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And now for some plot. . .
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As Jareth watched Sarah sleeping peacefully beside him, he considered the tasks that now lie before him. He had been hoping, praying that she would learn to trust him; he did not think that he could accomplish what he had to do alone. As fearless and courageous as he was, her world still baffled him, and he knew that he would stick out like a sore thumb. He needed her, for gentle support and for the knowledge that she took for granted. He thought back to the conversation he had held with one of the few remaining elders before his departure to Sarah's house.
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"Your kingdom is in danger," the old man said, without any preface whatsoever. Jareth had been watching the elderly advisor as he followed the stone path to his castle gate. Usually, the elders kept to themselves, only interfering in extreme cases. There had been a time, long ago, when their council had been needed, had been vital to the life of the goblin kingdom. But those days had long since passed, and the rule of the lands of the labyrinth had fallen to Jareth alone. Thus, the arrival of the elder, Maternus, he recalled his name being, was a sign that something was wrong.
"My kingdom?" Jareth questioned. He attempted to mask his emotions and look as imposing and unthreatened as he possibly could; being a monarch, it was difficult to know who to trust.
"The hidden portal has been discovered," Maternus explained. "Aboveground explorers were searching the islands for sources of fuel for their lamps and carriages. They cut down trees until they tripped across the hidden opening. The guardian frightened them away, but they will return with weapons and reinforcements. You must travel to the island of Karelis and close the portal to our world. If you fail to do so, the underground will be open to all the world and the labyrinth and its inhabitants will shrivel and die. A secret world cannot survive when it is no longer a secret; the very essence of your kingdom depends on the necessity for a select few to believe." Jareth nodded. He knew that the situation was dangerous, and he wondered absently how he would find the island and destroy the portal. He had traveled between his world and above, but he had always been focused on a specific task and had not taken the time to explore and learn the ways of the world above them.
"I will not fail," he reassured the old man.
"There is a second matter which. . . needs your attention," the elder stated. "The girl. . . she is ready." Jareth looked curiously at the man. "She has been coming to grips with her emotions, but she is ready to take her place beside you. It has been foretold, of course, your meeting with the young girl, her conquest of the labyrinth, and then the love blossoming between a headstrong ruler and a strong spirited woman." Jareth bristled at being called headstrong; it was wisdom, he told himself, the old man was mistaken. Maternus grinned, as if reading Jareth's thoughts. "Go to her. Then you may begin your quest." Without another word, Maternus was out the door and wandering back down the path and into the depths of the labyrinth. Jareth sighed. It would take him another day at least to come up with a suitable plan to return to Sarah's life. He examined the dull, ever changing labyrinth and dejectedly looked up at the sky. He needed to walk, to clear his head.
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Sarah whimpered in her sleep, bringing Jareth out of his reverie. He gently stroked her hair, watching her eyes as they fluttered in sleep. Eventually she sighed, smiled a little smile, and settled back to sleep, cuddled up to his leg. As comfortable as he was, Jareth knew that she would be stiff in the morning if she lie on the couch all night. He gently moved her head, stood, and gathered her softly in his arms. Trying to be as gentle and quiet as possible, he carried her toward the stairs.
Sarah's eyes fluttered open as he reached the landing.
"Sweet," she whispered, nuzzling his chest as her eyes closed again. Smiling, the goblin king placed her in her bed, drawing the covers up to her chin, and watching her for a moment as she slept. He bent, left a small kiss on her temple, and headed back downstairs to his own makeshift bed. He lie awake, wondering how to tell the woman he loved that he had to go search for an island, and that he needed her help. Well, Sarah was beginning to trust him again, so nothing was impossible. Succumbing to exhaustion, the goblin king entered his own unique dreams.
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Sarah woke abruptly. She had been running, to somewhere or from somewhere, she didn't know. . . she had been lost, trying to find someone. . . blinking, she shook the fear from her heart and tried to fathom her location. She vaguely remembered falling asleep somewhere else. . . Jareth. Realizing that she was still in her own room, she snuggled back under the covers, ready to go to sleep once more. What a sweet guy, she thought, he didn't even take advantage of the fact that I fell asleep on him. She sighed and subconsciously wished that her pillow had blonde hair and mismatched eyes.