A/N: thanks so much to my reviewers!
SilverWing02: yeah, i know... i feel sorry for him too. But this is just the beggining! He'll be raking in the pity before we're done with him! I'm glad you're liking it so far! thank you for reviewing!
HiddenOperaAngel: thanks for your support! if there are any questions you have, feel free to ask! I worked to make this version of BB not as confusing:)
Legolinde: Yay! you're reading my fic! so - how do you like my little...ahem...changes to part one? I'm quite happy with them myself! thanks so much fro you attention to BB - please keep reading and reviewing!
Thanx!
love,
Nim
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Chapter V
When Sarah opened her eyes, the first thing she registered was the unnaturally perfect whiteness above her head. Used to waking up under her cheerful, flame-colored canopy, she immediately knew that she wasn't in her own bed. Or, come to think of it – in her own room either; at least that's the way it seemed – judging from the high, vaulted ceiling, gigantic, gothic windows, and the over-all hugeness of the bedchamber she now found herself in.
Not too bad she thought lazily . . . she vaguely remembered what had happened to her, but didn't even try to think about it as she pulled herself out of the huge, soft, inviting bed that she had completely no memory of. Half expecting something to pop out from the floor, or come through a hidden door in the wall, Sarah cautiously made her way across the stone floor. For some reason it wasn't as cold as she expected it to be – and she made her way to one of the beautiful windows quite comfortably.
Even before stretching her hand out to push the ancient shutters, knew what she was expecting to see. The Labyrinth – with all of its cunning twists and turns, seemingly solid walls and misguiding doors, clearly floated in her mind's eye. Absolutely certain that she would really see it once again, Sarah gave the window a slight push, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes expectant, sure. But as the heavy glass shutters swung slowly open, she bit back a cry of surprise and disappointment.
A soft lavender sky greeted her gaze, complete with thousands of brilliantly bright stars and a grand total of three pale, shimmering moons. All the reflected light clearly illuminated the ground below. Yes, it was a Labyrinth. A very complex one, too, from the looks of it, but this was as different from Jareth's world as night from day . . . or, actually – as evening from dawn.
Overgrown with strange bushes and grasses, it was obviously abandoned a long time ago. Some of the stones had crumbled and many walls were falling apart, but even so it was mostly intact, and still looked extremely difficult. She would hate to have to try and solve this one. Wondering what had happened to the owner of the place, Sarah turned away from the window, opening a large door next to her bed.
She was still dressed in her everyday jeans and a warm jacket over a turtleneck and sweater. The perfect outfit for a cold winter day in England seemed extremely bulky and uncomfortable, however, when she thought of herself walking through the ancient ruins surrounding her. As she had hoped, the door led to a large closet filled with dresses of all sorts and calibers. Choosing a pale green satin dress, she quickly changed.
Feeling much freer and lighter in her new attire, Sarah walked through another door, this time the one on the opposite side of the room. The long corridor she stepped into took her to an even larger room, which she soon determined to be the dining room. What else could it have been –the huge, beautifully set and lavishly decorated table was a dead give-away, along with the delicious smell of French toast floating in from the left wall.
As the table was set for one person, and her stomach was insisting that she was very hungry, Sarah seated herself and rang the little bell attached to her napkin holder.
Immediately, as if by magic, twelve fairies appeared, carrying a large breakfast plate between them. Setting it down in front of her, they quickly took off, leaving Sarah to enjoy her meal, which she didn't hesitate to do.
Having quickly finished her meal, which did not, and she was absolutely sure this time – making it a point to check everything over twice – contain any trace of peaches, she made her way back to her bedroom. Deciding that she needed a plan to explore her new surroundings – wandering aimlessly around would get her into to trouble for sure and fast – Sarah sat down on her bed. She was half expecting to see Jareth come in through a wall, or maybe through the window – as he liked to do so much, and was mildly surprised that he never did. Forgotten me already, has he? She thought, amazed at her own distress at the idea. But I am, after all, sixteen years old can do very well without a babysitter . . . she thought defiantly, sticking out her chin as though he could see…but you are, after all, in a strange, abandoned castle in the middle of a killer Labyrinth, in a world you've never even imagined before her subconscious replied, knowing very well that it had a good point.
Feeling terribly alone and deserted, small and very lost, Sarah was close to tears. Her mind rebelled at the idea that she was pining for the presence of someone who was usually so unpleasant to her; that she felt betrayed by someone she barely knew and didn't trust at all. She couldn't understand her own emotions, only knew that they were there, and that she was now really alone to face them.
Where was he? But then her thoughts took a different road – remembering that it was most likely Jareth by whose whim she was here, all alone in a familiarly unfamiliar world.
Now, I can just sit here and feel sorry for myself until his Royal Highness the all-powerful Goblin King decides to let me out, or at least grace me with his presence . . . She thought vehemently, throwing a lacy cushion that decorated her bed all the way across the room. He's probably much to immersed in his important business to deal with little old me right now, isn't he . . . I hope he gets what he deserves . . . Still, I hope he does come soon . . . even though it is all his fault . . .
Tired of her dark thoughts, Sarah let her eyes wander around the room, taking it in, trying not to overlook anything . . . She caught herself on the thought that she was subconsciously looking for something, but for the longest time couldn't figure out exactly what was missing from the plain, yes, but seemingly complete furniture. Then it dawned on her – a mirror! There wasn't a mirror in the room! Why hadn't she noticed it before?
Checking every possible place where one could be concealed, Sarah wondered at her almost panicky state. She felt even more alone, somehow – as though the lack of a mirror completely cut her off from everything else. It's not like I'm Alice, she told herself, trying and failing utterly to calm herself down, I don't get around to other places by walking through mirrors, do I? Of course not! So why should it matter?
Because it DOES! She thought suddenly, and crumpled to the floor, as if that very thought had stolen all of her strength. It does, it matters a great deal . . . I don't exactly know how, but it does . . . As Sarah sat there, trying to put her finger on it, her eyes kept on roving around the room, knowing, just somehow KNOWING that it was absolutely impossible to live in this room, in this castle, in this world – without a mirror.
Angry at her own incapability to figure this puzzle out, Sarah jumped up and ran across the room to the door that she knew led into the dining room. Maybe there I'll be able to think more clearly . . . she thought hopefully, reaching for the door handle. As she yanked it open, a scream escaped her parted lips, all color draining from her already pale face, eyes widening in shock, as she saw another inmate of this ancient ruin.
A pale, green-eyed girl in a gorgeous light-green satin dress confronted her. Sarah watched the girl gasp, and then sigh – tilting her head with a shamefaced laugh. Watching herself blush, she rearranged her hair and did a few pirouettes to admire the beauty of her dress, which she had completely forgotten about until a few moments ago, and which did a fantastic job of underlining her dark hair and bringing out the color in her eyes.
There was her mirror. Now she was ready to face anyone, anytime, anyplace – as Sir Dyddimus had so eloquently put it. She was even ready to face the Goblin King, she thought with a giggle – at least now she looked presentable enough. "Not that you'll even notice, though – huh Jareth?" she whispered. A sigh followed her words, catching them and herding them along like clouds caught in a breeze. As she turned away, her words floated up to the mirror, disappearing through it's gleaming, polished surface.