To Fall in Winter
by Rayac
The first time, she almost didn't see him.
The second time, she saw too much.
The third time, she thought she would never see enough.
Chapter 1: Samhain
October – and Halloween, in particular – had always been Sarah's favorite time of year. Everything seemed brighter. Sharper. The burning reds and oranges of falling leaves more alive than dead. The warmth of apples and cinnamon and spice always lingering long after she'd swallowed the last of her cider or taken the final bite of crumble. The kiss of almost-winter not yet enough to keep her inside and guarded against the elements.
The thrill of fantasy and magic always enough to keep her counting down October days.
It would surprise very few people who knew Sarah – truly knew her – to learn she held a fondness for the October holiday. They understood that costumes and play-acting just touched the surface of the passions of the dreamer. Although, to be fair, it wasn't really proper to refer to a group that included a dwarf, a knightly fox, and a furry rock-calling beast as people.
And she knew all about fairness.
Sarah leaned back into her seat as the light shifted to red. It was October thirtieth some ten years after she'd wished her brother away to the goblins and as she had done every year after she'd moved out of the Victorian, Sarah was returning home to take him out trick-or-treating. Since moving to neighboring Vermont for college, and staying after she graduated, the drive back into New York wasn't long. But this year, Toby had asked (pleaded) that she help him with his costume. Hence the early departure. Apparently, whatever bagged superhero or mildly disturbing ghoul Karen had procured for him no longer met expectations. She still had no idea who or what he planned to dress as, but Toby had never lacked creativity. The year prior - as a ten-year-old, mind you - he'd proudly combined an eye-patch from a former pirate costume with the Dracula fangs and cape that Karen had purchased and declared himself the 'Vampire of the Opera'. His 'French' accent made him sound more disagreeable than deadly, but Sarah was glad to see she'd convinced him at least one Broadway musical wasn't "too girly." She shook her head with a smile. Boys. She hadn't yet introduced him to another darker musical that she knew he'd take to – there was plenty of murder and mayhem in Jekyll and Hyde – so she was pretty certain whatever costume he had in mind this year didn't involve a mash-up of stage or literary characters. Neither her father nor Karen shared her love of drama.
The rain started just as she pulled into the driveway, a brisk patter that reminded her that she'd forgotten to stuff her umbrella into the side door. Sarah would remember it later as her third mistake, though the first two were not yet realized. She pushed open her car door with a grimace and hiked up the collar on her windbreaker as she stepped out from the driver's seat.
"Sarah!"
A flash of blond hair momentarily knocked the wind from Sarah, jolting her arm and rendering her makeshift hood completely useless. Still, she laughed as the rain quickened. "Hey, Tobes." She ruffled his rain-slicked hair so it stuck up haphazardly and grinned. He had somehow escaped the house without a coat or umbrella and one quick glance at the doorway told her Karen was severely displeased. Which was the usual. She wrapped an arm around his middle and quickly pulled him towards the house. "Mom's not going to let you go tomorrow if you catch the flu, you know," she whispered with another laugh.
"She has to. I'm going to have the coolest costume on the block. Next level stuff."
"Oh?" Her interest piqued at his obvious excitement. She couldn't remember Toby ever sounding so psyched about a costume. A Nintendo game? Maybe. But even with his creativity, never a costume.
"Un-hunh. I'll show you upstairs. I need your help with it."
Karen gave Toby another disapproving frown before telling him - and Sarah - to leave their now-muddied shoes on the front porch. Sarah had by now learned it better not to argue over the little things, however ridiculous they were, so her loafers were settled alongside Toby's sneakers without a choice word. Instead, she offered her stepmother a polite "good to see you, Karen" as she slipped past her into the foyer. It had been several months since she'd been home.
Toby pulled her up the staircase so hard she wondered for a second if he was getting his Hulk impression ready. But when he led her instead towards her childhood room instead of his own, that thought vanished. She possessed no superhero paraphernalia. She did, however, keep most of her fantastical books and trinkets at home instead of in her cramped Middlebury apartment.
Which was her first mistake.
Toby made a beeline towards her vanity and picked up a book and the sole figurine resting atop. "I borrowed a paperweight from dad and I think I can use my pants and vest from when I was Robin Hood, but I don't have anything that would match this." He hurried back and offered her both, pointing to the sickle-shaped object at the statue's throat.
Dear God.
Her second mistake, she realized as she paled, had been thinking earlier he'd had no intention to dress as a literary character. The Goblin King, while she remembered full-well was exceedingly real, was nothing more than a villain in an old book to Toby. One who, for some reason after all these years, had suddenly caught his interest. She'd read him the book numerous times over the years, but he'd always gravitated more towards the goblins than their king. Which made her immensely suspicious.
"Uh...why do you want to be him?" she asked, hoping the nervous itch in her throat didn't raise Toby's own suspicions.
"He can do magic!"
Sarah relaxed. Ah, the kids were into sorcerers this year? "How about being Merlin? I think I have an old cloak and a witch hat from a costume in the attic…" But she trailed off when Toby's nose scrunched.
"Nu-unh. He's a king, too. Right? That's more powerful than Merlin. I want to be the Goblin King."
He wasn't wrong, she thought grimly. Jareth had made his position and power quite apparent in her ten-hour ordeal. Magician. King. She made a quick mental run through her known characters but was coming up blank on alternatives that fit those requirements. Unless…"How about Oberon?"
"The Jedi?"
She laughed. "Not Obi-wan; Oberon. From 'A Midsummer's Night's Dream'. The King of the Fairies. Shakespeare," she finished with a dramatic flourish. But she could tell immediately Toby wasn't impressed.
"What's he look like? Do you have a statue? The book?"
She did not. That particular book, having been part of her thesis, was in her apartment in Middlebury. But she recalled several stage depictions. "He wears a crown. Maybe some wings?"
"Wings?" Toby made a gagging motion. "No way."
Sarah sighed and brought one hand to her eyes. Goblin King it was, then. No wings to be found there. She'd just avoid any discussion of Halloween costumes when she next saw her Underground friends. They always declined to mention the king. Unless Toby started making wishes in costume, he'd never know about it. "Did you check with mom? She has some costume jewelry."
He nodded. "Nothing even close."
"And you really need the amulet? How about a crown instead?"
Toby just pointed to the figurine's neck.
It was just her luck that he would now be a stickler for realism. She sighed again. "I don't have anything, but we can try a thrift store. I'm afraid I can't afford the real stuff," she added wryly. Still, she thought it unlikely they'd find anything close, especially the day before Halloween. Maybe Toby would reconsider his costume then.
The thrift shop on Elm had been her fourth mistake.
The first two shops had been busts, filled more with decorative oddities than anything that might pass as costume fare. It was nearly dinnertime, but Toby had pulled out what was undeniably his best impression of a deprived (which he was not) and dying (which he was also not) child making his perfunctory "Last Wish" and Sarah caved to his searching one final store.
She waited near the doorway of "Annie's Antiquities," checking her watch every few minutes while she kept an eye on her brother as he roamed the shelves and display cases. She was giving him five more minutes. Five.
He'd needed less than two.
"Got it!"
Sarah glanced up to see him holding a small plastic bag in one hand, and stumbled slightly. "You…found an amulet?"
He shrugged one shoulder. "Close enough. Better than what mom has." And that was it. Halloween 1996: In Which Toby Became the Goblin King.
Sort of.
For how excited Toby had been about his costume, Sarah was mildly surprised when he insisted on waiting to show her his full ensemble until just before they went out on Halloween. Something about "spoiling the effect" or whatnot. She'd rolled her eyes, but allowed him to keep his pieces to himself until he was ready.
There was only one thing that could spoil her Halloween, and it certainly wasn't a pretend Goblin King.
Sarah was rather proud of her costume that year. She'd spent a fair few hours near the woods by her apartment complex searching for just the right branch – long and curved – and a fair few more whittling it into a passable bow. The bowstring – purchased from a hardware store - was tied around two deliberately placed nails at either end. She'd borrowed a small golden circlet from the Middlebury drama department after assuring her former advisor she'd return it the following week. A heavy hooded cloak (it was October in New York, after all), a long white dress sashed with gold at the waist, and a pair of brown leather boots she'd spent too much on – but reasoned she'd wear throughout the winter – completed the huntress.
"Neat costume. Going as Link?"
Sarah finished tying her sash and looked up, chuckling. She hadn't expected him to know his Greek Gods and Goddesses. "Who?"
"Zelda," Toby threw out another foreign name, one gloved hand holding out the crystal paperweight and the other on a hip. Hips that were now dressed in black pants just a little too small – Robin Hood had been several years back – and accompanied by a dark brown vest over one of his white dress shirts that Karen made him wear to church. He'd unbuttoned the top few buttons so his recent purchase was just visible at the edge of the collar. Tarnished bronze, but – thankfully – oblong instead of sickle-shaped. Otherwise, she might have stumbled even more.
Goblin King.
Toby's blond hair was nowhere near as long as his inspiration, but he'd done an admirable job of mussing it up so it stuck out in odd directions. Really, the only things missing were Jareth's peculiar upswept markings and mismatched eyes. But she remembered those well enough herself without Toby's costume.
He grinned when Sarah just stared. "What d'ya think? Pretty close, right?"
"Remarkably close." She allowed herself to breathe deeply when Toby tossed the crystal on her bed, and sat on its edge, kicking out and looking far less dignified than the king. "Just don't take anything besides candy when we go out tonight," she finished wryly.
Toby snickered but crossed one hand across his heart dramatically as the ring of the doorbell echoed.
"TOBY! Your friends are here!" Karen hollered from downstairs. At the call, Toby grinned again and grabbed the crystal before rushing out the door.
"COMING!"
Sarah heard him pound down the steps and shook her head with a smile. If he was that psyched with his costume, she'd put aside her feelings towards the king for the night and allow Toby his fun. Lending his likeness seemed the least the king could do after the hassle he'd put them through ten years prior. She plucked her bow from the vanity, and after meeting Toby's two friends – a ninja turtle and a power ranger - Artemis and the almost-Goblin King left the shelter of the Victorian.
Which, as you might expect by now, was her fifth mistake. And from there, there was no turning back.
After a dozen or so houses, Sarah was thankful she'd thought to bring the cloak. Toby and his two friends didn't seem to notice the sudden chill and hiss of wind at sunset, but she – unlike them - wasn't hyped up on sugar. It was damn cold for October.
Toby, as she expected, was putting on a show of explaining his costume choice at every house they stopped at. She was getting better at not flinching every time he professed he was the Goblin King and would take away the home's youngest child – or pet, if childless – if the owner didn't provide treats. A rather macabre version of trick-or-treating, but the adults seemed to get a kick out of his enthusiasm. He earned plenty of candy.
She checked her watch again when the last touch of day faded: 6:21. Karen had wanted Toby home before seven and the so-called "hooligans" took over the holiday. The risk of her refusing to allow Sarah to take him out the following year was enough to keep Sarah tight to that schedule. "Alright, Tobes. One more house."
His two friends snickered at the nickname, and he groaned, but with only an eye-roll towards her, rushed with them towards the next house on the block. Sarah felt she owed him the last one alone. She leaned back against the tree at the edge of the street and smiled again as Toby thrust his crystal towards the door as it opened.
"He bears quite the likeness, doesn't he?"
Sarah stilled.
"Granted, I don't offer my services in exchange for mere house pets."
She turned towards the mocking lilt and at first, she almost didn't see him. There was just the hint of a shadow, a glint of metal and sharp teeth. The wisps of wild, pale hair against shapeless black as the wind kicked up again. Until he stepped closer.
Goblin King.
And this was the real thing. No recycled costume or borrowed paperweights. No cheap, misshapen amulet around his neck. Instead, heavy black armor and a high-collared cape that under the dim glow of streetlights, oscillated between deep blue and black. His metallic horned pendant rested in sharp contrast atop his chest, shifting just slightly when he crossed his arms in front. He wasn't yet close enough to where she could see his mismatched eyes clearly, but she felt them on her. Through her. One of his peculiar eyebrows arched when after a minute, she said nothing, lips parted but unable to get them to form words.
His lips twitched into a smirk as he took another step closer. "Happy Samhain, Sarah. Leading a Wild Hunt, are you?"
Instinct kicked in. "Wh-what are you doing here? I didn't wish anyone away."
He snorted gracefully. "No, thankfully not. I don't believe my kingdom would survive another of your wishes. The Goblin City remains in shambles." He grinned again when she reddened slightly. "The veil between worlds is thin on this night. When I crossed, I realized someone was audibly impersonating me – not something to be taken lightly amongst my kind. Imagine my surprise to discover it was your brother."
His words caressed like silk, but the sharp flash of teeth at brother spelled warning and she stilled a second time. "It's just a costume. Toby isn't trying to impersonate you. He doesn't even know you're real."
"Is that so? Not for long, I'm afraid, Sarah-mine."
"Woah, impressive costume," the almost-Goblin King declared from behind.
Damn.
She dropped her hood and turned her head just slightly – not trusting the actual Goblin King to not try something without her sideways glare – to see Toby look up and down at the Goblin King and grin. "I'm the Goblin King, too, but your costume is much better. Where'd you get your amulet?"
"Family heirloom," he drawled.
She saw Toby nod as if he found inheriting the symbol mundane and not at all suspicious. But then, his brow furrowed and he took another look at the king, focusing this time on his face. His eyes?
"Have…we met before?"
The Goblin King grinned again. "Once. For you, a very long time ago."
Toby frowned. "For me?"
This was not happening. The Goblin King was not about to reveal himself and her mistake to her brother. Out in the street. In the dark. While Toby was dressed as the Goblin King. Instinct struck again. "He's an old friend from school. Drama major." As if that explained the costume-that-was-anything-but and his inhuman markings.
The Goblin King didn't even flinch at the lie, stepping instead even closer to Sarah's back. "Indeed," she heard him croon, lips inches from her neck. She had no reason to believe he'd cross that invisible boundary but still, the hairs at the back of her neck raised in expectation. Her pulse ticked up as he whispered there again, a heat that caused her to momentarily forget the brisk October air. "Sarah was just about to right several wrongs. It has been far too long since she's called."
...Several? She swallowed hard. She'd obviously irked him when she defeated him. But besides that? Less clear. Was Toby's costume really that offensive?
While she considered it, Toby snorted. And then he asked the almost unthinkable. "Did she dump you, too?"
"Toby!" Dear God. Her instinct had severely failed her this time. What had she been thinking to suggest they were well-acquainted?
Pointed canines flashed again. "In a manner of speaking. But as luck would have it, Sarah has expressed an intent to...reconcile."
It was only the unexpected smile into the back of her neck - slow and victorious - that stole her verbal protest and she stilled again as one gloved hand came around her cloak, slipping just inside the edge, to catch her waist. Pulling her back towards him just slightly so she knew what he believed reconciliation entailed. She couldn't stop herself from swallowing again. She should push away. Pull from his grip. But she found herself ensnared in the warmth of his lips at her neck, the scent of sandalwood and spice. The pointed pressure as fingers curved minutely at her hip. The last time he'd been this close, she'd been ensconced in another white dress. That one much more virginal, but the sound of his voice - singing to her - just as distracting. But not nearly as distracting as his lips now at her neck, still smiling.
So, it was again unexpected when the king abruptly pulled away. From the corner of her eye, she saw him bow slightly at Toby and then give her one last glance, and there was a promise there that left Sarah simultaneously worried and thrilled. Her pulse still hadn't slowed.
"I'll see you soon, Sarah." And with another wry smile, he backed out of the light of the streetlights. The space between shadows empty air in a silent instant.
Sarah and Toby made it home in time, but just barely.
A/N: I am still actively writing To Borrow a Goblin, but this plot just wouldn't let me fully focus on that until I got it down. My little contribution to the LFFL Fall/Winter writing challenge. A story in three parts because I couldn't pick one holiday. And reconciliation isn't quick. But we get there. Let me know what you think. It's plotted, but I'm aiming to align the chapters with the right holiday month.
A/N2: Plenty of pop culture in this one. Tropes, too. I own nothing you remotely recognize. I do highly recommend the Jekyll & Hyde Broadway musical if you've never listened to the audio - especially if you enjoy Phantom. 'In His Eyes' and 'Dangerous Game' are both hauntingly beautiful.