(Thanks again for the reviews I promise I won't disappoint with this
story)
Sarah ran along behind Cuthbert his strong hand yanking her along forcing her to skip steps in order to keep up with him. The two shadowy figures broke from the kitchen court yard like bandits and made their way over to the Labyrinth. Sarah stopped her eyes lifting up to the dark green walls of the Labyrinth. Cuthbert stopped and looked at Sarah. "Are you scared Sarah? I thought you had already done this before?"
Sarah smiled at Cuthbert and shook her head "I'm not scared this is a piece of cake!"
Cuthbert released his grip on Sarah and began feeling along the hedge for a secret entrance. Meanwhile Sarah who could not really offer much expertise on puzzle solving sat down on a small rock and waited while Cuthbert worked away. Sarah looked down something was tickling her ankle; brushing her fingers over the spot she felt a small nibble on her finger tip.
Lifting her maid's skirt slightly she saw a handsome little blue worm looking up at her. Sarah found herself smiling since she was sure this was the little worm she had met all those years ago.
"'Allo there"
"Hello" Sarah responded "Haven't we met before?"
"Nah, I dun think we have my darling" the worm responded his cockney accent much stronger.
"Aren't you the blue worm who helped me getting into the labyrinth?" Sarah looked confused.
"Nah, that was my dad, he told me 'bout you when I was a nipper" the worm grinned.
"Oh, who you help us find a way into this labyrinth"
"Oh No! You don't wanna be goin' in there!" the worm shivered "It's full of them nasty goblins!"
"We have to get in so we can get out of here!" Sarah pleaded.
The worm appeared to mull the thoughts over in his head for a minute then looked up at Sarah and smiled "All right gov', all you have to do, to get into the labyrinth, is, oh, I forgotten." The worm looked deflated. "Give us a mo' and I'll remember!"
Sarah looked over at Cuthbert who had immersed his upper body into the hedge maze still searching for a clue. Returning her gaze to the worm she smiled hopefully at him.
The little worm gave a little wriggle and then shouted "Oi I remember now, all you got to do is walk straight ahead into the corner over there, it looks like a dead end but it's just a trick of the eye!"
Sarah smiled and patted the little worm on the head and gently placed him down "Thank you, say hello to your dad for me!" Standing up she ran over to Cuthbert and pulled the back of his shirt till he popped out of the hedge looked a bit bedraggled.
"Come on I found it lets go!" Sarah ran over to the corner and hesitantly walked up to it just as she had done years before. But instead of walking through to another layer Sarah was poked sharply in the eye by a twig and reeled back clutching her face.
"Sarah!" Cuthbert called catching up with her "Why did you go and do a silly thing like that?"
Sarah glanced at him with one good eye and smiled through her pain "Oh for comical value"
Cuthbert looked blankly at her, Sarah shook her head "Never mind me I am just strange".
Sarah looked back at the corner but it had changed while she was distracted with her own blinding pain. Obviously she had triggered something since now the Labyrinth was revealed.
"See I knew what I was doing" Sarah began to walk slowly into the Labyrinth with Cuthbert following her. "I told you , it's a piece of cake !" as Sarah said this as if on cue a boulder came flying down the maze's corridor straight for Sarah and Cuthbert. Luckily Cuthbert was much more on his toes than Sarah and hoisted her onto his shoulder before she could scream and began running away from the on coming boulder.
There appeared to be no opening but Cuthbert had been in here a few times and knew his way. Quickly Cuthbert dashed around the nearest corner with the wailing Sarah lying across his shoulders like a dead deer and watched as the boulder careened passed.
Cuthbert slung Sarah like a sack of potatoes from his shoulder and into his arms so he was carrying her. Sarah instinctively put her arms about his neck and hugged him "Thank you, you saved my life" Sarah whispered.
Cuthbert nodded breathing heavily he did not put Sarah back on her feet in case she collapsed from nerves. Sarah looked at Cuthbert her hero and remembered how she had been helped so many times before by Hoggle and the others the first time she was in the Labyrinth. Cuthbert looked down at Sarah's pretty face in the moonlight and smiled at her.
It was strange Sarah suddenly felt herself drawing towards Cuthbert she had to thank him, he had saved her, and she needed him to know. Cuthbert blushed furiously as Sarah kissed him on the cheek. Cuthbert looked at her "What was that for?"
"You're my friend, thank you for saving my life" Cuthbert ginned widely and blushed again. "Thank you Sarah, it's been so long since I had a friend."
Cuthbert gently placed Sarah down "I wonder, how much time I have left to get out of here, If I am not gone before the two hours are up the magic will pull me back to the kitchen!" .
Cuthbert nodded he did not want to tell Sarah but she only had another hour to get herself out of the underground. Linking hands the two, Cuthbert leading, made their way through the maze.
Sarah sighed she was sure she would never make it out in time and she certainly would not have time to stop and see her old friends again. It felt like they were eternally going around the same corner all that met Sarah's eyes where the identical walls of the maze.
As they rounded the next corner the scenery had totally changed it was the smooth stone walls where she had met the strange creature with the talking head. Cuthbert led Sarah forward then stopped looking very confused indeed.
Sarah glanced up at him "What's the matter?" Cuthbert lowered his eyes down looking very ashamed. Sarah took his arm and tugged it gently "Cuthbert what's wrong?"
Cuthbert turned and looked at her "I can't remember the way from here, it was so long ago!"
Sarah tried not to look upset but Cuthbert had already sensed he had disappointed her. "Its ok Cuthbert, really, maybe you'll remember!" Sarah tried to comfort Cuthbert but he pulled away looking very ashamed.
"No I failed you Sarah"
"Please don't say that, it doesn't matter really, we will find a way!"
Sarah walked to Cuthbert and put her arms about him and hugged him "Really its going to be fine!"
Cuthbert turned and hugged Sarah back. In the middle of the hug Sarah lifted her head upwards to him at that precise moment Cuthbert was looking down at the top of Sarah's head. So when Sarah moved her head upwards their lips touched very softly. Sarah blinked surprised at what was happening since it was quite unexpected for her. But Cuthbert seemed to take it more in his stride since he was quick to tilt his head making the kiss more intense.
Just as this happened Sarah felt something, or someone to be more precise. Lightening began to thunder loudly overhead and wind picked up so fast and so sudden it could only be a magical force. Sarah and Cuthbert leapt back from one and other and looked around. They did not have to look far because standing perched upon one of the walls was the Goblin King.
Jareth casually leapt off the wall and strolled over towards Sarah like a tiger stalking prey. Jareth was keeping a cool composure but in truth he was a mass of raging fury which was being reflected in the skies above.
Jareth had followed the crystal for over a mile into the labyrinth he had managed to catch it in his talons when it reached the stone area. When he transformed back into his man form to pick up the crystal he had heard voices. A man and a woman's voice, spying in his crystal over the wall he had seen Sarah being kissed by one of Aurora's servants.
Jareth had been so thrilled to see her alive that for a whole two seconds he had been happy but seeing her being embraced by another had boiled his blood and squished any relief he had felt. He was going to make her pay for this and this little toad of a man was going to be crushed.
Jareth continued to stalk towards Sarah his hands clasped behind his back and his eyes unblinking. As Jareth got close Cuthbert dived between them and valiantly put his arms out to protect Sarah from Jareth.
Jareth smirked "Oh so you have a guard, how sweet" with a flick of his eyes the ground opened up under Cuthbert and swallowed him whole. "I do hope he likes my oubliette, he is going to be there for a very long time."
It took Sarah a moment to process what Jareth had done and therefore hesitated a minute before diving forward to the ground where Cuthbert had vanished "NO!"
Sarah looked up with wet eyes "That wasn't fair, he's my friend!"
When all is said and done this was not the best thing to say to Jareth whose jealousy was soaring at this moment. Reminding him of her other friend Hoggle, who he suspected she loved drove him crazy. But true to his nature Jareth's face was unchanged but his smile took on a menacing tone.
"You say that so often Sarah, I do wonder..." but Sarah cut him off "What my base for comparison is?"
"Look Jareth we have done this all before, I don't want to play any more, I want my friend back!"
Jareth glowered, his face was betraying him "Are you not the one intruding in my Labyrinth? Are you not the one running away with one of my fiancée's servants, I don't think I am the one playing."
Sarah felt a pang of hurt when Jareth said the word fiancée but this time it was Sarah to mask her emotions.
"It was your fiancée who brought me here and has kept me here as a prisoner unjustly for the last few weeks."
Jareth looked annoyed but confused "what?" Jareth shook his head "she would not have dared!"
"Well how else do you explain my presence I am not magical you know!" Sarah shot him a look of contempt that made Jareth's heart leap. She had changed so much yet not at all. Her hair was shorter but still as dark and her amber eyes were still just as defiant and she had certainly filled out as a woman.
"Oh Sarah but you are magical" Jareth purred his eyes narrowing wickedly "I would have been your slave and gave you everything you wanted."
"Then give me my friend back!"
Jareth continued as if she had not spoken "But you have ruined it Sarah now another girl will have everything I was wanted for you" Jareth raised a hand to his forehead and looked down "Well now I suppose your back in my world I will have to simply have you as a mere servant, I know" Jareth began to laugh as he pulled his hand back from his forehead holding a crystal.
Sarah looked around but suddenly there was no where to run the Labyrinth was closing in on her. Jareth blew the crystal towards Sarah, as it touched her it sucked her inside of it trapping her. Jareth took the crystal out of the air where it hung and twirled it on his fingers. "Now Sarah you will live within me!" Jareth smirked and pressed the crystal to his lips and it vanished.
Laughing again Jareth transformed into an owl and flew up into the air.
Sarah ran along behind Cuthbert his strong hand yanking her along forcing her to skip steps in order to keep up with him. The two shadowy figures broke from the kitchen court yard like bandits and made their way over to the Labyrinth. Sarah stopped her eyes lifting up to the dark green walls of the Labyrinth. Cuthbert stopped and looked at Sarah. "Are you scared Sarah? I thought you had already done this before?"
Sarah smiled at Cuthbert and shook her head "I'm not scared this is a piece of cake!"
Cuthbert released his grip on Sarah and began feeling along the hedge for a secret entrance. Meanwhile Sarah who could not really offer much expertise on puzzle solving sat down on a small rock and waited while Cuthbert worked away. Sarah looked down something was tickling her ankle; brushing her fingers over the spot she felt a small nibble on her finger tip.
Lifting her maid's skirt slightly she saw a handsome little blue worm looking up at her. Sarah found herself smiling since she was sure this was the little worm she had met all those years ago.
"'Allo there"
"Hello" Sarah responded "Haven't we met before?"
"Nah, I dun think we have my darling" the worm responded his cockney accent much stronger.
"Aren't you the blue worm who helped me getting into the labyrinth?" Sarah looked confused.
"Nah, that was my dad, he told me 'bout you when I was a nipper" the worm grinned.
"Oh, who you help us find a way into this labyrinth"
"Oh No! You don't wanna be goin' in there!" the worm shivered "It's full of them nasty goblins!"
"We have to get in so we can get out of here!" Sarah pleaded.
The worm appeared to mull the thoughts over in his head for a minute then looked up at Sarah and smiled "All right gov', all you have to do, to get into the labyrinth, is, oh, I forgotten." The worm looked deflated. "Give us a mo' and I'll remember!"
Sarah looked over at Cuthbert who had immersed his upper body into the hedge maze still searching for a clue. Returning her gaze to the worm she smiled hopefully at him.
The little worm gave a little wriggle and then shouted "Oi I remember now, all you got to do is walk straight ahead into the corner over there, it looks like a dead end but it's just a trick of the eye!"
Sarah smiled and patted the little worm on the head and gently placed him down "Thank you, say hello to your dad for me!" Standing up she ran over to Cuthbert and pulled the back of his shirt till he popped out of the hedge looked a bit bedraggled.
"Come on I found it lets go!" Sarah ran over to the corner and hesitantly walked up to it just as she had done years before. But instead of walking through to another layer Sarah was poked sharply in the eye by a twig and reeled back clutching her face.
"Sarah!" Cuthbert called catching up with her "Why did you go and do a silly thing like that?"
Sarah glanced at him with one good eye and smiled through her pain "Oh for comical value"
Cuthbert looked blankly at her, Sarah shook her head "Never mind me I am just strange".
Sarah looked back at the corner but it had changed while she was distracted with her own blinding pain. Obviously she had triggered something since now the Labyrinth was revealed.
"See I knew what I was doing" Sarah began to walk slowly into the Labyrinth with Cuthbert following her. "I told you , it's a piece of cake !" as Sarah said this as if on cue a boulder came flying down the maze's corridor straight for Sarah and Cuthbert. Luckily Cuthbert was much more on his toes than Sarah and hoisted her onto his shoulder before she could scream and began running away from the on coming boulder.
There appeared to be no opening but Cuthbert had been in here a few times and knew his way. Quickly Cuthbert dashed around the nearest corner with the wailing Sarah lying across his shoulders like a dead deer and watched as the boulder careened passed.
Cuthbert slung Sarah like a sack of potatoes from his shoulder and into his arms so he was carrying her. Sarah instinctively put her arms about his neck and hugged him "Thank you, you saved my life" Sarah whispered.
Cuthbert nodded breathing heavily he did not put Sarah back on her feet in case she collapsed from nerves. Sarah looked at Cuthbert her hero and remembered how she had been helped so many times before by Hoggle and the others the first time she was in the Labyrinth. Cuthbert looked down at Sarah's pretty face in the moonlight and smiled at her.
It was strange Sarah suddenly felt herself drawing towards Cuthbert she had to thank him, he had saved her, and she needed him to know. Cuthbert blushed furiously as Sarah kissed him on the cheek. Cuthbert looked at her "What was that for?"
"You're my friend, thank you for saving my life" Cuthbert ginned widely and blushed again. "Thank you Sarah, it's been so long since I had a friend."
Cuthbert gently placed Sarah down "I wonder, how much time I have left to get out of here, If I am not gone before the two hours are up the magic will pull me back to the kitchen!" .
Cuthbert nodded he did not want to tell Sarah but she only had another hour to get herself out of the underground. Linking hands the two, Cuthbert leading, made their way through the maze.
Sarah sighed she was sure she would never make it out in time and she certainly would not have time to stop and see her old friends again. It felt like they were eternally going around the same corner all that met Sarah's eyes where the identical walls of the maze.
As they rounded the next corner the scenery had totally changed it was the smooth stone walls where she had met the strange creature with the talking head. Cuthbert led Sarah forward then stopped looking very confused indeed.
Sarah glanced up at him "What's the matter?" Cuthbert lowered his eyes down looking very ashamed. Sarah took his arm and tugged it gently "Cuthbert what's wrong?"
Cuthbert turned and looked at her "I can't remember the way from here, it was so long ago!"
Sarah tried not to look upset but Cuthbert had already sensed he had disappointed her. "Its ok Cuthbert, really, maybe you'll remember!" Sarah tried to comfort Cuthbert but he pulled away looking very ashamed.
"No I failed you Sarah"
"Please don't say that, it doesn't matter really, we will find a way!"
Sarah walked to Cuthbert and put her arms about him and hugged him "Really its going to be fine!"
Cuthbert turned and hugged Sarah back. In the middle of the hug Sarah lifted her head upwards to him at that precise moment Cuthbert was looking down at the top of Sarah's head. So when Sarah moved her head upwards their lips touched very softly. Sarah blinked surprised at what was happening since it was quite unexpected for her. But Cuthbert seemed to take it more in his stride since he was quick to tilt his head making the kiss more intense.
Just as this happened Sarah felt something, or someone to be more precise. Lightening began to thunder loudly overhead and wind picked up so fast and so sudden it could only be a magical force. Sarah and Cuthbert leapt back from one and other and looked around. They did not have to look far because standing perched upon one of the walls was the Goblin King.
Jareth casually leapt off the wall and strolled over towards Sarah like a tiger stalking prey. Jareth was keeping a cool composure but in truth he was a mass of raging fury which was being reflected in the skies above.
Jareth had followed the crystal for over a mile into the labyrinth he had managed to catch it in his talons when it reached the stone area. When he transformed back into his man form to pick up the crystal he had heard voices. A man and a woman's voice, spying in his crystal over the wall he had seen Sarah being kissed by one of Aurora's servants.
Jareth had been so thrilled to see her alive that for a whole two seconds he had been happy but seeing her being embraced by another had boiled his blood and squished any relief he had felt. He was going to make her pay for this and this little toad of a man was going to be crushed.
Jareth continued to stalk towards Sarah his hands clasped behind his back and his eyes unblinking. As Jareth got close Cuthbert dived between them and valiantly put his arms out to protect Sarah from Jareth.
Jareth smirked "Oh so you have a guard, how sweet" with a flick of his eyes the ground opened up under Cuthbert and swallowed him whole. "I do hope he likes my oubliette, he is going to be there for a very long time."
It took Sarah a moment to process what Jareth had done and therefore hesitated a minute before diving forward to the ground where Cuthbert had vanished "NO!"
Sarah looked up with wet eyes "That wasn't fair, he's my friend!"
When all is said and done this was not the best thing to say to Jareth whose jealousy was soaring at this moment. Reminding him of her other friend Hoggle, who he suspected she loved drove him crazy. But true to his nature Jareth's face was unchanged but his smile took on a menacing tone.
"You say that so often Sarah, I do wonder..." but Sarah cut him off "What my base for comparison is?"
"Look Jareth we have done this all before, I don't want to play any more, I want my friend back!"
Jareth glowered, his face was betraying him "Are you not the one intruding in my Labyrinth? Are you not the one running away with one of my fiancée's servants, I don't think I am the one playing."
Sarah felt a pang of hurt when Jareth said the word fiancée but this time it was Sarah to mask her emotions.
"It was your fiancée who brought me here and has kept me here as a prisoner unjustly for the last few weeks."
Jareth looked annoyed but confused "what?" Jareth shook his head "she would not have dared!"
"Well how else do you explain my presence I am not magical you know!" Sarah shot him a look of contempt that made Jareth's heart leap. She had changed so much yet not at all. Her hair was shorter but still as dark and her amber eyes were still just as defiant and she had certainly filled out as a woman.
"Oh Sarah but you are magical" Jareth purred his eyes narrowing wickedly "I would have been your slave and gave you everything you wanted."
"Then give me my friend back!"
Jareth continued as if she had not spoken "But you have ruined it Sarah now another girl will have everything I was wanted for you" Jareth raised a hand to his forehead and looked down "Well now I suppose your back in my world I will have to simply have you as a mere servant, I know" Jareth began to laugh as he pulled his hand back from his forehead holding a crystal.
Sarah looked around but suddenly there was no where to run the Labyrinth was closing in on her. Jareth blew the crystal towards Sarah, as it touched her it sucked her inside of it trapping her. Jareth took the crystal out of the air where it hung and twirled it on his fingers. "Now Sarah you will live within me!" Jareth smirked and pressed the crystal to his lips and it vanished.
Laughing again Jareth transformed into an owl and flew up into the air.