AN: Another beloved Labyrinth scribe, SaxonnyReturns, passed away. Words are difficult as I knew her and helped consult on a few of her works back in the day when the Labyrinth Boards were still active. Although we lost touch over the years, I will always have fond memories of the shenanigans she was a part of, especially when she let a whole bunch of us stay at her house for a Bowie concert. And of course, everlasting gratitude goes to Greenchimes for always making my writing better. She guides me to think of things I would have never thought up without being prodded to take a second crack at adding more details. Warning: Detailed moment of oral intimacy included in this chapter (lucky Jareth).
Chapter 12: An Oath Cannot be Broken
Sarah didn't want to turn her back on the others in the camp as she didn't want to let her guard down; her child had been made a bargaining chip and that was not to be taken lightly. Half of them didn't want the baby along in the first place. How could she possibly try to sleep with the fear that one of them might attempt to take Mari from her in the middle of the night? And Snigget had done nothing. Sarah just didn't know what to do or who she could trust. All she could do, at the moment, was keep to her hope that this was the means of finally getting to Jareth.
She tried to quiet the thoughts that plagued her mind as she silently followed Snigget back to the tent for the night. Snigget didn't say anything but goodnight niceties before going about her own nightly ritual as if Sarah wasn't there. Being so unnerved, Sarah didn't even take off her boots as she nestled herself into her makeshift bed. She pulled the satchel holding the gifted dagger from Sir Didymus close; she wanted to be ready to defend herself and Mari if anyone tried anything.
Mari of course cried, as babies do, yet for the first time Sarah couldn't get her to stop. She didn't need changing, she wouldn't take to the breast, and Sarah feared that Mari's immune system wasn't formed yet, so there was no telling if something medically was going on. It only made her feel worse because now she was sure any moment one of the others would come yell at her for the noise; she was certain the tent walls weren't thick enough to stop the sound. She was more worried about bothering these strangers than she had been with her own family members when Mari had her nightly episodes. Sarah shed tears of her own for being scared and feeling alone amongst these strangers.
Sarah felt a bead of sweat run down her back under her vest and she realized maybe the baby was too warm; they were in a desert after all. She took off her blouse and just wore her bra and vest, then unwrapped the baby and took her out of her onesie, just leaving her diaper on. Sarah then laid her baby against her chest, skin to skin. That did the trick. Mari calmed and took to nursing, allowing Sarah to finally relax her mind.
Sarah didn't know why, but every time she looked at her daughter she loved her even more. And being where they were, surrounded by strangers, Sarah felt a swelling anger in her; she realized for the first time she had something to protect, something that was hers that she would die, or kill for, to protect. It surprised her how deep the feeling went.
The candles lighting the tent went dim and she looked over to see Snigget resting soundly on her bed of pillows. Taking her cue, Sarah did her best to close her eyes and relax her mind, to not dwell on anything, but that was nearly impossible as her mind was racing. She tried to convince herself that these people needed her; they wouldn't jeopardize their mission just because a baby was in the mix. She knew what always helped her to regain focus, more often than not, was when she set her thoughts on the person she cherished most.
However, because of the stressed state of her mind, it wasn't any sweet memory that came to mind of some lovey-dovey moment she shared with Jareth but one that had been born originally out of strained curiosity. And it was another subject that plagued her mind now: Would she and her baby be spared from being changed into goblins?
It was difficult for Sarah to contemplate, for she was so attached to Jareth now it was hard to remember, but the first few months of dreaming together after she'd won her brother back had been challenging. The Wisher and the King of the Goblins had been adversaries agreeing to be amiable. She was the flippant teenager trying to prove she wasn't intimidated by the big bad king who treated her as something to be ignored, or at best tolerated. He answered her questions only so much as to get her to disappear just as quickly as she'd come. What other choice did either of them have when the Labyrinth wouldn't let them stay away from each other? So, when in one non-particular non-dream they seemed to be stuck wandering the hedge maze together, Sarah initiated the opportunity to end the awkward silence between them.
"Does every human that comes into the Labyrinth become a goblin?"
"Yes." Jareth answered, his tone noncommittal before saying in a slightly lower voice while shrugging his shoulders, "and no."
"So, which is it?" She reiterated.
Jareth sighed as if it were a chore to release his breath. "One could say the purpose of the Labyrinth is to determine the worthiness of humans entering the Underground; a means to entrap them so that the magic it possesses can change them into creatures more fit for a magical world. It only takes half a day, after all."
She cocked her brow. "Half a day?"
"Thirteen hours in the presence of one of the most primal magics to ever exist, and those without magic are forever altered. The Labyrinth itself allows some to venture beyond its walls. It seems to have kindness, for not all humans are changed."
Sarah raised her brows in surprise, "They're not?"
With a slight shake of his head, he answered, "I've watched it help some to find their way out, to escape the effects of being exposed to the magic for too long. Some are too far gone in their own minds and too old to become goblins, so they are placed within the ballroom to forever dance away their worries. But others are irreversibly altered when the Labyrinth enacts its judgment."
"Altered how?" Sarah asked.
"Beings without magic are transformed into a creature of the Labyrinth's choosing. Humans become goblins. Mostly, humans come from your world through wishing. Only if the Labyrinth, or myself, spares the human by placing our magic upon them would they be saved. Other creatures that breach the walls from outside the Labyrinth, which do not have magic, become other things, such as the Fireys."
"What were they before?" She asked, finding it intriguing that the creatures which so easily dismembered themselves might not have always been that way.
"A species known as n'diol from a kingdom west of the Labyrinth. They are vicious hunters able to see more sharply than a bird of prey in the night and they are very territorial. Believe when I say what they are now is an improvement." He scoffed.
They walked a bit longer. Since Jareth wasn't saying anything more without her first initiating the conversation, she continued her inquiry. "Would Toby have become a goblin if I hadn't won?"
"No." His tone was assured, "I had plans to raise him as my own and prepare him to be my replacement, should the goblins so choose."
"Why Toby? Can't you have a kid of your own be your heir?" When he refrained from answering, she looked up at him to find he had turned his head away from her. Guilt hit the pit of her stomach that she must have struck a cord on a sensitive subject. "Are you all alone here?"
He indicated to nothing in general and everything around them as he gestured gloved hands about, "You've seen the citizens of my kingdom, I am hardly alone."
"But, I mean, is there anyone here like you?" She clarified, then averted her eyes as she hesitantly asked, "Do…do you have a queen?"
When he didn't make a sound, she looked up to find he wasn't there. Turning around, she found that he was walking back the way they had come, and he was already paces away. She ran to catch up with him. "Hey, wait up. Where are you going?"
He didn't slow down, didn't acknowledge she was trying to match his pace other than saying,"Your questions are quite bothersome today."
"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get a better understanding of how things work. How else am I supposed to know anything unless I ask?" She said, setting her pace to match his quickened one.
He abruptly stopped and faced her, causing her to nearly bump into him chest to chest, but he caught himself and stepped back before they could collide. He glared at her a moment before conceding, "Yes, Sarah, I am the only one like me here."
"Is there anyone like you anywhere in the Underground? Are there only creatures and goblins? What are you, anyway?" She asked in one breath.
"If you must know, I was born human." He growled.
She cocked an eyebrow and tilted her head in surprise. "Oh. Okay, so you said not all humans are changed if you or the Labyrinth decide to spare them. Are there any humans here?" Sarah asked, pitying him. She couldn't imagine what it must be like to be the only one of your kind.
He scoffed, "Why would anyone human desire to remain? This place reminds them of their mis-deeds and failures. Those whom the Labyrinth allows to leave, or that escape, find a more meaningful existence elsewhere in the human colonies of various kingdoms."
"So, other than creatures, there are no people in the Labyrinth? There is no one for you to…" Her words trailed off; she didn't really know how she wanted to phrase that thought.
Understanding the gist of her question, Jareth shrugged. "No, no one, though I suppose in the other kingdoms, there are humans and other beings which exist that are compatible. Or," he gave her a side glance, "perhaps, someday, should there be someone from Above I don't want changed.…"
"Yes?" She tried to get him to say something more when he didn't continue. She wanted to know why a man such as him was alone when he might not have to be.
He sighed and took slow steps away from her. "My life is not my own. I am at the mercy of the Labyrinth. I do its bidding as much as it does mine. I have accepted that it may never let me have a queen."
He sounded sad, like he didn't want to be alone. Was that why…? Sarah's heart beat a bit faster thinking of her next question. She hadn't let herself think much of the last words he said to her before she defeated him, but she had thought about it, more than once. Had he meant what he said about being her slave if she acquiesced to his stipulations, or was it just a ploy to stop her?
"What would have happened to me, should I have lost?"
Jareth was quiet a moment before turning back to her, saying softly, "I don't know. I haven't thought much on it. The Labyrinth decides the fate of the failed runners."
"And? What happens to the wishers who lose?" Sarah asked, trying to get him to elaborate.
"Most get sent home. Some are allowed to flee to live in the colonies. Others are kept by the maze, cursed to become a goblin."
"How many of those that lose are kept? And of those, how many are saved from becoming goblins? How do they learn that there are other kingdoms to even flee to? Do you tell them and give them a chance of not being changed? And for those that are sent home, do they get in trouble for the missing child? Do they even remember they made the wish? Because, I'm thinking they don't remember, 'cause if they did, wouldn't there be more stories about the Labyrinth? I wouldn't even know about the Labyrinth if it weren't for the book. And if they…"
"Sarah, stop!" Jareth hissed in exasperation. At seeing her green eyes widen at his outburst, he then more calmly asked, "Is there a point to this rambling prattle?"
She averted her gaze. "I'm just curious about what happens."
"To be honest, I've never bothered to keep track of how many stay or go."
"Well, what happens Above when a wisher returns empty handed, then?"
"I don't know. I suppose they have to face the consequences of their wish. I don't go Above to check on them once the magic sends them back."
"Why not?"
"It's not necessary." He answered simply.
They began to walk again, slowly wandering the maze as they waited for the dream to reach its end. But the longer they stayed, the more questions buzzed between Sarah's ears until she couldn't help but to continue her query.
"So, what do you think would have happened to me if I'd have lost? Would I have been sent back or kept?"
The quiet reservation to his tone surprised her when he answered, "I have a feeling you would have stayed."
"Why's that?" She asked.
He looked her straight in the eyes. "Because you are here now."
Thinking back on it, Sarah wondered if Jareth felt then what they would become.
That the Labyrinth itself had allowed her and Jareth to dream together, to conceive their daughter within a dream, still didn't make sense. Yet, now that she was here, she dreaded stepping foot in the maze for fear she couldn't ask for Jareth to protect her and their daughter. All she could do was pray the Labyrinth would spare them from being magically changed into goblins once they were within its walls.
Now, she had made a bargain to go back into the temperamental twisting walls and moving biomes. This time, there was no time constraint, and without the help of the denizens who made the maze their home, she feared what might happen. She tried to think of how much help she had actually been given by Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus and how much she had achieved on her own. Honestly, she couldn't settle on an answer, and it terrified her.
What if she couldn't lead these people to the castle within thirteen hours? Without Jareth knowing she was there, he wouldn't be able to protect her and Mari from being transformed. There was no guarantee she and Mari would be spared by the Labyrinth.
Never in her life had she felt such dread and wrongness. She didn't know what making the oath with these bandits would mean in the long term. She felt as if a hovering cloud of dread surrounded her as she worried about the consequences for what she'd agreed to. But as Jareth had told her long ago, what's said is said. The bargain had been struck and there was no turning back.
Once she felt herself nodding off, Sarah looked down to thankfully find her daughter asleep. She quickly swaddled Mari and put her in the makeshift crib. Sarah then lay down, pulling the crib beside her as she rested her hand on Mari's tummy as the girl slumbered. Finally, her eyes drifted closed.
Of course, with the way things had been going lately when she slept, it shouldn't have surprised her to find herself in a place she found very comfortable the moment she fell asleep.
Sarah turned over onto her left side, and as she did, a smile crept over her lips as she felt the wonderful softness of the feathered mattress beneath her. She wriggled her toes against the cool, silky satin sheets. Oh, how she loved this bed, for so many reasons. And soon, it would finally be hers.
"I was worried that the dreams would end, with you now Underground."
Sarah gasped and stopped moving at the sound of her husband's voice behind her. She couldn't tell his mood. What he'd said; he knew where she was? As much as she wanted to ask him, she dared not move as panic quickly struck her in fear that contact with him even in a dream could be breaking the oath she'd taken. Many things about the dreams lingered in reality over the years; her toned body from exercising while in the dreams, the bruises from Jareth's unintentional attack, the slickness she found between her thighs when she awoke, and of course her daughter's conception were proof: What happened in the dreams had consequences in the real world. She couldn't chance breaking her oath, so she remained still and silent.
He eased closer, pulling her to him and entwining their legs as he spooned against her. He maneuvered an arm under her to wrap around her chest and placed his palm over her sternum. With his other hand, he feathered his fingers across her upward facing arm, causing goose pimples to appear on her skin. Her hair was braided to the side, leaving her neck bare; he placed a kiss there before resting his chin on her shoulder.
The way he held her, she couldn't tell if he was being protective or possessive. Maybe both. She was relieved to feel that they were both clothed; at least his bottom half was clothed as she could feel his night pants against the skin of her calves. He was bare chested save for the metal pendant she could feel against the skin of her shoulder blade. She was not nude as she could feel a layer of cloth partially on her back. She glanced down her front to find the sleeveless nursing nightgown she'd worn the last four nights peeking from beneath the crimson sheets. And for the first time in months, her body was as it was in the waking world; her belly still swollen from childbirth and breasts enlarged. She slightly wiggled her hips, and as she suspected, the postpartum diaper was there. Her heart rate increased and her breathing quickened, anticipating his reaction to her condition. Could he see it now?
His breath tickled her ear as he spoke. "I found myself in quite a precarious situation earlier today, one in which I was able to appear in the form of my birth while Above, without a wish having been made."
"How!?" On impulse, her curiosity trumped her fear of forfeiting the oath. It, after all, said she couldn't willingly contact him, and he'd been the one to initiate this interaction. Sarah tried to turn over to look at him, but Jareth stopped her, his hand pressing back on her chest and legs tightening to hold her in place
"How indeed. Imagine my amazement at coming face to face with Cassandra. Apparently, I ceased being confined to my avian form the moment you were no longer there. She claimed that you'd been taken Underground." When Sarah tried to speak again, he stopped her, "Uh uh. Don't. As you've been here half a day and not sent me word of your arrival, I can only assume you didn't want me to be aware of your accomplishment. Or perhaps you wanted to surprise me with your presence at the opportune moment? Hmm?"
I will not cry, Sarah internally told herself. She hated hearing his cross tone. "We've both wanted me here for a long time. An opportunity presented itself and I took it. Does it matter how it happened?"
"It may. Let us hope that it does not." He kissed her neck to ease the tension before he asked, "Where are you?"
"Honestly, other than being Underground and not in the Labyrinth, I don't know where I am right now."
"Are you safe? Cassandra said you were recruited because you conquered the Labyrinth. Did you go with them willingly?"
"Yes. It was my choice to do this." She answered quietly.
"Sarah, should you need me…"
"No." Sarah looked over her shoulder at him. "I cannot call on you or anyone else in the Labyrinth. That's a term of their agreement. If I want to stay Underground after I help them, I must do this on my own."
"How long will it take? The prospect of you being in my arms in reality is most appealing. I am not patient." He started nipping her skin with his teeth, working his way down her shoulder as he held her tighter, "I yearn to have you in my arms for real. To feel you, be within you."
Sarah couldn't help but to lean her head into him at the emotions he was invoking, and yet she knew she couldn't let things get physical-her body couldn't take it. There was already a disconnect; the way he was touching her would have had her hot and bothered by now, but she felt nothing-no arousal, not a tingle of desire other than he was warm and she wanted to be near him.
He slowly moved his hand resting on her chest to massage a breast, which had her groaning; it felt uncomfortable but also very good as Mari hadn't nursed very long, so she was very full. She was certain her chest would be quite wet when she awoke. If he felt the moisture, he didn't react. With his free hand, he slowly moved it down her arm then to her hip, where he curled his fingers around her pelvis and pulled her ass against his growing erection.
"I want you." He whispered in her ear before gently biting it, then enveloping the lobe with his lips, causing her to whimper. After a moment he breathed out against her skin, "It's been forty-two days."
"We've gone longer between before." Sarah quietly reminded him.
"Not since we wed." He countered, grinding his hips into her from behind as he moved his hand to the crease of her thigh.
Sarah swiftly took hold of his wrist before he could touch her sensitive place. "I can't."
"Can't?"
The annoyance and confusion in his tone was obvious, but Sarah stood her ground. "I'm not up to it. I'm exhausted and terrified I made the wrong decision in trying to get to you this way. Having sex is the last thing I want to do right now. Plus, it would be mortifying to react to your touch with these strangers. At least with Cassie, she knew what was happening."
He groaned his disappointment into her back as he breathed out against her skin. He tested his fingers, debating whether to do as he wanted. But after a moment, he did as she asked, moving his hand to rest on the round of her hip.
Sarah felt bad. This situation was quite unfair to him. He didn't know what was going on or why she had to deny him access to her body. She knew she had every right to tell him no, but she felt guilty because she'd never denied him before. Their time between dreams always had them craving and waiting for the next chance to be together.
Even though he couldn't touch her, she could touch him. Laying on her stomach was something she hadn't done for many months, so she was grateful that when she turned around to look at him, easing onto her stomach so he could not see the front of her body, she didn't feel any pain at the motion.
She reasoned with herself that just because she couldn't have sex didn't mean she had to deprive him of pleasure. She'd just have to be creative.
Sarah shimmied her body down to where her face was level with her husband's pelvis. She then pushed his thighs apart to nestle her body between them before raising on her knees and placing her weight on her forearms.
He cocked a brow at her in curiosity. "Precious, what are you doing?"
"You said you wanted me. This," she said as she placed a hand on his erection through the cloth covering him, "is how."
He started to protest, but she moved her fingers to unlace the string of his night pants, then eased the fabric down to free his cock. Whatever he was about to say was silenced when she took hold of him. Feeling how firm he was solidified her willingness to do this for him; it would be quite unfair to let him not find release.
She lightly feathered her fingertips over his cock, tracing a vein. She then wrapped her fist around the base of his shaft before easing her lips over the tip. In tandem, she swirled her tongue over the head as she began to move her fist over him. She then mouthed her way down the underside of his shaft and fondled his sack with varying pressure of her lips and tongue, all the while working her fist over his length.
"Ss...Sarah…" He grasped a fist full of her hair, his fingers intertwining with the strands as if he wasn't sure if he wanted to push her head away or pull her closer, "too much...let me touch you."
"This is about you." She licked up the side of his shaft before running the end of her tongue around his tip while moving her fingers to trade places in massaging the sack. When he let go of her head, she glanced up to see he'd raised up, resting his weight on his elbows so he could watch her.
She enveloped the head again, this time bobbing steadily up and down as she caressed the underside against her tongue with each pass. She grinned against him as he took deeper breaths through his nose, nostrils flaring, and the muscles of his lower belly clenched and released in reaction.
She gave her mouth a moment to rest and moved her fingers back to work over him. She kept her voice sultry as she gazed into his eyes, "Just think what it will feel like when I am really with you. No more dreams. No more waking up alone." She paused her words as a groan escaped him. Yet it still wasn't enough to get him off, so she continued, "Do you think it will feel the same? These dreams feel real to me. I've no complaints. But can you imagine it being better?"
She placed her mouth over him again, daring to take him to the back of her throat before slowly pulling off almost to the tip before going down again. She only did it twice as taking him too deeply triggered her to gag and catch her breath, and that was not pleasant. Yet, he placed a hand upon her head, winding his fingers within her hair to guide her down upon him as he made her take him deep again and began slowly thrusting. After a few moments of steady movement, he began deeper, swifter thrusts and his shaft went too far down her throat. She tapped his thigh with her fingers and hummed in a disapproving sound and he released her. She took a few gasping intakes of breath and blinked back tears that had suddenly formed in reflex to his actions.
Catching a look of concern in his furrowed brow, she said, "That was just too much. I'm okay." Then grinned reassuringly before going back to her task.
Instead of mouthing him fully, she did tiny motions with her tongue, giving steady friction to the head while she quickly worked her fist over the length of him, all the while her eyes latched with his. When he threw his head back as his hips started jerking, the muscles in his ass clenching with the tail-tale sign he was about to release, she placed her lips over his shaft again, taking him in as far as was comfortable and using suction. She couldn't help herself from grinning again at hearing him moan; giving him pleasure was pleasurable, although it was mental and not a physical pleasure. Making him feel good was pleasing.
"Uuha nuh. Sarah!" He hissed as he raised his hips up to her, releasing his seed.
Never before had he allowed himself to come within her mouth. He'd always stopped her before he got that far, instead typically holding off on his release so he could give her pleasure too. She didn't mind it, though, and swallowed what he gave her before parting her lips to catch her breath.
Jareth lay back looking to the ceiling, panting as the feeling she invoked calmed. He blindly raised his fingers to her head, caressing the strands of her messy hair gently before saying between breaths, "I apologize….I couldn't stop it."
Sarah crawled back up to lay beside him, placing her hand over his bare chest, twisting the chain of his pendant around her fingers. "Why are you sorry? You did exactly as I wanted. I'm the one that started this, remember?"
Once his body calmed, he pulled her closer to him, making her look him in the eye. "It doesn't need to be better. Dreams or not, all I need is you. You are enough."
Sarah nodded her head and clenched her eyes shut as his words caused a swelling of sadness and longing in her heart. Jareth placed his fingers to cup her jaw and pulled her to him, kissing her gently. When he released her mouth, he placed a kiss on her forehead, then cuddled her to his side.
They had hardly settled together when the noise that had separated them the last few dreams began to sound, causing Jareth to release an exasperated breath. "Not again."
Sarah sighed and moved to get off the bed.
"Don't go." He grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her back to him. When she tried to get up again, he growled, "Ignore it."
"I can't." Sarah pressed her hand against his chest for him to let her go, but he didn't budge.
"I want to know, Sarah. I want to know what is doing this to you." His eyes reflected his ire.
"I'm okay. I just have to go." She pushed against him harder for him to release her.
"No." He sat up and gripped her biceps. "I'm tired of being tired. I sleep when you sleep, remember."
She narrowed her brow as she stated sardonically, "You did that to yourself."
"Because you are keeping things from me." He bit out forcefully.
"Don't." She whispered, beseeching him with her eyes. "Don't do this. Let me go."
After glaring at her a moment, he conceded and slowly uncurled his hands, releasing her. "Sarah, should you need me…"
She leaned forward and kissed him gently before whispering against his lips as she faded, "I love you, Jareth Tyton."
Jareth found he did not wake from the dream, which was baffling for if Sarah was awake, he shouldn't be sleeping. But there he was, still laying in his dream bed. Just to be sure, for his chamber in the dreams looked identical to that in the waking world, he ventured through the castle and into the throne room. As expected, the castle was empty. The normally fetid, stale smells that permeated the air in the presence of goblins was also blessedly absent. Thus, he was still dreaming.
"As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you…"
Sarah's voice sang the words slowly as if it were a lullaby. He felt her presence, heard her voice softly singing the heart song he'd given her the first time they'd danced together. But no matter where he followed her voice, he did not find her. It was as if she wasn't in any one place but all around him. Eventually, her voice went hazy and faded.
The sound of his bare feet patting on the stones caught his attention; hearing it made him keep walking. He had no direction in mind, so as his feet wandered, so did his thoughts. And his thoughts were ever on one thing.
He wanted to know what was happening to his wife that took her away from him each dreaming. Whatever it was couldn't be associated with her now being Underground, for it had been occurring for days and she'd only just arrived. He supposed he had to take solace that she wasn't afraid of whatever it was despite that she seemed to be enslaved to it. That she couldn't ignore it, couldn't refuse it, even willingly chose it over him was irritating and worrisome.
He had restrained himself from acting on impulse when seeing her in their bed. Being near her, in that moment, gentleness was not his first instinct. It was especially difficult when glimpsing the swaying of her breasts under her nightdress as she bent over him. Their shape and fullness drew his attention, and oh how he wished she would let him touch her. But he let her persuade him to let her take control, and oh, was she superb. His eyes wanted to roll back just at thinking of how her mouth and hands had felt upon him. Yet, the words she spoke as she touched him just reminded him of her deceit.
He fought the urge to claim her, to fuck her into submission, put her in her place for trying to keep things from him. Plus, how dare she use her authority as queen to keep her companions from telling him fully what they knew. He was only getting half truths, and it was fueling his anger.
It alarmed him, this rage that he felt towards Sarah. He didn't want to hurt her, but he knew it was within him that he so easily could. Anger was a form of passion, and oh was he passionate for her. He was starved for her. Yes, she'd serviced him so his carnal urges were sated, but it wasn't what he needed of her. Just knowing that she was in his world hastened his desire for her, body and soul. Lover and companion. She was what he needed to feel whole.
However, there was also a push in his gut, a cautionary feeling to pause and consider what it meant now that she was so close to fully being his. With her actually there, nothing would ever be the same. His life wouldn't be his any more. With the dreams, he hadn't needed to change much of his life other than to fulfill his vow to consult her on his decisions for their kingdom before taking action. Once she is by his side, her wishes will have to be followed not out of obligation to their vows, but because she was co-monarch of the Labyrinth, if it allowed her to be. As such, her word is to be obeyed as much as his. What if they ever disagreed? Aside from the bickering they volleyed before becoming lovers, they had never quarreled. Could he have it in him to allow for compromise and let her win should they argue? Just thinking of it had him battling with himself; it was not in his nature to concede.
With her not truly with him yet, he attempted to fathom what he'd need to do to mentally prepare himself for what life with her every day will be. Did she have any habits he would find unbecoming? Would she find any of his intricacies annoying? He swore to himself that he would make every effort to be patient, considerate, and unselfish-things that weren't natural to him. He'd been married to her for eight months, yet because of their separation, he'd never had to change his bachelor ways. Those days were quickly coming to an end, and he had to be prepared, ready or not. As ever, Sarah was still turning his world.
Sarah jerked awake when the sound of something thumping near her startled her senses. The last thing she remembered was sleepily nursing Mari after the dream, singing softly to the girl to keep her appeased. She must have fallen back to sleep, yet a dreamless one without Jareth. Mari was still in her lap, although not nursing but asleep. Sarah glanced around to see what had awoken her to find Snigget bustling about gathering things into a pack, the thumping being her bouncing the pack on the table to get the contents inside to settle so she could put more within. Further examination led Sarah to see it was still dark outside.
"Should I be getting ready?" Sarah asked through a yawn.
"Yes." Was all the other woman answered.
At this very moment, Sarah wished she had the ability to reorder time to give her more opportunity to rest. Moving was not something she felt like doing, especially not the few miles trek it would take just to get to the walls of the Labyrinth. But as it was, she was merely human and technically was in no condition to do what she had agreed to do. She wasn't ready for this; hell, even if she hadn't just given birth she didn't know if she would be ready for such a massive task as mastering the Labyrinth a second time. But if her temporary discomfort was the means of reaching her eternal happiness, she would buck up and work through the exhaustion and pain to get to Jareth.
Nodding to herself, Sarah moved the baby into the makeshift crib, then carefully maneuvered her body into a standing position. As she rose from off the floor, she thought she must look very ungraceful as she was still unbalanced with the baby weight lingering on her stomach. Getting up wasn't as difficult or painful as she expected, which was a relief. Slowly, but hopefully surely, her body was healing.
While gathering her things, Sarah felt tension in the air she couldn't explain. It wasn't the same as the anxiety she went to sleep with. It was unnerving to not be able to figure out why she felt this way.
And then, the elf spoke.
"I'm going to have to redo your hair. It's ruined."
Sarah's head shot up instantly and she looked to the elf with wide eyes, "What?"
"The braid has been undone." The woman pulled out the chair at the table and gestured for Sarah to approach. "Come, sit."
Sarah raised her hand to her hair and sure enough, it felt unkempt from where Jareth had gripped her head to hold it in place while he….She tried to not let her face flush from the reason behind it. She noted Snigget avoided her eyes as she sat in front of her. Her fingers were quick and to the point.
"Be mindful of your dreams." Snigget said sternly.
Sarah took a sharp intake of breath and stiffened.
"If you break your oath, even in a dream, you will no longer be bound to this world." The woman continued to weave the strands of hair as she spoke. "What you want most is to stay, so to break it would send you home."
"But I can't help what happens in a dream. It's a dream. Dreams can't be controlled." Sarah defended.
"That's a human's logic. Above, no one can see what happens in someone else's dreams so you claim you can't be held responsible for what happens in them. But here, magic knows. With magic, nothing remains hidden for long. In dreams, you can be your own worst enemy. Be careful not to damn yourself." Snigget cautioned.
Sarah sighed, frustrated the situation was spiraling out of her control. "Maybe it is different here, but I don't know how to control what happens in the dreams. I have dreams with someone who lives within the Labyrinth that I met on my run, and I can't predict when the dreams with him might happen. Recently, as last night proved, it has been nearly every time I sleep. Will dreaming with him cause me to break the oath?"
"Even within dreams, choices can be made, so be mindful." Snigget warned.
Sarah's blood pounded in her ears at hearing the woman's words. "How do you know of my dreams, anyway?"
"You must be aware that you speak while you sleep." When Sarah nodded, the elf continued, "I heard you utter a name, one that matches the symbol of the regalia you possess, the gifts you say are from your husband. With how enthused you sounded in your dream, I can only assume your husband is..."
"Yes." Sarah stopped the woman from saying more for fear the others could be listening. She knew her face paled even though she tried to keep her expression neutral and a teardrop streamed down her face. "You know I've been here before. You know I've been trying to get back. Now you know why."
"It seems we have both been separated from the men we love. That's why last night you said for us to seek approval from the Goblin King through his queen, because you..."
"Stop. Please don't say any more. The others can't know." Sarah pleaded.
"Speaking of not letting them know…" Snigget reached for Sarah's wrist, pulling Sarah closer to her and bringing the hand with the bracelet she had given her the night before level with her eyes. She turned Sarah's wrist to view different angles, even touched a finger to it, sending out sparks that made Sarah yelp in surprise. "It looks as though the spell is still in place. If your husband could still see you in your dream, maybe I got the spell wrong." She then sighed and released Sarah's arm. "Nothing to do about it now. No time to make a new one; this one took half a year, as it is. We'll all find out, one way or another. No helping that. We'll just have to take it in stride when the time comes."
"You mean should the Goblin King find me he'll either see me or he won't. And you said if others touch me, should it work, they won't be seen by him either, right?"
Snigget nodded, "Yes, if the spell is still viable."
"Great."
Snigget squeezed her shoulder gently, "There, the braid is done. Now, pack. When you're done, we'll eat, and then our journey begins."
Sarah returned to gathering her things. She had already checked the diaper bag, but when she went to her satchel, she noticed it was open and the things within spilled on the ground beside it. "Snigget, did you go through my things?" She looked at everything, trying to remember what was in it. It only held the things Jareth and her Labyrinthian friends had given her, so it wasn't hard to see what was missing. "What did you do with them?"
The elf woman came to stand beside her, "I did not touch your things, I promise you. Perhaps one of us knocked it over when getting ready this morning and the contents rolled away. What's missing?"
"A knife and a metal cup. They aren't here, and if they just got kicked away we'd still see them."
Snigget looked closely at the ground; she indicated to where the carpet met the dirt, there was a tiny trail of disturbance. "I think I know who did this. Rest assured, you'll have your things back. I'll go talk to Tocpe."
With a determined stance, Snigget marched out of the tent. Not that she knew the elf well, but this was the most emotion Sarah had seen of the woman. It made her feel like maybe Snigget did have her back after all, despite remaining silent last night when the life of her baby was bartered. Maybe something about the oath Snigget had taken compelled her to be silent. The magic Sarah felt when her own oath took hold was unexpected; would she someday have to also be forced to go against her nature because of it? She hoped not.
Her packing finished, minus the missing items, Sarah shouldered the diaper bag, then carefully lifted the makeshift crib and took it with her into the bathing room. She placed the crib on the counter, grabbed a diaper for the baby out of the bag and placed it beside the crib, then went about cleaning herself. She removed her blouse and bra; as she predicted the milk pads were soaked from when Jareth had massaged her. She rinsed them out in the bowl and wrung them out the best she could, then lay them to the side to air-dry while she took care of the rest of herself. She cleaned under her arms; how she would kill for deodorant-she hated going without deodorant, and come to think of it, she'd never gone a day in her life without it since she was a pre-teen. Thankful for the use of the bowl that never dirtied, she freshened other areas of herself. She did not want to think about how the journey into the Labyrinth might be without a source of water to stay clean. There were ponds and the canal section within the maze, but there was no telling if she'd come across them on her journey.
Removing her undergarment, she was surprised to not see any blood on the cloth at all; magic really was amazing. Yet when she cleaned herself with a towelette, the fabric came back very, very red. She was grateful that she wouldn't have to feel gross during the journey, but she also wasn't sure how she'd be able to tell if she was getting any better.
Once she had finished cleaning herself, she went to her daughter and gently shifted her in her makeshift crib on the counter, removing the onesie and diaper so as to give the girl a cloth bath. Though she gave little grunts from being moved, Mari remained asleep. Sarah wiped under the crease of each limb, the roly-poly folds of skin, and did her best to avoid getting the umbilical cord damp. She looked for any signs of infection, discoloration of skin, or rash, but thankfully the girl's skin was unblemished. Sarah kept the panic at bay that she had no soap, no powders or creams, nothing she had been taught to use to keep her child fresh and germ free. And Mari's little nails were getting long; maybe Reinna would have suggestions on what she could do to trim them-or maybe not since the woman probably did everything with magic. When in the Labyrinth, until she reached the castle, Sarah didn't know what resources she would have to care for her child; just another worry to add to the growing list.
"Peaches?" Snigget called when she returned.
"I'm in here." Sarah answered.
"They've started breakfast. Tocpe said he wants us moving before the sun comes up."
She could hear faster movements by the elf from the other side of the curtain and she sped her actions up. Once she reclothed Mari and evaluated that things were as good as they were going to get, Sarah picked up the crib and went out to the elf.
"Did you find my things?" Sarah asked.
"No, but I let Tocpe know who I suspect. He'll take care of it. He assured me they will be returned before the end of breakfast."
Sarah heard a whimper from Mari below her. The little girl's eyes were open and searching, and her limbs were all wiggly. On instinct, Sarah sat down to take her to her breast before remembering they were on a schedule. Second guessing her time limit, she looked to Snigget, "Do I have time to nurse her?"
The elf nodded, then gave a grim expression. "You are right to be cautious around the others. Should some of them know who you are, they might assume your husband, keeper of the Vault, would provide a higher ransom payment than what I've paid them for my task. It is something neither of us can afford for them to discover. I can guarantee they will not hear it from me. I still need you, your majesty." Snigget whispered her last words. "You help me get to my love, and I'll get you to yours."
Sarah sniffled as she nodded and faintly smiled, "Deal."
"Is she a dream child, then?" The elf walked slowly towards the sleeping babe, a wondrous gleam to her eyes as she raised her hand to hover over Mari.
"Dream child?"
"You said you haven't been Underground in seven years, yet she is a product of your love. There are tales of ones born to those with a love so strong, not even dreams could keep them separated. It's been so long since there has been one, it's more legend than fact. There hasn't been one conceived since before I was born, and I am over a millennia old."
"You're kidding…you look…I mean, I guess I have no idea what any species Underground should look at any age." She blinked strongly to get herself back on track, "What's special about Dream children?"
"I'm uncertain. As I said, I know they once existed, but it's been so long, there are only stories."
"Good stories, I hope." Sarah said, thinking of the legends of her world, many of which didn't have happy endings.
Not wanting to think more on what being a Dream Child could mean for her daughter, Sarah brought up another concern heavy on her mind. "There's another problem that might be unavoidable with my being Underground. Some of the residents of the Labyrinth could recognize me. I made friends here, on my run. A few of them have been visiting me through a mirror freely Above ever since I ran the Labyrinth. It will surprise them that I am here; they will want to tell others. If any of them see me, they will most likely try to get me to go with them."
"Even more reason that we must ask for you to not contact anyone you know within the maze." The elf stated.
"But why not? My friends know that I have wanted to be a citizen of the Goblin City for many years and have been trying to help me find a way."
Snigget shook her head firmly, her tone stern. Her silver eyes flared as she said, "My mission means life or death for my beloved. If we are to succeed, we can have no distractions and no delays." Snigget commanded. "If you are approached by any that know you, you must ignore them."
"Why? They could help us." Sarah asked.
"Because you've already made the oath. Once made, it cannot be altered. You vowed you will not let anyone who lives within the Labyrinth's walls know you are there. That was part of the oath you made. Though, it did not state that they could not come across you unaware, only that you cannot seek them out. So, don't seek out your friends and no part of the oath has been broken."
Sarah gave a sigh of relief. "I was hoping it would be something like that. I just can't voluntarily approach anyone. I can deal with that."
"Not just that, you can't willingly interact with them."
"But my dreams, I can't…"
"Did you in your dream last night?"
Sarah latched her eyes onto the elfs, a hint of fear in her gaze. "You know I did. Did I break the oath even before we've begun?"
"I suppose not since you are still here." Snigget affirmed. "But in the waking world, you must refrain from engaging those who know you."
"Snigget, Peaches, you'd better come eat. Tocpe wants to head out by sunrise." Someone outside the tent said loudly, as though they were speaking through a can.
"We'll be out presently, Scubbin." The elf answered, her voice raised so the knight could hear. Then to Sarah, she said, "When you're done feeding her, go eat yourself. I have a few things to finish up here."
Sarah was grateful Mari nursed quickly, or at least fell asleep again. She went to the diaper bag and pulled out the sling, wrapped it around her body, then placed her daughter snuggly against her chest. She then took stock of everything; all seemed right with the baby's supplies. Also, she ensured the pouch holding the jewelry from her husband was secured snuggly in her bra, then twisted the insignia of her signet ring to the inside of her palm lest others glance at the emblem of her station. Of all the things she owned, second only to her daughter, she would fight to keep them. Only if someone physically restrained her would they be able to take them from her.
Then there was the matter of the cloak she had been given. She held it out a moment before turning to Snigget, "Isn't this going to be too hot to wear?"
Glancing over to see to which Sarah was referring, Snigget shook her head, "No, it will help protect you from the sun. We'll be crossing the desert a few hours before we reach the Labyrinth, then who knows what conditions we'll find within its walls."
Unable to dispute the logic, Sarah shrugged, then pulled the cloak over her shoulders and used the attached brooch to secure it in place. She then slipped on the boots and was as ready as she could be.
Despite Sniggest's assurance that the missing items would be returned since she had a fair idea of who took them, Sarah couldn't ward off a different anxiety than she'd already started out the day with. Now, the seed of distrust had been planted. What type of person had the gall to steal from someone who was recruited to help their mission? And after Snigget's warning; could the others turn on them so easily? She had no way to defend herself with the dagger missing. If it was never returned to her, she had little means to protect herself. Had she not just given birth, it could be a different story. Though she'd never studied hand to hand combat, she'd had enough basic training over the years of working the human chess board fights at the Ren Faires, plus the weapons classes she took, that she felt confident enough that if she had a weapon in her hands, she'd have some success. However, should she ever have to defend herself against these people if they used magic, she doubted she'd have any chance against them. All she could do was pray it would never come to that.
Leaving the tent was a struggle. Sarah sighed as she briefly glanced back, knowing that the next few unnumbered nights would not be as comfortable.
Even though it was still dark outside, she found her way easily due to the blaze of the campfire going strong, brightening the area. Reinna and her children were cooking the morning meal. The twins and the one in the shining armor were already eating. The knight stood when she approached and bowed to her; the others ignored her presence. She sat her things down on the far side of the fire from them; she hated how uneasy they made her feel.
Her attention was soon drawn away from them as her stomach growled when the aroma of the food reached her. It smelled amazing; or maybe it was only because ten hours between meals when eating for two had been made it so that anything would be appealing at this point. Of course, she didn't know how long it had actually been since dinner. She'd have to ask how they kept time in the Underground. From the way the stars sparkled in the sky above, there wasn't even the tail-tail sign that the sun was even going to rise soon-no lightening of the skyline. All she could do was trust their judgment of time.
"Hello, Peaches." Reinna's son smiled at her and handed her a plate of what looked like an omelet.
"Good morning. Thank you." Sarah felt bad, but she had already forgotten the child's name.
"How is your little one this morning?" Reinna asked, taking a moment to stop her work to converse with Sarah.
"Oh, you know, the usual waking me to nurse every few hours." Sarah couldn't stifle the yawn that escaped her.
"Mama says you don't have magic." The little boy blurted out excitedly.
"Trolan!" Reinna started to correct her son.
"It's alright, Trolan." Sarah laughed, "Yes, I don't have magic. And I don't know if I ever will. Where I'm from, magic doesn't exist. Or at least, it's so rare, people don't really believe in it."
"No way! Your world must be terrible." The child said.
"Young man, stop insulting our guest." The woman scolded her son. Then to Sarah, she said, "If you want a second helping, just let me know."
Sarah nodded. She took a seat on one of the stumps near where she had laid her bags. She didn't trust not being near her things since she had already been stolen from. She tried to focus on eating, on watching Reinna work, anything but the two men who seemed to be staring at her. She didn't like how uneasy it made her feel, like something was crawling under her skin. As nonchalantly as she could, she raised her hand to the pouch at her breast, to reassure herself it would remain there. The way these men made her feel emphasize how important it was that no one else but Snigget knew who she really was.
"My lady, did thou sleep well?" The goblin knight asked.
Sarah gave a faint nod and smiled politely; at least he didn't make her feel creeped out. "Yes, thank you. And you?"
"As much as could be expected under the circumstances." He grinned, then took another bite of his breakfast.
"Oh, come on, Brass. You can't tell me you weren't woken-up by her moanin' or the baby cryin'."
The goblin shrugged, but looked away from Sarah. "I can't say that I noticed."
"Then you must be deaf. And here we were worried it would be just the little one that would keep us up." The smiley brother jested.
The other brother started, "Couldn't even sleep through all the sexy noises coming from that pretty mouth." He indicated to Sarah with his fork. "You don't think she and Snigget were…"
Reinna threw the utensil she had been stirring the food with into the frying pan. "Rheit, Myght, you both shut your traps!"
"That's Raider and Chuckles, if you don't mind. Best start using our bandit names now. Don't want the Goblin King having our real names should we get caught 'cause of her." Chided the twin who wasn't smiling.
His brother clicked his tongue, "I gotta bandit name for this one: Moaner."
Both men laughed. Sarah tried not to give them the satisfaction of a response and focused on pushing around her food, her appetite gone.
"Show some respect. She's left her world to come help us complete our mission, all in the same week as having birthed her babe. The least you can do is show some decorum." Scubbin demanded.
"Come off it, Brass. We have a right to be concerned about our success on this lil' quest. We can't be at our best if we don't have our rest." The one who smiled a lot said.
"Or you're blaming the lass because you can't hold your own merit." The knight stated. "If your magical skills are inadequate, don't blame her for your inability to place a sound spell in your tent."
"Me magic is just fine." The man answered, the smile gone from his face. "Just don't want to waste it on such trifles."
"Well if it wasn't worth the effort, then it couldn't have been her fault you didn't get any sleep now, could it." Reinna challenged.
The twins said something snide to each other, but under their breath, so Sarah couldn't make it out.
"Pay them no mind, my lady."
Sarah nodded slightly to the knight, saying quietly, "Thank you, Brass."
"You may call me Sir Scubbin, or just Scubbin, if you are so inclined. Only use Brass should we find ourselves in peril. And what shall we call you as your bandit name should the need arise?" the goblin asked.
"Peaches is my pseudonym." Sarah stated.
"Great. Now there's even more we don't know about her. She," Raider pointed a finger at Sarah, "is a liability. She ain't a thief. She ain't a warrior. She ain't got no trainin'. She's 'alf an invalid as it is. So how's we expected to follows 'er through the damn maze when all them goblins millin' about. Them's feisty beasties."
Sarah stiffened her back, stating curtly, "Stop talking about me as if I'm not here. I'm not an invalid. I'll hold up my end of the deal."
"Let's hope you can." Chuckles stated, incredulous amusement in his tone.
Chuckles tossed something metallic between his hands a moment, eyes focused on it as the glint of the firelight reflected off it before clapping his hands together around the object. He looked Sarah straight in the eyes. "I don't know, Raider, maybe she will get us through. She's brought a mighty nice collection of trinkets in her bag. One might wonder the truths of her origins." He then dangled the handle of the thing off his fingers for her to see.
Sarah gasped at seeing the mug, the missing gift Hoggle had bestowed upon her for her birthday. If it weren't for the baby on her chest, she would have gone to the man and snatched it right out of his hand. Instead, she just glared. "What gave you the right to go through my things?"
"Oh, I didn't lassy. But my little friend did." He pet a small creature that rested on his lap.
The critter was the same color as his tan pants, so Sarah hadn't noticed it before. She figured it was reptilian, by the fact that it had scales and not fur, but it had six legs and a stubby tail. As lizards were known to do, its tongue flicked out frequently to test the air. It was the size of a large guinea pig, so she doubted it could have been the one to take both items in one go.
"I wondered what he was up to when he disappeared in the middle of the night. I thought he'd been trying to get away from your noises. But Ol' Gyn here went explorin' this morning and brought me back some handy curios. Now how does one from the Above have a Boundless Cup?"
"Or a Right Heart blade for that matter?" Raider added, lifting up the dagger Sir Didymus had gifted her.
"You know I ran the Labyrinth. That's why I'm here, isn't it? I made friends on my journey who helped me through it and we remained friends after. They gave me those as gifts."
"What mighty friends you must have, then, to receive such magical gifts." Raider sneered.
"You'll give 'er back what is hers." Tocpe ordered as he entered the camp, his own pack slung over his shoulder. "Now."
The twins looked at him incredulously, but it was Raider who spoke, "Raven-eye, you can't be serious. She don't even know what they are."
"She took the oath. You heard 'er. I felt the oath bond when our hands touched. She's one of us, an' we don't take from our own, unless you'd like for 'er to stake claim that the oath was broken and we fail before we've even begun." Tocpe reminded them.
"Ah, right." Chuckles handed the cup to his pet and Raider did the same with the dagger; the animal opened its jaw impossibly wide and took both into its mouth as if to swallow them. It then scampered over to Sarah, plopping the items at her feet.
Raider scowled as he gruffly stated, "We only want answers on where she got 'em, and who she got 'em from."
"And I will tell you," Sarah stated, using her feet to pull the items closer to her, "after our task is complete."
"And to ensure that ya' both guarantee to not steal from a fellow bandit again, I want ya' both to make an oath to her." He pointed between the three of them.
"But Toc…" Chuckles started
"Now."
Sarah stood and placed her half-eaten plate on the stump, then walked towards the twins, stating, "I'm game. What type of oath do I give this time?"
"Not you, them." Tocpe stated. "Unless they want you to demand retribution for them stealing from is a dire punishment to steal from a fellow bandit. You can ask for the removal of a hand if you want, or maybe the head of Chuckle's pet."
"God no." Sarah blanched, not liking how barbaric the punishment could be. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. I just want them to promise not to take my things again."
Tocpe had each of them do their oath separately. Just as she had done with Toc the night before, the oath had to be made while grasping hands. Chuckles looked her in the eye and held her hand with more care than she expected. His tone made her believe that maybe he was apologetic.
"I, Chuckles, hereby swear to never take that which belongs to you."
Raider, on the other hand, held her hand tightly and seemed reluctant, only making the oath with the same verbiage because he had to. Either way, she felt the magic of the oath take hold with each of them, so she knew they had to obey it or face consequences.
Once finished, Sarah moved to return to her seat and found her plate was full again. She gave a glance to Reinna, who looked unapologetic as she said, "I won't be with you on your quest and don't know how long you will be on your journey. The dry provisions will only last a few days with the six of you traveling, and you have another mouth to feed. Eat all you can, since food will be sparse."
Although she didn't feel like eating any more, her stomach having been soured by the twins, Sarah forced herself to take a few more bites. It sat like a stone in her stomach.
Snigget arrived, placing her pack on the ground before coming to sit near Sarah. But when she sat, she looked around to everyone. "I apologize for my late arrival. I'll eat quickly."
The men eagerly took a final helping of food. Sarah merely stared into the fire as she waited for them to decide when it would be time to go.
Tocpe's voice drew her attention to the sky, "Sun's about to rise. Time to move out."
Sure enough, the outline of the boulders surrounding them could be seen as a stark shadow against the lightening hue of the sky. Sarah stuffed two more bites of her food into her mouth before handing the plate to Reinna's daughter, who was going around to everyone to help clean up. She watched as Tocpe and Reinna shared an intimate moment saying their goodbyes. It made her wonder how many times they had done this before, for them to be so emotionally vulnerable when having to part. The man hugged his children afterwards, giving them each attention, as if he may never see them again. Sarah found this very odd; they were journeying into the Labyrinth, not going to war. They were being overly dramatic, weren't they?
Forty minutes later, Sarah was already appreciating the advice Snigget had given in wearing the cloak. Once the sun had breached the horizon, the heat against the glittering sand was only tolerable because of the protection the cloak provided. In the distance, the Castle Beyond the Goblin City shone brightly, a beacon pulling Sarah to move her feet as fast as she could. She was proud that she was able to keep up with the quick pace of the bandits as they moved across the sand. By her estimation of their journey so far, they would be to the walls of the Labyrinth in two hours.
"So, Peaches, I am curious to understand why you were so set on joinin' this quest. Ye have a babe, yet ye' left your life behind. Aren't there friends and loved ones who'll miss ye?"
Sarah wasn't expecting anyone to talk to her as so far, the group has been mostly silent. But it wasn't so unexpected that the goblin knight wanted to get to know her; he'd been the nicest one to her so far. "I do, but I have something more I am looking for here."
"Something here is worth more to you than your family?" He sounded surprised.
Sarah nodded and smiled fondly as she glanced down as she stroked her daughter's hair, "Yes. I think so."
"You are either very brave or crazy to leave your life behind." He sounded like he might be smiling under his mask at her.
"Let's hope it's bravery." Sarah joked.
"If it is her desire to remain here, then we must obey her wishes," Snigget said as she joined the conversation, "regardless of our own opinions of the matter."
Sarah nodded, to her and leaned in to say quietly, "I appreciate having an advocate. His concern doesn't change anything. I'm sticking to this quest."
"We've been walking for some time. How do you feel?" The woman asked.
Sarah evaluated herself and gave a reassuring grin. "No pain, and I don't feel winded, so I'd say so far so good. The heat isn't overbearing, despite all the sun and sand. And Mari's been asleep, so I can't complain."
The elf nodded. "Good. But the moment you feel you need to stop, say so."
"Okay." Sarah nodded.
Their journey to the Labyrinth was still a ways off when Raider broke the silence. "Why was your love imprisoned and placed in the vault, Snigget? Was he being punished for some crime?"
"Crime? No. Aerren never harmed anyone. His crime was being faithful to me. The queen, at the time, wanted him as her lover. He refused and she punished him for it, locking him within a bounden jar. When I tried to steal him back, I was caught and imprisoned. She came to my cell, taunting that I'd never see him again, that she'd sent him to the depths of the Labyrinth, a place she thought I would never be able to reach. But while in prison, another prisoner told me of the champion of the Labyrinth, someone who could breach the walls of that maze, which set me on the quest to find one like Peaches. Yet, I sat, for nearly a decade in that prison until the molester of my love was dethroned, blessedly beheaded by the current queen, a good queen. She set those of us wrongly imprisoned free and I have been on a mission for this very purpose ever since."
Sarah shook her head, keeping her thoughts to herself that Snigget had only needed to petition for time with Jareth to plead her case. She was certain none of this scheming would have been necessary if the woman had simply asked.
Some goblins retained intelligence, or perhaps it was a sense of self preservation that had kept the goblin from disturbing its monarch while he slept. Either way, when Jareth awoke, he found he was not alone as the creature stood at the foot of his bed staring at him.
After a few sleepy blinks, Jareth groaned as he sat up, internally grateful that he had at least slept for a while, since the sun was already up and he had gone to bed hours ago.
"Oh good. Majesty awake now. This were on throne." The beady-eyed denizen had an envelope in its proffered hand.
Jareth snatched the parchment from and hardly noticed the goblin leave as he opened it. He mentally rolled his eyes in seeing it was correspondence from the Elven monarch who was ever persistent in learning the securities of the Vault. And much to his annoyance, they were formally inviting themselves to the kingdom to see first hand how the items within were protected. Since they had been inquiring about it for a few years, he was surprised they hadn't attempted to come in person sooner. Why they had decided to come now was quite inconvenient. It couldn't have been worse timing.
Annoyance flared within him. He didn't have time to play host, he wanted to spend his time and efforts finding Sarah. Yet, he couldn't insult one of his closest allies. This was when there were downsides to being a king: duty and protocol trumped desires of the heart.
The letter indicated his guest would arrive outside the gates two hours after dawn, which meant he had little time left to make himself presentable since the sun was already up and he did not yet know exactly what time it was. This was when it was convenient to have magic; once he emerged from his bed, with a thought he was dressed. He didn't feel like wearing anything formal; no need as it was they who were intruding on his time. A simple shirt, breeches made of tanned hide, an evergreen brocade vest, and knee high boots was all the effort he felt like giving. He gave himself a once over in a mirror, then headed to the nearest window and took flight in his owl form.
No one had admittance into the Labyrinth without either the maze or its monarch's permission. Anyone who attempted to gain access to the Labyrinth unannounced wouldn't get very far; the Labyrinth would lead them outside the walls or stop them from entering outright. Plus, Jareth had included his own safeguard from intruders: a blood lock. He didn't exactly share this information with others lest they attempt to cause him bodily harm to obtain his blood. All anyone needed to know was that no one could enter without him being present unless the Labyrinth allowed it.
There were only two official ways to enter the maze. The Western gate near the Wastes was temperamental in seasons, which made it the perfect intimidating entry point for wishers to make acquaintance with the maze. The Northern gate was more formal for greeting welcomed guests. It was near the sea, so the weather was generally more pleasant, thus it was better for impressing important visitors such as fellow dignitaries. As Jareth landed, it was no surprise to find his guest waiting outside that gate.
The lone guest was Akoshan, the consort of the Elf Queen. He was a decent enough fellow and a bit more casual in conversation than others of his kind, which is why he was chosen to visit other kingdoms on diplomatic negotiations. Unlike most elves, who kept their hair long from birth, Akoshan kept his silver hair shoulder length. His attire was more that of a hunter than a noble, with a fitted leather vest, and suede tanned-hide boots that reached to his knees. He was also known to be the best archer in his land, with a sharp eye for striking down swift-moving targets. And, as elves were known to be, his senses were keen: he spotted Jareth mere seconds after he had appeared.
"Good day, King Jareth. Might I be permitted into your kingdom to discuss a concern from my queen?"
The man didn't bow or make any sort of acquiescent gesture. He was, after all, nearly a monarch himself, in duty if without the title. Such it was for a commoner who married into nobility.
Jareth swooped down and landed in his human form next to the elf. "Akoshan, what concerns your fair wife? We discussed, in detail and at length, the methods used to keep the Vault secure just the day before last. What more can I do to convince you all is well?"
"Alas, my queen has sent me to see first-hand the securities you have in place. If it is permissible and you do not have a wisher running your maze, might I be allowed to see the Vault for myself?"
Jareth narrowed his eyes and placed his hands upon his hips as he gauged the man's intentions, "Now, either your queen is wanting something from within the Vault, for which I would hope she would just outright ask rather than send you to sneak around. Or perhaps it is that she would like to deposit something within and wants to ensure its security."
The Elf grinned, "Ah, you've discovered our plot. So, may I inspect it?"
Jareth didn't miss the man's avoidance in stating which of the scenarios was his intent. But, neither did he really care. The Vault mattered little to him other than he was duty bound to ensure its contents remained within. If it weren't in the heart of the Castle at the Center of the Labyrinth, he would have gladly given the responsibility of keeping the Vault to another kingdom. But alas, it was a permanent part of the Labyrinth and thus, the duty lay with him.
Jareth lowered his arms and shrugged, "Alright then. Follow me."
So as to not make welcomed guests have to traverse the maze to get to the Castle, a monarch long ago had made the Northern gate a magical portal to the Castle, a portal which only the reigning ruler could activate. Jareth approached the gate and removed a glove, placing his bare hand against it. Only his touch would work. As soon as it felt him, the door opened, a misty haze on the other side. With no second thoughts, the men stepped within only to come directly into the goblin infested throne room. The sound of the gate closing behind them thudded through the room, causing the goblins to pause their mischief.
Glancing to the elf, Jareth wasn't surprised to see Akoshan gave no reaction to seeing the chaotic atmosphere. A good diplomat was well rehearsed on how to keep ones personal opinions to themselves.
"This way." Jareth gestured, leading the man up the stairs and into the heart of the Labyrinth.
The room of multi-dimensional stairs, archways, and paths that defied the laws of gravity caused the elf to visibly pause and place a hand against the wall, his body swaying a bit. He closed his eyes a moment before opening them to reorient himself. Jareth grinned. The only person who hadn't reacted in such a manner, other than himself, had been Sarah. Perhaps it was because she had been so focused on getting to her brother that she didn't have time to be disoriented.
"Come on," Jareth gestured with his head for the man to follow him.
After going up three sets of stairs, then stepping sideways onto an adjoining wall to reach the desired door, they finally entered the threshold of the Vault.
"Nine Oblivion obelisks guard the entryway." Jareth pointed to the stone structures reaching ten feet in height, dwarfing them. "I could step away and let you feel the effects of their magic."
The elf visibly gulped, "No, that will not be necessary. I would like my aura to remain intact." He then crossed his arms over his chest as he inspected the room. "This is an adequate first line of defense, but it isn't infallible. What protections do you have for something that one does not want found? Which place here would such an item be best kept away from prying hands?"
Such a request intrigued Jareth. There were four chambers within, one for knick-knacks that had no magic and no known purpose, having been kept in the Vault for so many centuries the reason was lost to time. One held things of strong magic, things that needed to be guarded for they could cause harm themselves. One room was a treasury, holding jewels and riches of other kingdoms, though rarely did the other kingdoms ask for their possessions to be returned. And one room held things of the Goblin Kingdom, the room most often accessed since the things within were needed by its monarch.
"That depends. Is such a thing magical? Will it need to remain hidden because it could cause harm?"
"Let's just see what securities you have for all scenarios." The man answered.
"I'm afraid there is only one chamber I can allow you to see, my own. The others hold things of various other kingdoms and I would like to avoid unintentionally causing a war because I allowed you entry. The protections made in my chamber are similar enough, you will get an idea of what the others hold."
Jareth led him into the chamber of the Vault designated for the Labyrinth's monarchs. It actually didn't hold much; Jareth wasn't one to keep possessions and neither were his predecessors. It wasn't worth the hassle of trying to keep things of value when the goblins would just as soon snatch them. But there were still plenty of figures within that he had put there.
"Are these people?" The elf asked as he walked amongst the forms as still as mannequins.
"They are those whom the Labyrinth could not find a purpose, so I have chosen it for them; they remain here, free from the cares and strifes of the world, only to come awake when I have need of them."
"That's not much of an existence." Akoshan said as he placed his eyes very close to one of the men whose face was frozen in a meaningless grin.
Jareth stopped in front of a form slightly taller than him, hidden beneath a gossamer sheet. He stared at it, ignoring the gnawing feeling he sometimes felt that there was something wrong about it all. He shouldn't have to justify what he had chosen to do with them; it was the best option he had with the responsibility of being lord over those wished away. It had been a rather simple decision, after all, what to do with them since his mother and her automaton paramour needed to have players to attend their everlasting dance.
"At least they have one. I keep a ball constantly going, for personal reasons, and change out the dancers every fourth moon. If not for here, they would have perished. They are the wished-aways too old to be turned into goblins or given to the human colonies. They were unwanted by those who should love them, those whose wisher failed to complete the maze to retrieve them or who refused to even try. I have a goblin care for them regularly. But they don't last forever, their lifespans still expire." Jareth sighed, "It's a grim reality, but it is the best I know to do for them."
"So, as to the securities this far within the Vault?" The man asked, getting back on track.
"Ah, yes." He lifted gloved fingers to indicate light swirling patterns of purple hues woven into the fabric of the stonewalls above them. "Whipping Vines from the Krydon Mountains line the walls and will entrap anyone who might disturb them."
"Death by asphyxiation, subtle. Yet, I would hope there would be enough breath left to interrogate the perpetrator and find out who sent them. " The elf stated. "What else?"
As Jareth turned, he rolled his eyes to the ceiling in annoyance: Weren't two life threatening precautions enough to convince anyone that the Vault was protected?
"Next, if they trigger the purblinding crystals," he pointed to two halves of a three meter tall geode of citrine stones embedded into the stone walls, "the intruder will be incapacitated and have a very terrible headache should they wake."
The elf nodded in approval. "And all chambers have these same precautions in place?"
"More or less." Jareth answered nonchalantly.
The elf clasped his hands behind his back, "Excellent. My queen will be pleased to hear how everything is at hand here. Though I appreciate your hospitality, it's best I be on my way back to share my findings."
Jareth was puzzled by how abruptly the elf decided he'd learned all he needed to know, but he didn't care about it enough to waste time thinking on it. Instead, he simply led the elf through the disorienting room and back to the door that connected to the Northern Gate. The elf thanked him again, briefly said some other niceties, then left.
Jareth wondered if this was only the beginning of things to come with the Elf kingdom.
What was taking so long? The last twenty minutes, Sarah had been sitting in the sand trying to make sure Mari got another feeding since she didn't know what would happen once they were within the Labyrinth. The twins had ventured to survey the walls of the Labyrinth to gauge how frequently the goblin guard went past. Sarah thought it odd because she didn't remember there being guards, and none of her Labyrinthian friends had mentioned it over the years; but that didn't mean there wasn't one. She knew she still had much to learn about her own kingdom.
When the men finally returned, they said there was about fifteen minutes before the next patrol came around. Everyone quickly moved to follow them. Sarah, not so much as she had to readjust her shirt, then tried to rise off the sand. Scubbin noticed and helped Sarah rise off the ground and get her pack situated. That's when she noticed he carried nothing with him, just the sheathed sword at his side. She found this curious since everyone else had a pack of provisions and necessities, but now was not the time to ask about it.
Now, they expected her to find the way into the maze.
The closer they got, the more foliage there was, and like her journey before, everything looked dead or scorched by the sun. Maybe it was just a dormant season for the plants. There was still much she didn't know.
Sarah paused at the crest of the dune and looked over the Labyrinth, trying to think away the tears wanting to form in her eyes from the emotions welling up to escape. She had waited so long to be here. It looked somehow bigger than she remembered, as if the castle was further away than during her run. Seeing it gave her a sinking feeling that this might not be merely a thirteen hour journey.
As she took the first steps down the slope, remembering her own words 'come on feet' from her first venture there, it was for a whole different reason this time. Now, she prayed her feet didn't fail her as her body was much more clumsy with balancing the pack on her back and her baby on her front. She gave a sigh of relief when reaching more stable ground.
This time, there was no dwarf, though the fairies remained, their fluttering wings reflecting the gleam of the sun.
"Pesky fairies." Raider grumbled, shooing one away that had gotten too close.
"Alright Peaches, how do we enter?" Tocpe asked.
It took Sarah a moment to recenter her mind to the purpose she was there for; she had a job to do.
Sarah examined the sections of the wall, looking for any sign of the gate, which she remembered blended in with the wall so well, she hadn't even noticed it until Hoggle made it open. She grinned when she spotted it.
She approached the gate and placed her hand against it, speaking quietly so the others couldn't hear, "Hi. I'm back. I don't know why you've kept me out, but it's time for me to come home. It's time for Jareth to be happy. I've come with a pretty important gift for him." She placed her other hand on the crown of Mari's head. "So please, let us in. We need to come home."
Nothing happened.
Sarah wanted to cry, scream, hit the immobile stone. She hissed in a whisper, "What do you want? What did I do? What can I do to let you let me in? You gave me her. I know you did. You let it happen, let the dreams happen. Why? Why if not to make Jareth happy?"
"Peaches, is something the matter?" Scubbin asked.
"It won't let me in." Sarah said in confusion.
Raider exhaled loudly and placed his hands behind his head. Sarah cringed at the growing tension in the air.
"Brass, you're from this blasted maze. How do we get in?" Tocpe asked.
"I've only left it. I've never before tried to come back. Your guess is as good as mine." The knight stated.
"Maybe the stories were wrong. Maybe things have changed over time since the tomes were written." Snigget said with remorse.
Sarah shook her head and clenched her fists. She glared at the gate in front of her. "I gave up everything I knew to get here, and God damn it, I'm not giving up. What exactly did your book say about how wishers returned?"
"I didn't know what it meant, but the texts say they are to give to the Labyrinth."
"Give what?" Sarah asked with exasperation.
"I am not certain. It never explained."
Sarah tried to think. How were these things done? She was in her own fairytale, wasn't she. The heroine in a book. What was the requirement of the protagonist in the stories of old? Make a wish: she was not going to chance that again unless absolutely necessary. Use the magic of an enchanted item: there were no magical objects to be had. Have the sympathy of a magical being who granted your desires at a cost: that was truly an impractical expectation in her situation. She was already with magical beings, and they seemed to be as at a loss of the solution as she was. Then, there was...
Sarah reached for the dagger at her side and unsheathed it. She stared at it a moment before nodding to herself and reaching across her torso, mindful of keeping the blade far from her daughter. She closed her eyes, then cut a small slit into the skin of her left forearm. She never understood why people were shown cutting their hands in rituals when hands were so important. She resheathed the weapon, then placed her fingers into the wound to collect her blood. It was painful, it was gross, but if it was her blood that was the key to unlocking the gate, so be it. She placed her bloodied palm against the stone and waited. But, again, nothing happened.
"Peaches, what are you doing?" Tocpe asked.
"I'm trying to figure this out. You said I couldn't have help from anyone within the Labyrinth, but I don't know how to get in without it. On my run, I was let in by Hog...a dwarf who works for the Goblin King. He just pointed at the gate and it opened. I know you don't want anyone to know we are here, but we could sure use a little help."
"We did not know wishers used the help of those within the Labyrinth." Snigget sounded very confused as she stared, "The tome says the wishers must face the perils of the maze alone as atonement for their transgressions."
"What is this book you keep talking about?" Sarah asked. "What did it say about how to get into the Labyrinth?"
"It is a manuscript written by a king of old, married to the Queen of the Goblins. He knew others were curious as to the goings on in the Goblin Kingdom and the workings of the Labyrinth. There is much magic in its lands, magic that would be useful during harsh times. The king thought sharing his knowledge would help his kin one day. But the words he wrote were traded and gambled to the highest bidder, all for greed. It was the belief that the book was the means to finding a way to break through the Labyrinth's defenses and obtain the magic within. It's been millenia since, and still none has succeeded. I hoped my theory of a successful wisher was the key to enter, since in the book it mentioned someone who had made the wish had returned."
A story. They had brought her here because of a story? "Is this a fairytale or a true history?"
"Fairies don't have tails." Chuckles laughed.
Sarah groaned, then clarified. "Above, there are true life events recorded in historical documents, proven to be true. And there are stories which are tales told for entertainment and some seem to be true, but they are just exaggerations. Do you know if this story is true?"
"We have no reason to believe it is false. I have read the original manuscript; it is very old." Snigget confessed.
"Alright, so do you have a pantheon? Do you believe in deities or a god?" When they nodded their heads, Sarah breathed out. "Great. So what is required to appease them? Do you give offerings, sacrifices? Prayers?"
"Of course. We do not want to offend them, so each kingdom has a hecatomb, offering a blood sacrifice and tithe of magic every season."
"Blood." Tocpe put his hand against the wall, then scowled. "I know why it didn't work with her. The Goblin King put a lock around the wall with blood magic."
"What's blood magic?" Sarah asked.
"Only his blood will work."
"Shit." Raider griped. "He's a right ass, that King."
Blood. Blood was needed to open the gate. Jareth's blood. Mari was of Jareth's blood. A dreadful thought came to Sarah. In her studies of tales from around the world, countless cultures had stories of people sacrificing their children to the gods they wanted to appease. The Labyrinth needed wishes, needed for children to be wished away so it could thrive. Yes, most were saved from being changed by the magic, but wasn't it all due to the Labyrinth, an entity of limitless power, needing to be fed? Did it allow her child to be conceived in a dream just for a wish to be made so it could claim that child? Sarah got angry, angry in her soul, angry because there was a possibility she was given her child for that very purpose.
She turned back to the stone and hissed under her breath with all her might, "Don't you dare take my baby from me."
"We would never sacrifice a child as in the days of old." Snigget was abashed, thinking Sarah was speaking to them. "The payment of blood need not be at the cost of a life."
"Why'd ya think bloodshed of the child was needed to get in?" Scubbin asked.
Sarah relaxed her shoulders and laughed half-heartedly at how intensely she had let herself get worked up. "Stress, a lack of sleep, knowing too many stories about magic that aren't even relevant to this world. Take your pick. I'm trying to think of something that makes sense."
"We got about six minutes before they come back around." Raider said.
Sarah breathed in slowly, trying to think logically. There had to be something missing. "In your book, what exactly does it say about how the Wisher returned to the Labyrinth."
"In summary, the Wisher had gotten the Goblin Queen pregnant, and once he found out, he did the honorable thing and returned to be with the child of his blood."
The child of his blood. The reason for the returning Wisher's access back into the Labyrinth was a royal baby. Could it really be that simple?
Sarah looked down to her daughter, who was gazing back up at her. Sarah had thought she was sleeping as she had been quiet during her emotional rollercoaster. She unsheathed her dagger again, hating to have to do what she was about to do but knowing she had to try.
"Four minutes." Raider snapped.
Sarah used gentle fingers to unwrap her daughter's arm from the sling. Mari clutched her tiny hand around Sarah's pointer finger as she pulled it forward. With the barest of pressure, Sarah put the tip of the blade to the top of Mari's arm. As expected, Mari did not like the feeling of being cut and let out a loud wail. This caused the bandits to tense in their stance, ready to defend themselves from anyone who might have heard the baby cry. Sarah quickly moved back to the wall, leaning in to get Mari's tiny arm close enough to touch it with her blood.
The crack of the heavy doors against the stone rang in the air as the door instantly slammed open inwards. Sarah stood with her mouth agape, not expecting such a strong reaction. Dust particles scattered up from the impact, causing Scubbin to sneeze in the bevor of his helmet. Everyone stood in a stunned silence a moment before Raider reminded them time was not on their side.
Chuckles lived up to his name as they entered the maze, chortling out. "They are bound to have heard that."
Minutes later, a horn could be heard ringing through the air, but the bandits were far gone.
AN2: The scene in the Vault with the seemingly mannequin people was an homage to the Labyrinth Masquerade comic. In it, Jareth does keep the wished-aways stored in a 'vault' to be the dancers in his ballroom, and he has a goblin keep them all nice and pretty for when he needs them. I don't particularly care for the depiction of Jareth in the comics, but I do like some of the concepts.
