Chapter Three

Understanding Dreams

When Sarah awoke, she was unsure where she was. Her head ached when she tried to open her eyes or move, so she remained motionless. She wondered what had happened, and thought maybe she was having a hangover from the drinking at the disco. But she remembered that she had not drank much at all and certainly not enough to affect her in this way.

Slowly things came back to her and she forced her eyes open. She was in her room in the castle, stretched out on her bed, with sunlight streaming into her face. She moaned and closed her eyes again, attempting to suppress a wave of pain and nausea.

She remembered arguing with Jareth, standing up abruptly, then things became foggy. Her mind associated many random events from her past with that moment, and she was having trouble understanding why. Jareth had been reading; no, probing her mind. She had not liked that and left rudely.

She had been rude to Jareth. He was irritated with her. She was mad at him. Everything fell in place and she remembered passing out in the hallway. That was the night before-

"Good morning, I trust you slept well."

"Jareth!" Sarah was surprised to notice him standing in the room. She did not remember him there or hear him enter.

"Quiet, you don't want to over-exert yourself."

Curiosity claimed her, "What happened? I know I fainted, but I don't remember anything beyond that."

"I was following you out the door and saw you just as you fell. I could not catch you in time and you hit your head quite hard. I brought you to your room and called for a healer to check your head. It's nearly eleven in the morning now, and you have been unconscious since your fall," he moved to the bed and reached out to touch her throbbing temple. She flinched at his touch, but found that the pain lessened.

"I'm not sure why I fainted-"

"It's all right, don't talk. Sometimes that happens to mortals once they first enter the labyrinth. And sometimes it happens when your mind is probed," he added with a hint of guilt to his voice.

Sarah was still irked that he had been messing around in her mind, but felt so relaxed under his alleviating touch that she didn't have the will to snap at him. He seemed sorry, whether he said it or not.

Warmth spread from his open palm, wrapping her face in a soft comfort. She wanted to assert herself, but instead began to drift to sleep. Her head tilted onto her uninjured side and just before she slipped off to sleep she noticed a bright red stain on the pillow.

Something was tugging at Sarah's hair. She felt her head lift slightly, then gently fell back onto a cold pillow. The blankets were tugged higher over her shoulders. Her mind was just barely awake. She assumed that someone was taking care of her, but she resisted waking up fully. In the next room, the clock struck three.

Sarah noticed that her head no longer hurt and that she actually felt much better. Whoever was adjusting the sheets carefully traced their fingers across the corner of her head that she had hit. The nurse brushed the hair from her face softly, such a considerate act that Sarah felt tingly and touched. The hand lingered for a moment, then pulled away and she heard her caregiver walk slowly from the room.

After about five minutes, Sarah mustered the energy to get out of bed. There was still bright afternoon light filtering in through the silvery blue drapes, and she was beginning to feel very hungry. When she climbed out of bed, she realized that she was completely undressed. She immediately thought of Jareth, who she knew had been in the room that morning, and blushed heavily thinking that she had been so indisposed under the covers.

She slipped on a long blue dress with an empress bodice and fitted long sleeves. In the bathroom, she examined her face. It left no trace of the previous night's injury. She touched it gingerly, and discovered that it had been fully healed. Discovering this, she brushed her hair quickly and placed a silver circlet on her head. It fit down onto her forehead and nestled smoothly into her dark waves.

Sarah quietly entered the library, passing to the hallway. As she approached the door, she heard something rustle behind her. Jareth sat up from the couch, where he had apparently been resting. His hair was unusually messy and he had a very tired appearance.

He cleared his throat, "Hello. Are you feeling better?"

Sarah blushed, remembering his hand upon her face that morning. She had been naked under the covers then. "Yes, I feel completely better," her voice fell away, curious.

"The healer gave you a potion for speedy recovery and I enchanted you to sleep. It seems the effect worked quite well."

"Yes it did," she stood awkwardly for a moment, then sat carefully in the armchair nearest the couch. She felt indebted to him for his care. "You look like you could use some rest."

He laughed lightly, "I have been awake checking on you. We were very worried; you lost a lot of blood."

She remembered the red patch on her pillow, "Did I hit it that hard?"

"The doctor thinks that you fractured your skull and suffered a concussion, but the potion he gave you should have taken care of that. It was fortunate that I followed you or you might have bled to death," he looked down.

Sarah stared at him for a moment. She felt bad for having been so rude the night before. "Thank you," was all she could say. He looked up and smiled slightly.

"It was nothing. I could have had some of the maids take care of you, but I wanted to be sure you were alright," he folded his hands and dropped his gaze again. "Sharon undressed you, I had no part in that," she detected a smirk, and felt her face redden again. He was very concise.

"You took care of me all night? And this morning?"

"Yes. I felt a little responsible since I brought you here. And probed your mind," he fidgeted.

"It's alright. I wished myself here; you only did what I asked you to do," she admitted quietly. Their eyes met briefly in a silent apology, and then they each looked away.

Jareth rose to his feet, "come, you must be very hungry now. We can eat and then if you don't mind, I will take a nap. You shouldn't be walking around too much anyway, but perhaps you would enjoy reading a book while I rest?"

Sarah stood and took his waiting arm awkwardly, "I would enjoy that."

They walked together to the dining room, each more receptive to the other, and found a warm plate of sandwiches and a dish with fresh vegetables. It was a thoroughly filling meal, and while they ate they chatted about the castle. Jareth told her about the grounds and some of the rooms that she could visit. There was a large greenhouse off of Sarah's hallway with ponds, waterfalls, and a bathing pool. In the east wing there was a library and art studio with every imaginable medium. Across from that was a conservatory and a recreation room.

"You will love the gardens, they are very well kept and quite large. I often spend evenings walking through them. And at night on the terrace you can see so many stars. Once night falls, there is about half an hour where everything is very quiet and still, then suddenly it seems all the night creatures begin to explore. You can hear them out there on the grounds," he took another bite of his sandwich.

"It sounds lovely! Perhaps we can sit out there tonight."

"We must. It would be nice to have some company for once," he finished and took a bite of cucumber.

Sarah frowned slightly. "Do you not have many visitors here at the castle?"

"No, it is usually very dull around here. I go into the goblin city to meet with landowners and lords, sometimes I help arrange citywide gatherings or meetings. On very rare occasions neighboring royalty will visit for a few weeks. After so many years, it all seems the same."

She processed this as she finished her meal, then looked over to notice Jareth's eyes just barely open. "You must be so tired, please go ahead and rest. I cannot thank you enough for taking care of me."

"It was my pleasure. Feel free to explore the castle, any of the goblins can assist you if you get lost or if you need anything at all. My room is next to yours, the last one in the hall, just in case you need me. I will only be a few hours, just enough to keep me awake for our star gazing," he said with a smile. She returned it and he rose to leave. He pulled out the chair as she stood and gave a slight bow before turning and exiting. She watched him go, realizing fully for the first time how wrong she had been to judge him.

In the library adjacent to her room, Sarah had found a wide variety of books. Some seemed to be about the history of the Labyrinth and the Underground and there was also what she guessed were works of fiction from authors she had never heard of and assumed were from the Underground. There were also familiar titles like Lord of the Rings, Dracula, and The Count of Monte Cristo.

Alice in Wonderland practically jumped from the shelf, so Sarah took it with her and wandered back down the hall to find her way to the greenhouse to read. It was not difficult to find; the door was a deep green with emeralds and gold forming intricate designs.

Inside, the walls were enchanted with artificial greenhouse windows and sunlight was streaming in through the glass ceiling. A small creek ran in what appeared to be a continuous loop through the entire room, which was roughly the size of a football field. She walked around the paths for nearly twenty minutes, then settled in a shady and cool pavilion with lounges and a fountain. She settled down to read and soon was absorbed by the book.

As Sarah was finishing the third chapter, a male goblin came and asked her if he could bring her any refreshments. She asked for a lemonade and he reported back with it quite quickly. Sarah thanked him and swallowed some. She set it down and continued reading, periodically sipping from the glass. Each time she set it down, it was drained noticeably. The next time she picked it up, however, it was filled to the top again.

By the time Sarah had finished and was moving onto Through the Looking Glass, Jareth returned. He had dressed in gray pants and a white peasant top, the neckline open to reveal his smooth chest. The gold amulet that he always wore shone against the paleness of his skin. Around his waist he had tied a scarf the same color as her blue dress. As always, he wore sleek black gloves. His dark boots clicked across the stone floor.

"Hello again, I hope you were not too terribly bored," he sat across from her.

She blushed and closed her book, "I was fine, I love this book."

"Lewis Carroll, quite an unusual read. But C.S. Lewis is perhaps my favorite author of the earth world. I believe we also have The Chronicles of Narnia," he stretched his arm across the back of the chair and crossed his ankle over his knee. "I have read those so many times."

"So have I. When I was a child, I used to pretend that my closet led into a secret world."

Jareth smiled, a little confused, "Well, it could have been, if it were enchanted."

Sarah laughed, and set the book aside. "What time is it?"

"Nearing seven, I believe. Would you care to take a walk through the gardens and watch the sun set on the terrace?"

"That sounds wonderful."

They rose and walked out the door, Jareth again offering his arm. She took it, and left for the gardens.

The sun was just beginning to sink, bathing the earth in a red-copper light. They emerged onto the terrace and Sarah caught her breath. It was an immense tiled balcony, about one hundred feet from the ground, looking over gardens and an oak forest that extended until it reached tall golden hills. Farther away were purple mountains with snow laced peaks.

"It's beautiful," she said at last, hurrying over to the edge of the balcony. It was about fifty feet wide and probably three times that length. There was a dining table for twelve under the shade of the house and benches all along the rail. At the far ends were paths leading down into the gardens. Jareth led her to them and they descended into the lush green landscape.

"I grew up playing in these gardens," Jareth murmured with nostalgia. "My younger sister and I invented all kinds of games and many times the goblins would join us."

A breeze swished through the trees and ruffled their hair, "I did not realize you have a sister. Where is she now?"

"She lives in the next kingdom with her husband, Kade. My sister, Corsicana, married when she was quite young. They are waiting to adopt a child form earth, but one of the right age has not been wished away yet. Not very many children are wished away, at the most only about one a year. So few people remember the words, and it seems much of the world does not believe in the stories any more," they passed though a long courtyard with several fountains. Jareth sighed, "I am quite close to my sister, but I do not see her very often. We write to one another, but I still miss her. I don't think I have seen her for nearly a decade."

Sarah thought of what Sharon had said, about Jareth retreating into solitude. "I would enjoy meeting more Fae, like you. Maybe you could invite Corsicana and Kade to the castle sometime." Her voice grew quiet as she wondered not for the first time how long she would be in the Underground.

Jareth thought about this for a while. "Perhaps I could," was all he said. He had become quiet and pensive, drawn into thoughts about his sister.

They passed through an orchard and Jareth examined some of the fruit. At one tree, he picked a few of the large green fruits and showed them to Sarah.

"Have you ever tried these? They are cherimoyas," Sarah shook her head no. "I have always loved these," he turned back in the direction of the castle. "We should head back so that we are not caught in the dark."

"Sarah, I would like to teach you some magic," he cast her a sideways smile as they climbed the stone steps to the castle.

"Really? I can learn magic now?"

"Yes, it is difficult but we can start from the beginning. I think you would be very good with magic."

"What does it take to be a good magician?"

"An open mind, a passionate heart, and patience."

"I am flattered, but I am afraid I lack patience in most respects."

Jareth laughed heartily and Sarah could not help but smile broadly with the sound. "Well, patience can be difficult, but I hope you will enjoy the lessons enough that you will not be bored to the point of losing your patience entirely," they reached the steps as he said this.

Together, they made their way back through the gardens and up the steps to the terrace, where dinner had been laid out on the table. Sarah was out of breath from the long hike uphill, but Jareth did not seem affected at all.

They sat and began to eat. There was a delicate salmon fillet and rice along with steamed vegetables. Jareth gave the cherimoyas to a goblin, who took them to be prepared for dessert. After they had finished their meal, the goblin returned with the cherimoyas. They had been washed and cut in half.

Sarah watched how Jareth ate his, then took a spoonful of the cream colored fruit. He smiled at Sarah, his unfocused eyes glistening in the candlelight and the setting sun. "Is it good?"

"It is unbelievable. I think I saw these in the market in Spain but I had no idea what they were."

Jareth grinned and took another bite. They finished the cherimoyas in silence, no words needed to be said. Goblins cleared the plates and the two were left watching the sun sink over the horizon.

After a time, Jareth spoke, "Let's go watch the stars appear." They moved to the middle of the terrace and stretched out on the wide, shallow steps. It felt nice on the ground, the heat from the summer sun still warm on the stone. They leaned back, looking out over the darkening landscape. Everything began to fall eerily silent.

Slowly the sky changed from blue to purple and faded all the way to a sanguine red sky, then it began to sharpen into black.

"Look! There is the first star," Sarah said excitedly, "let's make a wish!"

"A wish?"

"Yes, on earth we wish upon the first star of the night. It is just a game, but it supposedly will come true."

"Wishing on a star, I have never thought of that before. And do they ever come true?"

"Well, usually the wish ends up being more than is possible," Jareth gave a muffled laugh. "My wishes never came true," Sarah replied matter-of-factly.

"For what would you wish?"

"Oh, silly things. When I was a little girl I used to wish for things like my birthday to happen the next day or for a sister, and when I got older I would wish for the popular boys to ask me on dates. It was nonsense, really."

"What would you wish for now?" Jareth asked with genuine curiosity. Sarah was stumped. She was unsure.

"Well, if you tell anyone your wish, it is not supposed to come true."

"So you just wait and expect it to come true?"

"Pretty much, yes."

Jareth drew his eyebrows together in confusion, "how ridiculous."

Sarah laughed, and closed her eyes tightly, a small smile playing on her lips.

"What are you doing?"

"Wishing."

"But it won't come true unless you say the words," he laughed.

"I can't say them though," she wished harder.

"You need magic to impose your will silently," he protested, hoping she would tell him her wish.

She opened her eyes and looked over to Jareth. He sat with one leg tucked beneath him and both hands folded in his lap. She reached out and took one of them, rubbing her fingers across the buttery leather of his gloves. His eyes were calm and wide. "What would you wish for, if you could wish for anything right now?"

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek softly, "I don't need to wish anymore," he leaned back to look into her startled eyes, and then his gaze fell away. They sat, frozen in the moment. "Let us go begin the magic lesson."

The pair moved silently through the halls. No one passed them and the only sounds were the tapping of their feet. Sarah could barely hear even that over the sound of her own heart beating furiously. "Where are we going?"

"To the dungeon. It is no longer used as a dungeon, but it is a safe place to practice magic. The walls are too thick to send any wayward spells."

Jareth had taken Sarah by the hand this time, his other arm circling her waist gently. His touch made her nervous. Despite the gentle side that had shone through during the afternoon, Sarah was still frightened by his cold face and overbearing presence, not to mention the obvious display of affection. She had betrayed herself by allowing this to continue; it was still her plan to leave as soon as she could, but now she was worried that she would second-guess herself if the chance arose.

Eventually they came to a door that was seeping cold air and Jareth pushed it open. It was dark inside, but Jareth waved his hand and lit the candelabras. It was a chilly room about thirty feet by forty feet. On the walls hung a few manacles and there were several doors that Sarah assumed led to prison cells.

Jareth threw a crystal to the center of the room to produce a large black couch with black velvet pillows. "You must be relaxed to use magic, it is a strenuous process," they sat on the soft cushions as they had earlier that evening.

Jareth turned to her and took her left hand and began to massage it. "Just take deep breaths and let yourself open."

Sarah was unsure how to "open," but she closed her eyes and leaned back. She began to drift into a comfortable feeling, though the cold and nervousness kept her on edge. Jareth massaged the right hand. Then he rose and walked to the back of the sofa, his heels clicking softly. Sarah opened her eyes and saw him looming over her, but he passed his gloved hand in front of her eyes and she relaxed again. He began to massage her neck and shoulders, working down her arms and then up her spine. He removed the hair pins carefully and laced his fingers through her hair. She could feel herself slowly falling asleep, and she was starting to wonder how long this would last when he stopped.

"Rise," Jareth commanded. She obeyed and turned to face him. The sofa had disappeared and he seemed to have regained the powerful and ominous look that she associated with the Goblin King. She controlled her sudden fear and reminded herself that she was safe, he was really a kind and gentle man.

"Now, we will begin with some basic conjuring spells. You must picture the object you want to appear, feel it, sense it in every way you can. Then compress it into a sphere with your mind, close it into a ball, and release it. Open your hand and you will have created a simple crystal," he twisted his wrist and produced a new crystal which he tossed to a wall. The couch reappeared. "Try making a pillow," Jareth watched her concentrate, she was too hasty in sensing the pillow though and no crystal formed. She tried again, spending time feeling the pillow, tasting its bland fabric, smelling it's musty feathers. She heard it crinkle as it moved and saw its velvet cover. She twisted her hand so the palm was facing toward the ceiling and felt something cold and light in her hand. She looked down to find a crystal.

"Now, toss it over there and we shall see what appears," Jareth faced the couch and Sarah threw it. The pillow in her mind now lay on the sofa.

"Very good, that is better than expected for your first crystal."

Sarah made four more pillows like this, taking less time to conjure them with each practice.

"Let's try something harder," he paced behind her and placed his face very near hers. She felt the strange sensation of fear once more. She was frightfully reminded of the time eight years ago when she had stood and looked over the Labyrinth for the first time.

"Why don't we try a memory? Something simple and meaningful."

Look what I am offering you- your dreams.

She gasped as his words flashed through her mind.

But what no one knew was this: the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with her, and given her certain powers.

Had he really fallen in love with her? She had never considered it seriously until that day.

"Pick anything you like and concentrate on all the senses. Try to play the memory through. When you become advanced enough, you can create your own images or stories in the crystals."

Sarah pictured the ballroom crystal from the balcony, his lips moving closer.

"Go ahead Sarah," Jareth breathed on her neck, she kept hearing his words.

Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave.

The lips moving closer.

Without realizing it, she already had formed a crystal. She was unsure what it would tell, but she released it into the air where it floated like a bubble.

"Already? Very impressive Sarah. We can watch the memory together so I can see it and you can judge how accurate it was. Break the crystal with me," he took her hand, and they touched it together. Sarah felt the cold wash of water and a sinking feeling as she realized what the memory had become.

Jareth, the Goblin King, stood in his broken labyrinth from eight years previous. Sarah was there, but now she was twenty-three and dressed as she was when she conjured the memory. Somewhere next to her, the real Jareth hummed in surprise. The memory continued:

"Look Sarah, look what I am offering you- your dreams. I ask for so little. Just let me rule you and you can have everything that you want. Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave," Jareth pleaded, a lonely sorrow in his powerful words.

Sarah stepped backward in fright as he advanced slowly. She was pinned against a stone wall, but somehow she longed for him to keep her prisoner. Her lips parted, he drew closer. His hands rested upon her cinched waist. As his face neared hers, she whispered, "I love you," and he pressed his lips firmly on her own. He squeezed her waist and pulled them together, his feathery white cape gusted around them, and the memory exploded away.

Sarah and Jareth were alone in the dungeon, their hands loosely together. For a moment they stood perfectly still, each as surprised as the other. Sarah dropped his hand as she began to tremble slightly. Jareth turned toward her and their eyes locked. He stepped toward her quickly and suddenly and pressed his lips firmly against her own. They propelled backward with the force of his movement, his hands grasping her just above the hips. She took hold of his forearms for balance as they propelled toward the wall. Her back stuck the stone forcefully and they parted their lips to drink in the other.

He grasped her tighter and slid his hands up her waist to the ribbed area just beneath her breasts. She brought her hands behind his head.

Everything seemed to be floating away, as if the ground had left. Her stomach jolted at the weightless sensation and she was suddenly called back to her thoughts. She could not allow herself to do this.

Sarah turned her face away and stepped back, Jareth's hands still around her torso.

"What? What is it?" Jareth pleaded, nervous worry in his tone. "Sarah?" he brought one hand to her chin and turned her face toward his.

Tears brimmed her eyes, forcing her to blink. One spilled over and was wiped away by the smooth leather clad hand. She pulled away from him, attempting to hide her face. She had to remain strong.

"Jareth, I can't do this," her voice shook.

"Why? Tell me Sarah, have I done something wrong?"

"No, I- You are so perfect," she found herself saying the words without even thinking. "You are my dreams, Jareth. I never realized until today that you are all I ever wanted."

Jareth was shocked by her admission, "Then tell me what is wrong. Something is troubling you."

Sarah fought back the threatening sobs, "I can't live here forever. I can't just abandon my former life," she caught her breath, and started to continue, but stuttered as she tried to give him a proper excuse.

He took her waist again and pulled her close, holding her against his chest as she cried. "Sarah, I wish I could help you. I am bound by magic to the laws of the Labyrinth. I find loopholes, but I am afraid that there is not much around your circumstance," he breathed into her hair as she sobbed.

Everything was falling apart, she didn't understand how she could feel so torn. Jareth felt her emotions and remembered the song he sang her so long ago,

"There's such a sad love,

deep in your eyes

A kind of paled jewel,

opened and closed,

within your eyes,

I'll place the sky within your eyes."

Sarah fell silent and looked into his face with wide, innocent eyes.

"There's such a fooled heart,

Beating so fast

in search of new dreams,

A love that will last,

Within your heart,

I'll place the moon within your heart.

"As the pain sweeps through,

Makes no sense for you,

Every thrill has gone,

Wasn't too much fun at all,

"But I'll be there for you

As the world falls down."

Jareth paused, realizing how well the lyrics fit her. He had not understood them then, failed to understand the destiny behind them. He could feel nothing but Sarah's presence, his world was consumed by her.

Sarah caught her breath, "Wh- what?" he stared with no sign of hearing her. "What did you say?"

Their eyes were locked intensely. "It's your song."

"Mine?" Sarah appeared confused.

"When I sang to you the song in the ballroom crystal, the song formed of it's own accord, like your crystal. Since I made the crystal, it came from my own emotions."

Sarah shook her head in confusion, not daring to accept what he was saying, "Why is it mine though?"

"I made the crystal for you. It was you who inspired it. And look how it fits," he trailed off, wiping another tear from her cheek.

She barely murmured, "It's falling in love," and reached her arms around his torso, burying her head in his shoulder. Jareth stroked her hair and breathed in the scent of rose and lilac. Never before had he felt so whole. They remained still for a long time, feeling the other move with each breath. Sarah's legs buckled slightly and Jareth conjured their sofa underneath them. He pulled them onto the cushions and they made themselves comfortable, Jareth leaning against one arm of the sofa and Sarah tucked neatly into his side with her back nestled against his chest.

Once settled for a moment, Sarah turned to look at Jareth. He smiled and wiped away another one of her tears. She laughed, contrary to her face. "I'm not sure that I have ever cried this much in one day before in my life," her body shuddered as she gasped another breath.

"Is it really that hard to be here?" He knew that he would have no difficulty making a decision were he in the same position

Silence seemed to echo as Sarah searched her heart for the words. "I worry about my family. I know I will miss them. And my friends, it is hard to leave them behind."

"You speak as if you already live here," electric sparks of excitement shot through his spine as he spoke.

"I feel as if I do. You must understand, it is very strange being in such a foreign land and not knowing when I will return home, if ever," Sarah searched his face, he seemed confused. Her eyes focused on his dilated pupil and wished to understand his expression.

Suddenly, as if Jareth had spoken the words aloud Sarah knew what he was wondering. "I was only going to stay in Spain for three weeks, I knew that I would go home then and I was sure my family would be there at the airport waiting for me. Here it is different. I left without warning and I don't believe I am even allowed to return home should the desire arise."

Jareth blinked and touched his head as if to mitigate some headache. "If you live here, you may visit your home. I cannot have visitors from the Aboveground returning here frequently though. It unbalances the magic, and it is very taxing to reorder time." Jareth smirked and Sarah gave a small laugh.

"And yet you did it for me," she smiled.

Jareth kissed her cheek and pushed his face into her hair. It smelled so fresh and felt like nothing he had ever imagined.

"Sometimes it is worth the effort."