Hey, sorry that this has taken me so long to post but I've been so wrapped up in Things Change that I've let this one go to the side lines for a little while. Not to worry, I plan on putting more effort into this one. I hope no one's forgotten about this little story of mineJ Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Labyrinth or any of the characters from the movie. The story line and new characters that I add to this however does. Thanks to all that send me your reviews, you guys really keep me going. Okay, I'll stop babbling now and let you read on.
To What May Come
Chapter 5
As she exited the door, Sarah blindly walked down the hall, not caring where she was going as long as it was away from him. The further away from the dinning area that she came, the slower her pace became. Finally feeling that she had enough distance between her and the Goblin King, her eyes began to actually take in her surroundings.
The hall that she stood in was extremely large, the ceiling almost cathedral in nature. Gazing at the walls she noted the occasional window, the sun's rays lighting the hallway. The gray dismal castle interior that she had remembered briefly entering years ago now looked brighter, clearer.
Slowly, she made her way to the window not sure why she felt the need to do so. Reaching the window, her eyes looked out and what met her gaze was nothing that she had expected. Instead of the crumbly, ill-kept goblin huts and homes, she was met with a completely different view entirely.
A city of elegant buildings and homes stood well proportioned from one another with its streets completely clean, devoid of any trash or garbage. It looked like one of those well-portrayed Victorian Villages she used to see in paintings and pictures.
Sarah watched as a pudgy female goblin was holding a basket of wheat, bread, and what appeared to be fruit of some sort. The basket rested against the goblin's hip as she knocked on a door, which opened and admitted her to enter. Her brows joined together in perplexity as she wondered if this was the same kingdom that she had visited so long ago.
Standing to the side behind her, he watched her, allowing her a moment to take in the change of his kingdom. Quietly, as to not disturb her moment of perplexity, he moved towards her stopping beside her. Looking out over the Goblin City he softly spoke, "I had to rebuild it after your last visit."
Sarah's heart almost dropped through the floor, as she was not prepared for the Goblin King to suddenly appear beside her. Her gaze shifting from the city below towards Jareth as he continued.
"You and your friends did quite a lot of damage," Jareth looked towards her then.
Eyes locked briefly just before she looked away back towards the Goblin City, "What did you expect? You did send your goblins after us as I recall."
The corners of his mouth edged into a grin, "Yes, I suppose. There is a lot that has changed since your departure."
"It's obvious that you haven't!" she quipped looking back towards him.
He met her gaze, "Are you so sure?"
Sarah took in his words and could not honestly come up with an answer to his question. Her only knowledge of who he was came from the play that she had memorized about the labyrinth and the brief encounters that she had when she went through the labyrinth to get Toby back. In all honesty, she really did not know him at all. How could she know whether or not that he had changed? "What do you want with me? Why did you bring me here?"
His eyebrows rose at her question, "I thought that I had already explained that to you. Sarah, all that I ask is that you give me a chance, get to know me. Stay here within my kingdom and if you still desire to return to your world after a couple of weeks stay, then I will send you back."
Sarah huffed rolling her eyes in disbelief, "Right, and I'm supposed to believe you. You kidnapped me, remember? I have loved ones that will miss me and worry about where I am, or if anything's happened to me, and you want me to just stay here and get to know you. Frankly, I don't want to get to know you." With that said she stepped away from the window and started back down the hall, preferably to get away from him.
Jareth watched her leave, her words slicing him more than he would like to admit, not wishing their conversation to end there. Willing his magic to being, he translocated so that he was ahead of her. Before Sarah had time to get aggravated or angry at him for suddenly appearing in front of her blocking her path, he conjured a crystal.
Sarah stopped, slightly startled by the very being that she just walked away from, suddenly appearing before her blocking her way. Her eyes looked to the crystal in his offered hand with distrust.
"Sarah, before you storm off, at least allow me to show you something." As he spoke to her a small light pulsed from the crystal, an image coming to view.
She wanted to run away from that crystal, the very sight of it gave her the chills. Every time that she had any dealings with his crystal's, it usually lead to something bad happening. But a glance of short blond bobbed hair caught her vision and she stepped closer, her eyes seeking out Toby.
Toby laughed joyously as his father scooped him up into the air and twirled him around. Her father laughed with his son as they twirled around in circles until he let Toby down and began tickling him. In the background, Karen sat contently on a blanket on the ground, a small picnic basket to her side. She was smiling as she watched the two, oblivious to the two that were watching her and her family.
The image brought a small smile to Sarah's lips, but then her smile dropped when she looked away, "And what is the point in showing me this?"
"You did say that you were concerned that they would worry. I promise you they will not. They think that you are away visiting, an old friend." The last statement made the corners of his mouth twitch into a pleased grin.
Her eyes shifted back to the image within the crystal, "So this is happening now?"
"Yes, they look quite happy, don't you think?" he watched her closely, memorizing each movement, each aspect of the woman standing before him.
"Yes," Sarah didn't really know what to say. He had actually taken the special precaution to make sure no one worried about where she was. That the ones she loved would not be harmed in any emotional way. This was not the actions of the Goblin King that she had read about and met along her journey through his labyrinth.
Allowing the crystal to fade he continued to try and persuade her to see his reasons, "My bringing you here the way I did was the only way that I knew how. You obviously would not have accepted an invitation, as you are so bent on picturing me as an evil King who takes wished away children."
Pain flashed through her eyes from the memory of her so foolishly wishing for such a thing. Her first encounter with him coming to memory in a flash.
"You're him aren't you? You're the Goblin King!" Sarah had asked. "I want my brother back, please, if it is all the same."
She watched fearfully as he crossed his arms over his chest, "What's said is said," his voice was full of mockery.
"But I didn't mean it," God, she remembered how afraid she was.
"Oh, you didn't!" he admonished.
"Please," she begged, "where is he?"
Jareth pulled at his gloves remarking coyly, "You know very well where he is."
She had stepped forwards hoping that she could somehow persuade him to change his mind and give her back Toby, "Please, bring him back, please!"
"Sarah, go to your room, play with your toys and your costumes…Forget about the baby."
"I can't," she was bordering on tears.
Holding up his hand, a round glass object appeared within his hand, "Sarah, I've brought you a gift"
Her eyes felt suddenly fixed on the offered object, a twinge of curiosity brimming from within, "What is it?"
"It's a crystal," he began to dance it across his arm, "nothing more, but if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show you your dreams." The crystal continued to dance about his arms, "But this is no ordinary gift for an ordinary girl who takes care of a screaming baby. Do you want it?"
She did, God, how much she hated the fact that his offer was so appealing to her! He had taken Toby and she was actually tempted to have his gift, but she couldn't.
He answered her inner craving, "Then forget the baby."
She couldn't believe herself as she hesitated to answer, "I can't. It's not that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do for me, but I want my brother back. He must be so scared."
"Sarah," he warned, snake appearing coiled within his hand. Stretching it out towards her he stated, "Don't defy me!" as he threw it at her.
Reflexively she pulled at the snake, scared beyond measure as a startled cry left her lips. Suddenly, instead of a snake within her hands, it was a long scarf. As the scarf was thrown to the floor, a goblin appeared from under it, snickered and then ran away. Laughter filled her ears, making her turn back towards the room, gorse shut as she caught a slight hint of movement and then looked back towards the terrifying Goblin King.
"You're no match for me, Sarah!"
She would not, could not give up, "But I have to have my brother back."
He shrugged as if relenting, pointing towards the window, "He's there, within my castle."
Mind coming back to the present, she regained her composure and her face hardened, "And I am not the naive teenager who foolishly wished her brother away. You think that you've done me a favor and I should just thank you and converse with you as if not a care in the world?" Sarah shook her head, her body trembling from rising anger, "No I won't, and what? You think that just because you shower me with a nice room, fancy clothes and nice decorum that I should be so inclined as to believe anything that you tell me."
His face dropped, but only for a moment before his mask of indifference came into being as he stepped menacingly forwards, "Sarah," his face softened allowing his anger to pass. "You can believe what you want to believe, but I will not let you go so easily as I did the last time."
Her eyes flared rage her voice low and laced with scorn, "Let me go! I defeated you, remember! I said the words and I'll say it again. You have no power over me." With that said, she brushed past him, only to be stopped as his hand grasped her arm, not harshly but strong enough to make her stop.
As she turned to glare at him she saw pain within his eyes along with a rising anger, "Those words have no power, Sarah. Once you willingly entered my kingdom you gave yourself to me to do with as I pleased. I did not have to give your brother back and I definitely did not have to send you back. I was generous to you and allowed you to return to your world only because you were too young to understand."
Her heart raced at the closeness, his words stirring a fear within. Hoggle's words coming to mind when she had first entered the labyrinth, "Even if you get to the center of the labyrinth you'll never get out again." Could it be true, was he being serious? That look within his eyes told her that he was speaking the truth, a shallow feeling stirring at the pit of her stomach.
Letting go, he inwardly cursed himself for allowing her words to make him loose control. Stepping away, he regretfully saw the fear and dawning clarity within her eyes as she silently watched him backing away. With a grimace he vanished from the hall leaving her time to take in his words, also to allow him some time to reflect on what just went wrong.
Chapter 6
Appearing within his throne room Jareth paced across his floor. He could not believe her stubbornness, she would not let go of the past and kept using it against him. Crystal in hand, his old temper came rearing to the surface as he hurled it against the wall, the crash of the crystal giving him some satisfaction.
Fayla had entered the room, just as the crystal had smashed against the wall not far from her. Her eyes went wide at witnessing the act, as she held her hand to her startled heart. Shaking her head in disapproval of her King's behavior she softly spoke, "I take it that things did not turn out well?"
Jareth sat back into his throne, a stern look towards Fayla before he looked away, "She is the most stubborn woman that I have ever met. She holds the past against me like some weapon and is blinded by it."
She frowned at the pained look written on his face and made her way towards his throne, "Your Majesty, if I may?" Jareth nodded for her to continue. Fayla smiled, "Give it time. If it is the past that stands in the way, make new memories to make up for that past. I'm well aware of what Sarah went through and partially she has good reason to be upset with you, to not trust you. Give her a reason to trust you."
The Goblin King weakly smiled to Fayla, he knew it would be a good idea to have her back within his service. She was always very perceptive and her advice was always helpful. "Thank you Fayla, your council is always welcomed."
Fayla bowed slightly, as she started to make her exit a smile spread across her lips. Now that her duty for now was done, she decided to try and salvage something to give Sarah for breakfast.
Watching Fayla leave, he summoned a crystal looking for the very person that had plagued his mind and dreams for the past six earth years that she had been away. Fayla was right, she needed new memories to take her mind off of their past and maybe, just maybe, Sarah would finally see him in a new light.
Slumping against the wall, Sarah gazed out through the window, staring at the open blue sky. The light breeze gently caressing against her fallen curls as she allowed her eyes to close. Her red lips parted slightly as she tried to let go of all of the anger that she had been feeling.
So he had allowed her and her brother to return home after she had successfully solved the Labyrinth and supposedly defeated him. The words meant nothing, they were just the lines that went with the part. Could it be that he was just playing to that part for her benefit? Sarah shook her head at that idea, not allowing herself to believe that.
His mismatched eyes stared longingly into his crystal as he saw her leaning against the wall. She looked breathtaking and the way her lips parted slightly made him wish that he could taste those sweet lips again.
Deciding to try things again, he disappeared from the throne room appearing at her side. He watched her, mesmerized by her, as she still held her eyes closed. Leaning so that he was mere inches from her ear, he softly whispered, "Sarah."
Startled, her eye's opened and was not prepared for Jareth to be so close to her. All she needed to do was lean forwards and…she cut those thoughts short not believing her own train of thought. "Jareth," she answered a bit more softly than she wanted, "what…"
His gloved fingers pressed lightly against her lips to stop her from speaking, "I had watched you for so long Sarah. From the beginning you had captured my heart and I wanted nothing but to give you all that you wanted."
Sarah felt lightheaded from his being so close, the smell of magic heavily within the air. The feel of his gloved fingers that pressed against her lips sent warmth through her being. She had to close her eyes once more as she felt overwhelmed by something she could not describe.
He watched her, wanting to kiss her deeply but remembering his promise, "I want so much to kiss you right now, to take you in my arms and hold you to me."
Her eyes shot open, startled by his words and a part of her wished that he would do just that. Sarah swallowed as she felt a desire for him to kiss her, to feel that feeling when he had first kissed her. These feelings of hers startled her, making her try to move away but he had her cornered.
"But I won't, not until you ask me, as I had promised you." He noted her silence, the way her chest rose with each trembling breath. Gently, running his fingers over the side of her face downward across her delicate skin, he watched as her eyes closed once more, "I can still remember your sweet lips pressed against mine, and how good it felt. Do you remember?"
She shivered under his touch, a fire starting to erupt from within at his actions and his words. God, it was maddening the way his words and his touch made her feel, and boy, did she want him to kiss her just then. Her anger towards him forgotten, she nodded in answer to his question. Did she remember? Of course, how could she have not?
Jareth grinned at her unspoken answer and continued, "Ask me, Sarah," he implored, "please."
The words passed her lips before she could even register that she had done so. She felt his body pressing against hers as his lips slowly and gently caressed against her lips. Her very being soared as if on a cloud, her hands coming about his neck as she returned his kiss.
He tightened his hold of her as he deepened their kiss, relief flooding his being as she returned his kiss. The feel of her hands around his neck drove him mad with desire, and he wanted so much more, but knew not to push things too quickly.
Her mind was screaming at her, what was she doing? No, this can't be happening. She couldn't believe the way he was making her feel, awakening something that was so foreign to her in nature. Sarah pulled away, her eyes large as she realized what she had done, and was confused as to why. Shakily, she was able to free herself from his hold, her eyes locked with his as she stepped away. Confusion wrinkled her brow as she backed away even more, and then she ran.
He had watched her stepping away, but made no attempt to stop her. The confusion on her face told him that she was afraid of the feelings that he had brought to the surface. When she ran away with no words of protest he could do nothing but watch. She needed time to gather her own wits, to try and understand what it was that she felt.
In the six years that he had watched her, he watched as she had turned down several guys whom had tried to pursue her. Most of her time was spent emerged in books and her brother. He had even overheard her telling someone that love was something you read about and see in movies. That it was nothing more than an idea, a nice idea, but an idea none the less.
To hear her say such words pained him, and made him all the more inclined to show her that she was wrong. Why was she so afraid to love? Why did she try so hard to push everyone away once they got too close?
Sarah ran blindly down the halls praying that she remembered how to return to her room. Uncertainty overwhelmed her, as she felt confused and bewildered by her actions, by what she allowed to happen. But what did happen?
She had asked him to kiss her, and she kissed him back, and it felt so intense. Her whole body felt alive with a feeling she could not define, a feeling that was so new and unknown to her that it was scary. Not long ago he had enraged her, she had spoken harshly towards him and words were exchanged. So why the sudden change?
Recognizing the door before her as the one that led to her room, she quickly opened the door, slamming it shut behind her. Leaning back against the door she held herself, closing her eyes as she tried to calm her pounding heart. So in her own confusion she did not see Fayla within the room.
Fayla looked up from gathering the towels from the wash room, when she heard someone entering the room. What she saw was a flustered and trembling Sarah leaning against the bedroom door. Placing the towels down, she made her way towards her, "Sarah, are you all right?"
"No, yes, no…" was she all right? She just kissed the enemy, had actually wanted to kiss him and enjoyed it.
Not sure what was going on, Fayla coaxed her towards the bed, "What happened?"
Sarah was silent as they walked towards the bed, sitting down she buried her head in her hands. "I asked him to kiss me and he did and I kissed him back and I liked it but he's the enemy but I enjoyed it and, I'm so confused," she mumbled into her hands, her words rushed and almost running together.
Fayla smiled knowingly, love could be very confusing and scary all at once, but she could not tell Sarah that. She would not accept it and would have to come and realize it on her own. Trying to soothe the poor young woman's confusion, Fayla softly spoke, "Is it exactly a bad thing?"
Sarah looked up from her hands, a bewildered look on her face, "He kidnapped me and brought me here against my will. Not to mention the fact that he's the Goblin King."
"Sarah, please don't judge me for saying this, but he meant well by bringing you here. He might have went about things in the wrong way, but I think that his intentions were well placed." Sarah just looked at Fayla with an open mouth, not believing that she was defending him. Fayla sighed at her charge, "You rely too much on the past, dear, and I think that it's blocking you from seeing the present."
"You're on his side!" she couldn't believe it. Was everyone against her?
"Lady Sarah, I am on no one's side. I am just informing you as I see it. Truly ask yourself this, are you being fair towards him? Now, I know that humans make mistakes, but so do other beings, even the Fae are susceptible to such things."
Sarah watched open mouthed as Fayla exited the room and left her alone with her thoughts. Not knowing what to do, she did the only thing she could think of to do, she laid back on the bed and closed her eyes, allowing sleep to carry her away into dreams.
She was back in her bedroom reading the play that her mother had recently given to her. It was her favorite, full of magic and wonder. Absently fumbling with the small leather bound book of the Labyrinth in hand, she edged closer to the door as she heard her parents muffled words.
Sarah was only twelve then, as she slowly opened the door, she could hear that they were downstairs. Sneaking to the edge of the stairs, she looked down to see her mother clutching a large bag in her hands, her father's face was red from yelling.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore. If I ever want to make it as an actress, I need to have that come first. If you loved me you would understand that." Sarah's eyes bordered with tears as she listened to her mother's words.
Her father tried to take the bags away from her mother, but she pulled it away. He ran his hands through his short crop of black hair, "So you're just going to walk out on everything, even your own daughter!"
"I'll keep in touch…" she had told him.
Sarah lunged down the stairs, no longer caring that her parents would catch her listening in, "Mom don't go, please!"
Sarah's mom looked to her daughter, a sad expression on her face, "Sarah, I have to." She looked up to her husband, making her way towards the door, "I have to go. I'll write and call you."
Sarah lunged forwards trying to stop her mom, "Mom! Mom…" she trailed off as her mother hurriedly gave her suitcase to the taxi driver and got into the car. The rain was pouring down, the roar of thunder shaking the house. As the taxi drove away with her mother inside, Sarah ran out of the door, not caring about getting wet, tears streaming down her cheeks melding with the rain as she watched her mother drive away.
Sarah's body jerked as she awoke from her dream, tears streaming down her cheeks as the memory of her misery that day came back to the surface. She couldn't allow herself to go through that pain again, and she did not want to admit that she felt something more than just attraction towards the Goblin King.