8. The tide turned

Jareth appeared at the beginning of Cinda's Labyrinth. It was dark. He didn't know where exactly Sarah was. He searched around someone to talk to. He didn't care whom as long as they told him something. He was worried to death about Sarah. He knew how Cinda was, but was afraid of her jealous streak. She would kill Sarah if she wanted to just to get back at him. He knew he had little time. He found a tent by a tiny pond and heard something behind him. He turned around and called, "Who's there?" He formed a ball and held it tightly in his fist. He heard the sound again. It was a rustling sound. He could sense someone in the bushes. "Come out now." Then there was a splash. He raised his hand, "Come out I say."

"I take no orders from the Goblin King." Said a female voice.

Jareth made the crystal a light and followed the voice. He found it and it was mermaid. "Then why is a merfolk out here away from the sea?" He asked.

"That's none of your business." The mermaid leaned against the ledge of the pond. He could see her hair was green with a pink starfish by her ear.

He smiled and nodded, "Banished then."

"Perhaps." She flipped her tail. "Why is the King of the Goblins here in my Mistress' realm?"

He cocked his head as he placed a hand on his hips. "That's none of your business."

She smiled at him, "I see. If you are looking for a human girl, she's was taken by Jade. Most likely he went to the castle." She lowered herself down into the water.

Jareth let the ball of light go and lifted off the ground. He sailed into the air and landed on a ledge of the wall. He surveyed the Labyrinth. There was a large lake not far from him and another mermaid jumped into the air and landed in the water. "If Sarah wanted a fairytale, she got it." He said to himself in a low voice. He leaped off the wall and coasted in the air. He kept himself low so the guards wouldn't see him and also so he can check the grounds for any activity. He reached outside the castle within minutes. He landed in a tree and decided to turn into an owl. He watched the changing of the guards at the front gate and he took off in the sky.

Cinda pressed her hands together and then the Labyrinth book emerged. "These are rarer and rarer now." She gave Sarah a sly look as she tapped the book on her chin. "This is the only copy I have." She waved it in front of Sarah.

Sarah took a step closer to the faerie. "So what." She didn't have a plan. She did want the book. She was torn inside. She wanted to go home, but she wanted to stay with Jareth.

The fae opened the book and recited, "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City, to take back the child you have stolen." She shut it. "Blah. Blah. Blah. I can't believe you humans fall for that junk." She began to laugh. "Stupid humans!"

"If you don't want the book then give it to me." Sarah said as she placed her arms over her chest. She hoped she could at least outwit the faerie.

Cinda laughed at this. "Give it to you? You twit. I've seen that from many, many humans that came in my realm." Her eyes narrowed. "It never worked." She raised her other hand and a glass triangle appeared. It became a green flame. "I think I will burn it."

Suddenly Sarah made a mad dash at her chest. She grabbed the book as the flame disappeared. She tried to pull the book away from Cinda's grasp. Cinda swung her right leg and kicked Sarah's left knee hard. She knocked Sarah off her feet and Sarah pulled the book out of her hand. Sarah landed on her butt and was about to say the words, 'you have no power over me' when Cinda flew into her knocking the book out of her hand. Cinda grabbed Sarah by the neck tightly and made the book lift into her hand. "Nice try." The fae set the book on fire as a white owl flew overhead. She didn't let go of her grasp around Sarah's neck.

Sarah managed to let out a scream, "You bitch!" She kicked the mean faerie in the stomach and tried knock the wind out of Cinda.

Cinda only grinned, "My abs are hard as a rock, girlie." She threw the remains of the book on the floor and it turned into ashes. "Now, you really are stuck in the Underground." She flapped her wings and dragged Sarah to the ledge of the tower. "Now, Goblin Queen, you die."

Quickly, Jareth turned back into himself and landed silently. He quickly formed a crystal and said lightly, "Oh, Cinda."

She turned toward the sound of his voice and he threw it at her. She dropped Sarah and tried to fly away as the crystal touched her. "No!" She was incased in solid stone.

Sarah caught the ledge with one hand, but it was too slippery. "Jareth!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she fell to the ground.

Jareth lunged toward her, but missed. He popped twenty feet below her and caught her in time. He sighed, "I thought I'd lost you again." He carried her up to the tower.

"You came just in time." She panted and hugged him tightly. She was so relieved that he was there. She didn't know what was going to happen with Cinda. She was glad that she was safe and in Jareth's arms.

He set her down gently. Jareth held her for a long time and then looked over to the ashes as the wind blew. He let her go and said, "I'm so sorry, Sarah."

She sighed and watched the ashes fly in the wind, "That's okay. I really didn't want to go back anyway." She placed her hand on his shoulder.

He turned to her gaze and leaned in. His cheek was touching hers. He was about to kiss her when she started to disappear.

"What's happening?" She asked. She wanted to kiss him so bad.

"You're waking up." He simply replied. "I will see you in a moment."

As Sarah faded out she said, "Oh."

Sarah suddenly sat up and took a deep breath. Her heart was still racing. She was in a cold sweat. She blinked her eyes and sighed. She looked over to Hoggle and he was beaming from ear to ear. Sir Didymus cheered, "My Lady, you're free from Cinda's spell!"

Hoggle and Ludo gave her a big hug as the goblins cheered. They were so happy that she was okay.

"Sarah--back!" said Ludo.

Hoggle replied, "We never left your side, Sarah."

There was so much excitement going on, no one noticed that the Goblin King was leaning on the doorway to the throne room. He smiled as he watched them shout and cheer. Some of the globins were jumping up and down. Others were having a drink of ale. Jareth made his way through the crowd and the goblins shut up as he passed them.

Sarah was hugging Hoggle again when she saw Jareth standing behind the dwarf. She let Hoggle go and stood up. "Thank you for saving me, Jareth."

He smiled. "I would have gone from hell to heaven and to Aboveground to get you back, Sarah." He lightly kissed her on the forehead.

She smiled at him and said, "I meant what I said a few moments ago. I want to stay." She stared into his blue eyes as he stared into her brown eyes.

Jareth took a few steps back. He didn't care if anyone was watching. He said, "I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave."

Sarah grinned and laughed, "I thought you were going to say that." She hugged him again. And they both said in union, "I love you." Then Jareth and Sarah kissed deeply.