Disclaimer: …What? Now you have to rub it in my face that I don't own the Labyrinth? Gee, thanks. So considerate of you. (Rolls eyes and mutters to the ceiling)
"Sarah, where are you?" a woman who looked to be in her late thirties called. She had dark raven hair that seemed to eat up the very light and eyes the color of the clear blue sky. "Darling, where have you got to?" She had long graceful strides but they were not as graceful as the Fae. The woman had lived among the Sidhe for close to two decades and thus took some of their traits with her. She was born a mortal from the Aboveworld though, but fell in-love with a lesser Fae and wed. He took her Underground and together they had a daughter. Her name was Sarah. And she loved the Labyrinth. "Oh dear, where have you got to?" Sighing the frustrated woman left to get reinforcements.
Sarah was but a child in both Mortal and Immortal standards at only fourteen years old. Her chestnut hair blew in the Labyrinthian wind as she sat on top of a small hill surrounded by flowers. She was wearing a simple cotton-like dress of a soft blue color and her shoes were cast off forgotten. She was sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed and her arms outstretched; her fingers twitched in the breeze. She was in a part of the Labyrinth that those who ran it hardly ever came across. It was the place she liked to think and be alone. There was only one other she didn't care if they were there. And that was a certain Goblin Prince…who at that very moment happened to be walking towards the hill which she was atop.
"Sarah, if I didn't know any better I'd say that you liked the damn Labyrinth more than me," he mock pouted as he stood at the foot of the hill.
Sarah opened her eyes and smiled down at him with her arms still outstretched. "Oh come now, you're my best friend," she reprimanded gently. "Labyrinth is just a good friend who talks to me."
"And I don't?"
Sarah clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth before standing up. "Labyrinth is a good friend who isn't a cocky twit of a prince," she said putting her hands on her hips.
"I don't see why Labyrinth would talk to you; you have a funny name and you're such a brat." Jareth cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "Why does Labyrinth talk to you? It's not like you are part of the Goblin Royalty. You don't have any of our blood in you. I swear, It talks to you more than It does to me."
"It's because Laby likes me better," Sarah said sticking out her tongue. Giggling she took off down the other side of the hill as Jareth started chasing her. They were near a small patch of woods and the young Jareth chased the young Sarah through the trees. Just as he was about to catch up with her though a root of a tree moved and tripped him making him fall flat on his face. Sarah turned around and laughed at him. "Ha, ha," she teased. Jareth lifted his head and spit out the leaves in his mouth staring at her. "See, the Labyrinth likes me more," she giggled. "Thanks Laby," she squealed before darting out of the trees and away from the laughing Prince as he tried to chase her again.
They did this for a while before they both collapsed back on the hill breathless. Sarah turned to Jareth who was lying on his back watching the clouds move over the blue sky. "So why are you here Jareth?" she asked.
"Your mother was looking for you and she reasoned you went into the Labyrinth. She didn't want to get lost so she sent me after you," Jareth answered turning his head to look over at her. She turned to her side and propped her head on her hand. Jareth clasped his hands over his chest and stared back at the sky. He yawned.
"Well, we should be getting back then. Mother probably wants to scold me for when we locked up all the chickens and told the guards that someone had stolen them," she laughed.
"No," Jareth said solemnly. "I took all the blame for that."
"What?" Sarah asked incredulous. "Why?"
"I didn't want you to get in trouble. You were already in enough trouble already from the lark incident. I didn't want you to get yelled at."
Sarah smiled. "See Jareth, that is why you are my best friend," she giggled before leaning over and kissing his cheek. Getting up she started back down the hill finding her forgotten shoes and putting them on. "Come on, we better get going."
Jareth placed a hand over his cheek in shock. Smiling he got up and followed after her hands behind his back. "Race ya to the castle," he smirked.
"You're on!"
And they were off.
Sarah's brow furrowed before she opened her eyes. The first thing she realized was that the pain she expected to feel the moment she became conscious was not there. There was a dull thrum but it was not so much as painful as it was a reminder. This was the first time in ages she had not felt pain at some point during her day. The second thing she noticed was that something was weighting down her head. And the third thing she noticed was that she had no shirt on. Eyes widening she shot up in bed and grabbed the covers around her pulling them up to cover her. As she shot up the thing that had weighted her head down fell off and she saw that it was a circular object before it disappeared in a small flash of light. Looking down she saw that she still had her black bra and so that brought a small amount of comfort to her. She also saw that blue stuff was on her chest and stomach in geometrical shapes and runes.
"What happened?" she asked herself. The last thing she remembered was pain; lots of pain. And…HIM. Eyes lighting up she remembered remembering (…) and then calling upon the Goblin King. No…she called Jareth. She remembered looking into his beautiful mismatched eyes and instead of feeling fear she felt relief. She felt safe with him and trusted him with her life. Since she was alive she figured her trust had not been abused. Closing her eyes she covered her chest again with the covering and whispered the one name she swore she would never forget again. "Jareth."
Even as she finished saying it there in the shadows of the corner stood the Goblin King. He was wearing black tights, gloves, and boots with a white poets shirt opened halfway leaving his pendant to gleam in the firelight cast by the candles placed about the room and the fireplace near the bed.
Sarah's breath hitched in her throat at the sight of him. She had forgotten him seven years ago but she vowed she never would again. "He-hello Jar-, King Jareth."
The King smirked striding over to the foot of her bed. "No need for formalities, my dear Sarah," he purred. He noticed by her bare shoulders, save fore the black strap, that she was still shirtless. Quirking and eyebrow he grinned predatorily. "How are you feeling this morning?"
Upon facing the Goblin King once more in such a condition Sarah found herself with a very dry mouth. She had to swallow a few times before she could talk. "I feel painless," she sighed with pleasure. "For the first time in years I feel no pain." She smiled up at him. She then noticed in the corner of her eye that her shirt was on the other side of the bed. Blushing she looked down. "Could, could you turn around please so that I could put on my shirt?"
Jareth grinned at her. "Oh, unfair," he smirked teasingly but he did as he was asked.
Reaching over Sarah dropped the blanket and was startled to find that the blue goop was no longer on her skin. Hurriedly she pulled her shirt over her head and smiled when she saw that Jareth had made no move to try to see. "Okay," she whispered setting her feet on the ground. Jareth turned around and watched her wobbling movements to steady herself. He was taken completely by surprised when she did her best curtsy in pants to him. "Thank you," she said softly.
"Whatever for?" he asked bemusedly.
"If you hadn't of come I would be dead now, I know it. You saved me when you didn't have to. And for that I am grateful."
"Sarah, you called, I answered. You were dying and if you had so would my hope."
"Hope?" she questioned in confusion.
"Sarah," he sighed bringing up his gloved hand to massage his temples as he closed his eyes. "You are suffering from magic and the only way to have a fighting chance to save you was to bring you to the world of magic. The headaches you had would have killed you had you stayed there a moment longer and those headaches are brought on by magic, and that magical Headache is trying to tell you something."
"How do you know this?" Sarah bristled. "How do you know all this about me? How do you know about my headaches?"
Jareth sighed again and opened his eyes slowly as his hands fell away to hang at his sides. "Because I feel them too." The Goblin King brought a midnight blue mug with steaming contents from where he had placed it with a flick of his wrists and handed it to Sarah. "Drink this. It has the ingredients, both magical and not, to help ease the pain. But I warn you, it becomes quite addictive and leaves you in a haze. It is complicated but the easiest, if not completely accurate, way to describe it is that it lets your conscious rest as your subconscious brings out what is hidden deep inside you."
Completely fuddled up Sarah reached out and grabbed the steaming mug in confusion. "So…it is like a drug, then? If I take too much I'll need it all the time?"
"You could put it that way, yes. You will need to take this for a while but we will not allow you to have too much. There is lesser tea that will not addict you but is of a lesser quality and will not work exactly like this one. But it will be sufficient. For now, though, drink this." Jareth watched as Sarah brought it warily to her nose to sniff it. She did and quirked a brow.
"It smells like nothing…and everything." She looked at the contents in the mug. A vile-looking whitish liquid steamed inside, with bits of pale steams and leaves floating inside. It indeed smelled like nothing…but had what Sarah could only define as an 'echoing smell' of spices, herbs, nature, crisp air, smoke, and things she couldn't put a name to. Sarah watched Jareth skeptically over the rim of the mug as she took a wary sip. As soon as the liquid touched her tongue she spewed it back out. "Uch!" she exclaimed with a distorted face of disgust. "It's awful!" She didn't know what it tasted like, she couldn't bring it to words, but she suspected that the Bog of Eternal Stench might have tasted better. "You expect me to drink this?" she nearly yelled.
Jareth tried but failed to conceal his chuckle. He knew how awful it tasted because he himself had to take it as well. He smirked at her. "You must drink it, at least half of the contents."
"Half! I can't even imagine drinking half!" She glared at Jareth's firm look and knew she had no say in the matter. Grudgingly she brought the mug to her lips again and drained half of it tilting her head back so that the least amount would touch her tongue. Once she gulped down half she shoved the mug back to Jareth. Gulping the last bit in her mouth she glared at smirking Goblin King tears forming in her eyes from the taste. "I tell you now, if this was just a trick to make me drink that I swear on the grave of all that is holy you will pay with your life's blood…then I'll resurrect you so I can do it again…and again…and again. Do I make myself clear?" she rasped out.
"Crystal clear," he grinned his pointed Fae teeth gleaming in the firelight.
"You can be so damn annoying," she muttered. "Now, exactly what the hell is wrong with me?"
Jareth's joking manner quickly calmed and he was somber once again as he twisted the mug out of existence. "As you undoubtedly found out when you remembered your little journey through my Labyrinth that the pain of the headaches is most unnatural and are brought about when you remember something." Jareth paused in which Sarah nodded still slightly confused. "Well, seeing as how I remembered it perfectly (all too perfectly)," he growled under his breath, "it is quite obvious that there is more that neither of us remembers. Although, when you remember and experience the pain I too feel it, though it is not so rough on me. But I feel pain so…well…painful, that I am quite sure that even my immortality will not keep me alive much longer if we do not get to the root of it."
Sarah was shocked. First off because he was admitting he was in pain, and second because he worded it like any eight year old would have. Well, except Toby. Yes, Toby was an exception…but one doesn't except another to walk away without being affected after spending thirteen hours with goblins and their King. But then Sarah was even more shocked when the last part settled into her brain. Jareth…dying? Licking her lips she stared into the Goblin King's eyes. "Ho-how do we get to the root of it?"
"By first trying to find out what the Headaches want us to remember," he answered as if it were fairly obvious. Motioning to a pair of chairs by the fireplace he led Sarah to sitting down. He followed suit lounging with a leg thrown over an armrest but yet still as regal as ever. Sarah was very jealous of that…only she didn't know why.
"But, then wouldn't we be remembering what it wanted?" she asked confused.
"My dear, please don't tell me that you're that ignorant?" he chuckled. Sarah fumed bright red but he waved it away with a hang. "It means that in order to remember we have to know what line we must travel. Say, in order to remember what passage in the Labyrinth you wish to use you have to remember where you are going."
Sarah, still slightly fuming, nodded her head. "I see. But what does all this have to do with me." Could it be the weird dreams or visions I have? They are like…memories. But memories of what?
"I honestly don't know, my dear girl. But I feel that you have been bound to this world and my Labyrinth because of your little jaunt seven years ago." And because of these damn dreams and visions I have but can't remember! But they feel like memories…
"Oh, is someone still a little sore about that?" she cooed. But then she scowled. "And Laby isn't yours. Labyrinth is its own" she replied nodding her head for emphasis. Wait…how did she know that?
Indeed, how did she know that? And Laby? Jareth was utterly confused. But it seemed so right that she call It that. Even what she had said seemed to invoke something…
"I can't wait to be King," Jareth said puffing out his chest as he stood before the throne in the massive Throne Room. He was right before the insignia on the floor. "Then the goblins will be mine to rule and I can get away with allsorts of mischief!" he stated excitedly turning his head to his best friend Sarah. She was shaking her head with a sigh. She was close to twelve years of age thus leaving Jareth to be about thirteen. "Then the Labyrinth will finally be mine!"
"Fool!" Sarah scoffed. "The Labyrinth is ruled by no one! The Labyrinth is its own as it always has been! You will only be able to manipulate its power but not take it as your own."
Jareth's puffed up chest deflated and he pouted at her. "Aw, why are you so cruel to me?"
"Because you are an annoying, cocky, foolish little twit who need to be taught a lesson. And the lesson is this; the Underground doesn't revolve around you!" At this Sarah stuck out her tongue.
"Hey! When I'm King you will not be allowed to treat me this way!" he exclaimed indignant.
"Who's gonna stop me? Your wiiiiife?" she teased. She stuck her tongue out one last time before running out of the throne room the little Goblin Prince hot on her tail.
Both Jareth and Sarah blinked as the visions swarmed before their eyes. Sarah expected pain to crash down on her but all she felt was the little fire spreading from her stomach throughout her body and to her mind that was caused by the drink she had consumed a little while ago. Things were indeed a bit hazy now that she took time to think about it.
"Erg, am I supposed to feel this way?" she groaned clutching her head. "I think I'll take the pain please."
Rolling his eyes Jareth massaged his own head a little bit of the pain seeping through as his own drink was wearing off. "We're going to have our hands full with you," he muttered.
"You keep saying 'we'. Who is 'we'?"
"The healer Their Majesties sent to send an 'invitation', as they like to call it, and myself of course. Speaking of which, we are going to Their Majesties' in two days."
"Their Majesties?" Sarah asked quirked a brow. "Who are they? Aren't you King?"
"Of the Goblin Realm, yes, but they are the High King and Queen of the Underground. They are very near to being the most powerful people in the Underground, save for the Councils."
"Councils?"
"Yes, Councils. Is there an echo in here? There is the Seelie Courts that are divided into two councils, the Lower Council and the High Council. The High Council is used only in most extreme cases and the Lower Council, or most often just called 'Council', is used for other matters. The High King and Queen are part of that council." Jareth paused to see if all this had come in clear for Sarah. For her part Sarah only looked confused as she sorted it all out. Then she flashed him a dazzling smile saying she understood.
"Gotcha!" she winked. Sarah didn't know why but whenever she was around Jareth she felt childish again. Instead of acting like the lawyer she had been studying to become she was acting like a teenaged girl again. Then again…it might have just been the tea. "Jareth…has anyone ever told you that your very beautiful?" Yup, she wasn't all there at the moment. "I mean, seriously, you could so become Miss America."
Jareth quirked his brow. Miss America? "Sarah, are you alright? You seem a bit…tipsy."
She blew a raspberry. "Poppycock, I'm fine. My eyesight is just blurry…and I keep seeing this little boy pass through my vision."
"What little boy?" Jareth asked hoping against hope that some of the mystery would be unraveled.
Sarah squinted at him. "Eh…uh…huh?" Shaking her head she smiled dumbly at him. "Why, it's you, silly!" she laughed.
Well, whatever. I borrowed a bit about the tea thing from The Cloudmages books. I'm gonna be using a few things from that book as a starting point for things. I've gone and confused myself. For those who haven't read the books…and I'm pretty sure most is not all of you haven't…it won't really matter because you will have no idea what I'm talking about! Isn't that great? (Bangs head on desk) Alright then. I'm gonna go bang my head against some walls and take some aspirin because my headache is acting up again… Hey, maybe I have to remember something too! Which won't be easy because I don't remember what I did yesterday… Okay, I'm gonna babbling now because most likely no one is still reading this. Heh heh. Buh-bye loves.