Chapter Three
Jamie paced his living room floor. It was fate. No, no, not fate. It was Jareth, he knew it. This was sign from Jareth that he would finally see the Labyrinth. Because Sarah would help him. He knew she would. Jamie watched the owl that perched on the branch outside his window thoughtfully. He had often seen owls in the trees surrounding his home, a sprawling Tudor. He had risen above his former poverty with the help of his uncle, James. He had taken pity on the boy when he had lost his parents in high school, and taken his upbringing upon himself. He had insisted, however, that Jamie work his way through college, believing it would build good character. Jamie had resented that. But he had the financial security now, so it didn't matter.
Jamie turned and sank down into an oversize chair, still watching the owl. Then he looked away and let his eyes drift around the room. The walls were hung with rich brocaded tapestries, and a suit of armor stood in the corner. A monstrous fireplace with a stone mantle dominated one wall, and an Oriental rug was on the floor in front of it. Gargoyles of stone and goblins of marble haunted the corners. In the center of the room on an oak pedestal was a life-size sculpture of Jareth, the Goblin King.
It was remarkably true to life for one who had never met the Goblin King. But Jamie had no way of knowing the Goblin King had paid him many visits in his dreams. He just knew that he awoke with a frenzied hunger to sculpt, and the chips had fell from his chisel like a spray of seawater. At first, like some mad Pygmalion, he had dressed the likeness in rich robes, and paid it court, preparing for the day when he might pay the King homage in real life. But as time passed, he grew into a frenzy of despair of ever reaching his goal. Oh, how he tired of the mundane life! In his mind's eye, he could see the Labyrinth stretching in all its glory. He could almost hear the voices of the creatures Sarah had told him of. He could see himself trading riddles with Ralph and Alph, jousting with the Goblin guards, matching wits with Jareth. He had made any number of bargains, promised all he had and more, to the one he had been sure was listening, somewhere, somehow. But now he was not so sure.
But he had found Sarah. He had never stopped loving her. She had been his laughing princess, had brought joy to his meaningless existence, and had given him the crazy hope that there might be more beyond what the naked eye could see. Oh, how he longed to share it with her. Surely she had not forgotten. She even wrote books about it! Somewhere, somehow, she must still have some love left for the Labyrinth in her soul. Underneath those mealy looks she had been shooting her.husband. The word tasted sour in Jamie's mouth. In Jamie's world, there was no marriage, only courtly love. No partners, only suitors. The damsel and the knight. Apparently Sarah had chosen a lifelong commitment to one man, instead of the thrill of passion and pursuit. Maybe she had just forgotten. And he had saddled Sarah, his free-willed, high-spirited Sarah with a brat. Never mind the burden of bearing it, or the lifetime of taking care of it. It broke his heart to think of Sarah chasing after some spoiled rotten kid. Just like Toby.
That had been the one puzzling thing about Sarah's story to Jamie. Why had she even bothered? From what he understood, Toby had been a completely rotten kid, just really bratty, and deserved to be turned into a goblin. Why hadn't she just left him there? She could have had her piece of cake and eaten it too. He had asked her about it once, and Sarah had called him a coldhearted bastard. She said that she would NEVER have left poor Toby in the hands of THAT creature. He had stalked off and hadn't spoken to her for two days. Then they had both apologized and gone on as before.
But what to do now? He had seen Sarah, but how to approach the subject? She must tell him. But he didn't want to scare her, which had gone badly the last time. How to do it?
Her book....
Jamie's head snapped up. What was that? Then he saw the owl outside. He heard it again. The owl's eyes seemed to say...her book.... Her book? Her book. Now he remembered. Sarah had a red cloth covered book with its title "The Labyrinth" embossed in gold on the cover. She had called it her good luck charm. She would never let him see it, and had finally hidden it away from him. Yes. She would only have hidden it from him if she thought there was something he would find of use to him. That was it then. That was the key. He would find the book, and he would get his wish. He watched the owl, and rising, gave a slight courtly bow in its direction. The owl blinked, then flew away. Tonight, then.
Jamie paced his living room floor. It was fate. No, no, not fate. It was Jareth, he knew it. This was sign from Jareth that he would finally see the Labyrinth. Because Sarah would help him. He knew she would. Jamie watched the owl that perched on the branch outside his window thoughtfully. He had often seen owls in the trees surrounding his home, a sprawling Tudor. He had risen above his former poverty with the help of his uncle, James. He had taken pity on the boy when he had lost his parents in high school, and taken his upbringing upon himself. He had insisted, however, that Jamie work his way through college, believing it would build good character. Jamie had resented that. But he had the financial security now, so it didn't matter.
Jamie turned and sank down into an oversize chair, still watching the owl. Then he looked away and let his eyes drift around the room. The walls were hung with rich brocaded tapestries, and a suit of armor stood in the corner. A monstrous fireplace with a stone mantle dominated one wall, and an Oriental rug was on the floor in front of it. Gargoyles of stone and goblins of marble haunted the corners. In the center of the room on an oak pedestal was a life-size sculpture of Jareth, the Goblin King.
It was remarkably true to life for one who had never met the Goblin King. But Jamie had no way of knowing the Goblin King had paid him many visits in his dreams. He just knew that he awoke with a frenzied hunger to sculpt, and the chips had fell from his chisel like a spray of seawater. At first, like some mad Pygmalion, he had dressed the likeness in rich robes, and paid it court, preparing for the day when he might pay the King homage in real life. But as time passed, he grew into a frenzy of despair of ever reaching his goal. Oh, how he tired of the mundane life! In his mind's eye, he could see the Labyrinth stretching in all its glory. He could almost hear the voices of the creatures Sarah had told him of. He could see himself trading riddles with Ralph and Alph, jousting with the Goblin guards, matching wits with Jareth. He had made any number of bargains, promised all he had and more, to the one he had been sure was listening, somewhere, somehow. But now he was not so sure.
But he had found Sarah. He had never stopped loving her. She had been his laughing princess, had brought joy to his meaningless existence, and had given him the crazy hope that there might be more beyond what the naked eye could see. Oh, how he longed to share it with her. Surely she had not forgotten. She even wrote books about it! Somewhere, somehow, she must still have some love left for the Labyrinth in her soul. Underneath those mealy looks she had been shooting her.husband. The word tasted sour in Jamie's mouth. In Jamie's world, there was no marriage, only courtly love. No partners, only suitors. The damsel and the knight. Apparently Sarah had chosen a lifelong commitment to one man, instead of the thrill of passion and pursuit. Maybe she had just forgotten. And he had saddled Sarah, his free-willed, high-spirited Sarah with a brat. Never mind the burden of bearing it, or the lifetime of taking care of it. It broke his heart to think of Sarah chasing after some spoiled rotten kid. Just like Toby.
That had been the one puzzling thing about Sarah's story to Jamie. Why had she even bothered? From what he understood, Toby had been a completely rotten kid, just really bratty, and deserved to be turned into a goblin. Why hadn't she just left him there? She could have had her piece of cake and eaten it too. He had asked her about it once, and Sarah had called him a coldhearted bastard. She said that she would NEVER have left poor Toby in the hands of THAT creature. He had stalked off and hadn't spoken to her for two days. Then they had both apologized and gone on as before.
But what to do now? He had seen Sarah, but how to approach the subject? She must tell him. But he didn't want to scare her, which had gone badly the last time. How to do it?
Her book....
Jamie's head snapped up. What was that? Then he saw the owl outside. He heard it again. The owl's eyes seemed to say...her book.... Her book? Her book. Now he remembered. Sarah had a red cloth covered book with its title "The Labyrinth" embossed in gold on the cover. She had called it her good luck charm. She would never let him see it, and had finally hidden it away from him. Yes. She would only have hidden it from him if she thought there was something he would find of use to him. That was it then. That was the key. He would find the book, and he would get his wish. He watched the owl, and rising, gave a slight courtly bow in its direction. The owl blinked, then flew away. Tonight, then.