Disclaimer: Labyrinth and all characters from said film belong to Jim Henson and George Lucas, those geniuses. I own nothing (nothing, nothing, tra la la) but Ilie, Lynaidia, and the plot.
A/N: This chapter has been really altered, near the end. The whole mess with Jareth and Lynaidia and the ages of everyone and all that has been removed - I did it really, really badly, and it was just too complicated. So - we don't know how old Jareth is. But really - who cares? 20 or 200, does it matter? Anyways - one more done, one more to do, and then you get a nice new LONG chapter. Hooray!
Wishes In The Night
By: Moonlit Seductress
Chapter 6
Sarah walked quickly down the hall, opening the door of her room. Inside, Ilie whirled around, the feather duster held in her tiny hand clattering to the floor.
"Miss Sarah!" she exclaimed, bobbing a quick curtsy and hastily scooping up the duster.
"I'm sorry, Ilie, did I startle you?"
The goblin shook her head. "No, I was just wondering where you had gone, so early in the morning?"
Sarah flushed. For a very obvious reason, telling her maid that she had spent the night in the King's bed did not make her very comfortable.
"Have you got anything for me to wear, Ilie?" she asked, pretending she had not heard the question. "The King has asked that I walk with him in the gardens, but I can't go out like this." She motioned to her loose pants and oversized T-shirt.
Ilie's face darkened as she skittered over to the wardrobe. "I don't know what that seamstress is doing with your clothes, the silly girl," she said, exasperated, as she peered into the depths of the closet. "She should have been finished by now. You've been here for over a week, and I didn't ask for anything overly complicated. A few simple dresses, some undergarments, some evening gowns, one or two really fancy ball gowns, in case the Master throws a party, and some riding gear. She had plenty of time to finish it. She's just lucky there's one more dress you can wear in this lot." She pulled out a gown of pale yellow silk, with gold thread trim, holding it up and eyeing it critically.
"It may be a little tight in the bust, but it will do." The little goblin sat Sarah at her dressing table, brushing the snarls from her long, dark hair. Sarah watched in the mirror as the maid tried different hairstyles, eventually deciding on a simple long braid, with gold chains wound into it.
"How did you come to be in Jareth's castle?" Sarah asked suddenly. Ilie's muddy brown eyes widened slightly at such informal reference to the King, but she did not comment.
"It was the doing of the Master," she replied, never once stopping her quick, deft movements as her slim fingers twisted the fine gold chains into Sarah's hair. "My mother was fleeing from a rather insistent suitor. He had...touched her inappropriately. As she was running, she turned a corner and smacked right into the Master. She collapsed at his feet, certain she would be punished for touching him.
"But he knelt down and raised her up, asking where she was going in such a hurry. My mother told him of the situation, and he immediately ordered that the repulsive beast of a suitor be found and brought before him. Then, Master offered my mother a position in his service. My mother accepted. And that's that." She patted the thick coiled braid gently, smiling as Sarah turned her head this way and that, admiring the lovely work.
"So were you born in the castle?" Sarah asked, a few minutes later, drawing a deep breath and holding it as Ilie wrapped a corset around her torso. The maid nodded.
"Born, raised, even educated. My mother was adament that I have some education, so I wouldn't end up the way she had before she met Master - who was pleased with the idea, and hired a tutor for me. There." She smoothed a few wrinkles from the dress.
"That's why you don't talk like the other goblins," Sarah mused, loving the way the long bell sleeves of the gown swished around her hands. 'If there's one thing that's worth being stuck here, it's the clothes,' she thought.
Glancing at the clock, she gave Ilie a quick thanks before hurrying out of the room, down the stairs, and out through the doors past the throne room.
Jareth was waiting for her, sitting casually on the top stairs. He was dressed in a loose white shirt, the neckline plunging down to nearly his navel, revealed the odd pendant he wore. His breeches were black, fitting, as usual, without a wrinkle, and the omnipresent leather boots and gloves completed the outfit.
'Not to mention his clothes.' The thought floated, unbidden, through her mind, as she appraised his clothing. She had never seen him dressed like this. Their confrontations, in the past and present, had always involved him in rather formal dress - excepting the occasions she had visited him at night. However, this look gave him a much more relaxed air.
He turned his blonde head as she approached, rising and catching her hand to raise it to his lips. She supressed the shivers that rose every time he did that.
"You look lovely," he said, his breath warm and cool on her skin. She hoped desperately that she wasn't blushing. "You look very nice as well," she replied. "I've never seen you dressed so..."
"Sloppily?"
She laughed. "If that's your sloppy, you should see mine. And I was going to say informal."
"Ah. Well, I am a King, after all. It is not often that I get to enjoy the company of a beautiful woman without being expected to be dressed like I am attending a ball." His mismatched eyes glittered at her, and she felt her face heating up again.
'If anyone had told me, a week ago, that I would be blushing over the Goblin King, I would have thought they were on drugs,' she thought absently. She was saved from her embarrasement as Jareth began to move down the stone steps. She followed him, confusion taking over as he led her past the front walls of the Labyrinth - the same spot they had had a confrontation a few days past.
Her puzzled expression made him grin. "Some of the most lovely gardens are inside the Labyrinth," he explained. "I had thought we would start with those."
She threw him a teasing grin. "I thought it was dangerous in here," she said coyly, bringing up his words from that past conversation.
She was not expecting his hands to dart out, catching her wrists and dragging her flush against him. "I am by far the biggest danger you will encounter," he purred, leaning closer, his teeth grazing her earlobe. She felt her legs turn to water, and she had to supress a whimper as he pulled away. He did not, however, release her hand, leading her through various twists and turns until they emerged in a cool, green garden. Sarah gasped in delight.
The garden was a tangle of lush, emerald leaves. Trees of all kinds - some tropical, some she had seen in the forests near her house, some she had never seen before. Thick, dark vines grew up the walls, some with delicate white flowers. A bubbling stream cut across the far corner, the water crystal clear. Tiny goldfish darted around the stones and pebbles that littered the bottom of the stream The air was thick with the scent of flowers, and the blossoms were a riot of colour - blue, yellow, red, purple, orange, white. Tiny pixies flitted through the air, alighting on branches. A cluster of them flew towards Sarah, her yellow dress no doubt making her a flower in their eyes, but Jareth waved a hand and they disappeared.
"Vermin," he declared, waving his hand again, causing the rest of the tiny winged pixies to vanish. "They absolutely destroy the flowers."
Sarah grinned at him, his behaviour reminding her of her first encounter with Hoggle, exterminating the fairies outside the entrance to the Labyrinth.
"Hoggle," she said aloud. Jareth shot her a incredulous look.
"May I enquire as to why you choose to mention the dwarf at such a time?" he asked, arching a blonde eyebrow. Sarah laughed. "You just reminded me about Hoggle, the first time I met him." Her brow furrowed. "It's been quite a few years since I spoke with him."
"I assure you, he is very well," Jareth commented, his face belying his dislike for Hoggle. "He is still tending to the gardens outside the entrance to the Labyrinth. I believe the latest fairy number he told me was over one thousand." Sarah opened her mouth, but he held up a hand.
"The knight is still guarding the bridge, which cost me a fair bit to repair, I'll have you know," he teased. "The monster has returned to his little corner of the Labyrinth, although it seems that my guards are absolutely terrified of him, and they refuse to patrol that particular section. I have heard many complaints about the creature and his rocks."
Sarah laughed. "Good for Ludo. I'd like to see them again..." she said, dropping her gaze.
"Then let us go," Jareth announced. Sarah gaped at him. "You'll take me to see them?"
He nodded. "Do you wish to?"
"Of course! I just didn't expect you to be so..." she trailed off, looking at the ground. Jareth leaned close to her, tilting her face up with a leather clad finger under her chin. "So generous?" he asked, his voice low.
Her eyes darkened slightly at his words. He moved away, leading her down a pathway before she could say anything.
They had gotten no farther that a few feet when Sarah heard the sound of heavy footsteps. She caught Jareth's arm, her annoyance with his earlier allusion to their final showdown forgotten. Jareth responded to her unspoken fear, carefully positioning himself in front of her. One never knew what to expect in the Labyrinth.
The footsteps got closer, and within a few seconds, a harried looking goblin came scurrying into their sight, a long white envelope in his clawed hands.
"A message arrived for you, Your Majesty," the goblin said, bowing quickly. "It was marked as urgent."
"Thank you," Jareth replied, taking the message. The goblin bowed again and disappeared into another twist of the Labyrinth.
"Urgent?" Sarah quizzed, peering over Jareth's arm to read the message. To her chagrin, it was written in a very strange lettering - the pattern of lines reminding her of the Viking runes she had studied in her mythology course.
"My mother had requested my presence at the Seelie Court," Jareth replied, his expression one of annoyance and exasperation. "Our presence," he amended, reading further.
Sarah's eyes widened. "Our presence?" she asked. "How does your mother know I'm here?"
"The High Queen knows every time a mortal enters the Underground. It is, after all, her kingdom." His lips thinned. "And she seems determined to stick her nose into every corner of it."
"Wait, wait, wait." Sarah shook her head in confusion. "Her kingdom? What about your father? Isn't he the High King?"
"My father is dead," Jareth returned. "My mother rules alone. Until, that is, I produce an heir. Then I am able to take the throne." His eyes flashed at Sarah, noting her brilliant blush.
"But - I thought you were already King?" she said quickly, changing the subject. "King of the Goblins?"
"The Goblin Kingdom is only one realm in the Underground, Sarah," he explained, somewhat impatiently. "It is my kingdom to rule until I have an heir. Then I become the High King, and when my son is old enough, he will inherit the Goblin Kingdom."
"Oh." Sarah blinked, absorbing the new information. "Well?"
Jareth shot her a look. "Well what?" he asked in return, folding up the message and taking hold of her arm. He conjured a crystal, ignoring Sarah's wince, and transported them to the throne room.
"Are we going?" Sarah demanded, staggering slightly as her head cleared. Jareth snorted derisively, somehow managing to make the action look so elegant that Sarah rolled her eyes. "Of course," he replied. "I dare not disobey an order from the High Queen."
He turned away from her, heading for the stairs. At the foot, he looked around at her.
"Get your things packed," he said briskly. "We leave in the morning."
Sarah stomped into her room, more than a little annoyed. In the space of a few minutes, Jareth - who's company she had been thoroughly enjoying - had disappeared. The Goblin King was back - cold, brusque, impassive.
'And downright snotty,' she finished mentally, opening her door. She was shocked to find a tall, willowy girl next to Ilie, who was carefully laying gowns in a large brown trunk.
"Miss Sarah," Ilie greeted. "This is Lynaidia, the seamstress's daughter. She is to be your lady in waiting at the Seelie Court."
The girl bobbed a curtsy. She was quite beautiful, with huge golden eyes, long blonde hair, and a gentle smile. "My Lady," she said softly. Sarah nodded in return. "But Ilie, aren't - "
"I'll still be your maid, of course," the goblin female answered the unasked question, peering at the multitude of dresses that were strewn across the bed. "But you didn't think just a maid would suffice at the High Castle, did you?"
Sarah shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know about any of this kind of thing." She threw herself on the bed with a sigh, careful to avoid crushing any of the gowns. "Balls, courts, kings and queens - they're all a little out of my realm. I'm paranoid that I'll embarrass Jareth and he'll throw me in an oubliette or something."
Ilie chuckled, now selecting shoes to match the countless outfits. "I'm sure Master likes you more than that."
"I'm not," Sarah muttered darkly. She watched Lynaidia, who was carefully picking over the content of the jewellery boxes on the vanity. Sarah had never inspected the jewels, but she now noticed a number of pieces that looked remarkably expensive. The gold and silver necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings fairly glowed with rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and other precious stones.
'But why am I surprised?' she asked herself. 'This room was for Jareth's "ladies of the Court". Obviously he'd make sure they had the best.' She sighed. 'How can he not be married yet? Why does he want me to provide him with an heir?' Just the thought was enough to cause her cheeks to flame.
"There," Ilie pronounced, dropping the lid of the trunk. She picked up one remaining outfit - the riding gear. It was three pieces - a long-sleeved green blouse, a green velvet vest that resembled a bodice or corset, and a long green skirt, made of fine silk. There was a matching hat - a dark green affair with a rather modern air to it, reminding Sarah of the pillbox hats of the 60s - and boots, made of black leather with dark green silk across the toes and around the heels, to complete the ensemble. "Isn't it lovely?" the maid continued, admiring the stitching around the cuffs.
Sarah nodded. "It is beautiful," she said softly, running her fingers over the smooth silk. She glanced at Lynaidia. "Please, give my thanks to your mother. And I look forward to spending my time with you."
The girl curtsyed again. "Thank you, my Lady. And I will be sure to tell my mother you are pleased with the gowns."
"Well," Ilie said, dusting off her small brown hands. "I must finish my cleaning. Goodness knows what state this place will be in when we return from the High Castle." She curtsyed to Sarah, smiled at Lynaidia, and scurried from the room, leaving the two girls alone.
Sarah climbed to her feet, observing the blonde. She wore a simple gown of sky blue, which was lovely with her fair colouring, and her hair was braided much in a way like Sarah's. She had her golden eyes down, staring at the carpet. It was clear that she was nervous about serving as Sarah's lady in waiting. 'I'll bet the other women she's served have been less than friendly.'
She smiled at the girl. "Are you always so quiet?" she teased. The blonde raised her head, catching Sarah's emerald eyes with her own of honey gold.
"My lady should not fear a wagging tonguefromme. I will be silent and respectful as befits a child of my station." The words had a dull, repetitive sound to them, not helped atall by her melodious voice and gentle accent. Sarah frowned. "Well, that soundskinda boring. You don't expect me not to let you talk, doyou?"
The girl blinked, obviously confused. "My lady?"
Sarah shook her head."Relax, Lynaidia. I'm not like the other women you've served. Feel free to talk as much as you want." She smiled at the girl, offering a hand. "Actually, I was hoping we could be friends."
Gold eyes wide with disbelief, Lynaidia accepted the extended hand, as well as the offer. "I...I would like that, my lady," she said,smiling back. Sarah laughed. "Good. Now- talk to me! I've been stuck here for weeks with no girlfriend to rant and gossip with. What shall we talk about?"
Lynaidia grinned, her eyes alight and her quiet, submissive attitude gone. "Let's go riding," she suggested.
"Perfect!" Sarahtugged the other girl out of the room, their laughter echoing through the halls of the Goblin Castle.
Sarah blinked in the early morning light as she followed Ilie and Lynaidia outside into the courtyard. It was just past seven, and she had already been up for an hour.
She caught sight of Jareth, walking briskly down the steps. He was trailed by an impressive number of servants, both goblin and Fae, all of whom were carrying bags and sacks, trunks and boxes.
"Is there going to be anyone left in the castle?" she asked Lynaidia, who was standing next to her. Ilie had already departed for the servants section of the procession.
"A small number," Lynaidia said. "Going to the High Castle always requires a large retinue."
Sarah watched as everything was packed away into numerous carriages and carts.
"Ready to go?" a voice asked her, speaking low in her ear. She whirled to find Jareth behind her, holding the reins of a white horse. Lynaidia was already astride her own white mount, close beside Sarah,who nodded to Jareth.
The Goblin King was dressed somberly, in unremitting black. His face was blank as he helped her into the side saddle, waiting somewhat impatiently until she balanced in the unfamiliar seat. He then left her side, mounting a large black horse. The stallion was wild and willful - Sarah had already seen it kick two goblins into the air, and send a groom flying off its back. But Jareth handled the horse with ease. He rode with no saddle, no bridle, no reins. Twisting one gloved hand into the horse's inky mane, he moved to ride directly in front of Sarah, and the procession started to move.
A/N: Please review!