Chapter 3
"Sarah sweetie, what's wrong?" Daran asked his sable haired fiancé when he
saw the tears on her face. He knelt down on the floor in front of the couch
and placed his hands on her knees.
"Nothing Daran. It was just a bad dream," she told him. Daran looked into her gorgeous eyes as he brushed the warm dampness from her cheeks "Sarah, you can't lie to me. Your eyes give you away. What's wrong sweetheart?" he implored. She exhaled shakily and told him the story about her adventure into the Labyrinth but was careful to describe it as a dream. "I just remember being so afraid for Toby and feeling so guilty for what I had done. I thought that I would never see him again and it would all be my fault," she finished.
"Honey, that was ten years ago. You were fifteen years old and it was just a dream. There is no need to let it upset you so. You're probably just worried that Toby and your dad and your step-mom won't make it to the wedding and you're dreaming this dream about Toby disappearing," he tried to mollify her fears.
"You're right. I'm just worried about the wedding and my family arriving. Everything will be okay," she said, more for Daran's benefit than her own. He leaned forward and kissed her affectionately. "Everything will be fine babe," he assured her, "You just lie there and I'll get you a damp cloth to wash your face." As Sarah watched him retreat to the rear of the apartment, she sighed. Deep down, Sarah knew that the king of the Goblins would have some other trick up his sleeve.
***** Wedding Day *****
The day had finally arrived. Sarah was getting married today. She had risen early that morning to watch a magnificent golden sunrise and to reflect on what the day had in store. With a giddy excitement, Sarah had showered and prepared for her wedding that was quickly approaching. Soon, Sarah exited her tiny apartment with her dress in hand and made her way to the church. When she arrived, she found her stepmother, Karen, and Toby waiting outside for her.
"Sarah!" the ten-year-old towheaded boy exclaimed and ran toward her, "I haven't seen you in so long!" and he threw his arms around her waist.
"Toby, let Sarah breathe!" Karen told her son and then warmly embraced her stepdaughter. "Your father is keeping Daran occupied at the moment, so let's get you into this dress."
Once Sarah was donned in her pristine white gown and her delicate veil, Karen left to take her seat amongst the few wedding guests leaving Sarah alone. "You look beautiful Sarah," a timid voice spoke up. Sarah quickly glanced up and saw Hoggle's reflection in the mirror. She then whirled around and was astonished to see the dwarf was actually behind her.
"Hoggle! What's going on? Why are you here?" she demanded.
"It's your wedding day Sarah. I thought that it was customary for mortals to have friends at their weddings so I thought that since I was your friend..." he started to explain and his words trailed off. Sarah was too touched to be angry any more, so she knelt down and embraced him warmly.
"Thank you Hoggle," she said simply, "Just make sure you stay out of sight okay? I'd have a terrible time trying to explain you to everyone." Hoggle nodded his agreement just as there was knock at the door. "Sarah, it's time to go sweetie," her father called from the other side. Sarah kissed the top of Hoggle's head and exited the small dressing room to join her father. She and her father exchanged tearful glances, but there were no adequate words to explain the emotions that passed between them. After lovingly kissing her on the cheek, Sarah's father walked his little girl down the aisle.
Sarah stood before Daran, and as she gazed into his pale, sparkling blue eyes, she had never felt happier. As the preacher neared the moment when they would exchange vows, Sarah suddenly heard an all too familiar tune wafting through the beautiful chapel. Her gaze shifted to the rear of the church and she saw the terrified look in Hoggle's eye. Then, to her ultimate horror, she suddenly found herself standing in the throne room of the Goblin King. Jareth lounged on his throne with one leg propped on the arm of the chair and he was negligently rolling a crystal around in his hand.
"Nothing Daran. It was just a bad dream," she told him. Daran looked into her gorgeous eyes as he brushed the warm dampness from her cheeks "Sarah, you can't lie to me. Your eyes give you away. What's wrong sweetheart?" he implored. She exhaled shakily and told him the story about her adventure into the Labyrinth but was careful to describe it as a dream. "I just remember being so afraid for Toby and feeling so guilty for what I had done. I thought that I would never see him again and it would all be my fault," she finished.
"Honey, that was ten years ago. You were fifteen years old and it was just a dream. There is no need to let it upset you so. You're probably just worried that Toby and your dad and your step-mom won't make it to the wedding and you're dreaming this dream about Toby disappearing," he tried to mollify her fears.
"You're right. I'm just worried about the wedding and my family arriving. Everything will be okay," she said, more for Daran's benefit than her own. He leaned forward and kissed her affectionately. "Everything will be fine babe," he assured her, "You just lie there and I'll get you a damp cloth to wash your face." As Sarah watched him retreat to the rear of the apartment, she sighed. Deep down, Sarah knew that the king of the Goblins would have some other trick up his sleeve.
***** Wedding Day *****
The day had finally arrived. Sarah was getting married today. She had risen early that morning to watch a magnificent golden sunrise and to reflect on what the day had in store. With a giddy excitement, Sarah had showered and prepared for her wedding that was quickly approaching. Soon, Sarah exited her tiny apartment with her dress in hand and made her way to the church. When she arrived, she found her stepmother, Karen, and Toby waiting outside for her.
"Sarah!" the ten-year-old towheaded boy exclaimed and ran toward her, "I haven't seen you in so long!" and he threw his arms around her waist.
"Toby, let Sarah breathe!" Karen told her son and then warmly embraced her stepdaughter. "Your father is keeping Daran occupied at the moment, so let's get you into this dress."
Once Sarah was donned in her pristine white gown and her delicate veil, Karen left to take her seat amongst the few wedding guests leaving Sarah alone. "You look beautiful Sarah," a timid voice spoke up. Sarah quickly glanced up and saw Hoggle's reflection in the mirror. She then whirled around and was astonished to see the dwarf was actually behind her.
"Hoggle! What's going on? Why are you here?" she demanded.
"It's your wedding day Sarah. I thought that it was customary for mortals to have friends at their weddings so I thought that since I was your friend..." he started to explain and his words trailed off. Sarah was too touched to be angry any more, so she knelt down and embraced him warmly.
"Thank you Hoggle," she said simply, "Just make sure you stay out of sight okay? I'd have a terrible time trying to explain you to everyone." Hoggle nodded his agreement just as there was knock at the door. "Sarah, it's time to go sweetie," her father called from the other side. Sarah kissed the top of Hoggle's head and exited the small dressing room to join her father. She and her father exchanged tearful glances, but there were no adequate words to explain the emotions that passed between them. After lovingly kissing her on the cheek, Sarah's father walked his little girl down the aisle.
Sarah stood before Daran, and as she gazed into his pale, sparkling blue eyes, she had never felt happier. As the preacher neared the moment when they would exchange vows, Sarah suddenly heard an all too familiar tune wafting through the beautiful chapel. Her gaze shifted to the rear of the church and she saw the terrified look in Hoggle's eye. Then, to her ultimate horror, she suddenly found herself standing in the throne room of the Goblin King. Jareth lounged on his throne with one leg propped on the arm of the chair and he was negligently rolling a crystal around in his hand.
