AN:
Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth...just Jareth :P
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He's BaaAAaack!
(Part II)
"What are you going to do about this?" I asked curiously. He had to have a plan. Hold it, when did I start seeing him as my knight in shining armor. A little voice says, when you realized he wasn't the monster you had thought he was. He knew more about this threat than I did and I would have to be half blind to not notice the signals he had been sending out.
"You're coming back to the Underground with me," Jareth stood, keeping his hold on my hand. He gave a gentle tug as his signal he wanted me to stand next.
I yanked my hand back. "What?? No!" My eyes became steely upon his face. "You cannot just order me to drop everything to go back with you."
"Sarah..." he sighed in exasperation. "You asked for my plan and that is it, to keep you safe and protected with me."
"And what would be the difference between that and me being a prisoner there?" I did my best to keep my eyes cool. Though, part of me trembled at the thought of going back there. I was not sure the exact cause, though. Was it the bad memories it would rehash...or an excitement at being there, with HIM.
"Well, if you WERE a prisoner you would be in a dungeon cell...or in the bog." He smirked and then knelt again in front of me. "Honestly, Sarah, you will be free to go as you wish. But, down there I will be able to take care of you and when you do decide you want to come back here I will be with you."
"So, I get to have a Siamese twin, is that it?" I lifted a brow, ignoring the barely suppressed shudder at the thought of him keeping close company with me. "How long will this have to be?"
"Until I get a hold of him and make sure he nor any of his people can never hurt you. Once he finds out I spirited you away I am sure he will get bolder, and all the better for me to weed him out."
"I take it you want us to leave now..."
"Preferably. I don't want to give him time to learn of my involvement."
"And you swear I can come and go as I please?"
"By my heart, which you stole those many years ago." He purred.
"Too much cheesiness makes you constipated." I stood up from the couch with a groan.
He straightened before me with a puzzled look. "What??"
"Never mind. Lets just go...I concede."
He looked at me for a moment before suddenly taking me by my upper arms. I wondered vaguely if I had worked that last nerve and he was going to shake me to death for the offense of my smart mouth. I surprised even more when he then bent over and pressed a kiss to my mouth. It wasn't a tonsil tickling one like he had given me in front of the theatre class. (Because of course I didn't have my mouth open this time.) But, the intensity was as strong as ever as he smashed his soft lips against mine. My toes were curling, oh heck so were my feet, ankles, calves, and knees! I am sure if he hadn't been holding me I would have been a boneless pile on the ground. He pulled back just as suddenly, leaving me standing there dazed and blinking at nothing.
He chuckled. "Is that what it takes to shut you up?"
"Why you-" I turned to glare at him, but he placed a hand over my mouth. He produced a crystal with the other and we were transported to his castle. He waited a few moments before finally removing his hand. I turned away from him in a show of disapproval at my treatment.
I took the chance to have a look at my surroundings. We were in a bedroom, which was obvious from the large bed in the center. The décor had a feminine touch to it. I took it this was to be my room then. The bed was dressed in pale lavender silk with darker violet silk pillows. There were four doors in the room, two were open. One I could see led to a bathroom that looked quiet modern and out of place in a castle. The other led to another bedroom that had a much darker...masculine décor. I assume it was Jareth's; he was very serious about wanting to me keep me close. As for the other two, I assume they were the outside door and the closet. I hoped there was something in the closet since I obviously had not packed before we left.
"Is it to your liking? I can change it if it is not," Jareth came up close behind me. He rested a hand gently against the small of my back. "The bathroom is stocked with everything imaginable, everything you could ever want."
"The bedroom is lovely," I turned halfway towards him so he was at my side and somewhat in my line of vision. His hand remained on my back and I didn't really care. "I assume that is your room through that door?"
"Yes, and I know you are smart enough to know why that is." He smirked and purred slightly, "You are always welcome there, Sarah."
"I'll keep that in mind." I said dryly and that was when I decided to step away from his touch. I opened the door nearest to me to find that it was indeed the closet. It looked to be full of dresses and dress slippers. "Anything in here a bit more casual??"
"Not really...but I guess I can arrange...something." He had retreated to leaning against the doorway to his bedroom. He was watching me with solemn eyes now. "If you need anything, you have but to ask."
"Thank you, really." I looked down for a moment and then back up at him. "Do you have anything to eat? I sort of ditched my supper earlier cause I was so curious of what you wanted to talk to me about."
"I shall get us something right away. I was distracted from my meal, also." He held out his arm for me to take and looked at me with a smile.
===================
I walked back into my room later. It was late, Jareth had shown me around the castle and the grounds after we had eaten. We had actually talked civilly for once. There were miracles out there! He hadn't once made another move on me, either. I wasn't sure if I was relieved or disappointed! It was mostly catching up, polite small talk. I knew he had been watching me and did not need to be caught up, but he told me of the Underground. Things I never cared to learn on my first visit.
I closed the joining door and briefly saw Jareth preparing for bed. I decided on a warm bath before going to sleep. I went into the bathroom and took a quick look around. Large bath that was like a small pool with a shower in the back corner. The toilet was off to the side and also a large sink. There was also a closet here almost as big as the one for my clothes filled with towels, robes, and many bathing supplies. I grabbed some bath oil, soaps, a towel, and a large robe before drawing my bath.
Nearly an hour later, I stepped out of the bathroom in a fragrant mist. I headed towards the bed and started pulling down the covers when I heard a noise from the next room, Jareth's room. I paused and listened, there it was again. It was a sort of groan mixed with a whimper, something that you pretty much only got from haunting nightmares. I crossed to the adjoining door and pressed my ear against it. Now I could also hear his restless thrashing about on the bed.
I quietly opened the door and stepped inside. It was just as I had thought. I padded over to the bed with a frown. What could be so awful as to be giving *JARETH* nightmares? I sighed as I stood next to the bed looking down at him in fitful sleep. He looked so much less imposing and frightening, almost vulnerable. My heart gave a lurch. I reached out to softly touch his arm.
He jerked awake and sat up staring out into the darkness with wild eyes. Then the world came into focus and he relaxed. He turned to look at me. My hand was still stretched out as I looked at him dumbly. He took that hand and tugged it so I sat on the edge of the bed beside him.
"Did I wake you?" he asked quietly with concern.
"No, I was about to head to bed when I heard you," I cocked my head to the side. "May I ask what you were dreaming about? Was it so utterly awful as to give the mighty Goblin King nightmares?"
"It is the same haunting dream I have had for years. Ever since a beautiful young woman defeated me and made a mockery of my power. Who denied my love." He looked away. "Yes, it is so very utterly awful."
I withdrew a bit and nearly stood up until he stopped me. "No, stay. Help me stop the nightmare."
===========================
The next morning I awoke in Jareth's bed instead of my own. I had warm, muscular arms wrapped around my waist and my back was pressed against a solid wall of chest. I looked around and sighed. My life just kept getting stranger and stranger. And get your minds out of the gutter, we didn't do anything! I had just become somewhat of a human teddy bear to him.
I sat up and pried myself from his grasp. Behind me I heard him groan as I suspected he was waking up, too. I straightened my robe; yes, by some act of god it remained on me all through the night. The bed shifted as he sat up behind me and his hand touched my shoulder. I turned slightly to look back at him.
"I am sorry about last night," His eyes were guarded. "Rest assured I will not make a habit of it. It is not a ploy to get you into my bed and hopefully with you back, and with us at peace now, they will end."
"Hopefully," I flashed him a smile. "And I was there, I saw with my own eyes your torment at the hands of this nightmare. I believe you. You have nothing to be sorry for." I stood and tossed my hair over my shoulder with a smirk. "Well...except for being a pain in my ass, but I'll deal."
"I'll just have to make it up to you then. To begin with, I shall have your friends here to see you. They are of course welcome in the castle whenever you want them here with you." He slid out of the bed gracefully to stand before me. "But of course after breakfast."
=====================
I finally found something in the closet that didn't make me feel like a life-size porcelain doll. It was a sleeveless green silk dress that was all simple lines and fell to mid-calf. The upper half had embroidery in the same green thread to give it texture. I had grabbed a pair of green silk slipper and carried them out with me. I dropped them onto the floor so I could step into them. With that done I crossed over to the vanity to brush out my hair and then tie the locks around my face back with a bit of green ribbon.
I inspected my appearance and approved with a sort of nod. I turned as there was a knock on the door and went to answer it. Jareth stood there in the demented pirate's outfit again. He smiled, no smirk this time, and stepped in towards me.
"I brought my promised offerings," he stated and motioned towards the hallway behind him. Hoggle's head peered around the door frame at me warily.
"Sarah! You really has returned!" he exclaimed and hurried into the room.
"Hoggle! Oh how I've missed you!" I fell to my knees to hug him while he looked uncomfortable with all the emotion.
Jareth cleared his throat. "I have things to do, the others are on their way." With that he disappears.
Within minutes Sir Didymus and Ambrosius came trotting through the door. I looked past them after greeting them in the same way I had greeted Hoggle. A frown furrowed my brows. "Where's Ludo?"
"My lady, I do not know. He has been missing for some time now."
"Why didn't Jareth tell me??"
"Maybe didn' know." Hoggle said and shuffled his feet.
"We have to go look for him." I stood and headed for the door. The others hurried after me. I didn't stop until we got outside the castle, which took some time. "Now to go back into the Labyrinth...even standing here I can see it's different from the last time. But, with you guys to help me I am sure there won't be much trouble. Of course, Jareth is there for me to call too." I surely hoped I didn't, though. He might not like that I left without telling him.
We traveled down the paths for some time with no sign of my furred friend. How could a guy as large as Ludo be lost?? Surely someone had to have seen him. No one had, though. I sighed and leaned against a wall. This was beginning to get hopeless and I was getting tired.
"You sure you have no idea about where he could be??" My two friends only looked up at me with sad expressions and shook their heads. "Oh great. Just great."
I turned to go, but not without hitting my fist against the wall with a little bit of frustration. I didn't get far when suddenly there was no ground under me and I was falling. I distantly heard Hoggle calling my name, but the sound became distant and faded away. What had I gotten myself into??
After falling for what seemed like days, I came to a soft landing on a pile of large, silk pillows. I sat there looking around in the darkness. My eyes wide, trying to see my surroundings. Could it be another oubliette?? Would Hoggle or Jareth come and get me soon?? Someone was bound to come for me, right??
"Oh my dear Sarah, that dwarf can not get you out of this one," a voice purred in the darkness. It sounded so familiar to me. I searched the area it came from the best I could.
"Jareth?? How could you, I thought we were starting anew," I could hear my voice breaking in disbelief. "Show yourself to me and stop hiding in the dark you coward."
The came a faint glow in the center of the room and standing against the wall was a man looking very similar to Jareth except for the hair. It was very dark, and when the light hit it there were red highlights to it. He was in a black silk shirt left open over black leather pants. His arms were crossed over his chest as he studied me insolently.
"I am not the horrid, Jareth," he straightened and took a few steps in my direction. "I am his cousin, Kolteq." He gave a slight bow. "I am sure he has told you about me by now."
"Yes, he has told me quite a lot!" I struggled to stand, and finally got my baring. "What is this about? You going to kill me...use me as bait??"
"No, you are going to do my dirty work for me."
"Never!"
"I think you may want to reconsider." He waved a hand to one side covered in darkness still. It lightened to reveal a much larger space. I gasped as it also revealed figures slumped against the wall, chained and gagged. Ludo...Jana...Toby... "Would you risk them too?"
"Grr...what do you want me to do?" I gritted my teeth and glared at him.
======================
Hours later I appeared on the steps to Jareth's castle. I slumped to a sitting position. What was I to do?? Could I go through with this? Could I risk the ones I cared about?? Either way I would! Jareth...or Ludo, Jana, and Toby... Sadly, saving three or saving one seemed to make the choice for me. And all the grief losing those three would touch far beyond them. Jana and my family, our friends... I guess I had to do this...or find a way to rescue them without risking them, too.
"SARAH!" Jareth roared seconds before I heard his boots come stomping down towards me. "WHAT IN THE BLUE BLAZES DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING GOING OUT INTO THE LABYRINTH WHILE KOLTEQ IS AT LARGE??!!" He stopped in front of me, a few steps down from where I sat blinking at him.
"I had to find Ludo," I said doggedly, I was not up for this fight. "I was wrong, can we please just not fight. My head hurts and I'm a bit tired."
"Hoggle told me what happened," his eyes softened. "How did you get out?"
"Uh..." I thought for a moment. Surely with such an imagination I could come up with something. "I found some tunnels and followed them back here." I smiled tiredly and stood up. "I need nourishment, lets go inside." I ended the conversation by jogging up the steps and through the front doors.
=======================
I sat in my bedroom cross-legged on the bed. I tapped the brush against the calf on top of my lap while thinking. There had to be some way to save my friends along with Jareth and his goblin kingdom. There just had to be! I tossed the brush aside and sighed. I stood and started pacing as I thought to myself about my predicament.
There was a light tap at the door and Jareth stepped in. He looked me up and down longingly it seemed. I stopped and turned to look at him. A light bulb went on in my head and I smiled. I strode over to him and touched his arm lightly.
"Jareth...you said I could come and go as I pleased," I said and he nodded. "Could I please go back to my house, I expect you'll want to accompany me of course."
"Why do you need to go back?" he asked.
"We did leave kind of in a hurry. I would like to get some things."
"Anything you could want I could get you easily."
"There are some things I want to get from my apartment, though." I turned up the wattage on my smile and leaned into him. "Please, Jareth."
That seemed to do him in. "Okay, fine."
He pulled out a crystal and transported us to just outside my apartment. I looked up at my apartment and then turned to walk down the street. Jareth of course came hurrying after me. He caught me by the arm.
"Where are you going?" he asks a bit harshly.
"To the park, it's a lovely day and we can sit on the grass together," I lean into him yet again and practically batted my eyes up at him. "Maybe get a little friendly."
This time he frowned intensely and twisted my arm roughly. "What game are you playing at, Sarah?"
I winced. "I don't know what you mean. Will you please release me, you're hurting me, Jareth."
"Do you take me as a fool??" He gave me a little shake and my teeth rattled in my head. "I know you, I know you almost better than you know yourself. I have been watching you most of your fool life, girl."
"What, do you want an award?" I growled. I was getting frustrated, why was he acting like this. You would think he wanted to get friendly with me in the park. Can we bash my ego a little bit more?
"Now that is more like the real you. You aren't normally all sex kittenish and coming on to me here and there. I let it slide back in my castle...but I know you would never offer yourself to me just like that." He leaned in close, glaring into my eyes. "What gives, Sarah?"
Maybe I could tell him and he could help... I sighed. No...no, I had to do what Kolteq said. I set my jaw and glared back at him. "I have no idea what you mean. If you didn't want to kiss me you could have just said-" suddenly I was pressed against him and his lips were against my roughly. He stopped twisting my arms so he could hold me by my small waist and press me closer. I melted in his arms and my mind turned to mush. He finally released me and I was blinking up at him, trying to catch my breath. "-so."
He kept me pressed against him so I couldn't fully regain my senses and he looked down at me with a very intent look in his eyes. "Tell me what is going on here, Sarah."
My resolve exploded into a million pieces. Tears welled up in my eyes and my throat burned. "Its Kolteq...that's where I was earlier. I fell in that hole and he got me. He told me about being your cousin and all." I shook my head and looked down at our feet. "He has Ludo...and Toby...and my friend, Jana, who you met the other day in class."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" he said softly now and was running his hand over my back soothingly.
"He said he would hurt them...or worse...if I didn't do as he said. I am to lure you into a trap." I muttered dejectedly.
"You do realize this is the perfect time to go rescue them, don't you?" He lifted my chin with his finger. "He and his army are waiting for us in the park, I assume. Leaving the hostages unguarded."
"But I don't know where I was yesterday..."
"I do."
======================
We were quietly walking down the hall of Kolteq's castle. Jareth was right, his cousin had taken it for granted that he had scared me into going along with his plans. Jareth held my hand reassuringly as we made our way down to the dungeons.
When we got down there, there was the trouble and figuring out where my friends and brother were being kept. Jareth looked at me and nodded. He pulled out a crystal and used it to locate the cell. Then he turned the crystal into a key for opening the cell.
It was barely open before I rushed in. I knelt besides Toby and touched the young boy's cheek. His eyes opened slowly to look up at me, when he recognized me his whole face lit up. "Sarah!"
This brought Ludo to attention beside him. "Sarah? Sarah help Ludo?" This made me smile as Jareth went to work unchaining them.
"Sarah..." a plaintive voice sounded from the far side of the room. I hurried over to Jana. "What is this place, Sarah?? Why have I been brought here??" My friend's eyes were wild with panic and then they went to Jareth. "Him, I knew there was something odd about him!"
"Jana...he's hear to help you...we both are, he's a friend of mine," I said soothingly. "We have to get out of here and then I can explain everything." As soon as Jareth had her unchained I helped her to her feet. "He didn't hurt any of you, did he?"
They all shook their heads and I breathed a sigh of relief. Jareth took out a few crystals and juggled them before tossing them over our heads. When they came down we were back in his castle within the center of the labyrinth. I bent and scooped up the young boy who had been there before.
Jana stood there looking around. "What's with all the medieval architecture lately?"
"I think you can go help Jana clean up, the room to the other side of yours can be hers for the time being. They share the bathroom," Jareth walked over and lifted Toby from my arms with a smile. "I'll take care of the little one and send Ludo back to a safe part in the labyrinth where your other friends are staying at the moment."
I smiled warmly. "Thank you." I turned and led Jana down the hall. I took her to the room Jareth had indicated and pointed out the bathroom to her.
Once Jana had washed she came to stand in front of me with hands planted on her hips. "Spill it, Sarah."
"Well, when Toby was just a baby, I wished him away. Jareth came to take him away as I had wished, only I hadn't known this would really happen. So I begged for him back, but Jareth told me to get him back I would have to run the labyrinth," I motioned out the window. Jana walked over and peered out.
"You had to run THAT?" she blinked at me with big eyes.
"Yup. Ludo and a few others helped me out. I did make it, as you can obviously tell and I returned home safe with Toby. Well, a few days ago Jareth arrived at school as you know. I thought he was just being a pain in the ass and trying to get some sort of revenge on me." I looked to the side. "Part of that IS true...but he also knew that Kolteq was after me; he's the one who kidnapped you. Jareth brought me here to keep me safe." I took a step towards my friend. "I am so sorry that bastard, Kolteq, brought you into this all."
"Well..." Jana took a long breath and looked at the floor, then back up at me. "Now that I have been drawn into this mess...I say we make the jerk pay."
"Of course," I smiled.
I turned as Jareth walked in holding a cleaned up Toby. He stood there holding my little brother, totally at ease. The sight made something in my chest warm and my heart beat a little faster. I found myself smiling like a moron.
"When shall I be sending Miss Schmitt back?" he asked.
"For one, it's probably not safe...and two-"
"MISS Schmitt doesn't want to go back." Jana stepped up beside me and crossed her arms across her chest. "I am in this now and I wanna see that jerk pay, too."
"I guess I have more guests to clean up after now, what will I do," Jareth was smiling down at Toby as he said this. My brother, usually the type to only trust me and his parents, was smiling right back up at the goblin king. I learned more about this man every day it seemed.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth...just Jareth :P
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He's BaaAAaack!
(Part II)
"What are you going to do about this?" I asked curiously. He had to have a plan. Hold it, when did I start seeing him as my knight in shining armor. A little voice says, when you realized he wasn't the monster you had thought he was. He knew more about this threat than I did and I would have to be half blind to not notice the signals he had been sending out.
"You're coming back to the Underground with me," Jareth stood, keeping his hold on my hand. He gave a gentle tug as his signal he wanted me to stand next.
I yanked my hand back. "What?? No!" My eyes became steely upon his face. "You cannot just order me to drop everything to go back with you."
"Sarah..." he sighed in exasperation. "You asked for my plan and that is it, to keep you safe and protected with me."
"And what would be the difference between that and me being a prisoner there?" I did my best to keep my eyes cool. Though, part of me trembled at the thought of going back there. I was not sure the exact cause, though. Was it the bad memories it would rehash...or an excitement at being there, with HIM.
"Well, if you WERE a prisoner you would be in a dungeon cell...or in the bog." He smirked and then knelt again in front of me. "Honestly, Sarah, you will be free to go as you wish. But, down there I will be able to take care of you and when you do decide you want to come back here I will be with you."
"So, I get to have a Siamese twin, is that it?" I lifted a brow, ignoring the barely suppressed shudder at the thought of him keeping close company with me. "How long will this have to be?"
"Until I get a hold of him and make sure he nor any of his people can never hurt you. Once he finds out I spirited you away I am sure he will get bolder, and all the better for me to weed him out."
"I take it you want us to leave now..."
"Preferably. I don't want to give him time to learn of my involvement."
"And you swear I can come and go as I please?"
"By my heart, which you stole those many years ago." He purred.
"Too much cheesiness makes you constipated." I stood up from the couch with a groan.
He straightened before me with a puzzled look. "What??"
"Never mind. Lets just go...I concede."
He looked at me for a moment before suddenly taking me by my upper arms. I wondered vaguely if I had worked that last nerve and he was going to shake me to death for the offense of my smart mouth. I surprised even more when he then bent over and pressed a kiss to my mouth. It wasn't a tonsil tickling one like he had given me in front of the theatre class. (Because of course I didn't have my mouth open this time.) But, the intensity was as strong as ever as he smashed his soft lips against mine. My toes were curling, oh heck so were my feet, ankles, calves, and knees! I am sure if he hadn't been holding me I would have been a boneless pile on the ground. He pulled back just as suddenly, leaving me standing there dazed and blinking at nothing.
He chuckled. "Is that what it takes to shut you up?"
"Why you-" I turned to glare at him, but he placed a hand over my mouth. He produced a crystal with the other and we were transported to his castle. He waited a few moments before finally removing his hand. I turned away from him in a show of disapproval at my treatment.
I took the chance to have a look at my surroundings. We were in a bedroom, which was obvious from the large bed in the center. The décor had a feminine touch to it. I took it this was to be my room then. The bed was dressed in pale lavender silk with darker violet silk pillows. There were four doors in the room, two were open. One I could see led to a bathroom that looked quiet modern and out of place in a castle. The other led to another bedroom that had a much darker...masculine décor. I assume it was Jareth's; he was very serious about wanting to me keep me close. As for the other two, I assume they were the outside door and the closet. I hoped there was something in the closet since I obviously had not packed before we left.
"Is it to your liking? I can change it if it is not," Jareth came up close behind me. He rested a hand gently against the small of my back. "The bathroom is stocked with everything imaginable, everything you could ever want."
"The bedroom is lovely," I turned halfway towards him so he was at my side and somewhat in my line of vision. His hand remained on my back and I didn't really care. "I assume that is your room through that door?"
"Yes, and I know you are smart enough to know why that is." He smirked and purred slightly, "You are always welcome there, Sarah."
"I'll keep that in mind." I said dryly and that was when I decided to step away from his touch. I opened the door nearest to me to find that it was indeed the closet. It looked to be full of dresses and dress slippers. "Anything in here a bit more casual??"
"Not really...but I guess I can arrange...something." He had retreated to leaning against the doorway to his bedroom. He was watching me with solemn eyes now. "If you need anything, you have but to ask."
"Thank you, really." I looked down for a moment and then back up at him. "Do you have anything to eat? I sort of ditched my supper earlier cause I was so curious of what you wanted to talk to me about."
"I shall get us something right away. I was distracted from my meal, also." He held out his arm for me to take and looked at me with a smile.
===================
I walked back into my room later. It was late, Jareth had shown me around the castle and the grounds after we had eaten. We had actually talked civilly for once. There were miracles out there! He hadn't once made another move on me, either. I wasn't sure if I was relieved or disappointed! It was mostly catching up, polite small talk. I knew he had been watching me and did not need to be caught up, but he told me of the Underground. Things I never cared to learn on my first visit.
I closed the joining door and briefly saw Jareth preparing for bed. I decided on a warm bath before going to sleep. I went into the bathroom and took a quick look around. Large bath that was like a small pool with a shower in the back corner. The toilet was off to the side and also a large sink. There was also a closet here almost as big as the one for my clothes filled with towels, robes, and many bathing supplies. I grabbed some bath oil, soaps, a towel, and a large robe before drawing my bath.
Nearly an hour later, I stepped out of the bathroom in a fragrant mist. I headed towards the bed and started pulling down the covers when I heard a noise from the next room, Jareth's room. I paused and listened, there it was again. It was a sort of groan mixed with a whimper, something that you pretty much only got from haunting nightmares. I crossed to the adjoining door and pressed my ear against it. Now I could also hear his restless thrashing about on the bed.
I quietly opened the door and stepped inside. It was just as I had thought. I padded over to the bed with a frown. What could be so awful as to be giving *JARETH* nightmares? I sighed as I stood next to the bed looking down at him in fitful sleep. He looked so much less imposing and frightening, almost vulnerable. My heart gave a lurch. I reached out to softly touch his arm.
He jerked awake and sat up staring out into the darkness with wild eyes. Then the world came into focus and he relaxed. He turned to look at me. My hand was still stretched out as I looked at him dumbly. He took that hand and tugged it so I sat on the edge of the bed beside him.
"Did I wake you?" he asked quietly with concern.
"No, I was about to head to bed when I heard you," I cocked my head to the side. "May I ask what you were dreaming about? Was it so utterly awful as to give the mighty Goblin King nightmares?"
"It is the same haunting dream I have had for years. Ever since a beautiful young woman defeated me and made a mockery of my power. Who denied my love." He looked away. "Yes, it is so very utterly awful."
I withdrew a bit and nearly stood up until he stopped me. "No, stay. Help me stop the nightmare."
===========================
The next morning I awoke in Jareth's bed instead of my own. I had warm, muscular arms wrapped around my waist and my back was pressed against a solid wall of chest. I looked around and sighed. My life just kept getting stranger and stranger. And get your minds out of the gutter, we didn't do anything! I had just become somewhat of a human teddy bear to him.
I sat up and pried myself from his grasp. Behind me I heard him groan as I suspected he was waking up, too. I straightened my robe; yes, by some act of god it remained on me all through the night. The bed shifted as he sat up behind me and his hand touched my shoulder. I turned slightly to look back at him.
"I am sorry about last night," His eyes were guarded. "Rest assured I will not make a habit of it. It is not a ploy to get you into my bed and hopefully with you back, and with us at peace now, they will end."
"Hopefully," I flashed him a smile. "And I was there, I saw with my own eyes your torment at the hands of this nightmare. I believe you. You have nothing to be sorry for." I stood and tossed my hair over my shoulder with a smirk. "Well...except for being a pain in my ass, but I'll deal."
"I'll just have to make it up to you then. To begin with, I shall have your friends here to see you. They are of course welcome in the castle whenever you want them here with you." He slid out of the bed gracefully to stand before me. "But of course after breakfast."
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I finally found something in the closet that didn't make me feel like a life-size porcelain doll. It was a sleeveless green silk dress that was all simple lines and fell to mid-calf. The upper half had embroidery in the same green thread to give it texture. I had grabbed a pair of green silk slipper and carried them out with me. I dropped them onto the floor so I could step into them. With that done I crossed over to the vanity to brush out my hair and then tie the locks around my face back with a bit of green ribbon.
I inspected my appearance and approved with a sort of nod. I turned as there was a knock on the door and went to answer it. Jareth stood there in the demented pirate's outfit again. He smiled, no smirk this time, and stepped in towards me.
"I brought my promised offerings," he stated and motioned towards the hallway behind him. Hoggle's head peered around the door frame at me warily.
"Sarah! You really has returned!" he exclaimed and hurried into the room.
"Hoggle! Oh how I've missed you!" I fell to my knees to hug him while he looked uncomfortable with all the emotion.
Jareth cleared his throat. "I have things to do, the others are on their way." With that he disappears.
Within minutes Sir Didymus and Ambrosius came trotting through the door. I looked past them after greeting them in the same way I had greeted Hoggle. A frown furrowed my brows. "Where's Ludo?"
"My lady, I do not know. He has been missing for some time now."
"Why didn't Jareth tell me??"
"Maybe didn' know." Hoggle said and shuffled his feet.
"We have to go look for him." I stood and headed for the door. The others hurried after me. I didn't stop until we got outside the castle, which took some time. "Now to go back into the Labyrinth...even standing here I can see it's different from the last time. But, with you guys to help me I am sure there won't be much trouble. Of course, Jareth is there for me to call too." I surely hoped I didn't, though. He might not like that I left without telling him.
We traveled down the paths for some time with no sign of my furred friend. How could a guy as large as Ludo be lost?? Surely someone had to have seen him. No one had, though. I sighed and leaned against a wall. This was beginning to get hopeless and I was getting tired.
"You sure you have no idea about where he could be??" My two friends only looked up at me with sad expressions and shook their heads. "Oh great. Just great."
I turned to go, but not without hitting my fist against the wall with a little bit of frustration. I didn't get far when suddenly there was no ground under me and I was falling. I distantly heard Hoggle calling my name, but the sound became distant and faded away. What had I gotten myself into??
After falling for what seemed like days, I came to a soft landing on a pile of large, silk pillows. I sat there looking around in the darkness. My eyes wide, trying to see my surroundings. Could it be another oubliette?? Would Hoggle or Jareth come and get me soon?? Someone was bound to come for me, right??
"Oh my dear Sarah, that dwarf can not get you out of this one," a voice purred in the darkness. It sounded so familiar to me. I searched the area it came from the best I could.
"Jareth?? How could you, I thought we were starting anew," I could hear my voice breaking in disbelief. "Show yourself to me and stop hiding in the dark you coward."
The came a faint glow in the center of the room and standing against the wall was a man looking very similar to Jareth except for the hair. It was very dark, and when the light hit it there were red highlights to it. He was in a black silk shirt left open over black leather pants. His arms were crossed over his chest as he studied me insolently.
"I am not the horrid, Jareth," he straightened and took a few steps in my direction. "I am his cousin, Kolteq." He gave a slight bow. "I am sure he has told you about me by now."
"Yes, he has told me quite a lot!" I struggled to stand, and finally got my baring. "What is this about? You going to kill me...use me as bait??"
"No, you are going to do my dirty work for me."
"Never!"
"I think you may want to reconsider." He waved a hand to one side covered in darkness still. It lightened to reveal a much larger space. I gasped as it also revealed figures slumped against the wall, chained and gagged. Ludo...Jana...Toby... "Would you risk them too?"
"Grr...what do you want me to do?" I gritted my teeth and glared at him.
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Hours later I appeared on the steps to Jareth's castle. I slumped to a sitting position. What was I to do?? Could I go through with this? Could I risk the ones I cared about?? Either way I would! Jareth...or Ludo, Jana, and Toby... Sadly, saving three or saving one seemed to make the choice for me. And all the grief losing those three would touch far beyond them. Jana and my family, our friends... I guess I had to do this...or find a way to rescue them without risking them, too.
"SARAH!" Jareth roared seconds before I heard his boots come stomping down towards me. "WHAT IN THE BLUE BLAZES DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING GOING OUT INTO THE LABYRINTH WHILE KOLTEQ IS AT LARGE??!!" He stopped in front of me, a few steps down from where I sat blinking at him.
"I had to find Ludo," I said doggedly, I was not up for this fight. "I was wrong, can we please just not fight. My head hurts and I'm a bit tired."
"Hoggle told me what happened," his eyes softened. "How did you get out?"
"Uh..." I thought for a moment. Surely with such an imagination I could come up with something. "I found some tunnels and followed them back here." I smiled tiredly and stood up. "I need nourishment, lets go inside." I ended the conversation by jogging up the steps and through the front doors.
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I sat in my bedroom cross-legged on the bed. I tapped the brush against the calf on top of my lap while thinking. There had to be some way to save my friends along with Jareth and his goblin kingdom. There just had to be! I tossed the brush aside and sighed. I stood and started pacing as I thought to myself about my predicament.
There was a light tap at the door and Jareth stepped in. He looked me up and down longingly it seemed. I stopped and turned to look at him. A light bulb went on in my head and I smiled. I strode over to him and touched his arm lightly.
"Jareth...you said I could come and go as I pleased," I said and he nodded. "Could I please go back to my house, I expect you'll want to accompany me of course."
"Why do you need to go back?" he asked.
"We did leave kind of in a hurry. I would like to get some things."
"Anything you could want I could get you easily."
"There are some things I want to get from my apartment, though." I turned up the wattage on my smile and leaned into him. "Please, Jareth."
That seemed to do him in. "Okay, fine."
He pulled out a crystal and transported us to just outside my apartment. I looked up at my apartment and then turned to walk down the street. Jareth of course came hurrying after me. He caught me by the arm.
"Where are you going?" he asks a bit harshly.
"To the park, it's a lovely day and we can sit on the grass together," I lean into him yet again and practically batted my eyes up at him. "Maybe get a little friendly."
This time he frowned intensely and twisted my arm roughly. "What game are you playing at, Sarah?"
I winced. "I don't know what you mean. Will you please release me, you're hurting me, Jareth."
"Do you take me as a fool??" He gave me a little shake and my teeth rattled in my head. "I know you, I know you almost better than you know yourself. I have been watching you most of your fool life, girl."
"What, do you want an award?" I growled. I was getting frustrated, why was he acting like this. You would think he wanted to get friendly with me in the park. Can we bash my ego a little bit more?
"Now that is more like the real you. You aren't normally all sex kittenish and coming on to me here and there. I let it slide back in my castle...but I know you would never offer yourself to me just like that." He leaned in close, glaring into my eyes. "What gives, Sarah?"
Maybe I could tell him and he could help... I sighed. No...no, I had to do what Kolteq said. I set my jaw and glared back at him. "I have no idea what you mean. If you didn't want to kiss me you could have just said-" suddenly I was pressed against him and his lips were against my roughly. He stopped twisting my arms so he could hold me by my small waist and press me closer. I melted in his arms and my mind turned to mush. He finally released me and I was blinking up at him, trying to catch my breath. "-so."
He kept me pressed against him so I couldn't fully regain my senses and he looked down at me with a very intent look in his eyes. "Tell me what is going on here, Sarah."
My resolve exploded into a million pieces. Tears welled up in my eyes and my throat burned. "Its Kolteq...that's where I was earlier. I fell in that hole and he got me. He told me about being your cousin and all." I shook my head and looked down at our feet. "He has Ludo...and Toby...and my friend, Jana, who you met the other day in class."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" he said softly now and was running his hand over my back soothingly.
"He said he would hurt them...or worse...if I didn't do as he said. I am to lure you into a trap." I muttered dejectedly.
"You do realize this is the perfect time to go rescue them, don't you?" He lifted my chin with his finger. "He and his army are waiting for us in the park, I assume. Leaving the hostages unguarded."
"But I don't know where I was yesterday..."
"I do."
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We were quietly walking down the hall of Kolteq's castle. Jareth was right, his cousin had taken it for granted that he had scared me into going along with his plans. Jareth held my hand reassuringly as we made our way down to the dungeons.
When we got down there, there was the trouble and figuring out where my friends and brother were being kept. Jareth looked at me and nodded. He pulled out a crystal and used it to locate the cell. Then he turned the crystal into a key for opening the cell.
It was barely open before I rushed in. I knelt besides Toby and touched the young boy's cheek. His eyes opened slowly to look up at me, when he recognized me his whole face lit up. "Sarah!"
This brought Ludo to attention beside him. "Sarah? Sarah help Ludo?" This made me smile as Jareth went to work unchaining them.
"Sarah..." a plaintive voice sounded from the far side of the room. I hurried over to Jana. "What is this place, Sarah?? Why have I been brought here??" My friend's eyes were wild with panic and then they went to Jareth. "Him, I knew there was something odd about him!"
"Jana...he's hear to help you...we both are, he's a friend of mine," I said soothingly. "We have to get out of here and then I can explain everything." As soon as Jareth had her unchained I helped her to her feet. "He didn't hurt any of you, did he?"
They all shook their heads and I breathed a sigh of relief. Jareth took out a few crystals and juggled them before tossing them over our heads. When they came down we were back in his castle within the center of the labyrinth. I bent and scooped up the young boy who had been there before.
Jana stood there looking around. "What's with all the medieval architecture lately?"
"I think you can go help Jana clean up, the room to the other side of yours can be hers for the time being. They share the bathroom," Jareth walked over and lifted Toby from my arms with a smile. "I'll take care of the little one and send Ludo back to a safe part in the labyrinth where your other friends are staying at the moment."
I smiled warmly. "Thank you." I turned and led Jana down the hall. I took her to the room Jareth had indicated and pointed out the bathroom to her.
Once Jana had washed she came to stand in front of me with hands planted on her hips. "Spill it, Sarah."
"Well, when Toby was just a baby, I wished him away. Jareth came to take him away as I had wished, only I hadn't known this would really happen. So I begged for him back, but Jareth told me to get him back I would have to run the labyrinth," I motioned out the window. Jana walked over and peered out.
"You had to run THAT?" she blinked at me with big eyes.
"Yup. Ludo and a few others helped me out. I did make it, as you can obviously tell and I returned home safe with Toby. Well, a few days ago Jareth arrived at school as you know. I thought he was just being a pain in the ass and trying to get some sort of revenge on me." I looked to the side. "Part of that IS true...but he also knew that Kolteq was after me; he's the one who kidnapped you. Jareth brought me here to keep me safe." I took a step towards my friend. "I am so sorry that bastard, Kolteq, brought you into this all."
"Well..." Jana took a long breath and looked at the floor, then back up at me. "Now that I have been drawn into this mess...I say we make the jerk pay."
"Of course," I smiled.
I turned as Jareth walked in holding a cleaned up Toby. He stood there holding my little brother, totally at ease. The sight made something in my chest warm and my heart beat a little faster. I found myself smiling like a moron.
"When shall I be sending Miss Schmitt back?" he asked.
"For one, it's probably not safe...and two-"
"MISS Schmitt doesn't want to go back." Jana stepped up beside me and crossed her arms across her chest. "I am in this now and I wanna see that jerk pay, too."
"I guess I have more guests to clean up after now, what will I do," Jareth was smiling down at Toby as he said this. My brother, usually the type to only trust me and his parents, was smiling right back up at the goblin king. I learned more about this man every day it seemed.