoping you might lead me to them today, but it seems they're hiding from you, too. But that doesn't matter; this is my kingdom, and I'll find them eventually."
"And what will you do with them then?" He could hear the quivering note of uncertainty in her voice, even as she shot him her most defiant glare.
"Punish them, just as they deserve for trying to defeat me. That's treason, as I'm sure you well know, and I won't have traitors here. They will be put in the Bog of Eternal Stench until I figure out what to do with them."
"You can't do that!" Sarah protested, springing up from her perch on the bed. Jareth's eyebrows rose sardonically.
"Oh, can't I?"
"No! I won't let you! And…" Her back suddenly straightened. "And I'm now the Queen, so my word holds just as much sway as yours."
She really did look regal standing there, despite her streetclothes. A sparkle had returned to her eyes that had disappeared since she'd first been defeated. Jareth recognized that look; it was the look of spirit and determination, something he'd always admired in her. Not that he'd ever admit something like that to her. In fact, rather than acknowledge that her point was well made, he threw back his head and laughed.
"Sarah, you may be the Queen of the Goblins now, but you have no more ability to rule than you did before."
"But that's not-"
"If you say those words one more time, I will remove your tongue." He looked so serious that Sarah actually backed away a few steps. "If this is so unfair, then perhaps you would like to share the same fate as your friends? I'm sure the odor of the Bog would suit Her Highness well." The utter condescension in his voice made the hair on the back of her arms stand on end. Why did he have to be so cruel?
Your eyes can be so cruel…
She pushed the haunting words out of her mind and forced herself to smile. She didn't realize how smug the expression was, but Jareth became intrigued by it, wondering what she was up to. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good; the expression looked too much like his own smug smile to be innocent. "Would you like to make a little bet on who finds them first?" she asked him sweetly, placing her arms akimbo. Jareth's intrigue grew. He was always willing for a challenge.
"And what good will it do if you find them first?" he inquired casually.
"If I find them first, you must accept my rights as Queen and not harm them. And if you find them first…well then, do what you like with them, and my word will mean as little as it does now."
The game was far too simple. How would she find her friends before he did, when it was his Labyrinth? "That's it?" he asked at last, suppressing a chuckle. Sarah nodded. "Very well, then. If I win, you have no more say in what happens to your…friends. And if you win, then I won't lay a hand on them. They'll be your responsibility."
"'Responsibility'?" Sarah repeated, unable to believe her ears. "Friends aren't a 'responsibility', Jareth! Your subjects are your responsibility, but not friends! Don't you know anything about friendship?"
The question, though asked in naïve ignorance, struck deep. Jareth's half-smile had a malicious quality to it. "I have no need for friendship," he said quietly, his tone dangerous. And with that, he left the room, leaving Sarah feeling bewildered and, strangely enough, sad…for Jareth. What was it like to have no friends?
The end of Part Two! Part Three might be a little later in coming...it's essentially finished, but I need to proofread it and add some things to the end! :)
Author: Amber
Distribution: Email me first (Arrilyn@hotmail.com), but other than that, all I ask is that my name and email addy be left attached!
Disclaimer: Same as last time! Labyrinth and all its characters belong to Jim Henson and Lucasfilm(s?).. I own nothing, and I'm not looking to get any profit from this story! Heh...like anyone would wanna pay to read this!
Summary: Another one of those 'alternate ending' type fics, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! More conflict between Jareth and Sarah...and this might not seem like it's going anywhere right now, LoL, but it will be!
A/N: If you didn't read Part One, I suggest you go do that RIGHT NOW before you read this part! I don't know if it would keep you from understanding this part, but what's the fun of skipping to the middle of a story?? Also, the part of the story where I describe the necklace was changed, but while I can see it perfectly in my mind, it was a little hard trying to describe it! Basically, think of it this way: Y'know how crescent moon shapes are sideways, rather than up and down the way Jareth's necklace was? The open end faces the side, that's all I can say, LoL! So in other words, it doesn't look a thing like Jareth's necklace, other than that it's crescent-shaped!
Say The Words
For the next several days, the entire palace was stepping lightly, for fear of bringing the wrath of the Goblin King upon them. None of them knew exactly why their king was in a foul temper; all they knew was that ever since Sarah had come to the castle, he hadn't been fit to be around. Not that he was exactly pleasant even at the best of times-he still found sadistic joy in kicking the goblins around-but lately, he'd been absolutely miserable. And because everyone blamed Sarah for Jareth's mood, they stayed away from her, too. That left Sarah completely on her own, because Jareth also steered clear of her. She spent most of her time in her room, staring sadly out the window or crying on her bed. The few times when she felt the stirrings of hunger begin, a tray of food would mysteriously appear on her bedside table, preventing her from even needing to leave the room.
As for Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus, she'd neither seen them nor heard from them since she'd left them to face Jareth alone. What had happened to them? Were they still alive? Did they even know what had happened to her? Or had Jareth found them all and killed them for treason against his kingdom? Her heart lurched at the thought of her dear friends suffering an ill fate all because they had helped her.
"What have you done with them, Jareth?" she murmured aloud, turning her gaze away from the window. Pushing herself off her bed, she walked over to her wardrobe and, for the first time in almost a week, opened the doors. She'd finally had enough of being cooped up inside her room. It was time to find her friends…the only friends she had in this place.
None of the dresses in the wardrobe were fit to be worn outside of the castle. Whether they were decorated with fine gold and silver thread, or embellished with filmy trains and scarves, each and every one of them gave her away as what she now was: a queen. Sarah sighed impatiently, tossing the garments one by one onto a nearby chair as she searched for something suitable. When she came to the last dress, which was also decorated lavishly, she stamped her foot in frustration.
"All I want is something simple!" she cried, pivoting on her heel and stalking toward the door. When she flung the door open, a small goblin was standing there, fist poised to knock. Its eyes widened in surprise as it looked up at her. Sarah gasped as she saw what the goblin was holding: her blouse and blue jeans. "How did you know I wanted those?"
The goblin looked confused. "You asked for 'em, didn't you?"
"No, I…" Sarah paused thoughtfully. "What's going on here? Whenever I'm hungry, food suddenly appears in my room, and now when I want my clothes back, you bring them to me! How is this happening?"
"That, Queen Sarah." The goblin pointed at her, and Sarah looked down to find a pendant dangling from her neck. It hadn't been there before. Frowning curiously, she lifted it from her chest and tried to study it better. The long, thin chain around her neck was looped through a link melded to the top of a delicate silver crescent. The crescent-shaped pendant was similar to the one she'd seen around Jareth's neck, but daintier, and actually somewhat resembled a crescent moon. An even frailer chain than the one around her neck dangled from the top point of the pendant, and a tiny, smoothly-polished crystal hung from it, balanced perfectly between the top and bottom points.
"This has been doing everything?" she asked in disbelief, turning back to the goblin. The small creature nodded.
"And that too, Queen Sarah," it said, again pointing a gnarled finger. This time, however, it pointed to something behind her. Sarah turned to see a new object on her bureau. It was a crystal-the same size as the ones Jareth always used-but it was placed within a golden base, held by delicate claws. Frowning, Sarah walked over to the crystal and peered into it, then gasped as she saw herself dancing in the Goblin King's arms.
"What is…this…" she said, trailing off as she turned to find the goblin gone. Her old clothes had been left on the floor. "Why do these goblins keep disappearing like that?" she demanded of no one in particular. Sighing again, she retrieved her blouse, vest, and jeans, and shut the door so she could change out of her dress.
So many things were going on that she just couldn't understand. How had that pendant come to be around her neck, and what was it for? And what was that crystal doing in her room? She had a faint idea; it was probably the very same crystal Jareth seemed bound and determined to give her, the crystal that would show her her dreams. But dancing in his arms certainly wasn't one of her dreams at the moment. Her dream was to get out of this place, and bring Toby-the human Toby-with her!
"Jareth," she murmured fiercely, "I refuse to let you bribe me with jewels and trinkets! I will defeat you!"
A small figure watched from the shadows as Sarah-who was now clothed in her jeans, blouse, and vest-searched through the various paths of the Labyrinth in search of something…or someone. On the creature's face was a look of distress, for it knew what Sarah was looking for, and could do nothing to help her. "I have to face him alone," she'd said, and until she called for the help of her friends, alone she would have to do it.
The fact that she was searching for her friends should have been enough to bring them out of hiding, but part of the magic of the Labyrinth was the binding of words. If a person said they would call if they needed help, then no aid would be forthcoming until the call was made. Still, the small-statured creature wished he didn't have to do this to Sarah. She was his friend, and he felt the overwhelming need to help her. If it wasn't for that magic…
But why wasn't she calling for her friends? She obviously wanted them…didn't she remember the words she'd spoken before leaving their company? She always took so many things for granted…maybe she doesn't think she has to call for us to be able to help her…
"Hoggle?" Sarah called out in a tiny voice, her eyes wide in a face drained of its once healthy glow. "Ludo? Sir Didymus? Where are you? Please, come out, wherever you are!"
The small creature inhaled sharply with anticipation, thinking she was about to say the words necessary to free them from their magic bindings. 'I need you' was all she needed to say. Just three simple words, and her friends would once again be at her side. Her lips moved as if to say something more, but after a moment she seemed to think better of the idea and moved on, her determined pace belying the quivering note of fear that had been in her voice. Sighing, the figure melted back into the shadows to wait once again.
"You are the cause of all this," Jareth growled, staring at the tiny goblin before him with a look of utter contempt. "Were it not for you, I would not be feeling like a prisoner in my own castle!"
The tiny goblin, which once had gone by the name of Toby, hissed at Jareth, bringing a sardonic smirk to the Goblin King's lips. Such a bold little creature…what it needed was a good kicking. But Jareth refrained from harming the goblin, if only to keep his new queen from throwing a tantrum. Sarah… His thoughts were laced with anger and confusion. You have asked so much from me, and every time I have done your bidding…so why do you deny me the only thing I've ever wanted from you?
Another goblin shambled into the room then, its eyes glowing an unnerving shade of gold. Jareth turned with a glare in his own delightfully mismatched eyes, but smiled slightly when he saw who it was. The small creature made a clumsy bow. "Yer majesty," it said respectfully.
"Does she have the pendant?" he asked simply. The goblin nodded. "And the crystal?" Again, another nod.
"Don't think she understands them though, King Jareth," it replied. Jareth chuckled.
"No, I don't suppose she does," he replied thoughtfully. "Our Queen has been living in a fairy tale world for so long that she doesn't know how to act now that her fantasies have become something real. But she will come to understand the power I have given her." I just hope she doesn't use it to destroy me…
"Yes, King Jareth," the goblin replied uncertainly, not sure what to say. Jareth waved his hand dismissively.
"You may go. See that Queen Sarah does not get herself into any trouble while wandering through the Labyrinth. I'd hate to see her fall into another oubliette because she was not watching where she was going." The goblin nodded and hastened out of the room, relieved that he hadn't been forcibly kicked out. Still inside the room, Jareth sighed in frustration and looked back at the human-turned-goblin.
"What do you think Sarah would go through to win you back?" he murmured softly, picking up the protesting baby. "Would she go so far as to break her promise to me? You've caused a great deal of trouble for us both, you know that, don't you?" When the goblin only hissed in reply, Jareth shook his head slowly and walked out of the room. The child really wasn't worth half the effort Sarah had gone through to save him, Jareth had decided, but he found her unselfish loyalty toward her brother to be strangely heartwarming. Was she this loyal to everyone she loved?
"Yer majesty!" A taller goblin with a canine-like face, long white mustaches, and thin horns snapped to attention and gave a quick salute. Jareth recognized the creature as the same one who'd come to warn him of Sarah's invasion into the Goblin City.
"Yes, what is it?" Jareth sighed, placing Toby on the floor.
"The others-the ones who helped Sarah-"
"Queen Sarah," Jareth corrected.
"Yes, sorry yer majesty. We haven't been able to find 'em yet. They must be hiding somewhere."
Of course they're hiding! Why was I cursed as the only smart being among idiots? Goblins are only good for the simplest of jobs. "Very well. Keep looking for them. And when you find them-and you will find them-bring them to me. Unharmed. Do you understand?" The goblin saluted again and hurried off.
Sarah had been forgiven for trying to defeat him, but her friends would not come out unscathed once Jareth had his hands on them. One by one, they would be tipped headfirst into the Bog of Stench, and once that was through, he'd have them cast into the lowermost regions of the castle permanently. The Bog was probably punishment enough, he knew, but he was finding himself maliciously pleased at the thought of punishing them further. Especially Hogwart (or was it Higgle?). Sarah had put her trust in that dwarf even after he betrayed her so many times, and that rankled Jareth to no good end.
But if you punish her friends, remarked the insidious little voice in the back of his mind, then what will Sarah think of you? She'll think of you as even more of a heartless villain than she already does.
"Then perhaps that's what I am," he said aloud, his voice cold. No mere mortal girl was going to worm her way into his affections! The Goblin King did not let such petty weaknesses as emotions get in his way.
Darkness was falling by the time Sarah came back to the castle at the center of the Labyrinth. She'd strayed far into the maze's depths, yet unlike before, where new puzzles and traps befell her at each turn, this time she always managed to find her way through. She knew who was behind it all, and the thought that the king of the goblins would be watching her as she searched absolutely infuriated her. He could stand in his castle and watch her with so cold a heart that he couldn't even deign to help her! What a cruel man he was!
Frowning from both anger and weariness, Sarah wandered past the two huge doors-which once had opened only by Ludo's brute strength, but now swung open on their own-and started for her room, for once ignoring the bleakness of the castle's interior. She could feel eyes on her back as she walked, but refused to acknowledge the owner of that piercing gaze. If he found amusement at her anger, then so be it, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of even talking to him!
Once in the relative haven of her new room, she moved toward her bureau and picked up the crystal in its golden stand. The base was decorated with several precious gems, all smoothly polished, and even the claws holding the crystal in place seemed to glitter with gemdust. Curious, Sarah took a seat on the edge of her bed and traced a finger along the gnarled claws, then touched the smooth surface of the crystal itself. "Just a crystal, nothing more," she recited to herself, as though reciting lines from a play. "But if you turn it this way, and look into it, it will show you your dreams…" As though the words were a command, she lifted the crystal from its base and held it delicately in front of her face. The light coalesced within its diamond depths, but she saw nothing else, nothing like the images she'd faced earlier that day. Did it really do what Jareth said? Or had it merely been her imagination earlier that day that caused her to see what she had?
"I have no dreams anymore," she murmured sadly, setting the crystal back in on its clawed stand and placing both on a bedside table. "He's taken them all from me." Her eyes began to ache with the effort of holding back tears, and she laid back on her bed, staring up at the diaphanous canopy. "Why did I ever wish Toby away? I didn't think the Goblin King really existed! I thought it was just a fairy tale! Oh, this isn't fair at all, and I don't care how much those words irritate him!" She sat up suddenly and began screaming the words. "IT'S NOT FAIR! Do you hear me, Jareth? It's NOT FAIR!"
The air seemed to vibrate with the power of her voice, until even the stone walls shook with it. Several floors below, the goblins stopped their activities and stared in wonderment at the ceiling, wondering what was causing the uproar. Jareth, who had been sprawled across his throne, looked up sluggishly, not quite realizing himself what was happening. When it finally got through to him that it was Sarah creating such a disturbance, he leaned his head against the hard-backed throne.
"Someone shut her up," he groaned wearily, scrubbing a hand down his face. One of the more impertinent goblins actually started to get up, intending on causing some mischief, but one quelling glance from Jareth was enough to make him sit down again. "I had better see what has my queen so irritated…"
He so nearly missed being hit by a flying pillow as he walked into her room that as he ducked, the missile glanced off his shoulder and fell to the ground. Sarah glared at him as he straightened, the unhappy expression only deepening when she saw his amused smile. "I'm glad you find this so funny," she muttered, crossing her arms. "What have you done with Hoggle? And Ludo, and Sir Didymus?"
Jareth feigned a look of surprise. "Me? I haven't done a thing with them. In fact, I've been looking for them as well. I was hoping you might lead me to them today, but it seems they're hiding from you, too. But that doesn't matter; this is my kingdom, and I'll find them eventually."
"And what will you do with them then?" He could hear the quivering note of uncertainty in her voice, even as she shot him her most defiant glare.
"Punish them, just as they deserve for trying to defeat me. That's treason, as I'm sure you well know, and I won't have traitors here. They will be put in the Bog of Eternal Stench until I figure out what to do with them."
"You can't do that!" Sarah protested, springing up from her perch on the bed. Jareth's eyebrows rose sardonically.
"Oh, can't I?"
"No! I won't let you! And…" Her back suddenly straightened. "And I'm now the Queen, so my word holds just as much sway as yours."
She really did look regal standing there, despite her streetclothes. A sparkle had returned to her eyes that had disappeared since she'd first been defeated. Jareth recognized that look; it was the look of spirit and determination, something he'd always admired in her. Not that he'd ever admit something like that to her. In fact, rather than acknowledge that her point was well made, he threw back his head and laughed.
"Sarah, you may be the Queen of the Goblins now, but you have no more ability to rule than you did before."
"But that's not-"
"If you say those words one more time, I will remove your tongue." He looked so serious that Sarah actually backed away a few steps. "If this is so unfair, then perhaps you would like to share the same fate as your friends? I'm sure the odor of the Bog would suit Her Highness well." The utter condescension in his voice made the hair on the back of her arms stand on end. Why did he have to be so cruel?
Your eyes can be so cruel…
She pushed the haunting words out of her mind and forced herself to smile. She didn't realize how smug the expression was, but Jareth became intrigued by it, wondering what she was up to. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good; the expression looked too much like his own smug smile to be innocent. "Would you like to make a little bet on who finds them first?" she asked him sweetly, placing her arms akimbo. Jareth's intrigue grew. He was always willing for a challenge.
"And what good will it do if you find them first?" he inquired casually.
"If I find them first, you must accept my rights as Queen and not harm them. And if you find them first…well then, do what you like with them, and my word will mean as little as it does now."
The game was far too simple. How would she find her friends before he did, when it was his Labyrinth? "That's it?" he asked at last, suppressing a chuckle. Sarah nodded. "Very well, then. If I win, you have no more say in what happens to your…friends. And if you win, then I won't lay a hand on them. They'll be your responsibility."
"'Responsibility'?" Sarah repeated, unable to believe her ears. "Friends aren't a 'responsibility', Jareth! Your subjects are your responsibility, but not friends! Don't you know anything about friendship?"
The question, though asked in naïve ignorance, struck deep. Jareth's half-smile had a malicious quality to it. "I have no need for friendship," he said quietly, his tone dangerous. And with that, he left the room, leaving Sarah feeling bewildered and, strangely enough, sad…for Jareth. What was it like to have no friends?
The end of Part Two! Part Three might be a little later in coming...it's essentially finished, but I need to proofread it and add some things to the end! :)