AN: Massive apologies to all my wonderful readers who've been waiting so long for me to update this. (Christ, I can't believe my last update was in February! Has it really been that long?!)
Believe it or not, barely a day has passed without me trying to write this. It's been a very, very, very frustrating few months. It was one of those chapters where plot stuff - that once felt so far away - suddenly started taking place and my brain does NOT want to put it all into words. But finally, after working on this painstakingly for months, it's finally ready to post. Thank you all for being so patient and for sticking with me. It's not always easy to write this fic, but I will not give up on it. (In Sarah's words; I've come too far!)
Enjoy!
Jareth wasn't the least bit surprised when the door to the throne room slammed open with surprising force. The sound of it creaking, followed by the bashing noise it made as it came into contact with the stone wall, echoed all around him in the room.
However, Jareth was un-phased by the intrusion and merely arched a brow when he saw Hoggle standing in the doorway. His face was contoured in anger, his bright blue eyes blazing with the sheer outrage he felt brewing within him.
"Hogsnort," Jareth began, idly tapping his riding crop against his leather boot as he looked away from the dwarf. "I'm astonished to see you here on a day like this." He said with an upward glance towards the high windows that chattered against the force of the whistling wind and snow outside.
"Don't ya dare play dumb!" Hoggle bellowed as he limped across the room, practically dragging his left foot along behind him as he walked. "Ya knows why I'm here and I ain't afraid of nothing ya do to me, but I demand an answer!" He continued to yell, hands on his hips and his head held high as he came to stand before his King, who lounged uncaringly in his throne, a crystal ball rolling casually down his arm.
Jareth glanced at Hoggle with an unreadable expression on his face. "You come here seeking an answer and yet you ask no questions. Therefore, I have nothing to say."
Hoggle stomped his right foot against the stone floor and clenched his hands into fists at his sides. "How dare ya! Ya knows what I'm talking about! Ya knows what I'm askin' ya!" He raged even as his heart pounded with anxiety.
Jareth's brows lowered over his eyes as he sat up straight, the crystal rolling down his arm and popping like a bubble when it reached the palm of his hand. "Then spit it out, Hogbrain. Go on; ask what you want to ask."
"What did ya do to Sarah? What did ya do to her?!" Hoggle demanded bravely even as his clenched hands began to shake at his sides.
Jareth cocked his head. "Why ask when you already know the answer? Didymus has already informed me that Lord Sallow explained the situation to him. He told me that he passed on the news to both you and that overgrown orange monster, Cludo."
"It's Ludo!" Hoggle corrected, and then anxiously began fiddling with the old plastic bracelet around his wrist. "Fine, so I do know what ya did. But… what I don't know is why ya did it. Why did ya? She's so innocent 'n' good… She deserves better!" Said Hoggle with both anger and sadness in his voice.
Jareth rose from his seat on the throne and descended the few stairs towards the dwarf. "She does deserve better. Perhaps now that she is back in her world, she will get someone better…"
Hoggle watched, stunned as Jareth walked slowly towards one of the many barrels in the room, and began filling up two wooden mugs with sweet goblin ale.
When the mugs were full, Jareth glanced and then motioned for Hoggle to join him.
Hoggle was sceptical, but when Jareth lowered himself onto the edge of the sunken pit in the middle of the room, he decided it couldn't hurt to join him and have a little drink. The walk here had been freezing and exhausting, and a mug of goblin ale would most definitely help to warm his insides. Besides... it seemed like Jareth had deliberately seated himself somewhere where he would be level and equal with him instead of staying in his throne, putting himself above him. As much as he wanted to, Hoggle couldn't pretend he didn't notice that.
Limping over, Hoggle took the offered mug of ale from him and lowered himself to the spot next to Jareth on the side of the sunken pit, a pained groan leaving him as his joints clicked. Damn this cold weather.
The two of them were silent for a long time. So long, that when Jareth did speak, it startled Hoggle and he jumped a little, some of his ale spilling to the stone floor.
"I am not proud of what happened between me and Sarah. My intentions, I'll admit, weren't the purest at first, that is true. But even back then, when my Kingdom was my biggest priority, even then I never wanted to hurt her. If there had been another way, believe me, I would have taken it." He lifted his mug to his lips and drank deeply before he continued. "My intentions towards her changed within just a few short weeks of her being here. She bewitched me, body, mind, and soul with the sweetness of her smile, the fire in her eyes and her tender, caring heart."
Hoggle frowned into his mug. He wasn't certain why Jareth was opening up to him like this. What did he hope to gain? Perhaps he was using this method to try and to stop him from asking further questions about Sarah. Nonetheless, Hoggle decided to hear him out. He couldn't deny that he was a little curious to see how far Jareth would go to convince him that his feelings for Sarah were genuine.
"As you undoubtedly already know, Sarah found out. She found out that I had meant to overpower her again. It broke her heart and she wished herself back to her home."
He placed his empty mug on the floor beside him, and then clasped his gloved hands together in front of him, his elbows resting on his knees. "I don't enjoy admitting my feelings to those around me, but, God damn it, I love that woman. You can think what you like of me, Hoggle. Frankly, I don't give a damn. We only ever tolerated each other for her sakes, anyway. But I will not have you or any other believe that I deliberately took her heart and crushed it for my own amusement. It hadn't even been a month of her living here before I decided I couldn't continue with my original plan."
Hoggle still found it hard to believe. Jareth and he weren't friends. They would likely never see eye-to-eye, and yet, even he couldn't deny that there was truth in Jareth's words. The realisation of that shocked Hoggle.
"Then…ya had meant to marry her and make her the goblin queen? for love n' not just lust? Not just for power?"
"Of course I had every intention of marrying her!" Jareth snapped in frustration. "When you saw us together, in the hall, after the feast, that moment between us was not one built on only lust. It was a genuine moment between us, private and sacred to me as all our moments together are and will always be. I truly did wish her to be my wife and queen... I still do."
Hoggle didn't know how to respond to that, so he took a long drink instead.
Raking a hand through his wild hair, Jareth glanced over at the large clock that hung on the wall near his throne. It was already 9:25. With a sigh, he got to his feet. He had opened up to Hoggle an uncomfortable amount in only a short time and he sensed that now might be a good time to stop. He had said more than enough regarding this subject.
"I have things to attend to that cannot be cast aside. If you would like to see Sarah, join Didymus in the guest chambers in the west wing. Any of the goblins will take you there if you ask them." He said, then turned and walked briskly from the room.
Hoggle was beyond stunned by everything that Jareth had said. At first, he'd thought that Jareth was just trying to avoid a verbal thrashing, but something inside was telling him that that was not the case.
It had certainly been astonishing to bear witness to such genuine declarations from the King. Perhaps all that Jareth had said was true after all...perhaps he truly hadn't meant to hurt Sarah. Perhaps he did love her as he claimed he did...
Hoggle groaned and shook his head.
No. He would not be so easily swayed. Sarah was gone. She was back in her world with a broken heart, and that was not something he could easily overlook.
Hoggle swigged back the remaining ale from his mug and wiped his mouth with the arm of his sleeve before he struggled to his feet and left in search of a goblin to take him to Sir Didymus.
If Jareth had said he could see Sarah, then that was exactly what he would do. Perhaps listening to her side of the story would make this entire situation much clearer.
"Sarah, will you help me wrap up Mom and Dad's presents?"
Upon hearing her brother's voice, Sarah lowered her book and closed it, laying it on the bed beside her before she reached over to switch off the Christmas carols that played on the radio.
"Um, okay, sure." She agreed, yawning and stretching before swinging her legs over the side of the bed and getting up, following Toby to his bedroom.
The two of them spent a good hour wrapping the gifts that Toby had generously purchased with his own pocket money for his parents. The entire time they wrapped he chatted non-stop. He spoke about his school, about his friends at school, and of course, about what he hoped to get for Christmas.
Sarah had listened patiently, ignoring the headache that began to pound in her skull likely from so much talking, but she never asked him to stop. In truth, it was nice to have someone that spoke to her about normal things. Unlike her parents, and even Diane, who constantly asked her those dreaded unwanted questions.
Toby, however, never asked her questions about her relationship with Jareth or about why she always seemed so sad. No, Toby just seemed to accept her feelings for what they were and that meant more to Sarah than he would ever know.
Just as they both finished wrapping the last gift; Diane arrived home from work, kindly bringing the two of them a hot mug of chocolate, complete with cream, a sprinkling of cinnamon, and marshmallows.
"For Santa's Elves," She smiled, passing Toby his mug first. "Blow it before you drink, it's very hot." She warned him, and then passed Sarah her mug.
Sarah took the mug from her friend, thanking her gratefully even as her stomach churned from the mere sight of melted cream and marshmallows.
Diane watched Sarah's expression closely - watching as she sipped a little of her hot chocolate, then proceeded to gag very softly behind her hand before she hid her discomfort with a smile and sneakily hid the mug away on the window sill behind the curtain.
Despite Sarah masking her nausea quite well, Diane didn't buy it. Not even for a moment.
Sarah had been home for over a week and in that time Diane had come to recognize what Sarah suffered.
Each morning she had woken to her best friend rushing out of bed in the early hours of the morning and sometimes late at night. She heard Sarah as she gagged and sobbed quietly in the bathroom for at least an hour before she would either tip-toe down the stairs for a little solitude before her family woke, or make her way back to bed.
Diane knew it all and as she studied Sarah's behaviour and actions, she began placing the pieces together. She had been sure to keep her suspicions hidden from Robert and Karen though, at least until she spoke to Sarah about it all.
Kneeling on the floor beside Sarah and Toby, Diane peered over at the pile of neatly wrapped gifts. "Nice wrapping, Toby!" she complimented as she inspected them with child-like curiosity.
"Sarah helped me," he told her, glancing at his sister before he slurped on his hot chocolate.
Diane rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Toby, try not to slurp, you know Karen would be so mad if she heard you."
Toby wiped the gooey marshmallow and cream from his lips using the sleeve of his green sweater. "She's not in here so I don't care!" he said with a cheeky grin on his face as he slurped it again, louder.
Sarah covered her mouth to hide her smirk. She had noticed over time that Toby's behaviour was changing as he grew older; most of the time he was an absolute sweetheart - caring, and kind, but he was also quite cheeky when he wanted to be. It reminded her of what she'd been like when she was his age.
"Toby, that's not nice," Sarah warned him, but the amusement in her voice was hard to conceal.
Toby shrugged, giggling cheekily from over the rim of his mug before he slurped it again, only this time he slurped too much, and the liquid burned his tongue. Toby jumped and dropped his mug of chocolate all over the carpet.
Sarah and Diane gasped and stared at the pool of dark liquid on the newly installed cream carpet with wide eyes.
"Oh, hell no!" Toby yelped, panicked as he quickly jumped to his feet.
"Don't panic! We'll get it cleaned up if we act fast. Toby, run down to the kitchen and grab the bottle of carpet cleaner that Karen keeps under the sink, okay? Me and Sarah will soak up as much of this as we can." Diane told him as she quickly rushed into the bathroom and grabbed two damp flannels.
"Okay! I'll be right back!" He said, then tore from the room as fast as he could, slamming the door shut behind him.
Diane quickly tossed Sarah one of the cloths and together they began to mop up the spillage from the carpet.
"Oh, that poor kid... he turned white as snow when he dropped this," Sarah sighed, mopping at the stain with her cloth. "I don't even want to think about how angry Karen would get if she knew what he's just done."
Diane remained silent as she scrubbed the chocolate from the carpet, and Sarah briefly wondered why she hadn't answered her. Had she said something wrong? Was Diane mad at her?
But when Diane did speak, Sarah wished she hadn't.
"Sarah, you used protection… right?"
Sarah immediately froze. What the hell?
Unable to meet Diane's gaze, she focused once again, on the stained carpet. "I'm sorry - what…?"
"Sarah, please...don't play dumb," Diane sighed, softly. "I don't want to upset you by bringing it up, but I think it's time... this is important." She leaned back, sitting on her bent legs. "When you had sex with the Goblin King, you did use protection, didn't you?"
Sarah stared at Diane in alarm. This conversation had come up out of the blue and if the truth was told, it was the very last thing she wanted to discuss right now.
Shifting uncomfortably, she forced herself to meet Diane's unyielding gaze. "Why are you asking me this?"
"Why do you think? Sarah, you must know what I'm thinking here…unprotected sex is not without consequences."
With the carpet momentarily forgotten, Sarah set down the cloth and pulled her knees up to her chin. "We-we didn't use any... I don't even know if they have protection in the Underground."
Diane's eyes widened. "Oh, my God, Sarah! Didn't you learn anything from all those sex education classes?"
Sarah scowled at Diane. "Don't treat me like a child, Diane. I'm not stupid and yes, of course, I remember those damn classes. I just…I guess I just didn't think about it. I told you before about what happened leading up to our first time…don't forget that he was going to be my husband. And yeah, okay, it's not like we even got the chance to discuss the possibility, but if it happened it wouldn't have been an issue for an engaged couple..."
Diane nodded, trying her best to understand why Sarah wouldn't have thought about the consequences of her actions. "Okay, so I kinda get that…but Sarah, you know what I'm trying to say, don't you?"
Sarah's heart pounded and she swallowed hard. "I..."
"You must take a test, Sarah." Diane implored her, softly. "It's important that you do. This could explain why you've not been able to keep anything down - why you've been so tired but unable to sleep."
Sarah's eyes widened in surprise. "You knew? How long have you known?"
Rolling her eyes, Diane tried her best not to laugh. "Babe, I share a room with you. No matter how quiet you are, I hear you when you get up to vomit in the middle of the night or the early hours of the morning."
Sarah paled a little. "Oh, god, you hear that? You don't think Dad or Karen hear me, do you?" She asked, biting her lower lip anxiously.
"No, I doubt it. They would have spoken about it to you if they had." Diane assured her, gently. "Your parents aren't exactly... savvy when it comes to privacy."
Heaving a heavy sigh, Sarah stared at the dark stain on the carpet as Diane's words finally began to settle in...
"Di, are you suggesting-?"
"That you could be knocked up with the Goblin King's baby? Yeah, I am."
Tears fogged Sarah's vision as the meaning of their conversation began to fully sink in, and she hugged her knees a little tighter. Even just imagining that she could be carrying Jareth's baby was enough to make her heart twist painfully in her chest.
If she was indeed pregnant, what would she do? Would she call Jareth and tell him? Would she go back to the Underground with him despite their issues for the sake of their unborn child? Or would she stay here and bring up this baby alone? And if she did that, how would she support it? She couldn't work and bring in a living if she had a child to take care of. And where would they live? It wasn't like she could bring up a baby in her parents' house.
Suddenly it all overwhelmed her and she covered her face with her hands and took a few deep breaths, attempting to calm herself down enough to avoid the panic attack she felt looming.
This was all too much, too quickly.
Sarah squeezed her eyes shut.
Distantly, she could hear Diane's voice - could hear her trying to comfort her, ease her, but her words soon became a muffled distortion in Sarah's ears.
Squeezing her eyes shut even tighter, Sarah felt the warmth of her tears sliding down her cheeks.
"I can't be pregnant, I can't be pregnant." She repeated the words inwardly, silently hoping that if she said them enough, they might be true. But deep down in her heart, Sarah had a feeling that Diane's suspicions were correct, and she had known that she was carrying life inside her for some time. But how could that be?
"Sarah? Babe, please don't freak out…" Diane said, gently rubbing Sarah's back. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just need you to promise you'll take a test? At least then we'll know... And I'll be here to help you whatever the outcome." She added, kindly.
The bedroom door suddenly burst open and Toby came rushing back in with the cleaning product Diane has asked for. "I was as quick as I could be," He panted, breathlessly. "Had to sneak it past Mom and that wasn't easy!"
His expression suddenly dropped when he glanced at his sister who still had her face hidden behind her hands.
"Sarah?... what happened?" he asked, crouching down beside her and Diane.
Diane smiled weakly at the concerned boy. "She's just having a hard time with... well, you know."
"The breakup thingy?" he asked, his pale eyes wide and his young voice lowered to a whisper.
"Yeah, that's right. Why don't you hug her? Hugs from a little brother can fix a broken heart." She told him, smiling as he scooted closer to Sarah without hesitation, hugging her as tightly as he could, his eyes squeezed shut.
Diane had been right about a brother's hug being healing. Toby's hugs did help Sarah. The panic attack she had felt brewing inside her like a thunderous storm had eased away as he wrapped his little arms around her, tightly and protectively, and as the panic attack began to fade, Sarah hugged him back, a few dreaded tears managing to escape her eyes even as she tried her hardest to hold them back.
Hoggle shuffled down the hall, trying his hardest to keep up with the little goblin that was leading him towards the chambers where Didymus had stayed last night.
"Does ya have to go so damn fast?" He called out to the goblin in irritation.
The little grey goblin paused in his rushing and turned around, watching as Hoggle rounded the corner, huffing and puffing as if he'd been walking for hours.
"Nearer, nearer, now!" replied the spritely goblin, grinning cruelly at Hoggle's obvious difficulty.
Hoggle groaned as the creature continued again, possibly faster than he had been before. And from the cheeky cackling he heard echoing down the hall, he knew his increased pace was deliberate.
"Little shite," Hoggle muttered under his breath before continuing down the narrow hall.
It took far longer to get to Sir Didymus than Hoggle had first anticipated, but it only made him all the more glad when he finally reached the guest-chamber and was able to settle himself down onto the exceptionally comfortable chair besides Didymus, who had been informed of Hoggle's coming and had ordered a pot of tea for the both of them to share.
"Ah! My brother! Thou are here at last!" Exclaimed Didymus in a friendly manner as Hoggle seated himself beside him.
"The rat said you was gonna call Sarah?" Hoggle said, deciding to get straight to the point. If the truth was told, he was in no mood to procrastinate. He was worried about Sarah and he wanted to see her, to hear her side of the story after hearing Jareth's. And that was without mentioning his resentment towards Didymus.
Didymus had begged him not to venture to the castle last night, and he had only agreed because the storm was so rough and he didn't fancy getting lost in the snow and dark, and yet Didymus had come here himself a few hours after convincing him not to? He couldn't pretend he wasn't a little bit pissed off with him for that.
"His Majesty was gracious enough to grant us permission to call her." Sir Didymus said as he poured out steaming hot tea into two bone china cups.
Hoggle scoffed irritably at Didymus's words. "With or without his permission, I would 'ave called her." He grumbled, folding his arms over his chest.
Sir Didymus sighed. He had half expected Hoggle to act this way.
He was angry, that was certain. He was angry about Sarah leaving, angry with Jareth for hurting her, and he was undoubtedly angry with him, also. He had snuck off to the castle to speak with Jareth before him, after all.
Carefully placing the teapot down again, Didymus rested his paws on his knees.
"My brother, I must ask thee to try to understand my motive. I came here after convincing you not to, simply because I felt it was important to speak with his Majesty. I felt I had to listen to what he had to say about this unfortunate matter. I do not wish to judge his character too harshly or too quickly."
"But we know his character! He's a cheatin' rat!" Hoggle argued, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "And no matter what sob story he tells us, he hurt Sarah. That be enough to judge his character on."
Sir Didymus dabbed his forehead with his pocket-handkerchief, already feeling the density of their current discussion. "All of this, I could agree on, were it not for the look in His Majesty's eyes. Have you not seen it, my brother? The regret he carries with him? The pain he feels in losing her?"
"He's only upset because he didn't manage to reclaim his power over her," Hoggle argued, trying to ignore the slight guilt he felt in saying that.
Sir Didymus shook his head. "He loves her, my brother. You know it as well as I,"
When Hoggle said nothing, Didymus passed him his cup of tea. "Drink it while it's warm and then we'll call our fair maiden, yes?"
Eyeing the cup for a few awkward seconds, Hoggle finally reached out and took it with a firm nod. "Fine, but we'll see what Sarah has to say about all this."
After tea, Hoggle and Didymus crossed the room and sat in front of the mirror which hung on the wall above the vanity.
Without hesitation, both Didymus and Hoggle leant forward and pressed their hands against the cool glass. The mirror immediately blurred out the reflections of their faces and the view of the room behind them, and a white mist clouded the surface, swirling and sparkling before it cleared and Sarah's bedroom appeared in front of them.
Both Hoggle and Didymus peered in. The room looked different to what it had before. It was barely recognizable. If the floral wallpaper hadn't been there, they'd probably both have thought it wasn't the same room at all.
They cast their thoughts of the room aside; however, when they spotted Sarah, curled up on her side in the single white bed she'd had all her childhood.
She was facing away from them, so they couldn't see her expression, but what they could see was the way her shoulders hitched. She was crying.
"Sarah..." Hoggle whispered, saddened to see her crying like that, and all alone. "T'is alright, girly, we're here now..."
But Sarah didn't hear Hoggle's comforting words, instead, she remained on her side, her sobs only a distant echo through the mirror.
"My lady?" Didymus called, leaning in closer to the mirror. "My lady, can you hear us?"
"She can't," Hoggle decided when Sarah failed to acknowledge them for the second time. "I don't know how... but she ain't hearin' us." He continued, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Something had to be keeping her from hearing them, but what?
Didymus heaved a weary sigh. "Thou must be correct, for I don't believe our maiden would deliberately fail to answer our calls, even if she didn't want to be disturbed."
Hoggle made a sound that let Didymus know he agreed with his statement. The two of them watched her for a few silent moments.
Hope filled their hearts when Sarah suddenly rolled over in the bed and gazed directly into the mirror with a deep frown troubling her features.
Hoggle twisted the bottom of his shirt in his hands when he saw the tears glistening on her face. She looked so worn out. So... pale and thin.
"Sarah?" Hoggle called, attempting to communicate with her one last time.
Both Hoggle and Didymus's eyes widened as Sarah slowly sat up in her bed, her eyes narrowing on the mirror.
"We can see her but she can't see us..." Didymus sighed regretfully. "And yet, it almost seems as if our fair maiden knows we're here..."
"I wish there was some way to let her know we was." Said Hoggle, disappointed when Sarah lowered herself back down onto the mattress, her gaze cast away from the mirror and up towards the ceiling above her.
Regretfully, Hoggle and Didymus broke the contact. It was obvious that Sarah couldn't see or hear them, so there was no point in keeping the connection between them. The two watched as the mirror began to cloud over again, the images of Sarah in her bedroom fading into a smoky swirl before it cleared entirely and only their reflections gazed back at them.
"Well...that was most disappointing." sighed the little knight, his shoulders sagging. "And now I'm left to wonder why she didn't hear us? Why didn't she see us? Perhaps we should speak to His Majesty about this..."
"Or perhaps he's the reason why we can't communicate with her," Hoggle grumbled, glaring at his reflection. "No doubt he did this to trick us."
Sir Didymus looked to Hoggle in alarm. However, when he saw the grumpy expression he wore, saw how he kept his arms crossed firmly over his chest and his normally bright eyes were dark with anger, he realized there was something else about Hoggle's expression - something underlying the anger, something hidden in the darkness of his eyes and the pout of his lips. It was something that told Didymus this was all a façade on Hoggle's part.
Perhaps he'd seen something in Jareth today; something that was changing his opinion of him, and he was doing his best not to let go of his old judgment of him.
Hoggle wanted to see Jareth as the enemy. He wanted to blame him.
Perhaps if it weren't for years of knowing and serving the King, he too would have seen him in the same light as Hoggle. But Didymus had seen a different man shine through Jareth in the last few months.
He had seen a man that cared for his Kingdom and put his citizens above all else. He had seen a man who loved his fiancée. A man that was doing his utmost best to be better – going out of his way to offer help even when he didn't need to. For those reasons alone, Didymus was hopeful for their monarch.
"Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all..."
Hoggle's eyes snapped towards Sir Didymus. "What?"
"William Shakespeare," the knight informed him as he combed his whiskers casually. "A mere quote to some - a way of living to others,"
Hoggle's brow furrowed as he considered Didymus's words and their meaning. "For we are sinners all..." he repeated in a hushed tone. Lifting an arm, he rubbed the back of his neck as a twinge of guilt arose from within him.
'Yes... we are sinners all, indeed...' he thought again, recalling a regretful moment all those years ago when he had given Sarah the tainted peach, causing her to almost forget her mission to save her brother.
He wasn't perfect. He had made mistakes as everyone else had in the world.
Including Jareth...
Would it really be so hard to try and see the good in Jareth? He knew he had to have it, for he didn't believe that someone as wonderful as Sarah could love a man like Jareth unless some kind of goodness lived within him.
Hoggle wasn't certain how long he'd been silent, lost to his thoughts, but then a sudden waft of something caught his attention. Woodsmoke, rainstorms, a hint of patchouli and something else...
Yes, it was an unmistakable scent. It was magic – strong magic.
Hoggle sat forward, sniffing the air with curiosity.
"What is it, my brother?" Didymus asked as he mimicked Hoggle; sniffing the air.
Hoggle shot him with a curious glance. "Ya mean...ya can't smell it?"
Didymus, once again, lifted his nose into the air, sniffing heavily, but when he detected nothing, he shrugged. "I smell nothing." He admitted regretfully, hanging his head low as embarrassment flared up within him. His nose, once his strongest asset, was useless.
But then just out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that sparked his attention.
For what Didymus lacked in his sense of smell, he made up for tenfold in his sharp sight and heightened sensations.
A sound left the little fox – it was a sound of pure delight and wonder, a chuckle, soft as it passed his lips. And Hoggle could only watch in intrigue as his friend raised his arm into the air, his fingers moving as if something weaved itself through them.
Little strands of sparkling blue and white seemed to seep in through the stone walls like long wavy vines, and Didymus knew in an instant that they were the Labyrinth and the Goblin King's magic combining and merging like long lost lovers.
Wow. He was witnessing something he hadn't seen for many years.
"Such bright colour..." He thought. "So sparkly..."
It was beyond strange for Hoggle to see Didymus so lost in the moment. His brown eye was sparkling brightly, and his expression was one of wonder and delight as if he was seeing something clearly for the first time.
Hoggle couldn't deny that it was freaking him out a little bit, though. He was quite tempted to reach over and nudge him out of this dream-like trance, tell him to snap out of it, but something inside told him not to. Not yet, anyway.
Huffing, he folded his arms over his chest and watched his friend with unwanted yet undeniable intrigue.
Didymus was awestruck. Something powerful was happening right now. The magic that surrounded him in the guest-chamber was causing his body to tremble and spark with energy, and it was both amazing and moving to behold.
A tear formed in his eye as he watched the magical strands intertwine, fusing together in bright sparks of light that seemed to ripple and buzz as they blended into one again. And Didymus felt no shame as a lonesome tear slid down the side of his face, leaving his fur damp in its wake.
"His Majesty is making a connection with the Labyrinth again..." He told Hoggle, his voice tight with emotion as he gestured into the empty air before them.
"I guessed as much. Told ya I could smell it." Hoggle said as he hopped down from his seat and looked around the room with narrowed eyes, trying to see what Didymus was trying to point out to him.
"Whatcha seein', Diddy?" He asked with a frown when he saw nothing out of the ordinary.
"You don't see it? Ah! Then I hath been very blessed to witness the reunion of old magic." he explained, wiping away his tears with his pocket-handkerchief.
Hoggle, somewhat uncomfortable with Didymus' emotional display, began twisting the front of his shirt in his hands. The truth was he'd never been particularly good with dealing with other people's emotions. He wasn't exactly the emotional type, so seeing Didymus wiping away his tears was something he didn't know how to respond to.
The air began to shift around them, then. The room had been silent save for the crackling fire and the gentle whistle of the wind rushing down the chimney and in through the various cracks in the stone walls and floorboards, but now it was filled with a high pitch buzzing sound, and this time Hoggle could hear it too.
Hoggle rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Perhaps Didymus was right; maybe Jareth was connecting with the Labyrinth again. The only question he wanted to ask was...why? Why now? Hadn't Jareth given up on that connection years ago? He'd been without it for so long, why would now be any different?
As if hearing his thoughts, Didymus spoke up. "More truth in that old prophecy than we first thought, I think. Wouldn't you agree, my brother?"
Hoggle's brows furrowed until his friend's words finally settled in. "But if that's true, then that don't make sense...The Labyrinth's connection is with Sarah now, not with Jareth?"
Didymus turned to face him and a smile turned up the corners of his mouth. "Hath thou not recognized that the fair maiden and His Majesty are but two sides of the same coin? The Labyrinth does not simply connect to one and abandon the other. And if it does, it will always come back in the end. The Labyrinth did indeed rely on our lady more than it did on our sovereign for a while, but now that she is gone, I imagine that it is trying to connect itself with His Majesty, again. Perhaps this is why we are hearing it, why I am seeing magic dance around us."
Hoggle's eyes widened and darted all around. "Around us right now? in this very room?"
"Aye, Sir Hoggle. It is a rare and beautiful sight indeed...one I've not seen for many a year," said Didymus wistfully.
Hoggle scratched his head before he adjusted his hat and huffed. "Well, what does this mean for Sarah? Could this have anythin' to do with why we couldn't speak to her?"
Didymus shrugged. "I cannot say...I'm afraid, on that front, I am as oblivious as you are."
Hoggle groaned. "Then what do we do? We can't just...forget about her! She looked so sad..."
"Sir Hoggle, as His Majesty is so very busy, what say thee to keep this a secret just between the two of us for now? We can watch over our fair maiden for a few days, try to make the connection with her again and only speak to His Majesty about it if we continue to fail in reaching her?" suggested Didymus.
Hoggle blinked. Didymus was a loyal ally to The Goblin King and to hear him suggest keeping this from him was surprising, to say the least.
But he also couldn't deny that he thought it was a good plan. Yes...yes, why not? He and Didymus were more than capable of watching over Sarah for a few days. There was no need to involve Jareth in this yet – it wasn't like he could do anything about it, anyway and as Didymus had pointed out, Jareth was very busy connecting his magic with that of the Labyrinths.
At length, Hoggle nodded. "Ya know what? That ain't such a bad idea. I like it..."
Sir Didymus beamed back at Hoggle. "Marvellous!" he cried, his voice cheery and not so wistful anymore. "Then that is what we shall do. And a few days from now, when His Majesty is perhaps not so busy, we will inform him of any information regarding the situation that we need to."
"Or, even better, we won't have to tell him anythin' bout it at all," Hoggle interjected. "I'm hopeful that we'll be able to connect with Sarah again."
Karen was busy setting the table for breakfast when she heard the kitchen door creak open. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched as Sarah entered through it, dressed casually in blue jeans, a plain black t-shirt and an off-white oversized cardigan. She looked tired and unnaturally pale.
Karen didn't miss the fearful look that crossed her husband's face as he watched his daughter enter from his seat at the table, lowering his newspaper.
Karen felt her blood boiling and had to quickly turn her back on her family so they wouldn't see the anger that flashed in her eyes.
Everything had been perfect these last two years, even with Diane living here. Toby had been doing better in school and she and Robert's marriage had improved tremendously since Sarah had left.
But since Sarah's return home, things had already begun to change again.
Sarah had always managed to steal away her husband and son's attention when she'd lived here before, and now that she was back, it was as if she'd never left! Robert was constantly worried about her; he didn't stop talking about her, not even when they went to bed at night. Last night, just when they'd settled into bed, Robert had spoken non-stop about how he feared for Sarah's health. He'd even contacted a specialist doctor and paid for an appointment for Sarah sometime early in the New Year.
Now that had made Karen really mad. A specialist Doctor? For Sarah?! Even the notion was ridiculous! All Sarah needed was some good old-fashioned hard work - that would stop this silly sulking and moping about.
Diane arose from her seat and pulled out one of the chairs next to her from the table, motioning for Sarah to sit.
"Morning babe, I'll get you some juice?" She offered, watching as Sarah sat herself down at the table. "Oh, erm...actually yes, please. Thank you, Diane." Sarah smiled weakly.
Karen rolled her eyes at how dramatic Sarah was acting. It was beyond a joke, really. How did everyone still fall for it?
Robert wiped his mouth with his napkin before he leant over the table, gently rubbing the back of Sarah's hand.
"How do you feel today, honey?" He asked, genuine concern shining in his eyes.
Sarah managed a weak smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Eh, you know,"
Robert nodded sympathetically. "I know, honey... I know how hard it is. Just remember what I said last night; time is the best healer." He gave her hand a little squeeze.
Sarah met her Father's eyes and tears immediately clouded her vision because he was looking at her as though his heart was breaking. She could see the worry and the sadness staring back at her even as his smile said otherwise.
A big tear trickled down her cheek as her Father sat back in his chair, his eyes drawn back to the newspaper in front of him. He would comfort his daughter the best he knew how, but when it came to tears he backed off. He was never good at soothing her when she cried. He had tried, but it just made him feel awkward and uncomfortable.
Diane noticed Sarah's tears and walked over, putting a tall glass of orange juice down in front of her on the table. "There you go." She said, gently rubbing Sarah's shoulder in a comforting way before taking a seat beside her again.
Sarah eyed the glass and quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. "Thank you."
Karen looked over her shoulder, scowling as she watched Sarah take a little sip of her juice.
"That girl could win a damn Oscar for the amount of acting she does in this house. Look at her, sipping that orange juice like she's some frail little fragile creature. It's pathetic! I'll be damned if she continues like this for another day!" Karen inwardly raged, cracking an egg on the side of the frying pan just a little too hard.
"Where's Toby?" Sarah asked when she noticed Toby's empty seat in front of her. Had Toby slept in again?
Robert looked up from his newspaper, blinking in confusion. "Um... Sarah? We took him to stay at Sam's house last night, remember? They're exchanging gifts for the holidays?" He said, not bothering to hide the concern he felt for his daughter. How could she have forgotten already? She had gone with them for the drive!
"Oh, right... yeah, I forgot..." Sarah mumbled, thinking nothing of it. She took another sip of her juice, missing the worried looks Robert and Diane shared from across the table.
Diane sighed after a moment and took a piece of toast from the plate in the middle of the table. "So... last day of work before Christmas, right Robert?" She asked, trying to get his mind off Sarah and onto happier things.
Robert glanced over at her and nodded, placing his mug of coffee down on the table. "Yes, that's right."
"It'll be nice for you to get a couple of weeks off for the holidays," Diane said as she bit into her toast.
Robert lifted his coffee mug to his lips again and took a little sip. "It will, and early in the New Year, I'm taking Sarah into the city for the weekend. Aren't I, honey?" He called to her across the table when he noticed her vacant expression.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah... can't wait." Sarah replied as enthusiastically as she could manage.
Robert had been trying to get time off work since Sarah had been home but he'd been unsuccessful, so to 'make up' for not being around much, he had managed to get a day off in January, which just happened to be the day after his important meeting in the city. Sarah wasn't sure how it had happened, but he had someone talked her into agreeing to go with him. He'd told her she could explore the city on the day of his meeting and the next day they would spend together. Go to dinner, visit some cool sites. She couldn't say no to it, really.
With a glance towards the clock on the wall above him, he sighed and folded his newspaper. "I suppose I should get going. Work won't do itself. Karen, forget those eggs, I need to go or I'll be late."
Karen turned around to look at him, huffing irritably. "Robert, they're done now." She said, placing her hands on her hips and tapping her foot against the tiled floor.
Robert wiped his mouth on his napkin and got up from his seat at the table. "I'm sorry, honey. Maybe Diane or Sarah will eat them for me?" He pressed a little kiss to Karen's cheek and then approached Sarah, kneeling in front of her and taking her hand in his.
Diane didn't miss the hateful look in Karen's eyes as she watched them.
"I'm heading to work now, okay? And while I'm gone, take care of yourself…have a hot bath. You look a little peaky." He said, smiling when Sarah blinked her remaining tears away.
"Thank you, Dad. I'm fine."
Robert shook his head, kissing her hand. "I'm sure, princess. Rest today, okay? I will ring you at lunchtime to make sure you're doing alright." He told her.
Sarah smiled weakly, nodding. "Thanks, Dad... love you."
"I love you too, honey." He said as he got to his feet once more, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead.
Diane waved and wished him a good day as he left the room.
Karen glared as she watched him leave and then threw down the spatula she'd been using while cooking the fried eggs, making both Sarah and Diane gasp in shock.
"Robert?!" she called, running after him before he had a chance to leave.
Sarah and Diane stared at the spatula lying on the tiled floor.
"Why did she do that?" Diane asked, getting up from her chair and bending to pick up the greasy utensil from the floor before tossing it in the washing up bowl.
"She's angry...she's angry at me. I don't know why." Sarah said, swallowing hard. "She never liked me and apparently nothing has changed on that front."
Diane sighed and turned off the oven. Grabbing the saucepan, she served up the eggs Karen had cooked onto a plate and then she placed the dirty pan in the sink with the spatula to soak. "Well, you've done nothing wrong. She's just jealous. Try not to take it to heart."
Sarah nodded weakly. If the truth was told, she didn't really give a crap what Karen thought of her. She was much too grieved about everything else to be worried about what Karen thought of her.
Diane placed the fried eggs in front of Sarah with a knife and fork. "I know you don't want to eat but...well, please try, Sarah... It'll do you good to get something into your system." Diane pleaded.
Sarah gazed at the greasy eggs piled on top of the other and she felt her stomach churn. Everything about them, down to the look and smell, made her want to vomit. Suddenly, she realized that was just what was about to happen.
Quick as lightning she jumped up from her chair, holding her hand firmly over her mouth as she rushed towards the downstairs bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
She leant over the toilet, gagging and choking as she threw up, completely ignoring Diane's calls of concern on the other side of the door.
Tears filled her eyes and streamed down her cheeks as she gripped the sides of the toilet. She was shaking so violently, it was almost impossible to stay upright.
"It's not fair..." She sobbed as she felt another wave of nausea hit her.
Sarah wasn't sure when, but Diane had entered the room, closing and locking the door behind her.
She sighed sadly when she saw the tears streaming down her best friend's cheeks.
"It's alright... I'm here." She said, crossing the little room and gently holding Sarah's hair back from her face.
Sarah coughed and gagged as the inevitable happened again. Diane said nothing, she just gently rubbed her back and held her hair away from her face until Sarah finally calmed down and her nausea slowly passed.
Diane carefully helped Sarah to sit on the floor with her back pressed against the wall, and then she gently wiped her hands and face with a damp flannel.
Sarah felt fresh tears brim in her eyes when Diane sat next to her and pulled her into a hug.
"I can't carry on like this..." she whispered when she heard Karen bang her fist against the door, demanding to know what was going on.
Diane rubbed her hand comfortingly, ignoring Karen for now. "Sarah... you need to take a test. You must know this isn't normal..." she whispered with caution, knowing that Karen might be able to hear them.
Sarah tensed in her friend's arms and pulled back slightly, gazing at her with tears in her eyes. "Diane, I can't-"
"Sarah Lynn Williams you open this door right now!" Came the very angry voice of her stepmother from the other side of the door.
Diane pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily. "Everything's fine, Karen! Sarah's just been... a little bit sick." She called. "Think that juice has expired." She made up on the spot, hoping that would be enough to satisfy Karen.
Karen groaned on the other side of the door, mumbling something about how she would have to sterilize everything in the house now and that if Sarah had made a mess in her newly furnished bathroom, then Sarah was going to be paying for it to be replaced or cleaned.
It wasn't until they heard the click of Karen's heels as she walked away that they spoke again.
"I know you don't think you're pregnant, Sarah, but you don't know until you take a test or get to a doctor."
Sarah swallowed hard, shaking her head again. "I can't... Diane, I just can't."
"Why not?" Diane asked, beyond confused as to why Sarah was acting so strange about taking a test.
"Because..." She started, then trailed off, shaking her head. "I can't be pregnant, I-"
"Sarah, you had unprotected sex!"
Sarah squeezed her eyes tightly shut, a few tears running down her cheeks before she wiped them away and tried to contain herself. She'd had enough of feeling like this, so emotional and hysterical.
"I had my cycle a few weeks ago..." she explained.
Diane blinked. "Well, okay... that does make your chances of being pregnant a little less...I'm no expert but I am pretty sure I heard that it's relatively normal to bleed a little in the first few weeks of conception... Was there a lot of blood? How long did it last?"
Sarah shifted uncomfortably. She had always hated talking about personal things like this. "I don't know, a few days? There was a little blood but nothing too heavy."
"Then you could still be pregnant, Sarah... I know you don't want to hear this, but it's not normal to puke at the sight of eggs."
Sarah gagged and took a shaky breath, trying not to remember the sight on her plate. "Okay...I'll get a test but I won't take it until the holidays are over. I just want a few peaceful days with my family for Christmas. And besides, I don't want to find out until Dad goes back to work, because if I find out while he's here... I may just end up telling him. And I can't do that...not yet."
Diane nodded, sighing. "Fine, a few days and then we'll get you a test." She gently pulled Sarah into another hug, rubbing her back gently and soothingly.
"And listen, if it turns out you are pregnant... I'll be here for you."
Sarah hugged her tighter, allowing a few more tears to fall despite her scolding herself for being overly emotional a few minutes ago. "Thank you... thank you for being such a good friend to me..."
Diane smiled into her hair. "You were always a good friend to me in school... it's about time I was a good one to you."
23rd of December.
A week passed by without any change in luck for Hoggle and Sir Didymus. Every day they'd tried to contact Sarah, and every day they would watch her appear in front of them with sadness in her eyes as she brushed out her hair, or made her bed, or simply stared at her reflection as if she weren't even aware she was doing it. It was heartbreaking for them both to witness her like that, and they wished with all their hearts that they could comfort her, speak to her, let her know they were there for her. But it was impossible because Sarah never saw them.
It became blatantly obvious to them that something just wasn't right about it. The mirror connected them to her but she neither saw nor heard them? It was highly suspicious.
And so, swallowing their pride (and fear), the defeated knight and dwarf made their way through the snow to the castle to inform their King of the issue.
"What do you mean she couldn't hear or see you?"
The distress in Jareth's voice was evident as he arose from the chair behind his desk; the speed of his rising caused a few of the papers he'd been working on to fly off and land on the floor in front of them.
Aiden, who sat at the opposite side of the desk, swirled around on his chair and bent down to retrieve the papers.
Hoggle gulped but Didymus remained calm as he continued to explain. "It's as I say, sire, we called her but she didn't hear us."
Jareth stared at them both, considering the situation for a few moments before he walked out from behind his desk and began pacing the room. "And you say you saw her, yes?"
Didymus and Hoggle nodded. "We saw her, sire." the knight confirmed.
"Has this ever happened before? Have you ever tried to call her and not have her answer back?" Aiden spoke up as he stacked the papers back up on the desk.
Both Didymus and Hoggle looked at one another and then shook their heads at the same time. "No... but we ain't called her since she first ran the Labyrinth, so it's hard to tell if this is unusual or not."
Aiden nodded. "Then there's a good chance that the connection just wasn't strong enough today. Didn't you once tell me, Jareth, that Sarah has to want to see them as much as they do her for the portal to properly connect? Maybe she just-" he trailed off when he caught sight of Hoggle and Didymus staring back at him with a sparkle of sadness in their eyes. They were such loyal friends to Sarah. It must hurt them to think she might not want to see them.
Clearing his throat, he looked away from them. "Maybe she just wasn't in the mood for visitors?"
Jareth walked towards the window and peered out at the snow cover landscape, then shook his head.
He couldn't understand why but something about this felt sinister to him. As long as he had known Sarah, he had never known her to not want to see her friends. He knew how much she cared for them; the thought of her blocking them out like this was unimaginable.
Unless... unless she really didn't want any reminders of her time here, reminders of him, of this world and anything that lived within it, even if it was her friends. He couldn't blame her if that was the case.
With a heavy sigh, he realized he couldn't just dismiss what Aiden had said. There was, after all, a very strong possibility that he was right, and that there was nothing sinister in this situation at all.
Turning on his heel, he nodded in agreement. "You could be right, Aiden. For now, we must refrain from thinking it's anything to worry about. Didymus, Hoggle, will you call her again? In a few hours from now, perhaps? And again tomorrow if you do not succeed in reaching her today?"
Hoggle and Didymus looked at each other with guilt shining in their eyes before they nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty, my brother and I will report back with any news we have, good or bad," Didymus promised as he took off his hat and bowed low before his King.
Jareth nodded. "Thank you. Neither of you will go without payment for this."
Hoggle took off his hat and began twisting it in his hands. "We ain't requiring payment for watchin' over our friend. There ain't nothin' we wouldn't do for her...nothing." Hoggle said, his voice tight with emotion.
Sir Didymus agreed.
Jareth's eyes softened and the corners of his mouth twitched. "Sarah is lucky to have loyal friends." He said, and then turned away from them both, his gaze drawn back to the view of the snow hitting the old rickety lattice window.
Both Hoggle and Didymus bowed politely then turned to leave, but just as they reached the large oak door, Jareth called to them.
"Wait."
They slowly turned, watching nervously as Jareth walked towards them. When he reached them, he crouched down low to look them in the eyes, exchanging glances between the two of them before he spoke.
"I just have one question..." he started, silent for a few seconds before he continued. "You said you saw Sarah. Was...was she alright?"
Hoggle gulped. "Well - I erm..." he trailed off as Sir Didymus interjected. "Our fair maiden was... just fine, sire. She looked a little tired but otherwise fine."
Jareth's expression was unreadable as he glanced between the two of them. They noticed his jaw tighten slightly, and both Hoggle and Didymus exchanged anxious glances.
"Hmm... thank you, Didymus." Jareth said at length, "I am thankful for your honesty."
Didymus, not knowing quite how to react to that, bowed low before him again. "An honour as always, Your Majesty."
Didymus wiped the sweat from his brow with his handkerchief the moment they exited the study.
"I must say, my brother," Didymus began, his lowered voice slightly wobbly with anxiety. "I did not enjoy lying to his Majesty like that..."
Hoggle patted him reassuringly on the back, almost knocking poor Didymus over with his unexpected strength. "Ya did what ya had to do," he said.
Didymus nodded as he slipped his embroidered handkerchief back into the pocket of his jacket.
"Indeed...and yet I cannot help but feel as if we might have made a mistake last week when we decided to not tell His Highness what we saw..."
Hoggle thought for a moment but then shook his head, disagreeing. "Nah, we ain't made no mistakes. We were more than capable of keepin' an eye on her." Hoggle assured him, but then he let out a heavy sigh. "Just a pity we ain't been successful in reachin' her... t'would've been nice to do somethin' for Sarah ourselves for a change..."
"As you said, we've done our best, my friend. But this does lead me to suspect that Lord Sallow is right...maybe our fair lady truly doesn't want to see us..."
Hoggle wanted to say that that couldn't be true but they'd spent an entire week trying to contact Sarah and each time they'd been unsuccessful, so maybe it was true...
The thought of Sarah not wanting to see them hurt more than Hoggle was prepared for, and he swallowed hard on the lump that formed in the back of his throat.
"Either way," continued Didymus with a heavy sigh. "We've told His Majesty that we would watch over Sarah today, so that is what we must do. And tomorrow we shall report back to His Majesty and inform him of our transgression."
"Diddy, ya can't be serious? He'll kill us if he finds out we've been hidin' this from him!" Hoggle exclaimed, his eyes wide and fearful as he thought about the possible punishments awaiting him and Didymus.
Sir Didymus shrugged in response to Hoggle's words. "Thou could be correct; perhaps His Majesty will punish us for our choice to not speak of what we saw in the mirror last week, or perhaps he will understand our motive. Whatever the outcome, we must meet our fate with dignity and grace."
Hoggle silently scoffed. "Dignity and grace," he thought, rolling his eyes. "We'll see how he feels about dignity and grace when we're tossed head-first into The Bog Of Eternal Stench!"
Didymus straightened his posture. "Come, my brother, let us depart from this cold, gloomy castle, and make our way back to my cottage. There, we will enjoy hot spiced wine and some supper, and after that, we shall check in on our fairest lady, just as His Majesty asked us. We will perform our duty to him, and to her."
Hoggle wanted to protest, but his stomach grumbled at the mere thought of hot spiced wine and food. It had been a long day, and Didymus was right about one thing - it was cold and gloomy in this castle - the private rooms were nice and toasty with roaring fires, but this hallway had an icy chill rushing in through every little nook and cranny.
Hoggle rubbed his arms to ward off the chill he suddenly felt enveloping him.
It was a pity they'd have to walk back through that damned snowstorm, but at least they'd be greeted with hot food and drink. Besides, Didymus, unlike himself, had a nice tin tub to bathe in and plenty of hot water...
And so, it was with the comforting thought of food, spiced wine and a hot bath awaiting that had Hoggle and Sir Didymus hiking their way back through the thick snow towards the warm and cosy cottage.
When Hoggle and Sir Didymus left, Jareth pushed the door closed, and then immediately began to pace the room, his brows drawn tightly together as a gloved hand cupped his chin and a finger tapped at his cheek.
Aiden watched him in silence, respecting that he might need a few moments to consider everything that had just been said before they continued in their work.
The silence didn't stretch on for as long as Aiden expected it to, though. Jareth's pacing soon came to a sudden halt and he swung round on his heel to face him.
Aiden didn't miss the slight traces of...fear? in his expression, nor the panic in his voice as spoke. "I don't like it, Aiden," Jareth said, his voice lower than usual. "I don't like it at all... Sarah, in all the time I've known her, has never not wanted to see her friends. She should have been able to see them, and the fact that she couldn't truly does worry me, despite what I said to them." Jareth admitted as he leaned his weight heavily against the tall back of his studded armchair.
After hearing this, Aiden had to agree with him. "I...confess, I have to agree, it does seem a little odd..." He unknowingly began to tap his chin as he thought about the situation. "But I do think there must be a simple explanation. After all, what else could have happened to the connection?"
Jareth shrugged. "I don't know. For now, though, as we said to Highead and Didymus, we just have to wait and see what happens the next time they try to call her. They saw Sarah, and for now, that's all that matters. They saw her and she was safe..." He said this more to himself than to Aiden; as if he was trying to convince himself that the mirror connection was only a minor issue and not something to truly worry about.
They had seen Sarah - unfortunately, she just hadn't seen them - but at least they'd seen her.
She was at home, with her family, and she was safe...
Jareth took a few deep breaths before exhaling heavily through his nose. "I must... try to put this behind me, at least for now. We have other, far more crucial things to focus on than the mirror connection." He straightened, then moved swiftly back to the chair behind his dark oak desk; the one that was carved intricately with creatures climbing their way up long windy vines, with nasty little faces that resembled devils while others resembled fauns, complete with goat legs and little horns.
Aiden swivelled round to face him as he seated himself back down behind the desk. "Hoggle and Sir Didymus have both vowed to keep attempting to contact her. And they'll be sure to inform you of any changes. At least there's some comfort in that?"
Jareth focused his attention on the old piece of parchment that lay in front of him on his desktop, the one he and Aiden had used to write down all the intricate details of their plan, set to take place just a mere day from now.
Very slowly, Jareth nodded. "Yes." He said, simply.
Aiden knew then, that that was the end of this conversation. It was probably for the best. They did, after all, have a lot to focus on if they were going to succeed in their rescue mission.
Beneath the table, Aiden squeezed his hands into tight fists in his lap.
If the truth was told, he was terrified about all this.
Last week, when Jareth had first suggested this plan to him, it had seemed like a promising idea - most importantly, it had felt like something they could easily accomplish– but now, with just one day left to till they attempted to get into Ryrella, Aiden was beginning to doubt their ability to succeed.
If Jareth felt the same, he didn't voice it. Instead, he'd thrown himself fully into the process of readying himself for what was to come. He had been working (obsessively) hard at building his magic up.
Every night, when the Labyrinth practically buzzed with built-up energy and magic, Jareth would make his way towards it, stand before it, even in the coldest of weather, and then carefully place his hand against the icy stone, allowing the magical current of the Labyrinth to rush in through the tips of his fingers until he felt the pulse of the magic pump through his veins like blood. The process of it all had been exhausting for Jareth, but he had never allowed himself to appear vulnerable in front of anyone. No, he would simply 'dust himself off', as it were, and continue the process the following evening when the Labyrinth's magical charge was at its highest.
Aiden didn't know how he was managing it, honestly. Jareth's body, while undeniably it was getting more accustomed to having magic flowing within it again, still wasn't used to that amount of raw, strong power. Surely it would take its toll on him eventually? And that was what worried Aiden the most. Jareth was experiencing a magical high right now, but how would he recover from the fall when it proved to be too much for him?
The frustrating thing was that it didn't seem to matter how often Aiden earnestly implored him to take a much-needed break, he just didn't listen. And it was then, that Aiden realized just how obsessed Jareth had become with this escape plan.
He was barely eating, barely sleeping, barely doing anything but working towards the day that was soon to befall them.
Aiden knew it was a distraction from what he was truly feeling - he knew it was Jareth's way of blocking out his heartache over Sarah.
"Aiden?" Jareth's sharp tone of voice jerked Aiden away from his thoughts and he met Jareth's scowl with slightly raised brows. "Hmm?"
Jareth crossed his arms over his chest and reclined back into his chair. "Did you not hear any of what I just said?'' he asked, a little more irritable than he meant to be.
Aiden rubbed the back of his neck, his expression giving away his answer. "Forgive me, my mind... ran away for a while just then," he admitted.
Jareth studied him for a few silent moments. "Do correct me if I'm mistaken, Aiden...But you're afraid, aren't you?"
Jareth's question surprised him somewhat, but he decided to take this opportunity to answer him with honesty. "Yes, I think I'd be a fool not to feel afraid. We're risking a lot by doing this..."
Jareth huffed as he sank further back into his chair and began tapping his fingers together in front of him as he thought. "We do risk a lot... but isn't this what you wanted? To save Lilium no matter what the cost?"
Aiden felt a lump build in the back of his throat and he did his best to swallow it away before he replied.
"I still want to save her... but perhaps I should have thought more about the safety of my daughter." He looked away when Jareth's eyes softened with understanding. "She is... the most important thing in my life, Jareth. It's only now that we are so close to doing this, that I'm realizing the risk I am taking. I never thought once about how Addie would cope if I didn't come home to her."
The silence stretched between them for a few moments and Aiden half expected that he wouldn't get a response from Jareth at all, but then he did, and when he spoke, his voice was soft. "You love Lilium, yes?"
Aiden shifted in his seat, and then he nodded. "Yes, I do."
"Then this is something you have to do, or you'll never forgive yourself."
Aiden knew he was right.
"I don't have doubts about wanting to save Lily. Believe me, if I didn't have a little one to consider, I'd have probably already gone to her, but Adelaide is so young and she's already suffered a loss in her life... Sire, what kind of father am I for risking myself when she has nobody else?"
Jareth adjusted himself in his seat, sitting up straight again. "Aiden, I've said it once before, but I'll say it again, I will not allow any harm to come to you. I promise you solemnly that you'll come home safe..."
While Aiden appreciated his words, he didn't know how Jareth could be making such a promise.
"Forgive me, I mean not to sound insolent, but... how can you make a promise like that?"
Jareth merely smiled, a small smile, but a smile all the same. "Because I can," he said, and Aiden saw the sincerity of his promise in his eyes as he spoke.
Defeated, Aiden sighed. "Then I place my trust in you, sire,"
Jareth gave him a curt nod and a little smile, then he cleared his throat. "Good. Then I think it's time we began breaking through that barrier."
4:00 AM
Aiden staggered to his chambers in the early hours of the morning.
They'd done it. The barrier around Beluar's kingdom had been penetrated.
They had set out to completely dissolve it, but it turned out to be a much harder task than they'd anticipated. Apparently, Beluar's protective barrier wasn't as 'crude' as they'd first thought it was.
Perhaps this was for the best, though. There was much less chance of Beluar detecting a little tear in the shield, after all.
With tired, blurred vision, Aiden grasped the handle to his door and pulled it open. Inside, the room was warm and inviting. The fire was still blazing bright in the hearth and the room had been recently tidied.
Exhausted, he practically dragged his body across the room towards the table by the window. It was set and ready for his arrival back. A bottle of his favourite wine awaited him, along with a plate covered over with a lid. Lifting it curiously, he wasn't surprised to find a large serving of scrambled eggs, somehow still piping hot.
Food, however, really wasn't on his mind right now. He did pop the cork and pour himself some wine, though.
He drained it quickly, and then placed his empty goblet back on the table before making his way towards the bedroom.
As he walked through his room, he was glad to find the bed sheets refreshed and ready for him.
Just looking at his bed, all soft and inviting, made him yawn. He badly needed to sleep, his body was exhausted from the number of hours they'd worked tonight and tomorrow was the big day... but he needed to see Adelaide first.
He crossed the room, moving towards the door that adjoined her room to his, and he pushed it open as quietly as he could manage, cringing as the old wood groaned.
A warm smile tugged at his lips as he saw her sleeping peacefully in her bed. Beside her, dozing in a wooden chair was Ellie. She looked tired and uncomfortable, so Aiden gently woke her.
Ellie gasped softly as she bolted awake. "Oh, forgive me, Lord Sallow! I didn't mean to fall asleep!" She said in a panic, still a bit hazy from sleep.
Aiden gently rested his hand on her shoulder. "Nonsense, Ellie, I'm indebted to you. You take care of Addie so well and so often. Thank you. Now go and get some much-needed rest."
Ellie stretched before she hopped down from the chair. "Thank ya, Lord Sallow. I'll be back again in the mornin'," she said, then promptly left.
Once Aiden heard her leave, he tiptoed over to the bed with his daughter sleeping in and crouched down at her side, gently brushing a few curls from her eyes.
She stirred slightly but didn't wake.
Aiden watched her sleep for a few moments, wondering if it would be completely selfish to wake her up. When he realized it would be, he pulled back the blankets and carefully scooped her up in his arms. He smiled when she sighed in her sleep and curled her little fingers into his hair.
He carried her out and into his room, used magic to change into his nightshirt, and then climbed into bed with her.
He was glad when she cuddled into him, her little lips parting in her sleep.
"My little treasure," he whispered, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead before he rested his head against the feather pillows and let himself fall asleep beside her, knowing that tomorrow was going to come far too quickly...
4:29 AM.
Jareth pressed his back against the large oak doors in his chambers, taking a deep steadying breath before he allowed his eyes to wander and take in the familiar sight of the darkened room before him.
Since Sarah's departure, he hadn't even set foot in this room. The mere thought of it alone brought waves of crippling sadness over him. And yet, avoiding the room had started to feel somewhat... cowardly of him and a coward he refused to be for a moment longer.
And so, after spending the entire day and most of the night working with Aiden by using magic to break through the barrier to Beluar's Kingdom, Jareth had managed to convince himself that now was the right time to reunite himself with his chambers.
It had all seemed like a good idea... until now.
The room was dark, the heavy velvet curtains drawn over the full-length windows, blocking out any traces of moonlight that might have bathed the room in a silver glow. Fortunately for him, seeing in the dark was not an issue, but he waved a hand over the closest of the wall sconces, regardless, forming a magical flame and watching as the room lit up with a soft warm glow.
He reluctantly allowed himself to take in the rest of his surroundings. The room was mostly tidy, save a few bits and pieces scattered about from his last time spent here with Sarah.
On the couch by the fire was the book she'd been reading. It was resting comfortably on the arm of the chair as if she'd only just put it down and would soon return to finish it. On the little table beside the couch was a goblet, still filled with the water she'd been sipping while reading...
Jareth swallowed hard against the lump that formed in the back of his throat and brought his attention over to the bed he'd once shared with her.
It was still made, fresh and untouched. But folded upon one of the pillows was the shirt she insisted on wearing almost every night.
It was his shirt. The very one he'd allowed her to borrow after their first night together. Seeing it now, folded and waiting, brought a fresh surge of painful emotions over him.
He crossed the room, bending slightly over the bed to retrieve it, and brought it up to his face. He brushed the soft fabric against his cheek and caught the faint traces of her sweet fragrance still lingering there. Unable to help himself, he brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply. His eyes fell closed as the familiar scent of her hit his nostrils, overwhelmed him, and surrounded him like a soft caress (or was it a slap across the face?), and cracked his already shattered heart.
As the sharp sting of tears threatened to form in his eyes, he squeezed them tightly shut, forcing the impending tears away. He could not allow himself to wallow in the pain of her leaving - not when it had been his fault that she'd left.
Reluctantly, he placed the shirt back on the bed. A part of him had been tempted to strip himself from his current shirt and replace it with the one she was so fond of, just so that he could feel close to her again... just to feel as if she were once again embracing him.
But the more Jareth considered it, the more he realized he couldn't do that. To wear it himself would remove her essence from the garment forever and he could not bear to lose the last traces of her that he had.
He spun on his heel and headed for the door.
Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to come here, after all, he thought, as he walked briskly across the room towards the door.
Perhaps he truly was the coward he'd told himself he wasn't.
Jareth scoffed softly to himself as he admitted his own defeat. He wasn't as brave as he'd always claimed to be. And now that he'd come to think of it, he realized he'd never been brave, and that was probably why things had ended this way.
If only he'd trusted more, loved more, worried less...
Things could have been so different for everyone - especially Sarah.
With one last glance back at the room he'd be so inspired to conquer only minutes ago, he waved a hand, extinguishing the flames he'd just brought back to life only minutes before.
There was nothing for him here but memories and longing, and he could no longer afford to be captive to a love that was not to return to him.
At least not right now.
He had been doing a good job of distracting himself up until Didymus and Hoggle had come bursting into his study this morning. Since then, he'd been struggling to keep himself from thinking of her...
No. no, he really couldn't afford to rake up all this pain again. Not when he had to keep himself focused. Tomorrow was the day they'd been planning for weeks, and if they didn't do it now, perhaps they never would.
"Goodbye, Sarah." He whispered, and then he left without a second glance back.
AN: Okay, so I decided to end it here. Originally this chapter was over 20,000 words! Hence why it's taken me so long to write (and that's without mentioning the scenes I removed from it just to make it a bit shorter lol) but if I'm honest, I just felt like it was dragging on a bit too long. But don't be disappointed, the next chapter *should* be finished and uploaded within the next few days (and all those scenes I took out will be added back in! plus, the next chapter is where all that difficult-to-write-plot-stuff start's coming in... *excited*)
I apologize again for such a long wait on this, but I really hope this and the next chapter make up for it.
Hope you are all well and enjoying the warmer weather we are finally getting here in the UK after having an entire MONTH of rain.
(ps. it's so difficult writing Winter scenes when you're sweating your butt off! lol)
Thanks for any comments/reviews.
