Sara awoke with the blissfully refreshed feeling that comes after a satisfying sleep. She watched dust motes drift lazily in and out of the stray rays of sunlight that had found their way through her partially closed blinds.
Her clock radio told her it was only five past six on a Saturday morning so she made no move to get up. The house was silent except for the occasional creak of a floorboard or drip from the kitchen faucet. Feeling peaceful and content, Sara rolled over, enjoying the feel of duvet against bare hands and feet.
She looked up at her Escher Room poster and thought of the Labyrinth and shivered. Sara hadn't told anyone about the Labyrinth. Who could she tell? Karen? Her father? A teacher? Any of these choices would result in a quick trip to a house with rubber walls. Besides which, her feelings about it were all so mixed up and complicated that she doubted she could put them into words if she wanted to. A small part of her wanted desperately to return to the fantastical realm where all was possible. But a larger part knew the consequences could be dire.
Sara didn't regret her journey into the Labyrinth, however. Somewhere within the heart of the Labyrinth, she had found herself, which was exactly what she had needed to defeat Jareth, the Goblin King, the quintessence of all her fears and dreams and hopes and nightmares.
Slowly, Sara got up out of bed and went downstairs to the kitchen to brew herself some tea, being careful not to make any noise to waken anyone. She filled the electric kettle, flipped the switch, and perched on a stool to wait for the water to boil.
Her thoughts drifted as they always did to the Labyrinth. She wondered what Hoggle and Ludo and Sir Diddymus and Ambrosius were doing. It saddened her to know that she'd never see them again, at least not in the flesh.
They had sent her a wonderful dream the night of her return home and Sara found herself missing them sorely. But at least this way she was safe from Jareth. Although she had defeated him in the flesh, he still haunted her thoughts. His name was a tickle at the edge or her mind, ever present and inescapable. When she closed her eyes she saw his impenetrable mismatched ones staring at her, unreadable, as they had when he fell into the void at the end of the Labyrinth.
But what frightened her the most was that part of her had badly wanted to accept his offer. If it hadn't been for Toby...
The high whistle of the kettle boiling interrupted her thoughts. Sara fished a mint tea bag out of the box and put it in the teapot, then poured in the boiling water. Steam rose and warmed her face and she breathed in the fresh minty scent. She put the tea cozy over top and let it steep.
Where the Labyrinth was concerned, Sara was sure of one thing. The Labyrinth had changed her. In a world where she was once huffy and stubborn, she now had an inner quiet. The old determined, strong-willed Sara was still there, but less obtrusively. She no longer fought the current; she rode it. And, from time to time, left it, distanced herself from herself and simply watched life unfold.
Sara retrieved the honey from a cupboard and spooned some into her tea. She stirred, enjoying the quiet of the house with only the rasping of her teaspoon on the bottom of the mug to disturb the silence. She tapped the spoon twice on the edge of the mug to dislodge any stray tea drops then slowly brought the mug to her lips and took a sip.
Then when she felt it.
The slightest zephyr rippled her hair, the silence grew deafening, and the air became so heavy it was almost palpable. There was somebody else in the room with her. Hands suddenly cold and slippery, Sara carefully put her tea down, took a deep breath and spoke his name without turning around.
"Jareth." The word escaped her lips softer than a whisper.
Sara closed her eyes for a moment then tried again. "Jareth." she said with as much confidence as was possible, "Leave."
She could hear his amused chuckle across the kitchen. "Is this how you welcome an old friend, Sara?" he asked.
Sara turned around slowly to face him. He was exactly as she remembered, with his spiky hair, mismatched eyes, and thin lips permanently set in an annoyingly amused smirk. "You are no friend of mine." Sara said coldly. "Leave."
"At least allow me the courtesy of explaining why I'm here." Jareth said, throwing Sara a beseeching look. Sara stared him down.
"I am here to invite you to be my guest of honour at the Goblin castle for seven days." He said, taking her silence as an invitation to continue.
"Why?" Sara asked curtly. Jareth had to have ulterior motives. He always did.
"As you are the first person to conquer the Labyrinth in three thousand and forty two years," Jareth explained, "tradition dictates I must recognize you publicly. And, as the Feast of the Goblin, which occurs every hundred years within the week of the autumnal equinox, has been scheduled for next week, I thought it would be fitting for you to be there."
"I have absolutely no desire to be 'Publicly recognized.'" Sara said.
"I know that," Jareth replied, "But my subjects expect and demand it. All I ask is a week, barely more than half a day in this world! Your every need will be satisfied and you'll be home as soon as thirteen o'clock chimes on the seventh day."
"No." she said again.
"Just think!" said Jareth. "You would get to see your old friends again! Ludo, Sir Diddymus, Hogweed-"
"Hoggle." Sara corrected.
"Right, Hoggle. Wouldn't they be happy to see you?"
Sara knew he was just trying to appeal to her love for her friends to get her to go, but she did miss them all…
She gave an impatient sigh. "The thing is, Jareth, " she said, "How do I know that I can trust you? How do I know that this isn't some elaborate plan for revenge? How do I know that you're telling the truth?"
Jareth looked a little hurt at these doubts. "Sara," he said, "have I ever lied to you?"
No, Sara thought, staring at her toes, No you haven't.
"Look into my eyes and tell me if you think I want to hurt you." Jareth said.
Sara raised her gaze to meet his and searched his face. Jareth gazed earnestly back. Finally, she looked away. "No." she said quietly.
"Then why won't you come with me?" he inquired.
Sara wasn't exactly sure why. All she knew was that she had a very uneasy feeling about this. And her instincts were seldom wrong.
"My parents – they'll worry." She said not untruthfully. They would worry a little, but they trusted her enough to be sure she was safe.
"Write them a note saying you've gone on a trip for the weekend" Jareth suggested. "They'll never find out."
"And what about packing?" Sara asked.
"I already told you," Jareth replied, "your every need will be satisfied. He gave her a pleading look. "Please, Sara." He said.
Sara let out a deep sigh. She did want to see her friends again, and despite her qualms, Jareth did seem to be genuine.
"Just one week is all I ask." He added.
"Alright," she said at last, "I'll come."
But she couldn't help feeling she had just made a deal with the Devil.
"Take my hand." Jareth said, extending his own. Sara took it. "Now hold on tight!" he warned as he spun his cloak around them both in a wide glittering black arc. Sara's kitchen began to spin round them, slowly at first then whirling faster and faster until everything faded to a gray blur.
Suddenly Sara was being pulled in every direction, harsh winds whipping and tearing at her skin. She felt Jareth's grip tighten as the winds tried to tear them apart. Just when Sara was sure they would be ripped apart, the wind ceased as suddenly as it had begun and a room swam into focus. Sara quickly realized that they were standing in the very room where she had last seen her faithful friends before she had left them to defeat Jareth and save Toby.
Sara swayed a little, feeling incredibly dizzy. Jareth helped her regain her balance.
"I'm very sorry that you had to experience that." Jareth said, "I know it's unpleasant but it is the quickest and safest way to travel between the Aboveground and the Underground."
"Next time let's take the scenic route." Sara said, only half kidding.
Jareth smiled. He glanced at the clock that hung on the wall. "It's coming up on two o'clock." he said. "I really don't mean to be rude but I have preparations to make and many things to oversee, so I will have to get a servant to show you to your room. Regrettably it would be impossible for me to do so personally at the moment."
"That's fine" Sara nodded.
Jareth produced a tiny silver bell from within the folds of his cloak and rang it. Sara heard no sound but moments later a gangly-eared, snaggle-toothed orange goblin, dressed in a very clean prim suit entered the room bowing then stood awaiting instructions.
"I will need you to take Lady Sara to her chamber." Jareth instructed. "Wait for her outside."
The goblin nodded by way of response, bowed once more, and left the room. Jareth handed Sara the bell. "Ring this if you ever need assistance." he said. Sara nodded and pocketed the bell.
"One more thing," Jareth said as Sara turned towards the door where the goblin had exited moments before.
"Yes?"she asked, pausing.
"Would you be so kind as to join me for dinner at six o'clock?" Jareth invited.
"Sure." Sara agreed.
"Excellent. I will send someone to escort you to the Northern Veranda then." Jareth replied.
"Okay then." Sara said.
"Alright" said Jareth.
"Well then, I'll just, ah, be off now." Sara said, but still she lingered.
"Remember," Jareth said, "Should you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."
"Well..." Sara began.
"Yes?" asked Jareth.
"There is one thing..." she trailed off, blushing a little.
"Anything. Just name it." Jareth encouraged.
"Could I, er," Sara stuttered, "Could I possibly have my hand back please?"
Jareth looked down and saw that he was still clutching Sara's hand from the trip down to the Underground. He released it immediately.
"Sorry," he said with a devilish grin, "You're just so warm."
"Don't sweat it." Sara reassured him before turning and walking out of the room.
