And Sarah ran to Jareth and he kissed her and they lived happily ever after...
No? Well, if you don't want more "suckitude" (as Solea calls it) for our heroes, please accept above line as The End. Everyone else can read on for more cruel cliff-hangers and story ;-)
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Sarah and Hoggle emerged inside the castle, in a darkened corridor. Hoggle quickly looked around as if to make sure they were alone and then smiled.
"Didn't think ye needed a row of goblins after ye, so I took us directly here," he said and Sarah recognised the doors close by as the ones to the Queens bedroom that she had slept in. Beside them was an even larger set of doors, which had to lead to the King's chambers. She slowly walked towards them, her heart hammering wildly at the thought of seeing Jareth again in just a few moments. How was he going to react, seeing her here once again?
As they reached the door, they noticed it was slightly ajar.
"That's weird," Hoggle said and stopped. "I'm sure His Majesty had locked it firmly the last time I passed by."
Sarah boldly pushed the door open and peered in. She drew a sharp breath at the sight. The room was as large as the Queen's chambers, but furniture and drapes were kept in a darker shade. The huge four-poster bed of mahogany was covered in raven black velvet, and the couches by the fireplace were a dark red, perfectly matching the curtains and pillows in the bed. A large skin of some black animal was spread out before the fireplace as well, and a fleeting mental image of herself and Jareth lying on that skin made her cheeks grow hot. However, even though the room was breathtaking, it was anything but tidy! Pillows were strewn here and there, the velvet on the bed was wrinkled, and everywhere were shards of crystal as if he had conjured a thousand crystals and hurled them in all directions. There was absolutely no sign of Jareth.
"Jareth?" Sarah called hesitantly, but got no answer. She waited for a moment before turning back to Hoggle. "I don't think he's there."
The dwarf looked worried. "We should find him soon – it's not like ye have all the time in the world here, is it?"
"I'll try the throne room," Sarah suggested. "Maybe another child was wished away so he had to come out."
"I'll tryme library, then," Hoggle conceded, "and if he isn't there, I'll join ye in the throne room."
They separated and Sarah quickly walked down the long corridors. The mood of the castle was disturbing, and she suddenly realized that it was because it was far too quiet. No goblins could be heard at all, as if something had scared them all away. Her breath quickened, and as she neared the throne room, her steps began to falter. Then a voice suddenly broke the silence, and even though she recognized it as Jareth's, she froze in shock at the hatred that was etched into it.
"My business with the Council is no concern of yours, brother!"
A clear and sarcastic voice answered him lightly. "Why, it's always interesting to see how you're faring, Jareth! And such grave news about our beloved kingdom is surely my concern."
Sarah felt cold with fear and loathing at the realization of who was in there with her Jareth. It could be no other than his treacherous brother Corran! She darted into the shadows along the wall to hide in case they ventured out here, and stayed to listen.
"I advise you to leave!" Jareth's voice was icy. "You know very well that this kingdom is off-limits to you now and forever!"
"Well, I wouldn't be so sure of that," Corran answered subtly, and Sarah could hear foot steps coming her way. She pressed herself closer against the wall. "But of course I'll leave. After all, I already know most of what happened and why the Bog grew. I have my sources, you know."
"GO!" the Goblin King roared and his voice was so frightening that even Sarah gasped.
Someone was coming her way, and suddenly a man turned around the corner. He looked about the same age and height as Jareth and was clearly a Fae, but there the resemblance stopped. His hair was blue-black and greasy and gathered in a long braid down his back, and his clothing was red and dandy and so outrageously frilly and lacy that they made Jareth's outfits look like a school uniform. There was an elegant sable hanging at his side and the hilt of a dagger protruded from his boot. His long sharp face glowed with anger, and the dark eyes gleamed cruelly. Sarah was clearly visible despite the shadows, and as their eyes met she was overcome with horror, especially at the malevolent smile that suddenly grazed his face.
"Well, well, what have we here?" he murmured, but when Sarah opened her mouth to scream for Jareth, he lashed out towards her and she felt herself gag. Corran walked up to her. "A maid? A mistress?"
He stared at her greedily, but no matter how hard she fought, she could not move a muscle or cry out against the spell he had obviously put on her. "A mortal," he mused and let his hand run over her in the most humiliating way. "Too old for my taste, but probably interesting enough for my brother…"
As if suddenly realising something his cruel smile grew even wider. "You are his Sarah! My my, I don't believe my luck today!"
Putting a hand on her shoulder, he whisked them away, and suddenly they were standing in a small dark cellar, where the only light came from a crystal held in Corran's hand. As Sarah felt the paralysis disappear, she wrenched herself free and moved as far away from him as possible, but a quick scan of the room revealed no exits or other means of escape.
"This should be interesting!" Corran laughed and disappeared. The room instantly went pitch black and Sarah cried out and fell to her knees. It was as if she had suddenly gone blind and even though she waved her hand in front of her eyes and blinked, she couldn't see a trace of anything. The room was cold as well, and she crawled on hands and feet until she reached a wall which she huddled up against.
How could this have happened, she thought frantically! What was Corran doing here at the Castle, and what was he going to do to her? She wondered where she was – was she still at the castle or had he whisked them far away? Well, if she was at the castle, Jareth was sure to find her!
"Jareth!" she shouted, but her voice fell flat in the small room without even echoing. "Hoggle! Help me!"
Nothing happened and Sarah broke down and started crying. What Corran had called luck had to be the worst timing she had ever done! How could she have let him catch her there? What if no one found her? She refused to give up just yet and with a hand on the wall beside her and one on the floor, she carefully tracked the whole room looking for indentions, secret passages or any other ways out. There seemed to be a door of stone in one of the walls, but even though she could track the outline all the way up, there seemed to be no doorknob or lever to open it, and pushing with all her weight did not help either. She gave up and sank down again, sobbing bitterly. At least Hoggle would tell the King that she had been there, and maybe they would guess that Corran was involved and come to rescue her.
Sarah waited for what seemed like hours in the darkness, and for every moment she grew more and more desperate and worried. What if she really was in the Labyrinth – then the Bog would begin to grow again soon. She was also cold to the very core and had rolled up into a tight ball on the floor shielding herself as much as possible.
Suddenly a light flared up and she cried out and protected her eyes against it. Corran's muffled laughter made her anger flare and she blinked and tried to focus on him.
"Let me out of here!" she screamed at the tall red figure that were prancing before her and looking exceedingly smug. "Jareth will kill you for this!"
"Oh, the kitten talks!" Corran snickered and played with his crystal in a way that reminded her painfully of Jareth. "I assure you, my pet, that he will not. Once I'm King of the Goblins I will have the power and he will be easily disposed of!"
"You will never be king!" she spat and wanted to strike him.
"Oh yes," he answered, "and all because of you! I know how the Labyrinth acted the last time you were here, and I expect this time will be no different. If Jareth wishes to save his precious Labyrinth and goblins from drowning in the Bog, he will have to give up the Golden Pendant – the symbol of the King. Only then will I tell him where I'm hiding you."
"You can't!" Sarah whispered in horror and shrank back from him. "I don't believe you!"
"And then I will be King," Corran continued as if he hadn't heard her, "and I will get the power to go to your world Above that is so full of sweet little mortals. I've gotten quite a taste for your lively flavour, you know. I'll drop you off on the way, don't worry – I can't have a kingdom covered in stinking mud, can I?"
"You monster!" Sarah cried at the thought of what Corran was implying. "Jareth won't let you do this!"
"Oh, I think he will, and it will be even funnier to tell him that you are to blame for this." Corran strode towards her and cornered her, and suddenly he yanked at her hair so she screamed, and triumphantly held up a long lock of her dark brown hair. "This should convince him nicely."
Sarah launched herself at him wanting to hurt him as badly as she could, but he simply held up a hand and she was hurled against the wall. Her head struck the stone, and as the pain seared though her, she heard his laughter again very distantly, before she slumped to the floor unconscious.