Yay! Just in time for Halloween, the second part of my story. Thanks to all the reviewers who talked me into posting this early. Much love to ya!
Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth, or another movie (Not gonna give the surprise away this early!)
Chapter Two: The Wish
It took him only a moment to gain his bearings. How dare that Hoggle use one of his peaches on him! Fortunately, Jareth knew the fast way out. He conjured up a crystal and was about to throw it when he suddenly stopped. Something *felt* wrong, different somehow. He went through a mental checklist. Everything was done in white, silver, and clear crystal; the dancers; mirrors lined the walls; the little- the dancers! They were wearing whimsical masks, true, but sort of happy, not gruesome. Something is going to happen, he thought. A tune started up then, something torn out of his past. Shivers went down his spine as a voice started the ageless song.
There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel
Open and close within your eyes
I'll place the sky within your eyes
The voice was smooth, sure and touched something half forgotten in him. Any attempt he had to recover it was blown away as she showed herself to him. She was, no doubt, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, with marble-like skin and onyx hair. The crowd moved slightly moved so he could get a glimpse of her dress.
There's such a cold heart
Learning to love after all these years
A love soon to span the very stars
I'll lay my love among the stars
It was a white ballgown embroidered with silver, diamonds and pearls. "Blasted Fae!" Ever since Sarah defeated him, Faeries from the kingdom next to his had tried to trick him into giving up his throne to them. But there hadn't been any tries for three years or so. They must have been saving up for this charade. It seemed curious to him that it was here because before it had always been the Escher room while dreaming, not fully awake.
As the pain sweeps through
Making sense for you
Every thrill comes back
Isn't lot of fun at all
But I'm here now for you-oo
As your world falls down
Jareth was seized by a thought. They must be ruthless about this now. They had managed to trick one of his smartest and most loyal of subjects. Okay, smartest. Sir Didimus wasn't all there, Ludo was like a child and the wise man was a crackpot spouting off irrelevant idiocy.
You promised me mornings of gold
And all those Valentine evenings
Though I left you that night
I'm working my way to your heart
Finally back to your heart
He tried to back away, but the dancers hemmed him in, blocking him every time. They weren't supposed to do that; he fumed. They were supposed to do that when you wanted the singer, the puppeteer. But they weren't mine. He tested this theory by taking a step towards her. The crowd opened a clear but crooked path to her. It, he thought. It isn't a real girl.
As the pain sweeps through
Making sense for you
Every thrill comes back
Isn't lot of fun at all
But I'm here now for you-oo
As your world falls down
Jareth reached it as the song ended. Wordlessly taking her in his arms, he proceeded to argue. "You may have been able to fool Hoggle, but you'll not trick me." She looked into his eyes with smoky quartz orbs. "Trick? Hoggle did it willingly and it was his idea my lord." He took a moment to digest this and determine his punishment before speaking again. "Still, you won't get my kingdom by marriage fae," he spit it out like poison. "you will have to take it by force, not trickery." "Why must everything revolve around tricks? Can't you ever take anything at face value?" He smiled down at her. "Once you've tried to protect a kingdom from wily faeries one to many times, you learn to see the underlying trickery they thrive on." Her eyes flared. "I don't care about your stinkin' kingdom," she softened her voice. "I want you." He threw his head back in laughter. "You, little faery girl dare to trick me, King of the Goblins and ruler of the underground, into loving you?! This is too precious." He wiped away some tears that had leaked out. She raised a hand as if to slap him, but stopped mid-motion. "You…me …a fairy?" "Yes, dreadful little buggers, aren't you? And didn't your new Queen teach you any eloquence and the proper way to talk to me?" (A/N: He's not being self-centered, just saying how to talk like Sarah) "You actually think me a fair one?" Jareth nodded dumbly, not knowing where this was going. "Okay, let me run through this one more time to make sure I have you right. You think, believe, that someone who goes through your Labyrinth and defeats you, will return home unscathed? That someone who is completely immersed in magic will come out exactly the same as they came in?" He started fidgeting under her heated gaze. "Well, not *exactly* the same, they would have learned a lesson or two in the pro-" "Yes or no will do." "yes" he said in a small voice. How she had turned the tables on him! She smiled softly, and he thought she would apologize, only to be proven wrong again. "My, my. How self-assured you must be of your powers and station." In and instant her and her creatures had vanished. Confused for the first time in his life, he went over to the hidden door and exited the ballroom.
Seven minutes later, Jareth was back in his bedroom with Hoggle. He had decided not to punish the poor creature because as we already know, faeries can be wily little buggers. "So if ya don't mind me askin' sir, what did you wish for?" The question snapped him out of his reverie. "What did I wish for?" Hoggle looked down at his feet. "If you don't want to tell me, it's okay." He looked up at Jareth's face. "Besides, if you tell another person what you wish for, it won't come true." "Sit down Hoggle." He patted the edge of the bed next to him. "I'll tell you because I know it won't come true." "You never know what the future'll bring your princeness." Jareth nodded. "I know, but anyway…Wait. Did you just call me a princess?" Hoggle blinked. "No, I said your prince-ness." "Why would you say something like that? (A/N: Because we know that he's under the influence of a certain movie.) Anyway, I'm a king, not a prince." "Yes sir. Now the wish?" "Oh yes, what I wished for." He took a deep breath.
What did he wish for? Who is the mysterious ballroom phantom? And what will the king's birthday present be? The answers on Friday.