AN: Long time no see! Hope everyone has been safe in these times. 2020 has been quite the year.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth.

Time and Space, Collapse

Chapter Two

Awakening

It was unnaturally quiet.

The sounds one would expect to hear in this forest-like place were vacant. No owls hooting, no wind rustling the leaves on old, gnarled trees. Sarah half-wondered if she were a ghost.

She stared down at herself, stunned to see she was in a white dress - not her simple nightgown. It was something out of a storybook, with its beaded bodice rich in detail and texture. The skirts fanned out subtly, giving her form an elegance she didn't know was possible. Despite its beauty, Sarah felt out of place and unfitting for such a dress. Like a child playing dress up.

Sarah wandered hesitantly through the brambles of the roots and trees, caught in what felt like an eternal nightscape. Part of her had already determined this was a dream. She would wake up in the morning, excited to have had such an adventure but relieved all the same when it was over.

As Sarah walked past a shallow pool of water, she caught sight of her own reflection, still and crystal clear. She looked as though she were glowing, the only source of light for miles around. Her dress sparkled and shined with each half-turn she took as she swung her skirts around. Most dazzling were the threads of silver in her dark hair, twinkling so much she must have been star-kissed.

The reflection, as astounding as it was, troubled Sarah. It further underscored how out of place she felt.

In a trance, Sarah knelt down and hesitantly lifted a finger to touch the watery surface. As soon as her fingertip connected, her reflection shattered, as if a mirror suddenly fragmented into several thousands of shards.

Gasping, Sarah tumbled backward, most certainly tearing the fabric of her dress. Sarah scrambled to her feet and took off, unsure of where she was going but only certain she needed to get away.

Gnarled branches of the old trees lining her path tore at her sleeves and the dress that appeared so elegant and magical mere moments before had turned dirtied and unsalvageable.

Panting, Sarah rested an open palm against the trunk of a tree. She was unsure as to why she suddenly felt so panicked, but at this point, she felt it better to trust her instincts.

Struggling to regain a sense of calm, Sarah closed her eyes and took deep breaths, in, then out. Her chest that had been heaving erratically began to settle slowly.

Opening her eyes, Sarah had to blink a few times, unsure if she was just seeing things.

Around her, thousands of small, glowing lights encircled her, floating idly through the trees. Upon closer inspection, Sarah was surprised to see they were tiny baubles. Sarah couldn't help but think that had she been a child in this moment, she would've been elated and carefree to see such a sight.

As it were, she was unnerved.

Despite her apprehension, something inside of Sarah urged her to follow them. Sarah couldn't explain it, but she rationalized that following them would lead her to answers. What answers was she seeking? She couldn't be sure. But it was better than running around in this twisted nightmare. And besides, Sarah told herself, this had to be a work of her imagination. The sun's rays would soon wake her and all of this would be a hazy memory.

In the meantime, Sarah decided to push back her fear.

She followed the baubles, glittering silently and floating further into the woods. Sarah followed gingerly, wincing when small twigs snagged at her hair but persisted.

She noticed the trees soon began to dwindle, growing scarcer and scarcer as the baubles moved forward.

Her heart skipped a beat as she approached a grassy meadow. It was a most dazzling display, the baubles floating in a slow, lazy dance. Ethereal was the only way Sarah could describe it.

In the midst of all the baubles, Sarah saw a lone figure, their back turned to her. Her eyes widened in surprise, never expecting to see someone else in this strangely mute world.

"H-Hello…" Sarah called out, stepping forward. She couldn't see a thing, the person shrouded in the shadows and highlights the baubles were creating. From what she could tell, a cloak was fastened around their shoulders, a high neck obscuring any features that would have been visible.

Sarah was reminded of the statue down in the catacombs and its unearthly qualities. She couldn't put her finger on why, but it felt clear as day regardless.

As she moved closer, the figure remained still. Sarah wondered if they had heard her - how could they not have? In a world that was so muted, her voice felt deafeningly loud. Either way, Sarah was determined.

The baubles that had been glimmering softly suddenly began to brighten. Sarah saw the figure slowly turn, a profile visible in sharp relief, the shadows still cloaking everything else.

Sarah then gasped as the baubles all shined at once, brightly, as they exploded.

She pulled up her hands to shield her eyes, and when she opened them, she was staring at the sun's rays spilling onto her bedroom floor and across her blankets.

Sarah's heart wildly beat in her chest and she tossed aside her covers, racing to her window. Drawing the curtains further back, she was relieved - and perplexed at the same time - to see that she was still in a world both familiar and boring, but safe in those qualities. No old forests and midnight skies greeted her view and this only reinforced the fact that she had very much been dreaming.

Looking down at her plain nightclothes only further confirmed this fact.

Rose's words from the day before raced through her mind, unbidden.

"...the Goblin King, the devourer of children and dreams..."

Sarah shook her head in disbelief.

It wasn't possible. Perhaps once upon a time, but now? It seemed hardly likely.

Sarah bit her lip in anticipation.

But...her mind whispered.

The dream had felt terrifyingly real. But she had also felt so alive.

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered…

Grabbing a shawl, Sarah slipped out of her room. Judging by the lack of commotion, she could only guess the sun had barely risen.

As if possessed by a mad spirit, Sarah rushed for the catacombs, barely checking to see if anyone saw her. Her parents would be furious to know she had been visiting that dark place for months. And something told Sarah they would be even angrier if they knew the kind of knowledge Rose had bestowed upon her all too willing hands.

But those things felt trivial now, in the face of her dream.

Her life suddenly felt like it was taking a turn. Perhaps she wasn't destined for a sheltered, stable, and painfully mundane role of being a high society woman, a princess, a wife. Maybe there was something more out there.

In the back of her mind, Sarah knew she was getting swept up in some fantasy. A storybook and a dream had suddenly caused her to spiral in ways she didn't know she was capable of.

Rounding down the next flight of stairs, Sarah decided she had nothing to lose by indulging in such antics. She swiftly grabbed the last torch on the stairwell, a motion she had come to know mechanically.

Lighting the two torches on either side of the Fey statue, Sarah stepped back and waited.

And waited.

And…

Nothing.

Sarah breathed in deep, sensing the urge to throw a tantrum coming upon her rapidly.

She didn't even know what she had expected, if she were being completely honest. The statue, cursed or not, had clearly never moved on its own accord. It certainly wasn't going to talk if that's what she was hoping for. Sarah had a mind to laugh at her own stupidity. She should've believed her parents and Rose after all it seemed. Stories are just stories, nothing more. Her mind, active in its imagination, had indulged for a night with a new plot, but that was all that would come of it.

Scowling, Sarah moved forward to snuff out the torches, dejected and uninterested in whatever endeavors imagined by her mind had remained undelivered.

"I daresay that is one of the more...lacking interpretations of myself. I don't really see my likeness in it at all."

Sarah gasped loudly, her heart banging against her ribcage so hard she thought it might burst right then and there.

Whirling around, Sarah was shocked to be met by a figure she had never seen before.

A figure that looked like the Fey statue positioned behind her.

But Sarah had to agree, the statue could not hope to compete against the real deal, if she was to believe that the man standing before was indeed the inspiration.

"Who...Who…" Sarah found herself struggling with words and the urge to smack her forehead in frustration was present. Furthermore, a stranger had just appeared in front of her! Had he snuck up behind her? How? She would've certainly heard the door upstairs opening and closing. Down here, it was far too silent to not notice every sound.

Brandishing her torch, Sarah assumed a stance that was meant to be imposing, though she could guess it looked as feeble as a week old kitten.

"It doesn't matter! Stay back."

The man gave a look of mock hurt.

"Really, Sarah. Is this how you greet me?"

Sarah frowned.

"You know my name...why?"

The man smiled, idly observing his gloved fingers.

"We've met before, you could say…" He moved forward, a sleek booted foot clicking its heels on the stone floor.

Sarah backed away, matching his steps.

"I think I would remember seeing someone like you before," Sarah sneered.

And it was true. He was most otherworldly. His style, for one, was something Sarah had never seen before. If she had to describe it, she would say it was opulent and resplendent. Downright near gaudy, save for the fact that he seemed to carry his fashion with confidence. The flames licked across the catacombs, and Sarah could see he was wearing what looked like black armor underneath the richness of his shimmering cape. If she looked closer still, she could make out threads of silver in the cape, as if woven with the stars themselves, sparkling wherever the flames kissed it.

Most striking were his own features.

His skin, emphasized by the dark shadows, shone as pale as alabaster, only outmatched by his silvery blonde shock of hair, wild and elegant in the same space. As he drew near, Sarah could see his eyes were pale and mismatched.

Sarah wanted to back up further but her space had run out.

There was something catlike in the way he moved - slow, methodic. There was nothing threatening about him per say...but Sarah felt wary.

"Your hair shone so brightly with all that silver," he suddenly commented, catching Sarah off guard.

"What…" she lowered the torch.

Unconsciously, Sarah's free hand reached to finger tendrils of her hair, recalling the reflection she had seen of herself in the water. She had looked as bright as a star, silver threads contrasting with her dark locks, weaving in and out with ease.

Sarah swallowed a lump in her throat, suddenly wishing she hadn't been too eager to ask for the fantastical.

And furthermore, did all this mean she hadn't been dreaming?

Sarah internally laughed. No, you're still dreaming, that much is for certain.

The lines from the story popped into her head, and Sarah wondered with bemusement if it was even worth trying. The young heroine in the story had gotten the upper hand by uttering the ever powerful words. That's all Sarah had to do, right? If she were to believe he was in fact the Goblin King, then she already knew his weakness.

"I must be dreaming," she muttered aloud.

"I can assure you that you aren't," the man replied deftly.

"How can I trust you? You're not real," Sarah stressed, flipping her long hair over her shoulder with a level of arrogance she wasn't truly feeling. "Besides," she continued, a surge of confidence coloring her tone, "I know how to make you go away, Goblin King."

The supposed Goblin King arched a winged brow and gave a cheshire cat smile, producing the faintest hint of sharp canine teeth. "Oh? Please, indulge me, Sarah."

Sarah faltered. He didn't appear troubled by her proclamation. If anything, she could see amusement written on his face with the way his lips were turned faintly upward in a half-smirk.

Nevertheless, Sarah wouldn't be deterred.

He isn't real. He isn't real! Sarah's mind declared, urging to shove aside any fears or doubts she had.

Sarah mustered up what little courage she had and then, "you have no power over me!"

Nothing.

Sarah's eyebrows furrowed together in frustration and disbelief. Weren't those the magic words? Wasn't that how the heroine of the story defeated the Goblin King?

Perhaps he wasn't the Goblin King…

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sardonic hand clapping.

"And here I thought I was about to meet my end," he drawled.

"But aren't you the Goblin King? Those are the words I was supposed to say, weren't they?" Sarah's voice took on a petulant edge, driven by her mounting desperation.

The Goblin King threw his head back and let out a bark of laughter, sending shudders down Sarah's spine.

"Oh, Sarah. Stories only get so many of the facts straight."

Sarah internally cursed Rose and that stupid storybook for their misleading ideas. "Then why are you here? I didn't summon you. Or is that just another thing the stories got wrong?" She bit out.

The Goblin King chuckled softly. "No, that part is indeed correct. And if I recall correctly, you did summon me. And here I am."

Sarah looked taken aback. "When on earth did I summon you? I didn't wish - " She froze mid-sentence, suddenly recalling.

"I wish the Goblin King would take me away from this castle…"

"I didn't mean it!" Sarah protested. "I was hardly even awake. And besides, I didn't think those words would actually mean something…it was just a story after all," she finished lamely.

The Goblin King feigned a look of sympathy. "You would do well to remember that words have power," he spoke above her strangled cries of indignation. "The right words have power. Now," he clasped his hands behind his back. "I believe I must do what I have been asked."

Sarah remained mute.

The Goblin King paused in his pacing, staring curiously at Sarah. "You wished yourself away and I will follow up on this desire...I'm not one to break promises," he grinned.

"Well…" Sarah stared unsurely. "I take it back…"

"Ah, you see, that's a problem. For you," he added with an incline of his head.

Sarah felt panic edging in her voice. "Wh-What are you saying?" Upon further reflection of the story, Sarah fought the urge to vomit. "Am I going to be turned into some hideous thing...a-a-a...goblin?!" she stuttered incredulously.

"Perhaps," the Goblin King shrugged. "But then, I already have so many of those useless twits running about. Dreadfully stupid, as it were." He tugged on his black leather gloves with disinterest. "There are other purposes to serve, down in the Labyrinth."

The words felt sinister, and Sarah couldn't help but recoil. "I don't understand…" she questioned, afraid of what she would hear.

"What is your soul worth, Sarah? Your dreams?" He asked with an intensity that caught Sarah by surprise.

"My soul? Dreams…?" Sarah questioned, again remembering Rose's words...a devourer of dreams.

"I could show them to you," he spoke softly, deceptively gentle. He produced a shiny bauble, one she recognized from her dream, further solidifying his identity as the shadowy presence she had witnessed. "Come with me, and these dreams...the things that set your soul on fire could all be yours."

Her eyes were fixated on the harmless bauble, curiosity overtaking her. Would it hurt? To take a small, quick look? And again, Sarah was reminded that the Goblin King only ever seemed to do what the girl in the story had asked. Maybe he wasn't as villainous as he seemed to look...not that he exactly exuded feelings of safety either.

Sarah found herself drifting closer to the bauble waiting deceptively innocent in the palm of his hand. The twinkling almost appeared to tease her, gently goading her to take a look.

With a shake of her head, Sarah stepped back, heart hammering in her chest. She felt like she had just briefly flirted with true danger. What would've happened if she had looked into the bauble? It was better to not dwell on it.

"I...I don't think I should." She hated how unsure, small she sounded, but Sarah had the good sense to realize that she was dealing with something formidable...ancient.

The Goblin King gave a look of mock pity. "Shame, it's not every day a young maiden such as yourself gets this opportunity."

Sarah folded her arms tightly against her chest as she stepped back. "I already know what my future holds." Her tone was resigned, flat. And it was true. She did know. Sarah wasn't allowed to have dreams and desires of her own. She was a princess who would marry another man of high standing, regardless of whether she loved him, even tolerated him. And it would be for the good of her family, the good of her people.

Though Sarah had to admit the argument, one she had been indoctrinated with, had never had a firm grasp on her.

Like a shark smelling blood, the Goblin King advanced on her wavering resolve.

"I can be generous, Sarah." Here, he smiled, making him look wickedly handsome but wolfish all the same. "I can give you until nightfall to decide if you will go with me, peacefully. Otherwise," he gave a soft shrug of the shoulders, "we can always do it the hard way."

Sarah scowled. "Why give me any time at all? It would appear I have only one choice."

The Goblin King smirked. "Perhaps I'm merely offering you the chance to make peace with the decision. It's much easier when people go willingly."

Sarah arched a brow at this, wondering what exactly went "easier."

"And if I refuse? If I take until nightfall to give my answer...and it still remains no?"

A slow, predatory smile played itself out on the Goblin King's face in response.

"Then I suppose you know the game we must play."

Sarah swallowed the lump formed in her throat before turning to flee back up the stairs.

"And Sarah?" The Goblin King called, his voice resounding through the catacombs. "Do be prudent in not telling a soul of what has transpired."

Sarah slammed the door at the top of the stairs shut.

Despite the sun only now beginning its steady climb into the sky, Sarah was acutely aware of how little time she had left.

Sarah had the distinct feeling that she had just opened a Pandora's box.

Worse yet, Sarah couldn't exactly determine what she wanted to do...a part of her screamed that of course she should reject the Goblin King and fight him with every ounce of her being. But then another part of her, perhaps a darker side, whispered suggestively to accept. Because as it currently stood, Sarah was destined to be a shell of a woman. Her purpose was only for others. But with the Goblin King's help, maybe it could be so much more.

And with the calm that rolled into Sarah's mind, she found her resolve.

She was sure of what she had to do, consequences be damned.