She awoke with a start, sitting up quick enough to make her head spin with a head-rush. As her vision cleared, she looked around herself. She was curled up in her covers where she had left herself the night before. Everything where it should have been, just as every other time her soul traveled through her dreams to the Underground. Everything except…
Her heartbeat picked up again as she withdrew her left hand from under the covers, staring at her ring finger. Again, she found herself choking back a sob. A mix of relief and disappointment flooded her eyes as the fingers of her right hand stroked the bare skin where the night's dreams had shown a ring.
She dazedly rose from her girlishly canopied bed, crossing to her door and entering the hall to the bathroom. As she washed up, brushing her teeth and hair, scrubbing her face clean of the night's horrors, she stared herself down in the mirror. Her face had paled in the months since her brief visit to the Underground. Although she rarely spent time in her room other than when she slept, she avoided the brightness of the sun. Daytime lent her the strength to live, but it's innocent beauty, it's pure happiness hurt her. Just as the Sun's sister, the Moon's comfort was short-lived in it's power given to dreams. The dreams that plagued her. No, she was safer during the day, away from Night's deception and dreams.
Again she stared herself down in the mirror. Her eyes followed the lines of the black eyelashes that framed her ever-changing blue eyes. Across the arched black eyebrows and down the rounded nose to the curve of her pink Cupid's-bow lips. A faint blush that darkens her skin at the mere thought of him crept over her freckled, heart-shaped face.
Abandoning the bathroom for her much-avoided bedroom, she slipped out of her nightgown and into jeans and a black tank top. Nothing remotely Underground-esque, she reminded herself. No, that is all packed away in the attic to sit and become mere memories. Never again.
Her savior, Sunshine, filtered through her window drapes behind her bed, lighting up her room against any unwanted nightmares. A single beam from between the curtains danced through and fell across her pillow. She scowled, Maybe that is what woke me up. The bleedin' sunshine. Why must everything in my life consist of a love-hate relationship? She sighed and gave up on her thoughts in favor of getting her bed made. Smoothing down her newly-bought covers, she was grateful they were a simple emerald green to replace the dreamy covers of her girlish fantasies. No more unicorns and flowers on her bedcovers. No more Cats andEscher on her walls. All her stuffed animals were either in a comfortable retirement inthe storage bin with her clothes in the attic, or were passed on to guard her brother, Toby, until he no longer needed them.
As she fluffed her pillows, something flew off the one she had slept on and fell to the carpet with a dull thunk. Her heart racing, she prayed it was just a hairclip she had forgotten to remove the night before. But I wore my hair down yesterday! Trembling, she knelt on the floor and reached around under the bed for the unknown object. Her fingers brushed over a small, cool circle and drew it out from under the bed. Taking a deep breath, she looked under her hand and saw a ring. No, not 'a' ring. The ring. Smooth interwoven bands of silver embracing a stone of no distinguishable color. Each moment allowed a different color to swirl into view. Gasping, she drew back from the ring, not wanting to touch it again.
She got a bandana from her vanity and picked up the ring with it. Standing up, a piece of parchment fluttering on top of her neatly made bed caught her eye. She jumped and almost dropped the ring again. Setting it next to the paper, she smoothed it out to see a familiar looping script covering it. With a shaking hand, she picked up the note and read.
My dearest Sarah,
Please accept this ring. It is a gift to you that I give freely in hopes that you will forgive me. It holds all the magic of the Underground. Wear it always. If not for me, for you. I know it isn't much, but with it, I will know you will always be safe. I apologize that you had to meet me as we did, Sarah. I hope to protect you from any future interferences the Underground might cause in your life Above. If you shall ever need me, say the word and I shall be at your side. With this ring, you hold the powers of the Labyrinth. Act wisely.
King Jareth of the Goblins
Lord Protector of the Labyrinth
Crown Prince of Anfalas
She took a deep, shuddering breath and collapsed onto her bed, dazed in disbelief. He wishes to protect me? Against what? Rabid squirrels? With a bitter laugh, she dropped the note onto her vanity with the ring and sat back onto the bed, staring at them. Unadulterated loathing and contempt rushed through her veins with self-righteous fire. If I shall need him? Yeah, 'cause I'm going to need him in my life ever again! Comes in, thinking he knows me and my heart, claiming to love me… Her eyes blurred, a burning sadness a stronger lighter-fluid igniting her anger higher. She got up and paced in front of her vanity mirror. And the ring and note. All he is is a selfish, conceited, ignorant bastard. Heartless. Cold. Who takes a child from his home just because his stupid sister was PMSing? Yeah, I wished it, but I was thoughtless. I was selfish. Her throat choked up, unbidden tears returning to her eyes again. Wait, I'm getting confused… He is the selfish, thoughtless one. Right? Well, not thoughtless, no. He always thinks. Hah, Jareth knows exactly what he's doing, every second of every day. Self-centered, yes. Thoughtless, no. But does that mean he actually meant what he said in the note? My dream… No, I dream of the Underground every night!… But never like that… Is Jareth feeling? Is he really in love with me? He can't… But last night?… Her forgotten tears overflowed and ran down her cheeks as she sat on her bed in defeat. She suddenly realized she had been holding the ring. Looking down at it, it was suddenly a glowing blood red. Like last night… Red for love… Or red for blood? Out of hope for the former, and a little for fear of what he wanted to protect her from, she slipped it back on her finger. Sobbing, she covered her tear-stained face with her hands.
"God dammit, Jareth… Why me? Out of all the girls Above… Why did you decide to love me? Why would you? I'm just a stupid girl…" Overcome by her tears, she silently cried into her hands for a moment before being startled out of her private pain.
"I assure you, I haven't the slightest clue why he would choose you." With a jump, Sarah fell off her bed. She found herself staring at the hem of a deep purple gown. Looking up, she found herself staring up at an woman full of grace and flawless, dignified beauty. "I appreciate the courtesy, young lady, but try it with grace next time. And he did, so now we must deal with the consequences. Now up you go. I must get you into something decent before I let anyone from court get a look at you!"
"Wh-wh-who a-are you-ou?" Scared out of her tears, Sarah stuttered as she slowly stood, attempting at the grace this woman demanded. The woman's critical gaze as she stared her up and down unnerved her more than her sudden presence. Amusement twitched in the corner of her lips as the woman circled Sarah.
"Whom am I? I am the Lady of the Lake. The Princess of Grannen Hills. The Queen of Anfalas, and Mother of the Land. Has Jareth not shown you my portrait?"