Jareth: The Circle Breaks
Jareth stood stiffly, hands on his narrow hips, mismatched eyes locked on the door where he knew Sarah would soon enter; it appeared upside down to him as he stood casually on the ceiling. His heart was heavy--there was little doubt she would win now; she'd done it before. And then she'd leave- -and his Labyrinth would sink again into disrepair; he wondered if his world, if his creatures would even survive.
He heard her steps and braced himself, his face becoming an unreadable mask. She might defeat him once more, but he would not give her the satisfaction of seeing his pain. As she entered, her eyes meeting his at once, he twisted his countenance into a mocking sneer and deliberately walked up a staircase that twisted out of her line of sight, only to emerge sideways on the opposite side of the room. She did not seem surprised, but did try to follow--he let his steps echo hers, making it a game of cat and mouse where he was constantly a few steps ahead of her, taunting her with a wicked sneer whenever he caught her eye.
But his heart wasn't in it.
At once, he tired of the game and slid into a small, hidden alcove. He seated himself on the wall and drew a crystal to watch her with; she walked up and down the various stairways, seeking in vain to find his hiding place. He was a bit surprised-though she didn't know it, she was walking over the walls and steps the way he did, with no regard for the usual laws of gravity. His shoulders sagged slightly. He knew he could not stall the inevitable much longer. And then she stood before him.
Embarrassed, caught off guard, he leaped to his feet, adopting a feral grin as he paced around her. Wordlessly, he indicated the clock with a tilt of his golden head-only two minutes remained before the thirteenth hour struck.
She wet her lips nervously. "Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle, beyond the Goblin City, "she paused. "My will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great."
He wasn't smiling now.
His heart twisted painfully in his chest. Oh gods, it was all happening again; he could hardly stand it. Defeated, humiliated, abandoned...his lips tightened, his eyes a frozen glare, refusing to let her see. *Gods, give me strength to bear up to it once more, leave me some dignity at least...*
Her eyes met his fearlessly. She looked rather worse for wear; dried blood was above her lip, dirt smears on her face and hands, hair ruffled by her journey on the wind. Still beautiful though, and still merciless...he kept his shoulders square, his features immobile.
"I forfeit the Labyrinth."
"You...forfeit...the Labyrinth?" he repeated slowly, his voice dry and emotionless. Inside, hope filled him, alien in its lightness. He strove to ignore it, to keep her safely ignorant of his weakness for her.
"Yes," she agreed, "I forfeit. I do not win, neither do I lose; this game ends and we stand on equal footing," she finished, her face tranquil.
Overhead, the clock struck thirteen times. Neither spoke.
Jareth stood stiffly, hands on his narrow hips, mismatched eyes locked on the door where he knew Sarah would soon enter; it appeared upside down to him as he stood casually on the ceiling. His heart was heavy--there was little doubt she would win now; she'd done it before. And then she'd leave- -and his Labyrinth would sink again into disrepair; he wondered if his world, if his creatures would even survive.
He heard her steps and braced himself, his face becoming an unreadable mask. She might defeat him once more, but he would not give her the satisfaction of seeing his pain. As she entered, her eyes meeting his at once, he twisted his countenance into a mocking sneer and deliberately walked up a staircase that twisted out of her line of sight, only to emerge sideways on the opposite side of the room. She did not seem surprised, but did try to follow--he let his steps echo hers, making it a game of cat and mouse where he was constantly a few steps ahead of her, taunting her with a wicked sneer whenever he caught her eye.
But his heart wasn't in it.
At once, he tired of the game and slid into a small, hidden alcove. He seated himself on the wall and drew a crystal to watch her with; she walked up and down the various stairways, seeking in vain to find his hiding place. He was a bit surprised-though she didn't know it, she was walking over the walls and steps the way he did, with no regard for the usual laws of gravity. His shoulders sagged slightly. He knew he could not stall the inevitable much longer. And then she stood before him.
Embarrassed, caught off guard, he leaped to his feet, adopting a feral grin as he paced around her. Wordlessly, he indicated the clock with a tilt of his golden head-only two minutes remained before the thirteenth hour struck.
She wet her lips nervously. "Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle, beyond the Goblin City, "she paused. "My will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great."
He wasn't smiling now.
His heart twisted painfully in his chest. Oh gods, it was all happening again; he could hardly stand it. Defeated, humiliated, abandoned...his lips tightened, his eyes a frozen glare, refusing to let her see. *Gods, give me strength to bear up to it once more, leave me some dignity at least...*
Her eyes met his fearlessly. She looked rather worse for wear; dried blood was above her lip, dirt smears on her face and hands, hair ruffled by her journey on the wind. Still beautiful though, and still merciless...he kept his shoulders square, his features immobile.
"I forfeit the Labyrinth."
"You...forfeit...the Labyrinth?" he repeated slowly, his voice dry and emotionless. Inside, hope filled him, alien in its lightness. He strove to ignore it, to keep her safely ignorant of his weakness for her.
"Yes," she agreed, "I forfeit. I do not win, neither do I lose; this game ends and we stand on equal footing," she finished, her face tranquil.
Overhead, the clock struck thirteen times. Neither spoke.
