A/N: Here's an update for you, my faithful readers. I do hope you enjoy it and review to let me know what you think. Shout outs go to Orae Hemlock, Full-Empty-Spirit, LittleMargarita, KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun, lonely 27, I'Like'Cheetos, gamesofmakebelieve, CeliaEquus, and hazlgrnLizzy for their most awesomely cool reviews. Remember – reviews make me happy and happy people update faster.
Disclaimer: I don't own the movie, the book by A.C.H. Smith, or the original script.
Words in italics are part of the play. Remember, the only two who truly know what happened are Sarah and Jareth. The author of this play had to take his words from other sources. Bet you can't guess who told what. Most are from the script or from my own deluded head. The ending of the play was taken from and inspired by the original script.
The actual confrontation was taken from the book by A.C.H. Smith and married with the script.
Sarah sat on her bed, waiting for Liam's arrival. Allie had helped her dress into a green satin princess cut gown. Layers of organza underneath created a full skirt. The bodice was beaded with emeralds. Her hair was piled on top of her head in an elegant updo with emerald encrusted combs holding it together. Little curls framed her face. An emerald necklace hung around her neck. Sarah stood and walked to the door at the sound of the knock.
Liam looked at Sarah in wonder when the door opened. She was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. The green brought out her eyes and made them shine. The emeralds gave her an ethereal glow.
"Shall we, my Lady?" he asked, holding out his arm. Sarah took it and allowed him to transport them to the streets of the Fae Kingdom. "I thought we might dine before the performance."
"That sounds perfect," Sarah replied, smiling. She was rather hungry, but knew she couldn't eat too much with her corset on.
Liam led her to a small bistro. The host quickly seated them at a reserved table, secluded from the rest of the restaurant. Sarah was thankful for the privacy. She couldn't help but notice the eyes following her down the street and into the restaurant.
The couple ate dinner and chatted. Sarah couldn't help but have a good time. She and Liam had many things in common. Soon it was time to leave for the theatre. Sarah and Liam walked to the line that had formed in front of the small building. She could hear the gasps and comments from those in line.
"It's the Champion"
"Have you ever seen anyone so lovely?"
"I hope I can be seated near her"
"Let the Lady through," came the voice of the owner. He reached out and took Sarah's hand. She followed him into the theater with Liam right behind. The owner placed a kiss on Sarah's hand and led her into the exclusive boxes.
The house looked beautiful. The seats were draped in gold satin and ornate boxes lined the walls. A balcony held many theater goers who were still arriving. Sarah felt as if she had stepped into one of the Parisian opera houses of old. Liam helped her to her seat and she gasped at the beauty around her. Liam continued to speak to the owner, while Sarah picked up the opera glasses she found on the small table in the box. She looked through them at the still arriving audience. Movement caught her eye and she swung her glasses upwards towards the private boxes on the other side of the house. She almost dropped her glasses when they came to rest on Jareth's smirking face. He waved at her and she giggled, waving back.
Liam turned at the sound of Sarah's giggle. Following the line of her glasses, he saw his rival across the way. His face contorted into an angry glare. He excused himself from the owner and sat next to Sarah. Taking her hand in his, he made a show of kissing her palm and smiling at her. She smiled back and kissed his cheek. She looked at the program she had been handed. The performance they were slated to see was called 'Night's Beauty.' From what Sarah could determine, it appeared to be a romance. She read through the biographies of the cast and Liam pointed out actors with whom he was familiar. The lights dimmed and both pairs of eyes trained themselves onto the stage.
The owner stepped out into the spotlight and a hush fell over the crowd. "Tonight's performance of "Night's Beauty," has been cancelled," he announced. Groans and angry shouts filled the house. He waved the crowd to silence and continued. "We have some special audience members in the house tonight." Sarah felt many eyes on her and blushed with embarrassment. "In their honor, we have decided to replicate our last production. New programs have been delivered to you." Sarah looked down and saw the title of the program had changed. Now it read, 'A Victory For A Champion." Sarah moaned and rolled her eyes. She could see Jareth smirking from across the house. She shot him a look and watched as the curtain rose.
"Sarah," Karen said angrily. "You must stay home with the baby. Prove to me that you're worth something."
"Yes Karen," Sarah replied stoically. "Come Toby, I will take care of you." Sarah picked up the small child and took him upstairs.
"I can't believe you won't send her away for me," Karen said after the girl had left.
"She's my daughter, much as she is the thorn in my side," Robert replied. "Shall we, my dear?" He held out his arm. Karen took it and they made their exit.
This was almost too much for Sarah. The overacting of the girl playing her was grating on her nerves. She wondered who had written such drivel and where he had gotten his sources. Karen may have had her moments, but she was never this bad.
"Now be good, little one," Sarah said, setting the child in his crib for the evening. "I shall do some cleaning." The dark haired girl picked up a broom and began sweeping up the room. All of a sudden, the child began to scream and throw a tantrum. She picked him up lovingly and tried to sooth him. Nothing the girl did seemed to placate the child. "Toby, please stop crying." The child continued to wail. Sarah was getting frustrated and looked worn out. "Oh, I wish someone would save me and take me away from this awful place." Thunder boomed and lightening flashed. The child cried harder. "Oh Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be. Take this child of mine far away from me."
The lights went out and suddenly a new presence filled the room. Sarah turned to look at the blond man before her. He was regal and dressed in black. In his hand, he held a crystal.
"You're him, you're the Goblin King," Sarah gasped.
"Hello Sarah," The Goblin King said, smirking.
"I'm sorry," Sarah apologized. "I made a mistake. In my moment of weakness, I selfishly called upon you to take my brother. Please return him to me."
"What's said is said," Jareth replied. He saw the sad look upon the girl's face and relented. "I will give you a choice. You may take your dreams or you may face a challenge to win back the child. What will it be?"
"I will face your challenge," Sarah said bravely.
"I must warn you of the dangers and hardships within," Jareth replied.
"I will prevail," Sarah boasted. "Name the challenge."
"You must run my Labyrinth," Jareth explained. He showed her the Labyrinth and the castle at the center. She looked at the daunting task with an air of indifference. She squared her shoulders and began to make her way towards the start.
"It doesn't look that far," she said.
"It's further than you think and time is short," he warned. "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us forever." He disappeared, leaving her alone and facing the daunting challenge.
"Come on feet," she told herself and began the task of solving the Labyrinth before her.
Sarah could guess that the author had not spoken to Jareth. He would never have made Sarah look so good and brave. If she had remembered correctly, she had darn near shook in her boots. Her mind wandered to the first time she met the Goblin King. Through her daydream, the play continued.
"My goodness," Sarah said, looking behind her to where she had left the dwarf. "This is harder than it looks. However, I cannot let my brother down. I will continue on until I find the center. Maybe I will find a friend to help me."
"Allo," came a voice behind her. She turned to see a worm with electric blue hair. She smiled and kneeled before him.
"Hello, little worm," Sarah said kindly. "Could you help me? I'm trying to rescue my little brother in the castle."
"There is a hidden opening right before you," he instructed. "Go through there and take a left. It will take you straight to the castle. Going to the right will take you further into the Labyrinth."
"Then I shall go to the right," Sarah proclaimed. "I cannot circumvent my punishment for being so selfish. I will fight the dangers and hardships within to save my brother. Wish me luck my little friend."
"Good luck, my brave Lady," the worm replied. Sarah disappeared, taking the path to the right.
Sarah almost laughed at the absurdity of the play. If she had truly been given that choice, she would have gone left. What idiot would continue through the Labyrinth when told that they could go straight to the castle if they turned left? Sarah wondered if that choice was true or not. If it was, she knew a little worm that needed a visit.
Sarah sat in the oubliette and looked for a way out. The shuffling of feet caught her attention. "Who's there?" she called out.
"It's me," Hoggle said, lighting a torch.
"Hello Hoggle," Sarah replied. "I'm very glad to see you. Could you tell me where I am?"
"This is an oubliette. Labyrinth's full of them," Hoggle informed her. Looking for the door to lead them out.
"What is an oubliette?" Sarah asked. She looked around her at the lack of doors and windows. An escape seemed to allude her.
"It's a place you put people to forget about them. What you've got to do is get out of here. I know the way, follow me," Hoggle told her.
"Please let me repay you for your kindness," Sarah begged. She took off the bracelet she was wearing and held it out to the dwarf. "Please take me as far as you can and then I'll do it on my own."
Hoggle took the bracelet and put it on his arm. "I'll take you as far as I can, my Lady," he said. He picked up a door and placed it on the wall. When he opened it, new light pierced the room. He bent down and went through it and Sarah followed.
Sarah moved her glasses from the stage to Jareth. He had a look of amusement on his face. He was clearly enjoying her reaction to the performance. Lazily, in his hand he twirled a crystal. She rolled her eyes again and focused her attention on the play unfolding before her.
"Don't you want me to help you down?" Sarah asked the beast hanging before her.
"Ludo down," he cried.
"Ludo? Is that your name?" Sarah asked. The beast nodded and Sarah looked at him with kindness. "Just hang on. I'll get you down." She proceeded to pull on the knot until he was free. He fell to the floor in front of her. "Oh, I'm sorry! Ludo, are you hurt?" Ludo shook his head.
"Friend?" Ludo asked.
"That's right, Ludo. I'm Sarah," she introduced herself.
"Sarah friend," Ludo cried, hugging the girl. She giggled and wrestled away from the giant beast.
"I'm going to the center of the Labyrinth to save my brother," she told him. "Would you like to come with me?" Ludo nodded and the two disappeared further into the Labyrinth together.
At least they had gotten that part right. Sarah realized how much she missed her friends. Tomorrow, she would get a chance to see Hoggle again. She couldn't wait to give him a hug and tell him about this dreadful production. She was sure he had had a hand in this. He'd be sure to get an earful from her, if he had.
"Hoggle, help!" cried Sarah from offstage.
"I'm coming, Sarah," Hoggle vowed, turning back from where he came.
"Well, if it isn't you," Jareth said, appearing before him. "And where are you going?"
"I'm going to save Sarah," Hoggle replied. "She's my friend."
"Yes," Jareth acknowledged. "But I am your King. You must obey me." He created a crystal in the palm of his hand. "Give her this." He threw the crystal and it became a peach. Hoggle caught it deftly.
"What is it?" Hoggle asked warily.
"It's a present," Jareth replied.
"I won't harm her," Hoggle said defiantly.
"You'll give her that, Hoggle, or I'll tip you straight into the Bog of Eternal Stench!"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Hoggle said, resigned. The Goblin King disappeared and Hoggle went out in search of his new friend.
Now Sarah was sure Hoggle had helped. She hadn't been there, but she sincerely doubted that the cowardly dwarf would have stood up to Jareth like that. Looking at Jareth, she became positive of Hoggle's assistance with this production. Jareth was glaring at the performers and his fist clenched the crystal he had been playing with earlier.
"Stop!" shouted the small terrier. "Stop, I say!"
"We have to get across," Sarah pled. "I only have a short amount of time left to save my brother."
"Without my permission, no one may cross," the creature vowed. Ludo challenged the small terrier and the two began to tussle. Ludo came out victorious. "Never have I met my match in battle, yet this noble knight has fought me to a standstill! Sir Ludo, I, Sir Didymus, yield to thee. Come, let us be brothers henceforth and fight for the right as one."
"May we have your permission to pass?" Sarah asked.
"Yes, I will yield to thee as well, my Lady," Sir Didymus said. "I will accompany you on your quest to find your brother."
"Thank you, good sir," Sarah replied. The group left to attempt to cross the bridge and continue their journey.
Sarah thought about Didymus fondly. The crew hadn't gotten the Bog of Stench quite right, though she was glad that she wasn't in front of the real Bog. She could almost remember the smell and the memory made her gag slightly. Taking a moment to glance at Liam, she could see he was still quite unhappy with the change in productions. She took his hand in her own and smiled at him when he looked at her. He smiled in return and they continued to watch the play below.
"Is that my stomach or yours, Ambrosias?" Sir Didymus asked.
"Hungry," said Ludo.
"We can't stop now. Maybe we can find some berries," Sarah suggested. She began to look around for something to eat.
"Uh, Sarah," Hoggle said, holding out the peach he had been given. Sarah took it with a smile.
"Hoggle!" she exclaimed. "Oh, thank you. You're a lifesaver!" She took a bite of the strange fruit. "This tastes strange. Hoggle, what have you done?"
"Oh, damn you, Jareth!" Hoggle swore. "And damn me, too!" He ran off, leaving Sarah to feel the effects of the peach he had given her. Suddenly, she disappeared. Ludo and Sir Didymus searched for her, but came up empty. They made their way along the path to continue their search.
A song played in Sarah's mind and she remembered her peach-induced dream. The play continued below her, showing a courageous Didymus and Ludo searching the junkyard for their dear friend. Obviously, the author hadn't known what had happened to Sarah. Sarah was barely aware as she thought about the dance she had with Jareth. It was a beautiful dream and she wished she hadn't had to wake up. She looked over at Jareth and it was clear he was also lost in the memory of that dream. Sarah was glad that the author hadn't found out about the ballroom and dance. It was a private moment that she didn't want to share with anyone but Jareth.
"He must have gone that way," Sarah said, pointing to a staircase to the left of the throne.
"Well, then, come on!" Hoggle replied.
"I must face him alone," Sarah said.
"Why?" asked Sir Didymus.
"That's the way it's done," Sarah replied.
"If that is the way it is done, then that is the way you must do it," Sir Didymus said. "But should you need us."
"Should you need us," Hoggle repeated.
"I'll call," Sarah replied. "Thank you, all of you." She disappeared up the stairs.
Sarah entered an overwhelming room with many staircases, balconies, and doorways at different heights and at all kinds of strange angles that obviously had no relation to what we know as gravity. Her knees buckled from vertigo and she gasped. Jareth was seated on a wall with all the ease of a fly.
"I've been expecting you," he said calmly.
Sarah stumbled and fell into the room, ending up on the ceiling. She tried to adjust to being upside down. "Where's Toby?" she asked, angrily. She looked down and sideways to see Jareth and it made her dizzy.
"He's right there," the Goblin King said, pointing to one of the stairways that jutted out at a right angle from the wall. Toby was climbing up the stairs happily.
"Toby! No!" she cried, afraid he might fall down when he got to the top. Toby climbed to the top, but didn't fall. Instead, he started crawling up the wall. Sarah sighed with relief and closed her eyes. This sent her reeling and she ended up in one of the archways. She looked around to orient herself but there was no up, no down, no sideways. The baby appeared to be nearing the balcony. Sarah screamed and Jareth laughed. He began to sing a song that told Sarah she never really understood what was going on. Nothing is what it appears to be, not even things like "up" and "down."
Toby appeared to be in the most precarious-looking situation yet, at the top of a staircase. Jareth created a crystal ball to lure Toby down the stairs and threw it at the child. It bounced up to the baby. Sarah turned away from Jareth and looked into the large mirror framed in the archway. She saw endless Sarahs. While she looked, the first reflection ran to the left, the reflection behind that to the right, and so on all the way down the line. Sarah fell backwards and ended up standing on the floor, watching Toby chase his ball across the ceiling. Jareth danced on the wall now, finishing his song.
Toby was on one of the balconies facing out of the rotunda. Sarah ran up the opposite wall and found that she faced a sheer space between her and the baby. The only way to reach him was to jump. She looked at Jareth, who grinned at her, then at Toby who was teetering on the edge. She looked back at Jareth with a grin of her own.
"Like the man said, 'nothing is what it appears to be!'" she cried and jumped.
Sarah fell right on to a magnificent huge bed. Opposite her, Jareth sat in a chair. Toby was wrapped in a blanket and sat gurgling on the Goblin King's lap. Sarah reached into her pocket and pulled out a watch. Jareth stood up and looked at her.
"There's still time," he said. He gestured to a clock on the wall that showed that it was only a few minutes to thirteen. He placed Toby into a cradle and came over to the bed. He looked down at her. "Besides, I'm no longer interested in having a little goblin prince. I've decided I'd much rather have a queen."
Jareth looked into her eyes for a moment. Sarah didn't look away. Instead, she slowly eased herself off the bed and stood facing him. "A queen?" she asked, archly. "Have you chosen anyone I know?" She glided by him and walked to the window. Jareth chuckled, appreciatively.
"You've come a long way, little girl," he said, proudly.
Sarah looked out at the labyrinth. "I certainly have," she said, turning to face him.
"Yes, I can see it in your eyes," he replied, moving closer to her. "No one else has ever made it this far in the labyrinth, no one else has ever been worthy ..." He took her hand and brought it to his lips. She smiled down at him.
"What's your offer?" she asked.
"Why, everything ... you'll rule by my side," he replied.
"While I'm flattered by your offer, I cannot accept. I must save my brother," she informed him. The final denial of his test was enough to create a fissure in the floor of the room. As the clock struck thirteen, Sarah grabbed Toby and jumped into the void.
Sarah found herself lying face down on the floor of the nursery. Her eyes focused on Toby's crib. She stood and walked to him. He was lying in the bed, sleeping. Sarah placed a bear into the crib and smiled.
The curtain closed to a standing ovation from the audience. Sarah politely stood and clapped for the actors and actresses on stage. The performance had amused her and she had respect for anyone who took the stage. The cast made their curtain call and the audience responded with continued applause. Soon, the owner made his way back on the stage.
"As many of you know," he said, after the crowd quieted. "We have the Labyrinth Champion, herself, in the audience this evening." The crowd rushed to its feet again and broke into thunderous applause. She rose and waved at them, blushing. When the audience became seated again, he continued. "We also have the Master of the Labyrinth, himself, His Royal Highness, High Prince Jareth, the Goblin King in attendance tonight." Jareth stayed seated, while the audience stood and bowed or curtsied in respect to him. He waved them to be seated. The owner grinned, thinking of the publicity. "Perhaps, they will be gracious enough to join us on the stage. As you all know, this ending was created by the author. He had no source to tell him of what really happened. Maybe we can convince our Master and Champion of the Labyrinth to recreate it for you tonight."
The crowd began chanting and clapping their hands. Sarah tried to beg off, but soon she found herself on stage next to Jareth. She glared at him and pulled him to the side to have a chat.
"I am not doing this with you," Sarah hissed.
"Afraid?" Jareth teased. "You used to be such an actress."
Sarah took the bait. She glared at him and said, "I'm not afraid of acting. I just wouldn't want to embarrass you."
Jareth laughed and said, "Don't worry about me, precious. I'm sure I'll be fine. I'm just concerned that you might not be able to take command of the stage anymore."
"Fine!" Sarah replied. "Let's do this. If you would do the honors, I believe I am in need of a costume change."
Jareth waved his hand and she found herself in her clothing from the night in question. Looking at him, he had changed into the light, feather outfit from their final confrontation. They took their places as the audience settled into their seats.
Jareth was waiting for her with his arms folded. She advanced upon him. "Give me the child," she said.
He paused before answering. "Sarah - beware. I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel."
"Generous!" She advanced another step. "What have you done that was generous?"
"Everything. Everything that you wanted I have done." He took a pace back, into the shadow of the archway. "You asked that the child be taken. I took him. You cowered before me. I was frightening."
Taking another step away from her, he gestured in the air. "I have reordered time," he told her. The thirteen-hour clock had appeared, floating above his head. Its hands were whirling around. "I have turned the world upside down."
Sarah continued to advance upon him, her arms outreached. He retreated deeper into the shadows.
"And I have done it all for you," he said with a shake of his head. "I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous?"
Sarah's lips were parted. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City. For my will is as strong as yours and my -"
"Stop!" Jareth raised the palm of his hand to her. "Wait! Look, Sarah. Look what I'm offering you." He raised his left arm and made a large gesture with his hand. A glowing crystal ball appeared in it. He spun it around in his fingers, smiled wanly, and said, "Your dreams."
Sarah took another step.
"- and my kingdom as great -"
The stairs behind Jareth were descending now, and he backed slowly down them as Sarah stood above him. "I ask for so little," he said, spinning the crystal. "Just let me rule you and you can have everything you want."
She was frowning, and had halted her advance. "... and my kingdom as great ...," she said. "Damn! I can never remember that line." Sarah's fists were clenched white. She was thinking frantically. What were her right words?
Jareth took a step toward her. He needed her belief in him. "Just fear me, love me," he told her in a gentle voice, "do as I say, and I will be your slave." He stretched his hand out toward her, and took another step back up the stairs. Jareth's fingers were close to Sarah's face.
She stood where she was, and swallowed. "Kingdom as great ...," she muttered, " ... kingdom as great ..." She saw the crystal spinning in his fingers, and felt on her lips the warmth of his outstretched hand. She gasped, and, from some inspired recess of her mind, the words came out, blurted out.
"You have no power over me."
The curtain closed, leaving the two alone. She found herself once more in her emerald gown from earlier. When the curtain opened again, she took Jareth's hand and curtsied gracefully. He bowed next to her. The crowd was thunderous in their applause. They had just witnessed the defeat of the great Goblin King. When the curtain closed again, she turned to him.
"Why did you do this?" Sarah asked.
"It was something that had to be done," Jareth replied.
"But why would you want people to see such a private moment as this? It must have been very embarrassing," she pointed out.
"Because you deserve for people to know of my true defeat, precious," Jareth replied. "You rejected me and I can't say that it didn't sting, but I understand why you felt you had to. Your love of your family is strong and no one, not even me, should ever break that bond."
Sarah felt an overwhelming happiness at this confession. She flung her arms around him and kissed him soundly on his lips. He smiled and returned the kiss with abandon. They were so wrapped up in their passion that they failed to notice the curtain being raised again. The audience began to clap even harder. The women giggled while the men let go with some cat-calls of their own. After a moment, Sarah and Jareth tore themselves away from each other to see their audience once more.
Sarah's face was tinged a delightful pink, which Jareth thought made her look even more beautiful. He took her hand and bowed once more. She curtsied, unsteadily, and glared at the curtain operator until he pulled it down once more.
"I should get back to Liam," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you for reliving that with me. It almost made me want to run the Labyrinth all over again." She gave him one final quick kiss and he transported her back to her box to face Liam once more. Jareth grinned triumphantly and left to go back to his Kingdom. Step one of his plan was complete. Soon, he hoped, they would be joined forever.
