Author's Note: Sorry this took as long as it did. I've got a job that's taking up more and mroe of my time. But here's the new one. Kinda short, but I promise I'll write another one tomorrow! Thanks to everyone who reveiwed, and those who left helpful comments. Sorry if I make a typo or mistake, correct me please! I'll do a more detailed thanks tomorrow, but I need sleep! Thanks for the reveiws!
"Why would have shown me your picture? And when? Are you Jareth's mother? Why are you here? What the hell is Anflas. And where is Granden Hills? Lady of the Lake? You mean Avalon? Why would Avalon be in the Labyrinth? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" Sarah had just snapped. Dreaming of Jareth every night since she met him had been intense enough… But then finding the ring and note… And now his mother appears for no reason, immediately critiquing her, as if someone is supposed to be perfect and flawless like her right in the morning. As is Sarah ever WOULD be as flawless as her at any time, for that matter. It's just not fair! She looked over at the woman from where she had been pacing to see a look of amusement and pity on her face. She looked torn between the need to laugh and the need to calm Sarah. A warm smile spread over her features, and Sarah plopped down on the bed, too tired to fight anymore.
"My dear, I assure you that Avalon is in no way inside the Labyrinth. The idea is simply preposterous." Sarah let out a breath of relief and regret to know that she was not from Avalon. "No, no, no, Avalon is it's own country, completely separate from the region Jareth rules and the country of Anfalas all together!" Sarah went rigid.
"You mean…. Avalon is real? You- ? Are the Lady of… Avalon?" Her eyes went wide as she stopped breathing altogether and her mouth hung open.
"Yes, my child, I'm the Lady of Avalon. Please breath, and it is not polite to gawk. Anyone lesser would be quite uneasy." Sarah shut her mouth quickly and sat up properly, suddenly wanting to impress the imperial intruder. She gently sat next to Sarah and looked into her eyes. Reaching out, she brushed Sarah's cheek with her fingertips. "There is such sadness in the eyes of one so young. Yet you could never imagine the pain in his, could you?.."
"In who's, Lady?" Sarah looked up into her eyes wide with surprise. She looked at Sarah with a pained expression of maternal sorrow.
"He loves you, dear. He may have his…" She smiled indulgently, as if she had smiled like that for centuries. "He may have his strange way of showing it. But he does. More than life itself." Her smile turned to worry as Sarah's features didn't turn emotional at the declaration. From what Jareth had told her, Sarah had quite the passion; a passion the drew Jareth to her, no doubt. But Sarah just sat frozen, her mind shocked at the honesty shinning woefully from this mother's eyes. This woman couldn't lie to me if she had wanted to! For who would speak such an awful lie of their son? "My dear? Are you alright?" She reached out and lightly pressed Sarah's tightly clasped hands with her own.
"But…Love, Lady? The Goblin King cannot love!" Expecting anger, Sarah was more confused when the imperial lady before her leaned back and laughed openly, a deep, rich laugh of pure amusement. Yet Sarah did not feel mocked, as she did when the Goblin King laughed around her. She felt a part of the woman's mirth. How strange that this is the Goblin King's mother… I wonder if his father is like this as well?
"My dear girl, how little you know… But come now! We mustn't get so serious, this is only my first visit to you. I would much rather hear more about you, Sarah. Would you like to adjourn to a more… spacious environment? I have a lovely private parlor you would like…" Sarah looked confused, then realized she meant in the Underground.
"Lady, I… Thank you for your gracious invitation, but Lady, I don't feel… comfortable with the idea of going Underground again. We could go downstairs if you wish? Or perhaps go to a café?" The lady looked surprised for a moment, then her eye softened in understanding.
"Of course, child, if you would prefer more familiar surroundings, that would be fine." Sarah got up and started walking to her door before turning to the Lady, who looked amused again, still sitting on her bed. "Sarah, do you think we will walk anywhere? Do you remember whom you are with? Come and sit again, dear." She patted the spot Sarah had been sitting in, and took her hand as she sat.
In a blink, she was suddenly sitting in a metal patio chair on a bustling avenue in front of Café au Amour. Taking in the sudden smells of freshly baked bread, strong coffee, rich flowers, and the heady scent of the city she was in, Sarah reeled with the shock to her senses and looked at the lady sitting across the matching metal table. Confused, she felt as if she was in an unknown Petite France, sandwiched between a city's Little Italy and Chinatown.
"Lady, where are we? This isn't my town!" Sarah took in her surroundings with more attention to detail, and traced the skyline, searching for a landmark. Biting her lip, as was her worry trait, she found it. The hint. They weren't just in the French district of a city! They were in France! For there, at the end of the avenue, above the quaint cafés and shops, rose the majestic Eiffel Tower. Sarah gasped and turned to the royal across from her, who now had a familiar mischievous grin growing on her face.