...Though We're Strangers Till Now

by Jacqui

Note - All the original characters do NOT belong to me, although the rest of them do. Last names of those characters who didn't or don't have them are entirely fictional. This is my first attempt at Labyrinth fanfiction, so reviews would be really nice and appreciated. This story is mostly based on the movie, but there's a few elements from the book thrown in here and there. I read Labyrinth analyses, various fanfiction, and also came up with my own conclusions and ideas. So, this entire story will entail all three of those sources of information. It may be weird, it may be good, either way, as I mentioned before...feedback is always appreciated and adored. :) Oh yeah, Jim Henson, Brian Froud, and everyone who had a hand in creating this movie are geniuses.

Chapter 6: Meeting The Parents



Before Sarah realized it, they were standing in front of two massive twin doors. Jareth was staring at them, not saying a word, as if he was psyching himself up for what would lie behind them.

"Jareth?" Sarah said, trying to bring him back to reality. She watched as Jareth shook his head and turned his attention to her. "Are you okay?" Sarah asked quietly.

"Fine."

"Are we going to go in?"

"Of course."

"Well...shouldn't you knock first?"

"Knock?" Jareth asked, a curious look on his face as he raised a brow. Just then, the doors opened slowly, revealing two guards on either side. They immediately stood at attention when they saw Jareth.

"Wow..." Sarah whispered, her eyes widening.

"Before we make our appearance, Sarah, you must remember that we will be in the presence of those from the highest and lowest ranks. It is imperative that you refer to me in the formal manner I had requested. Is that clear?" His voice was softer now, but still had that authoritative feel to it. Sarah nodded in compliance, smoothing her dress out once more, as well as her hair. When she had given him the signal that she was ready, Jareth offered his arm and she slipped hers through it. As they passed the guards, each one bowed as they regarded Jareth with an enthusiastic 'Your Majesty!' Sarah couldn't believe her eyes as they made their way down a long and wide hallway, beautifully lit with candles that hung from both the walls and ceilings. Richly colored tapestries and paintings hung from the walls. There was an occasional table or two on either side of the hall, which had either a vase of flowers or small statue. The draperies and carpets were a deep red color, making the hall's entirety very elegant.

"Jareth this is so beautiful," Sarah whispered as she continued to look around in wonder.

"It should be, although my parents have some rather awkward tastes," he replied. Sarah froze, forcing Jareth to halt abruptly.

"Your parents live here?!"

"Of course," he looked at her now as if she had just committed the perfect crime. "Keep moving," he whispered, forcing her to resume walking.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Jareth absent-mindedly looked over his shoulder to make sure the guards had not seen Sarah's actions. When they had finally reached the end of the hallway, Jareth stopped in front of another set of double doors; although not as large as the first.

"Ready?" he whispered, keeping his attention straight ahead.

"Yes," Sarah replied, clearing her throat quickly. After she had spoken, the doors opened. Sarah gasped when her eyes caught sight of an extremely long table, accomidating several men and women who appeared to be engaged in conversation. The moment Jareth and Sarah had entered the room, everyone immediately stood to greet him; but mostly as a formality when royalty made an appearance. Jareth decided to take the right side, taking Sarah with him. As they passed, everyone made their salutations to Jareth. Finding two seats next to the head of the table that were not taken, Jareth assumed his parents had already known about Sarah. Jareth motioned for the others to sit, then he waited for Sarah to seat herself as he pulled her chair out for her. When Sarah was seated, Jareth finally sat down himself. Jareth noticed that his parents had been looking Sarah over for quite some time, as were the others at the table. He decided now was a better time than never as he stood back up, cupping Sarah's elbow to bring her up with him.

"Mother, father, and everyone," he began, looking from his parents to the rest of the room's occupants. "This is Sarah Williams. She has wished herself over to me as my personal servant." His parents looked from Jareth, to Sarah. She immediately took that as a cue and she dropped into a formal curtsy.

"You may rise young lady," his father said. When Sarah had risen, he introduced himself.

"I am Jareth's father, King Braedon." Then, he motioned to his left, "And this is my wife, Queen Alayna." They both had risen as they were introduced, causing Sarah to question such an overdoing of formality. Sarah eventually found herself looking over both of his parents. Braedon was particularly tall, with brown hair--although there were traces of gray near his temples which made him look very dignified. His beard was very neatly trimmed, and his blue eyes were incredibly piercing. His features were hard, although his gaze upon her seemed soft and understanding. He wore a white shirt like those that Jareth wore, and his pants were a dark gray. Like Sarah's fairytale books, he wore a cape. But, unlike her books, it was made of a simple black, velvety fabric. Alayna was a beautiful woman if she was anywhere near the age Sarah thought her to be. She had strikingly pale features, but straight, dark blonde hair that set them off perfectly. A delicately made diamond choker adorned her neck. Her eyes were a brilliant blue, just like the Braedon's, and they held a keen perception that Sarah saw in the eyes of many mothers before. Her features were softer for a woman, her high cheekbones made her resemble a female form of Jareth. Although, her lips were fuller than Jareth's. Her attire was stunning. She wore a frilly peach colored dress, which was adorned with small white roses at the hems and waistline. The sleeves of this dress were short, but the elbow-length white gloves she wore corrected that. The neckline plummeted into a V, and it went lower than most of Sarah's dresses, although his mother pulled it off quite well.

"Please, be seated," Alayna motioned, a gracious smile on her face. Sarah reclaimed her seat, and Jareth followed. Sarah's anger was fueling up at how Jareth had introduced her, but she found it best to confront him when this event was over. Sarah then began to look over the rest of the guests. Her eyes stopped on a raven haired woman sitting directly across from Jareth. She had lightly tanned skin and eyes that were a very dark brown, which made her look very exotic. Her hair was set up into a ponytail in the back and she had it twisted over her shoulder. Sarah's conjecture was that it probably went as far down as her waist. Her lips were a dark red, which matched her red dress. The dress was cut straight across her upper chest, baring her shoulders. Sarah noticed that a good amount of the woman's cleavage was bared as well, anymore Sarah thought, and she could be considered a slut. She wore a necklace that had a medium sized red ruby attached by a dainty black chain.

Sarah had been receiving dirty looks from this woman ever since she came into the room, although Sarah had not noticed until now. She couldn't take her eyes off Sarah for some reason, but Jareth caught sight of Sarah's gaze and he followed it. His breath caught in his throat when he noticed whom she had been looking at. The woman grinned evilly when she noticed Jareth's shocked expression.

"Why Jareth, you look a little peaked..." the woman whispered from across the table, stiffling a giggle.

"Phaedra. I did not expect you to return so soon." Jareth's voice was flat as he cleared his throat and try to play it off.

"Phaedra has been away for quite some time, son. She wishes your audience at the end of dinner," Braedon cut in.

"Of course, if that would be to the liking of your new servant?" Phaedra replied tartly, her voice dripping with extreme sarcasm as she glanced at Sarah.

"What I do is none of my servant's concern, nor is she to dictate what I do. I accept your invitation, Phaedra." Jareth tilted his head toward the woman as Sarah's anger heated up to a near boiling point. She felt like standing up and making a scene right in front of everyone, but her instincts told her to hold it until after the party. Jareth looked at Sarah but she immediately turned from him. She had no intentions of giving Jareth another thought until the evening was over and they were back in Jareth's castle. Thus, she tried to strike up a conversation with his parents, instead.

"So, King Braedon, how did you come to be king? Did you gain it through an aristocracy or did you happen to win the position in a duel?" Sarah asked, trying to forget about Jareth and the other woman.

"I am proud to say it was a birthright, Sarah. It is rare when someone wins the position of king in a battle, although I can not say it has not happened once or twice before. Maybe not in my bloodline, but certainly in others," Braedon replied swiftly.

"Why did you come to Jareth with such a desire to be his servant, my dear?" Alayna spoke up. As Jareth's mother asked the question, Jareth immediately broke his colloquy with Phaedra to listen to Sarah's answer.

"Well, um..." she couldn't think of a single word to say. Everyone else was too wrapped up in their own conversations to pay attention to the front of the table, so Sarah was grateful for that much. But she felt the heat of Jareth's and Phaedra's eyes on her as she tried desperately to think of an answer.

"Well have you sworn the reason to remain a secret?" Braedon abruptly asked, giving Sarah a loophole in which to give her answer.

"Actually, Your Majesty...I...I have, I do apologize."

"There are no need for apologies Sarah. I respect the privacy you have promised to my son, I would not avert anyone for secrecy." Sarah found Braedon to be extremely cordial and congenial. Although she could see that he had a temper, the lines in his face showed that much. She was beginning to like his parents very much.

The evening progessed as they ate the dinner that was served to them. The room was endlessly full of entertained guests who were all talking and laughing. Sarah came to know enough of Jareth's parents to know where most of his traits came from, especially the physical ones. She would momentarily listen in on his and Phaedra's conversation whenever it was at an informative degree, and she learned that Phaedra was Jareth's ex-fiance. The only one he had ever had, apparently. Sarah snorted when she thought of Jareth having only one lover. She never denied him credit for being extremely attractive and that he could be very seductive. She never once talked to him all throughout dinner, and she was proud of herself for sticking to her plan for once.

Although, when the evening wound down with a round of dances, Sarah's composure became very uneasy. When everyone had dispersed from the dining room and entered the ballroom, Sarah was completely amazed. The room looked similar to the one in her illusion from her first visit. That same illusion where Jareth tried to make her forget all about her brother. The room was incredibly beautiful with crystal and diamond chandeliers that hung from various points on the ceiling. Elegant pastel draperies clung to the white walls and oval windows of the room. There were also groups of pillows and chairs scattered from place to place to provide comfortable places to sit. The music seemed to come from nowhere, like magically induced melodies that came from those who were dancing to it. She watched as Braedon and Alayna danced with one another, along with the others who had attended. She watched as the beautiful dresses swept the floor when the women were turned or dipped, and she only wished that she could be as graceful at dancing as everyone else appeared to be.

It wasn't long before Sarah's eyes caught sight of Jareth and Phaedra talking from across the ballroom. She was leaning against a tall column close to the door where everyone had entered the room earlier. Jareth was leaning in toward her with one hand placed against the column on her right side. It appeared that they were flirting, and Sarah simply rolled her eyes at them both. It's like she's trying to make me jealous or something! Sarah thought to herself as she immediately looked away to see a very attractive man coming toward her. She looked him over as he came closer. He wore a dark blue shirt with black pants and boots. He also had beautiful shoulder- length black hair with just the right amount of volume to it. Before Sarah knew it, he had come to a stop directly in front of her, blocking out her view of Jareth and Phaedra. She smirked slightly at this, thinking that he might have known what she was looking at before hand and tried to deliberately steal her attention. It worked, and her eyes followed him as he bowed slightly.

"Pardon me, m'lady, I am in dire need of an answer for this question that has been burning in my mind all night long..." the man said, his words filling Sarah with enchantment.

"What would that question be?" she replied, smiling as he arose and met her gaze.

"Is it just me or am I the only one who considers Jareth a madman for leaving a beautiful creature such as yourself all alone?" He smiled as he awaited her answer.

"I am afraid, m'lord, that you are not the only one who thinks that," Sarah laughed, offering her hand. "I'm Sarah." The man gently took her hand, placing his lips to her skin softly. Sarah felt as if she would melt, but her feelings were put on hold as he began introducing himself in return to her introduction.

"I am Lord Saerin. I was...as most would claim...Jareth's second for Goblin King." Sarah gasped, a look of surprise on her face.

"Really?" Sarah whispered.

"Would you care to discuss this over a dance?" Saerin asked, changing the subject quickly.

"I'm afraid I don't know how--" she began, but Saerin recognized the excuse and interrupted her before she could turn him down.

"It just happens that I do. I do not mind leading," he smiled as he began lightly pulling her toward the floor where everyone else was dancing happily. He positioned her in accord to the rest of the dancers. Saerin began slowly at first, letting Sarah get used to the steps, then he began moving a little faster as she got the hang of it.

"I thought Jareth was the only choice for Goblin King?" Sarah asked as he twirled her away from him, then pulled her back.

"Not so. Jareth was thought of as too simple-minded to control a kingdom when he was younger. King Braedon believed that I would benefit from the position more than Jareth would because I was older and understood the laws and rights of the position. I, of course, thought Jareth would be perfect because he had a knack for control and persuasion. So, being his best friend, I stepped aside and let his parents crown him instead. He didn't want the position at first, but I influenced him to take it." Sarah quickly looked toward the door and noticed that Jareth and Phaedra had disappeared. When her eyes returned to Saerin, her heart began to pound as he pulled her closer.

"So, um, do you have your own kingdom or something like it?" Sarah asked, trying to keep herself under control.

"I do not have my own kingdom, although I have my own castle that looks and operates very much like Jareth's. But, there are more ways of getting lost within his castle than there are in mine." Saerin grinned as he twirled her around once again. Sarah's eyes could do nothing but concentrate on his, they had so much flirtation in them that she found it very difficult to break herself free of it.

"Saerin, what a surprise." Sarah and Saerin both halted their dancing at the sound of the familiar accent that had a tinge of threatening to it.

"Well, hello Jareth, it has been quite awhile has it not?" Saerin replied, a sly smirk on his face as he watched Jareth look from Sarah to him.

"It has. Would you mind if I had the last dance with Sarah?" Jareth said coolly, as he inclined his head toward Saerin.

"By all means, I have never been one to step in the way of the Goblin King," Saerin replied, as he released Sarah. She kept her eyes on Saerin, trying desperately not to look at Jareth.

"Thank you Lord Saerin, you are a wonderful dancer," Sarah smiled as she watched him bow in regard to her compliment.

"The pleasure was all mine, Lady Sarah," he whispered, then she watched him slowly turn and make his leave.

"Sarah," Jareth said, breaking her concentration on Saerin.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" she replied with a slight hint of sarcasm. She watched as Jareth offered his hand. She began to decline, but Jareth, of course, knew she would do this and he took her hand forcfully.

"Dance with me."

"Why?"

"This is not a request, Sarah, it is a demand." That said, he slipped one hand around her waist, and pulled her close to him. "Do as you are told, Sarah," he whispered. She hesitantly placed one hand on his shoulder, and he took her other hand into his. Sarah hoped he wouldn't want to talk, she never looked into his eyes once as they continuously moved about the floor. She found herself in the arms of the man whom she defeated several years ago for taking her brother from her, and she wondered why she was allowing it to go on. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she caught Phaedra re-entering the room. She couldn't believe it when she saw Saerin at her side, talking to her as she was nodding her head in what appeared to be agreement. She closed her eyes, then quickly opened them again, for the first time all night looking Jareth right in the eyes.

"Who is she?" Sarah asked through clenched teeth, knowing Jareth would understand whom she was referring to.

"You mean Phaedra?" Jareth asked, toying with her.

"Who else would I be talking about?" she snapped back.

"You should not concern yourself with Phaedra," Jareth replied, acting as if he were hardly interested in the subject. It wasn't long before the music had stopped, and the dancers had all made their exit from the floor. As Jareth stopped, he kept his posession of Sarah's hand. "You will not be leaving my side anymore, tonight." He then pulled her to him and locked his arm with hers. All Sarah could do was give a heavy sigh and follow him as he lead her off the dance floor.

"Are we leaving, now?" Sarah asked.

"I'll inform you when that time comes." Jareth never looked to her when he responded. He watched as every guest thanked the king and queen for their hospitality, and then made their leave. Jareth and Sarah were the last to make their departure. Sarah began by thanking first Alayna, then Braedon. Then Jareth followed with his words of gratitude.

"Thank you mother, and father. This evening was surely one of your best balls yet," Jareth said, bowing slightly toward his father and placing a kiss on his mother's hand. "Sarah and I will be taking our leave, it is late, and we have some things to discuss upon our return to the castle." Jareth glanced toward Sarah, then regained focus on his parents.

"Goodnight son," Braedon said, acknowledging Jareth's farewell.

"Goodnight Jareth," Alayna finished, smiling adoringly at her son. Sarah felt sick as Jareth bowed once more toward both of his parents, then pulled her toward the exit. As the double doors to the long hallway swung open, they seemed to resemble the fury that Jareth had been building up all night. His pace never slowed, causing Sarah to lightly run just to keep up with him.

When they reached the last two doors, Jareth didn't wait for the guards to open them, he threw out his hand and the doors opened immediately. Once they were outside, Jareth waited until the guards had recomposed themselves and quickly pulled the doors shut. Sarah jumped as she heard the large wooden door latch swing down from inside the castle. Then, Jareth roughly slipped his arm around her waist and looked down at her.

"Hold on." Which was all he said to her as she felt him beginning to transport them back to his castle. He had just enough magic left after that night to get them back, and he knew he would need a great deal of rest before he was to get his full amount of power back. Sarah gasped as her eyes fell downward. She watched slowly as her body became a diaphanous outline--they were disappearing. Jareth pulled her closer to him, and before Sarah could protest it, they were gone.